Current Affairs July 29th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

International Tiger Day- July 29

• Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July.
• It was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia.
• Tigers are unfortunately the species that are nearing extinction.
• Therefore, to spread awareness about the need to conserve tigers, International Tiger Day is marked every year.

History

• The decision to recognize this day was taken in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia.
• The representatives from around 13 countries announced that the tiger-populated countries would take steps to double the tiger population by 2022.

Significance

• In 1973, Project Tiger was launched in India with a unique plan to save tigers on the planet.
• Since its formative years, there were 9 tiger reserves but the Tiger Project coverage has increased significantly over time.
• A conservation goal that was so ambitious was set up by the governments of the 13 range countries to double the number of wild tigers by this year.
• However, the tiger is still categorized as ‘endangered’.
• It has lost 93 percent of its range and tiger numbers have dipped from 100,000 a century ago. Poaching and habitat destruction are among the leading causes.
• Observing World Tiger Day assumes importance because as per the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), there are only 3900 wild tigers present around the globe.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Centre unveils 3 schemes to support MSMEs in the pharmaceutical sector:

• The government has launched three schemes to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the pharmaceutical sector.
• The plans call for technology advancement, establishing shared research centers, and constructing effluent treatment plants in clusters for pharma MSMEs, according to Union Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya.
• According to him, small businesses should be able to modernize their facilities to meet international manufacturing standards.
• The initiatives were launched by the chemicals and fertilizers ministry under the slogan “Strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry” (SPI).
• The programs offer support of up to Rs 20 crore per common facility, such as a research center, testing labs, and ETPs, in pharmaceutical clusters, as well as credit-linked capital and interest subsidies for MSME units in the pharmaceutical sector upgrading their technology.

Key Points:

• SIDBI will serve as the project management advisor for implementing the plan.
• Pharmaceutical MSMEs with a track record of success could update their technology with the help of the Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS).
• The program allows for either a capital subsidy of 10% on loans up to a maximum of Rs. 10 crores with a minimum repayment period of three years, or an interest subsidy of up to 5% (or 6% in the case of units owned by SC/ST) on a declining balance basis.
• Similar to this, the Assistance to Pharma Industries for Common Facilities Scheme (API-CF) will increase the capacity of the current pharmaceutical clusters for long-term expansion.
• It allows for assistance up to Rs 20 crore, or 70% of the approved project cost, whichever is smaller.
• The grant-in-aid amount for the Himalayan and northeast regions will be Rs 20 crore per cluster or 90% of the project cost, whichever is less.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

ECGC Introduces Scheme to Provide Enhanced Export Credit Risk Insurance cover up to 90% for small exporters

• ECGC has introduced a new scheme to provide enhanced export credit risk insurance cover to the extent of 90% to support small exporters under the Export Credit Insurance for Banks Whole Turnover Packaging Credit and Post Shipment (ECIB- WTPC & PS).
• The scheme is expected to benefit some small-scale exporters availing of export credit with banks that hold the ECGC WT-ECIB covers.
• This will also enable the small exporters to explore new markets/new buyers and diversify their existing product portfolio competitively.

About the Scheme :

Enhanced Cover to Banks

• The enhanced cover shall be available for the manufacturer- exporters availing fund-based export credit working capital limit up to ₹ 20 crores (i.e., total Packaging Credit and Post Shipment limit per exporter/exporter-group) excluding the Gems, Jewelry & Diamond sector, and merchant exporters/traders.
• This new scheme will enable the banks holding ECGC’s WT-ECIB cover to explore the possibility of reducing interest rates further so that all the stakeholders are benefitted.
• The enhanced cover percentage shall be made available to the State Bank of India (SBI) as per the previous year’s premium rate because of its favorable claim premium ratio.
• However, for other Banks, there may be a moderate increase in the prevailing premium rates.
• ECGC had extended support to exports amounting to6.18 lakh crore in the last FY 2021-22.
• As of March 2022, more than 6,700 distinct exporters benefited from the direct cover issued to exporters, and more than 9,000 distinct exporters benefitted under the Export Credit Insurance for Banks (ECIB) & notably, around 96% of these are small exporters.

About ECGC :

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman & MD: M. Senthilnathan
• ECGC is a government-owned export credit provider.
• GoI had initially set up Export Risks Insurance Corporation (ERIC) in July 1957.
• It was transformed into Export Credit and Guarantee Corporation Limited (ECGC) in 1964 and to Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India in 1983.
• It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
• It is managed by an Asset Management Company comprising representatives of the Government, Reserve Bank of India, banking, insurance, and exporting community.
• ECGC Ltd. is the seventh largest credit insurer in the world in terms of coverage of national exports.

About Ministry of Commerce and Industry :

• Cabinet Minister: Piyush Goyal
• Minister of State: Anupriya Patel, Som Parkash

IMF cuts India’s economic growth forecast to 7.4% for FY23

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest World Economic Outlook report, has lowered its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for India for the current financial year FY23 by 0.8% or 80 basis points to 7.4 percent from 8.2 percent estimated in April 2022.
• Similarly, the IMF has also lowered India’s growth forecast for FY24 to 6.1 percent as against 6.9 percent earlier.
• For India, the revision reflects mainly less favorable external conditions and more rapid policy tightening.
• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted supplies of crucial commodities, pushing up prices globally in Feb 2022.
• The Asian Development Bank lowered its growth forecast for India to 7.2% for 2022-23 from 7.5% estimated earlier, given higher-than-expected inflation and monetary tightening.

About IMF :

• Established: 27 December 1945
• Headquarters: Washington, D.C, United States
• Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva
• Membership: 190 countries (189 UN countries and Kosovo)

Union Bank of India plans automated solution for resolution of stressed assets

• State-owned Union Bank of India (UBI) is developing an automated solution for the early resolution of stressed assets, Union SARAS (Stressed Asset Recovery Automated Solution).
• It will cover recovery actions under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act (SARFAESI), Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT), and Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
• Under the Union SARAS Stressed Asset Recovery Automated Solution, the software has been created for digitizing and automating the recovery of stressed assets.
• Other recovery actions include the Civil Suit Revenue Recovery Act, Lok Adalat, classification of the non-cooperative borrower, examination of staff accountability, willful defaulter, data, and write-off.
• The solution will digitize all recovery functional areas, including field-related work, and convert through automated process flow of all recovery actions from initiation to its logical end.
• It will ensure actions for reducing litigation scope and will act as a guide to the branch for the actions to be taken.

About UBI :

• Founded: 11 November 1919
• Headquarters:  Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : A Manimekhalai

India Post Payments Bank Partners with TATA AIG

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has Partnered with Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited (TATA AIG) for providing TATA Accidental Guard policy to IPPB customers.
• A special drive has commenced on 15th July 2022 in all post offices in Goa for covering the citizens of the state under this policy.

About IPPB :

• Founded: 1 September 2018
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• MD & CEO: J. Venkatramu
• IPPB, is a division of India Post which is under the ownership of the Department of Post, a department under the Ministry of Communications of the GoI.

About TATA ALG :

• Founded: 2001
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• CEO: Neelesh Garg
• Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between the Tata Group holding a 74 percent stake in the insurance company and American International Group (AIG) holding the balance of 26 percent.

Rajasthan signs MoU with Telangana to set up First Women’s bank in Rajasthan

• Rajasthan Grameen Aajivika Vikas Parishad (RGAVP) and Stree Nidhi Credit Cooperative Federation of Telangana (Stree Nidhi-Telangana) signed an agreement to set up a first-ever all-women-run cooperative bank called “Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi”.
• The agreement was signed by RGAV Mission Director Manju Rajpal and Stree Nidhi managing director, G Vidhyasagar Reddy in the presence of rural development minister Ramesh Chand Meena at Indira Gandhi Panchayati Raj Institute.
• The proposal to set up Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi was announced by Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot in the 2022-23 budget speech.

Note :

• Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi (RMN), is Rajasthan’s first & India’s third women’s financial institution.

About Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi:

• Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi will act as a complementary financial institution with formal banks.
• It will strengthen the women’s self-help groups in Rajasthan, by providing timely loan facilities for their enterprises.
• The cluster-level federation of Rajeevika will be its member.
• For the establishment of RMN, a total grant of Rs 50 crore will be given by the state government in 2 years, with Rs 25 crore in the first year.
• A proposal requesting a grant of Rs 110 crore from the central government has also been sent.
• For the operation of RMN, Rajeevika will be contributing Rs 10 lakh per cluster-level union as share capital from 561 promoted cluster-level federations in a phased manner.
• Through RMN, loans up to Rs 40,000 will be disbursed in 48 hours, and loans above this amount will be disbursed within 15 days.

Districts to get benefits through RMN :

• RMN will be started in 15 districts in the first year of implementation.
• Initially, it will be launched in six districts – Karauli, Alwar, Kota, Dungarpur, Rajsamand, and Jodhpur.

About RGAVP :

• RGAVP is an autonomous society established by the government of Rajasthan under the administrative control of the Department of Rural Development.

About Rajasthan :

• Governor: Kalraj Mishra
• Chief Minister : Ashok Gehlot
• Capital: Jaipur

About Telangana :

• Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
• Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao

• Capital: Hyderabad

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

NTPC recognized as the Most Preferred Workplace of 2022:

• NTPC has been recognized as one of the “Most Preferred Workplaces of 2022” in the premiere edition of “Most Preferred Workplace 2022” organized by Team Marksman in association with India
• Dilip Kumar Patel, Director (HR), Munish Johri, Raid (West-1), and Anil Kumar Jadli GM HR received the felicitated award at a function held in Mumbai.

Key Points:

• The award showcases and celebrates organizations that have managed to maximize organizational performance as well as employee well-being, engagement, and productivity.
• It highlights organizations that have been particularly successful in their overall reorientation of the business landscape and have also seen them create an employee experience that is meaningful, collaborative, and motivating, putting only the needs of the employees first and the core of the business.
• Creating a caring, learning, and engaging workplace by adopting strategically aligned people practices for
• Organizations are rated on parameters such as employee centricity, organizational objectives, intrapreneurial ecosystem, work flexibility, diversity and equity, growth and rewards, and social cohesion.

Professor Kaushik Rajashekara won Global Energy Prize 2022:

• Kaushik Rajashekara, an Indian-origin engineering professor at the University of Houston, has been awarded the renowned Global Energy Prize.
• Rajashekara received the prize in the category of New Ways of Energy Applications for his contributions to transportation electrification and energy efficiency technologies while lowering emissions from power generation.
• The event will take place on October 12-14, during Russian Energy Week in Moscow.
• The Global Energy Association selected just three persons from a record 119 nominations from 43 countries to receive the award this year.
• Viktor Orlov, chief specialist of the Centre for Innovative Technologies (Rosatom in Russia) and pioneer in thermonuclear physics, and Mercouri Kanatzidis, professor of chemistry and materials science at Northwestern University and senior researcher at the Argonne National Laboratory, join Rajashekara as 2022 awardees.

About the Rajashekara:

• Rajashekara was born in India and grew up in a tiny hamlet in South India, sharing a room with his parents and two brothers.
• Even though none of his parents had a formal education, his mother was adamant that her children would excel in whatever they did.
• From 1971 to 1984, he got his Eng., M. Eng., and Ph.D. degrees from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.
• He served as an assistant professor/senior scientific officer at the Indian Institute of Science from 1977 to 1984 before earning an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University in the United States in 1992.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

RINL inks MoU with STPI to establish Centre of Excellence in Visakhapatnam:

• A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), STPINEXT, and RINL-VSP (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant) for Industry 4.0 CoE (Centre of Excellence) for the promotion of innovation and start-up activities for RINL and other industries in and around Visakhapatnam
• The MoU was exchanged between Atul Bhatt, CMD, RINL, and C.V.D. Ram Prasad, Director, STPI.

About CoE:

• The CoE is coming up over a built-up space of approximately 6,000 square feet at Ukkunagaram.
• The CoE has been named ‘Kalpataru’.
• It will house an Industrial Robotics lab, an Industrial Drones lab, and an Industrial IoT (Internet of Things) lab.
• The premier associations like CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) and ITAAP (IT Association of Andhra Pradesh) are also part of the CoE.
• They will provide the necessary support for nurturing the start-ups.

Key Points:

• The center will also be provided with high-speed internet and server setup using cloud computing to have capabilities for working with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
• This is being established with funding support from the Ministry of Electronics & IT, the Government of India (MeitY), RINL, and the State government.
• STPI, STPINEXT, and RINL will enable start-ups to make world-class products in the area of Industry 4.0.
• It is planned to incubate around 50 start-ups in physical mode and 125 start-ups in virtual mode over five years.
• The present MoU is being signed for three years.
• The start-ups will be aptly supported by premier institutes like IIM-Visakhapatnam and Andhra University in the form of research inputs, management, and technology.
• The start-ups will also receive mentoring support from renowned industries in the automation space like SMS Group, Schneider Electric, ABB, EOS, and Siemens.

Attendees:

• Sobodh Sachin, Chief Innovation officer (CIO), STPINext, B. Suresh, Additional director, STPI, Sridhar Kosaraju, State president, ITAAP, RINL Director, senior officials from RINL, STPI, IIM-Vizag, Andhra University were also present at the event.

NSIC and LG Electronics sign an agreement to establish the MSME Center of Excellence:

• National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) signed an agreement with LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd. and the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India in the presence of Shri Narayan Rane, Honorable Cabinet Minister, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, Honorable Minister of State, Shri B. B. Swain, Secretary MSME, Shri P. Udayakumar, CMD, NSIC, and Shailesh Kumar Singh, AS&DC (ESSCI).
• Tae Jin Chang, Head of Customer Service, LG India, and O. P. Singh, Centre Head, NTSC(Okhla), signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

About NSIC Role:

• The NSIC, in collaboration with the sector skills council, will aid graduates in seeking jobs at job fairs, and LG Electronics will give them precedence over graduates of the NSIC’s Technical Services Center (Okhla) program.
• The NSIC Technical Services Center in Okhla has taken the lead in teaching young people by offering entrepreneurship-based training programs as well as a variety of skill-based training courses.
• NSIC’s training programs are market- and industry-oriented.
• The NTSC (Okhla) has expertise collaborations with several industry leaders, including Schneider Electric for electrical and solar energy solutions, Delta for PLC, SCADA, and distributed control systems, Mitutoyo for quality control, and Tally for accounting.

Key Points:

• This project’s purpose is to train impoverished youngsters on consumer electronics and appliances.
• LG Electronics and the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI) will collaborate to develop a “Centre of Excellence” at the NSIC – Technical Services Center.
• This will provide new prospects for young people in the field of electronics and develop skilled labor for positions in this industry.
• In the initial year, 600 kids would be serviced.

NEDFi signed MoU to promote investments in the northeast:

• A business chamber and North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) have signed a memorandum of understanding to work jointly towards promoting investment in Assam and other states of the region.
• The agreement will contribute to various initiatives aimed at reforms, policy advocacy, ease of doing business, market linkages, and promotion of sustainable business practices.
• Indian Chamber of Commerce Assam state council’s chairman Sarat Kumar Jain and NEDFi executive director S K Baruah signed the MoU in the presence of delegates of both organizations.
• The pact would certainly provide a platform for entrepreneurs of the region to avail the pragmatic schemes and initiatives of NEDFi and the Indian Chamber of Commerce.
• ICC-North East and NEDFi would also collaboratively organize platforms for buyers and sellers in India and potential business partners.
• A trade facilitation desk would be established on the premises of ICC-NE in association with NEDFi to help trade and commerce among the region, the rest of India, and the world.

NHPC, DVC sign pact to set up joint venture firm for hydropower:

• NHPC Ltd (National Hydro Electric Power Corporation Private Limited) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) to explore the formation of a Joint Venture company (JVC) for exploring and setting up Hydropower and Pump Storage Projects
• State-owned hydro power giant NHPC has inked a pact with Damodar Valley Corporation to explore the possibility of forming a joint venture firm for setting up hydropower and pump storage projects.
• As per a regulatory filing, the MoU heralds a new dawn in cooperation between the two power sector organizations in jointly harnessing the hydropower and pump storage projects as energy storage solutions.
• This is in line with the national objective of Energy Transition i.e 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030 and net zero by 2070.
• Both companies would look at the joint development of mutually identified projects.
• NHPC has an installed capacity of 7071.2 MW from 24 power stations, including two projects in joint venture mode, as per its web portal.
• Its plants generated 24,855 million units of power in 2021-2022.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

CCI approves Citibank-Axis Bank deal

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves the acquisition of Citibank, N.A.’s (Citi) and Citicorp Finance (India) Limited’s (Citicorp) undertakings comprising their consumer banking activities by Axis Bank (Acquirer) under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.
• Under the terms of the proposed Rs 12,325 crore deal, which is one of the largest in India’s financial space, Axis Bank would take over Citi’s credit cards, personal loans, and wealth management businesses.

About Citi :

• Citi is a national banking association organized in the USA.
• Citi’s business offerings are divided into two broad categories

1. Global consumer banking
2. Institutional clients group.

• It offers banking and wealth management services to retail customers.
• In India, Citi is a licensed scheduled commercial bank and offers a full range of consumer and institutional banking products and services.
• Citicorp is a public company whose debt securities are listed on a recognized stock exchange, and it is licensed as a systemically important non–deposit taking non-banking financial company (“NBFC”). 
• It offers NBFC business services in India, such as the provision of commercial vehicle and construction equipment loans, etc & also it provides personal loans and asset-backed finance.
• Axis Bank is a listed private sector bank engaged in the provision of retail banking services, commercial and wholesale banking services, and treasury services to customer segments including individuals, micro, small and medium enterprises, agricultural businesses, and corporate businesses.

CCI approves Greenforest New Energies’ stake buy in Tata Power Renewable

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves the acquisition of an 43% stake in Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) by Greenforest New Energies Bidco Limited (Greenforest).
• Greenforest New Energies Bidco Limited (Greenforest) is an investment vehicle indirectly incorporated by BlackRock Alternatives Management, LLC. (BAM) and Mubadala Investment Company PJSC (MIC) for undertaking the Proposed Combination.
• BAM is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock.
• BlackRock is a U.S. publicly traded company active in the provision of global investment management, risk management, and advisory services to institutional and retail clients.
• BlackRock manages assets on behalf of institutional and individual investors worldwide.
• MIC is an investment vehicle of the Government of Abu Dhabi, it manages investment and development in various industries including energy, utilities, and real estate.
• Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL) that generates power through renewable sources of energy.

About CCI :

• Founded: 14 October 2003
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Chairman: Ashok Kumar Gupta
• Secretary : P K Singh
• CCI is the chief national competition regulator in India.
• It is a statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

India & Japan Navies conducts maritime partnership exercise in the Andaman Sea

• A Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) was conducted between Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and Indian Navy in the Andaman Sea. 

Aim :

• To enhance interoperability and streamline seamanship and communication procedures.
• This exercise is part of the ongoing efforts between the two navies toward ensuring safe and secure international shipping and trade in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
• From India, an offshore patrol vessel INS Sukanya participated and from Japan JS Samidare, a Murasame class destroyer undertook various exercises including seamanship activities, aircraft operations, and tactical maneuvers as part of the operational interaction.
• India – Japan Maritime Bilateral Exercise, JIMEX, between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), which commenced in January 2012, has a special focus on maritime security cooperation.
• The last exercise was held in the Arabian Sea from October 6-8, 2021.

About the Indian Navy :

• Founded: 26 January 1950
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Commander-in-Chief: President Droupadi Murmu
• Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral R. Hari Kumar

About Japan :

• Prime minister: Fumio Kishida
• Capital: Tokyo
• Currency: Japanese yen

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO starts Human Space Flight Expo at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) organized a unique three-day Human Space Flight Expo at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The expo commemorates Indian achievements in space and has been organized as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations marking 75 years of Independence.
• It was inaugurated by ISRO Chairman Mr. S. Somanath, former ISRO chair A.S. Kiran Kumar, director of the U.R. Rao Satellite Center, M. Sankaran, and director of the human space flight program, R. Umamaheswaran.

About the Expo :

• The Expo offered how astronauts will travel during India’s first-ever manned space flight mission “Gaganyaan.”
• Exhibits at the expo include an interactive Gaganyaan (proposed project for India’s first crewed spaceflight) model, scaled models of rockets and satellites, simulations of a Mars rover, a space toilet, and a space suit, among others.
• The expo’s highlight will be a movie in the planetarium’s sky theatre “The Indian Space Odyssey – Sounding Rockets to Gaganyaan”.
• The movie will offer viewers an opportunity to get immersed in visuals of the assembly of the launch vehicle, astronaut training, and the mission sequence of Gaganyaan.
• Apart from Gaganyaan, ISRO is planning three other major missions: Moon-bound rover Chandrayaan-3, Aditya L1 to study the Sun, and Shukrayaan-1 to orbit Venus.

About ISRO :

• Established: 15 August 1969
• Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• Chairman: Sreedhara Panicker Somanath

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Cambodia, Uzbekistan, and Cote D’Ivoire receive membership status: ICC

• Three nations have been granted membership status by the International Cricket Council during the current ICC Annual Conference in Birmingham.
• Cote D’Ivoire from Africa, Cambodia from Asia, and Uzbekistan from Asia were all granted Associate membership status, bringing the overall number of ICC members to 108, including 96 Associates.
• The two Asian teams bring the total number of Asian nations to 25, while Cote D’Ivoire is the twenty-first African nation.

Criteria to gain ICC Memberships:

• Clause 2.1 (d) of the ICC Membership Criteria, under the heading “Participation and domestic structures,” describes one of the key requirements for becoming an ICC Member.
• This entails putting in place a suitable framework with minimum team specifications for 50-over and 20-over competitions and distinct junior and women’s routes.
• The Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan’s (CFU) women’s cricket strategy, which involves 15 teams competing in organized events with a pathway program for their Under-19 and Under-17 players, demonstrated that the three additional countries met these requirements.

Key Points

• Although Ukraine’s application for ICC membership has been postponed until domestic cricket matches can be played in safety once more, the ICC will continue to assist the Ukraine Cricket Federation during this procedure.
• Cricket The suspension of Russia at the 2021 AGM has been terminated since it failed to address the problems and show compliance after the suspension.

Casper Ruud defeats Matteo Berrettini in the finals: Swiss Open

• The 2022 Swiss Open Tennis Tournament was won by Casper Ruud of Norway in Gstaad, Switzerland.
• In the championship match, he outlasted Matteo Berrettini of Italy 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2. Ruud won his ninth ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)
• Ruud won the Buenos Aires Open and Geneva Open before in 2022, making the Swiss Open his third victory overall.
• Additionally, Ruud won the 2021 Swiss Open.
• Ruud ends Berrettini’s 12-match-winning run.
• Berrettini won awards in Stuttgart and London earlier this year.
• Casper Ruud has won his ninth ATP title.
• Ruud came in second place behind Rafael Nadal of Spain in the French Open earlier this year.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Renowned Assamese writer Atulananda Goswami passes away

• Veteran Assamese litterateur and winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Atulananda Goswami, has passed away at the age of 87.

About Atulananda Goswami  :

• Atulananda Goswami was Born in 1935, in Jorhat, Assam.
• He had retired as a state government official and settled in Guwahati.
• He was known as a short story writer, a litterateur, and a novelist par excellence.
• He translated many English, Bengali, and Odia texts into Assamese and also Assamese texts into English.
• Goswami’s other notable works include ‘Namgharia’ ‘Hamdoi Pulor Jon’, ‘Rajpaat’, ‘Polatok’ and ‘Ashray’.

Awards & Honors :

• Goswami received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2006 for his short story collection ‘Seneh Jarir Ganthi’
• He was also bestowed with the Ambikagiri Roy Choudhury Sahitya Award, the Kumar Kishor Memorial Award, and the Sneha Bharati Sahitya Samman, among other honors.
• In 1992, he also won the Katha award for creative writing for his work Boliya Hathi’.

UK-based Punjabi singer Balwinder Safri Passes away

• Popular UK-based Punjabi singer Balwinder Safri Passed away at the age of 63.

About Balwinder Safri :

• Safri was actively involved in the Bhangra music scene since the 1980s.
• He also formed his band named Safri Boyz Band in 1990.
• Some of the famous songs from his band were Boliyan, Ik Dil Karey, Rangle Punjab, O Rabba, Maa, Boli Boli, and many more.
• He was known for his popular tracks like ‘O chan mere makhna’, ‘Pao Bhangra’, ‘Gal Sun Kuriye’, ‘Nachdinu’, Rahaye Rahaye” and “Chan Mere Makhna” etc.

Oscar-Nominated Director of ‘Five Easy Pieces’ Bob Rafelson Passes away

• Bob Rafelson, co-creator of “The Monkees” and director of the film “Five Easy Pieces” Passed away at the age of 89.

About Bob Rafelson :

• Robert Jay Rafelson was born on February 21, 1933, in New York City, U.S.
• He was an American film director, writer, and producer.
• He was also one of the creators of the pop group and TV series The Monkees with BBS partner Bert Schneider.
• Rafelson directed the 1987 film Black Widow, starring Debra Winger, and Mountains of the Moon (1990); and two more films starring Nicholson in Man Trouble (1992) and Blood and Wine (1997).

Awards & Honors :

• Rafelson and Schneider won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series as producers in 1967.
• In 1971, he earned two Oscar nominations for the film Five Easy Pieces for best picture and screenplay

Daily CA on July 29:

• Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July.
• The government has launched three schemes to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the pharmaceutical sector.
• NTPC has been recognized as one of the “Most Preferred Workplaces of 2022” in the premiere edition of “Most Preferred Workplace 2022” organized by Team Marksman in association with India
• Kaushik Rajashekara, an Indian-origin engineering professor at the University of Houston, has been awarded the renowned Global Energy Prize.
• A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), STPINEXT, and RINL-VSP (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant) for Industry 4.0 CoE (Centre of Excellence) for the promotion of innovation and start-up activities for RINL and other industries in and around Visakhapatnam
• National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) signed an agreement with LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd. and the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India
• A business chamber and North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) have signed a memorandum of understanding to work jointly towards promoting investment in Assam and other states of the region.
• NHPC Ltd (National Hydro Electric Power Corporation Private Limited) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) to explore the formation of a Joint Venture company (JVC) for exploring and setting up Hydropower and Pump Storage Projects
• Three nations have been granted membership status by the International Cricket Council during the current ICC Annual Conference in Birmingham.
• The 2022 Swiss Open Tennis Tournament was won by Casper Ruud of Norway in Gstaad, Switzerland.
• ECGC has introduced a new scheme to provide enhanced export credit risk insurance cover to the extent of 90% to support small exporters under the Export Credit Insurance for Banks Whole Turnover Packaging Credit and Post Shipment (ECIB- WTPC & PS).
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest World Economic Outlook report, has lowered its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for India for the current financial year FY23 by 8% or 80 basis points to 7.4 percent from 8.2 percent estimated in April 2022.
• State-owned Union Bank of India (UBI) is developing an automated solution for the early resolution of stressed assets, Union SARAS (Stressed Asset Recovery Automated Solution).
• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has Partnered with Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited (TATA AIG) for providing TATA Accidental Guard policy to IPPB customers.
• Rajasthan Grameen Aajivika Vikas Parishad (RGAVP) and Stree Nidhi Credit Cooperative Federation of Telangana (Stree Nidhi-Telangana) signed an agreement to set up the first ever all-women-run cooperative bank called “Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi”.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves the acquisition of Citibank, N.A.’s (Citi) and Citicorp Finance (India) Limited’s (Citicorp) undertakings comprising their consumer banking activities by Axis Bank (Acquirer) under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves the acquisition of an 43% stake in Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) by Greenforest New Energies Bidco Limited (Greenforest).
• A Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) was conducted between Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and Indian Navy in the Andaman Sea. 
• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) organized a unique three-day Human Space Flight Expo at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Veteran Assamese litterateur and winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Atulananda Goswami, has passed away at the age of 87.
• Popular UK-based Punjabi singer Balwinder Safri Passed away at the age of 63.
• Bob Rafelson, co-creator of “The Monkees” and director of the film “Five Easy Pieces” Passed away at the age of 89.