Daily GK Updates - 9th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 5595 electric buses sanctioned under FAME scheme: The Department of Heavy Industry has sanctioned 5,595 electric buses under the phase II of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) India scheme.  The buses are sanctioned to 64 cities in 22 states and union territories for intracity and intercity operations in order to push for clean mobility in public transportation. The buses are expected to run about 4 billion km during their contract period and are expected to save cumulatively about 1.2 billion liters of fuel over the contract period, which will result into avoidance of 2.6 million tonne of CO2 emission.

2. HRD Ministry launches ‘Samagra Shiksha-Jal Suraksha’ Drive: Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has launched ‘Samagra Shiksha-Jal Suraksha’ drive to create awareness about Water Conservation among all school Children in the country. Inspired by Prime Minister’s impetus to Jal Sanchay, Government of India has launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA). This concept of water conservation is essential for students so that they can understand the importance of water and how it is shaping their lives meaningfully, thereby enabling them to participate in water conservation activities in their day to day lives. This drive has been launched by the Department of School Education & Literacy, MHRD to promote water conservation activities for School Students, so that they can become competent, conscientious and committed water citizens of our nation.

Note: Union HRD Minister:  Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

3. President signs National Medical Commission Bill into a law: President Ram Nath Kovind has signed National Medical Commission Bill which was passed by both houses of Parliament. The NMC bill aims at mega reforms in the medical education sector and will replace the nearly 63-year-old Indian Medical Council Act. The bill will ensure probity, quality education and bring down costs of medical education. National Medical Commission Bill will also simplify procedures and provides wider access to people for quality healthcare. The NMC will have eminent medical personalities as members who will be appointed for only one term of four years and will not be eligible for any further extension.

International

4. Manipur tops in Breastfeeding, Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices: Manipur has topped the ranking in Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the country. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are at the bottom positions in the report card. National capital Delhi is also among the worst-performing States. The Breastfeeding report card has been developed by devising a composite score based on three indicators namely early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and complimentary feeding at 6-8 months of child's age.

5. Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum in Punjab sets record: The Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum in Punjab’s Anandpur Sahib town is all set to find a place in the Asia Book of Records for becoming the most visited museum in the Indian sub-continent in a single day. The museum had witnessed a record footfall of 20,569 visitors on a single day on March 20, becoming the most visited museum in the Indian sub-continent in a single day.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India & Bangladesh to set up committee for optimum use of water resources: India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up a Joint Technical committee for optimum use of Ganges water. The river Ganga's water is being received by Bangladesh under the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty 1996. Both the countries have also agreed to prepare a framework for interim water-sharing agreement for 8 rivers including Feni, Gumti and Teesta.

Note: Capital of Bangladesh: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; PM: Sheikh Hasina.

2. Rohingya refugees get identity cards in Bangladesh: 5 lakh Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh have been issued identity documents by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR’s Bio-metric Identity Management System (BIMS) fraud-proof cards are being issued jointly by Bangladeshi authorities and UNHCR to all verified refugees over the age of 12. These cards will help in establishing and safeguarding the right of Rohingya refugees to return to their homes in Myanmar. UNHCR’s (BIMS) captures bio-metric data, including fingerprints and iris scans, which secure each refugee’s unique identity as well as other important information such as family links.

Note: UNHCR Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; UNHCR Head: Filippo Grandi.

3. Iran unveils three new precision-guided missiles: Iran unveiled 3 precision-guided missiles. The new line-up of air-to-air missiles named the "Yasin", "Balaban" and a new series of the "Ghaem" were developed jointly by the ministry and Sa Iran, also known as Iran Electronics Industries.

Note: Iran President: Hassan Rouhani; Capital: Tehran; Currency: Rial.

4. ADB to provide $200 million for rural road project in Maharashtra: Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 200 million loan for improving road infrastructure in 34 districts of Maharashtra. The aim of the project is to connect rural areas with markets and services. Roads in rural areas would be upgraded to all weather standards which will boost links between local residents and economic centres across the state.

Note: President of ADB: Takehiko Nakao; Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.

5. SpaceX launched AMOS-17 communication satellite by Falcon 9: American carrier rocket Falcon 9 lifts off successfully the Israeli AMOS-17 communication satellite into the orbit. The rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Amos-17 is set to replace Amos-5 satellite launched in 2011. Communication with Amos-5 was lost in 2015. Amos-17, built by Boeing, will provide Ka, Ku and C-band signal transmission and expand Israeli communications satellite operator Spacecom’s coverage in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Note: Founder of SpaceX: Elon Musk; Established in: 6 May 2002.

6. UNIDO and National Institute of Solar Energy to partner for skill development program: National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has signed an agreement to initiate a skill development programme for different levels of beneficiaries in the solar thermal energy sector. Under the agreement NISE and UNIDO will engage national and international experts to bring the best practices by developing specialized training material. The agreement is part of the ongoing MNRE-GEF-UNIDO project implemented jointly by UNIDO and to support capacity building and skill development of technical manpower in the Concentrated Solar Thermal Energy Technologies (CST).

7. International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples: 9 August: United Nations observes 9th August every year as International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the needs of these population groups. This year’s observance is dedicated to Indigenous Peoples’ Languages in view of 2019 being marked as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Theme for year 2019: Indigenous Languages.

Note: On December 23, 1994, The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 9th August as the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples through its resolution 49/214.

8. Nagasaki Day: 9th August: Japan commemorates the 9th August every year as the Nagasaki day. On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. It was code named "Fat Man" due to the design of the bomb as it had a wide, round shape. This happened 3 days after dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. An area of about 5 square miles was completely obliterated and around 65,000 people were killed in the bombing. Nagasaki and Hiroshima continue to feel the impact of the destructive bombing even today.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Hashim Amla retires from international cricket:  South African batsman Hashim Amla has retired from all formats of international cricket. Amla played 124 Tests, 181 ODIs and 44 T20Is between his 15-year-long cricketing career. Scoring more than 18,000 runs, including 55 centuries and 88 other scores in excess of 50. Amla is the second South African cricketer to end his international career this week after fast bowler Dale Steyn.

2. World Archery suspends AAI for defying guidelines: The World Archery (WA) suspended the Archery Association of India (AAI) for defying its guidelines by electing two parallel bodies. The decision is effective from 12th August and the last event in which the archers can participate under the Indian flag is the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid from 19th to 25th of this month. Olympic quota places will be up for grabs at the Asian Championships and Asian Para Championships, to be held in Bangkok in November. India so far have three men's places secured for the next Olympics but has yet to win a women's spot.

3. Former NZ captain Brendon McCullum retires from all forms of Cricket: Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum announced his retirement from all forms of competitive cricket after the conclusion of the ongoing Global T20 Canada. McCullum, who is playing for Toronto Nationals, had retired from all forms of international cricket in 2016 but continued to ply his trade in various T20 leagues across the globe. The 37-year-old former Black Caps skipper has played 101 Tests in which he scored 6453 runs with 12 hundred and highest score of 302.

In 260 ODIs, he scored 6083 runs with five hundreds while 71 T20 Internationals fetched him 2140 runs.

4. Cricket Australia unveils new transgender inclusive policy: The Cricket Australia has announced new transgender inclusive policy. This policy will enable transgender players to play the game of cricket at the highest levels.  The decision aligns in accordance with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) gender recognition policy and gender diversity guidelines. The policy sets out a testosterone limit for transgender and gender-diverse players who want to play for state and national women’s teams.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. CAIT launches initiative to accelerate use of digital payments among merchants: Traders body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has launched an initiative -- Digi Vyapari-Safal Vyapari. This is to accelerate acceptance of digital payments among merchants across the country. For this the CAIT has partnered with HDFC Bank, Mastercard, Common Service Centres (CSCs) of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) and Global Linkers.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 66th National Film Awards: The 66th National Film awards have been announced by Rahul Rawail, head of the Jury for feature films. The Jury unanimously conferred the award for the Most Film Friendly State to "Uttarakhand" for furthering the growth of the film industry in the state including creating an environment for ease of filming in the state.

The list of Award winners under the different categories is mentioned as under:

Sr. No.	Category	Winner
1	Best Feature Film	Hellaro (Gujarati Film )
2	Best non feature film	Son Rise by Vibha Bakshi and The Secret Life of Frogs by Ajay and Vijay Bedi
3	Best Director	Adhitya Dhar for Uri : The Surgical Strike
4	Best Actor	Ayushmann Khuranna for Andhadhun and Vicky Kaushal for Uri : The Surgical Strike
5	Best Actress	Keerthy Suresh for Mahanati
6	Best Supporting Actor	Swanand Kirkire for Chumbhak
7	Best supporting actress	Surekha Sikri for Badhaai Ho
8	Best Popular Film	Badhaai Ho
9	Best film on Social Issues	Padman

2. BAFTA LA to honour Steve Coogan with Charlie Chaplin Award: Actor Steve Coogan will be felicitated with the Charlie Chaplin Award by the British Academy's Los Angeles branch. He will receive the honour during the 2019 Britannia Awards. The Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy recognises the talents whose popularity and cultural impact exemplifies the uniquely transcendent quality of excellent comedy.

3. 4th edition of National Entrepreneurship Awards, 2019: The 4th edition of the National Entrepreneurship Awards, instituted in a bid to recognize and encourage outstanding Indian Entrepreneurs and catalyse a cultural shift in youth for entrepreneurship by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The National Entrepreneurship Awards (NEA)2019 aim to honour outstanding young 1st generation entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders for their exceptional contribution in entrepreneurship development.

Note: Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship: Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey.

4.  NITI Aayog to launch the 4th Edition of WTI Awards: The NITI Aayog will launch the 4th Edition of Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards. The WTI Awards is being organized in collaboration with the United Nations to recognize women entrepreneurs from across India. This year’s theme is ‘Women and Entrepreneurship’, in continuation of the theme for WTI Awards 2018. WhatsApp has collaborated with NITI Aayog for WTI Awards 2019 and will be providing support amounting to US$100,000 to the award winners. The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is a Government of India initiative by NITI Aayog to promote and support aspiring as well as established women entrepreneurs in India, assist and handhold them in their journey from starting to scaling up and expanding their ventures.

Note: CEO NITI Aayog: Amitabh Kant; Vice Chairman: Rajiv Kumar.

Daily GK Updates - 8th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rajya Sabha clears Bill for more judges in Supreme Court: The Rajya Sabha has passed a Bill for more judges in Supreme Court. The bill proposed an increase in the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 30 to 33 judges.

2. Andhra Pradesh government will launch Navodayam scheme: The Andhra Pradesh government will launch the Navodayam scheme. The scheme is a complete outreach programme for thousands of ailing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state. Navodayam will provide a lifeline to stressed MSMEs by ensuring that all eligible units are permitted for the one-time restructuring of accounts up to March 31, 2020. About 86,000 MSMEs in the state have been identified for restructuring under Navodayam with an outlay of Rs 3,900 crore.

3. Rajasthan launches new higher education model: Minister of State for Higher Education Bhanwar Singh Bhati inaugurated the new higher education model, titled Resource Assistance for Colleges with Excellence (RACE) in Rajasthan. This model has been launched for distribution of faculties and movable assets among the government colleges at the district level to rationalise the availability of resources.The model will create a pool for sharing of facilities which will benefit the colleges lacking infrastructure.

Note: Rajasthan CM: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalyan Singh; Capital: Jaipur.

4. Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting launches e-Rozgar Samachar: Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting has launched e-Rozgar Samachar. Rozgar Samachar is the corresponding version of Employment News (English). It has been launched with a view to make aspirants aware of job opportunities in government sector including public sector enterprises. It will also provide information and guidance about admission and career opportunities in various streams through career-oriented articles by experts. It is expected to meet the emerging challenge of young readers switching to electronic modes of communication. Employment News is the flagship weekly job journal from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

5. IIT Madras partners with NIOT to harness electricity from ocean waves: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras partnered with National Institute of Ocean Technology to harness electricity from ocean waves. Both institutions will together develop turbines that can harness the power of ocean waves to generate electricity. The research is being headed at IIT Madras. The partnership is aimed at meeting renewable energy and climate change objectives of the government of India.

6. Odisha police station in top 10 in India: Tarava police station in the Subarnapur district of Odisha has been adjudged as one of the 10 best police stations in India in the annual ranking for the year 2018. The certificate of excellence and a trophy awarded by the Union Home Ministry were handed over to Tarava police inspector Dulamani Bhoi by Odisha DGP R.P. Sharma.

7. India observes 77th anniversary of Quit India movement: The 77th anniversary of the August Kranti Din or Quit India Movement, which is considered as one of the important milestones in the history of freedom struggle of our country, is being observed on 8th August. On this date in 8 Aug 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call to end the British ruleand launched the Quit India Movement at the session of the All-India Congress Committee in Mumbai.  After the failure of Cripps Mission, Gandhiji gave the call to "Do or Die" in his Quit India speech delivered at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Mumbai. The grateful country is paying homage to the freedom fighters and remembering the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs during the freedom struggle.

8. Kandikuppa Sreekant becomes Power Grid CMD: Kandikuppa Sreekant has been appointed as chairman and managing director of the State-owned Power Grid Corporation of India. Previously he was working as Director (Finance) in the Power Grid Corporation. According Ministry of Power order, the tenure of Kandikuppa Sreekant will be till December 31, 2023.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UNIDO and NISE to partner for skill development program: The National Institute of Solar Energy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization have signed an agreement to initiate a skill development programme for different levels of beneficiaries in the solar thermal energy sector. NISE and UNIDO will engage national and international experts to bring the best practices by developing specialized training material.

2. UP Govt extends bilateral agreements with Netherlands till 2024: The Uttar Pradesh government has extended bilateral agreements with Netherlands till 2024. The previously inked MoUs sought cooperation and exchange of the knowledgeand techniques in the fields of solid waste management, spatial planning, water management including restoration of water bodies and mobility planning.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Diego forlan announces retirement from professional football: Legendary Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has announced his retirement from professional football. He had won the Golden Ball award after being adjudged the best player of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Forlan made 112 appearances for Uruguay and scored 36 goals. He also helped his side to win the Copa America title in 2011 and finished 4th in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was the joint top scorer of the 2010 tournament and also won the ‘Goal of the Tournament’ award.

2. Serena Williams tops Forbes list of best-paid female athletes: Serena Williams topped the List Of Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2019 published by Forbes. She has topped the annual list for a 4th consecutive year with estimated total earnings of $29.2 million. Japan’s Naomi Osaka was 2nd on the list with earnings of ($24.3 million). Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu came in tied for 13th ($5.5 million), with Thai golfer Ariya Jutanugarn ($5.3 million) rounding out the top 15 of Forbes list of best-paid female athletes.

3. Mary Kom, Lovlina Borgohain selected for world boxing C’ships: Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom and Lovlina Borgohain have been selected for the upcoming women’s world boxing championships to be held in Russia from 3 to 13 October. The 36-year-old Mary Kom, who has already claimed two gold medals this year India Open and a recent tournament in Indonesia, has been selected in the 51kg category. While World and Asian bronze-medallist Borgohain will be competing in the 69kg category.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. LIC launches new term insurance plan 'Jeevan Amar':  Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has launched a new term insurance plan called 'Jeevan Amar'. It is a non-linked, nonparticipating, life term assurance plan and offers greater flexibility to policyholders in comparison to other insurance plans. In this plan policyholder cannot claim the amount on maturity. The nominee will receive the death claim in case of demise of the life assured during the term of the policy. The plan is available for ages 18-65 years with the maximum age maturity at 80 years offering policy terms from 10 years to a maximum of 40 years.

2. Bancassurance pact between SBI Life and Indian Bank: SBI Life Insurance and Indian Bank have entered into a Bancassurance pact to offer holistic financial planning solutions to the banks customers. SBI Life will work with Indian Bank to ensure sales training, product support and smooth operational processes in order to offer life insurance policies to its customers. Indian Bank’s customers will have access to an array of life insurance products from SBI Life catering to varied life stage needs of the customer. With Indian Bank’s widespread presence and SBI Life’s extensive product portfolio, this partnership will ensure easier accessibility of life insurance to consumers.

Note: MD & CEO of Indian Bank: Padmaja Chunduru;  MD & CEO, SBI Life Insurance: Sanjeev Nautiyal

3. Mastercard launches identity check express to secure online transactions: Mastercard announced the launch of Identity Check Express, a next-generation, mobile-first authentication solution that aims to redefine the e-commerce journey for Indian consumers. Mastercard Identity Check Express combines the latest technology, including device intelligence and behavioural biometrics, with the latest EMV 3-D Secure and FIDO authentication standards to deliver an uninterrupted mobile payment experience.

Note: President and Chief Executive Officer of Mastercard: Ajay Banga.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Bengaluru based startup Grexter Living acquires i2Stay: Bengaluru based Housing startup "Grexter Living" which is a co-living provider, has acquired i2Stay. It has also taken over some built-to-suit projects which i2stay has been working on. Post the acquisition, CEO of i2stay, Rajasekhar Gowreneni, will join Grexter Living as the managing partner for South India.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Naaz Joshi Wins Miss World Diversity Title third time in a row: India’s transsexual women Naaz Joshi wins the Miss World Diversity beauty pageant 2019 for third consecutive year. The transsexual beauty has won the title in 2017 and 2018 as well to become the first person ever to win the title for three consecutive years. This beauty contest was held in Port Louis, Mauritius. She has also been crowned as Miss Republic International Beauty Ambassador 2017 and Miss United Nationals Ambassador.

2. ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in space science, technology and research: As part of centenary year celebrations of Dr Vikram Sarabhai the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced two categories of awards in journalism. The first category holds a cash price of Rs 5,00,000, a medal and citation and two journalists or freelancers of print media will be awarded. The second category of the award holds 3 cash prizes of Rs 3,00,000, 2,00,000 and 1,00,000 and citation each for journalists or freelancers of print media. “Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in Space Science, Technology and Research” is to recognise and reward journalists who have actively contributed towards the field of space science, applications, and research. Dr Vikram Sarabhai is regarded as the father of Indian space programme.

OBITUARIES

1. WWE’s ‘King of the Ring’ Harley Race passes away: WWE’s professional wrestler, Harley Race (76) passed away due to lung cancer. He became a mainstay of the wrestling circuit, winning numerous individual and tag-team titles in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

2. Veteran Film Director J Om Prakash passes away: Bollywood veteran director and actor Hrithik Roshan's grandfather, J Om Prakash (93 yrs), passed away. He is best known for his collaboration with two of Bollywood biggest superstars - the late Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra. He is best known for his films "Aap Ki Kasam" (1974), "Apnapan" (1977), "Aasha" (1980), "Apna Bana Lo" (1982), "Arpan" (1983) "Aakhir Kyon?" (1985) and "Aadmi Khilona Hai" (1993).

Daily GK Updates - 7th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rajya Sabha passes Consumer Protection Bill: The Rajya Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019. The bill will lead to setting up of a Central Consumer Protection Authority to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class. The Bill seeks to strengthen the rights of consumers and provides a mechanism for redressal of complaints regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services. The bill will replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Note: Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution: Ram Vilas Paswan.

2. Government unveils draft e-commerce norms: To protect consumers’ interest, the Centre has proposed guidelines for e-commerce firms that entail a 14-day deadline to effect refund request, mandate e-tailers to display details of sellers supplying goods and services on their websites and moot the procedure to resolve consumer complaints. The draft ‘e-commerce guidelines for consumer protection 2019,’ which adds that e-commerce firms need to ensure that personally identifiable information of customers, is protected.

3. IIT-Guwahati develops hand-held device to detect bacteria: A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati has developed a portable device to detect bacteria without cell culture or microbiological assays. The hand-held device, with the bio-compatible sensor, can also diagnose time-critical illnesses such as meningitis.  This research has enabled rapid detection of bacteria, which is not just important in healthcare, but also in anti- bioterrorism measures and environmental monitoring.

4.  National Handloom Day: 7th August: India celebrates National Handloom Day every year on 7th August. The day is celebrated to honour the handloom weavers in the country and also highlight India’s handloom industry. Bhubaneswar has been chosen as the venue for the celebrations of the day for its rich tradition of Handlooms. The prime objective of holding the National Handloom Day in Bhubaneswar is to empower women and girls. National Handloom Day seeks to focus on the contribution of handloom to the socio economic development of the country and also increase the income of weavers.

5. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Bhubaneshwar Kalita resigns from membership of the House: Congress Rajya Sabha MP Bhubaneshwar Kalita resigned from the membership of the House on opposing the party's stand on the abrogation of Article 370. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu announced in the House that he has accepted Mr Kalita's resignation. Mr Kalita was upset with the Congress when he was asked to issue a whip to party members against the government's move on the Kashmir issue.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bangladesh signs uranium supply deal with Russia: Bangladesh signed a deal with Russia for the supply of uranium for its 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). The deal was signed in Dhaka between the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Russian Nuclear Fuel Supply Company (TVEL). Under this deal, Russia will supply the nuclear fuel needed for the plant during its entire life cycle. 

Note: Russia President: Vladimir Putin; Capital: Moscow; Currency: Russian ruble. 

2. India contributes USD 5 million to UN Palestine refugee agency: India contributed 5 million USD to the UN Palestine refugee agency and called for ensuring sustained financial support for the organisation's work. The amount was hand over to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian Refugees. UNRWA has been providing health, education, relief and social services, as well as emergency humanitarian assistance, across its five areas of operations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip since 1950.

Note: UNRWA of Headquarters: Amman, Jordan; UNRWA Established: 8 December 1949.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Fiona Kolbinger 1st woman to win 4,000km cycling race: German cancer researcher Fiona Kolbinger won the mixed annual 4,000km(2,485 miles) cycling Transcontinental Race from Burgas in Bulgaria to Brest in France.  Kolbinger becomes the 1st woman to win one of the world’s toughest cycling races in her first ultra-distance event. She took 10 days, 2 hours and 48 minutes to complete the challenge, which included about 40,000 metres (131,000ft) of climbing.

2. Sally Pearson announces retirement from Track and field: Australia’s reigning world-champion hurdler Sally Pearson announced her surprise retirement due to injury. Pearson, the Olympic gold-medallist in 2012 and 2-time world champion over 100 metres hurdles.

3. Nick Kyrgios beats Daniil Medvedev to win 6th ATP title: Australia's Nick Kyrgios kept his composure and captured the ATP Washington Open title, defeating Russia's 10th-ranked Daniil Medvedev.   The 24-year-old Aussie, who struggled through the opening set, claimed the $365,390 top prize and his 6th career ATP crown at the US Open tune-up event.

4. India tops latest ICC Test rankings: India topped the latest ICC Test team rankings while New Zealand is placed 2nd and South Africa is in 3rd position. India skipper Virat Kohli retains his number one position in the latest ICC Test batsmen’s rankings. Australian batsman Steve Smith overtook India's Cheteshwar Pujara to grab the No.3 spot. Pujara is placed fourth in the fresh standings. Australian speedster Pat Cummins retains his top position in Test bowling, with a seven-wicket match haul. In rankings for Test all-rounders, Jason Holder of the West Indies tops the list while Ravindra Jadeja is placed 3rd and Ravichandran Ashwin is in sixth place.

ICC Test rankings

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Reserve Bank of India cuts repo rate by 35 basis points: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its third Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Rates for 2019-20 in Mumbai today. The RBI reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 35 basis points (bps) from 5.75 per cent to 5.40 per cent with immediate effect. This is the fourth consecutive time that the Monetary Policy Committee has reduced the rates (25 basis points each).

Current Policy Rates:

Policy Repo Rate	5.40%
Reverse Repo Rate	5.15 %
Marginal Standing Facility Rate	5.65%
Bank Rate	5.65%

2. RBI to set up "Central Payment Fraud Registry": The Reserve Bank of India has decided to set up a "Central Payment Fraud Registry". The registry will track frauds in the payment systems.   Under this registry, payment system participants will be provided access to it for near-real time fraud monitoring. The aggregated fraud data will be published to educate customers on emerging risks. Currently, banks report all banking frauds to the Central Fraud Monitoring Cell of the Reserve Bank of India

3. RBI announces NEFT facility will be available round-the-clock for customers: The Reserve Bank of India has announced that the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) facility will be available round-the-clock for the customers. According to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, the RBI will make available the NEFT system on a 24x7 basis from December 2019. Currently, NEFT payment system operated by the Reserve Bank as a retail payment system is available for customers from 8 AM to 7 PM on all working days of the week except 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. SEBI approves SGX and NSE to operate jointly in GIFT City: Securities and Exchange Board of India has approved Singapore Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India Ltd to operate jointly in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, Gandhinagar. The two entities will create a new platform for trading called NSE International Financial Service Centre (IFSC)-SGX Connect. The new platform will allow trading in Nifty index derivatives, as well as single-stock derivatives of Nifty’s 50 constituent.

Note: Managing Director and CEO of NSE: Vikram Limaye; Managing Director & CEO of GIFT City: Tapan Ray.

DEFENCE

1. 5th edition of 'IASMC' kicks off in Jaisalmer: The 5th edition of International Army Scout Masters Competition with teams from 8 countries including India, China and Russia as participants was inaugurated at the Jaisalmer Military Station under the aegis of the Southern Command.  Lt Gen DS Ahuja, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army's Southern Command, and Deputy Defence Minister of Russia Yunus Bek Evkurov unveiled the trophy of the competition and unfolded the event's flag at the inaugural ceremony. Army Scout Master Teams from Armenia, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Sudan, Uzbekistan and India are participating in the 9-day event from August 6 to 14.

OBITUARIES

1. Nobel laureate and beloved author Toni Morrison passes away: Toni Morrison, the 1993 Nobel laureate in literature passed away. She was the 1st African American woman to win the Nobel in literature. Ms. Morrison was the author of several novels, children’s books and essays. Among them were celebrated works like Song of Solomon, which received the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1977, and Beloved, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.

2. Former T.N. Minister Jennifer Chandran passes away: Former Fisheries Minister S. Jennifer Chandran passed away. She won from the Tiruchendur Assembly constituency in 1996 and served as a Minister in the DMK government from 1996-2001.

3. Former Padma Shri award winner Rajalakshmi Parthasarathy passes away: Former Padma Shri award winner and educationist Rajalakshmi Parthasarathy passed away. ii. She received the Padma Shri award in 2010 for her contribution to the field of education. She was the founder of the Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan (PSBB) Group of Schools.

Daily GK Updates - 6th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rajasthan Assembly passes bills against honour killings and Mob Lynching: The Rajasthan Assembly passed Bills against mob lynching and honour killing, which make the cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offences with life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 5 lakh. The bill to curb honour killing also has a provision of the death penalty for the convict. Now Rajasthan has become the 2nd state after Manipur which passed a law to curb lynching cases.

Note: CM of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor of Rajasthan: Kalyan Singh.Capital: Jaipur.

2. Centre has approved the project to link Kosi & Mechi Rivers: The Centre has approved a Kosi-Mechi river interlining project in Bihar. Estimated cost of the project is Rs 4,900 crore. The project will provide irrigation for over 2.14 lakh hectares of command areas spread across the districts of Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia and Katihar in north Bihar. This is India's 2nd major river linking project after Ken-Betwa of Madhya Pradesh.

Note: Chief Minister of Bihar: Nitish Kumar; Governor: Phagu Chuhan.

3. Mohali gets first 3-D traffic signal: Mohali traffic police have launched 3-D Smart Traffic Signal devised by the students of a Chandigarh university. The wireless system, called 'Intelights', has been installed at the traffic crossing near the Airport Road, on a pilot project basis, and will regulate traffic signals with a smartbird's eye view wireless sensor system. The new system will have sensors which would automatically switch on the green and red signals depending upon the number of vehicles coming from that particular side.

4. Udaipur to host India's Largest Education Brainstorm: The 3rd edition of India's largest education brainstorming event, the ScooNews Global Educators Fest (SGEF) will held in the city of lakes, Udaipur, Rajasthan (9 & 10th August 2019). The theme for fest is ‘Education for Sustainability: Moving on from Conformity to Creativity'. It will bring together over 500 educators to discuss the way towards establishing India as the next global education powerhouse.

5. 2nd All India Annual Conference of IIS Officers: The 2nd All India Annual Conference of Indian Information Service Officers was held in New Delhi. The Conference was organized with a view to attain greater integration of all Media Units under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in order to further amplify government communication. A Performance Review of Media Units under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting was also conducted during the Conference.

Note: Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Ministry: Prakash Javadekar.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. U.S. labels China a ‘currency manipulator’: The United States has officially labeled China a "currency manipulator". The US has accused China of using yuan to gain “unfair competitive advantage” in trade. The US took the action as Beijing has allowed its yuan to fall below the politically sensitive level of "seven" to the U.S. dollar for the first time in 11 years.

2. AustralianSuper, Ontario Teachers’ to invest $2 bn in NIIF: AustralianSuper and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan will invest $1 billion each in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) Master Fund. The agreements include commitments of $250 million each in the Master Fund and co-investment rights of up to $750 million each in future opportunities alongside the Fund. National Investment and Infrastructure Fund is India’s first sovereign wealth fund that was set up by the Government of India in February 2015. It manages over $4 billion of capital commitments across three funds. The Fund invests in equity capital in core infrastructure sectors in India with a focus on transportation, energy and urban infrastructure.

Note: AustralianSuper is Australia’s largest superannuation fund and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is Canada’s largest single-profession pension plan. AustralianSuper and Ontario Teachers’ will also become shareholders in National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited.

3. NASA satellite uncovers 'first nearby super-Earth': The Super-Earth planet named ‘GJ 357 d’ was discovered in early 2019 owing to NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a mission designed to comb the heavens for exoplanets. Scientists have characterised the first potentially habitable world outside our own solar system located about 31 light-years away.

Note: Administrator of NASA: Jim Bridenstine; Headquarter of NASA: Washington DC, US.

4. Japan marks the 74th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima: 6 August: Japan marked the 74th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe led commemorations at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima as residents offered silent prayers, lit candles and placed wreaths to remember those killed in the August 6, 1945 bombing.

Note: Japan suffered two nuclear attacks (1st Hiroshima & 2nd Nagasaki) by the United States at the end of World War II. The bombings claimed 1 Lakh 40 thousand lives in Hiroshima and 74 thousand in Nagasaki.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Aamir Khan launches Mission Shakti sports initiative in Maharashtra: Film actor Aamir Khan attended the launch function of Mission Shakti, an initiative by Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to train athletes from Chandrapur and Gadchiroli for international events like the Olympics.

Note: CM of Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis; Governor: CH Vidyasagar Rao. Capital: Mumbai.

2. Rohit Sharma becomes the batsman with most-number of sixes in T20Is: India's opening batsman Rohit Sharma (32 years) has become the batsman with the most- number of sixes in the T20I format. He blasted two sixes to go past West Indies's Chris Gayle at the top spot. Now, the right-handed batsman Rohit Sharma has 106 sixes in the format whereas Gayle has 105. Kiwi opening batsman Martin Guptill sits on the third position with 103 sixes. Currently, Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most number of centuries (four) and highest run-scorer in the T20I format.

3. Ravichandran Ashwin named "PCA Player of the Month": Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been named as Professional Cricketers Association's Player of the month of July 2019. He has been named for his consistent performances in the county championships as he hit 197 runs and picked up 23 wickets from just 3 matches for Nottinghamshire.

4. Dale Steyn retires from Test cricket: South African bowler Dale Steyn has announced his retirement from Test cricket. Dale Steyn has played 93 Tests for South Africa, finishing with 439 wickets, the most in the long format by a south african bowler. His strike-rate of 42.3 balls per wicket is the best of anyone with more than 200 Test wickets. Steyn will be available to play for South Africa in One-Day and T20 International series.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Statue of Unity shortlisted for UK-based structural award: The ‘Statue of Unity’ (182-metre-tall) has been shortlisted for 'The Structural Awards 2019' of the UK-based Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE). The Objective of the award to increase awareness of the important work that structural engineers do. It is among the 49 structures that will vie for the prestigious award.

Note: The awards will be announced in a function in London on 15th November 2019. Past winners of this award include iconic structures such as the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Severn Bridge in England.

OBITUARIES

1. Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passes away: Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away in Delhi following a cardiac arrest. She was the first woman external affairs minister of India. The 67-year-old leader, who had served her fourth term in Lok Sabha had long been her party’s most prominent woman face. She was the youngest cabinet minister at 25 when she joined the Haryana government in 1977 and the first woman chief minister of Delhi. Swaraj served as the Minister of External Affairs of India from 26 May 2014 to 30 May 2019. She was elected seven times as a member of parliament and three times as a member of the legislative assembly.