1) NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope to Retire in 2020
•Spitzer is a small but transformational observatory. It captures infrared light, which is often emitted by “warm” objects that aren’t quite hot enough to radiate visible light. Spitzer has lifted the veil on hidden objects in nearly every corner of the universe, from a new ring around Saturn to observations of some of the most distant galaxies known.
2) Trade deficit in month of may widens to a six-month high
•India’s trade deficit expanded to a six-month high of $15.4 billion in May, with import growth outpacing export growth. According to data released by the commerce ministry, exports grew 3.93% in May, while imports rose 4.31%.
3) Declaration/Agreements/MoUs during the visit of Prime Minister to Kyrgyz Republic
•Joint Declaration between India and the Kyrgyz Republic on Strategic Partnership
•Road map on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Kyrgyz Republic for the Five-Year period (2019-2024)
•Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and the Kyrgyz Republic
•Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation between National Security Council Secretariat of India and Office of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic
•Protocol to Amend Article 26 of India-Kyrgyzstan Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)
•Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Health
•MoU between DRDO and Kyrgyz India Mountain Biomedical Research Centre
•Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between National Security Guards of India and National Guards of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic
•Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between National Defence Academy of India and Kyrgyz Military Institute of the Kyrgyz Republic
•Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between High Altitude Warfare School (Gulmarg), Indian Armed Forces and Joint Mountain training Centre of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic
•Memorandum of Cooperation between Export-Import Bank of India and the Investment Promotion and Protection Agency of the Kyrgyz Republic
•MoU between India and the Kyrgyz Republic on cooperation on Information and Communication Technology
•Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Consumer Affairs of India and Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic on cooperation in the field of Legal Metrology.
•Memorandum of Understanding between Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) of India and National Institute of Strategic Studies (NISS) of the Kyrgyz Republic
•Memorandum of Understanding between Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Himachal Pradesh and Kyrgyz National Agrarian University (KNAU)
4) Govt directed TV channels to display title, credits in serials in regional languages too
•The Information and Broadcasting Ministry directed all satellite TV channels to display the cast, credits and titles of Hindi and regional language serials that they broadcast in the respective languages too. These orders were being issued for cinema too to promote Indian languages.
5) Akshaya Patra wins BBC award
•Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organisation, has been awarded the BBC World Service Global Champion Award. It runs one of the world’s largest school meals project in India.
6) 45 individuals to get Bal Sahitya Puraskar and Yuva Puraskar
•Six books of children’s poetry, including works by Vijay Sharma (Dogri), Naji Munauwar (Kashmiri), and Sanjay Chaubey (Sanskrit); five story books by authors including Govind Sharma (Hindi), Mohammad Khalil (Urdu), and Swmim Nasrin (Assamese); and five authors for their total contribution in children’s literature won the Bal Sahitya Puraskar.
•Apart from these, one folk tale author, Lakhminath Brahma, in Bodo language, three novels by Chandrakanth Karadalli (Kannada), Salim Sardar Mulla (Marathi), and Pawan Harchandpuri (Punjabi), one history book by Devika Cariapa in English, and one play by R K Sanahanbi Chanu in Manipuri won the prestigious award.
•Eleven books of poetry, including works by Anuj Lugun (Hindi), Sagar Nazir (Kashmiri), Anuja Akathoottu (Malayalam); six of short stories by authors, including Tanuj Solanki (English), Ajay Soni (Gujarati), Keerti Parihar (Rajasthani); five novels by Moumita (Bengali), and Salman Abdus Samad (Urdu) among others won the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar 2019.
7) RBI asks banks to grout ATMs to wall, pill or floor to enhance security
•Based on the recommendations of the Committee on Currency Movement (CCM), the Reserve Bank have directed banks to ensure their ATMs are grouted to a wall, pillar, or floor by September-end, except those installed in high secured premises such as airports, to enhance security of the cash vending machines. The committee to review the entire gamut of security of treasure in transit is chaired by Shri D.K. Mohanty.
8) Kimberley Process Intersessional Meeting 2019 held in Mumbai
•Beside this, two special forums regarding Diamond Terminology and Artisanal Mining – Small Steps to Larger Outcomes, will be held during the Intersessional.
•India is one of the founder members of Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and is the Chair of Kimberley Process for the year 2019 with Russian Federation as Vice Chair.
•Alok Vardhan Chaturvedi, Director General, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, has been designated as KP Chair 2019 and Rupa Dutta, Economic Adviser, Department of Commerce, is India’s KP Focal Point.
