Daily GK Updates - 26th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kargil Vijay Diwas: 26 July: India remembers its brave hearts on 26 July which is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas. This year India celebrates the 20th anniversary of the victory of the Indian Armed Forces in ‘Operation Vijay’ against the infiltrating Pakistani troops. The day is named after the successful ‘Operation Vijay’ (in 1999) when India regained the control of the high outposts which had been stealthily taken over by Pakistan. The central theme of this year's celebrations is ‘Remember, Rejoice and Renew’. President Ram Nath Kovind visited the Kargil War Memorial in Dras (Jammu and Kashmir) and paid homage to soldiers & officers of the Indian Army who were martyred during ‘Operation Vijay’.

Note: The Kargil War was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LOC).

2. BS Yeddyurappa to take oath as karnataka CM: BS Yeddyurappa, 3-time chief minister of Karnataka, will once again take the oath as Karnataka CM as the Bharatiya Janata Party has staked the claim for government formation three days after HD Kumaraswamy's government failed to prove majority.

3. IIT Kharagpur team develops app CARE4U: ‘CARE4U’ the android-based app which will connect the caregiver to the elderly person.  The app has been built by an interdisciplinary team of the institute of IIT Kharagpur.  This app will inform the caregiver when the elderly person falls down with the exact location.

4. ICMR launches platform to boost health data quality in India: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute for Medical Statistics (NIMS), in partnership with global nonprofit organisation Population Council, launched the National Data Quality Forum (NDQF). NDQF will integrate learnings from scientific and evidence-based initiatives and guide actions through periodic workshops and conferences.

Note:  Director General of ICMR: Balram Bhargava.

5. Cong's Adhir appointed as PAC chairman: The leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was appointed as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The PAC has 15 members from Lok Sabha and seven from Rajya Sabha. The term of office of members of the committee does not exceed one year at a time.

Note: Present Lok Sabha Speaker: Om Prakash Birla.

6. Sunil Kumar given charge as MTNL chief: Sunil Kumar has been given additional charge of chairman and managing director of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL). Kumar is currently Director (Human Resources and Enterprise Business) at MTNL and takes over from P K Purwar who was recently appointed chairman and managing Director of BSNL.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pakistan to send its first man to space in 2022: Pakistan announced that it will send its first astronaut to space in 2022. It will be using close ally China's satellite launching facilities to execute the mission.

Note: Pakistan Capital: Islamabad; PM: Imran Khan; President: Arif Alvi.

2. China launches first private rocket capable of carrying satellites: Beijing-based startup "Interstellar Glory Space Technology" also known as iSpace successfully launched the china’s first commercial rocket.  The 20 m (66-foot) rocket designed by iSpace named Hyperbola-1reached an altitude of 300 kilometres (186 miles).  The rocket is capable of carrying satellites into orbit.

Note: Capital of China: Beijing; Currency: Renminbi.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Kristof Milak breaks the Phelps record in 200m butterfly stroke: Kristof Milak shattered Michael Phelps' long-standing world record in the 200 metres butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju. Hungarian teenager Milak won the final in 1:50.73, breaking the previous record of 1:51.51, set by Phelps in 2009.

2. India drops two places in FIFA rankings: The Indian football team slipped two places to 103rd in the FIFA (football's world governing body) rankings released. India has 1214 ranking points to its kitty, down by five points from the previous chart issued last month. The Indian team now lies at 18th among Asian countries. Iran (23rd) is at the top among Asian countries, followed by Japan (33), Korea (37), Australia (46) and Qatar (62). Overall, Belgium leads the chart, followed by Brazil, France, England and Uruguay.

Note: The FIFA World Ranking (publish-monthly) is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Belgium. The teams of the member nations of FIFA, football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest.

3. Goa govt seeks new dates for holding National Games: The Goa government is not able to host the 36th National Games in November this year. The Goa government has requested the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to allot fresh dates in May 2020. Recently, The IOA had fined the Goa government for frequently missing the deadlines to host the games in the last four years. The National Games were earlier scheduled to be held in March- April 2019 but were postponed to November on account of Lok Sabha elections, by polls.

Note: The National Games comprises various disciplines (37 sports) in which sportsmen from the different states of India participate against each other.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Apple acquires Intel's smartphone modem business for $1bn: Apple has announced the acquisition of chip-maker Intel''s smartphone modem business for $1 billion. This agreement enables to focus on developing technology for the 5G network while retaining critical intellectual property and modem technology. Intel had been working on a chipset for the iPhone maker, with the chip expected to be part of iPhones by 2020.

Note: Present CEO of Apple: Tim Cook.

DEFENCE

1. CISF launches a video Hub, encyclopedia for staff: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) launched an online encyclopedia called Securitypedia and also launched customised video interface for its personnel called CISFTube. For Recognising the need to empower its personnel by making technical know-how available to them at the click of a button.

Note: Director General of CISF: Rajesh Ranjan.

2. Defence Minister launches Dashboard of Department Defence Production: Defence Minister launched dashboard of Department Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence. The dashboard will help the Ministry to keep track of the major components of Defence Production, including defence exports, defence offsets, Intellectual Property Rights and Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti. The dashboard is available for the general public at "ddpdashboard.gov.in".

Note: Union Defence Minister: Rajnath Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi passes away: Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi (92-years) passed away in a military hospital. He was the major figure in the country’s transition to democracy after the Arab spring. Essebsi was the oldest head of state after the Queen, has been a major figure in Tunisian politics since the uprisings that led to the overthrow of the long-time despot Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Tunisia is often described as the lone success story of the revolutions of 2011 because of its slow but steady progress towards democracy, despite extended economic problems.

Daily GK Updates - 25th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. GoM on sexual harassment at workplace reconstituted: GoI has reconstituted the Group of Ministers (GoM) looking after the issues of how to prevent sexual harassment at workplace and strengthen legal frameworks. The GoM will be lead by Home Minister Amit Shah. The other members of the reconstituted GoM are: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, and Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani.

Note: Union Minister of Home Affairs: Amit Shah.

2. India’s first dragon blood-oozing tree: Researchers discover Dracaena cambodiana, a dragon tree species in the Dongka Sarpo area of West Karbi Anglong district in Assam. This is for the first time that a dragon tree species has been reported from India. Dragon tree species whose sap turns bright red after coming in contact with air.

Note: Assam CM: Sarbananda Sonowal; Governor: Jagdish Mukhi; Capital of Assam: Dispur; 

3. Ajay Bhalla appointed as Home Secretary: Ajay Kumar Bhalla (1984 batch IAS officer) has been appointed Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Ministry of Home Affairs with immediate effect for two-year tenure (till August 2021). He will take over as Home Secretary from incumbent Rajive Gauba. Currently, Mr. Bhalla is serving as Power Secretary. Anshu Prakash has been appointed new Secretary, Telecommunications, in place of Aruna Sundararajan, who is superannuating on 31st July.

Note: Home Secretary is the administrative head of the Ministry of Home Affairs and is the principal adviser to the Home Minister on all matters of policy and administration within the Home Ministry. As a Secretary to Government of India, the Home Secretary ranks 23rd on Indian Order of Precedence.

4. Lt Gn. Ranbir Singh releases a book on Fire and Fury Warriors: The coffee table book titled 'Fire and Fury Corps - Saga of Valour, Fortitude and Sacrifice', was released by Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh. This book showcases the courage and bravery of the Fire and Fury Warriors and portrays the rich heritage and ethos of the Indian Army.

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

5. PM Modi releases a book on former PM Chandra Shekhar: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released a book "Chandra Shekhar-The Last Icon of Ideological Politics" in New Delhi. The book has been written by Shri Harivansh, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha; and Shri Ravi Dutt Bajpai. The book release event was held at the Balayogi Auditorium, Parliament Library Building. Prime Minister also announced a museum for all former Prime Ministers of India and invited their families to share aspects of their lives.

6. Cabinet approves the merger of National Institute of Miners' Health with ICMR-NIOH: Union Cabinet has approved the merger of National Institute of Miners' Health with ICMR - National Institute of Occupational Health. This will help both the institutes in terms of enhanced expertise in the field of occupational health besides efficient management of public money. The Cabinet also approved sale of 481.79 acres of land held by Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Limited, FACT to the Government of Kerala and utilization of the sale proceeds by FACT. The decision will help the company in reducing bank borrowings and implementing projects for enhancing fertilizers production capacity and upgrading logistics and raw materials.

Note: Union Information and Broadcasting Minister: Prakash javadekar.

7. FM Nirmala Sitharaman to chair 36th meeting of GST Council: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 36th meeting of the GST Council through video conferencing in New Delhi. This will be the first GST Council meeting after the presentation of Union Budget in Parliament on 5th of this month. Among other issues, the GST Council is expected to announce its decision on lowering tax rates for electric vehicles, solar power projects and rationalisation of GST rates on lottery.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ADB sanctions about Rs 2000 Cr for power projects in Tripura: Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned 1,925 crore rupees project for up-gradation of power generation and distribution in Tripura. The amount was recently sanctioned to the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited after the state government had sought the ADB's assistance. The project has been sanctioned for upgrading capacity of 63 MW Rokhia Project to 120 MW at an estimated cost of over 699 crores and modernising Gumti Hydro Electric Project at an estimated cost of nearly 1225 crore rupees. Rokhia project is located at West Tripura district whereas the Gumti project is in Gomati district.

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

2. Indian origin Priti Patel appointed as Britain's Home Secretary: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed Indian origin Priti Patel (47-years) as the country Home Secretary. The Prime Minister named former Home Secretary Sajid Javid (former banker) to take over from Philip Hammond as the Finance Secretary or Chancellor. Mr Johnson has also named Brexit hardliner Dominic Raab as the country's Foreign Secretary.

Note: The ‘Home Secretary’ is a senior official as one of the Great Offices of State within Her Majesty's Government and head of the Home Office. The Home Secretary is responsible for the internal affairs of England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the United Kingdom.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Virat Kohli maintains number one spot in ICC Test Rankings: International Cricket Council has released the latest rankings of teams and players in different categories.

1. Men's Team Rankings: India topped the Test Team Rankings; England topped the One Day International Team Rankings; Pakistan topped the T20 International Team Rankings.

2. Men's Batting Rankings: Virat Kohli (India) topped the Test Batting Rankings; Virat Kohli (India) topped the ODI Batting Rankings; Babar Azam (Pakistan) topped the T20I Batting Rankings.

3. Men's Bowling Rankings: Pat Cummins (Australia) topped the Test Bowling Rankings; Jasprit Bumrah (India) topped the ODI Bowling Rankings; Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) topped the T20I Bowling Rankings.

4. Men's All-Rounder Rankings: Jason Holder (West Indies) topped the Test All-Rounder Rankings; Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) topped the ODI All-Rounder Rankings; Glenn Maxwell (Australia) topped the T20I All-Rounder Rankings.

Note: ICC Chairman: Shashank Manohar; Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 13th edition of ICC Cricket World Cup will be held in India from February 9 to March 26, 2023.

2. Boxer Maxim Dadashev dies from head injuries sustained in the fight: Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev (28-years) passed away following injuries suffered in his IBF light-welterweight fight against Subriel Matias. Dadashev was reportedly unable to walk to the dressing room after his bout was stopped by trainer Buddy McGirt at the end of the 11th round. He was hospitalised with bleeding on the brain and underwent emergency surgery but failed to recover. Dadashev had won all of his previous 13 fights but had to absorb a barrage of punches from Puerto Rican Matias during the course of the fight in Maryland.

3. Lasith Malinga to retire from ODIs after first Bangladesh match: Sri Lanka fast bowling ace Lasith Malinga (35 years) will retire from 50-over internationals (ODI-Cricket) after the first match against Bangladesh at Kettarama stadium in Colombo (on 26th July). Malinga is the third-highest wicket-taker for the island country behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas. He has taken 335 wickets from 225 one-day internationals for Sri Lanka. He has also taken three ODI hat-tricks and is the only player to have achieved the milestone twice during a World Cup.

4. BCCI approves Indian Cricketers Association: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) formally recognised the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA), a non-profit company limited, under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, as the official association for ex-cricketers in India. Former India cricketers Kapil Dev, Ajit Agarkar and Shantha Rangaswamy are the directors at ICA and will hold their positions until elections are held.

Note: The ICA is not affiliated to Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) and is only open to former men and women cricketers, unlike the players’ associations in most countries. The functioning of ICA will be independent of BCCI’s functioning and the association will have to generate its own funds even though the board will provide some initial grants.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. DCC approves Rs 3,050 cr penalty on Airtel, Vodafone Idea: The Digital Communications Commission (DCC) has approved the cumulative penalty of Rs 3,050 crore on Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. The penalty was imposed by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for not providing points of interconnection to Reliance Jio when it entered the market.

2. Facebook slapped with 5 billion US Dollar fine for users' privacy violation: US regulators formalized a record 5 billion US Dollar fine on Facebook for violation of users' privacy in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal involving 87 million users. According to Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the penalty was the largest ever imposed on any company for violating consumers' privacy and one of the largest penalties ever assessed by the US government for any violation. The FTC initiated the investigation after a scandal involving former British consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, which was accused of illegally accessing data of more than 87 million Facebook users without their prior knowledge.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 6 firms honoured with CSR Journal Excellence Awards: 3rd Edition of the CSR Journal Excellence Awards honoured 6 firms for the best practices in Corporate Social Responsibility. The theme of the event was ‘India First’. The winners of the awards are:

Tata Power won in the category "Education & Skill Training".

ReNew Power won in the category "Women Empowerment & Child Welfare".

YES Bank Ltd. won in the category "Health & Sanitation".

Mahindra & Mahindra won in the category "Environment".

Hindustan Zinc won in the category "Agriculture & Rural Development".

Aditya Birla Capital Ltd. won in the category "Sports".

2. Nishagandhi Sangeetha Awards conferred by Kerala Tourism: Kerala Minister of Tourism presented the inaugural Nishagandhi Sangeetha Puraskaram to musicians Parassala B. Ponnammal and T V. Gopalakrishnan in the Nishagandhi Monsoon Ragas Music Festival. Nishagandhi Sangeetha Puraskaram is Instituted by Kerala Tourism, the award carries ₹1.5 lakh in cash, citation and memento.

Note: Minister for Tourism of Kerala: Kadakampally Surendran; Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan; Governor: P. Sathasivam.

OBITUARIES 

1. ‘Blade Runner’ actor Rutger Hauer passes away: Dutch film actor Rutger Hauer (75-years) passed away at his home in the Netherlands. He acted in both Dutch and English-language TV series and films. Hauer's roles included a terrorist in 'Nighthawks' with Sylvester Stallone, Cardinal Roark in 'Sin City' and playing an evil corporate executive in 'Batman Begins.' Hauer founded the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association, an AIDS awareness organization.

Daily GK Updates - 24th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt to Install Solar projects of 40,000 MW by 2022:  The government has set a target for the installation of Rooftop Solar projects of 40,000 MegaWatt by 2022 in the country. The projects include installation of solar panels on the rooftop of houses. It is estimated that 1.5 million units per MegaWatt per year are generated from solar rooftop plants.

Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy: Raj Kumar Singh.

2. JATAN: Virtual Museum software for Digitization of Archaeological Museum: JATAN: Virtual Museum software has been developed by Human Centres Design and Computing Group, C-DAC, Pune, Maharashtra for the Digitization of Archaeological Museum. JATAN is used for creating digital collections in various museums and digital archival tools that are used in background for managing National Portal.

Note: Director General of ASI: Usha Sharma.

3. CBDT celebrates Aaykar Diwas 2019: 24 July: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) celebrates the 159th Income Tax Day (Aaykar Diwas) on 24th July. On 24th July 1860, Income Tax was introduced for the first time in India by Sir James Wilson to compensate for the losses incurred by the British regime during the first war of independence against British Rule.

Note: Chairman of CBDT: Pramod Chandra Mody.

4. SC extends the deadline for NRC publication to 31st August: The Supreme Court (SC) bench, comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R F Nariman has extended the deadline for publication of final National Register of Citizens, (NRC) in Assam by a month (from 31st July to 31st August). The Apex Court rejected the pleas seeking permission for 20 per cent sample re-verification. The Centre and the Assam government sought permission for sample re-verification to find out wrongful inclusions and exclusions of persons in the NRC. Both the governments had told the top court earlier that India cannot be the refugee capital of the world and sought an extension of its deadline of July 31st to complete the Assam NRC.

Note: The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a register containing names of all genuine Indian citizens (first prepared in 1951). The 1951 NRC list has been updated for Assam, which has had a longstanding foreigner problem, to remove out illegal migrants and save further inflow.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New India-UK scheme to fund students from the UK to visit India: A new India-UK bilateral pilot scheme has been launched to support Britain's universities to collaborate with Indian partners to send UK students to India during their studies.The “UKEIRI Mobility Programme: Study in India”, an initiative of Universities UK International (UUKI) and British Council India. It aims to generate up to 200 opportunities for undergraduate students at UK universities to visit India by March 2021. The Study in India programme will support national and institutional-level objectives to increase the levels of outward student mobility from the UK to 13 per cent by 2020. The programme will be funded by the UK and Indian governments as part of Phase 3 of the UK-India Education Research Initiative (UKEIRI) and delivered by the British Council, Universities UK International and EdCIL in India.

2. Mark Esper appointed as Pentagon chief: The U.S. Senate confirmed former soldier Mark Esper as Secretary of Defence. Esper replaces Patrick Shanahan, who led the military in an acting capacity but this week withdrew his name from consideration for a permanent role after allegations of domestic violence. Earlier, Mark Esper served as acting secretary of defence and was the 23rd United States Secretary of the Army from 2017 to 2019.

Note: The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, ‘Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The Pentagon is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.

3. Plastic-like Jute material developed in Bangladesh: Scientists in Bangladesh have developed a method to convert Jute fibre into low cost bio-degradable cellulose sheets named "Sonali".   The Eco-friendly jute poly bags made up of Sonali can be used in garments and food packaging work and they are not harmful for human health.

4. Non Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting held in Venezuela: The Non Aligned movement ministerial meeting was held in Caracas, Venezuela.  The ministerial meeting brought together 120 member nations as well as 7 observer countries, 10 multilateral international organisations including the United Nations (UN), and 14 specially invited nations. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddn represented India in the meeting.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Abhay, Tanvi win Bengal Open squash titles: Abhay Singh (Tamil Nadu) and Tanvi Khanna (Asian Games medallist) clinched the men's and women's titles respectively in the sixth Bengal Open squash tournament in Kolkata. Singh defeated top seed Abhishek Pradhan 11-6 11-6 11-4, while Tanvi fought her way past Tamil Nadu's Aparajitha Balamurukan 11-7 11-6 5-11 13-11. Earlier, the under-15 category witnessed a thrilling battle with fifth-seeded Tamil Nadu girl Shameena Riaz upsetting top seed Soniya Bajaj from Maharashtra 9-11 11-7 11-5 7-11 11-8. Daughter of former India hockey captain Mohammed Riaz, Shameena recently won the U-15 title at the Goregaon Sports Club All India Squash Open in Mumbai. 

Note: President of Squash Rackets Federation of India: Debendranath Sarangi.

2. Ehsan Mani named chief of ICC committee: Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Ehsan Mani has been appointed as the head of the ICC’s influential Finance and Commercial Affairs committee. The F&CA assists the ICC  in discharging its responsibilities in relation to all financial and commercial matters.

Note: Chairman of ICC : Shashank Manohar; Headquarter of ICC: Dubai, UAE.

3. Dejan Papic appointed as India's table tennis coach: The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has appointed the Canadian Dejan Papic as the head coach of the Indian table tennis team. He has signed a one-year contract and will be the in charge through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Note: President of TTFI: Dushyant Chautala.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI names Kanungo to run monetary policy portfolio: Reserve Bank of India has assigned deputy governor B.P. Kanungo to run the monetary policy portfolio and forecasting department. After the exit of Viral Acharya, Kanungo has become the 6th member of the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee. Now, all the three deputy governors N S Vishwanathan, B P Kanungo and M K Jain have been made responsible for 12 departments each.

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

           

2. NPCI ties up with JCB for global RuPay card: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and JCB International have launched RuPay JCB Global Cards. RuPay JCB Global Cards can be used at all point of sales terminals which accept RuPay cards and terminals outside India which accept JCB.

None: CEO of NPCI:  Dilip Asbe; Established in: 2008; CEO of JCB International: Takao Kawanishi; Established in: 1961.

3. IMF lowers India’s growth outlook for FY20: The International Monetary Fund has lowered its annual growth forecast for India from 7.3% to 7% in financial year 2019-20. The IMF's stance reflects a weaker-than-expected outlook for domestic demand.

Note: Acting MD of IMF: David Lipton; Headquarters: Washington DC, USA.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Reliance becomes highest-ranked Indian firm on Fortune Global 500 list: Mukesh Ambani-led 'Reliance Industries' has jumped 42 places to become the highest-ranking Indian firm on the Fortune Global 500 list. US giant Walmart continues to top the Fortune 500 list followed by Chinese state-owned oil and gas company Sinopec Group, which moved one rank up. Dutch company Royal Dutch Shell was ranked third followed by China National Petroleum and State Grid. This year, ranked 106, Reliance Industries (RIL) has replaced IOC (117) as the top-ranked Indian company on the Global 500 list. RIL's revenue soared 32.1 per cent from USD 62.3 billion in 2018 to USD 82.3 billion in 2019.    ONGC has moved up 37 places to 160th rank on the global list, while SBI lost 20 places to 236th rank.

DEFENCE

1. India to launch first-ever space war exercise 'IndSpaceEx': The Indian armed forces are all set to conduct the country’s first-ever simulated space warfare exercise “IndSpaceEx”.  This excercise will lead to an assessment of the “imminent threats” in the expanse beyond earth and the drafting of a joint space doctrine for futuristic battles. Ministry of Defence will organize exercise with all three forces together.

Note: Minister of Defence: Raj Nath Singh.

OBITUARIES 

1. Former Chinese premier Li Peng passes away: Former Chinese premier and chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, Li Peng passed away. He was also known as the "Butcher of Beijing" for his role in the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; Currency: Renminbi.

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.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India's Moon Mission ‘Chandrayaan-2’ launched from Sriharikota: India's landmark mission to the moon ‘Chandrayaan-2’ has been launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. Chandrayaan-2 onboard the heavy-lift rocket Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle GSLV-MkIII-M1 (nicknamed Baahubali). The lander-Vikram will land near South Pole of the moon on Sep 7, 2019. The total cost of the mission is worked out to be 978 crore rupees. Chandrayaan-2 carried 13 scientific satellites (weighs about 3.8 tonnes), explore the southern part of the Moon. The flight duration of Chandrayaan-2 from the earth to the moon has been reduced (due to the delay in the launch) from 54 days to 48 days by tweaking the flight path.

Note: ‘Chandrayaan-2’ would make India the 4th country to soft-land on the Moon, a feat achieved only by the space agency’s of the US, USSR, and China. It will have three modules — Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) & Rover (Pragyan).

2. Rajya Sabha MP D Raja appointed as CPI General Secy: Rajya Sabha MP (from Tamil Nadu) D Raja (70-years) has been appointed as the General Secretary of CPI (Communist Party of India). Raja was unanimously chosen as S Sudhakar Reddy’s successor at a three-day meeting of the CPI National Council, the top decision-making body of the party, earlier this week.

Note: The Communist Party of India (CPI) (formed - 26th December 1925) is the oldest communist party in India. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) separated from the CPI in 1964 following an ideological rift between China and the Soviet Union, continues to claim having been founded in 1925.

3. Rajnath Singh Inaugurates two bridges Ujh and Basantar in J&K: Under the Project ‘Sampark’, The Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the two strategically important bridges in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu & Kashmir for smooth mobility of security forces in the border areas. The Ujh Bridge (1000- meter) was inaugurated in Kathua district and Basantar Bridge (617.40-meter) in samba district.

Note: On January 1, 1965, Project Sampark was launched to develop and maintain the operational road infrastructure of Armed Forces in Border Areas of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

4. A new e-challan system, e-payment gateway launched for use of Delhi Traffic Police: Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik has launched the new e-challan system and the e-payment gateway for the use of Delhi Traffic Police. The E-challan devices are enabled with active GPS where the challan officer and the violator, both can be logged and tracked to a particular geo-location. This is an important tool for evidence to establish the credibility of the prosecution. The payment gateway will help the citizens with the flexibility to log in securely at their convenience and settle the pending violation notices with proof of payment. It also ensures that the citizen interface with police improves and becomes more transparent.

5. Lucknow to host DefExpo 2020: Lucknow will host the 11th biennial edition of DefExpo from February 5 to 8, 2020. The focus of the Expo will be on "Digital transformation of defence". The main theme of DefExpo India-2020 will be “India: the emerging defence manufacturing hub”.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Telangana govt, WEF Centre set to send medical supplies via drones: Telangana Government and the World Economic Forum's Centrefor the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network announced that they are set to launch an innovative project to deliver emergency medical supplies such as blood and vaccines via drones. This pilot project, called Medicine from the Sky, will run in partnership with the State Government and HealthNet Global Limited.

Note: CM of Telangana: K Chandrashekhar Rao; Capital of Telangana: Hyderabad; Governor of Telangana: ESL Narasimhan.

2. 5th International Police Expo 2019, New Delhi: The International Police Expo 2019, focused on everything related topolice forces, their welfare and fitness, also showcases the latest equipment required for safety and protection of society. Over 25 countries are showcasing advanced firearms, combat or armoured vehicles a plethora of disruptive technologies in cyber security, drones, homeland security, and safety and rescue at this Expo at Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi.

Note: The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) headquater: Lyon, France.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Vivek Kohli elected chairman of Commonwealth TT Federation: India’s Vivek Kohli and M.P. Singh have been elected as chairman and secretary-general respectively of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation (CTTF). Vivek Kohli defeated incumbent Alan Ransome (England) by securing 16 votes more than him. MP Singh (secretary-general at Table Tennis Federation of India) was unanimously elected as secretary-general of CTTF. The CTTF president’s post is already held by Dushyant Chautala(TTFI chief). It is for the first time that all three positions in CTTF are held by Indians.

2. Adam Peaty breaks 57 seconds barrier & 100m breaststroke world record: The Britain swimmer Adam Peaty has break the world record in themen’s 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. He smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds that was set by him at last year’s European Championships, after winning the semi finals in 56.88 seconds. Adam Peaty has now swum the event 1.4 seconds faster than anyone else in history.

3. First Indian boxer to win gold at President’s Cup:  Shiva Thapa became India’s first gold-medallist at the President’s Cup boxing tournament after getting a walkover in the finals in Astana, Kazakhstan. Making his international debut in the newly-introduced Olympic category of 63kg. Thapa was to fight Kazakhstan's Zakir Safiullin in the summit clash.

Note: Kazakhstan PM: Askar Mamin; Capital: Nur-Sultan; Currency: Kazakhstani Tenge.

4. Shooting Junior World Cup: Aishwarya Pratap Singh clinches gold: Shooting Junior World Cup, Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar clinched gold with a junior world record in the final of rifle 3-position event in Suhl Germany. India finished the ISSF tournament on top of the table with 10 gold, nine silver and five bronze for a total of 24 medals.

5. Manny Pacquiao wins WBA welterweight title: Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao claimed the WBA welterweight championship after scoring a split-decision win against Keith Thurman. He ended the American Keith Thurman's undefeated run at the MGM Grand, where two judges had the fight 115-112 in favour of the 40-year-old Pacquiao.

6. Shane Lowry wins British Open: Irishman Shane Lowry wins British Open to claim his first major golfing title at Royal Portrush. He became the 2nd player from the Republic of Ireland, after Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008, to lift the Claret Jug.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. India's forex reserves fall by USD 1.113 bn to USD 428.797 bn: India's foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 1.113 billion to USD 428.797 billion in the week to July 12 - the first fall after four consecutive weeks of gains - due to a fall in foreign currency assets. According to the latest weekly RBI data, foreign currency assets, which are a major component of the overall reserves, slipped by USD 1.11 billion to USD 399.697 billion. The central bank said that despite an ongoing massive rally in gold prices, the country's gold reserves remained unchanged at USD 24.304 billion. It stated that the Special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund fell by USD 1.2 million to USD 1.450 billion. The country's reserve position with the fund also declined by USD 1.5 million to USD 3.345 billion.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Vocalist S Sowmya wins Sangita Kalanidhi award: Vocalist S. Sowmya has been chosen for the Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy. She will preside over the 93rd annual conference of the Academy. She holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry and Indian music and obtained a doctorate from the University of Madras. The Sangita Kalanidhi and other music awards will be conferred on the awardees at the Sadas of Music festival, on January 1, 2020.

OBITUARIES 

1. Former BJP Delhi President Mange Ram Garg passes away: Former BJP Delhi President, MLA and senior Sangh Associate Mange Ram Garg (83-years) passed away at Sri Balaji Action Hospital, North Delhi. He played a pivotal role in strengthening BJP in Delhi. Garg represented the Wazirpur Assembly constituency in the national capital between 2003 and 2008.

Daily GK Updates - 21st July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Chandrayaan-2 moon mission to take off on July 22 at 2.43 pm: ISRO: India’s second mission to the Moon ‘Chandrayaan-2’ will now lift off at 2.43 pm on July 22 with scientists resolving the technical glitch in GSLV-MkIII-M1 rocket that led to the aborting of the launch three days ago. Chandrayaan-2 was originally scheduled to take off in the first week of January but was rescheduled for 2.50 am on July 15. It was again postponed after a technical snag was observed in the rocket GSLV Mk-III, which is the most powerful and heaviest rocket of Isro.

Note: ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Founder: Vikram Sarabhai, Founded: 15 August 1969

2. Kerala to set up India’s first space tech park in Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government will set up the country’s first space tech park at Thiruvananthapuram’s Knowledge City. The move is aimed at making the city a manufacturing hub for space-related technology. A space museum named after former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will also be a part of the infrastructure. The state government has issued orders to allot the land required for the facility. This will be an added attraction. The entire investment will be made by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), a major space research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Note: Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram, Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan

3. Amit Shah to head panel on Air India sale: Home Minister Amit Shah will head a reconstituted group of ministers (GoM) on Air India disinvestment and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has been dropped from the panel, sources said. The panel, which is to work out modalities for the sale of Air India, will now have four Ministers: Mr. Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

Note: The panel: Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism (AISAM) was first set up in June 2017.

4. Anandiben Patel Replaces Ram Naik as UP Governor, 5 Others Transferred: In a major rejig, Madhya Pradesh Governor and former Chief Minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel has been transferred and appointed as the new Governor of Uttar Pradesh after the Centre appointed six new Governors in MP, UP, West Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland and Tripura. Senior Supreme Court advocate Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed as the new Governor of West Bengal, replacing Keshari Nath Tripathi. BJP member Ramesh Bais has been appointed as the Governor of Tripura, replacing Kaptan Singh Solanki. Lal Ji Tandon, who is at present the Governor of Bihar, has been transferred and appointed as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh. Tandon replaces Anandiben who has now got the charge of Uttar Pradesh, while Phagu Chauhan has been appointed as the Governor of Bihar and RN Ravi has been appointed as the Governor of Nagaland.

State	New Governors
Madhya Pradesh	Lal Ji Tandon
Uttar Pradesh	Anandi Ben Patel
Bihar	Phagu Chauhan
West Bengal	Jagdeep Dhankhar
Tripura	Ramesh Bais
Nagaland	RN Ravi
Andhra Pradesh	Biswa Bushan
Chhattisgarh	Anusuiya Uikey
Gujrat	Achrya Devrat
Himachal Pradesh	Kalraj Mishra

5. Ajay Bhadoo appointed as Joint Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shri Ajay Bhadoo, IAS (GJ:1999) as Joint Secretary to the President for a tenure co-terminus with the President. Vadodara Municipal Commissioner (VMC) Ajay Bhadoo has been deputed as the Joint Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, making way for a change of guard at the VMC. Bhadoo has been the municipal commissioner of Vadodara since July 2018 and is also the chairman of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Benjamin Netanyahu becomes the longest serving Prime Minister of Israel: Benjamin Netanyahubecame the longest serving Prime Minister of Israel.He overthrew the record set by David Ben-Gurion, Israel's founding father and first leader. Netanyahu has spent 4,876 days, more than 13 years, in office as on 20 July, 2019. Netanyahu is the Israel's youngest-ever Prime Minister as won his first election in 1996, at the age of 46.

Note: Israel President: Reuven Rivlin, Capital: Jerusalem, Currency: New shekel (ILS)

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Golden Girl’, Hima Das bags fifth gold medal of the month: Making a sensational comeback to her favourite event, Hima Das won her fifth gold of the month in the 400-metre race at the Czech Republic. The 19-year-old athlete, whose season-best before the win was 52.88 seconds, recorded her best timing: 52.09 seconds, in the 400-metre event. 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. On July 13, she won her third 200m gold at the Kladno Athletics Meet in the Czech Republic with a time of 23.43. What really got everyone talking was how she improved her time with every win.

2. Indonesia Open final to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi won: Star badminton player P.V. Sindhu had to be content with a runner-up finish at the Indonesia Open after losing the title clash in straight games to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, in Jakarta. Sindhu lost the final of the BWF Tour Super 1000 tournament 15-21 16-21 to the fourth seed. The Olympic silver medallist had come into the contest with a favourable 10-4 head-to-head record against the Japanese.

Note: Indonesia Capital: Jakarta, Currency: Indonesian rupiah, President- Joko Widodo

3. Indian bodybuilder Ravinder Malik clinches Mr South Asia title: Indian bodybuilder Ravinder Kumar Malik has clinched Mr. South Asia title. He has crowned the overall champion at 12th South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship in Kathmanduon. Malik, the winner of 80 kg category, was adjudged best bodybuilder among the winners of nine senior men’s weight categories. Afghanistan won team championship by securing a top position with 535 points. Host Nepal finished second with 445 points, while India remained third with 380 points.

4. Delhi’s Prithu becomes India’s 64th Grandmaster: Delhi’s Prithu Gupta has become India’s 64th Grandmaster, crossing the Elo threshold of 2500 points after beating IM Lev Yankelevich in the fifth round of the Portuguese League 2019. Gupta, who picked up the sport as a nine-year-old, has achieved the sensational feat at the age of 15 years, 4 months and 10 days. His achievement came 31 years after Viswanathan Anand had become India’s first Grandmaster.

OBITUARIES

1. LJP MP Ram Chandra Paswan passes away: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP from Bihar’s Samastipur Ram Chandra Paswan died on Sunday afternoon following a brief illness. He was 57. Ram Chandra Paswan, the younger brother of Union minister and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, passed away at 1.24 p.m. at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here. He was admitted to the hospital last week after suffering a heart attack.