20th July 2019 Current Affairs
Piyush Goyal to launch Global Innovation Index
- Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will launch the Global Innovation Index in New Delhi.
- GII will reveal the innovation rankings of economies & the findings for this year.
- 2019 theme is Evaluating the Medical Innovation Scenario of the Next Decade.
Note:
About GII
GII: Global Innovation Index
Publisher: INSEAD; World Intellectual Property Organization
Publication history: 2007–present
Frequency: Annual
WHO declares Congo Ebola outbreak a Health emergency of International Concern
- WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today declared the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
- “It is time for the world to take notice and redouble our efforts.
- We need to work together in solidarity with the DRC to end this outbreak and build a better health system.
- Extraordinary work has been done for almost a year under the most difficult circumstances.
Note:
About WHO
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Head: Tedros Adhanom
Founded: 7 April 1948
Founders: India, United States, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Iran.
“Tata” becomes India’s most valuable brand for 2019: Brand Finance India 100 2019 report
- The brand “Tata” has become India’s most valuable brand for the second straight year in 2019, according to the Brand Finance India 2019 report.
- Tata’s brand value rose 37% to $19.6 billion as compared to $14.2 billion in 2018, surpassing the combined value of the second and third most valued brands in India.
- The second most valued brand this year was the government-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) at $7.3 billion and a close third was Infosys at $6.5 billion.
Note:
About Tata
Founder: Jamsetji Tata
Founded: 1868, Mumbai
Former athlete PT Usha nominated for IAAF’s Veteran Pin
- PT Usha has been nominated for the International Association of Athletics Federation’s ‘Veteran Pin’ for her outstanding service to the sport.
- She won 5 gold medals and a bronze medal in the Asian Games which were held at Jakarta in 1985.
- Usha is one of the greatest sprinters to have come out of India and is often called the “queen of track and field”.
Note:
About IAAF
IAAF: International Association of Athletics Federations
Headquarters: Monaco
President: Sebastian Coe
Founded: 17 July 1912, Stockholm, Sweden
Sachin Tendulkar became the 6th Indian to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
- Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was inducted into International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame along with South African pace legend Allan Donald and Australian woman cricketer Cathryn Fitzpatrick.
- With this, Tendulkar became the 6th Indian cricketer to be inducted into ICC’s Hall of Fame after Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Anil Kumble, and Rahul Dravid.
- The 46-year-old former right-hand batsman is regarded as the greatest to have played the game along with Sir Donald Bradman and remains the top run-accumulator in both Tests and ODIs.
Note:
About ICC
Chairperson: Shashank Manohar
Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
CEO: Manu Sawhney (Jul 2019–)
Founded: 15 June 1909
Membership: 105 members
Hima Das bags her 4th gold at in the Tabor Athletics Meet 2019
- Star Indian sprinter Hima Das clinched her fourth gold of the fortnight as she won the 200m race with a creditable time in the Tabor Athletics Meet in Czech Republic .
- Hima won in 23.25 seconds though the race had a mediocre field with most of the competitors representing clubs of Czech Republic.
- Nonetheless, she is inching closer to her personal best of 23.10.
Note:
About Czech Republic.
Capital: Prague
Currency: Czech koruna
Repco MFI wins an award from NABARD for SHG linkage in TN for 2018-19
- Repco Micro Finance, an NBFC-MFI promoted by Repco Bank has received Nabard’s award for outstanding performance in terms of self-help group (SHG) linkage in Tamil Nadu for 2018-19.
- The Chennai-headquartered micro finance institution currently operates from 90 branches in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and has an employee strength of about 600 people.
- Repco Micro Finance has provided SHG loans worth ₹3,600 crore to over 12 lakh individual beneficiaries through 60,000 SHGs since its establishment in 2007.
Note:
About Repco
Headquarters: Chennai
Founded: 2000
A M Naik appointed as Mindtree's new chairman
- Bengaluru-based IT services firm Mindtree Ltd has appointed A M Naik as the company’s new non-executive chairman.
- He replaces Krishnakumar Natarajan.
- L&T became the new promoter of Mindtree after buying a 60.59% stake.
Note:
About Mind tree
Founded: 18 August 1999
CEO: Rostow Ravanan
Headquarters: Warren, Michigan, United States
Founders: Subroto Bagchi, Ashok Soota, Krishnakumar Natarajan, Parthasarathy NS, Scott Staples
US not to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey after it bought S-400 missile defense system from Russia
- President Donald Trump has announced that the US would not sell the F-35 fighter jets to Turkey after Ankara purchased the S-400 missile defense system from sanctions-hit Russia.
- The decision by the Trump Administration against a major NATO ally could be an indication of the things to come for India as it has also signed up with Russia to buy the S-400 missile defense system against the advice of the US.
- India inked an agreement with Russia in October last year to procure a batch of the S-400 missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore.
Note:
About Turkey
Capital: Ankara
Currency: Turkish lira
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.
- The proposed park will come up at the Technocity campus in Knowledge City in Thiruvananthapuram, the newest destination for IT companies.
Note:
About Kerala
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
HDI (2018): 0.784 (High) · 1st
Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
Chhattisgarh Gets India’s 1st ‘Garbage Café’ For Ragpickers
- India’s first garbage café has launched in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh.
- Under the program, any person fetching a kilo of plastic waste to the garbage cafe will be assured of full meal & for collecting at least 500 gm will benefit from a substantial breakfast.
Note:
About Chhattisgarh
Governor: Anandiben Patel Trending
Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
Tamil Nadu Government announces the creation of two new Districts
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced that Tenkasi and Chengelpet districts would be carved out of Tirunelveli and Kanchipuram respectively, taking the total number of districts in the state to 35.
- “The bifurcation is done for administrative convenience following representations from Ministers, MLAs and the general public.
- Special Officers will be appointed for the proposed two new districts to take forward work related to carving out the new regions.
Note:
About Tamil Nadu
Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Capital: Chennai
Sri Lanka signs agreement with India to upgrade railway lines
- Sri Lanka has signed an agreement with India to upgrade tracks in a key railway segment connecting the north and south at a cost of $ 91.26 million.
- It is the first that the 130 km-long-tracks, running from Maho town to Omanthai, are being upgraded.
- The contract agreement for concessional financing was signed in Colombo on July 18 between the Government of Sri Lanka and IRCON International Ltd., represented respectively by Arjuna Ranatunga, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, and Sunil Kumar Choudhury, Chairman & Managing Director, IRCON.
Note:
About Sri Lanka
Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Trending
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit dead
- Former chief minister of Delhi and senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit passed away Today.
- She was admitted to Fortis Escorts Heart Institute on Saturday morning in a critical state due to a cardiac problem.
- Sheila Dikshit was the chief minister of Delhi for 15 years and possibly one of the longest-serving chief ministers of the Congress.
Note:
About Congress
Founder: Allan Octavian Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Edulji Wacha
Founded: 28 December 1885, Mumbai
Alliance: United Progressive Alliance
Headquarters: 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi 110001
Try out the quiz ?
1. In which city Global Innovation Index has been launched ?
Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will launch the Global Innovation Index in New Delhi.
2. Who has been nominated for the International Association of Athletics Federation’s ‘Veteran Pin’?
PT Usha has been nominated for the International Association of Athletics Federation’s ‘Veteran Pin’ for her outstanding service to the sport.
3. Who is the promoter of MindTree?
Bengaluru-based IT services firm Mindtree Ltd has appointed A M Naik as the company's new non-executive chairman. He replaces Krishnakumar Natarajan. L&T became the new promoter of Mindtree after buying a 60.59% stake.
4. Which state government will set up the India’s first space tech park?
The Kerala government will set up the country’s first space tech park at Thiruvananthapuram's Knowledge City.
5. India's first garbage café has launched in which city of Chhattisgarh?
India's first garbage café has launched in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh.
6. Sri Lanka has signed an agreement with which country to upgrade railway tracks?
Sri Lanka has signed an agreement with India to upgrade tracks in a key railway segment connecting the north and south at a cost of $ 91.26 million.
7. Tamil Nadu Government has announced the creation of two new Districts. After this announcement total number of Districts in Tamil Nadu will be....
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced that Tenkasi and Chengelpet districts would be carved out of Tirunelveli and Kanchipuram respectively, taking the total number of districts in the state to 35.
8. Who has declares Congo Ebola outbreak a Health emergency of International Concern?
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today declared the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
9. Which company brand has become India’s most valuable brand according to the Brand Finance India report 2019?
The brand "Tata" has become India’s most valuable brand for the second straight year in 2019, according to the Brand Finance India 100 2019 report.
10. Which Indian cricketer has been inducted into ICC Hall of Fame?
Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was inducted into International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame along with South African pace legend Allan Donald and Australian woman cricketer Cathryn Fitzpatrick.
11. Who has clinched 4th gold at in the Tabor Athletics Meet 2019?
Star Indian sprinter Hima Das clinched her fourth gold of the fortnight as she won the 200m race with a creditable time in the Tabor Athletics Meet in Czech Republic .
12. Where is the headquartered of Repco Micro Finance?
Repco Micro Finance, an NBFC-MFI promoted by Repco Bank has received Nabard’s award for outstanding performance in terms of self-help group (SHG) linkage in Tamil Nadu for 2018-19.
13. Which country has cancelled the deal to sell the F-35 fighter jets to Turkey?
President Donald Trump has announced that the US would not sell the F-35 fighter jets to Turkey after Ankara purchased the S-400 missile defense system from sanctions-hit Russia.
