News in Short

• India are planning to host BRICS Games in 2021 and may align it with Khelo India Games, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has said.
• Rijiju’s announcement came after he attended a meeting of Sports Ministers of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).
• India will get chairmanship of the five-nation independent international group in 2021.

• India became the first team to advance into the quarter-finals of ongoing FIDE online chess Olympiad after it defeated China 4-2 in the final round of the top division.
• India finished with 17 points, ahead of China who ended up with 16 points. Germany (11) and Iran (9) were third and fourth on the list respectively.
• India had kicked off the day by defeating Georgia 4-2 in the seventh round of top division. China had got the better of Vietnam in the 7th round.
• India had overpowered Germany to set up an ultimate showdown with China in Round 9.
• Round 8 against Germany was won by India 4.5-1.5. Vidit, Bhakti Kulkarni, and Vantika Agarwal won their respective encounters while Harikrishna, Harika and Nihal Sarin played draws.

• US President Donald Trump was officially nominated by the Republican party for November's presidential election on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• The once in four-year GOP (Grand Old Party) convention is being held in virtual mode due to the raging coronavirus pandemic. A small part of the official business of the convention is being held at Charlotte in North Carolina.
• Trump was re-nominated following a roll call of votes from elected Republican Party delegates from all the 50 States. Vice President Mike Pence was also re-nominated as the running mate of Trump.

• English fast bowler James Anderson became the first fast bowler to claim 600 Test wickets during the 3rd Test match between England and Pakistan at Southampton.
• He became the first pace bowler to enter the 600-Test wickets club. Already England’s leading Test wicket-taker, Anderson is behind only spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800) of Sri Lanka, Australia’s Shane Warne (708) and India’s Anil Kumble (619).
• He had surpassed Australian legend Glenn McGrath’s 563 Test wickets in 2018 during the fifth Test against India at The Oval in 2018.

• The Assam government has inaugurated a 1.8-km-long ropeway over the Brahmaputra, connecting Guwahati to North Guwahati. It is said to be the longest ropeway on a river in India.
• Built at a cost of ? 56 crore, it comprises of two cabins, each with a capacity of 30 passengers and one operator. It takes eight minutes to traverse the entire length of the ropeway.
• The ropeway will be operated from Kachari Ghat in Guwahati and the Dol Govinda Temple in North Guwahati. It will pass the Umananda Temple on a small island in the middle of the Brahmaputra.