Daily GK Updates - 16th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ‘LaQshya’ to improve quality of care in the labour room, maternity Ots: The Union Government has launched “LaQshya” (Labour room Quality improvement Initiative) to improve the quality of care in the labour room and maternity operation theatres. It’s a multipronged approach focused on Intrapartum and the immediate postpartum period. The initiative primarily focuses on reducing preventable maternal and new-born mortality and morbidity due to haemorrhage retained placenta, preterm, preeclampsia and eclampsia, obstructed labour, puerperal sepsis, newborn asphyxia, and newborn sepsis.

2. Hrithik Roshan-starrer Super 30 made tax-free in Bihar: Vikas Bahl's ‘Super 30’ has been made tax-free in Bihar by the state government. The state's Deputy Chief Minister Sushil  Kumar Modi announced no entertainment tax will be levied from the film in Bihar. ‘Super 30’ is based on the life of Patna-based mathematician and teacher Anand Kumar. The teacher runs a coaching programme called Super 30 for underprivileged students to prepare them for IIT entrance exams. The film was released on 12th July 2019.

Note: If a movie is declared tax free it means the state has waived off the entertainment tax (similar to VAT or service tax) levied by the state governments.  The movie halls/producers collect the tax from moviegoers and pay it government.

3. ECI Appoints Sh B Murli Kumar as Special Expenditure Observer for Election to 8 – Vellore PC, Tamil Nadu: The Election Commission of India has appointed Ex- DG IT Chennai Sh B Murli Kumar (ex IRS – 1983) as Special Expenditure Observer for 8-Vellore Parliamentary Constituency that goes to polls now on 5th August 2019. It may be recalled that on 14th April 2019, the Commission had made a recommendation to the Hon’ble President of India, under Article 324 of the Constitution read with Section 21 of the General Clauses Act, 1897, to rescind the Election to 8-Vellore Parliamentary Constituency, Tamil Nadu.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Thailand’s new Cabinet sworn in, ending rule by army junta: Thailand’s new Cabinet has been sworn in, creating a nominally elected government after five years of military rule but keeping power in the hands of the same allies of the army. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army commander seized power in a 2014 coup and then served as junta leader and Prime Minister, returns to serve again as Prime Minister. This time he was elected by a parliamentary vote after a March general election gave pro-military parties a majority. The election was held according to laws enacted by Prayuth’s junta aimed at disadvantaging established political parties.

Note: Thailand Capital: Bangkok, Currency: Thai baht

2. Former SC Justice AK Sikri Appointed As International Judge Of Singapore International Commercial Court: The former Supreme Court Justice AK Sikri has been appointed as an international judge of the prestigious Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC). Sikri has been appointed to the post from 1 August this year by the President of the Republic of Singapore. The former SC judge’s term will expire on 4 January 2021.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Amir Khan wins WBC international welterweight title: Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan clinched the WBC international welterweight title. He knocked out Australian Billy Dib in the fourth round of his bout in the inaugural Super Boxing League held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He is a British professional boxer who was also Britain’s youngest boxer to win a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 2004 Olympics at the age of 17.

2. Sharath Kamal voted IOC Sportsperson of the Year: Sharath Kamal was voted the Sportsperson of the Year in the annual Indian Oil Sports Conclave at an impressive function in New Delhi. The other nominees were cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara, Grandmaster B Adhiban, hockey player Simranjeet Singh and table tennis player Manika Batra. Sharath Kamal is a professional table tennis player from Tamil Nadu, India. Recently he received the fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri.

Note: Sharath Kamal is the first Indian table tennis player ever to become nine times Senior National Champion hence breaking the record of Kamlesh Mehta (eight times National Champion).  

3. Kiran More appointed interim USA Cricket Coach: Former India wicketkeeper-batsman ‘Kiran More’ (56-years) has been appointed the interim coach of the senior USA cricket team. He will replace the head coach Pubudu Dassanayake (resigned in July 2019). The USA Cricket has also appointed Sunil Joshi (former India spinner) as spin bowling advisor, and Pravin Amre and Kieran Powell as advisors for the batting department. Earlier, Kiran More (played for India in 49 Tests and 94 ODIs) had served as the chairman of the Indian selection committee and the wicketkeeping-consultant of Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

4. India bags 2 Gold medals at ISSF Junior World Cup in Germany: India bagged two Gold and one Silver medal in the Women’s 10-meter Air Rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. In the Individual section of the category, Elavenil Valarivan claimed the top honours with a total score of 251.6, while another Indian Mehuli Ghosh settled for a Silver with 250.2 points. India also clinched a Gold in the team section by creating a junior world record. The effort ensured that India remain at the top of the medals tally with 14 medals, six Gold, six Silver and two Bronze. China is second with two Gold and a total of six medals.

5. Hima Das wins third gold in less than 2 weeks: Hima Das won the women’s 200m event for her third international triumph in less than two weeks at the Kladno Athletics Meet in Czech Republic. Hima clocked a much improved time of 23.43 seconds to win the gold. She has a personal best of 23.10 sec in 200m. This was her third international gold in 11 days. In her first competitive 200m race of the year, the 19-year-old Assam runner had clocked 23.65 seconds on her way to gold at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland on July 2. After that, she won her second 200m gold at the Kutno Athletics Meet, also in Poland, on July 7 with a time of 23.97 seconds.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI fines Union Bank and SBI for flouting norms:  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has penalised State Bank of India (SBI) and Union Bank of India for violating certain regulatory guidelines. SBI was fined Rs. 7 crores for non-compliance with the directions issued by the RBI on Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms, code of conduct for opening and operating current accounts and reporting of data on Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC), and fraud risk management and classification and reporting of frauds. The central bank also imposed a Rs 10 lakh fine on Union Bank of India for non-compliance with the directions on the cybersecurity framework in banks. According to RBI, the statutory inspection of the bank with reference to its financial position as on 31th, March 2017 revealed that the lender had violated those norms.

2. HDFC Bank, CSC launch credit card for village entrepreneurs and small traders: HDFC Bank and Common Services Centres (CSCs) on Tuesday launched a co-branded ‘Small Business Money Back Credit Card’ for small traders and village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs). The credit card is specifically designed for VLEs and VLE-sourced customers. It would give users easy access to credit for their day-to-day business expenses, according to a statement. The card was launched by HDFC Bank MD Aditya Puri and CSC Chief Dinesh Kumar Tyagi. Personalised cards were handed out to a few women entrepreneurs during the occasion. CSCs act as access points for delivery of various services and there are 3.6 lakh such centres operating across the country. Note: HDFC BANK CEO/MD: Aditya Puri, Headquarters: Mumbai, Founded: August 1994, India

OBITUARIES

1. Boxing legend ‘Sweet Pea’ Whitaker passes away: Former Olympic boxing gold medallist and four-weight World Champion ‘Pernell Whitaker’ (55-years) passed away after he was hit by a vehicle in Virginia. Pernell Whitaker won world titles at lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight. He enjoyed a successful professional career after winning gold as a lightweight at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Whitaker retired from fighting in 2001 and worked as a trainer. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007.

2. Computer password inventor Fernando Corbato, dies aged 93: Computer pioneer Fernando Corbato, who first used passwords to protect user accounts, has died aged 93. Dr Corbato introduced the basic security measure while developing methods that let more people use a computer at the same time. He developed a technique, called time-sharing, that divided up the processing power of a computer so it could serve more than one person at once.