Current Affairs 12th July 2019 | Daily GK Update

i. UN Development Programme (UNDP) has released the 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index. Highlights of the reports are:

1. India’s MPI value reduced from 0.283 in 2005-06 to 0.123 in 2015-16.
2. India has lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, recording the fastest reductions in the multidimensional poverty index.
3. India and Cambodia has reduced their MPI values the fastest among the 10 selected countries for which changes over time were analysed.
4. Gains for India according to the report:

• deprivation in nutrition from 44.3% in 2005-06 to 21.2% in 2015-16.
• child mortality dropped from 4.5% to 2.2%.
• people deprived of cooking fuel reduced from 52.9% to 26.2%.
• deprivation in sanitation from 50.4% to 24.6%.
• people deprived of drinking water reduced from 16.6% to 6.2%.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For EPFO/LIC ADO Mains:

• Administrator of UNDP: Achim Steiner.

• Capital of Myanmar: Naypyitaw; Currency of Myanmar: Burmese Kyat.

i. The Bharat Chamber of Commerce and the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi, signed an MoU  for promoting trade and investments between the BRICS countries and the eastern part of India.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• BRICS Headquarters: Shanghai, China; President of BRICS: K V Kamath.
• Members of the BRICS: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

• Chief Minister of Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal; Lieutenant Governor of Delhi: Anil Baijal.

Appointments

7. Vikas Swarup appointed as Secretary of Overseas Indian Affairs

i. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Vikas Swarup, High Commissioner in Ottawa as Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs with effect from 01.08.2019.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For SBI PO/Clerk Mains:

• Capital of Canada: Ottawa; Currency of Canada: Canadian dollar.
• Minister of External Affairs: Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Summits & Conferences

8. First Global Conference for Media Freedom in London

i. The first Global Conference for Media Freedom co-hosted by the UK and Canada in London.

ii. A three members Indian media delegation, including Prasar Bharati Chairman A.Surya Prakash, Rajya Sabha MP and journalist Swapan Dasgupta, and journalist and political analyst Kanchan Gupta, have attended the first Global Conference for Media Freedom.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For ESIC:

• World Press Freedom Index 2019: Rank of India 140th out of 180.

9. USISPF second annual leadership summit held in Washington

i. The US India Strategic and Partnership Forum 2nd annual leadership summit held in Washington. “US India Bilateral Trade Report” was released on the occasion.
ii. Some findings of the report are:

• US India bilateral trade could reach USD 238 billion by 2025.
• Sectors such as defence trade, commercial aircrafts, oil and LNG, coal, machinery and electronics are areas of potential growth.
• The US-India trade balance has grown 3.8 per cent on an average in favour of India.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For EPFO/LIC ADO Mains:

• President of United States: Donald Trump; Capital: Washington, DC.

10. 19th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting in London

i. The 19th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting was held in London. External Affairs Minister conveyed India’s stand at the meet.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• External Affairs Minister of India: S. Jaishankar.
• UK Capital: London; Currency: Pound sterling.

i. India have won 4 gold medals in Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships held in Apia, Samoa. The Indian medallists are:

• Men (Elite and junior): Achinta Sheuli has won 2 gold medals in 73kg event.
• Junior: Gulam Navi has won gold medal in 67kg event.
• Junior and youth: L. Sadananda Singh has won Bronze & Gold medals in 73kg event.
• Women (Elite): Manpreet Kaur has won silver medal in 76kg event.
• Junior: R. Arockiya Alish has won silver medal in 76kg event.

12. Mexico wins CONCACAF Gold Cup final

i. Mexico defeated USA  to claim their eighth CONCACAF Gold Cup title. Jonathan Dos Santos scored the winning goal in 73rd min for Mexico in the thrilling final.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For EPFO/LIC ADO Mains:

• Capital of Mexico: Mexico City; Currency of Mexico: Mexican peso.

Miscellaneous

13. Film Divisions to launch documentary film club in Mumbai

i. Film Divisions will launch documentary film club “KSHITIJ” in Mumbai. The club will be launched by Films Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, in association with Indian Documentary Producer’s Association (IDPA).

ii. The acclaimed documentary film “Secret Life of Frogs” by Ajay & Vijay Bedi will be screened as the inaugural film. 

Obituaries

14. Soumendranath Kundu passes away

i. Former Bengal and Railway leg-spinner Soumendranath Kundu passed away. Kundu was conferred the CAB Kartick Bose life- time Achievement Award 2014.

ii. Kundu took 127 wickets in 30 First Class matches between 1958-59 and 1968-69. He also took 10 wickets in a match thrice.