Daily GK Updates - 11th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. “Operation Thirst” launched by RPF: RPF launched “Operation Thirst” to crack down selling of unauthorised Packaged Drinking Water in the railway premises. The objective of the “Operation Thirst” is to curb the menace of unauthorized PDW (Packaged Drinking Water) in Railway premises. During the operation, 1371 persons were arrested for selling of packaged drinking water of unauthorised brands.

Note:  Union Minister for Railways: Piyush Goyal.

2. Government waives duty on products imported for nuclear plants: GoI has waived off basic customs duty (BCD) on products imported for nuclear plants. “All goods for use in generation of nuclear power” and “all forms of uranium ores and concentrates for generation of nuclear power” will now have to pay no basic customs duty.

3. Defence Ministry signs MoU with IPFC and NRDC: Defence Ministry has signed an MOU with the Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell and National Research Development Corporation in connection to the mission Raksha Gyan Shakti. The MoU will bridge the capacity shortfall and provide a major fillipto the ongoing efforts of the Defence Ministry towards promoting a culture of Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights in the Defence industry. The aim of Raksha Gyan Shakti is to inculcate Intellectual Property culture in Indian defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Note: Union Defence Minister of India: Rajnath Singh.

4. Prasar Bharati and IIT Kanpur signs MoU for research collaboration: Prasar Bharati and IIT Kanpur signed an MoU for research collaboration in newly emerging technologies and broadcasting-related areas in New Delhi. The move is likely to boost research activities in the broadcasting field.

Note: CEO of Prasar Bharati:  Shashi Shekhar Vempati; Prasar Bharati HQ:New Delhi; Established in: 23 Nov 1997.

5. Narendra Singh Tomar launches Coffee Table Book to Commemorate 50 years of Partnership with UNWFP: Shri Narendra Singh Tomar (Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare) has launched a Coffee Table Book named ’50 years of Partnership for Change’ in New Delhi. India’s journey towards food and nutrition security captured in the book include the Green Revolution, the White revolution, improvements in livestock and dairy development and digitization of food safety net. The book has been launched to commemorate five decades (50 years) of the partnership between the Ministry and UN World Food Programme (UNWFP) towards addressing food and nutritional security in India.

Note: The Coffee Table Book – 50 years of Partnership for Change- showcases key milestones achieved by the Government of India in its efforts to make the nation free from hunger and malnutrition and WFP’s role in this endeavour.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ukraine inaugurates world's largest Metal Dome: Ukraine has inaugurated the world's largest movable metal dome encasing the destroyed reactor at the infamous Chernobyl plant. It is a 108-meter high dome which weighs 36,000 tonnes.

Note: Capital of Ukraine: Kyiv; Currency of Ukraine: Ukrainian Hryvnia.

2. 14th conference of Parties to be hosted by India: India will host the 14th conference of the parties from September 02 to 13 in Greater Noida. 197 countries are expected to participate in the conference. Three crucial issues in this conference are desertification, land degradation and drought. 

Note: Note: Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Prakash Javadekar.

3. India-Myanmar: Exchange crucial information on drug trafficking: 4th Director General level talks between Narcotics Control Bureau (India) and Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (Myanmar) was held in New Delhi. India and Myanmar have resolved to exchange crucial information relating to drug trafficking and precursors.

Note: Capital of Myanmar: Naypyitaw; Currency of Myanmar: Burmese Kyat.

4. Iran exceeds Uranium enrichment limit set under 2015 nuclear deal: Iran has breached a uranium enrichment cap set by a troubled 2015 nuclear deal and warned Europe against taking retaliatory measures. Iran has officially surpassed the 3.67 per cent Uranium enrichment limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal. The country had stopped complying with some elements of the 2015 nuclear deal (officially called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). Signed by China, France, Germany, European Union, Iran, Russia, the UK and the US, the JCPoA treaty was aimed at limiting Iran's civilian energy programme.

5. World Population Day: 11 July: The United Nations observes 11 July every year as World Population Day. This year's World Population Day calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. The main aim behind having a World Population Day is to focus attention on the consequence of population issues and how it affects overall development plans and programs.

Note: In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended 11th July as World Population Day to draw attention to the urgency and importance of population issues.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Fergus Kavanagh to conduct camp for Indian hockey defenders: Fergus Kavanagh has been roped in to conduct a 7 day camp with Indian defenders at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru. He will be working closely with 14 Indian defenders identified by Hockey India. Kavanagh was part of the Australian dream team that won the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi and the 2014 World Cup in The Hague.

2. Gold medals for India in Commonwealth Championships: Rakhi Halder and Davinder Kaur has won a gold medal each in the senior women’s section of weightlifting in the Commonwealth Championships. Davinder Kaur has won the gold medal in women’s 59kg event. While Rakhi Halder has won the gold medal in the 64kg category. The Championship is taking place in Apia, Samoa.

3. Men's Singles semi-final line up drawn in Wimbledon 2019: The Men's Singles semi-final line up of the 2019 Wimbledon Tennis Championships has been decided. Defending singles champion Novak Djokovic (World number one), Roger Federer (second seed), Rafael Nadal (third- seed) and Roberto Bautista Agut sealed the last-four berths after winning their respective quarterfinal matches. In the semi-finals, while Roger Federer will face Rafael Nadal,Novak Djokovic will meet Roberto Bautista Agut. The Women's Singles semi-final line up, Seven-time champion Serena Williams will clash with Czech Barbora Strycova, with Simona Halep taking on Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

Note: The 2019 Wimbledon Championships (133rd edition) is a Grand Slam tennis tournament taking place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, United Kingdom (UK).

The main tournament began on 1st July 2019 and will finish on 14th July 2019.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI panel moots changes in timings for foreign exchange market: Internal committee of the RBI has suggested that the foreign exchange market could function from 9 am to 9 pm. At present, the currency market works from 9 am to 5 pm. The panel suggested call money market timings could be extended till 6 pm instead of the 5 pm now. The extension of market timings is expected to provide benefits such as better pricing of post market hours information/data, improved onshore price discovery and a possible shift of offshore volumes to onshore.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. ICSI launches UDIN to improve corporate governance: The Institute of Company Secretaries of India has rolled out an initiative a Unique Document Identification Number to pursue heightened sense of self-governance and strengthen the practising side of company secretaries.  UDIN will provide ease of maintaining register of attestation and certification services. The ICSI functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Note: Union Minister of Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.

2. 36th Meeting of the Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC): The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship organised the 36th meeting of the Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) in New Delhi. The 36th CAC meet under the chairmanship of Minister of MSDE,aims to meet the aspirations of the Indian youth who strive to gain on-the-job training and secure better opportunities for employment.

Note: Minister of Skill development and Entrepreneurship: Mahendra Nath Pandey.

3. Taylor Swift Topped 100 highest-paid Forbes Celebrity list: Singer Taylor Swift has topped the Forbes' Celebrity 100 list and emerged as the highest-paid celebrity with her 2019 estimated earnings of over USD 185 million. Taylor Swift replaced Kylie Jenner. Jenner is now 2nd in the list. India's Akshay kumar is placed 33rd in the list.

Daily GK Updates - 10th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Phase-II DBT in fertilizer subsidy launched: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers launched the Phase-II of the Direct Benefit Transfer of Fertilizer Subsidy. DBT in fertilizer subsidy is a step in the direction of bringing ease of living in the lives of farmers through use of modern technology and plugging leakages, pilferages and black marketing.

Note: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers: D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

2. Lal Bahadur Shastri Statue unveiled by PM: The Prime Minister unveiled the statue of former Prime Minister Sh. Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi. It is built by Northern Coalfields, a subsidiary of Coal India.

Note: CM of UP: Yogi Adityanath; Governor of UP: Ram Naik.

3. Senior IAS officer Arun Kumar appointed full time DGCA chief; B S Bhullar is AERA chairman: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-headed appointments committee of the Cabinet as appointed senior IAS officer Arun Kumar as Director General of Civil Aviation. Kumar, a 1989 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre, was holding additional charge as DG from June 1 when B S Bhullar retired. The government has now appointed B S Bhullar, a 1986 batch IAS officer of UP cadre, as chairman of Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) for five years.

Note: HQ of DGCA: New Delhi; Established in: Jan 1978.

4. M Nageswar Rao appointed DG of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard: The Central Government has appointed M Nageswar Rao as the Director General (DG) of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard till 31st July 2020. Earlier, he held the position of Additional Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Lieutenant General Shailesh Sadashiv Tinaikar (34-years) takes Charge as Force Commander of the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Juba. Tinaikar has been felicitated with the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal for Distinguished Service.

5. Madhya Pradesh to produce its own seeds soon: In Madhya Pradesh, along with distribution and marketing of certified and high-quality seeds to farmers, the Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Seed Federation will produce seeds too. The decision has been taken in a Board of Directors’ meeting held under the chairmanship of the Minister for Cooperatives Govind Singh in Bhopal. The brand name of seeds will be ‘Sah-Beej’. A plan has been made to produce seeds from the next Rabi season.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 2nd India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue begins: The 2nd India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue begins in New Delhi. It was held under the chairmanship of NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar and Deputy Minister of the Economic Development of Russia, Timur Maksimov. The first Dialogue was held in St. Petersburg in November 2018.

2. Connaught Place 9th most expensive office location in the world: According to property consultant CBRE, New Delhi's Connaught Place (CP) is the 9th most expensive office location in the world. Hong Kong's Central district retained the top spot as the world's most expensive market for prime office rents. Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex and Nariman Point CBD slipped to 27th and 40th position. Global Prime Office Occupancy Costs survey, CBRE tracks the cost of leasing prime office space globally. 

3. Russia launched Soyuz Carrier Rocket with 33 satellites: Russia successfully launched Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with a hydrometeorological satellite and 32 small satellites. The satellite will provide images of clouds, the surface of the Earth, ice and snow covers in the visible, infrared and microwave ranges.

Note: President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital of Russia: Moscow; Currency of Russia: Ruble.

4. France to impose green tax on plane tickets from 2020: France will impose green tax up to €18 on plane tickets from 2020. The move aims to fund less-polluting transportation projects. A similar tax was introduced in Sweden in April 2018, which imposed an added charge of up to €40 on every ticket in a bid to lessen the impact of air travel on the climate.

Note: President of France: Emmanuel Macron; Capital: Paris; Currency:Euro, CFP Franc

5. Sri Lanka eliminates measles: Sri Lanka has become fifth country in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Southeast Asia region to eliminate measles. The other countries in the region which have achieved this feat are Bhutan, Maldives, DPR Korea and Timor-Leste.

Note: Capitals of Sri Lanka: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency of Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan rupee; Prime minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe; President: Maithripala Sirisena.

6. VNL signs pact with Vietnam to develop digital villages: Vihaan Networks Ltd (VNL) has inked a pact with Vietnam to develop digital villages. Vihaan Networks Ltd will offer solutions for advancing rural connectivity by developing digital villages in Vietnam’s underserved areas through solar-based cellular and broadband solution.

Note: Vietnam Capital: Hanoi; Currency: Vietnamese dong.

7. Sri Lanka: Annual festival at historic Kataragama temple attracts devotees: The annual festival at historic Kataragama temple attracts devotees from all faiths in Sri Lanka. The fortnight-long festival began last week and is joined by people all over Sri Lanka and abroad. The festival will end next week on full moon night with a water cutting ceremony. Thousands of devotees travel for hundreds of kilometres on foot to attend the fortnight-long festival. The place finds mention in Skanda Purana and is popular for centuries-old Hindu temple of Lord Kartika, known locally as Katargama Deviyo. Kataragama (multi-religious city) contains a mosque within the temple complex and a Buddhist temple nearby, considered to be one of the 16 main places of Buddhist pilgrimage in Sri Lanka.

8. Parliament adopts resolution levying 200% duty on Pakistani goods: Parliament (The Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha) has adopted a statutory resolution for levying 200% duty on all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan. Parliament approved the amendment in the first schedule of the Customs Tariff Act in this regard. India had notified the basic customs duty to 200% on all goods exported from Pakistan with effect from 16th of February 2019.

Note: Basic Customs Duty is the duty imposed on the value of the goods at a specific rate. This duty has been imposed from 1962 and was amended from time to time and regulated by the Customs Tariff Act of 1975. The Central Government has the power to reduce or exempt any good from these duties.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Dutee Chand wins gold in Summer University Games: Dutee Chand from Odisha has won the gold medal in the women's 100 metre sprint at the 30th Summer University Games in Naples, Italy. This is the first time an Indian has won a 100-metre gold at this global event.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Deposits in Jan Dhan Yojana accounts crosses Rs 1 lakh crore: Deposits in bank accounts opened under Jan Dhan scheme have crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark. As per the latest finance ministry data, the total balance in over 36.06 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana accounts was at Rs 1,00,495.94 crore as on July 3. The PMJDY was launched on August 28, 2014, with an aim to provide universal access to banking facilities to the people in the country.

2. SBI slashes lending rates by 5 bps: State Bank of India has reduced its benchmark lending rate by 5 bpsacross all loan tenures. The lender’s one-year marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) will be 8.4% compared with 8.45%.

Note: Chairperson of SBI: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 July 1955.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Walmart Labs acqui-hires startups FloCare and BigTrade: Walmart Labs has acqui-hired health tech startup FloCare and B2B wholesale trading platform BigTrade. The aim of acqui-hiring is to strengthen its customer service.  As per the process, some founders and team members of the two companies will join Walmart Labs in the customer and supply chain technology teams. Acqui-hires are typically made for the skills of the team, rather than for the product.

2. Milkbasket acquires Bengaluru’s e-grocery store PSR Supply Chain: Online grocery delivery platform Milkbasket has acquired Bengaluru-based e-grocery distributor PSR Supply Chain. Founded in early 2015, Milkbasket has built a new-age technology platform to enable a smooth grocery buying experience online.

Note: CEO of Milkbasket: Anant Goel.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 'Best Innovation Award' won by NEFR: Northeast Frontier Railway has won the'Best Innovation Award' for unique strategy adopted to keep wild elephants away from train tracks. The cash prize awarded of Rs 3 lakh. The NEFR, in a bid to tackle the problem, came up with 'Plan Bee' in 2017.

Note: Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal.

2. India Football Federation’s AIFF Awards announced:  The full list of AIFF awards: Best Grassroots Development Programme: Jammu & Kashmir Football Association; Best Referee: R. Venkatesh (Tamil Nadu); Best Assistant Referee: Joseph Tony (Karnataka); Emerging Women’s Footballer 2018-19: Dangmei Grace (Manipur); Emerging Men’s Footballer of the Year: Abdul Sahal (Kerala); Women’s Footballer of the Year: Ashalata Devi; Indian captain Sunil Chhetri (34-years) has won the AIFF Men’s footballer of the year 2018-19 award. Sunil Chhetri has already won Player of the Year award in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017.

Note: The AIFF Player of the Year is an annual association football award presented to the best footballer in India over the previous year (2018-19 season). It has been awarded by All India Football Federation since 1992.

OBITUARIES

1. Former India goalkeeper Celestine passes away: Former India football goalkeeper from Tamil Nadu A. U. Celestine passed away.  He played for the Tamil Nadu men’s team in the senior Nationals as a keeper in the 1965 and 69 National championships. He represented India in the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia in 1969. 

2. Former Goa minister Wilfred Mesquita passes away: Former Goa minister Wilfred Mesquita (70-years) passed away at a hospital in Mumbai after a brief illness. Mr Mesquita was the founder vice president of the then ruling Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (youth wing) in 1974. He served as the cabinet minister in late 1990s in the then Congress-led state government. Mr Mesquita held various portfolios like revenue, environment, sports and youth affairs, power, law and judiciary and legislative affairs. He was the leader of the Goa BJP since 2007 and served as the party’s vice president and spokesman.

Daily GK Updates - 9th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NHAI and NIIF Signs MoU for funding highway projects: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) signed an MoU for funding highway projects. The MoU is related to co-operation in formation of SPVs to execute the fund arrangement for large size road projects particularly green field projects to be executed by NHAI in future.

Note: Minister of road and highway: Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari.

2. 10k monthly allowance to Padma Shri awardees by Odisha govt: Odisha government has decided to give monthly allowance of Rs 10,000 to Padma award winners of the state facing financial problems. The decision has been taken on the basis of the Culture Department's report on the economic conditions of the Padma award winners of the state.

Note: CM of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Governor of Odisha: Ganeshi Lal.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kyriakos Mitsotakis becomes Greece's new PM: Kyriakos Mitsotakis (51-year) was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Greece.  Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party won an outright majority with 158 seats in the 300-seat legislature. Earlier, he was Leader of the Opposition (from 2016 to 2019) and also served as Minister of Administrative Reform (from 2013 to 2015). Mitsotakis is the son of former Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis, one of the country’s longest-serving parliamentarians.

Note: Capital of Greece: Athens, Currency: Euro.

2. Sri Lanka inaugurates model village built with Indian assistance: Sri Lanka has inaugurated first model village built with Indian assistance. The village is a part of housing project meant for war affected people. India has partnered with the ministry of housing and construction and cultural affairs of Sri Lanka to build 100 model villages with Indian grant of Rs 1,200 million. 

Note: Capitals of Sri Lanka : Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee.

3. Sharjah issues 1st permanent residency visa to Lalu Samuel:  Sharjah's first Golden Card visa was issued to an Indian expat businessman Lalu Samuel. The move is a part of the permanent residency system tailored for investors. The Golden Card is a 10-year long-term visa eligible for investors and entrepreneurs to engage them in the renaissance and development of the UAE. Lalu Samuel is a Chairman and Managing Director of Kingston Holdings and Chairman of Sharjah Industry Business Group.

Note: Capital of UAE: Abu Dhabi; Currency: Dirham.

4. Shailesh Tinaikar assumes charge as Force Commander of UN mission: Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar of India assumes charge as Force Commander of United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Shailesh Tinaikar has been awarded the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal for Distinguished Service.

Note:UN Secretary- General: António Guterres; Headquarters: New York, United States; Established: 24^th October 1945. 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Rahul Dravid appointed NCA’s Head of Cricket: BCCI has formally appointed Rahul Dravid as the National Cricket Academy’s Head of Cricket. Dravid will oversee all cricket related activities at NCA and will be involved in mentoring, coaching, training and motivating players, coaches and support staff at the NCA.

2. Magnus Carlsen won the 2019 Croatia Grand Chess Tour title: Magnus Carlsen won the 2019 Croatia Grand Chess Tour title. He scored 8 points. Wesley So finished second with 7 points. India's Viswanathan Anand ended up with 4.5 points and finished 11th.

3. Commonwealth Senior Weightlifting Championships: 4 gold medals for India in Commonwealth Senior Weightlifting Championships. Following is the list of winners in the different categories: Mirabai Chanu wins gold in the senior women’s 49 kg event; Jhilli Dalabehra wins gold in the senior women’s 45 kg event; Soroikhaibam Bindyarani Devi wins gold while Matsa Santoshi wins the silver medal in the senior women’s 55kg event; Rishikanta Singh grabbed the gold in the senior men’s 55kg event.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI board finalises ‘Utkarsh 2022’: The Reserve Bank of India board has finalised a three-year roadmap ‘Utkarsh 2022’. It is a three-year road map for medium term objectives to be achieved for improving regulation and supervision of the central bank.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

2. Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2019-20 Series-II issue starts: The Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2019-20 Series-II is now open for the issue (from July 08 to July 12, 2019). Government of India has decided to offer a discount of Rs 50 per gram less than the nominal value to those investors applying online and the payment against the application is made through digital mode. For such investors, the issue price of Gold Bond will be Rs 3,393/-per gram of gold.

Note: The minimum investment in the Bonds shall be one gram with a maximum limit of subscription per fiscal year of 4 kg for individuals, 4 kg for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) and 20 kg for trusts. The tenor of these Bonds will be for a period of 8 years (exit option after the 5th year). The Bonds can be bought from Commercial banks, designated post offices and recognized stock exchanges.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. LinkedIn appoints Ashutosh Gupta as country manager for India: Ashutosh Gupta has been appointed as the Country Manager for India of LinkedIn (Microsoft-owned social networking site). He will replace Mahesh Narayanan, who was the country manager for India (LinkedIn) from January 2019 to June 2019. Gupta will take charge, in his new role, from 2nd September 2019. LinkedIn has over 630 million global users and more than 57 million members in India.

Note: LinkedIn is an American business and employment-oriented service that operates via websites and mobile apps. It is mainly used for professional networking, including employers posting jobs and job seekers posting their CVs. LinkedIn allows members (both workers and employers) to create profiles and "connections" to each other in an online social network which may represent real-world professional relationships.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 'Gully Boy' wins NETPAC award in Bucheon film festival: Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar's directorial 'Gully Boy' has won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award at the 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea.

Note: Capital of South Korea: Seoul; Currency of South Korean: South Korea won.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Naval Ship Tarkash arrives in Morocco: Indian Naval Ship Tarkash arrived at Tangier, Morocco. The visit is part of an ongoing Overseas Deployment by the Indian Navy to the Mediterranean Sea, Africa and Europe. On its departure, INS Tarkash will carry out a Passage Exercise at sea with ships of the Royal Moroccan Navy.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Karambir Singh.

2. India successfully tests vertical steep dive version of Brahmos missile: India has successfully tested the vertical steep dive version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile that changes the dynamics of conventional warfare. Brahmos missile, which cruises at almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8, is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on the Su-30 fighters.

Note: The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace. The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.

3. Two new heavy-lift Chinook helicopters for IAF arrive in Gujarat: American aerospace major Boeing has announced the arrival of two new heavy-lift Chinook helicopters for the Indian Air Force at the Mundra port in Gujarat. The Indian Air Force has ordered 15 Chinooks and the first four helicopters arrived in February. The IAF had placed the order in 2015 along with 22 Apache attack helicopters. According to Boeing India, the advanced multi-mission helicopter will provide the armed forces unmatched strategic airlift capability. The CH-47 Chinook is an advanced multi-mission helicopter and has unsurpassed ability to deliver heavy payloads to high altitudes.

OBITUARIES

1. Brazilian bossa nova pioneer Joao Gilberto passes away: Brazilian singer, guitarist and songwriter Joao Gilberto (88-years) passed away. He was considered one of the fathers of the bossa nova genre that gained global popularity in the 1960s and became an iconic sound of the South American nation. Bossa nova is a fusion of samba and jazz that emerged in the late 1950s and gained a worldwide in the 1960s.

Note:  Over his career, he won two Grammy awards and was nominated for six, and the US jazz magazine Down Beat in 2009 named him one of the 75 great guitarists in history and one of the five top jazz singers.

Daily GK Updates - 8th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Meghalaya fined Rs 100 cr for illegal coal mining:  The Supreme Court of India has directed the Meghalaya government to deposit the Rs 100 crore fine. The fine was imposed by the NGT for failing to curb illegal coal mining with the Central Pollution Control Board.

Note: Meghalaya Capital: Shillong; Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma; Governor: Tathagata Roy.

2. Bonalu festival kicks off in Telangana: The annual Bonalu festival kicked off at the Jagadamba temple in historic Golconda Fort, Telangana. Bonalu is celebrated every year in the state during the first month of the monsoon season.  Bonalu is the "state festival" of Telangana. Bonalu is celebrated to ward off diseases and usher in good health, peace and prosperity. Women, attired in colourful robes, carry the 'Bonalu' (decorated pots containing food) on their heads to the temples for offering them to the Goddess.

Note: CM of Telangana: K Chandrashekhar Rao; Capital of Telangana: Hyderabad; Governor of Telangana: ESL Narasimhan.

3. J&K govt approves Aadhaar-linked payment for pension disbursal:  The Jammu and Kashmir government approves Aadhaar-linked payment mode for pension disbursal. The aim is to distribute pension to the beneficiaries under various central and state sponsored schemes in order to ensure transparency and to avoid delay.

Governor of Jammu & Kashmir: Satya Pal Malik.

4. Govt to invest 50 lakh crore rupees in railways by 2030: According to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, the union government is eyeing investment of 50 lakh crore in railways by the year 2030 to make it the best in the world. The Minister said that the rail infrastructure in the country increased by mere 30% in the last 65 years due to the lack of adequate investment, while freight and passenger traffic increased by 1500%t. Mr Goyal announced that the entire Konkan Railway route from Mumbai to Mangaluru via Goa would be electrified at the cost of 11,000 crore rupees. The electrification of railways will improve speed and reduce pollution on the scenic Konakan railway route.

5. Assam Govt to develop over three hundred tourist spots: Assam government has taken a step to develop 316 tourists spot in the state. According to Bhaskar Phukan (M D of Assam Tourism Development Corporation), 150 crore rupees will be spent to develop these locations under Axom Darshan. Mr Phukan added that river tourism is one of the sought-after sectors in Assam and the state government will utilise the mighty Brahmaputra to develop the sector.

6. "Vivekadeepini" book released by the Vice President of India:  The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has released the book ‘Vivekadeepini’ in ten languages. It is a concise book of aphorisms that contains glimpses of India’s wisdom. The book will be published by Vedanta Bharati.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Italy's Prosecco hills added to UNESCO World Heritage list: Italy's north-eastern Conegliano and Valdobbiadene hills (home to the world-famous sparkling wine prosecco) have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The region became Italy's 55th World Heritage site. The landscape is characterised by hogback hills, ciglioni -- small plots of vines on narrow grassy terraces -- forests, small villages and farmland. The prosecco sparkling white, which has the highest classification available to Italian wine, is produced in a territory spread over nine provinces in Italy's northeast. Prosecco has become the most popular Italian wine abroad, with its exports seen rising by a record 21% in 2019 in foreign markets.

Note: A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having cultural, historical, scientific or another form of significance and is legally protected by international treaties. The sites are judged important to the collective interests of humanity.

2. Tata Steel Kalinganagar joins WEF's Global Lighthouse Network: Tata Steel Kalinganagar has been included in World Economic Forum's Global Lighthouse Network. TSK in Odisha's Jajpur district is the first and the only Indian manufacturing plant to be included in the WEF's Lighthouse Network. Global Lighthouse Network is a community of manufacturers showing leadership in applying Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to drive financial and operational impact.

3. UAE Foreign minister arrives in India: United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in India. He will hold talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to boost cooperation in key sectors such as trade and energy. The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and fourth-largest energy supplier.

Note: President of the UAE: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Capital: Abu Dhabi, Currency: Dirham.

4. ISRO ties up with Russian agency to select, train Indian astronauts: Indian Space Research Organisation has signed a contract with Russia’s Glavkosmosfor selection support, medical examination and space training of Indian astronauts. ISRO has planned to send two unmanned missions before the mission 'Gaganyaan-1'.

Note: ISRO Director: K Sivan, Headquarters: Bengaluru, Established: 1969.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Vinesh Phoga & Divya Kakran wins the Gold medal at Grand Prix of Spain: India’s wrestler Vinesh Phogat (in 53 Kg category) and Divya Kakran (in 68 kg category) have won Gold Medal at the Grand Prix of Spain. Vinesh comfortably beat Peru's Justina Benites and Russia's Nina Minkenova before getting the better of Dutch rival Jessica Blaszka in the final. Among others, World Championship bronze medallist Pooja Dhanda (57kg), Seema (50kg), Manju Kumari (59kg) and Kiran (76kg) won silver medal. India finished second with 130 points in team championship behind Russia (165-points).

2. Rohit Sharma records maximum hundreds in the single World Cup: Rohit Sharma has set a world record of maximum hundreds in the single World Cup. He has become the first batsman in the world to score five hundreds in a single World Cup and break the record of Former Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakarra. He has also equalled Sachin Tendulkar's record of the total number of World Cup hundreds.

Note: Venue of ICC World Cup 2019 : England and Wales.

3. 4 Gold medals for India in Kutno Athletics Meet: Indian athletes have won 4 gold medals in the Kutno Athletics Meet held in Poland. Following is the list of winners in the different categories: Hima Das won the gold while V.K. Vismaya bagged the silver in the women’s 200m race. Muhammed Anas won the gold in men’s 200 m race. M P Jabir won the gold while Jithin Paul bagged the bronze medal in the men’s 400m hurdles. P Saritaben (gold), Sonia Baishya (silver) and R Vithya (bronze) won the women’s 400 m race.

4. Canada Open Badminton: Li Shi Feng won the men's singles title: India's Parupalli Kashyap (32-years) lost to Li Shi Feng (China) in the men's singles title clash of the Canada Open. Kashyap entered the final, defeating Taiwan's Wang Tzu-wei in a semi-final encounter at Calgary. Feng had defeated Koki Watanabe of Japan in the other semi-final.

Note: The 2019 Canada Open (or, YONEX Canada Open 2019) is a badminton tournament took place at Markin-MacPhail Centre in Canada (2-7th July 2019). This tournament is organized by the Badminton Alberta and sanctioned by the BWF and Badminton Canada.

5. Copa America 2019: Brazil wins Title on home soil: Brazil defeated Peru 3-1 to win its first Copa America title since 2007. Jesus scored the decisive goal after a penalty from Peru captain Paolo Guerrero cancelled out Everton’s opener for hosts Brazil at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium. A last-minute penalty from substitute Richarlison sealed a win for Brazil which handed the South American giants their ninth Copa triumph and first since 2007. Argentina took third place by beating Chile 2–1 in the third-place match. Brazil's veteran right-back Dani Alves was player of the tournament.

Note: The 2019 Copa América (46th edition) was the international men's association football championship organized by South America's football ruling body CONMEBOL. It was held in Brazil (between 14 June to 7 July 2019) at 6 venues across the country.

6. World Youth Cup: Arinjeeta Dey wins silver medal: Arinjeeta Dey, a 10-year-old girl, has won a silver medal in the World Youth Cup held in Umag, Croatia. The tournament was organised by World Karate Federation affiliated to the International Olympic Association.

Note:  Capital of Croatia: Zagreb; Currency of Croatia: Croatian kuna.

7. Hima Das clinches gold in Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland: Indian sprinter Hima Das (19-years) won her second international gold in women's 200m with a top finish at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland. Hima clocked 23.97 seconds to clinch the gold while VK Vismaya bagged the silver in 24.06 seconds. This was Hima's second competitive 200m race of the year. She has a personal best of 23.10 seconds, which she clocked in 2018. Hima is the reigning world junior champion and national record holder in 400m. National record holder Muhammed Anas also won the gold in men's 200m race with a time of 21.18 seconds. MP Jabir won the gold in men's 400m hurdles in 50.21 seconds while Jithin Paul was third in 52.26 seconds.

DEFENCE

1. DRDO successfully tested Nag missiles in Pokhran: DRDO successfully tested Nag missiles in Pokhran ranges. The system includes a third generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile, the NAG, along with the Missile Carrier Vehicle (NAMICA). The Nag Missile has top attack capabilities that can effectively engage and destroy all known enemy tanks.

Note: DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy, Established: 1958, Headquarters: New Delhi.

2. Operation 'Sudarshan' launched along the Pakistan border: BSF has launched the operation 'Sudarshan' to fortify the 'anti-infiltration grid' along the Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu. It was launched on July 1 and will cover the entire 1,000-kms length of the India-Pakistan International Border. The Border Security Force is the primary force guarding this frontier as the 'first line of defence'.

Daily GK Updates - 7th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pink City Jaipur gets UNESCO World Heritage tag: In a remarkable achievement, India gets its 38th UNESCO World Heritage Site as Pink City Jaipur. India’s nomination of the Jaipur City, Rajasthan got inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO during the 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee held at Baku, Azerbaijan. The nomination of Jaipur City has successfully been done by complying with the various UNESCO guidelines of 2017. With Successful inscription of Jaipur City, India has 38 world heritage sites that include 30 Cultural properties, 7 Natural properties, and 1 mixed site.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bahrain to partner with UK to pilot new AI guidelines: Bahrain has announced that it is to pilot new guidelines by the World Economic Forum (WEF) Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The announcement was made during the WEF Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China. The Country aims that the project with WEF will build a global knowledge-base that can be used by other governments as AI can deliver huge benefits to citizens.

Note: Bahrain Capital: Manama, Official language: Arabic, King: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince: Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister: Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD)

2. Leonardo DiCaprio helps create new environmental alliance: Leonardo DiCaprio is joining with billionaire investors and philanthropists Laurene Powell Jobs and Brian Sheth to create Earth Alliance. It is a non-profit environmental organization. It will work globally to protect ecosystems and wildlife, ensure climate justice, support renewable energy and secure indigenous rights to the benefit of all life on Earth.” It will provide grants, educational opportunities and fund campaigns and films, as well as work with grassroots organizations and individuals in places most affected by biodiversity loss and climate change.

3. Russia withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty: The Russian President Vladimir Putin  has signed a bill that suspends Russia's participation in the nuclear arms treaty. Putin's decree  formalizes the withdrawal of Russia from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) with the United States.

Why Russia withdrew from INF Treaty?: Russia's withdrawal from INF treaty is a response to the U.S. withdrawal from the key arms control pact signed by the Soviet Union and the United States in 1987. US accused Russia of violating the treaty with impunity, covertly developing and fielding a prohibited missile system that poses a direct threat to the allies and troops abroad. The U.S. and Europe said that the range of the new cruise missiles from Russia violate the treaty.  Russia denied the accusations.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. USA repeats as World Cup champions, beating Netherlands 2-0: United States’ Megan Rapinoe lifts trophy after winning the 2019 Women’s World Cup final against The Netherlands in Lyon, France. The United States Women’s National team is celebrating victory as World Cup champions. After beating the Netherlands 2-0 in Sunday’s final, they hoisted the trophy for the second consecutive tournament.

2. Central Govt to set up three CoE in Sports at Itanagar in AP: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijijuinformed that the central government is going to set-up three Sports Centre of Excellence in Itanagar very soon. The three center of excellence will be for Martial Arts, Weight Lifting and Boxing. These centers will have a capacity of 300 sportspersons with the residential facility. This year Arunachal Pradesh will host the North East Youth Festival. The government will also set up 12 to 15 football stadiums with Astro-turf football pitches across the state in the next three years.

3. Elavenil Valarivan won the gold medal in 10m women's air rifle at ISSF World Cup 2019:  Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan won the gold medal in 10m women's air rifle event of the season's first junior ISSF World Cup 2019. She defeated Chinese Taipei's Lin Ying-Shinto win the title. She shot 249.8 in the women's final. Her 631.4 in the qualification was a new world record.China's Wang Zeru managed to win the bronze medal with a score of 228.4 in her first World Cup appearance. Elavenil Valarivan is a sport shooter from Cuddalore, Tamilnadu. She had also won a bronze medal at the FISU World Shooting Sport Championship 2019.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Centre announces RBI as the regulator of housing finance Companies (HFCs): Centre has announced that the Reserve Bank of India will now be the regulator of housing finance Companies (HFCs). The HFC were regulated by the National Housing Bank. It aims to strengthen oversight of the shadow banks and improve their access to funding by providing guarantees for purchases of their assets. The government has announced to provide a one-time partial credit guarantee for loan losses to state banks if the bank buy Rs.1 trillion ($14.6 billion) of high-rated pooled assets of non-banking finance companies (NBFCs).

Daily GK Updates - 6th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian Railways commissions’ longest electrified tunnel: South Central Railway has commissioned the longest electrified tunnel, measuring 6.6 Kms between Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations. The tunnel is part of the recently completed Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam new railway line. The tunnel has been completed in a record time of 43 months. It is situated between Cherlopalli and Rapuru Railway stations in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. New Australian Tunnelling Method (NATM) is used and the cost incurred is Rs.460 crores. The height of the tunnel (rail level to roof) is 6.5 meters and the minimum height of the contact wire is maintained at 5.2 meters.

2. India's first highway corridors for e-vehicles expected by March 2020: India's first highway corridors with charging stations for electric vehicles are expected to come up along the Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra highways by 2020. The combined stretch of the corridors on the Yamuna Expressway (between Delhi and Agra) and the National Highway 48 (between Delhi and Jaipur) will be 500 km. Eighteen charging stations will be set up on the two routes. Eight will be between Delhi-Agra and 10 between Delhi-Jaipur. On a full charge, an SUV-like vehicle can travel 180 km, he said, adding that a DC charger takes around 1.25 hours to fully charge such a vehicle. The e-corridors are proposed to be the first under the Ease of Doing Business Programme (EODB) of the Advance Services for Social and Administrative Reforms (ASSAR), a private entity which is supported by the central government, an official engaged in the project said.

3. CCMB and CDFD sign MoU to improve genetic disease diagnostics: An MoU has been signed between CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD).  The aim of the MoU is to enable better ways of diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders.

4. Tripura gets Rs 358 crore from GoI for road projects: The GoI has sanctioned an additional amount of Rs 358 crore for the construction of new roads in rural areas of Tripura.

Note: Capital of Tripura: Agartala, CM: Biplab Kumar Deb, Governor: Kaptan Singh Solanki.

5. Army Chief releases Kargil Tribute Song”: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has released a Kargil Tribute Song to honour, salute and pay homage to the Kargil martyrs and war veterans. The song has been composed by eminent Hindi lyricist Sammer Anjaan and sung by Shatadru Kabir. The song was released as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas to be celebrated on 26th of July.

6. PM Modi pays tribute to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his birth anniversary: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tributes to BJP icon and the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his birth anniversary. Dr Mukherjee was born on the 6th of July, 1901 in Kolkata. He was a prominent Indian politician, barrister and academician and served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet. He laid the foundation of Patriotism-based politics in independent India and worked untiringly for national integration. His supreme sacrifice for India’s unity has made him immortal.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Iraq's Babylon listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO: UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has listed Iraq's Babylon as a World Heritage Site. Babylon is developed as a walled city of mudbrick temples and towers, constituting the Tower of Babel, and the Ishtar Gate. The city was the centre of the ancient Babylonian empire more than 4,000 years ago.

Note: Capital of Iraq: Baghdad; Currency: Iraqi dinar; Headquarters of UNESCO: Paris, France; Director General: Audrey Azoulay.

2. Cabinet approves India-Maldives MoU for passenger, cargo services: The Union Cabinet has approved the pact signed between India and Maldives to start passenger and cargo services via sea route. The MoU will pave way for ferry services between Maldives and India. The proposed ferry service would contribute in a big way to promote people to people contact and to boost bilateral trade.

Note: Capital of Maldives: Male; Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa; President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

3. Hong Kong to provide over $9 million aid for Cyclone Fani victims: The Hong Kong government has approved over $900,000 for relief and rehabilitation work in cyclone-hit Odisha that could benefit around 45,100 victims, China's official media reported. Three grants totalling 7.032 million Hong Kong dollars (about $902,278) from Hong Kong's Disaster Relief Fund to three agencies have been approved for the cyclone victims in Odisha. A Hong Kong SAR government spokesperson said that "the cyclone had affected more than 15 million people in Odisha and the grants will be used to provide hygiene kits, kitchen kits, water kits and education kits as well as household and shelter kits, to benefit around 45,100 cyclone victims.

Note: Cyclone Fani, an extremely severe cyclonic storm, made a landfall in Odisha’s Puri in May 2019. Cyclone ‘Fani’ is pronounced as ‘Foni’. The name was suggested by Bangladesh. The Bengali word 'Foni' refers to ‘Snake’ or ‘hood of the snake’. The wind speed of normal cyclones go up to 90 km per hour, but Fani has the potential to touch a 195 kmph speed.

4. International Day of Cooperatives: 6 July: The International Day of Cooperatives observed every year on the first Saturday of July since 1923. The aim of this celebration is to increase awareness of cooperatives. 2019 theme: ‘COOPS 4 DECENT WORK’. According to a recent estimate, cooperatives around the world employ or are the main source of income for more than 279 million people—almost 10% of humanity’s total working population.

5. World Zoonoses Day: 6 July: The World Zoonoses Day is observed every year on July 6. The day is observed to create awareness on zoonotic diseases, how to prevent them and what actions to take when exposed. The day has been observed since 1885 to mark the day Louis Pasteur administered his first rabies vaccine.

Note: Zoonotic diseases are caused when animals carrying dangerous pathogens come in contact with humans. Some animals are hosts of these pathogens or are infected by them. People who interact with animals on a daily basis and many also keep pets or others. When the climate is warmer, it tends to create a change in the behaviour of vectors (animals who harbour dangerous pathogens like virus and bacteria).

6. India ranked 86th in the Henley Passport Index 2019: The Henley Passport Index 2019 have ranked the Indian passport on the 86th positionwith a mobility score of 58. The score points out that Indian passport holder can acces 58 countries around the world without a prior visa. Japan and Singapore holds the top spot with a score of 189. The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations including micro-states and territories. 

7. Nasscom, NSDC launch Global Cloud Computing challenge: Nasscom partners with National Skill Development Corporation to organise ‘World Skills India’s International Cloud Computing Challenge 2019’. Ten countries including India are participating in the competition, along with New Zealand, Belgium, Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, Oman and Ireland. “WorldSkills India” is an NSDC initiative launched in 2011.

Note: President of NASSCOM: Debjani Ghosh; Chairman of NSDC: A M Naik; MD & CEO: Manish Kumar.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Pakistan's Shoaib Malik confirms ODI retirement: Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik confirmed his retirement from one-day cricket without making a farewell appearance in his side's victory over Bangladesh on 05th July 2019. He had admitted last year that he intended to quit one-day cricket after the 2019 World Cup. He will continue to play the Twenty20 format, but he admitted it was an emotional moment to call time on his ODI career. He appeared in 287 one-day internationals and scored 7,534 runs with nine hundred. His last appearance came in the defeat against India in Manchester on June 16. As an off-spinner, he finished with 158 wickets, while he also captained Pakistan in 41 ODIs.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Punjab & Sind Bank sets up Cen-MARG: Punjab & Sind Bank has set up a centralised hub "Centralised MSME & Retail Group". It will process retail and MSME loans for the better efficiency of branches in business acquisition. The Cen-MARG has been envisioned to ensure qualitative improvement in credit appraisal, improved turnaround time, uniform documentation, and efficient monitoring.

MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank: S. Harisankar.

2. PMMSY: A new scheme to promote processing in the fishery sector: While presenting Union Budget 2019-20, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new scheme to promote processing in the fishery sector. The new scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), will be established under the Department of Fisheries for a robust fisheries management framework. She also announced the creation of a new ministry for fisheries sector Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The new ministry was formed in order to promote the allied farm sector that has huge potential to help achieve the government's target of doubling farmers' income by 2022. The budget allocated for the newly carved out Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is Rs 3,737 crore.

3. Budget 2019: Rs 3.18 lakh crore allocated to the defence budget: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention the defence outlay in the budget speech in the Lok Sabha on 05th July 2019. During an interview to Finance Minister Sitharaman said she had - an allocation of Rs 3.18 lakh crore was made in the Union Budget to the defence sector for 2019-20 as against last year's Rs 2.98 lakh crore.

4. Budget 2019: To help marginal cultivators government proposes 10,000 FPOs: The government plans to form 10,000 farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in the next five years. This is expected to help small and marginal cultivators team up to get lower rates for inputs and sell produce at higher rates. The budget proposal to set up 10,000 FPOs is a path-breaking step to ensure economies of scale for farmers. An FPO can raise capital only from farmer members or get grants from the government, which are usually meagre. Currently, 3,500 FPOs have been registered and another 3,000 are under promotion, said Pravesh Sharma, former head of the Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium.

5. IMF Chief Christine Lagarde nominated as president of European Central Bank: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde was nominated as the president of the European Central Bank. The nomination means Lagarde will step down two years before the end of her second five-year term at the helm of the IMF. Christine Lagarde would succeed Mario Draghi, whose term ends on October 31.

Note: European Central Bank was established on 1 June 1998. ECB headquarters is located in Ostend district, Frankfurt, Germany. It is the central bank of 19 European Union (EU) countries which have adopted Euro.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Govt ropes in IBM for a pilot study on using AI, weather tech in agriculture: The Centre inked pact with IBM India for undertaking a pilot study to utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI) and weather technology solutions in agriculture in one district each in three states. The pilot study will be conducted for the Kharif crop season 2019 in three districts - Bhopal, Rajkot and Nanded  in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, respectively. IBM’s Watson Decision Platform will give solution in the field of agriculture through AI and weather technology at village level/ farm level to provide weather forecast and soil moisture information on the pro bono basis to help farmers for taking decisions regarding water and crop management for better production and productivity.

2. First ever IICTF to be held in India: The first ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) to be held in New Delhi, India. It is a unique initiative for taking farmers, artisans & other members of cooperatives directly to the global trade arena which will be held from 11th till 13th October 2019 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The Trade Fair is aimed at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad leading to enhanced rural and farm prosperity.