NATIONAL AFFAIRS
UP GOVT. LAUNCHED TWO CHILD POLICY
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a population policy that aims to incentivise couples who do not have more than two babies.
Stating that population control is related to awareness among masses and poverty, Adityanath said every community has been taken care of in Population Policy 2021-2030.
Two-child policy: The UP law commission that has formulated a population control bill said the policy would be voluntary and nobody would be forced to follow any rule.
However, if any person decides to on his or her own to not have more than two babies, they will be eligible for government schemes., while those who do not follow the policy will face restrictions in government jobs, availing ration, and other benefits.
ANDHRA GOVT. ANNOUNCED 10% RESERVATION FOR EWS
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.
The following are the operational guidelines for implementation of the 10% reservation:
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.
The term family for this purpose will include the person who seeks the benefit of reservation, his or her parents and siblings below the age of 18 years as also his or her spouse and children below the age of 18 years.
The persons seeking the benefit of reservation under the EWS category have to obtain the necessary EWS certificates from the Tahsildars concerned.
MAHARASHTRA GOVT. LAUNCHED NEW EV 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 percent 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.
KERALA GOVT. LAUNCHED CAMPAIGN 'MATHRUKAVACHAM'
The Kerala government’s campaign ‘Mathrukavacham’ to vaccinate all the pregnant women in the state against COVID-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 COVID vaccine at any time during their pregnancy. The special vaccination drive comes as a strong defence to protect pregnant women.
About the campaign: Vaccination will be made available in all district hospitals as part of the model program. In the beginning, the covid vaccine will be given to 100 pregnant women through spot registration.
The State Health Ministry assured that in the coming days, covid vaccination for more pregnant women will be made accessible in all hospitals, depending on the availability of the vaccine.
INDIA'S LARGEST SOLAR POWER PARK IN KUTCH
NTPC Ltd, India’s largest power generator is set to construct the country’s single-largest solar photovoltaic project at Rann of Kutch region in Khavada, Gujarat.
The solar power park will have a capacity of 4.75 Gigawatt (Gw)/4750 MW. The project will be constructed through NTPC’s renewable energy arm, NTPC Renewable Energy (NTPC-REL).
About the project: NTPC REL, a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, received approval from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on 12 July 2021 under Mode 8 (Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park) of the Solar Park Scheme.
The project is a part of NTPC’s plan to transform itself into a green energy major. It aims to build 60 GW Renewable Energy Capacity by 2032.
NTPC REL also plans to generate green hydrogen on a commercial scale from this park. Hydrogen produced from renewable sources is called green hydrogen.
• NTPC Chairman and Managing Director: Shri Gurdeep Singh.
• NTPC Founded: 1975.
• NTPC Headquarters: New Delhi, India.
INDIA'S FIRST CRYPTOGAMIC GARDEN IN UTTARAKHAND
India’s first cryptogamic garden, with around 50 different species grown, has been inaugurated in Deoban area of Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
The garden is situated at a height of 9,000 feet and is spread over an area of three acres. Located in the district’s Chakrata town, the garden was inaugurated by social activist Anoop Nautiyal.
Cryptogamae means “hidden reproduction” referring to the fact that no seed, no flowers are produced.
Thus, cryptogams represent the non-seed bearing plants. Algae, bryophytes (moss, liverworts), lichens, ferns and fungi are the best-known groups of cryptogams that require moist conditions to survive.
• Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.
• The chief minister of Uttarakhand: Pushkar Singh Dhami.
FIRST GREEN HYDROGEN MOBILITY PROJECT
NTPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UT of Ladakh and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) to establish India's first Green Hydrogen Mobility project.
Leh will be the first city in India to implement a zero-emission green hydrogen mobility project. In the beginning, NTPC intends to operate 5 hydrogen buses.
The first solar installations by NTPC in Leh, in the form of solar trees and a solar carport, were also unveiled.
About Green Hydrogen: Color tabs categorise the sources and processes used to produce hydrogen. Grey hydrogen is hydrogen derived from fossil fuels, and it accounts for the vast majority of hydrogen produced today.
Blue hydrogen is hydrogen that is produced from fossil fuels and has carbon capture and storage capabilities. Green hydrogen is hydrogen that is produced entirely from renewable energy sources. Renewable energy electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
US, AFGHANS, PAK, UZBEKISTAN TO FORM NEW QUAD
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.
SAUDI ARABIA ENDS MALE GUARDIAN REQUIREMENT
According to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Saudi Arabia, women can now register for the annual Hajj pilgrimage without a male guardian (marham).
In registration guidelines of Hajj for domestic pilgrims, the ministry highlights, women do not need to require a male guardian to register and could do registration along with other women. Women wishing to perform Hajj will have to register individually.
India had announced the same rule in 2017 when the Modi government declared that women could go on Hajj without a male companion. Muslim women were exempted from mahram and also from the lottery system.
What is Hajj: It is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is considered as holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims which is must to carry at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims.
• Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh.
• Saudi Arabia Currency: Saudi riyal.
SHER BAHADUR DEUBA BECOMES NEPAL PM 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.
• Nepal Capital: Kathmandu.
• Nepal Currency: Nepalese rupee.
INDIA 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.
• Bhutan Prime Minister: Lotay Tshering.
• Bhutan Currency: Bhutanese ngultrum
WORLD'S LARGEST 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.
• PM of Singapore: Lee Hsien Loong.
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
3RD G20 FINANCE MINISTERS' MEETING
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman participated virtually in the Third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting under the Italian Presidency.
The two-day meeting saw discussions on a wide range of issues including global economic risks and health challenges, policies for recovery from the CoVID-19 pandemic, international taxation, sustainable finance and financial sector issues.
The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors reaffirmed their resolve to use all available policy tools for as long as required to address the adverse consequences of COVID-19.
Smt. Sitharaman appreciated the Italian G20 Presidency for identifying three catalysts of resilient economic recovery from the pandemic as being Digitalization, Climate Action and Sustainable Infrastructure and shared the Indian experience of integrating technology with inclusive service delivery during the pandemic.
RBI LAUNCHED 'RBI 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.
Highlights of the ‘RBI Retail Direct’ scheme: 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.
Under this scheme, retail investors are able to open and maintain their gilt securities account named ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’ (RDG Account) through a ‘With RBI’ online portal‘.
• RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.
APPOINTMENTS
FEDERAL BANK TO APPOINT SHYAM SRINIVASAN AS MD & CEO
Federal Bank shareholders have approved the motion to re-appoint Shyam Srinivasan as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the lender for a period of three years.
His reappointment will come into effect from September 23, 2021, to September 22, 2024. Srinivasan took over as Federal Bank MD & CEO in 2010 and has been at the helm since then.
Srinivasan is among the few foreign bankers who chose to move to smaller Indian banks after fairly long, successful stints in foreign banks (the others include RBL Bank’s Vishwavir Ahuja and DCB Bank’s Murali Natrajan).
Over the last decade, Srinivasan has been at the helm of Federal, the bank has transformed into a mid-sized private bank with a strong focus on retail business, including gold loans and funding small and medium entrepreneurs.
• Federal Bank Headquarters: Aluva, Kerala
• Federal Bank Founder: K.P Hormis
• Federal Bank Founded: 23 April 1931
TWITTER APPOINTED VINAY PRAKASH AS RGO, INDIA
Twitter has named Vinay Prakash as the Resident Grievance Officer (RGO) for India, as per the information updated on its website.
Users can contact Vinay Prakash using an email ID listed on the page.
Earlier the US-based company had announced the appointment of California-based Jeremy Kessel as the new Grievance Officer for India.
However, as per the new IT rules in India, social media platforms with over 50 lakh users are mandated to appoint three key personnel namely chief compliance officer, nodal officer and grievance officer, and all these three personnel have to be residents in India.
• Chief Executive Officer of Twitter: Jack Dorsey.
• Twitter formed: 21 March 2006.
• Headquarters of Twitter: San Francisco, California, United States.
AWARDS & HONOR
BANGLADESHI NOBEL LAUREATE 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.
About the Muhammad Yunus: Yunus founded the Grameen Bank in the 1980s and shared the Nobel Prize with the micro-lender. His initiatives include the Yunus Sports Hub, a network of social enterprises that promote development through sports.
Yunus has faced legal troubles in recent years after he was sacked in 2011 as head of Grameen Bank. His supporters say he has been targeted by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who accused him of “sucking blood” from the poor with high-interest rates.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2021, WINNERS ANNOUNCED
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.
Here is the list of Cannes 2021 winners in key categories:
• Palme d’Or: Julia Ducournau for Titane (France)
• Grand Prix (TIE): Ashgar Farhadi for A Hero (Iran) and Juho Kuosmanen for Compartment No.6 (Finland)
• Best Director: Leos Carax Annette (France)
• Best Actress: Renate Reinsve for Worst Person in the World (Norway)
• Best Actor: Caleb Landry Jones for Nitram (US)
• Best First Film: Antoneta Kusijanovic for Murina (Croatia)
• Best Short Film: Hong Kong’s All The Crows In The World Tang Yi
• Short Film Palme d’Or: Tian Xia Wu Ya by Tang Yi
• Special Jury Mention for Short Film: Ceu de Agosto by Jasmin Tenucci
This year’s jury, with Spike Lee as president, consisted of director Mati Diop, director Maggie Gyllenhaal, writer-director Jessica Hausner, songwriter Mylène Farmer, director Mélanie Laurent, writer-director Kleber Mendonça Filho, actor Tahar Rahim, and actor Song Kang-ho.
PAYAL KAPADIA WINS BEST DOCUMENTARY AT CANNES 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.
About the award: 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.
About Payal Kapadia: Kapadia, an alumna of the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), also has films such as the documentary And What is the Summer Saying (2018) and Last Mango Before the Monsoon, 2015 short, to her credit.
JOURNALIST NN PILLAI 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.
PRESTIGIOUS UNDP EQUATOR PRIZE 2021
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.
About the Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company Limited: 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.
It works in the past eight years has improved livelihood across 147 villages by processing and marketing a diverse range of forest produce and crops.
About the Snehakunja Trust: Snehakunja Trust has protected sensitive wetland and coastal ecosystems in the Western Ghats and the Karnataka coast for 45 years with a focus on community-based restoration and conservation.
SPORTS
WINNERS IN WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONSHIP 2021
In the men category, Novak Djokovic defeated Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final, 6-7(4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, to win his sixth Wimbledon title and 20th Grand Slam trophy.
With this win, he has equalled his total major men’s singles titles record with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with each of them winning 20 titles.
In women’s category, Ashleigh Barty of Australia beat Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic), 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, to win her first Wimbledon women’s singles title on July 10, 2021.
The 25-year-old Barty is the first Australian woman to win the Wimbledon singles title in 41 years since Evonne Goolagong, who claimed her second All England Club title in 1980.
Here is the Complete List of Winners in Different Categories:
• Men’s Singles ---------- Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
• Women’s Singles -------- Ashleigh Barty (Australia) Men’s Doubles -------- Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić
• Women’s Doubles -------- Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens
• Mixed Doubles ------------- Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk
About the Wimbledon: Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, which also includes the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open.
The tournament is held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877.
ARGENTINA BEAT BRAZIL IN COPA AMERICA LEAGUE
Lionel Messi-led Argentina beat Neymar’s Brazil 1-0 to win the Copa America final match, held at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
With this win, Lionel Messi has secured his first major international trophy. The 2021 Copa America was the 47th edition of the annual international men’s football championship organised by South America’s football ruling body CONMEBOL.
Earlier the tournament was scheduled to be held in July 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time since 1991 that no guest nation took part in the tournament.
MONGOLIA, TAJIKISTAN & SWITZERLAND AS NEW ICC MEMBERS
The International Cricket Council (ICC) inducted Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Switzerland as members at its 78th Annual General Meeting.
Mongolia and Tajikistan as the 22nd and 23rd members of the Asia region. Switzerland is Europe’s 35th member. With the ICC now comprising 106 members in total, including 94 associates.
History of Cricket in these 3 Nations:
The Mongolian Cricket Association (MCA) was established in 2007 and became the official national administrator of the sport in 2018.
In Switzerland, cricket was first played in 1817, and Cricket Switzerland (CS) was formed in 2014. Over the past seven years, CS has led the unification of the sport following the expulsion of the Swiss Cricket Association in 2012.
The Tajikistan Cricket Federation was officially formed in 2011 with the support of the Ministry of Sports and Olympic Committee that has led the development of infrastructure and the building of a domestic cricket structure focusing on women and junior cricket.
• ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• ICC Founded: 15 June 1909.
• ICC Deputy Chairman: Imran Khwaja.
• ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay.
DATES & DAYS
WORLD MALALA DAY OBSERVED ON 12TH JULY
The United Nations has declared 12th July as World Malala Day to honour the young activist, Malala Yousafzai. Malala Day is commemorated, the birthday of Malala Yousafzai to honour women and children’s rights around the world.
On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen after she publicly advocated for the education of girls.
Despite the attack, Malala soon returned to the public eye, fiercer in her views than earlier and continued her advocacy for gender rights.
She founded the Malala Fund, a non-profit organisation to help young girls go to school and also co-authored a book titled “I Am Malala”, an international bestseller.
Malala has been felicitated with several awards and honours:
In 2012, she was awarded the first-ever National Youth Peace Prize by the Pakistan government. In 2014, at age 17, She became the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her efforts for children’s rights which had begun even before she was shot.
The UN has declared her as “the most famous teenager in the world” in its Decade in Review report in late 2019.
Malala has also been awarded honorary Canadian citizenship and became the youngest person to address the House of Commons in Canada. The documentary on the activist, He Named Me Malala, was shortlisted for the Oscars in 2015.
She has also authored another book titled We Are Displaced that chronicles her experiences of travelling the world and visiting refugee camps.
WORLD POPULATION DAY: 11TH JULY
World Population Day is observed globally on 11th July every year. This day is observed to raise awareness among people about the impact of a growing population and issues including gender equality, the importance of family planning, poverty, maternal health, human rights, etc.
This year theme of World Population Day 2021: “the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on fertility”.
History of World Population Day: In 1989, World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United National Development Programme as an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.
The United Nations General Assembly by resolution 45/216 of December 1990, decided to continue observing World Population Day raises awareness of population issues like their relations to the environment and development.
On 11 July 1990, the day was first marked in more than 90 countries.
• United Nations Population Fund Headquarters: New York, United States
• United Nations Population Fund Executive Director: Natalia Kanem.
• United Nations Population Fund Founded: 1969.
WORLD YOUTH SKILLS DAY OBSERVED ON 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 2021 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.
WORLD DAY FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
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 CHESS DAY: JULY 20TH
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.
About the chess: 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.
• World Chess Federation Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.
• World Chess Federation Founded: 20 July 1924, Paris, France.
• World Chess Federation CEO: Geoffrey D. Borg.
SCIENCE EXPLORATION DAY: MOON DAY
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.
REPORT & INDEXES
STATE OF FOOD SECURITY & NUTRITION IN THE WORLD 2021
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).
Key facts and figures
Number of hungry people in 2020 in the World: between 720 and 811 million
Asia: 418 million (More than half of world hunger population)
Africa: 282 million (One-third)
Latin America and the Caribbean: 60 million
Nearly 2.37 billion people did not have access to adequate food in 2020, an increase of 320 million people over 2019.
Children under 5 affected by stunting (low height-for-age): 22.0 percent (149.2 million)
Children under 5 affected by wasting (low weight-for-height): 6.7 per cent (45.4 million)
Children under 5 who are overweight (high weight-for-height): 5.7 per cent (38.9 million)
Percentage of women of reproductive age affected by anaemia: 29.9%
Percentage of infants aged below 6 months who were exclusively breastfed: 44%
35% OF INDIA'S TIGER RANGE IS OUTSIDE PROTECTED AREA
Thirty-five per cent of India’s tiger ranges are outside protected areas and human-animal conflict affects over 75 percent of the world’s wild cat species, according to a WWF-UNEP report.
The report “A Future for All – A necessity for Human-Wildlife Coexistence”, examined rising human-wildlife battle, and has discovered that marine and terrestrial protected areas solely cowl 9.67 per cent globally.
With most of these protected areas disconnected from one another, many species rely upon human-dominated areas for his/her survival and shared landscapes. Protected areas play a more and more necessary function for the survival of key species similar to giant predators and herbivores. Apart from India’s tigers, 40 percent of the African lion vary and 70 per cent of the African and Asian elephant ranges fall outside protected areas, finds the report.
• World Wide Fund for Nature, Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
• UNEP HQ: Nairobi, Kenya.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
10TH ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE AIRCRAFT P-81
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.
About the P-8I: 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.
• Headquarters of Boeing: Chicago, United States.
• Boeing Founded: 15 July 1916.
• President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing: David L. Calhoun.
ISRO SET TO LAUNCH GEO IMAGING SATELLITE
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.
About the satellite: 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.
The earth observation satellite will provide the country near real-time images of its borders and also enable quick monitoring of natural disasters.
• ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan.
• ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• ISRO established: 15 August 1969.
MISCELLANEOUS
THE STRUGGLE WITHIN: A MEMOIR OF THE EMERGENCY
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.
SAMVEDAN 2021: IIT MADRAS & SONY TO TEAM UP
IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation (IITM-PTF) and Sony India Software Centre Pvt Ltd have joined hands to organise a national-level hackathon named ‘SAMVEDAN 2021 – Sensing Solutions for Bharat’.
With this hackathon, the foundation aims to inspire citizens to use IoT Sensor Board in order to solve India-specific problems of societal interest.
It is based on the Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation’s SPRESENSE™ Board, which participants can use for this challenge.
A team with a maximum of three members can register for the grand challenge, which will be held in three stages.
