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- Godzilla Actress Kelly Passes Away | INS Malvan Commissioned Indian Navy
Today’s important current affairs, which are essential for students preparing for government jobs…
DEFENCE
1. INS Malvan commissioned into the Indian Navy
- INS Malvan was formally commissioned on 22 July.
- It is a Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC).
- Its main role is to detect and destroy enemy submarines in shallow waters.
- The warship is equipped with lightweight torpedoes, the RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher and other advanced weapons.
- INS Malvan was built by Cochin Shipyard Limited.
- It has around 80% indigenous content.
- The commissioning ceremony was held in Karwar, Karnataka.
- Air Chief Marshal A P Singh presided over the ceremony.
- Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan was also present.
- The ship is named after the coastal town of Malvan in Maharashtra and is equipped with modern sensors and weapons.
INS Malvan is equipped with modern hull-mounted sonar and low-frequency variable depth sonar.
SPORTS
2. Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain to lead India at Glasgow Commonwealth
- The Glasgow Commonwealth Games begin in Scotland on 23 July.
- The opening ceremony will be held at the OVO Hydro.
- The Games will run until 2 August.
- Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and boxer Lovlina Borgohain will be India’s flag bearers.
- Mirabai will carry the Tricolour.
- Lovlina will carry the ceremonial King’s Baton.
- India has sent a 125-member contingent.
- The squad includes 77 men and 48 women.
- Indian athletes will compete in 13 sports.
India’s flag bearers
- Mirabai Chanu won silver at the Tokyo Olympics and gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
- Lovlina Borgohain won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and gold at the 2023 World Championships.
- At Birmingham 2022, PV Sindhu and Manpreet Singh were India’s opening ceremony flag bearers.
- Nikhat Zareen and Sharath Kamal led the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony.
Glasgow Commonwealth 2026
- Glasgow is hosting the Commonwealth Games for the second time.
- Only 10 sports are included this year.
- Badminton, hockey, wrestling, cricket and table tennis are not part of the programme.
- Australia’s Victoria state was originally due to host the Games.
- Victoria withdrew in 2023, and Glasgow took over in 2024.
Commonwealth Games
- The Games began in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.
- They were originally called the British Empire Games.
- India first competed in 1934 in London.
- Wrestler Rashid Anwar won India’s first Commonwealth medal, a bronze, in 1934.
- India hosted the Games for the first and only time in New Delhi in 2010.
The Commonwealth Games 2022 was held in Birmingham (England).
DEATH
3. Hollywood actress Kelly Hottle passes away
- Hollywood actress Kelly Hottle died on 22 July at the age of 18.
- She was best known for her roles in Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
- Hottle was born deaf and used American Sign Language as her first language.
- Her family has had deaf members for four generations.
- She was widely praised for her strong screen presence and her on-screen bond with King Kong.
Kelly was deaf and non-verbal from birth, and American Sign Language was her first language.
INTERNATIONAL
4. QUAD Foreign Ministers meet in Manila
- QUAD Foreign Ministers met in Manila, the Philippines, on 22 July.
- The meeting was attended by India, the US, Japan and Australia.
- India was represented by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
- Jaishankar also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines.
- The meeting took place amid regional security concerns and tensions in the South China Sea.
- Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
- Discussions covered maritime security, resilient supply chains, cybersecurity, technology, critical minerals, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
- The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) is an informal strategic grouping.
- A meeting of QUAD Foreign Ministers is also expected to be held in India in May next year.
MISCELLANEOUS
5. India’s first AI-powered bird sanctuary to come up in Maharashtra
- Maharashtra will develop India’s first AI-powered bird sanctuary.
- The project was approved on 21 July.
- Around ₹45 crore has been sanctioned.
- It will be built at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary in Mumbai.
- AI will be used for bird conservation and sanctuary management.
- The project includes mangrove nature trails, a birdwatching centre, watchtowers and eco-friendly tourist facilities.
- India’s first AI-based bird identification and monitoring centre will also be set up.
- The AI system will enable real-time bird tracking and species identification.
6. France bans social media for children under 15
- France has approved a law banning social media accounts for children under 15.
- The law will take effect from 1 September 2026.
- Children under 15 will need parental consent to access social media.
- The law aims to protect children’s mental health and curb cyberbullying.
- Platforms that fail to comply can face heavy penalties.
- Educational websites and online encyclopaedias are exempt.
- Australia had earlier introduced a similar ban for children under 16.
Today’s History
- 1856: Freedom fighter and educationist Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born.
- 1927: The Indian Broadcasting Service was established.
- 1957: It was renamed Akashvani (All India Radio).
