General Knowledge & Current Affairs
July 2022 - 25th to 31st
- Centre amends Flag Code to allow people to display tricolour 24X7
- Centre to launch “Har Ghar Tiranga” (hoisting of the flag at every home in the country) campaign from August 13 to 15
- Human Space Flight Expo organized by ISRO at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru on July 22-24
- Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen refuses to accept Banga Bibhushan award of West Bengal govt.
- 4 Cong MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for rest of session for disrupting proceedings
- Droupadi Murmu takes oath as India’s 15th President
- Lok Sabha passes Family Courts’ Amendment Bill, 2022; validates existence of the 3 family courts in Himachal Pradesh and 2 in Nagaland with retrospective effect
- 19 Opposition MPs suspended over misconduct from Rajya Sabha for a week
- Prasar Bharati signs MoU with IIT, Kanpur to develop Next Generation Broadcast solution
- Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated across the country on July 26; marks victory in Operation Vijay in 1999
- Gujarat: Death toll in hooch (spurious liquor) tragedy in Botad district rises to 33
- EAM Jaishankar meets USAID (United States Agency for International Development) Administrator Samantha Power in New Delhi
- India lost 329 tigers in last 3 years due to poaching, natural and unnatural causes: Govt.
- India adds 5 new wetlands, total Ramsar sites now at 54; new additions — Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest & Pichavaram Mangrove in Tamil Nadu, Pala wetland in Mizoram and Sakhya Sagar in MP
- Mission Parivar Vikas 2016 boosted National Family Planning Programme, says Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar
- LS Speaker Om Birla and Esperanca Bias sign MoU of Cooperation between Parliaments of India and Mozambique
- Indian Navy gets 1st indigenously-built aircraft carrier (IAC-1) from Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL); will commission it as INS Vikrant
- Indian Navy gets 3 of the 24 MH-60 ‘Romeo’ multi-mission helicopters from the US; made by Lockheed Martin Corporation
- PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone of multiple projects of Sabar Dairy in Sabarkantha, Gujarat
- 2 Indian peacekeepers killed in violent anti-UN protests in Democratic Republic of Congo
- Kerala govt to launch online cab service ‘Kerala Savari’ in August
- Indian Air Force to retire all squadrons of MiG-21 Bison aircraft by 2025
- Rajasthan: 2 pilots killed after IAF’s MiG-21 crashes in Barmer district
- Govt. notifies new set of specified health warnings on tobacco product packs that will have to display image with text ‘Tobacco Causes Painful Death’
- Parliamentary delegation from Mozambique calls on President Droupadi Murmu
- India tops list of nations seeking blocking scribe, news co tweets: Twitter report
- West Bengal School jobs scam: Arrested Minister Partha Chatterjee stripped of cabinet portfolios, party posts
- PM addresses first All India District Legal Services Authorities Meet in New Delhi; urges judiciary to speed up the release of undertrials
- Home Minister Amit Shah opens conference on drug trafficking and national security in Chandigarh
- Over 30,000 kg of drugs were burnt and disposed of by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) teams in Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati and Kolkata.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar attends Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at Tashkent in Uzbekistan
- Pranay Kumar Verma appointed India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh
- 1999 Kargil war: Point 5140 named as ‘Gun Hill’ to honour supreme sacrifice of gunners in ‘Operation Vijay’
- Actor Rasik Dave, known for Hindi and Gujarati films and TV shows, dies at 65
- China launches 2nd space station module Wentian after Tianhe in April 2021; launch of 3rd named Mengtian later to complete its permanent space station
- Russia insists strike on Ukrainian port of Odesa hit military targets
- Japan: Evacuation alert after Sakurajima volcano erupts in Kagoshima
- India contributes $2.5 million to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UN RWA)
- Boat carrying Haitian migrants sinks off Bahamas, killing 17; 25 rescued
- Myanmar: Military rulers execute four democracy activists, the first execution conducted in the country in decades
- World Drowning Prevention Day observed on July 25
- Russia will withdraw from International Space Station (ISS) project after 2024; jointly run by space agencies of Russia, USA, Europe, Japan and Canada since 1998
- IMF cuts growth forecast for global economy in 2022 to 3.2% in its World Economic Outlook (WEO) report
- US actor Paul Sorvino dies at 83, famous for his role in the gangster classic “Goodfellas”
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy given Churchill Leadership Award of UK
- Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China ‘epicenter’ of Covid-19 pandemic: Study
- Russia’s Gazprom cuts gas supply to Europe through Nord Stream 1 to 20% of full capacity
- US to sell additional 20 million barrels of oil from strategic reserve
- Russia taking over ownership stakes in Arctic oil field now held by French and Norwegian companies
- US Federal Reserve hikes interest rate by 75 basis points to check inflation
- World Hepatitis Day observed on July 28
- World Nature Conservation Day observed on July 28
- International Tiger Day observed on July 29; India has over half of the world’s wild tigers – 2,226
- India votes in favour of a UNGA resolution that recognises the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right
- US Congress passes $280 bn bill to aid computer chip firms, counter China
- Tunisia referendum: Voters give President Kais Saied near unchecked power
- 7.0-magnitude earthquake kills five, injures 130 in northern Philippines
- World Day against Trafficking in Persons observed on July 30
- International Day of Friendship celebrated on July 30
- United States, Japan to launch new semiconductor research hub
- Govt directs major ports to exempt passenger ferries from paying port, vessel charges for 6 months
- Income Tax Day observed by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on July 24
- Fresh milk and pasteurised milk fully exempted from Goods and Service Tax, clarifies Government
- Multi-Agency Group set up by govt for expeditious and coordinated investigation of various categories of foreign asset cases: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
- Maersk creates fast, reliable India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics solution using inland waterways
- Bidding for first ever auction of 5G spectrum begins; Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Adani Data Networks in the fray
- Defence ministry approves arms procurement proposals worth Rs 28,732 cr
- Defence’s Ministry iDEX-DIO (Innovations for Defence Excellence–Defence Innovation Organization) signs its 100th innovation contract
- IMF slashes India’s 2022-23 GDP growth forecast by 0.8% to 7.4%
- 8% decline in amount of bank frauds in last two years: MoS for Finance Bhagwat Karad
- Non-Performing Assets of Scheduled Commercial Banks in country declined in last four years: Govt
- Govt to provide 4G mobile services in 24,680 uncovered villages at cost of Rs 26,316 crore
- Cabinet approves Rs 1.64 lakh crore revival package for BSNL; BBNL (Bharat Broadband Network Limited) to be merged with BSNL
- Govt. approves additional investment by BPRL (Bharat Petro Resources Limited) for development of BM-SEAL-11 Concession Project in Brazil
- BPRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
- DGCA asks SpiceJet to operate 50% of approved flights for 8 weeks following snags
- Campbell Wilson gets security clearance, to take over as Air India MD-CEO
- Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies, has been named the wealthiest woman on Kotak Private Banking – Hurun Leading Wealthy Women List 2021
- Companies can spend CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds for ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign activities: Govt
- Govt launches 11th agricultural census 2021-22 to collect data on various parameters, including operational holdings
- India’s installed capacity of electricity generation at 403 Giga Watt as on June 30: Govt.
- SC upholds strict PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) provisions and backs sweeping powers of ED (Enforcement Directorate)
- PM launches ‘India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX)’ at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar.
- Core sector output rises by 12.7% in June
- India April-June fiscal deficit widens to 21.2% of 2022-23 aim
- India receives record high FDI inflow of Rs 6,31,050 crore in 2021-22
- India’s foreign exchange reserves down by $1.152 billion to $571.560 billion in the week to July 22
- Banks’ boards must engage more to address climate concerns: RBI
- RBI eases card data storage norms; new rules allow the merchant or its payment aggregator to save card data for a maximum period of four days
- Google Maps launches Street View in India in collaboration with Tech Mahindra and Genesys International
- EPFO launches face authentication for pensioners to submit digital life certificates
- PM launches National Solar rooftop portal to enable online tracking of the process of installation of rooftop solar plants
- PM launches Power Ministry’s flagship Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme that aims at improving the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of the Distribution Companies (DISCOMs)
- RUSSIA
Russia said it would further cut gas deliveries to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, supposedly because it requires repairs. The pipeline was already at 40% of capacity; it has now dropped to 20%. - ITALY
Sergio Mattarella, Italy’s president, said elections would be held on September 25th, following the resignation of Mario Draghi as prime minister. Hard-right parties are expected to do well. - ETHIOPIA
Around 500 members of al-Shabab, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia, crossed the border into Ethiopia, where they clashed with security forces. Unlike previous jihadi attacks, this incursion appeared to be aimed at capturing territory and establishing bases. - NORTHERN IRELAND
David Trimble, a former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, died at the age of 77. He is remembered for helping to negotiate the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which brought peace to Northern Ireland after 30 years of sectarian violence. - EL SALVADOR
Nayib Bukele, the increasingly authoritarian president of El Salvador, announced that his government would build a “Terrorism Confinement Centre” to lock up thousands of people. Since a state of emergency was announced in March, some 46,000 alleged gang members have been rounded up. - TUNISIA
A new Tunisian constitution giving more powers to president Kais Saeid passed in a referendum. About 95% of those who voted approved the charter. But only 31% of voters turned out. - EGYPT
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, visited Egypt, where he met ambassadors of the 22-country Arab League, among others. Lavrov attempted to blame the West for shortages of grain as a result of the war in Ukraine. - TAIWAN
Tension mounted over plans by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of America’s House of Representatives, to visit Taiwan in August. The trip has not been confirmed, but Joe Biden said America’s military leaders think “it’s not a good idea right now”. - CUBA
A top Cuban athlete defected while she was on her way back from the World Championships in Eugene, USA. Olympic bronze medal discus thrower Yaimé Pérez, 31, abandoned the Cuban delegation while on a stopover in Miami. - US
A watch said to have belonged to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler sold for $1.1m at an auction in the US. The Huber timepiece, which sold to an anonymous bidder, shows a swastika and has the initials AH engraved on it.
- Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark) of Team Jumbo–Visma wins 3328-kms Tour de France cycle race
- Neeraj Chopra (88.13 m) wins silver in men’s javelin throw at World Athletics Championships in US; gold won by Anderson Peters (90.54 m) of Grenada
- Red Bull driver Max Verstappen wins Formula One French Grand Prix at Le Castellet
- India (312/8 in 49.4) beats West Indies (311/6 in 50) by 2 wickets in 2nd ODI at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago)
- SAI launches Create for India campaign to cheer for Team India participating in Commonwealth Games
- World Athletics Championships in US: Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan breaks world record in women’s 100m hurdles in 12.12 seconds
- Hosts US top medals tally at World Athletics Championships; Armand Duplantis of Sweden breaks own world record in men’s pole vault with 6.21 metres
- England: Leicester Cricket Ground named after Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar
- Lok Sabha passes National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021; provides for constitution of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for regulating anti-doping activities in sports
- India beat West Indies by 119 runs in 5rd and final ODI to clinch series 3-0 at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain
- Four times Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel to retire at season end
- PM inaugurates 44th Chess Olympiad at Jawaharlal Nehru indoor stadium in Chennai
- Citing Kashmir, Pakistan pulls out on Chess Olympiad eve
- Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham: Mirabai Chanu bags India’s first gold in women’s 49kg weightlifting
- India beat West Indies by 68 runs in first T20 at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago
