Current Affairs :- 15th August, 2020

♦️Def Minister Rajnath Singh Launched 15 Products Developed by Defence PSUs and OFB

♦️Rajnath Singh Launched Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation Virtually

♦️National Health Authority Approves to Integrate Health Schemes of Central Ministries with Ayushman Bharat Scheme

♦️MoS for External Affairs: India Signs MoU with Nigeria on Space Cooperation

♦️India Granted USD 500 mn Aid for Maldives Connectivity Project & USD 250 mn as Budgetary Support

♦️India aims to Achieve Zero Road Fatalities by 2030: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

♦️Odisha retains Top Position in Implementation of AMRUT Scheme

♦️About 818 million Children Across the World Lack Basic Hand Washing Facilities at their Schools: WHO & UNICEF Report

♦️European Union to Provide 1.65 million euros in Humanitarian Aid Funding to Support Victims of South Asia Floods

♦️RBI Tightens Norms for Core Investment Companies; Formation of Group Risk Management Committee Mandated

♦️HDFC Bank Virtually Launched ‘Shaurya KGC Card’, a First-of-its-Kind Card for Indian Armed Forces

♦️SBI rolls out “KCC (Kisan Credit Card) Review option” for Farmers

♦️Former RBI Deputy Governor Subhash Sheoratan Mundra Appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd

♦️Indian Cricketer Harbhajan Singh Appointed as Brand Ambassador of eBikeGO

♦️Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel “Sarthak” launched; Manufactured by Goa Shipyard Limited

♦️IIA discovers He-enhanced star among Omega Centauri

♦️IIT Ropar Developed “UVSAFE”, UVGI Based Room Disinfection Device

♦️IIT Delhi Found WHO listed Priority Pathogens in the Waters of River Yamuna

♦️Veteran Malayalam Poet and Drama Writer Chunakkara Ramankutty Passed Away at 84

♦️Assam Government to Launch ‘Orunodoi’ Scheme to provide Financial Assistance

♦️Delhi Govt Signed MoU with Bloomberg Philanthropies to Enhance Road Safety

♦️TERI launches Early Warning System for Guwahati

The Hindu Editorials :- 15th August, 2020

♣️Talking tough: On the Naga issue

♣️Limited peace: On UAE-Israel peace agreement

The Hindu Editorial VOCAB :- 15th August, 2020

▪️QUIRK(NOUN): strange act (विचित्रता) 

Synonyms: knack, quibble 

Antonyms: conformity, normality 

Example:  It was just another quirk by Sanju. 

▪️NIGGARD (ADJECTIVE): ungenerous (कंजूस)

Synonyms: penurious, miserly 

Antonyms: generous, kind 

Example: Alpa is a niggard landlady. 

▪️REPINE (VERB): complain (शिकायत करना)

Synonyms: grumble, lament 

Antonyms: compliment, praise 

Example: Ruchi repined against Abhineet. 

▪️PERENNIAL (ADJECTIVE): enduring (बहुवर्षीय)

Synonyms: continual, never-ending 

Antonyms: ceasing, ending 

Example: Because she is a perennial optimist, it’s unusual for anything to bring her down. 

▪️TRYST (NOUN): meeting (गुप्त भेंट)

Synonyms: appointment, rendezvous 

Antonyms: separation, division 

Example: They had dinner in a moonlight tryst.

▪️AFTERMATH (NOUN): (परिणाम)impact

Synonyms: outcome, consequences

Antonyms: source, origin

Example: Although the aftermath was daunting, nothing could compare to the moment that the tornado struck the building.

▪️ABSOLUTE (ADJECTIVE): (अपरिमित) without limit

 Synonyms: infinite, unlimited

Antonyms: bounded, limited 

Example: Your idea has really an absolute influence. 

▪️PREPONDERATE (VERB): (प्रभुत्व रखना) dominate

Synonyms: dictate, overrule

Antonyms: follow, lose

Example: Do not even think of preponderating me.

▪️DILUTE (VERB):(मिलावट करना) adulterate

Synonyms: make thinner, water down

Antonyms: make thicker, concentrate

Example: To obtain the effect you want, firstly dilute the paint with a little bit of oil.

▪️MOOT (ADJECTIVE): (संदिग्ध) doubtful

Synonyms: dubious, questionable

Antonyms: proven, definite

Example: The use of phonetic transcription is a moot question.

The Hindu Editorial VOCAB :- 14th August, 2020

▪️CORNUCOPIA (NOUN): (प्रचुरता)Abundance

Synonyms: bounty, fullness 

Antonyms: need, lack

Example: I shall come from London Town with a cornucopia of presents.

▪️FRET (VERB): (चिड़चिड़ाना)Feel uneasy

Synonyms: be upset, be anxious 

Antonyms: please, delight 

Example: She was always fretting about something or the other. 

▪️ETHEREAL (ADJECTIVE): (कोमल)Extremely delicate

Synonyms: light, sublime 

Antonyms: earthly, indelicate

Example : In this ethereal realm are the currents that make possible wireless telegraphy.

▪️UNLETTERED (ADJECTIVE):(निरक्षर)Uneducated

Synonyms: ignorant, illiterate 

Antonyms: educated, literate

Example: Such misconceptions have not been confined to the unlettered masses.

▪️SPRIGHTLY (ADJECTIVE): (प्रमुदित)Lively

Synonyms: agile, active 

Antonyms: spiritless, lethargic

Example: The sprightly old woman walks two miles every day.

▪️SANCTIMONIOUS (ADJECTIVE): (पाखंडी)Self-righteous

Synonyms: insincere, hypocritical

Antonyms: honest, sincere

Example: His sanctimonious expressions explained his intentions.

▪️SULLEN (ADJECTIVE): (उदास)Morose

Synonyms: gloomy, brooding 

Antonyms: cheerful, pleasant

Example: The offenders lapsed into a sullen silence.

▪️CHAOTIC (ADJECTIVE)(अराजकतापूर्ण) Disordered

Synonyms: uncontrolled, lawless s

Antonyms: ordered, organized

Example: My house becomes a chaotic place in the absence of my wife.

▪️CONTRITE (ADJECTIVE): (पछताया हुआ) Chastened

Synonyms: repentant, sorrowful 

Antonyms: indifferent, unapologetic

Example: He was so contrite that he wrote me a letter of apology.

▪️PRUNE (VERB): (काटना/ छाँटना)Pare down

Synonyms: trim, reduce 

Antonyms: include, increase

Example: Economic hard times are forcing the companies to prune their budget.

Current Affairs :- 14th August, 2020

♦️PM Narendra Modi Launched “Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest” platform of IT department

♦️India Extends an Assistance of USD 1 Million to Antigua and Barbuda’s COVID-19 Response

♦️First-of-its-kind Katra-Delhi Express Road Corridor to be completed by 2023

♦️Daughters have Equal Birthright to Inherit Property with Retrospective Effect: Supreme Court

♦️Goa’s Moira bananas, Harmal Chillies, Khaje gets GI tag

♦️Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Committed USD 25mn to Expand Unified Champion Schools to 6 countries Including India

♦️RBI Mandates System-based Asset Classification for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs)

♦️Federal Bank Partnered with Fiserv, Inc. to Support Launch of their 1st Independent Credit Card, ‘Federal Bank Credit Card’

♦️Ammunition Factory Khadki, Pune Handed Over 40 mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) to BSF

♦️Israel Successfully tested its Arrow-2 Ballistic Missile Interceptor

♦️NASA’s TESS Completed Primary Mission, Finds 66 New Exoplanets & around 2100 ‘candidates’

♦️Israel shares AI-based technology, high-end equipment with AIIMS to help combat COVID-19

♦️World Organ Donation Day 2020: August 13

♦️International Left handers Day 2020: August 13

♦️Punjab CM Amarinder Singh Launched ‘Punjab Smart Connect Scheme’ to Provide Free Smartphones for more than 1.74 Lakh Students

♦️Odisha Cabinet Approved 20 Proposals including 4 Mega Drinking Water Projects

♦️Goa Signed a First of its Kind Tripartite MoU with GIZ India and Siemens Limited to Provide German Vocational Training in ITIs

♦️West Bengal Govt Launched ‘Karma Sathi Prakalpa’ scheme to Provide Soft Loans, Subsidies to Youth

♦️Andhra Pradesh CM Launched “YSR Cheyutha” scheme to ensure sustainable livelihood for women

♦️Telangana launched AI for Agricultural Innovation Program in Collaboration with C4IR & WEF, India

♦️Odisha to Promulgate Ordinance to Enhance Punishment for Non-Compliance of Covid-19 regulations

♦️Manipur Observed its Patriots’ day 2020 on August 13

♦️Microwave device ‘Atulya’ to disintegrate novel Coronavirus unveiled : Nitin Gadkari

♦️“Atma Nirbhar App Innovation Challenge” winners announced: Govt

The Hindu Editorials :- 14th August, 2020

♣️Right by birth: On daughters and Hindu succession act

♣️Historic ratification: On universal ratification of a labour standard