Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2019

Notes:
The Andhra Bank has partnered with Floatbot to offer an Artificial Intelligence-powered virtual assistant for online banking users. The AI chatbot named “ABHi” – made by Floatbot – is integrated with Core Banking Servers (CBS) of Andhra Bank and will automate customer support for 5 crore Andhra Bank account holders. This AI chatbot solution can resolve customer queries and provide banking services in English, Hindi and Hinglish. With ABHi, customers will be able to get the information instantaneously 24×7, anytime they want. Customers can connect and know details from ABHi through website www.andhrabank.in over Mobile/Desktop browser, Facebook Messenger and over voice using Google Assistant. Customer can ask details on digital banking, loans, banking services, govt. schemes, insurance, senior citizen, RuPay Offers, Aadhaar services, payment mode, deposit/EMI Calculator, lodge a customer complaint, know nearest Branch / ATM on Google map, recharge prepaid mobile etc., on chat anytime and on move.

Notes:
The 5th International Police Expo 2019 was held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi with theme ‘Challenges to strengthen peace and security’ from July 19 to 20. The exhibition is an interactive platform where police representatives of different nations can meet policing security equipment and technology suppliers. Over 25 countries showcased advanced firearms, combat or armoured vehicles and a plethora of disruptive technologies in cyber security, drones, homeland security, and safety and rescue at the International Police Expo. More than 100 companies from Singapore, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, China, UK, the US, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, Poland and other nations displayed the best and advanced technologies at the expo organised by Nexgen Exhibitions. The police to people ratio at the all-India level is about 117 policemen for every 100,000 people.

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 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:
Yukiya Amano ( 72), the former Japanese diplomat and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief, has passed away on 23rd July 2019. He had been chief of the key U.N. agency that regulates nuclear issues worldwide since 2009. It is not yet clear who will succeed Amano on an interim basis. During his tenure, Amano oversaw the signing of a landmark deal in 2015 between Iran and six major powers — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States — under which the Islamic republic agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. As Head of the IAEA, Amano also dealt with the aftermath of the devastating 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan. Amano had wide experience in disarmament, non-proliferation diplomacy and nuclear energy.

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:
In Table Tennis, hosts India completed a clean sweep & claimed all the 7 gold medals at the 21st Commonwealth Championships, which concluded recently in Cuttack. Harmeet Desai and Ayhika Mukherjee won the men’s and women’s singles titles, respectively. Harmeet defeated favourite G. Sathiyan 4-3 in a hard-fought final to claim the men’s singles title. In women singles, Ayhika won her first gold in the championships after defeating former national champion Madurika Patkar 4-0. Anthony Amalraj and Manav Thakkar claimed the men’s doubles gold by stunning top seeds Sathiyan and Sharath Kamal 3-1.While Pooja Sahasrabudhe and Krittwika Sinha Roy defeated compatriots Sreeja Akula and Mousumi Paul 3-1 to claim the women’s doubles crown. Indian paddlers topped the medals tally with 7 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze. England won two silver and three bronze medals. Singapore got 6 bronze medals while Malaysia and Nigeria got 1 bronze each.

Notes:
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led West Bengal government has decided to bring legislation in the Assembly for ensuring the job security of Journalists in the State. The legislation aims at social security of Journalist. Besides, it will deal with the issues of retrenchment of Journalists and closure of TV channels and Newspapers publication houses.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh has become the first Indian State to reserve 75% jobs for local youths in all private industries. The state assembly has recently passed the Andhra Pradesh Employment of Local Candidates in Industries/Factories Act of 2019, which reserves 75% jobs in industrial units, factories, joint ventures and projects set up under public-private partnership mode. According to the new law, if a company does not find the necessary skills in locals, then it will need to train them in association with the state government. In this way, no company will be able to hide behind the excuse of not finding skilled local labourers. The act will ensure the employment of youth in the state but at the same time, the state will have to ramp up the training centres in order to make them skillful.

Notes:
Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary and London Mayor, has officially took over the charge as new British Prime Minister after Theresa May handed in her resignation to the Queen at Buckingham Palace. He promised to leave the European Union (EU) on 31st October 2019 under a “new deal, a better deal” with the 28-member economic bloc. Mr Johnson is expected to use the opportunity to increase the number of women in full cabinet positions and boost the representation of ethnic minorities.