Post on 20-May-2020
1. China launched its First Satellite for Space-based Broadband Services
China has launched its first communication satellite on 22nd December 2018 to offer broadband internet services
to users worldwide.
The communication satellite was launched using a Long March 11 carrier rocket which took off from the
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western China. It is CASIC’s (China Aerospace Science and
Industry Corporation) first satellite launch under China’s Hongyun project.
Changing the way of learning…
Daily Current Affairs
Capsule 24th December 2018
The satellite aims to rival Google and other companies which have similar plans for providing Internet
services worldwide.
Points to Remember
China started the Hongyun project in September 2016. Under this project, China plans to give broadband
internet connectivity to users all over the world by building a space-based communications network.
It is to be noted that CASIC is the main contractor for Chinese space programs and a state-owned
company.
2. Gitega: New capital of Burundi
The government of Burundi has declared Gitega as the country’s new political capital on 22nd December 2018.
Bujumbura, the previous capital of Burundi will serve as the economic capital of the country.
The government has decided to hold future Cabinet meetings in Gitega and to establish five ministries in
Gitega from the start of 2019. Gitega’s population is around 30 000 as compared to Bujumbura’s 1.2
million.
Points to Remember
Burundi is a resource-poor, underdeveloped landlocked African country which shares its borders with
Rwanda in the north, Tanzania in the east and south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the
west.
Burundi was ranked as the world’s least happy nation in the World Happiness Report 2018.
3. 50-day Countdown begins for Unani Day 2019
The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), has launched a 50-day countdown for Unani
Day 2019. During the next 50 days, the CCRUM and its regional institutes / centres would organize a host of
activities and events as a run up to Unani Day which is celebrated on 11th February every year.
Unani Day is a great occasion for the Unani fraternity which is celebrated in a great way throughout the
country.
Unani Medicine has been playing an important role in public health especially in combating NCDs,
lifestyle disorders and various chronic diseases by providing cost effective Unani treatment and quality
products for patient healthcare.
Points to Remember
11th February, the birthday of Hakim Ajmal Khan, was adopted as Unani Day by the Ministry of
AYUSH, Government of India in 2016 in recognition of his contribution as an eminent Indian Unani
physician.
The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) celebrated first Unani Day in Hyderabad
and second in New Delhi in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
4. ‘Hand-in-Hand’ counter-terrorism military exercises concluded in China
India and China concluded the ‘Hand-in-Hand’ military exercise on 22nd December 2018 in China’s Chengdu
city. This was the 7th edition of the ‘Hand-in-Hand' military exercise.
The previous edition of ‘Hand-in-Hand’ that was held in 2016 in Pune had focused on counter-terrorism
drills in non-urban areas.
This year’s exercise, which began on 11th December, focused on urban terrorism in which Indian and
Chinese armies conducted the drills while living and dining together to build up a sense of camaraderie.
Points to Remember
The ‘Hand-in-Hand’ military exercise did not take place last year due to prevailing tensions between both
sides after 73-day military standoff at Doklam.
The Indian contingent headed by Col Puneet Tomar took part in the exercises to foster closer ties between
the two militaries which guard the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC).
5. Tamil Nadu: India’s first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru
The country’s first music museum will be set up with assistance from the Central government in Thiruvaiyaru,
Tamilnadu, and the birth place of Saint Tyagaraja, one of the Trinities of Carnatic music.
The Tyagaraja Aaradhana Music Festival which is held annually in January in Thiruvaiyaru attracts
musical talents from all over the world.
Points to Remember
Tyagaraja (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Tyāgayya in Telugu, was a renowned composer
of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. He was prolific and highly influential in the
development of the classical music tradition. Tyagaraja and his contemporaries, Shyama Shastri and
Muthuswami Dikshitar, were regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Tyagaraja composed thousands
of devotional compositions, most in Telugu and in praise of Lord Rama, many of which remain popular
today.
Tyagaraja saw the reigns of four kings of Maratha dynasty — Tulaja II (1763-1787), Amarasimha (1787-
1798), Serfoji II (1798-1832) and Sivaji II (1832-1855), although he served none of them.
6. India's Vedangi Kulkarni becomes fastest Asian to cycle the globe
Indian woman Vedangi Kulkarni has become the fastest Asian to cycle the globe. Hailing from a suburb of Pune,
20-year old Vedangi cycled into Kolkata in the wee hours, completing the 29,000 kilometers' distance required
to qualify as bicycling across the globe.
Vedangi is a student of the University of Bournemouth in the United Kingdom pursuing a degree in sports
management.
Points to Remember
Thirty-eight year old British adventurer Jenny Graham is the fastest woman to have cycled the globe in
124 days this year.
She started off from Perth in July and will now be flying back to the Australian city to complete the
record.
7. PM Modi released commemorative coin in honor of Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
PM Modi released a new 100-rupee coin commemorating former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
The coin weighing 35 grams, has the portrait of Atal Bihari Vajpayee with his name inscribed in the
Devanagari script as well as English on one side.
Furthermore, the bottom of the image on the coin has the birth and death year - 1924-2018 inscribed on
it.
Points to Remember
It is made up of silver (50 per cent), copper (40 per cent), nickel (5 per cent) and zinc (5 per cent)
It shall bear the Ashoka Pillar Lion Capital in the centre with ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below in the
Devanagari.
Left periphery will have ‘Bharat’ inscribed in Devanagari while the right side will have ‘India’ inscribed
in English language.
8. GST reduced on 23 items and services; revised rates effective from 1st of January
The GST Council has reduced tax rates on 23 goods and services, including movie tickets, TV and monitor
screens and power banks. With this, only 28 goods are left in the highest 28 per cent tax bracket. Monitors and
TV screens up to 32-inches and power banks will attract 18 per cent GST, as against 28 per cent earlier.
GST on movie tickets costing up to 100 rupees was cut to 12 per cent from 18 per cent, while tickets over
100 rupees will attract 18 per cent tax, against 28 per cent earlier.
Points to Remember
The services supplied by the banks to Jan-Dhan account holders will be exempted from GST. Now 28
percent slab rate is applicable on cement and auto parts and luxury items like Air Conditioner and
dishwasher.
The new GST rates will be effective from the 1st of next month.
The Council also approved a proposal to form a seven Member Group of Ministers to study the revenue
trend, including analyzing the reasons for structural patterns affecting the revenue collection in some of
the states.