NATIONAL NEWS

NCPCR Declares Mica Mines in Jharkhand 'Child Labour Free'

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) declared the mica mines of Jharkhand' child labour-free' at an event in Koderma, Jharkhand.

Mica is a shimmery, translucent mineral used in various industries, such as cosmetics, electronics, automobiles, and construction.

It is abundant in the Koderma and Giridih districts of Jharkhand. Koderma was once called the Mica capital of India, the Abkrah Nagari.

The widespread use of child labour in mica mining led to an initiative from the government in collaboration with civil society to stop the use of child labour in mica mining and rehabilitation of the child labour freed from mining.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body which was set up under the provisions of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.

3rd Meeting of Indian Pharmaceutical Congress

 Addressing the 73rd meeting of the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress in Hyderabad yesterday, Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy said the country is the fifth largest economy in the world and the goal is to grow into a 5 trillion-dollar economy.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed to make the country the third-largest economy by 2027. 

He said pharmaceutical products are the fifth largest commodity in exports, and the country exported them worth 1 lakh 83 thousand crore rupees in 2023

Stating that Indian pharmaceutical products are the best in the country, he recalled that the country developed a vaccine and gave it to the world during the COVID pandemic. 

BANKING

LIC Launches Project ‘Jeevan Samarth’

LIC announced the launch of ‘Jeevan Samarth’, an initiative aimed at transforming the agency ecosystem.

Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has partnered with a global consulting firm, which will undertake this agency transformation project by reviewing its existing agency framework on an end-to-end basis.

“Through the ‘Jeevan Samarth’ project, we aim to transform our agency ecosystem to align with the rapidly evolving needs of millions of Indian families and provide them suitable long-term savings, protection, health insurance, ULIP and pension solutions“.

ICICI Bank Launches Pre-Paid Sapphiro Forex Card

ICICI Bank announced the launch of its ‘Student Sapphiro Forex Card’, a premium forex prepaid card crafted specifically for students who are going abroad for higher education.
The card, powered by Visa, provides exclusive benefits and convenience to students as well as their parents to manage education related expenses abroad such as admission fees, course-related fees and other day-to-day expenses including travel, dining and groceries, among others.

The ICICI Bank Student Sapphiro Forex Card comes with an array of joining benefits up to Rs 15,000, along with exclusive privileges.

It comes with a welcome kit with two cards– a primary and a replacement card, that can be activated digitally through iMobile Pay, internet banking or by calling the Bank’s Customer Care in the event of loss/damage of the primary card. 

 This card can be reloaded digitally using iMobile Pay and internet banking by the students and their parents, instantly, anytime and from anywhere. 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Tamil Writer Sivashankari Wins National Literary Award

The Dr. C. Narayana Reddy National Literary Award has been given to the famous Tamil author Sivashankari.

Sivashankari is set to receive a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a memento, and a shawl.

The award will be presented to her on July 29, during the 93rd birth anniversary celebrations of Dr. C. Narayana Reddy at Ravindra Bharati in Hyderabad.

The Chief Minister of the region, A. Revanth Reddy, will attend the ceremony as the chief guest. Other notable guests include Minister for Culture Jupalli Krishna Rao and Government Whip Adi Srinivas.

He wrote 36 novels, 48 mini-novels (navalikas), 150 short stories, 15 travelogues, seven collections of essays, four study papers, and two biographies. 

Spice Award

Sopna Kallingal of Kallingal Plantation, Thrissur, received Spice Award 2024, instituted by ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research. 

The award has been given to her for her initiatives in enterprise diversification and integrated crop management strategies, promoting a sustainable spice-based cropping system.

Sopna Kallingal of Kallingal Plantation, Thrissur, received Spice Award 2024, instituted by ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research. 

The award has been given to her for her initiatives in enterprise diversification and integrated crop management strategies, promoting a sustainable spice-based cropping system.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

President of Iran

Reformist and moderate leader Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as Iran's new president.

The Interior Ministry of Iran declared him the winner of the presidential run-off against rival Saeed Jalili on 6 July 2024.

According to the Iranian constitution, the people elect the president through universal adult suffrage. Only a citizen of Iran born in Iran can contest the presidential election.

The winning candidate has to secure more than 50 per cent of the valid votes cast. 

Masoud Pezeshkian is a heart surgeon by profession and has been a member of the Iranian parliament since 2008.

Masoud Pezeshkian received about 42.5 per cent of the votes

In the run-off presidential election, Masoud Pezeshkian secured 53.7 per cent of the votes

The term of the Iranian President is four years, and he is eligible for re-election. 

SPORTS

133rd Durand Cup

The Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest and India’s most prestigious club-based football tournament, is set to enter its 133rd edition in 2024. 

The 133rd Durand Cup will kick off on July 27, 2024, and conclude with the final on August 31, 2024.

The tournament’s finale will be held at the iconic Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata, West Bengal, a venue that has witnessed numerous historic football moments.

2024 edition will be hosted across four cities namely Kolkata, West Bengal: The traditional football capital of India, Kokrajhar, Assam: Representing the football-loving Northeast, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand: Making its debut as a Durand Cup host and Shillong, Meghalaya: Another Northeast football hub

The tournament will consist of 43 matches played in a round-robin league-cum-knockout format.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Zoonoses Day

Every year, 6 July is observed as World Zoonoses Day.

On 6 July 1885, the French biologist Louis Pasteur successfully administered the first rabies vaccine to a 9-year-old boy, Joseph Meiste, who had been bitten by a rabid dog. 

The World Zoonoses Day seeks to raise awareness amongst the public and the stakeholders about the danger of diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

The theme of the 2024 World Zoonoses Day is "One World, One Health: Prevent Zoonoses" 

This theme emphasises the need to break the transmission cycle to prevent future pandemics like COVID-19.

There are various ways a Zoonotic disease can spread to humans.