Current Affairs 22 July 2020

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Current Affairs 22 July 2020

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1. South Korea's first-ever military satellite "ANASIS-II" launched
  • South Korea launched its first-ever military communications satellite on July 20, 2020. The satellite was launched by private operator SpaceX.
  • The military satellite, ANASIS-II is aimed at enhancing the nation’s ability to defend itself against nuclear-armed North Korea. The South Korean military satellite blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
  • The ANASIS-II satellite was successfully deployed about 32 minutes after the lift-off, confirmed SpaceX.  It is expected to reach its pre-planned orbit of 36,000 kilometres in about two weeks.
Foot Notes:
About South Korea:
Capital: Seoul
President: Moon Jae-in
Prime Minister: Chung Sye-kyun
 
2. Karnataka Deputy CM, inaugurates first plasma bank under Mission COPE
  • Karnataka Deputy CM C.N. Ashwathnarayan inaugurated state’s maiden plasma bank at HCG Hospital, Bengaluru as a part of Mission COPE (Covid Plasma Endeavour).
  • The state government in association with HCG Hospital and COVID India Campaign has launched Mission COPE to control the spread of COVID-19 and to promote plasma donation among the recovered patients.
  • Currently, there are only 4 to 5 plasma banks in India and the first was launched in New Delhi in early July 2020. The latest state to launch the plasma bank was Odisha.
Foot Notes:
About Karnataka:
Capital: Bengaluru
Governor: Vajubhai Vala
Chief Minister: B. S. Yeddyurappa
 
3. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 comes into force; Replaces Consumer Protection Act 1986
  • The Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 2019, which has replaced old Consumer Protection Act 1986 has came into force aiming to enforce and protect the rights of consumers, and provide an effective mechanism to address consumer grievances. The act was briefed by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan through video conference with media.
  • Notably, the rules for prevention of unfair trade practice by e-commerce platforms will also be covered under this Act. The rules for this new act will be finalized after the meeting of former Secretaries of the Consumer Affairs Department and Members of Parliament which will be held this month.
Foot Notes:
About Consumer Affairs Ministery:
Formed: 2 September 1946
Headquarters: Sansad Bhavan, New Delhi
Ministers responsible: Ram Vilas Paswan, 
Minister of State: Danve Raosaheb Dadarao
 
4. Pi Approximation Day is celebrated on 22 July every year.
  • The reason why this day is celebrated on 22 July is because of the value of Pi- 22/7.
  • The fraction 22/7 is said to be the common approximation of Pi (π).
  • Pi is the ratio of circumference of a circle divided by the distance across the circle, i.e., diameter of the circle.
  • The value of Pi is 22/7 or 3.14. Pi is an irrational number,
  • The first calculation of π was done by Archimedes of Syracuse (287–212 BC), one of the greatest mathematicians of the ancient world.
5. Rajya Sabha Secretariat Launches “Arun Jaitley Financial Assistance for Group C Employees” Scheme  for Employees Welfare
  • The Rajya Sabha Secretariat launched “Arun Jaitley Financial Assistance for Group C Employees”, an Employees Welfare Scheme in the name of former Union Minister of Finance, Arun Jaitley. The Scheme will be funded by the pension his family receives as he has been a member of the upper house. The scheme was formulated and approved based on the decision of Sangeeta Jaitley, wife of Arun Jaitley.
  • After the demise of Former Finance minister Arun Jaitley on 24th August 2019, Sangeeta Jaitley, submitted a request to the Chairman of Rajyasabha, M Venkaiah Naidu, to utilise the family pension (Rs 3 lakhs at present) entitled to her for the benefit of Group C employees of the RajyaSabha Secretariat with low salaries.
  • The wards of the Group C employees will be awarded 3 scholarships for higher technical or professional education in engineering, medicine and MCA/MBA/LLB. Financial support in case of death and medical emergencies will be provided to the Group C employees.
Foot Notes:
About RajyaSabha:
Chairman: M. Venkaiah Naidu
Secretary General: Desh Deepak Verma
Deputy Leader of the House: Piyush Goyal
Deputy Chairman: Harivansh Narayan Singh
 

 
6. Govt extends work from home for IT, BPO companies till Dec 31 due to COVID-19
  • Government has extended connectivity norms for work from home for IT and BPO companies till December 31 this year due to COVID-19 pandemic.
  • It has further extended the relaxations in the terms and conditions for other service providers up to 31st December 2020 to facilitate work from home in view of the ongoing concern due to COVID-19.
  • The time period for work from home was expiring on July 31.
7. First batch of 5 Rafale fighter jets to arrive in India by July-end
  • The aircraft will be inducted at Air Force Station Ambala on 29th July.
  • Indian Air Force aircrew and ground crew have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft, including its highly advanced weapons systems and are fully operational now.
  • India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.
  • The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons.
  • Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.
Foot Notes:
Air Force Chief: R K S Bhadauria
 
8. Dhruvastra, India's anti-tank guided missile, test-fired successfully in Odisha
  • On July 22, 2020, India successfully conducted the flight trial of Dhruvastra anti-guided missile at the Interim Test Range of Odisha.
  • The trials of the helicopter launched Nag Missile (HELINA) were successful. The missile has now been renamed as “Dhruvastra”.
  • Helina is a third-generation anti-tank guided missile mounted on Advanced Light Helicopter. The missile system can engage targets in direct hit mode and attack mode. Also, the system has all-weather day and night capability, defeat battle tanks with conventional armour and explosive reactive armour.
Foot Notes:
About Odisha:
Capital: Bhubaneswar
Governor: GaneshiLal
Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
 
9. Sumit Deb succeeds N Bajendra Kumar as CMD of National Mineral Development Corporation
  • Sumit Deb has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), iron ore mining major of the country.
  • Deb, at present Director (Personnel) in the NMDC, will have tenure till February 28, 2023, i.e. the date of his superannuation.
  • He succeeds N Baijendra Kumar who superannuates this month-end.
  • NMDC Limited, previously known as National Mineral Development Corporation, is an Indian state-controlled mineral producer.
  • It is 72.43% owned by the Government of India, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel.
Foot Notes:
About NMDC(National Mineral Development Corporation):
Headquarters: Hyderabad
Founded: 15 November 1958
CMD: Sumit Deb
 
10. Award-winning Spanish novelist Juan Marsé dies at age 87
  • Juan Marsé, the Spanish novelist, has died at age 87.
  • Marsé was one of Spain’s most-respected novelists over the past few decades and the winner of the 2008 Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking world’s top literary award.
  • Marsé’s most important novel was “Úlitmastardes on Teresa” (“Last Afternoons with Teresa”) published in 1965.
  • It chronicles the misadventure of a working-class adolescent who tries to win over a girl from the upscale side of Barcelona.
  • Marsé, a native of the city, followed that success with several other novels that form a portrait of the social transformation of Spain during the latter part of the 20th century.
 
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