July 2024

National News (India):

1. Union Budget 2024-25: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first Union Budget of the Modi 3.0 government in Parliament on July 23, 2024.
2. Hathras Stampede: A tragic stampede occurred at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, resulting in numerous fatalities.
3. NEET-UG Revised Results: The NTA issued revised NEET-UG results amidst ongoing controversy and investigation into alleged paper leaks.
4. CBI Arrests Key Conspirator in NEET-UG Leak: The CBI made further arrests, including a key conspirator, in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak probe.
5. Kargil Vijay Diwas Rajat Jayanti Varsh: The Indian Army launched a two-day concluding event in Dras, Ladakh, to mark the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
6. President Droupadi Murmu Appoints New Governors: President Murmu appointed several new governors and reshuffled existing ones across various states.
7. Cabinet Committees Formed: The government formed eight cabinet committees to streamline governance.
8. Zika Virus Advisory: The Central government issued an advisory to all states due to rising Zika virus cases in Maharashtra.
9. CUET UG 2024 Final Answer Key Released: The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the final answer key for the CUET UG 2024.
10. Textiles Ministry’s Castor Plant for Silk Production Plan: The ministry planned a pilot project in Bihar to use castor plants for silk production.
11. Lok Sabha Session Concludes with High Productivity: Speaker Om Birla reported 103% productivity for the recent Lok Sabha session.
12. Google Maps AI Features for India: Google Maps unveiled new AI-driven features to address unique mobility challenges in India.
13. NITI Aayog Reconstituted: The government reconstituted NITI Aayog, adding six BJP allies.
14. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj to Become Political Party: Prashant Kishor announced that his Jan Suraaj initiative would become a political party on Gandhi Jayanti.
15. SEBI Launches AI-Powered Virtual Assistant: SEBI launched ‘SEVA,’ an AI-based conversational platform for investors.
16. India Aims for $30 Trillion Economy by 2047: NITI Aayog’s ‘Vision for Viksit Bharat’ plan outlines this ambitious economic goal.
17. Mangroves on Southern Indian Coast Critically Endangered: A report highlighted the critical endangerment of mangroves in Southern India.
18. NCAER Projects Indian Economy Growth at 7.5%: The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) projected robust economic growth for FY 2024-25.
19. UltraTech Cement Acquires Majority Stake in India Cements: A significant consolidation in the Indian cement industry.
20. NIIT and HDFC Bank Launch ACE Banker Program: A new program to enhance skills in the banking sector.
21. DRDO Develops Enhanced DNA-Editing System: Scientists at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology developed a more accurate genome-editing system than CRISPR.
22. Dr. Jitendra Singh Receives Lifetime Achievement Award: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh was honored for his contributions to diabetology.
23. DAE Launches ‘One DAE One Subscription’ Initiative: Aimed at improving access to scientific research.
24. India to Host Men’s Asia Cup Cricket in 2025: India is set to host the T20 format Asia Cup as a warm-up for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
25. India’s First Automobile In-plant Railway Siding Project: Inaugurated in Sanand, Gujarat (though mentioned in March, its operational impact continues).

International News:

26. Paris Olympics Under High Alert: The Paris Olympics commenced with unprecedented security measures and early controversies.
27. Trump v. United States (2024) Supreme Court Ruling: The US Supreme Court ruled on presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.
28. Syrian Civil War: Northern Aleppo Clashes: Anti-Turkish riots and clashes occurred in Turkish-occupied Northern Syria.
29. Israel-Hamas War: Siege of Khan Yunis: IDF ordered mass evacuation in Khan Yunis ahead of a new ground assault.
30. Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Continued Fighting: Russia claimed capture of villages in Donetsk and Kharkiv Oblasts; Ukraine reported widespread missile attacks.
31. NATO Military Aid to Ukraine: NATO nations agreed to grant Ukraine €40 billion in military aid for 2025.
32. Poland-Ukraine Security Agreement: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Polish PM Tusk signed a security agreement allowing Poland to shoot down Russian missiles in Ukrainian airspace.
33. Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Attacked: Drones attacked an electrical substation for the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
34. Ugandan Military Accused of Supporting M23 Rebels: A UN report formally accused the Ugandan military of providing support to the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
35. Mexican Drug War: Mass Shooting in Chiapas: Bodies of nineteen men were discovered near the Guatemalan border.
36. Blasphemy in Pakistan: A court in Pakistan sentenced a Christian man to death for blasphemy on social media.
37. Nepali Court Sentences ‘Buddha Boy’: A Nepali court sentenced Ram Bahadur Bomjon to 10 years in jail for child sexual abuse.
38. International African Women’s Day: Celebrated on July 31, recognizing women’s contributions to freedom.
39. Intl. AIDS Conference: Focus on pressing governments to repeal punitive anti-LGBT+ laws.
40. Security Council Debates Middle East Escalation: The UN Security Council discussed the serious escalation in the Middle East.
41. Brazil to Host FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027: Brazil was confirmed as the host for the next Women’s World Cup.
42. Lewis Hamilton Wins British Grand Prix 2024: Hamilton achieved a record-breaking ninth win at a single F1 track.
43. Spain Wins Euro 2024: Spain secured their fourth European Championship trophy, defeating England 2-1.
44. India Champions Win World Championship of Legends 2024: India defeated Pakistan in the final of the veterans’ cricket tournament.
45. Viswanathan Anand Wins Leon Masters Chess Championship: Anand clinched his 10th title at the prestigious chess tournament.
46. PUMA India becomes IOA Official Footwear Partner: PUMA partnered with the Indian Olympic Association for the Paris Olympics 2024.
47. India to Host 2025 BWF World Junior Championships: India will host the prestigious badminton event for the first time since 2008.
48. Imperial College London to Strengthen India Partnerships: Imperial Global India hub launched to boost science and technology collaboration.
49. G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting: Discussions focused on global economic stability.

High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development: ECOSOC held its annual forum on sustainable development from July 8-18.