NATIONAL:
1. Operation “Broader Sword”
Why in news – India and USA conducted Operation “Broader Sword' to prevent illegal drug shipment.
Key Points –
• It targeted illicit and potentially dangerous drug shipments shipped through International Mail Facilities (IMF).
• Carried out by - India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• It was built upon the success of Operation Broadsword (2020), which too targeted mail parcels containing illicit medical products from India.
2. 41st Lokmanya Tilak Award
Why in news – PM Narendra Modi to be honored with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune on August 1.
Key Points –
• The award recognizes his supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress.
• August 1, 2023 - 103rd death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak.
• In 2022, the award was conferred upon senior scientist Tessy Thomas (India's "missile woman)."
INTERNATIONAL:
1. National Day in France
Why in news – July 14 is celebrated as the National Day in France.
Key Points –
• It is also known as the Bastille Day.
• July 14 is the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille in 1789 during the French Revolution.
• Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade - PM Narendra Modi.
• 69-member tri-services contingent of the Indian Armed Forces marched alongside their French counterparts.
• This year, both countries are celebrating 25 years of Strategic Partnership.
• Leader –
(a) Indian Army Contingent - Captain Aman Jagtap.
(b) Indian Navy Contingent - Commander Vrat Baghel.
(c) Indian Air Force Contingent - Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy.
• Army Contingent was represented by Punjab Regiment.
• Punjab Regiment earned the Battle Honours 'Loos' and ‘France and Flanders’ during World War-I.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. Asteroids Comets Meteors Conference 2023
Why in news – The 2023 edition of the Asteroids Comets Meteors Conference took place in Arizona on June 21, 2023.
Key Points –
• International Astronomical Union (IAU) honored Indian astrophysicist Aswin Sekhar by naming a minor planet after him.
• Other Indians to have this honour –
(a) CV Raman (Nobel Prize in Physics - 1930)
(b) Subramanya Chandrasekhar (Nobel Prize in Physics - 1983)
(c) Srinivasa Ramanujan (mathematician)
(d) Vikram Sarabhai (physicist and astronomer)
(e) Manali Kallat Vainu Bappu (astronomer and former president of IAU).
• Wilson-Bappu Effect - determine the distance of stars (clusters and aggregates) too remote for direct measurements.
Value Addition –
• Meteoroid - Any solid debris originating from asteroids, comets or other celestial objects and floats through interplanetary space.
• Meteor - A meteoroid enters the atmosphere (mesosphere) at about 200 km at high speed and burns up because of the friction.
• Meteorite - In some cases, the meteoroid does not burn up completely and makes its way to the Earth’s surface (surviving chunk).
RANKS & INDICES:
1. America's Richest Self-Made Women
Why in news - Forbes list of 'America's Richest Self-Made Women' was released.
Key Points –
• 4 Indian-origin women were included in the list.
• Indian-origin (rank) - Jayshree Ullal (15th), Neerja Sethi (25th), Neha Narkhede (50th) and Indra Nooyi (77th).
• For the 6th time in a row, Daine Hendricks, topped the list.
2. Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation
Why in news – The report was released by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific's (UNESCAP).
Key Points –
• India’s score - 93.55% in 2023. (90.32% in 2021).
• India achieved a perfect score of 100% in 4 key areas: Transparency, Formalities, Institutional Arrangement and Cooperation, and Paperless Trade.
• India’s score for the “Women in Trade Facilitation” component - 77.8% in 2023 (66.7% in 2021).
• Indian Customs digital initiatives - Turant Customs, Single Window Interface for Facilitation of Trade (SWIFT), e- Sanchit (Paperless) etc.
• India’s overall score is greater than Canada, France, the UK, Germany, etc and best in South Asia region.
3. Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
Why in news - The latest update of global MPI was released recently.
Key Points –
• Findings wrt India -
(a) 415 million people moved out of poverty in India within just 15 years from 2005-2006 to 2019-2021.
(b) Poverty incidence - 55.1% (645 million people in 2005-2006) to 16.4% (230 million in 2019-2021).
(c) Multidimensionally poor and deprived under the nutrition indicator - 44.3% (2005-2006) to 11.8% (2019-2021)
(d) Child mortality fell from 4.5% to 1.5%.
• 25 countries, including India, successfully halved their global MPI values within 15 years.
About MPI –
• Released by - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
• 10 indicators spanning health, education and standard of living.
• All indicators are equally weighted within each dimension.
• Criteria for multidimensional poor - if deprivation score is 1/3 or higher.
• World Bank poverty line - $2.15 per day.
4. 2023 Military Strength Ranking
Why in news – It was released by Global Firepower.
Key Points –
• Most powerful – USA (1st), Russia (2nd), China (3rd), India (4th).
• Least powerful – Bhutan (last), Benin, Moldova.
• Pakistan – 7th.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. 'AI for Youth' Program
Why in news - Dell Technologies has partnered with Intel's Digital Readiness team.
Key Points –
• Aim - to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Telangana's Lords Institute of Engineering & Technology.
POINTERS:
• In which airport of India, the country's first Elevated Cross Taxiway Service has been started - Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.
• Which state government is planning to set up Micro Dairy of Indian Cow Breeds - Uttar Pradesh.
• Who has been appointed as the new chairman of the International Financial Services Center Authority - K Rajaraman.
• The 8th Global Pharmaceutical Quality Conference has been organized in which city – Mumbai.
• Which IIT has proposed sports quota to promote diversity - IIT Madras.
• Which team has made the highest total in Super Over in the history of ODI cricket – Netherlands.
• Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the regional office of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in which country – Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur).
• Which country has announced to send cluster munitions to Ukraine prohibited by more than 100 countries - United States.
• The 3rd Culture Working Group Meeting of G20 under which the Ministry of Culture has set a Guinness World Record for the 'Largest Display of Lambani Items' was held in which city - Hampi.
• PM Narendra Modi has greeted the people of which state on occasion of Ker Puja – Tripura.