Contents :- - Sachin PG CET(State 2nd Rank)

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One Strength For 100 Dreams

Contents :-

1. Banking Awareness

2-15

2. Awards & Honours

15-20

3. Business & MoUs

21-25

4. National News

25-59

5. International News

59-71

6. New Appointments

71-82

7. Ranks & Reports

83-87

8. Schemes & Apps

87-92

9. Books & Authors

93-94

10. Science & Technology & Defence

94-102

11. Important Days & Events

102-105

12. Sports News

106-117

13. Obituaries 118-122

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Banking & Financial Awareness

RBI releases its Third Bi-monthly Policy on August 1, 2018

On August 1, 2018, a 3 day 6 member meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee headed by Governor Dr.

Urjit Patel concluded where RBI released its 3rd

bi-monthly policy. This would be owing to higher

corporate earnings and sharp increase in MSPs (Minimum Support Price) of kharif crops which would

boost the rural demand and farmer‘s income.

Digital payments market in India set to touch one trillion dollar in next 5 years: Niti Aayog

The Niti Aayog confirms the digital payments market in India is set to become a trillion-dollar industry

in the next five years. It will be led by growth in mobile payments which are slated to rise to 190 billion

dollars by 2023 from 10 billion dollars in 2017-18.

Cabinet approved LIC-IDBI deal of LIC acquiring 51% stake at IDBI Bank

On August 1,2018, The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the purchase

of 51 per cent controlling stake in IDBI bank by state-run insurer Life Insurance Corporation

(LIC).According to the deal the bank will get Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 13,000 crore depending on the share

price.Earlier LIC had 7-7.5 per cent stake in the bank.

LIC:

♦ Headquarters: Mumbai.♦ Founded: 1956.

Cabinet approves: Raising of Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) amounting up to Rs. 15,000 crore

during the financial year 2018-19

On August 2, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has

approved:Raising funds up to Rs.15,000 crore as Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) (Gol Fully Serviced

Bonds) for Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) [SBM(G)] during the financial year 2018-

19 through NABARD. .These decisions would benefit around 1.5 crore rural households under Swachh

Bharat Mission (Gramin).

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Mauritius-Based SBM Bank To Open 6 Branches

The Foreign bank State Bank of Mauritius, SBM would soon operate as a banking subsidiary of SBM

Group in India under the name of SBM Bank (India) Ltd.It has also announced plans to launch six new

branches in Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad and Jaipur by next year.It is the first foreign

bank in India to obtain a wholly-owned subsidiary licence from the RBI.SBM was established in 1994 in

India. SBM currently operates four branches, namely located in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and

Ramachandrapuram.

SBM Holdings Ltd CEO of India & East Africa: Moses Harding John, Headquarters: Port Louis,

Mauritius

EMudhra To Offer ―Integrated Insurance‖ To Enterprises In Africa

The Digital identity and transaction management solutions provider eMudhra has partnered

with Ghana-based Safety Insurance Brokers Limited (SIBL) to offer ―Integrated Insurance‖ to

enterprises in Africa.

eMudhra‘s Integrated Insurance service is based on emSigner, which enables insurance companies go

paperless. emSigner is working with over 20 banks and over 10 insurance companies and is in the pilot

stages at a few government agencies in Africa.

eMudhra- Founder&Chairman: V Srinivasan

Vikas Bonanza 456: a new deposit scheme launched by Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB)

On August 3,2018, Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) launched a new deposit scheme

called Vikas Bonanza 456.

About the Scheme:

The scheme is of a tenure of 456 days with interest rate of 7.10 per cent for public and 7.60 per cent for

senior citizens.

A minimum of Rs.10,000 and maximum of Rs.1 crore can be deposited under this scheme.

About Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB):

♦ Chairman: S Ravindran.

♦ Owned by Governement and sponsored by Syndicate Bank.

♦ Head Office: Dhanwad, Karnataka.



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♦ The bank has a network of 636 branches with total business of Rs.23,686 crore. This includes deposits of

Rs.13,096 crore.

Apple has become the world‘s first publicly traded company to be valued at USD 1 trillion

On August 3 2018, Apple is the world‘s first publicly traded company to be valued at USD 1 trillion.It

marks the latest triumph of a trend-setting company that two mavericks named Steve started in a Silicon

Valley garage 42 years ago.

DIPP starts programme for startups in energy sector

On August 3, 2018, the commerce and industry ministry joined hands with Invest India to offer its three-

month programme ‗Integrate to Innovate‘ for startups in the sector.

This programme would be carried out by the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP).The

selected start-ups will receive a cash prize grant of up to Rs 5 lakh along with an opportunity to pilot their

product with corporates.

Reliance Jio, SBI ink pact to boost digital transactions

On August 3, 2018, State Bank of India (SBI) has inked a pact with Reliance Jio Infocomm to integrate

its digital banking solution Yono with MyJio application.

About the MoU:

i. SBI said Yono would now be preloaded on Reliance Jio handsets.

ii. SBI customers would benefit from Jio Prime with exclusive deals from Reliance Retail, Jio and

partner brands.

iii. MyJio app will now offer financial services of SBI and Jio Payments Bank.

About Jio Payments Bank:

It is a 30:70 joint venture between SBI and Reliance.

Tech Mahindra & Government of Telangana collaborate to launch India‘s first blockchain district

On August 3, 2018, the Telangana State Information Technology, Electronics and Communication

department (ITE&C) signed an MoU with Tech Mahindra to launch India‘s first Blockchain district

in Telengana at the International Blockchain Congress 2018.It will be a centre of excellence and an

incubator.

International Finance Corporation Invests In $25 Million In MRHFL

IFC, an affiliate of World Bank, has invested Rs.1.6 billion ($25 million) in Mahindra Rural Housing

Finance Ltd.MRHFL will use the proceeds to give loans to low-income borrowers in villages, said a



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company release.MRHFL has 85% of its portfolio in the rural areas with an average loan size of only

$1,200.

GST Council Announces Cashback For Digital Transactions

In the 29th meeting, GST council approves cash incentives to promote Digital transactions. Finance

Minister Piyush Goyal announces 20% Cashback upto Rs 100 for the Digital Transactions done via

BHIM, Rupay or USSD mode.

ii. The meeting was held in New Delhi. In the meeting, it was decided to create a sub-committee headed by

MoS Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector

29th

GST Council meeting: Sub-committee formed under MoS Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla to address

MSME woes

On August 5, 2018, GST council in its 29th

meeting decided to create a sub-committee headed by MoS

Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

Objective:

To address the issues, challenges and concerns of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME

Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 gets President‘s assent

On 5th

August 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill,

2018, that will prevent offenders from avoiding legal process and escaping the country. One of the

provisions under this bill is formation a Special Court under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act,

2002 to declare Fugitive Economic Offenders.

A fugitive economic offender is an individual against whom an arrest warrant is issued for economic

offences of Rs 100 crore and above. Also, the offender should have fled from India to avoid criminal

prosecution.Only cases where the total value involved in such offences is Rs 100 crore or more will be

handled by the Special Court.

About Rajya Sabha:

♦ Chairman – M. Venkaiah Naidu ♦ Leader of the House – Arun Jaitley

India Post Payments Bank will be launched by PM Modi on August 21

On August 5, 2018, the central government announced that PM Modi will launch India Post Payments

Bank on August 21 with a focus on rural areas.

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Axis Bank Introduced 1st of Its Kind Iris Authentication for Aadhaar-Based Transactions

i. Axis bank has become the first bank in the country to introduce Iris Scan Authentication feature for

Aadhaar -based transactions through its micro ATM tablets.

ii. This is being run as a pilot project in 8 branches of rural Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Axis Bank Headquarters in Mumbai. Shikha Sharma is the present CEO and Managing director of

Axis Bank

India Post Payments Bank will be launched by PM Modi on August 21

On August 5, 2018, the central government announced that PM Modi will launch India

Post Payments Bank on August 21 with a focus on rural areas.

i. 648 branches will be launched across country in every district.

ii. Government will link all the 1.55 lakh post office branches with IPPB services.

iii. This will create the country‘s largest banking network.

Functions of IBBI:

IPPB would have 3,250 access points co-located at post offices and around 11,000 postmen both in

rural and urban area.It will link around 17 crore postal savings bank (PSB) account with its account.It

will also carry out RTGS, NEFT, IMPS transactions.

It would enable customers to pay for services of around 100 firms including phone recharges and bill,

electricity bill, DTH service, college fees etc that are present on Bharat Bill payments system of National

Payments Corporation of India. [

Umbrella Organisation‘ to revive Urban Co-op Banking: RBI

On August 5, 2018, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed non-fund-based Umbrella

organisations(UO) at State levels to revive India‘s co-operative banking sector.

Gujarat is the first State in the country to have an UO for the UCB sector.

Along with this, it is conducting a two-day conference and exhibition of co-operative banking sector under

the name Sahakar Setu 2018, in Ahmedabad, from August 4-5.

HDFC Life inks pact with Vijaya Bank to sell insurance products

On August 4, 2018, HDFC Life Insurance and Vijaya Bank signed an MoU where the bank will sell the

insurer‘s products through its branches.

Vijaya Bank:



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♦ MD CEO: Sankara Narayanan. ♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru.

♦ Tagline: A Friend You can Bank Upon.

Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance tie up with Fincare Small Finance Bank for bancassurance

On August 4, 2018, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance has tied up with Fincare Small Finance Bank to

offer specialised product offerings to the bank customers.

As per the Mou, two products will be offered: Point of Sale (POS) product (‗Saral Navesh‘ endowment life

insurance plan ) and a protection product.

The PoS product offers a sum assured from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 million, with premium payments from Rs

5,000 to Rs 100,000 (annually) for a policy term of 10-20 years which may be purchased for either a death

benefit or maturity benefit.

Fincare Small Finance Bank:

♦ Incorporated: June 2017.

♦ From: Disha MicroFin

Bidder Information Management System and Bhoomi Rashi-PFMS Linkage Portals Launched

The Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga

Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari launched Bidder Information Management System (BIMS) and Bhoomi Rashi

and PFMS linkage - two IT initiatives of the Road Transport & Highways Ministry. BIMS is aimed at

streamlining the process of pre-qualification of bidders for EPC Mode of contracts for National Highway

works with enhanced transparency and objectivity. Bhoomi Rashi, the portal developed by MoRTH and

NIC, comprises the entire revenue data of the country, right down to 6.4 lakh villages.

Rs 4,989.55 crore collected from customers in FY18 by 24 banks for not maintaining minimum account

balance

On August 6, 2018, 21 public sector banks and 3 major private sector lenders collected Rs 4,989.55

crore from customers for non-maintenance of minimum balance in their accounts in 2017-18.

i. SBI collected Rs.2433 crore nearly half the amount raised by the 24 banks put together.

ii. Another 30% of the fines were raised by three large private lenders HDFC, ICICI and Axis.

iii. HDFC collected Rs 590.84 crore, Axis Bank collected Rs 530.12 crore and ICICI collected Rs. 317.6

crore.

iv. Accounts under Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) scheme as well as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan

Yojna are not required to maintain any minimum balance.

PayU, Reliance Money Announced Strategic Partnership For Instant Loan



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PayU India announced entering into a strategic partnership with Reliance Money, leading NBFC brands in

India, to offer instant app-based personal loans, via LazyPay. It is an attempt to reach out to the underserved

consumers in India.

ii. The loan amount will start from as low as Rs. 100 and will extend up to Rs. 1,00,000 with a duration

varying from 15 days to 24 months.

Mobile Wallet Transactions Hit Record Rs14,632 crore in June: RBI Data

The value of transactions made through mobile wallets touched a record Rs14,632 crore in June, according

to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data. The data showed the rise of 4.2% from Rs14,047 crore in

May.

ii. However, the number of transactions fell around 5% to 309.62 million in June after reaching an all-time

high of 325.41 million in May.

SBI launches unified payment terminal

India‘s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) launched its Multi Option Payment Acceptance Device

(MOPAD) for digital payments convenience of merchants and consumers.

It aims to provide digital convenience to customers and ease of doing business for merchants at the same

time.It will allow customers to make payments through cards, Bharat QR, UPI and SBI Buddy (e-wallet)

on single Point–of–Sale (PoS) terminal.

Nearby technologies to start bill payments through BBPS with Yes Bank

Fintech startup Nearby Technologies in partnership with Yes Bank has gone live with Bharat Bill

Payments, the telecom bill payments ecosystem managed by National Payments Corp of India. Registered

as an agent institution for Bharat Bill Payment System powered by Yes Bank, Nearby Technologies enables

lakhs of retailers and merchants to offer bill payment service to their customers on the PayNearby app. The

PayNearby app has more than 1 lakh retail stores across India and they in turn have the potential to serve

more than 2.2 crore customers.

HSBC launches online platform ―MyDeal‖ to raise funds through capital markets

HSBC has launched a new digital platform named ―MyDeal‖ to simplify capital raising process through

capital markets by offering real-time access to information like investors‘ feedback, profiles, client orders

and deal pricing.

MyDeal:

MyDeal has raised more than USD 25 billion in its pilot phase in the first 7 months through more than



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30 transactions worldwide.

AboutHSBC:

♦ Group Chief Executive – John Flint

♦ Headquarters – London

PayPal & HDFC Bank partner to offer seamless payment experiences to card holders

PayPal, HDFC Bank Partner to Offer Seamless Payment Experiences PayPal, a digital payments platform

has announced its strategic partnership with and HDFC Bank to offer safer, faster and convenient payment

experiences for the bank's cardholders.

Anupam Pahuja is the MD of PayPal India.

HDFC Bank Chairman- Aditya Puri, Headquarters- Mumbai.

Axis bank Introduced Iris Authentication Over Micro ATMs for Aadhar-based Transactions

Axis Bank has become the first bank in the country to introduce Iris Scan Authentication feature

for Aadhar-based transactions through its micro ATM tablets.

The Bank has deployed highly secure iris powered micro ATM tablets which are STQC certified

& UIDAI compliant registered devices with completely integrated iris sensors.

Iris scan technology is completely contactless and provides up to 98.2% authentication success

rate (as per study conducted by the international Centre for Biometric Research) and offers an

edge over other prevalent biometric modes.

This Project is being run as a pilot project in 8 branches of rural Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and

Andhra Pradesh.

Exim Bank Signs MoU With BRICS Development Banks

i. Exim Bank of India has signed a multilateral cooperation agreement with member development banks of

BRICS to undertake ―collaborative research‖ in distributed ledger/blockchain technology.

GRSE becomes first defence PSU

The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) becomes the first defence Public Sector

Units (PSU) to be activated on the TReDS (Trade Receivable Discounting System) platform.

The platform hosts 15 financers including Allahabad Bank, Bank of Baroda (BoB), Union Bank of India

(UBI) and Vijaya Bank.



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Bharti Axa Ties Up With Airtel Payments Bank To Offer Jeevan Jyoti Bima

Bharti Axa Life Insurance and Airtel Payments Bank entered into an alliance to offer the ‗Pradhan

Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana‘ (PMJJBY), a government-backed life insurance scheme. The alliance

will leverage Airtel Payments Bank‘s vast network to reach deep rural pockets and serve the under-insured.

With this, Airtel Payments Bank also becomes the first payments bank in India to offer the Government of

India-backed life insurance scheme.

Hackers steal Rs 94 crore from Pune‘s Cosmos Cooperative Bank via ATMs

Hackers have stolen (illegally withdrawn) Rs .94 crore from Pune‘s Cosmos Cooperative Bank via

ATMs in 28 countries.

REC inked pact with German bank for 200 mn euro loan for energy projects in India

On August 15, 2018, Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) inked a loan agreement with German

bank KfW in Frankfurt for EUR 200 million.This would be used to finance clean energy projects in

India.This is REC‘s fourth line of credit under Indo-German development cooperation.

REC:

♦ Headquarters: New Delhi.

♦ Founded: 1969

GDP likely to expand by 7.4% in FY‘19: Ficci‘s Economic Outlook Survey‘

On August 15, 2018, as per Ficci‘s survey ‗Ficci‘s Economic Outlook Survey‘, the Indian economy is

expected to grow at 7.4 per cent in the current fiscal.The study further said the median growth forecast

for agriculture and allied activities has been put at 3 per cent for 2018-19.Industry and services sector are

expected to grow by 6.9 per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively in 2018-19.

Edelweiss Tokio Life Signs Up Fincare Small Finance Bank As Bancassurance Partner

The Private life insurer Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance inked bancassurance partnership with Fincare

Small Finance Bank.According to the life insurer, the focus will be on using technology for creating a

superior customer experience from day one.MD&CEO, of Edelweiss Tokio life: Sumit Rai

PhonePe partners with IRCTC app Rail connect to facilitate convenient payments

On August 16, 2018, PhonePe announced partnership with IRCTC app ‗IRCTC Rail Connect‘, to

facilitate convenient, fast and secure payments.

i. This will enable PhonePe‘s 100 million plus users to now pay directly from their bank accounts using

UPI, credit and debit cards and also the PhonePe wallet.



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ii. IRCTC app will have a trusted digital payment platform for the transactions.

About PhonePe:

♦ The company was also awarded as an outstanding merchant UPI player at the NPCI excellence awards

2018.

♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru. ♦ CEO: Sameer Nigam.

♦ Founded: 2015. ♦ Parent organization: Flipkart.

NPCI launches UPI 2.0 with overdraft facility

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched an upgraded and renwed version of Unified

Payments Interface (UPI), UPI 2.0 by adding four new features to make it attractive and safer for users.

These new four additional services in UPI 2.0 are Overdraft facility, One Time Mandate, Invoice in The

Inbox and Signed Intent and QR.

UPI 2.0 member banks as on date are: State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI

Bank, RBL Bank, YES Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, Federal Bank and HSBC.

Sarvatra technologies launches 450th cooperative bank – ‗Sevalia Urban Co-operative Bank‘

On August 17, 2018, Sarvatra Technologies has launched ‗Sevalia Urban Co-operative

Bank‘ as 450th

co-operative bank on National Financial Switch (NFS).

i. Sarvatra brings many co-operative banks on digital payment platform by making them inter-operable with

large banks.

ii. It aims to add another 50 plus co-operative banks by FY 2019.

iii. It has provided digital payment platform to larger banks like ICICI and IDBI bank and payment banks

like Paytm Payments Bank, Equitas Small Finance Bank etc.

SBI ranks the most patriotic brand

The State Bank of India (SBI) has been ranked as the most patriotic brand as per survey conducted by UK-

based online market research and data analytics firm YouGov.

SBI followed by Tata Motors, Patanjali, Reliance Jio and BSNL.

In the financial sector, SBI lead the chart with 47% of the sector-share, followed by LIC with 16%.

In the auto sector, Tata Motors emerged as the most patriotic brand, followed by Bharat Petroleum (BP) and

Maruti Suzuki.

UIDAI announces phased rollout of face authentication

Aadhaar-issuing body UIDAI (Unique Identity Authority of India) announced phased roll-out of face

recognition for carrying out Aadhaar authentication from Sept 15, 2018 as additional security layer.



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It has announced new feature ‗live face photo,‘ which is live feed of person facial features whose 12-digit

unique number Aadhaar is submitted.

The face authentication will be in addition to fingerprint or iris scans for Aadhaar authentication.

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PFRDA Sets Up Panel On Cyber Safety

The Pension Fund and Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA) has set up a standing committee to

suggest steps to deal with cybersecurity challenges to protect the interest of subscribers.The committee

on ‗Information Systems and Technology and Cyber Security‘ will suggest steps to align PFRDA‘s

technology with best industry practices.

It develops, promotes and regulates the pension industry under National Pension System and also

administers the Atal Pension Yojna.

All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) Released By NABARD

NABARD has released the results of its All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS).Among

other things, the survey estimates 2015-16 farmers‘ income levels.

Based on household-level data, NAFIS estimates that an average Indian farming household earned Rs

8,931/month (Rs 1,07,172/year) in agriculture year 2015-16.About 26 per cent of agricultural households

and 25 percent of non-agricultural households were found to have been covered under insurance.

Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog released the NAFIS report.

Home Ministry notifies new Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for refilling of ATMs

Home Ministry has specified new Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for refilling of ATMs (Automated

Teller Machine), which will come to effect on 8th

February 2019.

After 9 pm– in urban areas After 6 pm– in rural areas

Before 9 am or after 4 pm– in districts notified by the central government as Left Wing Extremism

affected areas or Naxal-hit areas

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Paytm Partners With Alibaba

Digital payments firm Paytm has partnered with China's Alibaba to launch AI-based cloud computing

platform 'Paytm AI Cloud'.

US imposes preliminary anti-dumping duties of over 50.55 % on India-made metal pipes

The United States has imposed preliminary anti-dumping duty of 50.55 % on India-made metal pipes.

Preliminary anti-dumping duties for India-made metal pipes:

i. This move has been made to protect the American industry and reduce the trade deficit.

ii. In January 2018, 6 US pipe manufacturers had filed antidumping complaint with the US Department of

Commerce.

Ujjivan SFB launched overdraft facility for medium and small enterprises

On August 23, 2018, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank announced the launch of its overdraft facility for micro

and small enterprises (MSE).

This is aimed at the MSEs who don‘t have easy access to formal credit.

About the facility:

i. It would be offered to all MSEs with a turnover of Rs 50 lakh or more.

ii. This interest rate on the overdraft is for one year with a minimum credit of Rs 11 lakh to a maximum

of Rs 50 lakh renewed on an annual basis.

India‘s growth in 2018, 2019 predicted at 7.5%: Moody‘s

On August 23, 2018, according to Moody‘s Investor services report called Global Macro Outlook for

2018-19, the Indian economy will grow by around 7.5 per cent in 2018 and 2019.

Key Points:

The main reasons behind this is : strong urban and rural demand and improved industrial activity.Earlier in

in May, Moody‘s cut the GDP from 7.5% to 7.3%.

Retail inflation in India has been predicted to be around 5% and core inflation has risen to 6.2%.

Punjab National Bank tops in digital transaction: Department of Financial Services

On August 27, 2018, according to a report of Department of Financial Services, Punjab National

Bank has been rated as number one state-owned bank in terms of digital transactions.

i. The bank is rated as ‗Good‘ by the government with a score of 71 which is the highest category of

performance.



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DBS named world‘s best bank for its digital innovation: Global Finance magazine

On August 27, 2018, Global Finance magazine named DBS Bank as the world‘s best bank for digital

innovation while still maintaining stable operations for its customers.

i. It is the first Asian bank to receive the accolade.

ii. It was given to ING Bank in 2017.

Other banks that received accolades include:

Best Corporate Bank: Japan‘s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.

Best Derivatives Bank: France‘s Societe Generale.

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Tez Rebranded As Google Pay To Offer Instant Bank Loans

Alphabet Inc‘s Google has partnered with four Indian banks to grant consumer loans online, as the fight

for a $1 trillion digital finance market intensifies. The U.S. search giant has teamed with HDFC Bank Ltd.,

ICICI Bank Ltd., Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. and Federal Bank Ltd. to offer instant, pre-approved loans to

customers.

ii. California-based company re-branded its made-in-India Tez app as 'Google Pay' -- the catch-all

label for its payments services. Google has claimed that it has 2.2 crore monthly active users on Google Pay.

Axis Securities launched commodity trading with MCX

On August 28, 2018, Axis Securities launched commodity broking services with MCX and became the first

bank subsidiary to enter the commodity broking business.

i. All existing Axis Direct customers can now trade in 29 commodity futures and contracts through a one-

time online registration process.

Background:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last September had allowed banks to offer broking services to clients on

Sebi registered commodity exchanges like MCX and NCDEX.

RBI Annual Report stated that India remains preferred destination for FDI

On August 29, 2018, according to RBI Annual Report, India remains a preferred destination for foreign

direct investment (FDI).India received $37.3 billion capital inflow in 2017-18 as compared to $36.3 billion

in the previous fiscal. During the 2015-16, the country received $36.06 billion.

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99.30% of demonetized money worth Rs.15.31 lakh crore back in the system: RBI annual report

On August 30, 2018, in the annual report published by RBI, it announced that 99.30% of all of the

demonetized currency notes have been counted and accounted for by the central bank.

Key Points in the Annual Report:

i. Rs 15.31 lakh crore worth currency notes have now been returned, since November 8, 2016.

ii. The total worth of notes that was in circulation at the time of demonetization was : Rs 15.41 lakh crore

iii. Rs 10,720 crore of the currency did not return to the banking system.

iv. This amount has been shifted to the central bank‘s ‗Other Liabilities and Provisions‘ segment from

the earlier ‗Notes issued‘ segment which was a part of liability.

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Awards & Honours

HDFC awarded best performing bank in CLSS schemes

HDFC has been awarded the best performing primary lending institution in Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme

(CLSS) for the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) and LIG (Low Income Group) category.

The award was given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. CLSS was introduced in June 2015 under Pradhan

Mantri Awas Yojana ( PMAY) for home loans to customers from the EWS as well as LIG.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi to be awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award 2018

The advisory committee of the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award has decided to award the Former

West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, this year, with the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award 2018.

He was chosen by the committee for his outstanding contribution for promoting communal harmony, peace

and goodwill. The award carries a citation and a cash award of Rs.10 lakh. The award will be presented on

20th August 2018 on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Indian-Origin Mathematician Akshay Venkatesh Gets Prestigious Fields Medal

Akshay Venkatesh, a renowned Indian-Australian mathematician, is one of four winners of mathematics‘

prestigious Fields medal, known as the Nobel prize for math. He is currently teaching at Stanford

University.


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The prize was inaugurated in 1932 at the request of Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields, who ran

the 1924 Mathematics Congress in Toronto. Each winner receives a 15,000 Canadian-dollar cash prize. It

was awarded at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rio de Janeiro.

President of India Presents Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the years 2013-2017

president of India Presents Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the years 2013-2017 The President of

India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the years 2013-2017 in

New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated all those being conferred with the

Outstanding Parliamentarian Award. • Smt Najma Heptulla: 2013 • Shri Hukmdev Narayan Yadav: 2014 •

Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad: 2015 • Shri Dinesh Trivedi: 2016 • Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab: 2017

Javed Akhtar bestowed with Shalaka Samman, highest honour of Hindi Sahitya Academy

Hindi Academy Delhi has given its highest Shalaka Samman for 2017-18 to bollywood lyricist and

poet Javed Akhtar.He is a father of Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar.The scriptwriter, lyricist and poet has

five National Awards for Best Lyricist to his name for works such as Border, Refugee and Lagaan.

The lyricist has also been honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007.He is also

a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu for his collection of poems entitled Lava.

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Anvar Sadath: the first Indian to win the International Contributions Award

On August 4, 2018, K.Anvar Sadath is the first Indian to receive the International Contributions

Award given by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), USA.

i. He is the vice chairman and executive director of the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for

Education (KITE) also known as IT@school Project.

ii. This award is because of Sadath‘s outstanding and continuous contributions to the field of educational

communication and technology.

Other Awards:Science Literature Award (2005)given by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology

and Environment (KSCSTE), and he also received Dr. C.P. Menon Memorial Award (2012).

About Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT):

Headquarters: Bloomington, US.

Indian-American Avi Goel Wins International Geography Bee World Championship

i. Indian-American high school student Avi Goel has won the world championship at the International

Geography Bee‘s junior varsity division which was held in Berlin, Germany. 14-year old Avi is a tenth

grader at Silver Creek High School in Evergreen, San Jose, California.

ii. He won a gold medal in seven out of the 10 medal events, and a silver medal in two of the events, topping

the overall medals table.




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Sunishka Kartik won Community Award in the 2018

Sunishka Kartik won the Community Award in the 2018 Junior NBA World Basketball Championship,

which concluded at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando,

USA.

2018 Albany Medical Center Prize awarded to James Allison, Carl June and Steven Rosenberg

Three US scientists James Allison, Carl June and Steven Rosenberg have been declared winners of 2018

Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research.

They were awarded in recognition of their research in immunology and translation of their ideas into

effective therapies that have led to innovative treatments for cancer, HIV and other diseases.

It is United States‘ second highest value prize in medicine and biomedical research, awarded by the Albany

Medical Center.

Rifleman Aurangzeb, Major Aditya Kumar conferred with Shaurya Chakra

Rifleman Aurangzeb and Major Aditya Kumar of Indian Army were conferred the Shaurya Chakra,

along with 18 other Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces.:

Rifleman Aurangzeb has been honoured posthumously. He was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pulwama

district of Jammu and Kashmir in June 2018.

Also, Sepoy Vrahma Pal Singh has been conferred with Kirti Chakra posthumously.

Also, Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) has been conferred on Group Captain Abhishek Sharma, Squadron

Leader Vernon Desmond Keane and Sergeant Shashidhar P Prasad.

The President has approved 131 Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces Personnel and members of

Paramilitary Forces.

President approves Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for all women crew members of INSV Tarini that

circumnavigated globe

President Ram Nath Kovind approved Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for the 6 women crew members of

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, who circumnavigated the globe.

Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for INSV Tarini crew:

Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi captained the 194-day mission. The mission started on 10th

September 2017.Other

crew members are: Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal, and Lts P Swathi, Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal

Gupta.Nao Sena Gallantary medals were also announced for marine Lt Cdr Anil Raina and Kunal Saini for

anti-insurgency operations.The president also approved Shaurya Chakra for Capt P Rajkumar for his work

during Cyclone Ockhi.

Godrej‘s Smitha Crishna India‘s wealthiest woman: Kotak Wealth-Hurun report

Smitha Crishna has topped the India‘s wealthiest women list for 2018, prepared by Kotak Wealth-Hurun

Report.



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Godrej‘s Smitha Crishna India‘s wealthiest woman:

Top 5 richest women in the Kotak Wealth Hurun – Leading Wealthy Women 2018 list:

Rank Name Wealth (Rs crore) Company

1 Smitha Crishna 37,570 Godrej

2 Roshni Nadar 30,200 HCL

3 Indu Jain 26,240 Bennett Coleman & Co Group

4 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw 24,790 Biocon

5 Kiran Nadar 20,120 HCL

Ang Lee To Be Honoured By Directors Guild Of America

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee will be one of the recipients of the annual Directors Guild of America

(DGA) honours at its ceremony.

Apart from the 63-year-old director, Fox Searchlight chairman Nancy Utley, US Senator Amy Klobuchar,

SAG-AFTRA senior adviser John McGuire and costume designer Ann Roth will also be honoured at the

ceremony.

S K Arora awarded WHO World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award

Delhi govt‘s additional director of health, SK Arora has been awarded prestigious World Health

Organization (WHO) World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards

tobacco control.He has been presented the award by Henk Bekedam, WHO India country head in New

Delhi.

General Dalbir Singh Suhag Awarded US ‗Legion Of Merit‘ 2018

i. The former army chief gen Dalbir Singh has been awarded with United States (US) ‗Legion of

Merit‘.

ii. The award was given to Singh for exceptionally meritorious service as Chief of Army Staff from

August 2014 to December 2016.

David Beckham to receive UEFA President‘s Award

On August 21,2018 An English retired professional footballer David Beckham will be presented the 2018

UEFA President‘s Award by European football‘s governing body, in recognition of his remarkable career

and humanitarian efforts.



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i. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin called Beckham as the ―a true football icon of his generation‖ after

selecting the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder to receive the award in Monaco later.

ii. The President‘s Award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary

personal qualities.

UoH Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile bags J C Bose Fellowship-2018

Appa Rao Podile, Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been selected for the J C Bose

Fellowship of Department of Science and Technology by the Government.

i. This fellowship has been awarded as a recognition of his work in plant-microbe interactions and induced

resistance in plants.

ii. He will receive a fellowship amount of Rs 25,000 pm and a research grant of Rs. 15 lakhs per annum.

iii. It is initially provided for 5 years. Later, the fellowship can be extended based on performance during the

first 5 years.

Forbes Marshall Lanka winner of Golden Flame Award in the Sri Lanka National Efficiency Awards

2018

On August 21, 2018, the Sri Lanka National Efficiency Awards 2018 commenced in Colombo.

The Sri Lanka National Efficiency Awards 2018 was instituted by Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy

Authority

.i.This award ceremony was organised annually by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Power and Renewable

Energy and Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority.

iii. It aims to advance the usage of renewable energy sources and develop efficiency of all the sectors related

to power and energy.

Asia Society To Honour PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi As 'Game Changer of The Year'

i. PepsiCo's India-born CEO Indra Nooyi will be honoured with the Game Changer of the Year award by a

global cultural organisation Asia Society in recognition of her business achievements, humanitarian record

and advocacy for women and girls around the world.

ii. The 2018 Asia Game Changer Awards will be given in October to individuals and institutions.

Reliance Power Unit Wins $56-million International Arbitration Award

i. Reliance Power has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Reliance Power Netherlands BV has won

an international arbitration award of $56 million (Rs 390 crore) against Prestige Capital Holdings (a

Seychelles-based company) and Kokos Jiang.

ii. Kokos Jiang is the owner of Sugico Group in Indonesia, from whom Reliance Power had acquired the

entire economic interest in three coal mining concessions in Indonesia in 2010.



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Ulka Mahajan conferred with Praful Bidwai memorial award 2018

On August 30, 2018, Ulka Mahajan was conferred Praful Bidwai memorial award 2018.

i. The award was presented to her by social activist Medha Patkar.

ii. She is one of the 3 founders of Sarvahara Jan Andolan.

iii. The SJA has been working to empower extremely impoverished and marginalised communities of

Raigad, Maharashtra, through people‘s action.

About Praful Bidwai memorial award:

♦ It was instituted in the memory of journalist and social activist ―Praful Bidwai‖ who died

in Amsterdam in 2015.

♦ It recognizes the efforts of individuals and institutions that are committed to radical social transformation,

justice for all and gender equality.

Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das receive Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar given by Daily India Media

On 30th

August 2018, actors Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das and 13 others were awarded the Bharatiya

Manavata Vikas Puraskar, in New Delhi.

Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar:

i. The event was organized by Daily Indian Media, a private media company. Important people from

politics, business, academics and entertainment participated in the event.

Rekha Sharma appointed the new chairperson of NCW

NCW member Rekha Sharma from Haryana appointed the new chairperson of the National Commission for

Women (NCW).

The NCW is a statutory body of the Government of India (GoI), which represent the rights of women in

India and to provide a voice for their issues and concerns.

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Business & MoUs

StarAgri Finance signs MoU with Karur Vysya Bank

StarAgri Finance signs MoU with Karur Vysya Bank to aid traders and farmers

On August 1, 2018, To provide financial assistance to commodity traders and farmers, StarAgri

Finance signed MoU with private lender Karur Vysya Bank.Micro-lending would be provided to traders

and farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Lucknow Metro, BSNL ink pact

Lucknow Metro, BSNL ink pact to facilitate customer services through smart cards

On August 1, 2018, Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) and BSNL have signed an MoU for

extending benefits in customer services. It will also involve sale of pre-paid products like recharge vouchers

and electronic top-up at LMRC Ticket Office Machine (TOM) station counters.

Nokia signed world's first big 5G deal worth $3.5 billion

Finland's Nokia will supply T-Mobile, the third biggest U.S. mobile carrier, with $3.5 billion in next-

generation 5G network gear, marking the world's biggest 5G deal so far. In February, T-Mobile was

working both with Nokia and rival network vendor Ericsson of Sweden to build out 5G networks in 30 U.S.

cities during 2018.

Reliance Beats TCS and became India's Most Valued Company

India's richest person Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) beat Tata Consultancy

Services (TCS) to become the most valued company in India. RIL's market capitalisation during the day

was Rs7.44 trillion as compared to TCS' Rs7.39 trillion. RIL had recently reported its highest ever

quarterly net profit of Rs9,459 crore, for the April-June quarter.

BEML And HEC Sign Pact To Manufacture Mining Equipment

BEML And HEC Sign Pact To Manufacture Mining Equipment Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) and

Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) have signed pact for making mining equipment. The MoU will result

into additional Rs 150-200 crore revenue for both PSUs. It will reduce working capital and create capability

for high capacity equipment. The mining products could be co-branded and will come under ‗Make in

India‘ initiative. Coal India is a major client for this mining equipment.

Cabinet approves issue of fresh equity to the extent of 15% of the paid up equity capital by Hindustan

Copper Limited

On August 2, 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri

Narendra Modi approved issue of fresh 13,87,82,700 equity shares to the extent of 15% of paid up equity

capital.

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This will be done by Hindustan Copper Limited(HCL) through the Qualified Institutions

Placement (QIP) route as per SEBI‘s guidelines with face value of Rs.5 for each share.

GoI‘s shareholding in HCL will come down from 76.05% to 66.13%.

The paid-up share capital of HCL will increase from the present Rs. 462.61 crore to Rs. 532

crore which will be used for its expansion plan.

It would create employment opportunities for 9300 persons approximately.

Expansion projects of HCL are located in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and

Jharkhand.

PHDCCI And CNI Sign MoU To Set Up Indo-Nepal Centre

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) have

signed an MoU to establish India-Nepal Centre. It will further strengthen economic engagement between

the two countries. The MoU was signed by Anil Khaitan, President of PHDCCI and Hari Bhakta Sharma,

President of CNI in Kathmandu.

Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli is the current Prime Minister of Nepal.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari is the current President of Nepal and commander in chief of Nepalese Army.

Startup India Launches Academia Alliance Programme

Startup India has launched the Startup Academia Alliance programme, which is a unique mentorship

opportunity between academic scholars and startups working in similar domains, to fulfill the Indian

Government‘s mission to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in the country.

ICRISAT -International organization will conduct an agricultural research for rural development

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) inked a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with the Catchment Area Development Authority of Telangana Irrigation

Department at the State Secretariat. Upon this, Telangana government has asked the ICRISAT to conduct

a research on the impact of Mission Kakatiya programme.

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IWAI launches dedicated portal, FOCAL

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) launched a dedicated portal, Forum of Cargo Owners

and Logistics Operators (FOCAL) to connect cargo owners and shippers with real time data on

availability of vessels.

It will enable direct interaction among the vessel operators, shippers and cargo owners as currently, there is

no platform to know the availability of vessels in the market.

Andhra govt and Holytech sign MoU on setting up electronics manufacturing plant

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On August 7, 2018, Andhra Pradesh Government signed an MoU with electronics company Holytech.

i. Under this MoU, Holytech will set up its plant in 75 acres land in Tirupati and Chittoor districts.

ii. It will have cost of Rs. 1400 crores.

iii. This would be the first-of-its-kind facility in India.

iv. It will create 6000 direct and indirect job opportunities.

MoU Signed Between TRIFED And National Medicinal Plant Board

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) under the Ministry of

Tribal Affairs & National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH have signed an

MoU together.

The MoU aims to promote Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) forest produced for livelihood

development of tribal people by promoting primary level value addition to MAPs produce from forest area

at the grassroots level.

MoHFW and MoTA Sign MoU For Extending Services of School Health Programme To Schools

An MoU has been signed between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Ministry of

Tribal Affairs (MoTA), Government of India for cooperation between the two Ministries for sensitizing the

principals and training to teachers each of all functional EMRSs, Ashram Schools and other Schools

supported by MoTA in the country using the existing infrastructure of MoTA in the states.

Jagat Prakash Nadda is the Cabinet Minister of Health and Family Welfare.

Jual Oram is the Cabinet Minister of Tribal Affairs.

BSNL Launches VOIP Based WINGS Service

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has launched BSNL WINGS a VOIP based service. In WINGS, there

is no SIM or cable wiring as is a VOIP service through an app. The WINGS service offers unlimited free

audio/video calling for one year. The service can be activ BSNL WINGS a VOIP ated with a one-time fee of

Rs. 1,099 (Rs 1,297 with GST).

BSNL was incorporated on 15th September 2000. Headquarters of BSNL is in New Delhi.

Anupam Shrivastava is the Chairman & Managing Director and Director of BSNL.

Prasar Bharati ties up with Google and YouTube to telecast the 72nd Independence Day programme

Prasar Bharati tied up with Google and its video sharing platform YouTube to telecast the 72nd

Independence Day programme live online on Aug 15 2018 to increase digital presence.

Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati stated that the live stream window will be seen on the

homepage of Google itself so that people do not have to look for a separate link to go to the Youtube

channel.

This is the first-of-its-kind digital drive in which PM Narendra Modi‘s speech from Red Fort is live

streamed on both Google and YouTube.

TCS piped RIL to become most valued Indian company: BSE

On August 17, 2018, according to BSE data, TCS overtakes RIL to become most valued Indian



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company.

i. The market capitalisation (m-cap) of

TCS stood at Rs 7,69,065.04. * RIL stood at Rs 7,60,644.73 crore.

Walmart completes acquisition of 77% stake in Flipkart for $16 bn

On August 19, 2018, Walmart and Flipkart announced the completion of the $16-billion deal.

Walmart now holds 77 per cent stake in the Indian firm.

Flipkart‘s CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy will continue to run the company,Co-founder Binny

Bansal,apart from representatives from Tencentand Tiger Global, will continue with their seats as well,

HAL becomes first PSU to transact on TReDS Platform

State-owned aerospace and defence manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has become the first

public sector enterprise to make transaction on RXIL TReDS platform.

It executed its first digitised invoice discounting transaction on RXIL TReDS platform by accepting digital

invoice uploaded by Nasik-based MSME (micro category) vendor Narendra Udyog.

This transaction was financed by Bank of Baroda.

Flipkart Acquires AI Startup Liv.Ai To Start The ‗Voice‘ Revolution

India‘s largest online marketplace Flipkart has bought Liv.ai, an artificial intelligence (AI) start-up which

has built a platform that converts speech to text in 10 Indian languages.Liv.ai was founded in 2015 by

former IIT graduates Subodh Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar and Kishore Mundra. It has previously raised

funding from investors, including Astrac Ventures.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister launches online portal for Common Carrier Capacitybooking on

GAIL‘s pipelines, a first of its kind in Indian natural gas sector

On 27th

August 2018, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Skill Development & Entrepreneurship

Dharmendra Pradhan launched an online portal for enabling easy, efficient and transparent booking of

Common carrier capacity for natural gas transmission services under GAIL‘s pipelines. Online portal for

Common Carrier Capacity booking on GAIL‘s pipelines:

The online portal is available at: www.gailonline.com. It is the first of its kind portal in the natural gas sector

of India.

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Tapzo acquired by Amazon in a $35-40 million deal

On August 30, 2018, Amazon announced that Amazon Pay, the payments arm of Amazon India, will

acquire Sequoia-backed Tapzo.




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i. The deal values at about $35-40 million.

ii. Tapzo has so far raised over $20 million from Sequoia Capital and American Express Co.

Recent acquires/developmenst by Amazon:

i. Amazon had invested $22 million in digital lending firm Capital float.

ii. It also invested $12 million to digital insurance start-up Acko.

iii. Amazon had backed digital paymenst start up TTag.

iv. Amazon had increased its authorized capital in Amazon Pay from Rs.400 crore to Rs.2000 crore.

National News

The Walled City of Jaipur is the next proposed site for UNESCO World Heritage

The Walled City of Jaipur is the next proposed site for UNESCO World Heritage recognition. The site

namely ―The Walled City of Jaipur, Rajasthan, India‖ has been proposed for World Heritage. As per

Operation Guidelines 2017, only one site can be nominated by the state party each year. The recognition of

World Heritage is a matter of great pride. There are a total of 37 World Heritage sites in India at Present.

Startup India Yatra begins in Chhattisgarh

Startup India Yatra begins in Chhattisgarh. The Startup India Yatra was launched on July 30th in

Raipur. Students queued up in large numbers to register for the first boot camp at Raipur. The yatra will

travel to Bilaspur for the second boot camp at the Government Engineering College in Bilaspur.

Swachhta Pakhwada celebrated successfully

Swachhta Pakhwada celebrated successfully by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas Ministry of

Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), its attached offices and Oil & Gas CPSEs under the administrative

control of MoPNG celebrated Swachhta Pakhwada fortnight with full zeal and enthusiasm from 01stto15th

July, 2018.



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The main theme of MoPNG initiatives in this Pakhwada were ―Innovation‖ and ―Sustainability‖. A

maiden initiative of Swachhata ranking of Oil & Gas CPSEs/ attached offices was undertaken, wherein,

based on their performance in Swachhta Pakhwada, rankings were finalized by a Committee.

Cabinet clears 46 amendments to GST laws

In a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amendments of GST Laws were

approved.It has 46 amendments.

It includes hiking threshold limit to Rs.1.5 crore , allowance of employers to claim input tax credit on food,

transport and insurance provided to employees under any law.

Shri Shripad Yesso Naik lays the foundation stone of the 2nd Phase of construction of NEIAH in

Shillong

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik laid the foundation

stone of the 2nd Phase of Construction of North East Institute of Ayurveda & Homeopathy (NEIAH) at

NEIAH Campus in Mawdiangdiang, Shillong.

The estimated cost of the construction is Rs 40.80 crore.The area of the project is : 10481.53 sqm.

iii. It will have residential accommodation for students, doctors and staff and guest house.

FOCAL: a dedicated portal to connect cargo owners and shippers launched by The Inland Waterways

Authority of India (IWAI)

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) launched a dedicated portal named FOCAL to connect

cargo owners and shippers with real time data on availability of vessels.

The name of the portal is : Forum of Cargo-Owners and Logistics-Operators (FOCAL).

It has been designed and developed by IT Department and the Traffic Wing of IWAI.

This would ensure direct interaction among the vessel operators, shippers and cargo owners.

The Government is developing National Waterways as a part of an integrated transport network strategy,

which will help correct the transport.

NITI Aayog to host Investors‘ Conference for the Holistic Development of Islands

NITI Aayog is set to host an Investors‘ Conference for the Holistic Development of Islands, at Pravasi

Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi.

This Conference will be inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. It is expected to gain

investment for the sustainable development of eco-tourism projects in Andaman & Nicobar and

Lakshadweep islands.

About Island Development Agency (IDA):

♦ Constituted – June 2017

♦ Chairman – Home Minister Rajnath Singh



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Health Ministry signs MoU with Electronics Ministry to facilitate access of Ayushman Bharat

National Health Agency (NHA) and Common Service Centres (CSC) scheme under the Digital India

Programme, have signed a MoU to provide information and eligibility validation services to beneficiaries,

mainly in remote areas.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Indu Bhushan, CEO, National Health Agency (NHA) and Dr. Dinesh

Tyagi, CEO, CSC-SPV.

Rajasthan becomes first State to implement Centre‘s ‗Biofuel Policy‘

On August 1, 2018, Rajasthan becomes the first state to implement Centre‘s ‗Biofuel Policy.‘

i. For this Rajasthan has established a Centre of Excellence in Udaipur to promote research in alternate

fuels and energy sources.

ii. To expand ethanol production, it has allowed using sugarcane juice and starch containing materials for

production of ethanol.

Assam NRC Final Draft List released

In a bid to identify the illegal Bangladeshi migrants, the government released the final draft of National

Register of Citizens (NRC) list with names of 28,983,677 citizens in Assam. However, around 40 lakh

people have been left out of the list. What is NRC? ♦ National Register of Citizens is a record of all legal

citizens of a state. The first list of NRC was created way back in 1951. ♦ The NRC was prepared under the

purview of the Foreigners Act of 1946. ♦ Assam is the only state in India that has an NRC.

Government Sets Up Panel To Resolve Issues Of Stressed Thermal Power Assets

The Union Government has decided to set up a High-Level Empowered Committee headed by Cabinet

Secretary to address the issue of stressed thermal power assets. It was announced by union Power

ministry.

Under SAMADHAN (Scheme of Asset Management and Debt Change Structure, or Samadhan), the

bankers‘ consortium shortlisted 11 power plants with an overall capacity of over 12 GW, which are either

complete or nearing completion.

The Most Energy-Efficient State: Kerala

Kerala with 77 points has topped the list in the first edition of the State Energy Efficiency Preparedness

Index. It was released by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and NITI Aayog.

It is followed by Rajasthan (68) and Andhra Pradesh (66.5).These three States together with Maharashtra

and Punjab — also scored above 60 — were designated as Front Runner States in the survey. Kerala

Capital: Thiruvananthapuram Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan

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GOI Unveiled Tricolour Logo For Geographical Indication (GI) Certified Products

The Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu has launched a tricolour logo and tagline for

Geographical Indications (GI) to increase awareness about intellectual property rights (IPRs) in

India. ―Invaluable Treasures of Incredible India‖ is the tagline, printed below a GI Logo in Tricolour.

Darjeeling Tea, Tirupathi Laddu, Kangra Paintings, Nagpur Orange and Kashmir Pashmina are

among the registered GIs in India.

2-Day Indo-US Military Cooperation Meeting Begins In New Delhi

2-Day Indo-US Military Cooperation Meeting Begins In New Delhi A two-day Indo-US Military

Cooperation Meeting began in New Delhi as a prelude to 2 plus 2 Dialogue between the two countries

scheduled in September 2018. The meeting was co-chaired by Lt Gen Satish Dua, Chief of Integrated

Defence Staff to the chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) and Lt Gen Bryan Fenton, Deputy

Commander, Indo-Pacific Command.

External Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would meet their US

counterparts in 2 plus 2 meeting in September in New Delhi.

NITI Aayog To Host Investors‘ Conference For Development Of Island

NITI Aayog To Host Investors‘ Conference For Development Of Islands NITI Aayog will host an Investors‘

Conference at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for the Holistic Development of Islands. The Conference will be

inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. It will attract investment for the sustainable development

of eco-tourism projects in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.

Solar Charkhas to Generate Direct Employment to One Lakh Person

Solar Charkhas to Generate Direct Employment to One Lakh Persons Ministry of Micro, Small and

Medium Enterprises (MSME) has launched the Mission Solar Charkha for implementation of 50 Solar

Charkha Clusters across the country with a budget of Rs.550 crore for the year 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Rajasthan 1st State To Implement Biofuel Policy

Rajasthan 1st State To Implement Biofuel Policy Rajasthan has become the first State in the country to

implement the national policy on biofuels unveiled by the Centre this year. The desert State will lay

emphasis on increasing production of oilseeds and establish a Centre for Excellence in Udaipur to promote

research in the fields of alternative fuels and energy resources.



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MoU between Environment & Skill Development Ministries to train one lakh RAC Service

Technicians

On August 3, 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministries of Environment,

Forest and Climate Change and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship took place up skilling and

certification of 100,000 RAC service technicians.

It was attended by representatives of UN Environment, UNDP, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale

Zusammenarbeit (GIZ),etc.

This is under under the Skill India Mission – Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

iThere are around 200,000 refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) service technicians in the

country mainly in the informal sector.

Textile ministry launches SAATHI initiative

On August 3, 2018 Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of Power have joined hands under the initiative

SAATHI(Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption of efficient Textile technologies to Help Small

Industries) in order to sustain and accelerate the adoption of energy efficient textile technologies in the

powerloom sector.

Powerloom clusters at Ichalkaranji, Bhiwandi, Erode, Surat, Bhilwara and Panipat have been

identified for pilot study.

‗WOW‘ (Wellness for Women) app launched for creating awareness on preventive healthcare by

F(ICCI)LO

On August 3, 2018, FICCI Ladies Organisation, the women‘s wing of Federation of Indian Chamber of

Commerce and Industry has launched a mobile application called ―WOW‖ (Wellness of Women).

Aimed at creating awareness on preventive healthcare.

Key Points:

i. It is powered by ‗Ask Apollo‘ of the city-based Apollo Hospitals Group.

ii. This platform allows users to talk to doctors through video conferencing or connect with them via voice

or email.

Daily Current Affairs:- https://achieversacademyshivamogga.com/gk/gkpaper.php

2 day 17th

Indo-US Military Cooperation Meeting was held in New Delhi

On August 2, 2018, a 2-day 17th Indo-US Military Cooperation Meeting was held before the 2 plus 2

Dialogue scheduled in September 2018.

i. The meeting was co-chaired by

Indian Side: Lt Gen Satish Dua, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the chairman, Chiefs of Staff




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Committee (CISC) and

US Side: Lt Gen Bryan Fenton, Deputy Commander, Indo-Pacific Command.

Maharashtra govt approves over Rs 7,000 crore for water projects

On August 1 2018, Maharashtra state minister informed that Maharashtra govt. has approved over Rs 7,000

crore to fulfill the drinking water projects in scarcity hit regions.

i. The government has approved Rs 7,952 crore to finish 6,624 water projects in 10,583 villages under the

National Rural Drinking Water Scheme.

ii. The government has aimed to provide water supply to all regions and villages that are perennially

drought-hit and also to finish the project in Konkan, Nashik, Aurangabad, Amravati, Nagpur and Pune

divisions.

Mukhyamantri Yuva Nestam: Andhra Pradesh Government launches unemployment allowance

scheme.

On August 3, 2018, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu launched ‗Mukhya Mantri-Yuva

Nestham‘ scheme to allowance to unemployed youth in the state.

i. The allowance will be of Rs 1000 per month.

ii. 12 lakh youths in the age group of 22-35 years will get the benefit.

iii. The scheme is eligible even if there are more than one beneficiary in a family.

Kadaknath chicken meat from Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh gets GI tag

On August 3, 2018, the famous Kadaknath chicken meat from Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh has

now got a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.The application was made in the category of ―Meat

Product, Poultry & Poultry Meat―, was approved on July 30.

NABARD Sanctions Rs772 crore For Water Projects in Haryana

NABARD Sanctions Rs772 crore For Water Projects in Haryana According to the state Minister for Public

Health Engineering Banwari Lal, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has

sanctioned Rs 772 crore for eight water projects in the rural areas of Haryana. Works on these projects,

which will supply water to 256 villages and 72 hamlets, are in progress. The state government has sent three

more project proposals, costing Rs 236.85 crore, to NABARD for financial assistance.

Karnataka made Yoga mandatory for all colleges and universities in the State

Karnataka made Yoga mandatory for all colleges and universities in the State. The Karnataka government

has made Yoga mandatory for all colleges and universities in the State. It was decided at a meeting of

Vice-chancellors and other officials of state universities which was chaired by State Higher Education

Minister G T Devegowda.

World's 1st Hindi-Speaking Robot 'Rashmi' Ranchi-based software developer

World's 1st Hindi-Speaking Robot 'Rashmi' Ranchi-based software developer Ranjit Srivastava is

developing the world's first Hindi-speaking humanoid robot, claimed to cost just Rs50,000 so far. Named



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Rashmi, the AI-powered robot can also speak Bhojpuri, Marathi, and English, and is equipped with facial

expressions and recognition systems. He was inspired to create Rashmi after seeing Hong Kong-made

humanoid 'Sophia' in 2016.

NITI Aayog Launches Global Mobility Hackathon 'Move Hack'

NITI Aayog Launches Global Mobility Hackathon 'Move Hack' NITI Aayog has launched Move Hack, a

global mobility hackathon to crowdsource solutions aimed at the future of mobility in India. The winners

will be announced during the Move Summit 2018, which is also organized by NITI Aayog in September

2018 in New Delhi. Awards for the hackathon include recognizing top 10 winners, with total prize of more

than Rs. 2 crores.

Mughalsarai Junction Renamed As Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction

The iconic Mughalsarai Railway Junction in Uttar Pradesh has been renamed as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya

Junction Railway station. BJP National President Amit Shah inaugurated the renamed station. A goods train

with an all-woman crew was also flagged off.

ii. A smart yard project was also launched on the occasion. The bi-weekly Ekatmata

Express, train connecting Lucknow and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction was also flagged off.

The 10th annual conference on oral implantology has recently held in New Delhi

10th International conference on oral implantology was held in New Delhi to enhance the awareness and

knowledge on the latest innovations and technologies in oral implantology world over. The 3-day

conference hosted by Academy of Oral Implantology (AOI) has representations by doctors from the UK, the

US, Israel, Austria, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain. Oral implantology is a highly dynamic specialty

and has over the years, introduced innumerable modifications and improvements for dental treatment of

patients.

Gadkari will inaugurate Bidder Information Management System (BIMS)

Gadkari will inaugurate Bidder Information Management System (BIMS) .The Ministry of Road

Transport and Highways (M/o RT&H) has developed the Bidder Information Management System (BIMS)

to streamline the process of pre-qualification of bidders for EPC Mode of contracts for all National Highway

works with enhanced transparency and objectivity.BIMS would work as a data base comprising bidder wise

information covering basic details, civil works experience, cash accruals and network, annual turnover

etc.Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the system.

Additional 180-day window for resolution of 34 stressed power firms: report by govt committee under

Cabinet Secretary

On August 5, 2018, according to a government report, additional 180 days will be provided for resolution

of 34 stressed power projects.

i. This would be allowed to commissioned power projects which have been commissioned before February



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12 or have not been referred to NCLT.

Cabinet Secretary : Pradeep Kumar Sinha.

Manipur constituted two committees to deal with a possible influx of illegal immigrants

The Manipur government has constituted two committees - state and district level - to deal with a possible

influx of illegal immigrants. The State Level Monitoring Committee will monitor the entry or presence of

illegal immigrants in the state and take steps for creating adequate public awareness to counter the situation.

It will be headed by Special Secretary (Home) while the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of

Police as its members.

Thermal battery plant unveiled in Andhra Pradesh

The world‘s first-ever thermal battery plant owned by Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private

Limited (BEST) was inaugurated in Amravati, Andhra Pradesh.

The thermal battery facility is being manufactured by Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private

Limited (BEST).

It will provide energy solutions for electrical grids, transport and telecom services.BEST aims to

commercially open up the plant by May 2019, where it could provide an initial capacity of 1000MW.

Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved ‗Mukhyamantri Yuva Nestam‘

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved an unemployment allowance scheme ‗Mukhyamantri Yuva

Nestam‘ through which an allowance of Rs 1000 per month will be provided to unemployed youth in the

state.

Unemployed youths with a degree or diploma between the ages of 22 and 35 years are eligible to avail the

benefit.

The state govt will set up a website for the scheme by the end of August, where a 15-day registration

window will be open for potential beneficiaries of the scheme.

The amount will be directly transferred into their bank account.

Government Sets Up GoM To Decide On RCEP Talks

The Union Government constituted a four-member Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by the Union

Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu.

ii. The GoM has been constituted to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi on whether to continue with or

withdraw from the 16-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations. The

GoM also includes Finance and Power Minister Piyush Goyal, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and

Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri.

Parliament Passes Bill To Grant Constitutional Status To NCBC

The 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill giving constitutional status to the National Commission for

Backward Classes (NCBC) has got Parliamentary assent. It will give the institution all powers to safeguard



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the rights of the socially and educationally backward classes and fulfils a long pending commitment of the

central govt to the OBCs.

1. It seeks to establish the NCBC under the constitution with authority to examine complaints and welfare

measures regarding OBCs,

2. NCBC will have a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and 3 other members of which at least one will be a

woman,

International Conference on 'Sustainable Growth through Material Recycling' Inaugurated In New

Delhi

NITI Aayog‘s International Conference on ―Sustainable Growth through Material Recycling: Policy

Prescriptions‖ was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways & Ganga

Rejuvenation, Nitin Gadkari at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi.

ii. The day-long conference brought together a host of experts for identifying policy prescriptions for the

development and growth of material recycling in India towards creating more jobs.

ITI Aayog Identified 117 Districts As Aspirational Districts For RUSA Scheme

NITI Aayog has identified 117 districts as ‗Aspirational Districts‘. These districts have been selected on

the basis of composite index which includes published data of deprivation enumerated under Socio-

Economic Caste Census, Health &Nutrition, Education and Basic Infrastructure.

During the second phase of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

(RUSA), central assistance is provided for opening of new Model Degree Colleges(MDCs) in ‗Aspirational

Districts‘ identified by NITI Aayog and in unserved & underserved districts in North Eastern and the

Himalayan States.

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), launched in

2013 aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.

Meghalaya hosted 5th Act East Business Show -2018 to strengthen business ties between ASEAN

countries

From 20th

to 23rd

June 2018, 5th

Act East Business Show -2018 was held in Shillong, Meghalaya.

5th Act East Business Show -2018:

i. Aim: to strengthen business ties between ASEAN countries and northeastern states. Also, to explore

the potential of Meghalaya and its neighboring states.

ii. Organised by: Indian Chamber of Commerce along with Ministry of Development of North Eastern

Region (MDoNER).

Inaugurated by: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.

About Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN):

♦ Secretariat – Jakarta, Indonesia

♦ Secretary General – H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi

Hardeep S Puri Launches official Trailer Of Film ―Halkaa‖

Hardeep S Puri Launches official Trailer Of Film ―Halkaa‖ Under the Aegis Swachh Bharat Mission

Shri Hardeep S Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs launched the official trailer,



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music and poster of Bollywood film ―Halkaa‖ under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), in

partnership with the New Delhi Municipal Council. ―Halkaa‖ (Relief) is the story of an 8-year-old boy

Pichku who aspires for a better quality of life.

President of India inaugurates ‗Festival of Democracy‘ in Thiruvananthapuram

President of India inaugurates ‗Festival of Democracy‘ in Thiruvananthapuram The President of India, Shri

Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the ‗Festival of Democracy‘ in Thiruvananthapuram on August 6, 2018 to

mark the conclusion of the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Kerala legislative assembly. Speaking on the

occasion, the President said that politics, public life and the quality of democracy are a reflection of the

essential ethos of a society. As such, the Kerala assembly and its debates and discussions, the humanistic

values that it has historically advocated and legislated on, are a mirror to the traditions of this state.

Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurated the 64th Foundation Day Celebrations of Lalit Kala Akademi in

New Delhi

On August 7, 2018, the National Academy of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) celebrated its 64th

Foundation Day and the event was inaugurated by Minister of State for Culture(I/c), Dr. Mahesh Sharma.

Dr. Mahesh Sharma released the logo of the 12th Triennale India which is scheduled to be organised by

the Akademi in December 2018.

A book on eminent artist Ganesh Pyne– ―A Painter of Eloquent Silence‖ written by Pranav Ranjan

Ray was launched.

A demonstration of clay modelling named ‗AAO..MITTI ME KHELE‘ was organised by the Akademi at

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya situated at the President Estate.

NGT constituted a committee to monitor Ganga rejuvenation project; headed by a former Allahabad

High Court judge

On 6th

August 2018, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), constituted a committee, to be headed by a

former Allahabad High Court judge, to monitor the rejuvenation project of Ganga from Haridwar to

Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.

Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court will nominate a former judge of Allahabad High Court to head the

committee.

About National Green Tribunal:

♦ Chairperson – Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel

♦ Location – New Delhi

GOAMILES: Goa Tourism‘s app-based taxi service flagged off by CM Manohar Parrikar

On August 7, 2018, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar

flagged off the Goa Tourism Development Corporation‘s app-based taxi service

called ‗GOAMILES‘ in Panaji. It will also ensure the increase in earnings of taxi drivers by ―two to three‖

times.

GOA:

♦ Chief Minister: Manohar Parrikar.



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♦ Governor: Mridula Sinha.

♦ Lakes: Carambolim Lake, Mayem Lake, Sarzora Lake.

♦ National Parks/Bird and Wildlife Sanctuaries: Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary,

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary.

AIIA inks MoU with IIT Delhi

The premier institute of Ayurveda under the AYUSH Ministry, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA)

signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Delhi to boost research in traditional medicine and

streamline hospital care facilities in the country.

It was signed at two-day conference of heads of AYUSH National Institutes organised by All India Institute

of Ayurveda (AIIA) aimed at upgrading the national institutes of traditional medicine at par with the IITs

and IIMs.

The faculties of IIT Delhi and AIIA will work together in projects to look at ways to integrate technology

with Ayurveda.

All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), located in New Delhi, is apex institute for Ayurveda in the

country under Ministry of AYUSH.

India has highest gender gap in mobile phone ownership

According to the recent study released by LIRNEAsia, India has highest gender gap in mobile phone

ownership amongst 18 comparable countries and ranks among the lowest in women‘s access to Internet.

Only 43% of women in India own mobile phones compared to almost 80% of Indian males mostly because

of lack of awareness.

There is substantial urban-rural divide in mobile phone ownership with 71% urban penetration and 55% in

rural.

Maharashtra Government announces special assistance of Rs 500 crore for OBC community

On 7th

August 2018, Maharashtra Government announced a special assistance of Rs 500 crore for OBC

community to help them develop employment opportunities for the youth.

Special assistance of Rs 500 crore for OBC community:

This announcement was made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the 3rd National

Convention of National OBC Association in Mumbai.

He denied reports stating that, Maratha community may be included in the OBC category for reservation

purpose.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the following set of

approvals. The important Cabinet Approvals are given as follows-

The Cabinet has approved-

1. Approved the extension of the term of the Commission to examine the issue of Sub-categorization of

Other Backward Classes in the Central List till November 2018.

2. MoU between India and Indonesia on Health cooperation.

3. creation of two posts equivalent to Joint Secretary level in the Interpreters' cadre of the Ministry of

External Affairs.



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4. MoU between "Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)" and "Chartered Professional

Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada).

Khangchendzonga Becomes 11th Biosphere Reserve To be Included in WNBR

The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (in Sikkim) has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from

India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

ii. he decision to include Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in WNBR was taken at the 30th Session of

International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held

at Palembang, Indonesia.

Bid round –II under Discovered Small Field Policy for exploring and extracting oil and natural gas

launched by Petroleum Minister

On August 9, 2018, Bid round –II under Discovered Small Field Policy was launched by Shri

Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Discovered Small Fields (DSF) policy is a part of that reform.

Launched by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas India in 2016, it aims to extract the Oil, Natural gas

from the un-monetized small oil/gas discoveries available in the country.

DSF Bid Round-I launched by the Government was completed in a record time of 10 months.

DSF Bid Round-II will offer larger field areas in commercially producing basins.

Haryana government launches online portal for disbursal of departmental funds

On 8th

August 2018, Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu Singh Sindhu launched an online portal

for releasing grant-in-aid to government departments.

Abhimanyu Singh Sindhu made the first transaction using the electronic system. He released Rs 84.58 crore

to the health department under the National Health Mission.

This online system will make budgetary process more transparent and enhance working efficiency of finance

department officials.

Uttarakhand Cabinet approves revised policy on adventure sports

On 8th

August 2018, Uttarakhand Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat approved a

revised policy on adventure sports.

It has imposed a total ban on smoking and substance abuse by enthusiasts when they perform rafting,

kayaking or canoeing in Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand Cabinet also approved revised rules on paragliding and aero sports to improve public safety.

♦ Jim Corbett National Park ♦ Gangotri National Park ♦ Rajaji National Park

4 day Visit of External Affairs Minister to Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Republic of

Uzbekistan (August 2- 5, 2018)

On August 5, 2018 External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj concluded her 4 day visit to three

nations

During her visit to Astana, the minister also held a bilateral meeting with her Kazakhstani



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counterpart Kairat Abdrakhmanov.

On August 4, 2018, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with her Kyrgyzstan counterpart

Erlan Abdyldaev on deepening cooperation in a number of areas, including trade, energy and defence and

security.

She also inaugurated a two-day Uttar Pradesh Mango Festival in Tashkent

Global Innovation Index, GII- 2018 Launched In India

The Global Innovation Index 2018 was launched in New Delhi by Ratan P Watal, Principal Adviser, NITI

Aayog & Member Secretary of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister India‘s rank on the

Global Innovation Index (GII) has improved from 60 in 2017 to 57 in 2018. India has been consistently

climbing the GII ranking for the past two years.

President Ram Nath Kovind Inaugurates ‗One District One Product‘ Summit

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the ‗One District One Product‘ Summit in Lucknow,

Uttar Pradesh. The special emphasis was laid on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Under the ‗One District One Product‘ scheme, the state government has set a goal of providing employment

to 25 lakh people in five years through the financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 crores. Giriraj Singh is the

Minister of State (I/C) of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

NRIs cannot file RTI applications: Govt

The Union Govt has informed Lok Sabha that Non-Resident Indians (NRI) cannot file Right to

Information (RTI) applications to seek governance-related information from Central government

departments.

It mentioned that only citizens of India have the right to seek information under the provisions of RTI Act,

2005 and NRIs are not eligible to file RTI applications.

Right to Information (RTI) Act was passed by Parliament on Jun 15, 2005 and came fully into force on Oct

12, 2005.

22nd ‗Parampara series – National Festival of Music and Dance‘ festival be held in New Delhi

The 22nd edition of ‗Parampara series – National Festival of Music and Dance‘ festival held at Kamani

Auditorim in New Delhi.

It aims to offer a platform to young talents trying to make their foothold in the world of art and culture

It has been organised by Natya Tarangini led by Padma Bhushan awardee Kuchipudi couple Raja and

Radha Reddy.

Telangana govt signed pact with Tech Mahindra

The Telangana govt signed pact with Tech Mahindra to establish the Blockchain district in Hyderabad, a

first-of-its-kind Centre of Excellence for Blockchain.

It was signed during the 3-day International congress at HICC in Hyderabad.

It would have a physical building at a later phase.



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Tech Mahindra, as a founding member of the Blockchain district, will provide platform and technology

assistance to all the incubators in the district.

Cabinet approved transfer of Central Hospital at Karma, Jharkhand under the Labour Welfare

Organisation for setting up a new Medical College

On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved transfer of

the Central Hospital at Karma, Jharkhand under the Ministry of Labour & Employment to the Jharkhand

Government free of cost within 3 months.

This will lead to enhancement of number of doctors being trained per year in the country and better

healthcare in regions in and around Karma, Jharkhand .

A 150 bedded Hospital (including a 50 bedded TB Hospital in same premises) was established by the

Ministry of Labour & Employment at Karma, Jharkhand to cater to the needs of Mica mine/ Beedi workers.

Cabinet approved construction of New 4 – Lane Bridge on Kosi river at Phulaut , Bihar


Narendra Modi, approved the project for construction of 6.930 km long 4-lane bridge at Phulaut in Bihar.

There is a 10 km missing link between Phulaut and Bihpur on NH-106 which takes a detour of

approximate 72 km. This bridge will take it down to 12 km.

It will also fill the existing 30 km long gap between Udakishanganj and Bihpur of National Highway

Number 106 in Bihar

Cabinet approved continuation and revision of ―Post Matric Scholarship for OBC Students for

studying in India‖


Narendra Modi approved the continuation and revision of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of ―Post Matric

Scholarship for Other Backward Classes Students for studying in India‖ (PMS-OBC) for the years 2017-18,

2018-19 and 2019-20.

The estimated cost of the Scheme will be Rs.3,085 crore.The revised scheme will cover more OBC

students and will ensure effective implementation and monitoring of the scheme.

Annual parental income will be increased from Rs. One Lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh.30% of the funds allocated

earmarked for girl students and 5% for students with disabilities.Disbursement of scholarships through

Aadhaar seeded bank accounts.

India celebrates 72nd Independence Day

India has celebrated the 72nd Independence Day on Aug 15, 2018.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of

India‘s 71st Independence Day.

He announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan, a national healthcare scheme that

will ‗impact 50 crore Indians‘ on Sept 25, 2018.

He also announced India‘s first manned space mission ‗Gaganyaan‗ for 2022.



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First project under Swadesh Darshan Scheme North East Circuit launched

The first project under Swadesh Darshan Scheme ‗North East Circuit: Imphal and Khongjom‘ has been

launched in Manipur.

The project covers two sites i.e. Kangla Fort and Khongjom in Manipur.

Union Tourism Ministry carried out works such as restoration and improvement of outer and inner moat of

old Govindajee Temple and rejuvenation of sacred ponds, reconstruction of old rampart, among others.

NITI Aayog launches Pitch to MOVE competition

NITI Aayog launched mobility pitch competition Pitch to MOVE to provide budding entrepreneurs of India

unique opportunity to pitch their business ideas to distinguished jury.

Startups working in various fields of mobility can pitch their ideas to industry leaders and venture capitalists

for raising investments.

West Bengal Govt removes lifts family income ceiling

West Bengal Govt announced to remove annual family income ceiling in eligibility criteria to be

beneficiary under state‘s UN award winning Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme.

It will help more girls to chase their dreams with Govt support.

Currently only girls belonging to families with annual family income not more than Rs 1.20 lakh were

entitled to get the benefits of this scheme.

State government is also planning to set up ‗Kanyashree University‘ under this scheme for girls

soon.

India grants Rs 470 million to Nepal

India released additional Rs. 470 million (Nepali) grant for Phase I of Postal Highway Project being

constructed in Southern Plains of Nepal.

India is providing financial assistance to Nepal since 1950 for infrastructure development as part of its

multi-sectoral India-Nepal Economic Co-operation Programme.

Telangana CM launches three new schemes

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao launched three new schemes viz. free life insurance for

farmers (Rythu Bima), ‗Kanti Velugu‘ eye care scheme and an economic support programme for backward

classes on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day 2018.

Under ‗Kanti Velugu‘ eye care scheme, every citizen of Telangana will be entitle to have free eye care viz.

free eye screenings, medicines and spectacles and surgeries.

Under the economic support scheme for backward classes, the govt would provide a grant of Rs 50,000 to

the beneficiaries to start small businesses.

Under the ‗Rythu Bima‘ scheme, every farmer would get life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.

Jodhpur, Marwar ranked cleanliest rail stations

The Union Railway Ministry released Third Party Survey Report on Station Cleanliness which ranked 407

railway stations including 75 A1 category stations, 332 A category stations on basis of cleanliness

performance.



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Jodhpur, Rajasthan has been ranked first in survey A1 category stations, Marwar, Rajasthan first in A

category stations and North Western Railway first among all Zonal Railways.

The survey was conducted by Quality Council of India (QCI) with help of their partners.

Jodhpur is followed by Jaipur and Tirupati in A1 category Stations (out of 75).

Rajasthan govt to observe Sept as ‗month of nutrition‘

The Rajasthan govt decided to observe Sept as the ‗month of nutrition‘ to create awareness among

people living in the state.

The students of Class 1 to 8 of govt schools will be given milk daily instead of thrice a week for which

additional funds of Rs 203 crore will be allocated.

Besides, students in the age group of 3-6 years, adolescent girls and pregnant women registered with

Anganwadi centres will also be provided milk thrice a week and the government will allocate Rs 100 crore

for this.

Central govt constitutes Narendra Kumar committee

The Central govt has constituted coordination committee headed by the Central Water Commission

Chairman, Narendra Kumar to coordinate the discharge of floodwaters from inter-State projects involving

Kerala and Tamil Nadu, including Mullaperiyar and Aliyar.

The Chairman will monitor the situation at Mullaperiyar dam in view of rising water level and continued

heavy inflow.

13.42 TMC water to be allocated to Karnataka, 24 TMC to Goa

Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal has delivered its final verdict to ending 50-year-old dispute over

sharing of Mahadayi or Mandovi River between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The tribunal has been constituted in Nov 2010 under Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to resolve

water sharing dispute between riparian states.

Mahadayi River (also spelt Mahadeyi or Mhadei, and called Mandovi in Goa) rises in Bhimgad Wildlife

Sanctuary in Western Ghats, in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district in Karnataka.

Rajnath Singh Inaugurates NDMC Smart City Projects

On 13th

August 2018, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated several Smart City projects

undertaken by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), in New Delhi.

i. Projects inaugurated by Rajnath Singh include: Smart Poles, Solar Tree, Ideation Centre, 50 LED

interactive screens, Ambedkar Vatika and 2 hi-tech nurseries, 4 mechanical road sweepers, 2 litter picking

machines and 10 auto tippers.

ii. MTNL‘s (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) hi-speed Broadband on Optical Fiber and Hi-Speed Wi-

Fi were also launched in Connaught Place.

About Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL):



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♦ Founded – 1986

♦ Chairman & Managing director – Pravin Kumar Purwar

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched road safety awareness video in collaboration with Akshay

Kumar and R Balkhasve

On August 15, 2018, minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched road safety

awareness video with Brand ambassador of road safety campaign actor Akshay Kumar in New Delhi.

Aiming on promoting road safety to be a people‘s movement, the awareness campaign urged people to come

forward without fear to help accident victims.

Akshay Kumar, along with filmmaker R Balkhasve shot three videos with an underlying message on road

safety, which is sent in a light-hearted way to the viewer.

PM Modi Unveils Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan; Initiative

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the launch of world‘s largest government-funded programme

– the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan.

It will be launched on the birth anniversary of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay.The Pradhan Mantri Jan

Arogya Abhiyaancomes under Ayushman Bharat Scheme.

The healthcare initiative will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. The Prime Minister informed that

the government has decided to provide five lakh rupees health care insurance cover per year for the poor and

vulnerable under the programme and in future it can be extended to the low middle class.Ayushman

Bharat, CEO: Indu Bhushan

Shaheed Saman Diwas To Be Observed In Madhya Pradesh

In Madhya Pradesh, the Shaheed Saman Diwas will be observed in all districts of the state.

The state government has taken a decision to honour families of martyrs of Madhya Pradesh origin, who

sacrificed their lives while discharging duty during war, military action and internal security.

The programmes in honour of 602 Martyrs will be organized in the state. Families of 13 martyrs will be

honoured in the programme at Bhopal.

Chhattisgarh, 1st State To Provide Right To Skills‘ Development To Youth

The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has announced that his state is the first among the 28 other

states in the country to provide Right to Skills‘ Development to the youth.Around 2.7 lakh youth has already

been employed in several fields. Trained individuals have also been working in cities like Bengaluru and

Chennai.The ‗Skills on Wheels‘ scheme will enhance the skills of the rural youth and help them become

self-employed.



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India‘s 1st Genetic Bank For Wildlife Conservation Inaugurated In Hyderabad

India‘s first genetic resource bank was inaugurated at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology‘s (CCMB)

Laboratory of Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) facility, Hyderabad.

It was inaugurated by Union Minister for Science and Technology and Environment, Forest and Climate

Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.The genetic bank will cryopreserve living cell lines, gametes and embryos of

endangered wild animal species in India.

―Digital Screens‖ launched by Ministry of Railways to spread awareness about Indian Railways

Heritage

On August 16, 2018, Ministry of Railways launches ―Digital Screens‖ to spread awareness about Indian

Railways Heritage.

i. From the Independence Day on (August 15, 2018), ―digital screens‖ has been made operational

at 22 railway stations.Addirionally, QR code based posters on Railway Heritage are also being displayed at

these stations.Dedicated heritage video walls are being installed in New Delhi and Howrah.

Central government constituted a Panel headed by CWC chairman to coordinate the discharge of

floodwaters from Kerala-TN inter-State projects

On August 17, 2018, on the event of heavy rainfall and flood in Kerala, the Central government has

constituted a coordination committee to work on the discharge of floodwaters between Kerala-

Tamilnadu.

The committee is headed by the Central Water Commission Chairman Narendra Kumar to coordinate

the discharge of floodwaters from inter-State projects involving Kerala and Tamil Nadu,The inter-state

projects would include Mullaperiyar and Aliyar.

The Chairman of the CWC will monitor the situation at Mullaperiyar dam in view of rising water level and

continued heavy inflow.

International Conference on Recent Advances in Food Processing Technology (iCRAFPT) gets held at

IIFPT, Thanjavur

On August 17, 2018, commemorating its golden jubilee ‗iCRAFPT ‘18‘ , the Indian Institute of Food

Processing Technology (IIFPT), started an international conference on recent advances in food processing

technology till August 19, 2018 at its campus in Thanjavur.It would be inaugurated by union minister of

food processing industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

ii. The theme of the conference is: ‗Doubling Farmers Income through Food Processing‘

internationally renowned speakers will share their research experienceson food technology,

Special film festival themed ―Freedom Struggle & Freedom Fighters‖ held in Mumbai

On 15th

August 2018, a special film festival on the theme ―Freedom Struggle and Freedom Fighters‖ was

held to mark India‘s 72nd Independence Day, in Mumbai.



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The festival was organized by Films Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

It was inaugurated by Smt. Rama Khandwala, a freedom fighter and Indian National Army (INA) veteran.

Documentary films on freedom struggle and freedom fighters were screened at the festival.

RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil): FSSAI‘s initiative to collect & convert used cooking oil into

biofuel

On 10th

August 2018, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched RUCO

(Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative for collection and conversion of used cooking oil into bio-diesel.

Under RUCO, 64 companies at 101 locations have been identified to enable collection of used cooking

oil.According to FSSAI, India has the potential to recover 220 crore litres of used cooking oil for the

production of biodiesel by 2022.

Ministry of Agriculture Proposes To UNFAO To Declare 2019 as ‗International Year of Millets‘

The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers‘ Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh urged to Jose Graziano da

Silva, the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) to declare

the upcoming year as the ‗International Year of Millets‘.

iii. The adoption of this proposal by the FAO with the support of its Member Nations will enable it to be

moved to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the declaration of an upcoming year as

International Year of Millets.

Biggest Ever Rescue Operation In Flood-Affected Kerala: Important Highlights

The NDRF has the biggest ever relief and rescue operation in flood-affected Kerala. A total of 58 teams

have been deputed to work in the state out of which 55 are working on the ground. This is the highest ever

deployment of NDRF in a single state since its raising in 2006.

After the review, PM Modi announced a financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to the State. This is in addition

to Rs. 100 Cr. announced by the Home Minister. PM also announced ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh per person to

the next kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to those seriously injured from PM's National Relief Funds.

Govt constitutes Bhaskar Ramamurthy Committee for JEE (Advanced) reforms

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) proposed to set up five-member

committee, headed by IIT-Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthy, to suggest changes to JEE (Advanced)

in the wake of an inadequate number of candidates qualifying entrance test this year.

Other members will include Abhay Karandikar (Director of IIT-Kanpur), Vineet Joshi (Director General

of National Testing Agency) and Professor Kannan Moudgalya of IIT-Bombay.

Home Ministry to relax terms in agreement signed on repatriation of Bru persons to Mizoram

The Union Home Ministry agreed to relax conditions laid down in ‗four-corner agreement‘ signed with

Bru migrants for their repatriation from Tripura to Mizoram.

It was signed between Government of India, Governments of Mizoram and Tripura and Mizoram Bru

Displaced People‘s Forum (MBDPF) in Jul 2018.



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The agreement covers 5,407 Bru families (32876 persons) presently staying in temporary camps in Tripura

to repatriate them to Mizoram before Sept 30, 2018.

ATGM HELINA successfully test fired at Pokhran range

Indigenously developed Helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ‗HELINA‘ has been

successfully flight tested from Indian Army Helicopter at Pokhran range.

HELINA is helicopter launched version known of NAG ATGM, designed and developed indigenously for

Indian Army under integrated guided missile development programme (IGMDP).

HELINA is one of the most advanced Anti-Tank Weapons in the world.

It works on ‗fire and forget‘ principle and operates in Lock on Before Launch mode. It has

operational range of 7-10km (after air-launched).

Madhya Pradesh to have 3 awards after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Shivraj Chouhan

On August 19, 2018, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan announced that the state

government will name three awards after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

About the 3 awards:

One award will be for poets (as former PM was also a poet).

The second award will be for the outstanding contribution in the field of journalism.

And the third award would be for good work in administration.

The Central and all the state governments have decided to observe a seven-day mourning to honour the

veteran politician.

IIT Kharagpur to set up Re-Water Research Center

IIT Kharagpur decided to set up a Re-Water Research Center to replenish and rejuvenate water resources.

It will be seed-funded by two alumni members – Aneesh Reddy & Aditya Choubey.

The purpose of the ‗Aditya Choubey Center for Re-Water Research‘ is to tackle the challenge of resolving

two burning issues faced by urban India – sewage disposal and access to clean potable water.

The pilot plant is expected to be ready by Mar 2019.

Telangana Government launches Disaster Response Force (DRF) vehicles

Telangana Government has launched Disaster Response Force (DRF) vehicles in Hyderabad to handle

situations like flash floods, heavy rains, building collapse and fire mishaps.

The DRF vehicles will be parked at 24 locations with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)

DRF staff.

It will reached affected spots for relief work during necessary situations. DRF personnel will be available on

the field for 24/7.

Delhi government‘s additional director of health S.K. Arora bags WHO World No Tobacco Day 2018

Award

Delhi government‘s additional director of health S.K. Arora has been awarded the WHO World No

Tobacco Day 2018 Award for his remarkable contribution towards tobacco control.He was presented the



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award by Henk Bekedam, WHO India country head.

i. Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has reduced by 6.5% in the last 6 years. This is more than the rest of India

average figures.

Northern States To Set Up Joint Secretariat To Deal With Drugs Menace

The Northern states have decided to set up a joint secretariat at Panchkula, Haryana for data and

information sharing to effectively fight the drug menace.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Chief Ministers of Northern States in Chandigarh, convened to

evolve and formulate a joint strategy to fight the malady.

Government bans pet coke import for fuel use

India banned the import of pet coke as fuel use but it will be allowed to use as feedstock in some

industries.Cement, lime kiln, calcium carbide and gasification industries are only allowed to use import

of pet coke as the feedstock or in the manufacturing process on actual user condition.

India is one of the world‘s largest consumers and imports over 27 million tonnes from the United

States.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has notified new sets of specified health

warnings for all tobacco product packs

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified a new set of specified health warnings for all tobacco

products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after September 1.Health ministry ordered all packs of

tobacco products must have ―tobacco causes cancer‖ and ―tobacco causes painful death‖written in white

on a red background, and the words ―quit today call 1800-11-2356‖ in white on a black background.

Punjab Cabinet okays amendments to CrPc & IPC to make sacrilege punishable with life

imprisonment

On August 21st 2018, The Punjab Cabinet approved amendments to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as

the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to make disrespect of religious texts punishable with life

imprisonment.

The Cabinet has approved insertion of section 295AA to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to provide that –

whoever causes injury, damage or sacrilege to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Geeta, Holy

Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people, shall be punished with

imprisonment for life.

Centre says Kerala floods ‗calamity of severe nature‘

On August 21 2018 , Centre has declared the Kerala floods as a calamity of ―severe nature‖. The central

government has also scaled up its relief and rescue operations.

i. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the Kerala floods were being treated as natural calamity of

severe nature.



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National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), chaired by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha informed

that Centre dispatched 100 tonnes of pulses and 52 tonnes of essential medicines to the State.

Chhattisgarh government pays tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Naya Raipur to be renamed Atal

Nagar

On August 21,2018 Chhattisgarh Cabinet approved the proposal to rename Naya Raipur , capital of

Chhattisgarh as ‗Atal Nagar‘.

Other renames in the name of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh announced the renaming of some other institutions and projects

after Vajpayee.

i. The Bilaspur University will be known as Atal Bihari Vajpayee University

ii. Narrow Gauge Line will be called Atal Path.

iii. The Central Park, which is being constructed will be named as Atal Park.

iv. Vajpayee‘s contribution to Pokhran nuclear test, a police battalion will be known as ‗Pokhran

Battalion‘.

v. The Rajnandgaon Medical College will also be renamed after Vajpayee.

vi. Madhya Pradesh government decided to build two memorials in Gwalior and Bhopal after the former

PM.

NOTA Option Not Applicable For Rajya Sabha Elections: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court ruled that the ‗None of The Above‘ (NOTA) option will not be applicable for voting in

the Rajya Sabha elections. The ruling was made by a bench of Justices comprising CJI Dipak Misra and

Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.

The bench held that the NOTA option is meant only for universal adult suffrage and direct elections and not

for the polls held by the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote as

done in the Rajya Sabha.

AII launches ‗Our Safety, Our Rights‘ campaign

The Amnesty International India (AII) launched a new campaign ‗Our Safety, Our Rights‘ to create

awareness among children to help them understand and identify sexual abuse.

It seeks to empower children to speak up and report sexual abuse without fear.

The AII has collaborated with Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS), People‘s Action for Rural Awakening

(PARA), Institute of Social Education (ISE) to engage with children in 400 schools, across four Indian states

– Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The campaign will culminate on 2018 International Day of the Girl Child (Oct 11).

Cyclone Warning Centre to be set up in Thiruvananthapuram at Kerala

On August 21 2018, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences is proposing to set up a Cyclone Warning Centre

in Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala which will provide regular coastal bulletins and heavy rainfall alerts. It is

expected to be serviceable within a month.

i. India Meteorological Department(IMD) has only 6 cyclone warning centres at

Chennai,Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.



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ii. The ministry has also proposed setting up another C-band Doppler weather radar at Mangalore to provide

―nowcast‖ alerts for severe weather, including thunderstorms triggered by heavy rain for the next 2-3 hours.

Odisha Govt to Set Up world-class Interpretation Centre at Bhitarkanika National Park

On August 21 2018 ,Odisha government has decided to set up a state-of-the-art interpretation centre

at Bhitarkania National Park to showcase its flora, fauna and rich biodiversity.

i. Now, the national park has an interpretation centre at Dangmal but it proved to be inadequate in preserving

the vast reserve of the finest biodiversity. The project has been approved under the Integrated Coastal

Zone Management Programme (ICZMP)at an estimated cost of Rs.3 crore.

Assamese film ‗ Xhoixobote Dhemalite‘ bags another award at US fest

―Xhoixobote Dhemalite‖ (Rainbow fields), an Assamese film directed by Bidyut Kotoky has won an

another award for screenplay at Treasure Coast International Film Festival in Florida.This film narrates

sensitive issue of children growing up in violent times.

The film also features seasoned actors like Victor Banerjee, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami

and Nikumoni Barua.

The film is produced by ‗India Stories‘, a Mumbai-based production house and co-produced by Kotoky‘s

Dhruv Creative Productions and US-based Kurmasana Kreates.

President Kovind Inaugurates International Buddhist Conclave in New Delhi

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the International Buddhist Conclave in New Delhi. The theme of

the conclave is 'Buddha Path – The Living Heritage'.

ii. The Ministerial level delegation from ASEAN countries will participate in the conclave along with

delegates from 29 countries including US, UK, Germany, France and Russia. This year Japan is the

partnering country for the Buddhist conclave.

PM Inaugurates Various Projects In Junagadh, Gujarat

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated various projects in Junagadh district of Gujarat. These

included the Government Civil Hospital, a milk processing plant and some buildings of the Junagadh

Agriculture University.

There were nine initiatives, worth over Rs 500 crore, which were either being dedicated, or their foundation

stones were being laid.

Arun Jaitley Resumes Charge As Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister

Union Minister Arun Jaitley is back as the Finance Minister after a three-month interval to recuperate from

a kidney transplant surgery.

ii. In Mr Jaitley's absence, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was holding the additional charge of the Finance

and Corporate Affairs portfolio.

India Banking Conclave 2018 held in New Delhi

India Banking Conclave (IBC) 2018 has been organised by Centre for Economic Policy Research

(CEPR) along with its knowledge partner and government Think Tank, NITI Aayog held in New Delhi.



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It aimed at making India‘s banking sector more adaptable to face multiple future challenges in the coming

years.

ICOMOS launches Kerala Heritage Rescue Initiative

The global monument conservation body, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)

has launched Kerala Heritage Rescue Initiative to assess damage to rich cultural and built heritage sites in

flood-devastated Kerala.

It aims at setting up platform for emergency response to cultural heritage damaged by the floods in Kerala.

It also has set Facebook page to collect information on the damage to buildings, museum collections,

cultural artefacts, libraries, archives, and even intangible heritage.

ICOMOS is headquartered in Paris, France.

UGC directs universities and higher education institutions to ban sale of junk food

University Grants Commission (UGC) issued circular directing all varsities and higher education

institutions to ban sale of junk food on their campuses.

It will also help to prevent lifestyle diseases which have direct link with excessive weight.

The circular was issued after a directive from the HRD ministry, asking the UGC to ban the sale of junk

food on premises of higher education institutions.

University Grants Commission (UGC) functions under Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Strong wage policies needed to promote inclusive growth in India: as per ‗India Wage Report: Wage

policies for decent work and inclusive growth‘

On 20th

August 2018, ILO (International Labour Organization) released its ‗India Wage Report: Wage

policies for decent work and inclusive growth‘. This report states that, India needs to improve its wage

policies to promote inclusive growth.

As per ILO‘s report, low pay and wage inequality prevent India from achieving decent working conditions

and inclusive growth.

As per the report, nearly 33 % i.e. 62 million workers were paid less than the indicative national minimum

wage. Also, the rate of low pay was higher in women.

Punjab Cabinet approves formation of State Higher Education Council

On 21st August 2018, the Punjab Cabinet approved the formation of the state higher education council to

offer quality education.

A bill regarding this will be introduced in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. The Punjab State Higher Education

Council will be headedby Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Higher education minister will be the vice chairman. Administrative secretary, higher education will be the

member secretary.

Uttar Pradesh government to name upcoming Bundelkhand Expressway as Atal path



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Uttar Pradesh government has decided to name the upcoming Bundelkhand Expressway as ‗Atal

Path‘ to honour former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajyapee.

i. A notification in this regard will be issued soon. The upcoming Bundelkhand Expressway is proposed as a

289-km, 4-lane, access-controlled highway.

ii. It will start from Jhansi and passing through Chitrakoot, Banda, Hamirpur, Auraiya and Jalaun. It

will reach Etawah and join Agra-Lucknow expressway.

iii.It is proposed to be developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority

(UPEIDA).

NITI Aayog Releases 5 Thematic Reports On Indian Himalayan Region

NITI Aayog released five thematic reports on Sustainable Development in Indian Himalayan Region. It

was released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, CEO Amitabh Kant and member Dr V K

Saraswat in New Delhi.

The themes include Inventory and Revival of Springs in the Himalayas for Water Security, Sustainable

Tourism, and Transformative Approach to Shifting Cultivation, Strengthening Skill and Entrepreneurship

Landscape in the Himalayas.

As per the Reports, Himalayan Tourism, growing annually at 6.8% has created a huge challenge related to

solid waste, water, traffic, loss of bio-cultural diversity.

5G steering committee headed by AJ Paulraj submits its report

The 5G steering committee chaired by Stanford University‘s Professor Emeritus AJ Paulraj has

submitted its recommendations to the Department of Telecommunication.

It gave wide-ranging recommendations to drive India‘s 5G adoption entailing areas like spectrum policy,

regulatory policy, standards and education.

Govt developing National Logistics Portal

The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry is developing National Logistics Portal to ensure ease of

trading in international and domestic markets.The portal will link all stakeholders of EXIM (export and

import), domestic trade and movement and all trade activities on single platform.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated a few projects and announced the upcoming

investor summit in November 2018.

On August 24, 2018, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated several projects through video

conferencing.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also inaugurated two industrial projects and laid the foundation stone

of 13 manufacturing units.

The cumulative cost of these projects are : Rs. 2,901.2 crore.

The first edition of investment summit ‗Make in Odisha Conclave‘ was in 2016. It saw the State receive

investment intent of more than Rs.2 lakh crore across 10 diversified sectors.



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Indian Navy‘s Biggest Ship, INS Vikramaditya will get an upgrade for Its Air Wing by Russian

company

On August 24, 2018, India‘s only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya will be upgraded and fitted with a

marine hydraulic system to boost the air operations of the ship for the first time.

This will be done by Technodinamika, a subsidiary of Russia‘s Rostec State Corporation by May

2019. Hydraulics technology uses fluid pressure to power machines and the systems to be installed are

named ―GS-1MF‖ and ―GS-3‖.

They will be used for refuelling, cleaning and pressurisation of hydraulic systems of aircraft and helicopters

on board the INS Vikramaditya.

More specifically, the GS-1MF hydraulic system is used in helicopters, while GS-3 is used in aircraft.

The Oldest, Thickest Arctic Sea Ice Is Breaking For the First Time on Record

Some of the oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic Sea has broken down for the first time in recorded

history.

The ice has broken twice in 2018. This has opened waters north of Greenland that are usually frozen even

in summer. This could threaten the survival of Arctic seals and polar bears.

As per satellite images of NASA Worldview, the ice has become brittle and mobile. It is retreating back

from the Northern coast of Greenland, due to the winds in February and early August 2018.

India, Singapore Sign 2nd Protocol Amending Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement

India and Singapore have signed the Second Protocol amending the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation

Agreement in New Delhi which will boost bilateral trade between the two countries.

Myanmar Media Group Inks MoU With Prasar Bharati

Prasar Bharati and Mizzima Media Group of Myanmar signed an MoU to realize cooperation and

collaboration in broadcasting and content sharing. The agreement was signed in the presence of Prasar

Bharati CEO, Shashi Shekhar Vempati in New Delhi.

The Agreement will realize cooperation and collaboration in broadcasting and envisions content-sharing

covering a wide range of genres, including culture, entertainment, education, science, news and sports along

with other areas of mutual interest.

BNHS to open its first regional centre near Chilika Lake

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), one of India‘s premier avian research institutes, will start

operating its first regional centre or avi-fauna observatory on the campus of Wetland Research and Training

Centre near Chilika Lake (Asia‘s largest brackish water lagoon), Odisha.

The avi-fauna observatory will carry out research on avian disease by collecting samples and monitor

Nalabana Bird Sanctuary.



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Home Ministry revokes security clearance to Qatar-based English news channel Al Jazeera

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) revoked security clearance of Qatar govt‘s state-funded

English news broadcaster Al Jazeera.

It is believed that main reason for this revocation is considered to be over documentary made by Qatari

channel on militancy in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), which Indian Govt viewed as ‗biased‘.Al Jazeera has

reportedly filed petition for reviewing this decision.

The energy generated from this project is being purchased by Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

It also marks beginning of capacity additions in wind power based on market discovered tariffs, in line with

the Govt‘s plan of having 175 GW renewable energy by 2022.

India‘s first biofuel flight to fly from Dehradun to Delhi

India‘s first flight using biofuel will fly from Dehradun (capital of Uttarakhand) to Delhi.

The first ever biofuel test flight has been conducted by SpiceJet on its turborporp Q-400 plane.

India, with this, will join elite club of nations who have operated flight on alternative energy source like

biofuel.

Developed countries like Canada, Australia and US have already conducted these test flights.

India will be first developing nation to experiment biofuel test flight.

SpiceJet operated first such biofuel flight from Dehradun to Delhi using alternative environment friendly

fuel for 10 minutes over Dehradun.

Overview of Prime Minister‘s one day Gujarat Visit on August 23, 2018

On August 23,2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Surat, where he was received by Gujarat

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

During his day long visit, he addressed the 4th

convocation of Gujarat Forensic Science

University in Gandhinagar.

Laid foundation stone of Astole Water Supply Scheme for providing clean drinking water at the cost

of Rs.586 crore in Kaprada region in Valsad district

Various states and institutions renamed themselves after Late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee

On August 25, 2018, after the demise of the former PM of India MR. Atal Bihari Vajpayee,

various states and institutions renamed themselves after Late PM .They are as follows:

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh renaming upcoming capital of the state Naya Raipur as Atal Nagar.

iii. Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to name the proposed Bundelkhand Expressway as

‗Atal Path‘.

iv. AIIMS Rishikesh auditorium, a ghat on Sabarmati River in Gujarat and the cyber

tower in Mauritius to be named after him.

v. Andhra Pradesh to name AIIMS Mangalagiri after the former PM.

vi. Himachal Pradesh to rename the Rohtang Tunnel.

vii. Shivraj Singh Chouhan led Madhya Pradesh government to rename the Habibganj railway station

after him.

viii. Assam to name the yet-to-be-inaugurated Bogibeel bridge after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari

Vajpayee as Atal Setu.

Telangana government increases free power units for SC/ST families from 50 Unit to 101 Units



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On 24th

August 2018, Telangana State Government increased the free electricity supply to the families of

the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for domestic purpose from the current 50 units to 101 units.

This was announced by Telengana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao at a review meeting in

Hyderabad.

Sushma Swaraj Embarks On Five Day Visit To Vietnam, Cambodia

The External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived at Hanoi, Vietnam as part of her four-day visit

to Vietnam and Cambodia, which aims at deepening India‘s strategic cooperation with the two key nations

in the ASEAN region.

India has been scaling up its cooperation with Vietnam in areas of maritime security and energy.In Vietnam,

Swaraj will co-chair the 16th meeting of the Joint Commission, along with the country‘s Deputy Prime

Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Tamil Nadu CM Lays Foundation Stone For Special Investment Region

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami laid the foundation stone for setting up of a Special

Investment Region (SIR) in northern Krishnagiri district to attract investments.

The foundation stone for the Rs 2,420 crore project was laid through video conferencing from the State

Secretariat. The SIR would be jointly developed by GMR Infrastructures Limited and the Tamil Nadu

Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (TIDCO).

Overview of 4 day visit of China‘s Defence Minister Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe in New Delhi

from August 21-24, 2018.

On August 21, 2018, the Defence Minister of China Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe visited New Delhi for

an official visit for 4 days till August 24, 2018.

This visit comes on the backdrop of the Wuhan informal summit between Modi and Chinese President Xi

Jinping in April 2018.

PM Modi met Chinese Defence minister to deepen cooperation and to build trust

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe held extensive talks on

military cooperation and exchanges.

Tamil Nadu CM E.Palanisamy launches app, website on plastic pollution free Tamilnadu

On 23rd

August 2018, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E.Palanisamy launched an app and a website on plastic

pollution free Tamilnadu.

He inaugurated a campaign to highlight the impact of plastic pollution. He appointed actor Vivek as

the brand ambassador of the project.

Tamil Nadu Government has announced plastic ban with effect from 1st January 2019.



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Centre Signs MoU With 6 States For Lakhwar Yamuna Basin Project

Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari signed an MoU with six states for the construction of

the Lakhwar multi-purpose project in the upper Yamuna basin to deal with water crisis.

Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh (Yogi Adityanath), Rajasthan (Vasundhara Raje Scindia), Uttarakhand

(Trivendra Singh Rawat), Himachal Pradesh (Jai Ram Thakur), Haryana (Manohar Lal Khattar) and Delhi

(Arvind Kejriwal) signed the MoU.

MoU Signed For Skill Development Of Arogyamitras Under PMJAY

An MoU was signed between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and National

Health Agency (NHA), to provide capacity building for Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana

(PMJAY) to ensure effective rollout and continued quality implementation.

Govt inks $250 million loan agreement with World Bank for Electricity Distribution Sector Reforms

in Rajasthan

The Central Govt along with Govt of Rajasthan has signed $250 million Development Policy Loan (DPL)

agreement with World Bank for Electricity Distribution Sector Reforms in Rajasthan.

It will be provided by World Bank‘s lending arm International Bank for Reconstruction and

Development (IBRD).

It has maturity of 21 years and 3-year grace period.

It will support Rajasthan Government in improving performance of its electricity distribution sector under

State‘s 24×7 Power for All program.

International Water Colour Festival 2018 held in Ranchi

The International Water Colour Festival 2018 has been held at Audrey House in Ranchi, which is

organized by the Jharkhand Art Culture and Tourism Department in Audrey House.

It aims to bring local artists in touch with the international art and promote the rich art and culture of

Jharkhand.

During the water colour festival, the visiting artists will interact with school students and local artists on

various themes including ‗nature‘ and ‗modern/abstract‘.

Arunachal Pradesh govt to organize a youths‘ conclave ‗ATAL‘

The Arunachal Pradesh govt has decided to organize a youths‘ conclave ‗ATAL – Arunachal

Transformation & Aspirational Leadership‘ in Itanagar.

The conclave aims to engage youths in the age group of 18 to 30 years of the state pro-actively in

the areas of public policy and governance.

For this, they have to register themselves at www.atalconclave.in.

India‘s first biofuel flight powered by jatropha seeds

India‘s first-ever environment friendly biofuel powered flight between Dehradun and Delhi was propelled

by blend of oil from jatropha seeds and aviation turbine fuel.

http://www.atalconclave.in/



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The 43-minute flight was operated by SpiceJet‘s Bombardier Q-400 aircraft, with 20 officials and five

crew members on board.

NVIDIA made deep learning technology partner of NITI Aayog for MoveHack

The Union Govt‘s premier think tank NITI Aayog made computer chip manufacturer NVIDIA its deep

learning technology partner to support its MoveHack event.

Corporate sports policy for CPSEs under Steel Ministry to provide support for sports

On August 28, 2018, Union Minister of Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh, unveiled the corporate sports

policy for Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under the Ministry of Steel.

It would provide a framework for promotion of sports by Steel Ministry CPSEs.

EU-India join hands to develop new Influenza vaccine

On 28th

August 2018, Indian government and the European Union (EU) partnered for Rs. 240 crore research

programme to develop a Next Generation Influenza Vaccine to protect people throughout the world.

EU and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, have committed EUR

15 million each to fund for this cause through ―Horizon 2020‖ programme.

The projects require 3 applicants from both 3 European member states and India respectively.

The call will be open till 16th

April 2019 to allow applicants from other countries to join the EU-India

consortia.The first information event was held in New Delhi on 27th

August 2018. 100 applicants both from

India and Europe participated in it.

Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel launched at L&T Shipyard in Chennai

On August 28, 2018, a Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel was launched at L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli

in Chennai.It is the third of series of the seven offshore patrol vessels under construction by L&T

Shipbuilding Ltd.

The length of the OPVs is 98 metre and breadth is 14.8 metre, with gross tonnage of 2100 tonne.

It will be used for surveillance along with anti-terrorist and anti-smuggling operations in exclusive economic

zone (EEZ) and for coastal security.

Dharmendra Pradhan Launches Online Portal For Common Carrier Capacity Booking On GAIL‘s

Pipelines

The Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra

Pradhan has launched an online portal for enabling easy, efficient and transparent booking of common

carrier capacity for natural gas transmission services under GAIL‘s pipelines.

Madhya Pradesh Government Seeks Revival Of Cheetah Reintroduction Project

The Madhya Pradesh forest department has written to the National Tiger Conservation Authority to

revive the plan to reintroduce cheetahs in the State‘s Nauradehi sanctuary.



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It was estimated that an amount of Rs 25 crore to Rs 30 crore would be needed to build an enclosure in an

area of 150 sq km for the cheetahs in Nauradehi.

NTCA, a statutory body under the Union environment ministry, had committed Rs 50 crore to the state for it

in 2011.MP houses six major reserves for the tiger and is often called as the ‗tiger state‘. Prominent among

them are Bandhavgarh, Pench and Kanha tiger reserves.

Government Constitutes New Science And Technology Council To Advise PM

The Union Government has constituted a 21-member science and technology council to advise Prime

Minister Narendra Modi on matters related to science, technology and innovations.

The council will be headed by K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific adviser to the Union Government.

The council has been named as Prime Minister's Science Technology and Innovation Advisory Committee

(PM-STIAC).

Cabinet approves additional 2 percent Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central Government employees

and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners w.e.f. 1st July, 2018

On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modihas approved an

additional installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief

(DR) to pensioners w.e.f. 01.07.2018.

Cabinet approves Umbrella scheme ―Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling

and Science (O-SMART)‖ of Ministry of Earth Sciences


Narendra Modi approved he umbrella scheme ―Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources

Modelling and Science (O-SMART)‖.

To help in addressing issues relating to Sustainable Development Goal-14: to conserve use of oceans,

marine resources

Cabinet Approvals as on August 29, 2018

On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave its approval for

increase in project outlay for the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) from Rs. 800 crore to Rs. 1,435

crore.

MoU signed for skill development of ―Arogyamitras‖ under PMJAY

A MoU was signed between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and National Health

Agency (NHA) to provide capacity building for Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) for

effective launch and implementation.

The MoU was signed by Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, NHA and Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC.



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2 new projects of Punjab and Tripura got sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme: Tourism

Ministry

On August 29, 2018, the Ministry of Tourism sanctioned two new projects under Heritage and North East

Circuits of Swadesh Darshan Scheme forRs 164.95 crore in Punjab and Tripura.

In Punjab:

i. In Punjab, the project covers sites of Anandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Chamkaur Sahib, Ferozpur,

Amritsar, Khatkar Kalan Kalanour Patiala at the cost of Rs 99.95 crore.

ii. The project includes development including Virtual Reality Shows, CCTV and Wi-Fi facilities, cafeterias,

open air theatre etc.

In Tripura:

i. The total project cost will be Rs 65 crore.

ii. The sites of Surma Cherra- Unakoti- Jampui Hills- Gunabati-Bhunaneshwari- Matabari- Neermahal-

Boxanagar- Chotta khola- Pilak- Avangchaarra have been covered under this.

India and ADB Sign $375 Million Loan to Improve Irrigation Efficiency in Madhya Pradesh

The government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $375 million loan agreement to

contribute to double farming incomes in Madhya Pradesh by expanding irrigation networks and system

efficiency.

The Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project will develop 125,000 hectares of new,

highly efficient and climate resilient irrigation networks and improve water use efficiency in more than 400

villages, benefiting over 800,000 people in Madhya Pradesh.

India inks $346 million loan agreement with ADB

India inked $346 million loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance Karnataka State

Highways Improvement III Project (KSHIP-III) for improvement of over 400 km of state highways in

Karnataka.

It will help in enhancement of connectivity and access to economic centres across 12 districts in Karnataka.

KSHIP-lll project will upgrade about 419 kilometers of state highways to two-and four-lane with paved

shoulders.

ADB to $245 million provide loan for safe, sustainable drinking water service in West Bengal

Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved financing package of $245 million to implement project for

providing safe, sustainable drinking water service to million people in three districts of West Bengal

affected by arsenic, fluoride, and salinity.

The project will provide continuous potable water through metered connections to about 390,000 individual

households in three districts of North 24 Parganas, Bankura and Purba Medinipur.

Odisha govt launches ‗Mu Hero, Mu Odisha‘ programme

The Odisha govt has launched ‗Mu Hero, Mu Odisha‘ (I am Hero-I am Odisha) programme to identify

and to give recognition to the young achievers of the state.



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The initiative is to be conducted by the Biju Yuva Vahini (BYV) members.

IBM partners with Indian IT companies

Global IT giant IBM has partnered with Indian IT companies for its ‗Call for Code‘ initiative that aims to

build global solutions for disaster management. Indian IT companies that will partner with IBM for

Call for Code initiative include Persistent Systems, Invest India, Wipro, Capgemini and NASSCOM.

It aims to bring startup, academic and enterprise developers together to respond to and recover from natural

disasters.

IBM and David Clark Cause are joining forces to benefit their charitable partners such as United Nations

Human Rights and American Red Cross.

Centre sanctions Rs 730 cr for Narmada project

On August 30, 2018, the Centre sanctioned Rs 730 crore for the Gujarat‘s Sardar Sarovar Dam project on

the Narmada river.

It also granted soft loan of Rs 1,500 crore for the state‘s other irrigation projects.

The Rs. 1500 crore loan will be repaid by the state in 15 years, with installments starting after a three-

year grace period.

Odisha partnered with 2 US based agencies to eradicate malaria

On August 30, 2018, Odisha government signed an MOU with two US-based agencies to eradicted

malaria.The 2 agencies are: ‗Malaria No More‘ and ‗Malaria Elimination Trust‘.

They will prepare a strategy on how to overcome the disease and help in preparing the public awareness

campaign materials.

The state has an existing anti-malaria campaign called: the Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran

(DAMaN) Scheme that has brough down 85% of the malaria cases.

ICAR Organizes 2-Day Conference On Motivating & Attracting Youth in Agriculture

In order to meet the challenge of providing sustainable livelihoods for a rapidly growing population and to

motivate and attract youth in agriculture, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director

General (ICAR), inaugurated a two-day conference at NASC, New Delhi on Motivating and Attracting

Youth in Agriculture (MAYA).

Indian Railways And GAIL Sign MoU For Use Of Natural Gas in Railway Workshops

In order to replace Industrial gases like Dissolved Acetylene, LPG, BMCG and Furnace Oil / High Speed

Diesel (HSD) oil with environment friendly Natural Gas, Indian Railways has signed a MoU with GAIL

(India) Limited, to provide infrastructure facilities for supply of Natural Gas to Indian Railways Workshops,

Production Units and Depots at Rail Bhavan..

IWAI Makes India‘s 1st Standardised Modern Ship Design for Ganga a Reality

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) made public 13 standardised state-of-the-art ship designs

suitable for large barge haulage on river Ganga (National Waterway-1). This marks attaining a critical



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milestone in the growth of the country‘s Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector. The Government is

implementing Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) for capacity augmentation of navigation on NW-1

(Varanasi-Haldia stretch) at a cost of Rs 5369.18 crore with the technical assistance and investment

support of the World Bank.


‗One District, One product‘ scheme launched in Odisha : MSME Minister

On August 31, 2018, Union MSME Minister Giriraj Singh announced the launch of ‗One District One

Product‘ scheme in Odisha at a function of the SC-ST State Conclave cum Exhibition under National

SC-ST Hub.

To provide market link to farmers and make small industries successful in the state.

Under this scheme, the Union MSME secretary Arun Panda will be conducting a survey of the potential

of the MSME sector. Additionally, farmers of Kandhamal district will be taken to Maharashtra for agro

cluster training and 50,000 agro entrepreneurs will be imparted training in Odisha.

National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) signs MoUs to skill Odisha youth

On 30th

August 2018, National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) signed MoUs to enhance

technology adoption in MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) to enhance skills of youths in

Odisha.

The MoUs are as follows:

NSIC signed a MoU with SAP India Pvt Ltd:to utilise the network of NSIC Technical Services Centres

and other institutions under its administrative control to develop a future-ready workforce through training

on ‗Business One‘ software.

NSIC signed a MoU with Rourkela Steel Plantand National Scheduled Tribe Finance Development

Corporation (NSTFDC): to establish a livelihood business incubator at Rourkela to improve self-

employment potential of tribal youths.NSIC signed a MoU with Small Industries Development Bank of

India (SIDBI): to offer financial support to village-level entrepreneurs.

3 new districts created via passing of Arunachal Pradesh Re-Organisation of Districts (Amendment)

Bill 2018

On August 31, 2018, the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly passed a bill for the creation of three new districts

namely- Pakke-Kesang, Lepa Rada and Shi Yomi, in the state. The name of the bill is the Arunachal

Pradesh Re-Organisation of Districts (Amendment) Bill 2018.

ii. Now Arunachal Pradesh would have 25 districts in total after the addition of these 3 districts from earlier

22.

The Pakke-Kessang district will be carved out of East Kameng district with five administrative units with

district headquarters at Lemmi.




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The Lepa Rada district would be created by bifurcating the Lower Siang district with headquarters

at Basar with 4 administrative units.

PUDA 360: Punjab‘s e-properties module launched by CM of Punjab

On August 31, 2018, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh launched PUDA360 module to facilitate

online property transactions.

The facility has been provided by Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA).

Assam Government extends AFSPA in the state for 6 more months.

On August 31, 2018, the state government of Assam sought extension under Section 3 Armed Forces

(Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) for another 6 months declaring entire state as ‗Disturbed Area‘.

This Act will be in continuation till the National Register of Citizen (NRC) is updated.

The final draft NRC is likely to be published by end of 2018.

AFSPA was enacted in 1958 to bring ‗disturbed‘ areas declared under it under control. It empowers both

state and central government to declare areas as ‗disturbed‘ due to differences or disputes between members

of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities.

Government To Launch National Mission On GeM

The National Mission on Government e Marketplace (GeM) will be launched on 5th September 2018 to

accelerate the adoption and use of GeM by major central Ministries, State Governments and their agencies.

The aim of the National Mission is to promote inclusiveness, transparency and efficiency in public

procurement and achieve cashless, contactless and paperless transaction.

International News

United States to grant India the STA 1 trading status

US President Donald Trump decided to grant India the STA-1 (Strategic Trade Authorization) status

equivalent to American allies for procurement of military weapons. This is a big rebuff to China for

blocking India‘s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). India became a member of three of these,

except for NSG where China has continued to block a consensus.

Pakistans PTI invited MQM P to form the federal government

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party after winning the majority in Pakistan‘s Parliamentary election

invited the support of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to form the federal

government. PTI‘s Jahangir Tareen flew to Karachi from Islamabad to meet with MQM-P to invite

https://www.fresherslive.com/current-affairs/articles/united-states-to-grant-india-the-sta-1-trading-status-14586

https://www.fresherslive.com/current-affairs/articles/pakistans-pti-invited-mqm-p-to-form-the-federal-government-14572

https://www.fresherslive.com/current-affairs/articles/pakistans-pti-invited-mqm-p-to-form-the-federal-government-14572



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them to join the PTI-led government. In the July 25 election, the party MQM-P won 6 National Assembly

seats, 4 in Karachi and 2 in Hyderabad.

India levies 25% safeguard duty on import of solar cells

With the aim of protecting the domestic solar industry, India imposed a safeguard duty on solar cell

imports for a year till July 29, 2019. This imposes safeguard duty accounts to 25% on the imports of solar

cells. According to the notification, the safeguard duty will not be imposed on imports from developing

countries, except China and Malaysia.

North Korea builds intercontinental ballistic missiles

Washington Post reported that North Korea seems to be building one or two new liquid-fueled

intercontinental ballistic missiles at a factory at Sanumdong.

It also said that the advancement of the missiles is unknown. North Korea has produced the country‘s first

missiles which are capable of reaching the United States. This is the latest evidence that suggests the

ongoing activity at North Korea‘s nuclear and missile facilities despite of the Singapore Summit in June

between the US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

India, Germany sign pact for collaboration in area of sustainable urban development

India and Germany signed an agreement on financial and technical cooperation.According to this

agreement, Germany will give nearly Rs 8,500 crore (1,055 million Euros) for development of India.

The agreement was signed between German Ambassador to India Martin Ney from the German side and

Joint Secretary, (Department of Economic Affairs), Finance Ministry, Sameer Kumar Khare from the

Indian side.2018 marks 60 years of bilateral development cooperation between India and

Germany.Germany:

♦ Capital: Berlin.

♦ Currency: Euro.

♦ Prime Minister: Angela Merkel.

First ‗Nepal-India Think Tank‘ Summit held in Kathmandu for bilateral cooperation

On July 31, 2018, First ‗Nepal-India Think Tank‘ Summit held in Kathmandu, Nepal.

To foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the think tanks of the two countries.It was

inaugurated by Former Prime Minister of Nepal and Co-Chairman of ruling Nepal Communist

Party, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‗Prachanda‘.It was jointly organized by the Asian Institute of

Diplomacy and International Affairs and Nehru Memorial Museum Library.It consisted of 4 sessions.

They are :

1st session- Building innovative cooperation between Indo-Nepal think tanks,

2nd session- Bolstering bilateral economic ties for the shared prosperity,

3rd session- Managing security dilemma,

4th session- Redefining Nepal-India relations in 21st century.

https://www.fresherslive.com/current-affairs/articles/india-levies-25-safeguard-duty-on-import-of-solar-cells-14594

https://www.fresherslive.com/current-affairs/articles/india-levies-25-safeguard-duty-on-import-of-solar-cells-14594

https://www.fresherslive.com/current-affairs/articles/north-korea-builds-intercontinental-ballistic-missiles--14587



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The summit will be hosted alternatively in Nepal and India annually.

India imposed safeguard duty on solar cells imports from China and Malaysia for two years

India imposed safeguard duty on solar panels imported from China and Malaysia. for 2 years.

To protect domestic players from losing the market to them. This was recommended by the Directorate

General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the commerce ministry.As per the notice from Finance

Ministry,

United States Congress Passes NDA Act 2019 Capping US Aid To Pakistan To $150 Million

The United States Congress has passed the National Defense Authorisation Act-2019 (NDAA-19) which

limited itssecurity-related aid to Pakistan to $150 million, significantly below the historic level of more

than $ one billion to $750 million per year.

The legislation reduces the total amount of funds provided for reimbursement to Pakistan to $150 million.

This is a significant reduction from the $700 million that was authorised through Coalition Support Fund

(CSF) last year.

UAE Launches Amnesty Programme To Aid Foreign Visa Violators

The UAE has launched a three-month visa amnesty programme. It will benefit hundreds of illegal foreign

workers, including Indians, overstaying their permits by allowing them to leave the country without

penalties and giving them six months to find a job.

The UAE is home to 2.8 million Indian expatriates, the largest expatriate community in the country. The

programme will allow the workers to leave the country without paying penalty and it will also give them six

months to find a job.

France‘s Parliament Signed Into Law, Asylum And Immigration Bill

France‘s Parliament Signed Into Law, Asylum And Immigration Bill. The bill is designed to accelerate

asylum procedures by cutting the maximum processing time from the current 120 days to 90 days after

entering France.

The text was adopted on a final reading by 100 votes in favour to 25 against with 11 abstentions. The

Senate had rejected the bill, but the Lower House passed the text as President Emmanuel Macron‘s La

Republique En Marche party holds a large majority, even if the law has exposed divisions within his own

camp.

India & Japan to cooperate in bamboo sector in Tripura

On August 3, 2018, a team from the Japanese Embassy in New Delhi and stakeholders in the Bamboo

handicraft sector of Tripura took part in a workshop called ‗Bridging Japan and India by Bamboo‘.

i. The Japanese team, led by Kenko Sone, Minister, Economic and Development, Embassy of Japan,

India.A Rs 1000-crore soft loan agreement is going to be signed between JICA and Tripura

Government.Japan will help the Indian artisans get machines needed for greater production.

Indo-US Military Cooperation Meeting Held In New Delhi



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A two-day Indo-US Military Cooperation Meeting began in New Delhi as a prelude to 2 plus 2

Dialogue between the two countries scheduled next month.

The meeting was co-chaired by Lt Gen Satish Dua, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the chairman,

Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) and Lt Gen Bryan Fenton, Deputy Commander, Indo-Pacific

Command.India and the US were also working to have a joint drill of all the three armed forces of the two

countries.

Japan Pips China To Become World's 2nd Largest Stock Market

Japan has pipped China as the world's number two stock market, according to a Bloomberg report. At one of

the time, the Chinese market was worth $6.09 trillion next to Japan's $6.17 trillion.

Both markets are ranked after the US which is the world's largest at just over $31 trillion. China lost to

Japan after Chinese stocks and currency fell this year amid a trade spat with the US.

Japan Capital- Tokyo, Currency- Japanese yen, PM- Shinzo Abe.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meet Held In Singapore

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong chaired the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in

Singapore.

The meeting emphasised the need for ASEAN countries to be united to avoid repercussions amid trade

tensions between the United States and its long-time trading partners, including China, the EU and Canada.

ASEAN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The 33rd ASEAN Summit will be held in November 2018.

ASEAN:

♦ Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia.

♦ Member: 10 countries, 2 observers.

UK Announces New Organ Donation Plan To Address Indian-Origin Shortages

The UK government has announced new plans to change the law for organ and tissue donation to address

the urgent need for organs within the Indian-origin communities in the country.

The proposed new system of consent for organ and tissue donation is expected to come into effect in

England in 2020, as part of a drive to help Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people desperately

waiting for a life-saving transplant.

India-Israel collaborate to strengthen sectors of agriculture, health & environment Six Israeli startups working on healthcare, agriculture and water management sectors have been selected

under the ―Israel-India Bridge to Innovation‖ program to interact with various Indian businesses. The 6

startups that have been selected include: Amaizz, Biofeed, Zebra Medical, MobileODT, etc.

World‘s First Intertidal Art Gallery Opened in Maldives The Intertidal art gallery called Coralarium is located at the Fairmont Madives Sirru Fen Fushi resort.The

Art Gallery is filled with around 30 Sculptures acting as a habitat for coral and other marine species.

It is Designed by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor.The frame of the gallery is made up of pH-neutral

marine steel and designed to reflect the blue hues surrounding it.

India elected president of Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development for 2 years



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On August 4, 2018, India was elected as the President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting

Development (AIBD) for a period of two years. India won for the first time against Iran.

Director General of All India Radio F. Sheheryar was re-elected as chair of the executive board.

Sri Lanka was elected as vice-chair.This took place at the 44th

annual gathering of AIBD in Colombo in

August 3,2018.

The three-day gathering was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Minister of Finance and mass media Mangala

Samarweera.

About Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (ABID):

♦ Established: 1977.

♦ Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.

♦ Under UNESCO.

♦ Member states: 26 countries.

Saudi Arabia Freezes Trade Ties With Canada

Saudi Arabia has announced that it is freezing all new trade and investment with Canada over its

interference in its internal affairs.

The Saudi foreign ministry expelled the Canadian ambassador and recalled its own envoy in Canada.

Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh, Currency: Saudi riyal.

Canada Capital: Ottawa, Currency: Canadian dollar.

Pacific Endeavor-2018 Under MCIP Starts in Kathmandu

Pacific Endeavor-2018, a communication exercise under the Multinational Communications

Interoperability Program (MCIP) started in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The basic objective of 12 day exercise is to develop common communications operating procedures to

enable military forces in the Asia Pacific region to collectively work in the wake of disaster.

Around 270 personnel from 20 Asia-Pacific Countries are participating in the exercise, which is jointly

organised by the Nepali Army and United States Pacific Command.

10th round of talks between India and Sri Lanka to widen scope for free trade agreement to be

finalized by December On August 6, 2018, India and Sri Lanka are going to hold the 10

th round of talks on free trade

agreements and aims at concluding the negotiations by December.

The Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement (ETCA) would help in boosting economic ties

between the two countries by liberalising trade norms.

3rd India-Nepal Coordination Meeting Starts In New Delhi

The 3rd India-Nepal Coordination meeting was started in New Delhi. A seven-member delegation from

Nepal, headed by Inspector General of Nepal Armed Police Force Shailendra Khanal will take part in

the three-day meeting.

During the meeting, several important matters like security scenario along the border, coordination meetings

at field level, sharing of information about crimes and criminals, training of armed police personnel and

mutual visits by officers of two countries will be discussed.

Pakistan, Russia sign agreement

Pakistan and Russia signed contract on admission of service members of Pakistan in Russia‘s Military

Training Institutes.

It was signed at conclusion of first meeting of Russia-Pakistan Joint Military Consultative Committee

(JMCC), the highest forum of defence collaboration between both countries held in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

This will be for first time, Pakistani soldiers will undergo training at Russian military institutes.



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Tokyo 2020 becomes 1st Olympics to deploy facial recognition technology to increase security

Tokyo 2020 is going to become the first Olympics to use facial recognition technology to increase security

around all venues.

Games organisers have partnered with Japanese telecommunications and information technology giant NEC

to develop the first system of this kind to be implemented at an Olympics games.

The technology will use IC chips within identification cards to automatically verify the identity of those

entering over 40 sporting venues.

The technology takes only 0.3 seconds to match up face with pre-registered photo, making it world‘s fastest

such system.

Exercise SCO Peace Mission 2018 To Be Conducted in Russia

As part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) initiatives, SCO Peace Mission Exercise is

conducted biennially for SCO member states. The joint exercise for the year 2018 will be conducted by

Central Military Commission of Russia from 22 August to 29 August 2018 at Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk,

Russia.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an eight-member multilateral

organization, established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan,

Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan also became the full member of SCO along with India, taking its membership to 8. After the

expansion of membership, SCO represents approximately 42% of the world‘s population, 20% of its GDP

and 22% of the landmass.

Israel Opens Visa Application Centre In Kolkata

Israel has opened a Visa Application Centre in Kolkata for tourists from West Bengal and the

northeastern states to encourage more Indian travelers to visit that country.

Israel recently announced a reduction in visa fees to INR 1,100 rupees from its previous 1,700 charged

from Indians.

Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018 Begins in Birgunj

Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018 has begun in Birgunj, Nepal. The festival was inaugurated by Chief

Minister of Province 2 Mohammad Lalbabu Raut. The festival is aimed at strengthening Indo-Nepal

ties.

ii. On this occasion, eminent writers from both the countries were also felicitated. Around 250 participants

from India and Nepal attending the two-day festival. The event is organised by Nepal India Co-operation

Forum.

Meeting Of Senior Officials Of BIMSTEC Held

A special meeting of Senior Officials of the Bay of Bengal Initiatives for Multi-Sectoral, Technical and

Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was held in Kathmandu today.

The meeting also agreed to recommend a theme "Towards a peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay

of Bengal Region" for the Summit.



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24th World Congress of Philosophy held in Beijing

The 24th World Congress of Philosophy (WCP), organized by the International Federation

of Philosophical Societies, and Peking University, held in Beijing, China with the theme ‗Learning To Be

Human‘.

This was first time that the quinquennial (once in five year) event held in China.

Vienna named world‘s most liveable city

Austrian capital Vienna has been ranked as world‘s most liveable city among 140 major cities in 2018

Global Liveability Index released by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

This is first time that European city has topped rankings of EIU annual survey.

Global Liveability Index released by EIU compares world cities with each other in terms of security,

affordability, education, healthcare, its urban lifestyle and infrastructure.

Vienna, Austria with total score of 99.1 topped the list followed by Melbourne, Australia (98.4) and

Osaka, Japan (97.7). New Delhi had figured at 112th and Mumbai 117th position in list.

Campaign against sexual abuse of children launched by Amnesty International India

On August 17, 2018, Amnesty International India launched a new campaign named ‗Our Safety, Our

Rights‘, among children against sexual abuse.

The campaign will culminate on October 11 – International Day of the Girl Child.

To help them understand and identify sexual abuse.

The campaign in collaboration with Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, People‘s Action for Rural Awakening

(PARA) and Institute of Social Education.

This include schools in Amnesty International India‘s Human Rights Education network in Madhya

Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

iv. This would empower children to speak up and report sexual abuse without fear.

US Forms ‗Iran Action Group‘ For Post-Nuclear Deal Policy

US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo announced the formation of the Iran Action Group (IAG) to

coordinate and run the country's policy towards Iran.

Pompeo has named Brian Hook, the State Department's director of policy planning, as the group‘s

head. The aim behind the formation of IAG is to change the Iranian regime's behaviour.

Qatar To Invest 15 billion in Turkey‘s Financial Markets And Banks

Qatar King Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has pledged to make direct investment in

Turkey and announced a 15-billion US dollar investment into the country‘s financial markets and banks.

The announcement came after holding talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in

Ankara. Turkey is currently grappling with a currency crisis and heightened tensions with the United States,

its NATO ally.

Eleventh World Hindi Conference Begins In Mauritius

The 11th World Hindi Conference begins in Mauritius. Prime Minister of Mauritius Praveen Kumar

Jagannath will inaugurate the conference in Port Louis.

―Hindi World and Indian Culture‖ is the theme of conference.



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World Hindi Conference was started in 1975 to make Hindi language a medium of service and

knowledge and enable it to move forward with the time.

MauritiusCapital: Port Louis,,Currency: Mauritian rupee

18th Edition Of Asian Games To Begin In Jakarta, Indonesia

The 18th edition of the Asian Games officially kick off in Indonesian capital Jakarta. The opening

ceremony will take place at Jakarta‘s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

Around 11,000 athletes from 45 countries will be seen competing in 40 sports and 67 disciplines

consisting of 28 Olympic sports, 4 new Olympic sports, and 8 non-Olympic sports.

Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra will be India‘s flag-bearer at the expected-to-be-glittering opening

ceremony.

World‘s oldest cheese discovered from Egyptian Tomb

World‘s oldest cheese has been discovered inside an Egyptian tomb.

The world‘s oldest cheese was found in the tomb of Ptahmes, mayor of Memphis in Egypt during the 13th

century BC. His tomb was first unearthed in 1885.


Panini Language Laboratory Inaugurated In Mauritius To Promote Hindi

The External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated ‗Panini Language Laboratory‘ at

Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) in Mauritius.

The lab is gifted by the Indian government and it will help MGI in teaching Indian languages in

Mauritius.The Education Minister of Mauritius Leela Devi Dookun and other dignitaries were also present

on the occasion.

99 million-year-old beetle trapped in amber discovered in Myanmar.

On August 19, 2018, Scientists discovered a two-millimeter-long beetle trapped in amber that dates back

to 99 million year.

To explore the beetle‘s family tree, researchers also conducted an extensive phylogenetic analysis.The study

published in the journal Current Biology.

It reveals that an ancient boganiid beetle preserved in Burmese amber has been found along with grains of

cycad pollen.

It was named Cretoparacucujus cycadophilus : Greek word Kykas (meaning cycad ) and philia

(meaning friendly love or affection).

Esala Maha Perehera starts in Kandy

The historic Esala Maha Perehera has been started in Kandy, Sri Lanka on Aug 17 with a grand

procession.




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The procession set off from the biggest Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, Sri Dalada Maligawa at an

auspicious time.The Esala Perahera is one of the oldest and grandest of all Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka,

featuring dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers and lavishly decorated elephants.

Germany surpasses Japan again with world‘s largest current account surplus: Ifo

On 20th

August 2018, the Ifo institute said that, Germany‘s current account surplus will remain the

world‘s largest in 2018, in spite of increased trade tensions.

Germany – world‘s largest current account surplus:

Current account surplus measures the flow of goods, services and investments.

Germany‘s current account surplus will remain the world‘s largest for the third year in 2018 at $299 billion.

It is followed by Japan in second position with $200 billion. The Netherlands would be third with a

current account surplus of around 110 billion dollars.

India, Japan Agree To Expand Maritime Co-Operation To Ensure Peace & Stability In Indo-Pacific

Region

India and Japan has resolved to expand their maritime cooperation and work together to ensure peace and

stability in the Indo-Pacific region, which is witnessing growing Chinese assertiveness.

In their wide ranging talks, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Japanese counterpart Itsunori

Onodera also agreed to deepen the overall defence cooperation between the two countries including in areas

of co-development of military platforms and weapons.

First-ever IAF-RMAF joint air exercise begins in Malaysia

On August 20 2018, The first-ever joint air exercise involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the the

Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) commenced at Subang Air Base in Malaysia. This is the inaugural

bilateral exercise between IAF & RMAF.

It was inaugurated by Gp Capt CUV Rao, team leader IAF & Col Mahadzer, Ex director of RMAF. It‘s a

platform to exchange Knowledge & Good practices with each other.

RMAF and IAF ended its first ever bilateral exercise launching two Sukhoi Su-30MKM and Su-30MKI

Flankers each from Subang airport.

World‘s first 4D printing for ceramics developed

On August 20 2018,Scientists have developed the world‘s first 4D printing for ceramics, that can be used to

create complex, shape-changing objects.Ceramic has a high melting point, so it is difficult to use

conventional laser printing to make ceramics.

The existing 3D-printed ceramic precursors are usually difficult to deform, also hinder the production of

ceramics with complex shapes.

Now this drawback has been resolved by scientists new innovates novel ‗ceramic ink‘, which is a mixture

of polymers and ceramic nanoparticles.



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Iran unveils first domestic fighter jet:Kowsar

On August 21,2018 Iran unveiled its first domestic fighter jet ―Kowsar‖ which means river in paradise in

Islam,at the National Defence Industry exhibition in Tehran,which is 100 percent indigenously made.

President Hassan Rouhani insisting that Tehran‘s military strength was only designed to deter enemies and

create ―lasting peace‖.

Never-Before-Seen Megalithic Mass Grave From 5,000 Years Ago Discovered in Kenya

It was 5,000 years ago. In Africa‘s shifting environment, an early society came together on the shores of

Kenya‘s Lake Turkana, and they built something so rare and remarkable.

i. Five millennia later, an international team of archaeologists has now uncovered what this ancient structure

was: a massive, monumental cemetery, the earliest and largest of its kind in eastern Africa.

4th BIMSTEC Summit To Be Held in Kathmandu

The fourth Summit of Heads of State/Government of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral

Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will be held at Kathmandu in Nepal on August 30 and

31.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the summit. During the two-day Summit, leaders of

member states will review progress achieved so far in the areas of cooperation and provide guidance to the

future work of the BIMSTEC.

35% of cyber-attacks on Indian sites from China

According to recent report by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), maximum

number of cyber-attacks on official Indian websites are from China, US and Russia.

It had analysed cyber-attacks from Apr-Jun 2018. Cyber-attacks originating from China account for largest

35% of total number of cyber-attacks on official Indian websites followed by US (17%), Russia (15%),

Pakistan (9%), Canada (7%) and Germany (5%).

European wind survey satellite ―Aeolus‖ launched from French Guyana

On August 23, 2018, Europe launched a rocket named ―Aeolus‖ from French Guyana.

This satellite will be put into orbit at an altitude of 320 kilometres (200 miles) above the Earth which will

track global winds, allowing for improved weather forecasting.

World Bank Launches World's 1st Blockchain Bond

The World Bank launched ‗bond-i', the world‘s first bond to be created, allocated, transferred and

managed by using distributed ledger technology. This two-year bond successfully raised 110 million

Australian dollars (USD 80.48 million).

This was the first time that investors supported the World Bank‘s development activities in a transaction that

is fully managed using the blockchain technology from start to finish.

Treasurer Scott Morrison Elected New Prime Minister of Australia

Treasurer Scott Morrison has been elected the new Prime Minister of Australia after winning an internal

vote of 45-40 against former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

Morrison will take over the charge as PM from Malcolm Turnbull.



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G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting held in Argentina

The G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting has been held in Salta, Argentina with the theme

‗Building consensus for fair and sustainable development‘. It took place as part of Sherpa Track for 2018 G20 Leaders‘ Summit, which is to be hosted by Argentina by

end of 2018.

India was represented by Union Minister for Electronics and IT & Law and Justice Ravi Shankar

Prasad.

3rd Indian Ocean Conference held in Hanoi

The third edition of Indian Ocean Conference has been held in Hanoi, capital city of Vietnam with the

theme ‗Building Regional Architectures‘.

It was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Vietnamese counterpart Pham

Binh Min, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

It was organised by India Foundation in association with Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, S

Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Institute of International

and Strategic Studies.

9th edition of Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2018 held in Bhutan

From 23rd

to 25th

August 2018, 9th edition of Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2018 was held

in Thimphu, Bhutan.

This festival is an initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation and Siyahi, an Indian literary agency.

ii. It was presented by the Jaypee Group and powered by the Department of Tourism, Government of

Rajasthan.

This year‘s festival celebrated 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan.The

festival focused on Spirituality and Philosophy, Performing Arts, Environmental Conservation, Food, Film

& Theatre, etc.

4th Asian Electoral Stakeholders Forum Begins In Colombo

In Sri Lanka, the fourth Asian electoral stakeholders forum (AESF-IV) will begin in Colombo to discuss

the state of elections and democracy in the region.The theme is, ‗Advancing Election Transparency and

Integrity: Promoting and Defending Democracy Together‘.India is being represented by Chief

Electoral Officer of Maharashtra Ashwini Kumar and an NGO.

India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee Meeting Held in Kenya

The 8th meeting of India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee was held in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting was co-

chaired by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu and Mr Peter

Munya, Cabinet Secretary (Minister) for Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Government of Kenya.

A meeting of India-Kenya Joint Business Council was held on the sidelines of the Joint Trade Committee

meeting.

Sweden Launches ‗Feminist Foreign Policy‘ Manual

Sweden has released a handbook of its ―feminist foreign policy‖ for rights groups and foreign

governments.



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It showcases lessons from the Scandinavian nation‘s flagship approach to promoting women‘s rights

globally. It has been led by Sweden‘s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom.

Govt inks $300 million agreement with World Bank

The Union Govt has inked $220 million Loan Agreement with World Bank to scale-up Inida‘s Energy

Efficiency Program.

It also signed $80 million guarantee agreement with World Bank.

The loan will be provided to EESL by World Bank through its lending arm International Bank for

Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

It has maturity of 19 years and 5-year grace period.

The $80 million IBRD guarantee will partially cover re-payment risks to commercial lenders or

World‘s smallest medical robot sets Guinness record

Scientists have made a new Guinness World Record by developing the world‘s smallest medical

robot.The robot is only 120 nanometres in size. It would help in cancer and Alzheimer‘s treatments in the

future.

Bolivian woman Julia Flores Colque might be world‘s oldest at nearly 118

Julia Flores Colque of Bolivia is 117 years and 10 months old. She would be the oldest woman in Bolivia

and the world.

But a Guinness World Record on her as world‘s oldest person has not been confirmed yet.

3rd Edition of World‘s Biggest Open Innovation Model ‗Smart India Hackathon- 2019‘ Launched

The third edition of World‘s Biggest Open Innovation Model - Smart India Hackathon 2019 - was

launched by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi.

MHRD, AICTE, Persistent Systems and i4c have joined hands to make a hat trick with their highly popular

and innovative Smart India Hackathon initiative (SIH).

For the 1st time, Private industry/organisations and NGOs can also send their problem statements to

students under SIH-2019.

1st SAARC Agri Cooperative Business Forum Begins In Kathmandu

The First South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Agri Cooperative Business Forum

has begun in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The theme of three-day Forum is the ‗Organizing and Strengthening Family Farmers‘ Cooperatives to

attain the Sustainable-Development-Goals-1 and 2 in South Asia‘.

Germany to provide Euro 120 million soft loan for Clean Ganga Mission

Germany announced to provide soft loan of euro 120 million (Rs. 990 crore approximately) to India to

strengthen sewage water treatment infrastructure in Uttarakhand in an effort to clean River Ganga under

Clean Ganga Mission.

German development agency GIZ has prepared ‗Ganga Box‘ aimed to target schools-going children and

inform them about the river.



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It will be used for project focusing on extension and replacement of sewerage system (around 360

kilometres) including complete house connection, construction of sewage treatment plants (STPs) of around

15 million litres per day (mld).

Foreigners barred from flying drones in India: RPAS

On August 30, 2018, as per the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) regulations, foreigners have

been barred from flying drones in India.

For commercial purpose, they need to lease RPAS to an Indian entity who in-turn will obtain UIN and

UAOP from DGCA.

PM Modi Arrives In Nepal To Attend BIMSTEC Summit

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kathmandu to attend the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for

Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

He will hold bilateral meetings with regional leaders, including Sri Lankan President Maithripala

Sirisena and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.The theme of the meet is ‗Towards a peaceful,

prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region‘. BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising

Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22

per cent of the global population.

6th RCEP Ministerial Meeting Begins In Singapore

Union Minister of Commerce& Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, is leading the Indian

delegation for the 6th RCEP Trade Ministers’ Meeting which has begun in Singapore.

The Minister will participate in the meeting consisting of 10 ASEAN countries and six ASEAN FTA

partners namely, India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Vostok-2018: Russia To Conduct Largest Military Exercise

Russia will next month hold its biggest war games since at least the 1980s, with around 300,000 troops and

1,000 aircraft. The exercise will involve units from the Army, Air Force and Navy.

The Vostok-2018 exercises will be carried out from September 11 to 15 in the country‘s east with the

participation of China and Mongolia.About 3,200 People‘s Liberation Army (PLA) troops and 30 aircraft

will take part in the joint exercises in the Tsugol training range in Russia‘s far east Trans-Baikal region.

New Appointments

C B Ananthakrishnan assumes charge as Director (Finance) of HAL

On 1st August 2018, C B Ananthakrishnan took charge as Director (Finance) of Hindustan Aeronautics

Ltd (HAL).

C B Ananthakrishnan – Director (Finance) of HAL:

Earlier, C B Ananthakrishnan was the Executive Director (Finance) at HAL Corporate Office.



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About Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL):

♦ Chairman and Managing Director – T Suvarna Raju

♦ Incorporated – 1940

Deepak Parekh reappointed HDFC director

HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh was reappointed as non-executive director on the board of Housing

Development Finance Corp. Ltd (HDFC), though 22.64% of the shareholders voted against his

continuation. J.J. Irani and Keki Mistry too got reappointment as directors to HDFC's board with more

favourable votes.

Emmerson Mnangagwa re-elected as Zimbabwe president

On August 3, 2018, Incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa has been re-elected as Zimbabwe‘s president.75-

year-old Mnangagwa, of the ruling ZANU-PF party, won 50.8 percent against Nelson Chamisa, of the

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance.

Zimbabwe:

♦ Capital: Harare.

♦ Currency: USD, Euro, Pound Sterling.

PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi To Step Down As CEO

PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi will step down in October after serving for 12 years as the top boss at the

global beverage giant, PepsiCo. Indian-origin Indra Nooyi was the first ever woman to be appointed the

CEO at PepsiCo, in the year 2006.

She will be succeeded by company President Ramon Laguarta, who has held the post since 2017. She will

remain chairman till 2019.

Raveendran Kasthuri has assumed charge as new CEO of the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-

operative Society Ltd (ULCCS)

Raveendran Kasthuri, a Kannur native, has assumed charge as new CEO of the Uralungal Labour

Contract Co-operative Society Ltd (ULCCS) on August 6. ULCCS is one of the largest Co-operative

Societies in India. Earlier, he was with IBM as its vice president and head of integrated operation. The

ULCCS was formed in 1925 by the eminent social reformer Guru Vagbhatananda in a remote hamlet called

Uralungal in Kozhikode district, as a novel mass movement against the anarchies of the caste system

prevalent in those days.

The first Indian have been selected in ICANN- Ajay Data

Ajay Data has got a two-year term and will take up the position during ICANN 63 Meet in Spain in

October 2018. Ajay Data is the first Indian to have been selected as a member of ccNSO and will be

representing India at a global level. He will be the custodian of Asia, Australia and Pacific Islands as a

member of ccNSO. ccNSO of the ICANN is the policy-development body for global issues.

https://www.fresherslive.com/current-affairs/articles/deepak-parekh-reappointed-hdfc-director-14585



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Anurag Sachan appointed MD, DFCCIL

Anurag Sachan was appointed as Managing Director of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of

India Ltd. (DFCCIL).

Sachan, a 1981-batch officer of Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE), is at present Chief

Administrative Officer of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project.He has been appointed to the

post for a period up to July 31, 2020.

About DFCCIL

3 HC judges appointed as Supreme Court justices

On August 4, 2018, 3 High court judges were appointed to the Supreme Court,.

The appointed judges are:

Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph,

Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and

Orissa HC Chief Justice Vineet Saran.

Man Mohan Bhanot : the next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the

Republic of Equitorial Guinea

On August 4, 2018, Man Mohan Bhanot appointed as the next Ambassador Extraordinary and

Plenipotentiary of India to the Republic of Equitorial Guinea.

He will be the first resident Ambassador of India to the Republic of Equitorial Guinea.

He is presently Ambassador to Syria.

Republic of Equitorial Guinea:

♦ Capital: Malabo

♦ Currency: Central African CFA Franc.

Nikhil Nanda Appointed As Chairman And MD of Escorts

Farm and construction equipment maker Escorts appointed Nikhil Nanda as the chairman and managing

director (MD) of the company.

He succeeded his father Rajan Nanda who passed away earlier this week after a brief illness.

Aditya Vikram and Pramod Chandra Mody appointed CBDT members

On 6th

August 2018, the government appointed Aditya Vikram and Pramod Chandra Mody as members

of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

Aditya Vikram & Pramod Chandra Mody – members of CBDT:

Pramod Chandra Mody is a 1982 batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer. He is the principal

chief commissioner, Mumbai.

After these two appointments, there is a vacancy of two more members in CBDT. Other two members of

CBDT are: Shabri Bhattasali and Arbind Modi.

About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT):



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♦ Composition – a Chairman & 6 Members

♦ Chairman – Sushil Chandra

S Gopakumar joins United India Insurance as Director & GM

On 7th

August 2018, United India Insurance Company appointed S Gopakumar as its Director and General

Manager with immediate effect.

S Gopakumar – Director & GM of United India Insurance:

Earlier, S Gopakumar was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of GIC Housing Finance Ltd.

About United India Insurance:

♦ Head Office – Chennai

♦ Incorporated – 1938

Centre appoints Swaminathan Gurumurthy and Satish Marathe as non-official directors

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved appointment of Chartered Accountant,

Swaminathan Gurumurthy and businessman, Satish Kashinath Marathe as another non-official director

on Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

They have been appointed for period of four years.

RBI‘s Central Board of Directors comprises RBI Governor, Deputy Governors (maximum 4),

four non-official Directors which are nominated by Central Government (each Non-official

director represents the local Boards located in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai

representing 4 regions of India).

Harivansh Narayan Singh Elected Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha

NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman with 125

votes. The Opposition candidate BK Hariprasad managed to get 105 votes.

Mr Singh is an MP from the Janata Dal (United) and a Parliamentarian from Bihar and a former journalist.

Ivan Duque Sworn In As Colombia‘s Next President

Ivan Duque was sworn in as the newly elected President of Colombia. He pledged to unite the country and

improve economic growth.

He pledged changes to tackle corruption and invigorate the economy and vowed to change the peace deal

with the FARC rebel group.

Chile's Michelle Bachelet To Be Next UN Human Rights Chief

The United Nations announced that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has chosen former Chilean

President Michelle Bachelet to be the UN‘s new human rights chief. Bachelet would be

succeeding Jordanian diplomat Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein.

Bachelet‘s name will now go forward for consideration and approval by the 193-member UN General

Assembly.

Michelle Bachelet has served as the President of Chile twice, from 2006 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2018.

Her second four-year term as President ended earlier this year.



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Rajendra Menon Sworn In As Chief Justice of Delhi HC

Justice Rajendra Menon was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court by Lt Governor

Anil Baijal at a ceremony held at the Raj Niwas in New Delhi.

ii. Justice Menon was earlier the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. He succeeded Justice Gita Mittal, who

was elevated to head the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

R S Sharma re-appointed TRAI chairperson till 2020

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved reappointment of Ram Sewak Sharma as

chairperson of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for further period beyond Aug 2018 upto

Sept 2020, i.e. date on which he attains age of 65 years.

He was in July 2015 named as TRAI chief for three-year period.

Indian-American student, Avi Goel won International Geography Bee World Championship 2018

The Indian-American high school student, Avi Goel has won the International Geography Bee World

Championship 2018 in junior varsity division in Berlin, Germany.

He is a tenth grader at Silver Creek High School in Evergreen, San Jose, California.

He won a gold medal in 7 out of the 10 medal events, and a silver medal in two of the events, topping the

overall medals table.

Dr. R. G Anand appointed as Member of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

The Government of India has appointed Dr. R G Anand as Member of National Commission for

Protection of Child Rights.He is appointed for a period of three years, or until on attaining the age of 60

years, whichever is the earlier.Chairperson of National Commission for protection of Child Rights is

Ms. Stuti Kacker

Justice Manjula Chellur is New Chairperson of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity

Smt. Justice Manjula Chellur took Oath as Chairperson, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, Ministry of

Power.

Prior to this, Smt. Justice Manjula Chellur was Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. She was the first

woman Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.

Gita Mittal sworn in as CJ of Jammu & Kashmir HC

Justice Gita Mittal has been sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.She was

administered the oath of office by Governor N.N. Vohra.

She is the first woman Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court.

Rekha Sharma appointed the new chairperson of NCW

NCW member Rekha Sharma from Haryana appointed the new chairperson of the National Commission

for Women (NCW).

The NCW is a statutory body of the Government of India (GoI), which represent the rights of women in

India and to provide a voice for their issues and concerns.



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‗Pionerring‘ former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet officially appointed new UN human rights

chief

Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet (66) was appointed as next United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Right.The decision was taken by consensus by the 193 nation assembly after

Secretary- General Antonio Guterres put forward Bachelet to be the next human rights commissioner.

Smitha V. Crishna ranked first in Kotak Wealth Hurun-Leading Wealthy Women 2018

Smitha V. Crishna has been ranked first in the Kotak Wealth Hurun-Leading Wealthy Women 2018 list

with an estimated wealth of Rs 37,570 crore.

Roshni Nadar, CEO and executive director at HCL, ranked second in the list with an estimated wealth of

Rs 30,200 crore.

Indu Jain, the chairperson of the Times Group, ranked third in the list, followed by Kiran Mazumdar-

Shaw, Kiran Nadar.

D Bala Venkatesh Varma appointed India‘s new ambassador to Russia

D Bala Venkatesh Varma has been appointed India‘s new ambassador to Russia, which is considered a

high-profile posting due to expanse of strategic cooperation between the two countries.

He is serving as Indian envoy in Spain.He will succeed Pankaj Saran, who has been appointed deputy

National Security Advisor (NSA).

The Union Government also appointed Partha Satpathy as next Ambassador of India to Ukraine.

Akshay Kumar appointed as brand ambassador for Govt‘s Road Safety campaigns

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had appointed Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as

brand ambassador of its Road Safety campaigns.

As part of campaign, three short films featuring Akshay Kumar for generating public awareness towards

road safety were also released.

These films directed by R.Balki and call upon people to adopt good practices in road safety to build

accident-free society.

K S Srinivas appointed as Chairman of MPEDA

IAS officer K S Srinivas took over as Chairman of Marine Products Export Development Authority

(MPEDA).

He had served as Joint Secretary in Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers‘ Welfare in

Ministry of Agriculture.

Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) MPEDA, headquartered in Kochi,

Kerala, is a nodal coordinating state owned agency engaged in fishery production and allied activities.

Ramesh Powar appointed head coach of Indian Women‘s National Cricket team

The former Indian off-spinner, Ramesh Powar has been appointed the head coach of the Indian Women‘s

National Cricket team on an interim basis till Nov 30, 2018.

His term will include tours to Sri Lanka in Sept, a bilateral series in West Indies in Oct followed by the 2018

ICC Women‘s World T20 in West Indies in Nov 2018.



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Partha Satpathy : the next Ambassador of India to Ukraine

On August 15, 2018, Partha Satpathy was appointed the next Ambassador of India to Ukraine.A 1990

batch IFS officer, Partha Satpathy has been appointed as the Ambassador of India to Ukraine.

He is currently a joint secretary at the MEA headquarters.

Ukraine:. Capital: Kiev. Currency: Ukrainian hryvnia. President: Petro Poroshenko

Akshay Kumar Singh takes charge as Director-Pipeline of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)

Akshay Kumar Singh has assumed charge as Director (Pipelines) of Indian Oil Corp (IOC).

Akshay Kumar Singh – Director (Pipelines) of IOC:

Akshay Kumar Singh will be in charge of IOC‘s 13,400-km network of crude oil, petroleum product and

gas pipelines with a throughput capacity of 94.79 MTPA of oil and 9.5 million metric standard cubic metres

per day of gas.

About Indian Oil Corp (IOC):

♦ Chairman – Sanjiv Singh

♦ Corporate Office – New Delhi

Ashish Kumar Bhutani Appointed CEO Of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

The Senior bureaucrat Ashish Kumar Bhutani has been appointed Chief Executive Officer

(CEO) of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).Bhutani, a 1992 batch IAS officer of Assam-

Meghalaya cadre, has been appointed to the post till May 9, 2020.The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima

Yojana (PMFBY), the flagship crop insurance scheme.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita re-elected Mali president

On 16th

August 2018, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was re-elected as president of Mali.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita – President of Mali:

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita won 67 percent of the vote and defeated his opponent Soumaila Cisse in the

presidential election.

About Mali ♦ Capital – Bamako

♦ Currency – West African CFA franc

♦ Prime Minister – Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga

♦ Official language – French

Mario Abdo Benítez sworn in as new President of Paraguay

On August 16, 2018, 46-year-old Mario Abdo Benítez has been sworn in as the

new President of Paraguay. i. He replaced Horacio Cartes.

ii. He belongs to the conservative Colorado Party.

Paraguay:

♦ Capital: Asuncion.

♦ Currency: Paraguayan guarani.



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Egon Zehnder International appointed ‗Knowledge Partner‘ to Banks Board Bureau (BBB)

Indian Banks‘ Association has appointed Egon Zehnder International as a ‗Knowledge Partner‘ to the

Banks Board Bureau (BBB).

Egon Zehnder International – ‗Knowledge Partner‘ to BBB:

i. As a Knowledge Partner, Egon Zehnder International will help to design, implement and institutionalise a

flagship leadership development strategy for public sector banks in India.

About Banks Board Bureau (BBB):

♦ Chairman – Bhanu Pratap Sharma

♦ Location – Mumbai

N Raghuram Elected Chair of International Nitrogen Initiative (INI)

N Raghuram has been elected the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI), a global policy

making initiative.

N Raghuram – Chair of INI:

N Raghuram is an Indian scientist and academician. He is a professor at the GGS Indraprastha University,

New Delhi.

David Kanter of the New York University has been elected as Vice-Chair of INI..

3 new independent directors appointed to the board of Nitstone Finserv

On August 16, 2018, Nitstone Finserv, a digital lending platform got approval to start operations

of NBFC Business in India.

3 new independent Directors to the Board of Directors has been appointed.

They are:

Thomas T. Riley,

Alok Kumar Misra and

Vishwanath Prasad Singh.

i. Thomas T. Riley is a former United States Ambassador, for 5 years worked with George W Bush

Government.

ii.Alok Kumar Misra is a Former Chairman and Managing Director at Bank of India.

iii.Vishwanath Prasad Singh is a Former Chairman & CEO of IFCI Ltd. and a non-executive Chairman of

Tourism Finance Corporation of India and IDBI Capital Market Services Ltd.

About itstone Finserv:

♦ It gives Small Business Loans, Vehicle Loans and Refinancing Education Loans.

♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru.

Panel headed by B Sesikeran to review red-labelling draft of FSSAI

On August 17, 2018, bill for red-labelling of packaged products containing fat, sugar and salt has been

halted by the government as per FSSAI‘s report. i. Additionally, a group of experts from health and nutrition background has been set up to look into the

issue of labeling.



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ii. The group is headed by B Sesikeran, former director of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) as well as

the current director Hemalatha and doctor Nikhil Tandon.

Imran Khan becomes the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan took oath as Pakistan's new prime minister.

Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), secured 176 votes while his only rival and the

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Sharif got 96 votes, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser

announced.

Indiabulls HF Appoints Mundra As A Director

Subhash Sheoratan Mundra has been appointed as Independent Director on the Board of

Indiabulls Housing Finance for a period of three years.

Mundra, a Post-Graduate from the University of Poona, used to be the Chairman of Bank of Baroda and an

Executive Director at Union Bank of India. He is also the former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank

of India (RBI). He left the RBI in July 2017.He is presently on the Board of the Bombay Stock Exchange

and DSP Blackrock Investment Managers.

Srikumar Menon concurrently appointed the next Ambassador of India to Democratic Republic of

Sao Tome and Principe

On 20th

August 2018, Srikumar Menon was appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic

Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.

Currently, he is the Ambassador of India to Angola. He has been concurrently appointed the next

Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, with residence in Luanda.

Ram Nath Kovind Appoints 7 New Governors: All You Need To Know

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed governors for seven states Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu

and Kashmir, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Tripura.

ii. The newly appointed Governors of 7 states are as follows-

1. Satya Pal Malik - Jammu & Kashmir (Replaced NN Vohra)

2. Tathagata Roy - Meghalaya (Replaced Ganga Prasad)

3. Lalji Tandon - Bihar (Replaced Satya Pal Malik)

4. Ganga Prasad - Sikkim (Replaced Shriniwas Patil)

5. Kaptan Singh Solanki -Tripura (Replaced Tathagata Roy)

6. Satyadev Narayan Arya - Haryana (Replaced Kaptan Singh Solanki)

7. Baby Rani Maurya - Uttarakhand (Replaced K K Paul).

Ex-HC judge Sharma named head of Chhattisgarh anti-graft authority

On August 20,2018 Retired judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court T P Sharma was appointed the new chief

Lokayukt of the state.

Sharma will head the Chhattisgarh Lok Ayog, set up to deal with corruption cases against public servants.

Raveena Tandon appointed as brand ambassador of Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Maharashtra Govt appointed Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon as the brand ambassador of Mumbai

city-based Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).



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She has been appointed to spread awareness among fellow citizens as she is environmentally-conscious

citizen and respected member of the community.

NGT appointed ex-judge Justice SJ Vazifdar as chairman of panel to decide Vedanta‘s plea

challenging closure of Sterlite copper plant

On August 23, 2018, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed retired judge S J Vazifdar as

head of a three-member committee.

This decision was taken by a bench headed by chairperson A K Goel .

Kabir Mathur appointed head of India investments by ADIA

On August 23, 2018, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the world‘s second largest sovereign

wealth fund, has hired private equity veteran Kabir Mathur to head operations in India.

iHe is a former director with US fund KKR & Co. L.P and has worked with the firm during 2008 -2017 on

investing and portfolio management activities across Southeast Asia.

ii. Prior to this, he worked with TPG Capital as Associate on the investment activities in Southeast Asia.

Anil Kumar Pathak takes over as Member (Planning) at Airports Authority of India (AAI)

On 21st August 2018, Anil Kumar Pathak took charge as Member (Planning) at the Airports Authority of

India (AAI).

Anil Kumar Pathak – Member (Planning) at AAI:

Earlier, Anil Kumar Pathak was Executive Director of Planning and Engineering at the headquarters.

About Airports Authority of India (AAI):

♦ Chairman – Guruprasad Mohapatra

♦ Headquarters – New Delhi

♦ Ownership – state-owned

U K Varma appointed as the new Assocham Secretary General

On August 23, 2018, Industry chamber Assocham appointed former bureaucrat Uday Kumar Varma as its

new Secretary General.

He will succeed DS Rawat.

Mr.Varma was a former Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

iHe has served administrative role in the state government of Madhya Pradesh as well.

Assocham President: Sandeep Jajodia.

Panel For Rollout Of 5G Services By 2020

A panel has been set up by the Department of Telecom to prepare a roadmap for rollout of 5G telephony in

Indiaexpects the service to be operational by 2020.



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The nine-member Steering Committee, headed by AJ Paulraj, recommended releasing additional spectrum

for 5G services. It submitted its report to Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan.

The report said 5G services would have a cumulative economic impact of over $1 trillion by 2035. While

the US plans to deploy 5G services later this year, the India rollout may begin by 2020.

Dr G. Satheesh Reddy appointed as Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has appointed distinguished missile scientist Dr. G

Satheesh Reddy was appointed as Secretary of Department of Defence R&D (DDR&D) and Chairman

of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Indiabulls Ventures appoints former NPCI MD Abhaya Prasad Hota as Independent Director

On 25th

August 2018, Indiabulls Ventures appointed Abhaya Prasad Hota, as an independent director on

the board for a period of 3 years.

Abhaya Prasad Hota – Independent Director of Indiabulls Ventures: Abhaya Prasad Hota is a former managing director at the National Payments Corporation of India

(NPCI). He was involved in designing the operating payments eco-system.

Goldman Sachs appoints ex-RBI research head Prachi Mishra as MD and chief India economist On 27

th August 2018, Goldman Sachs appointed Prachi Mishra as the managing director and chief India

economist. Prachi Mishra – MD and chief India economist of Goldman Sachs: Prachi Mishra will be based in Mumbai. Earlier, she was the deputy division chief of the western

hemisphere department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Prashant Agrawal appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Namibia

On 21st August 2018, Prashant Agrawal was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the

Republic of Namibia.

Prashant Agrawal – High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Namibia: Prashant Agrawal is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1998 batch. At present he is Joint

Secretary at Headquarters.

Sandeep Kumar appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland

On 20th

August 2018, Sandeep Kumar was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland.

Sandeep Kumar – Ambassador of India to Ireland: Sandeep Kumar is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS)

Officer of the 1985 batch. Currently, he is the Ambassador of India to Croatia.

Satya Tripathi appointed as Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the New York Office of UNEP

Indian development economist and environment expert Satya S. Tripathi has been appointed as assistant

secretary general of United Nations and will head New York office of UN Environment Programme

(UNEP).

He was appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance (DPLI) appoints Kalpana Sampat as Senior Executive Vice-

President & COO



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DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance (DPLI) has appointed Kalpana Sampat as Senior Executive Vice-

President & Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Earlier, Kalpana Sampat was the Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Re India. She has more than 34 years of

experience in the financial services sector.

Ruchi Ghanashyam appointed India‘s next High Commissioner to UK

On 28th

August 2018, Ruchi Ghanashyam was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to

the United Kingdom. Ruchi Ghanashyam is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1982 batch. She is at present Secretary

at Headquarters.

She has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.

Balesh Sharma Appointed Vodafone Idea's 1st CEO

Balesh Sharma takes over as Vodafone Idea's first CEO. He was the Chief Operating Officer of

Vodafone India and a member of its executive committee.

Sharma holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and MBA (Marketing and Finance) from the University

of Rajasthan.

ICICI Bank reappointed Chanda Kochhar as director of ICICI Securities

On August 31, 2018, ICICI Bank reappointed Chanda Kochhar as a director on the board of ICICI

Securities. Earlier, Kochhar was charged with quid pro quo in disbursing loans to Venugopal Dhoot-led Videocon

Group.

One-man panel constituting retired Supreme Court judge Justice BN Srikrishna is probing the matter.

YES Bank Gets RBI Nod For Re-Appointment Of Rana Kapoor

The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of Rana Kapoor as the Managing Director

and CEO of YES Bank until further notice.

In June this year, Yes Bank‘s shareholders had approved the re-appointment of Rana Kapoor as the chief

executive and managing director for three years, subject to final approval from the Reserve Bank of

India.Kapoor is the Founder, Managing Director and CEO of Yes Bank.

GK Quizz in Kannada





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Ranks & Reports

UN E-Government Index:

UN E-Government Index: India Ranks 96th, Denmark Tops India has jumped 22 places to 96th rank to

break into the top 100 of the United Nation‘s E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2018.

Denmark, with an index value of 0.9150, topped the 2018 E-Government Development Survey. The E-

Government survey is released by the United Nations in every two years.

Nationwide ‗State Energy Efficiency Preparedness Index‘ released

Nationwide ‗State Energy Efficiency Preparedness Index‘ released As part of its commitment to create

awareness about energy efficiency as a resource and also to develop an action plan for energy conservation

initiatives, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE),

released the ‗State Energy Efficiency Preparedness Index‘, which assesses state policies and programmes

aimed at improving energy efficiency across various sectors.

Fortune 500 List 2018 Features 7 Indian Companies; RIL Tops In The Indian Private Sector

Seven Indian companies have made it to the latest Fortune 500 list of the world‘s biggest corporations in

terms of revenue, with state-owned IOC continuing to be the highest ranked Indian firm and Reliance

Industries jumping 55 places.In the list topped by retail giant Walmart, Indian Oil Corp (IOC) with 23

per cent rise in revenues at USD 65.9 billion was ranked 137th, up from the 168th position in 2017.

Richest Indian Mukesh Ambani-led RIL was the top private sector company from the country as it

jumped from 203rd rank last year to 148th.

Delhi topped the N-SIPI to be the top ‗most investor-friendly‘ destination list: NCAER

On August 4, 2018, according to a report called N-SIPI (State Investment Potential Index) series by

economic think-tank NCAER, Delhi has topped the list and has replaced Gujarat.Delhi jumped one spot

from 2017 .



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ii. The ranking was done of 20 states and one Union Territory of Delhi.

iii. It was done based on 6 parameters: land, labour, infrastructure, economic climate, governance and

political stability and business perceptions.

The Top 10 of the List are:

Rank State/UT

1 Delhi

2 Tamil Nadu

3 Gujarat

4 Haryana

5 Maharashtra

6 Kerala

7 Andhra Pradesh

8 Telangana

9 Karnataka

10 West Bengal

UAE Top Source Of Inward Remittances In 2016-17: RBI

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the top source of inward remittances, while Kerala has

received the maximum funds sent from abroad, according to the Reserve Bank of India‘s survey of inward

remittances for 2016-17.

According to the survey, 82% of the total remittances received by India originated from eight countries —

UAE, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, the United Kingdom and Malaysia.Among destinations,

Kerala has the highest share with 19%, followed by Maharashtra (16.7%), Karnataka (15%), Tamil Nadu

(8%) and Delhi (5.9%)



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BBC's ‗Women Who Changed The World‘ List: Marie Curie Tops, Mother Teresa 20th

i. BBC History Magazine conducted a reader's poll of 100 women who changed the world. In this

poll, Marie Curie has been 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.

ii. Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel prize in physics, first female professor at the University of

Paris, and the first person to win a second Nobel prize.

iii. Top 3 from the BBC History Magazine's '100 Women Who Changed The World':

1. Marie Curie, 2. Rosa Parks, 3. Emmeline Pankhurst.

India improve to world no 96 in FIFA rankings

On 16th

August 2018, Indian football team improved a rank and secured 96th

position in the latest FIFA

world rankings.

India – 96th

rank in FIFA rankings:

i. Indian football team was ranked 97th in the previous week. In the latest FIFA rankings, they share the

96th

position with Georgia.

ii. India‘s improvement in the ranking is seen after the introduction of a new ranking system called ELO by

FIFA.

iii. As per ELO, points will be added or subtracted to a national team‘s already existing total before a match.

iv. Top five positions in the latest FIFA rankings:

Rank Country

1 France

2 Belgium

3 Brazil

4 Croatia

Bengaluru‘s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has emerged as the second fastest growing

airport in the world-Routesonline

On August 22, According to Routesonline, global airlines events organiser‘s Survey Bengaluru

Kempegowda International Airport Secured Second Spot and Delhi‘s Indira Gandhi International

Airport Secured Sixth Spot as fastest growing airport in the world during January to June this year.

i. Kempegowda International Airport recorded 1,58,50,352 passengers at the same time Indira Gandhi

International Airport recorded 3,49,05,629 passengers during January to June 2018.

ii. Tokyo‘s Haneda Airport topped the Survey.Other airport on the top 10 are Jakarta(3rd), Chicago(4th ),

Madrid(5th),Dallas Fort Worth (7th ), Los Angeles (8th ), Frankfurt (9th) and Nanchang (10th ).

iii. Out of top 20 fastest-growing major airports in the world China and India accounted 10 airports.



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Reliance Jio Tops Fortune List For Widening Internet Access

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led telecom startup Reliance Jio has been ranked number one on Fortune‘s

global list.The ‗Change the World‘ list includes for-profit companies that help tackle social problems.It

ranked Jio ahead of pharma giant Merck and Bank of America and Chinese billionaire Jack Ma-led Alibaba.

Forbes‘ List Of World‘s Highest-Paid Actors 2018: George Clooney Tops, Akshay Kumar Ranks 7th

Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan have made it to the Forbes‘ list of World‘s Highest-Paid Actors

2018, which was topped by George Clooney. Akshay and Salman made it to spot seven and nine,

respectively. The world‘s 10 highest-paid actors tallied a combined $748.5 million between June 1, 2017,

and June 1, 2018, before fees and taxes. The list this year was topped by George Clooney.

Top 3 on Forbes‘ list of the world‘s best-paid male actors 2018:

1. George Clooney: $239m 2. Dwayne Johnson: $124m 3. Robert Downey Jr: $81m.

Forbes released its 2018 top 10 highest paid lists:P.V. Sindhu,Akshay Kumar,Salman Khan ranked in

top 10

On August 23, 2018, Forbes released its top 10 highest list on different categories and professions.

The ranking is illustrated in the following table:

Rank Actor

1 George Clooney

7 Akshay Kumar

9 Salman Khan

Kolkata, Bhopal Top Among Indian Cities in Clean Transport: CSE Survey

The Statistics from 14 cities across India have been analysed by Centre for Science and Environment

(CSE), the New Delhi-based think tank, to check how some cities, which hold sizeable shares of India‘s

urban population are positioned in the race for clean and low carbon mobility. Bhopal tops for lowest

overall emissions and energy use from urban commute. The analysis titled The Urban Commute was

released in Kolkata.

iii. Top 3 in Overall emissions and energy consumption:

1. Bhopal 2. Vijayawada 3. Chandigarh.

iv. Top 3 in Per-travel trip emissions and energy consumption:

1. Kolkata 2. Mumbai 3. Bhopal.

Injeti Srinivas committee submitted final report

The committee, chaired by Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas, has submitted final report on

review of penal provisions of Company Act 2013 to the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs,



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Arun Jaitley. It recommended that the existing rigour of the law should continue for serious offences,

covering six categories, whereas for lapses that are essentially technical or procedural in nature, mainly

falling under two categories may be shifted to in-house adjudication process.

Odisha ranks 2nd

after Andhra in implementation of AMRUT scheme: National Level Rating

Framework

On August 30, 2018, in the National Level Rating Framework assessment, Odisha ranked second with a

score of 53.19 in implementation of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation

(AMRUT) scheme .

The assessment was taken upto August 21, 2018.

HRD Ministry Introduces 'Atal Ranking' For Institutions

To promote a culture of innovation and research in higher education, the human resource development

(HRD) ministry launched the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA), Union

minister Prakash Javadekar announced.

Named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the ARIIA "will rank educational institutions

for innovation output based on all major indicators and parameters used globally".

Schemes & Apps

Chhattisgarh CM & actress Kangana Ranaut launch mobile distribution scheme ‗Mobile Tihar‘ Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and actress Kangana Ranaut launched ‗Mobile Tihar‘, a

smartphone distribution scheme under the Sanchar Kranti Yojna (SKY) in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

i. The scheme has been launched to distribute smartphones to women and students. It will benefit more than 50

Lakh people. ii. As a part of this scheme, 556 new mobile towers will be set up in Chhattisgarh.

Cabinet approves Extension of Concessional Financing Scheme (CFS)

On August 2, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the first

extension of Concessional Financing Scheme (CFS) to support Indian Entities bidding for strategically important

infrastructure projects abroad.

The total outlay for this scheme is Rs.625.63 crore .

MEA selects the specific projects keeping in view strategic interest of India and sends the same to

Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).

The DEA will decide on the projects based on the committee‘s decision headed by Secretary, DEA. The financial assistance break-up is as follows:



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IES Amount (In INR crore) ; Total – 625.63 Cr Year

42.25 (2018-19)

65.00 (2019-20)

188.50 (2021-22)

208.00 (2022-23)

Government Approves 122 New Research Projects Under ‗IMPRINT-2‘ Scheme

The government has approved 122 new research projects of 112 crore rupees under its Impacting Research

Innovation and Technology ‘IMPRINT-2’ scheme. The initiative aims to advance research in energy, security and

healthcare domains in the high education institutions.

According to Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, out of over two thousand

proposals, 122 best proposals were selected for funding under IMPRINT-2.

The Karnataka government has launched a rural cleanliness and sanitation campaign

―Swachhameva Jayate‖

The Karnataka government has launched a rural cleanliness and sanitation campaign ―Swachhameva

Jayate‖ to make every citizen in rural Karnataka take a pledge of cleanliness. The aim of the campaign is to

boost the Swachh Survkekshan Grameen 2018 (SSG 2018) survey in all the districts with the help of

school children. Since the inception of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the government of Karnataka has

constructed a total of 22 lakh toilets in 29,736 villages.

Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana was launched in Bihar

Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana was launched in Bihar. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

launched ‗Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana‘, a scheme for the girl child. The scheme will provide

Rs.54,100 for a girl child from her birth until she graduates. This is to express the State government‘s

resolve for the empowerment of women. The ‗scheme will be run by three departments namely education,

health and social welfare. The Chief Minister also said that the amount under the ‗Bicycle Yojna‘ will be

increased from Rs.2500 to Rs.3000.

Shaur nahin‘ mobile app launched in Shimla, Manali by Himachal Pradesh Government to curb noise

pollution

On August 4, 2018, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched ‗Shaur Nahin‘ app as a part of

the first phase of ‗horn not ok‘ awareness campaign in Manali and Shimla.

It is an initiative of the Department of Environment Science and Technology in association with National

Informatics Centre, Himachal Pradesh.

♦ National Parks: Great Himalayan Park , Pin Valley National Park.

♦ Lakes: Khajjar Lake, Suraj Tal, Chandra Tal, Dhankar Lake, Renuka Lake.



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Google Releases 'Android 9 Pie'

Google's latest Android operating system update, Android 9 Pie, was officially released to customers

following a beta testing period that started earlier this year.

Android Pie introduces a new gesture-based system interface that's similar to the interface of the iPhone X, with

iPhone-like swipes for navigating through the operating system.

Google CEO- Sundar Pichai, Parent organization- Alphabet Inc., Headquarters- the USA.

B-Hub: country‘s first hub for biotech, pharma sector set up in Telangana

On August 6, 2018, the Telangana government will set up a biotech and pharma facility, B-Hub, India‘s first

organised cluster for life sciences Research & Development at Genome Valley.

i. It has been built with an investment of Rs.60 crore.

ii. The space for the facility is: 40,000 square feet.

♦ There are more than 800 pharma/biotech units in various parts of Hyderabad now with an estimated annual

turnover of $13 billion.

TRAI Integrates Its Mobile App DND 2.0 & MyCall With UMANG Platform

Recognizing the importance of reaching out to the consumers and to safeguard their interests, Telecom

Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has now integrated its Mobile Apps namely DND 2.0 & MyCall with

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) Platform.

R.S.Sharma is the present Chairman Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

TRAI was established with effect from 20th February 1997 by an Act of Parliament, called the Telecom

Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.

Government, NABARD and NWDA Sign Revised MoA For Funding Of Projects Under PMKSY

The Union Ministry of Water Resources, the NABARD and the National Water Development Agency

(NWDA) signed a revised Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for funding of central share of 99 prioritised

irrigation projects under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).

Project 'SWAYAM' Launched By HRD Ministry

The Ministry of HRD has embarked on a major and new initiative Project called 'Study Webs of Active Learning

for Young Aspiring Minds' (SWAYAM), which will provide one integrated platform and portal for online

courses. This covers all higher education subjects and skill sector courses.

The objective is to ensure that every student in the country has access to the best quality higher education at the

affordable cost.

Commerce & Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu Launches Mobile App 'Niryat Mitra'

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Aviation Suresh Prabhu launched 'Niryat Mitra' – mobile App

in New Delhi. The app developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) is available both on

Android and on IOS platforms.

Approves continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

CCEA approved continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) beyond 12th Five Year Plan period

(2012–2017).It will help in connecting 38,412 habitations at estimated cost of Rs. 84,934 crore.



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Fund sharing pattern between centre and states will be same (Thus, central govt share will be Rs 54,900 crore and states‘

share is Rs 30,034 crore).

―PARIVESH‖ an environmental single window hub for Environment, Forest, Wildlife and CRZ

clearance launched

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, launched PARIVESH on the occasion of World Biofuel

Day.PARIVESH is a Single-Window Integrated Environment Management System, developed in

pursuance of the spirit of ‗Digital India‘ initiated by the Prime Minister and capturing the essence of

Minimum Government and Maximum Governance.Dr.Vardhan emphasized that with the launch of

PARIVESH, the vision of the Prime Minister for E-Governance and enhancing Ease of Doing Responsible

Business is being translated into action by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

FSSAI launches RUCO initiative

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched RUCO (Repurpose Used

Cooking Oil) initiative to enable collection and conversion of used cooking oil to biodiesel.64 companies at

101 locations have been identified to enable collection of used cooking oil.

3 mobile apps launched for e-filing of cases by CJI Dipak Misra

On August 15, 2018, the E-committee of the Supreme Court headed by Justice M B

Lokur, launched 3 mobile applications for the benefit of litigants and lawyers.

i. The apps were inaugurated by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

About the 3 apps and their services:

Following are the focus areas the apps would focus on:

e-courts services: e-filing along with user manual.

E-pay : making digital payments.

NSTEP (National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes): service of judicial notices.

These software have been developed on ―open source technology‖ and thus has saved Rs 1,670 crore.

Telangana CM launched 2 schemes for people of the state on 72nd Independence day

On August 15, 2018, on the eve of 72nd Independence Day, Telengana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar

Rao launched two major schemes:

Rythu Bima: insurance to farmers

Kanti Velugu: free eye screening for all citizens.

About Rythu Bima:

i. Under this scheme, every farmer would be provided with life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.

ii. It will cover 28 lakh farmers aged between 18 and 59 years.

iii. The government has already paid Rs 636 crore towards premium to Life Insurance Corp.

iv. It will bear the annual premium of Rs 2,271 per farmer.

About Kanti Velugu: i. The entire population of 3.7 crore would be provided with free eye care.

ii. The authorities will not only conduct eye screening but will also provide free medicines, spectacles and

arrange for free surgeries, if required.



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Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme: West Bengal Government removed family income ceiling.

On August 16, 2018, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee lifted family income ceiling for the beneficiaries

of women welfare scheme ‗Kanyashree‘.

Earlier the ceiling was : Rs 120,000 or less.

ii. This would cost the state government an additional Rs 200 crore.

iii. The state had already incurred an annual expenditure of Rs 1200 crore under the scheme in 2017.

Other Announcements:A university for the girls under this scheme to pursue higher education would be built.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches Dial 100 Police Mobile App

On 15th August 2018, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Dial 100 Mobile app,

to help the needy at the time of emergency.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan also announced that more CCTV cameras will be fixed outside schools, public and

private areas.

Researchers develop ―ReMix‖, an ‗in-body GPS‘ system to track tumours

Scientists have developed a wireless ‗in-body GPS‘ system named ―ReMix‖ that can accurately locate

ingestible implants and track tumours inside the body.

Flipkart Unveils Dedicated Portal For Refurbished Goods: ‗2gud‘

The Retail giant Walmart-owned leading e-tailer Flipkart has unveiled a dedicated portal ‗2Gud‘ for

refurbished goods, including mobile phones, laptops and tablet.

The independent platform ‗2Gud‘ aims to bring affordability, accessibility and availability to the

refurbished market, while also addressing the problem of trust and convenience.

The launch of the independent platform for old goods, which was developed over the last 10 months, comes

a week after Flipkart shut down the eBay India operations.

Government Unveils Draft UDAN Scheme For International Routes

The Centre unveiled a draft scheme for extending the affordable air travel programme UDAN to international

circuits, with state governments identifying the routes for operation. The draft International Air Connectivity

(IAC) scheme envisages to increase the international ticketing to 20 crore by 2027.

India‘s Largest Business Incubator ―Bhamashah Techno Hub‖ launched in Jaipur by Rajasthan Chief

Minister Vasundhara Raje

On August 24, 2018, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje launched India‘s largest Business Incubator

―Bhamashah Techno Hub‖ In Jaipur. It will provide free space, easier funding avenues and mentorship to

startups.

The Rajasthan government announced setting up of a Rs 500-crore startup fund – Bhamashah Techno Fund.

Out of the total amount, Rs 50 crore has been earmarked for green startups and Rs 100

crore for women startups.



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Former President Pranab Mukherjee Launches NETA App To Rate MPs and MLAs

Former President Pranab Mukherjee launched the National Electoral Transformation (NETA) mobile

application to rate Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

'Neta - Leaders' Report Card' App, the brainchild of 27-year-old entrepreneur Pratham Mittal, is a platform

where voters can review and rate their elected representatives and hold them accountable as well.

‗Speedex‘ Contract launched by IAF for speedy delivery of consignments

On August 25, 2018, Air Marshal RKS Shera, Air Officer-in-charge Maintenance, IAF formally launched The

Stores, Proactive, Efficient and Expeditious Despatch of Extra Size/ Wt

Consignment (SPEEDEX) contract. Objective:

To reduce the time taken for transportation of items and ensure early availability of stores to the field units

This contract was concluded on 28 Jun 18 with M/s Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd and M/s Ashok Travel and Tours

for the Air & Surface component respectively.

The theme of the contract is : ‗lift, shift and move‘ , that on all principles of Military Logistics.

PM Modi To Launch FAME India II On Sept 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the second phase of the FAME India scheme offering incentives

for mass adoption of electric vehicles with an outlay of Rs 5,500 crore on September 7.

Under the scheme, depending on technology, battery-operated scooters and motorcycles are eligible for

incentives ranging between Rs 1,800 to Rs 29,000, while in three-wheelers it is between Rs 3,300 and Rs

61,000.The prime minister would unveil the scheme at the inaugural session of the ‗MOVE‘ — a global

mobility summit.

Logo of Ayushman Bharat Scheme was released and 29 states and UTs signed MoU for implementation of

Ayushman Bharat scheme: J P Nadda

On August 28, 2018, prior to the launch of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan, known also as Ayushman

Bharat scheme on September 25, 2018,Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda lauched

its logo at an event in New Delhi.

National Anti-profiteering Authority launched consumer helpline to file GST profiteering complaints

On August 28, 2018, the National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) launched a helpline number for

complaints regarding GST rate cuts

i. The number is : 011-21400643 .

ii. Consumers to register their complaints, provide information and resolve queries regarding profiteering under

GST.



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Books & Authors

Dr. Mahesh Sharma Released 3 Books At IGNCA, New Delhi

Minister of state for Culture (I/C), Dr Mahesh Sharma, released 3 books: ‗Jewellery‘, ‗Ghats

of Banaras‘ and ‗Untold Story of Broadcasting‘, at IGNCA (Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts),

in New Delhi.

ii. The Authors of the books are as follows:

1. ‗Jewellery‘ was written by Dr Gulab Kothari.

2. ‗Ghats of Banaras‘ was written by Dr Sachidanand Joshi and

3. ‗Untold Story of Broadcasting‘ was written by Dr Gautam Chatterjee.

PM Modi‘s Book ‗Exam Warriors‘ Releases In Odia

The Union Minister for Oil and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched Prime Minister Narendra

Modi authored book ‗Exam Warriors‘ in Odisha‘s Bhubaneswar city.

This motivational book, which teaches children how to tackle examination woes, was earlier released in

English and Hindi in February this year.

Shane Warne to come out with autobiography ‗No Spin‘ in October 2018

Australia Cricketer and bowling spin legend Shane Warne plan to release his extraordinary cricketing

career and his life off the pitch besides unveiling several unknown facts in his autobiography ‗No

Spin‘ which will be published on October 2018.

Andrew Goodfellow, deputy publisher at Ebury press announced that Warne‘s memoir ―No Spin‖ will

have a global release on October 4 2018.

VVS Laxman pens autobiography ―281 and Beyond‖

Indian cricketer VVS Laxman, known for the suppleness of his wrists, plans to release his emotional

journey as cricket player through his autobiography ―281 and Beyond‖ on November 20,2018.

i. The title has been borrowed from the Hyderabad stylist‘s fabulous series-turning innings of 281 against

Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2001.

ii. Westland Publications will release the former Indian cricketer‘s autobiography ―281 and Beyond‖.

Khaled Hosseini‘s new book ―Sea Prayer‖ a tribute to Alan Kurdi

―Sea Prayer‖, the new book of writer Khaled Hosseini will be released on 30th

August 2018.

i. It is a tribute to Alan Kurdi, the 3-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed upon a beach in Turkey in

September 2015.

ii. Earlier ―Sea Prayer‖ was produced in collaboration with UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner

for Refugees) and released as a Guardian virtual film on 1st September 2017.



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'Atal Ji Ne Kaha', A book On AB Vajpayee Launched

i. "Atal Ji Ne Kaha" is the latest of the books on the BJP patriarch and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari

Vajpayee launched with a message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

ii. The book is Authored and compiled by Brijendra Rehi. Mr Rehi is noted Doordarshan

producer, and senior journalist. The book has been published by Darpan Publication.

RK Singh releases book on ―Weather Information Portal for Indian Power System‖

On 29th

August 2018, R K Singh, Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy released a

book on ―Weather Information Portal for Indian Power System‖, at Power System Operation

Corporation limited (POSOCO), New Delhi.

Weather Information Portal for Indian Power System:

i. This book is a reference document developed by POSOCO along with IMD (India Meteorological

Department) to enable better usage of Weather Portal in all areas of Power Sector.

♦ Chairman & Managing Director – Mr. K. V. S. Baba

♦ Registered Office – New Delhi

Science & Technology & Defence

China Launches High-Resolution Earth Observation Satellite ―Gaofen-11‖

China has successfully launched an optical remote sensing satellite ―Gaofen-11‖, as part of its high-

resolution Earth observation project which will also provide data for the Belt and Road Initiative.The

Gaofen-11 satellite was launched on a Long March 4B rocket at 11 am (local time) from the Taiyuan

Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province.

Scutoid: Scientists discover new shape after studying human cells

American and Spanish scientists have discovered a new 3D shape called ―scutoid‖ during a study on how

tissues are moulded to form the skin, cavity linings and the building blocks of organs.

Scutoid has 5 sides on one end and 6 on the other end. It has a triangular surface on one of its longer edges.

E-Aksharayan, Desktop Software Launched By IT Ministry

E-Aksharayan, Desktop Software Launched By IT Ministry. The IT ministry launched a desktop software

e-Aksharayan in a conference for Indian Languages Technology Industry ‗Bhashantara‘, in New Delhi.

The objective is to enable editing and printing of text in scanned documents.

Cabinet approves Re-structuring of the Agricultural Scientists‘ Recruitment Board (ASRB)

On August 2, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the proposal

for restructuring of Agricultural Scientists‘Recruitment Board (ASRB).The ASRB will now be

a 4 Member body instead of 3 Members. It will have a Chairperson and 3 Members.ASRB would be for a

period of three years or till attainment of 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.



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India successfully test-fires Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile from Abdul Kalam Island

On August 2 2018, India test-fired the endo-atmospheric Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile

from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.It is a part of the country‘s ballistic missile defence

(BMD) shield against a multiple target scenario.The Defence Research and Development Organisation

(DRDO) test-fired the AAD interceptor from a canister against multiple simulated targets.

Defence Minister Launches Defence India Startup Challenge

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the Defence India Startup Challenge in Bengaluru,

Karnataka. Recognising the first set of incubators for these challenges the ministry has also signed an

MoU with 5 incubators. IIM Ahmedabad, IIT Mumbai, Forge IIT Madras, and T hub who will work in

tandem to provide solutions for defence requirements in Airforce,

NASA names Sunita Williams, 8 others, for first space flights on commercial spacecraft

Indian-origin U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams is among the 9 astronauts selected by NASA (National

Aeronautics and Space Administration) to fly the first missions into space on commercial spacecraft, starting

in 2019.

The 9 astronauts selected for flying first space flights on commercial spacecraft are:

Josh Cassada * Sunita Williams * Robert Behnken

Douglas Hurley * Eric Boe * Nicole Mann

Christopher Ferguson * Victor Glover * Michael Hopkins

About National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):

♦ Administrator – Jim Bridenstine

♦ Headquarters – Washington DC, United States

Chinese researchers ‗create‘ world‘s first single-chromosome yeast

Chinese scientists have created the first single-chromosome yeast without affecting the majority of its

functions.

World‘s first single-chromosome yeast:

Brewer‘s yeast consists of 16 chromosomes. Chinese scientists have created a single-chromosome yeast

which has almost all the genetic material of Brewer‘s yeast.

Italian Bike-Maker Benelli Signs MoU For Plant in Telangana

Italian motorcycle-maker Benelli signed an MoU with Telangana government and Adishwar Auto Ride

International (AARI) for setting a manufacturing facility.

ii. The group company would initially start assembling CKD (completely knocked down) kits of the bike

for Benelli to assemble, manufacture bikes and import exclusive range of the bikes from Italy and SouthEast

Asian regions.


Our Website :- https://achieversacademyshivamogga.com/aca/ Contact:- 7812926702, 8951437441

Established in 1911, Benelli is one of the oldest Italian motorcycle-manufacturer and has presence in over

60 countries such as America, Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific regions.

Indo-Thailand Joint Exercise 'Maitree 2018' Begins in Thailand

Exercise 'Maitree' is a joint military exercise between the Indian Army and Royal Thai Army which

is running on in Thailand. It is a platoon level exercise which comprises of infantry component. The exercise

will emphasize to hone the tactical and technical skills in joint counter insurgency and counter-terrorist

operations in the rural and urban scenario under UN mandate.

Thailand Capital: Bangkok, Currency: Thai baht.

The world‘s first-ever high energy storage device has been built in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh

On August 6, 2018, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu unveiled the world‘s first-ever thermal battery

in Amravati, Andhra Pradesh state.

It has been manufactured by the Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST).

It had an estimated cost of Rs 660 crore.

iii. It has a capacity of 1,000 MW and would be enhanced to 10 GW in the next six to seven years.

Rashmi: India‘s first humanoid robot, can speak Hindi, Bhojpuri, Marathi

Ranjit Srivastava has developed Rashmi, India‘s first humanoid robot, which can speak Hindi, Bhojpuri,

Marathi and English.

Ranjit Srivastava hails from Ranchi. He is 38 years old. He has developed Rashmi, which is said to be the

Indian version of ‗Sophia‘ (a social humanoid robot developed by a Hong Kong based company).

China successfully tests first hypersonic aircraft: Xingkong-2 or Starry Sky-2

On 3rd

August 2018, China successfully tested ―Xingkong-2‖ or ―Starry Sky-2‖, its first waverider

hypersonic aircraft that could carry nuclear warheads and penetrate any current generation anti-missile

defence systems.

Xingkong-2 or Starry Sky-2 was launched in a target range in Northwest China. It was launched in a

rocket and was released in the air after 10 minutes.

♦ Chairman – Wu Yansheng

♦ Headquarters – Beijing, China

ISRO‘S 5700kg GSAT-11 satellite the heaviest one will launch from French Guiana‘sspaceport in

November 30,2018.

On August 7, 2018, ISRO announced that it would launch the heaviest communication satellite GSAT -11

from French Guiana onNovember 30, 2018.

i. This satellite weighs over 5.7 tonnes or 5700 kg .

ii. It will be launched from the European spaceport Arianespace.

Joint cycling cum Trekking expedition by Indian Army & Royal Bhutan Army

Joint cycling cum Trekking expedition by Indian Army & Royal Bhutan Army A joint Cycling cum

Trekking Expedition of Indian Army and Royal Bhutan Army was conducted to commemorate ―Fifty

years of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between India and Bhutan‖. The expedition began on



31 July from Haa Dzong in Bhutan and was flagged-in at Thimpu on 07 August 2018. A total of

seventeen personnel of both armies participated in the expedition which covered a total of 384 kms of

distance across challenging mountainous terrain in both India and Bhutan.

Google Launches Video Q&A App Cameos Aimed At Celebrities

Google has launched a new video-based Q&A app called 'Cameos' on the App Store, which allows people to

answer questions about themselves, then share those answers directly on Google.

The app is aimed at celebrities and other public figures, who are often the subject of people‘s Google

searches.

Defence Industrial Corridor Launched in Aligarh, UP

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a

defence industrial corridor in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.

Six nodal points, Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chitrakoot and Jhansi have been identified in state

for the corridor. Another defence corridor was also launched in Tamil Nadu.

Sanjay Mitra (Present Defence Secretary) is the present Chairman of DRDO.

DRDO Headquarters in New Delhi.

NASA Plans To Launch ‗Touch The Sun‘ Spacecraft

Nasa is preparing to launch a $1.5 billion spacecraft designed to ―touch‖ the sun, which will help

scientists learn more about the scorching atmosphere of our favourite star, known as the corona.

The Parker Solar Probe, named after the 91-year-old pioneering solar astrophysicist Eugene Parker, will

come within 6.16 million km of the sun in the next few years. This is the first time Nasa has named a

mission after a living individual.

India To Launch 2nd Lunar Mission 'Chandrayaan-2' on January 3, 2019

India will launch its second lunar mission ―Chandrayaan-2‖ on January 3, 2019, to land on the moon with

a lander and rover. According to Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K. Sivan, ISRO is

aiming to launch the mission but the window to land on the lunar surface is open till March 2019.

The 800-crore rupees is the cost of lunar mission named ―Chandrayaan-2‖. The 3,890-kg Chandrayaan-2,

which will be launched onboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-3, will orbit around the

moon and study its lunar conditions to collect data on its topography, mineralogy and exosphere.

ISRO Set To Launch Its TV Channel

The Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman Dr K Sivan has announced that ISRO TV will go on air

in a few months.The TV channel will focus on space and science activities. At present, people especially

in the rural areas are not being reached.Also, ISRO will open the Satish Dhawan Space Center in

Sriharikota to the public to watch satellite launches.



India to launch first manned space mission by 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 72nd Independence Day speech vowed to put Indian in space by 2022

under manned space mission on board ‗Gaganyaan‘.

The announcement gives Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) definitive timeline for manned space

mission which it has been working on for the last 15 years.

Former Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Rakesh Sharma was first Indian to travel to space.

Armed forces to grant permanent commission for women officers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 72nd Independence Day speech vowed from Red Fort announced

that permanent commission will be granted to serving women officers of armed forces.

Women officers who have been selected through Short Service Commission (SSC) in defence forces will

now have option to take up permanent commission (PC).

Scientists develop super-insulating transparent gel

Scientists have developed Aerogel, a transparent heat-resistant super-insulating gel using beer waste.

It may be used to build greenhouse-like habitats for human colonised on extraterrestrial habitats such as

Mars or Moon.

Aerogels defining feature is air, as it comprise at least 90% gas by weight.


Barak 8: India-Israel missile defence system to be procured by Israeli Navy

The multi-purpose Barak 8 missile defence system, jointly developed by India and Israel, will be procured

by the Israeli Navy.

Barak 8 has been developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India‘s DRDO, Israel‘s Administration

for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and few other

Indian defence companies.

ii. It is referred to as Barak-8 by Israel and LR-SAM (long-range surface-to-air missile) by India. It has

variants with maximum ranges of 70km and 150km.

Aditya – L1: First Indian mission to study the Sun to be launched in 2019

ISRO‘s Aditya-L1 mission, India‘s first mission to study the solar corona, is planned to be launched in

2019-2020, by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL) from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Aditya – L1 will be inserted in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) that is 1.5 million km

from the Earth. Solar corona is the outer layers of the Sun.

Aditya – L1 will have 6 additional payloads. Aditya in Sanskrit means the ‗sun‘.

Pitch Black 2018 Exercise Concludes In Australia

The Indian Air Force, IAF was invited for the first time to participate in Exercise Pitch Black – a biennial

multi-national large force employment warfare exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force

(RAAF). This exercise was conducted in Australia‘s Darwin. More than 4,000 Australian and

international personnel along with 140 aircraft belonging to 16 countries took part in the exercise.




India-Thailand Conclude ‗Maitree‘ Military Exercise .

Indian and Thailand's armed forces concluded a two-week long platoon level military exercise

called ‗Exercise Maitree 2018‘ in Jammu & Kashmir‘s Srinagar. The exercise was an annual event

designed to strengthen the partnership between armies of the two countries.

Smart Anti Airfield Weapon successfully flight tested near Pokhra

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested indigenously developed

light weight glide bomb Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) dropped from an Indian Air Force (IAF)

aircraft.

India successfully tests indigenously Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‗HELINA‘ and Smart Anti Airfield

Weapon (SAAW)

On 19th

August 2018, India successfully flight tested the indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-

Tank Guided Missile(ATGM) ‗HELINA‘ from Army helicopter in Pokhran, Rajasthan. HeliNA

(Helicopter-launched Nag) is helicopter launched version known of NAG ATGM.


IIT-Hyderabad launches First of its kind in India, Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI)

On 21st August 2018, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, announced the launch of Fabless Chip

Design Incubator (FabCI) exclusively for startups in chip design.

Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI):

It offers facilities like free software tools with leading technology partners in Electronic Design

Automation (EDA), etc.

SCO military drill in Russia from 22-29 August: Indian,Pakistani troops take part for the first time

On August 22, 2018, for the first time, the militaries of India and Pakistan are taking part in a mega anti-

terror drill of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) named The Peace Mission 2018 in

Russia.India is participating in the drill for the first time since becoming a full member of the SCO in June

2017.

It is aimed at expanding cooperation among the member countries to deal with terrorism and extremism.The

joint exercise is being conducted by the Central Military Commission of Russia from August 22 to August

29 at Chebarkul, Russia.

At least 3,000 soldiers from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan

are participating in the drill.

NASA‘s 2 virtual reality apps: NASA Selfies app and NASA‘s Exoplanet Excursions, lets you click

selfies with galaxies

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has designed 2 virtual reality applications

named: NASA Selfies appand NASA‘s Exoplanet Excursions, to celebrate the 15th

anniversary of the

Spitzer Space Telescope.

New antibiotic candidate identified in human body




Scientists have identified a new antibiotic candidate in the human body that would help in developing new

drugs that can be used against drug-resistant bacteria.

Researchers from the MIT and the University of Naples Federico II in Italy have found that fragments of

the protein pepsinogen used to digest food in the stomach, can kill bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli.

DAC Approves Procurement for Services Amounting To Rs46,000 Crores

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Smt Nirmala

Sitharaman accorded approval for procurement for the Services amounting to approximately Rs. 46,000

crores.

The DAC in a landmark decision approved procurement of 111 Utility Helicopters for the Indian Navy at a

cost of over Rs. 21,000 crores.

iii. This is the first project under the MoD‘s prestigious Strategic Partnership (SP) Model that aims at

providing the significant fillip to the Government‘s ‗Make in India‘ programme.

India‘s First ISTS connected Wind Power Project Commissioned

On 24th

August 2018, a part capacity of 126 MW wind power of India‘s first Inter-State Transmission

System (ISTS)auction, was commissioned in Bhuj, Gujarat, by Ostro Kutch Wind Private Ltd.

India‘s First ISTS:

Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) had conducted India‘s first auction of wind power projects

in February 2017. Tariff of Rs 3.46 was discovered in that, which was much lower than feed in current

tariffs.

It was a 1,000 MW bid for projects to be connected on ISTS.

China Successfully Sends Twin Navigation Satellites Into Space On Single Carrier Rocket

The Long March-3B carrier rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest

China‘s Sichuan Province. It was the 283rd mission of the Long March rocket series.The twin satellites

were developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper, the BeiDou system started serving China in 2000 and

the Asia-Pacific region in 2012.

India's 1st Biofuel-Powered Flight Lands In Delhi

In a Historic day for the country's aviation and energy sector, India's first biofuel-powered flight landed in

Delhi, covering the distance between Dehradun & Delhi. The biofuel is developed by CSIR-Indian

Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun. The flight test was successfully completed by SpiceJet.

The flight was powered with a blend of 75% air turbine fuel (ATF) and 25% biojet fuel.

Lithium-ion batteries that will not catch fire has been developed

US Scientists have developed lithium-ion batteries that do not catch fire, using components that harden on

impact.

Lithium-ion batteries are used in consumer electronics. They catch fire when damaged or improperly

packaged.Researchers have developed a practical and inexpensive way to prevent these fires by utilizing the

property of some liquids that solidify on impact.



Indian-American scientist finds simple way to detect inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Chander Mohan, an Indian-American scientist, has identified 50 protein biomarkers that can non-

invasively detect inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). i. IBD is caused when the body‘s immune system fights its intestinal cells. It leads to diarrhoea, abdominal

cramps, blood in stools and weight loss.

ISRO To Send 1st Indian Into Space By 2022

India‘s first Indian human mission will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by

2022. This was stated by the Union Minister of State (I/C) Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh.

ii. The programme will make India the fourth nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission.

So far, only the USA, Russia and China have launched human spaceflight missions. PM Modi had earlier

announced `Gaganyaan — India's maiden human spaceflight programme'.

Google unveils new platform for Indic language publishers

Search engine giant Google has unveiled Project Navlekha to make online content relevant for more Indian

users especially in local languages.

It has been unveiled along with host of upgrades of Google‘s other products at fourth ‗Google for India‘

event held in New Delhi.

Navlekha is word derived from Sanskrit meaning ‗a new way to write.‘

ISRO To Outsource Production Of PSLVs and SSLVs To Private Industries

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will outsource the production of the Polar Satellite

Launch Vehicles (PSLVs) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) to private Industries. The

Indian Space agency Chairman K Sivan made this announcement.

The ISRO will launch Gaganyaan, India‘s first manned mission to outer space in 2020.

MoU Signed Between Department of Biotechnology and International Energy Agency

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, and the International

Energy Agency (IEA) signed an MoU on Enhancing Innovation for Clean Energy Transition.

Environment Ministry releases India‘s National REDD+ Strategy

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released National

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) strategy for India.

It aims at achieve climate change mitigation by incentivizing forest conservation.

It will soon be communicated to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(UNFCCC).

Indian Naval ship Sahyadri to participate in 14th

exercise KAKADU 2018 in Darwin, Australia



On August 30, 2018, after participating in the MALABAR 18 at Guam and RIMPAC 18 at Hawaii, INS

Sahyadri entered the Port of Darwin, Australia on 29 Aug 18 to participate in Exercise KAKADU 2018.It

is the 14th

edition of the exercise and will be conducted from 29 Aug – 15 Sep 18.

NASA set to launch Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) to track Earth‘s melting ice

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch Ice, Cloud and land Elevation

Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) in to the space on 12th

September 2018, to measure the changes in the heights of

Earth‘s polar ice.

ICESat-2 is the most advanced laser instrument of its kind. It will measure the average annual elevation

change of land ice covering Greenland and Antarctica to within the width of a pencil. It will capture 60,000

measurements every second.

Important Days & Events

Earth Overshoot Day 2018 – August 1

On 1st August 2018, Earth Overshoot Day 2018 was observed.

Earth Overshoot Day 2018:

Earth Overshoot Day is an initiative of Global Footprint Network. Global Footprint Network is an

international research organization that is changing how the world measures and manages its natural

resources.

About Global Footprint Network:

♦ CEO – Mathis Wackernagel

♦ Founded – 2003

National Handloom Day- August 07 :

The National Handloom Day is observed every year on Aug 07 to honour Indian handloom weavers and

celebrate the rich cultural legacy of handlooms in the country.

This year it was fourth edition of the National Handloom Day after it was instituted in 2015.

73rd

Hiroshima day

August 6, 2018, marks the 73rd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.

i. On this day in 1945, the US bomber Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb nicknamed ‗Little

Boy‘ ever used in military combat on Hiroshima.

ii. The Atomic Bomb Dome was located almost directly underneath the explosion was designated as

a World Heritage Site in 1996.



Japan:

♦ Capital: Tokyo.

♦ Currency: Japanese Yen.

International Day of the World‘s Indigenous Peoples- Aug 09:

The International Day of the World‘s Indigenous Peoples is observed every year on Aug 09 in recognition of

the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in Geneva in 1982.

2018 theme: ‗Indigenous peoples‘ migration and movement‘.

76th anniversary of Quit India movement: August Kranti Day – 9 August

On 9th

August 2018, the 76th anniversary of Quit India movement named as August Kranti Day was

observed in India.

August Kranti Day:

On 9th

August 1942, father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi started the Do or Die campaign to drive

away Britishers from India. The movement started from Gawalia Tank in Mumbai. This day is observed as August Kranti Day every

year.To observe the anniversary of Quit India movement, President Ram Nath Kovind hosted the freedom

fighters at an At-Home reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

Aug 10: World Biofuel Day

World Bio-fuel Day or the International Biodiesel Day is observed every year on Aug 10 to create

awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels i.e. Green Fuels or Bio-fuels an alternative to

conventional fossil fuels.

In India, World Biofuel Day is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

To celebrate the day, the govt has organized World Biofuel Day programme at Vigyan Bhawan, New

Delhi. Bio-fuels are renewable, bio-degradable, sustainable and environment friendly fuel.

It can be seen as alternative to conventional fossil fuels.

On this day in 1893, Sir Rudalph Diesel (inventor of the diesel engine) for the first

International Youth Day: 12 August

It is an awareness day designated by the United Nations to draw attention to cultural and legal issues

surrounding youth.The Theme for IYD 2018 is: ―Safe space for Youth‖.

Aug 12: World Elephant Day

The World Elephant Day is observed every year on Aug 12 to create awareness of urgent plight of African

and Asian elephants.

It seeks to share knowledge and positive solutions for better care and management of captive and wild

elephants.

In India, cultural event Gaj Mahotsav has been organised by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and Ministry of

Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on this occasion of this day.



Aug 13: World Organ Donation Day

The World Organ Donation Day (WODD) is observed every year on Aug 13 to encourage people to

donate their precious organs.About 5 lakh people die every year awaiting organ transplants due to non-

availability of organs.There is a wide gap between the number of transplants awaited and the organs

available.Organs that can be donated are kidney, lungs, heart, eye, liver, pancreas, cornea, small

intestine, skin tissues, bone tissues, heart valves and veins.

India celebrates its 72nd Independence Day

On 15th

August 2018, India celebrated its 72nd Independence Day.India attained independence from the

British rule on 15 August 1947. This day is celebrated as Independence Day, every year on August 15, in

India.

This day remembers and honours all those who fought and sacrificed their lives for the freedom of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that, India‘s manned space mission will be launched by

2022. He also launched Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, the world‘s largest

government-funded healthcare programme.

World Humanitarian Day: 19 August

The World Humanitarian Day is observed across the world on August 19 to pay tribute to workers who risk

their lives in humanitarian services and to gather support for people affected by crises around the world. The

campaign launched on World Humanitarian Day is "#NotATarget".

The day was designated by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the 19 August 2003 bombing of

the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq.

World Photography Day – 19 August

The World Photography Day 2018 is celebrated in order to inspire photographers to share their work.

The birth of this day dates back to 1839 when Joseph Nicéphore Niépce‘s associate Louis Daguerre

developed a daguerreotype process the details of which were introduced the same year.

World Mosquito Day – August 20

The World Mosquito day is observed on August 20.

The day marks the groundbreaking discovery of British doctor, Sir Ronald Ross. In 1897 he had

identified the link between mosquitoes and malaria.

National Sadbhavana Day – August 20

Sadbhavana Diwas 2018 (74th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi) will be celebrated all over the India

on 20th of August.

The Sadbhavana (means having good feelings for others) Diwas or Harmony Day is celebrated to

commemorate the birth anniversary of the earlier Prime Minister of India named Rajiv Gandhi.

International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, 21 August



UN Secretary-General, António Guterres informed that General Assembly to establish an International Day

of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism due to Terrorism continues to pose a major

threat to international peace and security.

It undermines the core values of the United Nations and is an indiscriminate threat that affects people and

countries across the globe.

National Nutrition Month to be observed in September

The month of September will be celebrated as the National Nutrition Month every year to mark India‘s

fight against malnutrition.

September – National Nutrition Month: i. This announcement was made by the Ministry of Women and Child Development at the second meeting

of National Council on India‘s Nutrition Challenges under the Poshan Abhiyaan on 25th July 2018.

Aug 21: World Senior Citizens Day

The World Senior Citizens Day is celebrated every year on Aug 21 across the world raise awareness of the

condition of elder people and support them through the process of senescence.

It aims to raise awareness about factors and issues affecting older people, such as deterioration with age and

examine issues that affect their lives such as abuse of elderly people.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition – August 23

On 23rd August 2018, International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition was

observed throughout the world.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition:

National Sports Day: 29 August

The National Sports Day is celebrated on 29th August every year to mark the birthday of legendary hockey

player Dhyan Chand. The legendary hockey player was born on 29 August 1905 in Allahabad, Uttar

Pradesh.

International Day against Nuclear Tests – 29 August On 29

th August 2018, International Day against Nuclear Tests was observed all over the world.

International Day against Nuclear Tests: i. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly declared 29 August as the International Day against

Nuclear Tests. The first International Day against Nuclear Tests was observed in 2010.

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances – 30 August

On 30th

August 2018, International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was observed all

over the world.



Sports News

Lewis Hamilton wins 6th Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the 6

th time, at the Hungaroring circuit,

in Hungary. This is the 67th career victory for Lewis Hamilton. Daniel Ricciardo was named Driver of

the Day by Formula One for finishing at fourth position after starting from the 12th

position.

World Junior Squash Championships 2018 held in Chennai, India From 18

th to 29

th July 2018, World Junior Squash Championships 2018 was held in Chennai, India.

World Junior Squash Championships 2018: A total of 171 players including 116 men and 55 women from 28 countries took part in the World Junior

Squash Championship. Cyrus Poncha was the tournament director.

The individual event for men and women was held from 18th

July to 23rd

July 2018.

Event Winner Runner-up

Men‘s Individual Mostafa Asal (Egypt) Marwan Tarek (Egypt)

Women‘s Individual Rowan Elaraby (Egypt) Hania El

Hammamy(Egypt)

Men‘s Team Egypt England

Golf: Dustin Johnson Won 2018 RBC Canadian Open

Dustin Johnson has won the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville in

Canada. Dustin Johnson was awarded $1,116,000 for the win.Now he has become the first player after

Tiger Woods (2005-09) with at least three wins in three consecutive seasons.

Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold Medal In Javelin Throw At Savo Games In Finland

Neeraj Chopra won gold in men‘s javelin throw at the Savo Games in Lapinlahti, Finland.Chao-Tsun

Cheng of Chinese Taipei took silver with an attempt of 82.52m.Karman Kaur Thandi became the sixth

Indian woman tennis player to crack the top-200 rankings in singles; ranked 200th

in WTA

Gaganjeet Bhullar Wins His Maiden European Tour Title

Indian Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar grabbed his maiden European Tour title at the Fiji International in

Natadola Bay. It was Bhullar‘s first win on the European Tour, ninth Asian Tour title and 10th crown

overall.

ii. He now becomes the most successful Indian player on Asian Tour, overtaking the tally of eight tour wins

by Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018-

Suva is the capital city of Fiji.



Netherlands Wins Women's Hockey World Cup 2018

In Women‘s Hockey World Cup 2018, the Netherlands has been crowned the world champions for a

record eighth time. The defending champions recorded a stunning 6-0 victory over Ireland in the summit

clash at London, UK to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 32 matches. The Netherlands

Capital- Amsterdam, Currency- Euro and USD.

World Badminton Championships 2018 Concludes: Complete List Of Winners

Here is the complete list of the winners of World Badminton Championship 2018:

Virat Kohli‘s 22nd ton propels him to the top of ICC Test rankings for batsmen

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli reached number 1 position in the ICC Player Rankings for Test

Batsmen, as per the latest ICC ranking released on 5th August 2018.

About International Cricket Council (ICC):

♦ CEO – David Richardson

♦ Headquarters – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Indian-origin prison guard Sashi Cheliah wins 10th

MasterChef Australia 2018

On August 4, 2018, Sashi Cheliah, A 39-year-old prison guard from Adelaide, won the title of MasterChef

Australia 2018. It was the 10th

Season.

He got 93 out of 100 points on the final day.He hails from Coimbatore, Tami Nadu.

S.No. Event Winner Runner-up

1. Men's Singles Kento Momota (Japan) Shi Yuqi (China)

2. Women's Singles Carolina Marin (Spain) P. V. Sindhu (India)

3. Men's Doubles

Li Junhui (China) and Liu Yuchen

(China)

Takeshi Kamura (Japan) and Keigo Sonoda

(Japan)

4.

Women's

Doubles

Mayu Matsumoto (Japan) and

Wakana Nagahara (Japan)

Yuki Fukushima (Japan) and Sayaka Hirota

(Japan)

5. Mixed Doubles

Zheng Siwei (China) and Huang

Yaqiong (China)

Wang Yilü (China) and Huang Dongping

(China)



India Women Win Blitz Gold in Asian Nations Cup Chess Tourney

The Indian women chess team at the Asian Nations Cup 2018 clinched the gold in the Blitz event held in

Iran. It's India's first gold-medal finish at the event since 2014. They also won silver and bronze in the

Rapid and Classical categories, respectivelyAsian Nations Cup Chess Tournament 2018

On July 28th

to August 3, 2018, the biennial Asian Nations Cup Chess Tournament was held in Hamadan,

Iran. It was organized by Iran Chess Federation on behalf of Asian Chess Federation.

India won 5 medals: 1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze.


India ranked 2nd

in the overall ranking.

Rank Country

1 Iran Green

2 India

3 China

4 Kazakhstan

5 Iran Red

Russia‘s Kliment Kolesnikov sets 50m backstroke world record to win European title

On 4th

August 2018, Kliment Kolesnikov of Russia created a world record for the 50 metres

backstroke as he won the European Championship title in Glasgow, Scotland.

Swastika Ghosh wins bronze in Hong Kong Open (table tennis)

On 4th

August 2018, India‘s Swastika Ghosh won a bronze medal in the junior girls‘ doubles along with

Singapore‘s Jingyi Zhou in the 2018 Hang Seng Hong Kong Junior and Cadet Open, in Hong Kong.

About ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation):

♦ President – Thomas Weikert

♦ Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland

Los Cabos Open 2018

From 30th

July to 4th

August 2018, Los Cabos Open 2018 also known as the Abierto Mexicano de Tenis

Mifel presentado por Cinemex was held in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Men‘s singles: Italy‘s Fabio Fognini defeated Argentina‘s Juan Martín del Potro 6–4, 6–2 in the finals and won the




men‘s singles title.

Men‘s doubles: El Salvador‘s Marcelo Arévalo and Mexico‘s Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela defeated United States of

America‘s Taylor Fritz and Australia‘s Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 6-4 in the finals and won the men‘s doubles

title..

About Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP):

Purpose – governing body of the men‘s professional tennis circuits

Chairman – Chris Kermode

Rafael Nadal maintains 1st spot in ATP ranking Rafael Nadal maintained his top position in the

men‘s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world singles rankings released on 6th

August 2018.

The current top-10 ATP rankings are given below:

Rank Player Points

1 Rafael Nadal (Spain) 9310

2 Roger Federer (Switzerland) 7080

3 Alexander Zverev (Germany) 5665

4 Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) 5455

5 Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 4610

FIH rankings: Indian men‘s hockey team jumps one spot to 5th

Indian men‘s hockey team has improved one rank and has reached the 5th

spot in the latest FIH rankings

chart released on 7th

August 2018.

Indian men‘s hockey team – 5th

spot in FIH rankings:

i. Men‘s FIH rankings released on 7th August 2018:

Rank Country Points

1 Australia 1906

2 Argentina 1883

3 Belgium 1709

4 Netherlands 1654

5 India 1484

WAFF(West Asian Football Federation Cup) Under16 2018 title: Indian team won the title by

defeating Iraq



Under-16 team of India defeated Iraq by 1-0,held in Amman, Jordon.

The sole goal in the Under 16 team was given by Bhuvenesh .This win goes down in history Since,India

had won for the first time against Iraq in any football format and in any age group.

India had struggled against the same opponent last year, with the match ending in a draw.

Germany‘s Mario Gomez retired from international football

On August 7, 2018, Veteran German striker Mario Gomez announced his retirement from international

football .The 33-year-old made his debut for Germany in 2007.

He scored 31 goals in 78 international appearances.

He also represented his country at the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and 2018 and the Euro Cup in 2008 and

2012.

Washington Open (tennis) 2018

From 28th

July to 5th

August 2018, Washington Open (tennis) 2018 or Citi Open 2018 was held at Rock

Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington DC, United States.

i. Washington Open (tennis) is an annual hard court tennis tournament. This is the 50th edition of the

tournament.

Winners of Washington Open (tennis):

Event Winner Runner-up

Men‘s Singles Alexander Zverev (Germany) Alex de Minaur (Australia)

Women‘s

Singles Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) Donna Vekić (Croatia)

Men‘s Singles Jamie Murray (United Kingdom),

Bruno Soares (Brazil)

Mike Bryan (United States), Édouard

Roger-Vasselin (France)

Women‘s

Doubles

Han Xinyun (China), Darija Jurak

(Croatia)

Alexa Guarachi (Chile), Erin Routliffe

(New Zealand)

Ex-400m world champion Nicholas Bett dies

On 7th

August 2018, former 400m hurdles world champion Nicholas Bett of Kenya died in a car accident.

Nicholas Bett was 28 years old. In 2015 IAAF World Championship held in Beijing, he won gold medal.He

had made a Kenyan record of 47.79. In Commonwealth Games 2018 in Australia, he finished at 8th

position

in the 400m hurdles event.

Neeraj Chopra India‘s Flag Bearer At Asian Games 2018 Opening Ceremony

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will be the flag bearer for the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony

of the Asian Games 2018. The 20-year-old has won a gold medal in World Junior Championships, Asian

Championships, South Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in his career so far. The Haryana athlete

equalled the national record when he recorded a throw of 82.23m at the 2016 South Asian Games.



The 2018 Asian Games, officially known as the 18th Asian Games and also known as Jakarta

Palembang 2018.It will be held in Indonesia.

Carolina Marin becomes first woman to win women‘s singles World Badminton Championships

thrice

Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain becomes the first woman shuttler to win the women‘s singles

World Badminton Championships thrice with an emphatic victory over P.V. Sindhu of India in

Nanjing, China.

National Sports University Bill passed in Parliament

Parliament has passed the National Sports University Bill 2018 after Rajya Sabha approving it.The

Bill seeks to establish a first-of-its Kind National Sports University in Manipur for the Promotion of

sports.

Rafael Nadal Lifts Rogers Cup 2018

17-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal clinched his fourth Canadian Masters 1000 title at the

Rogers Cup in Toronto. He defeated Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The world number one swept aside Tsitsipas in a thrilling summit clash of the men's singles event. With the

win, Nadal clinched his 80th ATP World Tour title and fifth victory of the year.

Vietnam Open Badminton Championship

Indian shuttler Ajay Jayaram had ended with a runner-up at the Vietnam Open after losing the final

to Shesar Hiren Rhustavito of Indonesia.The event was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Virat Kohli tops 2018 charts for most runs scored in international cricket

Virat Kohli tops charts for being the highest run-scorer in international cricket this year, leaving England's

Jonny Bairstow behind. At present, Virat Kohli has 509 runs in Test cricket, 146 in T20s and 749 in

ODIs.Shikhar Dhawan is the second Indian batsman in the list.Australia‘s Ricky Ponting is next in the

list with 2833 runs reached in 2005.

Nihal Sarin Becomes 53rd Chess Grandmaster From India

International Master Nihal Sarin became the 53rd Grandmaster of India despite losing his final round

game to Richard Rapport of Hungary in the ninth and final round of Abu Dhabi Masters.The 14-year-old

Nihal tallied 5.5 points out of a possible nine and the final GM norm came the Kerala boy‘s way with one

round to spare.

Spanish International Player and Manchester City Midfielder retired

On August 15, 2018, Manchester City midfielder 32 year old David Silva announced his retirement from

international football. He is also known as ―Spain‘s Lionel Messi‖.

i. He was in the Spanish team which won the 2010 World Cup as well as the 2008 and 2010 European

Championships.



TNPL 2018 Final: Madurai Panthers win first title with dominant win over Dindigul Dragons

On 12th

August 2018, Madurai Panthers won their first Tamil Nadu Premier League 2018 title, at the

MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Emirates Cricket Board to host 2018 Asia Cup: BCCI

On August 17, 2018, BCCI officially handed over its hosting rights to the Emirates Cricket Board for the

upcoming Asia Cup 2018.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Emirates Cricket Board signed an

agreement for this purpose.It was signed between:

Amitabh Chaudharyand CEO Rahul Johri from BCCI‘s side and

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board

India‘s Esow Alben wins silver at 2018 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships

Indian cyclist Esow Alben has won India‘s first medal (a silver medal) at the 2018 UCI Junior Track

Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland.

In the Men‘s Keirin event, Czech Republic‘s Jakub Stastny won gold medal. Esow Alben finished 0.017

seconds behind him and won silver medal. Kazakhstan‘s Andrey Chugay won the bronze medal.

India Wins SAFF U-15 Championship Defeating Bangladesh

India defeated Bangladesh in the final of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-15 Women‘s

Championship in Thimpu, Bhutan. A solitary second-half strike by Sunita Munda helped the Indian U-

15 team clinch the title.

ii. This is the second edition of the Championship. Bangladesh had won the inaugural edition last year,

beating India, 1-0 in the final played at Dhaka.

Actress Scarlett Johansson has emerged as the world‘s highest paid female actress according to

Forbes.

Scarlett Johansson is 33 years old. She earned $ 40.5 million in pre-tax earnings from June 1, 2017, to

June 1, 2018.Angelina Jolie has ranked second with $28 million and actress Jennifer Aniston, is

in third position with $19.5 million.

Australian Bowler Mitchell Johnson Announced Retirement From All Forms Of Cricket

The Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.He

had played a vital role in helping Perth Scorchers clinch the 2016-17 edition of the Big Bash League where

he claimed 13 wickets at 15.46.

Kiki Bertens Defeats World No 1 Simona Halep To Win Cincinnati WTA Title

The Dutch challenger Kiki Bertens defeated Simona Halep to score the biggest win of her career.This is

her first defeat since Wimbledon to lift the the WTA Cincinnati title.The Cincinnati Masters is an annual

outdoor hardcourt tennis event held in Mason near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.



Djokovic Beats Federer At Cincinnati

Novak Djokovic finally clinched Cincinnati title after defeating Roger Federer .The Wimbledon

champion is the first to claim the Career Golden Masters, having won all nine titles in the elite series that

began in 1990.

Wrestling: Bajrang Punia Opens India‘s Gold Account

The Wrestler Bajrang Punia won India‘s first gold medal on the opening day of the 18th Asian

Games.Punia clinched the gold medal in the men‘s freestyle 65-kg category defeating Daichi Takatani of

Japan 11-8 in the final.It was Bajrang‘s second successive gold medal at the Asian Games after his triumph

in Incheon 2014 in the 61-kg category.

Rishabh Pant becomes fourth Indian wicket-keeper to take five catches on Test debut

On 19th

August 2018, Rishabh Pant became the 4th

Indian wicket-keeper to take 5 catches on Test

debut during the second day of the third cricket Test against England, in Nottingham, England.

Other Indians who had achieved this feat of taking 5 catches on Test debuts: Naren Tamhane, Kiran More

and Naman Ojha.

Saurabh Chaudhary Wins 10m Air Pistol Gold

16-Year-Old Saurabh Chaudhary became only the fifth Indian shooter to claim a gold in the Asian

Games history, beating a field of multiple world and Olympic champions in the 10m air pistol finals in

IndonesiaAnother Indian making his international debut, 29-year-old Abhishek Verma, shot 219.3 to

secure bronze.

Forbes Released List Of Highest Paid Female Athletes: Serena Williams Tops, PV Sindhu Ranks 7th

Serena Williams (with earnings of $18.1 million) was the highest paid female athlete for a third

consecutive year in 2018, according to "List Of Highest Paid Female Athletes 2018" published by

Forbes.

The Top 3 Highest Paid Female Athletes On The List Are:

1. Serena Williams ($18.1 million), 2. Dane Caroline Wozniacki ($13 million),

3. Sloane Stephens ($11.2 million).

New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott retires from all cricket

South Africa-born New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott has announced his retirement from all cricket.

He, 39, announced his decision on social media after captaining the Birmingham Bears to sixth place in the

North Group of England‘s Twenty20 Blast.

Odisha is to host 2018 Men‘s Hockey World Cup for the First Time

Odisha for the First time is Organizing the 2018 Men‘s Hockey World Cup,which will be the 14th

edition of the Hockey World Cup field hockey tournament.It is scheduled to be held from 28 November to

16 December 2018, at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. 16 Teams are to be participated

in the Tournament.



ii. The Hague in Netherland hosted the Previous tournament in the year 2014,in which Australia

won the title which is their third title and the Netherland became the Runner Up.Only 12 Teams Participated

in the Tournament.

Kho-Kho Gets Recognition From Olympic Council Of Asia

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has given recognition to India‘s indigenous sport of Kho-Kho, a

development that has been welcomed by Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.The decision to

recognise Kho-Kho was taken at the General Assembly of the OCA held on August 19.

FIFA takes control of Uruguayan football association (AUF)

FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) has taken temporary control over the Uruguayan

Football Association (AUF) due to governance issues.

AUF‘s president Wilmar Valdez resigned from his position in July 2018, just before a day he was to stand

for re-election. Uruguay campaigns with Argentina and Paraguay to host the 2030 Football World Cup.

Veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami retires from T20Is

Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami has announced her retirement from Twenty-20 Internationals (T20Is).

She will only play ODIs hereafter.

Jhulan Goswami is 35 years old. She represented India in 68 T20Is and has taken 56 wickets at an economy

rate of 5.45.She is also the first woman cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets.

Japan Wins 1st Ever Title at FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018

The U-20 Japan Women's National Team won against the U-20 Spain Women's National Team at the

final of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018, taking down the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

title for the first time in Japanese football history.

Sports Policy For Steel Ministry CPSEs Launched

Union Minister of Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh, unveiled the corporate sports policy for Central

Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under the Ministry of Steel.

ii. The policy will provide a framework for promotion of sports by Steel Ministry CPSEs. Steel CPSEs will

allocate a specific budget for sports activities, as per their financial strength, and this budget will be separate

from the company‘s CSR funds.

Japan Wins 1st Ever Title at FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018

The U-20 Japan Women's National Team won against the U-20 Spain Women's National Team at the

final of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018, taking down the FIFA U-20 Women's World

Cup title for the first time in Japanese football history.

Takarada Saori was named as the Player of the match with her goal and an assist. Takarada was also

awarded the Adidas Bronze Boot as well as the Adidas Silver Ball, while Minami was awarded the Bronze

Ball.



Lalchand Rajput appointed head coach of Zimbabwe cricket team

On August 26, 2018, former India opener Lalchand Rajput was appointed the head

coach of Zimbabwe national cricket team by the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC).

He is likely to remain in charge for the 2020 World T20 and beyond.

North Korea To Host Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships

The 2019 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships will be held in the North Korean

capital Pyongyang, a signal that the secretive country may be coming in from the sporting cold.

At the Asian Games weightlifting in Jakarta, the Asian Weightlifting Federation and North Korea's Sports

Minister Kim Il Guk signed an agreement for North Korea to hold the championships from October 27,

2019.

Manu Ginobili, Four-Time NBA Champion With San Antonio Spurs, Retires

Manu Ginobili retired aged 41 after a ―fabulous journey‖ in which he helped the San Antonio Spurs win

four NBA championships in 16 seasons with the club.He is an Argentine retired professional basketball

player. Over a 23-season career, he became one of only two players, along with Bill Bradley, to have won a

EuroLeague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal.

Swapna Barman wins India‘s first gold medal in Heptathlon Athletics

Indian athlete Swapna Barman has won gold medal in women‘s Heptathlon Athletics event at 18th edition of

Asian Games held in Jakarta-Palembang in Indonesia.She accumulated total of 6026 points to finish on top

of podium in the final of the event.

Dr. Ravinder Kumar Singhal completed the immensely difficult ‗Ironman triathlon‘

Dr. Ravinder Kumar Singhal, the Maharashtra cadre IPS officer & presently Nashik Police

Commissioner, has successfully completed the immensely difficult ‗Ironman triathlon‘ in 15 hours and 13

minutes as against the stipulated time of 17 hours in France on Aug 26, 2018.

Neeraj Chopra becomes the first-ever Indian javelin-thrower to win an Asian Games gold

Neeraj Chopra has become the first-ever Indian javelin-thrower to win an Asian Games gold medal.He

shattered his own national record by clearing a distance of 88.06m at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.

He also became the 2nd Indian after Milkha Singh to win a Commonwealth and Asian Games gold in

the event in the same year.

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy and Chelsea defender Gary Cahill Retires from England

international Football Team On 28

th August 2018, Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill announced their retirement from England

international Football Team. Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill said that, they will still be available for the team in emergency situations.



Luka Modric named UEFA Player of the Year 2018: UEFA Awards

On August 31, 2018, in the UEFA Awards, Croatia captain Luka Modric was voted the best player in

Europe. He also won the Midfielder of the Season.

i. Real Madrid was named the best player in last season‘s Champions League.

ii. The best women‘s player award was won by Pernille Harder of Denmark and Wolfsburg.

iii. Best goalkeeper of the season was: Keylor Navas

iv. Best defender of the season was: Sergio Ramos.

v. Ronaldo won the Forward of the Season.

vi. 2018 UEFA President‘s Award was given to David Beckham, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Eusebio

and Sir Bobby Charlton.

Virat Kohli becomes second-fastest Indian to score 6000 Test runs

On 31st August 2018, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli became the second-fastest Indian to score 6,000

runs in Test cricket.Virat Kohli has achieved this feat in his 119th Test. The fastest Indian to reach the

6,000-run mark was Sunil Gavaskar, who made it in 117 innings.

Virat Kohli has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar (120 innings), Virender Sehwag (121 innings) and Rahul

Dravid (125 innings).

ASIAN GAMES 2018;

1st In Asian Games:

1st medal in Sepak Takraw,

Rahi Sarnobat became 1st Indian woman to win Asian Games gold in shooting,

Vinesh Phogat became 1st Indian woman to win gold in wrestling

It was the 1st time that Indian Kabaddi Team could not win Gold.

Swapna Barman became 1st Indian to win an Asiad gold in the women's heptathlon event.

Neeraj Chopra became 1st Indian javelin thrower to win an Asiad gold.

Dutee Chand Won India‘s first medal in 20 years in a women's 100 event.

Bajrang Punia (Wrestling) won 1st Gold Medal for India in Asian Games 2018.



Online Exams Visit


List of GOLD MEDALS Won by India in Asian Games:

ATHLETICS

Sl.

No. Event Winners

1. Men's Shot put Tajinderpal Singh Toor

2. Men's Javelin Throw Neeraj Chopra

3. Men's 800m Manjit Singh

4. Men's Triple Jump Arpinder Singh

5. Women's Heptathlon Swapna Barman

6. Men's 1500m Jinson Johnson

7. Women's 4x400m Relay

M. R. Poovamma, Saritaben Gaikwad,

Hima Das, V.K. Vismaya

BOXING

8. Men's Light Fly (49kg) Amit Panghal

BRIDGE

9. Men's Pair Pranab Bardhan, Shibhnath Sarkar

ROWING

10. Men's Quadruple Sculls

Sawarn Singh, Dattu Baban Bhokanal,

Om Prakash, Sukhmeet Singh

SHOOTING

11. Men's 10-metre air pistol Saurabh Chaudhary

12. Women's 25-metre pistol Rahi Sarnobat

TENNIS

13. Men's Doubles Rohan Bopanna, Divij Sharan

WRESTLING

14. Men's freestyle 65 kg Bajrang Punia

15. Women's freestyle 50 kg Vinesh Phogat




Obituaries

Library scientist Prof Krishna Shripadrao Deshpande passed away at 95

On August 4,2018, eminent library scientist Krishna Shripadrao Deshpande passed away at his residence

in Malamaddi of Dharwad, Karnataka.

He was 95 and survived by wife, son and daughter. The state government had honoured him with the

Rajyotsava award.He is also the recipient of the prestigious Kaula-Ranganath award.

Veteran Congress leader Rajinder Kumar Dhawan passes away

On 6th

August 2018, former Congress MP, Rajinder Kumar Dhawan, passed away due to old age related

ailments, at a hospital in Delhi.Rajinder Kumar Dhawan was 81 years old. He was personal secretary to

Indira Gandhi when she was Prime Minister of India from 1962 to 1984.

Former The Hindu BusinessLine journalist, Mony K. Mathew, passes away

On 7th

August 2018, senior financial journalist Mony K. Mathew passed away following a heart

attack. He served as chief of bureau and resident editor of The Financial Express, Chennai.

DMK Chief M Karunanidhi Passes Away

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.

Karunanidhi passed away in Chennai. He was the 94-year-old veteran leader of Tamil Nadu.

iv. He started as a screenwriter in Tamil film industry and was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for five-

term.


Kannada poet Sumatheendra Nadig, a link of Navya tradition, passes away




On 7th

August 2018, Kannada writer, poet, critic and translator Sumatheendra R. Nadig, died following

a short term illness, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

He was also a Fellow at Jadhavpur University. Also, he taught part-time at the Department of English,

Temple University, Philadelphia. He was the editor at Bappco Publishing and a reader of English at

Bangalore University.

Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle Passed away

On 9th

August 2018, Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle died after fighting cancer in Australia.Jarrod Lyle was

36 years old. He had won the feeder Web.com tour two times. He had played 121 US PGA Tour

tournaments in his career.

Rajinder Kumar Dhawan passes away

Rajinder Kumar Dhawan, the veteran Congress leader and a former Union minister, has passed away

in New Delhi aged 81.As personal secretary and confidante to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Dhawan was a

witness to Indira Gandhi assassination in 1984.

M Bhakthavatsala passes away

M Bhakthavatsala, the well-known Kannada film producer, distributor and exhibitor, has passed away in

Bengaluru, Karnataka aged 84.He was an officer in Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) and later turned to

films through distribution and managing theatres.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Passes Away

Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee passed away. He was 89 years old.

Chatterjee was the Speaker of the Lower House from 2004-09 when Manmohan Singh-led UPA- 1 (United

Progressive Alliance) was in power.

S Naipaul: Nobel Prize Winner Dies At 85

Nobel Prize-winning British author V S Naipaul has died at the age of 85.

Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul who was born in Trinidad wrote more than 30 books and won the Nobel

Literature Prize in 2001.

Legendary India Captain Ajit Wadekar Passes Away At 77

Former India cricket captain Ajit Wadekar, who led the team to path-breaking Test wins in England and the

West Indies, passed away after prolonged illness. He was 77.

The aggressive batsman was a trailblazer in Indian cricket despite a mere 37 Test appearances, leading India

to triumphs in England and the West Indies in 1971.

Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee has passes Away



Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has passed away aged 93 in Delhi. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was

three times Prime Minister of India. First Term: May 1996, Second Term: 1998-1999 and Third Term: 1999-

2004.

Hakam Singh Bhattal passes away

Hakam Singh Bhattal, the Asian Games gold medallist athlete & Dhyan Chand awardee, has passed

away in Sangrur, Punjab aged 64.He won gold at the 1978 Bangkok Asiad in 20km race walk. In it, India

ranked 6th with 11 gold medals.He also won gold in the Asian Track and Field Meeting held at Tokyo in

1979.

Chemmanam Chacko passes away

Chemmanam Chacko, the renowned Malayalam poet and Sahitya Akademi awardee, has passed away in

Kochi, Kerala aged 92.

Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon Passes Away

The Chhattisgarh Governor Balram Das Tandon has passed away.Tandon was one of the founding members

of the Jan Sangh which later became the BJP. He became the governor of Chhattisgarh in July 2014 and had

served on various other posts including the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab.

US singer Aretha Franklin dies at 76

On 16th

August 2018, US singer Aretha Franklin passed away after fighting pancreatic cancer at her

residence in Detroit, the United States of America.

In the late 1960s, she earned the title ―Queen of Soul‖. Some of her hit songs are: ―Respect‖, ―Natural

Woman‖ and ―Chain of Fools.‖ She won the Grammy Award 18 times. She was the first female vocalist to be inducted into the Rock &

Roll Hall of Fame


Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Passed Away

The Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has passed away.He served as the UN Secretary

General from 1997 to 2006.He was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, along with the United

Nations. Annan was born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938.

Former member of Lok Sabha Chennupati Vidya dies of heart attack

On 18th

August 2018, former member of Lok Sabha, Chennupati Vidya passed away following a heart

attack, in Andhra Pradesh.

Chennupati Vidya was 84 years. She was elected to the Parliament as a Congress contestant from

Vijayawada constituency in 1980 and 1989.




Israeli Journalist And Peace Activist Uri Avnery Passes Away

Uri Avnery, a trailblazing Israeli journalist and peace activist and one of the first to openly advocate for a

Palestinian state passed away at the age of 94.

Rajabhau Godse passes away

Rajabhau Godse, the former Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP) from Nashik , has passed away in

Nasik, Maharashtra aged 57.He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Nashik constituency in 1996.He had also

been the city and district unit chief of the Sena after starting his political career as Sarpanch of village

Sansari in the district.

Congress leader Gurudas Kamat dies

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat passed away in New Delhi on

Wednesday.He was 63.He was Union Minister of State for Home Affairs with an additional charge of the

Communications and Information Technology ministry from 2009 to 2011.

Former Odisha Minister Jadunath Das Mohapatra passed away On August 21,Former Odisha Minister,Multi-faceted Personality and three-time MLA Jadunath Das

Mohapatra passed away due to Prolonged illness.He was 90.

i. Das Mohapatra begun his political career as a student leader and joined Congress in early sixties and was

the general secretary of Balasore District Congress Committee from 1964 to 1967.

Veteran Journalist Kuldip Nayar Passes Away

Eminent Indian writer and journalist Kuldip Nayar passed away in New Delhi following a brief illness. He

was 95. Mr. Nayar was originally born in Sialkot in 1923.His famous autobiography was "Beyond The

Lines". He was also the High Commissioner of India to the U.K. and nominated member of the Rajya

Sabha.

GK Quizz:- https://achieversacademyshivamogga.com/gk/index12224.php

Former Bengal Captain Gopal Bose Passes Away

The former India batsman Gopal Bose has passed away.An opening batsman, Bose had scored 3,757 runs

in 78 first-class games with eight hundreds and 17 fifties. He also took 72 wickets, including one five-for,

with his handy off-breaks.

US Senator John McCain Passes Away

The Senator John McCain, the Vietnam war hero turned senator and presidential candidate has passed

away.He is the six-term senator for Arizona and 2008 Republican presidential nominee.

Samajwadi Party leader Nand Lal Passi passes away

On 24th

August 2018, Former MLA and Samajwadi Party leader Nand Lal Passi died following a long

term illness, at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.




i. Nand Lal Passi was 84 years old. In 1993, he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly as a

Samajwadi Party candidate.

Neil Simon, Broadway‘s master of comedy, dies at 91

On 26th

August 2018, Neil Simon, a playwright and Broadway‘s master of comedy, died following

complications from pneumonia in Manhattan, United States.Neil Simon was 91 years old. He was a

playwright and had also written for movies.

ii. He had received: 4 Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, the Kennedy Center honors (1995), 4 Writers

Guild of America Awards, an American Comedy Awards Lifetime Achievement honor, Mark Twain Prize

for American Humor (2006).

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Contents :- - Sachin PG CET(State 2nd Rank)

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