Current Affairs July 4
Current Affairs July 4
WEEKLY
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEK-4
22nd July - 31st July, 2021
TARGETED EXAMINATIONS
• UNESCO will prepare the management and and food and also touching contaminated surfaces
development of these cities. with one’s hands and then putting them in the mouth
• This project will help in boosting the tourism of the
unwashed.
state of Madhya Pradesh. Along with this additional
• Symptoms of norovirus are vomiting, diarrhoea,
employment opportunities will be created.
stomach pain and nausea. This virus can cause
inflammation of intestines or the stomach and it is
About the ‘Historic Urban Landscape’
termed as acute gastroenteritis. Other symptoms
Approach:
of this virus are headache, fever and body aches.
• It was adopted in 2011 at UNESCO’s General
People generally develop the symptoms within 12 to
Conference.
48 hours and they can last up to 1 to 3 days.
• UNESCO defines HUL approach as an integrated
approach towards managing heritage resources NOTE:
found within dynamic and evolving environments. There is no specific medicine for this virus. Experts
• HUL acknowledges the interconnections within have suggested drinking plenty of liquids to replace
a city, which occur between the built and natural the fluids lost from diarrhoea and vomiting so as to
environments, the tangible and intangible values, as prevent dehydration.
well as within the cultural and social practices of a
community. Essential Defence Services Bill
• The Minister of State for Defence recently
23rd JULY 2021
introduced the Essential Defence Services Bill in
the Lok Sabha.
‘Norovirus’ infection
• The United Kingdom is reporting an outbreak of Key Points regarding the bill
norovirus. Public Health England (PHE) recently
• Essentially, the Essential Defence Services Bill is
issued a warning after finding a jump in norovirus
aimed at preventing the staff of the government-
cases during a routine surveillance. Since the end of
owned ordnance factories from going on a strike.
the month of May, England has recorded 154 cases
Around 70,000 people work with the 41 ordnance
of norovirus in the country.
factories around the country.
• The Bill introduced on Thursday mentioned that it is
About Norovirus
meant to “provide for the maintenance of essential
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and defence services so as to secure the security of
Prevention (CDC), norovirus is very contagious that nation and the life and property of public at large
and for matters connected therewith or incidental
causes diarrhoea and vomiting. People suffering
thereto”.
from norovirus disease can shed billions of virus
• This will allow the government to declare the services
particles. And to make people sick only a few of them mentioned in the bill as essential defence services.
are required. It also prohibits strike and lockouts in any essential
defence services of the country.
• A person can contract this virus by coming in direct
• This bill will directly affect around 70,000 employees
contact with an infected person. This virus can also
who are currently employed in the 41 ordnance
be contracted by consuming contaminated water factories across the nation.
4 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July
• The Bill will pave the way for non-NBFC factors and
24th JULY 2021
other entities to undertake factoring activities.
• The portal will be used efficiently to further enhance Genetically Modified ‘Golden Rice’
the engagement of the common citizens of the state • The Philippines became the world’s first country to
with the Uttar Pradesh state government. approve the commercial production of genetically
• The 'Meri Sarkar' portal would help the people of modified ‘golden rice’.
the state to communicate their views, suggestions • The government issued a biosafety permit which
and feedback. This portal would become an paves way for this rice which is enriched with beta-
innovative platform for public participation and good carotene the vitamin A-precursor and makes this rice
governance. more nutritional.
• China’s Hou Zhihui who lifted a total of 210kg won • Paseo is a wide tree-lined avenue that's home to
the gold medal and also Indonesia’s Aisah Windy prominent buildings such as the Prado Museum.
Cantika won the bronze medal with a total of 194kg. Buen Retiro Park is a 125-hectare green space.
• This is the 1st attempt of Mirabai Chanu, who • The addition of Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro
attempted the 84kg category. Park to the list of World Heritage Sites is recognition
• Gold medal winner Zhihui created a new Olympic of the key role they played in Madrid's history.
record with an effort of 94kg. The Chinese lifter also
• Madrid is Spain’s capital and most populous city.
holds the world record with 96kg in this category.
Buen Retiro Park is one of the largest parks in
Madrid.
26th JULY 2021
Other sites newly inscribed on UNESCO World
World Cadet Wrestling Championships
Heritage List
• Indian junior wrestler Priya Malik won a gold medal in
• Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan
the 73-kg category Cadet World Championship held
China (China)
in Budapest, Hungary.
• Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple,
Telangana (India)
Key Points:
• Trans-Iranian Railway (Iran)
• The Cadet World Championship is a tournament
where the best Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Women 27th JULY 2021
wrestlers worldwide below the age of 17 compete.
• Priya had won gold at the Khelo India youth games in Dholavira
Pune in 2019.
• She defeated Kseniya Patapovich with a score of 5-0.
• Priya Malik’s coach believes that she will be able to
represent India in the next Olympics that is to be held
in Paris in the year 2024.
About ESSDP (c) In the past 3 years these incubators should have
• It is an integrated digital web portal of the MoES successfully graduated at least 5 start-ups.
institutes. (d) The incubators should have experience of
• The portal is available at https://incois.gov.in/essdp partnering with research and academia.
and it has been developed by using the latest
technological tools. About Support for Prototype and Research
• This portal has been aligned with Digital India which
Kickstart (SPARK)
aims to transform India into a digitally empowered • To avail the grants of Support for Prototype and
economy and society. Research Kickstart (SPARK) under the mechanism of
iDEX, some eligibility criteria will have to be followed.
• This portal will facilitate in the retrieval and search
of science data on earth system such as ocean, • Any Indian company which has been incorporated
atmosphere, geosciences, poles, and seismology for under the Companies Act, Micro, Small and Medium
benefit of the society. Enterprises (MSMEs) which have been defined in the
MSME Act, 2006, will be incorporated.
• The date is announced annually by the Global • It is among the top five hottest chillies in the world
Footprint Network, the global organisation calling for based on Scoville Heat Units.
urgent climate action and sustainable consumption. • It has a distinct flavour as well as aroma.
funding that will help in achieving the international About SLDE platform
targets and protect their respective education • SLDE platform for the digital exchange of logistics
budgets from possible cuts. related documents and a Calculator for GHG
• These countries which require public education funds emissions have been developed.
are home to more than 80% of the world’s children • The SLDE platform will look to replace the present
who are out of school. manual process of exchange, generation and
compliance of the related logistics documents
30th JULY 2021 with a secure, digitized and a seamless document
exchange system.
• This will enable the storage, generation, and
Secured Logistics Documents Exchange
interchange of logistics-related documents digitally
• The Union Government has launched the Secured
using Blockchain and Aadhaar based security
Logistics Document Exchange (SLDE) which aims protocols for data authentication and security.
to digital transformation which can be done in the • It will also help in lowering shipping cost and reducing
logistics sector of the country to achieve the targets carbon footprint.
of improving the country’s ranking in Logistics
Performance Index. INDRA NAVY Exercise
• The 12th edition of INDRA NAVY exercise was
Key Highlights recently held in the Baltic Sea. It is a biennial bilateral
• The initiative has been launched to reduce logistics maritime exercise that is conducted between the
cost, improve logistics efficiency and sustainability Indian Navy and Russian Navy.
and promote multi-modality in a big way. • It was initiated in the year 2003.
• These digital initiatives have been launched by the • This exercise further strengthens the long-term
strategic relationship between the navies of the two
government to fill the gaps where no action has been
countries.
taken either by the government or the private players
of the country. Key Highlights
• More than 75 participants from the Banks, • This exercise was undertaken as INS Tabar’s visit to
Central Ministries, IT companies, industry bodies, St Petersburg in Russia to participate in the Russian
international organizations and the logistics sector Navy’s 325th Navy Day celebrations.
stakeholders were present during the launch event. • The primary aim of this year’s exercise was to further
• Besides, a Green House Gases (GHG) emissions strengthen the inter-operability which has been built
calculator has also be launched. up by the Navies of both the countries and also to
enhance procedures and understandings of various
About GHG emissions Calculator maritime operations.
• It is a user-friendly tool that provides for comparing • This edition of the exercise includes diverse and
and calculating GHG emissions across different wide-ranging activities which have been stretched
modes. across the broad spectrum of maritime operations.
• This calculator allows for a comparison which will be • INS Tabar represented the India Navy whilst the
made commodity wise of GHG emissions, total cost Russian Federation Navy was represented by
of transportation, including the environmental cost, Corvettes RFS Odintsovo and RFS Zelyony Dol of the
between movement by rail and road. Baltic Fleet.
12 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July
• Intel has collaborated with the Central Board of help the learners understand the domains of AI as
Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Ministry of well as the impact it has across the various industries.
Education to announce the launch of the ‘AI For All’ • This program is available in 11 vernacular languages.
initiative. This initiative has been launched with the The content has also been made compatible with
aim of creating a basic understanding of Artificial various talkback applications so that it can also be
Intelligence (AI) for everyone in the country accessed by visually impaired people.