Current Affairs 04th and 05th July 2021| Current Affairs News

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar launched 6 Technology Innovation Platforms

• Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Shri Prakash Javadekar inaugurated (through virtual mode) six Technology Innovation Platforms which will focus on development of technologies for the globally competitive manufacturing in India.
• Shri Javadekar mentioned that these platforms are the gift to the nation during the celebration of ‘Azadi Amrut Mahotsav-Celebration of 75 Years of Independence’ and will help in bringing all India’s technical resources and the concerned Industry on to one platform to kick start and facilitate identification of technology problems faced by Indian Industry and crowdsource solutions for the same.
• The Minister further stated that this will facilitate the development of the key ‘mother’ manufacturing technologies’ indigenously through ‘Grand Challenges’ on the Platforms to help achieve the vision of an Atma Nirbhar Bharat and a globally competitive manufacturing sector in India.

About the platforms:

• The Six Technology Platforms have been developed by IIT Madras,Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), International Centre for Automotive Technology(iCAT), Automotive Research Association of India(ARAI),BHEL and HMT in association with IIScBanglore.
• These platforms will focus on development of technologies for the globally competitive manufacturing in India.
• These platforms will facilitate industry, including OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), Tier 1, 2, and 3 companies and raw material makers, start-ups, domain experts/professionals, R&D institutions, and academia to provide technology solutions, suggestions, and opinions on issues involving manufacturing technologies.

President Laid Foundation Stone for Ambedkar Memorial and Cultural Centre in Lucknow

• President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for a memorial and cultural centre dedicated to B.R. Ambedkar in Lucknow.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned that the project would “further popularise the ideals” of Ambedkar among the youth.
• “If the U.P. had the government had done this earlier, the President would have been inaugurating this centre and not laying its foundation stone”.

About the Museum:

• President Kovind laid the foundation stone for the cultural centre, which will come up in Aishbagh, at an event at the Lok Bhawan here.
• His real success was in building a society and nation according to the values and ideals of Ambedkar.
• The project will have a 25-feet high statue of Ambedkar.
• The centre would cost an estimated Rs.45 crore and include an auditorium with a capacity of 750 persons, a research centre, and a museum.

RCA Planned to construct World’s third largest cricket stadium in Jaipur

• The Rajasthan Cricket Academy noted it will construct the world’s third-largest cricket stadium in Jaipur with capacity for 75,000 spectators at estimated cost of Rs.300 crore.
• Rajasthan Cricket Association President Vaibhav Gehlot stated that the stadium’s construction work in Chomp village on Jaipur-Delhi highway will be completed by RCA in about two and a half years.

About The Stadium:

• “It will be the third-largest stadium in the world.
• In which 75,000 spectators will be able to enjoy the match.
• The stadium will be constructed in two phases – In phase-1, 40,000 spectators capacity will be built with 11 cricket pitches, two practice grounds, one cricket academy, a hostel, parking facility, sports club, hotel and gym”.
• Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) commissioner Gaurav Goyal stated the construction work for both phases will take 5-years to complete.
• The new stadium will be the third largest cricket stadium in the world after the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera and the Melbourne Cricket Stadium in Australia that can hold 132,000 and 100,024 spectators respectively.

Union Education Minister launch NIPUN Bharat 

• The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education will launch the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat).
• It will be launched virtually by Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
• A short video, anthem and Implementation Guidelines on NIPUN Bharat will also be launched during this programme.
• Senior officers from the School Education Department from all States and UTs, Senior Officials of the Department and Heads of Institutions will also attend the event.

About the Mission:

• The vision of NIPUN Bharat Mission is to create an enabling environment to ensure universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, so that every child achieves the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.
• NIPUN Bharat will be implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy and a five-tier implementation mechanism will be set up at the National- State- District- Block- School level in all States and UTs.

Ayush Ministry to launch Ayurveda dataset on Clinical Trials Registry Portal

• The Ayurveda dataset on CTRI Portal will be launched online by Ayush Minister Kiren Rijiju. 
• The Minister will also launch four more Portals, all developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS).

About the Portal:

• This Ayurveda Dataset of CTRI has been jointly developed by ICMR and CCRAS, Ministry of Ayush.
• CTRI is a primary register of Clinical Trials under WHO’s International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and the creation of Ayurveda dataset in CTRI facilitates usages of Ayurveda terminologies to record clinical study metadata based on Ayurveda interventions.
• Until now the clinical trials in Ayurveda were dependent on terminology borrowed from modern medicine.
• The key feature of this digital platform is the provision of a selection of the Ayurveda Health conditions from a drop-down of 3866 Ayurveda morbidity codes incorporated from the NAMASTE portal (a portal developed by the AYUSH Ministry) in which morbidity statistics pertaining to Ayurveda has been classified according to International Classification of Diseases standards.

e-Sanjeevani completes seven million consultations

• Union Health Ministry’s National Telemedicine Service – eSanjeevani has crossed another milestone by completing 7 million (70 lakh) consultations.
• Patients consult with doctors and specialists on a daily basis using this innovative digital medium to seek Health services.
• In another significant milestone, in June it served around 12.5 lakh patients, which is the highest since the services were launched last year in March.

About the Service:

• In April last year, soon after the first National lockdown, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched eSanjeevaniOPD, owing to the ranging pandemic.
• eSanjeevaniOPD is a patient-to-doctor telemedicine platform and provides health services to the public in the confines of their homes.
• Currently, the National Telemedicine Service is operational in 31 States/Union Territories.
• eSanjeevani AB-HWC – the doctor-to-doctor telemedicine platform has been implemented at around 21,000 Health and Wellness Centres as spokes and over 1900 hubs, which are located in District Hospitals and Medical Colleges in around 30 States.
• The doctor-to-doctor telemedicine platform has served over 32 lakh patients.
• The Ministry of Defence too has hosted a National OPD on eSanjeevaniOPD, where over 100 veteran doctors and specialists – roped in by the Ministry of Defence, serve patients across the country.

India joins G20-OECD tax framework deal

• India joined the G20-OECD inclusive framework deal that seeks to reform international tax rules and ensure that multinational enterprises pay their fair share wherever they operate.
• However, India will have to roll back the equalization levy that it imposes on companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook when the global tax regime is implemented.
• India and majority of the members OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting adopted a high-level statement containing an outline of a consensus solution to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalization of the economy.
• India will continue to be constructively engaged in reaching a consensus based ready to implement solution with Pillar one and Pillar two as a package by October and contribute positively for the advancement of the international tax agenda.

About OECD G20:

• ‌The G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance help policy makers evaluate and improve the legal, regulatory, and institutional framework for corporate governance, with a view to supporting economic efficiency, sustainable growth and financial stability.
• Since the London Summit in April 2009, the OECD has been at the forefront of fighting against tax evasion, ending bank secrecy and tax havens, and addressing tax avoidance by multinational corporations.
• OECD contributions to the G20 on tax have helped to reform, reshape and modernize the international tax architecture.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

WHO declared China as malaria-free Country

• China was certified as malaria-free by the World Health Organization, following a 70-year effort to eradicate the mosquito-borne disease.
• The country reported 30 million cases of the infectious disease annually in the 1940s but has now gone four consecutive years without an indigenous case.

About the status:

• Countries that have achieved at least three consecutive years of zero indigenous cases can apply for WHO certification of their malaria-free status.
• They must present rigorous evidence — and demonstrate the capacity to prevent transmission re-emerging.
• China becomes the 40th territory certified malaria-free by the Geneva-based WHO.
• The last countries to gain the status were El Salvador (2021), Algeria and Argentina (2019), and Paraguay and Uzbekistan (2018).

About China:

• China, officially the People’s Republic of China, is a country in East Asia.
• It is the world’s most populous country, with a population of more than 1.4 billion.
• It borders 14 countries, the second most of any country in the world, after Russia.
• China is known for its architectural wonders such as the Great Wall and Forbidden City, its staggering variety of delicious food, its martial arts, and its long history of invention.
• More than just tea and temples, China is a fast-changing mix of the ultra-modern and the very ancient.
• President: Xi Jinping
• Capital: Beijing
• Currency: Renminbi

Bangladesh present 2600 kilos of delicious mangoes to India as memento of Friendship

• India received 2600 kilos of delicious mangoes from Bangladesh as a memento of friendship between the two neighbouring countries.
• It was sent through the Petrapole border of Bangaon in West Bengal.
• Deputy Commissioner of Bangladesh’s Benapole Custom House Anupam Chakma stated, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has sent the gift of a special variety of Haribhanga mangoes for the President and the Prime Minister of India and other political leaders including the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
• Assistant Commissioner Customs Petrapole Anit Jain noted, they are hopeful that the sweetness of the mangoes will take away the bitterness of Covid-19.

About Bangladesh:

• Bangladesh, to the east of India on the Bay of Bengal, is a South Asian country marked by lush greenery and many waterways.
• Its Padma (Ganges), Meghna and Jamuna rivers create fertile plains, and travel by boat is common.
• It is home to the world’s largest river delta, which is formed by the Brahmaputra and the Ganges river.
• On the southern coast, the Sundarbans, an enormous mangrove forest shared with Eastern India, is home to the royal Bengal tiger.
• Capital: Dhaka
• Currency: Bangladeshi taka
• Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Pushkar Singh Dhami sworn in as chief minister of Uttarakhand

• Two term MLA from Khatima in Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of the State along with an 11-member cabinet,in Dehradun.
• Mr. Dhami, at 45 the youngest Chief Minister yet of Uttarakhand, retained the entire team of his predecessor, Tirath Singh Rawat.
• Rawat quit ostensibly on being unable to get elected to the Uttarakhand Assembly within the constitutionally stipulated deadline of six months from the date he took over.
• Mr Dhami, already an MLA will have no such problems going ahead.

About Uttarakhand:

• Uttarakhand, a state in northern India crossed by the Himalayas, is known for its Hindu pilgrimage sites.
• Rishikesh, a major centre for yoga study, was made famous by the Beatles’ 1968 visit.
• The state’s forested Jim Corbett National Park shelters Bengal tigers and other native wildlife.
• Capital: Dehradun

• Governor: Baby Rani Maurya

• National Parks: Valley of Flowers National Park, Rajaji National Park, Nanda Devi National Park, Gangotri National Park, Corbett National Park, Govind National Park.

J&K: JAKEDA to install 5,000 Solar Power Pumps under PM-KUSUM scheme 

• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA), is planning to install 5,000 Solar Power Pumps under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in J&K in the first phase out of which 2,500 pumps will be installed in the current fiscal.
• CEO, JAKEDA, Babila Rakwal disclosed during the launch of a publicity cum awareness programme for PRIs and farmers of Ramban district in the presence of Deputy Commissioner, Mussarat Islam.
• Worth to mention, the PM-KUSUM scheme has been launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for the upliftment of farmers in the country.

About the scheme:

• Under the scheme, Subsidized Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps in the capacity range of 2 HP to 10 HP shall be installed throughout the country.
• The scheme provides 50 per cent subsidy from the Central Government, 30 percent from J&K Govt. and only 20 per cent as farmer’s share.
• The scheme shall be implemented in J&K by JAKEDA, Department of Science & Technology.
• This step will provide an additional source of income to farmers who will be in a position to use this energy for other purposes.

About J&K:

• Jammu and Kashmir was a state of India from 1954 to 2019, constituting the southern and southeastern portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India, Pakistan and China since the mid-20th century. 
• The state of Jammu and Kashmir was accorded special status by Article 370 of the Constitution of India.
• At the same time, a reorganization act was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. 
• The reorganization took effect from 31 October 2019.
• Capital: Jammu(winter), Srinagar(Summer)
• Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha
• National Parks: Dachigam National Park, Salim Ali National Park, Kazinag National Park, Kishtwar High Altitude National Park.

J&K: Model Anti- Rabies Clinic inaugurated in Govt Medical College, Doda

• Doda, July 03, Model Anti Rabies clinic (Animal Bite clinic) has been made operational in Government Medical College, Doda for prevention and management under national Program for Rabies control (NRCP).
• The clinic was inaugurated by Principal GMC Doda Dr Dinesh Kumar along with former Principal and Professor Surgeries GMC Doda Dr Tariq Parvez Azad here at Associated Hospital of GMC in a simple but momentous function observing all SOPs of COVID-19.
• Others who were present in the event are Dr Yunis HOD Medicines, Dr Yudhvir MS Associated Hospital, Dr Suresh Kumar HOD Community Medicines, and Dr Safia Khan HOD Microbiology besides other doctors and staff of Associated Hospital.

About the Clinic:

• This Anti Rabies clinic shall render outpatient services during routine hours in Phase-I.
• It’s services shall be extended for inpatient management of patients in future who report with confirmed/ suspected rabies.
• It will be the second centre in Jammu Division apart from GMC Jammu, which will extend animal bite services.
• The aim is to ensure zero deaths due to Rabies by 2030 in accordance with WHO target and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Govt announces inclusion of retail and Wholesale trades under MSMEs

• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced inclusion of retail and wholesale trade under MSMEs as per which they will also now get the benefit of priority sector lending under RBI guidelines.
• He stated the retail and wholesale trade sector was left out of the ambit of MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises).
• The revised guidelines will benefit 2.5 crore retail and wholesale traders.
• The move would also allow them to register on the Udyam portal.
• Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of Retailers Association of India (RAI) mentioned that this is a major boost to smaller retailers across the country, especially since this has been a specific task of the industry since last year.
• Currently, 95 percent of the retail industry in the country is MSMEs and this move is set to benefit 13-14 million retailers in India.

About MSME:

• MSME stands for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise.
• It was introduced by the Government of India in agreement with the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act of 2006. 
• As per this act, MSMEs are the enterprises involved in the production, processing or preservation of goods and commodities.
• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, a branch of the Government of India, is the apex executive body for the formulation and administration of rules, regulations and laws relating to micro, small and medium enterprises in India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING NEWS

RBI imposes Rs 25 lakh penalty on Punjab & Sind Bank

• The Reserve Bank of India  imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakh on Punjab and Sind Bank for non-compliance with certain provisions of directions on ‘Cyber Security Framework in Banks’.
• The state-owned bank had reported a few cyber incidents to the RBI on May 16 and 20, 2020, the central bank said while giving details.
• The RBI issued a show-cause notice to the bank.

About Punjab and Sind Bank:

• Punjab & Sind Bank is an Indian government owned bank.
• It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India with its Head Office located in New Delhi. 
• As on 31 March 2020, the bank has 1526 branches which are widely spread across India, out of which 635 branches are in Punjab state.
• Managing Director & CEO: S Harisankar

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENT AND RESIGNATION NEWS

Satish Agnihotri appointed as new MD of NHSRCL

• Satish Agnihotri, a 1982 batch IRSE officer (retired) took charge as the new Managing Director of the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL), which is looking after the works of the high-speed rail corridors.
• NHSRCL spokesperson Sushma Gaur stated that Agnihotri holds Bachelor of Engineering (Civil, 1982) and Master of Engineering (Structures, 1984) degrees from the IIT Roorkee, and was conferred with the distinguished ‘Alumnus Award’ by the institute in 2013.

About NHSRCL:

• The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited was incorporated in 2016 with an objective to finance, construct, maintain and manage the High Speed Rail Corridor in India.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Kripalu to appointed as MD and Global CEO at EPL

• Blackstone backed EPL (formerly known as Essel Propack) has appointed FMCG veteran and former Diageo chief Anand Kripalu as MD and Global CEO.
• He will take over from his old Unilever colleague Sudhanshu Vats in August.
• Vats joined EPL from Viacom 18 in April 2020.

About Kripalu:

• Kripalu has over 30 years of experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry.
• Prior to joining EPL, Anand spent seven years as the MD and CEO of Diageo India, India’s leading beverage alcohol company with a $6.4 billion market cap, where he led the transformation of the company.

Crystal Palace appointed Vieira as new manager

• Crystal Palace has confirmed Patrick Vieira as the club’s new manager on a three-year deal that will take the Frenchman through to 2024 at Selhurst Park.
• The Arsenal legend, who was previously coach of Nice until his dismissal in December last year, will succeed Roy Hodgson in the hot seat in south London.
• The 45-year-old, who began his coaching career with New York City FC in Major League Soccer, takes charge for the first time in the Premier League, having made his name as one of the game’s greatest midfielders during a decade-long spell with the Gunners.

About Crystal Palace:

• Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football club based in Selhurst in the Borough of Croydon, South London, England, who currently compete in the Premier League, the highest level of English football.
• Headquarters: London, United Kingdom

Govt extends LIC chairman superannuation age up to 62 years

• The government has extended the superannuation age of IPO-bound LIC Chairman to up to 62 years by making amendment to the Life Insurance Corporation of India (Staff) Regulations, 1960.
• The changes made in the rules will be called the Life Insurance Corporation of India (Staff) Amendment Rules, 2021.
• It is to be noted that the retirement age for the top executives of the majority of PSUs is 60 years, barring a few exceptions, including the State Bank of India (SBI).
• The government extended the term of Kumar from June 30, 2021, till March 13, 2022, the date when he completes three years.
• The government has already amended the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956 along with the Finance Act 2021 to facilitate the public offer.
• As a part of the amendment, the government significantly increased the authorised capital of LIC to Rs 25,000 crore from Rs 100 crore to facilitate the listing.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

“Invest India” won Investment Promotion Agency Award 2021

• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has declared ‘Invest India’ as winner of the 2020 United Nations Investment Promotion Award in a ceremony at its headquarters in Geneva.
• The Award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements of the world’s best-practice investment promotion agencies.
• The evaluation was based on UNCTAD’s assessment of work undertaken by 180 national investment promotion agencies across the world.

About Invest India:

• Invest India is transforming the country’s investment climate by simplifying the business environment for investors.
• Its experts, specializing across different countries, Indian states and sectors, handhold investors through their investment lifecycle right from pre-investment to after-care.
• Invest India, an investment promotion agency in which the government has 49% equity, the rest is equally divided among three industry bodies — CII, Ficci and Nasscom — thereby technically making it a private entity.

About the Award:

• This United Nations Investment Promotion Award is the most coveted award for Investment Promotion Agencies.
• UNCTAD is a central agency that monitors performance of IPAs and identifies global best practices.
• Germany, South Korea and Singapore have been some of the past winners of the award.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

India’s 1st indigenous drone defence dome – ‘Indrajaal’ developed by Grene Robotics

• India’s first indigenous drone defence dome called “Indrajaal”, has been developed by Hyderabad-based technology R&D firm Grene Robotics.

About Indrajaal :

Purpose :

• To identify and counter threats, using technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and robotics.
• It can protect an area of 1000-2000 sq km against the aerial threats by assessing and acting on aerial threats such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), loitering munitions, and Low- Radar Cross Section (RCS) targets.
• The ANTI-UAV systems provide protection to defence bases but it will be beneficial for linear infrastructures like international borders against advanced weaponry.

Features of Indrajaal

• Real-time situational awareness
• Integrated and Intelligent meshed network
• Integrated all current weapons suite and infrastructure Honeycombed cell structure for seamlessly built
• Synergic combination of 9-10 technologies
• 24×7 persistent and autonomous monitoring, action and tracking

Israel’s Rafael unveils new long range missile system Sea Breaker

• Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has introduced a fifth-generation long-range autonomous precision-guided missile system called Sea Breaker.
• The missile system is designed to destroy maritime and land-based targets from stand-off ranges of up to 300km.
• The system is equipped with an advanced imaging infra-red (IIR) seeker to engage stationary or moving maritime and land targets in a variety of operational scenarios, including advanced Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) arenas.
• Sea Breaker can be launched from naval platforms, varying in size, from fast attack missile boats, to corvettes and frigates. 
• The land version is a central part of the shore defense, based on Rafael’s highly-mobile SPYDER launchers. 
• The battery architecture supports standalone launchers, or operation as an integrated solution, with a command and control Unit (CCU) and various sensors, based on customer requirements.

About Israel :

• Capital: Jerusalem
• President: Reuven Rivlin
• Prime minister: Naftali Bennett

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BOOKS & AUTHORS

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Chouhan releases Dr. Gauri Shankar Sharma’s book Janaksuta Sut Shaurya

• On June 30, 2021, Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the book Janaksuta Sut Shaurya written by Dr. Gauri Shankar Sharma.
• Senior litterateurs Shri Mahesh Saxena, Dr P.D. Mishra along with Anil Ajmera and Gokul Soni were present on the occasion.

About the Book :

• In the book, the subject related to Uttar Ramayana has been presented in a poetic form in a simple and easy way.

About MP :

• Capital: Bhopal
• Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Governor : Anandiben Patel

India Introduces 10 translated books of modern Indian literature to SCO

• On June 29, 2021, Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri introduced a translated version of 10 peerless collections of Modern Indian Literature to Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary General Vladimir Norov at the SCO secretariat in Beijing.
• It Involves English, Russian and Chinese translations of 10 classic works of modern literature written by prominent Indian authors in different languages.
• The project was commissioned by India’s premier literary institution, Sahitya Akademi and completed by the end 2021.
• The translated books included,

1. Arogyaniketan (Bengali) written by Tarashankar Bandyopadyay,
2. Ordained by Fate (Urdu) by Rajender Singh Bedi,
3. Illu (Telugu) by Rachakonda Vishwanatha Sastry,
4. The Last Exit (Hindi) by Nirmal Varma,
5. Longing for Sunshine (Assamese) by Sayed Abdul Malik,
6. Mystery of the Missing Cap and different quick tales (Odia) by Manoj Das,
7. The Last Flicker (Punjabi) by Gurdial Singh,
8. Of Men and Moments (Tamil) by Jayakanthan,
9. Parva: A Tale of War, Peace, Love, Death, God and Man (Kannada) by S L Bhyrappa
10. The Promised Hand (Gujrati) by Jhaverchand Meghnani.

About SCO :

• The SCO is an eight-member financial and safety bloc consisting of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.
• Secretary General: Vladimir Norov
• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Founded: 15 June 2001

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SPORTS NEWS

Indian Wrestler Sumit Malik Ban by UWW for doping

• Indian wrestler Sumit Malik who qualified for the Tokyo Olympics within the 125kg freestyle class,has been banned for two years by the world wrestling governing body United World Wrestling (UWW) & it is effective from July 03, 2021.
• The 28-year-old has been banned for failing a dope test.
• His B sample also returned positive for a prohibited stimulant.
• In a jolt to the Indian wrestlers’ campaign in the Tokyo Olympics, 125kg freestyle wrestler Malik had tested positive for the banned substance methylhexaneamine (MHA).
• As per World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of prohibited substances, MHA is prohibited in-competition only as a specified stimulant.

Achievements of Sumit Malik :

• Sumit Malik has been silver medalist at both the Asian Wrestling Championships and the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in 2017.
• He was gold medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
• He is best among the Indians in the 125kg category, he would be conferred with the Arjuna Award in New Delhi & also in 2018, he received the Arjuna award.

About United World Wrestling :

• Headquarters: Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland
• President: Nenad Lalović
• Founded: 1912

About WADA :

• Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
• President: Craig Reedie
• Founder: Dick Pound
• Founded: 10 November 1999

WAKO India Kickboxing Federation gets government recognition

• On July 02, 2021, The Ministry of Youth affairs & Sports has decided to grant recognition to WAKO India Kickboxing Federation as National Sports Federation (NSF) for promotion and development of the Kickboxing sport in India.
• WAKO India Kickboxing Federation is affiliated to the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), the world body for kickboxing.
• WAKO has been a provisionally recognised member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since November 30.
• The recommendation to approve WAKO as a fully recognised member of the Olympic family had been taken by the IOC in June.
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board at its meeting on 10th June 2021 has approved the recommendation for WAKO to become a fully recognized member of the Olympic family of sport.
• The full recognition of WAKO will be finally decided by the IOC Session in Tokyo in July 2021.

About World Association of Kickboxing Organizations :

• Founded: 1976
• Headquarters: Italy
• WAKO is the only organisation worldwide that is recognised by the GAISF (Global Association of Sports Federations) and the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

About International Olympic Committee :

• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• President: Thomas Bach
• Founded: 23 June 1894, Paris, France
• Founders: Pierre de Coubertin, Demetrios Vikelas
• The IOC President’s Trophy is the highest sports award given to athletes who have excelled in their sport.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Ex India footballer M Prasannan passes away

• On July 01, 2021, Former Indian national team midfielder M Prasannan passed away.
• He was 73.

About M Prasannan : 

• Born in Kozhikode in Kerala.
• He was a member of the state junior team in 1965 and the Kerala team in 1968.
• He shared the dressing room with stalwarts of Indian football like Inder Singh and Doraiswamy Natraj.
• M Prasannan played for Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa in Santosh Trophy National Football Championship.
• On August 09, 1973, he made his international debut against the erstwhile Republic of (South) Vietnam, in the Merdeka Cup, in Kuala Lumpur.
• He won the Harwood League title many times and played in the Rovers Cup.
• After his retirement, Prasannan completed a coaching course at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Bangalore.
• Later, He coached Maharashtra and made them runners-up in a Santosh Trophy tournament.

About All India Football Federation :

• President: Praful Patel
• Vice-President: Subrata Dutta
• General Secretary : Kushal Das
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 23 June 1937

 

Daily CA On July 03 :

• International Co-operative Day is an annual celebration of the co-operative movement observed on the first Saturday in July since 1923 by the International Co-operative Alliance. Theme of International Co-operative Day 2021 is: ‘Rebuild Better Together’.
• The government’s flagship programme- Digital India has completed six years. The vision of Digital India programme is to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
• The World Bank pledged to boost available funding for COVID-19 vaccine purchases and deployment to $20 billion from a previous target of $12 billion, citing a sharp increase in overall financing demand from developing countries.
• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the ‘YSR Bima’ scheme with new guidelines, where the government itself will directly pay the insurance amount to the family of deceased to make the insurance claims easier.
• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat resigned, less than four months after taking over, and hours after holding a press conference to talk about the achievements of his government.
• The Assam cabinet decided to grant one-month compulsory leave every year to police personnel from the rank of constable to sub-inspector to visit their homes.
• In Manipur, the Chief Minister N. Biren Singh announced that a cash reward of Rs. 20 lakh would be given to the first fully vaccinated assembly constituency. The cash reward is aimed to encourage mass vaccination drives being taken up in all the Assembly constituencies of the State.
• Google India has published its first transparency report under the new IT rules which includes details of complaints received from users in the country and the action taken across Google’s platforms that are classified as “significant social media intermediaries (SSMIs)” under the rules.
• Elon Musk’s satellite network Starlink is on track to beam broadband internet everywhere in the world except the polar regions by August.
• HDFC Bank launched a Salaam Dil Sey initiative to show gratitude to doctors for their tireless service during the pandemic, and to pay tribute to doctors across the country.
• The World Bank has approved a loan of USD 800 million to cash-strapped Pakistan, financing schemes on clean energy and human capital development.
• Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland stated it has appointed former Aston Martin chief Andy Palmer as Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of its electric vehicle arm Switch Mobility.
• ICICI Securities (I-Sec), India’s leading retail-led equity franchise, distributor of financial products, and investment bank, announced the appointment of Nilotpal Gupta as the Head of its Data Science Unit, taking another step in the direction of strengthening its data and analytics acumen.
• The Central Reserve Police Force, CRPF has signed a MoU with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing C-DAC to train the manpower of the force in advanced technologies and undertake joint projects.
• The 7th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), concluded in France starting from 28 June to 01 July 2021. It is a biennial event hosted by the French Navy at La Réunion.
• On June 30, 2021, a group of scientists found a new snail genus and species from the Amboli hill area in Maharashtra, Western Ghats. The new genus, Varadia, has been named after herpetologist Dr Varad Giri, meanwhile the species has been christened as Varadia amboliensis.
• A group of researchers discovered Black-bellied Coral snake in forests of Uttarakhand. The snake was observed in the Bhadraj Block of Benog Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mussoorie Forest Division. 
• On June 30, 2021, 17 year old Nihal Sarin won the gold medal in the  Silver Lake Open chess tournament held in Serbia.
• On July 01, 2021, 25-year-old Naval sailor from Kerala, MP Jabir qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 400m hurdles. Jabir would be the first Indian male athlete to participate in the 400m hurdles in Olympics.
• The two-time defence secretary and one-time presidential candidate, Donald Rumsfeld Passed away.

Daily CA On July 04 & 05 :

• Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Shri Prakash Javadekar inaugurated (through virtual mode) six Technology Innovation Platforms which will focus on development of technologies for the globally competitive manufacturing in India.
• President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for a memorial and cultural centre dedicated to B.R. Ambedkar in Lucknow.
• The Rajasthan Cricket Academy noted it will construct the world’s third-largest cricket stadium in Jaipur with capacity for 75,000 spectators at estimated cost of Rs.300 crore.
• The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education will launch the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat). It will be launched virtually by Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
• The Ayurveda dataset on CTRI Portal will be launched online by Ayush Minister Kiren Rijiju. The Minister will also launch four more Portals, all developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS).
• Union Health Ministry’s National Telemedicine Service – eSanjeevani has crossed another milestone by completing 7 million (70 lakh) consultations.
• India joined the G20-OECD inclusive framework deal that seeks to reform international tax rules and ensure that multinational enterprises pay their fair share wherever they operate.
• China was certified as malaria-free by the World Health Organization, following a 70-year effort to eradicate the mosquito-borne disease.
• India received 2600 kilos of delicious mangoes from Bangladesh as a memento of friendship between the two neighbouring countries.
• Two term MLA from Khatima in Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of the State along with an 11-member cabinet,in Dehradun.
• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA), is planning to install 5,000 Solar Power Pumps under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in J&K in the first phase out of which 2,500 pumps will be installed in the current fiscal.
• Doda, July 03, Model Anti Rabies clinic (Animal Bite clinic) has been made operational in Government Medical College, Doda for prevention and management under national Program for Rabies control (NRCP).
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced inclusion of retail and wholesale trade under MSMEs as per which they will also now get the benefit of priority sector lending under RBI guidelines.
• The Reserve Bank of India  imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakh on Punjab and Sind Bank for non-compliance with certain provisions of directions on ‘Cyber Security Framework in Banks’.
• Satish Agnihotri, a 1982 batch IRSE officer (retired) took charge as the new Managing Director of the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL), which is looking after the works of the high-speed rail corridors.
• Blackstone backed EPL (formerly known as Essel Propack) has appointed FMCG veteran and former Diageo chief Anand Kripalu as MD and Global CEO.
• Crystal Palace has confirmed Patrick Vieira as the club’s new manager on a three-year deal that will take the Frenchman through to 2024 at Selhurst Park.
• The government has extended the superannuation age of IPO-bound LIC Chairman to up to 62 years by making amendment to the Life Insurance Corporation of India (Staff) Regulations, 1960.
• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has declared ‘Invest India’ as winner of the 2020 United Nations Investment Promotion Award in a ceremony at its headquarters in Geneva. The Award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements of the world’s best-practice investment promotion agencies.
• India’s first indigenous drone defence dome called “Indrajaal”, has been developed by Hyderabad-based technology R&D firm Grene Robotics.
• Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has introduced a fifth-generation long-range autonomous precision-guided missile system called Sea Breaker.
• On June 30, 2021, Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the book Janaksuta Sut Shaurya written by Dr. Gauri Shankar Sharma.
• On June 29, 2021, Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri introduced a translated version of 10 peerless collections of Modern Indian Literature to Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary General Vladimir Norov at the SCO secretariat in Beijing.
• Indian wrestler Sumit Malik who qualified for the Tokyo Olympics within the 125kg freestyle class,has been banned for two years by the world wrestling governing body United World Wrestling (UWW) & it is effective from July 03, 2021.
• On July 02, 2021, The Ministry of Youth affairs & Sports has decided to grant recognition to WAKO India Kickboxing Federation as National Sports Federation (NSF) for promotion and development of the Kickboxing sport in India.
• On July 01, 2021, Former Indian national team midfielder M Prasannan passed away.