NATIONAL NEWS

India’s First E-Waste Eco-Park

• India’s first e-waste Eco- Park is set to be developed in Holambi Kalan in Delhi.

• The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) is the implementing agency for the project.

• A 11-member steering committee has benn formed for the construction of the park in an area of about 21 acres.
• Every year the capital city produces over two lakh tonnes of e-waste, which is about 9.5 percent of the total amount produced in India.
• Delhi is now the fifth-largest producer of e-waste in India. However, only 5 per cent of the generated e-waste is properly recycled.

Cabinet Approves Taranga Hill-Ambaji-Abu Road

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs CCEA today approved Taranga Hill-Ambaji-Abu Road new rail line in Gujarat and Rajasthan to provide connectivity and improve mobility.
• The rail line is constructed by the Ministry of Railways at an estimated cost of Rs. 2798.16 crore and will be completed by 2026-27.
• The total length of the new rail line will be over 116 kilometres.
• The rail line will increase connectivity to Ambaji Shaktipeeth and Ajitnath Jain Temple.
• The new railway route will benefit the people of Rajasthan and Gujarat in many ways as it will create speedy transportation of agricultural and local products.

Cultural and Tourism capital of SCO

• Varanasi will be the first city in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) region to be granted the rotating title of ‘Cultural & Tourism capital of SCO’ during India’s SCO Presidency from September 2022 to September 2023.

• India will take over as SCO chair from Uzbekistan at the Samarkand summit in September 2022.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed many initiatives of culture for SCO including SCO Food Festival and SCO Film Festival.

STEMROBO Partners with AIC IIT Delhi

• Edtech startup STEMROBO Technologies has partnered with AIC IIT Delhi.
• It is to provide training in the latest cutting-edge technologies by announcing the launch of a Tech Entrepreneurship Program in association with AIC IIT Delhi for 8-18 years of age group.
• Through the CIC (Consumer – Innovator – Creator) approach, this program is focused on embedding skills like Robotics,3D printing, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Coding and Blockchain.
• This program will be a technology-based learning and entrepreneurship designed to assist students in turning their ideas and interests into profitable businesses.

Delhi Government Tie-up with UNICEF

• The Delhi government has launched a new pilot initiative with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) which would give students of the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) access to employment prospects.

• “Career Awareness Sessions” for students have been launched by DSEU and UNICEF.

• Its goal is to increase the reach of young job seekers on the new generation of job portals.
• Beginning on July 20, the pilot will operate at the Ambedkar DSEU Shakarpur-I campus.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Israel Sells Haifa Port to Adani Ports

• India's ports-to-power conglomerate Adani Group won the tender for the privatisation of the state-owned Haifa Port in Israel for $ 1.2 billion.
• Haifa port announced that the Adani Group will operate the port till 2054.
• A joint venture between Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's largest private multi-port operator and Israel's Gadot Chemicals Tankers and Terminals Ltd won the bid for Haifa
• The JV will acquire a 100 per cent stake in Haifa Port Company. While the majority stake in the port, of 70 per cent will be held by APSEZ and Gadot wIll own the remaining 30 per cent.
• Haifa is Israel's second largest port and serves as a major trade hub on the country's Mediterranean coast.

BANKING

Embedded Value of LIC Rises

• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) reported its Indian embedded value (IEV) of Rs 5.41 lakh crore as on March 2022, a little higher than Rs 5.39 lakh crore at the end of September 2021.
• Its RoEV (return on embedded value) for March 2022 stood at 11.9 per cent as compared with 36.9 per cent for March 2021.
• The embedded value (EV) is a measure of the consolidated value of shareholders’ interest in the life insurance business.
• It represents the worth of shareholders’ interests in the earnings distributable from the assets allocated to the business after sufficient allowance for the aggregate risks in the business.

AMFI to Launch Campaign

• The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) has launched a new mutual fund distributor recruitment campaign Karein Shuru (Can We Start).

• The campaign includes television commercial films to reinforce the need and attractiveness of Mutual Funds Distribution as a career option with long-term earning potential for individuals with entrepreneurial aspirations.

• The campaign targets women looking to re-enter the workforce, retired professionals, enterprising fresh graduates and individuals with entrepreneurial aspirations.

SPORTS

World Athletics Championships 2022

• The 18th edition of the World Athletics Championships 2022 began in Eugene city of Oregon state of US on 15 July 2022 and the US is holding the event for the first time.

• In total 49 events will be organized and around 2,000 athletes will participate from 205 countries.

• For India, Olympic Javelin champion Neeraj Chopra will lead the Country’s charge.
• Murali Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin will represent India in the long jump at World Athletics Championships 2022.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

India Rankings 2022

• On 15 July 2022, India Rankings-2022 were released by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi.

• According to the rankings, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has emerged as the best educational institution while Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru is best university.

• IIM, Ahmedabad is the best management institute in the country followed by IIM, Bangalore and IIM, Calcutta.
• AIIMS, New Delhi is the best medical college and Savitha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences in Chennai is the best dental college.
• IIT, Madras is the best engineering college followed by IIT, Delhi and IIT, Bombay.
• Miranda House, Delhi is the best college followed by Hindu College, Delhi and Presidency College, Chennai.
• Jamia Hamdard in the best Pharmacy institute in the country.
• Innovation and entrepreneurship will be part of National Institutional Ranking Framework, NIRF, and National Assessment and Accreditation Council, NAAC.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Director General of FIFS

• The Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), a self-regulatory industry body, has appointed Joy Bhattacharjya as its director general.

• Bhattacharjya is the CEO of the Prime Volleyball League and is a cricket analyst.

• The Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), earlier known as the Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG), was established to protect consumer interest and create standardised practices in the Fantasy Sports industry.
• He was also the project director for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Youth Skills Day

• World Youth Skills Day is celebrated every year on 15 July.

• The purpose of this day is to provide essential skills to youngsters around the globe so that they can get employment.

• The day helps in disseminating awareness about the importance of skills in getting good work opportunities.
• The theme for this year 2022 is ‘Transforming youth skills for the future’.
• The United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day in December 2014.

OBITUTARY

Former New Zealand Cricket Captain Barry Sinclair

• Former New Zealand cricket captain and batter Barry Sinclair has Passed away. He was at the age of 85.
• Sinclair was born on 23 October 1936 in Wellington, New Zealand.
• He was the third Kiwi batter after Bert Sutcliffe and John R Reid to score 1,000 runs in Test cricket.
• He played 21 Tests for New Zealand between 1963 and 1968 scoring 1148 runs at 29.43, including three centuries against South Africa, Pakistan and England.