NATIONAL NEWS

National Conference on Food and Nutrition Security

• The Department of Food and Public Distribution will organize a National Conference on - Food and Nutrition Security in India in New Delhi.
• The conference is aimed at facilitating cross learning, disseminating best practices for schemes under Public Distribution System and strengthening the focus on nutritional security.
• The key highlights of the conference will include the discussion on the Food Fortification, Diversification of Food basket, Crop Diversification, Reforms in PDS and Storage sector.
• Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal will address the one-day conference.

NINL Ownership Handed Over to Tata Group

• Finance Minister announced that the privatisation of Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL) was completed on 04 July 2022.

• It was handed over to Tata Group firm TSLP.
• NINL is the second successful privatisation by the current government.
• Tata Steel Long Products (TSLP) emerged as the winning bidder, putting in bids worth Rs 12,100 crore for loss-making NINL.
• MMTC was the largest shareholder in NINL holding 49.78 per cent stake, NMDC (10.10 per cent), BHEL (0.68 per cent), and MECON (0.68 per cent). Besides, 2 Odisha government PSUs held 20.47 per cent and 12 per cent respectively, in NINL.
• NINL Strategic Disinvestment transaction has been completed today with the transfer of 93.71 per cent shares of the joint venture partners to the Strategic Buyer.

Greenko Partners with IIT Hyderabad

• Renewable energy major Greenko and IIT Hyderabad have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to launch India’s first dedicated school for sustainable science and technology.

• ‘Greenko School of Sustainable Science and Technology’ (GSSST) aims to plug the rising research, education, and skills gaps caused by the imperatives of sustainable development.

• The school will be advancing knowledge in the areas of climate change mitigation, artificial intelligence and space technology, energy transition and industrial transformation, circular and regenerative economy among others.
• GSSST will open towards the end 2022 and by June 2023, it will include students for MTech and Ph.D. in sustainable science and technology.

Indian Naval Ships to Visit Singapore

• As part of the deployment to South East Asia, Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Kadmatt under the Command of Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, visited Singapore from 01 July to 03 July, 2022.

• INS Sahyadri is an indigenously built multi-role stealth Frigate and INS Kadmatt is an indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvette.

• During the visit, the Indian crew participated in professional interactions with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) towards enhancing mutual cooperation and interoperability.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors

• The 12th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security was held virtually.

• Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, chaired the meeting in Beijing, China.

• National security advisers and high representatives of the national security of South Africa, Brazil, Russia, and India attended the event.
• In 2022, China is the chair of the BRICS grouping and India was represented by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
• The meeting of BRICS NSAs is an important platform for BRICS countries to enhance political and security cooperation.

BANKING

Banks Board into Financial Services Institutions Bureau

• The government has transformed Banks Board Bureau (BBB) into Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) by making some amendments.

• The amendment has been done to Nationalized Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions) Scheme of 1970 with the approval of the finance minister.
• The decision of amendments was taken as the BBB is not a competent body to select the general managers and directors of state-owned general insurers.
• Bhanu Pratap Sharma, who is the former chairman of BBB has been appointed as the initial chairperson of FSlB for two years.
• The BBB was originally set up in 2016.

RBI Bars Non-Bank PPIs From Loading Credit Lines

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has barred all non-bank prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers from loading credit lines.

• RBI guidelines permit PPIs to be loaded by either cash or debit to a bank account, credit and debit cards and other payment instruments in rupees.

• Any non-compliance in this regard may attract penal action under provisions contained in the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• The RBI’s clarification is being seen as an attempt to stop card-based fintech and firms operating as neo banks that have tied up with banks from offering credit lines.

SPORTS

British Grand Prix

• Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz won his career’s first Formula One race with a victory at the British Grand Prix.
• Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton finished second and third respectively.
• Sainz has moved up to the fourth position in the 2022 Driver Standings.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

Most Preferred Workplace of 2022

• NTPC has been recognized as one of the “Most Preferred Workplaces of 2022".

• It was recognized in the premier edition of “Most Preferred Workplaces 2022" organized by Team Marksmen in association with India Today.
• The award showcases and celebrates organizations which have managed to maximize employee wellbeing, engagement and productivity alongside organizational performance.

Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2022

• According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index (GSEI) by Israel-based StartupBlink, Bengaluru is the “strongest startup ecosystem in India” and ranked 8th globally.

• San Francisco Bay (United States) ranked top in the index followed by New York (United States) and London (United Kingdom)

• New Delhi ranks 13, Mumbai is 17, Pune is 90, Hyderabad is 97, Chennai is 102, Jaipur is 212 and Ahmedabad is 223.
• In the country-wise rankings for 2022, India is among the top 20 startup ecosystems globally and has been ranked 19^th.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Miss India 2022

• Karnataka's Sini Shetty was crowned Femina Miss India 2022 winner at the Jio Convention center in Mumbai.

• Rubal Shekhawat from Rajasthan emerged as Femina Miss India 2022 1st runner up and Shinata Chauhan from Uttar Pradesh emerged as Femina Miss India 2022 2nd Runner up.

• Femina Miss India 2022 pageant in its hybrid format had launched a nationwide hunt to find the prospective talents from all corners of the country through virtual auditions.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

14th Prime Minister of Israel

• The leader of the Yesh Atid Party, Mr. Yair Lapid has officially become the 14th Prime Minister of Israel.

• He succeeds Naftali Bennett.
• Naama Schultz will become director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office.
• Mr. Yair Lapid was an author, TV presenter, and news anchor.
• He serves as the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid, having previously served as Leader of the Opposition from 2020 to 2021 and as Minister of Finance from 2013 to 2014.
• He served as the alternate prime minister of Israel and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2021 to 2022.

OBITUTARY

Veteran Bangali Filmmaker Tarun Majumdar

• Veteran film director Tarun Majumdar, who was known for his compelling work in Bengali cinema, has passed away due to prolonged illness. He was at the age of 91.

• He was born on 08 January 1931 in the Bengal Presidency of British India.

• His works includes Balika Badhu (1976), Kuheli (1971), Shriman Prithviraj (1972) and Dadar Kirti (1980).
• He is the recipient of four National Awards, seven BFJA Awards, five Filmfare Awards and an Anandalok Award.
• The Government of India honoured him with the Fourth highest civilian award Padma Shri in 1990.

Visionary British Theatre Director Peter Brook

• Peter Brook, one of the world’s most innovative theatre directors passed away. He was at the age of 97.

• He was best known for his 1985 masterpiece ‘The Mahabharata’.

• In 2021, he was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri, for his valuable contributions towards arts.
• He also won a Tony Award in 1970 for the production of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.