India Post Payments Bank to Be Converted into Small Finance Bank

NATIONAL NEWS

India extends $500,000 assistance to Gambia for skill development, cottage industry projects

• India extended an assistance of USD 500,000 to the Gambia in support of skill development and cottage industry projects in the West African country as President Ram Nath Kovind held wide-ranging talks with his Gambian counterpart Adama Barrow.
• President Kovind, who arrived in Banjul on the second leg of his three-nation tour, conveyed to the Gambian President India's deep commitment to enhance its traditional ties with the Gambia and contribute to its development.
• It is the first-ever state visit to the Gambia by an Indian President.

IIT Hyderabad develops low-cost, eco-friendly solar cells using 'kumkum dye'

• Scientists at IIT Hyderabad have developed low-cost, environment-friendly solar cells by employing an off-the-shelf dye used to make kumkum or vermilion in India.
• The dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) is based on New Fuchsin (NF) dye with aqueous electrolyte and platinum-free counter electrodes, according to the research published in the Solar Energy journal.

Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas &Steel Dharmendra Pradhan Launches Atal Community Innovation Centre

• Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched Atal Community Innovation Centre in New Delhi to encourage the spirit of innovation at the community level.
• This initiative aims to encourage the spirit of innovation through solution-driven design thinking to serve society.
• Atal Innovation Mission has a key role to perform in order to achieve the target of five trillion-dollar economy by 2025.

Lok Sabha to become paperless from next session

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on July 31 announced that the Lower House will become paperless from the next session, a move which will save crores of rupees to the exchequer.
• During the Zero Hour, several members praised the Speaker for starting a new system under which their name and division number are displayed on the screen in the house, when they are speaking.
• Birla told the members that various new initiatives will be taken to improve the functioning of the House and announced that Lok Sabha will become paperless from the next session onwards.

Cabinet approves setting up of ISRO's technical liaison unit in Moscow

• The Union Cabinet approved the setting up of ISRO Technical Liaison Unit in Moscow to enable effective technical coordination for timely interventions on diversified matters with Russia and other neighbouring countries.
• The step comes amid the India Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) cooperation with Russia on the Gaganyaan project--India's human space mission programme.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

London named the world’s best city for students

• London has been named the world’s best city for students for the second consecutive year, beating Tokyo and Melbourne that came second and third, respectively, on a new worldwide ranking released.
• The QS Best Student Cities Ranking compiled by global education consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds highlights each city’s performance across different categories.
• According to the rankings, India’s best student city is Bengaluru (81st), followed by Mumbai (85th), Delhi at 113 and Chennai at 115, out of a total of 120 cities in the list.

Foreign Ministers from South East Asia attend 52nd ASEAN summit

• Foreign Ministers from South East Asia are attending the 52nd ASEAN summit in Bangkok. The annual meeting opened with a call from the host Thailand for deeper integration to expand trade and bolster prosperity in the region amid rising global challenges.
• The meeting takes place in the shadow of rising security tension on the Korean Peninsula, China's aggressive territorial claims in the South China Sea and the US-China trade war.
• ASEAN, seeking to boost its own voice as a global player, also plays host to a series of foreign ministers from key strategic and dialogue partners, including US, China and Russia.
• ASEAN leaders at their summit meeting in June adopted an Indo-Pacific engagement framework that sought to find a middle ground and keep on the good side of both Washington and Beijing.

FACTS

ASEAN Head quarter -Jakarta, Indonesia

Secretary-General of ASEAN-H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi from Brunei Darussalam.

BANKING

India Post Payments Bank to Be Converted into Small Finance Bank

• The postal department has decided to convert the India Post Payments Bank into a small finance bank, enabling it to offer small loans to customers.
• Besides, the department looks to open one crore accounts for IPPB in 100 days.
• The decisions were taken at the annual Heads of Circles Conference held at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir from July 29-31, 2019 to adopt a 100-day action plan and a five-year vision to align the Department of Posts with the Prime Minister's New India initiative, a statement from the postal department.

APPOINTMENT

Rakesh Asthana given additional charge of NCB DG

• Director General of Civil Aviation Security Rakesh Asthana has been given the additional charge of the Narcotics Control Bureau.
• The Appointments Committee on Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved for "entrustment of the additional charge of the post of Director General Narcotics Control Bureau" on the 1984-batch Gujarat cadre IPS officer for next six months or till a new incumbent is appointed.
• The post of NCB chief was lying vacant since July 4 after incumbent Abhay was appointed as Director of Hyderabad-based Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

AWARDS

Former Cricketer Kapil Dev honoured with Bharat Gaurav Award

• East Bengal club will officially start the centenary celebrations on its foundation day with a glittering ceremony at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
• East Bengal club will be awarded India’s first cricket World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev with its highest honour, Bharat Gaurav. Kapil is no stranger to football as he had donned the club’s colours in an exhibition match against Mohun Bagan in 1992.

DD News gets Champions of Empathy Award

• DD News is awarded with Champions of Empathy Award for spreading awareness about hepatitis.
• Director General of DD News, Mayank Agrawal received the Award from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
• DD news that being the Public service broadcaster of this country, it is the responsibility of DD News to aware people about various diseases and preventives by showing health related programmes, reports and policies that help spreading awareness towards health in society.

Ruhan Rajput honoured with 'Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2019' for excellence in service sector

• Ruhan Rajput, a renowned entrepreneur, co-founder and Director of Einfolge Technologies Pvt Ltd was awarded with the prestigious Entrepreneur Award 2019 at JW Marriot Hotel, New Delhi.
• He won award in the category of 'Entrepreneur of the Year in Service Business - BPO/KPO'.
• Ruhan was acknowledged for his contributions and achievements in the business industry. His company, namely, Einfolge Technologies Pvt Ltd is one of the leading players in knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) industry.

OBITUARY

Former cricketer Malcolm Nash passes away

• Former Glamorgan pacer Malcolm Nash died at the age of 74.
• He collapsed while attending a sports dinner in London.
• The left-arm seamer was smashed for six sixes in an over by Sir Garfield Sobers in Swansea in 1968. It was the first time any bowler had conceded six maximums in an over in first-class cricket.