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Current Affairs 21 July 2020
Daily Current Affairs 21 July 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 21 July 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the daily current affairs on our mobile app.
National News
Consumer Protection Act, 2019 Comes into Force from 20 July 2020
- The Consumer Protection Act,2019 has come in to force with effect from 20 July 2020.
- The new Consumer Protection Act 2019 replaces more than three decades old Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
- It seeks to revamp the process of administration and settlement of consumer disputes, with strict penalties, including jail term for adulteration and misleading ads by firms.
- In Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a single point access to justice was given, which was time consuming.
- The new act has been introduced after many amendments to provide protection to buyers not only from traditional sellers but also from the new e-commerce retailers/platforms.
- Read about Salient Features of Consumer Protection Act 2019
UP CM Yogi Adityanath launches employment scheme ‘Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana’ for ST/SC
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a new employment scheme called ‘Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana’ to provide employment to the Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST) families.
- This initiative is part of the government to achieve economic equality and social equality of all the sections of the society.
- The government has set the target of benefitting 7.5 lakh families under the the Umbrella scheme in 2020-2021.
- So far funds have been transferred to 1,77,491 beneficiaries.
Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Inaugurates Zoram Mega Food Park in Mizoram
- The Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the Zoram Mega Food Park Ltd at Kolasib in Mizoram through virtual conference on 20 July 2020.
- The Food Park has been built at a cost of Rs 75 crore and is spread over 55 Acres of land.
- The food park will directly benefit over 25,000 farmers and will provide employment opportunities to over 5,000 people in the region.
- This is the first Mega Food Park operationalized in the State of Mizoram.
International News
UAE successfully launches ‘HOPE’, its first spacecraft bound for Mars
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) successfully launched its first interplanetary mission to Mars on 19 July 2020, to study about the weather on Mars.
- The spacecraft, called Hope, took off on top of a Japanese H-IIA rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Cente.
- This launch marks the the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission and the first of three international missions to the Red Planet scheduled for this summer.
- The Al Amal probe (as it is called in Arabic), is expected to reach Mars by February 2021.
- It will be the first time the UAE has orbited Mars, and the probe will stay in orbit for a Martian year (equivalent to 687 days on Earth) to gather data about Mars’ atmosphere.
- This launch is part of UAE’s strategy to develop its scientific and technological capabilities and reduce its reliance on oil.
Ranking
Indian direct selling industry ranks 15th globally, US tops: WFDSA Report
- The Indian direct selling industry, is ranked 15th globally, in terms of overall sale in 2019, as per ‘The Global Direct Selling – 2019 Retail Sales’ report by Washington-based World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA).
- The Indian direct selling industry improved its ranking from 19th in 2018 to 15th in 2019.
- Indian industry recorded sales of USD 2.47 billion in 2019, a growth of 12.1 percent than last year..
- However, the global direct selling industry reported an overall decline of 4.3 percent in sales to USD 180.47 billion in 2019.
- As per the report, the United States Direct Sale Industry is leads the list, contributing 20 percent of the global direct selling industry with sales of USD 35.21 billion.
- It is followed by China (13 %), Korea (10%), Germany (10%) and Japan (9%) among the top five countries.
Appointment
SBI Cards Appoints Ashwini Tewari as new MD, CEO
- Ashwini Kumar Tewari has been appointed as the new managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the SBI Cards & Payment Services, the country’s second-largest credit card issuer.
- He will take over the role with effect from 1 August 2020 for a period of 2 years.
- Tewari will replace Hardayal Prasad, who has tendered his resignation and would demit office on 31 July 2020, owing to his voluntary retirement from the State Bank of India.
Books & Authors
“The Endgame”- Authored by S Hussain Zaidi
- Veteran Crime and Terror writer S Hussain Zaidi has penned a new novel titled “The Endgame” which talks of politics, betrayal and unimaginable terror.
- “The Endgame” has been published by HarperCollins India.
- The book explores the challenges that the security of a country faces from within and without at the same time.
Sports
Former Chelsea star and World Cup winner Schurrle retires from professional football at 29
- German former professional footballer, Andre Schurrle, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 29 on 17 July 2020.
- The former Chelsea attacker and Borussia Dortmund forward has gained 57 caps and 22 goals for his country during his career between 2010-2017.
- Schürrle was part of the Germany squad which won the 2014 FIFA World Cup.