NEWS 16-08-2024. News For 19th-Aug (Monday) Summary of July *National* 1.ISRO's arm NSIL, has signed a $18-million deal with Australian govt for the launch of commercial satellite. 2.World Bank has Approved $1.5 Billion Loan to Support India’s Green Hydrogen projects. 3.India has topped Global Remittance with $125 Billion in 2023. 4.PM Narendra Modi received Russia's highest civilian honor, the 'Order of St. Andrew the Apostle.' 5.The UP govts. new semiconductor policy has attracted Rs 40,036 crore in investments & is expected to create over 32,000 jobs. 6.Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd signed Rs 840 Cr Deal with NCPOR for Ocean Research Vessel. 7.Competence Exports a pvt company in Bihar's Hajipur city, is now manufacturing safety shoes for the Russian army & also looking to export to Europe. 8.The govt. has allocated Rs 6,21,940 crore for the defence budget for 2024-25, an increase from last year’s budget of Rs 5.94 lakh crore. 9.India's defence sector achieved a major milestone by recording its *highest-ever defence exports of $2.5 billion in the F Y 2023-24*. *International* 1.Japan & Philippines have signed a major security deal to strengthen military cooperation amid rising Indo-Pacific tensions. 2.US is going to replace its F-15 and F-16 fighters in Japan with newer F-15EX and F-35 jets to prepare for potential conflicts with China. 3.India & Russia have agreed to continue bilateral trade settlement using national currency. 4.*China's economy* grew by 4.7% in the second quarter, which is slower than expected growth of 5.1%. 5.China has unveiled world’s first carbon fiber High-Speed Train, which is lighter & more energy-efficient than conventional trains. 6.Joe Biden has withdrawn from the presidential race in America & endorsed Kamala Harris for it. *Defence* 1.India has floated a *tender for 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA)*, for $20 billion, but only from a company willing to set up the manufacturing facility in India, along with transfer of Technology. 2.Udupi Cochin Shipyard has got the contract of *Rs 1,100 crore order from Norway, for 8 Cargo vessels*. 3.French aviation *Dassault Aviation* is set to establish a manufacturing base in India. 4.DRDO has developed an *indigenous air-independent propulsion (AIP)* system to significantly increase the underwater endurance of conventional submarines. 5.India unveiled the *25-ton ‘Zorawar’* light tank, developed by DRDO & L&Toubro in under 2 years, to enhance military capabilities in high-altitude environments. 6.The DRDO has developed Ultra Wide Band (ULB) *Radar Absorbing Skin (RAS)*, a special skin for jets that makes them hard to be detected by radars. 7.HAL has committed to deliver 120 Tejas MkII jets to IAF by 2036. The production will begin from 2029 with the delivery of 16 jets annually. 8.The defence ministry has finalised to upgrade the first lot of 84 Sukhoi jets at an overall cost of around Rs 63,000 crore in India. 9.*Armenia* is looking to acquire India's *Pralay missiles* to counter the Israeli-origin LORA missiles. *Sports* 1.*Gautam Gambhir* has been appointed as the new *head coach* of the Indian men’s cricket team. 2.*Argentina won the Copa America for the second time* in a row by beating Columbia 1-0, while Spain defeated England 2-1 to win their 4th European championship. 3.*Carlos Alcaraz defended his Wimbledon title* by defeating Novak Djokovic in the finals. 4.India's legendary tennis players *Leander Paes & Vijay Amritraj* have become the first two players from Asia to be inducted into the *'Tennis Hall of Fame'*. < < Back