CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World IVF Day
- World IVF Day, observed on July 25, symbolises the essence and significance of the In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) technique in infertility treatment.
- To mark the greatest innovation in the field of reproductive medicine thisday, is celebrated as the World IVF day every year.
Kargil Vijay Diwas
- India is observing Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26th to commemorate its victory over Pakistan in the high-altitude conflict in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kargil district and along the Line of Control (LoC) and pay tributes to soldiers who lost their lives more than two decades ago.
- On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army had announced the successful culmination of “Operation Vijay”, declaring victory after the nearly three-month-long battles in the icy heights of Kargil. The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Indian Railways constructing world’s first electrified tunnel to run double-stack containers
- Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) has recently conducted a tunnel-breaking ceremony was held on the completion of caving work for the one-kilometre long tunnel of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) through Aravalli mountain range, near Sohna in
- The tunnel connects Mewat & Gurugram district of Haryana and negotiates a steep gradient on the uphill and downhill slope of the Aravalli range.
About Tunnel:
- The D-shaped tunnel has a cross-sectional area of 150 square metres to accommodate double line with higher OHE (Over Head Equipment) to enable double stack container movement on WDFC.
- This will be the world’s first electrified rail tunnel fit to run double-stack containers. The last blasting of the tunnel, which is situated on the Rewari-Dadri section. This work has been completed in less than a year’s time.
- Double line electrified track for double stacks train movement, the dimension of tunnel 14.5 meter and 10.5 meter height in straight portion and 15 meter wide and 12.5 mtr. Height meter to provide extra clearance while negotiating the curve.
About Indian Railways
- Chairman: Vinod Kumar Yadav
- Headquarters: New Delhi
29 animal reported dead at Kaziranga National Park, Tiger Reserve
- A total of 129 animal casualties have been reported at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Bokakhat here due to drowning and other reasons.
- The animals which have been rescued include 14 rhinos, five wild buffaloes, eight wild boars, two swamp deer, 95 hog deer, a sambar, three porcupines, and a Python.
About Kaziranga National Park
- The park is located on the banks of river Brahmaputra, and covers two districts of Nagaon and Golaghat in Assam
- Kaziranga National Park in Assam is the world’s largest habitat for the great one-horned rhinos.
- It is India’s biggest bio-diversity treasure, and a UNESCO’s world heritage site
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Assam government deploys drone and anti-depredation quick response vehicle to guard forest areas
- Assam deployed a Surveillance Quadcopter (Drone) and an anti-depredation quick response vehicle.
- The inauguration of the vehicle an intensified 24X7 surveillance would be made possible over the forest cover of the state helping to rein in the increasing incidents of human-animal conflict.
- Under this new initiative, the Forest Department introduces three numbers of Special Surveillance Quadcopter and an Antidepradation Quick Response Vehicle in the state.
About Quadcopter (Drone)
- This surveillance drone would be able to narrow-cast any purported movement of the poachers and would delve a blow to poaching in the national parks, wild life sanctuaries and other reserve forests.
About Assam
- Capital: Dispur
- Chief minister: Sarbananda Sonowal
- Governor: Jagdish Mukhi
J-K Announces Launch Of ‘Macadamisation Program’ For Improvement Of Roads
- Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu announced the launch of a ‘Macadamisation Program’ for the improvement of roads across Jammu and Kashmir.
- Murmu has approved a program for 100 percent macadamisation of all roads in the Union Territory including 11,000 km of fair-weather roads.
- A Committee comprising of the Financial Commissioner (Finance), Principal Secretary (PW(R&B)), Secretary (Planning) and Secretary (Rural Development) has been constituted, which will prepare a roadmap and a financing plan for ensuring this program in a time-bound manner.
About J&K
- Governor – G.C Murmu
- Capitals – Srinagar (Summer); Jammu (winter)
Delhi government launches website for job seekers, employers
- Delhi government started portal for employers and the job seekers.
- CM Kejriwal launched the website http://jobs.delhi.gov.in, named as ‘Rozgar Bazar’, a sort of marketplace for job seekers and the people recruiters.
- Recruiters can go to the website and update their requirement. Job seekers can also go there and update their qualification, experience and requirement.
About Delhi
- Chief minister: Arvind Kejriwal
- Deputy CM: Manish Sisodia
- Lieutenant Governor: Anil Baijal
Tamil Nadu CM launches free mask plan for ration card holders
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palaniswami launched a free mask distribution scheme to benefit over 69 lakh families in the first phase, as part of measures to help fight COVID-19.
- Palaniswami gave away the masks to five people at the Secretariat marking the inauguration of the first phase of the scheme, which would witness distribution to beneficiaries through ration shops.
- The Chief Minister had recently announced distribution of quality reusable masks to all ration card holders in the state as part of measures to fight the pandemic
About Tamil Nadu
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
African Development Bank commits $98 million to Rwanda for multisector COVID-19 response
- The African Development Bank approved a concessional loan of $97.675 million to Rwanda to strengthen its national budget as it works to mitigate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The funding will take the form of an African Development Fund loan, which the Bank is providing the under its COVID-19 Response Facility.
About Loans to other countries
- The African Development Bank also approved grants worth about $41.16 million to Djibouti to bolster the national budget in support of government efforts to mitigate national and regional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $53.3 million multi-country grant to the transitioning countries of Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the form of direct budget support to bolster efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the three West African countries.
- The multi-country credit facility comprises an ADF grant of UA 5 million and a TSF grant of UA 5 million to the Republic of The Gambia; an ADF grant of UA 10.15 million to the Republic of Liberia; and an ADF grant of UA 18 million to the Republic of Sierra Leone.
- The Board of Directors of theAfrican Development Fund (ADF) approved a $69 million grant to support Ghana’s efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its socio-economic impact on the nation.
About African Development Bank
- Headquarters: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- President: Akinwumi Adesina
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
Air Marshal VR Chaudhari appointed as chief of IAF’s Western Air Command
- Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari has been appointed as the new commander-in-chief of the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command (WAC) which looks after aerial defence of the sensitive Ladakh sector as well as various other parts of North India.
- Chaudhari is currently serving as senior air staff officer in Eastern Air Command and will take command on August 1, succeeding Air Marshal B Suresh.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
TRIFED signs MoU with IIT Delhi under govt’s ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’
- The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has entered into a partnership with IIT Delhi under the HRD Ministry’s flagship ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ (UBA) to boost livelihood opportunities and income generation for tribal communities.
- The UBA connects higher education institutions with villages for the economic and social betterment of rural communities.
- TRIFED functions under the Tribal Affairs Ministry.
About Partnership:
- This partnership can help enhance livelihoods through Van Dhan Vikas Kendras established under the ‘Van Dhan Yojana’.
- The IIT Delhi-TRIFED partnership will also benefit from the expertise and experience of Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA).
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IIT Kharagpur researchers develop portable device for low-cost Covid-19 rapid test
- IIT Kharagpur have developed a novel portable rapid diagnostic device to detect Covid-19 infection.
- The test costs only Rs 400, taking all components of expenses and business model into account.
About portable rapid diagnostic device:
- The technology essentially deploys a disposable simple paper-strip for chemical analysis and visualisation of results.
- The device has remarkable accuracy and sensitivity, compatible to standard RT-PCR tests.
- It can be operated by minimally-trained personnel, precluding the needs for skilled technicians. It takes approximately 60 minutes to run each test.
IIT Madras startup launches wrist band for detecting COVID symptoms
- A wearable wrist tracker to detect COVID-19 symptoms at an early stage will be available in the market next month with its developer, a IIT Madras incubated start up, raising a funding of Rs 22 crore for the purpose.
- “Muse wearables”, the start up incubated at IIT Madras by an alumni group along with an NIT Warangal alumnus, is planning to launch the trackers in 70 countries.
About Wrist band:
- The wrist-based tracker has sensors for skin temperature, heart rate and SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) which can continuously track these body vitals remotely to help in early diagnosis of COVID-19 symptoms.
- The tracker will be Bluetooth-enabled and can be connected to the mobile phone via an app called the Muse Health App. The user vitals and activity data are stored in the phone as well as a remote server. Administrative access can also be provided for centralized monitoring of people in containment areas for COVID-19 symptoms.
- The tracker can get notifications from the Arogya Setu app and alert the user when she enters a COVID containment zone.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Hyderabad is 16th most surveilled city in the world
- Telangana’s capital Hyderabad has found a place among the top 50 CCTV-surveilled cities in the world.
- According to a report published by the UK tech firm Comparitech, Hyderabad ranks 16th in the list and is the top-ranked Indian metropolis.
Ranking list:
- Chennai, ranked 21st overall, comes a close second in Indian surveilled cities, while Delhi is a distant third at
- In the top 50 rankings, 34 cities are in China, two – Moscow and St Petersburg – are in Russia, and Baghdad is located in strife-torn Iraq.
- Taiyuan in China is the most surveilled city, with over 4.6 lakh cameras keeping an eye on nearly 39 lakh people.
India among top 10 countries gaining forest area in the world: FAO
- India has ranked third among the top 10 countries that have gained in forest areas in the last decade, the latest Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) brought out by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
- India reported 0.38 per cent annual gain in forest, or 266,000 ha of forest increase every year at an average.
- FAO has brought out this comprehensive assessment every five years since 1990. This report assesses the state of forests, their conditions and management for all member countries.
Top 10 Countries List:
- The top 10 countries that have recorded the maximum average annual net gains in forest area during 2010-2020 are China, Australia, India, Chile, Vietnam, Turkey, the United States, France, Italy and Romania, according to the FRA 2020. India accounts for two per cent of total global forest area.
About FAO
- Headquarters: Rome, Italy
- Head: Qu Dongyu
Reliance overtakes Exxon to become world’s 2nd most valuable energy firm
- Reliance Industries has overtaken ExxonMobil to become the world’s second most valuable energy company after its market capitalisation scaled to a record high of over Rs 14 lakh crore.
- Reliance was ranked 48th and was behind ExxonMobil.Now it is ranked 46th globally on market cap
- Globally, Saudi Aramco has the highest market cap of USD 1.75 trillion, followed by Apple (USD 1.6 trillion), Microsoft (USD 1.5 trillion), Amazon (USD 1.48 trillion), and Alphabet (USD 1.03 trillion).
- Reliance is now the second most valuable energy firm. Aramco being the top energy company.
- Reliance is the 10th highest m-cap company in Asia. China’s Alibaba Group is ranked 7th globally.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Haryana to host 2021 Khelo India Youth Games after Tokyo Olympics
- Haryana will host the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the state’s chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and union sports minister Kiren Rijiju The Games will be held in Panchkula.
- Haryana finished first in the 2018 Khelo India Youth Games while in the last edition in Guwahati, it was on the 2nd spot with 200 medals to its name.
- The dates have still not been finalised but the sports minister clarified that Khelo India Youth Games in 2021 will be held after the completion of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which is from 23rd July – 8th August 2021. The 2020 edition of the games stands cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
About Khelo India Youth Games:
- Khelo India Youth Games, formerly Khelo India School Games, means Play India Youth Games, held annually in January or February, are the national level multidisciplinary grassroot games in India held for two categories, namely under-17 years school students and under-21 college students.
About Haryana
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
- Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Tanzania’s Former President Benjamin Mkapa passes away
- Tanzania’s former president Benjamin Mkapa has passed away.
- Mkapa served as the third president of the country, from 1995 to 2005, before handing over power to the fourth president Jakaya Kikwete.
Fleetwood Mac founding guitarist Peter Green passes away
- Blues guitarist Peter Green, a co-founder of the band Fleetwood Mac, has passed away at the age of 73.
- Green was known for his blues guitar sound even prior to the forming of Fleetwood Mac.
- Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, alongside seven other members of Fleetwood Mac.
Senior advocate Bhaskarrao Awhad passes away
- Senior advocate and former president of Bar Council of Maharashtra Bhaskarrao Awhad passed away. He was 77.
- During his practice, Awhad offered his guidance to multiple advocates who later became prominent.
Actor John Saxon passes away at Age 83
- John Saxon, the teen idol who later starred in martial arts and horror films, passed away at the age of 83.
- In 1973, Saxon starred with Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon, one of the most profitable movies ever made.
Actor Olivia de Havilland passes away
- Olivia de Havilland, two-time Oscar winnerhas passed away. She was 104.
- Olivia de Havilland was among the last of the top screen performers from the studio era, and the last surviving lead from Gone With the Wind.
DAILY CA 25th JUL
- India Conducts The First Test Under ‘Study In India’ Programme Online
- Indian Railways to cover all wagons under RFID for tracking by 2022
- India will be looking at a demand drop in electricity between 7-17 percent by 2025: TERI
- India, UK affirm shared commitment towards FTA between both countries
- WHO launches Covid-19 Law Lab to aggregate legal info from over 190 countries
- India extends medical assistance worth about USD 1 million to North Korea
- DST launches Rs. 15 crore fund to support India-Russia collaboration joint R&D and cross-country tech adaptation
- RBI signs $400 mn currency swap facility for Sri Lanka
- Special Liquidity Scheme for NBFCs/HFCs: FinMin sanctions 5 proposals for 3,090 crore
- Karnataka government tweaks three laws, approves labour ordinance
- Gujarat: India’s first honey testing laboratory set up at NDDB in Anand district
- Ahmedabad Railway Division successfully introduces unique concept of Baggage Sanitization
- Adani Ports signs up for Science-Based Targets initiative
- Microsoft, NBA team up to put virtual fans in basketball arenas
- ADB, GCF Commit to Partnership to Boost Green Recovery from COVID-19
- Partha Pratim Sengupta appointed new MD, CEO of Indian Overseas Bank
- Sahil Seth appointed as honorary adviser for BRICS CCI
- Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Bhushan appointed Union Health Secretary, succeeds Preeti Sudan
- President Kovind appoints Anandiben Patel the Governor of MP
- Arjun Munda inaugurates e-Symposium “Emergent North-East India: Strategic and Developmental Imperatives in Handicrafts” organized by IIM, Shillong
- IIT Delhi, Wells Fargo sign MoU for home-based Covid-19 testing kit
- BHU Professor launches website to help people in coping up fear of COVID-19
- DRDO establishes COVID-19 testing facility in Leh
- China launches new high-resolution mapping satellite
- Largest solar power plant of Navy commissioned in Kerala
- IPL 2020 in UAE to start on September 19, final on November 8
- Jordan Henderson named as FWA Footballer of the Year
- Sri Lanka women cricketer Sripali Weerakkody retires from international cricket
- Eminent dancer Amala Shankar passes away at 101
- Noted Urdu journalist, satirist Nusrat Zaheer passes away
- Veteran Urdu poet Shams Jalnavi passes away at 95
DAILY CA 26th and 27th JUL
- World IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) Day, observed on July 25
- Kargil Vijay Diwas observed on July 26
- Indian Railways constructing world’s first electrified tunnel to run double-stack containers
- 29 animal reported dead at Kaziranga National Park, Tiger Reserve
- Assam government deploys drone and anti-depredation quick response vehicle to guard forest areas
- J-K Announces Launch Of ‘Macadamisation Program’ For Improvement Of Roads
- Delhi government launches website for job seekers, employers
- Tamil Nadu CM launches free mask plan for ration card holders
- African Development Bank commits $98 million to Rwanda for multisector COVID-19 response
- Air Marshal VR Chaudhari appointed as chief of IAF’s Western Air Command
- TRIFED signs MoU with IIT Delhi under govt’s ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’
- IIT Kharagpur researchers develop portable device for low-cost Covid-19 rapid test
- IIT Madras startup launches wrist band for detecting COVID symptoms
- Hyderabad is 16th most surveilled city in the world
- India among top 10 countries gaining forest area in the world: FAO
- Reliance overtakes Exxon to become world’s 2nd most valuable energy firm
- Haryana to host 2021 Khelo India Youth Games after Tokyo Olympics
- Tanzania’s Former President Benjamin Mkapa passes away
- Fleetwood Mac founding guitarist Peter Green passes away
- Senior advocate Bhaskarrao Awhad passes away
- Actor John Saxon passes away at Age 83
- Actor Olivia de Havilland passes away
No comments:
Post a Comment