Current Affairs: July 2023 | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

International News

India, Argentina sign agreements to strengthen cooperation in defence

• The decision was made during the meeting that took place between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the visiting Minister of Defence of Argentine Republic Jorge Enrique Taiana in New Delhi.  
• A MOU on cooperation in the defence sector is already in place between India and Argentina that was signed during former Argentine President Mauricio Macri’s visit to New Delhi in February 2019.  “We are here to perfect and deepen the agreements we have and sign some others. One of them is a Memorandum of Understanding that is richer in content and concrete possibilities than the one currently in force,” said Taiana, adding: “I think we have a concrete opportunity in the field of Defence, where we can give a quality leap in cooperation between the two countries”.  
• During their meeting, the two Defence Ministers discussed issu es related to bilateral cooperation and exchange in areas of training and training of officers and cadets besides also measures to enhance defence industrial partnership.

Adani group commissions India's first transnational power project to Bangladesh  

• Gautam Adani, the chairman of the Adani Group, met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 15 to discuss the handover of the 1,600 MW Ultra Super Critical Godda Power Plant in Jharkhand to Bangladesh.  
• Honoured to have met Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on full load commencement and handover of the 1600 MW Ultra Super Critical Godda Power Plant. I salute the dedicated teams from India and Bangladesh who braved Covid to commission the plant in record time of three-and-a-half years,” Gautam Adani said in a tweet.  
• The power plant is located in the Godda district of Jharkhand and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Group. The first unit of the 1,600 MW Ultra Super Critical Godda Power Plant in Jharkhand began commercial operations on April 6, 2023. 
• The second unit followed on June 26.  APJL will supply 1,496 MW from the Godda USCTPP under the PPA with the Bangladesh Power Development Board, executed in November 2017 for a period of 25 years, via a 400 kV dedicated transmission system connected to the Bangladesh grid, the company said in a statement. 

Saudi Arabia Becomes 51st Country to Ink ASEAN's Amity Treaty  

• Saudi Arabia officially inked ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia -- commonly shortened as the TAC -- during the group’s ministerial meeting in Jakarta.  
• The Middle Eastern country sent its senior diplomat Faisal bin Far han Al-Saud to sign the non-aggression pact. Saudi Arabia also became the 51st nation to accede to the TAC.  “The [signing] reflects Saudi’s strong commitment to abide by ASEAN values and principles as enshrined in the TAC,” Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said when kicking off the TAC signing ceremony. 
•  “A commitment to cooperate and collaborate. A commitment to contribute to upholding international laws. A commitment to contribute to peace and stability in Southeast Asia and beyond,” she added.

World's largest International Temple Convention and Expo to be organized in Varanasi  

• The world's largest International Temple Convention and Expo (ITCX) will be organized from 22 to 24 July 2023 at the Rudraksh Convention Center in Varanasi.  Conceived by Temple Connect (India), it is the world's first event solely dedicated to the management of temples. 
• The conference will focus on nurturing and empowering the governance, management and operations of the world and temple ecosystem.  More than 450 temple functionaries from 25 countries are expected to participate in the conference. Along with Hindus, office bearers of Math -Temples and Gurudwaras belonging to Sikh, Buddhist and Jainism have also been invited.  
• The conference will be inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on July 22. The event will be held at Rudraksh Convention Centre. For the first time, the International Temples Convention & Expo is being organized by Temple Connect. 
• The three-day event is being organized as part of the Incredible India campaign in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Tourism. In this, development, empowerment of temple management, operation and administration will be discussed. 
• According to the founder of Temple Connect, best practices will be created for the teams of the leading places of worship in the world.

Latvia swears in Edgars Rinkevics as EU's first openly gay president 

• Edgar Rinkevics, 49, has been sworn in as Latvia’s first openly gay head of state, and the first openly gay president of an EU member state, reported Deutsche Welle (DW). Rinkevics vowed to uphold Latvia’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, as he was sworn in as president. 
•  “Russia’s war and genocide in Ukraine have created a new, harsh reality,” the German news agency DPA quoted Rinkevics as saying. He warned of the threats of “imperial Russia and the [Belarus leader Alexander] Lukashenko regime” against the region, Europe and the whole world, as per DW.  Deutsche Welle is Germany’s international broadcaster and media outlet. 
• The speech of the former foreign minister came days before the NATO summit in Vilnius.  Latvia will stand for a strong and effective NATO, the European Union, a lawbased international order and close cooperation with our friends and allies.  
• The 49-year-old has held the highest diplomatic position for Latvia since 2011 and has long backed Ukraine against Russian aggression, as per DW.  
• After his predecessor, Egils Levits, opted not to seek re-election, the parliament elected Rinkevics to the mostly ceremonial position of president in May. He is now the first openly gay president of an EU member state and the first head of state of Latvia. After being sworn in, Rinkevics gave a speech in which he vowed to work for inclusiveness and equality in Latvia.  
• Every person in Latvia, its citizens, must feel that they belong, legally protected and safe,” the new president said, DW reported. (ANI) This report is autogenerated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

67th TAAI Convention held in Colombo  

• The highly anticipated 67th Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Convention commence begin on July 8 in Colombo. 
• The three-day convention’s inaugural ceremony promises to be a star-studded affair with the esteemed presence of Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremasinghe, and High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay among others.  
• The convention presents numerous trade opportunities for Indian and Sri Lankan travel industry stakeholders. With 500 participants and 50 Indian media personnel, the event solidifies its position as a premier travel event in the region. 
• The convention’s agenda features a range of thought-provoking sessions, including discussions on India’s tourism vision for 2047, the rise of experiential travel, the growing significance of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), and the ever-expanding digital opportunities in the travel industry.  
• As the convention unfolds, industry leaders and travel professionals from both India and Sri Lanka are expected to exchange knowledge, explore new partnerships, and foster mutual growth.  · 
• The convention aims to strengthen ties between India and Sri Lanka, and serves as a platform to envision a prosperous future for tourism in the region. India has been the largest source market for tourism in Sri Lanka last year. 

India to set up first IIT campus abroad in Zanzibar, Tanzania  

• An MoU has been signed to set up the IIT Madras campus in Tanzania. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is on a visit to Tanzania and witnessed the signing of this MoU.  
• The External Affairs Minister tweeted that he witnessed the signing of the agreement on the establishment of the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus. He also appreciated the President Hussain Ali and his ministers for gracing the occasion. 
• This historic step shows India’s commitment to the Global South (developing countries).  In addition, the External Affairs Minister and the President of Zanzibar attended the Deck Reception held onboard INS Trishul. 
• He welcomed the presence of the Speaker of Parliament, ministers, parliamentarians, senior officers of the Tanzania Defence Forces, and the Indian diaspora to grace the occasion.  
• Earlier, in the month of February, 2023, a delegation of the Indian Institute of Technology- Madras, had visited Tanzania to set up the first IIT offshore campus in the African continent. This kind of campus can be instrumental in the growth and the nation building of not only Tanzania but of the whole continent.

India, France navies conduct maritime partnership exercise in Bay of Bengal

• Indian Naval Ships INS Rana and INS Sumedha undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy ship FS Surcouf in the Bay of Bengal  INS Rana is a guided missile destroyer and INS Sumedha is an indigenously built offshore patrol vessel that took part in the exercise.  
• The French Navy’s La Fayette class frigate Surcouf visited Visakhapatnam from June 26-29 and participated in a variety of activities with Indian Navy ships, which included professional and social interactions, sports fixtures and crossdeck visits, the Ministry of Defence said in an official release.  
• Before leaving Visakhapatnam, the Indian naval vessels — Rana and Sumedha — participated in a number of exercises with the FS Surcouf, which included tactical manoeuvres, replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches, air defence against fighter aircraft and cross-deck helicopter operations.  
• A customary farewell steam past between the ships reaffirmed the close friendship between the two fleets, marking the end of the MPX. 

National News

India’s first online gaming academy set up in MP  

• Madhya Pradesh is set to launch its first online gaming industry named “MP State Esports Academy” to provide the young esports player an opportunity and platform to advance to a professional level. 
•  The academy focuses on training aspiring gaming and esports professionals. An esports tournament will be held, selecting the top players for admission. 80% of the seats are reserved for gamers from Madhya Pradesh, while the remaining seats are open to gamers from all over the country. 
• Anyone can participate in the tournament to compete for a spot at the academy.  
• The state-wide MP Junior Esports Championship is scheduled to take place between July 27 and August 7, specifically focusing on esports enthusiasts aged between 12 and 17 years. 
• The sports department will be responsible for organizing the 10-day tournament, providing a platform for young participants to engage and showcase their skills in the games.

PM Modi to inaugurate Gujarat's first Greenfield International Airport  

• Prime minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the Hirasar Greenfield International Airport, Gujarat's first Greenfield Airport to the nation on Thursday during his two-day visit to Rajasthan and Gujarat from July 27-28  
• Along with the airport, PM Modi will dedicate a number of key projects worth over ₹860 crore including packages 8 and 9 of the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana. 
• According to the press statement by the prime minister's office (PMO), the new airport, spanning across 2,500 acres, is envisioned to be a transportation hub for people traveling abroad from the state.  
• Salient features of the Rajkot International Airport:  
  • The Hirasar Greenfield Airport, located at around 30 km from Rajkot, spans over 2500 acres and has been developed at a cost of ₹1,405 crore.  
  • The airport boasts a well-designed 3040 m (3.04 km) long and 45-meter-wide runway, capable of accommodating 14 planes simultaneously.

Rajasthan introduces India’s first GIG workers bill 2023  

• The Rajasthan assembly passed a bill extending social security to gig workers in the state, a first of its kind in the country, without any debate as the House witnessed unruly scenes leading to expulsion of sacked minister Rajendra Gudha and BJP legislator Madan Dilawar for the remainder of the ongoing session.  
• The Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2023 seeks to register all gig workers and aggregators in the state, facilitate guarantee of social security to gig workers, and give them an opportunity to air any grievances. 
•  A vital component of the bill is setting up a welfare board, titled The Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers Welfare Board, which will have two members each from gig workers and aggregators to be nominated by the state government besides two civil servants. 
• The board will ensure registration of gig workers and aggregators operating in the state and establish a social security and welfare fund for gig workers. 
• The bill states that the state government will maintain a database of the gig workers and generate a unique ID for every one of them.

Mega plantation drive starts in Uttar Pradesh  

• The mega plantation drive in Uttar Pradesh started today with a target of the plantation of overall 35 crore saplings out of which 30 crore saplings will be planted today. Another part of the drive will be on Independence Day when five crore saplings will be planted by the 15th of August. 
• The State has set a target of plantation of 35 crore saplings this year.  Aakashwani correspondent reports that, the theme of this year’s p lantation drive is ‘Ped Lagao Ped Bachao’ which means ‘plant trees, save trees’. 
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath started the campaign by planting saplings in Vidur Kuti Ashram in Bijnaur. 
• In his tweet message Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to every citizen of the State to take part in this campaign and plant at least one sapling around their place.  Governor Anandiben Patel is in Mathura to take part in this drive and other Ministers are also taking part in this mega plantation drive at different districts. 
• Another five crore saplings will be planted on the 15th of August. Different Ministries have been given targets for this plantation drive and the whole State machinery will work in tandem to achieve the goal of plantation of 30 crore saplings. 
• Last year, the State achieved a record of planting 35 crore saplings and this year the same target has been fixed. 

Gujarat to get country’s 1st ‘Satellite Network Portal Site’  

• The Gujarat government signed an MoU with London-based Company, OneWeb and the Department of Science and Technology to set up a ‘Satellite Network Portal Site.’ 
• The MoU was signed by Vijay Nehra, Secretary, the State Department of Science and Technology, and Rahul Vatts, Director of OneWeb India Communication Pvt. Ltd. 
• As per reports, OneWeb has decided to set up two ‘Satellite Network Portal Sites’ and one of them will be in Mehsana district of Gujarat and the other one will be in Tamil Nadu.  
• The site will provide high-speed, low-latency, and affordable connectivity to the government, businesses, consumers, schools, among others. 
• It will provide continuous and secure satellite internet access at affordable rates in the country.  This satellite network portal, to be set up at Katosan and Tejpura in Jotana, will be commissioned in 2023 with a possible investment of over Rs 100 crores in Phase-I. 
• It will create approximately 500 direct and indirect employment opportunities in the state.  OneWeb is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite company, which has as many as 648 satellites and aims to build a global communication network. It uses LEO to provide a broadband network instead of using the traditional method of using geostationary satellites located 36,000 km above the equator. 

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates new integrated terminal building of Port Blair airport  

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the new integrated terminal building or NITB of the Veer Savarkar International Airport at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands  
• Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union minister of state for road, transport and highways and civil aviation, general (retd) VK Singh and senior officials attended the ceremony.  
• The terminal building is shaped like a shell, depicting the natural environs of the islands. The entire terminal will have 100 per cent natural lighting fo r 12 hours a day which will be achieved through skylights on the roof.  
• Due to a surge in passenger traffic, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) constructed the NITB at an estimated cost of ₹707.73 crore.  
• With a total built-up area of 40,837 sq metres, the new terminal building will have the capacity to handle 1,200 passengers during peak hours and around 40 lakh passengers annually.  
• The three-storey building will be equipped with 28 check-in counters, three passenger boarding bridges and four conveyor belts

Sports

India bags six medals including four Golds at World Uni versity Games in Chengdu, China 

• Indian shooters and archers bagged six medals including four golds at the World University Games in Chengdu, China today. Shooters Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Divyansh Singh Panwar and Arjun Babuta joined forces to outclass local favourites China to win the 10m air rifle men’s team gold. Aishwary also secured gold in the 10m air rifle men’s individual event.  
• Avneet Kaur pipped USA’s Alyssa Grace Sturgill in a thrilling shoot off to clinch the compound women’s individual gold. Sangampreet Bisla and Aman Saini clinched the gold and bronze medals in the men’s individual event. India have won 17 medals, nine gold, three silver and five bronze, and are second in the tournament. Hosts China lead the standings with a haul of 21 meda ls. 

India finish 2nd on medals tally at ISSF World Junior Championship in South Korea

• India finished 2nd on the medals tally at the recently concluded ISSF Junior Shooting World Championships 2023 in Changwon, South Korea. Indian shooters bagged 17 medals, which include 6 Gold, 6 Silver, and 5 Bronze.  
• The championships saw 90 Indian shooters vie for medals in pistol, rifle, and shotgun competitions in the under-21 age category. 
• The majority of the medalists were Khelo India athletes. Seven Indians managed to bag more than one medal. Abhinav Shaw and Kamaljeet won two golds each.
• Sainyam won three medals — gold in the 10m air pistol women, and a bronze each in the 10m air pistol mixed team and women’s team events. 

Max Verstappen won the Hungarian GP  

• Max Verstappen won the Hungarian GP at the Hungaroring, by a comfortable 33.731 secs margin over McLaren’s Lando Norris. Verstappen’s lead at the top of the standings grows to an even more gargantuan 110 points, and the Dutchman seems firmly on course to pick up a second world championship in a row. 
• Teammate Perez also furthered his advantage over third place man Fernando Alonso, who finished a disappointing ninth in Hungary.

Indian Surf Team wins bronze medal at Asian Surfing Championship in Maldives

• Indian Surf Team won the bronze medal at the Asian Surfing Championship, held at Thulisdhoo Island in Maldives. 18 countries from Asia took part in this championship. 
• The Surfing Federation of India sent a team comprising 4 senior Surfers in the men’s category and 2 Surfers in the Under 18 category. 5 out of the 6 Surfers were from Tamilnadu.  Srikanth from Kovalam, Tamil Nadu made it to the semi-finals in the Men's Category.  The President of the Surfing Federation of India Arun Vasu said that Surfing team finished overall 3rd with a bronze medal.  
• Indian Surfers will now get ready for the first-ever World Surfing League (WSL) event in India to be held in Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu from August 14 to 20 this year.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz won his first Wimbledon title  

• Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic in five-set thriller, wins maiden title at The Championships Wimbledon 2023 Men’s Final, Alcaraz fought from a set down in an instant classic to end Djokovic’s winning run in SW19, with the match played across almost five hours of breathtaking drama. 
• Before the final, Djokovic had won 34 consecutive matches at Wimbledon and had not lost on Centre Court since 2013, but Alcaraz overturned history to win his second grand slam title.
•  Djokovic had also won his previous 104 grand slam matches after winning the opening set.  In doing so, the 20-year-old Spaniard brings one of the most dominant eras of tennis history to an end. 
• Alcaraz is the first player outside of the sport’s ‘big four’ of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title since 2002. Djokovic has been bidding to join Federer by equalling his men’s record of eight singles titles, but was denied by an inspired Alcaraz. 

Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP 2023, takes dominance to a new level  

• Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula One champion, continued his impressive performance by securing a commanding victory at the Austrian Grand Prix 2023. 
• This win further solidified his pursuit of a third consecutive world title. Starting from the pole position for the fourth consecutive race, Verstappen demonstrated his dominance by achieving his fifth consecutive win and seventh win out of nine races in the current season.  
• With this remarkable performance, Verstappen extended his lead in the championship standings to 81 points over his teammate Sergio Perez, who also drives for the Red Bull team. 
• Charles Leclerc, the previous year’s winner at this circuit, finished in second place, crossing the finish line 5.2 seconds after Verstappen. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez secured the third position, finishing 17.2 seconds behind the leader.

Science and Technology

India to launch 7 Singapore satellites from ISRO's spaceport on July 30

• India would launch PSLV-C56 carrying DS-SAR satellite from Singapore, along with six co-passengers, from the first launchpad of the ISRO's Sriharikota spaceport at 6.30 am on July 30.  
• The DS-SAR satellite is developed under a partnership between Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.  
• Once deployed and operational, it will be used to support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore. 
• ST Engineering will use it for multi-modal and higher responsiveness imagery and geospatial services for their commercial customers.  
• DS-SAR carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). 
• This allows the DS-SAR to provide for all-weather day and night coverage, and capable of imaging at one metre resolution at full polarimetry. 

Chandrayaan-3 successfuly launched 

• The Chandrayaan-3- India’s third mission to the moon took off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on July 14. 
• The Vikram lander of the mission is expected to soft land on the surface of the South Pole region of the Moon on around August 23-24. 
• The LVM3 rocket broke free from the second launch pad at the Space Centre at about 2.35 p.m. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed the relentless dedication of India’s scientists on the launch of Chandrayaan-3  
• The success of this launch is not just important to India but also the world as crucial information from the mission will help future space missions globally. 
• This mission demonstrates that India is competent enough in scientific advancements. LVM -3 rocket is just ready to undertake the mission.

Elon Musk launches his new artificial intelligence company, xAI  

• Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of Twitter, on Wednesday announced the debut of a new artificial intelligence company, xAI, with the goal to “understand the true nature of the universe.” 
• According to the company’s website, Musk and his team will share more information in a live Twitter Spaces chat on Friday.  Team members behind xAI are alumni of DeepMind, OpenAI, Google Research, Microsoft Research, Twitter and Tesla, and have worked on projects including DeepMind’s AlphaCode and OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 chatbots. 
• Musk seems to be positioning xAI to compete with companies like OpenAI, Google and Anthropic, which are behind leading chatbots like ChatGPT, Bard and Claude.

Obituary

Veteran journalist Shirish Kanekar passes away in Mumbai 

• Veteran journalist-author-columnist Shirish Kanekar passed away in Mumbai due to a heart attack. He was 80 years old.  Kanekar worked at Marathi and English language publications like Loksatta, Indian Express, Samana, and Free Press Journal. 
• His collection of stories ‘Lagaon Batti’ was awarded the Maharashtra Literary Parishad Award for Best Comedy.  He was known for his books on cricket, Bollywood movies such as ‘Nut Bolt Bolpat’, ‘Kanekari’, ‘Cricket Vedh’, among others. 
• He is survived by wife and two children. Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed their condolences on the death of the Veteran author.

Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy passes away  

• Former Kerala Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy 79, passed away in the early hours of Tuesday. 
• Chandy, who was battling throat cancer, breathed his last at a private hospital in Bengaluru. 
• Apart from his son, Kerala Congress President K. Sudhakaran shared the sad news in a tweet this morning. He was ill for a long time.  
• The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of former Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Oommen Chandy. Modi also recalled his various interactions with him, particularly when they both served as Chief Ministers of their respective states

Veteran Marathi actor Ravindra Mahajani passes away  

• Marathi actor Ravindra Mahajani has passed away at the age of 77, known for his notable contributions to Marathi cinema, had established himself as a respected actor and director. 
• With a career spanning several decades, he had worked in numerous films and theater productions, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. His performances in movies like Mumbaicha Faujdar, Aram Haram Ahe, Zoonj, and Bolo He Chakradhari garnered critical acclaim and earned him a dedicated fan base. 
• His son Gashmeer Mahajani is also an actor and best known for his work in Marathi cinema.  Ravindra Mahajani (1946 – July 2023) was a Marathi actor and director.
• From the late seventies to the mid eighties, Mahajani featured in Marathi films. In his early career, Mahajani drove taxis and auditioned for films. He created Marathi films until 1987–1988. 
• He was known as “the Vinod Khanna of the Marathi film industry” due to his personality and looks. Because of his resemblance to Vinod Khanna, director N. Chandra wanted him to star in his 1986 film Ankush.

Legendary artist, illustrator and sculptor Namboothiri passes away at 97  

• The famous illustrator, sculptor and line sketch artist, KM Vasudevan Namboothiri, passed away at the age of 97. 
• KM Vasudevan took his last breath at a private hospital in Kottakkal on Friday, where he was going through treatment for his age-related ailments.  
• During his decades-long career, Namboothiri illustrated many popular characters for literary publications in the state. 
• He has done some really popular literary works, which include characters of doyens of Malayalam literature like Jnanpith laureates M T Vasudevan Nair, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai and S K Pottakkad and legends like Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.  Namboothiri early life - Namboothiri was born in 1925 in Kerala's Ponnani. He entered the world of painting and sculpture in his childhood as he was influenced by a temple near his house. 
• He was the disciple of prominent artist K C S Paniker and he was also inspired by renowned painters like Debi Prasad Roy Chowdhury and S Dhanapal.  Namboothiri studied painting at the Madras School of Fine Arts.  
• He also tried his hands at art direction and worked as an art director in a few films, such as Uttarayanam, which won him Kerala State Award for the best art director.  In his long career of more than fifty years, he has done illustrations for almost all important literary works.

Alan Arkin, Oscar-winning actor, passes away at 89  

• Actor Alan Arkin, who won an Oscar award for his performance in “Little Miss Sunshine", has died at the age of 89, his sons have said in a statement. 
• Alan Arkin was known for his wry wit and improvisation skills. 
• Alan Arkin, born to Russian-German Jewish immigrant parents in Brooklyn on March 26, 1934, embarked on his acting journey at a tender age by enrolling in acting classes.  
• His family relocated to Los Angeles in the 1950s, and Alan Arkin won scholarships to various Los Angeles drama colleges before dropping out to form a folk music band, The Tarriers, in 1955.  
• The group had a hit with 1956's "The Banana Boat Song," and he continued to pursue a music career as well as acting for the next decade.  
• Alan Arkin was also a member of Chicago's storied Second City improvisational troupe, and appeared on the big screen for the first time with The Tarriers in 1957's "Calypso Heat Wave." 

Appointments and Resignations

Cambodian PM Hun Sen to step down after four decades; hands over power to son  

• Hun Sen has run kingdom since 1985, eliminating all opposition to his power, with parties banned, challengers forced to flee and freedom of expression stifled.  Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders, said on July 26, 2023 he will resign and hand power to his son, after almost four decades of hardline rule.  
• The former Khmer Rouge cadre has run the kingdom since 1985, eliminating all opposition to his power, with opposition parties banned, challengers forced to flee and freedom of expression stifled. 
• His Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won a landslide victory in an election on Sunday with no meaningful opposition, taking 82 percent of the vote, paving the way for a dynastic succession to his eldest son that some critics have compared to North Korea. 

China appoints Pan Gongsheng to lead central bank, succeeding Yi Gang  

• Pan Gongsheng was named China’s central bank governor in the widely anticipated final major appointment of the ruling Communist Party’s once -adecade change of power.  
• Pan, a deputy central bank governor and veteran of China’s state-owned banking industry, succeeds Yi Gang, an American-trained economist who held the post for five years. 
• The endorsement of Pan’s promotion by the ceremonial legislature, the National People’s Congress, follows other Cabinet-level appointments announced in March. 
• The governor of the People’s Bank of China is the most prominent Chinese figure in finance circles but the post’s powers are limited. The bank is controlled by the ruling Communist Party. 

UAE Minister for Foreign Trade Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi elected as chair of WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference  

• UAE Minister for Foreign Trade Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi has been elected as the cha ir of the World Trade Organisation’s 13th Ministerial Conference that will be held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024. 
• The announcement was made during the WTO General Council in Geneva, where Dr Al Zeyoudi met with the WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.  
• The conference will be attended by representatives from the 164 countries and customs blocs that make up the WTO. 
• It will review the performance of the trading system, make decisions on future work and set up the road map for the next conference, an official statement said on 24th July 2023.

Lokesh M appointed as CEO of Noida Authority  

• Following orders issued by the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday, 2005 - batch IAS officer Lokesh M has been appointed as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Noida Authority.  
• Former CEO Ritu Maheshwari has been transferred to Agra where she will take charge as Divisional Commissioner. A native of Karnataka, Lokesh M, had completed his training from Aligarh in 2006. 
• He was District Magistrate and collector of Mainpuri, Kushinagar, Etah, Ghazipur, Amroha and Kaushambi districts from 2009 to 2016. 
• He was on deputation to Karnataka from 2016 to 2021, after which he was made the Divisional Commissioner of Saharanpur before getting posted as Agra commissioner on May 31. Now as he has been given the responsibility of CEO of Noida Authority, official sources said that new CEO Lokesh M is likely to join Noida Authority on Friday.  
• Meanwhile, Maheshwari, a 2003-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), will join as Divisional Commissioner of Agra, replacing IAS office r Alok Gupta, who will be joining as the Divisional Commissioner of Kanpur. In July 2019, Maheshwari was made the CEO of Noida after her stint as the district magistrate of the adjoining Ghaziabad district. 

Rakesh Pal appointed as DG Indian Coast Guard  

• Rakesh Pal has been appointed as the 25th Direc tor General (DG) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). He is an alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy and joined Indian Coast Guard in January 1989.  
• According to the ministry of defence he has undergone professional specialisation in Gunnery and Weapons Systems at Indian Naval School Dronacharya, Kochi, and an Electro-Optics Fire Control Solution course from the United Kingdom.  
• The Officer holds the recognition of being the First Gunner of ICG. Pal was conferred with Tatrakshak Medal in 2013 and President Tatrakshak Medal in 2018 for his illustrious service.  
• The ministry of defence said that Rakesh Pal was elevated to the rank of Additional Director General in February 2022 and was posted at Coast Guard Headquarters, New Delhi.

FPSB India appoints Krishna Mishra as CEO  

• The Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) of India appointed Krishna Mishra as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from 1 August 2023. 
• FPSB India is the Indian subsidiary of FPSB, a global standard-setting organization for the financial planning profession. 
•  Krishna Mishra will lead the strategy and operations of FPSB India as CEO. His primary focus will be on advancing the financial planning profession in India. Krishna Mishra brings over 20 years of experience to his new role.  
• His previous leadership positions include Country Head-International Business (India and South Asia) at Becker Professional Education, Head of North and East India at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and Regional Head (East) and Business Head-Channel Business at HCL Infosystem  
• About: Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) - It is a global non-profit organisation that sets and supports standards for the financial planning profession. Its primary mission is to benefit the global public by establishing, promoting and implementing professional standards for financial planning.  
• The FPSB develops and maintains the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification program, which is recognized as the global standard for financial planning excellence. 
• The FPSB aims to increase consumer confidence in the financial planning profession by establishing and maintaining global standards. 
•  It aims to protect the public interest and promote professionalism, integrity and competence among financial planners globally. Please Rate this article, so that we can improve the quality for you.

Important Days

World Hepatitis Day  

• Every year on July 28th, the world observes World Hepatitis Day to raise global awareness about hepatitis. 
• The main objective of this awareness drive is to address the concerning statistics, which indicate that someone dies from hepatitis or related conditions every 30 seconds worldwide. 
• Therefore, it is crucial to have precise information about the disease and take necessary actions. 
• The campaigns and activities conducted on World Hepatitis Day 2023 aim to educate people about the disease and its various aspects.  World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness on viral hepatitis, and this year’s theme is ‘one life, one liver’. 
• Each year, this day focuses on a specific theme to increase knowledge about the current situation of hepatitis worldwide and bring about positive changes. 
• Various events such as campaigns, seminars, and lectures are organized, inviting people from all over the world to participate and learn more about the disease. 
• About: Hepatitis - Hepatitis virus has five commonly known strains: Type A, B, C, D and E. All of them affect the liver but there are some key differences in origin, transmission and severity of the disease. Hepatitis can be preventable with immunization and manageable, but there is no cure at present.

Kargil Vijay Diwas

• Kargil Vijay Divas or Kargil Diwas is observed every year on 26 July to honour India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War in 1999. As part of "Operation Vijay," the Indian Army drove out intruders from Pakistan during this conflict and reclaimed Tiger Hill and other outposts. At Kargil in Ladakh, the conflict lasted for more than 60 days. 
• Kargil Vijay Divas is commemorated annually in honour of the many Indian troops who lost their lives in battle. Every year, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Divas, the Prime Minister of India pays tribute to the brave soldiers who lost their precious lives in the Kargil war, at Amar Jawan located near the India Gate, New Delhi.

Income Tax Day

• The Income Tax department observes July 24 every year as Income Tax Day or ‘Aaykar Diwas’, to commemorate the introduction of provision of income tax in the country. On the same day in the year 1860, Income tax was originally introduced in India by Sir James Wilson, to compensate for the losses incurred during the first war of independence. This is the 163rd anniversary of Income Tax Day. 
• On Income Tax Day, the CBDT organizes various events and activities to raise awareness about income tax and its importance. These events include seminars, workshops, and outreach programs. The CBDT also releases a commemorative postage stamp on Income Tax Day. Income Tax Day is an important day for the Indian government and for taxpayers. It is a day to celebrate the importance of income tax and to reaffirm our commitment to paying our taxes honestly a nd on time. 
• This year, the Income Tax department surpassed its previous year milestone target of filing 3 crore ITRs, days before the deadline. This year, the target in income tax return (ITR) filling reached 7 days earlier in the year.
• On the occasion of 164th Income Tax Day celebrations, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will join the celebration at Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

World Brain Day

• World Brain Day is celebrated globally on July 22nd every year. The day promotes education, research, and support for individuals affe cted by brainrelated conditions. 
• History - The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) was founded on July 22, 1957. The Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee put up a suggestion that led to the creation of "World Brain Day" on July 22. 
• This suggestion was presented during the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) Council of participants meeting on September 22, 2013, and the participants heartily welcomed it. Following this enthusiastic response, the Board of Trustees gave the idea its blessing at their meeting in February 2014, making it an annual celebration that would take place on the same day every year.  
• Theme - World Brain Day's 2023 theme is "Brain Health and Disability: Leave No One Behind." This international movement strives to close the information ga p and increase public awareness of impairments to brain health.
•  In addition to promoting better healthcare, education, and research about neurological illnesses, it emphasises the significance of delivering high-quality healthcare to those with disabilities. 
• The major objective is to make sure that no one is forgotten or left out and that everyone gets the help and consideration they require to keep their brains functioning at their best.

Summits and MOU’S

Think20 Summit under India’s G20 Presidency to begin in Mysuru, Karnataka

• Observer Research Foundation (ORF), as the Think20 Secretariat under India’s G20 Presidency, will host the Think20 Summit in Mysuru from today till August 2. 
• Think20 is the G20’s official engagement group that serves as an ‘ideas bank’ for the multilateral grouping by bringing together think tanks and high -level experts to discuss policy issues relevant to the G20.  
• The three-day conference will be a gathering of distinguished members of the seven Think20 Task Forces and policy experts from around the world. 
• It provides an unparalleled opportunity to collectively showcase ideas and insights on the priorities of India’s G20 Presidency, including issues such as lifestyle for sustainable development, macroeconomics and trade, women-led development, digital transformation, green transition, the global financial order, accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and reforming multilateralism.

India-Papua New Guinea sign MoU for India Stack collaboration 

• The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) of Papua New Guinea signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for sharing India Stack, successful digital solutions implemented at population scale in New Delhi
• Earlier, MeitY hosted the inaugural Global DPI Summit in Pune on June 12 -13. The event witnessed a physical presence of over 250 delegates, including approximately 150 foreign delegates from 50 countries, while more than 2,000 individuals participated virtually
• India Stack is the moniker for a set of open APIs and digital public goods that aim to unlock the economic primitives of identity, data, and payments at population scale. Although the name of this project bears the word India, the vision of India Stack can be applied to any nation.

Tata Technologies signs MoA with Chhattisgarh worth Rs 1,188 crore

• The Chhattisgarh government has signed an agreement worth Rs 1,188.36 crore with Tata Technologies for transforming 36 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into an Industry 4.0 Technology Hub.
• Under the agreement, Tata Technologies will offer six new trades and 23 new short-term courses in the 36 ITIs, with state-of-the-art technical workshops and trainer arrangements, a state government spokesperson said. The company will also provide two trainers.
• The project aims to train over 10,000 youth annually in advanced skills, fostering better employment opportunities and will also provide employment opportunities to the skilled youth.
• The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Awanish Sharan, the director of skill development, technical education and employment department, and Pawan Bhageria, president of Tata Technologies Limited, in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. 

G-20 Conference on Green & Sustainable Growth Agenda for Global Economy to begin in New Delhi

• NITI Aayog will convene a two-day G20 conference on the Green and Sustainable Growth Agenda for the Global Economy in New Delhi today, July 28. 
• The aim of this conference is to examine prospects and challenges for green and sustainable growth globally.  
• NITI Aayog CEO, BVR Subrahmanyam will give opening remarks of the conference, while the goals and process of the workshop will be elaborated upon by G20 India Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, and Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Suman K. Bery.  
• The Aayog in a statement highlighted that the first day of the workshop will focus on themes related to energy, climate, technology, policy, and reshaping global finance for sustainable growth. 
• The second day will discuss several themes related to multilateralism as well as adjustment, resilience, and inclusion in an uncertain world. The Aayog further said that around 40 leading thinkers will attend this conference. 

4th ECSWG & Environment & Climate Ministers' meeting begins in Chennai

• The 4th Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) and Environment and Climate Ministers meeting began in Chennai today, July 26.  
• The three-day meeting brings together around 300 delegates from G20 member countries, invitee countries, and several International Organisations, with a focus on finalising the Ministerial Outcome and the Presidency Documents.  
• The 4th ECSWG & Minister's Meeting will focus on three key areas - land restoration, circular economy, and blue economy. 
• These topics will take centr e stage during the meeting to address environmental and sustainability challenges. On the first day of the event, there will be two parallel sessions -: the Environment Track and the Climate Track. 
• These sessions will delve into different aspects related to environmental and climate issues, with a focus on in-depth discussions about land degradation, biodiversity, and climate change.

Awards and Recognition

Shankari Chandran wins Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023  

• Ten years ago, Sri Lankan-origin Australian writer Shankari Chandran faced difficulty in getting her debut book published. 
• The reason: publishers thought her novel wasn’t “Australian” enough to be successful in their local market. And now, Chandran has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Literary Award for her novel ‘Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens’.  
• Chandran’s award-winning novel ‘Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens’ is a story about family, memories, community, race. 
• It is an intergenerational epic that highlights Australia’s difficult and complex equation with multiculturalism and the traumas of post-colonialism. It also highlights how our stories shape the people that we are today. 
• This is Chandran’s third novel.  About: Miles Franklin Literary Award - The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual prize given to “a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases”. 
• This year’s judges for the award included: Richard Neville- State Library of NSW Mitchell librarian and Chair; author Bernadette Brennan; translator Mridula Nath Chakraborty; critic James Ley; and poet Elfie Shiosaki.

Kishan Reddy conferred with Global Incredible Inc leadership Award 

• Union Minister of Tourism, Culture G Kishan Reddy was conferred with the ‘Global Incredible Inc Leadership Award' by the US India SME Council - an organization that promotes trade, commerce, and people-to-people exchange programs between the United States and India  
• The award was conferred by eminent citizens from Maryland state, US in recognition of his endeavors towards promoting tourism and the rich culture of India.  
• On receiving the award the minister tweeted, "Humbled to have received the ‘Leadership Award’ from The US India SME Council - an organization that promotes trade, commerce, and people-to-people exchange programs between the United States & India_  The award was conferred by eminent citizens from Maryland state, US in recognization of the endeavors towards promoting tourism and the rich culture of India under the guidance and leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji"_  Kishan Reddy is in the US and he attended the United Nations High Level Political Forum (UN HLPF) on Economic, Social and Environmental Sustainability on Tourism.

Aruna Sairam, Shashank Subramanyam presented Chevalier award  

• Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam and flautist Shashank Subramanyam were conferred with the prestigious Chevalier award by the French government at a ceremony in Chennai on Saturday evening. 
• The award was given in recognition of their contribution to the music field and development of Indo-France relations.  
• According to a citation from the French Ministry of Culture, the award was intended to honour personalities for their creativity in cultural spheres and their works that formed the wealth of the cultural heritage. Ms. Sairam and Mr. Subramanyam were conferred the title of Chevalier De L’orde Des Arts Et Des Lettres.  
• The award is considered to be one of the primary distinctions from among the four ministerial orders of the French Republic. The government had r ecognised their talent and dedication towards arts and culture. 

PM Modi conferred with Grand Cross of Legion of Honour- France’s highest award 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest award by H.E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. PM Modi thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India. 
• The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace in Paris.  Earlier, PM Modi addressed the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris. During his address, he highlighted the multi-faceted India-France Strategic Partnership, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. 
• Prime Minister also announced about opening of new consulate in Marseille, France.  Before that, PM Modi met H.E. Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister of France on 13 July 2023. Both the leaders discussed furthering cooperation in various areas such as economic and trade, energy, environment, education, mobility, railways, digital public infrastructure, museology and people to people ties. 

British National Award for director Shekhar Kapur 

• Noted film director Shekhar Kapur has been presented with the British National Award for Best Director for 'What's Love Got To Do With It'.  
• At the award ceremony, the film 'What's Love Got To Do With It' was nominated in nine categories, out of which the film won four. Apart from Best Director, the film was also awarded Best British Film, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. 
• Shekhar Kapur is best known for directing films ranging from Bandit Queen, Mr. India to Elizabeth.  Shekhar's international career His film Elizabeth, which came in 1998, was given the Oscar Award in the Best Make-up category. Its sequel Elizabeth - The Golden Age, which came in the year 2007, won the Oscar Award in the Best Costume Design category. Currently Shekhar is in news for the sequel of his classic Hindi film Masoom. What's Love Got To Do With It is a British romantic comedy, released in the UK as well as the US and India. 
• The film stars Lily James, Shazad Latif, Shabana Azmi, Emma Thompson, Sajal Ali, Oliver Chris and Asim Chowdhary in lead roles. 

Ranking

India is ranked 80th with visa-free entry to 57 nations, as per the Henley Passport  Index 2023

• India has significantly improved its passport ranking by rising 5 spots from last years and is now ranked 80th in the latest Henley Passport Index. 
• Owning to this, Indians can travel to 57 destinations completely visa free or visas on arrival arrangements.  However, it is to be noted here that India has scored poorly in mobility.
• Hence, Indian passport holders need a visa to enter 177 destinations across the world in countries like China, Japan, Russia, the United States, and the entire European Union.  
• As per the report, Singapore has replaced Japan for having the world’s most powerful passport, allowing visa-free entry to 192 global destinations, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.  
• After five years at the top, Japan dropped to third place as the number of destinations its passport can access without a visa fell, according to the ranking published by London-based immigration consultancy Henley & Partners.