Current Affairs 15 July 2024

Current Affairs 15 July 2024

01. Who has become Bihar’s first transgender Sub-Inspector of Police?
(a) Kavita Sharma
(b) Manvi Madhu Kashyap
(c) Priya Singh
(d) Neha Gupta

Ans : B

• Historic Appointment: Manvi Madhu Kashyap has become Bihar’s first transgender Sub-Inspector, marking a significant milestone for the transgender community in India.
• Support and Acknowledgments:
  • Kashyap expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and others who supported her journey.
  • She highlighted the struggles faced in gaining admission to institutions due to discrimination.
• Personal Journey:
  • Kashyap’s family played a crucial role in her success, providing support during challenging times.
  • She credited her teacher, Rehman Sir, for helping her secure admission and guiding her throughout her training.
• Vision for the Future:
  • Kashyap aims to inspire others by visiting her village in police uniform, emphasizing that hard work and dedication can lead to success.
• Community Impact:
  • Her success is seen as a celebration for the transgender community, with calls for other selected individuals to advocate for community improvement.
  • Context: According to the 2011 Census, there are 40,827 transgender individuals in Bihar, reflecting a significant yet often marginalized population.
  • Government Initiatives: Recently, initiatives have been launched in other states, like Tripura, to support the transgender community through grievance redressal cells.

02. Who has been appointed as the new CEO of Paytm Payments Bank? (July 2024)
(a) Vijay Shekhar Sharma
(b) Raghuram Rajan
(c) Arun Kumar Bansal
(d) N. R. Murthy

Ans : C

• Paytm Payments Bank has appointed Arun Kumar Bansal as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, following his departure from IDBI Bank, where he served as Executive Director and Head of Treasury.
• Bansal’s appointment comes after receiving approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), aligning with the retirement of the previous MD and CEO, Surinder Chawla.
• Chawla stepped down in April due to personal reasons, triggering a series of senior-level resignations, including key figures like Bhavesh Gupta and Sumit Mathur.
• Paytm’s founder, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, also resigned as non-executive chairman in March, leading to a reconstitution of the bank’s board.
• The bank’s board has been restructured to include former bureaucrats and public sector bankers as independent directors to enhance governance.
• Newly appointed board members include notable figures such as Srinivasan Sridhar, Debendranath Sarangi, Ashok Kumar Garg, and Rajni Sekhri Sibal.

03. Which state opened its first bird gallery to promote conservation?
(a) Himachal Pradesh
(b) Uttarakhand
(c) Sikkim
(d) Assam

Ans : B

• Uttarakhand’s first bird gallery was inaugurated at the Nature Education Centre in Jolly Grant, Dehradun, on July 15, 2024, by the state’s forest department.
• The gallery features high-resolution images showcasing over 710 bird species found in Uttarakhand, highlighting the state’s rich avian diversity.
• Its primary goals include promoting conservation awareness and educating visitors about the ecological importance of various bird species.
• Notable species on display include the Himalayan Monal, White-capped Redstart, Himalayan Griffon, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, and Black-headed Jay, emphasizing the region’s unique fauna.
• The gallery is organized into ten sections, each representing different categories of birds, such as raptors, water birds, and migratory birds, enhancing educational value.
• An integrated sound system provides authentic bird calls to create an immersive environment for visitors.
• The exhibition also includes abandoned bird nests and feathers collected by the research team, offering deeper insights into the characteristics and behaviors of these avian species.

04. Which team won the record 16th Copa America title?
(a) Brazil
(b) Colombia
(c) Uruguay
(d) Argentina

Ans : D

• Argentina has won a record 16th title by defeating Colombia in the Copa America 2024 final, held at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
• Prior to this tournament, Argentina and Uruguay were tied with 15 titles each, making them the most successful teams in Copa America history.
• Uruguay finished third in the 2024 edition, while Argentina emerged victorious to set a new record.
• Most Successful Teams in Copa America
  • Argentina: 16 titles
  • Uruguay: 15 titles
  • Brazil: 9 titles
  • Chile: 2 titles
  • Paraguay: 2 titles
• This victory cements Argentina’s status as the leading team in Copa America history.

05. Who was appointed as the next Prime Minister of Nepal by President Ram Chandra Paudel? (July 2024)
(a) Sher Bahadur Deuba
(b) Baburam Bhattarai
(c) Narayan Kaji Shrestha
(d) KP Sharma Oli

Ans : D

• Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel has appointed KP Sharma Oli as the next Prime Minister following the expiration of the deadline for political parties to stake a claim.
• This decision comes after Pushpa Kamal Dahal lost a confidence motion, prompting the President to call for claims under Article 76 (2) of the Constitution.
• Oli is the sole candidate and received backing from the Nepali Congress and smaller parties, presenting signatures from 165 lawmakers, securing a parliamentary majority.
• The Constitution requires a Prime Minister to obtain a majority of 138 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives to assume office.
• Oli previously served as Prime Minister from October 2015 to August 2016 and again from February 2018 to May 2021, known for his nationalist stance and ties with China.
• He has dissolved the parliament twice during his terms, with the Supreme Court reinstating it on both occasions. A coalition agreement with the Nepali Congress outlines a rotational leadership until the next general elections in 2027, though the specifics have not been made public.

06. Who won the Wimbledon Men’s and Women’s singles titles respectively in 2024?
(a) Novak Djokovic and Jasmine Paolini
(b) Carlos Alcaraz and Barbora Krejcikova
(c) Rafael Nadal and Barbora Krejcikova
(d) Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams

Ans : B

• Carlos Alcaraz won the Wimbledon Men’s singles title in 2024.
• Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in the final with a score of 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).
• Barbora Krejcikova won the Wimbledon Women’s singles title in 2024.
• Krejcikova defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini with a score of 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

07. Which country has won its record fourth European soccer championship (UEFA EURO 2024) by defeating England in the final?
(a) Spain
(b) Germany
(c) Italy
(d) France

Ans : A

• Spain won its record fourth European soccer championship title in Euro 2024.
• The final match was held in Berlin, where Spain defeated England 2-1.
• Nico Williams scored the first goal for Spain shortly after the second half began.
• Mikel Oyarzabal scored the winning goal for Spain in the 86th minute.

08. Select the top three states in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24.
(a) Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa
(b) Kerala, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu
(c) Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Goa
(d) Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar

Ans : B

• Kerala and Uttarakhand emerged as the top-performing states in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, both scoring 79.
• Tamil Nadu followed closely with a score of 78.
• The SDG India Index evaluates states and union territories on social, economic, and environmental parameters.
• India’s overall SDG score increased to 71 in 2023-24 from 66 in 2020-21.

09. To which country has Subhash Prasad Gupta been appointed as India’s next ambassador in July 2024?
(a) Vietnam
(b) West Indies
(c) Thailand
(d) Suriname

Ans : D

• Subhash Prasad Gupta, currently serving as India’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Hanoi, has been appointed as the next ambassador to Suriname.
• He is a Foreign Service Officer of the 2006 batch.
• Gupta is expected to take up his assignment in Suriname shortly.
• India and Suriname share close, warm, and friendly relations, reinforced by cultural and people-to-people contacts.
• Suriname is a small country on the northeastern coast of South America.
• Capital of Suriname: Paramaribo.
• Official language: Dutch.
• President: Chan Santokhi.

10. Which Indian NGO won two prestigious Best CSR Awards for Outstanding Transformative Social Work in 2024?
(a) The Art of Living
(b) Smile Foundation
(c) Goonj
(d) Teach For India

Ans : A

• The Art of Living was honoured as the Best NGO of the Year 2024 for its water conservation initiatives at the Global CSR & ESG Awards.
• It also received the Best CSR Impact Award for the JalTara Project at the NGI CSR Summit.
• The organisation has revitalised over 70 rivers and countless tributaries and streams, impacting more than 3,45,00,000+ people across 19,000+ villages.
• The Art of Living has trained over 22,12,000+ farmers in natural farming techniques, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.