1. 29 July as International Tiger Day
International Tiger Day is commemorated on 29th July every year. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the declining population of the Tiger and making efforts to conserve them.
International Tiger Day was first initiated at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit held in 2010 in Russia. A declaration stating that the tiger populated countries to double the tiger population by 2020 was adopted.
Aim:
International Tiger Day aims to raise awareness for tiger conservation. The day also promotes a worldwide system aimed at protecting tigers’ national habitats and raising public awareness of tiger conservation issues.
2. Hetero group originated Favipiravir in India to treat Covid-19 infected patients
Hetero group has originated/launched the generic Favipiravir in India under the brand ‘Favivir’.
- The company has approvals from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market the generic drug.
- The drug, Favivir, is used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19. The generic favipiravir drug is priced at Rs.59 per tablet.
Favivir:
- Favivir will improve treatment accessibility to a significant amount of the COVID-19 patient population, which usually sustains mild to moderate symptoms.
- The drug is being marketed and distributed by Hetero Healthcare.
- The product is made available in all retail medical shops and hospital pharmacies across India.
3. Indian Railways, SBI Card launched Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform
IRCTC of Indian Railways and SBI Card has launched Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform. It is in line with Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, Digital India, and Make In India mission. The new credit card is dedicated to the service of India the Union Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal.
Contactless Credit Card:
- The purpose of contactless credit cards on the RuPay platform is to provide a safe and secure transaction environment to its customers.
- New RuPay credit card has been equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. Hence, the users are allowed to expedite their transactions at the point of sale (POS) machines by just tapping the card on the machines without requiring to swipe the card.
- The card will offer the rail passengers maximum savings proposition on their travel together with exclusive benefits on retail, dining, and entertainment and transaction fee waivers.
- The Cardholders will receive up to 10% value back on 1st AC, 2nd AC, 3rd AC, Executive Chair Car & AC Chair Car bookings made at IRCTC website.
- The users are allowed to redeem the accumulated reward points against the purchase of train tickets on IRCTC’s ticketing website.
4. UN report stated Nitrogen Dioxide levels fell over 70 percent during the lockdown in Delhi
The UN policy brief stated that Levels of nitrogen dioxide fell by more than 70% during the lockdown in New Delhi. The environmental gains could be temporary if the cities re-open without policies to prevent air pollution and promote de-carbonization.
- The UN’s Policy on ‘Covid-19 in an Urban World’ stated that with an estimated 90% of all reported Covid-19 cases, urban areas have become the epicenter of the pandemic.
- It also pointed out that several new scientific studies suggest that poor air quality is correlated with higher Covid-19 mortality rates.
- It also stated that nitrogen dioxide fell 40% in urban areas in China, 20% in Belgium and Germany, and 19-40% in different areas of the US.
5. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of AIIB
On 28 July, Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman has attended the 5th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) through a video conference in New Delhi
- The Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG) meets to take key decisions that impact the Bank’s future every year.
- The discussion was based on the theme ‘AIIB 2030-Supporting Asia’s Development over the Next Decade’.
- The ministers discussed the meeting broadly covered official business including the election of the President of the AIIB.
6. Bombay Flying Club became India’s 1st DGCA-approved drone training school
The Bombay Flying Club has become the first DGCA-approved drone training school in the country.
- The DGCA approved the club’s application “for conducting remote pilot training for remotely piloted aircraft systems”.
- The ministry has started from June 8 the registration process for non-compliant drones which were not registered with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and have not been granted drone acknowledgment numbers (DANs).
- On June 5, the ministry had issued draft rules for manufacturing and use of drones in the country wherein it has proposed that an authorized drone manufacturer or importer can sell its devices only to an individual or entity approved by the DGCA.
7. India’s first solar-powered ferry Aditya got Gustave Trouve Award
India’s first solar-powered Aditya, which began operations in 2017 at Vembanad Backwaters in Kerala, has won the prestigious Gustav Trave Award for excellence in electric boats and boating. The Aditya, from Navalt Boats, is a sun-powered commuter ferry.
- The ferry was declared the world’s best electric boat in the category of ferries designed for paid passenger service.
- Every day it performs 22 trips with 75 people on board, that’s 580,000 people a year.
8. Young Bangladesh pacer delivered two-year ban for a doping violation
Young Bangladesh pacer Kazi Anik Islam handed a two-year ban by the national cricket board for failing a dope test in 2018.
- Kazi, who was Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, tested positive for Methamphetamine, a prohibited substance, during a National Cricket League game in the same year.
- His two-year ban began on February 8, 2019.
- The 21-year-old confessed to the offense.
- Kazi has played four first-class games, taking 15 wickets.