Today's Current Affairs-12th August 2022

NATIONAL

ISRO Unveils 'SPARK', India's First Virtual Space Museum

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched a digital platform called the ‘SPARK’ space museum for showcasing several ISRO missions with an interactive interface. The digital platform known as the ‘SPARK’ space museum was launched by the Chairman of ISRO, S Somnath. This idea by ISRO is a new initiative while celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav marking 75 years of Independence.
• This digital space museum ‘SPARK’ has an interactive interface through which users can interact with the site easily.
• The platform hosts several documents, images, and videos related to ISRO’s launch of vehicles, satellites, and scientific missions.
• The secretary of the Department of Spaces S Somnath and major Directors of various ISRO centers appreciate this initiative.
• The Directors suggest coming with more non-sensitive digital content on this platform.
• People can also access a beta version of this application through the official website of ISRO.

About Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO):

Headquarters: Bengaluru

Founded: 15 August 1969

Founder: Vikram Sarabhai

Jurisdiction: India

Mobile App to Curb GST Evasion lunched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

• The Kerala government is set to launch a mobile app where people can upload original bills and also stand a chance to win prizes. The government of Kerala aims to curb GST evasion with this app. The app is named ‘Lucky Bill App’ and it will be launched on 16th August 2022, by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
• The state government expects this will help increase tax collection as people will be encouraged to ask for bills while purchasing goods and availing services.
• The government is looking for new ways to support the revenue and financial status of the state with this app.
• The app is capable enough to help the state’s GST department to examine return filings with the help of uploaded bills.

About Kerala:

Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan 

Capital: Thiruvananthapuram

Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan

 SPORTS

Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 for record-equalling fifth UEFA Super Cup win

• Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt, 2-0 in the finals to win the 2022 UEFA Super Cup for a record-equalling fifth time, in Helsinki, Finland. UEFA Super Cup is an annual football match organised by UEFA for the winners of the two main European club competitions, i.e. the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The last season’s Champions League winners Real Madrid defeated Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt to win the title for fifth time. David Alaba and Karim Benzema scored in each half as Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt. The man of the match goes to Casemiro.
• Prior to this, Team Barcelona, and Team Milan won the trophy five times each. Real join AC Milan and rivals Barcelona in winning the Super Cup five times (2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022), while boss Carlo Ancelotti becomes the most successful manager in the competition’s history with four titles (2003, 2007, 2014, 2022).

About UEFA Europa League:

Most successful club(s): Sevilla (6 titles)

Current champion: Eintracht Frankfurt (2nd title)

Next date: Thu, 8 Sept, 2022 – Wed, 31 May, 2023

Qualifier for: UEFA Super Cup; UEFA Champions League

Founded: 1971; 51 years ago; (rebranded in 2009)

Related competitions: UEFA Champions League (1st tier); UEFA Europa Conference League (3rd tier)

About Real Madrid:

Location: Madrid, Spain

Manager: Carlo Ancelotti

Arena/Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

Nicknames: La Casa Blanca (The White House)

West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard first cricketer to play 600 T20 matches

• Former West Indies all-rounder, Kieron Pollard became the first cricketer to play 600 T20 matches. The hard-hitting batter achieved this landmark during his side’s London Spirit’s match against Manchester Originals. Behind him are players Dwayne Bravo (543 matches), Shoaib Malik (472), Chris Gayle (463) and Ravi Bopara (426).
• He has the best individual performance of 104. Pollard has scored one century and 56 half-centuries in the format. He has also captured 309 wickets with the best bowling figures of 4/15. He has scored 11,723 runs across 600 games at an average of 31.34.
• Over the years Pollard has represented many T20 teams/franchises, most notably West Indies, domestic team Trinidad and Tobago, Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL), Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades in Big Bash League, Dhaka Gladiators and Dhaka Dynamites in Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi in Pakistan Super League, Trinbago Knight Riders in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) etc.

About West Indies cricket team:

Coach: Phil Simmons

First ODI: v. England at Headingley, Leeds; 5 September 1973

First Test: v. England at Lord's, London; 23–26 June 1928

 OBITUARY

AIADMK’s first MP Maya Thevar passes away at the age of 87

• Former Member of Parliament (MP) and senior All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) politician K. Maya Thevar has passed away due to an age-related illness. He was 87. The was the first MP of the AIADMK. He led the party to enter the world of politics by registering the party’s first victory by contesting a by-election to the Dindigul Lok Sabha constituency in 1973. Also, it was Mr. Maya Thevar who chose the iconic ‘two-leaves’ symbol of the AIADMK party. Later, he left AIADMK and joined the DMK.

About All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK):

Leader: Edappadi K. Palaniswami

Headquarters: Tamil Nadu, India

Founder: M. G. Ramachandran

 APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Amit Burman steps down as Chairman of Dabur India, to continue as non-executive director

• FMCG major Dabur has announced that the board has accepted the resignation of Amit Burman as the Chairman. Amit Burman will continue to serve in the position of non-executive director of the company.
• Amit Burman was announced as the CEO of Dabur in 1999 when the company forayed into the processed food business.
• In July 2007, he stepped down from his position when the company was merged into Dabur India Ltd and was appointed as the vice chairman.In 2019, Amit took the charge as the chairman of Dabur Indian Ltd.
• The new non-executive vice chairman of the board of directors is Saket Burman from 11th August 2022, for the next five years.

About Dabur:

CEO: Mohit Malhotra (1 Apr 2019–)

Founder: S.K. Burman

Headquarters: Ghaziabad

Founded: 1884

 IMPORTANT DAYS

World Elephant Day 2022:12^th August

• World Elephant Day is celebrated on 12 August every year to raise awareness about the plight of elephants all over the world. The day tries to highlight why these animals should be protected and what laws and measures can be enacted to ensure their survival. The main objective of World Elephant Day is to create awareness on elephant conservation and to share knowledge and positive solutions for the better protection and management of wild and captive elephants.
• On 12 August 2012, World Elephant Day was co-founded by Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand, an initiative of HM Queen Sirikit. This day was observed for the first time on 12 August 2012. And since then, World Elephant Day has been celebrated every year.

 International Youth Day 2022: 12^th August

• International Youth Day is celebrated on 12 August every year. This day is celebrated to raise awareness regarding issues that are faced by the world’s youth. The objective of International Youth Day 2022 is to amplify the message that action is needed across all generations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind. It will also raise awareness of certain barriers to intergenerational solidarity, notably ageism, which impacts young and old persons while having detrimental effects on society as a whole.
• The theme for 2022’s edition of International Youth Day is “Intergenerational solidarity: creating a world for all ages.” Cooperation and harmony between the youth and older generations is necessary to achieve sustainable development goals, as per Agenda 2030 of the United Nations (UN).
• Young people, who attended the first session of the UN’s World Youth Forum in Vienna, Austria, in 1991, suggested that an International Youth Day be declared to help raise money for the United Nations Youth Fund. At the first session of the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, held in Lisbon in August 1998, August 12 was declared International Youth Day. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) endorsed this proclamation in 1999.

About sustainable development goals:

Established: 2015

Founder: United Nations

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

7.3% of Indians owned digital currency in 2021, 7th highest in world: UN

• The UN trade and development body, UNCTAD said in 2021, developing countries accounted for 15 of the top 20 economies when it comes to the share of the population that owns crypto currencies. Ukraine topped the list with 12.7 per cent, followed by Russia (11.9 per cent), Venezuela (10.3 per cent), Singapore (9.4 per cent), Kenya (8.5 per cent), and the US (8.3 per cent). In India, 7.3 per cent of the population owned digital currency in 2021, ranking seventh in the list of top 20 global economies for digital currency ownership as share of population.
• The policy brief titled “All that glitters is not gold: The high cost of leaving crypto currencies unregulated” examines the reasons for the rapid uptake of crypto currencies in developing countries, including facilitation of remittances and as a hedge against currency and inflation risks.
• It said that recent digital currency shocks in the market suggest that there are private risks to holding crypto, but if the central bank steps in to protect financial stability, then the problem becomes a public one.

About (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) UNCTAD:

Headquarters location: Geneva, Switzerland

Founded: 30 December 1964

Head: Secretary-General; Rebeca Grynspan

About  (United Nations):

Founded: 24 October 1945, San Francisco, California, United States

Headquarters: New York, United States

Founders: United States, India, United Kingdom, Turkey, Brazil, 

Secretary General: António Guterres

Rupee Cooperative Bank: RBI cancels licence, lakhs of depositors in jeopardy

• The Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the licence of Pune-based Rupee Co-operative Bank Ltd as the lender does not have adequate capital and earning prospects. However, the RBI said that in compliance to an order of the High Court of Bombay, its direction will become effective after six weeks. Consequent to the cancellation of its licence, ‘Rupee Co-operative Bank Ltd, Pune’ stands prohibited from conducting the business of banking which includes, among other things, acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits with effect from September 22, 2022.
• The licence has been cancelled because the bank does not have adequate capital and earning prospects and as such, it does not comply with certain provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• As per the data submitted by the cooperative bank, more than 99 per cent of the depositors are entitled to receive full amount of their deposits from Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).

About RBI:

Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata

Founder: British Raj

Jurisdiction: India

Governor: Shaktikanta Das