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By admin: July 24, 2024

World Brain Day - 22 July 2024

Tags: Important Days

World Brain Day (WBD) is observed annually on July 22 to raise awareness about brain health and neurological disorders.

An Overview of the News

• The day is led by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) in partnership with its 6 WFN Regional Neurological Societies.

• The 11th annual World Brain Day will be observed on July 22, 2024.

• Theme for 2024: "Brain Health and Prevention: Protecting Our Future," emphasizing the importance of brain health and preventive measures.

Background:

• WBD was established by the WFN in 2014 following a proposal from the Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee (PAAC).

• The proposal was announced at the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) Council of Delegates meeting in September 2013 in Vienna, Austria.

• The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Trustees in February 2014 as an annual event.

• The first WBD was observed on July 22, 2014.

Shivraj Singh Chauhan Released Four Books of Rashtrapati Bhavan

Tags: Books and Authors

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, launched four books about Rashtrapati Bhavan.

An Overview of the News

• The books include:

  • Wings to Our Hopes - Volume 1 (available in English and Hindi)

  • Rashtrapati Bhavan: Heritage Meets the Present

  • Kahani Rashtrapati Bhavan Ki

• These publications offer a detailed portrayal of Rashtrapati Bhavan's heritage and its significance as a symbol of the Indian Republic.

• The books were published by the Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).

• The launch event was attended by Dr. L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (I&B), and Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, I&B.

About Four Books

• 'Wings to Our Hopes - Volume 1' (available in English and Hindi):

  • Contains President Droupadi Murmu's speeches from her first year in office (July 2022 - July 2023).

  • Features 75 speeches, organized into eleven sections.

• 'Rashtrapati Bhavan: Heritage Meets the Present':

  • Provides a detailed exploration of Rashtrapati Bhavan's history, legacy, and architecture.

  • Covers the journey of each Indian President, from Dr. Rajendra Prasad to the current President.

• 'Kahani Rashtrapati Bhavan Ki':

  • Aimed at children, with information about the President and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

  • Divided into three chapters: 'Our President,' 'Main Attractions of Rashtrapati Bhavan,' and 'Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Complex.'

• The books were published by the Publications Division under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).

Gujarat CM Launches 'Shramik Basera' Scheme

Tags: State News

Bhupendra Rajnikant Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, launched the 'Shramik Basera' scheme.

An Overview of the News

• The scheme aims to provide temporary accommodation for around 15,000 construction workers at a daily rent of Rs 5.

• The ground-breaking ceremony was held for 17 dwelling structures in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vadodara, and Rajkot as part of the first phase.

• Patel attended the 'Khatamuhurt' (foundation stone-laying) event at Jagatpur, Ahmedabad.

• A portal was also launched for workers to register and avail the Shramik Basera scheme.

'Shramik Basera' Scheme Highlights:

• Aim: Improve the living standards of unorganised sector and construction workers with amenities like clean water, kitchen, electricity, CCTV, toilets, street lights, security, and sanitation.

• Free for Children: Accommodation is free for the children of labourers up to 6 years old.

• Additional Benefits: Food provided under 'Shramik Annapurna Yojana' and free health check-ups.

• Budget and Duration: The Rs 1,500 crore project aims to benefit around 3 lakh construction workers over the next three years.

About Gujarat

• Founded: May 1, 1960

• Previous State: Bombay State

• Capital: Gandhinagar

• Official Bird: Greater flamingo

• Chief Minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel

• Governor: Acharya Devvrat

World Chess Day - 20 July 2024

Tags: Important Days

World Chess Day (also known as International Chess Day) is celebrated globally on July 20 each year.

An Overview of the News

• The day honors Chess, a game celebrated for its intellectual and cultural significance, and promotes fairness, inclusion, and mutual respect.

• The year 2024 will celebrate the 100th anniversary of FIDE (FIDE100).

Historical Background

• July 20 marks the founding day of FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs / International Chess Federation), established on July 20, 1924, in Paris, France.

• Since 1966, under FIDE's initiative, July 20 has been observed as International Chess Day by chess players worldwide.

• On December 12, 2019, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/74/22, designating July 20 as World Chess Day each year.

• The first UN-recognized World Chess Day was celebrated on July 20, 2020.

Dr. Deepa Malik Becomes APC’s First Female Sub-regional Representative for South Asia

Tags: Person in news

Dr. Deepa Malik, India’s first woman Paralympic medallist, has been appointed as the Sub-regional Representative for South Asia by the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) at its 34th Executive Board meeting.

An Overview of the News

• This appointment raises the number of female representatives on the APC Executive Board to 5, marking the highest female representation in the board’s history.

• Kazuhiro Yagi from Japan has been appointed as the new Vice President of the APC. He is also the Deputy Secretary General of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC), which is responsible for the Aichi Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.

Notable Achievements of Deepa Malik:

• First Indian woman to represent the country at international level sports in her disability category (F-53).

• The first Indian paraplegic woman swimmer, biker, and car rallyist.

• Won a Silver Medal in Shotput F53 at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games with a personal best performance of 4.61 meters.

• Awards and Honors:

  • Arjuna Award (National Sports Award) in 2012.

  • Padma Shri for Sports in 2017.

  • Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2019.

  • Selected as the Sir Edmund Hillary Prime Minister’s Fellow for New Zealand in 2019 by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

China Launches Gaofen-11 05 Satellite

Tags: International News

On July 19, China launched the 'Gaofen-11 05', a high-resolution optical Earth Observation Satellite (EOS), into space.

An Overview of the News

• The satellite was deployed aboard a Long March-4B carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) in Shanxi Province, China.

• This launch represents the 528th mission of the Long March rocket series and China's 33rd orbital mission of 2024.

Gaofen-11 05 Details:

• Purpose: Conduct land surveys, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimation, land ownership verification, disaster prevention, and mitigation.

• It will also support the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and national defense modernization.

Gaofen-11 & CHEOS Overview:

• The Gaofen-11 series is part of the China High-definition Earth Observation System (CHEOS), with the first satellite, Gaofen-11 01, launched in 2018.

• Gaofen-11 satellites feature large apertures (over 1.5 meters) for optical remote sensing.

• CHEOS is a state-sponsored program designed to create a near-real-time, all-weather global surveillance network that includes satellites, stratospheric airships, and aerial observation platforms.

About China

• Capital -Beijing

• Official language - Standard Chinese

• Currency - Renminbi

• Official language - Mandarin

• President -Xi Jinping

Shikhar Dhawan Named MotoGP Brand Ambassador by Eurosport India

Tags: Person in news

Eurosport India, part of Discovery Asia-Pacific, has appointed Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan as the Brand Ambassador for MotoGP in India.

An Overview of the News

• Dhawan will promote MotoGP, the premier motorcycle racing championship, to Indian audiences.

• In February 2024, Eurosport India extended its MotoGP broadcasting rights in India for an additional 3 years with Dorna.

• This move underscores Eurosport India's commitment to providing high-quality sports content to Indian viewers.

New Campaign

• The partnership introduces a new campaign titled 'Face Kar Race Kar.'

• The campaign aims to boost the popularity of motorcycle racing in India by celebrating MotoGP's spirit of resilience and encouraging fans to tackle challenges with determination.

2024 MotoGP Season Update

• The 2024 MotoGP season has featured 9 races so far, with 11 more scheduled across Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

• The season will conclude with the BritishGP at Silverstone in August 2024.

Indian Grand Prix Update

• The Indian Grand Prix, initially scheduled for September 2024, has been cancelled.

• The MotoGP Indian Grand Prix will now be held at Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in March 2025.

About MotoGP

• MotoGP, established by the Federation Internationale De Motocyclisme (FIM) in 1949, is the premier motorcycle world championship.

• It is also known as Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing.

Telangana Launches Innovative Project Swasthya Nagaram for TB-Free Municipalities

Tags: State News

A unique model for TB-Free Municipalities, under the Project Swasthya Nagaram, was launched in Hyderabad, Telangana.

An Overview of the News

• Commissioner Health and Family Welfare and Managing Director National Health Mission RV Karnan formally launched the project.

Collaborative Initiative and Stakeholder Involvement

• The initiative involves the State Tuberculosis Cell, Municipal Corporations of Peerzadiguda, Boduppal, and Pocharam in Medchal Malkajgiri district, Central TB Division, WHO India, USAID, and other stakeholders.

• Multi-stakeholder engagement is a key component of the project.

Objectives and Implementation

• The project aims to achieve TB-free municipalities by addressing social determinants that impact the TB burden through an innovative approach involving surveillance, prevention, and a complete cascade of quality TB care.

• The model will be implemented over three years in the urban settings of Peerzadiguda, Boduppal, and Pocharam Municipal Corporations.

• The goal is to reduce TB incidence by one third and decrease TB-related mortality.

• The project will provide free medical care to TB patients and offer counselling for their family members.

About Telangana

• It is a state located in south-central India on the high Deccan Plateau.

• It is the eleventh largest state of India by area.

• Telangana was carved out of the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 and became the newly formed state of Telangana with Hyderabad as the capital.

• Telangana is bordered by Maharashtra to the north, Chhattisgarh to the northeast, Karnataka to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south.

• As of 2019, the state of Telangana is divided into 33 districts.

  • Formed (by split) - 2 June 2014

  • Capital - Hyderabad

  • Governor - C. P. Radhakrishnan

  • Chief Minister -  Revanth Reddy

  • State Legislature - Bicameral

  • Rajya Sabha - 7 seats

  • Lok Sabha - 17 seats