NATIONAL NEWS
Government launches digital platform Kisan SarathiGovernment launched digital platform Kisan Sarathi to facilitate farmers to get right information at right time in their desired language.
- The platform Kisan Sarathi was jointly launched by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw through video conference on the occasion of 93rd ICAR Foundation Day.
- Farmers can avail personalised advisories on agriculture and allied areas directly from scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra through the digital platform.
- This initiative of Kisan Sarathi will empower farmers with the technological interventions and reach farmers in remote areas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Gandhinagar railway station which is now set to house world-class amenities at par with modern airports.
- The redeveloped station has been designed to be disabled-friendly and has been provided with a special low height ticketing booking window, lifts, ramps, dedicated parking area
- A five-star hotel has been built atop the platform, construction of which was started way back in 2017. The luxury hotel will have 318 rooms and will be operated by a private entity. It is spread across 7,400 square meters and has been built at a cost of ₹790 crore.
Union Minister R K Singh exuded confidence that India will exceed its target of reducing carbon emission set for 2030 under the Paris agreement. Speaking at the inaugural session of the CII-organised Aatmanirbhar Bharat - Self-Reliance for Renewable Energy Manufacturing conference, the Power, New and Renewable Energy Minister said that as per its commitment made in Paris, India has to reduce its carbon intensity to 33 per cent by 2030. MeitY enables map services in UMANG App through MoU with MapmyIndia
To further enhance the initiatives of Digital India Programme, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has enabled map services in UMANG App ‘ through Memorandum of Understanding with MapmyIndia.
- As a result of integration of UMANG with MapmyIndia, citizens will be able to find government facilities nearest to their location, such as mandis, blood banks and much more, at the click of a button.
- The UMANG mobile app launched in 2017, is a Government of India single, unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-service mobile app, providing access to high impact services of various organizations. UMANG brings major government services on a single mobile app on mobile phones of citizens.
The country's first pod taxi will run between Noida Airport to Film City. It will start running on the track as soon as the flight starts from Noida airport. This driverless pod taxi will run 14 km from Noida Airport to Film City. 'Bonalu' festivities held in Telangana
Telangana celebrated the 'Asha Bonalu' festival, one of the biggest traditional folk festivals in the state. The Bonalu festival was declared a 'state festival' by the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government after the state's formation back in 2014.
- The Bonalu festival involves scores of devotees offering the traditional 'bonam' (derived from Bhojanam, meaning meals) to the goddess Mahankali at 25 temples across the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma launched a Mobile App ‘Pensioners’ Life Certificate Verification’ that will offer pensioners a hassle-free interface with the pension disbursing authority to prove that they are alive. This App will give information about a pensioner's life certificate using face recognition.
- For better end-to-end delivery of service, a chatbot called MEDA has also been incorporated in the App where the pensioners can ask queries and type the suggestions for improvement of the App which will be duly monitored.
Diversity consulting organisation Interweave has partnered with UN Women, the United Nations entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, to enable corporates implement Women's Empowerment Principles in India.
- As a part of this initiative, Interweave Consulting will now provide technical support to corporates to implement these principles ranging from establishing high-level leadership commitment for gender equality to fair work practices that include equal access to opportunities.
Top defence officials from India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives participated in a virtual trilateral table top exercise where they discussed best practices and procedures for countering common trans-national maritime crime like curbing narcotics and assistance in maritime search and rescue.
- The two-day exercise, TTX-2021, from July 14 to July 15 aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and exchange of best practices procedures for countering common trans national crime was coordinated by the Maritime Warfare Centre, Mumbai.
Indian Navy accepted the first two of its MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters (MRH) from US Navy in a ceremony held at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego. The ceremony marked the formal transfer of these helicopters from US Navy to Indian Navy, which were accepted by Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to USA.
- MH-60R helicopters manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation, USA is an all-weather helicopter designed to support multiple missions with state of the art avionics/ sensors.
The China-India bilateral trade in the first half of the year totalled USD 57.48 billion, up 62.7 per cent year on year, perhaps the highest in recent years amid the Ladakh impasse and the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data released by China’s Customs.
- Though Indian exports to China picked up with 69.6 per cent year on year increase, the trade deficit, a structural problem for India for long, climbed to 55.6 per cent.
The Manduadih railway station in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh has been finally renamed as Banaras by the North eastern railways (NER). The NER replaced the old signboard with the new one which read 'Banaras' after the Railway Board gave its nod for the new name. Adani Airports takes over management control of Mumbai Int'l Airport
Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL) has taken over the management control of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) from the GVK Group. "With eight airports in its management and development portfolio, AAHL is now India's largest airport infrastructure company, accounting for 25% airport footfalls," the company said. It added, "AAHL will now also control 33% of India's air cargo traffic."
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
At 3.5 Mn, India Has Highest Number of Children Who Have Received No Vaccines: UNICEFIndia has the highest number of under-vaccinated or unvaccinated children worldwide at 3.5 million, an increase of 1.4 million from 2019, amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the UNICEF said. It also noted that over 3 million of zero-dose children in 2020 lived in India.
- At nearly 4.4 million, South Asia recorded the highest number of children having failed to receive any routine vaccination in the past ten years, in 2020.
- Globally, the UNICEF said the data shows that just 10 countries account for 62 per cent of all under- or unvaccinated children globally. India - particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic - had the highest number of unprotected children worldwide at 3.5 million, an increase of 1.4 million compared with 2019, when the number of unprotected children was 2.1 million, the children’s body said.
Around one in three countries where schools are or have been closed are not yet implementing remedial programmes post-COVID-19 school closures, according to a UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank and OECD global "Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures". At the same time, only one-third of countries are taking steps to measure learning losses in primary and lower secondary levels – mostly among high-income countries.
- Fewer than a third of low- and middle-income countries reported that all students had returned to in-person schooling, heightening their risk of learning loss and drop-out.
BANKING & FINANCE
BUSY Accounting Software integrates with ICICI Bank for Banking solutions within the SoftwareBUSY, one of India's leading business accounting software, has partnered with ICICI Bank for banking solutions. The integration will help BUSY users gain better accessibility in managing their Banking, improving their business efficiencies from BUSY itself.
- Under this partnership, ICICI Bank's current account holders can now securely connect their bank account to their BUSY Accounting Software.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Reliance Acquires 40.95% Stake in Just Dial for Rs 3,497 CroreReliance Retail Ventures, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, announced the acquisition of 40.95 per cent stake in Just Dial for Rs 3,497 crore. RRVL will make an open offer to acquire additional up to 2.17 crore equity shares of Just Dial, representing 26 per cent stake, in accordance with Sebi Takeover Regulations, a regulatory filing said.
- VSS Mani will continue as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Just Dial through the next phase of growth, it added.
SPORTS
Gokulam Kerala FC to represent India in AFC Women’s Club ChampionshipThe All India Football Federation (AIFF) has nominated Gokulam Kerala FC to represent India in the AFC Club Championship 2020-21, following the postponement of the Indian Women’s League.
OBITUARIES
Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui passes awayDanish Siddiqui, an award-winning photojournalist, was killed while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters near a border crossing with Pakistan. The Pulitzer Prize-winning chief photographer had been covering the Afghan-Taliban clashes for Reuters over the last few days. Cartoonist and Filmmaker Gautam Benegal passes away
National Award-winning writer, painter, cartoonist and animation filmmaker Gautam Benegal has passed away due to a cardiac arrest aged 56.
- At 16, Gautam illustrated for children’s magazine Sandesh. He made films for the Films Division of India and his movies have also been nominated for film festivals in Teheran, Belarus, Hiroshima, and Cairo among other places. He had received the National award (Rajatkamal) Best animation Film for 2010: The Prince and the Crown of Stone.
AWARDS
Shibaji Banerjee to Be conferred with Mohun Bagan Ratna PosthumouslyFormer India goalkeeper Shibaji Banerjee, who stood out against Pele-led Cosmos Club in an exhibition match in 1977, will be conferred with Mohun Bagan Ratna posthumously. The executive committee members also unanimously adjudged Fijian striker Roy Krishna as the Best Footballer of 2020-21, having guided ATK Mohun Bagan to the runners-up finish in the Indian Super League.
- Bengal skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran was chosen as the Best Cricketer, while Bidisha Kundu, who won the 100m hurdles and high jump in the National Championship, was named as the Best Athlete.
BOOKS
'Riding Free: An Olympic Journey' book by Imtiaz AneesHarperCollins announced to present the story of an Indian equestrian rider and his Olympic dream 'Riding Free: My Olympic Journey' by Imtiaz Anees.
- Imtiaz Anees is an equestrian Olympian, trainer, competitor, NBC commentator, qualified Level 2 instructor and coach educator. As the only equestrian Olympian in India, he wants to share his knowledge and experience with all other riders and offers internship programmes to teach equine management through the book.
India and China have had a fractured relationship since the 1950s. The Long Game by Vijay Gokhale, published by Penguin Random House, details the various diplomatic strategies and tactics used by the Chinese for negotiation. Gokhale, who has spent nearly four decades in the Indian Foreign Service before retiring as foreign secretary in January 2020, is an expert on Chinese diplomacy.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Day for International JusticeWorld Day for International Justice, also referred to as Day of International Criminal Justice or International Justice Day, is an international day celebrated throughout the world on July 17 as part of an effort to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice.
- The theme for the celebration of this year's World Day of International Justice is “A Call for Social Justice in the Digital Economy.”
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