The Daily Brief – 12th July, 2016

• At least 300 Indians have been left stranded in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, as there has been increasing unrest due to the civil war there. Fleeing the fight between the heavily armed rival factions divided on ethnic lines, Indians have taken refuge at various locations, including the Embassy of India.
• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched a nationwide Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF) to check child diarrhoeal deaths. The IDCF drive was launched by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda in New Delhi. It will be observed from 11th to 23rd July, 2016 across the country.
• President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the 51st Jnanpith Award on renowned Gujarati writer and litterateur Raghuveer Chaudhari.
• India and Kenya on Monday decided to deepen and expand cooperation in a wide range of areas as they signed seven pacts, including in the field of defence and security and avoidance of double taxation.
• Lafarge Holcim, the Swiss building materials company, will sell its Lafarge India business including three plants and two grinding units with a total capacity of about 11 million tonnes per annum to Nirma, subject to approval by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
• World Population Day was observed across the world on July 11. The theme for 2016 is “Investing in teenage girls”. It highlights the importance of empowering teenage girls by providing them access to basic information about their health, human rights and reproductive rights so they become agents of positive change in their communities.
• Sushila Karki has become the first woman Chief Justice of Nepal after taking oath of office and secrecy. She will head the judiciary till June 6, 2017.
• The United Nations plans to issue stamps next year in commemoration of the International Yoga Day, celebrated annually on June 21.
• The UEFA has named Antoine Griezmann as the best player of Euro 2016. Griezmann belongs to the French team that lost to Portugal in the final.
• The solar powered plane, Solar Impulse 2 has embarked on the penultimate limb of its journey, from Spain to Egypt. The plane is on a globe circling voyage to promote the benefits of solar energy.
• Disney has created its first Latina princess, Elena. She will feature in the television series, Elena of Avalor.

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