Which centre won an award for Outstanding Contribution to Gold Policy Research in 2017-18 at the 15th India International Gold Convention held in Kochi?

India has signed a loan agreement with the World Bank for 96 Million US dollars for additional financing of Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project. Finance Ministry in a release stated the World Bank has been supporting the State Government since 2014 to restore housing and rural connectivity and to build the resilience of communities.

The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India announced the appointment of Shri Subhash Chand as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Eritrea. He is presently serving as the Deputy High Commissioner in the High Commission of India, Abuja. He is going to take up this responsibility very soon.

According to the Henley Passport Index, India jumped two positions from 81st in 2018 to 79th in 2019. Japan retained its top spot as the world's most travel-friendly passport. China jumped almost 20 places in just two years, from 85th in 2017 to 69th this year. The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.

The 2nd edition of Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships aka Tong Yun Kai Cup 2019 was held in Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong. The championship was organized by Badminton Asia and Hong Kong Badminton Association. China has grabbed the championship by defeating Japan with 3-2. In the mixed doubles, Chinese pair He Jiting and Du Yue has defeated apanese pair Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino by 21-17, 21-17. In the men's doubles, Yugo Kobayashi and Takuro Hoki of China beat Han Chengkai and Zhou Haodong of Japan by 16-21, 21-18, 21-13. In the women's doubles, Li Yinhui and Du Yue won for China by beating Ayako Sakuramoto and Yukiko Takahata with 21-16, 21-19.

An international team of astronomers used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to study white dwarf stars within the globular cluster NGC 6752.

India will be attending the Group of 7 industrialised nations meet organised by France in Biarritz in August along with Australia, Chile, and South Africa. the French ambassador to India Alexandre Zeigler stated that one of the issues on the agenda of the G-7 meet would be fighting terrorism in cyberspace.

South African Born biologist, Sydney Brenner passed away at the age of 92. He was born in Gauteng, South Africa. Brenner made contributions to work on the nature of genetic code and other areas of molecular biology. He Shared a Nobel Prize in 2002 in Physiology with Bob Horvitz and John Sulston for developing a tiny transparent worm into a test bed for biological discoveries.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) was awarded the 'Best Sports Federation' award in the country by the Association Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM). This is another feather in the cap of the shooting sport community. They have been raising the performance bar every day over the past few years. NRAI secretary-general D.V.S. Rao and secretary Rajeev Bhatia received the trophy from Director General of SAI Neelam Kapoor and cricketer Madan Lal.