Current Affairs Today 29th July 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 29th July 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

  1. The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem (or World Mangrove Day) is celebrated annually on 26 July to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem” and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.
  2. 29th of July observed as International Tiger Day. The Day is celebrated on every year across the globe to create awareness about tiger conservation.
  3. Bharti AXA General Insurance has launched a crop insurance campaign titled ‘Bohot Zaroori Hai’ for farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka to encourage them about their yield protection and financial security.
  4. GOI has notified changes in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms on civil aviation.
  5. In view of the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, an additional allocation of 40 thousand crore rupees has also been made for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during this financial year.
  6. The Karnataka government will soon lay the foundation stone for a life sciences park
  7. In a move to intensify surveillance, Assam deployed a Surveillance Quadcopter (Drone) and an anti-depredation quick response vehicle.
  8. The Tamil Nadu government signed MoUs with 16 companies that would bring an investment of Rs. 5,137 crore and provide employment to 6,555 persons.
  9. India handed over 10 diesel locomotives to Bangladesh on July 27, 2020.
  10. India and the United Kingdom will further extend their existing scientific research collaboration with five new projects that are worth eight million pounds.
  11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritius counterpart will jointly inaugurate the new Supreme Court Building of Mauritius on 30th July through video-conference.
  12. Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has appointed country’s Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Gulaid as the interim Prime Minister following the removal of Hassan Ali Khaire from the position due to vote of no confidence against him.
  13. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 5th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) through video conference in New Delhi.
  14. Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually launched “India Report on Digital Education, 2020”.
  15. Reliance Industries has entered the list of 50 most valued companies in the world.
  16. Reliance Industries has overtaken ExxonMobil to become the world’s second most valuable energy firm with market capitalization scaled to a record high of over Rs 14 trillion.
  17. With a brand value of $241.2 billion (a 17% increase year-over-year), Apple has topped the Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Most Valuable Brands, which looked at the top 100 companies from the fiscal year 2019.
  18. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and SBI Card have launched a new Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform.
  19. GAIL(India) limited and Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the project development opportunities in the Compressed Biogas (CBG) value chain in India to build a closer strategic partnership by jointly working on the CBG projects in India.
  20. Global private equity firm KKR is set to back Mumbai-based InCred Finance, a retail and MSME-focused non-banking finance company (NBFC).
  21. India’s first solar-powered ferry Aditya, which started its operations in 2017 has won the prestigious Gustave Trouve Award for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating.
  22. Sunil ydv SS, founder & CEO Of SS Motivation, which is the most Subscribed Motivational Channel on Telegram, has been honoured with “Karamveer Chakra Award” instituted by United Nations and International Confederation of NGO (iCONGO).
  23. The book titled “Quest for Restoring Financial Stability in India” authored by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Viral V.Acharya.
  24. Bangalore based startup Acculi Labs has been selected the Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH), an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to develop a COVID risk assessment profile called Lyfas COVID score.
  25. Veteran Bollywood actor Kumkum, who appeared in films like Mother India, and Naya Daur has passed away. She was 86.
  26. Famous Bollywood action director Parvez Khan, who has worked in films such as Andhadhun and Badlapur, has passed away after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 55
  27. Senior advocate and author Bhaskarrao Avhad passed away in a hospital in Pune after a brief illness. He was 78.
  28. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation has named a road and a crossing in the city after former Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon.
  29. E-commerce major Flipkart has launched a 90-minute hyperlocal delivery service Flipkart Quick in Bengaluru.
  30. Hetero group has launched the generic Favipiravir in India under the brand ‘Favivir’.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem observed on 26 July

  • The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem (or World Mangrove Day) is celebrated annually on 26 July to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem” and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.
  • The day was adopted by the General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015.
  • It was on this day in 1998, that a Greenpeace activist Hayhow Daniel Nanoto, died of a heart attack during a massive protest to re-establish the mangrove wetlands in Muisne, Ecuador.

Extra Shots:

UNESCO:

  • Headquarters: Paris, France
  • Head: Audrey Azoulay
  • Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom
  • Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
  • Formation: 4 November 1945

International Tigers day being observed on 29th July

  • 29th of July observed as International Tiger Day.
  • The Day is celebrated on every year across the globe to create awareness about tiger conservation.
  • The day was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit to put in place a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues.
  • The Slogan for 2020 International Tiger Day celebration is “Their survival is in our hands”.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Bharti AXA General Insurance launches ‘Bohot Zaroori Hai’ campaign for farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka

  • Bharti AXA General Insurance has launched a crop insurance campaign titled ‘Bohot Zaroori Hai’ for farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka to encourage them about their yield protection and financial security.
  • Under the campaign, the Bharti AXA General Insurance, will insure the farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka for a period of three years under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY).
  • Bharti AXA General Insurance has received Rs 800 crore worth crop insurance mandate from the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka for 3 years.
  • The company will insure farmers under PMFBY in six districts of Maharashtra and three districts of Karnataka.
  • It includes Ahmednagar, Nashik, Chandrapur, Solapur, Jalgaon and Satara in Maharashtra and Dharwad, Mysuru and Kodagu in Karnataka

Extra Shots:

Bharti AXA General Insurance

  • Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
  • CMD: Sanjeev Srinivasan

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Govt notifies changes in FDI norms on civil aviation

  • GOI has notified changes in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms on civil aviation. It will permit non-resident Indian nationals to own 100 per cent stake of Air India.
  • Last month, the government for the third time extended the deadline to bid for Air India.
  • The deadline was extended by two months till August 31st.
  • The divestment process for the national carrier was initiated on January 27th.

Centre allocates additional Rs 40 thousand cr under MGNREGA in view of COVID-19 pandemic

  • In view of the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, an additional allocation of 40 thousand crore rupees has also been made for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during this financial year.
  • Union Minster for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Narendra Singh Tomar has called upon the states to ensure that funds being routed to Gram Panchayats are effectively used for development works at the village level.
  • On this occasion, Mr Tomar released a Financial Management Index for Rural Development Programmes to rank the performance of the states.

Extra Shots:

MGNREGA: Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act 2005 is an Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘right to work’. This act was passed in September 2005 under the UPA government of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

  • Official website: nrega.nic.in
  • Launch year: 2006
  • Sector: Rural Employment
  • Launched by (prime minister): Manmohan Singh
  • Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development

 STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Karnataka to set up ₹5000 cr integrated biotech and life sciences park in Bengaluru

  • The Karnataka government will soon lay the foundation stone for a life sciences park
  • The nine million square feet park will be set up in 52.27 acres at a cost of ₹5,000 crore.
  • The project is being built under a public-private partnership model between the state government and Labzone Corp. Phase one of the new project of around 10 lakh square feet will be completed by December 2022.
  • The life sciences park is estimated to house more than 150 companies and is expected to generate around, 50,000 jobs.

Extra Shots:

Karnataka:

  • Statehood Day: 1st November 1956
  • Capital: Bengaluru
  • Chief Minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
  • Governor: Vajubhai Vala
  • National Park: Anshi NP, Bandipur NP, Bannerghatta NP, Kudremukh NP, Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) NP

Assam govt deploys drone and anti-depredation quick response vehicle to guard forest areas

  • In a move to intensify surveillance, Assam deployed a Surveillance Quadcopter (Drone) and an anti-depredation quick response vehicle.
  • The inauguration of the vehicle an intensified 24X7 surveillance would be made possible over the forest cover of the state helping to rein in the increasing incidents of human-animal conflict.
  • This surveillance drone would be able to narrow-cast any purported movement of the poachers and would delve a blow to poaching in the national parks, wild life sanctuaries and other reserve forests

Extra Shots:

Assam:

  • Capital: Dispur
  • Chief Minister: Sarbananda Sonowal
  • Governor: Jagdish Mukhi
  • National Park: Dibru-Saikhowa NP, Kaziranga NP, Manas NP, Nameri NP, Rajiv Gandhi Orang NP, Dehing Patkai

TamilNadu government signs MoUs with 16 firms for Rs. 5,137-crore investments

  • The Tamil Nadu government signed MoUs with 16 companies that would bring an investment of Rs. 5,137 crore and provide employment to 6,555 persons.
  • This comes within three days of the State government signing MoUs with eight companies for bringing in investment of Rs. 10,399 crore and providing 13,507 jobs.
  • There are seven MoUs that have been signed in the technology space. Of these, six will come up in Chennai and one in Coimbatore.

Extra Shots:

Tamilnadu

  • Capital: Chennai
  • Chief Minister: Edappadi K.Palanisamy
  • Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
  • Chief Justice of Madras High Court: Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
  • National Park: Guindy NP,Gulf of Mannar Marine NP, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP, Mudumalai NP, Mukurthi NP.

 INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Indian government hands over 10 diesel locomotives to Bangladesh

  • India handed over 10 diesel locomotives to Bangladesh on July 27, 2020.
  • The move will provide the neighbouring country mobility solutions for both the intra-country and inter-country movement.
  • The virtual event of handing over the locomotives was flagged off in the presence of Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal and his Bangladeshi Counterpart Md Nurul Islam Sujon, External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar and his Bangladeshi counterpart, AK Abdul Momen and Suresh Angadi, Minister of State for Railways.

Extra Shots:

Bangladesh (Capital/Currency):  Dhaka/Bangladeshi taka

  • President: Mohammad Abdul Hamid

India and UK to collaborate in anti-microbial resistance research worth 8 million pounds

  • India and the United Kingdom will further extend their existing scientific research collaboration with five new projects that are worth eight million pounds.
  • The research will work on tackling anti-microbial resistance that will further lead to important advances in the global fight against antibiotic-resistance bacteria and genes.
  • The UK is India’s second-biggest research partner, with joint research that is expected to be worth 400 million pounds by 2021.

PM Modi, PM Jugnauth to inaugurate new Supreme Court Building of Mauritius on July 30

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritius counterpart will jointly inaugurate the new Supreme Court Building of Mauritius on 30th July through video-conference.
  • The building has been constructed with Indian grant assistance and will be the first India assisted infrastructure project within the capital city of Port Louis.
  • The new Supreme Court building project is one of the five projects being implemented under the ‘Special Economic Package’ of 353 million dollars extended by India to Mauritius in 2016.
  • The project has been completed within schedule and below expected costs.
  • The building is spread over an area of more than 4700 sqm with over 10 floors and a built-up area of around 25,000 sqm.

Extra Shots:

Mauritius (Capital/Currency): Port Louis/ Mauritian rupee

  • Prime Minister: Pravind Jugnauth

Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid appointed as interim Prime Minister of Somalia

  • Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has appointed country’s Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Gulaid as the interim Prime Minister following the removal of Hassan Ali Khaire from the position due to vote of no confidence against him.
  • His appointment is effective from 25 July 2020, until the nomination of a permanent Prime Minister

Extra Shots:

Somalia (Capital/Currency): Mogadishu/ United States Dollar, Somali shilling

  • President: Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo

SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

FM Nirmala Sitharaman attends 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of AIIB

  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 5th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) through video conference in New Delhi.
  • Theme of the conference ‘AIIB 2030-Supporting Asia’s Development over the Next Decade’.
  • Sitharaman mentioned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative of creating a COVID-19 Emergency Fund for SAARC Nations and India’s efforts in supplying critical medical health kits to tackle the COVID-19.

Extra Shots:

AIIB:

  • Headquarters: Beijing, China
  • Region served: Asia and Oceania
  • Membership: 102 Members
  • Main organ: Board of Governors; Board of Directors

RANKS AND INDICES

HRD Minister launched 2020 India Report on Digital Education

  • Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually launched “India Report on Digital Education, 2020”.
  • The report elaborates on the innovative methods adopted by Ministry of HRD, Education Departments of States and Union Territories (UT) to ensure accessible and inclusive education to children at home and reducing learning gaps.

India Report on Digital Education 2020:

  • The report highlights the central Initiatives State/UT Governments that managed the critical task of providing digital education at the doorstep of the students.
  • The report includes the initiatives that were taken to facilitate remote learning and education for all by taking schools to the students.
  • The report stated the quality digital education that has acquired the new urgency in the present context of globalization.

Reliance Industries has entered the list of 50 most valued companies

  • Reliance Industries has entered the list of 50 most valued companies in the world.
  • The market cap of Reliance now stands at over $173 billion.
  • Reliance’s shares saw a huge surge of 18.40% in the past one month.
  • The company has been successful in bagging huge investments from some top firms including Facebook in the recent past.

Extra Shots:

RIL:

  • CEO: Mukesh Ambani
  • Founder: Dhirubhai Ambani
  • Founded: 8 May 1973, Maharashtra

Reliance Industries has overtaken ExxonMobil to become the world’s second most valuable energy firm

  • Reliance Industries has overtaken ExxonMobil to become the world’s second most valuable energy firm with market capitalization scaled to a record high of over Rs 14 trillion.
  • Reliance is now ranked 46th globally on market cap, according to stock market data. Meanwhile, Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani overtook Steve Ballmer to become the fifth richest person in the world with a net worth of $77.4 billion

Extra Shots:

RIL:

  • CEO: Mukesh Ambani
  • Founder: Dhirubhai Ambani
  • Founded: 8 May 1973, Maharashtra

Apple, Google, Microsoft topmost valuable brands in Forbes’ list

  • With a brand value of $241.2 billion (a 17% increase year-over-year), Apple has topped the Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Most Valuable Brands, which looked at the top 100 companies from the fiscal year 2019.
  • Google with $207.5 billion and Microsoft with $163 billion were the first and second runners-up, respectively.
  • The top 100 most valuable brands in total were worth $2.54 trillion, up from $2.33 trillion last year.

Extra Shots:

Forbes:

  • Company: Forbes Media, LLC (51%); Forbes family (49%)
  • Editor-in-chief: Steve Forbes
  • Editor: Randall Lane
  • First issue: September 15, 1917

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

IRCTC & SBI Card launches Co-branded Contactless Credit Card

  • Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and SBI Card have launched a new Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform.
  • The card was revealed by Union Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal.
  • The newly launched card aims to ensure a safe, convenient and improved travel experience for the rail passengers.
  • The new RuPay credit card is empowered with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which will enable users to expedite their transactions at the POS machines by just tapping the card on the machines instead of swiping.

Extra Shots:

IRCTC:

  • Headquarters: New Delhi, India
  • CMD: Mahendra Pratap Mall

SBI Card:

  • Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana.
  • MD& CEO: Hardayal Prasad(will retire on July 31, 2020 and Ashwini Kumar Tewari to take charge from August 1, 2020)

GAIL tied up with CCSL to partner in Compressed BioGas projects in India

  • GAIL (India) limited and Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the project development opportunities in the Compressed Biogas (CBG) value chain in India to build a closer strategic partnership by jointly working on the CBG projects in India.
  • The partnership promotes the technological advancements in the production of CBG from organic waste.
  • The CBG projects will support India’s future energy access, efficiency, sustainability and security.

Extra Shots:

GAIL (India) Ltd:

  • Chairman & Managing Director: Manoj Jain
  • Head Office: New Delhi

Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL):

  • CEO: Aniruddha Sharma
  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom

ACQUISITION & MERGER

KKR to merge NBFC with InCred’s retail franchise

  • Global private equity firm KKR is set to back Mumbai-based InCred Finance, a retail and MSME-focused non-banking finance company (NBFC).
  • The equity infusion is understood to be effectively a merger of KKR’s NBFC with InCred’s retail franchise.
  • KKR will pick up a large minority stake in InCred

Extra Shots:

Incred Finance

  • Founder: Bhupinder Singh
  • Founded: 2016
  • Headquarters: Mumbai

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

India’s first solar-powered ferry Aditya conferred with prestigious Gustave Trouve Award

  • India’s first solar-powered ferry Aditya, which started its operations in 2017 has won the prestigious Gustave Trouve Award for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating.
  • The solar-powered ferry was named the world’s best electric boat in the category of ferries designed for paid passenger service.
  • Aditya makes 22 trips every day with 75 people on board.

Sunil ydv SS Honored with Karamveer Chakra Award of United Nations and ICONGO

  • Sunil ydv SS, founder & CEO Of SS Motivation, which is the most Subscribed Motivational Channel on Telegram, has been honoured with “Karamveer Chakra Award” instituted by United Nations and International Confederation of NGO (iCONGO).
  • He received the award for his relentless contribution to society through his Telegram channel “SS Motivation.”
  • The Karmaveer Chakra Award is the global civilian honours given to the people across the globe for relentless courage, initiating change, and walking through the less-travelled life paths.
  • The award is a tribute to A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Viral V.Acharya. authored a book named “Quest for Restoring Financial Stability in India”

  • The book titled “Quest for Restoring Financial Stability in India” authored by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Viral V.Acharya.
  • The book is published by SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd. The book portrays his quest to restore financial stability in India and offers a concrete plan for sustained improvement.
  • The book is a compilation of his speeches, research and comments as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, mostly concerned with central banking.

WEB PORTALS & APP IN NEWS

Acculi Labs to launch mobile app for detection & risk assessment of COVID 19 infected individuals

  • Bangalore based startup Acculi Labs has been selected the Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH), an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to develop a COVID risk assessment profile called Lyfas COVID score.
  • Lyfas is an Android application.
  • In this application, one can keep the index finger on the rear phone camera of a mobile phone for 5 minutes.
  • It will capture the capillary pulse and blood volume change and derive 95 biomarkers with proprietary algorithms and signal processing techniques.

OBITUARY

Veteran actor Kumkum, known for roles in ‘Naya Daur’ & ‘Mother India’, passes away at 86

  • Veteran Bollywood actor Kumkum, who appeared in films like Mother India, and Naya Daur has passed away. She was 86.
  • Kumkum’s real name was Zaibunnissa.
  • She has featured in over 100 Hindi films like Mother India, Kohinoor, Ek Sapera Ek Lootera, Naya Daur, Ujala, Raja Aur Runk, Lalkar, Aankhen, Geet, among others.

Bollywood action director Parvez Khan passes away at 55

  • Famous Bollywood action director Parvez Khan, who has worked in films such as Andhadhun and Badlapur, has passed away after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 55.
  • Parvez had been working in the film industry since 1986.
  • Some of his well-known films include Andhadhun, Badlapur, Bullett Raja, Fukrey, Ra.One, Johnny Gaddaar, Vishwaroopam, Vishwaroopam 2, Dev.D, Gangster, Sehar, Ab Tak Chhappan, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Soldier, and Mr And Mrs Khiladi.

Veteran lawyer Bhaskar Avhad passes away

  • Senior advocate and author Bhaskarrao Avhad passed away in a hospital in Pune after a brief illness. He was 78.
  • Avhad served as president of Bar Council of Maharashtra, Goa as well as other associations of lawyers, and also penned several books, many of them on law.

MISCELLANEOUS

Lucknow Municipal Corporation has named a road after former Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon

  • The Lucknow Municipal Corporation has named a road and a crossing in the city after former Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon.
  • The Chauk Chauraha will now be known as Lalji Tandon Chauraha and the Lucknow-Hardoi Road will be known as Tandon Marg.
  • The former MP Governor Tandon had started his political career when he became a councillor in Lucknow.

Flipkart launches 90-min delivery service ‘Flipkart Quick’ in Bengaluru

  • E-commerce major Flipkart has launched a 90-minute hyperlocal delivery service Flipkart Quick in Bengaluru.
  • Besides delivering grocery, dairy products and vegetables, the service will also ensure ordering of mobiles, electronics and home accessories.
  • At present, Flipkart Quick covers select areas of Bengaluru such as Whitefield, Panathur, HSR Layout, BTM Layout, Banashankari, KR Puram and Indiranagar.

Extra Shots:

Flipkart:

  • Founded: October 2007
  • CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy
  • Founders: Sachin Bansal, Binny Bansal
  • Parent organization: Walmart

Hetero group launched Favipiravir in India to treat Covid-19 infected patients

  • Hetero group has launched the generic Favipiravir in India under the brand ‘Favivir’.
  • The company received approvals from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market the generic drug.
  • The drug, Favivir, is used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19. Favivir will improve treatment accessibility to a significant amount of the COVID-19 patient population, which usually sustains mild to moderate symptoms.
  • The generic favipiravir drug is priced at Rs.59 per tablet.

Extra Shots:

Hetero Drugs