 According to the Cost of Living Survey published by global personnel consultants Mercer, Mumbai continues to be the most expensive city in India to live in for expatriates, ahead of global peers Washington and Melbourne. However, India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru is getting more reasonable on cost of living. Hong Kong is ranked as the world's costliest city to live in for expatriates, followed by Tokyo, Zurich, Singapore, and Seoul. This year’s ranking includes 209 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment. |
| Source- The Financial Express |
  The National Statistics Day is observed across India on June 29 with an aim to create public awareness about the importance of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation. The theme selected for the 2018 Statistics Day is ‘Quality Assurance in Official Statistics’. The objective of the celebration of this Day is to acknowledge the contribution of Prof. PC Mahalanobis and to pay homage to him. On the occasion, Vice President of India released a commemorative coin of Rs 125 and circulation coin of Rs 5 denomination as a mark of respect/homage to Prof. Mahalanobis. |
| Source- NDTV News |
 The four first-year engineering students from Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science near Chennai, Tamil Nadu have developed the world’s lightest satellite which will be launched from a NASA facility in the US by August 2018. The students built the 4cm ‘cube’ satellite ‘Jaihind-1S’ with a 3D printed outer casing from polylactic acid (PLA) nylon material, making it lighter than a medium sized egg, at just 33.39 grams. |
| Source- The Hindu |
 Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu launched a mobile application called 'ReUnite' which helps to track and trace missing and abandoned children in India. The app is multiuser where parents and citizens can upload pictures of children, and provide detailed description like name, birthmark, address, report to the police station, search and identify missing kids. The app is available for both Android and iOS. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 United States of America (US) has postponed its inaugural 2+2 dialogue with India which was scheduled to be held on July 6, 2018 in Washington DC, citing “unavoidable reasons”. Both countries are now identifying new mutually convenient dates to hold dialogue at the earliest, either in India or in US. This is third time that 2+2 dialogue has been postponed in the last six months. |
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 The world’s foremost chemical weapons watchdog, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) as granted itself new powers to help identify those responsible for chemical attacks in Syria. 82 members (exceeding required two-thirds majority) of the OPCW voted in favour of this proposal tabled by United Kingdom at special session of Conference of States Parties in The Hague. 24 countries including Russia, Iran and Syria voted against it. With enhanced powers, OPCW now can put in place arrangements to identify the perpetrators of use of chemical weapons in Syria. It is considered as important step forward for arms control. It strengthens unravelling consensus against use of chemical weapons. |
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 NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurs Platform has signed five Statements of Intent (SoIs) with financial institutions and social organisations to provide assistance to women entrepreneurs and address the finance-related challenges faced by them. The SoIs were inked with Shri Mahila Sewa Sahakari Bank Limited, Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited, SREI Infrastructure Finance Limited, Sreemanta Sankar Mission and the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). Through its partner organisations, the WEP aims to create opportunities and support women to help them realise their entrepreneurial aspirations, scale up innovative initiatives, and chalk out sustainable and long-term strategies for their businesses. |
| Source- DD News |
 The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) proposed a draft bill to repeal the University Grants Commission (UGC) and set up the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). This move that aims to reform higher education in India. The HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar stated that the draft Act is in accordance with the commitment of Government for reforming the regulatory systems that provide for more autonomy and facilitate the holistic growth of the education system. The Act entitled ‘Higher Education Commission of India Act, 2018 (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act)’ revamps UGC Act, 1951 and its parent legislation completely. The HECI Act, 2018 is expected to be introduced in Parliament in the upcoming monsoon session. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 Pakistan has been placed on the grey list by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for failing to curb anti-terror financing despite its diplomatic efforts to avert the decision. The decision was taken at the global financial watchdog Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) plenary session in Paris where Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar represented Pakistan. The placement on to grey list will hurt Pakistan’s economy as well as its international standing. Pakistan remained on the FATF grey list from 2012 to 2015. The process began in February 2018 when FATF approved the nomination of Pakistan for monitoring under its International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) commonly known as Grey List. |
| Source- DD News |
 Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) has inked a pact with South Korean firm NANO Co Ltd for design and manufacture of emission controlling devices for coal-based power plants. The Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA) with NANO Co is for design and manufacture of SCR Catalysts for De-NOx application in coal-fired plants. The pact will enable BHEL to enhance its offerings for emission control systems (De-NOx applications). |
| Source- The Hindu Business Line |
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