Today’s important current affairs, which are essential for students preparing for government jobs…
INTERNATIONAL
1. President Droupadi Murmu begins 3-nation Europe visit
- President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Moldova on 20 July.
- Moldova is an Eastern European country.
- She will meet Moldova’s President Maia Sandu today.
- She will also meet Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu.
- Murmu will interact with the India-Moldova Parliamentary Friendship Group.
- She left India on 19 July for a three-country visit.
- The tour includes Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania.
- In North Macedonia and Romania, she will meet top leaders.
- She will also address business forums in both countries.
- Talks will focus on trade, investment, education, science, technology and culture.
- The visit aims to strengthen India’s ties with all three countries.
President Murmu will be visiting these countries till 25 July 2026. This is the first visit by any Indian President to Moldova and North Macedonia.
SPORTS 2. PV Sindhu wins Japan Open 2026 title
- PV Sindhu won the Japan Open Super 750 on 19 July.
- She is the first Indian to win the tournament.
- The 31-year-old beat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the final.
- It is Sindhu’s first title since the Singapore Open Super 500 in 2022.
- She became world champion in 2019, winning India’s first World Championships gold in badminton.
- Sindhu won Asian Junior Championships gold in 2012.
- In 2013, she became the first Indian woman to win a World Championships bronze medal.
- She received the Arjuna Award in 2013.
- She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015 and the Padma Bhushan in 2020.
Japan Open Super 750
- The Japan Open is held annually in Tokyo.
- It is part of the BWF World Tour.
- Super 750 is one of the tour’s top tournament categories.
- Winners earn more than 7,000 world ranking points.
- It is among the most prestigious badminton tournaments in the world.
PV Sindhu was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in the year 2020.
NATIONAL
3. Panama’s Foreign Minister begins 5-day India visit
- Panama’s Foreign Minister Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha Vásquez arrived in India on 19 July.
- He is on a five-day official visit until 23 July.
- He will hold talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
- He will also meet Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
- Later, he will meet Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
- The visit aims to strengthen India-Panama ties.
- Talks will focus on trade, investment, maritime security and connectivity.
- Discussions will also cover logistics and port development.
- Javier will attend an official event in New Delhi on Tuesday.
India-Panama relations
- India and Panama have long-standing diplomatic and economic ties.
- India opened its resident embassy in Panama in 1973.
- It was India’s first resident embassy in Central America.
Formal diplomatic relations between India and Panama were established in 1962.
5. Zanzibar President meets Vice President C P Radhakrishnan
- Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi met Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on 19 July.
- He also held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
- Discussions focused on trade, investment, healthcare, education, maritime security, the blue economy and digital technology.
- Mwinyi is visiting India with his wife, Maryam, and a high-level delegation.
- The visit is part of the India-Tanzania Strategic Partnership.
Why Zanzibar matters
- Zanzibar is strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
- It is important for maritime trade and regional security.
- It is a key partner in India’s Africa outreach and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
- President Mwinyi arrived in India on 17 July.
- He attended the 63rd convocation ceremony of IIT Madras as the chief guest.
- The IIT Madras Zanzibar campus, jointly developed by India and Zanzibar, recently completed two years.
Zanzibar’s President Hussein Ali officially visited India in 2023.
AWARDS 6. 72nd National Film Awards announced
- The 72nd National Film Awards were announced on 18 July.
- ‘Article 370’ won Best Feature Film.
- ‘Shrikant’ was named Best Hindi Film.
- Yami Gautam won Best Actress for ‘Article 370’.
- Mammootty (‘Bramayugam’) and Kartik Aaryan (‘Chandu Champion’) shared the Best Actor award.
- ‘Bhangar’ won Best Non-Feature Film.
National Film Awards
- The awards were instituted in 1954.
- They honour excellence in Indian cinema across different languages.
- The first awards were presented by President Dr Rajendra Prasad.
- The first Best Feature Film award went to the Marathi film ‘Shyamchi Aai’.
Today’s History (20 July)
- In 1296, Alauddin Khilji declared himself the Sultan of Delhi.
- In 1905, the British government approved the plan for the Partition of Bengal citing administrative convenience.
- In 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface through Apollo-11.
