ASMITA Project of UGC launched

• The Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) launched an ambitious project to enhance Indian language literature in higher education on July 17, 2024.
•  ASMITA means “Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation and Academic Writing”.
•  The initiative aims to produce 22000 books in Indian languages over the next 5 years.
• ASMITA is a collaboration between the UGC and the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti under the Ministry of Education.
• The project aims to promote Indian languages in education by providing quality academic resources in regional languages, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) that supports multilingual education and preserving India's linguistic heritage.
• ASMITA seeks to establish a strong framework for translation and original book writing in Indian languages across various higher education disciplines.

Reconstitution of NITI AAyog

• The Centre restructured the NITI Aayog, the Union government's top public policy think tank, following changes in the council of ministers as of July 17, 2024.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the chairperson, with economist Suman K Bery continuing as the vice-chairperson.
• The revamped NITI Aayog includes 4 full-time members and 15 Union Ministers, including those from BJP allies, serving as ex-officio members or special invitees.
•  Established in 2015, NITI Aayog replaced the 65-year-old Planning Commission.
• This restructuring aims to integrate a broader range of expertise and representation, incorporating significant input from NDA allies to enhance policy-making and implementation.

Visa-free Policy for 35 European Countries by Belarus

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus announced a visa-free policy for 35 European countries starting July 17, 2024, effective until December 31, 2024.
•  Citizens from these countries, including EU members and the UK, can stay in Belarus for up to 30 days without a visa.
• This policy aims to demonstrate Belarus's commitment to openness, peace, and good neighborliness, and to simplify personnel exchanges.
•  Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko supports allowing citizens of these countries to enter and stay in Belarus via road and rail checkpoints without requiring a visa.

India’s GDP Forecast raised to 7% by IMF

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised India's economic growth forecast for the fiscal year 2024-25 by 0.20% points to 7% as of July 17, 2024.
•  This adjustment follows a previous increase in April when the IMF revised India's GDP forecast upwards by 0.30% points to 6.8% in its World Economic Outlook.
• Meanwhile, the IMF has maintained its global growth projections at 3.2% for 2024, slightly increasing to 3.3% in 2025.
• For China, the IMF has raised its growth forecast to 5% for 2024 but anticipates a slowdown to 4.5% in 2025 and further deceleration to 3.3% by 2029 due to challenges such as aging demographics and declining productivity growth.

Moon Liver Mission of NASA Cancelled (Space Technology)

•  NASA announced the cancellation of its planned moon rover mission due to cost overruns and delays on July 17, 2024.
• The mission, called the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), was designed to explore the lunar south pole for ice and resources, to support future crewed missions under the Artemis programme.
• NASA had already invested approximately $450 million in the project.
• Initially set for launch in 2023 with a lander from Astrobotic Technology, the mission was delayed to late 2024 for additional preflight testing.
• However, further delays pushed the launch date to September 2025, with estimated costs climbing to $609.6 million.
• This cancellation represents a significant setback for NASA’s lunar exploration plans.

Major Boosts in Indian Men’s Players ICC T20 Batting Rankings

• In the latest ICC Men’s T20 Batting Rankings released on July 17, 2024, India’s Suryakumar Yadav has retained his second position, while Yashasvi Jaiswal has climbed to the sixth spot.
•  Ruturaj Gaikwad has dropped to 8th place in the rankings. This boost for Indian players follows their 4-1 victory in the T20 series against Zimbabwe.
• In the Men’s T20 All-Rounder rankings, Hardik Pandya is the only Indian in the top 10, holding the 6th position. Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga remains at the top.
•  In the Men’s Test Batting Rankings, Indian captain Rohit Sharma is in 6th place, Yashasvi Jaiswal has slipped to 8th, and former captain Virat Kohli has fallen to tenth.

ICC Development Award for 2023

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) on July 17, 2024 honored 6 associate cricket nations with the ICC Development Award for 2023.
• Mexico, typically renowned for its football prowess, received recognition for its cricket excellence.
• Other countries awarded include Oman, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, and Scotland.
•  These emerging nations were celebrated for their contributions and efforts in cricket over the past year.
• The ICC Development Award, initiated in 2002, aims to acknowledge the accomplishments and initiatives of ICC associate member nations in promoting and developing the sport.

India’s Paris Olympics Contingent Finalised

•  India's sports ministry approved the final contingent for the upcoming Paris Olympics. The group includes 117 athletes and 140 support staff and officials on July 17, 2024.
• The games will run from July 26 - August 11. The largest segment of the contingent is athletics, with 29 participants, followed by shooting with 21, and hockey with 19.
• Table tennis will have 8 players, and badminton will feature seven competitors, including two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu.
•  Wrestling, archery, and boxing will each have 6 representatives, while golf will have 4 and tennis 3.
• Swimming and sailing will have two representatives each, and equestrian, judo, rowing, and weightlifting will each have one.

Shreya Gupta

•  Fencer Shreya Gupta won her first individual international bronze medal in the Sabre category at the Commonwealth Junior and Cadet Championship in New Zealand on July 17, 2024.
•  Shreya Gupta defeated Saunders Nicole of England 15-3 in the round of 16 and Hardge Gala of Australia 15-13 in the medal bout.
•  Previously, she won bronze in team events at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Championships and a junior bronze at the Asian Championship in Uzbekistan.
•  Shreya Gupta, a TOPS and Khelo India athlete has participated in 15 prestigious international events.

Paul Kagame

• Paul Kagame has secured a fourth term as Rwanda's President, winning 99.15% of the vote on July 17, 2024.
•  He has been at Rwanda's helm since 2000, initially taking office after the country's civil war and maintaining a dominant role in Rwandan politics since the 1990s.
• Paul Kagame is acknowledged for guiding Rwanda through significant socio-economic progress.
• However, his leadership has been criticized for authoritarian practices and stifling opposition voices.
• During his tenure, Rwanda's constitution has been amended to extend presidential term limits, allowing Kagame to extend his presidency beyond its original constraints.

Nerella Sharada

• A prominent advocate for women's rights, Nerella Sharada assumed the role of Chairperson of the Telangana State Women’s Commission in Hyderabad on July 17, 2024.
•  This appointment follows a recent government order, prompted by the resignation of Sunitha Lakshma Reddy who had been in office since 2021 with a tenure originally slated until 2026.
• Nerella Sharada, previously a member of the Commission, was promoted to the Chairperson’s position in response to Sunitha Reddy's resignation.
• The transition underscores the government's decision to fill the vacancy and ensure continuity in the leadership of the Commission dedicated to safeguarding women's interests and addressing their concerns in Telangana.