Latest updates of 09.07.2014
1. India test-fired an advanced version of the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Odisha coast. The missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur at about 10.40 am, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.
The missile is capable of carrying a conventional warhead of 300 kg.
2. Union Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda presented his maiden Railway Budget in Parliament on Tuesday. Alongwith no new increase in passenger fares and freight charges the budget has proposed Bullet train in Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector, Diamond quadrilateral for high speed trains and plan to hike speed of trains to 160-200 km/hr in 9 sectors among other announcements.
3. India continues to battle poverty, child and maternal deaths, according to a United Nations report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that said while several key global targets have been met, more sustained effort is needed to cover disparities by the 2015 deadline.
The ‘Millennium Development Goals Report 2014’, launched by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said that many global MDG targets on reducing poverty, increasing access to improved drinking water sources, improving the lives of slum dwellers and achieving gender parity in primary schools have already been met.
4. The government pushed through the ‘National Institute of Design Bill, 2013’ in the Rajya Sabha on the first day of the budget session of Parliament on Monday. The BJP-led NDA government, which is a minority in the Upper House, managed to pass the Bill with help from the Congress.
5. Granville Austin, renowned scholar of the Indian constitution and constitutional assembly debates, has died in Washington aged 87.
6. President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted the resignation of Bharat Vir Wanchoo as Governor of Goa and appointed Margaret Alva, Governor of Rajasthan, to discharge the functions of the Governor of Goa, in addition to her own duties, until regular arrangements for the office of the Governor of Goa are made.
7. CBI will soon record the statement of former Director, Intelligence Bureau and Governor of Andhra Pradesh E.S.L. Narasimhan as witness in connection with allegations of bribery in purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Ango-Italian firm AgustaWestland.
8. Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj has launched The Champions Tennis League (CTL) with a pan India tennis tournament featuring IPL style playoffs between six franchisees.
9. Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon victory returned him to the top of the latest world rankings, released by the ATP Monday. Serbian Djokovic has moved above Rafael Nadal of Spain to top the rankings by 460 points. Defeated finalist Roger Federer has skipped compatriot Stan Wawrinka to claim third.
10. Indian Railways will borrow less at Rs. 11,790 crore from market through its two companies IRFC and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd for capital expenditure during 2014-15.
The estimated market borrowing by these two companies during current fiscal were pegged at Rs. 13,800 crore from markets, as per the interim Railway Budget for 2014-15 tabled in February.