Daily Current Affairs 31 July 2024, OPSC Exam Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs for OPSC Exam

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Government Setting Up 7 PM MITRA Parks With World Class Infrastructure

• The Government has approved setting up of 7 PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks in Greenfield/Brownfield sites (including a Greenfield project in Virudhanagar Tamil Nadu) with world class infra-structure including plug and play faci-lity with an outlay of Rs. 4,445 cr for a period of seven years upto 2027-28.
• Each park when completed will generate 1 lakh direct and 2 lakh indirect employments. Government Setting Up 7 PM MITRA Parks With World Class Infrastructure In order to implement the PM MITRA Scheme in Virudhnagar, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) i.e. ‘PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel Park, Tamil Nadu Limited’ has been incorporated with Government of Tamil Nadu holding 51% stake in the SPV and remaining 49% being held by the Government of India.

S Jaishankar unveils bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Tokyo

• A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in Tokyo’s Edogawa ward by external affairs minister S Jaishankar.

• Edogawa ward includes the Nishi-Kasai district, which is home to some 3,000 Indians. The area is also known as “Little India”.
• Edogawa ward and its mayor Takeshi Saito decided to build a relationship with India by having a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at a park that will be named after him.

Manoj Mittal assumes charge as CMD of SIDBI

• Manoj Mittal has been appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).

• Prior to this appointment, Mittal was Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer at governmentowned non-banking finance company IFCI.
• Manoj Mittal joined IFCI in June 2021 after serving SIDBI as its Deputy Managing Director between February 2016 and January 2021.
• Mittal has replaced S Ramann, who had joined SIDBI in April 2021 for a three-year period. Financial Services Institution Bureau (FSIB) had, in April this year, recommended the name of Manoj Mittal as CMD of SIDBI.

Bhupender Yadav launches Ideas4LiFE portal for inviting ideas related to products and services

• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav has launched Ideas4LiFE for inviting ideas related to products and services, that induce behavioral changes related to environment-friendly lifestyles in the presence of Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh at IIT Delhi.

• The portal ‘Ideas4Life.nic.in’ will allow participants to submit their ideas and innovations online.
• This initiative aims to encourage and motivate students, faculty and research scholars to contribute their innovative ideas to the global initiative of Mission LiFE.
• This is a remarkable opportunity for inspired minds to participate in global movement dedicated to environmental sustainability.

India assumes chair of Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre

• India has assumed the chairmanship of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center for 2024-25 at the meeting of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center held in Bangkok, Thailand.
• India took over the chairmanship from China, which was the chairman of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center for 2023-24.

• Founded – 1986
• Founding members: China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
• ADPC is an autonomous Inter-national Organization for coopera-tion in and implementation of disaster risk reduction and building climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific region.
• It promotes regional cooperation in implementing disaster risk reduction and building climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific region.

India Army off to Mongolia to take part in 21st EX- KHAAN QUEST 2024

• A contingent of the Indian Army has departed for Mongolia to participate in the multinational military exercise KHAAN QUEST.

• The 21st multinational KHAAN QUEST exercise will be held in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 27 July to 9 August 2024.

• • This year, the Indian Army contingent consists of 40 personnel from the Madras Battalion and personnel from other Arms and Services.
  • Three female personnel – one officer and two soldiers are also part of the Indian contingent.

• Khaan QUEST is an annual multinational military exercise co-sponsored by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and hosted annually by the Mongolian Armed Forces to promote regional peace and security in the region.

• When the military exercise started in 2003, it was a bilateral military exercise between the United States of American armed forces and the Mongolian defence forces. The multinational military exercise brings together the armed forces of various countries around the world to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for conducting joint operations.

INS Tabar reaches Saint Petersburg for Russian Navy Day celebrations

• Indian Navy’s frontline frigate, INS Tabar arrived at Saint Petersburg to participate in the 328th Russian Navy Day celebration.

• The ship, part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet which is based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command, was given a “warm welcome” by the Russian Federation Navy (RuFN).
• Around 200 ships and boats of various classes are involved in the Naval Parade being held in St. Petersburg.

• INS Tabar, is a stealth frigate built for the Indian Navy in Russia.
• The ship is commanded by Captain MR Harish and has a complement of 280 personnel.
• It is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors and is among the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy.
• Earlier this month, the Indian Naval Ship visited Casablanca in Morocco on a three- day visit.

Former Indonesia Vice President Hamzah Haz Dies

• Hamzah Haz, the vice-president of Indonesia from 2001 to 2004, has died at the age of 84. Serving under President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Hamzah was also a key figure in the Development Planning Party (PPP).
• He previously held roles as minister for investment, coordinating minister for people’s welfare, and deputy speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
• A former teacher and journalist, he was a contender in the 2004 presidential elections. Hamzah’s leadership signifi-cantly influenced PPP’s policies and direction over the years.

Men’s Cricket Asia Cup: India to host 2025 and Bangladesh 2027 edition

• The Asian Cricket Council has announced the host of the forthcoming biennial Men’s Cricket Asia Cup to be held in 2025 and 2027.

• • India will host the 2025 edition in T20 format, and Bangladesh will host the 2027 edition in One-Day International (ODI) format.
  • The format of the Asia Cup follows the format of the forthcoming World Cup and is scheduled accordingly.

• The last 2023 Asia Cup hosted by Pakistan was held in a hybrid model as India refused to play in Pakistan.

• • Indian matches were held in Sri Lanka and the final involving India was also held in Sri Lanka. India won the final, defeating Sri Lanka by 10 wickets to lift its 8th Asia Cup title.

• 2025 Asia Cup in T20 and 2027 in ODI Format India will host the 2025 Asia Cup in T-20 format, as the 10th ICC Men’s T-20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in 2026.

• India is the current world champion in the T-20 format. The 2027 Asia Cup will be held in ODI format in Bangladesh as the 14th ICC Men’s ODI World Cup will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027.
• Men’s Cricket Asia Cup The Asian Cricket Council organises the Men’s Cricket Asia Cup. The first Asia Cup was held in 1984 in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in a round-robin format, with India winning the championships.
• Since 2016, the Asia Cup has been played in T20 and ODI formats, alternatively following the upcoming cricket World Cup.
• It is held every two years. India is the most successful team in the Asia Cup, with eight title wins. Sri Lanka is the second most successful team, with six title wins, and Pakistan has won it two times.

• The Asian Cricket Council was founded as the Asian Cricket Conference in New Delhi in 1983 to develop and promote cricket in the region.
• In 1993, its name was changed to the Asian Cricket Council.
• Members—There are 27 members, of which the test-playing nations are India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• President: Jay Shah

Jia Rai: Youngest & fastest para-swimmer to cross the English channel

• 16-year-old Jiya Rai of Mumbai became the youngest and the fastest para swimmer in the world to cross the English Channel.
• She started her 34-kilometer swim from Abbot's Cliff in England on 28 July 2024 and reached her final destination, Pointe de la Courte-Dune, in France on 29 July.
• She covered the entire distance in a new world record time of 17 hours and 25 minutes for a para swimmer.
• Jiya Rai, who suffers from Autism Spectrum Disorder, is the daughter of an Indian Navy personnel.

• World Record for crossing Palk Strait Jiya Rai also holds the world record for being the youngest and the fastest swimmer to cross the Palk Strait, which separates India from Sri Lanka.
• She covered the 29 kilometers distance from Talaimannar, Sri Lanka, to Dhanuskodi, India, in 13 hours and 10 minutes.

Shooter Manu Bhaker & Sarabjot win historic bronze at Paris Olympics

• India won their second medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Tuesday as shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh clinched the bronze in the 10m Air Pistol mixed team event.
• The Indian duo edged South Korea’s Wonho Lee and Jin Ye Oh 16-10 to record India’s second medal of the Games, following Bhaker’s bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol.
• Manu Bhaker thus became the first shooter from India to win two Olympic medals, and the first Indian athlete in history to win two medals at the same Olympic Games.
• Sarabjot Singh is now the sixth shooter from India to win a medal at the Olympics. His partner Manu Bhaker had become the fifth Indian shooter to win an Olympics medal earlier.

Maduro declared winner of controversial Venezuela Presidential Poll

• The National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela has declared the sitting President Nicolas Maduro as the winner of the Presidential poll held in the country on 28 July 2024.

• The election results, which were announced by the CNS on 29 July 2024, were immediately rejected by the opposition, and large-scale protests broke out in various parts of the country.
• The sitting president, Nicolas Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), was contesting for the third time.
• He was facing a combined opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, a former diplomat. According to the CNE, President Maduro secured 51 per cent of the votes, while Edmundo Gon-zale secured 44 per cent of the votes.
• Thus, President Maduro was declared elected for this third six-year term as the President of Venezuela.

• A former bus driver, Nicolas Maduro, was elected the president of Venezuela after the death of the hugely popular socialist leader Hugo Chavez in 2013.
• He was again re-elected in 2018 for a six-year term.This is the third time he has been reelected as the President for a term of 2025-2031.
• Venezuela has been ruled by the PSUV party for almost 25 years.
• However, since Maduro came to power in 2013, the Venezuelan economy has been in deep trouble. According to the International Monetary Fund the economy has shrank by 80 percent during 2014-2021.
• The main reason was the sharp fall in the crude oil prices which is the main export item of Venezuela.
• The powerful neighbouring country -the United States of America, is opposed to the socialist government in Venezuela.
• It has imposed a range of economic sanctions on Venezuela, alleging abuse of human rights, corruption and democratic backsliding.
• The combined effect of the fall in oil prices, American sanctions, and the socialist government's mismanage-ment of the economy has led to a catastrophic economic condition in the country.
• The country is suffering from hyperinflation and acute food and medicine shortages.
• The continuing depressing economic situation in the country has led to a mass migration from the country.

• A court here has directed the Delhi Police to take legal action against a woman for registering a false rape case, saying the special privileges given to women should not be used as "sword" to settle personal scores.

• • Additional Sessions Judge Shefali Barnala Tandon also said that such false allegations destroy the life, reputation and social standing of the accused.
  • Noting the facts of the case, the court said an FIR was registered against the man on July 14, but the next day the prosecutrix gave a statement to the magistrate stating she voluntarily went to a hotel with the accused, where they had consensual sexual relations.
  • After a fight with the accused, however, she became irritated, called the police, and made allegations of rape in a fit of rage, the court noted.
  • "The men of our country have equal rights and protection under the law as enshrined in the Constitution, however, special privilege is given to the women.
  • But this special privilege and woman protecting laws should not be made a sword to settle scores or to satisfy ulterior motives, which is going rampant in the society," the court said. "Allegations of rape are made on drop of a hat nowadays for many other reasons as observed by the Courts, day in and day out. This is one such case in hand.

• False rape allegations not only destroy life of the man named but also reputation and social standing of his family members at large," it added.

• The court stated that rape is one of the most heinous and painful offenses, as it destroys both the soul and body of the victim. However, it also noted that the law against rape is being misused in some cases.
• "Both man and woman are two pillars of the society and are equal in every aspect, therefore, one should not overpower the other only on the basis of gender misuse," the court added.
• The court directed the state police to initiate appropriate legal action against the complainant for making a false complaint out of anger and in a state of intoxication, which led to the man's incarceration for around 10 days.
• "The police is also advised not to act in haste in arresting the accused person(s) in the cases where circumstances warrant some initial enquiry or investigation after writing due reasons as per law, since there cannot be any compensation sufficient to indemnify the innocent person for incarceration on the basis of false complaint," the court said.