Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 8th July 2024

 

National News 

1. 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. 
• NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo announced that this is the first-ever successful endeavour to cleanse a supply chain of child labour in mica mining. 
• 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. 
• A Child labour-free mica initiative was launched 20 years ago with the participation of the state government, district administration, village panchayats, civil society and the central government. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights was later involved in the initiative after its creation. 

2.Bail cannot be withheld as a form of punishment, says SC 

• The Supreme Court has held that the right to bail of an accused cannot be with-held as a punishment irrespective of the nature of the crime. 
• Refusal to grant bail is an unjust punishment leading to "prisonization" of an accused, who is innocent until proven guilty, the apex court reminded. 
• "If the state or any prosecuting agency, including the court concerned, has no wherewithal to provide or protect the fundamental right of an accused to have a speedy trial as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution then the state or any other prosecuting agency should not oppose the plea for bail on the ground that the crime committed is serious. Article 21 of the Constitution applies irrespective of the nature of the crime," a Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan observed in a recent order. 
• The order was based on an appeal filed by Javed Gulam Nabi Shaikh against a Bombay High Court decision refusing him bail in a case under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). 
• The top court refused a request made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to adjourn the matter and decided to give Shaikh his liberty back. The Bench noted that he has been languishing in prison as an undertrial for the past four years. It added that the trial court had so far not even been able to proceed to frame charges and the State of Maharashtra and the NIA have a total of 80 witnesses to examine in the case. 
• "Over a period of time, the trial courts and the High Courts have forgotten a very well settled principle of law that bail is not to be withheld as a punishment," the apex court underscored. 
• The prosecution case is that Shaikh was apprehended on February 9, 2020 with a bag of counterfeit notes of the denomination of ₹2,000. It was alleged that the consignment was smuggled from Pakistan to Mumbai 

3.About National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) 

• NCPCR is a statutory body which was set up under the provisions of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005. 
• The NCPCR came into existence in 2007 
• The NCPCR comes under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development. 
• Chairperson of NCPCR – Priyank Kanoongo International News 

4.USA to host NATO summit in Washington DC 

• USA will host the 3-day NATO summit in Washington DC. 
• The three-day NATO summit to be held here from July 9 to 11 will be the first to include Sweden as a member of the alliance. 
• Sweden officially joined the alliance in March. 
• The summit is likely to show a strong demonstration of America and its allies’ support for Ukraine and make significant new announcements to increase military, political and financial support for the war-torn European country. 
• The historic summit would also mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which is now a strong military alliance of 32 countries. 

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 

• Founded – 1949 
• Headquarters – Brussels, Belgium 
• Secretary General- Mark Rutte 
• Member countries -32 (32nd Sweden, 31st Finland) 
• Founding Members – United States, Canada, and ten European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. 
•  NATO is a military alliance between North American and European countries. 

5.Hong Kong is the most expensive city in the world according to Mercer's cost of living data report 

• According to Mercer's cost of living data report, Hong Kong, Singapore and Zurich are the most expensive cities for international workers in 2024, maintaining their positions from last year. The cities with the lowest cost of living are Islamabad, Lagos and Abuja. 
• Mumbai is ranked 136th, moving up 11 spots from last year. This makes it the most expensive city in India for expatriates. The national capital Delhi is ranked 165th, moving up four spots. 
• The other Indian cities listed are Chennai (189), Bengaluru (195), Hyderabad (202), Pune (205) and Kolkata (207). 
• Apart from Hong Kong and Singapore, other most expensive cities in Asia include Shanghai (23), Beijing (25) and Seoul (32), according to the report. The report analysed 226 cities, comparing the cost of over 200 items in each location, such as transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. 
• According to the report, expensive housing markets and increased costs of transport, goods and services are among the reasons why the cost of living is particularly high in the top-ranked cities. 
• The top 10 most expensive places to live also include European cities. In addition to four Swiss cities, London has joined the top 10 rankings in 8th place. Other expensive cities in the region include Copenhagen (11), Vienna (24), Paris (29) and Amsterdam (30). 
• Dubai has risen in the rankings to become the Middle East's most expensive city for international employees, now ranked 15th globally, up three places from 2023. The second most expensive city in the region is Tel Aviv, which dropped eight places to 16th. Tel Aviv is followed by Abu Dhabi at 43rd, Riyadh at 90th and Jeddah at 97th. 

State News 

6.Mahaprabhu Jagannath Rath Yatra begins in Odisha 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the people on the commencement of the holy Rath Yatra in Odisha and prayed that the blessings of Lord Jagannath continue to be upon them. 
• The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is as old as the Jagannath Temple in Puri. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated on the second day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashadh. 
• The Jagannath Rath Yatra is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the journey of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and their younger sister Goddess Subhadra from their home temple in Puri, Odisha to their aunt's temple in Gundicha, about three kilometres away. 
• The legend behind the festival is that once Goddess Subhadra expressed her wish to visit her aunt's home in Gundicha. So, in memory of this incident, the deities are taken on a similar journey and celebrated as a festival every year. 
• The temple is believed to have been built in the 12th century by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. However, some sources say that the festival was in practice since ancient times. 
• The festival is also known as the festival of chariots as the deities are carried on three large wooden chariots and devotees pull these chariots with ropes. 
• The festival begins on the second day of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Ashadha (June-July) and continues for nine days. Ashadhi Beej - New Year of the Kutch Community 
• Ashadhi Beej is celebrated every year on the second day of the month of Ashadha by the Kutch community in the Kutch region of Gujarat as the Hindu New Year. It is also known as the Kutchi New Year. 
• The festival marks the beginning of rains in the Kutch region of Gujarat. During Ashadhi, the humidity in the atmosphere is tested to predict which crops will grow better in the coming monsoon. Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi and other regional deities are worshipped on this occasion. 
• The Rann of Kutch in India is located in the biogeographical region of the Thar Desert in the Indian state of Gujarat. The region also extends into the Sindh province of Pakistan. The Rann of Kutch covers a vast area of about 10,000 square miles. In the northeastern corner of the Rann of Kutch is the Luni River, which originates from Rajasthan. 
• The Rann of Kutch is counted among the wetlands of India. The Gulf of Kutch is located to the west of the region and the Gulf of Khambhat is to the east. The region is home to a large population of wild Asiatic ass, a member of the wild horse family. 
• The Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary is famous for the Little Rann of Kutch. The Rann of Kutch is the only region in India that shelters migratory flamingos. The Biosphere Reserve of the Rann of Kutch is considered an important area for the conservation of the critically endangered vulture species. 

Defence News 

7.Indian Air Force successfully test-fires first indigenous antiradiation missile 'Rudram-1' 

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully test-fired its first indigenous anti-radiation missile, Rudram-1, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). 
• Rudram-1 is integrated with the IAF's Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet, which serves as the launch platform. The missile features INSGPS navigation and a passive homing head for the final attack, enabling it to accurately hit radiation-emitting targets. 
• Earlier, the DRDO successfully testfired the Rudram-II air-to-surface missile from the Indian Air Force (IAF)'s Sukhoi-30 Mk-I platform off the coast of Odisha on May 29, 2024. 
• Rudram-1 accuracy is crucial for Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) operations, making it possible to destroy enemy radars and communication sites from long ranges. 
• The missile can be launched from varying altitudes from 500 metres to 15 kilometres and has a range of up to 250 kilometres depending upon the launch conditions. 
• When compared globally, Rudram-1 enhances India’s SEAD capabilities against adversaries like the US (AGM-88 HARM), Russia (Kh-58), UK (ALARM), China (FT-2000), Iran (Hormoz-2) and Brazil (MAR-1). 

8.Army inducts first indigenous chipbased 4G mobile base station 

• Indian Army has inducted the first indigenous chip-based ‘Sahyadri 4G mobile base station’ which it procured from Bengaluru-based company Signaltron through the government e-marketplace portal. Signaltron founder Himanshu Khasnis said that the chip used in Sahyadri LTE base stations has been developed by Signalchip. In 2010, Signalchip was founded. 
• This is the first time an Indian system running on an Indian chip for complex communication technology has been inducted into the army. The Indian Army had bid on GeM (Governm ent eMarketplace) last year for the supply of 4G LTE NIB (Network in a Box) solutions. 

Appointment 

9. Siddhartha Mohanty reappointed MD and CEO of LIC 

• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has re-designated its chairman Siddhartha Mohanty as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO). 
• Mohanty was appointed as the chairperson of LIC in April 2023 until June 29, 2024. Thereafter, he was scheduled to take over the role of MD & CEO of the corporation until June 7, 2025.
• Currently, LIC has four other Managing Directors: M. Jagannath, Tablesh Pandey, Sat Pal Bhanoo, and R. Doraiswamy. 
• Siddhartha Mohanty began his career with LIC as an apprentice officer in 1985. Over nearly 40 years, he has held various roles within LIC, including Executive Director (Legal) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at LIC Housing Finance Limited (HFL). 

About LIC 

• Established: 1956 
• Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra 
• Chairman- Siddhartha Mohanty 
• It is owned by the Government of India and under the Ministry of Finance. 

10.Elisa de Anda Madrazo assumes charge as FATF President

 

• Mexico’s Elisa de Anda Madrazo has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF). 
• She succeeded Mr. T. Raja Kumar of Singapore. 
• Elisa is the president from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2026. 
• De Anda has over a decade of experience in leadership positions in the anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) sector. 
• De Anda currently serves as Director General in Mexico’s Ministry of Finance and Public Credit. Elisa joined the Ministry in 2015. 

About Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 

• Founded – 1989 
• Headquarters – Paris, France 
• Membership – 40 
• President – Elisa de Anda Madrazo; Mexico (replace T Raja Kumar; Singapore) 

Recent Appointment in Foreign 

• First woman brigadier in Pakistan Army from minority community – Helen Mary 
• Defence minister of Russia – Andrei Belousov (replace Sergei Shoigu) 
• UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia – Gita Sabharwal (India) 
• MD of International Monetary Fund – Kristalina Georgieva (2nd time) 

11. Bandhan Bank appoints Ratan Kr Kesh as interim MD & CEO 

• The board of private sector lender Bandhan Bank approved the appointment of Ratan Kumar Kesh as interim MD and CEO of the bank with effect from July 10 for a period of three months. 
• The present MD and CEO, Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, is set to retire on July 9. 
• Kesh has been the executive director and chief operating officer of Bandhan Bank since March 2023. He was formerly with the ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Yes Bank and Axis Bank. 

About Bandhan Bank 

• Founded – 2001 
• Founder – Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
•  Headquarters – Kolkata 
• MD & CEO – Ratan Kumar Kesh (Interim) 

Ranks and Reports News 

12. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights declares Jharkhand's mica mines 'child labour free' 

• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) declared Jharkhand's mica mines 'child labour free' at an event in Koderma, Jharkhand on July 5, 2024. At the ceremony, NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanungo declared that this is the first successful attempt to clean up the supply chain of child labour in mica mining. 
• Children working in India up to the age of 14 are called child labour. It is abundant in Koderma and Giridih districts of Jharkhand. Koderma was once called the mica capital of India, Abkhar Nagri. 
• A research conducted by 'Bachpan Bachao Andolan' in 2004 had found that more than 5000 children were involved in mica mining and collection of 'mica scrap or waste mica available in the dumpsites of mica belts of Koderma and Giridih districts'. By 2019, this number had increased to more than 20,000. 
• By strategic, collaborative and persistent work by the 'Child Labour Free Mica' programme, all 684 mica-dependent villages are now free of child labour, while 20,584 children have been removed from mica mining and 30,364 children have enrolled in schools so far. 
• The Child Labour Free Mica initiative was launched 20 years ago with the participation of the state government, district administration, gram panchayats, civil society and the central government. After its formation, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights was also included in this initiative. 
• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body, established under the provisions of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005. The NCPCR came into existence in 2007. 
• The NCPCR comes under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development. The NCPCR was established to protect the rights of children as provided in the Constitution and other laws of the country. 

Sports 

13. Dhruv Sitwala win Asian Billiards Championships 

• India’s Dhruv Sitwala has won the men’s Asian Billiards Championships after defeating Pankaj Advani in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 
• Dhruv set the tone for the match with an impressive start, scoring 103 points, while Advani struggled to get on the board, finishing with no points. 
• Advani managed to improve his game, scoring 36 points, but Dhruv maintained his dominance with another 100. 
• Advani found his rhythm in the third frame and outplayed Dhruv, achieving a remarkable 101. Dhruv, however, had an off-frame, scoring only two points. 
• While, India’s Anupama Ramachandran has won the maiden Asian Snooker Championship Title with a gritty 3-1 win over Panchaya Channoi of Thailand. 

14. Kolkata, Kokrajhar, Jamshedpur and Shillong to host 133rd Durand Cup, 2024 

• The 133rd edition of the Durand Cup will kick off on 27 July 2024. The final of Asia and India's oldest clubbased football tournament will be played at Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata, West Bengal on 31 August 2024. 
• The matches of the 133rd Durand Cup will be held in Kolkata, Kokrajhar (Assam), Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) and Shillong (Meghalaya). 
• The opening match, semi-finals and final of the tournament will be played in Kolkata. Kokrajhar will host matches at the SAI Stadium, Jamshedpur at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, Shillong at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Kolkata at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan and Kishore Bharati Krirangan Stadium. 
• For the first time, Jamshedpur will host Durand Cup matches. Mohun Bagan Super Giant is the defending champion having won the trophy last year by defeating East Bengal. 
• The 133rd edition of the Durand Cup will feature 24 teams from the Indian Super League, I-League and the Armed Forces. The Durand Cup 2024 will feature 43 matches, played in a round-robin leaguecum-knockout format and the teams are divided into six groups. Durand Cup 
• It was initiated by the British Armed Forces stationed in India. The first Durand Cup was held in Shimla in the year 1888. Currently, the Durand Cup is jointly organised by the Indian Army and the All India Football Federation. 
• There are three trophies awarded to the winner of the Durand Cup tournament: the Durand Cup, the Shimla Trophy and the President's Cup. The Durand Cup is the rolling trophy and the original award for the winner. 
• The Shimla Trophy was gifted by the people of Shimla and was first awarded in 1904. The Presidents Cup was first awarded to the winning team in 1956 by the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. 
• The Durand Cup is named after Mortimer Durand, the Foreign Secretary of British India. Kolkata-based club East Bengal has won the title 16 times. Army Green was the last team from the armed forces to win the cup in 2016. 

Schemes and committees 

15. LIC launches ‘Jeevan Samarth’ project 

• LIC on June 4 announced the launch of the ‘Jeevan Samarth’ initiative, which aims to transform the agency ecosystem. “Through the ‘Jeevan Samarth’ project, the agency ecosystem is to be transformed to suit the rapidly evolving needs of millions of Indian families and provide them with suitable long-term savings, protection, health insurance, ULIP and pension solutions.” 
• To achieve this, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has partnered with a global consulting firm, which will undertake this agency transformation project by reviewing its existing agency structure. 
• He called upon the young men and women of the country to join hands with LIC and participate in shaping the future of the insurance industry by choosing life insurance marketing as a rewarding career. 
• This transformational exercise will result in more tools and additional skills to strengthen the relationship between agents and LIC. 

16. Women Entrepreneurship Platform and TransUnion CIBIL launch ‘SEHER Programme’ 

• Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and TransUnion CIBIL have launched a credit education program called SEHER, which aims to empower women entrepreneurs in India by providing them financial literacy. 
• Presented by Ms. Anna Roy, Mission Director, WEP in the presence of key stakeholders from NITI Aayog, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Indian Banks Association (IBA), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Ministry of MSME and TransUnion CIBIL. 
• It aims to empower women entrepreneurs by providing comprehensive support in entrepreneurship promotion, finance access, market linkages, training, mentoring and business development services. SEHER will provide women entrepreneurs with personalised resources and tools for financial literacy, thereby promoting good credit history and CIBIL score. 
• Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), incubated in 2018 at NITI Aayog as an aggregator platform, transitioned to a public-private partnership in 2022 to build a comprehensive ecosystem supporting women entrepreneurs across India. 

17. Ministry of Culture launches ‘Project PARI’ for 46th World Heritage Committee meeting 

• Project PARI (Public Art in India), an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is being implemented by Lalit Kala Akademi and National Gallery of Modern Art. 
• The first event under Project PARI is taking place in Delhi. It coincides with the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee to be held in New Delhi, India between 21-31 July 2024. 
• The project will democratize art by creating various wall paintings, murals, sculptures and installations at public installations, thereby transforming urban landscapes into accessible galleries. 
• Project PARI aims to encourage dialogue, reflection and inspiration, contributing to the dynamic cultural fabric of the nation. 
• The creative canvas includes artworks inspired and/or painted in Phad Painting (Rajasthan), Thangka Painting (Sikkim/Ladakh), Miniature Painting (Himachal Pradesh), Gond Art (Madhya Pradesh), Tanjore Painting (Tamil Nadu), Kalamkari (Andhra Pradesh), Alpana Art (West Bengal), Cheriyal Painting (Telangana), Pichwai Painting (Rajasthan), Lanjia Saura (Odisha), Pattachitra (West Bengal), Bani Thani Painting (Rajasthan), Warli (Maharashtra), Pithora Art (Gujarat), Aipan (Uttarakhand), Kerala Mural Painting (Kerala), Alpana Art (Tripura) and other styles. 
• The proposed sculptures being created for Project PARI encompass a wide range of ideas, including paying tribute to nature, inspired by Natyashastra, Gandhiji, Toys of India, Hospitality, Ancient Wisdom, Naada or Primordial Sound, Harmony of Life, Kalpataru – Divine Tree, etc. Divya Kala Mela and Divya Kala Shakti 
• Divya Kala Mela and Divya Kala Shakti in collaboration with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, National Divyaangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC) are being organized from 5th to 11th July 2024 at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) campus in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. 
• The event was inaugurated by Shri B L Verma, Minister of State for MSJ&E, Government of India. The prestigious cultural event “Divya Kala Shakti” will feature performances by Divyaangjan artists from the above six states. 

Important day 

18. 7 July – World Kiswahili Language Day 

• World Kiswahili Language Day is observed every year on 7 July. This year observed the 3rd World Kiswahili Language Day. 
• It highlights the important role of this African language in promoting understanding and harmony across cultures. 
• Theme 2024 – Kiswahili: Education and Culture of Peace 
• In November 2021 at its 41st Session in Paris, the General Conference of UNESCO declared July 7th World Kiswahili Language Day. 
• By Resolution 41 C/61, Member States recognized the critical role played by Kiswahili in promoting cultural diversity, creating awareness, and fostering dialogue among civilizations. Obituary 19. Veteran Actor Smriti Biswas passed away 
• Veteran actor Smriti Biswas passed away at the age of 100. 
• Biswas made her acting debut with the 1930 Bengali film Sandhya and appeared last in the 1960 movie Model Girl. 
• She last appeared in the Hindi film Modern Girl (1961), directed by R. Bhattacharya. 20. Jon Landau, Oscar-winning producer on ’Titanic’ and ’Avatar’, dies 
• Jon Landau, an Oscar-winning producer who worked closely with director James Cameron on “Titanic” and the “Avatar” series, passed away at the age of 63. 
• Landau’s partnership with Cameron led to three Oscar nominations and a best picture win for 1997’s “Titanic. Together the pair account for some of the biggest blockbusters in movie history, including “Avatar” and its sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water. 
• Landau’s career began in the 1980s as a production manager, and he gradually rose through the ranks until taking on a producer role on “Titanic,” Cameron’s expensive epic about the infamous disaster.