Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2019

Notes:
The scientists from Technion — Israel Institute of Technology (IIT) have developed a concept & have named Ramanujan Machine, after the Indian mathematician. It is not really a machine but an algorithm that automatically generates conjectures for fundamental constants. The Conjectures are mathematical statements which are proposed as true statements. In other words, they are mathematical statements that are, as yet, unproven. Typically, people provide the input and the algorithm (hopefully) finds the solution. The Ramanujan Machine reverses the process. So, if a constant such as π is fed into the machine, it will generate a series whose value would lead towards π. The researchers hope that their creation will inspire younger mathematicians. If a user develops a new proof or algorithm, it will be named after him. The algorithm reflects the way Srinivasa Ramanujan worked during his brief life (1887-1920). Throughout his life, Ramanujan came up with novel equations and identities —including equations leading to the value of pi — and it was usually left to formally trained mathematicians to prove these.

Notes:
The Union Government has proposed light urban rail transit system – ‘Metrolite’ – in small cities and towns having lower projection of ridership, with each train having three coaches and a restricted speed of 25 kmph. The ‘Metrolite’ can be developed at a lower cost in comparison with existing metro system & will also act as feeder system to high capacity Metro. The three-coach train will have capacity of carrying 300 passengers. Sources said the government would provide financial assistance to states to implement the light urban rail transit system. It will have a dedicated path separating the road traffic with it. For segregation with road traffic, fencing can be provided on either side of network. The ‘Metrolite’ system will have shelter platforms. Metrolite platforms will not have AFC gates, platform screen doors, X-ray and baggage scanner. The ‘Metrolite’ train will comprise three non-separable coaches with low floor height of about 300-350 mm. Unit length should be of minimum 33 m. The car structure material will be stainless steel or aluminium.

Notes:
Four-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa has become the India’s first gold-medallist at the President’s Cup boxing tournament after getting a walkover in the finals in Astana, Kazakhstan on July 20, 2019. It was his international debut in the newly-introduced Olympic category of 63kg. Thapa was to fight Kazakhstan’s Zakir Safiullin in the summit clash but his opponent had to pull out due to injury. Earlier, this year, Thapa had lost to Safiullin in the 2019 Asian Championship semifinal.

Notes:
The Kerala Government has decided to set up a state-of-the-art Space Systems Park at Knowledge City Thiruvananthapuram to attract global start-ups working in space sector and also develop it as a major manufacturing hub for space-related technology, research and development. The state government has claimed that it will be the India’s first space park. The state government has issued orders to make Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre and Space Museum part of the space park and to allot the land required for the facility. This will be an added attraction to the park and the entire investment will be made by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The government will transfer 20.01 acres as lease to the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) to develop the space park at Knowledge City within Technocity as an international space technology ecosystem. Of this, 16.07 acres, now having SEZ status, will be denotified by KSITIL. The land belongs to Technopark. The project will be implemented by the Electronics and IT Department, government of Kerala.

Notes:
The Eleventh biennial edition of DefExpo India – 2020 is scheduled to be held for the first time in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow from 5th February 2020. The 4-day event will offer an excellent opportunity for the Indian defence industry to showcase its capabilities and promote its export potential. The main theme of the DefExpo India- 2020 will be — India – the Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub and the focus will be on Digital Transformation of Defence. The exhibition will also highlight the emergence of Uttar Pradesh as an attractive destination for investment in the defence sector and act as a platform for alliances and joint ventures in the defence industry. The DefExpo will provide an opportunity to the major foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers to collaborate with the Indian defence industry and help promote Make in India initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Notes:
The 17th edition of the Homeless World Cup football tournament will take place in Cardiff in Wales from July 27 to August 3, 2019. The tournament is organised by the Homeless World Cup Foundation, which uses football as a vehicle to help homeless people learn to trust, share, and build relationships and discipline. As per the Homeless World Cup Foundation, players must be at least 16 years old and should not have taken part in a previous edition of the World Cup. Indian men’s and women’s football squads, led by Amrit Pal Singh and Sujata Rai, would take part in the 2019 football tournament. Singh hails from Bhathinda in Punjab while Sujata Rai is from West Bengal. Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain.

Notes:
India has successfully launched its 2nd lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 onboard its powerful rocket GSLV-MkIII-M1 from Sriharikota to explore the uncharted south pole of the Moon by landing a rover. The Rs 978 crore mission will mark a giant leap in India’s space research and make it only the 4th country to have landed a rover on Moon. For the first time in India’s space history, an interplanetary expedition is being led by two women – Muthaya Vanitha (the project director) & Ritu Karidhal (the mission director). According to ISRO, the lunar South Pole is an interesting surface area which remains in shadow than North pole. There is a possibility of the presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it. The lander ‘Vikram’, named after father of Indian space research programme Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, carrying the rover ‘Pragyan’, will be landed in a high plain between two craters at a latitude of about 70 degrees South of the moon. Then the 27-kg ‘Pragyan’ meaning ‘wisdom’ in Sanskrit and a six-wheeled robotic vehicle, will set out on its job of collecting information on lunar surface. A safe site free of hazards for landing would be decided based on pictures sent back by the camera onboard the lander and after touchdown the rover will carry out experiments for 14 Earth days, equals one Lunar Day.

Notes:
The book titled “Indo-Pak Relations: Beyond Pulwama and Balakot” has been authored by Dr. U V Singh. The book deals with the fundamental causes of the Indo-Pak conflict—why it is difficult, if not impossible, to have peace between the two neighbors. Also it explores the short spurt of Pulwama-Balakot stand-off or a game of one-upmanship.

Notes:
Two-time Olympic gold medal winning Hockey Player Keshav Dutt and former India Football Captain Prasun Banerjee has been chosen for 2019 Mohun Bagan Ratna. This is the first time that the club is conferring the award on a sportsperson from a discipline other than football. Dutt (93) was part of the team that won gold in the 1948 (London) and 1952 (Helsinki) Olympics. Prasun was a prominent midfielder of his times. He played in three Asian Games in 1974, 1978 and 1982 and was part of an Asian All Star XI team. The Best Footballer for the 2018-19 will be given to Arijit Bagui. Mohun Bagan will also felicitate pacer Mohammed Shami, India’s hat-trick hero of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, while footballer Ashok Chatterjee will be given the Lifetime Achievement award. The Mariners will also give Life Memberships to Sourav Ganguly, ChuniGoswami, Dr Vece Paes, Prasenjit Chatterjee and Deb Shankar Halder. The awards will be given away on Mohun Bagan Day on July 29. July 29 is celebrated as the ‘Mohun Bagan Day’ because on this day in 1911, the Mariners became the first club to defeat a British club, East Yorkshire Regiment, and lift the IFA Shield.

Notes:
The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) set up to look into the legality of cryptocurrencies and blockchain has recently submitted its report to the Finance Ministry and recommended that private cryptocurrencies be banned completely in India. It has also drafted a law, the ‘Banning of Cryptocurrency & Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2019’, which mandates a fine and imprisonment of up to 10 years for offences. The committee was formed under the Chairmanship of Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg. The draft law says that anybody who mines, generates, holds, sells, deals in; transfers, disposes of or issues cryptocurrencies with will face a fine and/or jail time of between 1 and 10 years. The fine has been set at the either three times the loss or harm caused by a person, or three times the gain made by the person, whichever is higher.