Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 July 2021

Topic: International News

1. Biden and Kadhimi seal agreement to end US mission in Iraq.

• U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi sealed an agreement to end the US combat mission in Iraq by the end of 2021. However, U.S. forces will continue working in an advisory role.
• The United States will end its mission in Iraq after 18 years. There are currently 2,500 US troops in Iraq.
• In March 2003, U.S. forces had invaded Iraq to destroy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and end the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein.
• At present, United States is more focusing on training Iraqi forces. The United States will also provide $5.2m to a UN mission fund to monitor October elections in Iraq.

Topic: National News

2. Government announces 27% reservation for OBCs, 10% for Economically Weaker Sections in medical courses.

• The government announced 27% reservation for OBCs, 10% for Economically Weaker Sections in the All India Quota Scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses.
• It will be effective from the current academic year 2021-22 onwards. It will benefit OBC and EWS students in MBBS and post-graduation.
• The All India Quota Scheme was started in 1986 to provide domicile-free merit-based opportunities to students. At present, 15 percent of the total available Under Graduate seats and 50 percent of total available PG seats in government medical colleges are under the All India Quota.
• This step has been taken to create a new paradigm of social justice in the country. In the last six years, MBBS Seats in the country have increased by 56 percent.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

3. India’s 14 Tiger Reserves received the accreditation of the Global Conservation Assured|Tiger Standards (CA|TS).

• India’s 14 Tiger Reserves have received accreditation of the Global Conservation Assured|Tiger Standards (CA|TS).
• The names of 14 Tiger Reserves that have received the accreditation are given in the following table.

• Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupendra Yadav also released the report ‘Status of Leopards, Co-predators and Megaherbivores-2018’.
• During all India Tiger Estimation 2018, the leopard population was also estimated within the forested habitats in tiger-occupied states of India.
• The overall estimated leopard population in the tiger range landscape of India in 2018 increased from 7,910 in 2014 to 12,852 in 2018.
• During the event, a special edition of National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) quarterly newsletter ‘STRIPES’ , commemorating Global Tiger Day was also released.
• Government has classified forest and wildlife protection as ‘essential services’ during lockdown.

Topic: State News/Karnataka

4. Karnataka becomes India’s first state to provide reservation for transgender community in all government services.

• Karnataka has become India’s first state to provide 1% reservation for transgender community in all government services.
• Recently, Karnataka government informed the High Court in this regard that a notification had been issued after amending Karnataka Civil Service (General Recruitment) Rule, 1977.
• The final notification issued on July 6 provides one percent reservation in all general and reserve categories for third gender.
• If transgender candidates are not available, the job could be given to male or female from the same category as per notification.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. Asha Bhosle selected for the Maharashtra Bhushan Puraskar 2021.

• The Maharashtra Bhushan Selection Committee selected Asha Bhosle for the Maharashtra Bhushan Puraskar 2021.
• The selection committee was chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
• Asha Bhosle was honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2010, and Padma Vibhushan in 2008. She has won seven Filmfare awards during her career.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. Parliament passed the Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

• Parliament has passed the Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021. It will amend the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011.
• It will widen the scope for people engaged in the factoring business. It will expand credit facilities to small businesses and help them in accessing funds from non-banking financial companies (NBFC).
• Now, all NBFCs will be permitted to do factoring business. The Bill has incorporated many suggestions from the U K Sinha Committee.
• The bill empowers the Reserve Bank of India to make regulations related to factoring business.
• The proposed amendment will help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in getting working capital.
• Factoring is a transaction where a business sells its receivables from a customer to a third party or a ‘factor' to get funds.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. IFFCO signed an MoU with NFL and RCF to transfer Liquid Nano Urea Technology.

• IFFCO has signed an MoU with National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) and Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers for the transfer of technology of nano urea liquid.
• Under the MoU, IFFCO will transfer the technology to NFL and RCF without any royalty.
• The technology transfer will increase the production of Liquid Nano Urea and it will enhance its adaptability by farmers.
• India is the first country in the world to start commercial production of Nano Urea. IFFCO has produced 8.23 lakh nano urea bottles in less than two months.

Topic: Agriculture

8. Bhoot Jolokia chillies exported from Nagaland to London.

• A consignment of Bhoot Jolokia chillies has been exported from Nagaland to London for the first time. Bhoot Jolokia chillies are also known as King Chilli or ‘Raja Mircha’.
• Bhoot Jolokia chillies is one of the world’s hottest chilli based on the Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).
• Bhoot Jolokia chillies got GI certification in 2008. It is mainly grown in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is also known for its medical properties and is used as a spice in various food.
• The export of Bhoot Jolokia chillies will boost the trade of products with Geographical Indications (GI) from the north-eastern region.
• APEDA collaborated with the Nagaland State Agricultural Marketing Board for the export of this consignment.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: International News

9. Najib Mikati becomes new Prime Minister of Lebanon.

• Lebanese telecoms tycoon, Najib Mikati, has been chosen as the new Prime Minister of Lebanon. He is supported by most of Lebanon's political parties in the Parliament.
• Najib Mikati served as Prime Minister of Lebanon in 2005 and from 2011 to 2014. He was Minister of Public works and Transport in three different cabinets between 1998 and 2004.
• He is a member of the Parliament for Tripoli since 2009. He is the 31^st Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. Centre launches "Secured Logistics Document Exchange" and a Calculator for Green House Gas Emissions.

• Centre has launched "Secured Logistics Document Exchange (SLDE)" and a Calculator for Green House Gas Emissions.
• The SLDE platform has been developed for the digital exchange of logistics-related documents. Calculator for GHG emissions has been developed for choosing sustainable and right mode of transport for freight movement.
• The SLDE platform is a solution to replace the present manual process of generation, exchange and compliance of logistics documents with a digitized, secure and seamless document exchange system.
• These digital initiatives will improve logistics efficiency, reduce logistics costs, and promote multi-modality and sustainability in a big way.
• Over 75 participants attended the Launch Event, which emphasised on the importance of digital transformation in the logistics sector to achieve targets of improved India’s ranking in Logistics Performance Index.
• The Event also emphasised on the importance of digital transformation in the logistics sector to achieve reduction in logistics cost and establishment of indigenous India-specific metrics for continual improvement in logistics.

Topic: State News/Jammu and Kashmir

11. J&K Mission Youth launched a scheme to provide coaching to students for various competitive examinations.

• A scheme to provide coaching to students for various competitive examinations has been launched by J&K Mission Youth.
• The scheme will be helpful and useful for 3000 meritorious and competitive students.
• On 18^th June 2021, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had announced the scheme while chairing the Governing Body of Mission Youth.
• CEO J&K Mission Youth, Dr Shahid Iqbal informed that the scheme is now being formally launched.
• The scheme will cover various competitive examinations conducted by Union Public Service Commission, J&K Public Service Commission, Service Selection Board, Staff Selection Commission and various other recruitment authorities.
• Mission Youth, J&K is a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It was conceived and launched by Government of Jammu and Kashmir to positively engage the youth of J&K.

Topic: Important Days

12. World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: 30 July

• World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is observed annually on 30 July.
• It is observed to raise awareness about the threat of human trafficking and to protect the human rights of victims.
• “Victims’ Voices Lead The Way” is the theme for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2021.
• UN General Assembly designated 30 July as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons for the first time in 2013.
• Blue Heart campaign of UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a global awareness raising initiative to fight human trafficking and its impact on society.

Topic: Art and Culture

13. UNESCO adds landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx’s former home to World Heritage list.

• UNESCO has added landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx’s former home to World Heritage list.
• Over 3,500 cultivated species of tropical and subtropical flora native to Rio grow in Sitio Burle Marx in western Rio. It is considered as a laboratory for botanical and landscape experimentation.
• The site was designated a Cultural Landscape during a meeting of UNESCO’s Heritage Committee in China.
• The site is named after Burle Marx. It was his home until 1985. He has been recognized as one of the most important landscape artists of the 20^th century.
• It is the 23^rd Brazilian location inscribed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites.
• Sítio Roberto Burle Marx is the first modern tropical garden to be inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Topic: Sports

14. Clarisse Agbegnenou wins gold medal in women’s judo.

• Clarisse Agbegnenou of France has won the gold medal in the women’s judo 63kg category in Toyko Olympics.
• She won the second gold medal for France at Tokyo Olympics. She was the flag bearer of the France delegation in Tokyo Olympics.
• She was a silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She also won the European title in 2013, the world title in 2014.
• Italy's Maria Centracchio and Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard of Canada got bronze medals.