# Aravali hillocks

• Scores of aravali hills have vanished in the last 20 years due to unchecked mining and urbanization, threatening the flora and fauna of one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges.
• This destruction has also left the path open for sandstorms from the thar desert to hit the national capital Region and western up and increase conflicts with animals, warns an ongoing study on the state of the hill ranges.
• The findings have come in a research of the Central university of Rajasthan which has identified over 31 hills in the upper aravali range that have disappeared in the last 20 years.
• The systematic disappearance of hills at the upper level was recorded in Naraina, Kalwar, Kotputli, Jhalna and Sariska with the heights of 200 metres to 600 metres above sea level.

# Monsoon

• The monsoon missed its onset date in Kerala on Sunday, with the IMD anticipating a further delay of three to four days.
• The monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1, with a standard deviation of about 7 days.
• This year IMD had said it might arrive in Kerala on June 4, with a model error of 4 days.
• IMD said conditions are becoming favourable with the increase in Westerly winds over Southern Arabian sea.

# US

• US defense secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in India on Sunday on a two day visit to explore ways to further strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, especially in areas of transfer of critical technologies for co development of military hardware.
• Austin’s trip comes over two weeks ahead of PM Modi’s state visit to Washington during which the two sides are expected to unveil initiatives to expand the India US global strategic partnership.
• Defense minister Rajnath Singh and Austin are set to discuss in their talks on Monday General Electric’s proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhi’s plan to procure 30 MQ-9B armed drones at a cost of over $3 billion from US defense major General atomics.

# RBI

• The RBI’s monetary policy committee is expected to keep key interest rates unchanged in its meeting this week as inflation is seen to be in control.
• The six member Monetary policy committee will meet between June 6-8.