CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 27TH

1. China launches the first private rocket capable of carrying satellites

A Chinese startup successfully launched the country’s first commercial rocket capable of carrying satellites into orbit.

• Beijing-based Interstellar Glory Space Technology, also known as iSpace, said it launched two satellites into orbit from Jiuquan, a state launch facility in the Gobi desert.
• The three-year-old company is one of the dozens of Chinese rivals jostling for a slice of the global space industry, estimated to be worth about $1 trillion by 2040 according to Morgan Stanley.
• The sector is currently dominated by SpaceX and Blue Origin in the US.

2. Pakistan to send its first man to space in 2022

Pakistan announced that it will send its first astronaut to space in 2022 using close ally China's satellite launching facilities.

• Pakistan's decision came as India successfully launched its second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2.
• Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Science and Technology, said the selection process of the astronaut for the space mission would start from February 2020.

3. AAI signs MoU with Aireon for aircraft surveillance over the Indian Ocean

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed an MoU with Aireon, USA.

• The MoU has been signed for implementation of Space-Based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data (ADS-B) services for the oceanic regions of the Indian flight information regions (FIRs).
• The ADS-B data services will provide the real-time surveillance of airplanes over oceans falling in Indian Airspace.

4. WhatsApp and NITI Aayog partner to promote women entrepreneurs in India

NITI Aayog and Facebook-owned WhatsApp, under the aegis of its Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), have announced a partnership to support the growth of a robust ecosystem to promote women entrepreneurs in India.

• They will announce an annual calendar of events aimed at capacity building of women entrepreneurs.
• The initiative would target the registered users of WEP.
• WhatsApp will also partner with the Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards 2019, the flagship initiative of NITI Aayog.
• WhatsApp has decided to provide support amounting to $100,000 to WTI winners.

5. Delhi among cheapest cities to relocate

According to the study named “Moving Price Index 2019” conducted by relocation experts from Movinga (German online platform-based moving company),  Delhi is among the world’s cheapest cities to move to.

• Delhi was ranked 85th in terms of individual relocation.
• It ranks 84th rank in family relocation on the Index on a study of 85 cities.
• San Francisco was ranked as the most expensive city in the world to relocate to as an individual and as a Family.

6. B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as Karnataka CM

In Karnataka, BJP state President BS Yeddyurappa took oath as Chief Minister.

• Yeddyurappa will be sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka for the fourth time.
• The BJP's stake to form government in the state comes after an anxious few days, during which time the party awaited clarity on the status of the resignations of rebel legislators of the Congress- Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government.
• Yeddyurappa has had to step down from government twice in the past, having failed to muster a majority.

7. Hungarian Kristof Milak shatters Michael Phelps' 200m butterfly world record

Hungarian teenager Kristof Milak shattered Michael Phelps' 10-year-old world record in the 200 metres butterfly.

• Budapest-born Milak won gold in a time of 1:50.73, lopping 0.78 seconds off Phelps' 1:51.51 set in Rome in 2009.
• At 19, Milak is the youngest winner of the 200 butterfly since Phelps triumphed as an 18-year-old in 2003.

8. BCCI approves Indian Cricketers' Association for former cricketers

The BCCI has approved the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA), the body formed as per the board’s new constitution to look after the interest of former players.

• The ICA is not affiliated to Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) and is only open to former men and women cricketers, unlike the players’ associations in most countries.
• The functioning of ICA will be independent of BCCI’s functioning.
• Former India cricketers Kapil Dev, Ajit Agarkar and Shantha Rangaswamy are the directors at ICA and will hold their positions until elections are held.

9. Kapil Dev led CAC to pick Team India's next head coach

A Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) led by World Cup-winning former captain Kapil Dev entrusted with the responsibility of selecting India's new coach.

• The interviews for the coaches are expected to be conducted in the middle of next month.
• The decision was taken by the Committee of Administrators (COA) running Indian Cricket after a meeting in New Delhi.
• Apart from Kapil, the panel, which picked the women's coach in December last year, comprises former women's captain Shantha Rangaswamy and former men's coach Anshuman Gaekwad.

10. Bajrang Punia booked a berth in India's World Championship squad in 65kg category

Bajrang Punia booked a berth in India's World Championship squad in the 65kg category defeating Harphul Singh in the trials held in New Delhi.

• Last year's U-23 World Championship silver-medallist, Ravi Kumar Dahiya earned his chance by winning the most competitive 57 kg category during the trials.
• It featured seven wrestlers, including Sandeep Tomar and Utkarsh Kale.
• The World Wrestling Championship is slated to be held in Kazakhstan from September 14th to 22nd.