Global Rankings:
- India ranked 12th in the Forbes and University of Pennsylvania list of the world's most powerful countries.
International Relations:
- Panama was the first Latin American country to withdraw from China's Belt and Road Initiative due to pressure from the USA.
Economics & Trade:
- The top export destination for India is the USA.
Science & Technology:
- A new species of green cardamom was discovered in Kerala.
- ISRO launched its first space docking mission, SPADEX, using the PSLV C60.
Government & Policy:
- A 52-page document covering the budget and economic survey has been prepared, including a chapter-wise breakdown of the economic survey (13 chapters), historical context, key terminology, important facts, current events, and approximately 100 Q&A.
App Rankings:
- Zomato ranked fifth and Swiggy ninth globally in the food and drinks app category.
- Indian app, Zepto, ranked second globally.
- McDonald's held the first position.
- Zomato is now the world's second most downloaded food and drink app, according to Sensor Tower, surpassing KFC and Domino's.
Healthcare:
- The WHO initiated the first trial of an Ebola vaccine in Uganda.
- The trial focuses on the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus.
- Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The trial is located near Lake Victoria.
Environment & Conservation:
- UNESCO launched an ocean coordination system initiative for the conservation of the Caribbean and northern Brazil's self.
- This initiative focuses on areas with high biodiversity, coral reefs, and fisheries, aiming to improve employment opportunities.
Karnataka Declared Naxal-Free: Karnataka declared itself Naxal-free after the surrender of a Naxalite leader. A rehabilitation package of ₹7.5 lakh with skill training is offered.
World Ozone Day: September 16th.
Operation Sadbhavana: Indian government's response to Typhoon Yaagi.
Asian Champions Trophy: Indian hockey teams (men's and women's) won their 5th Asian Champions Trophy defeating China.
Begging Ban:
- Location: Indore and Bhopal, India.
- Law: Section 163 of the Indian Citizen Security Code 2023 (BNSS).
- Penalty: Six months imprisonment and ₹2,500,000 fine.
- Purpose: To disrupt child exploitation begging rackets.
CBI Operation Chakravyuh: Targets a virtual assets and crypto-supported cybercrime network.
Jharkhand Festivals: Sarhul, Bhagti Parva, Shravani Mela, Fagua Festival, Sohrai.
Crypto Adoption: India is the top country for crypto adoption (Chainalysis report).
Tourism Promotion in Odisha: A new app to promote tourism was launched.
Aero Spike Rocket Engine: Successful testing of India's first aero spike rocket engine by Space Kidz India.
Odisha State Schemes: Schemes implemented in Odisha to combat sex selection and boost female self-esteem and confidence including Fearless Bird, My Dear Daughter, Kalpana, Ajeevan Swarna Kali, Veerangana Yojana.
Other State Schemes Mentioned:
- Subhadra Yojana (Assam)
- Rayat Bandhan Yojana (Telangana)
- Maiya Samman Yojana (Jharkhand)
- Mangala Pashu Beema Yojana (Rajasthan)
- Ladli Bahna Yojana (Madhya Pradesh)
- PM SHRI Tourism Service (Madhya Pradesh)
Quad Leaders' Summit:
- 2024: Wilmington, USA
- Next: India
Port Blair Renamed: Shri Vijaya Pur.
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- **Odisha Government Schemes:** Five schemes launched in Odisha, aimed at:
- Preventing child marriage.
- Promoting self-defense among girls.
- Increasing access to higher education for girls.
- Preventing female foeticide.
- **Scheme Locations:**
- Nirbhaya Kadī and Mo Ghela Jiya: Ganjam district.
- Kalpana Abhijan: Dhenkanal district.
- Swarnakalika: Kalahandi district.
- Veerangana: Deogarh district.
- **India Achieves 100 GW Solar Energy Capacity:** India has established a solar energy capacity of 100 gigawatts. Target of 500 Gigawatts by 2030 utilizing non-fossil fuel sources.
- **PM KUSUM Yojana:** Launched to provide solar pumps for farmers.
- **PM Surya Ghar Mufat Bijli Yojana:** This scheme provides 300 units of free electricity from solar energy.
- **Fourth Intercontinental Football Championship:** Syria won, defeating India.
- **India's First Teal Carbon Study:** Conducted in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan.
- **Polaris Dawn Mission:** Space X launched the first private spacewalk mission.
- **Eastern Bridge Joint Military Exercise:** Conducted between India and Oman.
- **Swang Festival:** Held in Haryana.
- **Indian Art History Conference:** 32nd session held in Noida; headquarters in Guwahati, Assam.
- **Suryakund Mela:** Held in Faridabad, Haryana, from February 7th to 23rd.
- **Jannik Sinner:** Won the first US Open tennis title for his country (Italy).
- **New Haldi Plant Species:** *Kaikara ma uung mensis* discovered in Nagaland.
- **INS Malpe and INS Mulki:** Anti-submarine warfare vessels launched from Kerala.
- **India's First Silicon Carbide Manufacturing Facility:** Foundation stone laid in Odisha.
```- **Awards and Recognition:**
- Surat received the top Clean Air Survey Award in the category of cities with a population of over 1 million.
- **Festivals:**
- Nuakhai Festival, Dhanu Jatra, Raja Parba, Bali Yatra, and Rath Yatra are all celebrated in Odisha.
- **Suryakund International Crafts Fair:**
- The 38th edition of the Suryakund International Crafts Fair was held in Faridabad, Haryana.
- It's a handicrafts fair.
- Started in 1987.
- Partner states were Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
- **Indian Art History Conference:**
- The 32nd session of the Indian Art History Conference was held in Noida.
- Its headquarters are in Guwahati, Assam.
- **Sports:**
- Jannik Sinner, an Italian, won the first US Open Tennis title for his country.
- Praveen Kumar won India's sixth gold medal in high jump. He also received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
- **Discoveries:**
- A new species of Haldia, *Karakoramensis*, was discovered in Nagaland.
- **Defense:**
- INS Malpe and INS Mulki, anti-submarine warfare ships, were launched from Kerala.
- **Infrastructure:**
- The foundation stone for India's first silicon carbide manufacturing facility was laid in Odisha.
- **Space Exploration Milestones:**
- Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space on April 12, 1961.
- Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space.
- Sputnik was the first artificial satellite launched in 1957.
- Russia's Luna 25 mission crashed during an attempted landing on the Moon's south pole, shortly before India's Chandrayaan-3 mission.
- **Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):**
- ISRO was established on August 15, 1969.
- Vikram Sarabhai was its first chairman.
- Its headquarters are in Bengaluru.
- V. Narayanan is the current chairman (11th).
- **Other Current Events:**
- India's ranking in the Paris Paralympics 2024 points table: 18th place, with 7 gold medals and 29 total medals.
- Raja Randhir Singh is the first Indian to be elected president of the Olympic Council of Asia.
- Global Artificial Intelligence Summit 2024 inaugurated in Hyderabad.
- **Roscosmos Director Appointment:** Dmitri Rogozin appointed as the new director of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, by President Putin.
- **Luna 25 Mission:** Russia's Luna 25 mission, launched around the time of India's Chandrayaan-3, aimed for a landing on the Moon's south pole but crash-landed.
- **India's Paris Paralympics 2024 Ranking:** India secured 18th place in the Paris Paralympics 2024 points table, with 7 gold medals and a total of 29 medals.
- **Raja Randhir Singh:** Elected as the first Indian president of the Olympic Council of Asia.
- **France's New Prime Minister:** Françoise Caubet and Elisabeth Borne appointed as Prime Minister of France.
- **New Member of BRICS New Development Bank:** Algeria joined the BRICS New Development Bank.
* **Repo Rate and Monetary Policy:**
* Repo rate decreased to 6.25%.
* Reverse repo rate is 3.35%.
* Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is 4%.
- **Repo Rate & Monetary Policy:**
- Repo Rate: Reduced from 6.5% to 6.25% (a decrease of 0.25%). First change in 5 years. (Repo Rate full form: Repurchase Option Rate)
- Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%
- Bank Rate: 6.5%
- Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): 4%
- Repo Rate Mechanism: RBI lends short-term funds to commercial banks at the repo rate.
- **Monetary Policy Committee (MPC):**
- Formed: 2016
- Head: RBI Governor (currently Sanjay Malhotra)
- Mandate: Maintain inflation between 2% and 6%.
- Meetings: Bi-monthly (six reports annually)
- Composition: Three members from RBI, three from the government.
- **Military Technology:**
- AWD 220: Combat drone.
- **Sports:**
- Harvinder Singh: First Indian archer to win gold at the Paralympics.
- Mihir Sen: First Indian to swim across the English Channel.
- Aarti Shah: First Indian woman to swim across the English Channel.
- Siddharth: Oldest Indian to swim across the English Channel.
- **International Events:**
- First International Solar Festival: Held in Delhi.
- **Canada:**
- Capital: Ottawa
- Border with USA: 49th parallel north
- Winnipeg: Largest wheat market, near Lake Winnipeg
- Vancouver: Kamagata Maru incident (1914)
- Montreal: Montreal Protocol (Sept 16, 1987) - Ozone layer protection
- **Cross-Border Payments:**
- India Bill Pay: Launched in Canada by Beacon and Yes Bank to facilitate cross-border bill payments from Canada to India.
* **Geography of Argentina:**
* Capital: Buenos Aires
* Desert: Patagonia (cold desert)
* Grasslands: Pampas
* Mount Aconcagua: Highest peak in the Andes Mountains and South America, located on the border of Chile and Argentina.
* **Recent Events in India:**
* First joint commander conference held in Lucknow.
* Rajasthan conducted the first-of-its-kind pandemic preparedness viral war exercise under the National One Health Mission.
* President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Vishwa Shanti Buddha Vihar in Maharashtra.
* Karnataka declared dengue a pandemic disease.
* Madhya Pradesh declared heat waves a natural disaster.
* **India-Canada Financial Initiative:**
* Beacon and Yes Bank launched "India Bill Pay" in Canada for Indian diaspora. The service facilitates cross-border bill payments between Canada and India.
* **Argentina's Actions:**
* Argentina withdrew from the WHO.
* Argentina refused to join BRICS.
* Argentina created the world's first genetically modified horse.
* **Argentina's Actions Regarding WHO:**
* Argentina, following the US, announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), citing the organization's perceived inefficiency and wasted resources. Javier Milei, the Argentinian president, made the announcement.
* **US Withdrawal from WHO:**
* The US, under President Trump, had previously initiated the process of withdrawing from the WHO.
* **WHO Information:**
* The WHO was founded on April 7, 1948, and its headquarters are in Geneva.
* **Argentina and BRICS:**
* Argentina declined an invitation to join the BRICS group.
* **Sporting Achievements:**
* Preeti Pal: First Indian woman to win two medals in track and field, recently awarded the Arjuna Award.
* Sumit Antil: Won India's third gold medal in the Paris Paralympics 2024 in javelin throw. India won a total of seven gold medals and 29 medals in total, achieving an 18th rank. Other gold medalists included Avni Lekhara (shooting) and Nitesh Kumar (para badminton).
* **Government Decisions:**
* The Indian central cabinet approved a semiconductor unit in Gujarat under the India Semiconductor Mission.
* Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Brunei. Bandar Seri Begawan is Brunei's capital.
* **New Weapon Systems:**
* Helios: A high-energy laser weapon developed by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy to attack drones.
* Silent Hunter: A laser weapon possessed by China.
* Air defense systems:
* Iron Dome (Israel)
* Iron Beam (Israel)
* SAMAR (India)
* Varsaav (India)
* S-400 Triumph (Russia)
* Igla-S (Russia)
* Igla-X (Russia)
* **International Relations:**
* Unspecified withdrawal of a member state from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), following a US announcement.
* **Military and Defense:**
* U.S. Navy tested the Helios laser weapon, developed by Lockheed Martin, designed to attack drones.
* India achieved 100 GW of energy capacity.
* **International Relations and Politics:**
* Argentina withdrew from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
* Dmitry Rogozin appointed as the new Director General of Roscosmos.
* **Economy and Business:**
* Beacon launched India Bill Pay in Canada with Yes Bank.
* RBI increased the repo rate by 25 basis points.
* **Social Issues and Events:**
* 38th Surajkund International Crafts Mela commenced in Faridabad, Haryana.
* Odisha government launched women's empowerment schemes: Nirbhaya, Mogol, Galha Jiya, Kalpana, Abhijnan, Swarnakalika, and Veeranjana.
* Bhopal declared begging a crime.
* Karnataka claimed to have eradicated Naxalism.
* UNESCO launched a conservation initiative for Caribbean and northern Brazilian reefs.
* Zomato became the second most downloaded food and drink app globally.
* WHO initiated an Ebola vaccine trial in Uganda.
* **Important Days:**
* **August:**
* National Space Day (August 23)
* National Sports Day (August 29)
* **September:**
* Teacher's Day (September 5)
* Hindi Day (September 14)
* **October:**
* Gandhi Jayanti (October 2)
* Air Force Day (October 8)
* Statistics Day (October 20)
* United Nations Day (October 24)
* **November:**
* Legal Services Day (November 9)
* National Education Day (November 11)
* National Milk Day (November 26)
* **December:**
* Navy Day (December 4)
* Human Rights Day (December 10)
* Vijay Diwas (December 16)
* Farmer's Day (December 23)
* Good Governance Day (December 25)
- **June Observances:**
- World Ocean Day: June 8th (Theme: "Awake New Depths" / "Planet Ocean: Tides are changing")
- First International Sports Day: June 11th (Theme: "Sport Creates a Better World" / First International Day of Sport for Development and Peace)
- World Blood Donor Day: June 14th
- World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought: June 17th
- Day of the fight against hate speech: June 18th / International Day of Fight Against Hate Speech
- World Refugee Day: June 20th
- 10th International Yoga Day: June 21st (Theme: "Yoga for Self and Society" / "Yoga for Humanity")
- United Nations Public Service Day: June 23rd
- Olympic Day: June 23rd (commemorating the founding of the IOC in 1894)
- Constitution Day: June 25th (coinciding with the declaration of India's Third Emergency in 1975 / Also marks the date of the 1975 Emergency in India)
- **July Observances:**
- National Doctor's Day: July 1st (Birth Anniversary of Bidhan Chandra Roy)
- World Population Day: July 11th (commemorating the world population reaching 5 billion in 1987)
- Nelson Mandela International Day: July 18th
- World Chess Day: July 20th
- International Tiger Day: July 29th
- World Wide Web Day: August 1st (Tim Berners-Lee's birthday)
- **August Observances:**
- Hiroshima Day: August 6th (commemorating the atomic bombing in 1945)
- National Handicraft Day & Javelin Throw Day: August 7th
- World Indigenous Peoples Day: August 9th
- World Lion Day: August 10th
- International Youth Day & International Elephant Day: August 12th
- National Space Day: August 23rd (commemorating Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander landing on the moon's south pole in 2023)
- National Sports Day: August 29th (Birth Anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand)
- World Sanskrit Day: August 31st
- **September Observances:**
- National Teachers' Day: September 5th (Birth Anniversary of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan)
- International Charity Day: September 5th
- International Police Cooperation Day: September 7th (commemorating Interpol's founding in 1923)
- International Literacy Day: September 8th
- National Hindi Day: September 14th (commemorating Hindi's adoption as an official language in 1949)
- International Democracy Day & National Engineers Day: September 15th (Birth Anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya)
- World Ozone Day: September 16th (commemorating the Montreal Protocol in 1987)
- World Bamboo Day: September 18th
- International Peace Day: September 21st
- World Alzheimer's Day: September 21st
- World Rivers Day: September 24th
- World Tourism Day: September 27th
- World Heart Day: September 29th
- **March Observances:**
- World Meteorological Day: March 23rd
- World Tuberculosis Day: March 24th
- World Water Day: March 22nd (Theme: Water for peace)
- World Forestry Day: March 21st
- National Vaccination Day: March 16th (Theme: Vaccines work for everyone)
- World Consumer Rights Day: March 15th
- International Mathematics Day: March 14th
- International Women's Day: March 8th
- Zero Discrimination Day: March 1st
- National Science Day: February 28th
- International Mother Language Day: February 21st
- **April Observances:**
- National Maritime Day: April 5th
- World Health Day: April 7th (Theme: My health, my right. 7 April 1948, WHO foundation. / Theme - My health, my right.)
- World Homeopathy Day: April 10th
- World Hemophilia Day: April 17th
- World Heritage Day: April 18th (Theme: Discovering and experiencing diversity / Theme - Discover and experience diversity.)
- International Earth Day: April 22nd (Theme: Invest in our planet / Theme - Invest in our planet.)
- World Book and Copyright Day: April 23rd
- World Malaria Day: April 25th
- World Intellectual Property Day: April 26th
- **May Observances:**
- World Press Freedom Day: May 3rd
- World Red Cross Day: May 8th
- World Thalassemia Day: May 8th
- International Nurses Day: May 12th
- International Day of Families: May 15th
- International Day of Light: May 16th
- International Museum Day: May 18th
- World Metrology Day: May 20th (Theme: Measuring our world for a sustainable tomorrow / Theme - Measuring our world for a sustainable tomorrow.)
- International Day for Biological Diversity: May 22nd (Theme: Build a shared future for all life / Theme - Build a shared future for all life.)
- World Football Day: May 25th
- First International Potato Day: May 30th
- World No Tobacco Day: May 31st
- **June Observances:**
- World Environment Day: June 5th (Theme: Solutions to plastic pollution / Theme: Land restoration)
- World Food Safety Day: June 7th
- **January Observances:**
- World Hindi Day: January 10, 2024 (Theme - Connecting Hindi traditional knowledge and artificial intelligence).
- National Youth Day: January 12 (Vivekananda's birthday).
- Indian Army Day: January 15.
- International Education Day: January 24.
- National Girl Child Day: January 24.
- National Voters' Day: January 25.
- National Tourism Day: January 25.
- Republic Day: January 26 (Theme - Mother of Democracy and Developed India).
- **February Observances:**
- World Pulses Day: February 10 (Theme - Pulses: Nutritious food for sustainable soil and people).
- World Radio Day: February 13.
- National Women's Day: February 13.
- International Mother Language Day: February 21.
- National Science Day: February 28.