The Daily Briefs are a comprehensive update of current affairs for the day. If you’d like to receive updates for current affairs every day, you’ll need to subscribe by entering your email address at the right side of this page. The previous Briefs can be accessed at the archives here.
- Save Water Day was observed in West Bengal for the first time on 12th July, 2019 to spread the message of water conservation. Since 2011, a programme of digging ponds is being undertaken throughout the state for conservation of water. The state also has a water conservation programme: Jal dharo Jal bharo (Collect water, store water).
- In a major boost to Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell (IPFC), Department of Defence Production, Union Ministry of Defence and the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Union Ministry of Science and Technology. The partnership between IPFC and NRDC is expected to bridge the capacity shortfall and provide a major fillip to ongoing efforts of the MoD towards promoting a culture of Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in Indian Defence industry.
- Director Kaushik Ganguly’s Bengali film-Nagarkirtan has won 4 awards in total at the prestigious 2019 SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Film Festival held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ‘Nagarkirtan’ was honoured with the Best Feature Film, Best Original Score, Best Director and Best Actor awards. This year is the 9th edition of the SAARC Film Festival held by the SAARC Cultural Centre. The first edition was held in 1999.
- A US delegation led by Assistant Trade Representative Christopher Wilson held bilateral talks with a team of Indian officials headed by Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Sanjay Chadha in New Delhi on 12th July, 2019 to provide a new impetus to bilateral trade and commercial ties. The two sides discussed the broad contours of bilateral trade and commercial ties and agreed to continue discussions for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes.
- India has secured three gold medals in the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series, a wrestling tournament, being held in Turkey. Rahul Awaare in 61 Kg, Seema Bisla in 50 Kg and Manju Kumari in 59 Kg categories – all clinched the yellow metal. Utkarsh Kale secured a Bronze in the 61 Kg category.
- Pardeep, who is competing in the 109 kg category, smashed the record in the clean and jerk event of Commonwealth Championships in Apia (Samoa) by lifting 202 kg. His earlier successful attempt of 148 kg took his total to 350 kg. Two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Vikas Thakur clinched the silver medal in the men’s 96 kg event. Vikas lifted a total of 338 kg (153kg185kg). India ended their campaign with a rich tally of 35 medals in the youth, junior and senior categories, breaking numerous national, Asian, Commonwealth and world records.
Hussain Muhammad Ershad - Bangladesh’s former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad died at the age of 91, due to complications from old age at a hospital in Dhaka on 14th July, 2019. Ershad, a former army chief took over the state power in a bloodless coup in 1982 and subsequently ran the country for eight years until he was forced to quit in a pro-democracy mass upsurge in 1990.
Today’s Quiz
