1) Science Exploration Day: 20 July
•Science Exploration Day (also called Moon Day) is marked every year on 20 July. It was on this day in 1969 that Neil Armstrong and Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon’s surface. The origins of Space Exploration Day date back to man first walking on the moon, with the day itself first observed to commemorate this historic event during events held in the early 1970s.
•Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon’s surface. The Armstrong- Aldrin duo spent 21.5 hours on the surface of the moon out of which they spent 2.5 hours outside of their capsules. To commemorate their achievement, the day was declared a holiday in 1984 by the then President of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
2) International Chess Day: 20 July
•The International Chess Day is celebrated annually on July 20, since 1966, to celebrate one of the most ancient and most popular games in history that promote fairness, equality, mutual respect and understanding among nations. It was on this day that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924. The idea to celebrate the day as the international chess day was proposed by UNESCO. This day has been celebrated in as many as 178 countries, and a resolution officially recognizing it was signed by the United Nations in 2019.
3) Saudi Arabia ends male guardian requirement for women attending hajj
•According to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Saudi Arabia, women can now register for the annual Hajj pilgrimage without a male guardian (marham). In registration guidelines of Hajj for domestic pilgrims, the ministry highlights, women do not need to require a male guardian to register and could do registration along with other women. Women wishing to perform Hajj will have to register individually.
•India had announced the same rule in 2017 when the Modi government declared that women could go on Hajj without a male companion. Muslim women were exempted from mahram and also from the lottery system.
4) Balika Panchayat successfully held at Kunariya village in Gujarat
•The Kunariya village of Kutch district in Gujarat has come out with a unique idea of holding Balika Panchayat. The first-ever elections of this Balika Panchayat were successfully. Inspired by the TV series, Balika Vadhu, the Kunariya village in Kutch district today held elections for the unique Balika Panchayat, which aims to develop leadership qualities in the girls for Future Panchayat polls.
5) Maharashtra to issue Certificates using Blockchain Technology
•Maharashtra will be the first state in the country to issue educational documents using blockchain technology. Forgery of documents is a serious concern for various educational and other institutions. Many steps are being taken to avoid forgery along with verification of documents. Maharashtra State Board of Skill Development has decided to issue blockchain-based certificates to students.
•Around 10 lakh digital certificates will be issued to diploma holders of eight educational years. Mr Malik said that Singapore, Malta and Bahrain are the only countries using this technology. Maharashtra will be the 1st Indian state and the world’s largest user of Blockchain for educational certificates. Each student will receive a “certficate_LegitDoc.zip” digital file containing the original PDF diploma certificate and its corresponding blockchain proof file. It can be verified within 10 seconds from anywhere around the world and does not require human intervention.
6) FDI limit in NPS fund managers hiked to 74%
•The government notified a hike in the foreign direct investment limit in pension fund management to 74% from 49% under the national pension system (NPS). This step is opening doors for experienced foreign partners in this space and facilitating more competition in the fledgling segment. Pension Fund Regulatory &Development Authority (PFRDA) Act links the FDI ceiling in the insurance sector.
•National Pension System (NPS) was launched in January 2004 for government employees and later in 2009, it was opened to all. There are two types of accounts in NPS – Tier 1 and Tier 2. If a person invests in Tier 1 account then he/she gets an additional tax exemption of up to Rs 50,000. National Pension Scheme is being regulated by PFRDA.
7) A book titled “RSS” by Sudhanshu Mittal now in Chinese
•BJP leader Sudhanshu Mittal”s book on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has now been translated into the Chinese language. “RSS: Building India Through SEWA”, which talks of RSS”s history, ideology and policies, and their subsequent impact on the nation, was brought out by Har-Anand Publications in 2019. The Chinese translation is by Jack Bo.
•According to Mittal, he wrote this book to “differentiate between fact and fiction that is at the heart of the debate on the RSS” and to attempt to clarify RSS”s contribution to and position in Indian society. The book, in his words, attempts to describe the work of the RSS since its inception, its history, the core of Sewa Karya, the structural organisation, busting the myths of the RSS not having participated in the Independence movement of India, the Ram Janmabhoomi issue, and the organisation’s dynamic nature through generational change.
8) Bank of Maharashtra signs MoU with NABARD
•Bank of Maharashtra has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) to boost ongoing developmental initiatives linked to priority sector lending in Maharashtra. It is on a collaborative approach to enhance rural prosperity through the convergence of institutional lending & ongoing development initiative.
•The MoU envisages joint initiatives for the benefit of farmers, farmer producer organisations, joint liability groups, self-help groups, rural artisans, weavers, Agri-preneurs, Agri start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises in the State.
9) ICC welcomes Mongolia, Tajikistan and Switzerland as new members
•The International Cricket Council (ICC) inducted Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Switzerland as members at its 78th Annual General Meeting. Mongolia and Tajikistan as the 22nd and 23rd members of the Asia region. Switzerland is Europe’s 35th member. With the ICC now comprising 106 members in total, including 94 associates.
10) Viswanathan Anand wins Sparkassen Trophy
•Viswanathan Anand defeated Vladimir Kramnik to win the Sparkassen Trophy at Dortmund. Anand needed only a draw in the final game of the No-Castling Chess event, and he got it in 40 moves.
•Kramnik, who conceived this variant of chess with the intention of making the game less predictable and more dynamic, however, was forced to draw the game by giving perpetual checks. Anand was just one move away from putting a second queen on the board.
