Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 July 2024

Topic: Environment and Ecology

1. UNESCO designated 11 new biosphere reserves.

• 11 new biosphere reserves in 11 countries have been designated by the UNESCO.
• These new biosphere reserves cover a total area of 37 400 km².
• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves now totals 759 sites in 136 countries.
• These new biosphere reserves have been designated during the 36th session of the International Co-ordinating Council.
• For the first time, biosphere reserves have been designated by UNESCO in Belgium and Gambia.
• The other new biosphere reserves are located in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Mongolia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia and Spain.

List of new biosphere reserves:

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces

2. Former CJI UU Lalit has been appointed as head of the search panels for Vice-Chancellors in West Bengal.

• Supreme Court has appointed former Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit as the chairperson of the search-cum-selection committees for shortlisting names for appointment.
• The bench of the SC authorized the Chairman to constitute separate or joint Search-cum-Selection Committees for one or more Universities.
• The bench requested the Chairman to nominate four persons from the empanelled experts.
• These experts shall be the one he (chairman) finds capable of shortlisting suitable names for appointment as Vice-Chancellors.
• The bench said the chairperson shall preside over every search-cum-selection committee.
• Thus, the composition of each such committee shall be five.
• The search-cum-selection committee shall make a panel of minimum 3 names for each university.
• As per SC, the chairperson shall constitute the search-cum-selection committee preferably within two weeks.
• The recommendations made by the search-cum-Selection committee shall be placed before the Chief Minister of West Bengal for necessary consideration.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. The highest civilian award of France has been given to Roshni Nadar Malhotra.

• The award of "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur" (Knight of the Legion of Honour) has been bestowed upon Roshni Nadar Malhotra.
• The Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour is the President of the French Republic.
• On behalf of the President of the French Republic, H.E. Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, presented the award to Roshni Nadar Malhotra in Delhi.
• HCLTech is an IT services company, and its chairperson is Roshni Nadar Malhotra.
• The highest civilian honour granted by the French Republic is the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, which Napoleon Bonaparte established in 1802.
• This award is granted to those who have shown exceptional service to France, regardless of their nationality.

Topic: Reports and Indices

4. Financial Inclusion-Index (FI-Index) increased to 64.2 in March 2024.

• FI-Index stood at 60.1 in March 2023. RBI said FI-Index improved because of growth seen across all sub-indices.
• RBI said usage dimension mainly contributed to improvement in FI-Index. This reflects deepening of financial inclusion.
• FI-Index captures the extent of financial inclusion across the country.
• Its value ranges between 0 and 100. 0 represents complete financial exclusion. 100 shows full financial inclusion.
• The FI-Index includes three broad parameters of Access (weightage 35%), Usage (weightage 45%), and Quality (weightage 20%).
• Each parameter consists of various dimensions. Dimensions are computed on the basis of a number of indicators (total 97 indicators).
• The FI-Index does not have a base year. It is published annually in July every year.
• Compared to 43.4 for the period ending in March 2017, the annual FI-Index for the period ending in March 2021 was 53.9.

Topic: Space and IT

5. A chemical that smells like rotten eggs was found on a Jupiter-like alien planet.

• Discovered in 2005, the planet called HD 189733b was already known to be a pretty extreme place.
• It is an extremely hot gaseous giant, slightly larger than Jupiter, with a cobalt blue color and with its fierce atmospheric winds.
• Analyzing data collected by the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists found that the exoplanet contains hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas emitted by decaying organic matter that smells like rotten eggs.
• According to the study published in Nature on July 8, in addition to hydrogen sulfide, researchers also found carbon dioxide, oxygen, water and heavy metals in the atmosphere of this unique planet.
• According to the study, this exoplanet is located in the Vulpecula constellation, about 65 light-years away from Earth.
• Known for extreme temperatures and "vicious weather," scientists dubbed the exoplanet as "hot Jupiter" because it has scorching temperatures of 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit.
• It is notorious for vicious weather, including raining glass that blows sideways on winds of 5,000 mph.

(Source: DD News)

Topic: National Appointment

6. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan has been appointed as Principal Advisor for National Tuberculosis Elimination Program.

• On a pro bono basis, Professor Dr. Soumya Swaminathan has been appointed as the Principal Advisor for the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program at the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• As Principal Advisor, Prof. Swaminathan will provide technical advice on the overall strategy for achieving the program goals, suggest policy directions and necessary curriculum reforms for optimal results, and advise on research strategy.
• She will also assist in forming expert groups with top talent globally.
• Apart from this, she will assist the Union Health Ministry, state authorities and development partners in assessing the impact of the program.
• Prof. Swaminathan is the former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization.
• She has also served as the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Economy

7. In an effort to improve credit rating agencies' (CRAs) ease of doing business and streamline procedures, SEBI has released new guidelines.

• The circular contains specific deadlines for addressing company appeals of rating actions taken during the periodic rating surveillance.
• These changes will be applicable, with effect from August 01, 2024.
• The revised regulations require CRAs to notify companies of their ratings one working day following the rating committee meeting.
• Companies have three working days to ask for the rating decision to be reviewed or to file an appeal.
• Within seven working days of the rating committee meeting, the press statement must be posted on the CRA's website and communicated to the stock market or trustee of debentures.
• For a duration of ten years, CRAs are required to keep documents pertaining to the said disclosures.
• Additionally, SEBI has set deadlines for particular kinds of disclosures, such a list of non-cooperative issuers that needs to be updated every day.
• CRAs must keep records of disclosures about ratings that issuers have not accepted for a period of 12 months.

Topic: National Appointments

8. Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.

• Former India batter Gautam Gambhir has signed a three-year contract. He replaced Rahul Dravid. 
• The three-member Cricket Advisory Committee interviewed Gambhir along with W.V. Raman.
• The committee was headed by Ashok Malhotra.
• Gambhir will officially start his term this month. He will serve until December 31, 2027.
• Year 2027 is also the year of the next ODI World Cup.
• Gautam Gambhir was a member of the 17th Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024.
• He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 2008. He received the Padma Shri in 2019.
• He is the only Indian batsman, who has scored over 300 runs in four consecutive Test series.

Topic: International News

9. India and Russia agreed to increase bilateral trade to 100 billion dollars by 2030.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the 22nd Annual Summit.
• In the joint statement, both countries highlighted the need to resolve the “conflict around Ukraine peacefully”.
• Both leaders also agreed to a cooperation statement on Russia’s Far East projects.
• A joint vision statement on trade and economic cooperation by the end of the decade has been also issued.
• This joint vision includes the elimination of non-tariff barriers, the development of a bilateral settlement system using national currencies, using new connectivity routes, etc.
• Chennai-Vladivostok maritime route and Northern Sea Route and the International North-South Transport Corridor via Iran will be developed.
• India and Russia signed many MoUs related to climate change, polar research, legal arbitration and pharmaceutical certification and other issues.
• Russia and India agreed to open two new consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg to help facilitate services for the growing community.
• In 2023, Russia-India trade grew by 66%, and 20% in the first quarter of 2024.

Topic: State News/Rajasthan

10. Rajasthan to become the first State to adopt an action plan for road safety for 10 years.

• Rajasthan’s action plan for road safety will aim to reduce road accidents in the State by 50% by 2030.
• The action plan is being formulated by the Transport Department’s road safety cell.
• This policy would generate awareness among the public about road safety provisions and will bring behavioural changes regarding road safety rules.
• This action plan will be implemented in three stages. The first stage will be from 2025 to 2027, the second phase will be from 2027 to 2030 and the third phase will be from 2030 to 2033.
• The action plan will focus on speed limit, safe distance, traffic signals, use of road barriers, pedestrian safety, use of seatbelts, helmets, and vehicle insurance.

Topic: MoUs/ Agreements

11. Defense agreement signed by Philippines and Japan amid South China Sea tensions.

• Seeking stability in the region amid rising tensions with China, the Philippines and Japan on July 8 boosted their defense ties by signing a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA).
• The agreement is the first of its kind signed by Japan in Asia. The aggressive activities by Chinese ships in the disputed South China Sea has increases.
• Two of the United States' closest Asian allies, the Philippines and Japan, have both taken a strong stance against China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.
• The South China Sea is a region where Beijing's expansive claims clash with those of several Southeast Asian countries.
• An international tribunal in 2016 said China's claims had no legal basis, but Beijing rejected the ruling.

Topic: Personality in News

12. Ram Buxani, a prominent Indian businessman, passed away in UAE at the age of 83 on 7 July.

• Ram Buxani was living in the United Arab Emirates since the age of 18.
• Sanjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, took the lead in expressing condolences on the demise of the Chairman of the ITL Cosmos Group, who was also a prominent philanthropist.
• In 1985, he became a well-known figure in the Indian community following his role in influencing the Indian government to abolish estate duty.
• Additionally, Buxani was also the director of IndusInd Bank from 2000 to 2008.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Russia’s Highest Civilian Honour, Order Of St Andrew The Apostle.

• In 2019, the Russian Embassy in India had announced The Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called award, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The award recognizes PM Modi’s distinguished contribution to developing a privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India.
• It also signifies the role of PM Modi in fostering friendly ties between both countries.
• This award was instituted in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great in honour of Saint Andrew. The Order of St Andrew the Apostle is awarded for the most outstanding civilian or military merit.
• Russia has also agreed to discharge and return all Indians working for the Russian Army.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Russia. He co-chaired the 22nd India-Russia annual summit.
• Prime Minister Modi also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visited the ROSATOM pavilion.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

14. Gagan Narang replaced Mary Kom as India’s Chef-De-Mission for the 2024 Olympics.

• Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P.T. Usha announced that Gagan Narang has been promoted from deputy chef-de-mission to chef-de-mission.
• Mary Kom stepped down from her role as chef-de-mission for the 2024 Paris Olympics due to health issues.
• PV Sindhu will accompany table tennis star Sharath Kamal as flag bearers at the Olympics.
• The Paris Olympics will start on July 26 and continue until August 11.
• Mary Kom and former hockey skipper Manpreet Singh were India’s flag bearers at the Tokyo Olympics.