NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. IIT Delhi and Prasar Bharati host Robot Competition ‘DD-Robocon’ India 2024 in Delhi: IIT Delhi and Prasar Bharati host the two-day Robot Competition ‘DD-Robocon’ India 2024 at Thyagaraj Stadium in Delhi. More than 750 students from over 45 colleges, institutions, and universities participated in the competition. The winning team from DD-Robocon will represent India at the international Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Robocon 2024, which will take place in QuangNinh, Vietnam. DD-Robocon India aims to promote technical skill development, innovation, and teamwork among engineering students by providing visibility and recognition in the field of robotics. The competition is an esteemed platform for showcasing and advancing the students’ engineering and robotics capabilities.
2. Sudarsan Pattnaik wins gold at International Sand Sculpture Championship: Renowned Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has won Golden sand master award with a gold medal at international sand sculpture championship held at St. Petersburg, Russia. Patnaik only participant from India has created 12 feet high sand Ratha (chariot) of Mahaprabhu Jagannath with his devotee and poet Balaram Das. Balaram Das who was the author of Dandi Ramayan was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath in fourteenth century A.D.
3. Eastern India’s 1st University for students with disabilities to be opened in Ranchi: The Jharkhand government is working on a plan to open eastern India’s first university for physically challenged students in the state. The proposed university will offer education according to the needs of students with disabilities. There will be arrangements for special courses and educational equipment for students with disabilities. They will be provided education according to their needs. The department also proposed a ‘Navothan Scholarship Scheme’, under which the government will reimburse the full course fee (up to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh per year) of meritorious orphan and physically challenged students of the state. Besides, these students will be given assistance of Rs 48,000 per year for lodging and food arrangements.
4. Vikram Misri takes over as foreign secretary: Vikram Misri took charge as the 35th Foreign Secretary after Vinay Kwatra completed his tenure. Misri, an officer of the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who has the rare distinction of serving as private secretary to three prime ministers, last held the post of deputy national security advise Misri who served as a Deputy National Security Adviser before the current assignment, served in China during the 2020 Galwan conflict and is also known to have extensive contacts in conflict-torn Myanmar where he served as India’s Ambassador during 2016-18.
5. 16 July – National Cherry Day: National Cherry Day is celebrated every year on 16 July. This day not only honors the fruit itself but also highlights its significance in culinary traditions and its numerous health benefits. The origins of National Cherry Day can be traced back to the cherry-growing regions where farmers and communities would come together to harvest and enjoy the fresh cherries of the season. Over time, it has grown into a popular observance that promotes cherries both for their taste and their health benefits.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India and Marshall Islands sign MoU on development projects: India has signed an agreement with the Marshall Islands to provide an annual grant for four community development projects as part of New Delhi’s outreach to Pacific Island states. The MoU was signed at the Indian embassy in Tokyo by India’s ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, and foreign minister Kalani Kaneko of Marshall Islands. The embassy in Tokyo is also responsible for overseeing relations with Marshall Islands. The MoU will enable the implementation of a community sports centre in Ailuk Atoll, an airport terminal on Mejit Island, and community centres at Arno and Wotje Atolls.
2. India to host 2nd Asia Pacific Ministerial conference on civil aviation: India will host the second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on civil aviation on September 11 and 12, 2024. The first conference was organized in February 2018 in Beijing. As many as 39 Member States of U.N. aviation safety body International Civil Aviation Organization fall in the Asia Pacific region and are expected to participate. This region recorded the 33.41% of the global departures, which is the highest among all the regions in the world and it is indeed opportune that the second ministerial conference to consolidate Asia Pacific regional collaboration and co-operation to craft a futuristic vision in the region including a culture of innovation and a culture of safety is being held here.
3. Global Conference on Space Research Kicked off in South Korea’s Busan: A global conference on space research kicked off in South Korea’s Busan city to foster international scientific research in space. According to the Korea Aero Space Administration (KASA), about 3,000 space scientists and industry officials from 60 nations attended the 45th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research. It marks the first time that South Korea is hosting the biennial global conference.
4. Sri Lanka to host the ICC Annual Conference from July 19 to 22: Sri Lanka Cricket will host the Annual Conference of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Sri Lanka from July 19th to 22nd, 2024. The mega cricket conference will bring together over 220 delegates from 108 ICC member countries from across the world, covering regions such as Africa, the Americas, Asia, East Asia Pacific, and Europe. This year’s conference, themed “Capitalizing on the Olympic Opportunity,’ will discuss topics such as ‘Diversity and Inclusion,’ ‘environmental sustainability and the sport,’ and ‘Cricket’s triumphant return at LA28. The annual conference will consist of a series of key meetings, workshops, and networking sessions, and key decisions will be taken for the benefit of the future of the game.
5. 16 July – World Snake Day: World Snake Day is celebrated every year on 16 July. It is dedicated to raising awareness about the diverse and often misunderstood reptiles. The day aims to educate the public about the role snakes play in ecosystems, dispel myths, and promote conservation efforts. India is home to around 300 snake species, and World Snake Day is a great time to promote the importance of snake conservation and dispels misconceptions.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. World Championship of Legends 2024: India Champions Clinch Title with over Pakistan Champions: In a pulsating finale of the World Championship of Legends 2024, India Champions emerged victorious by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan Champions by five wickets here at Edgbaston. Pakistan Champions, after winning the toss, elected to bat first. The Pakistani innings got off to a solid start with Kamran Akmal (24 off 19) and Maqsood (21 off 12) providing an early burst of runs. However, the Indian bowlers managed to keep the scoring in check with regular wickets.
2. Spain defeats England 2-1 to clinch record 4th European Soccer Championship Title: In Football, Spain won its record fourth European soccer championship after defeating England 2-1 in the finals of Euro 2024 in Berlin. Nico Williams provided the first goal for Spain, scoring less than two minutes into the second half after a scoreless opening. This is England’s second consecutive runner-up finish, having lost to Italy in the final of Euro 2020. The country has never won a European championship and its last major international tournament win was the 1966 World Cup.
3. Thomas Muller Retires from International Football: Thomas Müller, the German football icon, has announced his retirement from international football following the conclusion of Euro 2024.
The 34-year-old featured in his eighth and last tournament on July 5, in Germany’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat by Spain, where he was brought on as a substitute in the 80th minute. Muller helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup and has the third most appearances for the national team with 131 caps and 45 goals. He also won the Golden Boot and Young Player Award during the 2010 World Cup, when Germany finished third.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SBI hikes benchmark MCLR rate: State Bank of India, the country’s largest state-run lender, has hiked its marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) across buckets by 5 to 10 basis points with effect from 15 July. Most loans to corporates, including SMEs, are priced using MCLR as a benchmark. The revision in MCLR reflects the changes in cost of funds. The lender hiked the rate for one-month MCLR by five basis points to 8.35 per cent. For one year, MCLR has been hiked by 10 basis points to 8.85 per cent. For the three-year period, it has been raised by five basis points to 9.0 per cent, according to data uploaded on SBI website.
2. Wholesale Inflation in country rises for 4th consecutive month in June at 3.36 %: Wholesale inflation in the country rose for the fourth consecutive month in June at 3.36 per cent because of the rise in prices of food articles, especially vegetables and manufactured items. The wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation was 2.61 per cent in May. It was (-) 4.18 per cent in June 2023.
Data released last week showed that retail inflation rose to a four-month high of 5.1 per cent in June.
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