Daily GK Updates - 11th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. “Operation Thirst” launched by RPF: RPF launched “Operation Thirst” to crack down selling of unauthorised Packaged Drinking Water in the railway premises. The objective of the “Operation Thirst” is to curb the menace of unauthorized PDW (Packaged Drinking Water) in Railway premises. During the operation, 1371 persons were arrested for selling of packaged drinking water of unauthorised brands.

Note:  Union Minister for Railways: Piyush Goyal.

2. Government waives duty on products imported for nuclear plants: GoI has waived off basic customs duty (BCD) on products imported for nuclear plants. “All goods for use in generation of nuclear power” and “all forms of uranium ores and concentrates for generation of nuclear power” will now have to pay no basic customs duty.

3. Defence Ministry signs MoU with IPFC and NRDC: Defence Ministry has signed an MOU with the Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell and National Research Development Corporation in connection to the mission Raksha Gyan Shakti. The MoU will bridge the capacity shortfall and provide a major fillipto the ongoing efforts of the Defence Ministry towards promoting a culture of Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights in the Defence industry. The aim of Raksha Gyan Shakti is to inculcate Intellectual Property culture in Indian defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Note: Union Defence Minister of India: Rajnath Singh.

4. Prasar Bharati and IIT Kanpur signs MoU for research collaboration: Prasar Bharati and IIT Kanpur signed an MoU for research collaboration in newly emerging technologies and broadcasting-related areas in New Delhi. The move is likely to boost research activities in the broadcasting field.

Note: CEO of Prasar Bharati:  Shashi Shekhar Vempati; Prasar Bharati HQ:New Delhi; Established in: 23 Nov 1997.

5. Narendra Singh Tomar launches Coffee Table Book to Commemorate 50 years of Partnership with UNWFP: Shri Narendra Singh Tomar (Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare) has launched a Coffee Table Book named ’50 years of Partnership for Change’ in New Delhi. India’s journey towards food and nutrition security captured in the book include the Green Revolution, the White revolution, improvements in livestock and dairy development and digitization of food safety net. The book has been launched to commemorate five decades (50 years) of the partnership between the Ministry and UN World Food Programme (UNWFP) towards addressing food and nutritional security in India.

Note: The Coffee Table Book – 50 years of Partnership for Change- showcases key milestones achieved by the Government of India in its efforts to make the nation free from hunger and malnutrition and WFP’s role in this endeavour.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ukraine inaugurates world's largest Metal Dome: Ukraine has inaugurated the world's largest movable metal dome encasing the destroyed reactor at the infamous Chernobyl plant. It is a 108-meter high dome which weighs 36,000 tonnes.

Note: Capital of Ukraine: Kyiv; Currency of Ukraine: Ukrainian Hryvnia.

2. 14th conference of Parties to be hosted by India: India will host the 14th conference of the parties from September 02 to 13 in Greater Noida. 197 countries are expected to participate in the conference. Three crucial issues in this conference are desertification, land degradation and drought. 

Note: Note: Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Prakash Javadekar.

3. India-Myanmar: Exchange crucial information on drug trafficking: 4th Director General level talks between Narcotics Control Bureau (India) and Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (Myanmar) was held in New Delhi. India and Myanmar have resolved to exchange crucial information relating to drug trafficking and precursors.

Note: Capital of Myanmar: Naypyitaw; Currency of Myanmar: Burmese Kyat.

4. Iran exceeds Uranium enrichment limit set under 2015 nuclear deal: Iran has breached a uranium enrichment cap set by a troubled 2015 nuclear deal and warned Europe against taking retaliatory measures. Iran has officially surpassed the 3.67 per cent Uranium enrichment limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal. The country had stopped complying with some elements of the 2015 nuclear deal (officially called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). Signed by China, France, Germany, European Union, Iran, Russia, the UK and the US, the JCPoA treaty was aimed at limiting Iran's civilian energy programme.

5. World Population Day: 11 July: The United Nations observes 11 July every year as World Population Day. This year's World Population Day calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. The main aim behind having a World Population Day is to focus attention on the consequence of population issues and how it affects overall development plans and programs.

Note: In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended 11th July as World Population Day to draw attention to the urgency and importance of population issues.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Fergus Kavanagh to conduct camp for Indian hockey defenders: Fergus Kavanagh has been roped in to conduct a 7 day camp with Indian defenders at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru. He will be working closely with 14 Indian defenders identified by Hockey India. Kavanagh was part of the Australian dream team that won the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi and the 2014 World Cup in The Hague.

2. Gold medals for India in Commonwealth Championships: Rakhi Halder and Davinder Kaur has won a gold medal each in the senior women’s section of weightlifting in the Commonwealth Championships. Davinder Kaur has won the gold medal in women’s 59kg event. While Rakhi Halder has won the gold medal in the 64kg category. The Championship is taking place in Apia, Samoa.

3. Men's Singles semi-final line up drawn in Wimbledon 2019: The Men's Singles semi-final line up of the 2019 Wimbledon Tennis Championships has been decided. Defending singles champion Novak Djokovic (World number one), Roger Federer (second seed), Rafael Nadal (third- seed) and Roberto Bautista Agut sealed the last-four berths after winning their respective quarterfinal matches. In the semi-finals, while Roger Federer will face Rafael Nadal,Novak Djokovic will meet Roberto Bautista Agut. The Women's Singles semi-final line up, Seven-time champion Serena Williams will clash with Czech Barbora Strycova, with Simona Halep taking on Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

Note: The 2019 Wimbledon Championships (133rd edition) is a Grand Slam tennis tournament taking place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, United Kingdom (UK).

The main tournament began on 1st July 2019 and will finish on 14th July 2019.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI panel moots changes in timings for foreign exchange market: Internal committee of the RBI has suggested that the foreign exchange market could function from 9 am to 9 pm. At present, the currency market works from 9 am to 5 pm. The panel suggested call money market timings could be extended till 6 pm instead of the 5 pm now. The extension of market timings is expected to provide benefits such as better pricing of post market hours information/data, improved onshore price discovery and a possible shift of offshore volumes to onshore.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. ICSI launches UDIN to improve corporate governance: The Institute of Company Secretaries of India has rolled out an initiative a Unique Document Identification Number to pursue heightened sense of self-governance and strengthen the practising side of company secretaries.  UDIN will provide ease of maintaining register of attestation and certification services. The ICSI functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Note: Union Minister of Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.

2. 36th Meeting of the Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC): The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship organised the 36th meeting of the Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) in New Delhi. The 36th CAC meet under the chairmanship of Minister of MSDE,aims to meet the aspirations of the Indian youth who strive to gain on-the-job training and secure better opportunities for employment.

Note: Minister of Skill development and Entrepreneurship: Mahendra Nath Pandey.

3. Taylor Swift Topped 100 highest-paid Forbes Celebrity list: Singer Taylor Swift has topped the Forbes' Celebrity 100 list and emerged as the highest-paid celebrity with her 2019 estimated earnings of over USD 185 million. Taylor Swift replaced Kylie Jenner. Jenner is now 2nd in the list. India's Akshay kumar is placed 33rd in the list.