Daily GK Updates - 23rd July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. SC Garg led panel's report on legality of cryptocurrencies and blockchain: "Inter-Ministerial Committee" on legality of cryptocurrencies and blockchain has submitted its report to the Finance Ministry. The Committee recommends that: All private cryptocurrencies, except any cryptocurrency issued by the state, be banned in India. It has also drafted a law, the ‘Banning of Cryptocurrency & Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2019’, which mandates a fine and imprisonment of up to 10 years for offences. The committee was set up under the Chairmanship of Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg in 2017.

2. Andhra Pradesh first state to reserve 75% private jobs for locals: Andhra Pradesh has become the first state in the country to reserve jobs for locals. The Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed the Andhra Pradesh Employment of Local Candidates in Industries/Factories Act, 2019. Industries/Factories Act, 2019 reserves 75% private jobs across all categories in industrial units, factories, joint ventures as well as the project that are in public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

Note: Andhra Pradesh CM: Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. Governor:  Biswabhusan Harichandan.

3. National Broadcasting day: 23 July: India celebrates 23 July every year as the “National Broadcasting day”. On this day in 1927, the first ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station under the Indian Broadcasting Company. On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio. Currently, AIR is one of the largest public broadcasting organisations in the world.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to give scholarships to heirs of Muktijodhas: Government of India will provide 10,000 scholarships for heirs of the liberation war fighters of Bangladesh called 'Muktijodhas' over the next five years under the Nutan India-Bangladesh Maitree Muktijodha Sontan Scholarship Scheme.
Note: PM of Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka.

2. Boris Johnson announced as Britain’s next prime minister: Boris Johnson will replace Theresa May as Britain’s next Prime Minister. Boris Johnson, who was the face of the 2016 Brexit referendum, won the votes of 92,153 members of the Conservative party. Queen Elizabeth will formally appoint Johnson before he will enter Downing Street.

3. NASA to send “first woman and next man” on Moon in 2024: U.S. space agency NASA prepares to send “first woman and next man” on Moon as part of its ambitious Artemis programme in 2024. NASA has marked the 50th anniversary of the historic first Moon landing.

Note: Headquarters of NASA: Washington DC USA; Founded: 29 July 1958; Administrator of NASA: Jim Bridenstine.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. John Isner wins Hall of Fame Tennis Championships: American tennis player John Isner wins Hall of Fame Tennis Championships title in Newport, Rhode Island.  This was his 4th Hall of Fame Tennis Championships title. He defeated Alexander Bublik in straight sets by 7-6, 6-3 at the grass-court event.

2. Sanjivani Yadav handed two-year suspension for a doping violation: India's long-distance runner Sanjivani Yadav (23-year) has been handed a two-year suspension by the IAAF's Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for a doping violation. Sanjivani won the 10,000m bronze at the 2019 Asian Championships and 5000m bronze in the 2017 edition. According to International federation's body for combating doping, the athlete admitted to her first violation resulting in disqualification all past results since June 29, 2018. The suspension period also commenced from June 29, 2018. Sanjivani Yadav had failed a dope test in November 2018 when her sample taken during the National Inter-State Athletics Championships was found to contain Probenecid, a masking agent.

Note: India's National Anti-Doping body NADA has the right to appeal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. FDI inflow registered a growth of 79% during the last 6 years: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow has increased during the last six years from 36.05 billion US Dollars in 2013-14 to 64.38 billion US Dollars in 2018-19, registering a growth of 79 per cent. According to commerce ministry sources, it has been the endeavour of the government to put in place an enabling and investor-friendly FDI policy. The intent is to make the FDI policy more investor-friendly and remove the policy bottlenecks that have been hindering investment inflow into the country.

Note: FDI net inflows are the value of inward direct investment made by non-resident investors in the reporting economy. FDI net outflows are the value of outward direct investment made by the residents of the reporting economy to external economies.

2. LIC offers Rs 1.25 trillion by 2024 for highway projects: According to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Insurance giant LIC (Life Insurance Corporation) has agreed to offer Rs 1.25 trillion lines of credit by 2024, to fund highway projects. The fund will be a part of innovative modes of financing to meet India's huge infrastructure appetite. The Road Transport and Highways Ministry been looking to harness various sources of finances including pension and insurance funds. The fund will be provided for the timely execution of the Rs 8.41 trillion ambitious Bharatmala project that aims to lay a grid of highways pan-India.

Note: Chairman of LIC: M R Kumar; Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways: Nitin Jairam Gadkari.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. L&T Tech to partner UTC for Collins Aerospace: L&T Technology Services has been selected as a strategic partner by United Technologies Corporation for Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of UTC. Collins Aerospace is one of the leading providers of intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industries. L&T Technology Services has been a long-standing engineering partner for UTC.

Note: CEO of Larsen & Toubro Infotech Ltd: Sanjay Jalona.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Keshav Dutt, Prasun Banerjee to be honoured with Mohun Bagan Ratna: Mohan Bagan club to confer awards in Various Disciplines. The Awardees are: Mohan Bagan Ratan: Keshav Dutt (Hockey); Mohan Bagan Ratan: Captain Prasun Banerjee (Football); Club felicitates Indian Peacer: Mohammed Shami (Cricket); Lifetime Achievement award: Ashok Chatterjee (Football); Best Football Player for the season 2018-19: Arijit Bagui (Football). Dutt will be the first sportsperson from outside the football fraternity to be bestowed with the Ratna. This is also the first time that there will be 2 Mohun Bagan Ratna recipients.

Note: On July 29 Mohun Bagan Club celebrates the 'Mohun Bagan Day'; Mohun Bagan Club Established in: 1889; President of Mohun Bagan Club: Mr. Gitanath Ganguly.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Navy commissions fifth Dornier Aircraft Squadron: The Indian Navy commissioned its new Dornier Aircraft Squadron in Chennai. This is Indian Navy's 5th Dornier Aircraft squadron. The Dornier squadron under Eastern Naval Command would strengthen Indian Navy’s efforts in maintaining constant surveillanceand safe guarding maritime interests in the eastern seaboard of India.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

2. M.M. Naravane to be next Vice-Chief of Army Staff: Lieutenant-General M.M. Naravane, has been appointed as the next Vice-Chief of the Army Staff. He will replace Lt. Gen. D. Anbu. He is currently serving as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Army Command. 

Note: Chief of the Army Staff: General Bipin Rawat.

OBITUARIES 

1. Australian tennis champion Peter McNamara passes away: Australia's tennis champion Peter McNamara (64-years) passed away after a quiet battle with cancer in Germany. Peter McNamara won three doubles Grand Slam titles and became a prominent coach after hanging up his racquet. McNamara won five singles titles and 19 in doubles and teamed up with compatriot Paul McNamee to win the Australian Open doubles in 1979 and Wimbledon twice in 1980 and 1982.

2. IAEA chief Yukiya Amano passes away: Former Japanese diplomat and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano (72-years) passed away. Amano, who had wide experience in disarmament, non-proliferation diplomacy and nuclear energy, had been chief of the key U.N. agency that regulates nuclear issues worldwide since 2009. He was deeply involved in the years-long negotiations that led to the landmark Iran nuclear deal with world powers that restricted the country’s nuclear uranium enrichment.As Head of the IAEA, Amano also dealt with the aftermath of the devastating 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.