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A declaration adopted by BRICS nations
- In the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting under India’s Presidency on 15 July 2021, the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Declaration was adopted.
- It recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the efforts made to address unemployment, decent work deficits and inequality.
- In the meeting, discussion on four priority areas of cooperation took place.
The Drone Rules, 2021 released
- Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has released ‘The Drone Rules, 2021’ for public consultation.
- They will replace the UAS Rules 2021 (released on 12th March 2021).
- There will be a minimal human interface on the digital sky platform and most permissions will be self-generated.
- Safety features like ‘No Permission – No Take-off’ (NPNT) will be notified in the future.
School Innovation Ambassador Training Program
- Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda will jointly launch the School Innovation Ambassador Training Program on 16 July’21.
- It aims to train 50,000 school teachers on innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, product development, and idea generation.
- It has been designed by Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education and AICTE for School Teachers.
RBI cancels licence of a bank
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the license of Dr Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd, Nilanga, Latur, as it does not have adequate capital and earning prospects.
- The bank does not have adequate capital and earning prospects, and as such, it does not comply with the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Grievance management application launched
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered grievance management application in New Delhi on July 15, 2021.
- It has been developed by the Ministry of Defence with the help of IIT-Kanpur.
- This is the first AI-based system developed to improve grievance redressal in the government.
Sania Mirza gets 10-year Dubai Golden Visa
- Sania Mirza has been officially granted the Dubai Golden Visa.
- This will allow Sania and her husband Shoaib Malik, former Pakistan cricket captain, 10-year residency in the UAE.
- After Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt, Sania is the third Indian personality to receive this coveted honour.
- She will next be seen in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
Telangana clears Food Processing Policy
- Telangana cabinet has cleared the “Telangana Food Processing Policy”, under which 10 Food Processing Zones will be set up across the state in the first phase.
- The cabinet has also decided to encourage and inspire farmers to take up oil palm cultivation in 20 lakh acres during 2022-23.
- It is estimated to attract Rs 25,000 crore investments and provide 70,000 direct and indirect employment.
UN report on world hunger and malnutrition
- World hunger and malnutrition levels worsened dramatically in 2020, with most of the increase likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- This was given in a multi-agency United Nations (UN) report.
- The number of undernourished people rose to about 768 million – equivalent to 10 per cent of the world’s population and an increase of about 118 million versus 2019.
IAHE signs pact with University of South Wales
- The Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE), has signed an agreement with University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia.
- It will set up a Centre for Advanced Transportation Technology and Systems (CATTS) at IAHE, Noida.
- It will also promote industries and startups from Australia and India in the transportation sector, including opportunities for innovation.
Karnataka signs MoUs with private firms
- The Karnataka government has signed agreements with more than a dozen private companies for providing training in job skills for youths.
- It has signed pacts with Toyota Kirloskar Motors, ELCIA, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Aditya Birla Fashions, etc.
- Karnataka has also signed an agreement with Tata Technologies to upgrade 150 government ITIs at a cost of ₹4,636.50 crores.
UK exports apple to India
- UK has exported apples from England to India, for the first time in 50 years, as a sign of the UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership in action.
- The apples were sourced from a farm in southeast England.
- The Enhanced Trade Partnership was agreed by Prime Ministers of both countries in May 2021.
- The Enhanced Trade Partnership is a predecessor of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore resigns
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has accepted the resignation of Henrietta Fore as Executive Director of UNICEF.
- Fore, American public health and international development executive, was the first woman to head the U.S. Agency for International Development.
- She took up the leadership of UNICEF on 1 Jan 2018.
- She has earlier served as the Director of the U.S. Mint from 2001-2005.
Assam’s Cachar district wins SKOCH Award
- Cachar district of Assam has won the National Silver SKOCH Award for ‘Pushti Nirbhor’ (nutrition-dependent).
- Pushti Nirbhor is a convergence project on transformation and growth entailing organizing nutri-gardens at homes in Dinnathpur Bagicha village.
- Under the project, 30,000 seedlings of greens, fruits, and natural crops have been distributed amongst 140 beneficiaries.
Google Cloud launches second ‘cloud region’
- Google has launched its second cloud region in Delhi NCR, India.
- With its latest launch, Google now has 26 cloud regions, 79 zones, and 146 points of presence worldwide.
- In the Asia Pacific, Delhi NCR marks the 10th region.
- In India, the first cloud region was set up in Mumbai in 2017.
- It will help businesses of all sizes solve complex challenges while using reliable cloud technology.
Muhammad Yunus to receive Olympic Laurel
- Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus will receive the Olympic Laurel at the Tokyo Games.
- This is the second time that the trophy is being awarded.
- He will be honoured for “his extensive work in sport for development”.
- The Olympic Laurel was created five years ago (2016) to recognise endeavours in culture, education, peace and development through sport.
Income limit increased for OBC certificate
- Andhra Pradesh govt has enhanced the income limit for issuances of Other Backward Classes certificate from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh per annum.
- 10% of reservations in admissions into educational institutions and appointments in the posts and services for EWS have been made.
- It has also increased the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) eligibility cap of gross annual family income to Rs 8 lakh.
Former Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain dies
- Former President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain passed away in July 2021.
- Hussain, who was born in Agra in 1940 and migrated with his parents to Pakistan in 1947, served as the 12th President of Pakistan between September 2013 and September 2018.
- He was Governor of Sindh from June to October 1999 when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government was overthrown by General Pervez Musharraf.
High concentration of methane found on Saturn
- NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has detected an unusually high concentration of methane in the moons of Saturn.
- The spacecraft has found that Titan has methane in its atmosphere and Enceladus has a liquid ocean with erupting plumes of gas and water.
- An international research team has used new statistical methods to understand if methanogenesis by microbes could explain the molecular hydrogen
Gira Sarabhai passes away
- Gira Sarabhai passed away in July 2021.
- She was an architect, designer, and founder of the National Institute of Design.
- She was also the creator of the Calico Museum of Textiles.
- Gira was trained under American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in Wisconsin.
- The Sarabhai family is a prominent Indian family active in several fields.
- Her father Ambalal Sarabhai was a leading industrialist.
Babar Azam: Fastest to score 14 ODI centuries
- Pakistan captain Babar Azam has become the quickest to score 14 ODI centuries reaching the milestone in 81 innings at Edgbaston, Birmingham in the third ODI against England.
- He also became the second Pakistan captain to score an ODI century in England.
- Only Imran Khan had previously hit a century in England when he registered an unbeaten 102 against Sri Lanka in World Cup 1983.
‘Tatsat Chronicle’ launched
- Delhi-based Tatsat Foundation has announced the launch of its monthly magazine ”Tatsat Chronicle”.
- It is dedicated to India’s rapidly evolving social sector and will examine and appraise stakeholders striving to create a more equitable society.
- It is a first-of-its-kind print and digital magazine.
- It will cover the entire scope and range of social-sector activities in India and abroad.
Social Media Giving Day: 15 July
- Social Media Giving Day is an online holiday celebrated on July 15.
- It was inaugurated by Givver.com, a platform dedicated to fundraising via Twitter, in 2013.
- Givver.com is a St. Louis-based not-for-profit-focused technology platform founded by Chris Sommers.
- The aim of the day is to promote social media as a means to support charities and causes.
Minister of Tribal Affairs launches campaign
- Arjun Munda, Minister of Tribal Affairs, virtually launched the nationwide campaign “COVID Teeka Sang Surakshit Van, Dhan aur Uddyam” on 15 July 2021.
- It has been launched in partnership with UNICEF and WHO to accelerate the pace of COVID vaccination among tribals, in India
- The goal is to connect over 50 lakh tribals emphasizing COVID vaccination is free and available in the nearby centres.
Mango export promotion programme in Dubai
- APEDA (Agriculture and Processed Food Production Export Development Authority) organised a mango promotion programme in Dubai for varieties from northern India, on 15 July 2021.
- It was organized in collaboration with the Indian embassy and the importer LuLu group.
- Varieties including Chausa and Langra, sourced in collaboration with UP mandi board, were displayed in the United Arab Emirates.
‘Rudraksh’ launched in Varanasi
- PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Cooperation and Convention Centre – Rudraksh in Varanasi on 15 July 2021.
- The two-storey convention centre can accommodate 1,200 people.
- It has been constructed with the aid of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
- It has been built for an estimated Rs 200 crore over three acres of land Sigra.
MoU signed between ITRA and Gujarat govt
- An MoU was signed between Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) and the Government of Gujarat on 15 July 2021.
- Through this MoU all the institutions functioning in the Ayurveda campus in Jamnagar have been brought under the umbrella of ITRA.
- ITRA is the only institution under the Ministry of Ayush that has been accorded the status of Institute of National Importance (INI).
Xiaomi becomes world’s No. 2 smartphone maker
- Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp overtook Apple Inc in the second quarter to become the world’s No. 2 smartphone maker.
- This was mentioned in a report by market research firm Canalys.
- Xiaomi took the second spot for the first time with 17% share of worldwide smartphone shipments.
- The average selling price of Xiaomi phones is about 40% to 75% cheaper than Samsung and Apple.
Bharti Airtel partners with Cisco
- Bharti Airtel and Cisco have announced the launch of connectivity solutions for enterprises based on Cisco’s software-defined wide area network technology.
- The partnership will allow enterprises to design, deploy, configure, migrate, and manage their wide area network (WAN) infrastructure.
- Royal Enfield, Panasonic, are some of the businesses that have already opted for this solution.
Palaeolithic cave paintings found in Haryana
- Archaeologists have discovered cave paintings in a rocky and forested corner of Haryana.
- They believe the paintings belong to the Upper Palaeolithic age, which could potentially make them one of the oldest cave arts in the country.
- The team encountered cave paintings comprising images of human figurines, animals, foliage, and geometric, some that have paled over time.
A book written by a child prodigy released
- Child prodigy Chryseis Knight has come up with her new book “The Great Big Lion”.
- It is a story about a lion and two children.
- Earlier published independently abroad, the book was released in July 2021 for the first time in India under Penguin Random House India’s “Puffin” imprint.
- She started writing the book when she was 3 years old.
- She is now 7 years old.
Two new Khadi products launched
- MSME Minister Narayan Rane has launched two new Khadi products- Khadi babywear and unique handmade paper use and throws slippers in New Delhi.
- The new products include Khadi’s first-ever cotton clothing for babies.
- The cost of Khadi cotton babywear is 599 rupees per piece.
- The handmade paper slippers are 100 percent eco-friendly and cost-effective.
EAGLE Act passed by a US Committee
- The House Foreign Affairs Committee of the US passed the Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement or EAGLE Act on 15 July 2021.
- The legislation along with other things includes key provisions that will strengthen American diplomacy and leadership in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region.
- The legislation supports establishing a Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group.
Actress Surekha Sikri passes away
- Actress Surekha Sikri passed away in July 2021.
- She is best remembered for her national award-winning performances in films like Tamas (1988), Mammo (1995), and Badhaai Ho (2018).
- Sikri was also the recipient of the 1989 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
- She made her debut with the 1978 political drama film Kissa Kursi Ka.
FedEx to invest $100 mn in Delhivery
- FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. has entered into equity and commercial agreements with Delhivery, a logistics and supply chain services company in India.
- FedEx will make a $100 million equity investment in Delhivery.
- FedEx will transfer certain assets pertaining to its domestic business in India to Delhivery.
2nd advance estimate of the area of crops released
- Agriculture Ministry has released the second advance estimates of area and production of various horticultural crops for the year 2020-21.
- According to it, the production of fruits is estimated to be 102.76 million tonnes in 2021 as compared to 102.08 million tonnes in 2020.
- The production of vegetables is estimated to be 196.27 million tonnes as compared to 188.28 million tonnes in 2020.
Finance Min releases Rs 75,000 cr to states
- Finance Ministry released Rs 75,000 crore on 15 July 2021 to the states and UTs with legislature under the back-to-back loan facility in lieu of GST compensation.
- This release is in addition to normal GST compensation being released every two months out of actual cess collection.
- The sum total of 2.59 lakh crore rupees is expected to exceed the amount of GST compensation accruing in 2021-22.
Relief package of Rs 800 crore to Tamil Nadu
- The Centre has granted Rs 800 crore to Tamil Nadu as part of the Covid-19 relief package for management of the second wave and prevention of the third wave.
- The state sought additional doses of vaccines.
- The state also urged the Centre to accelerate the setting up of vaccine manufacturing units at IVC in Chengalpet and Pasteur Institute in Coonoor.
The US to ban the import of products from Xinjiang
- The US Senate has passed legislation to ban the import of products from China’s Xinjiang region.
- The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act would create a “rebuttable presumption” assuming goods manufactured in Xinjiang are made with forced labor and therefore banned under the 1930 Tariff Act unless otherwise certified by U.S. authorities.
India’s overall exports grow by 31.87% in June
- India’s overall exports in June 2021 are estimated to be 49.85 billion dollars, exhibiting a positive growth of 31.87 percent over the same period in 2020.
- Overall imports in June are estimated to be 52.18 billion dollars, exhibiting a positive growth of 73.65 percent.
- India’s overall exports from April to June 2021 are 147.64 billion dollars, exhibiting a positive growth of 50.24 percent.
Bandaru Dattatreya: 18th Governor of Haryana
- Former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya was sworn in as the 18th Governor of Haryana on 15 July 2021.
- he was administered the oath of office by Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha at a function at the Raj Bhavan.
- He was the Governor of Himachal Pradesh before being moved to Haryana.
- He succeeds Satyadeo Narain Arya, who has been moved to Tripura.