1. Vijender clinches
WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight championship

a) Indian boxer Vijender Singh has won the WBO Asia Pacific
Super Middleweight championship defeating Australia’s Kerry Hope, the former
world number four.

b) With this, Vijender climbed to 15th place in the world in
his category. Meanwhile, British Asian boxer Sanjeev Sahota, won against Vikas
Lohan. In the Lightweight category, Kuldeep Dhanda of India beat Thailand’s
Vichayan Khamon.

c) A much-superior Siddhartha Verma pinned down Dilbagh
Thakran to lift the IBC Super Welterweight Championship Title fight and become
the country’s first-ever professional boxing title holder.

2. International
court rules in favour of Philippines in South China Sea matter

a) The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has ruled
in support of the Philippines in a maritime dispute, ruling that China has no
legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the South China Sea.

b) Though the decision has been rejected by Chinese
President Xi Jinping, it is likely to have long-lasting implications for the resource-rich
region, which sees $5 trillion worth of shipborne trade pass through annually.

c) Besides China and Philippines, the ruling affects other
countries having competing claims with the nation over large areas of the sea.
This includes Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia, among others that have voiced
concerns against China’s dominance in the region.

d) As a result of China refusing to abide by the court
ruling, the Philippines has refused a Chinese proposal to start bilateral talks.

3. Kudankulam power
project’s second unit attains criticality

a) Kudankulam nuclear power project’s second unit of 1,000
MW has attained first criticality. It is the 22nd nuclear power
reactor in India and second pressurised water reactor belonging to the light
water reactor category.

b) Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) has said after
the reactor begins to generate 400 MW of power within 45 days from the date of
criticality, it is likely to be connected to the grid.

c) Generation of power will be raised to 500 MW, 750 MW, 900
MW and 1,000 MW in stages. With the addition of 1,000 MW from the Kudankulam’s
unit 2 to the southern grid, the installed capacity of nuclear power will
increase to 6,780 MW from the present 5,780 MW.

d) The Kudankulam’s first unit of 1,000 MW, after attaining
criticality in July 13, 2013, was synchronised with the southern grid in
October the same year. It has generated 5,777 million units of power till May
2016.

4. Nelson Mandela Day
2016 observed

a) The Nelson Mandela Day 2016 was observed on July 18 in
order to pay a tribute to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

b) The day is being observed as an international occasion in
order to inspire people to contribute toward some common good. It recognises
the former South African President’s efforts for peace and freedom.

c) The Day was celebrated for the first time on 18 July 2010
as per a UN General Assembly resolution of November 2009.

5. Dipika Pallikal
Karthik, Saurav Ghosal win 73rd Senior National Squash Championship

a) Dipika Pallikal Karthik (world no. 19) overwhelmed
defending champion Joshna Chinappa 4-11 11-6 11-2 11-8 to regain the women’s
title at the 73rd Senior National Squash Championship, which was held in
Maharashtra.

b) Among men, top seed Saurav Ghosal defeated fourth seed
Harinderpal Singh Sandhu 11-7 7-11 3-11 11-8 14-12 to win the title. With this,
he made history by winning the title for the 11th time and went ahead of RK
Narpat Singh’s feat of 10 titles, won from 1946 to 1955.

6. MP becomes first
state to get ‘Happiness Department’

a)  Madhya Pradesh has
become India’s first state to establish Happiness Department, which, in Chief
Minister Shivraj Singh’s words, will aim to ensure “happiness in the lives of
common people”.

b) he said that besides basic necessities of life, people
need something more to be happy in life. He stressed that this cannot be
achieved by materialistic possessions, but by spreading positivity in people’s
lives.

7. Lewis Hamilton
wins his fourth British Grand Prix

a) Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has won fourth British
Grand Prix of his career. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg
came second and third respectively.

b) Hamilton’s record of four British Grand Prix is the same
as Nigel Mansell.

8. CBDT inks 7 Unilateral
APAs with Indian taxpayers

a) The Central Bureau of Direct Taxes has signed seven Advance
Pricing Agreements (APAs) with Indian taxpayers. The APAs also have a rollback
provision.

b) The APAs pertain to various sectors like banking, IT and automotives,
etc. The international transactions covered in the agreements include software
development services, IT-enabled services, engineering design services and business
support services.

c) With this, the total number of APAs the CBDT has signed
is 77. This includes 3 bilateral APAs and 74 Unilateral APAs. In the current
financial year, a total of 13 Unilateral APAs have been entered into so far.

9. Legendary singer
Mubarak Begum passes away

a) Renowned ghazal singer Mubarak Begum has passed away at
the age of 80. She lent voice to scores of Bollywood ghazals and duets. She
sang in both Hindi and Urdu.

b) Begum worked with many celebrated music directors like S
D Burman, Shankar Jaikishan and Khayyam, etc. She is known for hits like “Kabhi
tanhaiyon mein hamari yaad ayegi”, Mohe Aane Lagi Angray.

10. Paul Romer appointed
as World Bank Chief Economist

a) The World Bank Group has appointed Paul Romer as Chief
Economist with effect from September 2016.

b) Widely respected as an economist and entrepreneur, Romer will
join the Group at a time when development is undergoing see-saw changes due to rapid
technological change, globalisation, and demography.

c) He is presently a professor at New York University (NYU),
Director of NYU’s Marron Institute of Urban Management, and a professor of
economics in NYU’s Stern School of Business.

d) Earlier, Romer taught at Stanford University’s Graduate
School of Business. He was also a professor at the Universities of
California Berkeley, Chicago and Rochester.

11. Netherlands-UP inks
pact to set up skill development centre for farmers

a) The Netherlands and Uttar Pradesh signed an MoU to establish
a skill development centre to help farmers.

b) The MoU is to ensure that farmers receive information on
food processing along with use of modern techniques to boost production of
sugarcane, potato, dairy development and flowers.

c) Besides, under this agreement, the Dutch government would
help the state in solid waste management, urban development and infrastructure.
It would help in cleaning the Yamuna in Agra.

d) Besides, the Netherlands would also provide assistance in
land reclamation of 1500 acres in the Ganga basin in Kanpur and development of
cultural heritage.

12. Dabur signs MoU
with DRDO to promote cultivation of rare medicinal plants

a) Dabur India has signed an MoU with the Defence Research
and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Defense Institute of High Altitude
Research (DIHAR), The agreement is to promote sustainable cultivation of rare
medicinal plants Ladakh.

b) Highlights of the agreement:
– Dabur and DIHAR will educate farmers in the Leh-Ladakh about high-altitude
medicinal plant species

– Farmers will be given free saplings of rare medicinal
plants and herbs

– The initiative will focus on the creation of a
self-sustainable system by formation of a value chain for targeted endangered
species.

– It will ensure biodiversity conservation and focus on
sustainable management of bio-resources by implementing scientific agronomy
practices.

13. Turkish musician
Kudsi Erguner named UNESCO Artist for Peace

a) Turkish
musician Kudsi Erguner has been named UNESCO Artist for Peace. His
responsibility as a holder of this post is to work to revive the forgotten
musical heritage.

b) He has been given the honour in recognition of his efforts
to spread the universal values of music, which is essential to bring diverse cultures
together. Also, for his support for the International Decade of the
Rapprochement of Cultures.

c) Born in 1952, Erguner is a musician, a best-known player
of the Turkish ney (reed flute), composer, musicologist, teacher, author and
translator.

14. Margaret Alva’s
book Courage & Commitment: An
Autobiography released

a) Congress leader Margaret Alva has published her autobiography
titled Courage & Commitment: An
Autobiography.

b) The book maps the author’s 44-year political career under
four Prime Ministers, namely Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao and
Manmohan Singh. It also sheds light on her transition from a politician to
Governor