2021 July 15
Today’s Top Headlines
NATIONAL NEWS
1. The Central Govt. on 14 Jul (Wednesday) approved an increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) to central govt employees & pensioners from 17% to 28%. The hike will be applicable with effect from 01 July 2021. 48.34 lakh central govt employees & 65.26 lakh pensioners will be benefited. The DA & DR were due from 01 Jan, 01 Jul 2020, & 01 Jan 2021. **No arrears for the period from 01.01.2020 till 30.06.2021 shall be paid.**
2. Cabinet approves continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary for further five years at total cost of Rs.9000 crore.
3. Centrally Sponsored Schemes are schemes that are implemented by state governments of India but are largely funded by the Central Government with a defined State Government share. Some examples of such schemes are Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and also includes National AYUSH Mission as a Centrally-sponsored Scheme from 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2026.
4. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 14 Jul (Wednesday) restricted Mastercard from adding new customers to its network for not adhering to its norms on storage of payment system data. As per directions, Mastercard cannot issue new debit, credit or prepaid cards to domestic customers from 22 July.
5. PM Modi will visit Varanasi today (i.e. on 15th July, 2021). He will inaugurate & lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects during the visit.
6. Projects worth Rs. 744 crores include 100 bed Maternal and Child Health Wing (MCH) wing in BHU, multi-level parking at Godauliya, Ro-Ro Vessels for tourism development on River Ganga & three lane flyover bridge on the Varanasi Ghazipur Highway.
7. Pregnant women will be administered COVID-19 vaccines at 35 inoculation centres in Mumbai from today (15 July).
8. The Himachal Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (HPBOSE) on Wednesday, July 14 declared the HPBOSE class 12th examination result on its official website at hpbose.org.
9. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekarwa sworn in as 28th governor of Himachal Pradesh on 13 Jul.
10. Madhya Pradesh govt decides to reopen schools for Class 11, 12 with 50% attendance.
11. Weather forecast for 15 Jul (Thursday) Shimla is expected to have thunderstorm with rain. The temperature will vary between 17 and 25 degrees Celsius.
12. Bihar Floods: Rail, road traffic disrupted in different parts of state. Several rivers including Bagmati, Gandak and Kosi are flowing above danger mark
13. Assam govt decides that tea garden labourers to be given employment under MGNREGA during the winter season when tea production is less.
14. The Indian Army has invited applications for recruitment to the posts of officers under the NCC Special Entry Scheme for both male and female candidates. All the interested and eligible candidates can apply for Indian Army recruitment by visiting the official website of the Indian Army, joinindianarmy.nic.in. **The last date for registration is July 15, 2021(Today)**
15. Indian Navy Invites Online Application For The Recruitment Post Of Sailors As Matric Recruitment (MR) For October 2021 Batch As Chef, Steward & Hygienist For 10th Pass Candidates.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
1. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has called for earnest that peace negotiations in order to resolve the Afghan crisis. Presenting the Indian view at the SCO Contact Group Meeting on Afghanistan at Dushanbe. He added that all want ceasing of violence and terrorist attacks against civilians and state representatives.
2. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar addressed inaugural session of 16th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India & Africa Project Partnership. He said that there are Four domains that should become the focus of our collaborative activities. They are (a) -Public Health, (b) digital delivery, (c) Skilling and capacity building and (d) Green economy.
3. PM Modi will inaugurate the International Cooperation & Convention Centre – Rudrakash, which has been constructed with Japanese assistance during his Varanasi visit today (15 Jul).
4. A parcel train with 20 parcel vans containing 468 tonnes of cotton yarn arrived at Benapole in Bangladesh covering the distance of 1700 Kms after being flagged from the Ambala Cantonment Station on 27 June.
5. MoU signed between ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) and Delhi University (DU) to set up Bangabandhu Chair at DU as a tribute to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh.
6. A Pakistani commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) & his two local accomplices were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on 14 Jul (Wednesday).
7. India presents 3-point roadmap to bring peace to Afghanistan.
MORE WORLD NEWS
1. The death toll in South Africa has risen to 72 as violence continues across the country following the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma. Mobs looting & setting alight shopping centres. 10 people were killed in a stampede during looting at a shopping centre in Soweto. More than 200 shopping malls had been looted.
2. President Cyril Ramaphosa has called it as some of the worst violent incidents witnessed in South Africa since the 1990s.
3. Nepali Congress Prez Sher Bahadur Deuba sworn-in as PM of the Himalayan nation. The country’s Apex Court on Monday ordered his appointment as prime minister while reinstating the House of Representatives dissolved by his predecessor KP Sharma Oli.
4. The Voice of America (VOA) Bangla service will stop its FM & Shortwave radio transmissions after 63 years of continuous service on 17 July. The move comes as the audience for VOA’s shortwave declined to less than 1% while its social media audience base grew exponentially in recent years.
5. **World Youth Skills Day is celebrated on 15 July** every year to raise awareness about the importance of technical, vocational education & training and the development of other skills relevant to both local and global economies.
Sports
1. India Women vs England Women, 3rd T20I At County Ground, Chelmsford,
14 July, 2021
INDIA: 153/6 (20 overs)
ENG: 154/2 (18.4 overs) – ENGLAND WINS BY EIGHT WICKETS
2. India will be sending a 228-strong contingent to the Tokyo Olympics, including 119 athletes, Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra said on 13 Jul (Tuesday). Out of the 119 athletes, 67 are male and 52 female participants.
3. Happy Birthday to Sports Star:. Sardar Singh (born 15 July 1986) is an Indian professional field hockey player and former captain of the Indian national team.
He became the youngest player to captain the Indian team when he led the side at the 2008 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015. On 12 September 2018, Sardara announced his retirement from international hockey.
He played 314 matches during 12 years in his career.
4. Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa felicitated Tokyo Olympics-bound athletes in Bengaluru in 14 Jul. Tokyo Olympics qualified Swimmer Srihari Natraj, Golfer Aditi Ashok & Equestrian player Fouaad Mirza were paid a purse of 10 lakh rupees each on this occasion. The CM also announced a prize money of 5 cr rupees for the Olympians winning Gold, 3 cr rupees for Silver and 2 cr rupees for winning a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
5. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur appeals to people to encourage Indian players going to Tokyo Olympics. The Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur on 14 Jul launched the official team India cheer song for Tokyo Olympics contingent. The Minister thanked Rahman and Ananya for composing the song.
6. Tokyo Olympics Badminton schedule:
World champion P V Sindhu will open her Tokyo Olympics campaign against Israel’s Polikarpova Ksenia on July 25.
In men’s singles, B Sai Praneeth will face Israel’s Misha Zilberman in his opening Group D match on the first day of competitions on July 24.
The world no. 10 men’s doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Ranki Reddy and Chirag Shetty will take on Chinese Taipei duo of Lee Yang and Wng Chi-Lin in their opening Group A match.
7. Vinesh, Bajrang lead India’s medal hopes at Tokyo Olympics.
BAJRANG PUNIA (65kg) three-time World medallist, seven-time Asian medallist. 10 international tournaments, winning six gold medals, three silver and one bronze.
VINESH PHOGAT (53kg): 2019 World bronze winner, 2021 Asian champion.
(Source: Newspapers )