PM Modi launches development projects in Mirzapur

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Bansagar Canal Project to the Nation in Mirzapur, UP. The project will provide a big boost to irrigation in the region, greatly benefiting farmers in UP’s Mirzapur and Allahabad districts.
  • The PM also laid the Foundation Stone of the Mirzapur Medical College.
  • He inaugurated 100 Jan AushadhiKendras in the State.
  • He also dedicated a bridge over the River Ganga at Balughat, Chunar, which will facilitate connectivity between Mirzapur and Varanasi.

Supersonic BrahMos test fired under extreme conditions

  • India’s supersonic cruise missile (SCM) BrahMos was test fired from Odisha’s Chandipur range launch pad under extreme conditions.
  • The test was aimed at increasing the life of the missile.
  • The BrahMos missile can travel at speeds of up to Mach 3.0, which is three times the speed of sound.

ISRO conducts successful ground test of high thrust version of Vikas Engine

  • The ISRO has conducted a successful ground test of a high thrust version of the Vikas Engine.
  • The ground test lasted for a duration of 195 seconds at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
  • The Vikas Engine is the liquid rocket engine that powers a few launch vehicles.
  • These are the second stage of India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the second stage and four strap-on stages of the Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV), and the twin engine core liquid stage (L110) of GSLV Mk-III.
  • The upgraded version of the Vikas Engine will improve the payload capability of the PSLV, GSLV and the GSLV Mk-III launch vehicles.

India becomes Vice Chair of Asia Pacific Region of World Customs Organisation

  • India has become the Vice-Chair (Regional Head) of the Asia Pacific Region of World Customs Organisation (WCO).
  • India will assume the position for a period of two years, from July 2018 to June 2020.
  • Each of the WCO’s six regions is represented by a regionally elected Vice-Chairperson to the WCO Council.
  • This will enable India to take on leadership role.

Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin hold 1st summit at Helsinki, Finland

  • US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held the first summit at Helsinki in Finland.
  • This comes just days after the US Justice Department indicted 12 Russian intelligence agents on charges of hacking the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
  • But Trump didn’t point the finger at Russia, instead blaming the United States for its poor relationship with Russia.

IFFCO launches e-commerce platform for farmers, iMandi app

  • Fertiliser major IFFCO has partnered with Singapore-based technology firm iMandi to start an e-commerce platform for farmers with an investment of about Rs 80 crore.
  • IFFCO iMandi will cater to 5.5 crore farmers already associated with the cooperative.
  • A web portal has also been developed.
  • iMandi would address all needs of the farming community and aims to cater to captive user base of 55 million farmers.
  • Apart from buy-sell, the app has features like communication (chat and calling), entertainment and information/advisory content to keep farmers engaged.

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