NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. UNESCO:
Historic Urban Landscape project launched for Gwalior, Orchha: In the state of
Madhya Pradesh, the cities of Orchha and Gwalior have been selected by UNESCO
under its ‘Historic Urban Landscape Project.’ This project was started in the
year 2011. UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape project for the cities of Orchha
and Gwalior was launched through video conferencing by the Chief Minister of
Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan.Six cities of South Asia, including the
Indian cities of Varanasi and Ajmer, are already involved in this project.
Gwalior and Orchha have been included as the 7th and 8th cities of South Asia.
Note: Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh:
Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Anandiben Patel.
2. FinMin
Joint Secretary Rashmi R Das appointed to UN Tax Committee: The joint secretary
of the Finance Ministry, RasmiRanjan Das has been appointed to the UN tax
committee as a member for the term period 2021 to 2025. Das is among the tax
experts from around the world who has been appointed as a member of the UN tax
committee. She is Joint Secretary – (FT&TR-I), Central Board of Direct
Taxes, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
About UN Committee:Formally known as
the UN Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, this
committee helps the countries’ efforts to advance stronger and forward-looking
tax policies which are adapted to suit the realities of a digitalised economy,
globalised trade and investment and the ever-worsening environmental
degradation.It assists countries in their efforts to prevent double or multiple
taxations as well as non-taxation, broaden their tax base, strengthen their tax
administrations, and curb international tax evasion and avoidance.
3. IIT-K
launches technology innovation hub to find cyber security for drones: Indian Institute of
Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has launched the first technology innovation hub to
find cybersecurity solutions for anti-drones technologies, intrusion detection
systems, block-chain and cyber-physical systems. As many as 13 start-ups and 25
research and development principal investigators were selected after a rigorous
application process. The presence of cutting-edge technology in cybersecurity
is accompanied by an increasing need to protect digital assets and deploy
solutions for the common public as well as government and industry.IIT Kanpur’s
C3i hub will focus on safeguarding cyberspace including critical
infrastructure.” The government is promoting Make-in India cybersecurity
solutions to counter rising threats from neighbouring countries, particularly
China.
4. Kargil
Vijay Diwas: 26th July:Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26
since the year 1999, to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil
conflict. This year nation is celebrating the 22 years of victory in the Kargil
war. It was in 1999 that a high altitude mountain war broke out along the peaks
of Kargil near the Line of Control, the de-facto border that divides Kashmir
between the two nations.
History of Kargil War:The Kargil War was
fought between May-July of 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir
along the Line of Control (LoC) in which India got the victory.The Kargil war
was fought for more than 60 days, ended on 26 July.On this date in 1999
Pakistan army taking advantage of the melting snow and betraying the bilateral
understanding of both the nations (that the post would remain unattended during
the winter season) took command of the high outposts of India.
Operation Vijay:The operation was
launched in 1999. Both the operations were of huge success. However, the Kargil
Vijay However, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is marked on the culmination of Kargil
war.July 26 is celebrated as “Kargil Vijay Diwas” every year to mark the
successful completion of “Operation Vijay” that ended the 3-month war along the
Line of Control. Nearly 490 Indian army officers, soldiers and jawans were
martyrs during the course of the battle.
INTERNATIONALUPDATES:
1. World’s
first 3D-printed steel bridge opened in Amsterdam:The world’s first
3D-printed steel bridge was opened to the public in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It
was developed by MX3D, a Dutch robotics company, in collaboration with a
consortium of experts, and represents a major milestone for 3D-printing
technology. After four years of development, the bridge was unveiled by Her
Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. It was installed over one of the
oldest canals in Amsterdam’s city centre – the OudezijdsAchterburgwal.About
the bridge:
(1) The 12-metre-long steel structure will
be a ‘living laboratory’ that will capture and transmit data on its health in
real-time to show how it changes over its lifespan.
(2) The length of the bridge is nearly 40
feet. It is a 6-ton stainless steel structure.
(3) The smart sensor network was designed
and installed by a team from The Alan Turing Institute.
(4) The sensors attached to the structure
will gather data on air quality, temperature, strain, displacement and
vibration.
(5) The data will be used by the bridge’s
‘digital twin’, a computer model that will emulate the actual bridge in
real-time, to improve accuracy over time.
(6) The computer model will help understand
how a full-scale 3D-printed steel structure works in the real world.
Note: Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam; Currency:
Euro.
2. India
sees significant improvement in UNESCAP score: India has scored
90.32 per cent in the 2021 UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade
Facilitation. India’s score was 78.49 per cent in 2019. The overall score of
India is found to be greater than many OECD countries including France, UK,
Canada, Norway, Finland. India is the best-performing country when compared to
the South and South-West Asia region (63.12%) and the Asia Pacific region
(65.85%). The overall score of India is even greater than the average score of
the EU.
The survey reveals that India has made
significant improvement in the scores on all 5 key indicators, as follows:
(1) Transparency: 100% in 2021 (93.33% in
2019),
(2) Formalities: 95.83% in 2021 (87.5% in
2019),
(3) Institutional Arrangement and
Cooperation: 88.89% in 2021 (66.67% in 2019),
(4) Paperless Trade: 96.3% in 2021 (81.48%
in 2019) and
(5) Cross-Border Paperless Trade: 66.67% in
2021 (55.56% in 2019)
About the survey: The survey is
conducted by the United Nation’s Economic and Social Commission for the Asia
Pacific (UNESCAP) every two years since 2015 to help countries benchmark and
reduce the time and cost of trading across borders, as well as helps businesses
in their investment decisions.The survey evaluates 143 economies on 58 trade
facilitation measures covered by the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement and 5
key indicators which are Transparency, Formalities, Institutional Arrangement
and Cooperation, Paperless Trade, and Cross-Border Paperless Trade.
3. International
Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem: 26 July:The International
Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem (or World Mangrove Day) is
celebrated annually on 26 July. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the
importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable
ecosystem” and to promote solutions for their sustainable management,
conservation and uses.The day was adopted by the General Conference of the UN
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015. It was on
this day in 1998, that a Greenpeace activist Hayhow Daniel Nanoto, died of a
heart attack during a massive protest to re-establish the mangrove wetlands in
Muisne, Ecuador.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Tokyo 2020: MirabaiChanu wins Silver in weightlifting: MirabaiChanu won
the silver medal and became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal at the
2020 Tokyo Games in the Women’s 49kg category. China’s ZhihuiHou won the gold
medal in the women’s 49-kg weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics, lifting a total
of 210 kg, while Indonesia’s Windy CantikaAisah won the bronze medal. Chanu
managed to lift a total of 202 kg in the women’s 49kg category to become the
second Indian weightlifter after KarnamMalleswari to win an Olympic medal. A
new Olympic record was registered by MirabaiChanu with a successful lift of
115kg in clean and jerk.
2.
IOA ropes in Adani Group as sponsor for Tokyo Olympics: The Indian Olympic
Association has roped in Adani Group as a sponsor for the Indian contingent at
the ongoing Tokyo Games. IOA secretary general Rajiv Mehta, who is in Tokyo,
announced the development. The IOA had earlier entered into sponsorship deals
with various private entities, including dairy giant Amul, mobile gaming
platform MPL Sports Foundation, JSW Sports among others. IOA had inked the
deals after dropping Chinese sportswear brand Li Ning as the Indian team’s
official kit sponsor for the Tokyo Olympics and stating that the country’s
athletes will wear unbranded apparel during the Games.
Note: Indian Olympic Association President:
Narayana Ramachandran; Indian Olympic Association Founded: 1927.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
RBI allows loans up to Rs 5 cr to other banks’ directors: Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) has overhauled rules for extending loans to directors of other
banks and relatives of directors. As per the amendments, the central bank has
allowed banks to extend personal loans up to ₹5 crores to directors of other
banks and directors’ relatives other than spouses without board approval. The
earlier limit for such loans was ₹25 lakh.
The regulations apply to directors,
including the Chairman/Managing Director, of other banks, any firm in which
they are interested as a partner or guarantor, or any company in which they
hold substantial interest or is interested as a director or as a guarantor.
Personal loans refer to loans given to individuals and consist of consumer
credit, education loans, loans given for the creation or enhancement of
immovable assets like houses, and loans given for investment in financial
assets, such as shares, debentures, etc.
Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das;
Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Max Bupa Health Insurance rebrands itself as Niva Bupa: The standalone
health insurer Max Bupa Health Insurance has rebranded itself as ‘Niva Bupa
Health Insurance. This development comes after the company’s promoter, Max
India, which owned 51 per cent of the insurer sold its stake to True North in
February 2019 for Rs 510 crore. With the entry of private equity firm True
North, it was decided that the use of the “Max” brand will be phased out over a
period of two years and replaced with a suitable name, to create a new brand
identity. Niva Bupa targets to become aRs 2,500 crore company by FY 2021-22.
Note: Max Bupa Health Insurance CEO:
Krishnan Ramachandran; Max Bupa Health Insurance Headquarters: New Delhi,
India; Max Bupa Health Insurance Founded: 2008.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
NgangomBala Devi named AIFF ‘Women’s Footballer of the Year’ 2020-21: Indian Women’s
National Team Forward, NgangomBala Devi has been named as the All India
Football Federation (AIFF) Women’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21. Bala
currently plays for Rangers Women’s FC in Scotland. She made her debut for the
team in February 2020 and created history as she scored her first competitive
goal for the side in December last year. She is the first Indian woman
footballer to sign a professional contract with an overseas club in Europe.
Bala was a part of the Manipur U19 team that took part in the Under-19 Women’s
Championship in Assam in 2002, where she was declared the best player. She has
also represented the Manipur Senior Women’s Football Team in the India women’s
football championship.
OBITUARIES
1.
Noted Carnatic Classical Violinist Sikkil R Bhaskaran passes away: Noted Carnatic
Classical Violinist ‘Kalaimaamani’ Sikkil Shri R Bhaskaran passed away. He
started learning the Violin at the age of 11 from Thiruvarur Shri SubbaIyer and
later trained under Mayuram Shri Govindarajan Pillai. He was an ‘A” Grade
Artist of AIR and has served for nearly 2 decades in Chennai radio Station from
1976 to 1994. Bhaskaran has served as an Executive Committee member of the
ThiruvaiyaruThyaga Brahma Festival for more than 2 decades. During his close to
5 decades of Musical Career, Bhaskaran has been bestowed with many laurels,
Awards &Honours.
2. India’s oldest student BhageerathiAmma passes away at 107: BhageerathiAmma, the oldest woman in India to take the equivalency exams, has passed away due to age-related ailments. She was 107-years-old. Amma, who hailed from the Kollam district of Kerala, decided to continue her education at the age of 105. Amma had quit formal education in class three, when she was 9 years old. The centenarian was felicitated with the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar by the central government for her exceptional contribution towards women’s empowerment.
No comments:
Post a Comment