Ramsar Sites Conventions
News- Zimbabwe hosts Ramsar Convention COP15.
- Convention held – at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
- Event – 15th meeting of the Ramsar Conference of the Parties (CoP).
- Date – From July 23 to 31.
- Indian delegation– Led by Bhupender Yadav.
- India launched– the ‘Save Wetland Campaign.’
- Theme – “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future”
- About Ramsar convention
- Ramsar Sites – Wetlands of international importance under the convention.
- Purpose – Conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
- Signed – In 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
- India joined – In 1982.
- Members – 172 countries (as of 2025).
- Secretariat – Located in Gland, Switzerland.
- World Wetlands Day – Observed on 2nd February.
Kavach 4.0
News- Indigenous Kavach 4.0 Safety System Commissioned on This Section of Indian Railways.
- Launch – Indian Railways launched Kavach 4.0 on July 30, 2025.
- Location – Implemented on the Mathura–Kota section of the Delhi–Mumbai corridor.
- Announced By – Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
- Design Standard – Built to Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4) – the highest safety level.
- Functions – Monitors train speed, provides cabin-based signal info, and automatically applies brakes.
- Indigenous System – Developed in India as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
National Film Awards
News- 71st National Film Awards 2023 announced.
- Event – 71st National Film Awards for 2023 announced on August 1, 2025.
- Purpose – Celebrated excellence in Indian cinema across languages and regions.
- Best Actor – Shah Rukh Khan – won his first-ever National Award.
- Best Actress – Rani Mukerji – awarded for a powerful performance.
- Best Film – 12th Fail.
- Regional Impact – Films like HanuMan, Parking, and 12th Fail gained national recognition.
- Significance – Marked a historic year with recognition for both mainstream and regional cinema.
Dr. Mayank Sharma
News- Dr. Mayank Sharma Assumes Office as Financial Advisor (Defence Services).
• Appointed Financial Advisor (Defence Services) – on August 1, 2025.
• 1989 batch officer – Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS).
• Experience – over 30 years in defence accounts and finance.
• Previous roles – served in various key government departments.
• Cabinet Secretariat – previously held important positions.
• Announcement – made by Ministry of Defence.
SpaceX Launches NASA’s Crew-11 Mission
News- SpaceX Launches NASA’s Crew-11 Mission to the International Space Station.
• Launch date – August 1, 2025.
• Mission – NASA’s Crew-11 launched by SpaceX.
• Launch site – Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
• Crew – 2 NASA astronauts, 1 Russian cosmonaut, 1 Japanese astronaut.
• Destination – International Space Station (ISS).
• Significance – Highlights ongoing SpaceX-NASA collaboration.
- About SpaceX:
• Full Name – Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
• Founded – In 2002 by Elon Musk.
• Headquarters – Hawthorne, California, USA.
• Reusability – Pioneer in developing reusable rockets (Falcon 9’s first stage can land and be reused)
- About NASA:
• Full Form – National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• Established – On July 29, 1958.
• Headquarters – Washington, D.C., USA.
• Purpose – Civilian space exploration, aeronautics research, and space science.
Khalid jamil
News- Khalid jamil Appointed Head Coach of the Indian Senior Men’s Football Team.
• Appointment – Khalid Jamil named head coach of Indian Senior Men’s Football Team.
• Date – Announced on August 1, 2025.
• Selected by – All India Football Federation (AIFF).
• Jamil will succeed – Manolo marquez (spain) in the role.
• Significance – First Indian appointed to this role in a historic decision.
• The last Indian to hold the post was Savio mederia who led the team from 2011 to 2012.
MCQs
Q1. Where was the 15th meeting of the Ramsar Conference of the Parties (COP15) held?
A. Nairobi, Kenya
B. New Delhi, India
C. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
D. Cape Town, South Africa
Q2. Kavach 4.0 was developed under which national initiative?
A. Digital India
B. Startup India
C. Atmanirbhar Bharat
D. Make in India
Q3. Which film won the Best Film award?
A. HanuMan
B. Parking
C. 12th Fail
D. Jawan
Q4. Who announced the appointment of Dr. Mayank Sharma as Financial Advisor (Defence Services)?
A. Ministry of Finance
B. Prime Minister’s Office
C. Ministry of Defence
D. President’s Secretariat
Q5. What was the destination of NASA’s Crew-11 mission?
A. Moon
B. Mars
C. International Space Station (ISS)
D. SpaceX Starbase
Q6. Who was appointed as the head coach of the Indian Senior Men’s Football Team on August 1, 2025?
A. Stephen Constantine
B. Khalid Jamil
C. Štefan Tarkovič
D. Savio Medeira