National News

First State to extend social security to unorganized workers

• Karnataka became the first state to extend social security and welfare to unorganized motor transport and other allied workers.

About Karnataka

Kozhikode

• Kozhikode became part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) as the city was awarded the title of “City of Literature” at the 16th annual conference of the UCCN that began in Portugal.

NHRC

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to Centre and Government of Tamil Nadu calling for a detailed report on allegations that Foxconn, a major manufacturer of Apple devices, “systematically excluded” married women from jobs at its iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur.

About NHRC

 Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS)

• According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a motorcycle theft in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district became the first case to be registered under the new criminal code.

New Criminal laws in India

Air India Flying Training School

• Air India announced to set up a flying training school at Amravati, Maharashtra. It would cost ₹200 core and will target to graduate 180 pilots annually. The school will be opened by June 2025.

 Renovated Artillery Museum

• The renovated Artillery Museum, dedicated as the Kumaramangalam Artillery Museum, was inaugurated at the Artillery Centre in Maharashtra’s Nashik district.

International

Hungary

• Hungary has taken over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) for six months.

About Hungary

SCO Summit, Kazakhstan

• Kazakhstan will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit this week and announced plans to organize a series of international events, including the 'World Nomadic Games' to celebrate local traditions.

About SCO

 India-Pak Agreement on Consular Access 2008

• India and Pakistan on 1st July 2024 exchanged the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody through diplomatic channels at New Delhi and Islamabad.
• Such lists are exchanged every year on 1st January and on 1st July under the provisions of the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access 2008.

Indian regions bordered with Pakistan

Economy

RBI and ASEAN

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and ASEAN countries have decided to create a platform to facilitate instant cross-border retail payments. The platform is expected to go live by 2026.
• RBI also joined Project Nexus, a multilateral international initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by interlinking domestic fast payments systems (FPSs).

About RBI

Special Campaign for Pensioners Grievances

• Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched a Special Campaign for effective redressal of family pensioners grievances in New Delhi.

 Windfall Tax

• The Union government has hiked windfall tax on domestically produced crude oil to Rs 6,000 per tonne from Rs 3,250 per tonne.

Windfall Tax

June’s GST growth at three-year low

• India’s gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections slowed to a three-year low in June, with revenues rising about 7.74% to about ₹1.74 lakh crore from ₹1,61,497 crore collected in the year-earlier period.

About GST

Science and Tech

NiTF

• Scientists at Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) have developed an innovative metal oxide nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. Ni-doped TiO2 on Fuller’s earth (NiTF) was characterized and tested as a photocatalyst for methylene blue decolorization.

 SERA

• The U.S.-based Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) announced India as a partner country in its human spaceflight programme, which will see six citizen astronauts from across the world launched into space.

 Sports

Under 23 Asian Wrestling Championship 2024

• India finished on top at the Under 23 Asian Wrestling Championship 2024, in Amman, Jordan. The young Indian grapplers clinched a total of eight medals in freestyle wrestling, including four gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

 Leon Masters Chess Tournament 2024

• Viswanathan Anand won the Leon Masters chess tournament in Spain. This was his 10th title in the event.

 FIDE Rankings

• First time in history, 3 Indian Chess players have secured spots in the world's top ten in the FIDE Rating list for July 2024.
• Arjun Erigaisi holds the prestigious position of World no.4, followed closely by D Gukesh at World no.7 and R Praggnanandhaa at World no.8.

About FIDE

Person in News

Laura Wolvaardt

• Laura Wolvaardt  joined England’s Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont as the only women to score hundreds in all formats in international cricket.

 Arnab Kumar Chowdhury

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Arnab Kumar Chowdhury as executive director with effect from 3 July 2024.

 Amrit Jiwan

• The Manufacturer's Association of Information Technology (MAIT) has appointed Amrit Jiwan,  as its president.

 Sneh Rana

• Indian women's spinner Sneh Rana made history at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, by becoming the first Indian woman spinner to take a 10-wicket haul in a single Test match.