• The Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) has received the Internet Service Provider (ISP) license from the Department of Telecommunications.
• With this, Kerala has become the first and only state in the country to have its own internet service.
• The KFON is envisaged to provide free internet to BPL families and 30,000 government offices.
• The previous Left government had declared internet connection as a basic right and launched the Rs 1,548-crore KFON project in 2019.

• InterNations has released the Expat Insider Rankings for 2022, in which Mexico has topped the ranking, followed by Indonesia, Taiwan, Portugal, Spain, UAE, Vietnam, Thailand.
• India has ranked 36 out of the 52 countries, between Egypt (35th) and the UK (37th), China was placed in 33rd position.
• Bottom 10: Kuwait (52), New Zealand (51), Hong Kong(50), Cyprus (49), Luxembourg(48), Japan (47), South Africa (46th), Turkey (45th), Italy (44th), Malta (43rd)

• Manipur Governor, La Ganesan has been given the additional charge as the new Governor of Bengal, after the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar.
• He will discharge the functions of the governor of West Bengal, in addition to his own duties from the date he assumes charge of the office until regular arrangements are made.
• Jagdeep Dhankhar has filed his nomination as the Vice-President candidate by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

• NITI Aayog to launch the Mapping and Exchange of Good Practices initiative for mainstreaming millets in Asia and Africa in association with the World Food Programme.
• Both organisations will jointly prepare a compendium of good practices for scaling up the production and consumption of millets in India and abroad.
• The event will be inaugurated by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman, Suman Bery.
• WFP HQ: Rome, Italy; Founded: 1961
• International Year of Millets: 2023

• Hindalco Industries Ltd. has signed MoU with Israel based, Phinergy, and IOC Phinergy Pvt Ltd to develop Aluminium-air batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage.
• Hindalco, Phinergy and IOP partner on R&D and pilot production of aluminium plates for Aluminium-Air batteries, and recycling of aluminum after the usage in these batteries.
• Hindalco Industries is a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Group.
• IOC Phinergy, a JV between Phinergy and Indian Oil Corporation.

• Kotak Mahindra General Insurance has launched an automation of vehicle inspection for insurance renewals with Artificial Intelligence based technology.
• The company has partnered with Inspektlabs to automate the vehicle inspection process.
• Aim: Help in the renewal process as well as to detect fraud thereby aiding the underwriting process.
• During policy renewals process, the customers can capture photos or videos of their vehicle and upload them on the cloud-based App.

• Go Digit General Insurance has launched an add-on feature for motor insurance Own Damage policies, named ‘Pay as you Drive’.
• Customers who drive less than 10,000 Km per year on an average, will now pay less with this add-on.
• Digit will use odometer reading, telematics data and annual kilometer opted to give this discount (up to 25%).
• IRDAI has also permitted to the general insurance companies to introduce such tech-enabled concepts in motor OD policies.

• National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) Chairman, Uday Umesh Lalit has launched the country’s first AI-powered digital Lok Adalat during the 18th All India Legal Services Authorities’ meet held in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• The digital Lok Adalat by Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RSLSA) was designed and developed by Jupitice Justice Technologies (technology partner).

• Two-time Olympian, Mairaj Ahmad Khan has created history by becoming the first Indian shooter to win the gold medal in the men’s skeet event at 2022 ISSF World Cup in Changwon, South Korea.
• He has recorded 37 hits out of a possible 40 in the final to win gold.
• Minsu Kim from South Korea has bagged silver medal, while Ben Llewellin of Great Britain won bronze.
• Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team: Anjum Moudgil, Sift Kaur Samra and Ashi Chouksey won the bronze medal.

• Veteran playback singer, Bhupinder Singh has passed away in Mumbai at the age of 82.
• He was born in Punjab's Amritsar and started his career with All India Radio and was also associated with Doordarshan Delhi.
• He worked with Mohammed Rafi, RD Burman, Lata Mangeshkar, and Bappi Lahiri.
• He has sung many songs like "Hoke Majboor Mujhe, Usne Bulaya Hoga", with Mohammed Rafi, Talat Mehmood, and Manna Dey, "Dil Dhoondhta Hai" and "Duki Pe Duki Ho Ya Satte Pe Satta.

Download Daily GK PDF of 19 July 2022