NATIONAL NEWS

India and ASEAN Conference on Traditional Medicines

• The Ministry of AYUSH in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Mission in ASEAN organized a conference of India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Traditional Medicines in New Delhi.

• The conference pledged to strengthen sustainable and resilient health care systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage.

• A total of 75 delegates from India and ASEAN including two ASEAN countries participated in the conference through virtual mode.

• The Conference on Traditional Medicine between India and ASEAN countries provides a platform to deliberate on various dimensions of traditional systems of medicine to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

DPIIT and Government of Gujarat

• One District One Product (ODOP) programme, an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry collaborated with the Government of Gujarat to promote indigenous crafts and artisans of the state.

• Gujarat, with its 33 districts, offers a wide range of unique products, including traditional crafts such as Gamathi block prints and Mata-ni-Pachedi, as well as agricultural goods such as groundnut and cumin.

• The collaboration between ODOP and the Government of Gujarat includes product tagging and story cards to enhance the promotion and recognition of Gujarat's unique products.
• The partnership aims to increase the visibility of Gujarat products at the national level and drive consumers towards the emporia, thereby boosting sales.
• Specific interventions have been made to enhance the market presence of certain products in Gujarat.

Centre Approved Market Development Assistance of Rs 1500 Per MT

• Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers Bhagwanth Khuba informed the Lok Sabha that the Centre has approved the Market Development Assistance, MDA of 1500 rupees per metric tonne to promote organic fertilizers.

• The government is promoting balanced and judicious use of fertilizer based on soil tests in conjunction with organic and biofertilizers.

• The Minister said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research conducts research to test and develop organic inputs for different crops. It also promotes these products among the stakeholders through the network of Krishi Vigyan Kendras.

• The manure is produced at plants under the GOBARdhan initiative, PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth, PM-PRANAM and Sulphur Coated Urea also known as Urea Gold.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

First Woman to Lead The US Navy

• US President Joe Biden has nominated Admiral Lisa Franchetti to lead the US Navy.

• If confirmed by the Senate, Admiral Franchetti would become the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

• She is currently serving as the 42nd Deputy Chief of Naval Operations from September 2022.

• Previous roles include director of strategy, plans, and policies of the Joint Staff (2020–2022) and commander of the United States Sixth Fleet (2018–2020).
• Made history as the second woman to be promoted to the rank of four-star admiral in the US Navy.

Sri Lankan President Two-Day Visit to India

• Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe made a two-day visit to India on 20 and 21 July 2023, during which several important agreements were signed between the two countries, which is considered very important in terms of relations between the two countries.
• During the talks, a vision document has been adopted to take the bilateral economic partnership between the two countries to a new level.
• Through this, both the countries will increase mutual cooperation in tourism, energy, trade, higher education and skill development.
• Through this vision, it has been decided to strengthen maritime, air, energy and people-to-people connectivity among people.
• Both countries have decided to increase air connectivity.
• Along with this, it has also been decided to start passenger ferry services between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kanke-Santurai in Sri Lanka.

BANKING

UPU to Evaluate UPI Platform for Cross-Border Remittances

• The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has announced plans to evaluate the integration of the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) with cross-border remittances using the global postal network.
• It is to explore the potential of UPI in facilitating secure and efficient international money transfers.
• UPI offers a secure, convenient, and real-time payment experience, making it a promising platform for cross-border remittances.
• Leveraging the global postal network, which has extensive reach and infrastructure, can further expand the reach of UPI-enabled remittances.
• The integration of UPI with postal channels can provide a reliable and accessible remittance solution for individuals, particularly in remote areas where traditional banking services may be limited.

ESAF Small Finance Bank Scores High in ESG Assessment

• ESAF Small Finance Bank has achieved a high score of 71 in an Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) assessment conducted by CareEdge Research.

• By surpassing the industry average of 8 the Bank has showcased that its environmental, social and governance practices are set at a higher standard than the industry average.

• For the environmental pillar, the bank achieved a score of 62%.

• This demonstrates the banks’ commitment to green finance and environment conscious operations.

• Additionally, the Bank has demonstrated a decisive ESG roadmap in Sustainable Development Goal initiatives, foster local sustainable economic growth, ensure food security, foster energy security, and align with net-zero targets through its commitment to green finance and environmental consciousness.
• For the social pillar, the Bank achieved a score of 68% by demonstrating healthy labour management practices.
• For the governance pillar, the bank achieved a score of 76% due to its board governance and disclosure practices.

SPORTS

Brand Ambassador for ICC World Cup 2023

• Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has been roped in as the brand ambassador for the ICC World Cup 2023.

• Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan launched the World Cup 2023 campaign 'It Takes One Day' with his iconic voiceover.

• The ICC World Cup 2023 is scheduled to be held in India from 05 October to 19 November 2023.

• India's first match will be against Australia on October 8 and it will face Pakistan on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

• A total of 10 teams will participate in the tournament, with India, Afghanistan, Australia, England, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa qualifying directly based on their performance in the 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.

AWARDS & PRIZES

British Prime Minister's 'Points of Light' Award

• Indian-origin seven-year-old Moksha Roy has been honored with the British Prime Minister's 'Points of Light' award.
• Indian-origin Moksha Roy has been working for the United Nations' sustainable initiative against microplastic pollution since she was just three years old.
• British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden presented the award to seven-year-old Moksha Roy in the third week of July.
• Moksha Roy has been given the title as the world's youngest sustainability advocate.
• Moksha is recognized for her work in several sustainable campaigns including raising funds to help children in need.

DEFENCE

Indian Navy Launches Second Edition of 'G20 THINQ' Quiz

• The Indian Navy, in association with the Navy Welfare and Wellness Association (NWWA) and the G20 Secretariat, launched the second edition of "G20 THINQ''.
• The initiative aims to bring together young individuals from different walks of life and geographies, fostering lasting friendship with the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - The World is One Family.
• "G20 THINQ" is a national and international quiz competition designed for students studying in classes IX to XII and their counterparts.
• More than 10,000 schools from across the country will participate in the national round.
• Sixteen schools will qualify for the semi-finals to be held in Mumbai on 16 November 2023.
• The top eight teams will compete in the National Championship Finals on 18 November 2023 at the iconic Gateway of India.
• The primary objective of G20 THINQ is to enlighten the brightest young minds about the Indian Navy, which is considered to be the leader of the future.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Mango Day

• National Mango Day is celebrated every year on 22 July.

• The history of the International Mango Festival can be traced back to 1987 when the National Horticulture Board of India came up with the idea of celebrating the mango fruit.

• Mango cultivation in India dates back more than 5,000 years and has an important place in Indian folklore, with legends linking it to Lord Buddha.
• The English and Spanish name "mango" has its roots in the Malayan word "manna", which was transformed into "manga" by the Portuguese during their spice trade ventures in Kerala in the 1490s.

World Brain Day

• World Brain Day, also known as International Brain Day, is an annual health care event observed around the world on 22 July.

• The event has been happening for the past nine years and is dedicated to raising awareness about brain diseases.

• The theme for World Brain Day 2023 is "Brain health and disability: leaving no one behind." This global initiative focuses on bridging the knowledge gap and raising awareness of brain health disorders.

• The main goal is to advocate for improved health care, education and research related to neurological disorders with a special emphasis on providing high quality health care to persons with disabilities.
• The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) was established on July 22, 1957, which serves as an important organisation in the field of neurology.

MISCELLANEOUS

Youngest Person to Cross the North Channel

• Anshuman Jhingran, an 18-year-old open water swimmer from Navi Mumbai, achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest person to cross the North Channel.
• The North Channel is a challenging strait located between the northeast coast of Northern Ireland and the southwest coast of Scotland, which serves as the end of the Irish Sea and flows northwest into the Atlantic Ocean.
• Anshuman accomplished this incredible feat in just 125 days, earning him a place in the prestigious Guinness World Records.
• His successful crossing was the 114th of its kind since 1947, showing the difficulty of swimming the North Channel.