Update your IQ with the GK Eduwrap Weekly Edition, loaded with GK updates, Current Affairs and all major happenings across the Globe. With GK Eduwrap you can now confidently crack the IBPS, SSC’s Current Affairs Section. Good Luck!
Click here to Download July Monthly Eduwrap in PDF Format
National:
1. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) prohibited the foreign direct investment (FDI) in manufacturing of tobacco products.
This prohibition will be in case of manufacturing of cigars, cigarillos, cheroots and cigarettes of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes. Henceforth with this FDI restriction, other activities related to these products will be governed by the sectoral restrictions laid down in the FDI policy.
2. Nationwide mobile number portability (MNP) has become operational from 3rd July 2015. It became operational after major private mobile operators like Vodafone, RCom, Airtel, Uninor and Idea Cellular along with state-run BSNL and MTNL issued statements to launch MNP.
3. The Guinness Book of World Records has recognized a record created in Madhya Pradesh on ‘World Hand washing Day’in 2014.
4. State run telecom giant Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) launched pre-paid card linked mobile wallet service ‘Speed Pay’. It was launched by Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi. This service was launched by BSNL has launched the service in partnership with IT company Pyro.
5. Maharashtra-government-appointed committee submitted its 12-page report to the Bombay High Court. The report says that over 58 percent of students below 10 years of age who carries heavy school bags are suffering from orthopedic ailments in Maharashtra.
6. Software major Microsoft agreed to develop Smart MIDC (industrial colony) and support Digital Village in Maharashtra.
7. Union Government has launched a web portal for online submission of applications for environment clearance by State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA) for Category B projects.
8. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal launched the state Portal ePMS (Electronic Projects Management System) to fast track infrastructural development.
9. India launched online registration system named eMigrate system (www.emigrate.gov.in) for foreign employers (FEs) who wants to recruit Indian workers, including nurses. Under the system, FEs will have to register in the eMigrate system.
10. The Union Cabinet approved the institutional framework for the National Skill Development Mission 2015.
The Mission will provide a strong institutional framework at the Centre and States for implementation of skilling activities in the country.
11. Passengers will be able to log on to the Wi-Fi service at prominent railway stations of South East Central Railway zone, including Raipur, with the facility likely to be installed at these places by next year.
12. Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) or PM’s Agriculture Irrigation Scheme.
13. Union Cabinet has approved setting up of an Online National Agriculture Market that will provide more options to farmers for selling their produce.
14. The population of elephants has increased to 1,954 in Odisha as per revealed in 2015 Elephant Census report.
15. Madhya Pradesh government has initiated the facility of e-registration of property documents in all the districts of state.
The e-registration of property documentation will be done through software named Sampada.
Under this facility, people can obtain e-stamp through internet banking or service provider.
16. Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the Integrated Security System (ISS) at 6 railway stations in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
17. The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development adopted the ‘Digital Guddi-Gudda Board’ as a Best Practice under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme. It was named as the best practice on the occasion of Digital India Week that is being observed from 1 July to 7 July 2015.
18. The Haryana Government launched the Mhara Gaon- Jagmag Gaon scheme, aimed at providing 24 hour uninterrupted power supply to rural domestic consumers in a phased manner with their active participation.
19. Maharashtra Government’s program Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan that was launched with an aim to make Maharashtra a drought-free state by 2019 was in news in first week of July 2015.
The Abhiyan came in news as Rajasthan government is planning to replicate the program in the state.
20. To provide security to those devotees taking part in the 59-day-long annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Army launched Operation Shiva. The Yatra started on 2 July 2015.
21. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated Nakshatra Vatikaat his official Rashtrapati Nilayam Gardens in Bolarum, Secunderabad.
The vatika (garden) has plants representing planets, zodiac signs and stars. The layout of ‘Nakshatra Vatika’ has been developed in various geometrical combinations corresponding to the Sree Chakra of Vedic astrology on a 0.91 acre plot.
22. The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to name the Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU) in the name of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
23. Tata Value Homes has announced a first-of-its-kind online property exhibition open to an invite-only audience. Covering 11 projects across seven cities, registration for the exhibition, which is from July 13 to July 15, is currently live on the Tata Value Homes website.
Only customers with a valid invite code can browse and buy in this exhibition, but these customers’ invitations will also be extended to their friends and family.
24. The government on Tuesday hiked the minimum wage for workers by INR 23 to INR 160 a day. The increased wages will be applicable from July 1.
25. UNESCO names 24 new world heritage sites and these are-
Blue and John Crow Mountains (Jamaica).
Tusi sites (China),
Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement (Denmark).
Par Force Hunting Landscape in North Zealand (Denmark).
Climats, terroirs of Burgundy (France).
Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars (France).
Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus (Germany).
Susa (Iran).
Cultural Landscape of Maymand (Iran).
Necropolis of Beth She’arim—a Landmark of Jewish Revival (Israel).
Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale (Italy)
Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel,
Shipbuilding and Coal Mining (Japan).
Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (Jordan).
Baekje Historic Areas (South Korea).
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System (Mexico)
Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape (Mongolia)Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site (Norway)
Rock Art in the Hail Region (Saudi Arabia).
Singapore Botanical Gardens (Singapore).
Ephesus (Turkey).
Diyarbakir Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape (Turkey).
Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial Landscape (Uruguay).
The Forth Bridge (United Kingdom).
San Antonio Missions (United States).
26. Union home ministry has declared entire Nagaland state as a ‘disturbed area’for one year period with an immediate effect.
27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a 10 point initiative named as ‘Dus Kadam: 10 Steps for the Future’ to boost cooperation within the members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
He proposed the initiative while addressing the 7th BRICS summit in Ufa, Russia.
28. Operation Smile, a unique initiative of Ghaziabad Police to track missing children, was in news in second week of July 2015. It came in news after Uttarakhand police under the operation was able to trace at least 44 missing children from various parts of the state within a week.
29. Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed penalty upon Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Karnataka Television Association (KTVA) and Kannada Film Producers Association (KFPA).
30. Jaipur Literature Festival is heading to Boulder in the US this September for three days of books, ideas, performance art, dialogue and debate on contemporary issues.
Over 100 authors, thinkers, poets and performers have been lined up to participate in the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival at Boulder in Colorado beginning on September 18, organizers said today.
31. India has been accorded full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at its Ufa summit held in Russia.
Technically, India will become the member of SCO by 2016 after completion of certain procedures.
This membership will help India to work with the 6 members grouping to enhance connectivity, combat terror and create an environment for boosting trade by easing barriers.
32. Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal/Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) Vyapam scam was in news as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) constituted a special team of 40 officers, under a Joint Director level officer, to probe the multi-crore Vyapam scam of Madhya Pradesh.
Vyapam scam is an admission and recruitment scam involving politicians, senior officials and businessmen in Madhya Pradesh. The scam involved a collusion of undeserving candidates, who bribed politicians and MPPEB officials through middlemen, to get high ranks in these entrance tests.
33. The book Green Signals: Ecology, Growth, and Democracy in India was in news in the second week of July 2015. It was written by former Union Environment and Forest Minister (Independent Charge) Jairam Ramesh.
It unveils the story of environmental policy making in India from the perspective of a pivotal decision maker.
34. Four Indians are among 32 young leaders named by a prestigious global non-profit organization as its 2015 class of young leaders, focused on shaping a brighter future for the Asia-Pacific region and confronting the most vexing challenges facing the region.
35. The Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela began on 14 July 2015. The year-long festival will end 11 August 2016.
The festival, known as largest peaceful gathering in the world, began with the traditional ceremony of hoisting of flags and thousands of people taking a holy dip in Kushawart and Ramkund in Godavari River in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar.
36. The 12-day Godavari Maha Pushkaram began on 14 July 2015 on the banks of River Godavari in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The festival ended on 25 July 2015.
37. Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the broad-gauge railway-line between Gandhidham and Tuna-Tekra Portin Gujarat by flagging off a goods train.
The rail line is India’s first railway-line built with private sector participation under Non-Government Railway (NGR) Policy 2012 of Indian Railways.
38. Maharashtra legislative assembly passed the Maharashtra Guarantee of Public Services Bill, 2015. The bill was unanimously passed by the assembly in the absence of Congress and NCP members.
39. The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the #100Women Initiative in collaboration with Facebook to select 100 women achievers of India.
The initiative is aimed at recognizing and acknowledging women who are making a difference in their communities across the country.
40. Union Ministry of Urban Development launched the National Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) for 12 cities in the country from Amritsar in Punjab.
41. United States (US) Department of Defense (DoD) decided to set up a working group to study the policy and readiness implications of allowing transgender persons to serve in the military of the nation.
42. India’s first defense industrial park will be set up at Ottappalam in Palakkad district of Kerala.
In this regard, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of Union Government has approved a proposal for this defense park forwarded by the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation.
43. Union government has brought 39 more Pharmaceutical drugs under price control as part of its efforts to make medicines affordable in the country.
44. Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the redevelopment of 400 major railway stations.
These stations generally are located in major cities, metros, pilgrimage centres and important tourist destinations.
45. Union Cabinet has given nod to introduce composite foreign investment cap in a bid to streamline the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) structure.
This move will help government to club all forms of overseas investments such as FDI, Non-resident Indians (NRIs), foreign Institutional investors (FIIs) and other foreign investments to define sectoral limits as a composite cap.
46. Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given nod to Chinese Telecom manufacturer Huawei to set up a manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu for its components.
47. Union Government has approved the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy for Delhi. TOD aims to address issues of pollution, congestion and shortage of housing for the poor and middle class.
48. Ministry of Railways modified some rules pertaining to purchase of takal tickets of Indian Railway. Under the modified rules, passengers booking tatkal tickets from computerized reservation counters will no longer be required to furnish photocopy of identity proof or to indicate its number at the time of booking at the counter or through internet.
49. Delhi High Court ruled that a woman, who is in government service and has a child through surrogacy, is also entitled to maternity leave.
50. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary launched the Centralized Delhi Police Railway Helpline number 1512. This helpline will serve as a very useful mechanism for rail passengers.
51. The annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival) began at Puri of Odisha. The nine-day-long Rath Yatra will see congregation of more than 50 lakh devotees from India and abroad.
52. 2nd Sohra Marathon-2015 was held in Meghalaya. The marathon was flagged off at Mawkdok in East Khashi Hills District by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who also joined the runners in the marathon.
The marathon, named after the Cherrapunji’s historical name Sohra,started and ended at Mawkdok crossing through 13 destinations.
53. Justice Kurian Joseph of the Supreme Court (SC) sought a clarification from the Union Government on the constitutional status of the Chief Justice of India.
54. Union Government brought 39 more drugs under price control regime. These drugs include the ones to treat diseases such as diabetes, infections, digestive disorders and pain among others, in an effort to make them affordable.
55. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to set up an expert group to classify the Caste names returned in the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011.
56. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the creation of an intra state transmission system in seven states of the country. The seven states include Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
57. Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indian Council for Research on International Economic relations (ICRIER) released a report titled An Inquiry into the Impact of India’s App Economy.
58. The report of the A K Bhargava committee on Net Neutrality was on 16 July 2015 released by the Department of Telecommunications.
Highlights of report
Legitimate traffic management practices may be allowed but should be tested against the core principles of Net Neutrality. Further, Improper (Paid or otherwise) Prioritization may not be permitted.
India specific Net Neutrality approach should be formulated by taking into account international best practices that serve specific needs of the country.
The primary goals of public policy in the context of Net Neutrality should be directed towards achievement of developmental aims of the country by facilitating Affordable Broadband, Quality Broadband and Universal Broadband for its citizens.
User rights on the Internet need to be ensured so that Telecom or Internet Service Providers do not restrict the ability of the user to send, receive, display, use, post any legal content, application or service on the Internet, or restrict any kind of lawful Internet activity or use.
Over-the-top (OTT) application services should be actively encouraged and any impediments in their expansion and growth should be removed.
There should be a separation of application layer from network layer as application services are delivered over a licensed network.
Specific OTT communication services dealing with messaging should not be interfered with through regulatory instruments.
In case of OTT VoIP international calling services, a liberal approach may be adopted. However, in case of domestic calls (local and national), communication services by TSPs and OTT communication services may be treated similarly from a regulatory angle for the present.
Content and application providers cannot be permitted to act as gatekeepers and use network operations to extract value in violation of core principles of Net Neutrality, even if it is for an ostensible public purpose.
In this regard, the committee expressed its objections to Facebook’s Internet.org.
In order to deal with the complexities of the new digital world, a think-tank with best talent may also be set up.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directed banks to ensure that their overall direct lending to farmers should not fall below the average of last three years.
59. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in New Dehi.
The program aims to impart skill training to 24 lakh youth during 2015-16 with focus on first time entrants to the labour market and class 10 and class 12 drop outs.
60. The Archery Association of India (AAI) constituted a three-member committee to investigate the reasons behind men’s compound archery team’s failure to appear for the bronze medal play-off at the World University Games.
61. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched 3 web portals viz. Soil Health Card portal, Fertilizer Quality Control System (FQCS) portal and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) – India portal.
62. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted a resolution 2231 (2015) that establishes a monitoring system for Iran’s nuclear program.
This adoption of the resolution will clear path for removal of all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. It also guarantees that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue to verify Iran’s compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
63. Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan launched the Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan, a countrywide campaign, to create mass awareness and capacity building for safe and hygienic food.
64. SC rejected curative petition of Mumbai serial bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon.
Curative Petition is last legal recourse for a convict seeking reconsideration of punishment which is usually decided by judges in chamber.
65. SC rejected Union Government’s review plea seeking OBC status for Jats.
66. Union Government extended Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) to Public Sector Banks (PSBs), private sector commercial banks, rural regional banks (RRBs), cooperative banks and NABARD.
It was extended to ensure availability of crop loans of up to 3 lakh rupees to farmers at 7 percent per annum.
67. After failing to get Centre’s approval, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill to amend 15 labour laws.
With this, Madhya Pradesh has become the second state to pass its own labour law amendments in the Assembly after Rajasthan under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Companies in the state employing up to 300 people (up from 100 in the present provision) will be allowed to retrench workers or shut the establishment without government approval.
Workers in Madhya Pradesh will get the benefit of earned leave after 6 months of service and in the same calendar year.
This will apply to a factory with at least 10 workers if it has no power connection or at least 20 with one. At present, employees who have worked for at least 8 months are entitled to annual leave, being able to avail of these in the next calendar year.
The process of registration or grant of licenses for establishments will also be expedited under the Contract Labour Act, Inter State Migrant Workers Act, Motor Transport Workers Act and Building & Other Construction Workers Act.
Builders in the state will have to pay a considerably reduced cess for their construction work.
68. The Supreme Court of India (SC) dismissed a curative petition of Union Government against commutation of the death penalty of three convicts namely Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
69. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that Haryanavi film ‘Pagdi: The Honour’ will be free from tax.
70. The Supreme Court of India allowed state governments to exercise its power of remission to release life convicts with a rider.
The decision was given by five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu.
71. Maharashtra Cabinet approved Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Jan Van Vikas Scheme.
Its objectives are to reduce the man-animal conflict and achieve sustainable development of these villages. The scheme also aims at reducing the dependence of villagers on the forest.
72. The Entertainment Network (India) Ltd (ENIL) received the approval from the Union Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry to purchase 104.8 FM Oye FM radio station of TV Today Network (TVTN) that runs in four cities Amritsar, Jodhpur, Patiala and Shimla.
73. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has given nod to Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for their conceptual development plan (CDP) report on Vizag Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) and Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) respectively.
74. Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposed draft Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2015.
75. Delhi High Court allowed Digital Radio Broadcasting Ltd, which runs Red FM to participate in the Stage-III of the FM radio waves auctions.
76. Gujarat High court constituted a four-member panel to ensure basic amenities like housing and hospital for laborers at Alang ship-breaking yard in Bhavnagar district following a public interest Litigation.
The panel will comprise of Secretary of State Health department as chairman, District Collector of Bhavnagar, Deputy General Manager of Gujarat Maritime Board and a representative of Ship Recycling Industries Association of India.
77. Infrastructure Development Financing Company (IDFC). Ltd became second lender to enter the banking sector since 2004, as the Reserve Bank of India granted Banking license.
78. Maharashtra government to exempt small cars from paying toll tax for all build operate transfer (BOT) road projects that worth over 200 crore rupees. Similar relief also given for road projects developed by the state Public Works Department (PWD) that cost below 200 crore rupees.
79. The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI) successfully completed its hundred years of service.
The hundredth year celebration was inaugurated by Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India.
80. Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district of Punjab was in news in July 2015 as it witnessed a terrorist attack that killed seven people including 4 policemen.
The terrorist attack was the first such attack in Punjab in two decades or since the end of Khalistani terrorism in 1980s.
All the terrorists were killed by the special units of the Punjab Police SWAT after fierce gunbattle lasting over 11 hours.
81. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has cancelled licence of Sahara asset Management Company (AMC). The license will stand cancelled after sixty days from the date of the order.
82. Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has revised Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) with an effect from 1st April, 2015.
83. Delhi Government has notified Witness Protection Scheme 2015, a policy regarding protection of witnesses with provisions for a protection fund.
With this, Delhi becomes the first state/union territory in India to notify such policy to ensure protection of witnesses in crucial cases.
84. India is going to become the most populous nation in the world by surpassing China in 2022.
It was revealed in recently released United Nation’s report titled ‘World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision’ indicating India’s population growth within next seven years.
Key highlights from report
India will become most populous nation, six years earlier than it was previously forecasted and will retain the top spot till year 2100.
At present, China which is world’s populous country with approximately 1.38 billion population while, India has 1.31 billion.
India’s population around and after 2022, is projected to grow for several decades. It will be around to 1.5 billion in 2030 and 1.7 billion in 2050.
Life expectancy: In case of India life expectancy at birth will also improve over the next decades.
It will grow from 71.7 years in 2025-2030 to 75.9 years in 2045-2050. It will be around 84.6 years in 2095-2100.
China’s population: It is expected to remain fairly constant till 2030s, after which it is expected to decrease slightly.
World Population forecast: Half of the world’s population growth is expected to be concentrated in 9 countries during 2015-2050. They are India, Pakistan, US, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Congo, Indonesia and Uganda.
International:
1. Global aircraft maker Boeing will build a big maintenance base in central China where 12 planes can be repaired simultaneously.
The aircraft repair center at Zhengzhou, capital city of central China’s Henan province, is expected to be put into use at the end of 2016.
A total of 12 Boeing 737 planes can be maintained at the same time in the centre.
2. The New Development Bank (NDB) created by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) nations formally started its operations from its headquarters in Shanghai, China.
3. The Japanese Cabinet approved the Defense White Paper for the year 2015. In the White Paper 2015, the cabinet described the security situation surrounding Japan as increasingly tough.
The defense white paper for 2015 examines a range of global threats.
4. The QS Intelligence Unit released the QS University Rankings: BRICS 2015. This 2015 edition reflects the increasingly strong global presence of leading Chinese universities with the top three spots going to Tsinghua University, Peking University and Fudan University.
5. All BRICS countries that is Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are represented within the top 20, however China’s dominance is clear throughout the ranking.
6. India and Myanmar have announced plans to strengthen their defence cooperation during a joint consultative commission (JCC) meeting held in New Delhi. This meeting was chaired by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin.
7. Lower House of Japan’s Parliament (Diet) on 16 July 2105 approved 11 security-related bills that change the self-defense law, which was followed by Japan since World War –II.
8. India and Kazakhstan launched the first exploratory drilling at Satpayev oil block owned by India’s ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) and Kazakhstan Company KazMunaiGaz.
Satpayev oil block is an offshore field located in the Northern Caspian Sea. It has potential reserves estimated at 1.8 billion barrels crude oil and natural gas.
9. Japan’s Meiji-era (1868-1912) industrial revolution sites have received World Cultural Heritage status from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
10. India and Uzbekistan have inked pacts to boost cooperation between their foreign offices and in the field of culture and tourism.
11. India and Kazakhstan signed five agreements during the two-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kazakhstan.
List of Agreements signed
Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons.
Agreement on Defence and Military – Technical Cooperation.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation on Physical Cultural and Sports.
MoU on Technical Cooperation in the field of Railways.
Long term contract between Department of Atomic Energy, India and KazAtomProm for sale and purchase of natural uranium concentrates.
12. The powerful Typhoon Linfa has hit the southern China after it made landfall on southern province of Guangdong. Typhoon Linfa has hit the southern province by bringing winds of up to 126 km/hr along with heavy rain.
However after it had made landfall, the typhoon has lost strength rapidly after it passed near Hong Kong due to weakened low pressure area.
Typhoon Linfa is the first of two large storms Chan-Hom and Nangka which are going to hit China.
The third storm, Nangka is the most powerful among them and has reached supertyphoon strength with winds of 250 km/hr.
But it has strong presence far out in the Pacific Ocean and not expected to hit any land with high strength.
13. Greece has become the first developed nation to default on International Monetary Fund (IMF) debt. It has defaulted on a 1.7 billion dollars payment to IMF.
14. A 15-year-old boy named Byron Wake has become Britain’s youngest ‘cyborg’ i.e. part-human, part machine.
He achieved this feat after inserting xNT microchip under the skin using hypodermic syringe. The chip is the size of a grain of rice and is encased in bio-safe glass.
15. The World Bank released the State of Safety Nets 2015 report. It aggregated spending on social safety net programs and beneficiaries in 157 countries, economies and territories and presented a comparative analysis of those programs. (move to International segment)
As per the report, only 1/3rd of the world’s poor are covered by safety nets program with largest gaps in Sub-saharan Africa and South Asia.
16. China’s state-run power company, Three Gorges Corporation (CTG), is keen to participate in a financing consortium to fund up to $50 billion of hydroelectric power projects in Pakistan.
17. Singapore Diamond Investment Exchange’ (SDiX) the first ever diamond exchange is all set to function from September 2015.
18. Union Government has announced to roll out e-tourist visa facility to Chinese nationals from July 30, 2015. Hong Kong and Macao nationals will also be provided with e-tourist visa facility along with Chinese citizens.
19. The population of Royal Bengal Tiger in Sundarbans region of Bangladesh has declined sharply to 106 from 440 in 2004.
It was revealed in recently released new Tiger census 2015 of Bangladesh.
20. World’s largest flower Amorphophallus Titanumbloomed for the first time in 5 years in the fourth week of July 2015 at the Jindai botanical gardens in Tokyo, Japan.
21. The European Union (EU) banned the marketing of around 700 generic medicines manufactured by India’s pharmaceutical research company GVK Biosciences. These medicines will be banned in 28 member countries of European Union.
Sports:
1. France`s tennis legend Amelie Mauresmo was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). She is a two-time Grand Slam winner viz. Australian Open (2006) and Wimbledon (2006).
2. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced the venues in India that will host the men and women ICC World Twenty20 that will be hosted between Match 11 and April 3, 2016.
BCCI said that Bengaluru, Chennai, Dharamshala, Mohali, Mumbai, Nagpur and New Delhi will be the venues along with Kolkata, which will also host the final of the event.
3. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 20 July 2015 constituted a working group to study the verdict of the Supreme Court appointed RM Lodha Committee relating to the IPL 2013 scandal.
The four member group includes IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, BCCI treasurer Anirudh Choudhury and former India captain Sourav Ganguly.
4. 10-year old Shubham Jaglan won the IJGA World Stars of Junior Golf event in Las Vegas. Jaglan is the son of a milkman from rural Haryana, India.
He shot a three round score of 106 winning by a five-stroke margin, ahead of two Americans Justin Dang and Sihan Sandhu and Thailand’s Pongsapak Laopakdee for the Boys 9-10 years category title.
5. First All Women Trans Continental Road Expedition from Delhi to London was flagged off on 23 July 2015.
The three woman participants, namely Nidhi Tiwari, Rashmi Kopparand Soumaya Goel, will reach United Kingdom in 55 days.
6. India’s ODI cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named as the ninth most marketable sportsperson in the world ahead of the likes of football superstar Lionel Messi and sprint king Usain Bolt in a power list prepared by London School of Marketing.
7. 20 year old Indian-American Amitoj Chhabra has won the Junior Title at the US Powerlifting Association National Championships 2015.
8. The Union Government constituted All India Council of Sports as an advisory body for the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The advice rendered by the council will be duly considered by the government, but it will not be binding and obligatory on the government.
9. The 2015 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament held from 29 June to 12 July 2015. The tournament had taken place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. It was the 129th edition of the championships and the 48th edition in the Open Era.
10. Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis, the top-seeded Indo-Swiss pair of Tennis won women’s doubles title at Wimbledon. In the title clash played at Centre Court in London, the Indo-Swiss pair defeated Russian duo of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
11. The Indo-Vietnamese pair Sumit Nagal-Nam Hoang Ly won the 2015 Wimbledon Boys’ Doubles title by defeating Opelka and Akira Santillan in the final match held in London.
12. Seventh seed Indo-Swiss pair of Leander Paes and Martina Hingis won mixed doubles title at Wimbledon.
13. World Number One Serena Williams has won Wimbledon Women’s Single title.
14. Defending champion Novak Djokovic won men’s singles title of Wimbledon.
15. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended Mumbai Ranji cricketer Hiken Shah with immediate effect. BCCI suspended him after he was found guilty of breaching BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Code for participants.
16. Two major Indian Premier League teams Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals were suspended from the cricket league for two years.
17. India won the three-match One Day International (ODI) Series against Zimbabwe 3-0 played in Harare.
18. International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned Pakistan’s all-rounder cricketer Mohammad Hafeez from bowling in international cricket for a period of one year.
He was banned after he failed in ICC’s independent assessment on his suspected bowling action which violated permitted 15-degree limit.
19. The Governing Council (GC) of the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) decided to scrap the CLT20 competition due to its limited public following.
20. The Kerala High Court observed that the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) was not a public office. KCA is a member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
21. The Archery Association of India (AAI) constituted a three-member committee to investigate the reasons behind men’s compound archery team’s failure to appear for the bronze medal play-off at the World University Games.
22. IBC is India’s first national governing body and was launched with an aim to promote professional boxing and tap the unexplored potential of professional boxing in India.
23. Indian shot-putter Inderjit Singh came up with a best throw of 20.27 meter in the final attempt to win the Gold medal of men’s shot put event at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea.
With this, he created history to become the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World University Games.
24. World Boxing Organization (WBO) has stripped of the Welterweight World title 2015 won by Floyd Mayweather in May 2015.
25. Chile won South America’s most prestigious football trophy, the Copa America title 2015 for the first time. It is Chile’s first ever international trophy in Football.
26. Defending champions India have retained the South Asian Basketball Championship (SABA) title. It was the 4th edition of the Championships.
27. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain won 2015 British Grand Prix of Formula One (F1). This was his fourth victory of the season and his second of British Grand Prix.
28. India won the South Asian Basketball (SABA) Championship title. In the final played at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Karanataka, India defeated Sri Lanka 93-44.
29. Former world junior champion and Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta won the 19th Commonwealth Chess Championship.
30. Cyclist Chris Froomefrom Britain of Team Sky has won the 102nd edition Tour de France, an annual three-week multiple stage bicycle race at Champs Elysees in Paris.
31. Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) allowed Indian women athlete Dutee Chand to compete in women’s event with immediate effect.
32. Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports constituted a Working Group on re-drafting National Sports Development Code of India (NSDCI).
The aim of constituting the working group is to make the NSDCI more relevant from both sports governance and legal angles.
33. Mexico defeated Jamaica 3-1 in the final of CONCACAF Gold Cup football tournament to win the regional tournament for the record seventh time. The final was played at Philadelphia, US.
34. Sebastian Vettel of Germany and the Ferrari driver won the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prixin Budapest.
35. Patiala House Courts in New Delhi has acquitted all 36 accused persons in the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 6 spot fixing case including former cricketer S Sreesanth.
36. Golfer Ranveer Singh Saini created history by becoming the first Indian to win a Gold medal at the Special Olympics World Games here.
37. Thomas Bach, the President of International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Beijing will host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Chinese capital was chosen ahead of Almaty, Kazakshtan at the 128th IOC session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Awards & Recognition:
1. Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka has set a Guinness World Record for spending longest time in space with a total of 804 days as on July 2015.
With this he broke the previous record of 803 days, nine hours and 41 minutes set by Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev (now retired) across six missions from 1998 to 2005.
2. Helena Ndume of Namibia and Jorge Sampaio of Portugal were awarded with the first-ever Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize by the United Nations (UN) at the UN Headquarters in New York.
3. Historian Ramachandra Guha was chosen for the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize 2015 in the Academic Category.
4. The Defense PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) became the front runner in the Dun & Bradstreet’s ‘India’s Top PSUs Awards 2015 in the category of electrical and electronic equipment sector.
5. Kazakhstan, a member of the Russia-led economic blocks became 162th member of World Trade Organization (WTO).
Kazakhstan’s entry has ended its long wait of 20 years to become a member of WTO as its accession talks were initiated in 1996.
6. The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) announced the Ramon Magsaysay awardees for the year 2015.
7. Whistleblower Indian forest officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who was removed from the post of Chief Vigilance officer at AIIMS, and founder of NGO Goonj, Anshu Gupta are the two Indians selected for this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award.
Recipients of 2015 Ramon Magsaysay Award are
Sanjiv Chaturvedi
Anshu Gupta
Kommaly Chanthavong
Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa
Kyaw Thu.
8. Four Indian-Americans have been honored with prestigious Great Immigrants, The Pride of America award 2015.
They are among 38 distinguished personalities from more than 30 countries around the world who have been honored with this year’s award.
4 Indian-Americans are Preet Bharara: US Attorney, Southern District of New York.
Rakesh Khurana: Dean of Harvard College and Marvin Bower Professor of Leadership and Development.
Madhulika Sikka: Vice President and Executive Editor of .Mic.
Abraham Verghese: Physician, Professor and Author.
9. Fazle Hasan Abed of Bangladesh has been named as the winner of the 2015 World Food Prize.
He is founder and chairman of Bangladesh-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) BRAC (originally known as Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) which is world’s largest NGO.
10. R Paul Singh, Indian-American professor has been selected for 2015 World Agriculture Prize laureate.
11. Darshan Jain, an Indian-American teacher has been selected for prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
12. Prof. Sanjeev Galandehas been selected for the prestigious G D Birla Award for Scientific Research 2014.
He has been selected for his significant contribution and his pioneering research in the field of Epigenetics and Molecular Cell Biology.
About G.D. Birla Award
Established: 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation in the honour of philanthropist Ghanshyam Das Birla.
The award is given Indian scientist below the age of 50, living and working in India for his outstanding scientific research, mostly during the past 5 years.
Cash Prize: It carries a cash prize of 50 lakh rupees and a citation.
13. World Bank has ranked the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA) as the world’s largest public works program.
14. Pune’s prestigious Fergusson College, has been accorded the special heritage status by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
With the status, UGC will provide financial assistance for its upkeep. Now the college is among the 19 institutions in the country to get the heritage status.
15. The Film Society of Jodhpur was conferred with the Pritiman Sarkar Award 2014-15 for the consequent fourth time for being the best film society in Northern Region in raising awareness and film appreciation.
16. ‘Buddha in a Traffic Jam’ film has won the best original screenplay in a Foreign Language award at the Madrid International Film Festival.
The film is a political satire directed by filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri. It stars Arunoday Singh and Mahi Gill in a lead role along with Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi and introduces Anchal Dwivedi.
17. Krishnapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh has been awarded Golden Peacock environment management award for its achievements and initiatives in the field of environment.
18. Make in India initiative of DIPP won Frost and Sullivan’s 2015 Economic Development Innovation Award.
19. An India-based software products and technology services company Comparex India Pvt. Ltd on 14 July 2015 won the prestigious Microsoft Country Partner of the Year Award for 2015.
20. Indian American woman Sunita Viswanath was honored as Champions of Change by the White House of United States (US). She was among 12 other faith leaders who were awarded for their efforts in protecting environment and communities from the effects of climate change.
21. Pamarthy Shankar, a cartoonist working with the prominent Telugu Daily newspaper Sakshi, won the Grand Prix World Press Cartoon 2014 Award for sketching Nelson Mandela.
22. Film-maker Benoy Behl won the Best Documentary Producer award at Madrid International Film Festival. He was awarded for producing and directing a documentary film titledIndian Roots of Tibetan Buddhism.
23. Noted Canadian author Naomi Klein has won the 36th edition of American Book Award 2015.
She has won this award for her environmental work This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate published in 2014.
24. Seven Indian companies have found their place in 2015 Fortune 500 Global Companies list compiled by Fortune Magazine.
They are –
Indian Oil: ranked 119th with revenues of 74 billion dollars.
Reliance Industries: ranked 158th with revenues of 62 billion dollars.
Tata Motors: ranked 254th with revenues of 42 billion dollars.
State Bank of India (SBI): ranked 260th with revenues of 42 billion dollars.
Bharat Petroleum: ranked 280th with revenues of 40 billion dollars.
Hindustan Petroleum: ranked 327th with revenues of 35 billion dollars.
Oil and Natural Gas: ranked 449th with revenues of 26 billion dollars.
Top 5: Walmart (1st) of US, Sinopec Group (2nd) of China, Royal Dutch Shell (3rd) of Ne