Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 29 September 2021

::National::

"Amrit Grand Challenge Program" titled "JANCARE" to identify 75 innovations in Telemedicine,

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, DrJitendra Singh launched the “AmritGrand Challenge Program” titled “JANCARE” to identify 75 Start-Up Innovations in Telemedicine, Digital Health, mHealth with BIG Data, AI, Block Chain and other technologies.
The Minister said, as the launch of Grand Challenge coincides with the AzadiKaAmritMahotsav launched by the Prime Minister, it is all the more imperative for Young Startups and entrepreneurs to come out with Innovative Ideas and Solutions for India’s healthcare challenges. He said, the 75 Best Chosen Startups will be an asset for India to lead the country in the next 25 years, during the celebrations of Centenary of India’s Independence.
Addressing the BIRAC’s 10th Biotech Innovators Meet in New Delhi with a theme- “Vigyan se Vikash”, DrJitendra Singh pledged full support to Startups from ideation to deployment stage. He expressed satisfaction that there is a commitment from several industry, hospitals investors, incubators and other stakeholders for this Amrit Challenge, which will end by 31st December 2021. The Minister also felt happy that this is being launched a day after the PradhanMantri’s Digital Health Mission was announced.
DrJitendra Singh directed the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) to pro-actively reach out to Young Startups, rather than they are approaching BIRAC for help and support. He said, an audit in this regard will be done by the end of the year. The Minister also made his stand clear that Young promising Innovations will get priority in terms of help, support and hand-holding than the established industrial hubs. He said, though there is no dearth of talented HR pool in the Country, the main challenge is to channelize it for evolving new paradigms.
Interacting with some of the top Biotech and Agri Startups and Stakeholders, DrJitendra Singh said, he firmly believes that the Startups ecosystem has the potential to tilt the balance from import-centric medical devices sector to Made in India for India and for World alternatives. He said, many of the innovations developed in the last two years in the field of diagnostic kits, healthcare and farming will have relevance in post-COVID era.

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::International::

Elon Musk, world's richest man, wants to send ‘No 2’ statue to Jeff Bezos

Fumio Kishida is set to become Japan’s prime minister after the ex-foreign minister overcame popular reformer, Taro Kono, to win the leadership of the country’s ruling party. Kishida, 64, was expected to be appointed Monday to succeed outgoing Prime Minister YoshihideSuga, putting him in charge of the world’s third-largest economy as it seeks to rebound from a virus emergency. The self-effacing former banker from Hiroshima has promised tens of trillions of yen in spending and pledged to steer away from “neoliberal” economic policies in a bid to bolster the middle class.
Kishida’s victory caps an unpredictable Liberal Democratic Party election, in which two of the four candidates were female and most of the party’s largest factions allowed their members a free vote. Although Kono and Kishida were nearly tied on the first ballot, Kishida’s stronger support among members of parliament pushed him over the top in the second round after SanaeTakaichi and Seiko Noda -- both former internal affairs ministers - were eliminated.
In the end, Kishida got 257 votes, compared with Kono’s 170. Japanese markets, which closed just before the final result was announced, pared some losses, with Topix Index and Nikkei 225 both down 2.1%
The LDP, which has been in power for all but about four years since 1955, will use its majority in parliament to formally install him as premier in a special session. Still, Kishida, who acknowledged during his campaign that some see him as boring, will face an immediate test of his broader appeal in a general election that he must hold by November.

::Economy::

MCA extends the tenure of Company Law Committee by 1 year

The government has extended by one year the tenure of the Company Law Committee, which was constituted back in 2019.
The tenure of the panel, which was set up by the corporate affairs ministry in September 2019, was extended last year also.
The committee has the mandate for examining and making recommendations to the government on various issues related to implementation of the Companies Act and the Limited Liability Partnership Act.
"... the tenure of the Company Law Committee is hereby further extended by one year from the date of expiry of the last order i.e. till 16.09.2022," the ministry said in an order dated September 23.
Currently, the 11-member committee is chaired by Corporate Affairs Secretary Rajesh Verma.
The committee was constituted as part of the government's efforts to promote ease of living by providing ease of doing business to law abiding corporates, to foster improved corporate compliance for stakeholders at large and to address emerging issues having an impact on the working of companies.
Last year, the ministry had extended the panel's tenure till September 17, 2021.

Amazon unveils 'Jetsons'-like roaming robot for the home

Amazon's new robot can hear, see and follow you around the the home, but its no Rosey the Robot.
Amazon's version, called Astro, doesn't cook or clean like the animated character from “The Jetsons," but it can check if you left the stove on while you're out or send an alert if someone enters the house it doesn't recognize.
It uses cameras, sensors and artificial technology to avoid walls or dogs, and Amazon said Astro — which also happens to be the name of the Jetson's dog — will only get smarter as time goes on. It does do some housework: Snacks or a can of soda can be placed on its back to be carted to someone across the house.
The $1,000 robot, which will be sent out to customers later this year, was one of a slew of gadgets Amazon unveiled Tuesday as part of its annual event ahead of the holidays.
Amazon said a limited number of the Astro will be sold, but didn't provide a number.
Besides the robot, Amazon also unveiled a picture frame-like screen that can be hung to a wall and has Amazon's Alexa voice assistant built in. The company foresees it going in the kitchen, where users can see recipes, check their schedule or watch a show as they cook.
Also Tuesday, the Seattle-based company said its Echo listening devices will be put in Disney hotel rooms next year so that guests can order towels from room service or ask it the fastest way to get to a theme park.

::Science and tech::

NASA, Boeing helping Russia in trying to probe cause of cracks on space station

Engineers from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are helping Russia in its investigation into the possible causes of cracks and air leaks at the International Space Station (ISS).
Paul Hill, a member of NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, said at a Sunday panel meeting that the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, the Langley Research Center, the panel itself and the Boeing company are all conducting engineering analyzes of the issue.
According to Russian Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, persistent air leaks on the ISS could be the result of welding errors made inside the Zarya and Zvezda modules three decades ago.
Energia's First Deputy General Designer Vladimir Soloviev told Sputnik at the end of last month that Russian cosmonauts found cracks in the oldest module of the ISS, Zarya, and warned that the earlier discovery of through cracks in the Zvezda module means that the Zarya cracks could start to expand.
A small air leak was first detected at the ISS in September 2019. The crew have since identified and sealed two cracks but air continues to leak, which, nonetheless, poses no threat to those on board the space station, according to Russia's space agency Roscosmos.

::Sports::

ICC launches theme anthem of T20 World Cup

With just a month left for the ICC T20 World Cup to begin, the organisers have officially released the T20 World Cup anthem.
Titled Live the Game, the theme song is composed by India’s renowned music composer AmitTrivedi and features avatars of Indian captain ViratKohli, Afghanistan’s Rashid Kham, West Indian skipper Kieron Pollard and Australian ace Glenn Maxwell.