IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF
JULY 31th, 2018
1. The United
States has granted Strategic Trade Authorization-1
(STA-1) status to India.
a. This
status allow India's easier access to sensitive and high-technology
products.
b. This
move also will reduce the number of licenses required for US exports to India
and allow easier sale of defence technologies.
c. Important
Point to Note : India is the only south Asian nation among
the 36 countries that have been granted STA-1 status.
2. Cambodia’s
ruling party CPP ( Cambodian People's Party) has won an
expected victory in an election Sunday widely considered illegitimate after the
only credible opposition was silenced.
a. This
election ensures that long-ruling Prime Minister Hun Sen,
who has been in power since 1985, will serve another five-year term.
b. About
Combodia :
i. Capital : Phnom
Penh
ii. Official
Language : Khmer
iii. Currency : Riel
iv. King :
Norodom Sihamoni
v. Prime
Minister : Hun Sen
vi. President
of the Senate : Say Chhum
vii. President
of the National Assembly : Heng Samrin
3. The
2-day Unified Commanders' Conference (UCC) for the year 2018
concluded today at New Delhi.
a. The
Annual Conference provides a platform for discussions at the Apex Level on all
'Joint Issues' amongst the three Services and Ministry of Defence and enables
stock-taking of the previous year and planning the way ahead for the next year.
b. The
Conference was attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, State
Defence Minister, National Security Advisor, the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air
Force and other Senior Military and Civil Officials of the Ministry of Defence
and Tri-Service Organisations/Institutions.
4.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill,
2018, which provides for stringent punishment including Death
penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years,
was passed in Lok Sabha today.
a. The new
provision also proposes that trials in courts for rape cases should be presided
by a woman judge.
b. The
bill will now be sent to Rajya Sabha for the approval.
5.
Bollywood Actress Kangana
Ranaut and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singhtoday
launched a smartphone distribution scheme titled 'Mobile Tihar' under
Sanchar Kranti Yojana.
a. The
scheme includes distribution of smartphones to 45 lakh women and 5 lakh
children, and setting up of 556 new mobile towers.
6.
Lok Sabha has passed Homoeopathy
Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018 by voice vote to replace
Ordinance promulgated by President in May 2018.
a. This
bill amends Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 which sets up Central Council
of Homoeopathy and regulates homoeopathic education and practice
7.
Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has unveiled
blueprint of Deep Ocean Mission (DOM).
a. This
mission proposes to explore deep-ocean by emulating success of Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) in designing and launching satellites.
b. For
this mission, Centre has drawn up a five-year, Rs. 8,000 crore plan to explore
deep recesses of the ocean.
8.
Bogibeel, India’s
longest rail-cum-road bridge, is likely to be inaugurated in October
this year.
a. Built
over the Brahmaputra river, 4.94 kilometres long rail-cum-road
bridge connects the North and South banks of river Brahmaputra and
is situated in the eastern region of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
9. India's
richest person Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited
(RIL) today beat Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to become the Most
Valued Company in India.
10.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled
the licences of as many as 35 Non-Banking Financial Companies
(NBFCs) today.
a. In a
statement issued by the RBI, the central bank said these companies will not be
able to do the business of a non-banking financial institution from now
on.
b. The
central bank has cancelled the licences of over 100 NBFCs this month
alone.
11. Olympic cross-country skiing gold
medalist Vibeke Skofterud (38) passed
away after a jet-skiing accident today.
a. Skofterud
won the 4x5 kilometre cross-country skiing relay gold at the Vancouver Winter
Olympics in 2010 and was twice world champion, in 2005 and 2011.
12. Mohun
Bagan 'Ratna' Award, the highest honour of the century-old club
will be conferred on former India international Pradip
Chowdhury tomorrow.
a. Chowdhury
will be the 18th recipient of the prestigious award, which was
first given to Sailen Manna in 2001.
b. Former
India defender Subrata Bhattacharya won the prize last
year.
c. Goalkeeper Shilton
Paul will be awarded the Best Footballer for the year
2017-18.
d. The
awardees also include Sudip Chatterjee (Best
Cricketer), Sourav Das (Best Youth Footballer Player)
and a special award to Rahim Ali for his performance in
the U-17 World Cup.
13.
American and Spanish scientists have
discovered a new 3D shape called 'Scutoid' while
studying human tissue folds which form the skin, cavity and organ
linings.
a. The
twisted prism-like shape has 5 sides at one end and 6
sides at the other end, besides a triangular
surface on one of its longer edges.
b. Researchers
claim that this new shape makes packing stable and "energetically efficient".
14.
After tests and configurations spanning three
months in space, NASA's latest planet-hunting spacecraft TESS (Transiting
Exoplanet Survey Satellite) has begun science operations.
a. The
telescope has been taking images of stars several light-years away with its
four cameras and will transmit its first observations in August.
b. Note : TESS
was launched by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket into a super elliptical orbit around
the Earth on April 18.
15.
India is going to ask e-commerce and
social media firms like Amazon and Facebook to
store customer data locally.
a. The
government is also planning to tighten the scrutiny of mergers in the
e-commerce sector that can potentially distort competition.
16.
All the 5 participating students from
India have won Gold medals at the 49th
International Physics Olympiad held in Portugal this year, in a first
since India started competing in 1998.
17. Egypt defeated
England to win the Boy's title at the WSF-World Junior
Squash team championship held in Chennai today.
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