Daily Current Affairs Capsule nd 2 August 2019 1. London named world’s best student city The UK capital London has been named as the world’s best city for students for the second consecutive year. • The ‘QS Best Student Cities Ranking’ compiled by global education consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds highlights each city’s performance. • According to the rankings, India’s best student city is Bengaluru (81st), followed by Mumbai (85th), Delhi (at 113) and Chennai (at 115) out of a total of 120 cities ranked in the list. 2. The US decries Chinese disruption of Mekong River US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has expressed concern over Chinese activities on the Mekong River in Southeast Asia, calling them troubling trends. • Pompeo's concerns include the building of upstream dams, plans to blast river beds and the staging of river patrols outside Chinese borders. • China has built 10 dams along the upper stretch of the Mekong, the part it calls the Langcang. • Critics have long warned that these actions can have disruptive environmental and economic effects downstream. Points to Remember • The Mekong is a trans-boundary river in Southeast Asia. • It originates from the Tibetan Plateau and runs through China's Yunnan Province, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. 3. India extends $500,000 assistance to the Gambia President Ram Nath Kovind extend assistance of USD 500,000 in support of skill development and cottage industry projects in the West African country. • India also received an instrument of ratification of the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement from the Gambia. • The two sides also signed and exchanged a Memoranda of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy. Points to remember • Capital of Gambia: Banjul • President: Adama Barrow 4. KABIL set up to ensure the supply of critical Minerals to the Indian domestic market A joint venture company Khanij Bidesh India limited, KABIL has been set up with the participation of three Central Public Sector Enterprises, CPSEs to ensure supply of critical Minerals to Indian domestic market. • These CPSEs are National Aluminium Company Limited, Hindustan Copper Limited and Mineral Exploration Company limited. • The company will ensure the supply of Lithium and Cobalt which is available in less quantity in the country. 5. BIS to set up Pashmina testing centre in Leh Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) would set up a Pashmina testing centre in Leh, in partnership with the lab of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh. • Setting up of a lab in Leh would take two months time. • The standards testing will have lab, machines and scientists to check the quality of pashmina collected. • BIS would train the locals, with the cooperation of Leh Hill Council, in marking of the standards to save the time and money. 6. MIB launches a competition for designing Postage Stamp Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has launched a competition for designing a Postage Stamp along with the First Day Cover to commemorate Golden Jubilee edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI). • The contest is open on MyGov platform from 1st August 2019 to 15th August 2019. • The winner will receive a Certificate of appreciation and travel and hospitality for 2 nights and 3 days to become a part of 50th IFFI which is organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in collaboration with Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), Government of Goa. • An interested person may log in to www.mygov.in to participate in the competition. 7. Postal dept decides to convert India Post Payments Bank to an SFB The postal department said it has decided to convert the India Post Payments Bank into a small finance bank, enabling it to offer small loans to customers. • Besides, the department looks to open one crore accounts for IPPB in 100 days. • India Post will partner with Common Service Centre to provide a suite of citizen-centric services such as banking, remittance, insurance, DBT, bill and tax payments etc at post offices. 8. IPS officer Rakesh Asthana takes charge as Narcotics Control Bureau chief IPS officer Rakesh Asthana took charge as the chief of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). • The 1984-batch Gujarat cadre officer has been appointed as the Director-General (DG) of the NCB in an "additional" capacity. • He is already serving as the DG of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). • The post of NCB chief was lying vacant since July 4 after incumbent Abhay was appointed as Director of Hyderabad-based Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. 9. Football Giant ‘East Bengal Club’ turns 100 years Football Giant East Bengal Club turns 100 years in 1 August 2019. • On this day in 1920, East Bengal Club was established at Kumartuli Park in North Kolkata. • Former Indian Cricket Captain Kapil Dev was given ‘Bharat Gourav’ Award at the function. • Former footballer Manaranjan Bhattacherjee and Bhaskar Ganguli were presented Life Time Achievement Awards. • P. K. Banerjee was given best football coach of the Century award. 10. Former cricketer Malcolm Nash passes away Former England county cricketer Malcolm Nash has died at the age of 74. • He was perhaps best known internationally for being hit for six sixes in an over by West Indies great Garry Sobers. • Nash played 17 seasons of first-class cricket, from 1966 to 1983, turning out in 336 matches in which he picked up 993 wickets. .