Important Current Affairs 13th August 2019

NATIONAL:

National Health Authority plans to include all types of cancer and its treatment under PM JAY Scheme

• The National Health Authority (NHA)plans to include all types of cancer and its treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) healthcare packages. The plain awaits approval from the governing body and the entire process will take around 3 month.

• The central government's health insurance scheme are cost-effective, proven and beneficial to the patients. It will now cover the various types of medical procedures,that include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation.

• The announcement aims to give medical cover to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families of approximately 50 crore beneficiaries. The scheme will now provide coverage of up to Rs.5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

INTERNATIONAL:

Alejandro Giammattei was elected as the President of Guatemala

• Alejandro Giammattei was elected as the President of Guatemala in a run-off in the country’s Supreme Electoral Council court. He will assume office on 14 January, 2020. He defeated the former first lady Sandra Torres from the centrist National Unity of Hope party.

He won on his fourth try. He won 58.26% of the votes after 98% of voting centres had been counted. Former first lady Sandra Torres won 40% of votes.

• Alejandro Giammattei:

Alejandro Giammattei is a 63-year-old conservative candidate and former surgeon. He was the director of the country’s prison system. He was involved in a scandal over extrajudicial killings in a prison in Guatemala. In 2010, he was arrested but was acquitted after 10 months in pre-trial detention.

• Republic of Guatemala:

President: Alejandro Giammattei

Vice President: Jafeth Cabrera

Capital: Guatemala City

Currency: Quetzal (GTQ)

Official languages: Spanish

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Saudi Aramco remains worlds most profitable company

• Saudi Aramco is the world’s most profitable company and paid out almost all its net income in dividends. The corporate titans such as Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and other big oil producers, many of which suffered larger declines in profit as output and crude prices fell. The Aramco paid out $46.4 billion in dividends in the first half. That included a $20 billion special payout to its owner.The Saudi government compares with a $6 billion payout last year.

The particular interest to potential investors ahead of an initial public offering planned for 2020 or 2021 according to money manager T. Rowe Price Group Inc.

• Aramco, officially known as Saudi Arabian Oil Co., published annual financial statements for the first time in April, ahead of a $12 billion bond sale.

• The average selling price for Aramco’s crude fell to $66 a barrel in the first half from $69 a year earlier, while crude production held steady at 10 million barrels of oil equivalent a day. Unlike most other energy companies, Aramco’s output is controlled by the state the world’s biggest oil exporter and the hefty royalties and taxes it pays underpin the Saudi economy.

Reliance Jio and Microsoft partner to accelerate digital transformation in India

• Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (Jio)and Microsoft Corporation companies have a unique relationship.

Their main aim is at accelerating the digital transformation of the Indian economy and society.

• This 10-year commitment combines the world-class capabilities of both companies to offer a detailed set of solutions comprising connectivity, computing, storage solutions, and other technology services and applications essential for Indian businesses

• Jio and Microsoft aim to enhance the adoption of leading technologies like data analytics, AI, cognitive services, blockchain, Internet of Things, and edge computing among small and medium enterprises to make them ready to compete and grow, while helping accelerate technology-led GDP growth in India and driving adoption of next-gen technology solutions at scale.

DAYS:

Vikram Sarabhai's 100th birth anniversary observed on 12 August

• Founder of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and Father of the Indian Space Program, Vikram Sarabhai’s 100th birth anniversary observed across the country.

• He established Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad on 11 November 1947 & Indian National Committee for Space Research in 1962.

• He founded the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, Center for Environmental Planning and Technology(CEPT) and the Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD) in Ahmedabad. He also served as chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission.

ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-2 mission having lander called Vikram to honour the late Dr. Vikram Sarabhai that is scheduled to touch down on the lunar surface on September 7, 2019.

SPORTS:

Indian juniors won medals at the 2019 Bulgarian Junior International Championships

• Indian juniors won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the 2019 Bulgarian Junior International Championships in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria on 12 August.

• Results:

Girls singles: Samiya lmad Faruqui bt Anastasiia Shapovalova and secured 9-21, 21-12, 22-20.

Girls doubles: Tanisha Crasto & Aditi Bhatt bt Bengisu Ercetin & Zehra Erdfm and secured 21-15, 18- 21, 21-18.

Mixed doubles: Edvin Joy & Shruti Mishra bt Brandon Zhi Hao & Abbygael Harris and secured 21-14; 21-17

Boys doubles: William Jones/Brandon Zhi Hao bt Ishan Bhatnagar & Vishnuvardhan and secured 21-19, 21-18.

Bianca Andreescu won the 2019 Rogers Cup

• Bianca Andreescu won the 2019 Rogers Cup in Toronto, Canada. She defeated Serena Williams.

• In the Rogers Cup men’s final, Spanish player Rafael Nadal won the title. It is his fifth Rogers Cup title. He secured 6-3 and 6-0 won Daniil Medvedev. It is his 35th Masters 1,000 tournament win.

• Results:

Men's singles: Rafael Nadal

Women's singles: Bianca Andreescu

Men's doubles: Marcel Granollers, Horacio Zeballos

Women's doubles: Barbora Krejčíková, Kateřina Siniaková

Rafael Nadal won Montreal Masters title

 Rafael Nadal won the Montreal Masters Cup. He won the 35th Masters crown. He defeated Russian Daniil Medvedev.

He extended his record haul of Masters 1000 titles. Nadal got the title for the first time in his career. Rafael Nadal, it was the third title of 2019.