1 INS Delhi awarded Best Ship of Eastern Fleet
INS Delhi has been adjudged the Best Ship of the Eastern Fleet at the annual ‘ Fleet Awards Function-2024 ‘ held at Visakhapatnam . The tactical successes of the Eastern Fleet were recognised at the Fleet Awards Ceremony at Visakhapatnam on July 14, 2024, with INS Delhi being named the Best Ship. INS Kavaratti was recognised as the Best Ship in the category of Corvette, OPV and LST , while INS Shivalik, INS Sumedha and INS Sumitra were also commended for their outstanding performance. Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, was the Chief Guest at the event hosted by Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankhar.
2 Delhi HC gets AI support, gets first hybrid court room
On July 19, a hybrid court room was inaugurated in Delhi ‘s Tis Hazari Court . Artificial Intelligence (AI) will now be used to document court proceedings and evidence. The purpose of the AI court room is to make the court paperless. It is called hybrid because the work here will be done manually as before, and AI has also been included in it. A technology has been used in which the computer types the spoken words after listening to them. Hybrid court rooms will be built in all 691 district courts of Delhi. A budget of about Rs 387 crore has been kept for this, 14 pilot projects are in the pipeline. Acting Justice Manmohan also launched the Digital Court App. This will make it easier for judicial officers to access cases filed online. This is a desktop application, from which soft copies of court proceedings and documents can be easily obtained.
3 Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal
On July 19, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel ‘s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal . Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip after defeating Arab countries in 1967. The ICJ has 15 judges, out of which 11 judges ruled against Israel. The ICJ said that Israel has misused its power and snatched the rights of the Palestinians. The ICJ said that Israel is violating international laws. Israel should compensate the Palestinians for ruling these territories for so many years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected this decision and called it a ‘false decision’.
4 Annual Kataragama Esala Festival celebrated in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is celebrating the annual Kataragama Esala festival . Devotees who started the padayatra in May have reached Kataragama after completing a journey of more than 500 kilometres on foot from as far away as Jaffna in Sri Lanka’s northern peninsula, crossing difficult terrain . The festival is celebrated by people of different religions and is known for the deep ties between India and Sri Lanka. Katharagama’s main temple Maha Deval is dedicated to the Hindu war god Skanda. Skanda is said to have six heads, twelve arms, twenty names and two wives, Buddhists also worship Skanda as Katharagama Devi, while Muslims believe that the place is associated with Hazrat Khizr.
5 Discovery of sulfur on Mars
On July 19, the US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced the discovery of sulfur on Mars . NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover has discovered sulfur. This is the first time sulfur has been found in its pure form on Mars. Sulfur crystals have been found in the rocks of Mars’ Geddes Vallis channel. Sulfates are formed when sulfur combines with other minerals in water and vaporizes. Rover Curiosity is a mobile laboratory sent to Mars. Rover Curiosity was launched on November 26, 2011.
6 India at the 35th International Biology Olympiad 2024 in Kazakhstan
The Indian team participating in the 35th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2024 achieved remarkable success, with one student winning a gold medal and three students winning silver medals. The 35th IBO was held in Astana, Kazakhstan from July 7 to July 13, 2024. The team was led by two eminent leaders, Professor Sasikumar Menon from TDM Lab, Mumbai and Dr. Mayuri Rege from Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), TIFR and two scientific supervisors, Dr. Rajesh Patkar from IIT Bombay and Dr. Devesh Suthar from M.S. University, Baroda. The programme aims to promote excellence in science and mathematics among pre-university students. In the areas of science, the Olympiad programme in Astronomy (Junior and Senior level), Biology, Chemistry, Junior Science and Physics is a five-stage process with separate courses for each subject.
7 Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) awards Taxnet 2.0 project to M/s Bharti-Airtel Limited
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) after the approval of the Government has awarded the Taxnet 2.0 project to M/s Bharti-Airtel Limited for providing network connectivity, facility management services and video conferencing services to the Income Tax Department (ITD) . This is a cutting edge technology that provides secure, reliable and seamless connectivity services and marks a significant advancement over the current Taxnet 1.0 project. This technology will greatly help in upgrading the digital infrastructure of the Department. Taxnet 2.0 aims to empower the network system of the Income Tax Department and provide enhanced security, improved reliability and a seamless user experience to all stakeholders. M/s Bharti-Airtel Limited, renowned for its expertise and innovative solutions in the field of telecommunications, has been selected for this important project through an open tender selection process.
8 LIC ties up with IDFC First Bank under corporate agency arrangement
Continuing its endeavor to enhance the contribution of bancassurance and provide life insurance coverage to all by 2047 , Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has entered into an agreement with IDFC FIRST Bank Ltd. , one of the most technologically advanced and promising banks of the country, under Corporate Agency arrangement.
9 Chandipura virus in Gujarat
Chandipura virus is becoming increasingly dangerous in Gujarat . Meanwhile, a four-year-old girl has died of Chandipura virus in Gujarat. This has been confirmed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) . A health official said that the state health department is fully alert about Chandipura virus. CHPV virus is a virus of the Rhabdoviridae family. The Rhabdoviridae family also includes viruses that cause rabies. CHPV virus spreads through some species of flies and mosquitoes (eg, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that cause dengue). The virus lives in the salivary glands of these flies and mosquitoes and a human can get infected with this virus by the bite of these flies and mosquitoes and he may get encephalitis i.e. inflammation in the active tissues of the brain. According to the report, the first case of such infection was reported in Chandipura village of Bhandara district of Maharashtra in the year 1965. Hence, it was named Chandipura virus.
10 Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda and Minister of State Ms Anupriya Patel launched the 13th edition of India Chem with the theme “Advantage India: Indian Chemicals & Petrochemicals Paving the Way for the Future”
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda in the presence of Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Ms. Anupriya Patel inaugurated the 13th edition of India Chem with the theme “ Advantage India: Indian Chemicals and Petrochemicals Paving the Way for the Future ”. Shri Nadda also launched the brochure for the 13th edition of India Chem. India Chem 2024, the flagship event of the Department, is one of the largest comprehensive industry events in the Asia-Pacific region, comprising an international exhibition and conference. India Chem Expo aims to showcase the vast potential of the Indian chemical industry as well as its various industry categories (including chemicals, petrochemicals, agrochemicals etc.) and provide a platform for thought-provoking discussions, visionary ideas and strategic collaborations among industry representatives. The Indian chemical industry is currently valued at US$ 220 billion and is expected to reach US$ 300 billion by 2030 and US$ 1 trillion by 2040. Even in an environment of global uncertainty, this industry remains an active hub of opportunities.
11 SpaceX and X headquarters will no longer be in California
Elon Musk announced the transfer of SpaceX headquarters and social media platform X from California to Texas. He said that SpaceX’s headquarters is currently located in Hawthorne, California. It will now be established in Starbase , Texas. At the same time, X’s headquarters will no longer be in San Francisco. It will be moved from here to Austin. According to Musk, the reason behind this decision was the recently passed law in California, which was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday. According to this law, under school rules, teachers and staff cannot now tell anyone, including parents, about the child’s gender identity and sexual preference without the child’s consent. Supporters of the law say that it will help protect LGBTQ students who live in homes where they are not respected. But opponents say that it will hinder the ability of schools to be more transparent with parents.
12 Chennai Super Kings set up the Super Kings Academy in Sydney
Chennai Super Kings (CSK), one of the most successful franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has announced a significant expansion of its global presence with the establishment of its third international Super Kings Academy in Sydney, Australia . The move not only enhances CSK’s international recognition but also strengthens the franchise’s long-standing relationship with Australian cricket.
13 Vidhatri Urs of India won the ninth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour 2024
In golf , India’s Vidhatri Urs has won the ninth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour 2024. Vidhatri hit a hat-trick of birdies at the start of the final round and won the title by two shots. Vidhatri played a card of one under 70. Earlier, she had played cards of 68 and 69 in two days. This gave her a total score of six under 207. This is Vidhatri’s first win as a professional golfer. However, as an amateur, she has already won titles on the tour. The tenth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour 2024 will be played from 23 to 26 July at Prestige Golf Shire in Bengaluru.
14 World Chess Day 2024
World Chess Day is celebrated every year on July 20. The day marks the anniversary of the founding of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) , which was founded in Paris in 1924. Chess is an ancient game that originated in India in the 6th century as a game called Chaturanga. It gradually spread westwards and by the 15th century it became the most popular game in Europe.
15 Renowned cardiologist and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. MS Valiathan passes away at the age of 90
Renowned cardiologist Dr MS Valiathan passed away at the age of 90 at Manipal Hospital in Karnataka . Dr Valiathan was the founder and director of Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology and an iconic figure in the field of cardiology. A student of the first batch of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Dr Valiathan had an illustrious career that spanned prestigious institutions across the world. He served as the first vice-chancellor of Manipal University and was on the faculty of Georgetown University Hospital. Dr Valiathan’s contributions to health technology earned him several awards at the national and international levels, including the Padma Vibhushan in 2005 and the Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French government in 1999. He was also awarded the Samuel P Asper International Award by the Johns Hopkins University Medical School for his contributions to medical education.