• The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport would be operated as a Sri Lanka-India joint venture.
• It is dubbed the “world’s emptiest airport” due to a lack of flights.
• India will hold major stake of the airport.
• The seaport built in Hambantota has been leased to China to set off Chinese loans as equity.
• Sri Lanka Capital- Colombo & Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
• Sri Lanka Currency- Sri Lankan rupee
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will be setting up a 'Design
University for Gaming' in Visakhapatnam.
• UNESCO delegation has entered into an agreement with Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board
(APEDB) for the establishment of 'Gaming Digital Learning Hub'.
• UNESCO headquarters- Paris, France
• UNESCO Director-General- Audrey AzoulayUNESCO headquarters- Paris, France
• UNESCO Director-General- Audrey Azoulay
• HDFC Bank has gone past Russia's Sberbank to become the most valuable bank in the emerging market outside China.
• HDFC Bank’s current market capitalisation is $78.4 billion against Sberbank's $74.4 billion.
• Kotak Mahindra Bank and State Bank of India are other lenders from India among the world's 500 most valuable companies.
• HDFC bank headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
• HDFC Bank CEO- Aditya Puri
• The Indian Ocean Research Vessel (ORV), Sagar Nidhi, will set out from Chennai as part of an Indo-US expedition.
• The project seeks to cast light on the complex mechanics of the monsoon.
• It is funded by the ministry of earth sciences, under the national monsoon mission, and the US Office of Naval Research, which has been working with institutions such as Sri Lanka’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency.
• Minister of Earth Sciences- Harsh Vardhan
• A joint committee of four tribal students’ organisation imposed an indefinite shutdown in Manipur demanding appointment of tribal language teachers in the State’s higher secondary schools.
• Chief Minister of Manipur- Nongthombam Biren Singh
• Governor of Manipur- Dr. Najma Heptulla
• Market regulator SEBI has reorganised the committee that advises it on matters pertaining to further development of the alternative investment and startup ecosystem in the country.
• The Alternative Investment Policy Advisory Committee is chaired by Infosys Founder N R Narayana Murthy.
• Securities and Exchange Board of India Chairman- Ajay Tyagi
• Headquarters- Mumbai
• UN member states approve $6.69 billion for 13 peacekeeping operations in 2018-19.
• It has also approved major management reforms, including creation of two new departments focused on political and peacebuilding affairs.
• The United States is the biggest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 percent of the $5.4 billion core budget and 28.5 percent of the USD 7.9 billion peacekeeping budget.
• China is the other top contributor with 10.3 percent and Japan with 9.7 percent.
• The festival of San Fermín in Pamplona, is a very popular annual celebration held annually from 6 July.
• The running of the bulls is the main attraction in this famous celebration.
• Spain capital- Madrid
• Currency- Euro
• Finance Secretary has expressed that petroleum products would be brought under GST in stages by GST council.
• It will also include natural gas and aviation turbine fuel within the purview of the goods and services tax.
• Finance secretary- Hasmukh Adhia
• GST council is headed by Union Finance Minister
• Uttar Pradesh government issued an order to impose a blanket ban on the use of plastic across the state.
• Under the notification products manufactured from plastic and thermocol have been covered under the ban.
• Chief Minister of UP- Yogi Adityanath
• Governor of UP- Ram Naik