Current Affairs July 2013 Study Material

7/27/2019 Current Affairs July 2013 Study Material

1/25

9/21/13 Current Affairs July 2013 Study Material | FreeJobAlert.com

currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/july-2013-current-affairs-study-material/5234/

FreeJobAlert.com Current Affairs

Current Affairs 2012-2013 Quiz, Bit Bank, Online tests

Home

CA Home

Current Affairs by Day

Current Affairs by Month

Bit Bank

Previous Questions

Online Tests

All India Govt Jobs

State Govt Jobs

Bank Jobs

Teaching Jobs

IT Jobs

IT WalkinsEngineering Jobs

Railway Jobs

Police/Defence Jobs

Notifications

Latest Notifications

Upcoming Notifications

Latest Announcements

Exam Results

Interview Results

Interview Schedule

Exam Date Reminder

Written Marks

Admit Card / Call Letter

To Be Announced Later

Exam Results

Interview Results

Interview Schedule

Exam Date

Others

Cutoff Marks & Answer Key

Eligibility

Syllabus

Exam Pattern & Selection Process

Previous Papers

Interview Questions

July 2013 Current Affairs Study Material
http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-questions/22378/http://www.freejobalert.com/syllabus/22151/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-schedule-to-be-announced/22233/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-results-to-be-announced/22047/http://www.freejobalert.com/admit-card-call-letter/22406/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-schedule/22252/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-results/22135/http://www.freejobalert.com/upcoming-notifications/21614/http://www.freejobalert.com/police-defence-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/engineering-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/it-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/state-government-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/government-jobs/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/current-affairs-previous-questions/719/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/day-wise-current-affairs/696/http://www.freejobalert.com/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/july-2013-current-affairs-study-material/5234/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-questions/22378/http://www.freejobalert.com/previous-papers/22365/http://www.freejobalert.com/exam-pattern-selection-process-2/22290/http://www.freejobalert.com/syllabus/22151/http://www.freejobalert.com/eligibility/22149/http://www.freejobalert.com/cut-off-marks-answer-key/22331/http://www.freejobalert.com/exam-date/22202/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-schedule-to-be-announced/22233/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-results-to-be-announced/22047/http://www.freejobalert.com/exam-results-to-be-announced-2/22025/http://www.freejobalert.com/admit-card-call-letter/22406/http://www.freejobalert.com/written-test-marks/22399/http://www.freejobalert.com/upcoming-exam-dates-of-various-jobs/1835/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-schedule/22252/http://www.freejobalert.com/interview-results/22135/http://www.freejobalert.com/exam-results/22075/http://www.freejobalert.com/upcoming-notifications/21614/http://www.freejobalert.com/latest-notifications/http://www.freejobalert.com/police-defence-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/railway-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/engineering-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/it-walkins/http://www.freejobalert.com/it-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/teaching-faculty-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/bank-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/state-government-jobs/http://www.freejobalert.com/government-jobs/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/month-wise-online-tests/643/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/current-affairs-previous-questions/719/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/month-wise-current-affairs-bit-bank/625/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/month-wise-current-affairs-study-material/613/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/day-wise-current-affairs/696/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/http://www.freejobalert.com/http://www.freejobalert.com/free-job-alerts-on-your-mobile-through-sms-subscribe-now/http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/


2/25


3/25


currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/july-2013-current-affairs-study-material/5234/ 3

reached the decision unanimously at their meeting.The Iranian-backed group plays a major role in Lebanese politics and has dominated

the government since 2011.The blacklisting would mean imposing visa bans on individuals and asset freezes on organizations associate

with the group.

Thirty Meter Telescope Partners Signed Agreement

On 26 July The partners building the worlds largest and most advanced optical telescope at Mauna Keas summit have signed an

agreement laying the foundation for the telescopes operation.Mauna Kea is a volcano on the island of Hawaii.The Thirty Mete

Telescope project representatives from partnering institutions in the U.S., Canada, China, India and Japan signed the document.The

agreement defines project goals, member party rights, obligations and benefits. It also establishes a governance structure.The telescop

is a partnership of the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy, the California Institute of Technology, theNational Astronomical Observatory of Japan, institutions in India, a consortium of Chinese institutions and the University of California.

Liberals, Smaller Tribes Win Seats In Kuwaits Parliamentary Elections

On 27 July Liberals and candidates from some of Kuwaits more marginalised tribes have won seats in a parliament .The ballot was th

sixth since 2006 in the major oil producer, where political upheaval and bureaucracy have held up the vast majority of projects in a 30

billion-dinar (68 billion pounds) economic development plan announced in 2010.Kuwait has the most open political system in the Gu

Arab region but parliaments have been repeatedly dissolved over procedural disputes or for challenging the government in which

members of the ruling Al-Sabah family hold top posts.Shiites estimated at 20-30 percent of the population won just eight seats in th

50-member parliament compared to 17 in the last election in December, after Sunnis in their districts ramped up a campaign to wi

seats.

Myanmar China Gas Pipeline Starts To Deliver Gas To ChinaOn 28 July Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline (Myanmar section) was inaugurated in northern Myanmars Mandalay and started to

deliver gas to China.The gas pipeline stretches for 793 kilometers onshore within Myanmars territory with six processing stations, whil

the crude oil pipeline, which is nearing completion, starts from Made Island and extends onshore for 771 kilometers.

Republican Turkish Party Wins Turkish Cypriot Parliamentary Elections

On 29 July the centre-left Republican Turkish Party (CTP) emerged as the winner on in the Turkish Cypriot parliamentary elections, bu

came short of winning an outright majority.The CTP won 38.49 per cent of the vote and 21 seats in the 50-seat Parliament of th

breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, results showed.The nationalist National Unity Party (UBP) won 27.16 per cent an

14 seats and the centre-right Democratic Party (DP) took 23.1 per cent of the vote and 12 seats.The centre-left Communal Democrac

Party (TDP) won 7.41 per cent of the vote and three seats.The CTP will now need to form a coalition government.The election wa

called a year early after the Government of Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk, in power since 2009.Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish

northern part and a Greek south since a Turkish invasion in July 1974.

Mamnoon Hussain Elected As Pakistans New President

On 30 July Pakistan Muslim League-Nawazs (PML-N) nominee Mamnoon Hussain was elected as the 12th President o

Pakistan.Hussain emerged as a clear winner in the contest with ex-judge Wajihuddin Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party , headed

by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan.Mamnoon Hussain has secured 432 votes whereas justice Wajihuddin (Ahmed) secures 7

votes.The presidential office of Pakistan will be vacated on 8 September 2013 by the incumbent Asif Ali Zardari, as his term of 5 year

ended.Mamnoon Hussain will be administered the oath of the office on 9 September 2013. Mamnoon Hussain was born on 2 Marc

1940 in Agra, India.He is the textile businessman as well as politician of Pakistan.He migrated to Pakistan from India in 1954.

Ireland President Signed The Abortion Bill In To Law

On 31 July Ireland President Michael D. Higgins has signed the abortion bill into law. The bill, overwhelmingly passed by both houses o

the Irish parliament on 12 July 2013, permits abortions only in cases where doctors deem the womans life at risk from continue

pregnancy.

INDIA & WORLD

India Ranks 66th On Global Innovation Index

On 2 July India ranked 66th in the Global Innovation Index 2013, published by Cornell University, INSEAD, World Intellectua

Property Organization (WIPO) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as a knowledge partner.Switzerland and Sweden maintained

rank 1 and 2 respectively The study ranked 142 economies across the world on their innovation capacity and efficiency.


4/25



India and Mauritius Signed 5 MoUs

On 5 July India and Mauritius signed 5 MoUs (Memorandum of understanding).The 5 MoUs are signed in the presence of the Union

Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Anand Sharma and Mr. Sayyad Abd-Al-Cader Sayed Hossen, Minister of Industry, Mauritius

in Port Louis.Five institutional level MoUs were signed to take the partnership forward. These are:

* MoU between Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and Enterprise Mauritius (EM)

* MoU between Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) and Mauritius Standards Bureau

* MoU between NITRA and National Productivity and Competitive Council (NPCC) of Mauritius

* MoU between Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) and Mauritius Export Association (MEXA); and

* MoU between Institute of Apparel Management (IAM) and Fashion and Design Institute of Mauritius (FDI)

UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2013

On 5 July According to the UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2013, the world has reached the poverty reduction target five

years ahead of schedule. In developing regions, the proportion of people living on less than $1.25 a day fell from 47 per cent in 1990 to

22 per cent in 2010. Extreme poverty is also falling in every region.Nevertheless, the gender gap in employment persists, with a 24.8

percentage point difference between men and women in the employment-to-population ratio in 2012.

India, Albania Signed Agreement For Avoidance Of Double Taxation

On 8 July India and Albania signed an agreement for avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to

taxes on income and on capital.The agreement was signed by Ms Sudha Sharma, chairperson, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

and Mr Fatos Kerciku, Ambassador, Republic of Albania.

India, Iraq Signed Agreement To Enhance Co-operation In Energy SectorOn 8 July India and Iraq signed a agreement to enhance co-operation in energy security, bilateral trade & commerce, infrastructure

development among others.The agreement was signed between the Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily and his counterpart from

Iraq, Abdul Karim Luaibi at the end of the India-Iraq Joint Commission on technical co-operation in Baghdad.

India, SriLanka & Maldives Signed Tripartite Maritime Security Agreement

On 8 July India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have entered into a tripartite agreement on maritime cooperation to secure sea routes in the

Indian Ocean region at the end of the Meeting on Trilateral Cooperation on Maritime Security.The agreement was reached by all on the

importance of raising the maritime cooperation between the three countries in the current context of maritime security environment in the

Indian Ocean region.

India Tanzania Signed Agreements On Bilateral Cooperation

On 9 July India and Tanzania have signed agreements on bilateral cooperation in several sectors, including agriculture, health aneducation, mines and minerals.All the agreements were signed between the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Preneet Kau

and the Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard K. Membe at Dar es Salaam.

15th India Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting

On 11 July India and Vietnam held 15th Joint commission meeting in New Delhi.The meeting was co-chaired on the Vietnams sid

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and on the Indian side by Indias External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid .In the meeting both

nations discussed the strengthening of strategic partnership which included an exchange of a co-operative agenda on bilateral relations.A

the end of the meeting, both nations signed the Agreed Minutes of the JCM and witnessed the signing of an Agreement on the US$19.5

million LOC for setting up Nam Trai-IV hydropower project and Binh Bo Pumping station by CMD, Exim Bank and the Vietnam Vice

Minister of Finance.

India, Nigeria Signed Solar Power Plant Agreement

On 22 July India and Nigeria have signed an agreement to locate sites for solar power plants in Niger state.The agreement will provid

additional energy for Nigerias national grid.The agreement was signed between Nigerias permanent secretary in the Ministry of Powe

Godknows Igali and the secretary to the Government of India, Sutanu Behuria.

India, Belarus Signed Protocol To Enhance Trade Ties

On 24 July 2013 India and Belarus signed a protocol to enhance trade ties during the sixth session of the Inter-Government

Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation held in New Delhi.The session was co-chaired

from the Indian Side by Dr. E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and Dmitry S. Katerinich

Minister of Industry of the Republic of Belarus.

India and France Hold Talks On Military Cooperation


5/25



On 26 July India and France discussed their ongoing military cooperation including the progress over Rs 50,000 crore 126 multirol

combat aircraft deal during the defence minister-level talks in NewDelhi.The two sides are also holding negotiations for a Rs 30,000

crore project for co-developing the Maitri surface-to-air missile defence system.In a joint statement issued after the deliberation

between defence minister A K Antony and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, they agreed that such cooperation shoul

continue to be progressed to the mutual benefit of both countries, including in high technology areas involving joint research and

development and transfer of technology.

India and Afghanistan Signed MoUs for SDP scheme projects

On 30 July India and Afghanistan have signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in Kabul for implementing 60 projects in ten Afghan

provinces under the Small Development Projects (SDP) scheme.The MoUs signed by Afghan Minister of Economy Abdul HadArghandiwal and Indian Ambassador Amar Sinha in Kabul are related to the third phase of the SDP scheme and will be completed i

the next four years.

NATIONAL

Government Announced National Cyber Security Policy

On 2 July the Union Government of India announced the National Cyber Security Policy with an aim to protect information and build

capabilities to prevent cyber attacks. The National Cyber Security Policy 2013 to safeguard both physical and business assets of the

country.This policy aims at facilitating creation of secure computing environment and enabling adequate trust and confidence in electronic

transactions and also guiding stakeholders actions for protection of cyber space.The National Cyber Policy in order to create a securcyber ecosystem has planned to set-up a National Nodal Agency to coordinate all matters related to cyber security in the country.

President Pranab Mukherjee Signed Ordinance On Food Security

On 5 July President Pranab Mukherjee signed the ordinance on food security ,which seeks to give legal rights to 67 per cent of th

population over subsidised grains every month.Now, with the presidential consent, the bill will be presented before the Parliament whe

it convenes for the Monsoon Session.The Government had issued the ordinance to give nations two-third population the right to get 5

kgs of foodgrains every month at highly subsidised rates of 1-3 Rupees per kg amid political opposition.

District Rural Development Agency Disbanded

On 9 July the Union government announced disbanding of the Rural Development Agency (DRDA), the body which looks afte

implementation of anti-poverty programmes of Rural Development Ministry.The agency will now be rechristened and it will perform it

role under zila parishads, the local elected bodies at the district level.The District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) were set up aindependent societies in 1980 and since then have been principal organs at the district level to oversee the implementation of the

ministrys anti-poverty programmes.

Cabinet Approved For Aviation, Women Varsities In Raebareli

On 11 July the Union cabinet has approved two universities for Raebareli, the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Soni

Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh.Raebareli will get the first ever all-women university and first national aviation university in the country.Nationa

University for Women in Uttar Pradesh by the name of The Indira Gandhi National University for Women.This will be the firs

university of the country to be established exclusively for women.The cost involved is Rs.500 crore.National Aviation University (NAU

in the name of Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University at the District of Rae Bareli in the State of U.P. as a Central University.Th

Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University will be established as a Central University and as an autonomous body under th

administrative control of Ministry of Civil Aviation in Rae Bareli District of U.P. with an estimated Central Governments funding of Rs

202 crore in 12th Plan period.Both universities bills will be introduced in the coming Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Govt Approved To Replace DGCA With Civil Aviation Authority

On 11 July The government cleared a proposal to replace Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) with a new aviation regulato

with full operational and financial autonomy.The new regulatory body would be called the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and it woul

replace the DGCA.The estimated cost of establishing the new Authority would be over Rs 110 crore.

Free Medical Treatment For Pregnant Women

On 16 July Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad announced the government will provide free pre-natal health care and ambulance

facilities to pregnant women across the country .Under the Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY) scheme, pregnant women are provided fre

medical treatment during the delivery and post natal care.Pregnant women will be given free medical and ambulance facilities from

conception to delivery. They will also be able to avail free consultation from doctors at government hospitals for 45 days from delivery


6/25



and infants will be given free treatment at the hospitals for one year.

Indian Telegram Service Stopped

The 163-year old telegram service in the country ends on 14 July.Started in 1850 on an experimental basis between Koklata and

Diamond Harbour, it was opened for use by the British East India Company in 1851and it was opened to the public in 1854.Within

short time of BSNL handling telegram services in 1990s, the PSU had a rift with the Department of Posts following which telegram

were accepted as phonograms from various villages and other centres from telephone consumers.

Bengaluru International Airport Renamed as Kempegowda International Airport

On 17 July the Union Cabinet gave its approval for renaming Bengaluru International Airport as Kempegowda International Airport tofulfill the long pending demand of the people of Karnataka, as well as the State Government of Karnataka.Hiriya Kempegowda, know

as Kempegowda was a ruler under the Vijayanagar Empire, who ruled most parts of Karnataka during the sixteenth century. He ha

the vision of building a large futuristic city and is widely accepted as being the founder of Bengaluru. Kempegowda built Bengaluru For

and moved his capital from Yelahanka to the new Bengaluru.

President Of India Promulgated The Securities Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2013

On 18 July Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India promulgated the Securities Law Amendment Ordinance 2013. The ordinanc

would grant Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the powers to regulate any pooling of funds under an investment contrac

involving a corpus of 100 crore rupees or more and attach assets in case of non-compliance.The Chairman of SEBI would have power

to authorize the carrying out of search and seizure operations, as part of its efforts to crack down on ponzi schemes.

Acid Attacks On Women Non-bailable OffenceOn 18 July the Supreme Court o made acid attack a non-bailable offence and ordered all state governments to pay Rs 3 lakh

compensation to acid attack victims. The states were also directed to frame rules for regulating sale of acid within three months.Th

material cannot be sold to a person who is below the age of 18 years.Going through the compensation schemes of 17 states and seven

Union Territories (UTs), the bench found the amount being paid to the victims as grossly inadequate.The compensation for after-car

and rehabilitation at present ranges between Rs 5,000 and Rs 1,50,000.

Union Tourism Minister Launched Clean India Campaign

On 24 July Union Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi launched the Project Clean India Campaign at Taj Mahal.Clean India Campaig

has been initiated by the Ministry of Tourism with the objective to increase tourist arrivals to the country and to improve quality o

services and provide a hygienic environment in and around tourist destinations across the country.Taj Mahal is the second heritage site to

be covered under this project. The first being Qutub Minar Delhi, which has been adopted by India Tourism Development Corporatio

in June 2012.On the request from the Tourism Minister, the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) has agreed to adopt and upkeepthe environs of Taj Mahal Complex including up gradation of tourist facilities in the monument.Besides Taj Mahal, the ONGC has also

agreed to adopt five more monuments including Ellora and Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Red Fort in the national capital, Golkond

Fort in Hyderabad and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.

STATES

Himachal Pradesh Declared First Smoke Free State In Country

On 2 July Himachal Pradesh has been declared the first smoke-free State in the country in compliance with Section 4 of the Cigarette

and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The State has achieved 85.45% compliance with the relevant parameters.

Uttar Pradesh Grants District Status To Amethi

On 5 July the Uttar Pradesh government granted district status to Amethi ,which will include three tehsils of Sultanpur and one of Rae

Bareli. The district headquarters of Amethi will be Gauriganj.Sultanpurs Amethi, Gauriganj and Musafirkhana tehsils and Rae Bareli

Tiloi will be part of Amethi district.Some revenue villages of Maharajganj tehsil of Rae Bareli were included in Tiloi tehsil of Amethi and

in exchange some villages of Tiloi were included in Maharajganj.

Karnataka Launched Anna Bhagya Scheme

On 10 July Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the ambitious Anna Bhagya scheme in Bangalore.The scheme unde

which 30 kg of rice per month will be given to BPL (below poverty line) families across the state at Re 1 per kg. Chief Ministe

Siddaramaiah had announced the scheme after taking oath on June 13.The government will spend Rs 4,300 crore every year on th

scheme.


7/25



Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Starts Fission

On 13 July Indias 21st nuclear power reactor and the countrys first pressurised water reactor under the light water reactor category

,Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu began the nuclear fission process.Indias atomic power plant operator

NPCIL is setting up two 1,000 MW reactors with Russian technology and equipments at Kudankulam, around 650 km from

Chennai.The over Rs 17,000 crore project, which generated severe protests from the locals, has started generating heat and steam from

the 163 uranium fuel bundles loaded in the reactor.

Night Policing Scheme Launched In Punjab

On 14 July Punjab government launched the Night Policing Scheme (NPS) with 4000 police personnel and an independent cadre and

command structure. The NPS is aimed at augmenting and strengthening the deployment of police personnel, through the usage omodern technology during night hours in cities and towns of the state.The NPS will also focus on the national and state highways an

major roads crisscrossing the state, mainly to instill a sense of security among the citizens.

UP Launched Family Health Campaign

On 15 July the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, launched the Hausla awareness state-wide campaign to improv

family health in 75 districts of the State.The campaigns twin goals include galvanizing state health systems to deliver high-quality

accessible health programs and services, while also increasing awareness and utilization of services by families and communities acros

the states 75 districts.

Kerala Govt.Approved Tapping Sweet Toddy From Coconut

On 16 July the Kerala Government has given its nod for tapping neera or unfermented sap from coconut across the State.Neera, which

is also called sweet toddy, is the non-alcoholic drink which is extracted from immature inflorescence of coconut.This decision wouldprove to be very beneficial for depressing coconut sector.Neera tapping will take place in units of 1500 coconut trees in each and ever

district all over Kerala, in the beginning as a part of the pilot project.lic content.

Madhya Pradesh Police Health Security Scheme

On 17 July Madhya Pradesh state cabinet has decided to implement Madhya Pradesh Police Health Security Scheme for police officer

and employees. The scheme will be applicable only to the police personnel working in the state.The scheme will not be applicable to

Indian Police Service officers. It will be run by a registered trust, whose state-level management committee will be headed by the

Director General of Police. Members and their dependents will be entitled for treatment of up to 8 lakh rupees in a financial year. They

can avail the treatment facility in hospitals recognised by the state government.

Maharashtra Extended Ban On Gutkha and Paan Masala

On 19 July Maharashtra state government has announced a ban extension on nicotine-laced gutkha and paan masala for another yeaconsidering health hazards of these products.In July 2012, the government had banned the sale, storage and consumption of nicotine

laced gutkha and paan masala in any form for a year, which was to end on 19 July 2013. The government move was prompted by th

incidence of oral diseases, including cancer due to consumption of such gutkha and paan masala.

Latest Statistics Data On Tourism In India Released By Ministry Of Tourism

On 23 July According to the latest statistics on tourism in India released by Ministry of Tourism during the year 2012.

* Andhra Pradesh has become the top tourist destination in the country recording 206.8 million domestic tourists last year.

* Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh stood at second and third positions respectively with 184.1 million and 168.4 million domestic tourists.

* According to the data, the top ten states in terms of number of domestic tourist visits (in millions) during 2012 are: Andhra Pradesh

(206.8), Tamil Nadu (184.1), Uttar Pradesh (168.4), Karnataka (94.1), Maharashtra (66.3), Madhya Pradesh (53.2), Rajastha

(28.6), Uttarakhand (26.8), Gujarat (24.4) and West Bengal (22.7).The contribution of these States was about 84.5% to the tota

number of domestic tourist visits during 2012.

* The number of foreign tourists visiting the country too registered a growth of 6.33 per cent during the same year.

* Maharashtra (5.1 lakh) topped the list in number of foreign tourist visits, followed by Tamil Nadu (3.6 lakhs) and New Delhi(2.3

lakhs).

* The top ten most sought after states by foreign tourists (in millions) during 2012 were :- Maharashtra (5.1), Tamil Nadu (3.6), Delh

(2.3), Uttar Pradesh (2.0), Rajasthan (1.5), West Bengal (1.2), Bihar (1.1), Kerala (0.8), Karnataka (0.6) and Himachal Pradesh (0.5)

First Textile Park Inaugurated at Bagru near Jaipur

On 24 July First Textile Park dedicated to hand block printing and craft was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Textile, Dr. Kavuru

Sambasiva Rao at Bagru near Jaipur. The textile park would bring in new opportunities for exporters and artisans, as the textile secto

holds vast potential of employment. The park has been named Jaipur Integrated Texcraft Park Pvt. Ltd. (JITPPL) and is also known a


8/25



is also known as Jaipur Bloc.Bagru the place where the park is located is known all over the world for its traditional textiles, variou

styles of hand block printing and related skills. This is the first park in India that will cater to the segment of hand block printing. Th

textile park is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to conserve and preserve water.

WIFS Programme Launched In Rajasthan

On 25 July the Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme for the State of Rajasthan was launched b

ShriGhulamNabi Azad, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfareat Jaipur.Adolescents form 22 % of Indias total population who ar

the future of the country. But half of the adolescent population, both girls and boys, suffers from anaemia.Anaemia results in poo

physical growth, poor school performance and reduced concentration in daily tasks.Anaemia contributes to poor maternal and chil

health, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.For this reason, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has taken upWeekly Iroand Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) programme to prevent and control the anaemia situation in adolescents.The programme wi

reach out to 13 crore boys and girls of the country enrolled in government, government aided and municipal schools as well as out-of

school girls.

Himachal Government Launched Video Chat In Prisons

On 26 July Himachal Pradesh state government launched video chat facility in all six prisons of the state .The video conference facility

first of its kind in the country, would help family and friends save time and money on travelling to prisons to meet the inmates. Even

foreigners can avail this facility.The government has already amended the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), enabling the courts to utiliz

the video-conference facility between the jails and the courts. This would also help save time and money of the prison department in

escorting the prisoners from jails to courts.

Two New Rail and Road Projects Launched In HaryanaOn 28 July Two rail as well as road projects which are worth 1500 crore Rupees were launched in Haryana.The foundation stone of 6

Kilometer rail line between Hansi-Meham and Rohtak at Hansi was laid down by Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge. The cos

of this project is 500 crore Rupees. The rail route would include eight railway stations, four halt stations as well as four crossing

stations.The projected rail line will connect the crucial parts of Haryana, i.e., Fatehabad and Sirsa direct with Delhi. The Union Transpor

Minister Oscar Fernandes, at Hansi laid the foundation of 99 Kilometer long Hisar-Rohtak four lane National Highway. The cost of thi

project would be 1000 crore Rupees. The road project would include two road-over bridges, under pass as well as 29-bus bays a

both the sides.

Government Of Odisha Announced Rice For Olive Ridley Conservation Scheme

The Government of Odisha announced Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation (ROrC) scheme for the year 2013 in order to help th

fishermen families affected by seven-month ban on marine fishing at Odisha coastal areas.The identification of beneficiaries under Ric

for Olive Ridley Conservation (ROrC) Scheme was announced on 22 July 2013.The main aim of the ROrC scheme is to help th

fishermen families who are affected by seven-month ban on marine fishing as an Olive Ridley turtle protection measure.

CONFERENCES

First IOR-ARC Economic and Business Conference

(IOR-ARC) Economic and Business Conference held in Port Louis, Mauritius on 4 5 July 2013.The Union Minister of Commerce &

Industry Shri Anand Sharma co-chaired the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) Economic and

Business Conference.India and Mauritius co-hosted the first economic and business conference under the theme of Deepenin

Economic Linkages for Balanced, Inclusive & Sustainable Growth. The IORARC has 20 members, of which India and Australia are

the largest economies.During the meet Trade and industry ministers of member countries and dialogue partners of the Indian OceaRim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORARC) agreed to push trade within the grouping to promote economic cooperation and

development in the strategic Indian Ocean region.The Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), initiall

known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative, is an international organization with 20 member states.It was first established in Mauritius on

March 1995 and formally launched on 67 March 1997.

National Conference Of State Tourism Ministers Held In New Delhi

The National Tourism Ministers Conference was held in New Delhi on 18 July 2013.The Conference was chaired by Union Tourism

Minister Shri K. Chiranjeevi. State and Union Territory Tourism Authorities were represented in the conference either through thei

Tourism Ministers and/ or senior officials.The objective of the conference was discussion of the future strategies for realising th

complete tourism potential of India.The Departments of Tourism of all States and UTs will consider setting up of a special force such a

a Tourist Police, where it does not exist at present, either by taking few companies on deputation from the Police Department or b


9/25



engaging Ex-Servicemen or Home Guards.During the conference, a new campaign known as I Respect Women was also

launched.The campaign was launched with Ministry of Tourism issuing badges in Hindi and ten international languages.

G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting Held in Moscow

The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting was held on 19-20 July in Moscow,Russia.G20 Countries minister

,Central Bank Governors and Indian Finance minister P.Chidambaram ,RBI governor D Subbarao attended the meeting.In the meetin

delegates discussed traditional G20 agenda including the G20 Framework agreement for strong, sustainable and balanced growth, the

financial regulation reforms, and market transparency. The final communique contains the usual sentence urging convergence stressin

this time how convergence can contribute to financial stability:At the end of the meeting Finance Ministers and Central Banks Governor

approved the Joint Communique.

AWARDS & HONOURS

27 Individuals Conferred With National Youth Awards 2011-12

National Youth Award 2011-12 was conferred by Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India on 4 July 2013 to 27 individuals and a

organization at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is for the first time that the National Youth awards were given by the Presiden

of India.A total of 27 individuals and one organisation received he award this year.The youth award carries a Silver Medal, a Certificate

and a cash prize of 40000 rupees in cases of individual awardees and 2lakh case prize for voluntary organizations.The selecte

individuals are expected to possess leadership qualities and use them in carrying out voluntary activities in the field of youth development

IIFA Awards 2013 Winners

The 14th IIFA awards held at Macau on 6 July 2013. And this years IIFA will always be remembered for some outstandin

performances by veteran actresses Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi.Ranbir Kapoor won the Best Actor Award for Barfi, while Vidya Bala

took the Best Actress Award home for Sujoy Ghoshs Kahaani.

Winners List :-

* Best Actor: Ranbir Kapoor (Barfi!)

* Best Female Actor: Vidya Balan (Kahaani)

* Best Film: Barfi!

* Best Director: Anurag Basu (Barfi!)

* Best Story : Tani and Anurag Basu (Barfi!)

* Best Supporting Actor (Male): Annu Kapoor (Vicky Donor)

* Best Supporting Actor (Female): Anushka Sharma (Jab Tak Hai Jaan)* Best Music Director: Pritam (Barfi!)

Zubin Mehta Conferred Tagore Award 2013

On 10 July Zubin Mehta, western classical music conductor of Indian-Parsi origin, has been awarded 2nd Tagore Award For Cultura

Harmony ( for 2013).He was named for the award because of his outstanding contribution to cultural harmony.The first Tagore Awar

was conferred on Pt. Ravi Shankar, the Indian Sitar Maestro in 2012

Two Indians Among 7 Girls Awarded On Malala Day

On 12 July Two Indians were among the seven young girls honoured with the UN Special Envoy for Global Educations Youth Courag

Award for Education as part of Pakistani teen activist, Malala Yousafzai, Malala Day celebrations at the world body.Among them

were two Indians,Ashwini from Bangalore and Razia from Uttar Pradesh who were awarded with UN Special Envoy for Globa

Educations Youth Courage Award for Education.

Tongam Rina Selected For German Media Prize

On 13 July Senior journalist of Arunachal Pradesh-Tongam Rina has been selected for the prestigious Prize for the Freedom and Futur

of the Media 2013 instituted by Media Foundation, Leipzig, Germany.Brigitte Alfter and Ides Debruyne are the initiators of th

European Fund for Investigative Journalism. Instituted in 2001, the award, which carries a prize of 30,000 Euros.

Human Powered Helicopter Wins US prize

On 13 July The worlds first human-powered helicopter by a Canadian engineer has become the first winner of a decades-old

US$250,000 (S$316,255) engineering prize ,after performing a minute-long flight at an altitude of 3.3 meters fueled only by the pilot

pedaling of a modified bicycle.The winning vehicle is called the Atlas , and was designed by a team of about 20 students and youn

professionals.The aircraft is extremely light just 121.4 pounds (55 kilograms) but it spans a sprawling 162 feet (49.4 meters).


10/25



Shalini Singh Wins 2013 Prem Bhatia Award

Shalini Singh, a deputy editor with The Hindu, has bagged the prestigious Prem Bhatia Award for Political Reporting 2013.She ha

been selected for her excellent coverage of several key issues, particularly her reporting of the telecom and Coalgat

scandals.Previous award-winners include Harish Khare, Praveen Swami, P. Sainath, Gargi Parsai, Nirupama Subramanian, Pallavi Aiya

and Amit Baruah for their works in The Hindu.

Amitabh Bachchan Rece ived Maestro Award

On 17 July Amitabh Bachchan, classical flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and ace santoor exponent Shivkumar Sharma were honoured wit

the WWI (Whistling Woods International) Maestro Awards.The honour was bestowed on the trio by filmmaker Subhash Ghais film

and media institute.

2013 Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners

On 24 July the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation announced the Ramon Magsaysay Awards for the year 2013.Three individual

and two organizations from Afghanistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, th

Asias premier prize.The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon

Magsaysays example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democrati

society.The prize was established in April 1957.

The Awardees are:-

* Habiba sarabi Afghanistans first woman governor, was selected for helping build a functioning local government and pushing fo

education and womens rights in Afghanistans Bamyan province despite working in a violent and impoverished environment in whic

discrimination is pervasive.

* Lahpai Seng Raw of Myanmanr honoured for helping the rehabilitate work in damaged communities amid armed conflict.

*Ernesto Domingo, from the Philippines.He is being recognized for his exemplary embrace of the social mission of medical science and

his profession, his steadfast leadership in pursuing health for all as a shared moral responsibility of all sectors.

*Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (Corruption Eradication Commission), from Indonesia.The organization is being recognized for it

fiercely independent and successful campaign against corruption in Indonesia.

*Shakti Samuha (Power Group), from Nepal.The organizations founders and members are being recognized for transforming the

lives in service to other human trafficking survivors, their passionate dedication towards rooting out a pernicious social evil in Nepal.

Azim Premji Bags Asian Business Leaders Award

On 24 July Wipro chairman Azim Premji has been awarded the Asian Business Leaders Award 2013 for his impressive busines

credentials and service to society by London-based Asia House.Past recipients of the honour includes Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tat

Group, and Lord Stephen Green, UKs minister of state for trade and investment and former group chairman of HSBC Holdings.

Four Indian Americans Won Simons Investigators Awards

On 27 July Four Indian-American Professors Kannan Soundararajan, Rajeev Alur, Salil P Vadhan and Senthil Todadri won Simon

Investigators Awards 2013. Apart from these, 9 other mathematicians, theoretical physicists and theoretical computer scientists wer

also selected for the Simons Investigators Awards for their cutting edge research.The 2013 awards were announced by the New York

based Simons Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation. Its mission is to advance the lines of research in mathematics and basi

sciences. The Simons Investigators program provides a stable base of support for outstanding scientists, enabling them to undertak

long-term study of fundamental questions. The foundation was incorporated in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons.

Metro Man Sreedharan Chosen For 2013 Lokmanya Tilak Award

On 29 July Metro Man E. Sreedharan has been selected for the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak award for 2013 for his outstandin

contribution to society.Name of Sreedharan, considered as the architect of the ambitious Delhi metro project, was announced byLokmanya Tilak Trust.The Padmashree laureate is also credited for pulling off the Konkan Railway project.

Amjad Ali Khan To Get Rajiv Gandhi National Sadhbhavna Award

On 30 July Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan was chosen for the 21st Rajiv Gandhi National Sadhbhavna Award for his contributio

towards promotion of communal harmony and peace. The award was instituted by All India Congress Committee of the Indian Nationa

Congress Party (INC).

SPORTS & GAMES

Negi Won Continental Chess Open Title


11/25



On 2 July Indias young Grand Master Parimarjan Negi has won the Continental Chess Association Open title in Washington.The

second and third places are won by the International Master Bindi Cheng of Canada and American Grand Master Konrad Holt from

Kansas respectively.

Chris Martin Announced Retirement From All Cricket

On 3 July Chris Martin, the fast Bowler of New Zealand has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.Chris Martin is New

Zealands third-highest Test wicket taker only after Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori. He had taken 233 Test wickets with an average

of 33.81.Martin played 71 Tests, 20 ODIs and six Twenty20s for his country in an international career.

Wimbledon Tennis Tournament Title 2013 WinnersWomens Singles :- On 6 July Frances Marion Bartoli won the Wimbledon 2013 womens title after defeated Germanys Sabin

Lisicki in the final.Bartoli is the fifth oldest woman to become a first-time Grand Slam winner in the Open Era.By finally winning he

maiden major title in the 47th Grand Slam appearance of her career, Bartoli surpassed the previous record set by Jana Novotna, who

won Wimbledon in 1998 after 45 appearances at the majors.

Mens Singles :- On 7 July Andy Murray (Britain) won the Mens Singles title after defeated Novak Djokovic (Serbia) in th

final.Andy Murray became the Britains first male winner after almost eight decades, to win the championship. Earlier he was Fred Perry

who won his last Championship in 1936.

Womens Doubles :- Hsieh Su-wei (Taiwan) and Peng Shuai (China) won the womens doubles title after defeated Australian duo

Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua in the final at Wimbledon.

Mens Doubles :- Americans Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan won the Wimbledon mens doubles title after defeated Ivan Dodig (Croati

)and Marcelo Melo (Brazil) in the final.

Indian Women Won Gold At Asian Athletics Championship

On 7 July India clinched a gold medal in womens 400m relay in a sensational race to finish sixth overall as the curtains were drawn on

the 20th Asian Athletics Championships with China confirming their supreme status in the continent.The home team came up with a rich

haul of eight medals, one gold, two silvers and five bronzes on the fifth and final day .India ended the Championships with two golds, fiv

silvers and 10 bronzes, a much improved performance than the last edition in 2011 in Kobe.As expected, China, who had been ruling

the Asian Championships for the last 15 editions, finished at the top spot with 16 golds, six silvers and five bronzes.

Sebastian Vettel Won German Grand Prix

On 7 July Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel won the German Grand Prix title .Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean got second and thir

positions respectively.It was Vettels first victory in his home race and the 30th of his career.

Shiva Thapa Wins Gold at Asian Boxing ChampionshipsOn 8 July Nineteen-year-old Shiva Thapa became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championships i

Amman, Jordan.Thapa defeated local pugilist Obada Alkabeh,on a split decision to win the gold in the 56kg class.The nimble-footed

boxer, who made his Olympic debut in London last year, thus followed Suranjoy Singh (2009) and Rajkumar Sangwan (1994) into th

history books as a rare Indian gold-medallist at the premier continental event.

Lajja Goswami Won Silver In Shooting World Cup

On 9 July Indian woman shooter Lajja Goswami has won silver medal in womens 50-metre Rifle 3 Position event at the ISSF World

Cup in Granada, Spain.Gauswami, a silver medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, shot 454 in the finals to bag the silver ahead o

Norways Malin Westerheim.Petra Zublasing of Italy won the gold medal.

Shane Warne Inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

On 11 July ICC announced that Shane Warne, former Australian spinner would be inducted into the ICC cricket hall of fame .On 19

July during the tea interval of the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lords, Shane Warne was officially inducted into

the ICC cricket hall of fame.Warne becomes the 69th male member of the Hall of Fame, and joins fellow 2012-13 inductees Brian Lar

of the West Indies, Englands Enid Bakewell and former Australia team-mate Glenn McGrath in being recognised by the ICC and th

living members of the Hall of Fame.He played for Australia in 145 tests between 1992 and 2007. He claimed 708 test wickets with a

strike rate of 25.41. He was the first bowler to take 700 test wickets.He was the part of the Australian cricket team that won the Worl

Cup in 1999 at Lords against Pakistan.

Martina Hingis Inducted In Tennis Hall Of Fame

On 13 July Swiss tennis legend Martina Hingis was inducted in Tennis Hall of Fame.She became one of the youngest members to b

included in the one of the most elite clubs of tennis.Hingis won three Australian Open titles (1997, 1998, 1999), one Wimbledon (1997


12/25



and a US Open title (1997).She also won nine grand slam doubles titles and a mixed doubles title.

Abhijeet Gupta Won Commonwealth Chess Championship

On 14 July Indian Grandmaster and former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta has won the Commonwealth Chess Championshi

,after settled for a draw with Indian national title-holder G. Akash in the final round at Port Elizabeth in South Africa.

Nicolas Mahut Won Hall Of Fame Championship

On 14 July Frenchman Nicolas Mahut has won the title after defeated Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the Hall of Fame Tenni

Championships final.Mahut won his second career ATP title.

Serena Williams Won Swedish Open Title

On 21 July Serena Williams (U.S) won Swedish Open Tennis title, after defeated Johanna Larsson(Sweden) in the final of the Swedish

Open at Bastad in Sweden.The win is her 53rd WTA title and 51st match win of the year.

Indian Women Won Recurve Gold At Archery World Cup

On 21 July Indian womens archery team Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Rimil Biruly won Gold medal in the Women

Recurve Team event at the Archery World Cup Stage-3 in Medellin, Colombia.In the final Indian womens archery team defeated Chin

in the recurve event to claim the gold medal.India claim their second medal of this World Cup and their first World Cup Womens team

gold since Shanghai 2011.

Divij Sharan Purav Raja Won First ATP Title

On 21 July Purav Raja and Divij Sharan of India clinched their first ever ATP tour doubles title after defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselof France and Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands in the final match of Claro Open in Bogota, Colombia.

Devendra Jhajharia Won Gold In World Paralympic Championships

On 22 July Indias Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia has won a gold medal in the Javelin Throw at IPC (International Paralympi

Commitee) athletics World Championships in France.He became the first differently-abled Indian to win gold at the IPC Athletics World

Championships.He threw the javelin to 57.04 meters in F-46 category, which is meant for one-armed athletes.He won a Gold medal a

the 8th FESPIC Games in Korea, 2002.In March 2012, he received the Padma Shree Award and became the first paralympian to wi

the award.

Dhyan Chand Nominated For Bharat Ratna

The sports ministry has chosen hockey legend late Dhyan Chand for Indias highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.Dhyan Chand, wh

passed away in 1979, won three gold medals at the Olympics in 1928 ( Amsterdam), 1932 ( Los Angeles) and 1936 ( Berlin).

Jennitha Wins World Chess Title For Disabled

On 24 July Indias K. Jennitha Anto has became the World Chess Champion for disabled, after won the 13th IPCA World Women

Individual Chess Championship in Velke Losiny, Czech Republic.Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Jennitha scored 4.5 points in nine game

after winning three, drawing three and losing three games.She competed in a combined group with men and became the highest score

among the women players.The title came along with the Woman International Master title.

Lewis Hamilton Won Hungarian Grand Prix Title

On 28 July Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes won the Hungarian Grand Prix title 2013 held on Buadpest.Raikkonen an

Vettle got second and third positions respectively.

Afridi Becomes First Batsman To Hit 400 SixesPakistans Shahid Afridi became the first cricketer to hit 400 sixes in an international career on 26 July.Afridi reached the landmark in

the 16th over of Pakistans reply to the West Indies 152 for seven in the first Twenty20 international.Chris Gayle, playing for the Wes

Indies, is next on the list having hit 353 sixes in his Test, ODI and T20 career.

Indian Wrestlers Won 15 Medals In Asian Cadet Championship

On 27 July Indian wrestlers finished the Cadet Asian Championships with a rich haul of three golds, nine silvers and three bronze medals

besides winning the Champion Trophy in the freestyle category in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.The gold came through Amit Kumar (58kg

Vikas (63kg) and Parveen (85kg) of the freestyle category while silver medals were won by Ravi Kumar (54kg), Ankur Rathi (69kg)

Balraj (76kg) and Gursewak Singh (100kg) in the same division.The freestyle team secured 84 points and finished ahead of Iran who

were the runners-up.


13/25



Aditya Mehta Won Snooker Gold In World Games

On 30 July Indias numero uno snooker player, Aditya Mehta won the gold medal in the World Games after defeated Chinas Lian

Wenbo in the final of the quadrennial event at Cali, Columbia.

India Won Under-16 SAFF Championship

On 30 July India won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-16 Championships held at the Dasharath Stadium i

Kathmandu.Indian boys defeated Nepal 1-0 in final to lift the South Asian Football Federation Under-16 Championship title. This is the

first time that India have won the championship.

ECONOMY

Indian Internet Economy To Touch USD 100 Billion By 2015

On 3 July According to the Economist Intelligence Unit Good to Grow: The Environment of Asias Internet Business report ,India

Internet Economy that stands at 1.6 per cent of GDP is slated to touch USD 100 billion by 2015 .Online advertising in Asia will grow

from 24 per cent of worldwide online advertising in 2010 to 26 per cent by 2015.However, Asias mobile advertising market i

expected to account for one-third of the mobile advertising market globally by 2015.

Latvia Gets EU Approval To Join Eurozone

On 9 July European Union (EU) states approved the adoption of the euro by Latvia as of January 1, 2014. The country will be the 18t

member of the European Monetary Union.Latvia is the second Baltic republic to join the euro zone. In 2011, Estonia adopted th

currency. Lithuania plans to do so as well, in 2015.

Indias Growth Forecast To 5.6% For 2013-14

On 9 July the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has scaled down Indias economic growth forecast by 0.2 percentage points to 5.6

per cent for 2013-14 from 5.8 per cent forecasted in April 2013 World Economic Outlook (WEO) projections.The growth projectio

for FY 2014-15 was also scaled down by 0.1 percentage points to 6.3 per cent.

Indians Among Top Five Buyers Of Property In US

On 10 July According to the National Association of Realtors survey report ,Buying property worth nearly $3.5 billion .Indians ar

among top five international real estate buyers in the US.India along with Canada, China, Mexico and the United Kingdom accounted

for approximately 53 percent of international transactions worth $68.2 billion.

Government Approved 100 percent FDI In Telecom Sector

On 16 July the Union Government of India raised the FDI limit in Telecom Sector from 74 percent to 100 percent. Government also

cleared that the FDI in the Insurance and Telecom sectors will be up to 49 per cent through automatic route.The foreign direc

investment limit in insurance sector will be hiked to 49 per cent from the existing 26 per cent.The Government also confirmed that th

FDI in Defence Production will continue to be 26 percent.

Colombia Among Worlds Most Corrupt Nations

On 17 July According to the Global Corruption Barometer 2013 report , was released by NGO Transparency International (T

,Colombia is among the countries with the highest rate of corruption in the world.Colombia was placed 5th among the seven countrie

whose citizens realize that Congress is one of the most corrupt public bodies.Transparency International (TI) was Founded in 1993 an

based in Berlin, Germany, the T has 100 branches and operates in 70 countries.

India Becomes Largest Nigerian Crude Oil Buyer

India has overtaken the U.S. as the top buyer of Nigerian crude oil.On the bilateral trade,the present figure stands at $10 billion, even a

the total investment of India in Nigerian economy could be valued at $16.6 billion.

Poverty In India Drops To 21.9 percent In 2011-12

On 23 July the Planning Commission of India released its report on the Poverty Estimates for 2011-12. The report was based on th

Large Sample Surveys on Household Consumer Expenditure conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) of the Ministry

of Statistics and Programme Implementation.However, since 2009-10 was not a normal year because of a severe drought, the NSSO

repeated the large scale survey in 2011-12 (NSS 68thround). The summary results of this survey were released in June 2013.Since th

data from the NSS 68th round (2011-12) of Household Consumer Expenditure Survey is now available .Now the Planning Commissio

has updated the poverty estimates for the year 2011-12 as per the methodology recommended by Tendulkar Committee.Th


14/25



commission present ,released estimates of state wise poverty lines for rural and urban areas for 2011-12 .

Poverty Estimates 2011-12 :-

* Poverty ratio in the country has declined to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05 on account of increase in pe

capita consumption.

* According to the Planning Commission, in 2011-12 for rural areas, the national poverty line by using the Tendulkar methodology i

estimated at Rs. 816 per capita per month in villages and Rs. 1,000 per capita per month in cities.This would mean that the person

whose consumption of goods and services exceed Rs. 33.33 in cities and Rs. 27.20 per capita per day in villages are not poor.

* For a family of five, the all India poverty line in terms of consumption expenditure would amount of Rs. 4,080 per month in rural area

and Rs. 5,000 per month in urban areas. The poverty line, however, will vary from state to state.

* The percentage of persons below poverty line in 2004-05 was 41.8 per cent in rural areas, 25.7 per cent in cities and 37.2 per cent ithe country as a whole.In actual terms, there were 26.93 crore people below poverty line in 2011-12 as compared to 40.71 crore i

2004-05.

* State-wise, the Commission said ,highest poverty rate of 39.93% was recorded in Chhattisgarh (2011-12)followed by Jharkhand

(36.96 per cent), Manipur (36.89 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (34.67 per cent) and Bihar (33.47 per cent).

* Among the union territories, the Dadra and Nagar Haveli was the highest, with 39.31 per cent people living below poverty lin

followed by Chandigarh at 21.81 per cent.

* Lowest poverty rate of 5.09% was recorded in Goa (2011-12) followed by Kerala (7.05 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (8.06 pe

cent), Sikkim (8.19 per cent), Punjab (8.26 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (9.20 per cent).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYISRO PSLV C22 Successfully Launched IRNSS 1A Navigation Satellite

On 1 July ISROs Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C22, has successfully launched IRNSS-1A, the first satellite in the Indian

Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota ,Nellore District (Andhra Pradesh)This i

the 23rd consecutively successful mission of PSLV.The IRNSS-1A was launched on 1 July 2013 at 11.41 p.m.It was the first nea

midnight satellite launch by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).The satellite has been designed to provide accurate position

information services to users in India as well as to the regions extending up to 1,500 km from its boundary.IRNSS-IA is among the firs

seven satellites that constitutes the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) Space Segment. The mission has a life of 1

years.

IRNSS will provide two types of services :- standard positioning service using signals in the L5-band to an accuracy of 20 meters fo

all users and an encrypted service in S-band provided for authorized users.

About PSLV-C22 :-

* Rocket Height 44-metres

* Weight 320 tonnes

* Satellite IRNSS-1A

* Satellite Weight 1425 kg

Russias Proton-M Rocket Failed

On 2 July Russia has launched an unmanned Proton-M , carrying three Russian Glonass positioning, navigation and timing satellites faile

17 seconds after liftoff , with the rocket crashing some 2.5 kilometers from the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan.

Scientists Created 3D Bionic Ear With 3D Printer

On 4 July Princeton University scientists , including an Indian-origin researcher Naveen Varma,have created a 3D-printed bionic ea

that can hear radio frequencies far beyond the range of normal human capability.Using off-the-shelf printing tools, the scientists a

Princeton University explored 3D printing of cells and nanoparticles followed by cell culture to combine a small coil antenna with

cartilage, creating a bionic ear.This is the first time that researchers have demonstrated that 3D printing is a convenient strategy t

interweave tissue with electronics.

World`s First Human Liver Created From Stem Cells

Japanese scientists have grown a functional human liver tissue from stem cells for the first time.Takanori Takebe and Hideki Taniguchi a

Yokohama City University showed the generation of vascularised and functional human liver from human induced pluripotent stem cell

(hiPSCs) by transplantation of in vitro grown liver buds (rudimentary liver).

UK Inaugurates Worlds Largest Offshore Wind Farm


15/25



On 4 July British Prime Minister David Cameron has inaugurated London Array, the worlds largest offshore wind farm ,a 630

megawatt project capable of producing enough electricity to power 500,000 homes. The $2.3 billion project is located 12 miles offshor

in the North Sea, east of London .Powered by 175 Siemens wind turbines.

US Missile Defense Test Fails Over Pacific

On 6 July Americas missile defense system failed in a test over the Pacific, with an interceptor failing to hit an incoming ballistic

missile.The tests objective was to have an interceptor, launched from Vandenberg air base in California, knock out a long-range ballisti

missile fired from a US military test site at Kwajalein atoll in the Marshall Islands.

ISRO Readies To Launch Orbiter To MarsOn 7 July ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan announced ,ISRO is readying up for the 450-crore Mars Orbiter mission which i

expected to be launched between October and November this year.The mission is aimed at searching for possible signs of life as well a

to find out why Mars lacks atmosphere.The Mars Orbiter will be launched aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from the Satish

Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. The Mars orbiter will be carrying a total of five payloads weighing about 14.49 kg. It will carry a

methane sensor to determine the presence of methane, a sign which suggests that life once existed on the Martian soil.The Mars Orbite

will enter into a 372 km by 80,000 km elliptical orbit around Mars.The spacecraft will orbit the red planet once in every three days. I

will study the surface and the minerals on Martian soil.

Scientists Discovered MRI Scan To Detect Cancer Using Sugar

Scientists from University College London (UCL) have discovered a technique they called glucose chemical exchange saturatio

transfer (glucoCEST) a new way of detecting cancer by giving patients an injection of sugar before doing an MRI scan (magneti

resonance imaging).The researchers found that when sensitizing an MRI scanner to recognize glucose, tumors appeared as bright imageon the MRI scans of mice. The tumors can be detected using the same amount of sugar found in half a standard chocolate bar.

Ecuador Starts Using New Aviation Radar System

On 10 July Ecuador Starts new Aviation Radar System.Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge announced the Ecuadorian airspace will be

covered in 95 percent by eight radars that will be located nationwide.The devices that form the Integrated Surveillance System Civ

Radar will be located in the provinces of Guayas, Manabi, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Pastaza, Azuay, Loja and the island of San Cristobal, in

the Galapagos archipelago.Ecuadorian Vice President started this system at the offices of the Civil Aviation General Managemen

(DAC) in Guayaquil.The investment to implement this high-technology equipment was $20 million USD.The eight radars would be par

of a single system, meaning that the air-traffic controller can see all the trace of a plane in a monitor.Guerrero specified that it would be

complicated to detect illegal flights of light aircraft, because for the crew to cheat these controls turn off a device that transmit data to the

radars, as altitude and speed of the flight.

China Russia Joint Sea-2013 Naval Drills

Chinese and Russian naval forces Joint Sea-2013 drills was held from 6th to11th July in the Sea of Japan.In the Joint exercises Chin

used seven warships, included a guided-missile destroyer with Aegis-type radars that track and guide weapons to destroy enem

targets, and missile frigates with antisubmarine abilities.The Russian lineup included the flagship of its Pacific fleet, the guided-missil

cruiser Varyag, and a Kilo-class submarine.The six-day maneuvers focused on joint maritime air defense and the defense of marin

traffic arteries, with exercises involving joint escorts, marine search and rescue operations, anti-submarine tactics and anti-hijackin

tactics.They were the ninth bilateral and multilateral joint military exercises carried out by the Chinese and Russian militaries.

Iran Secret Nuclear Site Discovered By MEK

On 11 July the paris based militant group organisation of the Peoples Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) has discovered credible evidence of

secret new nuclear site, gathered over a year by 50 sources in various parts of the regime.The codename of the project is Maadan-

Sharq (literally the mine of the east) or Project Kossar.This site is hidden in a series of tunnels under a mountain near the town o

Damavand.The Paris-based militant group MEK alleges that the site has existed since 2006, with the first series of subterranean tunnel

and four external depots recently completed.

US Autonomous X-47B Drone Successfully Lands On Aircraft Carrier

On 11 July the US Navys next-generation autonomous drone, the X-47B, has successfully landed on the deck of the USS Georg

H.W. Bush,during a milestone test run off the coast of Virginia.Developed by aerospace contractor Northrop Grumman, the X-47B i

the first UAV designed to refuel, take off, and land without any human intervention.

U.S. Bill For A National Park On Moon

On 12 July Lawmakers of US proposed a Bill in the US Congress for establishing a national park on the Moon.The new Bill seek


16/25



creation of the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites as National Historical Park on the Moon.The bill has been named as the Apollo Luna

Landing Legacy Act, the Bill and was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in addition to the Hous

Committee on Natural Resources.It calls for no later than one year, after the date of enactment of the act, the establishment of a Apollo

Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park, as a unit of the National Park System.

NASAs Hubble Discovered Blue Planet

Scientists from NASA have discovered a blue planet that possibly rains glass, orbiting a star 63 light-years away.This is the first time an

exoplanets true colour has been determined. Astronomers has used NASAs Hubble Space Telescope and made visible ligh

observation spotting the planet HD 189733b which is one of the closest exoplanets that can be seen crossing the face of its star.

Neptunes 14th Moon Discovered

On 16 July the U.S. space agency NASA has announced the discovery of Neptunes 14th moon.The Hubble Space Telescop

captured the moon as a white dot in photos of the planet on the outskirts of our solar system.The new moon, Neptunes tiniest at jus

19.3 km across, is designated S/2004 N1.

China Successfully Launched Three Experimental Satellites In To Space

On 20 July China successfully launched three satellites to carry out scientific experiments into space.A Long March-4C carrier rocke

carrying three satellites ,blasts off from the launch pad in the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north Chinas Shanx

Province.The three satellites for scientific experiments, namely the Chuangxin-3 , Shiyan-7 and Shijian-15 .The three satellites wi

be used mainly for conducting scientific experiments on space maintenance technologies.

Worlds Largest Virus Discovered By French ResearchersOn 20 July French National Centre for Scientific Research Scientists have discovered a huge viruses in the world.The virus is on

micrometre big ,up to ten times the size of other viruses, and only six per cent of its genes resemble anything seen on Earth before.The

size of each virus must be 2500 genes.93 percent of genes in this virus is new for the world.The scientists named this virus as a

Pandoraviruses.Ten years back these Scienists found a new virus called mimiviruses .

Biological E vaccine Prequalified By WHO

On 22 July Biological E (BioE) and European biotech company announced the World Health Organization (WHO) has pre-qualified it

Japanese Encephalitis vaccine for global use in adults.BioE has developed the vaccine based on the technology of Valneva SE, a Frenc

biotech company.

Advanced Weather Satellite INSAT-3D Launched Successfully

On 26 July The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its advanced weather satellite Insat-3D fromthe spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana, using a European launch vehicle, Ariane-5 .The rocket also launched Alphasat a co

passenger of INSAT-3D and Europes largest telecommunication satellite-ever manufactured.INSAT-3D was placed in an elliptica

Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO),very close to the intended one.With a lift-off mass of 2060 kg, INSAT-3D carried fou

payloads Imager, Sounder, Data Relay Transponder (DRT) and Satellite Aided Search & Rescue payload.INSAT-3D will facilitat

new dimension to the weather monitoring because of its atmospheric sounding system. The atmospheric sounding system provides the

vertical profiles of integrated ozone, humidity as well as temperature, from top of the atmosphere.The new satellite, INSAT-3D will be

operational for next seven years.The satellite Insat-3D will give a push to the weather forecasting as well as help in facilitating disaste

warning services.

ISRO, Tata Motors Developed Indias First Fuel Cell Bus

On 28 July Tata Motors Limited (TML) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration, developed the firs

Hydrogen-powered automobile bus of India.The hydrogen fuel-fitted bus was demonstrated at Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, a

ISRO facility in Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu.According to Honorary Adviser of ISRO V Gnana Gandhi, who led the technical team i

this project, ISRO and TML entered into an MoU in 2006 to design and develop an automobile bus using hydrogen as a fuel through

fuel cell route.

HAL Delivers Lakshya-1 To Indian Army

On 26 July the first Lakshya-1, a fully indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developed for the Indian Army by Hindusta

Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) was delivered to Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (Hyderabad).Lakshya-1 has been designed and developed by the Aer

Engine Research & Development Centre, a HAL facility in Bangalore.It is powered with PTAE-7 Engine, an aero gas turbine engine tha

was also designed and developed by the Aero Engine Research & Development Centre.


17/25



PERSONS IN NEWS

A) APPOINTMENTS

New Governors and Lieutenant Governors Appointed

* On 1 July Vice Chancellor of Jamia Milia University Najeeb Jung was appointed as the 20th Lt Governor of Delhi.Njaeeb Jung ha

replaced Tejendra Khanna, who was the 1961 batch Indian Administrative Service officer and the last Lt Governor of Delhi.

* Former Delhi police commissioner K.K. Paul has been appointed the Meghalaya governor, replaced Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary.

* Lt. General A.K. Singh (retd) was appointed as the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, replaced Lt. General Bhopinde

Singh (retd).

* Virendra Kataria has been appointed as the new Lt. Governor of Puducherry, replaced Iqbal Singh.

* Senior parliamentarian Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil has been appointed as the new governor of Sikkim.He is also a former IAS officer

replaced incumbent B P Singh.

Sujatha Singh Is New Foreign Secretary Of India

On 2 July Sujata Singh has been appointed as Indias new foreign secretary.She succeeds Ranjan Mathai..Singh is the third woman to

head the services after Chokila Iyer and Nirupama Rao.Previously Singh worked in Europe including Italy ,France and Germany.

Adli Mansour Sworn In As Egypts Interim President

On 4 July the Chief Justice of Egypts Constitutional Court ,Adli Mansour has been sworn in as Egypts interim president.Mansour wil

serve as Egypts head of state until a new president is elected.Earlier, the first democratically elected President of Egypt, MohamedMorsi was deposed from his office in a military coup.

Abdoulaye Bathily Appointed As Deputy Head Of UN Mission In Mali

On 8 July UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal as his new Deputy Specia

Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).Mr. Bathily has been

serving as Senior Minister in the office of the President of Senegal since 2012. Mr. Bathily also served as a Member of the Economic

Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, member of the African Union Contact Group on the crisis in Madagascar.

Kaushik Appointed As The Coach Of Indian Mens Hockey Team

On 10 July Hockey India (HI) appointed Olympic gold medallist Maharaj Kishan Kaushik as the mens hockey team coach.The

decision comes in the wake of Michael Nobbs removal as the teams head coach.Kaushik was a member of the team when it won the

gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.Under the Coaching of MK Kaushik , India mens hockey team had won theirlast major international tournament, the 1998 Asian Games, Bangkok. In 1998, he received the Arjuna Award.

S. B. Mainak Appointed LIC MD

On 8 July S B Mainak has been appointed as MD of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).He will hold office from the date of

assuming charge till 29 February 2016.

Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka Appointed UN Women Chief

On 10 July Former South African deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has been appointed as the head of UN Women

agency.Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka replaces Michelle Bachelet, a former president of Chile who served as the first Executive Director of the

UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women).Mlambo was the first woman to hold the position of

Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008.

Hemant Soren Sworn in as 9th Jharkhand Chief Minister

On 13 July Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Syed Ahmed, the

Governor of Jharkhand administered the oath of the office to Hemant Soren in the premises of Raj Bhavan in a swearing-in

ceremony.Hemant Soren, who heads the ninth ministry in less than 13 years, became the fifth tribal Chief Minister after Babulal Marandi

Arjun Munda, Shibu Soren and Madhu Koda since the state was created on November 15, 2000.Soren, who gave the Governor a list

of 43 MLAs supporting him in the 82-member Assembly, is expected to expand his ministry after taking the floor test. The alternative

coalition comes nearly six months after the imposition of Presidents rule.The Presidents Rule was imposed on Jharkhand on 18 January

2013 after the failure of the Constitutional Machinery in the state after JMM withdrew support to the BJP-led government under Arjun

Munda on 8 January 2013.

ElBaradei Sworn In As Egypts Vice President


18/25



On 14 July a former head of the UN nuclear watchdog and a Nobel peace laureate, Prominent liberal Egyptian leader Mohamed

ElBaradei was sworn in as Egypts interim vice president for foreign relations.

Moin Khan Appointed Pak Cricket Teams Chief Se lector

On 15 July Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed former Pakistan team captain Moin Khan as chief selector after the resignation of

Iqbal Qasim.Moin, is the youngest person to be named to the chief selectors post by the cricket board.Khan played 69 Tests and 219

one-day internationals for Pakistan in 1990s and was also a member of World Cup winning team in 1992.

Santosh B Nayar is new CEO & MD of IFCI

On 15 July Santosh B Nayar has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Industrial FinancialCorporation of India.The IFCI was the 1st specialised financial institution setup in India to provide term finance to large industries in

India.

Nisha Desai Biswal Nominated For The Post Of Assistant Secretary Of State Of USA

On 18 July Nisha Desai Biswal, an Indian-American woman was nominated for the Post of Assistant Secretary of State for South and

Central Asia by US President Barack Obama .Nisha Desai Biswal, held the post of the Assistant Administrator for Asia at the U.S.

Agency for International Development (USAID) at the time her of nomination to the post of Assistant Secretary of state.Nisha Desai

Biswal will oversee the US Foreign Policy and relations at the State Department for India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan

Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.This is the first time an Indian-American is heading the South Asia

Bureau, a new milestone for the community.Nisha Desai Biswal worked at the American Red Cross from 1993 to 1995 in the

Washington headquarters, and as an overseas delegate in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.Nisha Desai Biswal held the post of

assistant administrator for Asia at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), since September 2010.

Justice P Sathasivam Sworn In As The New Chief Justice Of India

On 19 July Justice P Sathasivam was sworn in as the 40th Chief Justice of India (CJI) by President Pranab Mukherjee.Justice

Sathasivam is first CJI from Tamil Nadu .The term of his office will be till 26 April 2014. Justice Palanisamy Sathasivam succeeded CJI

Altamas Kabir who left the office on 18 July 2013.

Rana Kapoor is new Assocham President

On 20 July Rana Kapoor, Founder, Managing Director & CEO of Yes Bank,took over as the new president of the Associated

Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) at the end of the industry bodys 92nd annual general meeting (AGM) in

Delhi.He succeeds Rajkumar Dhoot, who is the managing director of Videocon Group.

Philippe-1 Sworn In As Seventh King Of BelgiumOn 21 July Prince Philippe -1 was sworn-in as the seventh king of Belgium,after his father Albert II abdicated as the head of this

fractured nation.The ceremony capped a day of transition which started when Philippes father, the 79-year-old Albert, signed away his

rights as the kingdoms largely ceremonial ruler at the royal palace in the presence of Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who holds the

political power in this 183-year-old parliamentary democracy.The position of the king in the country is nominal and total powers are

having the Prime Minister.

Indian-Origin Peer Ajay Kakkar Appointed To Lords Post

On 23 July Indian-origin peer Ajay Kakkar has been made the chairman of the influential House of Lords Appointments Commission, a

advisory body which selects new independent members of UKs House of Lords.Lord Kakkar is Professor of Surgery at university

College London (UCL) and Consultant Surgeon University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2011. His research

interests focus on the prevention and treatment of venous and arterial thromboembolic disease and cancer associated thrombosis.

Five Members From Tamil Nadu Sworn In To Rajya Sabha

On 25 July Senior leaders V. Maitreyan of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and D. Raja of Communist Party

of India (CPI) were among the five newly elected MPs from Tamil Nadu who took oath as members of Rajya Sabha.While Maitreyan

and Raja were re-elected, T. Rathinavel, K.R. Anjuman and K. Lakshmanan (all AIADMK) have been elected for the first time to the

Upper House in the recent biennial elections.The oath-taking ceremony was held in the chamber of Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansar

in his presence.DMK member Kanimozhi ,who has also been elected for a second term, did not take her oath .Maithreyan, who is also

the leader of his party in Rajya Sabha, has won a third term while CPI secretary Raja secured his second stint in the house with the

extended support from the ruling party AIADMK.

Barack Obama Nominates Indian-American Vince Girdhari Chhabria To Judiciary Post

On 26 July Indian-American legal luminary Vince Girdhari Chhabria has been nominated by US President Barack Obama to a key


19/25



judiciary post in California..Chhabria, nominated to be US district judge for the Northern District of California, is currently deputy city

attorney for government litigation and the co-chief of appellate litigation at the San Francisco city attorneys office.Obama announced hi

nomination along with five other judicial posts, all of which requires Senate confirmation.

K D Singh is new Indian Hockey Federation President

On 29 July Trinamool MP KD Singh was elevated to the post of president of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) after incumbent

Dinesh Reddy opted to resign from the position.The decision to elevate Singh to the top post was taken at a special executive council

meeting of IHF .

Sharad Kumar is new NIA chiefOn 30 July Senior IPS officer Sharad Kumar has been appointed as the new chief of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).The

1979-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer will take over from additional DG N R Wasan, who was given charge of NIA in April

following appointment of Sinha as member of National Human Rights Commission.

Cheryl Boone Isaacs Elected President Of Oscars Academy

On 30 July Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been elected as the president of Oscars Academy.The Springfield native is the first woman to hold

the post in three decades and the first African-American presi

Documents

Current Affairs July 2013 Study Material