RAJASTHAN

• Raje in global list of ‘100 most influential people ’

• The digital initiatives undertaken by Rajasthan government have earned chief minister Vasundhara Raje a place in a list of 100 most influential people in digital governance globally. A Uk-based NGO, Apolitical, has released the list following a survey.

• Rajasthan government has taken several initiatives in the field of digital transformation from providing internet connectivity in rural areas to having a robust startup policy. The initiative has allowed launch of schemes such as Bhamashah. The state has been acknowledged as the first to implement an integrated e-governance framework and architecture for leveraging technology.

• The survey stated that before Startup India was launched, Rajasthan announced its own Startup Policy in 2015. In 2018, Raje was awarded ‘chief minister of the year’ at Skoch Summit for her work on e-governance.

• There were 500 nominations from over 130 experts in digital government from national governments, international organisations, academia and business.

INTERNATIONAL

·        World Bank to issue world’s first blockchain bond

• The World Bank has mandated the Commonwealth Bank of Australia(CBA) to issue the world’s first blockchain-based bond.
• The Kangaroo bond, referring to foreign bonds issued in Australia in the local currency, has been named bond-i, an acronym standing for Blockchain Offered New Debt Instrument. (It’s also a reference to Bondi Beach, an iconic spot in Sydney.

• BBC’s Women Who Changed the World List: Marie Curie Topped

• BBC History Magazine conducted a poll of 100 women who changed the world. Marie Curie voted the woman who made the most significant impact on world history.
• Women from several fields in areas like politics, science, sports, technology, and literature were shortlisted.
• Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel prize in physics, a first female professor at the University of Paris and also the first person to win a second Nobel prize.

NATIONAL

• Pune best city to live in, Bengaluru ranked 58^th

• Bengaluru does not figure even in the top 25 Indian cities in the Ease of Living Index, which rates Pune as the best city to live in.

• Bengaluru was rated 58th among major cities surveyed to assess living conditions of urban areas in the country.

• Navi Mumbai bagged the second place followed by Greater Mumbai. Temple town Tirupati was ranked fourth in the country.

• The survey was commissioned by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 111 major cities.

·        WSO alleged against the fencing that poses threat to wildlife

• Forest departmenthas installed barbed wire fencing for its plantation projects causing a threat to movement of wildlife, especially elephants. The Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO), an environmental pressure group, has expressed its concern by suggesting the Forest department to use green fences comprising bamboo and Amari (Ipomoea Carnea) instead of the artificial barricades like barbed wire fence or stone rubble walls.
• The barbed wire fence remains a threat to wild animals as there is a high chance of the animals to get stuck or seriously injured if they run into them while being chased by predators or hunters.
• WSO activists protested against the proposed rubble wall of over several kilometres for around 100 hectares of plantation project site near Pangatira village, Mahabirod range, Dhenkanal as this area is an ideal elephant habitat. This long and high stone wall shall block elephant movement lead to increase conflict between man and elephant.

·        Exim Bank signed MoU with BRICS Development Banks

• The MoU signed by Exim Bank Managing Director David Rasquinha.
• The main objective is to strengthen the cooperation under the BRICS Interbank Cooperation
• The signatories agreed to constitute a joint research working group which will formulate the research agenda and targeted outcome.

·        WCD mulls incentive to promote adoption

• The Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry is planning to introduce monetary incentives for child care institutions if they promote adoption of children under their care.

• Child care institutions are currently getting Rs 2,000 per child per month for their maintenance which makes them reluctant to give the child up for adoption as their income would reduce.

ð  There are just 1,991 children available for adoption for about 20,000 prospective parents in the country.

ð  According to the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System, there is just one child available for every nine adoptive parents in India waiting to take a child home.

·        Rafael Nadal won Rogers Cup 2018

• Rafael Nadal defeated Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas.
• He clinched his fourth Canadian Masters 1000 title at the Rogers Cup in Toronto.

• Earlier, Romania’s Simona Halep beat American Sloane Stephens in three sets to win the women’s event in Montreal.