Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 2nd week July 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Population Day
- World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues.
National Simplicity Day
- National Simplicity Day is observed annually on 12 July to honour Henry David Thoreau who was an author, philosopher, historian, tax resister, abolitionist, development critic, surveyor, and leading transcendentalist.
Malala Day
- United Nations has declared July 12, which is Malala Yousafzai’s birthday, as Malala Day in honour of the young activist.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
NHRC sets up panel to assess Covid-19 impact on human rights
- The National Human Rights Commission has constituted an 11-member expert committee to study impact of Covid-19 on human rights and future response of the government.
- The expert panel would be headed by Dr K S Reddy, president of Public Health Foundation of India
USTATED, MNRE Announce New Partnership To Expand Clean Energy Development
- In a step toward increasing US-India collaboration for clean energy development, the US Agency for International Development (USTATED) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have announced the launch of a partnership between the USTATED-supported South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE) and MNRE’s national technical institutions.
Cabinet Approves Rs 1 Lakh Crore Fund For Agriculture Infrastructure
- The Union Cabinet gave its approval to Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore, a new pan-India central government scheme, to provide a medium to long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
Centre to release postal stamp of former PM PV Narasimha Rao to mark centenary
- A commemorative stamp would be released soon by the Centre in honour of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao on his 100th birth anniversary.
PM Modi to inaugurate 3-day India Global Week 2020
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the inaugural address on the first day of India Global Week-2020 .The theme of the three-day virtual conference is Be The Revival: India and a Better New World. India Global Week- 2020 will have 5,000 global participants from 30 nations. In all, 250 global speakers will address the virtual conference in 75 sessions.
Union Cabinet extends Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana till November; 80 crore people to be benefitted
- The Union Cabinet has given approval for extending Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for five more months. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar stated that under the scheme, five kilogram of Wheat or Rice will be given to every member of the beneficiary family and one kilogram of Chana will be given to each family for five more months.
Cabinet approves 12 thousand 450 crore rupees investment in three public sector general insurance companies
- The Union Cabinet has also approved capital infusion in three Public Sector General Insurance Companies.
- Javadekar informed that under it, 12 thousand 450 crore rupees will be invested in Oriental Insurance Company Limited, National Insurance Company Limited and United India Insurance Company Limited.
Ministry of Culture to reprint 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under NMM
- The Ministry of Culture has taken up the project of reprinting of 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under the National Mission for Manus, NMM.
18th meeting of high-level Group of Ministers on COVID-19 held in New Delhi
- The 18th meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers, GoM on COVID-19 was held in New Delhi through video conferencing under the chairpersonship of Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
PM Modi inaugurates Asia’s largest solar energy project in MP’s Rewa
- While inaugurating through video conference Asia’s largest solar energy project in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, the Prime Minister stated that Rewa has really created history. Rewa has been identified as Ma Narmada and a white tiger. Now the name of Asia’s largest solar power project has also been added.
MSDE launches ASEEM portal to help skilled people find livelihood opportunities
- The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) launched ‘Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping’ (ASEEM) portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Facebook host webinar for sensitization of MPs on GOAL project
- Ministry of Tribal Affairs hosted a Webinar along with Facebook India in New Delhi for sensitization of Members of Parliament from Scheduled Tribe (ST) Constituencies on Going Online As Leaders (GOAL)
Shipping Ministry issues draft ‘Aids to Navigation Bill 2020’ for public consultation
- The Shipping Ministry has issued a draft of ‘Aids to Navigation Bill, 2020’ for suggestions from the stakeholders and public. Suggestions and opinions can be sent by 24th of July.
- The draft bill is proposed to replace the Lighthouse Act, 1927 to incorporate the best global practices, technological developments and India’s International obligations in the field of Aids to Marine Navigation.
NITI Aayog Atal Innovation Mission Launches App Development Module For School Students
- The Atal Innovation Mission of Centre’s think-tank, NITI Aayog, has launched a free online app development course for school students across the country. Named, ‘ATL App Development Module’
NTPC’s Singrauli Unit 1 emerges top-performing plant in Q1
- National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC’s Singrauli Unit 1 has emerged as the top-performing unit in the country in the first quarter of the financial year, as per the data released by Central Electricity Authority. NTPC, Singrauli is the oldest Unit and a flagship power station of NTPC Limited
NITI Aayog presents India’s second Voluntary National Review at UN, titled ‘Decade of Action: Taking SDGs From Global to Local’
- NITI Aayog presented India’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) at United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, 2020.
Govt aims to increase public health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025
- The Union Health Ministry has pushed for an increased expenditure on public health. In a meeting with the 15th Finance Commission, the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, highlighted that the government aims at gradually increasing the public health expenditure to 5 per cent of the nation’s GDP by the year 2025.
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National Human Rights Commission:
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
- Justice H. L. Dattu, Chairman
United States Agency for International Development:
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
- Acting Administrator: John Barsa
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy:
- Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge)
- Constituency: Arrah
MSDE
- Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship: Mahendra Nath Pandey
- Constituency: Uttar Pradesh
Ministry of Tribal Affairs:
- Arjun Munda, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Khunti
- Renuka Singh Saruta, Minister of State
Ministry of Shipping:
- Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Minister of State (Independent Charge)
- Constituency: Palitana
NITI Aayog
- Formed: 1 January 2015
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairperson: Narendra Modi
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
- Harsh Vardhan, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Chandni Chowk
- Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
U.S. to formally withdraw from WHO in 2021
- The U.S. has sent a letter officially notifying the United Nations that it is leaving the World Health Organization, starting the formal process of withdrawal that President Trump first started in April when he halted funding to WHO.
India funded new school infrastructure inaugurated in Nepal
- A new four-storey school building built with Indian assistance of Rs 1.94 crore for students pursuing both vedic and modern education was inaugurated in Nepal’s Ilam district, according to the Indian embassy.
Maldives, Sri Lanka eliminate measles & rubella ahead of 2023 target
- Maldives and Sri Lanka have become the first two countries in the South-East Asia region to eliminate both measles and rubella ahead of the 2023 target. The announcement was made by WHO South-East Asia’s Regional Director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh after the fifth meeting of the regional verification commission for measles and rubella elimination, held virtually
WHO to set up independent panel to review handling of COVID-19 pandemic
- The World Health Organization (WHO) was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments.
Bangladesh govt launches ‘Digital Haat’ for sacrificial animals before Eid-Ul-Azha
- The government of Bangladesh has launched a ‘Digital Haat’ for online sale and purchase of sacrificial animals ahead of the festival of Eid-Ul-Azha.
US approves $620 mn missile upgrade package for Taiwan
- The United States has approved a possible $620 million upgrade package for Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Taiwan.
United Nations organised 2020 Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week from 6-10 July 2020
- The Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week will be held from 6-10 July and convened under the overarching theme of “Strategic and Practical Challenges of Countering Terrorism in a Global Pandemic Environment”.
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WHO:
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Director-General: Tedros Adhanom
Nepal:
- Capital: Kathmandu
- Prime minister: KP Sharma Oli
- Currency: Nepalese rupee
Maldives:
- Capital: Malé
- Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa
Srilanka:
- Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative) Colombo (executive and judicial)
- President: Gotabaya Rajapaksa
- Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
Mongolia:
- Capital: Ulaanbaatar
- Currency: Mongolian tögrög
Bangladesh
- Capital: Dhaka
- Currency: Bangladeshi taka
- PM: Sheikh Hasina
United Nations
- Secretary general: António Guterres
- Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
AIIB extends $50 mn loan to L&T Infra Finance for Renewable Energy
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has released $50 million in the first tranche of assistance to L&T Infrastructure Finance Ltd for funding Renewable Energy projects in the country.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund launches voice-based services via Google Assistant
- Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund (ABSLMF) has launched voice-based services for its investors with Google Assistant. Thevoice assistant acts as a 24X7 interface for investors to interact with the fund house, to address their various service requests such as portfolio valuations, account statement, capital gains statement etc.
Fino Payments Bank launches ‘Bhavishya’ savings account for minors
- Fino Payments Bank Limited announced the launch of a savings account scheme for minors aged between 10-18 years. Bhavishya’, a subscription-based savings account, can be opened by paying a nominal amount.
World Bank to provide 400 million dollars to enhance support for rejuvenating River Ganga
- Government has stated that World Bank will provide 400 million dollars to enhance support for rejuvenating the Ganga. The Second National Ganga River Basin Project will help stem pollution in the iconic river and strengthen the management of the river basin which is home to more than 500 million people.
Karur Vysya Bank in corporate agency pact with Bajaj Allianz Life
- Karur Vysya Bank, an old private sector bank, has signed up a corporate agency partnership with Bajaj Allianz Life to offer life insurance solutions to its customers.
YES Bank launches instant loan disbursement facility
- Private sector lender YES Bank has launched a solution for instant disbursement of retail loans for the bank’s pre-approved liability account holders.
- Called Loan in Seconds, the algorithm assesses a loan application in real-time and eliminates the need for documentation.
SBI to invest up to Rs.1,760 crore in Yes Bank
- State Bank of India will invest up to 1,760 crore in troubled private sector lender Yes Bank, which is set to come out with a follow-on public offer.
BSE partners with LIC Mutual Fund for BSE eKYC services
- BSE has now partnered with LIC Mutual Fund to power its eKYC services on BSE StAR MF, the market leading MF platform.
- The digital KYC process will facilitate our Members to ensure zero contact, hassle-free customer on boarding process, especially during this COVID situation.
Karur Vysya Bank partners with Tata Motors to offer car loans at attractive terms
- Karur Vysya Bank has entered into an arrangement with Tata Motors to fund buyers of Tata passenger vehicles. The Bank informed the exchanges that both existing and new customers will be eligible to avail loans from KVB.
IRDAI forms panel on ‘Indian Pandemic Risk Pool’
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a working group to examine the feasibility of ‘Pandemic Risk Pool’.
- Suresh Mathur, Executive Director, Irdai, will be the Chairman for the 9-member working group with industry representatives as members.
SEBI rejigs advisory committee on mutual funds
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revamped its committee that advises the capital markets regulator on matters related to regulation and development of mutual fund industry.
- The 20-member advisory committee on mutual funds is headed by Usha Thorat, former deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
NSE launches new gold standard for delivery
- The National Stock Exchange has announced NSE Refiner Standards (NRS) for BIS-Standard gold to be delivered for settlement of the gold futures contracts traded on its platform.
IRDAI gives its nod to Insurance companies to launch corona Kavach Health Insurance Policies
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, IRDAI, has allowed 30 general and health insurers to launch short-term ‘Corona Kavach’ health insurance policies. The policy will cover medical expenses occurred due to coronavirus disease.
HDFC ERGO Launches Corona Kavach Policy
- HDFC ERGO, the country’s third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, announced the launch of ‘Corona Kavach’
HSBC India rolls out digital payment products for retail customers
- HSBC India announced the launch of a comprehensive range of digital payment products for its retail customers. HSBC is now part of e-NACH (Electronic National Automated Clearing House)
Visa partners with Federal Bank for rolling out Visa Secure for e-commerce
- Visa, a global leader in payments technology, has entered into a partnership with Federal Bank to roll out Visa Secure to the bank’s cardholders. Visa Secure is a global authentication program that uses the latest standards of the EMV 3DS (3D Secure) protocol
Income Tax Department launches tool for Banks to ascertain TDS applicability rates on cash withdrawals
- The Income Tax Department has facilitated a new functionality for Banks and Post offices through which they can ascertain the TDS applicability rates on cash withdrawals.
Nabard announces Rs.5,000-crore concessional refinance facility
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), announced a concessional refinance facility to the tune of Rs.5,000 crore for banks and financial institutions for on-lending to beneficiaries in its 2,150 watershed development projects.
NHB provides Rs.25,000 crore to housing fin cos as refinance assistance in last 4 months
- The National Housing Bank (NHB) has in the last four months (March to June 30, 2020) provided a total refinance assistance of over 25,000 crore to the housing finance companies (HFCs) alone.
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AIIB
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- CEO: Jin Liqun
L&T Infrastructure Finance Ltd
- CEO: Dinanath Dubhashi
- Headquarters: India
Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund (ABSLMF)
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- MD & CEO: Mr. A. Balasubramanian
Fino Payments Bank Limited
- Headquarters: Maharashtra
- MD and CEO: Rishi Gupta
World Bank:
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C,U.S
- President: David Malpass
Bajaj Allianz Life insurance:
- CEO: Tarun Chugh
- Headquarters: Pune
Karur Vysya Bank:
- Headquarters: Karur
- CEO: P. R. Seshadri
Yes Bank:
- CEO: Prashant Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
SBI:
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
BSE
- HQ: Mumbai
- Vikramajit Sen, (Chairman); Ashishkumar Chauhan, (MD & CEO)
LIC Mutual Fund
- HQ: Mumbai
- Chairman: V. K. Chopra
SEBI:
- Founded: 12 April 1992
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
NSE:
- Location: Mumbai, India
- Chairman: Girish Chandra Chaturvedi
- MD & CEO: Vikram Limaye
IRDAI:
- Founded: 1999
- Headquarters: Hyderabad
- Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia
HDFC ERGO:
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: Ritesh Kumar
HSBC India :
- CEO: Surendra Rosha
- Headquarters: Mumbai
Visa:
- CEO: Alfred F Kelly Jr
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
Federal Bank
- Headquarters: Aluva
- CEO: Shyam Srinivasan
Income Tax Department:
- HQ: Delhi
- Pramod Chandra Modi, IRS :Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes
Nabard :
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairman: Chintala Govinda Rajulu
NHB:
- Founded: 9 July 1988
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Shri Sriram Kalyanaraman (Managing Director)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Maruti Suzuki Partners With Axis Bank For Easy Car Loan Schemes
- India’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. has collaborated with private lender Axis Bank Ltd. to offer easy vehicle financing for car buyers
NSDC and Microsoft collaborate to train over 1 lakh youths
- The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Microsoft have announced a strategic partnership that aims to impart digital skills to more than one lakh youths in India by next year. Microsoft will collaborate with NSDC’s eSkill India portal to provide free access to learning resources.
Google Rebrands Social Network Google Plus As Google Currents
- Tech giant Google’s social media network Google Plus has officially gone almost a year after the company had shut down its personal accounts.
India growth forecast cut again at Citi as coronavirus cases surge
- Citigroup Inc. sharply lowered its forecast for India’s economy as the coronavirus pandemic shows no sign of slowing. The nation’s gross domestic product will contract 6% in the fiscal year to March 2021, steeper than Citi’s previous estimate for a 3.5% decline, its analysts led by Samiran Chakraborty, chief India economist in Mumbai.
Mastercard to invest Rs.250 cr to help Indian SMEs amid COVID-19 crisis
- Global leader in payment technology Mastercard announced an additional 250-crore investment to help small businesses in the country, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Global economy to contract by 5.2 pc in 2020: Report
- The global economy is likely to contract by 2 per cent in 2020 with the coronanvirus still spreading and the economic prospects of countries across the world looking muted, According to Dun and Bradstreet’s Country Risk and Global Outlook Report
Signature Global to invest Rs 225 cr in affordable housing project in Gurugram
- Realty firm Signature Global will invest Rs 225 crore over the next four years to develop a new affordable housing project in Gurugram, Haryana.
Indian GDP to contract 7.5 per cent if COVID vaccine is delayed, 4 per cent in base case: Report
- India’s real GDP will likely contract by 5 per cent if the global economy has to wait for a vaccine discovery for a year, the BofA analysts stated, calling this as the “bear case”.
Qualcomm picks 0.15 per cent stake in Jio for Rs 730 crore
- Qualcomm Ventures has picked up 15 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 730 crore, Reliance Industries stated. Qualcomm is the 12th investor in Jio Platforms in as many weeks.
Google to invest $10 billion in India over 5-7 years
- Internet giant Google launched the Google for India Digitization Fund with a commitment to invest 75,000 crore (approximately $10 billion) over the next 5-7 years towards digitizing the Indian economy.
RIL first company in India to surpass Rs 12 lakh crore market cap
- Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) became the first Indian company to cross the 12 lakh crore in market capitalisation as the stock soared to a record high. Shares of the company, controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, have doubled in value since mid-March.
India’s GDP likely to contract 4.5% in FY21: FICCI survey
- Industry body FICCI’s latest Economic Outlook Survey has pegged India’s growth for 2020-21 at (-) 4.5 per cent as the country continues to see a gradual rise in financial stress.
Motilal Oswal AMC launches Multi Asset Fund
- Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company has launched a Multi Asset Fund that will invest in equity, international equity index funds/ equity Exchange Traded Funds Debt and Money Market Instruments and Gold ETF.
BuyUcoin Becomes The First Indian Cryptocurrency Exchange To List XinFin Utility Token
- Singapore based Hybrid Blockchain firm XinFin has partnered with BuyUcoin, one of India’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, to introduce its Native Token XDC to the Indian market.
PayU Introduces QR Enabled EFT Solution For Real Time Monitoring Of Bank Transactions
- PayU, India’s leading online payment solutions provider, introduced the QR enabled EFT payment option that allows businesses and customers to track the status of high value EFT payment transactions (Rs 5 lakh and above) in real time.
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Axis Bank
- CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
- Headquarters: Mumbai
National Skill Development Corporation:
- CEO: Manish Kumar
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
Microsoft:
- CEO: Satya Nadella
- Headquarters: Washington, United States
Google
- CEO: Sundar Pichai
- Headquarters: US
Citigroup:
- CEO: Michael Corbat
- Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
MasterCard
- CEO: Ajaypal Singh Banga
- HQ: US
Qualcomm Ventures:
- Headquarters location: San Diego, California, United States
- James Shen: Managing director
Reliance Industries Ltd:
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Mukesh Ambani: Chairman & MD
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry:
- Sangita Reddy: President
- HQ: New Delhi
Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company:
- Navin Agarwal: CEO
- HQ: Mumbai
PayU:
- Headquarters: Netherlands
- Laurent Le Moal: (CEO)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Assam’s Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary to get national park status
- The state government has decided to upgrade the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary into a national park.
- The national park status will guarantee better management and protection of the flora and fauna of Dehing Patkai which forms the largest stretch of lowland rainforest in the country. The flow of more funds is expected to boost its infrastructure.
Himachal first state with LPG gas connections in 100 percent households
- Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country where 100 percent households have LPG connections.
- Under the central government’s ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana’, gas connections were provided free of cost to women of rural areas, he stated, adding that 36 lakh families of the state were benefited under the scheme.
Delhi govt decides to provide free ration to PDS cardholders till November 2020
- Delhi Government has decided to provide free ration to Public Distribution System (PDS) cardholders till November 2020. Delhi government stated that distribution of food grains for July is scheduled to start in a phased manner
Mamata Banerjee launches West Bengal’s ‘Self Scan’ app
- In the backdrop of the central government imposing a ban on as many as 59 Chinese mobile phone apps, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a mobile app, indigenously developed by state information technology department, for documents scanning. The app is named – ‘Self Scan’
Andhra Pradesh celebrates Farmers’ Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
- To commemorate the birth anniversary of S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the 14th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh who served from 2004 to 2009, the state of Andhra Pradesh, July 8, is celebrating Rythu Dinotsavam (Farmers’ Day).
CIDC initiates skill Development Programme in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) established by the NITI Aayog has initiated a skill Development Programme in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to provide ‘Employment oriented training and Skill development for the marginalized section.
Gujarat govt constitutes a five-member commission to protect rights of tribal
- Gujarat Government has constituted a five-member commission to decide rightful beneficiaries of Rabari, Bharwad and Charan castes residing in the Ness areas of Gir, Barda, and Aalech forests. This decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in Gandhinagar.
Andhra Pradesh Government brings Covid-19 treatment under Dr YSR Aarogyasri, State’s free healthcare scheme
- In a significant move, the Andhra Pradesh Government has brought Covid-19 treatment under the purview of Dr YSR Aarogyasri, the flagship free healthcare scheme of the State.
Gujarat extends Solar Power Policy period till December 2020
- The Gujarat government has announced a nine-month extension for its Gujarat Solar Power Policy -2015, till December 2020.
Maharashtra gives banking mandate to IDBI Bank, district co-op banks
- The Maharashtra State Cabinet decided to give its banking mandate to IDBI Bank, regional rural bank and 15 district central cooperative banks in the state. The mandate is only for the partial handling of certain funds.
Rajasthan launches campaign to ensure purity of milk, dairy products
- A week-long campaign has been launched in Rajasthan to ensure purity of milk and its products.
- Samples of milk and dairy products will be collected under the campaign ”Pure for Sure” from July 8-July 14.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches eight web solutions for public services under 5T initiatives
- Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched eight technology driven solutions under 5T initiatives for Home and General Administration departments and extended the dateline for online delivery of public services to October 2 from August 15 in view of the pandemic.
Himachal Pradesh: Nadaun Police Station ranked as one of best Police Stations of India
- Nadaun Police Station of Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh has been ranked as one of the best Police Stations of the country.
Tripura: Wildlife researchers rediscover ‘Ypthima watsoni’ butterfly after 61 years
- In Tripura, a team of wildlife researchers has rediscovered ‘Ypthima watsoni’ butterfly commonly known as ‘Looped three-ring’ after 61 years near a village called Phuldungsei in Jampui Hills under the North Tripura district.
Raksha Mantri inaugurates six new bridges in Jammu and Kashmir
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated six bridges in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Four bridges were constructed on the Akhnoor-Pallanwala road in Akhnoor, while two bridges were built on the Tarnah Nallah in Kathua district. The total cost of construction of the bridges was 43 crore.
Tamil Nadu tops market borrowings among States so far, in 2020-21
- Tamil Nadu has so far raised 30,500 crore in the fiscal 2020-21 and has topped market borrowings among States in the country. Tamil Nadu has accounted for 17% of the borrowings done through the issue of bonds, known as state development loans, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Maharashtra govt, SBI to set up stress fund for stuck slum rehabilitation projects
- The government of Maharashtra along with the State Bank of India is setting up a stress fund to restart stuck slum rehabilitation projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and other urban areas of the state. The government will infuse Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in this fund aimed at providing financial support to revive such projects.
Haryana To Get Rs 1,500 Cr Central Aid For Crop Diversification, Ponds Rejuvenation
- Haryana is to get a financial aid of Rs 1,500 crore from the Centre to expand its crop diversification scheme and rejuvenate ponds in the state.
Asia’s Largest Data Centre With 210MW Overall Capacity Inaugurated Near Mumbai
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray e-inaugurated Asia’s largest certified tier IV data centre near Mumbai. Located in Panvel, the Yotta NM1 data centre building, is the largest of its kind in India, as well as the second largest in the world.
MP govt begins ‘Mera Ghar Mera Vidyalaya’ scheme to facilitate students
- The Madhya Pradesh government has started Mera Ghar Mera Vidyalaya Scheme.
- Under the Scheme, children can now sit for classes in their homes. The scheme aims to provide students with a school-like atmosphere at home
MP govt to run ‘Roko -Toko’ campaign for those who do not wear masks
- In Madhya Pradesh, the government will now run a Roko -Toko (रोको टोको) means stop and campaign for those who do not wear masks. As the Use of masks is mandatory in all public places in the state. Now selected voluntary organizations will provide masks to the people who do not wear masks in public places and will charge an amount of Rs 20 per mask from the concerned.
Chhattisgarh organises India’s first e-Lok Adalat
- An e-Lok Adalat is being held in Chhattisgarh to ensure the administration of justice continues where the virtual hearings are to be conducted through video conferencing.
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Assam
- Chief Minister (CM): Sarbananda Sonowa
- Capital: Dispur
- Governor: Jagdish Mukhi
HP
- Capitals: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter)
- Chief minister: Jai Ram Thakur
- Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
Delhi:
- Chief Minister: Arvind Kejriwal
- Governor: Anil Baijal, IAS
West Bengal
- Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee
Andhra Pradesh
- Legislative Capital: Amaravati, Executive Capital: Vishakapatnam, Judicial Capital: Kurnool
- Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
- Chief Minister: Jagan Mohan Reddy
Andaman and Nicobar:
- Capital: Port Blair
- Lieutenant Governor: Admiral (ret.) Devendra Kumar Joshi
Gujarat:
- Capital: Gandhinagar
- Chief minister: Vijay Rupani
- Governor: Acharya Devvrat
Maharashtra:
- Capitals: Mumbai
- Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- Chief Minister: Uddhav Thackeray
Rajasthan
- Capital: Jaipur
- Governor: Kalraj Mishra
- Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
Odisha
- Capital: Bhubaneswar
- Governor: Ganeshi Lal
- Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik
Tripura :
- Capital: Agartala
- Governor: Ramesh Bais
- Chief Minister: Biplab Kumar Deb
Tamil Nadu :
- Capital : chennai
- Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
- Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Haryana
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
- Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya
Madhya Pradesh
- Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
- Capital: Bhopal
- Governor: Lalji Tandon
Chhattisgarh:
- Capitals: Bilaspur, Raipur
- Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
- Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
MoU signed between National Medicinal Plants Board and ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
- National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) under Ministry of AYUSH and ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) under Department of Agricultural Research and Education have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
CBDT, SEBI sign MoU for data exchange
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for data exchange between the two organizations.
IIT Alumni Council and CSIR-IGIB sign MoU for joint research on COVID-19 and patient data analysis
- The IIT Alumni Council has signed an agreement with the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) to jointly conduct research on COVID-19 and patient data analysis. It may be noted that the council is setting up the world’s largest molecular diagnostic lab ‘MegaLab Mumbai’.
EESL signs pact with Noida Authority to install EV charging stations
- State-run EESL has signed an agreement with New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) to promote electric vehicles (EVs) and install public EV charging stations and related infrastructure.
Flipkart signs MoU with Karnataka govt to Promote local art, craft and handlooms
- Homegrown e-commerce marketplace Flipkart has signed an MoU with Karnataka MSME and Mines department to promote the states arts, crafts and handloom sectors by bringing them on to e-commerce and providing market access.
T-Hub partners with MeitY, Digital India for hardware start-ups
- T-Hub, a State government initiative for startups announced its partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Digital India for hardware and IoT startups.
ADB, IEA Renew Pact To Collaborate On Energy Sector Sustainability And Resilience
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has renewed a memorandum of understanding with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to scale up collaboration and advance progress on sustainability with an increased focus on energy sector resilience in Asia and the Pacific.
BSE, IIT Alumni Council ink pact for listing of start-ups
- The BSE has signed a memorandum of understanding with IIT Alumni Council to encourage listing of start-ups and develop ‘high investor depth’ in its start-ups platform.
NATGRID signed MOU with NCRB to access database that links around 14,000 police stations
- The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to access the centralised online database on FIRs and stolen vehicles.
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Ministry of AYUSH:
- Shripad Naik: Minister of State (Independent charge)
- Constituency : North Goa
CBDT
- eadQuarters: New Delhi
- Chairman: Pramod Chandra Mody
CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology:
- Location : Delhi
- Director : Anurag Agrawal
EESL
- HQ: New Delhi
- Rajeev Sharma(Chairman)
Flipkart
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Kalyan Krishnamurthy
- Head Office– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Karnataka
- Chief Minister– B. S. Yediyurappa
- Governor– Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala
- Capital– Bengaluru
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY)
- Cabinet Minister: Ravi Shankar Prasad
- Constituency: Patna, Bihar
T-hub
- CEO– Ravi Narayan
- Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana
Asian Development Bank:
- Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
- President: Masatsugu Asakawa
International Energy Agency:
- Secretariat: Paris, France
- Executive Director: Fatih Birol
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
- Director– Ram Phal Pawar
- Headquarters– New Delhi
CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITION AND MERGERS
Paytm, CEO Sharma to acquire general insurer Raheja QBE for Rs 568 crore
- Paytm and the firm’s Chief Executive Vijay Shekhar Sharma (pictured) will acquire Raheja QBE General Insurance for nearly Rs 568 crore to expand the digital payments company’s financial services.
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Paytm:
- CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
- Headquarters: Noida
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
NCLAT chairperson Justice Bhat gets three-month extension
- The government extended the term of office of Justice Bansi Lal Bhat who is officiating as the chairperson of National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
Jayant Krishna to take over as first Indian CEO of UKIBC from Aug 3
- The UK India Business Council announced that Jayant Krishna will take over as its new Group Chief Executive Officer from August 3.
Crisil appoints Shyamala Gopinath as Additional Director
- The board of directors of Crisil has approved the appointment of Shyamala Gopinath as an Additional Director (Independent) of the company with effect from July 10. Gopinath was Deputy Governor at Reserve Bank of India for seven years till June 2011.
Priyanka Chopra Chosen Ambassador for Toronto International Film Festival
- Priyanka Chopra announced that she has been invited to be an ambassador to the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has also been chosen for TIFF 2020.
Vectus Group signs star couple Saif and Kareena as brand ambassadors
- Vectus Industries Limited (Vectus Group), a water storage and piping solutions provider company, has roped in Bollywood star couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan as its brand ambassadors.
Rahul Johri moves on as BCCI CEO
- Rahul Johri has stepped down as BCCI CEO. He had put down his papers after the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) made way for the Sourav Ganguly-led set-up the run the world’s richest cricket board.
Baushuan Ger is Taiwan’s new ambassador to India
- Taiwan has named senior diplomat Baushuan Ger as its new representative to India while his predecessor Tien Chung-kwang has been promoted to the post of deputy foreign minister.
Gyanendro Ningombam named as Officiating President of Hockey India
- Hockey India Executive Board held an Emergent Executive Board meeting naming Manipur’s Gyanendro Ningombam as the Officiating President of Hockey India.
Indian-American to be acting head of US agriculture research organisation
- Prominent Indian-American scientist Dr Parag Chitnis has been appointed as the Acting Director of the prestigious National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which drives all federally funded agricultural research in the US.
Rudrendra Tandon is India’s next envoy to Afghanistan, Vikram Doraiswami to move to Dhaka
- The government has decided to appoint Rudrendra Tandon as the new envoy to Afghanistan and Vikram Doraiswami as high commissioner to Dhaka
Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong returns to power
- Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has secured his ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) winning 83 of the 93 contested parliamentary seats in the general election held amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Madeline Swegle makes history as U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical jet pilot
- Navy Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle is making history by becoming the first known Black female tactical air pilot in the S. Navy’s history
Poland’s incumbent Andrzej Duda narrowly wins presidential vote
- Andrzej Duda, Poland’s conservative, populist incumbent, has narrowly won the presidential election.
Dr. Vidhu P. Nair appointed India’s next Ambassador to Turkmenistan
- Vidhu P. Nair has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan.
Snapdeal’s Kunal Bahl to lead CII’s e-commerce committee
- Snapdeal’s co-founder and CEO, Kunal Bahl, has taken over as the Chairman of CII’s E-Commerce Committee for 2020-21. Urban Company’s co-founder Abhiraj Bhal will co-chair the committee.
Hemang Amin appointed BCCI’s interim CEO
With former CEO Rahul Johri’s resignation being accepted, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to appoint Hemang Amin as the interim CEO of the board. The board employees were informed about the arrangement.
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CRISIL:
- CEO: Ashu Suyash
- Headquarters: Mumbai
BCCI:
- President: Sourav Ganguly
- Women’s coach: W. V. Raman
- Men’s coach: Ravi Shastri
- Secretary: Jay Shah
- Headquarters: Mumbai
Taiwan
- Capital: Taipei
- Currency: New Taiwan dollar
- President: Tsai Ing-wen
Hockey India
- Headquarters– New Delhi, India
- Secretary General– Rajinder Singh
Afghanistan
- Capital: Kabul
- Currency: Afghan afghani
- President: Ashraf Ghani
Singapore
- President- Halimah Yacob
- Capital– Singapore
- Currency– Singapore Dollar
Poland
- Capital: Warsaw
- Currency: Polish złoty
Turkmenistan:
- Capital: Ashgabat
- Currency: Turkmenistan manat
- President: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
IOC receives Green Building Leadership Award
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that its new headquarters in Lausanne has been awarded the European 2020 US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award.
- Olympic House, which also holds the rigorous LEED Platinum certification, is one of the most sustainable buildings in the world, IOC stated.
Sachin Awasthi adds another feather to his cap Honored as the Top Publicist in Global Humanitarian Award 2020 in London
- President of National Media club, Sachin Awasthi bagged Top Publicist honor under Global Humanitarian Award 2020. He is one of the 100 awardees nominated from 35 different countries and 9 continents.
Indian battalion wins UNIFIL environment award
- An Indian battalion stationed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has won an environment award for a project that aims to decrease waste generation, reuse plastic, build green houses and compost pits.
Chhattisgarh’s CM Darpan Portal and mobile app get award by IT institution
- The Mukhyamantri Darpan and mobile App which contains the details of all the flagship schemes of the Chhattisgarh government including the ambitious ‘Suraji Gaon Yojna’ has been awarded “Elites Excellence Awards-2020” at the national level.
Arunachal Pradesh filmmaker Kezang D Thongdok bags Dada Saheb Phalke Award for documentary on honey hunting
- Kezang D Thongdok, an independent filmmaker, not only documented the process of honey hunting but has also bagged the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2020 for the same.
India’s 2018 Tiger Census sets Guinness World Record for being largest camera trapping wildlife survey
- The All India Tiger Estimation 2018, released last year, has entered the Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest camera trap wildlife survey
EPS honoured with Paul Harris Fellow recognition
- The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International having its headquarters at Chicago, has honoured Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami with Paul Harris Fellow recognition.
NTPC Limited wins prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2019
- National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC Limited, a Central PSU under Ministry of Power has won the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2019, under Outstanding Accomplishment in Corporate Excellence Category.
Indian Teenager Soham Mukherjee Sets Guinness World Record by Jumping Across Ruler 101 Times In 30 Seconds
- An Indian living in the United Arab Emirates Soham Mukherjee sets a Guinness World Record after performing a total of 101 side-to-side hops over a stationery ruler within 30 seconds.
ISRO Chief Sivan Named As 2020 Von Karman Award Recipient By IAA, To Be Conferred In March
- ISRO chief Dr Kailasavadivoo Sivan has now been named as the recipient of the 2020 Von Karman Award of the International Academy of Astronautics. The award which is the highest distinction of the Academy will be conferred in March 2021 in Paris.
Shahidul Alam among winners of CPJ’s 2020 International Press Freedom Awards
- Noted Bangladeshi photojournalist and founder of Pathshala Media Institute Shahidul Alam has been announced as one of the winners of the 2020 International Press Freedom Awards.
- The other awardees are: Mohammad Mosaed (Iran), a freelance economic reporter who investigates corruption, embezzlement, labour issues, economic sanctions, and popular protests; Dapo Olorunyomi (Nigeria), co-founder, CEO and publisher of the Nigerian newspaper Premium Times, and a fierce defender of press freedom in Nigeria; and Svetlana Prokopyeva (Russia), a regional correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, known as Radio Svoboda.
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International Olympic Committee:
- Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
- President: Thomas Bach
TN:
- Capital– Chennai
- Governor– Banwarilal Purohit
NTPC:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Gurdeep Singh (Chairman & MD)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
India-EU summit to be held through video conference on July 15
- The 15th summit between India and the European Union (EU) will be held via video conference on July 15.
- India will be represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The EU will be represented by Charles Michel, President of European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
India ranks eighth for cancer preparedness among 10 Asia-Pacific countries: EIU
- India was ranked eighth as regards cancer preparedness among 10 Asia-Pacific countries, according to a new report.
- The report describes the complexities of the challenge of cancer facing 10 Asia-Pacific countries — Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
Prakash Javadekar Represents India at Fourth virtual Ministerial on Climate Action
- Union Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar represented India at the fourth edition of the virtual Ministerial on Climate Action and stated, India has taken very significant steps for combating climate change and will continue its efforts in the future also.
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Economist Intelligence Unit:
- Founded: 1946
- Headquarters: London, England
- Managing Director: Robin Bew
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Prakash Javadekar (Minister)
- Babul Supriyo (Minister of State)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
India ranks 34th in Global Real Estate Transparency Index 2020 by JLL
- India ranks 34th globally on the index, with higher levels of transparency due to regulatory reforms, enhanced market data, and sustainability initiatives. The list is topped by UK and US secured second position
Mukesh Ambani now is the fifth richest man in the world: Hurun
- Billionaire Mukesh Ambani has moved three notches up to become the fifth richest man in the world, a position he shares with Tesla founder Elon Musk and Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
- Amazon founder Jeff Bezos with a networth of $200 billion still tops the chart, followed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates ($110 billion), while French multi-national luxury goods conglomerate Louis Vuitton SE group head Bernard Arnault is third (($94 billion).
Elon Musk is the ‘best’ paid CEO, Apple CEO Tim Cook at 2nd spot
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk grabbed the top spot in the list of highest paid CEOs in US in 2019 while Apple CEO Tim Cook ranked second in the list created by Bloomberg.
India 2nd- largest source of FDI for Britain
- India invested in 120 projects and created 5,429 new jobs in the UK to become the second-largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) after the US in 2019.
Madhya Pradesh tops in implementing Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi-PM Swa Nidhi scheme
- Madhya Pradesh has emerged on top in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi-PM Swa Nidhi scheme. The scheme is being implemented in the state to help the street vendors to continue their business.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Mylab launches ‘Compact XL’ to automate molecular diagnostic test for COVID-19
- Pune-based molecular diagnostics company, Mylab Discovery Solutions has launched ‘Compact XL’, India’s first machine to automate the manual processes of molecular diagnostic tests such as RNA/DNA-based tests including COVID-19 RT-PCR tests.
Israeli scientists use waste in battle against virus
- Israeli scientists have come up with a “simple” and low-cost method to turn waste into ethanol for use as sanitisers in the battle against the novel coronavirus.
IITH, NVIDIA to establish joint AI research centre
- The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) is collaborating with NVIDIA, a multinational technology company, to establish India’s first ‘NVIDIA AI Technology Centre’ (NVAITC) to accelerate research on Artificial Intelligence and its commercial adoption.
IISc Designs Eye Gaze-Controlled Robotic Arm For Speech, Motor Impaired
- An Indian Institute of Science (IISc) research team has designed a robotic arm that can be manipulated by eye movement using a computer interface, to help people with Severe Speech and Motor Impairment (SSMI)
IIT-Delhi develops device to disinfect N-95 masks in 90 minutes
- The IIT-Delhi has developed an ozone-based decontamination device to reduce bio-medical waste and enable safe re-use of N-95 face masks.
Odisha university innovates ultraviolet device for sanitisation
- The Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) in Odisha has come up with a robot-assisted device that uses short-wave ultraviolet rays for sanitisation.
Loyal Textile Mills Limited launched the world’s first reusable PPE with Triple Viral Shield Technology
- Loyal Textile Mills Limited launched Viral Shield, a line of COVID-19 anti-viral, reusable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), masks and protective fashion wear range. The series has been launched in collaboration with Reliance Industries India and HeiQ from Switzerland.
ISRO to launch Amazonia-1 satellite of Brazil onboard PSLV next month
- The Indian Space Research and Research Organisation (ISRO) gets ready to launch Brazil’s Amazonia -1 satellite next month onboard PSLV. The Amazonia-1 satellite is designed and developed to observe and monitor the deforestation of the Amazon forests.
Russian varsity claims successful trials of world’s first Covid-19 vaccine
- A Russian Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University has claimed the clinical trials of the world’s first vaccine against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on volunteers have been completed successfully.
- The vaccine was produced by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
IIT Kanpur develops UV sanitizing device ‘SHUDH’ to make your room COVID free
- Due to Covid Pandemic People are nowadays afraid of touching anything around, specifically in the areas where masses have to come. To solve this problem Imagineering Laboratory department of IIT Kanpur has developed an Ultraviolet (UV) sanitizing product named SHUDH.
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Mylab Discovery Solutions
- Executive Director: Shailendra Kawade
- Managing Director: Hasmukh Rawal
Israel:
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Currency: Israeli Shekel
ISRO
- Director: Kailasavadivoo Sivan
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
Brazil
- Capital: Brasilia
- President: Jair Bolsonaro
- Currency: Brazilian real
Russia
- President: Vladimir Putin
- Capital: Moscow
- Currency: Russian Ruble
- Prime minister: Mikhail Mishustin
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Mahaveer: Book on 1962 Indo-China War by A.K. Srikumar along with his wife, Rupa Srikumar
- The book, titled ‘Mahaveer: The Soldier who never died’ is a patriotic story of indomitable courage and selfless love of the legendary Garhwali soldier.
- Authored by award winning K. Srikumar along with his wife, Rupa Srikumar, the novel tells the tale of one of – Jaswant Singh Rawat, one of India’s greatest soldiers from the war.
Stephen King’s new book, If It Bleeds, to be out in July
- Stephen King is back with his new book titled, If It Bleeds.
- Published by Hachette India, the story centers around a bomb at Albert Macready Middle School.
Ruskin Bond’s ‘A Song of India’, illustrated book out on July 20
- A new book by beloved writer Ruskin Bond – “A Song of India”, scheduled to hit the stands on July 20, will mark the 70th year of Bond’s literary career.
- Published by Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House India .
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
China Masters and Dutch Open 2020 cancelled by BWF due to coronavirus
- The China Masters 2020 and Dutch Open 2020 have been cancelled by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) due to coronavirus.
- Two BWF Tour Super 100 tournaments have been cancelled from the revamped BWF Tournament Calendar for the year – the Lingshui China Masters 2020 and YONEX Dutch Open 2020.
AIBA releases rankings in nearly two years, Amit Panghal trumps Olympic champion Zoirov to become World No.1
- Amit Phangal has been ranked no.1 in the men’s 52kg weight category as per the latest rankings released by the Amateur Indian Boxing Association (AIBA). Manju Rani was the highest-ranked women’s boxer, securing the second spot in the 48kg category, while Mary Kom was placed third in her category.
Top-ranked squash player Raneem El Welily ends her career
- Top-ranked women’s squash player, Raneem El Welily, announced her retirement.
Asia Cup Cricket tournament postponed till June 2021
- The Asia Cup Cricket tournament, which was scheduled to be held in September this year, has been postponed till June next year(2021) by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) owing to an upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the region.
Stokes becomes 2nd-fastest all-rounder to score 4000 runs, take 150 wickets
- England’s stand-in skipper Ben Stokes became the second-fastest all-rounder to reach the Test double of 4000 runs and 150 wickets.
Lewis Hamilton takes dominant Styrian Grand Prix win after Ferraris collide
- Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton cruised to a comfortable victory in the Styrian Grand Prix.
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BWF
- Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- President: Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen
Asian Cricket Council:
- Headquarters: Colombo, Sri Lanka
- President: Nazmul Hassan Papon
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Vasudeva Maiya, former CEO of Guru Raghavendra Bank passes away
- Vasudeva Maiya, former CEO of Sri Guru Raghavendra Co-operative Bank passed away.
- He found dead in his car in Bengaluru.
Goa’s former health minister Dr Suresh Amonkar passes away
- Former health minister of Goa, Dr Suresh Amonkar, passed away due to Covid-19 infection. Dr Amonkar was also the ex-president of the Goa unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Charlie Daniels: Country and southern rock legend passes away
- Country Music Hall of Fame musician Charlie Daniels passed away at the age of 83.
- The Devil Went Down to Georgia, is an American classic and won his only Grammy Award in 1979.
Veteran Bollywood actor Jagdeep of Sholay fame dead
- Veteran actor Jagdeep, whose paan-stained grin and mischievous eyes as Soorma Bhopali in Sholay made him popular across generations, died at his residence. He was 81.
Ivory Coast’s Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly passes away
- Amadou Gon Coulibaly, Ivory Coast’s prime minister and the governing party’s candidate for an October presidential election, passed away. The 61-year-old, who had heart surgery in 2012, became unwell during a weekly cabinet meeting.
England 1966 World Cup hero Jack Charlton dies at 85
- Jack Charlton, England’s football World Cup hero and Leeds United legend, has passed away at the age of 85.
Hawkins Cookers Chairman Brahm Vasudeva passes away
- Hawkins Cookers Chairman Brahm Vasudeva passed away at the age of 84.
Cartoonist Avad Bin Hassan Jami passes away
- Renowned cartoonist Avad Bin Hassan Jami, popularly known as “Jami” He was 77.
Sarbjit actor Ranjan Sehgal passes away
- Actor Ranjan Sehgal, who predominantly featured in Punjabi TV shows, has passed away due to multiple organ failure. He was 36.
Veteran Gujarati journalist, columnist, writer Nagindas Sanghvi passes away at 100
- Veteran Gujarati journalist, columnist, writer and political analyst Nagindas Sanghvi passed away in Surat. He was 100 and suffering from acute asthma. Mr. Sangvi was conferred Padma Shri award in the year 2019.
Actor-Singer Divya Chouksey Passes Away Due to Cancer
- Actor Divya Chouksey passed away due to cancer.
- She did an acting course from London and went on to feature in a couple of films and serials. She also rose to fame as a singer.
Former Telangana minister P Ramaswamy passes away
- Former minister and MP P Ramaswamy passed away.
- He played an active role in the first phase of the Telangana Statehood movement.