• Admiral Lisa Franchetti has been nominated by US President Joe Biden to lead US Navy.
• If confirmed by the Senate, Franchetti would become the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which consists of chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and others.

• China successfully carried out a trial test on the main engine of the Long March-10, a new carrier rocket designed for manned moon landing missions.
• The rocket will be capable of ferrying a crew module along with a lunar lander to Earth-Moon transfer orbit.

• The union health ministry said the Tele-MANAS (Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) helpline under the National Tele Mental Health Programme has received over 200,000 calls since its launch in October 2022.
• Currently, there are 42 active Tele Manas cells across 31 states and Union Territories.
  • The service handles over 1,300 calls daily in 20 different languages.
• The service is accessible through the toll-free numbers 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, with options to choose preferred languages.
• It is part of the government’s initiative to bolster the nation’s mental health workforce and make mental health services accessible and free to every household.
• Tele-MANAS will be organised in two tier system–
  • Tier 1: It comprises of state Tele-MANAS cells which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists.
  • Tier 2: It will comprise of specialists at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio visual consultation.
• Services offered by Tele MANAS:
  • Tele counselling by trained counsellors.
  • Tele Consultation by Mental Health professionals when required.
  • Referral Services to other Mental Health Establishments such as Medical Colleges, District Mental Health Program (DMHP) services and speciality institutes.

• A memorial to commemorate the 50,000 Indian Army soldiers who fought for the liberation of Italy from Nazi occupation during the Italian Campaign in World War II was unveiled in Italy.
• The ‘V.C. Yeshwant Ghadge Sundial Memorial’ was unveiled by the Commune of Monotone (in Italy) and Italian military historians at Montone in Perugia as a tribute to Indian troops who died in action during the Italian Campaign.
  • The Italian Campaign refers to the 2-year campaign (1943-1945) by the Allied power — Great Britain, the US and the Soviet Union — to liberate Italy from German occupation.
• The soldiers were part of the 4^th, 8^th and 10^th Divisions of the British Commonwealth forces that fought against the Axis powers — Germany, Italy and Japan.

ELSEWHERE

• Indian forces fought with Germany in Africa, Japanese in Burma, and took part in the invasion of Italy.
• They also played a significant part in battles in the Middle East.

ABOUT           

• Naik Ghadge was a soldier of the Mahratta Light Infantry who served in Italy during World War II (1939-1945).
• According to the National Army Museum of the UK, he was only 22 when he died in action while fighting the Axis powers.
• He received the Victoria Cross posthumously in 1944.

• July 23^rd marks the birth anniversary of Chandra Shekhar Azad, the fearless freedom fighter of India.
• He was born in Bhabhra village (now in Alirajpur District of Madhya Pradesh) in 1906.
• Born as Chandra Shekhar Tiwari, he joined Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement at a young age of 15.
• When he was arrested by the British police and presented before a magistrate, he declared his name to be ‘Azad’, his father’s name as ‘Swatantra’, and his residence as ‘prison’.
• He was the chief strategist of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), a revolutionary group dedicated to armed struggle against the colonial government.
• Azad was also involved in daring acts of resistance, including the Kakori train robbery in 2925 and shooting of JP Saunders at Lahore in 1928 (to avenge the killing of Lala Lajpat Rai).
• Known for his organizational skills and mastery of disguise, he pledged to never be captured alive.
• On February 27, 1931 Azad met two of his comrades at the Alfred Park, Allahabad.
  • When he got surrounded by British police, he shot himself.

• PM Modi’s proposal to make the African Union a permanent member of the G-20 has received overwhelming response from the grouping.
• The G-20 operates under the principle of consensus and any dissenting voice at the leaders’ summit may create difficulties.

ABOUT AFRICAN UNION

• The African Union is considered the top grouping representing the voice of Africa.
• It consists of 55 member states that make up the countries of the African continent.
• HQ- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
  • OAU was founded in 1963.
• It has been working towards ensuring the progress and economic growth of African nations.
• The Assembly of the African Union is the highest decision-making body, comprising the heads of state and government of member countries.
• Executive Council, composed of foreign ministers, assists the Assembly in making policy decisions.

• Ludwiga peruviana is an invasive weed that is threatening elephant habitats and foraging grounds in Valaprai, Tamil Nadu.
• It has infested the majority of the hill station’s swamps, locally known as vayals.
• It is popularly called primrose willow and is a native of Central and South America including Peru.
• It was probably introduced as an ornamental plant for its tiny yellow flowers.
• It grows fast along water bodies and is among the 22 priority invasive plants in Tamil Nadu.
• It mainly spreads along the swamps in the middle of the tea estates and forms thickets.
  • These swamps are known for excellent grass covers, sedges and water sources that are very good for herbivores like gaur and elephant in particular.
• Ludwigia poses a unique challenge as it grows in swamps and there is little scope to use machinery which may further destroy the ecosystem.
• Even if Ludwigia is pulled out manually, the soft plant easily breaks and it spreads again from the root or broken stems that fall in the swamp.

• ‘World Fragile X Awareness Day’ is observed on July 22^nd across the globe to spread education and awareness among the general public about the genetic disorder called ‘Fragile X Syndrome’.
• Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder that causes intellectual disability and autism.
• First reported in 1943 by James Purdon Martin and Julia Bell in Britain, the condition was originally referred to Martin–Bell syndrome. It is also known as Marker X syndrome.
• The syndrome is the leading inherited cause of autism in 4% of the population worldwide.
• Boys often have a more serious form of it than girls.
• FXS is caused by changes in a gene called Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1).
  • FMR1 usually makes a protein called FMRP that is needed for brain development.
• A mother who is a carrier of FXS has a 50% chance of passing the mutated gene to her children, who will either be carriers or have FXS.
  • Men who are carriers do not pass the pre-mutation to their sons, but only daughters, who become carriers.
• There is no cure for FXS.
• However, treatment services can help people learn important skills.

• PM recently paid tributes to Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his Jayanti on 23^rd
• The name of Lokmanya Tilak stands out as a colossus for his supreme courage, sacrifice, selflessness and for his historic role in the early phase of the independence movement.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born on July 23, 1856, at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
• He founded of the Deccan Education Society in 1884, he also established the Fergusson College in 1885.
• Tilak emphasized the need for self-rule or swarajya.
• Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in 1890 and played a significant role in the Surat Split in 1907.
• He propagated the Swadeshi and Boycott Movement to promote Indian self-reliance.
• The Home Rule League was founded by him on April 28, 1916, with its headquarters in Pune.
  • A similar Home Rule League was started by Annie Besant with its headquarters in Madras.
• Publications-
  • Newspapers- Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English) and
  • Books– Gita Rhasya and Arctic Home of the Vedas.
• On August 1^st, 1920, a day before Gandhiji launched the Non-Cooperation Movement, Tilak passed away.
• Quotes
  • “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it!”
  • “I would not recognise even God if he said that untouchability was ordained by him.”

• The CM recently announced the launching of a collateral-free loan scheme, called Sashakt Mahila Rin Yojana to economically empower women.
• The ‘Sashakt Mahila Rin Yojna’ is an initiative of the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank (HPSCB) which will provide loans to women for pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams, engage in livelihood activities, fulfil their day-to-day needs and uplift their families.
• Under this scheme, beneficiaries will get the credit facility of Rs.21,000, Rs.51,000 and Rs.1,01,000 at a relatively low interest rates of 8.51%.
• The main benefit of this scheme is that beneficiaries need not to provide any assets or collateral as security against the loan amount.