National News

  Mutual Recognition Agreement Between India and Taiwan for Organic Products.

• India and Taiwan have implemented a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for organic products during the 9th Working Group on Trade Meeting in New Delhi.
• This agreement marks the first bilateral pact for organic products between the two countries.
• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) from India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Taiwan's Agriculture and Food Agency (AFA) from the Ministry of Agriculture are the implementing agencies.
• The MRA will streamline the export process for major Indian organic products like rice, processed foods, green/black and herbal tea, and medicinal plant products to Taiwan, reducing compliance costs and enhancing trade opportunities.

  Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to Lead Indian Delegation to BRICS Parliamentary  Forum.

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will lead an Indian Parliamentary Delegation (IPD) to the tenth BRICS Parliamentary Forum (PF) in St. Petersburg, Russia.
• The delegation includes Harivansh, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha; Shambhu Sharan Patel, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary General, Lok Sabha; P.C. Mody, Secretary General, Rajya Sabha; and Anjani Kumar, Joint Secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat.
• The forum’s theme is 'The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security.' Representatives from BRICS and other invitee countries will participate.

   UU Lalit Appointed to Head Committee on Appointment of VC in Bengal.

• The Supreme Court has appointed former Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit as the chairman of the search and selection committee for appointing vice-chancellors in state-run universities of West Bengal.
• The decision was made by a division bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice K V Viswanathan.
• This order follows a special leave petition by the West Bengal government, with both the state government and the office of the governor agreeing to form the committee.
• The six-member committee will be constituted within two weeks.

   Recent Committees Announced

• Restructuring NTA: Chaired by Dr. K. Radhakrishnan
• Mitigating Payment Fraud: Chaired by AP Hota (RBI)
• Reviewing Clearing Corporations: Chaired by Usha Thorat (SEBI)
• Gender Sensitisation and Complaints: Chaired by Justice Hima Kohli
• Equestrian Federation Ad-Hoc Committee: Chaired by Justice Najmi Waziri

  Rajasthan to Adopt 10-Year Road Safety Action Plan.

• Rajasthan is set to become the first state in India to adopt a 10-year action plan for road safety, aiming to reduce road accidents by 50% by 2030.
• The first phase will include safety audits of 500 km of state highways and major district roads.
• The plan also includes pilot projects for speed management and improvements at high-priority black spots, as well as dedicated two-wheeler and cycle lanes on state highways.

  Punjab Establishes First Plant Clinic & Soil Testing Laboratory in Moga.

• Punjab’s first plant clinic and soil testing laboratory has been inaugurated in Moga with a grant from NITI Aayog.
• This facility offers free soil testing and plant disease diagnosis services to farmers.
• Equipped with modern machinery, the clinic will help analyze soil samples, providing detailed reports on nutrient content and pH levels.

   About Punjab:

• Capital: Chandigarh
• Chief Minister: Bhagwant Mann
• Governor: Banwarilal Purohit

                       Banking and Financial

  Federal Bank Partners with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance for Bancassurance.

• Federal Bank has entered into a bancassurance tie-up with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance.
• This partnership allows Federal Bank customers to access Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance products across its network in India.
• The collaboration aims to increase insurance penetration and expand market reach, aligning with both companies' strategic goals.

                             Sports

Adani Group Sponsors Indian Team for 2024 Paris Olympics.

• The Adani Group, led by Chairman Gautam Adani, will sponsor the Indian team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
• The group’s campaign, #DeshkaGeetAtOlympics, supports Indian athletes who are in the final stages of preparation for the games, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.

    Key Highlights:

• Principal Sponsorship: The Adani Group will sponsor the Indian team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing significant support as the athletes prepare for the games.
• Campaign Theme: The #DeshkaGeetAtOlympics campaign focuses on the dedication and hard work of the athletes, who have trained rigorously to achieve victory and hear the Indian national anthem on the global stage.
• Social Media Initiative: A social media campaign has been launched to rally support and encouragement for the Indian sportspersons as they finalize their preparations before flying out to Paris. The Olympic Games are scheduled from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
• Ongoing Support: Since 2016, the Adani Group has been actively supporting over 28 athletes in various sports, including boxing, wrestling, tennis, javelin throw, shooting, running, shot put, brisk walking, and archery.
• This strategic sponsorship and campaign highlight the Adani Group's commitment to fostering sports and supporting Indian athletes in their quest for Olympic glory.

Tasnim Mir and Tharun Mannepalli Clinch Singles Titles at 2024 BWF Reunion Open.

• Indian badminton players showcased their dominance at the 3rd BWF Saint-Denis Reunion Open 2024 by winning both the men's and women's singles titles.
• However, the Indian team had to settle for a silver in the men's doubles category.

   Key Highlights:

• Men's Singles Champion: Tharun Mannepalli from Telangana emerged victorious in the men's singles, defeating Japan's Yudai Okimoto in straight sets, 21-15, 21-15, in the final. This victory marks Tharun Mannepalli's second international title, following his win at the Kazakhstan International Challenge in April 2024.
• Women's Singles Champion: Tasnim Mir from Gujarat clinched the women's singles title by defeating fellow Indian player Rakshitha Sree in straight sets, 21-15, 21-19, in the final. The 2024 Saint-Denis Reunion Open title is Tasnim Mir's third challenger title and her first since 2022.
• Event Details: The 2024 Saint-Denis Reunion Open Badminton tournament took place in Saint-Denis, the capital of the French overseas département of Réunion, located in the Western Indian Ocean.
• These impressive victories highlight the strength and talent of Indian badminton players on the international stage.