25th and 26th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

26 July 2021
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25th and 26th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 25th and 26th July July 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 15 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 15 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news

International News

1. Sweden joins International Solar Alliance

• Sweden has ratified the framework agreement for the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and is now a member of the global platform, which is an initiative of India aimed at promoting renewable energy and sustainable development.
• Sweden hopes to bring its expertise and its experience in renewable energy and clean energy technologies to discussions in the ISA to contribute to meeting the challenges related to climate change.
• In April 2018, Prime Minister Modi visited Stockholm during which both sides agreed to further deepen innovation partnership for a sustainable future.
• The ISA has been conceived as an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform to increase the availability of solar energy technologies to enhance energy security and sustainable development.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• ISA Headquarters: Gurugram;
• ISA Founded: 30 November 2015;
• ISA Founded: Paris, France;
• ISA Director-General: Ajay Mathur;
• Stockholm is the capital of Sweden;
• The krona is the official currency of Sweden;
• The current PM of Sweden is Stefan Lofven.

2. United Kingdom reports cases of ‘Norovirus’ infection

• The United Kingdom is now reporting an outbreak of norovirus. Public Health England (PHE) recently issued a warning regarding Norovirus. England has recorded 154 cases of norovirus in the country. An increase in norovirus cases in educational settings has been reported.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), norovirus is very contagious that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. People suffering from norovirus disease can shed billions of virus particles. And to make people sick only a few of them is required.
• Symptoms of norovirus are vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain and nausea. This virus can cause inflammation of the intestines or the stomach and it is termed acute gastroenteritis.
• Other symptoms of this virus are headache, fever and body aches. People generally develop the symptoms within 12 to 48 hours and they can last up to 1 to 3 days.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

• Prime minister of United Kingdom: Boris Johnson.
• Capital of the United Kingdom: London.

Appointments News

3. IPS officer Nasir Kamal appointed DG of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security

• Senior IPS officer Nasir Kamal has been appointed the Director-General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). He is a 1986-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Kamal's appointment to the post of Director General in BCAS for a tenure up to his superannuation on July 31, 2022.

4. Yusuffali to be Abu Dhabi CCI’s vice-chairman

• Lulu Group chairman, M A Yusuff Ali has been appointed as the Vice-Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI). Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi & Dy. Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces issued a resolution to form a new Board of Directors for Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI).
• HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently had honoured Yusuffali with the 'Abu Dhabi Award 2021', the highest civilian honour for his almost 5-decade long contributions in the fields of economic development & philanthropy.

5. IPS officer Nasir Kamal appointed DG of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security

• Senior IPS officer Nasir Kamal has been appointed the Director-General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). He is a 1986-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Kamal's appointment to the post of Director General in BCAS for a tenure up to his superannuation on July 31, 2022.

Agreements News

6. CRPF signs MoU with C-DAC to train manpower of force in advanced technologies

• The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has signed an MoU with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing C-DAC to train the manpower of the force in advanced technologies and undertake joint projects.
• The MoU aims at augmenting the technical capabilities of CRPF by training its manpower in advanced areas like the Internet of Things (IoT), Cybersecurity, AI, etc.
• The agreement will also provide the expertise of C-DAC in the form of a Technology Partner and Knowledge Partner in developing various ICT solutions of CRPF.
• The MoU will go a long way in providing CRPF personnel with customised advanced courses aligned to the needs of the field and practical applications.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Central Reserve Police Force Headquarters: New Delhi, India.
• Central Reserve Police Force Formed: 27 July 1939.
• Central Reserve Police Force Motto: Service and Loyalty.
• CRPF director general: Kuldiep Singh.

Banking News

7. IFC lends $250 million to HDFC Ltd to boost green housing finance

• HDFC Ltd has got a loan of $250 million from International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank Group, to be used by India’s largest housing finance company for green housing.
• Green housing is regarded as a luxury market in the country but has climate benefits. Its partnership with HDFC would help change perceptions about the market. At least 25 per cent of the funding is for green affordable housing.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
• MD and CEO of HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan;
• The tagline of HDFC Bank: We understand your world;
• International Finance Corporation Founded: 20 July 1956;
• International Finance Corporation Executive Vice President & CEO: Makhtar Diop;
• International Finance Corporation Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Awards News

8. Pramod Bhagat named Differently Abled Sportsman of the Year 2019

• World No. 1 para shuttler Pramod Bhagat was named Differently Abled Sportsman of the Year at Indian Sports Honour for 2019. The delay in the announcement was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Indian Sports Honours are awards given annually by the RPSG Group in association with the Virat Kohli Foundation to outstanding sports personalities of India. The awards were founded in 2017.
• Bhagat, who won two gold medals and a bronze at the Dubai Para-Badminton Tournament this year, will be participating in singles and mixed doubles events at the Paralympics which opens in Tokyo from August 24.

Ranks and Reports News

9. India Enters WTO's Top 10 Agricultural Produce Exporters In 2019

• India has entered the top ten list of agricultural produce exporters in 2019 with a significant share within the export of rice, soya beans, cotton and meat, according to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) report on trends in world agricultural trade in recent 25 years.
• In 2019, India ranked ninth with a share of 3.1% in global agricultural exports. Earlier this place was New Zealand.
• Similarly, Mexico has ranked seventh with a share of 3.4% in global agricultural exports, which was previously followed by Malaysia. In the 'meat and edible meat offal' category, India was ranked eighth with a 4 per cent share in global trade.
• While the US, which topped the list in 1995 (22.2%), was overtaken by the European Union in 2019 (16.1%). Brazil maintained its ranking as the third-largest exporter, increasing its share from 4.8% in 1995 to 7.8% in 2019. China climbed from the sixth spot in 1995 (4%) to fourth in 2019 (5.4%).

Sports News

10. China’s Yang Qian Wins First Gold Medal of Tokyo Olympics

• Yang Qian of China took gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final to secure the first gold medal of the 2020 Summer Games at the Asaka Shooting Range on 24th July.
• Anastasiia Galashina of Russia won silver, while Nina Christen of Switzerland won the bronze medal.

Books and Authors News

11. A book title ‘An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation’ by Ashok Lavasa

• Former election commissioner Ashok Lavasa has come out with a book titled “An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation.”
• In this book, Ashok Lavasa narrates about his father, Udai Singh, and his own experience on how his father’s principles served as a moral compass in his life, and can in ours too.
• Ashok Lavasa resigned as election commissioner in 2020 to become vice-president of the Asian Development Bank.

Important Days

12. Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated on 26th July

• Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26 since the year 1999, to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil conflict. This year nation is celebrating the 22 years of victory in the Kargil war.
• It was in 1999 that a high altitude mountain war broke out along the peaks of Kargil near the Line of Control, the de-facto border that divides Kashmir between the two nations.
• The Kargil War was fought between May-July of 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) in which India got the victory.
• The Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days, ended on 26 July.
• July 26 is celebrated as “Kargil Vijay Diwas” every year to mark the successful completion of “Operation Vijay” that ended the 3-month war along the Line of Control.
• The operation White Sea was also launched during the Kargil war, 1999.

13. World Drowning Prevention Day: 25 July

• World Drowning Prevention Day, declared through the April 2021 UN General Assembly Resolution “Global drowning prevention”, is held annually on 25 July.
• This global advocacy event serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it.

Obituaries News

14. Bangladesh's legendary folk singer Fakir Alamgir passes away

• Bangladesh's legendary folk singer, Fakir Alamgir has passed away due to complications from COVID-19. He was born on February 21, 1950, in Faridpur, Alamgir began his music career in 1966.
• The singer was a key member of cultural organisations 'Kranti Shilpi Gosthi' and 'Gana Shilpi Gosthi' and played an important role during Bangladesh's 1969 uprising.
• During Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War, Alamgir joined the 'Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra' and performed frequently to inspire freedom fighters.

Miscellaneous News

15. Rudreswara Temple inscribed as India’s 39th UNESCO World Heritage List

• The Kakatiya Rudreswara Temple, (also known as the Ramappa Temple) at Palampet, Mulugu district, near Warangal in Telangana has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, during the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. With this latest induction, there are 39th World Heritage Sites located in India.
• The Rudreswara temple was constructed in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire.
• The iconic 13th-century temple is also known as Ramappa temple, named after its architect, Ramappa
• The Rudreswara temple was the only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site tag for the year 2019 by the Indian government.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France.
• UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay.
• UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

Coronavirus: 39,097 Fresh COVID-19 Cases In India, 10.6% Higher Than Yesterday

New Delhi: 

India today added 39,097 fresh COVID-19 cases over a 24-hour period, which is 10.6 per cent higher than yesterday. The country reported 546 deaths, taking the total death count to 4.20 lakh.

Here are the top 10 updates on coronavirus in India:

1. The daily test positivity rate - number of positive cases identified per 100 - is at 2.40 per cent, less than 3 per cent for 33rd straight day.
2. Kerala with 17,518 fresh cases leads the states with most number of infections over a 24-hour period. It reported 132 deaths. It is followed by Maharashtra (6,753), Odisha (1,917) Tamil Nadu (1,830), Andhra Pradesh (1,747).
3. Maharashtra, which continues to be the worst-hit state, added 6,753 fresh cases and 167 deaths in a day.
4. Assam with 1,621 cases added the most number of cases in a day among the northeastern states. It also reported 15 deaths. Manipur reported 1,284 cases and 15 deaths.
5. Children in India can start getting vaccinated by September, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria told NDTV this morning.
6. The number of active cases in the country has increased to 4,08,977, accounting for 1.34 per cent of the total caseload while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stood at 97.35 per cent.
7. The total number of Covid vaccine doses administered so far in the country has reached 42.78 crore.
8. A study conducted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) indicates that coronavirus could be detected up to 10 feet or 3.048 metres in the air around an infected individual, Parliament was told Friday.
9. The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be more transmissible than other variants of concern, however, it cannot be speculated that this variant by itself can give rise to a third wave of COVID-19 in the country, the government has said.
10. With various mutations of coronavirus emerging in the near future, there might be a need for the country to adopt a booster dose with second-generation COVID-19 vaccines, said All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) chief Dr Randeep Guleria.

India today logged 41,157 new cases, 7.4% higher than yesterday. 518 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

New Delhi: India today logged 41,157 new cases, 7.4% higher than yesterday. 518 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

1. The daily positivity rate - number of positive cases identified per hundred - stands at 2.13 per cent, less than 3 per cent for 27 consecutive days.
2. The active cases have declined to 4,22,660 and comprise 1.36 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.31 per cent, the data shows. 
3. The total vaccine doses administered has reached 40.49 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive.
4. Maharashtra on Saturday reported 8,172 new COVID-19 cases and 124 deaths which took the state's infection tally to 62,05,190 and deaths to 1,26,851.
5. Kerala, one of the worst Covid-affected states in the country, opened its doors  to  Sabarimala temple for five days to allow devotees to conduct monthly rituals.
6. Tamil Nadu has reported 43 deaths and 2,205 new cases of COVID-19, the Health Department said on Saturday. Of the fresh cases, two were those of returnees from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, said the department. The new cases pushed the tally till date to 25,33,323 and the number of fatalities so far to 33,695.
7. The Delta variant of SARS-COV-2 was behind majority of clinical cases of breakthrough infection of COVID-19 but only 9.8 per cent cases required hospitalisation and fatality was observed in only 0.4 per cent cases, according to a new study by Indian Council of Medical Research or ICMR.
8. In an alarming trend, Sikkim has reported at least 49 per cent of its COVID-19 deaths in the second wave of the pandemic that swept the country earlier this year. About 181 of the casualties reported during the period were solely due to the virus and not due to comorbidities among the patients.
9. India crossed two crore cases on May 4 and three crore cases on June 23. 

The third wave of Covid is likely to hit the country at the end of August and chances are that it will not be as intense as the second wave, Dr Samiran Panda, Head of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research, has told NDTV.

Daily updates 17 July 2021

India today logged 38,079 new cases, which is marginally lower than yesterday's figures. 560 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Here are the top 10 updates on coronavirus in India:

1. The daily positivity rate - number of positive cases identified per hundred - stands at 1.91 per cent, less than 3 per cent for 26 consecutive days.
2. The active cases have declined to 4,24,025 and comprise 1.36 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.31 per cent, the data shows. It said that active COVID-19 cases have decreased by 6,397 in a span of 24 hours.
3. The total vaccine doses administered has reached 39.96 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive.
4. Maharashtra, which leads the states with the maximum number of cases in the country, added 7,761 cases and 167 deaths over a 24-hour period.
5. Kerala with 13,750 cases leads the states in most number of Covid cases in a day. It is followed by Maharashtra (7,761), Tamil Nadu (2,312) and Karnataka (1,806).
6. The Tamil Nadu government has extended the coronavirus lockdown in the state till July 31 while easing more curbs. The graded relaxations come amid a dip in the daily COVID-19 cases. Teachers have been allowed in schools for admission process and books distribution. Only 50 people will be allowed for weddings and 20 for funerals.
7. Speaking to the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Kerala and Maharashtra - which have contributed 80 per cent of new cases and 84 per cent of deaths in the past week - PM Modi stressed the 'test, track, treat and teeka (vaccinate)' system to contain the virus.
8. The next 100-125 days are critical in the fight against COVID-19, the government said on Friday. The fall in Covid cases after the peak of the second deadly wave two months ago has slowed down, and this should be taken as a warning sign, NITI Aayog member on health Dr VK Paul told reporters.
9. The third wave of Covid is likely to hit the country at the end of August and chances are that it will not be as intense as the second wave, Dr Samiran Panda, Head of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research, has told NDTV.
10. Covid vaccines currently in use in India reduce chance of hospitalisation or mortality in case of breakthrough infections (or infections that occur after at least one dose of the vaccine), according to the results of an ICMR-funded study of 677 samples recorded during the second wave.

Coronavirus: 41,806 Fresh COVID-19 Cases In India, 7.7% Higher Than Yesterday

New Delhi: 

India's Covid caseload has risen to over 3.09 crore with 41,806 new cases, 7.7% higher than yesterday. 581 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Here are the top 10 updates on coronavirus in India:

1. Maharashtra, which has the highest number of cases in the country, added 8,602 cases over a 24-hour period. The fresh cases took the number of infections to over 61.81 lakh and 170 deaths took the cumulative death count to 1,26,390.
2. Kerala with 15,637 cases leads the states in most number of Covid cases in a day. It is followed by Maharashtra (8,602), Tamil Nadu (2,458) and Karnataka (1,990).
3. The daily positivity rate - number of positive cases identified per hundred - stands at 2.15 per cent, less than 3 per cent for 24 consecutive days.
4. At a meting with his council of ministers ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, PM Modi discussed preparations being made for a possible third wave - especially the steps being taken by the government to increase oxygen supply after the devastating experience of shortage during the second wave. 

குதிரைகள் குடிக்கும் நீர் நிலைகளில் இருந்து நீர் அருந்துங்கள். குதிரை ஒருபோதும் கெட்ட தண்ணீரை குடிக்காது

குதிரைகள் குடிக்கும் நீர் நிலைகளில் இருந்து நீர் அருந்துங்கள். குதிரை ஒருபோதும் கெட்ட தண்ணீரை குடிக்காது.

பூனை தூங்கும் இடத்தில் உங்கள் படுக்கையை இடுங்கள். அமைதி தராத இடத்தில் பூனை உறங்காது.

புழு துளைத்த கனிகளை உண்ணுங்கள். நச்சுக் கனிகளை புழு துளைக்காது.

பூச்சிகள் உட்கார்ந்திருக்கும் காளானை தைரியமாக உணவாக எடுத்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள். விஷக் காளான்கள் மீது பூச்சிகள் உட்காராது.

முயல்கள் குழி பறிக்கும் இடத்தில் மரத்தை நடலாம். மரம் செழிப்பாக வளரும்.

பறவைகள் வெப்பத்தை தவிர்க்க ஓய்வெடுக்கும் இடத்தில் உங்களுக்கான நீர் ஊற்றினை தோண்டுங்கள்.

பறவைகள் தூங்கப் போகும் நேரத்தில் தூங்கச் சென்று, அவை விழிக்கும் நேரத்தில் எழுந்திருங்கள். நீங்கள் தொட்டதெல்லாம் பொன்னாகும்.

அதிகம் இயற்கையான உணவுகளை உண்ணுங்கள். வலுவான கால்களையும், துணிச்சல் மிக்க இதயத்தையும் பெறுவீர்கள்.

மீன்களைப்போல அடிக்கடி நீரில் நீந்துங்கள். நீங்கள் பூமியில் நடக்கும்போது கூட மீன்களைப் போலவே உணர்வீர்கள்.

அடிக்கடி வானத்தைப் பாருங்கள். உங்கள் எண்ணங்களில் வெளிச்சமும், தெளிவும் பிறக்கும்.

நிறைய அமைதியாக இருங்கள், கொஞ்சம் பேசுங்கள். உங்கள் இதயத்தில் மௌனம் குடிகொள்ளும். உங்கள் ஆன்மா எப்போதும் அமைதியாக இருக்கும்.

விவசாயத்திற்கு முன்னுரிமை

கொடுங்கள் . நாடு நாசமாகாது .

Daily updates 8 July 2021

08 July 2021
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8th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

National News

1. Cabinet Reshuffle: 43 leaders take oath as ministers

• The Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expanded its council of ministers. The names in the cabinet reshuffle include several new entrants as well as existing ministers who will be reassigned.
• The swearing-in ceremony of 43 Ministers was held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 7, 2021. In total, 15 Ministers were inducted into the Union Cabinet and 28 Ministers were inducted as Ministers of State. This is the first cabinet reshuffle since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power in 2019.
• The Union Cabinet can have 81 members, as per the rule. There were 53 ministers in PM Modi's cabinet but a series of them, including Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, resigned hours before the names were announced.

To read the complete article: Click Here

International News

2. Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated at his home

• Haiti President, Jovenel Moise was assassinated and his wife wounded in an attack at their home, the interim prime minister announced an act that risks further destabilizing the Caribbean nation beset by gang violence and political volatility.
• The president faced steep opposition from swathes of the population that deemed his mandate illegitimate, and he churned through a series of seven prime ministers in four years.
• Most recently, Joseph was supposed to be replaced this week after only three months in the post.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince;
• Haiti Currency: Haitian gourde;
• Haiti Continent: North America.

Appointments News

3. N Venudhar Reddy takes charge as Director General of All India Radio

• N Venudhar Reddy, an Indian Information Service, IIS Officer of 1988 batch took charge as Director General of All India Radio. Currently Working as Principal DG of News Services Division, All India Radio, he was given additional charge of AIR, upon the approval of the Appointments Committee of the cabinet. All India Radio, officially known since 1957 as Akashvani.
• Reddy brings with him vast experience in media planning and management, administration and newsgathering. He has also served in various capacities earlier with All India Radio News and Doordarshan News.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• All India Radio Founded: 1936;
• All India Radio Headquarters: Sansad Marg, New Delhi.

4. Indian Army names firing range after Vidya Balan

• The Indian Army has named one of its firing ranges in Kashmir after Bollywood actress Vidya Balan. The Vidya Balan firing range is situated at Gulmarg in the Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir.
• The decision was taken in recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema. Earlier in the year, the actress and her husband Siddharth Roy Kapoor had attended the Gulmarg Winter Festival organised by the Indian Army.

Agreements News

5. Razorpay partners with Mastercard to launch ‘MandateHQ’

• Razorpay has partnered with Mastercard to launch ‘MandateHQ’. It is a payment interface that will help card-issuing banks to enable recurring payments for their customers.
• It must be noted that the Reserve Bank of India had issued a framework for processing e-mandates on recurring online transactions. The product by Razorpay is a step in this direction.
• The MandateHQ solution can be fully integrated with any bank within seven days. Razorpay’s Mandate HQ is an API-based plug-n-play solution that reduces the go-live time for any card issuing bank that wishes to enable recurring payments for its customers.
• MandateHQ will also enable businesses, especially subscription-based businesses, to get access to a wider customer base, who use debit cards, as recurring payments were mostly supported via credit cards previously.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Razorpay Founded: 2013;
• Razorpay CEO: Harshil Mathur (May 2014–);
• Razorpay Headquarters location: Bengaluru;
• Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States.
• Mastercard President: Michael Miebach.

6. Bajaj Allianz General ties up with Bank of India to offer insurance products

• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Bank of India have entered into a corporate agency agreement for the distribution of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance’s products through the bank’s network of 5084 branches.
• As a part of this agreement, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance will be offering a bouquet of personal lines of products such as motor insurance, health insurance, home insurance, travel insurance along with a commercial line of products like engineering insurance, marine insurance to bank’s customers.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Managing Director of Bajaj Allianz: Tapan Singhel; Headquartered: Pune, Maharashtra.
• BOI Headquarters: Mumbai; MD and Ceo of BOI: Atanu Kumar Das.

Economy News

7. Government includes Retail and Wholesale Trade in MSME sector

• Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has decided to include Retail and Wholesale trade as MSMEs but only for the limited purpose of Priority Sector Lending.
• This means that these segments of businesses can now take loans under the Priority Sector Lending arrangement under the MSME category.
• According to the Retailers Association of India (RAI), this will give retail micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) the support they need to survive, revive and thrive.
• These Retail and Wholesale traders can now register on Udyam Registration Portal. It is a portal by the Government of India for the registration of MSMEs.

The registration will be allowed under three categories:

• Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles.
• Wholesale trade except for motor vehicles and motorcycles.
• Retail trade except for motor vehicles and motorcycles.

8. Fitch Ratings projects India GDP growth for FY22 at 10%

• Fitch Ratings has revised its GDP growth projection for India in 2021-22 (FY22) to 10%. Earlier it has projected the same at 12.8%.
• The reason for this cut is the slow recovery post-second wave of COVID-19. Fitch believes that rapid vaccination could support a sustainable revival in business and consumer confidence; however, without it, economic recovery would remain vulnerable to further waves and lockdowns.

Defence News

9. Indian Army Inaugurates War Memorial of Capt Gurjinder Singh Suri

• On the occasion of the birthday of Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri, who died during the operation "Birsa Munda" in 1999, the Indian Army inaugurated a war memorial in memory of Captain in Gulmarg near the Line of Control (LOC).
• Lieutenant Colonel (Col), Tej Prakash Singh Suri (Retd), father of Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri, MVC (Posthumous) was also present on the occasion. Gurjinder Singh Suri was later awarded Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumous).
• Operation Birsa Munda was a punitive raid conducted against a Pakistani post by a Bihar battalion of the Indian Army, in the month of November 1999.
• This was the time when Operation Vijay had drawn to a close, but the Line of Control was still active with sporadic incidents of trans Line of Control violence. In a swift and meticulously planned operation, the entire Pakistani post was destroyed, killing 17 Pakistani soldiers.

Awards News

10. Kaushik Basu awarded prestigious Humboldt Research Award

• Indian economist Kaushik Basu has been awarded the Humboldt Research Award for Economics. The award was conferred on him by Professor Dr Hans-Bernd Schäfer of Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany.
• A former chief economist of the World Bank, Basu is currently a professor of Economics at Cornell University. He also served as the Government of India's chief economic advisor from 2009 to 2012. Basu is also a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India.
• The prestigious award is sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and awarded to as many as 100 recipients each year.
• The Humboldt Research Award honours scientists and economists from across the world for their work. The award entails prize money of 60,000 euros and an offer to carry out research projects at a scientific institution in Germany for up to 12 months.

Sports News

11. Mumbai, Pune to host 2022 women's Asian Cup

• Women's Asian Cup in India will be held in Mumbai and Pune after the Asian Football Confederation dropped Bhubaneswar and Ahemdabad as venues to minimise the travelling time for participants and ensure an "optimum environment" for a bio-secure bubble.
• The Mumbai Football Arena at the Andheri Sports Complex and the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune have been chosen as the new venues.
• The decision was taken after considering the existing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and as part of efforts to minimise the travelling time for teams and officials between the venues, whilst ensuring the optimum environment to implement the biomedical bubble for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Obituaries News

12. Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh passes away

• Senior Congress leader and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, has passed away. The veteran politician was the 4th and longest-serving Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.
• He served as the Chief Minister of the state six times, from April 8, 1983, to March 5, 1990, December 3, 1993, to March 23, 1998, March 6, 2003, to December 29, 2007, and then for the sixth time from December 25, 2012, to December 26, 2017.
• Apart from this, Singh also served as union deputy minister in Tourism and Civil Aviation, Minister of State for Industries, Union Minister of Steel and Union Minister of micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME).

13. Olympic gold-winning hockey legend Keshav Datt passes away

• Two-time Olympic gold medallist in hockey, Keshav Datt passed away. He was part of India's historic feat at the 1948 Olympics where they beat home team Britain 4-0 at the Wembley Stadium in London to win the first gold post Independence.
• Before the 1948 Olympics, Datt had toured East Africa under the leadership of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand in 1947. An integral part of the Indian team, Datt also captained the Mohun Bagan hockey squad from 1951-1953 and again in 1957-1958.

Miscellaneous News

14. DMRC launches India's first UPI-based cashless parking

• Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has launched India's first FASTag or Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based parking facility to reduce the time for entry and payment.
• The facility was launched at the Kashmere Gate metro station. As part of the Multi-Model Integration (MMI) initiative, dedicated Intermediate Public Transport (IPT) lanes for autos, taxis and r-Rickshaws were also inaugurated at the station.

 

Daily updates 9 July 2021

09 July 2021
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9th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

National News

1. Dept of Public Enterprises brought under Finance Ministry

• The Government of India has decided to bring Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under the finance ministry. DPE was earlier under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
• It has been brought under the finance minister in a bid to ease coordination regarding future disinvestment plans. The Finance ministry now comprises six departments, after the inclusion of DPE.

Other five departments are:

• Department of Economic Affairs,
• Department of Expenditure,
• Department of Revenue,
• Department of Investment & Public Asset Management and
• Department of Financial Services.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.

International News

2. World's tallest sandcastle constructed in Denmark

• A sandcastle in Denmark has entered into new Guinness World Record for being the tallest sandcastle in the world. The triangular-shaped sandcastle has been built in the town of Blokhus in Denmark.
• It stands at a height of 21.16 metres (69.4 feet). This new structure is 3.5m taller than the previous record held by sandcastle measuring 17.66 m in Germany in 2019. Dutch creator, Wilfred Stijger, was assisted by 30 of the world’s best sand sculptors.
• The structure is built in the shape of a triangle to avoid collapsing like many others have. A wooden structure was built around it to allow the artist to carve the incredible figures in the sand.
• This highly decorated monument in the small seaside village of Blokhus, which is reminiscent of a pyramid, is made up of 4,860 tonnes of sand. To ensure the sand sticks on, it was mixed with around 10% clay.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Denmark Capital: Copenhagen.
• Denmark Currency: Danish krone.

State News

3. India’s first maritime arbitration centre to be set up in Gandhinagar

• The Gujarat Maritime University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in GIFT City to set up the Gujarat International Maritime Arbitration Centre (GIMAC).
• GIMAC will be the first of its kind centre in India to manage arbitration and mediation proceedings for disputes related to the maritime and shipping sector. It will be part of a maritime cluster that is being set up by the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar.
• There are over 35 arbitration centres in India. However, none of them exclusively deals with the maritime sector. The arbitration involving Indian players is now heard at the Singapore Arbitration Centre.
• The idea is to create a world-class arbitration centre focused on maritime and shipping disputes that can help resolve commercial and financial conflicts between entities having operations in India.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani;
• Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.

4. Kerala govt. to have its own OTT platform

• Kerala government has proposed to have its own over-the-top (OTT) platform. The state government has planned to launch it by November 1.
• The State government’s proposed foray into the online content streaming space with the launch of an over-the-top (OTT) platform is a cultural intervention, rather than something prompted by the market or revenues.
• OTT players like Netflix and Amazon have been showing more interest in Malayalam cinema. But they are mostly limited to films from which they can get revenue.
• In the last one year, less than 15 Malayalam films, featuring big stars, have been taken up these platforms.
• Furthermore, smaller & home-grown OTT platforms such as Neestream and Mainstream TV do not have much of finance to match bigger players.
• Thus, the state government proposed this OTT platform which will ensure space and make some sort of revenue share for lower budget & independent films that are struggling to find space among the public.

Defence News

5. INS Tabar conducts military exercise with Italian Navy

• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tabar recently participated in military exercises with the frontline frigate of the Italian Navy. INS Tabar joined Italian Navy and entered Port of Naples on July 3 as part of the ongoing deployment in the Mediterranean.
• Commanding officer Captain Mahesh Mangipudi called on senior officers of Prefect of Naples Authority, regional Italian navy headquarters and coast guard headquarters during the stay.
• This exercise covered several naval operations such as air defence procedures, communication drills, replenishment at sea, and cross deck helo operations by day and night. The exercise was mutually beneficial for enhancing interoperability and consolidating combined operations against maritime threats.

6. Ministry of Defence implements SPARSH System

• Ministry of Defence has implemented SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha), an integrated system for automation of sanction and disbursement of defence pension.
• This web-based system processes pension claims and credits pension directly into the bank accounts of defence pensioners without relying on any external intermediary.
• A Pensioner Portal is available for pensioners to view their pension-related information, access services and register complaints for redressal of grievances, if any, relating to their pension matters.
• SPARSH envisages the establishment of Service Centres to provide last-mile connectivity to pensioners who may be unable to directly access the SPARSH portal for any reason.
• In addition to several offices of the Defence Accounts Department, which are already functioning as Service Centres for pensioners, the two largest banks dealing with defence pensioners – State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) – have been co-opted as Service Centres.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Minister of Defence: Rajnath Singh.

Business News

7. Amazon launches its first Digital Kendra in India in Gujarat

• Amazon has launched its first Digital Kendra in India in Surat, Gujarat. Amazon Digital Kendra was inaugurated by Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister of Gujarat.
• Digital Kendras of Amazon are centres that will provide micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) the opportunity to learn about the benefits of e-commerce.
• MSMEs can visit the Amazon Digital Kendra and avail of third party services including training on the benefits of eCommerce, GST and taxation support, shipping and logistics support, cataloguing assistance and digital marketing services.
• The company has focused on enabling sellers to reach customers across India and globally, and has made significant investments in technology, logistics, delivery infrastructure and digitising payments that collectively helped more customers and businesses to come online.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Amazon CEO: Andrew R. Jassy;
• Amazon Founded: 5 July 1994.

Ranks and Reports News

8. NewsOnAir Radio Live-stream Global Rankings

• NewsOnAir Radio Live-stream Global Rankings was released recently ranking countries where All India Radio (AIR) live-streams on the NewsOnAir app are most popular.
• In the latest Rankings of top countries in the world (excluding India) where All India Radio Live-streams on NewsOnAir App are most popular, Fiji has jumped from 5th position to 2nd, while Saudi Arabia has made a comeback in the top 10.
• Kuwait and Germany are new entrants, while France and New Zealand are no more in the top 10. The United States continues to be number 1. 

NewsOnAir Top Countries (Rest of world)

Rank	Country
1	United States
2	Fiji
3	Australia
4	United Kingdom
5	Canada
6	United Arab Emirates
7	Singapore
8	Kuwait
9	Saudi Arabia
10	Germany

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• AIR is the National Public Radio Broadcaster of India. Since 1956 is officially known as Akashvani.
• Founded in 1936, it is a division of Prasar Bharati.

Schemes and Committees News

9. GoI sets up 25-member development council for cement industry

• The central government has set up a 25-member development council for the cement industry under Dalmia Bharat Group CMD, Puneet Dalmia.
• The council will suggest ways to eliminate waste, obtain maximum production, improve quality, reduce costs and promote standardization of products. Dalmia is the chairman of the council.
• Its members include Shree Cement Ltd MD HM Bangur, The India Cements Ltd Executive President Rakesh Singh; Birla Corporation Limited CEO Pracheta Majumdar; J.K. Cement Ltd Deputy Managing Director Madhavkrishna Singhania, and JSW Cement Ltd CEO Nilesh Narwekar.

Science and Technology News

10. Facebook Launches newsletter platform “Bulletin”

• Facebook has announced a set of publishing and subscription tools named Bulletin, aimed to promote independent writers in the US.
• The bulletin will include support focused on the creation of content, monetisation and audience growth. It also aims to integrate its existing tools to support writing and audio content — from podcasts to Live Audio Rooms in one place.
• Facebook is pushing to compete in the fast-growing email newsletter trend, as high-profile journalists and writers have left media companies over the past year to strike out on their own.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Facebook Founded: February 2004;
• Facebook CEO: Mark Zuckerberg;
• Facebook Headquarters: California, United States.

Books and Authors News

11. A new book titled "The Light of Asia" by Jairam Ramesh

• A new book titled "The Light of Asia" authored by Jairam Ramesh is a biography of an epic bio-poem on the Buddha.
• Ramesh, the author, Member of Parliament, former Union Minister, and Congress leader, digs deep in his new book to bring out the fascinating story behind the epic 1879 poem, "The Light of Asia" by Sir Edwin Arnold, that took the world by storm and in some ways, brought the Buddha's story to the world at the turn of the last century.

Miscellaneous News

12. India’s first movable freshwater tunnel aquarium installed at Bengaluru Station

• Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station also known as Bengaluru City Railway Station has become the first railway station in India with a movable freshwater tunnel aquarium.
• The state-of-the-art aquarium has been jointly opened by the Indian Railway Stations Development Cooperation Limited (IRSDC) in collaboration with the HNi Aquatic Kingdom.
• The Aquatic Kingdom aquarium is based on the concept of the Amazon River and is 12-feet long. The entrance of the station now gives a glimpse into marine life, with a beautiful dolphin humbly greeting visitors with a slight bow and a smile. A 3D selfie area, 20 feet of glass periphery are also some attractive features of the new facility.

13. Antarctica hits a record temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius

• The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization, recognised a new record high temperature for Antarctica. On February 6, 2020, the Esperanza station (the Argentine research station in Trinity Peninsula) experienced 18.3 degrees Celsius.
• According to the UN agency, the high temperatures in Antarctica are a result of a large high-pressure system creating "fohn conditions", which are downslope winds creating significant surface warming. The previous record for high temperature was 17.5 degrees Celsius, recorded on March 24, 2015, at the same station.

Daily updates 10 July 2021

10 July 2021
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10th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

States News

1. Karnataka to develop 46 Kempegowda heritage sites in Bengaluru

• The Karnataka state government has decided to develop 46 Kempegowda heritage sites located in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chikballapura, and Tumakuru districts, in a bid to promote tourism.
• According to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, the sites identified to be in three circuits would be developed at a cost of Rs 223 crore for promoting tourism.
• According to the Authority, these sites are developed to help people acknowledge the contribution of Kempegowda or Nada Prabhu Kempegowda, the founding father of Bengaluru.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru;
• Karnataka Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa.

2. Manipur enters India’s railway map as first passenger train reaches the state

• A passenger train Rajdhani Express from Assam’s Silchar railway station has reached the Vaingaichunpao railway station in Manipur for a trial run, putting the state on the Indian Railways map.
• The train covered the distance of 11 km between the two northeastern stations, with railway officials onboard.
• The train halted briefly at Manipur’s Jiribam railway station, where railway officials were greeted by local citizens before the national flag was hoisted accompanied by the national anthem.
• Notably, the Vaingaichunpao-Imphal (capital of Manipur) railway line is also under construction. Once completed, it will be the longest railway tunnel near Imphal.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Manipur: N. Biren Singh; Governor: Najma Heptulla.

Appointments News

3. Federal Bank gets RBI nod to re-appoint Shyam Srinivasan as MD & CEO

• Federal Bank shareholders have approved the motion to re-appoint Shyam Srinivasan as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the lender for a period of three years.
• His reappointment will come into effect from September 23, 2021, to September 22, 2024. Srinivasan took over as Federal Bank MD & CEO in 2010 and has been at the helm since then.
• Srinivasan is among the few foreign bankers who chose to move to smaller Indian banks after fairly long, successful stints in foreign banks (the others include RBL Bank’s Vishwavir Ahuja and DCB Bank’s Murali Natrajan).
• Over the last decade, Srinivasan has been at the helm of Federal, the bank has transformed into a mid-sized private bank with a strong focus on retail business, including gold loans and funding small and medium entrepreneurs.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Federal Bank Headquarters: Aluva, Kerala;
• Federal Bank Founder: K.P Hormis;
• Federal Bank Founded: 23 April 1931.

4. ICC releases Manu Sawhney as CEO

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has discontinued the services of Manu Sawhney as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with immediate effect. The decision was taken by the ICC Board during its meeting.
• Geoff Allardice will continue as Acting CEO supported by the Leadership Team working closely with the ICC Board.
• Sawhney was suspended in March following various allegations in an internal review conducted by an external agency. While Sawhney had referred to the review as a witch-hunt, the ICC Board on Thursday decided to sever ties with the sports management veteran.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates;

• ICC Founded: 15 June 1909;

• ICC Deputy Chairman: Imran Khwaja;

• ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay.

Agreements News

5. Bharat Dynamics Ltd signs Rs 499-crore deal with Indian Air Force

• The Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence for the manufacture and supply of Akash missiles to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The total worth of the deal is around Rs 499 crore.
• CMD, BDL Commodore Siddharth Mishra (Retd) stated that BDL is supplying Akash Missiles to the Indian Army and Indian Air Force.
• With the announcement from the Union Cabinet regarding clearance of Akash Weapon System for Export, the Company is exploring offering Akash for export to foreign countries.
• Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, being developed under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• BDL is the prime production agency for projects under IGMDP.
• Akash missile is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), both for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

Banking News

6. RBI imposes monetary penalty on 14 banks for non-compliance

• The RBI  has imposed penalties on SBI, Bank of Baroda, IndusInd Bank, Bandhan Bank and 10 other lenders for contravention of various regulatory norms, including on lending to NBFCs.
• The penalty imposed on the 14 banks totals Rs 14.5 crore, with a maximum Rs 2 crore fine on Bank of Baroda.
• The central bank imposed Rs 2 crore penalty on the Bank of Baroda, Rs 1 crore each on 12 other banks and Rs 50 lakh on the State Bank of India.
• RBI imposed Rs 1 crore penalty each on Bandhan Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Credit Suisse AG, Indian Bank, IndusInd Bank, Karnataka Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, South Indian Bank, The Jammu & Kashmir Bank and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

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

7. Axis Bank signs MOU with Indian Army to offer defence service salary package

• The country's third-largest private lender Axis Bank has signed MOU with the Indian Army offering a defence service salary package under its "Power Salute" initiative.
• The Defence service salary package will offer different benefits to all ranks of army officers. The benefits of the MoU will cover both serving Defence personnel as well Defence pensioners.
• According to the bank, it will offer--Personal accidental cover of up to ₹56 lakh to all army personnel; additional up to 8 lakh education grant; total Permanent Disability Cover benefit up to 46 lakh; permanent partial disability cover of up to ₹46 lakh; air accident cover of ₹1 crore, and free additional debit card for a family member.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;
• Axis Bank Founded: 1993;
• Axis Bank MD and CEO of Axis Bank: Amitabh Chaudhry.

8. Axis Bank and Max Bupa Health Insurance enter into a Bancassurance partnership

• Max Bupa Health Insurance, a standalone health insurer, has entered into a bancassurance partnership with Axis Bank, the country’s third-largest private sector bank.
• This partnership will help provide comprehensive health insurance solutions to Axis Bank’s employees and customers.
• The tie-up will enable millions of Axis Bank customers across 4,500 plus branches to gain access to quality healthcare solutions through a range of health insurance products offered by Max Bupa.
• Max Bupa Health Insurance will offer indemnity as well as fixed benefit products, and their customisable variants to the diverse customers of the bank across the country.
• Axis Bank also has an existing health insurance tie-up with Aditya Birla Health Insurance. Bancassurance is a relationship between a bank and an insurance company that is aimed at offering insurance products to the bank’s customers.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Max Bupa Health Insurance CEO: Krishnan Ramachandran;
• Max Bupa Health Insurance Headquarters: New Delhi, India;
• Max Bupa Health Insurance Founded: 2008.

Awards News

9. Zaila Avant-garde Wins 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee

• Zaila Avant-garde, an African-American, from New Orleans in Louisiana, has won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
• The 14-year-old Avant-garde, who is also an accomplished basketball player, is the first African-American contestant to win the prestigious competition in its 93 years history.
• The 8th-grader Avant-garde correctly spelt “Murraya”, a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers, to win a USD 50,000 prize.
• Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual spelling bee held in the United States, for children of South Asian descent, to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.

Books and Authors

10. Kareena Kapoor introduces a book "The Pregnancy Bible"

• Kareena Kapoor Khan has announced her new book titled Kareena Kapoor Khan's Pregnancy Bible.
• The actor has also called it her 'third child. She shared her experience while writing the book. She was seen wearing a red slip dress as she kept her hair loose parting it in the middle. She was seen bare feet standing near the kitchen countertop.

Important Days

11. National Fish Farmers’ Day: 10 July

• National Fish Farmers’ Day is celebrated every year on 10 July, by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in association with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).
• The event aims to draw attention to changing the way the country manages fisheries resources to ensure sustainable stocks and healthy ecosystems.
• This day is made to honour the fish farmers, aquapreneurs, fisherfolks, stakeholders and whoever else is associated in the fishery for their contribution in the fishery.
• The day is commemorated annually in remembrance of scientists Dr K H Alikunhi and Dr H.L. Chaudhury who had invented induced breeding technology of Indian major carps on 10 July 1957. 2021 will mark 21st National Fish Farmers’ Day.

Miscellaneous News

12. National Film Archive of India adds Aamir Khan's 'PK' to its collection

• National Film Archive of India (NFAI) has announced a significant addition of the original camera negative of Rajkumar Hirani's 2014 film 'PK' in its collection.
• The filmmaker handed the negatives over to Director NFAI, Prakash Magdum, in Mumbai.
• The National Film Archive of India was established as a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1964.

Daily updates 11 and 12 July 2021

12 July 2021
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11th and 12th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

National News

1. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates India’s first private LNG Facility plant at Nagpur

• The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, inaugurated India’s first private Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility plant at Nagpur in Maharashtra. The plant has been set up on Kamptee Road near Nagpur Jabalpur Highway, by Baidyanath Ayurvedic Group, the makers of Ayurvedic medicines.
• Once operational, this LNG filling station in Nagpur will be the first such facility to operate on a commercial basis. LNG is a clean, pollution-free and cost-effective liquid fuel, which is also easy to store and reduces logistics costs.

International News

2. Abiy Ahmed wins landslide victory in Ethiopian election

• Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party was declared the winner of last month’s national election in a landslide, assuring a second five-year term for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
• The National Election Board of Ethiopia said the ruling party won 410 seats out of 436 contested in the federal parliament. Abiy Ahmed came to power in April 2018 after the former prime minister resigned.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa;
• Ethiopia Currency: Ethiopian birr.

State News

3. India’s first Cryptogamic Garden Inaugurated in Uttarakhand

• India’s first cryptogamic garden, with around 50 different species grown, has been inaugurated in Deoban area of Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
• The garden is situated at a height of 9,000 feet and is spread over an area of three acres. Located in the district’s Chakrata town, the garden was inaugurated by social activist Anoop Nautiyal.
• Cryptogamae means “hidden reproduction” referring to the fact that no seed, no flowers are produced. Thus, cryptogams represent the non-seed bearing plants.
• Algae, bryophytes (moss, liverworts), lichens, ferns and fungi are the best-known groups of cryptogams that require moist conditions to survive.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya;
• The chief minister of Uttarakhand: Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Appointments News

4. Twitter appoints Vinay Prakash as resident grievance officer for India

• Twitter has named Vinay Prakash as the Resident Grievance Officer (RGO) for India, as per the information updated on its website. Users can contact Vinay Prakash using an email ID listed on the page.
• Earlier the US-based company had announced the appointment of California-based Jeremy Kessel as the new Grievance Officer for India.
• However, as per the new IT rules in India, social media platforms with over 50 lakh users are mandated to appoint three key personnel namely chief compliance officer, nodal officer and grievance officer, and all these three personnel have to be residents in India.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Executive Officer of Twitter: Jack Dorsey.
• Twitter formed: 21 March 2006.
• Headquarters of Twitter: San Francisco, California, United States.

Schemes and Committees News

5. BCCI forms 7-member working group for domestic cricket

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formed a seven-member working group, to look into the compensation package for the domestic players and the other aspects of domestic cricket.
• The main focus of the group will be the remuneration of domestic players for the previous season wherein tournaments were cancelled, due to COVID-19.

The group will have the following members:

• Rohan Jaitley (North Zone)
• Yudhvir Singh (Central Zone)
• Jaydev Shah (West Zone)
• Devajit Saikia (North-East Zone)
• Avishek Dalmiya (East Zone)
• Santosh Menon (South Zone)
• Mohammed Azharuddin (South Zone).

Summits and Conferences News

6. Nirmala Sitharaman attends 3rd G20 finance ministers meeting

• Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman participated virtually in the Third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting under the Italian Presidency.
• The two-day meeting saw discussions on a wide range of issues including global economic risks and health challenges, policies for recovery from the CoVID-19 pandemic, international taxation, sustainable finance and financial sector issues.
• The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors reaffirmed their resolve to use all available policy tools for as long as required to address the adverse consequences of COVID-19.
• Smt. Sitharaman appreciated the Italian G20 Presidency for identifying three catalysts of resilient economic recovery from the pandemic as being Digitalization, Climate Action and Sustainable Infrastructure and shared the Indian experience of integrating technology with inclusive service delivery during the pandemic.

Awards

7. Syed Osman Azhar Maqsusi won Commonwealth Points of Light award

• Hyderabad’s hunger activist Syed Osman Azhar Maqsusi, who has been feeding thousands of people every day as part of his food drive ‘Hunger Has No Religion’ was awarded a top UK award recently.
• In order to honour Maqsusi’s efforts, he was conferred with the Commonwealth Points of Light award for his drive that helps to feed 1,500 people on a daily basis. The award is for those ‘outstanding individuals who are making a change in their community.

Sports News

8. Wimbledon Championships 2021: Complete List Of Winners

• In the men category, Novak Djokovic defeated Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final, 6-7(4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, to win his sixth Wimbledon title and 20th Grand Slam trophy.
• With this win, he has equalled his total major men’s singles titles record with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with each of them winning 20 titles.

Here is the Complete List of Winners in Different Categories:

S. No.	Category	Winner	Runner Up
1.	Men’s Singles	Novak Djokovic (Serbia)	Matteo Berrettini
2.	Women’s Singles	Ashleigh Barty (Australia)	Karolína Plíšková (Czech Republic)
3.	Men’s Doubles	Nikola Mektić  and Mate Pavić	Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos
4.	Women’s Doubles	Hsieh Su-wei  and Elise Mertens	Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina
5.	Mixed Doubles	Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk	Joe Salisbury and Harriet Dart

About the Wimbledon:

• Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, which also includes the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open.
• The tournament is held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877. 

9. Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah announces retirement from Test cricket

• Bangladesh cricketer Mahmudullah Riyad has announced his retirement from Test cricket in the middle of Bangladesh’s one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club.
• Mahmudullah made his Test debut in 2009 during Bangladesh’s tour of the West Indies.
• The right-handed batsman in 50 matches and 94 innings has scored 2914 runs at an average of 33.49. The 150 not out in the ongoing Test against Zimbabwe is his career-best figure and has five centuries and 16 half-centuries under his belt.

10. Samir Banerjee wins Wimbledon Junior Men's title

• Indian-American Samir Banerjee has won the Wimbledon Junior Men`s title at Number 1 Court. He defeated Victor Lilov of America by 7-5, 6-3 in the Junior Men`s finals to lift the trophy at All England Club.
• For the first time since 2014, and only the second time since 1977, there was an all-American conclusion to the boys` singles event. Notably, both 17-year-olds were unseeded for The Championships.

11. Argentina beats Brazil to Lift Copa America 2021

• Lionel Messi-led Argentina beat Neymar’s Brazil 1-0 to win the Copa America final match, held at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. With this win, Lionel Messi has secured his first major international trophy.
• The 2021 Copa America was the 47th edition of the annual international men’s football championship organised by South America’s football ruling body CONMEBOL.
• Earlier the tournament was scheduled to be held in July 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time since 1991 that no guest nation took part in the tournament.

Books and Authors News

12. PM Modi receives 1st copy of 'The Ramayana of Shri Guru Gobind Singh'

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the first copy of "The Ramayana of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji" which is written by the late Baljit Kaur Tulsi—the mother of noted lawyer KTS Tulsi.
• The book is published by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts. Apart from this, the Prime Minister also shared the audio of the Gurbani Shabad recital by KTS Tulsi, the sitting Rajya Sabha MP of Congress from Chhattisgarh.

Important Days

13. World Population Day celebrated on 11th July

• World Population Day is observed globally on 11th July every year. This day is observed to raise awareness among people about the impact of a growing population and issues including gender equality, the importance of family planning, poverty, maternal health, human rights, etc.
• This year theme of World Population Day 2021: "the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on fertility".
• In 1989, World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United National Development Programme as an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• United Nations Population Fund Headquarters: New York, United States
• United Nations Population Fund Executive Director: Natalia Kanem.
• United Nations Population Fund Founded: 1969.

14. World Malala Day: 12 July

• The United Nations has declared 12th July as World Malala Day to honour the young activist, Malala Yousafzai.
• Malala Day is commemorated, the birthday of Malala Yousafzai to honour women and children’s rights around the world.
• On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen after she publicly advocated for the education of girls.
• Despite the attack, Malala soon returned to the public eye, fiercer in her views than earlier and continued her advocacy for gender rights.
• She founded the Malala Fund, a non-profit organisation to help young girls go to school and also co-authored a book titled “I Am Malala”, an international bestseller.

Obituaries News

15. Ayurveda Medicine Doyen, Dr P K Warrier passes away

• Veteran Indian Ayurveda practitioner, Dr P.K. Warrier, who was the most respected name in Ayurveda across the world, has passed away. He was 100.
• He was the chief Physician and Managing trustee of Arya Vaidya Sala, a healthcare centre located in Kottakkal, Kerala, and known for its heritage and expertise in Ayurveda.
• The doyen of Ayurveda, Dr Warrier, was honoured with the Padma Shree in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2010. His autobiography titled Smrithiparvam won the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in 2009.