Today’s Current Affairs 31st – July- 2018 – MyProgressCard

International News

1. 3rd BRICS Film Festival concluded with India Day

• The 3rd BRICS Film Festival took place in Durban, South Africa, along with the International Durban Film Festival (DIFF) from 22-27th July, 2018.
• The last day of the festival was celebrated as India Country Day, followed by Awards and Closing Ceremony. Awards won by Indian films in the 3rd BRICS Film Festival, Durban, South Africa.
• Best Actress: Bhanita Das, Village Rockstars
• Best Film: Newton by Amit Masurkar
• Special Jury Award: Village Rockstars by Rima Das.

Static/Current implications:

• Capital of South Africa – Cape Town

• Currency – South African Rand

2. China launches high-resolution Earth observation satellite “Gaofen-11”, to monitor BRI

• China successfully launched Gaofen-11 satellite, an optical remote sensing satellite, as part of its high-resolution Earth observation project.
• The Gaofen-11 satellite was launched on a Long March 4B rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province, China.
• It was the 282nd flight mission on a Long March carrier rocket. This satellite will be useful in land survey, urban planning, road network design, agriculture, and disaster relief.
• It will also provide data for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China introduced the Gaofen project in 2010.

Static/Current implications:

• Capital of China – Beijing

• Currency – Renminbi

3. Scientists discover new shape called Scutoid

• While studying nature’s way of moulding tissue to form the skin, cavity linings and the building blocks of organs, scientists have discovered a new shape called Scutoid.
• This shape has five sides on one end and six on the other and a triangular surface on one of its longer edges.
• Scientists have referred to it as a twisted prism kind of shape that allows the tissue to mold around organs.

National News

4. Chattisgarh CM to launch ‘Mobile Tihar’

• Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh launched the ‘Mobile Tihar’ (Mobile Festival) under the Sanchar Kranti Yojna (SKY).
• The scheme is for distribution of smart-phone to women and students in the station covering 45 lakh women and 5 lakh students.
• Under the programme, 460,000 students of Chhattisgarh’s colleges and 4 million women staying in rural areas will be given smartphones.

Static/Current Implications:

• Capital of Chhattisgarh – Raipur
• Governor – Balram Das Tandon

5. Indo-Nepal Tourism Forum to be set up

• The second meeting of tourism Joint Working Group (JWG) between India and Nepal was held in Kathmandu on 06.07.2018.
• In this meeting it was agreed to set up the Indo Nepal Tourism Forum with representation from government and private sector from both sides for mutual consultation and promotion of tourism in both countries.
• This JWG also decided to officially recognise two circuits, Ramayana Circuit and Buddhist Circuit by both governments for joint promotions through common branding and marketing exercises.

Static/Current Implications:

• Capital of Nepal – Kathmandu, Currency – Nepalese Rupee
• Prime Minister of Nepal – Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli
• President of Nepal and commander in chief of Nepalese Army – Bidhya Devi Bhandari

6. IT ministry launches “e-Aksharayan”   

• The IT ministry launched a desktop software “e-Aksharayan” to enable editing of text printed on scanned documents.
• The software can be downloaded for free from its website.
• The software supports editing in seven Indian languages – Hindi, Bangla, Malayalam, Gurmukhi, Tamil, Kannada and Assamese.

Static/Current Implications:

• Minister of Electronics and Information Technology – Ravi Shankar Prasad
• Constituency – Bihar (Rajya Sabha)

7. RIL reclaims its top slot

• Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) regained its status as the country’s most valued firm by market capitalisation (m-cap) on 31st July 2018.
• It replaced Tata Group’s Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) from the top slot.
• Reliance Industries had crossed the $100-billion market capitalisation mark.
• The m-cap figure of companies changes daily with stock price movement.

8. Health Ministry signed MoU with Ministry of Electronics And Information Technology

• National Health Agency (NHA) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the apex body for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM), and Common Service Centres (CSC) scheme under the Digital India Programme, have signed a MoU to provide information and eligibility validation services to beneficiaries, especially in remote areas.
• JP Nadda, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Law and Justice & Information Technology presided over the MoU signing ceremony.
• The main benefits under AB-NHPM are based on entitlement and not on enrolment, over 3 lakh CSCs spread across rural India can become the key point of information for potential beneficiaries and help in validating their entitlement.

Static/Current Implications:

• CEO of National Health Agency  – Dr. Indu Bhushan
• CEO of Common Service Centres-Special Purpose Vehicles (CSC-SPV) – Dr. Dinesh Tyagi

9. India a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) country: US

• The US has eased export controls for high-technology product sales to India by designating it as a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) country.
• The granting of STA-1 status to India comes after the US recognised India as a Major Defence Partner in 2016.
• Currently there are 36 countries on STA-1 list. India is the only South Asian country to be on the list.
• The STA-1 list currently comprises 36 countries in total.
• India is the only South Asian country to feature on the list.
• Other Asian countries designated as STA-1 include Japan and South Korea.

10. Two PSUs BEML and HEC sign pact to manufacture mining equipment

• BEML, HEC sign pact for making mining equipment
• The MoU will result into additional Rs 150-200 crore revenue for both PSUs.
• It will delivery time, reduce working capital and create capability for high capacity equipment.
• The mining products could be co-branded and will come under ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Awards/Honours

11. Gopalkrishna Gandhi to receive 24th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award

• Gopalkrishna Gandhi has been chosen for the 24th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award for his contribution in promoting communal harmony, peace and goodwill.
• Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a former governor of West Bengal. He will be presented with this award at an event on 20th August 2018 at Jawahar Bhawan in Delhi.
• The award contains a citation and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh. The award is presented on the birthday anniversary of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Obituaries

12. Former FTII director John Sankaramangalam passes away

• ilmmaker and former director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), John Sankaramangalam, died due to age related ailments in Thiruvalla, Kerala.
• John Sankaramangalam was 84 years old. He hailed from Pathanamthitta in Kerala. He had received two National and four Kerala State Film Awards.

Expected GK Questions from the above Current Affairs

1. The 3rd BRICS Film Festival was held in Durban, South Africa. Which Indian Film won the ‘Best Film’ award in the festival?

A. Village Rockstars                                                                              C. Newton
B. Tumhari Sulu                                                                                      D. Hindi Medium

2. China successfully launched which satellite, an optical remote sensing satellite, as part of its high-resolution Earth observation project?

A. Gaofen-11                                                                                           C. Gaofen-12
B. Tianhiu 1B                                                                                            D. Tanhen 1C

3. What is the name of the new shape discovered by American and Spanish scientists recently?

A. Cubanoid                                                                                                C. Quitoid
B. Scutoid                                                                                                   D. Meloid

4. Which of the following state government has launched a smartphone distribution scheme called Mobile Tihar under Sanchar Kranti Yojna?

A. Maharashtra                                                                                      C. Goa
B. Orissa                                                                                                  D. Chhattisgarh

5. With which country will India set up a forum for mutual consultation and promotion of tourism by the countries?

A. Bhutan                                                                                                  C. Nepal
B. Bangladesh                                                                                          D. Sri lanka

6. Name the desktop software launched by IT Ministry to enable editing and printing of text in scanned documents, in a conference for Indian Languages Technology Industry ‘Bhashantara’, in New Delhi?

A. e-Aksharayan                                                                                    C. e-EditnPrint
B. e-DocType                                                                                           D. e-ReadnType

7. Which firm surpassed TCS to become India’s most valued firm by market capitalisation (m-cap)?

A. Aditya Birla Group                                                                               C. Tata Group
B. Infosys                                                                                                  D. Reliance Industries Limited

8. Who among the following has signed a MOU with Common Service Centre to implement Ayushman Bharat scheme through the 3-lakh CSCs across the country?

A. All India institute of Hygiene and public health
B. National Health Accounts
C. Public health foundation of India
D. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

9. The US elevated which country’s status in the export control regime and designated it as a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) country?

A. China                                                                                                   C. Pakistan
B. India                                                                                                    D. Bangladesh

10. Recently, T C John, commonly known as John Sankaramangalam passed away. What was his profession?

A. Acting                                                                                               C. Dancing
B. Film Making                                                                                    D. Singing

11. Who has been chosen for the 24th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award for his contribution in promoting communal harmony, peace and goodwill?

A. Amit Singh                                                                                       C. Ajit Karmakar
B. Sanjay Reddy                                                                                  D. Gopalkrishna Gandhi

12. Which public-sector undertaking and BEML Ltd signed pact for making mining equipment?

A. Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL)
B. Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd (HEC)
C. Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
D. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)