16th July 2018 Current Affairs

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.

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.

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.

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.

Supersonic BrahMos test fired under extreme conditions