Dear Aspirants,
The General Awareness Section plays an important role in scoring well above cut off marks in any competitive exam. The Banking Awareness and Static Awareness questions asked in the General Awareness Section are based on Current Affairs mainly. So you need to prepare well for this section to score good marks. Here is the Daily GK Update to get you acquainted with the top events that made the headlines today!
National
1. Kargil Vijay Diwas: 26 July
i. India remembers its brave hearts on 26 July which is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas.
ii. On this day, the country remembers the extreme valour, sacrifice and exemplary courage of Indian soldiers during 1999 Kargil war.
iii. This year nation is celebrating the 20 years of victory in Kargil war.
2. BS Yeddyurappa to take oath as karnataka CM
i. BS Yeddyurappa, 3-time chief minister of Karnataka, will once again take the oath as Karnataka CM as the Bharatiya Janata Party has staked the claim for government formation three days after HD Kumaraswamy’s government failed to prove majority.
International News
3. Pakistan to send its first man to space in 2022
i. Pakistan announced that it will send its first astronaut to space in 2022.
ii. It will be using close ally China’s satellite launching facilities to execute the mission.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For SBI Clerk Mains:
- Pakistan Capital: Islamabad; PM: Imran Khan; President: Arif Alvi.
Business
4. Apple acquires Intel’s smartphone modem business for $1bn
i. Apple has announced the acquisition of chip-maker Intel”s smartphone modem business for $1 billion.
ii. This agreement enables to focus on developing technology for the 5G network while retaining critical intellectual property and modem technology.
iii. Intel had been working on a chipset for the iPhone maker, with the chip expected to be part of iPhones by 2020.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For SBI Clerk Main :
- Present CEO of Apple: Tim Cook.
Agreements
5. ICMR launches platform to boost health data quality in India
i. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute for Medical Statistics (NIMS), in partnership with global nonprofit organisation Population Council, launched the National Data Quality Forum (NDQF).
ii. NDQF will integrate learnings from scientific and evidence-based initiatives and guide actions through periodic workshops and conferences.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For EPFO/LIC ADO Main 2019:
- Director General of ICMR: Balram Bhargava.
Appointments
6. Cong’s Adhir appointed as PAC chairman
i.The leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was appointed as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
ii. The PAC has 15 members from Lok Sabha and seven from Rajya Sabha.
iii. The term of office of members of the committee does not exceed one year at a time.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For EPFO/LIC ADO Main 2019:
- Present Lok Sabha Speaker: Om Prakash Birla.
7. Sunil Kumar given charge as MTNL chief
i. Sunil Kumar has been given additional charge of chairman and managing director of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).
ii. Kumar is currently Director (Human Resources and Enterprise Business) at MTNL and takes over from P K Purwar who was recently appointed chairman and managing Director of BSNL.
Defence
8. CISF launches a video Hub, encyclopedia for staff
i. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) launched an online encyclopedia called Securitypedia and also launched customised video interface for its personnel called CISFTube.
ii. For Recognising the need to empower its personnel by making technical know-how available to them at the click of a button.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For SBI Clerk Main 2019:
- Director General of CISF: Rajesh Ranjan.
9. Defence Minister launches Dashboard of Department Defence Production
i. Defence Minister launched dashboard of Department Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence.
ii. The dashboard will help the Ministry to keep track of the major components of Defence Production, including defence exports, defence offsets, Intellectual Property Rights and Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti.
iii. The dashboard is available for the general public at “ddpdashboard.gov.in”.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:
- Union Defence Minister: Rajnath Singh.
Science and Technology
10. China launches first private rocket capable of carrying satellites
i. Beijing-based startup “Interstellar Glory Space Technology” also known as iSpace successfully launched the china’s first commercial rocket.
ii. The 20 m (66-foot) rocket designed by iSpace named Hyperbola-1 reached an altitude of 300 kilometres (186 miles).
iii. The rocket is capable of carrying satellites into orbit.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For EPFO/LIC ADO Mains:
- Capital of China: Beijing; Currency: Renminbi.
Miscellaneous
11. IIT Kharagpur team develops app CARE4U
i. ‘CARE4U’ the android-based app which will connect the caregiver to the elderly person.
ii. The app has been built by an interdisciplinary team of the institute of IIT Kharagpur.
iii. This app will inform the caregiver when the elderly person falls down with the exact location.
Sports
12. Kristof Milak breaks the Phelps record in 200m butterfly stroke
i. Kristof Milak shattered Michael Phelps’ long-standing world record in the 200 metres butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju.
ii. Hungarian teenager Milak won the final in 1:50.73, breaking the previous record of 1:51.51, set by Phelps in 2009.
13. BCCI approves Indian Cricketers Association
i.The BCCI has approved the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA).
ii. The ICA is not affiliated to Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) and is only open to former men and women cricketers.
iii.Former India cricketers Kapil Dev, Ajit Agarkar and Shantha Rangaswamy are the directors at ICA.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Main 2019:
- BCCI President: C.K. Khanna; Headquarter of BCCI: Mumbai.
Obituaries
14. Tunisia’s first democratically elected president Essebsi passes away
i. Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi, the first democratically elected leader of the North African country passed away. He was the world’s oldest sitting president.
ii. Beji Caid Essebsi rose to prominence in 2011 after the uprising that ended the 23-year rule of former ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.