NATIONAL:
1. ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ Campaign
Why in news - The Central government is set to launch the initiative to encourage citizens to raise the national flag at their residences in observance of the nation’s 75th Independence Day.
Key Points –
• The initiative is under the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
• Nodal ministry - Ministry of Culture.
• Aim - to reach out to more than 20 crore homes across the country on August 15.
• August 11-17 to be celebrated as ‘Independence Week’ across the country.
• Home Minister Amit Shah is in charge of all initiatives under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
2. New Education Policy
Why in news - Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to initiate the process of implementing the Centre’s New Education Policy on July 12, 2022.
Key Points –
• CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurating ‘Bal Vatikas’ at Anganwadi kendras across the state to strengthen the pre-primary education system.
• By 2030, the New Education Policy will be fully implemented in Uttarakhand.
3. Gati Shakti University
Why in news - The Railway University in Gujarat’s Vadodara has been renamed as Gati Shakti University.
Key Points -
• CCEA approved the upgradation of the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) from a deemed-to-be-university to a Central University.
• The University is named after the government's flagship ₹100 trillion PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity.
• It aims to build a holistic infrastructure in the country.
• It received its first-ever outlay of ₹20,000 crore in the budget of FY22-23.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Multilateral Interoperability Program (MIP)
Why in news - Ukraine has become an associate member of the Multilateral Interoperability Program (MIP).
Key Points -
• MIP coordinates the technical cooperation of the armies of NATO member states.
• One of MIP's products is the MIP4-IES specification – a protocol and data model for exchanging situational information between combat management systems.
RANKS & INDICES:
1. Gender Gap Index
Why in news - The World Economic Forum released the Global Gender Gap Index 2022 on July 13, 2022.
Key Points –
• India’s rank - 135th (Out of 146 nations). (2021 - 140 out of 156 nations).
• Top 5 – Iceland (1st), Finland (2nd), Norway (3rd), New Zealand (4th) and Sweden (5th).
• India’s neighbours - Bangladesh (71), Nepal (96), Sri Lanka (110), Maldives (117), Bhutan (126) Pakistan (145) and Afghanistan (146).
• Four Key sub-indices of index:
A. Economic Participation and Opportunity
B. Educational Attainment
C. Health and Survival
D. Political Empowerment
• It said it would take another 132 years - compared to 136 in 2021 - to close the gender gap.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. Sydney Energy Forum
Why in news - The 2-day forum (July 12-13) was organised in Sydney to help secure clean energy supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region and support global energy transformation.
Key Points –
• It was co-hosted by the Australian Government and the International Energy Agency.
• Australia and USA signed the Australia-US Net Zero Technology Acceleration Partnership to develop zero-emissions technology and reach net zero by 2050.
• Japan's 'Asia Energy Transition Initiative' support ASEAN countries towards net-zero carbon emissions.
• Union Power Minister R.K. Singh said that India has installed 162 GW of renewable energy capacity (41% of the 402 GW of electricity installed) i.e., 9 years before the deadline. (Target was 40% of renewable energy by 2030).
ECONOMY:
1. Internationalisation of Indian Rupee.
Why in news – The Reserve Bank of India on July 11 unveiled a rupee settlement system for international trade with immediate effect.
Key Points –
• Exporters and importers need a ‘Special Vostro account’ for receipts and payments denominated in rupees.
• The SBI in its ‘Research Ecowrap’ proposed that RBI should make a ‘conscious effort to internationalise the rupee’.
• The RBI has detailed the broad framework for cross-border trade transactions in rupees under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA).
• Earlier in the 1960s, the rupee was accepted in gulf countries such as Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Oman.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. Carbon-neutral Airport
Why in news – AAI’s Leh airport is being built as India’s first carbon-neutral airport.
Key Points –
• A ‘Geothermal system’ in hybridization with Solar PV Plant will be provided in the New airport Terminal Building for heating and cooling purposes.
• This system works by exchanging heat between the air and the ground as its heat pumps are used for space heating and cooling, as well as water heating.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. HPV Vaccine ‘Cervavac’
Why in news – The Serum Institute of India (SII)’s vaccine Cervavac recently received the Drugs Controller General of India’s (DGCI) approval for market authorisation.
Key Points –
• It is intended to protect women against cervical cancer.
• It is India’s first quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) vaccine.
• It is based on VLP (virus like particles), similar to the hepatitis B vaccine.
• HPV vaccination was introduced in 2008, but it is yet to be included in the national immunization program.
• India accounts for about a fifth of the global cervical cancer burden.
• Cervical cancer is a common sexually transmitted infection.
• Two vaccines licensed globally are available in India — Gardasil, from Merck and Cervarix, from GlaxoSmithKline.
2. POP-FAME
Why in news – Researchers from US Lawrence-Berkeley Lab recently developed a new type of fuel from an extraordinary antifungal molecule made by Streptomyces bacteria.
Key Points –
• It has an energy density greater than that of Petrol and other rocket fuel. So, ideal for space fuel.
• POP-FAME fuel name stands for ‘Polycyclopropanated Fatty Acid Methyl Ester’.
AGREEMENTS:
1. Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund
Why in news – An MoU was signed by the Ministry of External Affairs and SBICAP Ventures Limited (SVL) (SBI subsidiary), to establish the Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund (TDC Fund) for collaborative projects with international partners.
2. Career Awareness Sessions
Why in news – Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) tie-up with UNICEF to introduce ‘Career Awareness Sessions’ for students to enable access to employment opportunities.
OBITUARIES:
1. Avdhash Kaushal
Why in news - Padma Shri winning noted social worker Avdhash Kaushal passed away. He was the founder of the NGO named Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand).
2. Barry Sinclair
Why in news - Former New Zealand cricket captain and batter Barry Sinclair died at the age of 85.
3. Monty Norman
Why in news - British composer Monty Norman, who wrote the theme tune for the James Bond films, has died.
BIHAR:
1. Soil Quality Erosion
Why in news – Center for Science by the Ministry of Agriculture released the analysis of the soil test report.
Key Points -
• Nitrogen deficiency of 100% has been found in soil samples of Bihar.
• Other deficiencies – Potassium (95%), Phosphorus (92%), organic carbon (82%),
2. 'Maharashtra model' in Sugar Mills
Why in news – Maharashtra model will be implemented in sugar mills of Bihar..
Key Points -
• Grants to be given to the farmers to prepare seeds by chip-single bud method.
• A workshop would be organized in Bettiah on August 22 to prepare seeds by this method.
3. Kanwar Yatra 2022 App
Why in news – Bihar government has launched the app to access information about various arrangements and facilities developed on the 90-kilometer-long stretch of Kanwariya Path. Kanwariya Path passes through Munger, Bhagalpur and Banka in Bihar.
4. Lohia Medical College
Why in news – A proposal of Rs 603 crore has been approved for the construction of Lohia Medical College and Hospital in Supaul.
POINTERS:
• How many medals has India won in the Asian Under-20 Wrestling Championships - 22 medals.
• Which company has launched the country's first indigenously developed Lithium-Ion cell - Ola Electric.
• Who has become the new MD and CEO of Eureka Forbes - Pratik Pota.
• Which space agency has released the first full-color image from the James Webb Space Telescope - NASA.
• Which IIT researchers have developed AI based tool ‘PIVOT’ for cancer detection - IIT Madras.
• Red panda will be brought in Singalila National Park located in which state - West Bengal.
• Which bank launched Open Banking Sandbox and Metaverse Virtual Lounge - Union Bank.
• Two suspected cases of Marburg virus disease reported in which country – Ghana.
• Which Union minister inaugurated the ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Operation (IS4OM) – Dr. Jitendra Singh.
• Coffee Board to collaborate with which organisation to develop climate resistant varieties – ISRO.