Current Affairs Quiz 8th July 2024 Quiz

Exp. NCPCR declares mica mines in Jharkhand ‘child labour free’

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) declared the mica mines of Jharkhand’ child labour-free’ at an event in Koderma, Jharkhand.

NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo announced that this is the first-ever successful endeavour to cleanse a supply chain of child labour in mica mining.

The widespread use of child labour in mica mining led to an initiative from the government in collaboration with civil society to stop the use of child labour in mica mining and rehabilitation of the child labour freed from mining.

A Child labour-free mica initiative was launched 20 years ago with the participation of the state government, district administration, village panchayats, civil society and the central government. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights was later involved in the initiative after its creation.

About National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

• NCPCR is a statutory body which was set up under the provisions of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
• The NCPCR came into existence in 2007
• The NCPCR comes under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Chairperson of NCPCR – Priyank Kanoongo

Exp. Madhya Pradesh launches ‘Lokpath Mobile App’ to Expedite Road Issue Resolution

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav has launched the Lokpath Mobile App.

The goal of this digital project is to quickly fix road problems that people report within seven days. It is a big step toward better road upkeep and accountability in the state.

It is developed by Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation Limited (MPSEDC); the app was created by the Public Works Department (PWD).

The Lokpath Mobile App lets people directly share problems with the roads, like potholes or other damage.

About Madhya Pradesh

• Capital – Bhopal
• Chief Minister – Dr Mohan Yadav (replace Shivraj Singh Chauhan)
• Deputy CM – Jagdish Devda & Rajendra Shukla
• Speaker of Madhya Pradesh Assembly – Narendra Singh Tomar
• Governor – Mangubhai C. Patel
• Lok Shaba Seats – 29
• Rajya Sabha Seats – 11
• Legislative Assembly Seats – 230

Exp. BPCL partners with Indian Olympic Association as Principal Sponsor

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has partnered with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as the official Principal Partner for four years, starting from Paris Olympics ’24 through Los Angeles Olympics ’28.

This four-year partnership supports and salutes the sheer grit and determination of Indian athletes, many of whom come from humble backgrounds and remote corners of India.

As part of this collaboration, BPCL will launch series of campaigns designed to support and uplift the Indian contingent heading to Paris.

These initiatives aim to inspire the nation, galvanize support for our athletes, and celebrate their relentless pursuit of excellence on the global stage.

About Bandhan Bank

• Founded – 2001
• Founder – Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
• Headquarters – Kolkata
• MD & CEO – Ratan Kumar Kesh (Interim)
• Chairperson – Anup Kumar Sinha

Exp. USA to host NATO summit in Washington DC

USA will host the 3-day NATO summit in Washington DC.

The three-day NATO summit to be held here from July 9 to 11 will be the first to include Sweden as a member of the alliance.

Sweden officially joined the alliance in March.

The summit is likely to show a strong demonstration of America and its allies’ support for Ukraine and make significant new announcements to increase military, political and financial support for the war-torn European country.

The historic summit would also mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which is now a strong military alliance of 32 countries.

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

• Founded – 1949
• Headquarters – Brussels, Belgium
• Secretary General- Mark Rutte
• Member countries -32 (32^nd Sweden, 31^st Finland)
• Founding Members – United States, Canada, and ten European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.
• NATO is a military alliance between North American and European countries.

Exp. 7 July – World Kiswahili Language Day

World Kiswahili Language Day is observed every year on 7 July. This year observed the 3rd World Kiswahili Language Day.

It highlights the important role of this African language in promoting understanding and harmony across cultures.

Theme 2024 – Kiswahili: Education and Culture of Peace

In November 2021 at its 41st Session in Paris, the General Conference of UNESCO declared July 7th World Kiswahili Language Day.

By Resolution 41 C/61, Member States recognized the critical role played by Kiswahili in promoting cultural diversity, creating awareness, and fostering dialogue among civilizations.  

Exp. Bandhan Bank appoints Ratan Kr Kesh as interim MD & CEO

The board of private sector lender Bandhan Bank approved the appointment of Ratan Kumar Kesh as interim MD and CEO of the bank with effect from July 10 for a period of three months.

The present MD and CEO, Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, is set to retire on July 9.

Mr. Kesh has been the executive director and chief operating officer of Bandhan Bank since March 2023. He was formerly with the ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Yes Bank and Axis Bank.

About Bandhan Bank

• Founded – 2001
• Founder – Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
• Headquarters – Kolkata
• MD & CEO – Ratan Kumar Kesh (Interim)

Exp. Elisa de Anda Madrazo assumes charge as FATF President

Mexico’s Elisa de Anda Madrazo has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

She succeeded Mr. T. Raja Kumar of Singapore.

Elisa is the president from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2026.

Ms. De Anda has over a decade of experience in leadership positions in the anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) sector.

Ms. De Anda currently serves as Director General in Mexico’s Ministry of Finance and Public Credit. Elisa joined the Ministry in 2015.

About Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

• Founded – 1989
• Headquarters – Paris, France
• Membership – 40
• President – Elisa de Anda Madrazo; Mexico (replace T Raja Kumar; Singapore)

Recent Appointment in Foreign

• First woman brigadier in Pakistan Army from minority community – Helen Mary
• Defence minister of Russia – Andrei Belousov (replace Sergei Shoigu)
• UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia – Gita Sabharwal (India)
• MD of International Monetary Fund – Kristalina Georgieva (2nd time)

Exp. Siddhartha Mohanty reappointed MD and CEO of LIC

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has re-designated its chairman Siddhartha Mohanty as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO).

Mohanty was appointed as the chairperson of LIC in April 2023 until June 29, 2024. Thereafter, he was scheduled to take over the role of MD & CEO of the corporation until June 7, 2025.

Currently, LIC has four other Managing Directors: M. Jagannath, Tablesh Pandey, Sat Pal Bhanoo, and R. Doraiswamy.

Siddhartha Mohanty began his career with LIC as an apprentice officer in 1985. Over nearly 40 years, he has held various roles within LIC, including Executive Director (Legal) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at LIC Housing Finance Limited (HFL).

About LIC

• Established: 1956
• Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman- Siddhartha Mohanty
• It is owned by the Government of India and under the Ministry of Finance.

Exp. DRDO unveils indigenous light tank Zorawar

India has unveiled its first indigenously designed and developed light battle tank that will be capable of delivering devastating firepower at high altitude battlefields and operating in all-weather conditions.

Developed in a record time of under two years in response to Chinese armoured deployments in Eastern Ladakh, the 25-ton tank named ‘Zorawar’ is the result of a public-private partnership between DRDO and L&T.

The project at the L&T production facility in Hazira with the Zorwar carrying out high speed ground tests and showcasing its ability to transverse high incline slopes.

Next, the tank will head to a specialised track near Chennai where it will be thoroughly tested in all conditions, following which it will be offered to the Army for trials.

The weight of the tank has been kept at 25 tons for higher mobility at extreme altitudes and will feature a 105 mm gun made by John Cockerill, which will also be produced in India.

Exp. Dhruv Sitwala win Asian Billiards Championships

India’s Dhruv Sitwala has won the men’s Asian Billiards Championships after defeating Pankaj Advani in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dhruv set the tone for the match with an impressive start, scoring 103 points, while Advani struggled to get on the board, finishing with no points.

Advani managed to improve his game, scoring 36 points, but Dhruv maintained his dominance with another 100.

Advani found his rhythm in the third frame and outplayed Dhruv, achieving a remarkable 101. Dhruv, however, had an off-frame, scoring only two points.

While, India’s Anupama Ramachandran has won the maiden Asian Snooker Championship Title with a gritty 3-1 win over Panchaya Channoi of Thailand.

Exp. Kolkata, Kokrajhar, Jamshedpur & Shillong to host 133rd Durand Cup

The 133rd Durand Cup matches will be held in Kolkata, Kokrajhar (Assam), Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), and Shillong (Meghalaya). For the first time, Jamshedpur will host the Durand Cup matches.

The 133rd edition of the Durand Cup will begin on 27 July 2024 and end on 31 August 2024.

The final is being played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant is the reigning champion who defeated East Bengal last year to lift the trophy.

Exp. Viswanathan Anand crowned Leon Masters champion for the 10th time

Viswanathan Anand, the five-time world champion, showcased his exceptional skills once again by defeating Jaime Santos Latasa from Spain with a score of 3-1 in the finals, securing his 10th victory at the Leon Masters.

The 54-year-old Anand demonstrated that this tournament remains one of his preferred hunting grounds, having won his first title here 28 years ago in 1996.

The tournament featured four players, including Anand’s compatriot Arjun Erigaise, the world number four, and Bulgarian Veselin Topalov. Each round consisted of four games, with a time control of 20 minutes per player and a 10-second increment after every move.

In the second semifinal, Arjun suffered a defeat against Santos Latasa with a score of 1.5-2.5, which was considered a remarkable victory for the Spaniard, given the significant difference in their ratings.

Exp. Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix to End 3-Year Drought

Lewis Hamilton held off Max Verstappen in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone for a first victory since Saudi Arabia in 2021.

Lando Norris of McLaren was third. Oscar Piastri of McLaren was fourth with Carlos Sainz of Ferrari sixth and Nico Hulkenberg of Haas seventh.

It was a record-extending 104th of Hamilton’s career and set a new string of records – not least the first F1 driver to win a race in 16 different seasons and first to win nine at the same circuit.

Recent 2024 Grand Prix Winner

• Spanish Grand Prix 2024 – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Canadian Grand Prix 2024 – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Monaco Grand Prix – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (Monaco)
• Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Miami Grand Prix – McLaren’s Lando Norris (British)
• Chinese Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Japanese Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Australian Grand Prix – Ferrari’s Carlos Saina (Spain)
• Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Bahrain Grand Prix 2- Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)

Exp. Veteran Actor Smriti Biswas passed away

Veteran actor Smriti Biswas passed away at the age of 100.

Biswas made her acting debut with the 1930 Bengali film Sandhya and appeared last in the 1960 movie Model Girl.

She last appeared in the Hindi film Modern Girl (1961), directed by R. Bhattacharya.  

Exp. Jon Landau, Oscar-winning producer on ’Titanic’ and ’Avatar’, dies

Jon Landau, an Oscar-winning producer who worked closely with director James Cameron on “Titanic” and the “Avatar” series, passed away at the age of 63.

Landau’s partnership with Cameron led to three Oscar nominations and a best picture win for 1997’s “Titanic. Together the pair account for some of the biggest blockbusters in movie history, including “Avatar” and its sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water.

Landau’s career began in the 1980s as a production manager, and he gradually rose through the ranks until taking on a producer role on “Titanic,” Cameron’s expensive epic about the infamous disaster.