Japanese Passport Named World’s Most Powerful, India 81st

Japan’s passport has been named the most powerful in the world, overtaking Singapore, according to the Henley Passport Index 2018. 
Japan has recently gained visa-free access to Myanmar, Japanese citizens now have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 190 destinations around the world. The Indian passport has secured the 81st rank with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 60 destinations. 
Top 3 on Henley Passport Index Power Ranking 2018: 
1. Japan
2. Singapore
3. Germany, France, South Korea.
Source- The Independent 

Youth Olympic Games 2018: Manu Bhaker, 1st Indian woman To Win Gold at YOG

Sixteen-year-old shooter Manu Bhaker has become the first-ever Indian woman to win gold at Youth Olympics. 
Bhaker achieved the feat after winning the women’s 10m Air Pistol event with a score of 236.5 at 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina’s Buenos Aires. Weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga became the first-ever Indian to bag Youth Olympics gold. 
Source- Times Now
Static/Current Takeaways Important for IBPS PO Mains Exam 2018- 
  • Argentina Capital: Buenos Aires, Currency: Argentine peso. 
  • Official Mascot of Youth Olympic Games 2018 is Pandi.

Nikki Haley Resigns as US Ambassador to United Nations

Indian-American Nikki Haley has resigned as the US Ambassador to the United Nations. US President Donald Trump has accepted her resignation. She would be leaving his administration at the end of the year. 
Haley was appointed to the UN post in November 2016. Before she was named by Trump to her UN post, Haley was governor of South Carolina, the first woman to hold the post. She was re-elected in 2014.
Source- New York Times

Pakistan Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Ghauri Ballistic Missile

Pakistan has successfully test-fired Ghauri ballistic missile capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads up to a distance of 1,300 kilometres. The launch was conducted by Army Strategic Forces Command and was aimed at testing the operational and technical readiness.
In April, Pakistan successfully test-fired an enhanced version of the indigenously-built Babur cruise missile that can deliver conventional and non-conventional weapons with a range of 700 kilometres. 
Source-  Hindustan Times

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Pakistan PM- Imran Khan,  Currency- Pakistani Rupee

Minister of State for Commerce Attends India–West Africa Conclave in Nigeria

Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution, C. R. Chaudhary led the Indian delegation to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)- EXIM Bank, Regional Conclave on India-West Africa Project Partnership being held in Abuja, Nigeria. 
President and Vice President of Nigeria along with Ministers and Delegation of West African countries are participating in the Conclave. The Conclave is a two-day event with the focus on business deliberations, Business to Government (B2G) and Business to Business (B2B) engagements. 
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Nigeria Capital: Abuja, Currency: Nigerian naira. 

IMF Projects India’s Growth At 7.3% In 2018 and 7.4% In 2019

As per the IMF’s latest report, India is projected to grow at 7.3% in 2018 and 7.4% in 2019. The report predicted India to regain the tag of the world’s fastest-growing major economy this year, crossing China with more than 0.7 percentage points. In China, growth is projected to moderate from 6.9 per cent in 2017 to 6.6% in 2018 and 6.2 % in 2019. 
In 2017, India had clocked a 6.7% growth rate. In India, important reforms have been implemented in recent years, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the inflation-targeting framework, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and steps to liberalise foreign investment and make it easier to do business, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report. 

Source- AIR World Service

Static/Current Takeaways Important for IBPS PO Mains Exam 2018- 
  • Managing Director of International Monetary Fund- Christine Lagarde, Headquarters in- Washington DC, USA. 

Google To Shut Down Google+ For Consumers Over The Security Lapse

Google will shut down Google+ for consumer use over the next 10 months after a bug exposed the personal data of up to 5 lakh users. Google stated that ” it discovered and immediately patched” the bug in March 2018 but found “no evidence” that any data was actually misused. Google reportedly didn’t earlier disclose the security breach because it feared regulation.
According to Google, Google+ currently has “low usage and engagement” and that 90 percent of Google+ user sessions last less than 5 seconds. Still, the company plans to keep the service alive for enterprise customers who use it to facilitate conversation among co-workers.
Source- The Verge
Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Google CEO-Sundar Pichai, Parent company- Alphabet Inc.
  • Google was recently displaced by Apple to become the world’s top brand.

Asian Para Games 2018: India Bags 11 Medals, 3 Golds

Javelin thrower Sandeep Chaudhary produced a stunning world record effort as India bagged 11 medals, including three gold, at the Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. 
Chaudhary clinched India’s first gold of the Games in the men’s category before middle distance runner Raju Rakshitha in women’s 1500 meters and swimmer Jadhav Suyash Narayan in men’s 50-meter butterfly added the yellow metals later on the second day of competitions. 
Source- News On AIR

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Asian Paralympic Committee (APC)  confirmed that Hangzhou in China will host the fourth edition of Asian Para Games in 2022. 

Centre Decides To Start Issuing Sovereign Gold Bonds 2018-19 From October

The Centre in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India has decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds 2018-19. The Sovereign Gold Bonds will be issued every month from October to February 2019. 
The 2018-19 Series II tranche will be issued on 23rd of October and the period of submission is 15th to 19th of October. The Bonds will be sold through banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited, designated post offices and recognised stock exchanges National Stock Exchange of India Limited and Bombay Stock Exchange Limited. 
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

Youth Olympic Games 2018: Jeremy, 1st Ever Indian Gold Medallist in YOG


Weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga has become India’s first-ever gold medallist in the history of Youth Olympic Games (YOG). The 15-year-old achieved the feat by lifting a total weight of 274 kg in the men’s 62 kg category at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Jeremy had won silver at last year’s Youth World Weightlifting Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.
Jeremy’s personal best until the Buenos Aires lift was of 273 kg (snatch+clean and jerk), which he achieved during an event at NIS Patiala. It was earlier reported that the 15-year-old Jeremy had completed a total lift of 251kg this year, and the 274kg he lifted in Buenos Aires became his personal best.
Source- Times Now
Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Argentina Capital: Buenos Aires, Currency: Argentine peso. 
  • Official Mascot of Youth Olympic Games 2018 is Pandi.