JULY 11

World population day

Observed on July 11, world population day raises awareness about population issues and their impact on society and the environment. It emphasises the need for sustainable development, finding a balance between population growth and resources. The day highlights women's empowerment, reproductive health rights, and challenges related to healthcare provision. It also emphasises the connection between population dynamics and environmental sustainability, promoting sustainable consumption, resource management and renewable energy. 

World population day addresses migration, urbanisation and the need for Inclusive and sustainable cities. It calls for discussions and actions to address these challenges, ensuring the well-being of present and future generations. Ultimately, the day serves as a platform to foster dialogue, raise awareness and promote action for a balanced, equitable and sustainable world. 

The theme for world population day 2024 is "Leave no one behind, count everyone". 

BRUSH UP YOUR TENNIS VOCABULARY

Tennis A to Z

Ace: A serve that the opponent doesn't touch with the racquet. An ace wins the point immediately for the server.

Backspin: A shot which forces the ball to spin and and reduce its speed at impact. It is also known as 'slice' or 'underspin'.

Career Golden Slam: A term associated with a player who has won all the four major titles and also an Olympic gold medal. So far only four people have achieved this feat: Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams. 

Deuce: A score of 40-40. A player must score two consecutive points from deuce if he has to win the game. A player to score the first point from deuce is said to have an advantage. If he scores another, he wins the game. But if the opponent scores then the score goes back to deuce. 

Error: A loss in point due to the shot not landing correctly in the opponent 's court. 

Frame shot: A shot coming off the frame of the racquet rather than off the strings. Usually it is a mishit. 

Grunt: Noises made by the players while serving or hitting the ball. Notable players who grunt are Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova among others. 

Hopper: A large container that holds tennis balls. 

Jam: To hit the ball at or near to the opponent's body forcing him/her to hit back awkwardly. 

Kick Serve: A type of serve which spins tremendously causing the ball to change the direction when it bounces. 

Lucky loser: A player who loses the final qualifying round but still gets to enter the tournament when another player withdraws. 

Mis-hit: A shot that fails to hit the middle of the racquet. 

No man's land: The area between the service line and the base line is said to be a no-man's land. 

Overrule: A decision is said to be overruled when the umpire reverses the decision of the line judge. 

Poaching: In doubles, a player hits a shot, mostly a volley, which was intended for his/her partner. 

Qualifier: A small competition held to choose a specified number of players for the main tournament. 

Return ace: A shot in which the opponent serves, the player returns the serve, and the opponent is unable to hit the ball. It’s the opposite of ace wherein the server serves and the receiver is unable to hit the ball.

SABR (Sneak Attack by Roger): It is an attack devised by Roger Federer in which the serve returner rushes toward during a serve to upset the opponent's rhythm.

Tandem: It is a doubles formation in which each partner is responsible for one half of the court as divided by the centre line.

Umpire: An arbitrator who usually sits on a high chair next to the tennis court. 

Volley: A shot in which the ball is struck before it bounces on the ground. 

Western grip: A type of grip used by a player to generate a lot of topspin on the groundstrokes.

Zero pointer: Top 10 players who withdraw from a commitment tournament receive a mandatory zero pointer (no points) on their rankings. 

AN ICONIC STRUCTURE OF PARIS

Eiffel Tower 

The Eiffel Tower is an iconic structure located in Paris, France. It was built in the late 19th century and has become a symbol of the city. 

The story of the Eiffel Tower begins with an engineer named Gustave Eiffel. He wanted to create something grand for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, a world’s fair held in Paris. So, he designed and oversaw the construction of a tall iron tower. 

The construction of a tower wasn't easy. It took many workers, iron pieces and countless hours to complete. Once finished, the tower stood tall at 324 metres (1,063 feet), making it the tallest man-made structure at that time. When the Eiffel Tower was unveiled, it amazed everyone with its intricate ironwork and grandeur. People from all over the world flocked to see it. Initially, some Parisians criticised it, but over time, it became a beloved symbol of the city and a testament to an engineering marvel. 

Today, the Eiffel Tower attracts millions of visitors each year. People can ride elevators to the top and enjoy breathtaking views of Paris. It has become and enduring symbol of beauty, engineering prowess, and the city of love, captivating the hearts of people of all ages.

WORLD’S OLDEST RESIDENTIAL UNIVERSITY

Nalanda University

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently opened the new campus of Nalanda University in Bihar. This was an important event. Nalanda University is an important part of India’s history and culture. 

Ancient Nalanda University: Nalanda University is one of the oldest universities in the world. It was built in the fifth century, about 1,500 years ago. Nalanda was a Buddhist mahavihara (a grand monastery) in ancient and medieval Magadha (today's Bihar). It was a famous learning centre. Students from many countries studied different subjects. These subjects included science, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and medicine. Many travellers from different countries came here. Hiuen Tsang was a Chinese traveller who stayed in Nalanda both as a student and a teacher. The ancient Nalanda Library had countless Sanskrit texts (manuscripts).

Nalanda University was destroyed in 1193 by an attack led by Bakhtiyar Khilji. He was an Afghan conqueror. Nalanda was more than six times older than the oldest European university, the University of Bologna in Italy. 

The New Campus: The new campus is in Rajgir, Bihar. It is less than 12km from the ancient ruins of Nalanda University. The campus is about 100km from Patna. It covers a large area of about 455 acres. It has modern facilities. But it still has the ancient architectural style of the original Nalanda University. The campus also has a beautiful Bodhi tree. This tree is a symbol of peace and knowledge. 

FROM WICKET-KEEPER TO CAPTAIN

Mahendra Singh Dhoni 

M. S. Dhoni was born on July 7, 1981 in Ranchi, Bihar (now Jharkhand). His father Pan Singh worked in junior management positions in MECON. He initially excelled in badminton and football, and was selected at district and club level in these sports. He was a goalkeeper for his football team and was sent to play cricket for a local cricket club by his football coach.

Though he had not played cricket, he impressed with his wicket-keeping skills and became regular wicketkeeper at Commando cricket club. He was picked for 1997/98 season Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-16 Championship and he performed well. He focused on cricket after 10th standard. 

Till class 12th he played only school cricket and club cricket but no professional cricket. In 1998, he was selected by Deval Sahay to play for Central Coal Fields Limited (CCL) team. Sahay used to gift him Rs 50 for each six that he hit in Sheesh Mahal tournament cricket matches. 

For CCL, he batted up the order and scored centuries and helped CCL move to A division. Sahay used his contacts in Bihar Cricket Association to push for his selection in junior Bihar cricket team and eventually senior Bihar Ranji Team for 1999–2000 season. Within 1 year, he moved from playing in CCL to Bihar Ranji team. 

He made Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar in 1999–2000 season, as an 18-year-old. He was a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) at Kharagpur railway station from 2001 to 2003.

His performance in 2002–2003 season included three half-centuries in Ranji Trophy and a couple in Deodhar Trophy, as he started gaining recognition for his lower-order contribution as well as hard-hitting batting style. He was part of East Zone squad that won Deodhar Trophy 2003–2004 season and contributed with 244 runs in 4 matches, including a century (114) against Central zone. 

In Duleep Trophy finals, he was picked over international cricketer Deep Dasgupta to represent East Zone. He scored a fighting half-century in the second innings in a losing cause.

His talent was discovered via BCCI's small-town talent-spotting initiative TRDW. Dhoni was discovered by TRDO Prakash Poddar (captain of Bengal in 1960s) when he saw Dhoni play for Jharkhand at a match in Jamshedpur in 2003 and sent a report to National Cricket Academy. 

He was picked for India A squad for tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya. Against Zimbabwe in Harare Sports Club, he had his best wicket-keeping effort with 7 catches and 4 stumpings. 

In tri-nation tournament involving Kenya, India A and Pakistan A, he helped chase down target of 223 against Pakistan A with a half-century. He scored back to back centuries, 120 and 119 against them. He scored 362 runs in 6 innings at an average of 72.40 and his performance was noted by Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, Ravi Shastri and others. 

He was picked in ODI squad for Bangladesh tour in 2004/05. He was run out for a duck on debut. In spite of an average series, he was picked for Pakistan ODI series. In second match, in his 5th ODI, he scored 148 in Visakhapatnam off only 123 deliveries and surpassed earlier record for highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper, a record that he re-wrote before end of the year. 

He had few batting opportunities in first two games of 2005 Sri Lankan bilateral ODI series and was promoted to No. 3 in third ODI at Jaipur). Sri Lanka had set a target of 299 after a Kumar Sangakkara century and in reply, India lost Tendulkar early. He ended with an unbeaten 183 off 145 balls, winning the game for India. 

The innings was described in Wisden Almanack (2006) as 'Uninhibited, yet anything but crude'. The innings set various records including highest individual score in ODI cricket in second innings, a record only broken after 7 years by Shane Watson. He ended the series with highest run aggregate (346) and was awarded Man of the Series. In December 2005, he was rewarded a B-grade contract by BCCI. 

He overtook Ricky Ponting as number 1 in ICC ODI Rankings for batsmen on 20 April 2006 becoming fastest batsman to do so, in 42 innings. His reign lasted just a week as Adam Gilchrist's performance against Bangladesh moved him to the top spot.

In next 16 matches, he hit just 2 fifties and averaged 25.93. He was criticised on his wicket-keeping technique by former wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani. Yet, for his performances in 2006, he was named in World ODI XI by ICC. 

In 2007 World Cup, India unexpectedly crashed out of World Cup after losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in group stage. He was out for a duck in both matches and scored just 29 runs in the tournament. After loss to Bangladesh, the house that he was constructing in Ranchi was vandalised and damaged by political activists of JMM. The local police arranged for security for his family. 

He put disappointing performances in World Cup behind him by scoring 91* against Bangladesh, after India were left in a tight spot in the run-chase. He was declared Man of the Match, his fourth in ODIs. He was adjudged Man of the Series. He had a good Afro-Asia Cup, scoring 174 runs in 3 matches at an average of 87.00, with a blitzkrieg 139 not out off 97 balls, a Man of the Match innings, in third ODI.

He was named vice-captain of ODI team for series against South Africa in Ireland and subsequent India-England 7-match ODI series. He was awarded 'A' grade contract in June 2007. He was elected as captain of Indian squad for World Twenty20 in September 2007. On 2 September 2007, he equalled idol Adam Gilchrist's international record for most dismissals in an innings in ODI by catching five English players and stumping one. 

During series between India and Australia in 2009, he hit an aggressive 124 runs in just 107 balls, in second ODI and a measured knock of 71 runs in 95 balls, along with Yuvraj Singh and saw India home by 6 wickets in third ODI. He took his first and only wicket in international cricket on 30 September 2009. He bowled Travis Dowlin of West Indies during a match in 2009 ICC Champions Trophy. 

He topped ICC ODI Batsman rankings for several months in 2009. He had an excellent year in ODIs in 2009, scoring 1198 runs in just 24 innings, at an astonishing average of 70.43. He was joint top-scorer in ODIs in 2009 along with Ricky Ponting, but the latter having played 30 innings. For his performances in 2009, he was named captain and wicketkeeper of World ODI XI by ICC. 

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 kicked off in the subcontinent and Dhoni-led India was seen as 'favourites'. Although he didn't have a good show with the bat averaging just 30.0 in seven innings and managing 150 runs, India reached the finals with victories over Australia and Pakistan in quarter-finals and semi-finals. Chasing a target of 275 in final against Sri Lanka, he rescued his team alongside Gautam Gambhir and later Yuvraj Singh to help India lift their second World Cup title since 1983. He scored 91 not out, finishing the game with a historical six and claiming Man of the Match award. 

The rest is history.

He captained Indian team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2017 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014. Under his captaincy, India won inaugural 2007 ICC World Twenty20, 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. 

He is one of highest run scorers in One Day Internationals (ODIs) with more than 10,000 runs scored and was considered an effective 'finisher' in limited-overs formats. He is regarded as a great wicket-keeper, batsman and captain in history of game. He was first wicket-keeper to effect 100 stumpings in ODI cricket. 

He announced retirement from Test format on 30 December 2014 and stepped down as captain of T20Is and ODIs in 2017. On 15 August 2020, he retired from all formats of international cricket. He continues to play in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings in IPL. He captained the side to championships in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021 editions of IPL league. Under his captaincy CSK won Champions League T20 in 2010 and 2014. He vacated captaincy on 24 March 2022, being replaced by Ravindra Jadeja. He became captain again after Jadeja resigned on 30 April 2022. 

COMPUTER CHIP INSIDE YOUR SMART DEVICE THAT KEEPS YOU CONNECTED

A SIM Card

Mobile phones are personal to the user. They can contain contact data for close family, personal messages and useful applications. When you change this device, often times you need to carry over a SIM card to transfer this data and identity to a new device. SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module. This small card needs to be inserted into a device in order to connect to a mobile network and allow you to communicate over mobile internet services. Information such as contact details can either be saved to the device itself or onto the SIM card. If you wish to transfer all your contact details to a new phone – or any other data – you need to make sure that these details are saved to the SIM in the settings and not just the phone’s internal storage. 

Data transfer between a phone and SIM card involves communication between the device’s computer and the card’s chip. When you click a button with a message such as ‘save to SIM card’, the phone changes the chosen data into a SIM-accessible format. The phone’s operating system sends a signal to the device, commanding it to receive and store the data. When the action has been performed, the SIM card sends a return signal to confirm the process and a confirmation message appears on the screen for the user. The metal part of the SIM card connects to the phone’s electrical circuits, and data is transferred through electrical signals.

SIM cards are inserted by opening a small tray in the side of a mobile device. 

EMBEDDED SIMS

For new and the latest phones, there is no need to insert a SIM card for the phone to learn its identity. Instead of a chip that you need to physically remove and insert, SIM cards are now being built into devices as reprogrammable chips. Embedded SIM cards (eSIMs) are built into the device’s motherboard. Changing user’s service plan using an eSIM card involves changing data settings in user’s device’s settings instead. 

eSIMs are programmed remotely and a user’s data profile can be transferred wirelessly. For smart device manufacturers, this method takes up less space and enables them to produce sleeker devices. The saved space can be used to optimise other components. SIM cards have shrunk in size over the years, from a mini SIM to micro SIM down to a nano SIM and eSIM.

SIM cards can be used in phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, cameras and GPS devices.

How does this tiny smartcard store data?

Clock: This pin synchronises time data between the device and the SIM card so that data is read with correct timing.

Reset: When the device sends a reset signal, this section resets the SIM card to remove any errors or refresh the data.

VCC: This is the power supply pin, which controls the voltage provided to the SIM. 

GND: Also known as the ground pin, this section completes the electrical circuit and returns an electric current to the power source.

VPP: The programming voltage pin isn’t always required in modern cards. Its function is to increase the voltage for programming so that memory cells can store data.

I/O: The input/output pin sends commands between a device and its SIM.

MORAL STORY

Half knowledge is dangerous!

     An Aeroplane cleaner was cleaning the Pilot's cockpit, when he saw a book titled, "HOW TO FLY AN AEROPLANE FOR BEGINNERS (Volume 1)

     He opened the first page which said: "To start the engine, press the red button...". He did so, and the airplane engine started...

     He was happy and opened the next page...:

     "To get the airplane moving, press the blue button... "He did so, and the plane started moving at an amazing speed...

     He wanted to fly, so he opened the third page which said: To let the airplane fly, please press the green button... "He did so and the plane started to fly...

     He was excited...!!

     After twenty minutes of flying, he was satisfied, and wanted to land, so he decided to go to the fourth page... and page four says; "To be able to know how to land a plane, please purchase Volume 2 at the nearest bookshop!"

*Moral Lesson*

Never attempt anything without complete information. Half Education is not only dangerous but destructive!