Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 and 20 July 2020

1. UAE's Mars Mission Hope Probe launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.

• Recently UAE's Mars mission Amal or Hope Probe has been launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.
• The Hope Probe is launched by the H2A rocket from the Space Center in Japan.
• The Hope Probe spacecraft is expected to reach the red planet i.e. Mars by February 2021, coinciding with the 50^th anniversary of the formation of UAE.
• It is the first interplanetary landmark mission in the Arab world.
• Through this mission, the UAE will overtake all Middle East countries in the field of space and technology.

2. Income Tax Department launched e-campaign on voluntary compliance of income tax for the convenience of taxpayers.

• Recently the Income Tax Department has started an e-campaign on voluntary compliance of income tax for the convenience of taxpayers.
• This e-campaign will last for 11 days.
• The purpose of the e-campaign is to make taxpayers validate their tax and financial transaction information online available with the IT department and promote voluntary compliance.
• The campaign will focus on taxpayers who either did not file returns or have discrepancies for FY 2018-19.
• Under this e-campaign, taxpayers will be able to get details of their high value transaction information on the designated portal. There is no need to visit any income tax office, as the feedback has to be submitted online.
• The last date of filing is 31 July 2020 along with revising the income tax return for assessment year 2019-20.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. NABL has authorized CIPET, Bhubaneswar for testing and certification of PPE Kit.

• Recently the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories has authorized the Central Institute of Petrochemical Engineering and Technology (CIPET), Bhubaneswar for testing and certification of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits.
• The PPE kit includes gloves, medical dress, face shield, goggles and a three-layer mask as per international standards.
• After developing the testing facility for PPE kit, CIPET IPT Center Bhubaneswar had applied for accreditation to NABL. Other CIPET centers have also applied for accreditation under the process.
• For CIPET, this is a significant achievement against the Covid-19 pandemic and another step towards a self-reliant India.
• CIPET is an apex level premium institute under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
• National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL):
  • It is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India.
  • It was formed in 1988.
  • It is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana.

(Source: News on AIR)

4. Union Minister of Environment Prakash Javadekar described the KURMA mobile app as a unique tool.

• Recently Union Minister of Environment and Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar has described the KURMA mobile app as a unique tool for tracking and reporting of Indian turtles.
• The KURMA mobile application has been developed by the Indian Turtle Conservation Action Network (ITCAN) in collaboration with the Turtle Survival Alliance-India and the Wildlife Conservation Society-India.
• The mobile application KURMA was launched on 23 May 2020 on the occasion of World Turtle Day.
• The app provides the database to identify a species and the location of the nearest rescue centre for turtles.
• The objective of this initiative is to conserve turtles and tortoises.

(Source: News on AIR)

5. Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid homage to freedom fighter Mangal Pandey on his birth anniversary.

• On 19 July 2020, Union Home Minister Amit Shah remembered and paid tribute to freedom fighter Mangal Pandey on his birth anniversary.
• Mangal Pandey was born on 19 July 1827 in Nagwa, Uttar Pradesh, into a Brahmin family.
• He joined the Bengal Army in 1849. In March 1857, Pandey was a private soldier in the 5^th Company of the 34^th Bengal Native Infantry.
• He was instrumental in the events preceding the outbreak of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the First War of Independence.
• He was hanged on 8 April 1857.
• In 1984, the Government of India issued a postage stamp to remember him.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. The famous mathematician C.S. Seshadri died in Chennai.

• Recently the famous mathematician C.S. Seshadri died in Chennai. He was 88.
• The President, Vice President and Prime Minister have expressed grief over the death of Professor C.S. Seshadri.
• Renowned mathematician C.S. Seshadri has made pioneering contributions in the field of algebraic geometry.
• He was one of the leading Indian mathematicians in the post-independence era.
• He was born on 29 February 1932 in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
• He was the founder and director-emeritus of the Chennai Mathematical Institute.
• He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

(Source: News on AIR)

7. Entry of devotees from outside the state into the Mahakal temple complex in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh is prohibited.

• Recently the entry of devotees from outside the state has been banned in the Mahakal temple complex in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
• This decision has been taken due to the increasing number of cases of Covid-19 in Madhya Pradesh.
• Mahakal Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
• Millions of devotees from different parts of the country come to the temple to worship Lord Mahakal in the holy month of Sawan.

(Source: News on AIR)

8. Approval for purchase of 3000 MT sugar from NAFED to Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department in Jammu & Kashmir.

• Recently, in the meeting of the Administrative Council in Jammu and Kashmir, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has approved the purchase of 3000 metric tons of sugar from the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED).
• The meeting was chaired by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, G C Murmu.
• As per the approval, the department will buy 2800 MT sugar per year under J&K Special Sugar Scheme, which will be distributed to 2,33,429 beneficiary families and relief migrants of Antyodaya Anna Yojana.
• Under the Special Sugar Scheme, the Government of India will provide 1 kg of sugar to Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration card holder through the Public Distribution System at the subsidized rate of Rs. 13.50/kg from January 2020.
• Antyodaya Anna Yojana:
  • It is a Government of India sponsored scheme to provide highly subsidized food to millions of poor families.
  • The scheme was launched on 25 December 2000.
  • It is run by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

9. India Business Council will organize the India Ideas Summit on 22 July 2020.

• India Ideas Summit will be organized by the India Business Council on 22 July 2020.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will deliver the keynote address.
• In addition, Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will address the summit.
• The following points will be discussed between the leaders of the Business and Government-
  • US-India Partnership and Globalization.
  • Trends shaping trade and investment.
  • Future of works in the Covid-19 era and beyond.
• The India Idea Summit of the US India Business Council (USIBC) is an annual event.
• This year it is the 45^th edition of this summit.

10. China has surpassed its 1960 claims on LAC.

• China this time surpassed its 1960 claims on Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• It has made more territorial claims in Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley than its former claims.
• On the northern shore of Pangong Tso, the PLA troops reached Finger 4 and prevented India from crossing Finger 4.
• Fingers refer to the mountain spurs on the bank, running west to east from 1 to 8.
• China now claims up to Finger 4, while India says LAC is on Finger 8.

• China first built a road to Finger 4 in 1999 and dominated Finger 4, but for the first time since May, India was cut off completely from accessing LAC at Finger 8.
• In 1960, after three rounds of negotiations, the Galwan River was bordered on longitude 78° 13’ east, latitude 34° 46’ north.
• The Chinese army reached Galwan Valley, east of the bend called Y-nallah, which was the site of the June 15 clash.

(Source: The Hindu)

11. Lionel Messi achieved the Golden Boot for a record seventh time in the Spanish Football League La Liga.

• Lionel Messi has achieved a record seventh golden boot in the Spanish Football League La Liga.
• This award has been given to him for scoring the most goals in a single season.
• Messi scored a total of 25 goals in the league, four goals more than his close rival Karim Benzema.
• The Argentina star scored 25 goals in 33 matches.
• Barcelona finished second in the league after Real Madrid.
• La Liga Football League:
  • Campionato National de Liga de Primera Division, commonly known as La Liga.
  • It is the men's top professional football division of the Spanish Football League system.
  • It was founded in 1929.

(Source: The Hindu)

12. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Hagia Sophia.

• Recently Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has visited Mosque Hagia Sophia.
• His visit comes just a few days before the first historic namaz in the mosque.
• It was converted from a museum to a mosque only last week.
• Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Mr. Erdogan, said that the goal behind doing so is to avoid damaging the frescoes, icons and historical architecture of edifice.
• Hagia Sophia:
  • This mosque is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • It was built as a cathedral during the Byzantine Empire in the sixth century, but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
  • It was converted into a museum in 1935 in a significant reform of Ottoman authorities under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern republic.

(Source: The Hindu)

13. Sangameswaram temple submerged due to rising water level in Krishna river.

• Recently the Sangameswaram temple has been submerged due to rising water level in the Krishna River.
• Heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Krishna River resulted in a good inflow into the Priyadarshini Jurala Project or the Jurala Dam in Gadwal which directly go into the Srisailam Project.
• So, for the first time this season, Sangameswaram Shiva temple located in the backwaters of the Srisailam reservoir began to submerge due to the water entering in the sanctum sanctorum.
• The submergence of the Sangameswaram temple is an annual event.
• Krishna River:
  • It is the fourth largest river in India in terms of water flow and river basin.
  • It originates in Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra.
  • It flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and eventually falls into the Bay of Bengal.
  • Ghatprabha, Malprabha and Tungabhadra are its major tributaries.
  • Srisailam is situated on the same river on the border of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

(Source: The Hindu)