CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 30

1. India, Mozambique sign two MoU in field of Hydrography

India and Mozambique have signed two Memoranda of Understanding on sharing white shipping information and co-operation in the field of Hydrography.

• The Defence Ministry said in a release that the agreement will further strengthen the ongoing Indo-Mozambican Defence co-operation and India Mozambique relations in general.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on a three days visit to South African country, Mozambique.

Points to Remember

• Mozambique Capital: Maputo
• Currency: Mozambican metical

2. Udhampur launches helpline “Jeene Do”

In Jammu and Kashmir, District Administration Udhampur has launched a helpline, “Jeene Do”.

• The objective is to improve sex ratio and deal with defaulters of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques or PCPNDT Act under the Centrally sponsored Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. 
• A Mobile Number, ‘9469793363’ has been dedicated to the public to register complaints regarding sex determination during prenatal checkups.

3. Tiger population in India doubles four years before the deadline

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India is one of the safest habitats in the world with almost 3000 tigers.

• Releasing the All India Tiger Estimation 2018 on the occasion of Global Tiger Day in New Delhi, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting the tiger and taking all possible steps.
• According to the survey, the count of tigers in India has risen to 2,967.
• India is proud to be home to almost 75 per cent of the global tiger population.

4. IN LCU L56 ship commissioned into Indian Navy

The sixth ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK IV class, IN LCU L56, was commissioned into the Indian Navy.

• Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Eastern Naval Command commissioned the ship in a ceremony held at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.
• LCU 56 is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of Main Battle Tanks, Armoured Vehicles, Troops and Equipment from ship to shore.

5. 10 historical monuments to remain open till 9 pm for visitors

Ten historical Monuments across the country will remain open till 9 pm for common public.

• These 10 Monuments are Safdarjung Tomb and Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, Group of Monuments and Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, Rajarani Temple Complex in Odisha, Dulhadeo Temple in Madhya Pradesh, Sheikh Chilli Tomb in Haryana, Markanda Group of Temples in Maharashtra, Rani-ki-Vav in Gujarat and Man Mahal Vaidhshala in Uttar Pradesh.
• Earlier these monuments used to open from 9 AM to 5.30 PM for the general public.

6. Odisha gets Geographical Indication tag for its variety of Rasagola

The Geographical Indication (GI) Registry has accorded the GI tag for Odisha Rasagola, a year after the state applied for it.

• Rasagola has been a bone of contention between Odisha and West Bengal over its origin.
• The Registrar of Geographical Indication, Chennai has registered the sweet as 'Odisha Rasagola'.
• The Odisha Small Industries Corporation Limited (OSIC) and Utkal Mistanna Byabasayee Samiti are the registered proprietors of the GI tag who jointly filed for it in 2018.
• With Odisha Rasagola as the latest addition, the state now has 16 GI tags.

7. RBI slaps Rs 26 lakh fine on Mobikwik and Hip Bar

The Reserve Bank has imposed a fine of about 26 lakh rupees on two online payment solutions providers for non-compliance of regulatory guidelines.

• The central bank said in a release that Mobikwik Systems Private Limited has been slapped a fine of 15 lakh rupees while Hip Bar Pvt Ltd faced a fine of 10.85 lakh rupees.
• It stated that these two prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers were levied a monetary penalty for non-compliance of regulatory guidelines.

8. Girish Bapat appointed the chairman of the estimates committee

Girish Bapat a Pune member of Parliament, has been appointed the chairman of the estimates committee.

• The members of estimates committee include Danish Ali, Dayanidhi Maran, PP Choudhary, KC Patel, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, Dilip Ghosh and Kamlesh Paswan.
• Estimates committee is one of the three financial standing committees of the parliament apart from the public accounts committee and committee on public undertakings.

9. Dalilah Muhammad shatters Women's 400m hurdles world record

American sprinter Dalilah Muhammad has broken the world 400m hurdles record at the US Championships.

• She clocked 52.20 seconds on the final day of action of the championships to achieve the feat.
• The Olympic champion was 0.14 seconds faster to Yuliya Pechonkina, who had set the previous world record August 3, 2003.

10. ICC launches World Test Championship

The International Cricket Council (ICC) officially launched the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC).

• To be played over two years, the World Test Championship will witness the top nine Test teams in the world compete in 71 Test matches across 27 series.
• The two top teams will then go head to head in the World Test Championship final to be held in the United Kingdom in 2021.
• Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies are the nine teams that will battle it out for the top honours in the World Test Championship.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) first came up with the idea in 2009 and the championship was approved in 2010, with plans of hosting the first edition in 2013.