INTERNATIONAL

UN’s cultural agency UNESCO removes Liverpool from world heritage list

•The UN’s cultural agency UNESCO has voted narrowly to remove Liverpool’s waterfront from its list of world heritage sites, citing concerns about overdevelopment, including plans for a new football stadium. At committee talks chaired by China, 13 delegates voted in favour of the proposal and five against, just one more than the two-thirds majority required to delete a site from the global list.

•Those against delisting Liverpool included Australia, whose own listing for the Great Barrier Reef is threatened in this year’s UNESCO deliberations. Others opposing included Brazil, Hungary and Nigeria, arguing any step should be deferred a year to give the UK and Liverpool authorities more time.

G20 Environment Ministers’ Meeting 2021 hosted by Italy

•The G20 Environment Ministers’ Meeting 2021 is one of the ministerial meetings organized as part of the G20 Leaders Summit 2021, which will be hosted by Italy in October 2021. The 2021 G20, under the Italian Presidency, will focus on three broad, interconnected pillars of action: People, Planet, Prosperity. Within these pillars, the G20 aims to take the lead in ensuring a swift international response to the COVID-19 pandemic – able to provide equitable, worldwide access to diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines – while building up resilience to future health-related shocks.

•India was represented by a delegation led by Hon’ble Union Environment Minister, Bhupender Yadav and include Minister of State, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and senior officers of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

NATIONAL

Para Shooter of Madhya Pradesh’s Rubina Francis wind gold in 10-metre air pistol para-event

•Madhya Pradesh shooter, Rubina Francis has set a world record at the ongoing Para Sport Cup in Peru. She has won gold in the 10-metre air pistol para-event for women. Scoring 238.1 points, she went past the world record of Aysegul Pehlivanlar of Turkey. This win also secured her the quota for India at the Tokyo Summer Paralympics 2020.

•Over the years, she has earned more than 15 medals from national and international events. Presently, Rubina is training under the guidance of Jaspal Rana, former shooter and coach of the Junior Indian Pistol Shooting Team.

SPORTS

Senior India’s defender Sandesh Jhingan named AIFF men’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21

•Senior India defender, Sandesh Jhingan was named the AIFF men’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21 season. It is the first time that the towering central defender has received the AIFF Player of the Year award, having won the Emerging Player of the Year Award in 2014.

•Jhingan made his senior national team debut in 2015 in Guwahati and has since gone on to make 40 appearances for the Blue Tigers, scoring four goals.

•He was part of the Indian sides that lifted the Intercontinental Cup in 2018 and played out a memorable draw at the home of the Asian champions Qatar in 2019.

•Jhingan has captained the senior team on five occasions, the most recent being the international friendly against Oman in Dubai in March. He was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award last year.

OBITUARY

Co-founder of National Institute of Design, Gira Sarabhai passed away

•Gira Sarabhai co-founder of the National Institute of Design has passed away. The pioneer of design education in the nation has played a vital part in establishing several other institutions and also made remarkable contributions in the field of art and architecture.

•Sarabhai was the daughter of industrialist Ambalal Sarabhai & sister of Dr Vikram Sarabhai. She also established the Calico Museum of Textiles. She was trained at the famous Taliesin West Studio in Arizona with noted architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Broadcasting Day 2021 : 23rd  July

•National Broadcasting Day is observed on 23rd July every year, to celebrate the radio, which has been an important part of people’s life in India, both as an easy medium of entertainment along with the news. On this day in 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station under the Indian Broadcasting Company.

•The first radio broadcast was made on July 23, 1927, from Bombay Station. The station was then owned by a private company called the Indian Broadcasting Company.

•The Government took over the broadcasting on April 1, 1930, and renamed it as Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS).

•It was initially on an experimental basis. Later it permanently came under government control in 1932.

•On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio. Currently, AIR is one of the largest public broadcasting organisations in the world.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Dvara E-Dairy partners with IFFCO Tokio General Insurance

•Dvara E-Dairy Solutions, a portfolio company of Dvara Holdings has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) led digital tag ‘Surabhi e-Tag’ to identify cattle based on muzzle identity. This will be used for cattle insurance products offered in partnership with IFFCO Tokio General Insurance.

•Muzzle images of the cattle are collected through the Surabhi mobile application and stored in hi-resolution images as a unique digital identity.

•The artificial intelligence-driven mobile application of Dvara E-Dairy captures muzzle images with the mobile phone, compares the cattle’s unique digital identity stored in a secured cloud server and retrieves the results in less than 60 seconds.

•Conventional methods like polyurethane ear tags (PU ear tags) can be easily tampered with and are prone to duplication and fraud.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book ‘Palleku Pattabhishekam’ is released by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu

•Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu has released a book titled ‘Palleku Pattabhishekam’ authored by former MP Yalamanchili Sivaji.

•This book is based on rural India and agriculture. The Vice President said that villages and agriculture are intrinsically connected and we must address their issues holistically to bring ‘Gram Swarajya’ to our villages.

Book ‘Bank With A Soul: Equitas’ authored by Dr. C K Garyali

•Former RBI Governor, Duvvuri Subbarao has unveiled a book ‘Bank With A Soul: Equitas’ authored by Dr. C K Garyali.

•Dr. Garyali is a founder trustee of EDIT (Equitas Development Initiative Trust) and the book chronicles the journey of Equitas and EDIT in transforming the lives of women with frequent social reform initiatives helping them set up micro-enterprises.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

U GRO Capital & BOB in tie-up

•U GRO Capital, a non-bank financier, and state-owned Bank of Baroda have partnered for co-lending to the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. Under the co-lending programme Pratham, Bank of Baroda and U GRO will together disburse loans worth Rs 1,000 crore to MSMEs. The aim is to dispense the entire amount by the end of this financial year. The loan amount ranges from Rs.50 lakh to Rs.2.5 crores to be offered at an interest rate starting from 8% with a maximum tenure of 120 months.

•The programme is accessible to MSMEs across U GRO’s over 200 channel touchpoints around nine locations in Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

INTERNATIONAL

Ariel Henry is the new Prime Minister of Haiti

•Ariel Henry has formally assumed the post of Prime Minister of Haiti. He assumed the role of the leader of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation in a ceremony in the capital Port-Au-Prince. Henry was installed as head of a new government in an attempt to stabilize a country on the brink of chaos since the murder of president Jovenel Moise at his residence in the early hours of July 7.

•The swearing-in of Henry, who was named to the post by Moise days before his death, was seen as a key step towards holding elections as demanded by many Haitians.

NATIONAL

K Chandrasekhar Chief Minister of Telangana will Launch ‘Telangana Dalit Bandhu’ from Huzurabad assembly

•Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao will launch his government’s new Dalit empowerment scheme, now christened Dalita Bandhu, on a pilot basis from the Huzurabad assembly constituency. The scheme, which was to be called Dalit Empowerment Scheme, has now been renamed as Dalita Bandhu scheme. As part of the scheme, eligible Dalit families would be given Rs 10 lakh in cash directly to their accounts. The sanctioned amounts will be deposited in the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries.

•Poll-bound Huzurabad constituency has five mandals and the total number of Dalit families in this constituency stands at 20,929. All these families will be scrutinised before the final beneficiary list is made. All those found eligible will be extended the benefits of the scheme. Huzurabad constituency has only a total of around 2 lakh voters. Out of the total, CM KCR’s scheme will benefit nearly 21,000 families, which accounts for around 60,000 to 80,000 people, if this scheme is implemented soon.

SPORTS

Aman Gulia and Sagar Jaglan emerged as the new world champions 2021

• Young wrestlers Aman Gulia and Sagar Jaglan emerged as the new world champions in their respective categories as India dished out an impressive show on the second day of the Cadet World Championship 2021 at Budapest, Hungary.

•Gulia emerged the winner with a convincing 5-2 win over American Luke Joseph Lilledahl in a 48kg final while Jaglan blanked James Mockler Rowley 4-0 in the 80kg summit clash.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Aramane Giridhar gets additional charge as Chairman of National Highways Authority of India

•Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Secretary, Aramane Giridhar (IAS) has been given additional charge of the Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

•Present NHAI Chairman, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu has been appointed the new Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand. He took over as NHAI Chainman in October 2019.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Brain Day 2021: July 22

•The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) celebrates World Brain Day on every July 22, focusing on a different theme each year. Many public awareness programmes and educational & social media activities are promoting the movement to stop multiple sclerosis, commencing July 22, 2021, & continuing until October 2022.

•The theme for this World Brain Day is “Stop Multiple Sclerosis”. World Brain Day advocates early diagnosis of this condition that can help improve the quality of life of the patient.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Cachar district of Assam received National Silver SKOCH award

•Cachar Deputy Commissioner, Keerthi Jalli received the National Silver SKOCH Award a few days ago for ‘Pushti Nirbhor’ (nutrition-dependent), a convergence project on transformation and development entailing setting up Nutri-gardens at houses in Dinnathpur Bagicha village. The village is near the India-Bangladesh border in the Katigorah circle of the Cachar district.

•30,000 seedlings of vegetables, fruits and herbal plants were distributed among 140 beneficiaries.

•Each household of the village was also given payment for 75 man-days to implement the project.

•Instituted in 2003, SKOCH Award salutes people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to make India a better nation.

RANKING

JNCASR Bengaluru hits Nature Index Top 50 for materials science

•The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre For Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, has been placed in the top 50 institutions worldwide for advances in materials science by the prestigious Nature Index. The list which includes 18 institutes from China, 12 from the United States and two from the United Kingdom places the JNCASR in the 23rd position globally among universities and institutions as part of its ‘50 Rising Institutions’ list.

•The centre is also the only Indian institute on the list and shares the privilege with others such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University which is in the first place, the University of Texas Austin (fourth), the University of Berkley (12th) and the University of Cambridge (27th). JNCASR president Professor Giridhar U Kulkarni, who is also a materials scientist, described the mood at the centre as being jubilant.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

‘The Stranger In The Mirror’ is the autobiography of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

•Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has announced his autobiography, “The Stranger In The Mirror”.  He has co-written the book with noted author Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta. The autobiography has published by Rupa Publications, the book will hit the stands across the country on July 27. Ad maker-turned-director Mehra, known for helming movies like Rang De Basanti, Delhi-6, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and the recently released Toofan.

•According to a press release, The Stranger In The Mirror features first-person accounts of noted personalities from the cinema and advertising world including Waheeda Rahman, A.R. Rahman, Bajpayee, Abhishek Bachchan, Akhtar, Kapoor Ahuja, Tandon, Ronnie Screwvala, Atul Kulkarni, R. Madhavan, Divya Dutta and Prahlad Kakar.

INTERNATIONAL

Pedro Castillo declared is the New President of Peru

•Rural teacher-turned-political novice, Pedro Castillo became the winner of Peru’s presidential election after the country’s longest electoral count in 40 years. Castillo, whose supporters included Peru’s poor and rural citizens, defeated right-wing politician Keiko Fujimori by just 44,000 votes. Electoral authorities released the final official results more than a month after the runoff election took place in the South American nation.

•The economy of Peru, the world’s second-largest copper producer, has been crushed by the coronavirus pandemic, increasing the poverty level to almost one-third of the population and eliminating the gains of a decade.

NATIONAL

Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid arrives in India

•Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister and President-Elect of 76th General Assembly of United Nations, Abdulla Shahid has arrived in New Delhi today. During his visit, he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold talks with the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on key international, multilateral, regional and bilateral issues of mutual interest.

•The two Ministers are also expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation between the two sides. The discussions are expected to give further momentum to the rapidly expanding ties between the two countries. During the visit, an Agreement for High Impact Community Development Projects to be implemented with Indian grant assistance in the Maldives will also be signed.

SPORTS

Australia will Host Olympic and Paralympic games 2032

•The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has voted the Australian city of Brisbane as the host city for the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.

•Brisbane is the third Australian city to host the Olympic Games after Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000. With this, Australia will also become the only second country in the world, after the United States, to stage the summer Olympic Games in three different cities.

OBITUARY

Veteran litterateur Urmil Kumar Thapliyal passed away

•Renowned theatre personality and litterateur, Urmil Kumar Thapliyal has passed away. Thapliyal worked all through his life for the revival of nautanki and popularising theatre.

•The veteran was associated with Darpan, the 50-year-old popular theatre group of the state capital. He also had long innings with the All India Radio.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

BIAL signs 10-year partnership with IBM

•Bangalore International Airport to become Smart Airport in coming years! In a bid to create an “Airport in a Box” platform, which transforms technology, operations, as well as customer experience, the operator of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru (KIAB/BLR Airport), Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), has signed a ten-year partnership with the company- IBM.

•A statement issued by IBM on Wednesday said the companies- IBM Hybrid Cloud capabilities, Red Hat Automation as well as Kyndryl managed infrastructure services will help the airport operator improve its productivity, automate IT and minimize or reduce costs.

Kotak Mahindra Bank signs an MoU with the Indian Navy

•The Indian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kotak Mahindra for salary accounts of all its personnel – both serving and retired. The bank will reportedly offer special salary account benefits to the Indian Navy like enhanced complimentary personal accident insurance cover, special education benefit for children, and additional girl child benefit, and attractive rates and zero processing fees on personal loans, home loans and car loans.

•The Kotak salary account provides a range of privileges, and we have further personalized our offering, keeping in mind the requirements of Indian Navy personnel and their families. With a full suite of products, we will support the Indian Navy with all their banking requirements, backed by quality customer service and digital-first solutions.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SBI selected Paisalo as its National Corporate Business Correspondent of the Bank

•State Bank of India (SBI) has selected “Paisalo Digital” as the National Corporate Business Correspondent of the Bank for financial inclusion by providing banking services through kiosks. The signing of the Service Level Agreement and other formalities shall be done shortly. Paisalo is tapping into the Rs 8 lakh crore market opportunity of small-ticket loans for India’s 365 million unbanked population.

•Ensuring superior financial inclusion and increasing the outreach, the financial solutions company shall extend its services and its reach to the general public including its existing customers and new customers. As a business correspondent for State Bank of India, they will focus and improve the synergy with the thrust of the already up and running fully digital small loan business under SBI-Paisalo Loan Co-origination.

ICICI Bank announced the launch of a co-branded credit card

•ICICI Bank has announced the launch of a co-branded credit card with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to enable users to get benefits and reward points for using multiple credit cards in one. Named, ‘ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver Credit Card’, the card offers best-in-class rewards and benefits to customers on their everyday spends on fuel as well as other categories including electricity and mobile, departmental stores like Big Bazaar and D-Mart, and e-commerce portals, among others. Powered by VISA, the card is unique among its peers which typically offer benefits on only one category of spends.

•Customers can apply for the ‘ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver Credit Card’ through the Bank’s internet banking platform or the mobile banking app, iMobile Pay. They get a digital card in a 100% contactless and paperless manner. The physical card is also sent to the customer by ICICI Bank within a few days. Further, customers can manage their transaction settings and credit limit conveniently on the iMobile Pay app.   

INTERNATIONAL

Microsoft deal to acquire RiskIQ

•Microsoft has reached a deal to acquire RiskIQ, a San Francisco-based provider of cybersecurity services, including malware and spyware monitoring and mobile app security. RiskIQ’s services and solutions will join Microsoft’s suite of cloud-native security products, including Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Azure Defender, and Microsoft Azure Sentinel. While Microsoft hasn’t valued the deal, Bloomberg reported that the company is said to be paying more than $500 million for RiskIQ.

•RiskIQ uses machine learning applications to analyze threats. The cloud-based RiskIQ software detects security issues across networks and devices, and the company lists Box, the US Postal Service, BMW, Facebook, and American Express as customers. RiskIQ was originally founded in 2009 and has gradually become an important player in analyzing security threats.

NATIONAL

Haryana government will introduce ‘One Block, One Product’ scheme

•The Haryana government will soon introduce the ‘One Block, One Product’ scheme, to encourage and promote small industries in the rural areas. Under the scheme, the state government plans to connect every block of the state with some industrial vision and the government is working expeditiously on this scheme.

•Arrangements for common services, lab testing, packaging, transportation, accountancy will be set up in the cluster itself. Haryana’s ‘One District, One Product’ Scheme which is being implemented under MSME, has come up as a model across the country.

SPORTS

Former Indian Shibaji Banerjee to be conferred with Mohun Bagan Ratna posthumously

•Former India and Mohun Bagan shot-stopper Shibaji Banerjee, who famously denied Brazil’s legendary football player Pele from scoring a goal in an exhibition match in 1977, will be conferred with Mohun Bagan Ratna posthumously.

•The friendly match against New York Cosmos at the iconic Eden Gardens ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw. Banerjee played for Bagan for 11 years and died at the age of 68 four years ago.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Science Exploration Day 2021: 20th July

•Science Exploration Day (also called Moon Day) is marked every year on 20 July. It was on this day in 1969 that Neil Armstrong and Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon’s surface. The origins of Space Exploration Day date back to man first walking on the moon, with the day itself first observed to commemorate this historic event during events held in the early 1970s.

•Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon’s surface. The Armstrong- Aldrin duo spent 21.5 hours on the surface of the moon out of which they spent 2.5 hours outside of their capsules. To commemorate their achievement, the day was declared a holiday in 1984 by the then President of the United States, Ronald Reagan.

International Chess Day 2021: 20th July

•The International Chess Day is celebrated annually on July 20, since 1966, to celebrate one of the most ancient and most popular games in history that promote fairness, equality, mutual respect and understanding among nations. It was on this day that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924. The idea to celebrate the day as the international chess day was proposed by UNESCO. This day has been celebrated in as many as 178 countries, and a resolution officially recognizing it was signed by the United Nations in 2019.

•Invented in India in the fifth century, this board game was originally named “Chaturanga”. Chess is likely one of the oldest games of this era. After the development of the game in India, it eventually spread to Persia.

•The first modern chess tournament was held in London in 1851 and won by German Adolf Anderssen. On July 20, 1924, at the eighth summer Olympic games in Paris, France, the FIDE (World Chess Federation) was founded.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

India’s Payal Kapadia wins best documentary award in 74th Cannes Film Festival 2021

•Director Payal Kapadia’s, “A Night of Knowing Nothing” won the Oeil d’or (Golden Eye) award for best documentary at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. The Mumbai-based filmmaker’s first feature bagged the prestigious prize in a formidable field made up of 28 documentaries presented across various sections of the festival. A Night of Knowing Nothing screened as part of the Directors’ Fortnight, a section that runs parallel to the festival.

•The award was instituted in 2015 by LaScam (the French-Speaking Writers’ Society) and Bertuccelli in collaboration with the Cannes Film Festival and its general delegate Thierry Fremaux.

Two Indian organisations wins UNDP Equator Prize 2021 for their work

•Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company Limited and Snehakunja Trust are among the 10 awardees of the prestigious Equator Prize 2021 for their work in the field of conservation and biodiversity. The UNDP gives a biennial award to recognize community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

•Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company Limited is a 1,700-member cooperative, managed and run entirely by indigenous people from the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Tamil Nadu and its work in the past eight years has improved livelihood across 147 villages by processing and marketing a diverse range of forest produce and crops.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book “RSS” by Sudhanshu Mittal now in Chinese

•BJP leader Sudhanshu Mittal”s book on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has now been translated into the Chinese language. “RSS: Building India Through SEWA”, which talks of RSS”s history, ideology and policies, and their subsequent impact on the nation, was brought out by Har-Anand Publications in 2019. The Chinese translation is by Jack Bo.

•According to Mittal, he wrote this book to “differentiate between fact and fiction that is at the heart of the debate on the RSS” and to attempt to clarify RSS”s contribution to and position in Indian society. The book, in his words, attempts to describe the work of the RSS since its inception, its history, the core of Sewa Karya, the structural organisation, busting the myths of the RSS not having participated in the Independence movement of India, the Ram Janmabhoomi issue, and the organisation’s dynamic nature through generational change.

Book ‘The India Story’ by Bimal Jalan the former governor of RBI

•Former RBI governor Bimal Jalan writes a new book titled ‘The India Story’. The book focuses on India’s economic history and aims to provide lessons for the future of India’s political economy.

•He traces India’s economic policies from 1991 to 2019 to offer insights on learning from the past, before moving ‘Beyond the Metrics of Economy’ to talk about the role of governance in implementing these policies. He also authored the books ‘India Then and Now’, ‘India Ahead’.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Federal Bank launched “FEDDY” AI-Powered virtual assistant for customers

•The Federal Bank has launched “FEDDY”, an Artificial Intelligence-powered virtual assistant to help customers with banking-related queries anytime. The bank said while most of the similar AI-powered virtual assistants are available only on its website, FEDDY can be accessed via Alexa, Google Assistant and WhatsApp. It is integrated into Google Business Messaging, a first-of-its-kind by an Indian bank.

•The bank has recently come out with innovative and user-friendly facilities such as FedSelfie, under which individuals can open their accounts by merely taking a selfie, and Federal 24×7, which makes possible the opening of accounts through a video call to the bank.

INTERNATIONAL

Syria’s President Assad sworn in for fourth term with 95% of vote

•President Bashar al-Assad took the oath of office for a fourth term in war-ravaged Syria on Saturday, after officially winning 95% of the vote in an election dismissed abroad.

•It was the second presidential poll since the start of a decade-long civil war that has killed almost half a million people and battered the country’s infrastructure.

•Shortly before the ceremony, rockets fired by pro-government forces killed six people including three children and a rescue worker in the country’s last major rebel bastion of Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan to form new quad grouping

•The US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed in principle to establish a new quadrilateral diplomatic platform focused on enhancing regional connectivity. The parties consider long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan critical to regional connectivity and agree that peace and regional connectivity are mutually reinforcing.

•Afghanistan’s strategic location has for a long time been touted as a competitive advantage for the country. Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north, and China to the northeast.

•The formation of the new quad group is important amid China’s desire to extend its Belt Road Initiative (BRI) to Afghanistan. The BRI, a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he came to power in 2013, aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. By virtue of its location, Afghanistan can provide China with a strategic base to spread its influence across the world.

NATIONAL

West Bengal government to set up 15,000 telemedicine centres

•The West Bengal government is planning to set up at least 15,000 telemedicine centres in the next two years.

•The government has experience in running such units with around 120 doctors serving during the C-19 pandemic, state health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam said.

•Speaking at a virtual conference organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce, Nigam said the authorities are developing an integrated health management system to provide an end-to- end service to the government and private healthcare facilitates.

High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh renamed as ‘High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

•The ‘Common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh’ has been officially renamed as the ‘High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.’ The order was notified by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Justice.

•President Ram Nath Kovind has signed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2021 to effect the change, in the exercise of the powers conferred Section 103 (1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

•The Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh as well as the then Chief Justice of the Common High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have conveyed that they have no objection to the proposed change in the name of the High Court.

SPORTS

Shikhar Dhawan Second Fastest Indian After Virat Kohli to Reach 6,000 Runs in ODIs

•Shikhar Dhawan has become the second fastest India batter after Virat Kohli to reach the milestone of 6,000 ODI runs on Sunday during the series opener against Sri Lanka in Colombo. It took the India opener 140 innings to reach the figure while Kohli did it in just 136 innings which is also the second fastest in ODI history.

•Overall, Dhawan is the fourth fastest with former South Africa opener Hashim Amla fastest to 6,000 ODI runs, taking a mere 123 innings.

•The 35-year-old Dhawan is leading India on the Sri Lanka tour in the absence of regular skipper Kohli who is in England for the Test series starting in the first week of August.

Mercedes-Great Britain, Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix 2021

•Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain), won the British Grand Prix 2021, for a record-extending eighth time. The event was held on July 18, 2021, at the Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom.

•This is the 99th career win of seven times world champion Hamilton and the fourth win of the current season after 10 races. Monaco based Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) stood second. Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas from Finland, finished third.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Nelson Mandela International Day 2021:18th July

•The United Nations observes 18 July every year as Nelson Mandela International Day. The day acknowledges Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world. Nelson Mandela Day is an occasion for all to take action and inspire change.

•On 18 July 2009, the first Mandela Day was observed in New York. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on 10 November 2009 declaring 18 July as “Nelson Mandela International Day”. This day marks his contribution to peace through his active involvement in resolving conflicts, promoting human rights, international democracy and reconciliation and addressing racial issues.

•Nelson Mandela was born as Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela in Transkei, South Africa on 18 July, 1918. His mother was Nonqaphi Nosekeni and father Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Cannes Film Festival 2021

•The Cannes Film Festival 2021 concluded on 17 July 2021. The jury, presided by Spike Lee, presented the awards at the Closing Ceremony. Julia Ducournau won the Cannes’ top prize, the Palme d’Or, for her film Titane, making her the second woman ever to win the award. The first was Jane Campion in 1993.

•This year’s Cannes had a wide range of films, from Wes Anderson The French Dispatch to Julia Ducournau’s Titane, and Leos Carax’ Annette. Jodie Foster and Marco Bellocchio won the Honorary Palme d’Or.

•Palme d’Or: Julia Ducournau for Titane (France)

•Best Actress: Renate Reinsve for Worst Person in the World (Norway)

•Best Actor: Caleb Landry Jones for Nitram (US)

Bangladesh Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to get Olympic Laurel

•Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus will receive the Olympic Laurel at the Tokyo Games, the second time the trophy will be awarded. Yunus, whose pioneering micro-lender has been hailed for cutting poverty across the globe, will be honoured for “his extensive work in sport for development. The 81-year-old economist-turned-globe-trotting celebrity speaker won the Nobel in 2006. He will be given the award at the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony on July 23.

•The Olympic Laurel was created five years ago to recognise endeavours in culture, education, peace and development through sport. It was given for the first time at the 2016 Rio Games to Kenyan former Olympian Kip Keino, who opened a children’s home, a school and an athletes’ training centre in his home country.

NATIONAL

Centre to set up cultural centre in Haryana

•The Haryana government has got in-principle approval to set up a cultural centre in Kurukshetra from the central government, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Saturday. Further, the Centre and the Haryana government will work together to expand and develop ‘International Surajkund Craft Mela’ into a grand affair.

•Khattar held talks with Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy in New Delhi during the day. In-principle approval to set up a ‘North Zone Cultural Centre’ in Kurukshetra has been given by the central government, the chief minister said. Currently, there is a ‘North Zone Cultural Centre’ in Patiala.

•A detailed project description of a museum to be established at Jyotisar in Kurukshetra has been submitted by the Haryana government.

Chhattisgarh Terminates 158 MoUs, Citing No Progress In Execution

•The Chhattisgarh government has cancelled 158 memoranda of understanding (MoUs), signed between different departments and companies between 2001 and 2018, after no progress was made in their execution.

•The 158 MoUs, 103 were signed during the Global Investors' Meet in 2012 during the tenure of the Raman Singh-led BJP government in the state.

•The decision in this regard was taken during the 15th meeting of the State Investment Promotion Board chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

India, Sri Lanka and Maldives hold virtual trilateral exercise TTX-2021

•Top defence officials from India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives participated in a virtual trilateral tabletop exercise “TTX-2021”. The exercise focused on maritime crimes like curbing narcotics and assistance in maritime search and rescue in the region. The two-day exercise, TTX-2021 aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and exchange of best practices procedures for countering common transnational crime was coordinated by the Maritime Warfare Centre, Mumbai.

•TTX-2021 exemplifies the deep trilateral engagement between India-Maldives-Sri Lanka which has strengthened immensely in the maritime domain over the past years.

•Interaction between the three neighbouring countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has also grown significantly in recent years, in consonance with India”s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First” and vision of ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR).

Andhra Pradesh government announced 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections

•The Andhra Pradesh government announced a 10% reservation for the Kapu community and other Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) for appointments in the initial posts and services in State government in accordance with the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act, 2019. The 10% reservation in employment will benefit Kapus who are neither benefited under BC quota nor under EWS quota and other Open Competition (OC) sections who are deprived of the benefits of reservation thus far due to non-implementation of the EWS quota.

•Persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations for SCs, STs and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and whose gross annual family income is below Rs 8 lakh are to be identified as EWS for the benefit of reservation.

•The income includes income from all sources i.e. salary, agriculture, business, profession etc. for the financial year prior to the year of application.

Digital Platform “Kisan Sarathi” launched by Narendra Singh Tomar,

•In order to facilitate farmers to get ‘right information at right time’ in their desired language, a digital platform namely ‘KisanSarathi’ was launched jointly by Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. This initiative of KisanSarathi empowers farmers with technological interventions to reach farmers in remote areas.

•The ICAR Scientists to take-up research on new technological interventions in the area of transportation of farmer’s crop from their farm gate to warehouses, markets and the places where they want to sell with minimum damage. Union IT Minister assured that Ministry of Electronics and IT and Ministry of Communications will always be ready to provide all necessary support to Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for Empowerment of Farmers. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Railways is making a plan to minimise the time taken for the transportation of crops.

Kerala government’s campaign ‘Mathrukavacham’ for pregnant women 

•The Kerala government’s campaign ‘Mathrukavacham’ to vaccinate all the pregnant women in the state against C-19 infection was inaugurated at the district level recently. Spot registrations for vaccination of pregnant women would be carried out at various government hospitals. Pregnant women can receive the C-19 vaccine at any time during their pregnancy. The special vaccination drive comes as a strong defence to protect pregnant women.

•Vaccination will be made available in all district hospitals as part of the model program. In the beginning, the C-19 vaccine will be given to 100 pregnant women through spot registration.

•The State Health Ministry assured that in the coming days, C-19 vaccination for more pregnant women will be made accessible in all hospitals, depending on the availability of the vaccine.

Maharashtra government launched new Electric Vehicle Policy 2021

•The Maharashtra state government has launched the new Electric Vehicle Policy-2021. The policy announced by the State Environment Minister, Aaditya Thackeray aims to accelerate the adoption of Battery Electric Vehicles in the country. The new EV policy introduced in Maharashtra is a revision of the 2018 policy. It is introduced with an aim to make Maharashtra the “topmost producer of battery-powered electric vehicles in India.”

•The policy also aims for electric vehicles (EVs) to make up 10 per cent of all new vehicle registrations, by 2025. For this ambitious mission, the state government has rolled out an Rs. 930 crore policy, valid up to 31st March 2025. To make this successful, EVs will be exempted from road tax and registration charges.

Harela, The Folk Festival Of Uttarakhand

•The Harela festival in the mountain state of Uttarahand is all about thanksgiving for Nature’s beauty, generosity and bounty. It is a time when Nature is allowed to do her job and people pause from their hectic lives to enjoy her biodiversity.

•Acouple of decades ago, when 45-year-old J P Maithani was a young boy living in Pipalkoti village of Chamoli in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, gorging on a delicious meal of puri, pakodi and halwa was how the morning of Harela festival started.

INTERNATIONAL

Singapore unveiled one of the world’s biggest floating solar panel farms

•Singapore has unveiled one of the world’s largest floating solar panel farms. The project is part of efforts by the country to meet a goal of quadrupling its solar energy production by 2025 to help tackle climate change. Located on a reservoir in western Singapore, the 60 megawatt-peak solar photovoltaic farm has been built by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries. Spanning an area equivalent to 45 football fields and producing enough electricity to power the island’s five water treatment plants.

•The electricity generated from the one lakh 22 thousand solar panels on the 45-hectare site should make Singapore one of the few countries in the world to have a water treatment system fully powered by sustainable energy. The solar farm could help to reduce carbon emissions by about 32 kilotonnes annually, comparable to taking 7,000 cars off the roads.

NATIONAL

India’s first pod taxi to operate between Noida Airport and Film City

•Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Ltd (IPRCL) has prepared a Detailed Project Report or DPR for the pod taxi service between Noida Airport at Jewar and Film City. There are plans to run a driverless taxi between the two destinations. This will cost about Rs 862 crore, according to the detailed project report (DPR) submitted to the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida). This is a 14 km stretch. This will be India’s first pod taxi service.

•Pod taxis can accommodate four to six passengers per car. This important project will provide smooth connectivity to residential and industrial areas falling between film city and the Noida International Airport. As per the DPR, the corridor will pass through various sectors such as 21, 28, 29, 30 and 32, among others, falling under the Yeida region.

Telangana’s famous festival ‘Bonalu’ begins

•‘Bonalu’ is a traditional folk festival celebrated every year in the Telugu month of Ashadham (falling in June/July), in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, and some other parts of Telangana state. The Bonalu festival was declared a ‘state festival’ by the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government after the state’s formation back in 2014.

•The Bonalu festival involves scores of devotees offering the traditional ‘bonam’ (derived from Bhojanam, meaning meals) to the goddess Mahankali at 25 temples across the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Manduadih railway station renamed as Banaras railway station

•The Manduadih railway station has been finally renamed as Banaras by the Northeastern railways (NER). The NER replaced the old signboard with the new one which read ‘Banaras’ after the Railway Board gave its nod for the new name. The newly painted signboards were put up with Banaras written in Hindi, Sanskrit, English, and Urdu.

•The process to change the station’s name started in 2019 when the former railway minister and the present governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Singh, put forth the request. In the same year, the Uttar Pradesh government accepted the proposal and forwarded it to the ministry of home affairs.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched AI-based grievance analysis app “CPGRAMS”

•Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a mobile application, called CPGRAMS to lodge grievances using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools. The Raksha Mantri was briefed that this AI-powered application will automatically handle and analyse the complaints of the people and would reduce human intervention, save time and bring more transparency to their disposal.

•This is the first AI-based system developed to improve grievance redressal in the Government.

•The AI tool developed as part of the initiative has the capability to understand the content of the complaint based on the contents therein.

Adani Group takes over Mumbai airport management from the GVK group

•Adani Group led by Gautam Adani has completed the takeover of ‘Mumbai International Airport’ from the GVK group. With this takeover, Adani group has become the top company in terms of airport infrastructure companies in India. Mumbai International Airport will be operated by Adani Airport Holdings which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. With the takeover, Adani group’s airports now account for a fourth of total footfalls at airports across India, and a third of total air cargo handled.

•Thus, the company now operate six airports. Three airports in Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru are being operated by the Adani group already while the takeover of three airports in Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Jaipur is to be complete.

SPORTS

AIFF nominated Gokulam Kerala FC to represent India in the AFC Club Championship 2020-21

•The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has nominated Gokulam Kerala FC to represent India in the AFC Club Championship 2020-21. The winners of the Women League compete in the tournament but since it will not be held, the national federation nominated the champions of the fourth edition.

•Gokulam Kerala FC became the first team from Kerala to win a national title when they defeated Kryphsa FC in the 2019-20 Indian Women’s League (IWL) finals in Bengaluru.

OBITUARY

Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian photojournalist D. Siddiqui passed away

•Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian photojournalist, Danish Siddiqui, has passed away, after he was killed in a clash while reporting a fight between Afghan troops and the Taliban in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province in Afghanistan on July 13, 2021.

•He was employed with the international news agency Reuters. He was a recipient of the prestigious Pulitzer Prize with six others working as a photographer with Reuters news agency in 2018.

Three time National Award-winning actress Surekha Sikri passed away

•Three-time national award-winning actress Surekha Sikri has passed away. The three-time National Award winner is best known for her performances in ‘Tamas’, ‘Mammo’, ‘Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro’, ‘Zubeidaa’, ‘Badhaai Ho’ and daily soap ‘Balika Vadhu’.

•She was last seen in Netflix’s anthology ‘Ghost Stories’ (2020), in the story directed by Zoya Akhtar.

Former president of Pakistan M. Hussain passed away

•Former president of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain passed away. Mamnoon Hussain, who was born in Agra in 1940 and migrated with his parents to Pakistan in 1947, served as the 12th President of Pakistan between September 2013 and September 2018.

•He was governor of Sindh from June to October 1999 when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government was overthrown by the then Pakistan Army chief, Gen Pervez Musharraf.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day for International Justice 2021: 17th July

•The World Day for International Justice, (also known as Day of International Criminal Justice or International Justice Day), is celebrated globally on July 17 to support and recognize the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

•The day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute on July 17, 1998, the treaty that created the International Criminal Court. It came about when 120 states adopted a statute in Rome. It was known as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, All the countries that agreed to adopt the statute were accepting the jurisdiction of the ICC.

INTERNATIONAL

China started construction of world’s first commercial small modular reactor

•China has officially begun the construction of the world’s first commercial modular small reactor ‘Linglong One’ at the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in the country’s Hainan Province. The project is based on China National Nuclear Corporation’s (CNNC’s Linglong One (ACP100) technology.

•The multi-purpose, 125 MWe SMR is a pressurised water reactor designed for electricity generation, urban heating, urban cooling, industrial steam production, or seawater desalination.

•CNNC began the development of the Linglong One in 2010, and it was the first SMR project to pass an independent safety assessment by International Atomic Energy Agency experts in 2016.

NATIONAL

Cabinet approved continuation of NAM scheme implemented from April 01, 2021

•The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the continuation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘National AYUSH Mission (NAM)’ for another five years. The scheme will now be implemented from April 01, 2021, to March 31, 2026. The Centre has allocated Rs. 4607.30 crore (Rs 3,000 crore as Central Share and Rs. 1607.30 crore as State Share) for the scheme to be invested over five years.

•The NAM Mission was first launched on 15 September 2014.The National AYUSH Mission is being implemented by the Ministry of AYUSH.

•The objective of the mission is to provide cost-effective AYUSH Services by focusing on core competency areas of AYUSH like Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Unani and also Homeopathy (ASU&H) which are a treasure house of knowledge for preventive, promotive and curative healthcare.

PM Modi inaugurated ‘Rudraksh’ convention centre in Uttar Pradesh

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the International Cooperation and Convention Centre “Rudraksh”, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The centre will become an attractive destination for conferences and pull in tourists and businesspersons to the city. The international cooperation and convention centre has been named “Rudraksh” and has as many as 108 Rudraksha at the centre. Its roof is shaped like a ‘Shiva Linga’.

•The objective is to provide opportunities for social and cultural interactions between people at the international convention centre. The convention centre has been built with the assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency. An environment-friendly building, the centre is equipped with adequate security and safety systems. It features a regular entrance, a service entrance and a separate VIP entrance, making it an ideal destination for holding all types of international events.

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa unveiled bike taxi scheme for state

•Karnataka Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa has unveiled the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi scheme-2021. This will serve as a bridge between public transport and daily commuters. The scheme aims to reduce travel time and inconvenience in reaching bus, railway and metro stations. It will allow people, partnership firms and companies to participate.

•The authority concerned will issue licences under this scheme. Vehicles registered under this scheme will be in the transport category for which the government has given several exemptions like permits, tax and financial benefits for electric vehicles manufacturers.

•The Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme-2021 will boost self-employment, promote an eco-friendly environment, fuel conservation, strengthen public transport and encourage establishing related industries.

India’s first ‘Grain ATM’ open in Haryana

•The country’s first ‘Grain ATM’ has been set up as a pilot project in Gurugram, Haryana. It is an automatic machine, which works just like a bank ATM. This machine has been installed under the ‘World Food Programme’ of the United Nations (UN), and is called the ‘Automated, Multi Commodity, Grain Dispensing Machine’.

•This automatic machine is equipped with the biometric system with a touch screen, where the beneficiary will have to enter the Aadhaar or ration card unique number.

•On biometric authentication, the foodgrain prescribed by the government to the beneficiaries will be automatically filled in the bags installed under the machine.

•Three types of grains — wheat, rice and millet — can be distributed through this machine. At present, the distribution of wheat has been started from the ‘Grain ATM’ machine installed at Farrukhnagar.

SPORTS

Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam becomes fastest batsman to score 14 ODI centuries

•Pakistan captain Babar Azam has altered the record books with the century he scored against England during the third ODI at Edgbaston. He became the fastest batsman to notch up 14 ODI centuries in terms of innings, surpassing the likes of Hashim Amla, Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australian batsman David Warner.

•The Pakistan captain reached his 14th ton in his 81st ODI innings. Former South Africa opening batsman Amla had previously held the record who took 84 innings to reach this feat. Warner had taken 98 innings to get his 14th ODI ton while Kohli took 103 innings.

AR Rahman launched Tokyo Olympics cheer song “Hindustani Way”

•Singer Ananya Birla has teamed up with music maestro AR Rahman to launch a cheer song for Indian sports personalities as they gear up for Tokyo Olympics. Titled “Hindustani Way”, the song has been sung by Ananya and composed by Rahman. Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur also present in the launch of the song.

•The video of the song follows a family from 1996 to the present day as they cheer for Indian sports personalities across different Olympic seasons. The video features archival footage from Atlanta (1996), Athens (2004), Beijing (2008), London (2012), Rio (2016) and some exclusive training footage of this year’s contingent. The archival footage features winning moments of Leander Peas, Vijender Singh, Abhinav Bindra, Mary Kom, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik, among others.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ISRO successfully conducted third test on Vikas Engine for Gaganyaan Program

•The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas Engine for the core L110 liquid stage of the human-rated GSLV Mk III vehicle, as part of the engine qualification requirements for the Gaganyaan Programme.

•The engine was fired for a duration of 240 seconds at the engine test facility of ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. The performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Vice President of India M.Naidu receives book entitled ‘Urdu Poets and Writers – Gems of Deccan’

•Vice President M. Venkaih Naidu has received a book entitled ‘Urdu Poets and Writers – Gems of Deccan’ authored by senior journalist, J.S. Ifthekhar. Mr Naidu commended the author for the book which traces the rich literary and cultural traditions of the Deccan.

•The book is an anthology of prose and poetry that encapsulates the life and works of 51 outstanding poets and writers of the Deccan region. The book traces the rich literary and cultural traditions of Deccan, right from the time of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderabad, to the present times.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI canceled licence of Dr Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar Urban Co-operative Bank

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the licence of Dr Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd, Nilanga, Latur, as it does not have adequate capital and earning prospects. The Maharashtra-based bank with its current financial position would be unable to pay its depositors in full, the central bank said while announcing the cancellation of its licence. The bank ceases to carry on banking business, with effect from the close of business.

•With the cancellation of its licence, the bank has been prohibited from conducting the business of ”banking” that includes acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits with immediate effect.

RBI imposed restrictions on Mastercard Asia from adding new customers from 22nd July 2021

•The Reserve Bank of India has imposed restrictions on Mastercard Asia/Pacific Private Limited for adding new domestic customers from 22nd July 2021. MasterCard will not be allowed to add customers, be it for debit, credit or pre-paid cards onto its network as the entity has failed to comply with the directions on Storage of Payment System Data.

•This order will not impact existing Mastercard customers, RBI asked the company to inform all card-issuing banks and non-banks to conform to these directions. It may be recalled that RBI had issued a circular in April 2018, directing all system providers to ensure that all information related to payments systems operated by them are stored in India. All the firms were given a period of six months to comply and report compliance to RBI.

INTERNATIONAL

FM N. Sitharaman launched BHIM-UPI services in Bhutan

•Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched BHIM-UPI QR-based payments in Bhutan will further strengthen the cooperation between the two neighbouring nations. With the launch in Bhutan, the payment infrastructures of the two countries are seamlessly connected and will benefit tourists and businessmen from India who travel to Bhutan. This will enhance the ease of living and travelling through cashless transactions.

•The services have started in Bhutan under India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy. She described BHIM UPI as one of the brightest in facilitating digital transactions in India during the pandemic.

NATIONAL

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar unveiled statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Georgia

•External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Georgia at a prominent Tbilisi park. During his two-day visit to Georgia, a strategically important country situated at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Jaishankar held talks with the country’s top leadership & also handed over the relics of 17th century St. Queen Keteva.

•St. Queen Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen who attained martyrdom. Her relics were found in 2005 at the St. Augustine Convent in Old Goa, India, on the basis of medieval Portuguese records.

Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated centre of excellence at National Forensic Science University Gandhinagar

•Home Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated a research-based centre of excellence at National Forensic Science University in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The research-based centre of excellence at the National Forensic Science University in Gandhinagar will help our youths to become free from the addiction of drugs and narcotics.

•This centre will help in research and analysis of drugs and narcotics seized in the different parts of the country and its routes. Home Minister Amit Shah also inaugurated the virtual training model on Investigation of Crime against women for Indian Police.

India’s first national dolphin research centre will come upon in Patna University

•India’s and Asia’s first National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) will come upon the bank of the Ganges in the premises of Patna University. Around 1,455 dolphins have been sighted during a survey conducted in 2018-19 in the river Ganga by the teams of experts. The Gangetic dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal but frequently falls prey to illegal poaching. The presence of dolphins in the Ganga gives a sign of a healthy ecosystem because dolphins live at least in 5 ft to 8 ft deep water.

•The Gangetic dolphin has been declared an endangered aquatic animal and is one of the four freshwater dolphins species in the world as another three species are said to be found in the Yangtze River, the Indus River in Pakistan and the Amazon River globally.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021 Report

•The annual UN-FAO report titled “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021” states that between 720 and 811 million people in the world faced hunger in 2020, which is around 161 million more than in 2019. The report was jointly produced by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

•Number of hungry people in 2020 in the World: between 720 and 811 million

•Asia: 418 million (More than half of world hunger population)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ISRO plans to launched geo imaging satellite on August

•The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is getting back into launch activity fully at Sriharikota spaceport with the planned orbiting of geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 onboard GSLV-F10 rocket on August 12. GISAT-1 will be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit by GSLV-F10 and, subsequently, it will be positioned in the final geostationary orbit, about 36,000 km above earth’s equator, using its onboard propulsion system.

•The 2,268-kg GISAT-1 was originally slated to be launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district, about 100 kms north of Chennai, on March 5 last year but was postponed a day before the blast-off due to technical reasons.

•According to ISRO, GISAT-1 will facilitate near real-time observation of the Indian sub-continent, under cloud-free conditions, at frequent intervals.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Union Minister Piyush Goyal appointed Leader of House in Rajya Sabha

•Union Minister Piyush Goyal has been appointed as the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha. His appointment is effective from July 06, 2021. He will succeed Thawar Chand Gahlot, who has taken charge as the Governor of Karnataka.

•Mr. Goyal, a two-time Rajya Sabha MP, is currently the deputy leader of the NDA as well as the Union Minister in the Cabinet. He is serving as the Union Minister of Textiles, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. The Leader of the House is responsible for organizing government meetings and business in the House.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Youth Skills Day 2021:15th July

•United Nations celebrates World Youth Skills Day globally on 15 July every year. The day is celebrated as an opportunity for young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, and public and private sector stakeholders to acknowledge as well as celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.

•The theme of World Youth Skills Day 2020 is “Reimagining Youth Skills Post-Pandemic”.

•In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book “The Great Big Lion” written by child prodigy Knight

•A book titled “The Great Big Lion” drawn and written by child prodigy Chryseis Knight.  This book is a story about a lion and two children. It talks about friendship, inclusivity, wildlife conservation and the world of imagination. The book was published by Penguin Random House India’s “Puffin” imprint.

•Knight, who is currently residing in Canada, learnt how to read at the age of one, started writing the story of “The Great Big Lion” in her notebook when she was three years old. She then shared it with her family and became determined to do the artwork with the motivation of getting the book published.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Reserve Bank of India Launched ‘Retail Direct Scheme’

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched ‘the RBI Retail Direct’ scheme for retail investors, through which they can directly buy and sell government securities (G-Secs), both primary and secondary.  The bond-buying window was opened to increase retail participation in G-Secs and democratize ownership of G-Secs beyond the managers of pooled resources such as banks and mutual funds. The date of commencement of the scheme will be announced later.

•The RBI Retail Direct scheme is a one-stop solution to facilitate investment in Government Securities (G-Secs) by individual investors.

•This dedicated bond-buying window is a part of RBI’s effort to increase retail participation in government securities.

•The scheme also provides the facility to Retail investors (individuals) to open and maintain the ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’ (RDG Account) with RBI.

INTERNATIONAL

Sher Bahadur becomes Nepal’s Prime Minister for 5th time

•Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba on 13th July became the country’s Prime Minister for the fifth time. His appointment is in line with the ruling issued by the Supreme Court on 12th July to make way for his claim to the premiership, replacing incumbent K P Sharma Oli.

•Previously, Deuba served as Nepal’s Prime Minister four times from June 2017 to February 2018, June 2004 to February 2005, July 2001 to October 2002 and September 1995 to March 1997.

NATIONAL

Indian Navy received 10th  Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft ‘P-8I’

•Indian Navy received the 10th anti-submarine warfare aircraft P-8I from the US-based aerospace company Boeing. The Defence Ministry had signed a contract for eight P-8I aircraft in 2009. However, later in 2016, it signed a contract for four additional P-8I aircraft. The remaining two aircrafts are expected to be delivered in the last quarter of 2021.

•P-8I is a long-range maritime reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft, and a variant of the P-8A Poseidon used by the US Navy.

•India was the first international customer of Boeing for this aircraft.

•The Indian Navy inducted the first P-8I aircraft in 2013, while the ninth P-8I aircraft was received in November 2020.

SPORTS

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Golden Boot in EURO 2020

•Portugal captain and modern-day great Cristiano Ronaldo won the Euro 2020 Golden Boot after finishing as the top-scorer in the tournament.

•Despite playing just four games, Ronaldo clinched the top honours as he scored five goals. Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick also ended the tournament with five goals but the award went to Ronaldo via the tie-breaker of assists.

India will host 2026 World Badminton Championships

•The Badminton World Federation has allotted the BWF World Championships to India for 2026. This will be the second time that India will host the premier tournament, which is held every year except for the Olympic year. India had hosted the BWF World Championships in Hyderabad in 2009.

•Since then, India has played host to various major badminton tournaments including the 2014 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals, the Asian Championships apart from the annual BWF Super 500 event, the Yonex-Sunrise India Open.

Deepak Kabra becomes first Indian gymnastics judge at Olympics

•Deepak Kabra has become the first Indian to be selected for judging the gymnastics competition of the Olympic Games, a life goal achieved for the man who knew he wouldn’t have made it there as an active gymnast because of his not-so-strong fundamentals.

•He will be seen officiating the men’s artistic gymnasts at the Tokyo Games, which gets underway on July 23.

OBITUARY

Former Indian cricketer Yashpal Sharma passed away

•Former Indian cricketer, Yashpal Sharma, who was a member of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, has passed away. He represented India in 37 Tests and 42 ODIs.

•He was a middle-order batsman, who played during the 1970s and 80s. The Punjab-born cricketer had represented three teams in Ranji including Punjab, Haryana and Railways.

Former WWE Wrestler Paul Orndorff passed away

•The renowned American professional wrestler, Paul Orndorff, who is best known with his nickname Mr. Wonderful, has passed away.

•He was one of professional wrestling’s biggest stars of the 1980s and was famous for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He retired in 2000. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Journalist N N Pillai honoured with the BKS Literary Award 2021

•Journalist and playwright Omchery N N Pillai has been selected for the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS)’s Literary Award for 2021. BKS president P V Radhakrishna Pillai, general secretary Varghese Karackal and literary wing secretary Firoz Thiruvathra announced the award.

•The Jury was headed by the novelist M Mukundan. Literary critic Dr K S Ravikumar, writer and Kerala Chief Secretary Dr V P Joy, and Radhakrishna Pillai were part of the jury. The award constitutes a cash prize of `50,000 and a citation acknowledging the achievement. The award ceremony will be held later in Delhi. “His enormous contributions as a whole to Malayalam language and literature are remarkable, which ultimately led to this award.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book “The Art of Conjuring Alternate Realities” by S. S. Singh and Anand Venkatanarayanan

•A new book titled ‘The Art of Conjuring Alternate Realities: How Information Warfare Shapes Your World’, authored by Shivam Shankar Singh and Anand Venkatanarayanan. The Book is Published by HarperCollins.

•The Book deals with human history, societal control was determined by various hierarchies like military, colonialism, mega-corporations and now by information. This book widely talks about how information warfare is shaping your life and world. Parallelly it deals with the operations of political parties, cybercriminals, godmen, national states in manipulating the thoughts.

Book The Struggle Within: A Memoir of the Emergency authored by Ashok Chakravarti

•A book titled “The Struggle Within: A Memoir of the Emergency” authored by Ashok Chakravarti. He is an economist who has been providing policy advice to countries, mainly in the African region, for the past forty years. He is currently Senior Economic Advisor to the Government of Zimbabwe, based in Harare.

•The Book is Published By Harpercollins India. The Struggle Within: A Memoir of the Emergency book deals with one of independent India’s darkest hours during the emergency period. The Emergency (1975-1977) was one of independent India’s darkest hours. In that period, Over 150,000 people were imprisoned without trial; as many as eleven million forcibly sterilized, and countless killed in police firings or otherwise eliminated.