2nd August 2019 Daily Current Affairs - PDF Download

Daily Current Affairs of 2nd August 2019

International Current Affairs

Russia today announced that the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty is "formally dead" after the US announced its formal withdrawal from the pact.
- The Cold War-era pact banned both the US and Russia from stationing short and medium-range missiles in Europe.
- The US had accused Russia of violating the pact by developing a new type of missile.
Saudi Arabia has allowed women above the age of 21 to obtain a passport and travel abroad without male consent, according to royal decrees published today.
- The royal decrees also grant women the right to register child birth, marriage or divorce.
- Note : Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has eased social restrictions as part of the 'Vision 2030' program.
For the fisrt time after Independence (1947), ‘Nagar Kirtan’ carrying Guru Granth Sahib which was taken out from Nankana Sahib district of Punjab province of Pakistan, arrived at Attari in Amritsar, India.
- Note : Nagar Kirtan is a Sikh custom involving the processional singing of holy hymns throughout a community. While practiced at any time, it is customary in the month of Visakhi (or Vaisakhi).

National Current Affairs

The Rajya Sabha has passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019.
- This bill seeks to designate a person suspected to have terror links as a "terrorist". The Bill was widely criticised by Opposition parties, saying the provision could be misused. Home Minister Amit Shah said that the UAPA Bill is to fight terror and has no other purpose.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched 10 e-cars for its officials based in Delhi to help fight pollution in the city.
Maharashtra has granted infrastructure project status for a ₹70,000-crore plan to build the world's first Hyperloop project, aiming to connect Mumbai and Pune.
- The status could help fasten land acquisition for the project over a 117.5-km stretch that will shuttle people between the cities in 23 minutes.
- The construction on an 11.80-km test track is expected to begin in 2020.
The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to remove the Congress President as a trustee of Jallianwala Bagh Trust was passed by the Lok Sabha today.
The Lok Sabha has unanimously passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
- This bill provides for death penalty for aggravated sexual assault on children and greater punishments for other crimes against minors.
- It also provides for fines and jail term to curb child pornography.

Science & Technology

Maharashtra became 1st state in the country to adopt an Automated Multi-modal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS) [Digital fingerprint and Iis scanning system] to help police investigations.
- This system will soon be replicated by police forces of other states in the country.

Awards & Honors

NDTV journalist Ravish Kumar is among 5 people who have been honoured with the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award, which is considered the highest honour given to Asian individuals and organisations.
- Kumar won the award for "harnessing journalism to give voice to the voiceless".
- Complete List of Ramon Magsaysay Awardees 2019
- - Ravish Kumar (India) : For Harnessing journalism to give voice to the voiceless. India
  - Raymundo Pujante Cayabyab (Philippines) : For Nurturing the gift and unifying power of music.
  - Kim Jong-Ki (Korea) : For Stemming the destructive tide of youth violence.
  - Angkhana Neelapajit (Thailand) : For Championing justice, case after painful case.
  - Ko Swe Win (Myanmar) : For Building the quality and force of media's truth-telling.
India-born doctor Bhasha Mukherjee was crowned Miss England 2019 at a ceremony in Newcastle.
- The 23-year-old moved to England with her parents at the age of nine and settled in Derby. Mukherjee holds two different medical degrees, one in medical sciences and the other in medicine and surgery.

Banking, Business & Economic Affairs

India's economy has been pushed to the 7th spot in GDP rankings in 2018 with the UK and France overtaking the country, the latest World Bank data showed.
- India's GDP was $2.73 trillion while that of UK was $2.83 trillion and France was $2.77 trillion.
- India had surpassed France and then the UK in 2017 to become the fifth-largest economy.
US President Donald Trump today announced a 10% tariff on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese imports starting September 1.
- Note : About $250 billion of imports from China are already subject to a 25% tariff.

New Appointments

Kelly Knight Craft has been appointed as the United States' ambassador to the United Nations.
- She will replace Nikki Haley who stepped down from the position at the end of 2018.
IT services firm Mindtree today named Debashis Chatterjee as its new Managing Director and CEO.
- He replaces Rostow Ravanan, who quit along with Chairman Krishnakumar Natarajan and Vice Chairman NS Parthasarathy after L&T's hostile takeover.
Girraj Prasad Gupta took over as Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure, Union Ministry of Finance with effect from 1 August 2019.
- He is 1983-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Officer.

Sports Current Affairs

India's unseeded pair Satwik SaiRaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty qualified for the Men's doubles semifinals after registering a win over qualifiers Choi Solgyu and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea at the Thailand Open Bangkok today.
- The 16th-ranked Indians will play against another South Korean pair of Ko Sung Hyun and Shin Baek Cheol in the semifinals on Saturday.

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