NATIONAL AFFAIRS
PRESIDENT APPOINTED NEW GOVERNORS FOR 8 STATES
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has appointed new Governors for eight states.
The new governors have been appointed for states including Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Tripura, Jharkhand, Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh.
Complete list of new governors:
Karnataka ------------ Thawarchand Gehlot
Madhya Pradesh --------- Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel
Mizoram ---------------- Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati
Himachal Pradesh ------------ Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
Goa ----------------- P.S. Sreedharan Pillai
Tripura --------------- Satyadev Narayan Arya
Jharkhand ------------------ Ramesh Bais
Haryana --------------- Bandaru Dattatraya
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION LAUNCHED 'NIPUN BHARAT'
Union Minister for Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has launched NIPUN Bharat programme. The aim of the NIPUN programme is that every child in India gets foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.
NIPUN stands for National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy.
This Mission, which has been launched under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha, will focus on providing access and retaining children in foundational years of schooling; teacher capacity building; development of high quality and diversified Student and Teacher Resources/Learning Materials; and tracking the progress of each child in achieving learning outcomes.
To help this scheme achieve its objective, teachers will play an important role.
In view of the challenges of in-service teacher training across the different stages of school education, NCERT has designed an innovative integrated programme of teacher training, now, popularly known as NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads‟ and Teachers‟ Holistic Advancement).
INS TABAR PARTICIPATES IN EXERCISE WITH ITALIAN NAVY
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tabar recently participated in military exercises with the frontline frigate of the Italian Navy.
INS Tabar joined Italian Navy and entered Port of Naples on July 3 as part of the ongoing deployment in the Mediterranean.
Commanding officer Captain Mahesh Mangipudi called on senior officers of Prefect of Naples Authority, regional Italian navy headquarters and coast guard headquarters during the stay.
This exercise covered several naval operations such as air defence procedures, communication drills, replenishment at sea, and cross deck helo operations by day and night.
The exercise was mutually beneficial for enhancing interoperability and consolidating combined operations against maritime threats.
MANIPUR ENTERS INDIAN RAILWAY MAP FOR 1ST TIME
A passenger train Rajdhani Express from Assam’s Silchar railway station has reached the Vaingaichunpao railway station in Manipur for a trial run, putting the state on the Indian Railways map.
The train covered the distance of 11 km between the two northeastern stations, with railway officials onboard.
The train halted briefly at Manipur’s Jiribam railway station, where railway officials were greeted by local citizens before the national flag was hoisted accompanied by the national anthem. Notably, the Vaingaichunpao-Imphal (capital of Manipur) railway line is also under construction. Once completed, it will be the longest railway tunnel near Imphal.
PUSHKAR SINGH DHAMI AS NEXT CM OF UTTARAKHAND
Pushkar Singh Dhami will be the next chief minister of Uttarakhand. He will be the youngest CM of Uttarakhand.
45-year-old Pushkar Singh Dhami, an MLA from the Khatima constituency in Udham Singh Nagar district. He will replace Tirath Singh Rawat, who resigned from the post. He was elected by the state leaders during the legislature party meeting in Dehradun.
Who is Pushkar Singh Dhami: Born on September 16, 1975, in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh, Pushkar Singh Dhami is a two-time MLA from the Khatima constituency. He holds a Postgraduate degree in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations and LLB in Social Life.
Pushkar Singh Dhami was also associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and also served as the state president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Uttarakhand.
Pushkar Singh Dhami served as the officer on special duty for former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari in 2002.
GOVERNMENT CREATED MINISTRY OF COOPERATION
The government has created a Ministry of Cooperation to boost the Indian cooperative movement and give a fillip to the indigenous enterprises.
India’s first minister of cooperation will also be sworn in once the Union Cabinet reshuffle takes place and the new ministers take the oath of office at the Durbar Hall in President House.
The new ministry of Cooperation will work to realise the vision of “Sahkar se Samriddhi” and will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework to boost the cooperative movement in the country.
The development will aid the deeping of the cooperatives as true people-based movements with benefits going down to the grassroots.
The ministry will be mandated to streamline the processes for the ease of doing business for cooperatives and ultimately aim to broaden and strengthen the multi-state cooperatives.
PM MODI INAUGURATED ZEN GARDEN & KAIZEN ACADEMY
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) premises in Ahmedabad.
These two new initiatives are part of PM’s vision of creating a ‘Mini-Japan’ in Gujarat. The newly launched Zen Garden in Ahmedabad will showcase several elements of Japanese art, culture, landscape and architecture.
The Zen garden features a statue of Lord Buddha. The garden is built in partnership with the Japan Information and Study Centre at AMA and Indo-Japan Friendship Association (IJFA), Gujarat, supported by the Hyogo International Association (HIA), Japan.
SUPREME COURT ON (ONORC) SYSTEM
On July 31, 2021, the Supreme Court ordered all states and Union Territories (UT) to implement the One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) system.
The introduction of ONORC aims to reform the PDS, which is plagued by issues such as inefficiency and leakages. ONORC was established in August of 2019.
Aim: Allowing migrant labourers covered by the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to use their ration card to buy food at any fair price shop in any part of the country.
Technology Used: The system identifies a beneficiary using biometric authentication on electronic point-of-sale devices in low-cost stores.
The system operates under the support of two portals-Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) and Annavitran. The Annavitaran portal keeps track of intra-state transactions, while the IM-PDS portal keeps track of inter-state transactions.
ONORC progress: To date, 32 states and UTs have joined the ONORC, encompassing approximately 69 million NFSA beneficiaries. Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and West Bengal are the four states that have yet to join the scheme.
'MATSYA SETU' APP FOR INDIAN AQUA FARMERS
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Giriraj Singh has launched the Online Course Mobile App “Matsya Setu”.
The app was developed by the ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar, with the funding support of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad.
The online course app aims to disseminate the latest freshwater aquaculture technologies to the aqua farmers of the country.
About the app: Matsya Setu app has species-wise/ subject-wise self-learning online course modules, where renowned aquaculture experts explain the basic concepts and practical demonstrations on breeding, seed production and grow-out culture of commercially important fishes like carp, catfish, scampi, murrel, ornamental fish, pearl farming etc.
Better Management Practices to be followed in maintaining the soil & water quality, feeding and health management in aquaculture operations were also provided in the course platform.
The modules are divided into small video chapters for the convenience of the learners, along with additional learning materials. In order to motivate the learners and provide a lively learning experience, Quiz/Test options were also provided for self-assessment.
Upon successful completion of each course module, an e-Certificate can be auto-generated. Farmers can also ask their doubts through the app and get specific advisories from experts.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
HAITI PRESIDENT, JOVENEL MOISE ASSASSINATED
Haiti President, Jovenel Moise was assassinated and his wife wounded in an attack at their home, the interim prime minister announced an act that risks further destabilizing the Caribbean nation beset by gang violence and political volatility.
The president faced steep opposition from swathes of the population that deemed his mandate illegitimate, and he churned through a series of seven prime ministers in four years.
Most recently, Joseph was supposed to be replaced this week after only three months in the post.
Moise, a former entrepreneur who set up a string of businesses in the north of the country, where he hails from, burst onto the political stage in 2017 with a message of re-building the impoverished nation.
He campaigned on populist pledges, as all candidates in Haiti do, but he kept up the rhetoric even after he was elected in February 2017.
Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince.
Haiti Currency: Haitian gourde.
Haiti Continent: North America.
LEAF COALITION ANNOUNCED AT CLIMATE LEADER'S SUMMIT
At the Leaders Summit on Climate 2021, the LEAF (Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance) Coalition was announced. It will be one of the most significant public-private partnerships in the history of tropical forest conservation.
It intends to raise at least USD 1 billion in funding for countries that are committed to protecting their tropical forests.
It is a collaboration of the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway. To participate, a country must meet certain predetermined conditions imposed by the Coalition. LEAF will employ the results-based financing model. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation:
REDD+ seeks to mitigate climate change by incentivizing forest conservation. It monetizes the value of carbon locked up in most developing countries' tropical forests, propelling these countries to help mitigate climate change. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established REDD+.
WORLD'S TALLEST SANDCASTLE IN DENMARK
A sandcastle in Denmark has entered into new Guinness World Record for being the tallest sandcastle in the world.
The triangular-shaped sandcastle has been built in the town of Blokhus in Denmark. It stands at a height of 21.16 metres (69.4 feet).
This new structure is 3.5m taller than the previous record held by sandcastle measuring 17.66 m in Germany in 2019. Dutch creator, Wilfred Stijger, was assisted by 30 of the world’s best sand sculptors.
The structure is built in the shape of a triangle to avoid collapsing like many others have. A wooden structure was built around it to allow the artist to carve the incredible figures in the sand.
This highly decorated monument in the small seaside village of Blokhus, which is reminiscent of a pyramid, is made up of 4,860 tonnes of sand. To ensure the sand sticks on, it was mixed with around 10% clay.
WORLD'S SECOND BIGGEST HYDROELECTRIC DAM
The Government of China officially turned on the first two generating units of the Baihetan Dam, the world’s second-biggest hydroelectric dam, to start generating energy.
The Baihetan Dam is set up on the Jinsha River, in southwestern China.
About the dam: The dam is a 289-meter-tall (954-foot-tall) double-curvature arch dam, having 16 generating units.
Each unit will have to generate a capacity of 1 million kilowatts, making it the second biggest in size after the “Three Gorges Dam” opened in 2003 on the Yangtze, with 22.5 million kilowatts of generating capacity.
Through the Baihetan Dam, the Chinese government aims to curb surging fossil fuel demand by building more hydropower capacity.
Both the dams have been built by the state-owned Three Gorges Group Corp., the world’s biggest investor in hydro, solar and wind generation.
MM NARAVANE TO INAUGURATE WAR MEMORIAL IN ITALY
Indian Army chief General MM Naravane will embark on an official visit to the United Kingdom (UK) and Italy, during which he will be meeting his counterparts and the senior military leadership of these countries.
The highlight of the visit will be Gen Naravane’s inauguration of the Indian Army Memorial in the famous town of Cassino, Italy. In the Battle of Monte Cassino during World War II, over 5,000 Indian soldiers laid down their lives while fighting to save Italy from fascist forces.
Nearly 50,000 Indians were enlisted for Italy’s liberation between September 1943 and April 1945.
Both the UK and Italy are important partners for India in the fields of defence, healthcare, aerospace, education, clean technology, renewable energy and information and communication technology among others.
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
WORLD BANK EXPANDS VACCINE FUNDING TO $20 BILLION
The World Bank has announced additional funding of $8 billion for Covid-19 vaccines, for developing countries. With this, the total financing available for the Covid-19 vaccine reaches $20 billion.
Earlier the World Bank had announced $12 billion for the same. This funding will be used over the next 18 months till 2022 end.
World Bank Group President David Malpass has also called on countries with surplus doses to release it for use by developing countries and requested vaccine manufacturers to prioritise the available doses for such developing countries that urgently need them.
Further, the Bank also provided over $4 billion for the purchase and deployment of Covid vaccines for 51 developing countries, half of which are in Africa.
APPOINTMENTS
AMITABH KANT GETS EXTENSION AS CEO OF NITI AAYOG
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has extended the tenure of NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant, by one year till June 30, 2022.
This is for the third time that Kant’s tenure has been extended. Mr Kant was first appointed as the CEO of the federal policy think tank on February 17, 2016, for a fixed two-year term.
The 1980 batch IAS officer was given an extension for the first time till 30 June 2019, after his tenure was to expire in February 2018. Again he was given two years extension till June 30, 2021.
KK VENUGOPAL'S TERM AS ATTORNEY GENERAL EXTENDED
K.K. Venugopal's term as Attorney General (AG) has been extended by the central government for another year. In 2020, he received his first term extension.
He would be in charge of the government's legal defence in several sensitive Supreme Court cases, including the challenge to the repeal of Article 370 and the Citizenship Amendment Act.
About Attorney General (AG): The Attorney General of India is a member of the Union Executive. She/he is the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the country.
Article 76 of the Indian Constitution establishes the Office of the Attorney General of India.
Appointment and Eligibility: The President appoints the AG on the advice of the government. He/she must be a person eligible to be appointed as a Supreme Court judge, that is, he/she must be an Indian citizen and must have served as a judge in a high court for five years or an advocate in a high court for ten years or an eminent jurist. The term of the office is not specified in the Constitution.
Removal: The Constitution makes no mention of removal. She/he serves during the pleasure of the President.
AWARDS & HONOR
KAUSHIK BASU AWARDED WITH HUMBOLDT RESEARCH AWARD
Indian economist Kaushik Basu has been awarded the Humboldt Research Award for Economics. The award was conferred on him by Professor Dr Hans-Bernd Schäfer of Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany.
A former chief economist of the World Bank, Basu is currently a professor of Economics at Cornell University.
He also served as the Government of India’s chief economic advisor from 2009 to 2012. Basu is also a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India.
Humboldt Research Award: The prestigious award is sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and awarded to as many as 100 recipients each year.
The Humboldt Research Award honours scientists and economists from across the world for their work. The award entails prize money of 60,000 euros and an offer to carry out research projects at a scientific institution in Germany for up to 12 months.
ODIA POET HONOURED WITH KUVEMPU RASHTRIYA PURASKAR
The Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar, the national award instituted in memory of late poet laureate Kuvempu, has been awarded to renowned Odia poet Dr. Rajendra Kishore Panda for the year 2020.
The prestigious award carries a cash award of Rs 5 lakh, a silver medal, and a citation.
About the Dr. Panda: Born on June 24, 1944, Dr. Panda writes in the Odia language. He has published 16 poetry collections and a novel.
He is a major Indian poet who steered the path of modern Odia poetry to great heights. He was awarded the Gangadhar National Award in 2010, and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985. He was awarded a D.Litt by Sambalpur University.
About the Award: Founded in 1992, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Trust instituted this national annual literary award in 2013 in the name of Kuvempu to recognize litterateurs who had contributed in any language recognized by the Constitution of India.
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL
Freelance filmmaker Deepti Pillay Sivan’s most touted documentary, “Decoding Shankar” about the life and career of the celebrated musician Shankar Mahadevan, recently won the Best Film Award in the Documentary section (Best Biographical) at the Toronto International Women Film Festival, 2021.
The 52-minute docu-film released a few years ago is a sketch of the life of the prolific musician focusing on how he balances his career as a singer, music composer, and teacher.
The film gives interesting tidbits about his family life and shares interesting moments about his passion for cooking.
WORLD'S AIRLINE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Korean Air has been announced the winner of one of the most prestigious honours in the aviation industry: Air Transport World’s (ATW) 2021 Airline of the Year.
This year’s award is even more meaningful to Korean Air, as the global industry has been suffering from the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19.
The company’s excellent leadership, its ability to remain operationally profitable through the industry’s worst-ever crisis, its strong commitment to health safety customer service excellence, and its remarkable relationship with employees.”
The judges also noted the airline’s “transformational strategic deal to incorporate Asiana and create a larger, more global flagship carrier.
Korean Air plans to continue to strengthen its position in the global aviation industry and aims to become one of the world’s top 10 airlines after successfully acquiring and integrating Asiana Airlines.
SPORTS
1ST INDIAN WOMEN SWIMMER TO QUALIFY INTO OLYMPICS
Maana Patel has grown to be the first girl and solely the 3rd swimmer from India to qualify the Tokyo Olympics 2021 ticket. Maana Patel joins Srihari Nataraj and Sajan Prakash to have qualified for the Olympics.
She is a 21-year-old backstroke swimmer from Ahmedabad who has won gold medals in the 50-metre backstroke and 200-metre backstroke at National Games.
She also gained gold in the 100-metre backstroke at the sixtieth National School Games (2015) and broke the national record in backstroke.
She was selected for Olympic Gold Quest in 2015, making it the first time a swimmer was roped in. In 2018, she secured three gold medals at the 72nd Senior National Aquatic Championships.
Maana Patel: She was born on March 18, 2000. She is an Indian backstroke swimmer from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. She began at the age of seven.
Backstroke or back crawl: It is one of 4 swimming styles used in competitive events which are regulated by using FINA. This style swims on the back. This swimming fashion has a gain of convenient breathing.
Summer or Tokyo Olympics: This event will begin from 23rd July to 8th August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Originally it was scheduled from 24 July to 9 August 2020. But it was postponed and rescheduled for the first time amid the covid-19 pandemic.
2020 Games will be the second time Japan has hosted the Summer Olympic Games—the first being in Tokyo in 1964. Tokyo has come to be the first city in Asia to host Summer Games twice.
INDIA'S FLAG BEARERS AT TOKYO OLYMPICS
MC Mary Kom, the six-time world boxing champion, and Manpreet Singh, the men’s hockey team skipper, will be India’s flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, announced Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Bajrang Punia, a silver medallist at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships, will be the flag-bearer at the closing ceremony on August 8.
In a first, India is having two flag-bearers — one male and one female — at the upcoming Tokyo Games to ensure “gender parity”. The IOA has communicated the decision in this regard to the Organising Committee of the Games.
INDIA’S SECOND LARGEST CRICKET STADIUM
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a financial grant of Rs 100 crore to the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), which will be used to build India’s second-largest cricket stadium.
The facility, which will be second to the recently inaugurated Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, is set to be built in Jaipur.
The construction of the new stadium is likely to be completed within 24-30 months from commencement.
Meanwhile, an amount of Rs 290 crores has been estimated to be spent on the construction of the second-largest cricket stadium in India.
This amount will be sourced from; Rs 100 crore from the bank loan, Rs 100 crore from BCCI grant, Rs 90 crore from RCS funds, sale of boxes, seats & sponsorship. The proposed stadium will have a spectator capacity of 75,000.
MUMBAI, PUNE TO HOST 2022 WOMEN'S ASIAN CUP
Women’s Asian Cup in India will be held in Mumbai and Pune after the Asian Football Confederation dropped Bhubaneswar and Ahemdabad as venues to minimise the travelling time for participants and ensure an “optimum environment” for a bio-secure bubble.
The Mumbai Football Arena at the Andheri Sports Complex and the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune have been chosen as the new venues.
The decision was taken after considering the existing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and as part of efforts to minimise the travelling time for teams and officials between the venues, whilst ensuring the optimum environment to implement the biomedical bubble for the benefit of all stakeholders.
MITHALI RAJ BECAME HIGHEST RUN-GETTER
India captain Mithali Raj became the highest run-getter in women’s cricket across formats, overtaking former England skipper Charlotte Edwards.
Mithali became the world’s most prolific batter in women’s internationals, overtaking Edwards’ 10,273 runs. Suzie Bates of New Zealand is third with 7849 runs. Stafanie Taylor (7832) and Meg Lanning (7024) round up the top five.
Mithali achieved the feat during the third and final inconsequential ODI against hosts England while chasing 220 for a consolation win.
In 2020, Raj was named to the ICC’s ODI team of the decade, a fitting honour for her consistency in the sport.
She is also the most capped player in the history of the women’s game, having featured in 11 Tests, 216 ODIs and 89 Twenty20 Internationals so far.
DATES & DAYS
NATIONAL DOCTOR'S DAY: 1ST JULY
The National Doctors’ Day is organized on 01 July annually in India by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The day is celebrated to honour the great physicians and help us understand the importance of doctors in our lives and value them, to offer them our respects by commemorating one of their greatest representatives.
At the time of the ongoing pandemic, doctors are at the forefront and leading the battle. Their commitment to keeping the nation safe and healthy in these challenging times is truly exceptional.
National Doctor's Day is observed to honour the legendary physician and West Bengal's second Chief Minister, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy whose birth and death anniversary coincides on the same day.
The day pays tribute to the whole medical profession and highlights the value of doctors in our lives. In 1991, the National Doctor's Day was established by the Central Government to pay honour Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy and is celebrated on 1st July.
WORLD ZOONOSES DAY: JULY 6TH
World Zoonoses Day is held every year on July 6 to raise awareness of the risk of zoonotic diseases.
Zoonoses are infectious diseases (virus, bacteria and parasites) that can spread from animals to humans, and vice versa, either with direct contact with animals or indirectly, vector-borne or food-borne.
It was on July 6, 1885, when Louis Pasteur successfully administered the first vaccine against Rabies virus, which is a zoonotic disease.
World Zoonoses day was observed after Louis Pasteur, a French biologist successfully administered the first vaccine against Rabies virus, which is a zoonotic disease.
We remembered this day every year to raise awareness against Zoonotic disease.
NATIONAL FISH FARMERS' DAY: 10TH JULY
National Fish Farmers’ Day is celebrated every year on 10 July, by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in association with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).
The event aims to draw attention to changing the way the country manages fisheries resources to ensure sustainable stocks and healthy ecosystems.
This day is made to honour the fish farmers, aqua-preneurs, fisherfolks, stakeholders and whoever else is associated in the fishery for their contribution in the fishery.
The day is commemorated annually in remembrance of scientists Dr K H Alikunhi and Dr H.L. Chaudhury who had invented induced breeding technology of Indian major carps on 10 July 1957. 2021 will mark 21st National Fish Farmers’ Day.
REPORT & INDEXES
ITU'S GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY INDEX (GCI) 2020
India has been ranked as the 10th best country in the world in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2020, released by International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The GCI 2020 is the fourth edition of the annual index and ranked 194 countries. The GCI measures the commitment of countries to cybersecurity at a global level.
Countries were ranked on the basis of performance on five parameters, which includes: legal measures, technical measures, organisational measures, capacity development, and cooperation.
Index: India ranked at 10th position, with 97.5 points to rank among the top ten best countries in the world.
The United States has topped the GCI 2020. The United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia is tied on the second position Estonia was ranked third in the index.
• International Telecommunication Union Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• International Telecommunication Union Founded: 17 May 1865.
• International Telecommunication Union Head: Secretary-General; Houlin Zhao.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
INDIA'S 1ST INDIGENOUS DRONE DEFENCE DOME 'INDRAJAAL'
India’s 1st indigenous drone defence dome ‘Indrajaal’ has been developed by Hyderabad-based Grene Robotics.
As per the company, the drone defence dome – ‘Indrajaal’ is capable of autonomously protecting an area of 1000-2000 sq km against aerial threats.
It protects the area by assessing and acting on aerial threats such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and Low- Radar Cross Section (RCS) targets.
The company said that cutting-edge technologies such as UAVs, Smart Swarms, etc. have been for the first time used in India to drop explosives next to the Mi-17 hangar at Jammu Air Base.
Salient features of India’s 1st indigenous drone defence dome – ‘Indrajaal’
RAFAEL UNVEILS SEA BREAKER AI MISSILE
Israeli defence electronics company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has unveiled Sea Breaker, a 5th generation long-range, autonomous, precision-guided missile system, which can precisely target sea and land targets up to a range of 300 kilometres.
Sea Breaker features an advanced imaging infra-red seeker, which can engage stationary or moving targets in a diverse range of land and marine environments.
Sea Breaker can be launched from naval platforms, varying in size, and from fast attack missile boats to corvettes and frigates. The land version is a central part of the shore defence, based on Rafael’s highly mobile SPYDER launchers.
The battery architecture supports standalone launchers, or operation as an integrated solution, with a command and control unit (CCU) and various sensors, based on customer requirements.
• Israel Prime minister: Naftali Bennett
• Israel Capital: Jerusalem; Currency: Israeli Shekel.
SIRISHA BANDLA SET TO FLY INTO SPACE
India-origin woman Sirisha Bandla will travel to the edge of the space aboard ‘VSS Unity’ of Virgin Galactic, which is scheduled to fly off on July 11 from New Mexico.
This is significant as she will be the third woman of Indian origin to go to space after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams.
About the Bandla: Bandla, the vice-president of government affairs at Virgin Galactic in Washington DC, will travel alongside his boss and the group’s founder, billionaire Richard Branson and four others in the company’s spaceflight.
Bandla will take care of the researcher experience of the Unity22 mission. The 34-year-old hails from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh in India.
She moved to the United States at the age of four along with her family. She graduated from the school of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue University, Indiana. Bandla also has a masters degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University.
MISCELLANEOUS
CHINA IS CERTIFIED MALARIA FREE BY WHO
Following a 70-year effort, China has been awarded a malaria-free certification from WHO – a notable feat for a country that reported 30 million cases of the disease annually in the 1940s.
China is the first country in the WHO Western Pacific Region to be awarded a malaria-free certification in more than 3 decades. Other countries in the region that have achieved this status include Australia (1981), Singapore (1982) and Brunei Darussalam (1987).
Globally, 40 countries and territories have been granted a malaria-free certification from WHO – including, most recently, El Salvador (2021), Algeria (2019), Argentina (2019), Paraguay (2018) and Uzbekistan (2018).
China provides a basic public health service package for its residents free of charge. As part of this package, all people in China have access to affordable services for the diagnosis and treatment of malaria, regardless of legal or financial status.
Effective multi-sector collaboration was also key to success. In 2010, 13 ministries in China – including those representing health, education, finance, research and science, development, public security, the army, police, commerce, industry and information technology, customs, media and tourism – joined forces to end malaria nationwide.
In recent years, the country further reduced its malaria caseload through strict adherence to the timelines of the “1-3-7” strategy.
The “1” signifies the one-day deadline for health facilities to report a malaria diagnosis; by the end of day 3, health authorities are required to confirm a case and determine the risk of spread; and, within 7 days, appropriate measures must be taken to prevent further spread of the disease.
LEGENDARY ACTOR DILIP KUMAR PASSED AWAY
Legendary Bollywood actor Mohammed Yusuf Khan, known professionally as Dilip Kumar passed away at 98.
He was popularly known as the tragedy king of Bollywood. He was last seen in the 1998 film Qila. He was the first actor to win the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in 1954 and won it a total of 8 times. He and Shah Rukh Khan jointly hold the record for most Filmfare trophies.
Dilip Kumar was born on 11 December 1922, the Qissa Khawani Bazaar area of Peshawar (present-day Pakistan) to Ayesha Begum and Lala Ghulam Sarwar Khan.
He debuted in films with 1944’s Jwar Bhata, but the film and his work did not garner much attention. It was with 1947’s Jugnu, also starring Noor Jehan, that he clinched his first box office hit.
In 1949, he starred in Andaz with Raj Kapoor and Nargis, and it was that film that made Dilip Kumar a big star.
Dilip Kumar is listed in the Guinness World Records for winning the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor. He is also credited as the first method actor in India.
He was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR ANTARCTICA
The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization recognized a new record high temperature for Antarctica.
On February 6, 2020, the Esperanza station (the Argentine research station in Trinity Peninsula) experienced 18.3 degrees Celsius.
According to the UN agency, the high temperatures in Antarctica are a result of a large high-pressure system creating “fohn conditions”, which are downslope winds creating significant surface warming.
The previous record for high temperature was 17.5 degrees Celsius, recorded on March 24, 2015, at the same station.
