12th July, 2024

1. 12th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting between India & UAE held in Abu Dhabi
2. NCM advises States/UTs to hold “SARV DHARMA MEETING”
3. Highlights of Rajasthan’s state budget
4. Indore to create record by planting 51 lakh trees
5. India sends humanitarian aid to Papua New Guinea after a devastating landslide
6. BNP Paribas and Mistral AI sign a partnership agreement covering all Mistral AI models
7. Procurement Through GeM Crosses Rs 1.24 Lakh Crore in Q1
8. New Space’s MTOW UAV with 25-kg Payload Tested at World’s Highest Motorable Pass
9. July 11: International Day of Reflection of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica
10. July 11: World Population Day
11. Adani Group Named Principal Sponsor for Team India at Paris Olympics
12. British Council and HSBC India Launch Climate Skills Program
13. Soumya Swaminathan appointed principal advisor to the Union Health Ministry
14. Sandeep Kumar appointed director (finance) at PFC
15. Popeye’ actor Shelley Duvall passes away

National News

1. 12th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting between India & UAE held in Abu Dhabi
   • What: The 12th edition of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting between India and UAE was held in Abu Dhabi.
     • The India-UAE JDCC was established in 2006. Since then, 11 rounds have been held.
   • During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of opportunities for collaboration to further strengthen defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
     Source: PIB
2. NCM advises States/UTs to hold “SARV DHARMA MEETING”
   • What: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has recommended that State Governments and Union Territories (UTs) organize “Sarv Dharma Samvad” meetings.
   • These meetings should occur at the sub-divisional level of the states at least once a month and at the district level half-yearly.
   • The purpose is to curb incidents of attacks or hate crimes against minority communities.
     Source: PIB

State News

1. Highlights of Rajasthan’s state budget
   • What: Rajasthan’s state budget for 2024-25, was presented by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Diya Kumari.
   • Tell me more (Key highlights)
     • Baba Saheb Ambedkar Adarsh Gram Yojana announced for overall development of villages with a population of 10,000.
     • Launch of a sports life insurance scheme for medal-winning athletes, providing a cover of Rs 25 lakh.
     • A Defense manufacturing hub and a new data center policy will be established.
     • Under the Lakhpati Didi Scheme, 15 lakh women will be uplifted to the Lakhpati Didi category

• Rs 27,660 crore allocated for health sector, which is 8.2% of the state’s total budget.
• Construction of Rajasthan Mandapam on the lines of Bharat Mandapam.
• There will be Model Solar Village in every district, 2 MW (Mega Watt) Decentralized Solar Plant, solar energy for all government offices.
  Source: Finance. Rajasthan

2. Indore to create record by planting 51 lakh trees
   • What: Indore (a city in Madhya Pradesh) is gearing up to set a world record by planting 51 lakh trees in the city within just 24 hours.
   • The previous record held by Assam.
     • Assam planted 9,25,000 trees in 2023.
       Source: Indian Express

International News

1. India sends humanitarian aid to Papua New Guinea after a devastating landslide
   • What: India has provided $1 million as relief assistance to Papua New Guinea in the aftermath of a devastating landslide.
   • The amount will be used to support rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the affected region.

Source: Indian Express

Banking and Economy

1. BNP Paribas and Mistral AI sign a partnership agreement covering all Mistral AI models
   • What: France-based BNP Paribas, the European Union(EU)’s leading bank, has signed a multi-year partnership agreement with Mistral AI, a Paris (France) based Artificial Intelligence (AI) startup.
   • Why: To provide access to all current and future commercial models of Mistral AI across all the business lines of BNP Paribas.
   • Under this partnership, BNP Paribas will implement Mistral AI’s Large Language Models(LLM) across business areas like customer support, sales and Information Technology (IT).
     Source: BNP Paribas
2. Procurement Through GeM Crosses Rs 1.24 Lakh Crore in Q1
   • What: The Government e-Market (GeM) platform has achieved remarkable procurement, surpassing Rs 1.24 lakh crore in the first quarter of 2024-25.
   • Also, the GeM aims to become the world’s largest platform by the end of this fiscal year FY24-25.
   • GeM’s Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) grew by 136% compared to last year.
   • With over 1.5 lakh government buyers and 62 lakh sellers, GeM is poised for significant expansion and impact.
   • Additionally, the platform is introducing initiatives like the ‘GeM SAHAYAK’ program to simplify public procurement and reduce transaction charges for sellers.
     Source: News18

Defence News

1. New Space’s MTOW UAV with 25-kg Payload Tested at World’s Highest Motorable Pass
   • What: New Space Research and Technologies successfully tested a 100-kg Max Take Off Weight (MTOW) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at the Unming La pass (It is world’s highest motorable pass).
     Source: Indian Express

Important Days

1. July 11: International Day of Reflection of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica
   • What: The International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica was recently observed on July 11, 2024.
   • This day honors the memory of the tragic events that occurred during the Bosnian War.
   • 11 July 2024 marks the 29th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.
   • Note: The massacre in Srebrenica marked one of the darkest chapters of the war that arose after the breakup of former Yugoslavia.
   • The Bosnian War (1992-1995) resulted in over 100,000 deaths, mainly among Bosnian Muslims, and displaced over 2 million.
   • In July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces captured Srebrenica, killing at least 8,372 men and boys in Europe’s largest massacre since the Holocaust.
     Source: UN
2. July 11: World Population Day
   • What: The United Nations (UN) World Population Day is annually observed across the globe on 11 July.
   • Why: To focus and raise awareness on the urgency and significance of the global population issues.
   • Theme: “To Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone”.
     Source: Indian Express

Sports

1. Adani Group Named Principal Sponsor for Team India at Paris Olympics
   • What: Adani Group Announced as Principal Sponsor for Indian Team at 2024 Paris Olympics Gautam Adani.
     • The Group also sponsored the Indian contingent at the Tokyo Olympics.
   • The Adani Group also launched a campaign with the hashtag #DeshkaGeetAtOlympics.
     Source: NDTV Sports

Memorandum of Understanding

1. British Council and HSBC India Launch Climate Skills Program
   • What: The British Council, in collaboration with HSBC India, has introduced the “Climate Skills: Seeds for Transition India” project.
   • This initiative aims to equip young people and communities in India with essential skills to be resilient to the impending impact of climate change and contribute to the opportunities for the transition to net zero.
   • The program targets individuals aged 18 to 30 and aims to directly engage 2,000 youths while training 300 master trainers by February 2026.
     Source: Hindustan Times

Appointments

1. Soumya Swaminathan appointed principal advisor to the Union Health Ministry
   • What: Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Chief Scientist has been appointed as the Principal Advisor at the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
   • Why: She has been appointed to India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) on a pro bono basis.
     • The term “pro bono” is short for the Latin phrase “pro bono publico,” which means “for the public good.” It refers to services provided by professionals either for free or at a significantly reduced cost to the recipient
       Source: Business Line

2. Sandeep Kumar appointed director (finance) at PFC
   • What: Sandeep Kumar has been appointed as the Director (Finance) at Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC).
   • Prior to this role, he served as the Executive Director (Finance) at PFC since January 1, 2020, and held the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
     Source: Money Control

Miscellaneous

1. Popeye’ actor Shelley Duvall passes away
   • What: Shelley Duvall, the actress known for her unforgettable roles in films such as The Shining and Popeye, has passed away.
     Source: Times of India

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