INTERNATIONAL
China, Russia conduct joint naval exercises Joint Sea-2016 in South China Sea
China and Russia have carried out joint naval exercises dubbed as Joint Sea-2016 in the resource-rich South China Sea (SCS) off China’s southern Guangdong province. The exercises follow a spike in tensions after Permanent Court ofArbitration in The Hague rejected China’s claims in the SCS and slammed it for causing environmental damage there. The eight-day naval exercises (from September 13 to 19) were held in a non-disputed area in SCS off China’s southern Guangdong province. It had featured surface ships, missile destroyer, anti-submarine vessels, missile frigates, ship-based helicopters and conventional submarines among others from both navies.
Barack Obama designates first US Marine National Monument in Atlantic Ocean
The United States President Barack Obama designated the country’s first marine national monument, North east Canyonsand Seamounts Marine National Monument, in the Atlantic Ocean.The monument aims at protecting fragile deep-sea ecosystems off the coast of New England. The announcement was made by the American president at the third annual Our Ocean Conference in Washington DC.The Conference focuses on issues related to marine-protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution and climate-related impacts on the ocean.
World’s longest bullet train network established in China
China’s high-speed railway has completed over 20,000 kms of track network in the country, becoming the world’s longest bullet train network. Construction of the line started in December 2012. The line has 9 stations and trains run at a speed of up to 300 kph. China is conducting feasibility study to build the bullet train track between Chennai and New Delhi.
WHO certifies Sri Lanka malaria-free
In a remarkable public health achievement, Sri Lanka has been certified as malaria-free island country by World Health Organisation (WHO). In the mid-20th century it was among the most malaria-affected countries, but now it is malaria-free. This is testament to the courage and vision of its leaders, and signifies the great leaps that can be made when targeted action is taken. Sri Lanka is the second country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to eliminate malaria after Maldives.
Mother Teresa is being declared saint by Pope Francis in Vatican City
Pope Francis has declared revered nun Mother Teresa a saint in a canonization mass at St Peter’s square. The canonization comes on the eve of her 19th death anniversary. A 12-member central delegation led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and two state government-leveldelegations from Delhi and West Bengal, led by Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee had attended the ceremony.
US to create world’s largest protected marine area off Hawaii
United States is going to create world’s largest protected marine reserve area named as Papahanaumo kuakea Marine National Monument off the Hawaiian coast. It will be created by expansion of present national monument off Hawaii. US President Barck Obama will use his power to expand this national monument. With this expansion, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument will now span to 582,578 square miles. Thus, it quadruples in the size from present size.
World’s first self-driving taxis launched in Singapore
The world’s first self-driving taxi service was launched in Singapore. This launch is significant as it offer technology demonstration that could revolutionize the future transport industry. The self-driving taxi service was launched Singapore based nuTonomy, an autonomous vehicle software startup. With this nuTonomy became entity in the world first to offer self-driving taxi rides to the public.
Colombia, FARC Rebels Reach Deal to End Half-Century War
Colombia’s government and the country’s biggest rebel group reached a historic deal for ending a half-century of hostilities in one of the world’s longest-running and bloodiest armed conflicts. President Juan Manuel Santos hailed the agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia as an opportunity to turn the page on decades of political violence that has claimed more than 220,000 lives and driven more than 5 million people from their homes.
North Korea test fires new ballistic missile
North Korea fired a submarine launched missile that flew about 500 km (311 miles) towards Japan, a show of improving technological capability for the isolated country that has conducted a series of launches in defiance of UN sanctions. The test comes one day after the United States and South Korea launched joint military exercises on the peninsula.
INDIA & WORLD
India ranks 112th in 2016 World Economic Freedom Index
India has been ranked 112th out of 159 countries in the 2016 World Economic Freedom Index (WEFI). The index was release as part of the 2016 annual report of the Economic Freedom. The report measures the economic freedom by analyzing the policies and institutions of all 159 countries and territories and was based on data from the year 2014.
Top 10 Countries in 2016 WEFI
Hong Kong (1st), Singapore (2nd), New Zealand (3rd), Switzerland (4th), Canada (5th), Georgia (6th), Ireland (7th), Mauritius (8th), UAE (9th) and Australia (10th).
India, Nepal sign three agreements
India and Nepal have signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) for post-earthquake reconstruction, Road infrastructure in Tarai and Line of Credit. These agreements were inked during the four days (from 15 to 18 September 2016) official state visit of Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to India. “MoUs signed are: “Dollar Credit line agreement “First Amendatory Dollar credit line agreement” MoU for Upgradation and Improvement of Road Infrastructure in Terai Area of Nepal”
India takes US renewable energy dispute to WTO
India has complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about support given to the renewable energy industry in United States. The complaint alleges these 8 states in US have prop up their renewable sector with illegal subsidies and domestic content requirements, an obligation to buy local goods rather than imports. These 8 US states are Washington, Montana, California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan and Minnesota. By filing the complaint, India has triggered a 60 day window for US to settle the dispute, after which India could ask the WTO to adjudicate.
Bhattacharya, Kochhar among most powerful women outside US
India’s top women bankers, SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, ICICI head Chanda Kochhar and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma, are among the 50 most powerful women based out-side the US, according to a list by Fortune which is topped by Banco Santander’s boss Ana Patricia Botín. Bhattacharya is ranked second on the list, while Kochhar comes in on the fifth spot and Sharma on the 19th position in the Fortune’s ’50 Most Powerful Women International’ list, which has ranked the women based outside the US.
Joint Indian-US army exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas 2016’ to begin in Uttarakhand
As part of the ongoing Indo-US defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise, ‘Yudh Abhyas 2016’ is set to be conducted in Uttarakhand from September 14 to 27. The exercise in Chaubattia was being conducted by the headquarter Central Command. The exercise is aimed at simulating a scenario where both nations were working together to counter insurgency and terrorism in mountainous terrain under UN charter. The two week exercise will witness participation of about 225 personnel of the US Army and similar strength of Congo Brigade of the Indian Army.
India inks open skies pact with Greece
India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Greece to allow unlimited number of flights into each other’s countries and also has initiated the air service agreement for open skies. With this, Greece becomes first country with which India has inked an open sky arrangement under its new civil aviation policy. At present, there are no direct flights between India & Greece. Under the open skies agreement, airlines from India will be allowed to operate un-limited number of flights to Greece.
India, Kazakhstan Joint Exercise PRABAL DOSTYK-16 begins
India, Kazakhstan joint bilateral military exercise PRABAL DOSTYK-16 began in Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. The fourteen day will be a significant step towards fostering military as well as diplomatic ties between both countries. ‘Prabal Dostyk’ means ‘Robust Friendship’. In this edition of exercise, Indian Army is being represented by a platoon strength and the Kazakhstan Army is represented by platoon from Special Operating Force’s Unit.
WHO certifies India Yaws, Maternal & Neonatal Tetanus free
India has officially received certificates from World Health Organisation (WHO), recognizing the elimination of Yaws and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) from the country. The certificates were presented to Union Health Minister J P Nadda at the 69th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia Region held in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka.
UN Charter translated into Sanskrit
The UN Charter, the seminal treaty of the United Nati-ons, has now been translated into Sanskrit. The Charter is available in all six official languages of the UN.
World’s first made-in-India leprosy vaccine out on pilot basis
The Indian Institute of Immunology in New Delhi has developed mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP), an exclusive and completely domestic vaccine for leprosy. MIP, World’s maiden leprosy vaccine, will be launched on trial basis within a few weeks. Leprosy affects around 1.25 lakhs people in India annually.
India, Vietnam Sign 12 Agreements to Boost Bilateral ties
India and Vietnam have signed 12 agreements for coop-
eration in areas, including defence and IT, to boost bilateral ties. PM Modi said New Delhi will provide $500 million credit line for Vietnam for defence cooperation. India also offered a grant of $5 million to set up a software park in Vietnam. This is the first bilateral prime ministerial visit from India to Vietnam in 15 years since the visit of then premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001. Indian Navy and Vietnam Navy will cooperate in sharing of white shipping information.
India Myanmar ink four agreements to boost bilateral cooperation
India and Myanmar have signed four Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation and bilateral relations between the two countries. These agreements were signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting counter part President of Myanmar U Htin Kyaw in New Delhi. President Kyaw was on a four day visit to India from 27 August to 30 August 2016. He is the first democratically elected President of Myanmar to visit India.
Signed Agreements are
i. MoU on cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy.
ii. MoU on cooperation in the construction of 69 Bridges
iii. MoU on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine.
iv. MoU on cooperation in the construction and upgradation of the Kalewa – Yagyi Road Section.
US Postal Service honors Diwali Festival with a Forever Stamp
The US Postal Service will commemorate the festival of Diwali with a Forever stamp on Oct 5 and on behalf of this a dedication ceremony to be hosted at Consulate General of India in New York. The commemorative stamp designed with featuring a traditional diya oil lamp beautifully lit, sitting on a sparkling gold background.
Two Indian-American women named White House fellows
Two Indian-American women have been selected for the prestigious White House Fellow programme that offers firsthand experience of working at the highest levels of the US federal government. Astrophysicist Anjali Tripathi from California and physician Tina R Shah from Chicago are among the 16 White House Fellows appointed from across the nation for the year 2016-17.
NATIONAL
Indian Railways launches Yatri Mitra Sewa to help elderly, differently-abled
Indian Railways has launched ‘Yatri Mitra Sewa’ in a move to make rail travel comfortable for elderly, differently-abled and ailing travellers. The ‘Yatri Mitra Sewa’ will facilitate access to wheelchairs, battery operated cars and porter services elderly, differently-abled and ailing travellers. ‘Yatri Mitra’ or ‘Passenger Friend’ can be a “Sahayak (assistant)” or any other person nominated for the purpose. The service will be available at major railway stations across the country. The service can be availed at the time of online booking of tickets, calling or messaging ‘139’, accessing an app to be developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), or by simply dialling a dedicated mobile phone number to be activated for the purpose.
Union Govt approves 500 crore rupee projects for tourism in Jammu and Kashmir
The Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) has approved projects to the tune of Rs. 500 Crore for integrated development of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir under Swadesh Darshan scheme. The projects were approved for the scheme as part of Development Package of Prime Minister Reconstruction Plan. The new projects are envisaged at tourist infrastructural development in Jammu and Kashmir. The projects also involve developing a Convention Centre in Gulmarg and Patnitop, development of Ethnic Villages, Development of Water Sports Centre at Baghliyar Dam – Pool Doda.
UIDAI bans sharing of Aadhaar details
Agencies in possession of Aadhaar number of an individual will not be allowed to publish or post the information publicly and will have to ensure security and confidentiality of the 12-digit identification number under the Aadhaar Act. The move comes as part of the UIDAI’s efforts to ensure the information is not misused.Under the recently notified regulations,these agencies have also been mandated to inform Aadhaar holders the purpose for which their details will be used. As per the rules,the biometric information cannot be shared with anyone for any reason.
India Declares itself Free from Avian Influenza (H5N1)
The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare has declared India free from Avian Influenza (H5N1) from 5th September, 2016. India had notified outbreak of Avian Influenza (H5N1) on 09 May 2016 at Humnabad, Bidar district, Karnataka. There has been no further outbreak reported in the country thereafter.
Agriculture museum inaugurated at IGKV
An agriculture museum has been inaugurated at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) and it is touted as the first of its kind in any agriculture university in the country. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 4.92 crore. It aims to provide information about special agricultural techniques, agriculture-related problems and their solution, villagers’ lifestyles. It also displays the agriculture and tribal culture of Chhattisgarh. Modern techniques of farming are displayed in an interactive manner. A mobile application ‘Crop Doctor’, designed by the university for the farmers, has also launched at IGKV.
105-yr-old Kunwar Bai made ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ mascot
105-year-old Kunwar Bai, who was felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for building toilet by selling off her goats, has been chosen as the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ mascot. Prime Minister Modi will felicitate Kunwar Bai at a function in the national capital to mark `Swachhta Diwas’ on September 17.
Indian Railways launches cleanliness drive Swachhta Saptah
Indian Railways has launched Swachhta Saptah (Cleanliness Week) to mark the ‘Swachh Paryavaran Diwas’ (Clean Environment Day). The special nine-day (from 17 to 25 September 2016) long public cleanliness outreach programme was launched by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in New Delhi. The objective behind the initiative is to spread wider awareness on sanitation and cleanliness in rail premises and make hygiene a habit amongst the travelling public. It also marks out the Railway’s commitment by recounting the initiatives taken under the ‘Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat Mission’ Each day of the cleanliness drive will be earmarking specific focus area for spruce-up, the cleanliness programme has certain defined thrusts.
Union Cabinet approves Bilateral Technical Arrangement between India and Switzerland
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of the Bilateral Technical Arrangement (BTA) between India and Switzerland on the identification and return of Indian and Swiss Nationals and its implementation. The conclusion of the BTA has been linked to the Visa Free Agreement for holders of Diplomatic passports as a package deal. The BTA aims to formalise existing procedure for cooperation on return of irregular migrants between two countries without introducing any additional obligations or exacting timeframes. It would help to leverage the Readmission Agreement (RA) to liberalise work permit and visa regimes for legitimate Indian travellers.
Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and South Africa
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and South Africa for cooperation in the field of Tourism. Decision in this regard was taken by the Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The MoU was signed in July 2016.
Cabinet approves establishment of Higher Education Financing Agency
The Union Cabinet has approved establishment of Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) to give a major push for creation of high quality infrastructure in premier educational institutions. The HEFA will be jointly promoted by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and identified Promoter. HEFA will have an authorised capital of2,000 crore rupees and the government equity would be 1,000 crore rupees. It will be formed as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) within a PSU Bank or the Government-owned-NBFC (Promoter).
Govt launches toll-free number for postal complaints
The government on 12 September has launched toll free number 1924 to register postal complaints, over a month after introducing Twitter Sewa for redressal of telecom and postal grievances. It will initially be operational for 12 hours on working days and has been started in Hindi, Malayalam, and English. Notably, Department of Posts (DoP) is the 8th largest department in terms of the number of complaints.
Union Govt issues fresh guidelines for flexi-fund for CSS
The Union Finance Ministry has issued fresh flexi-fund guidelines for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). These flexi-fund guidelines will give states more freedom in spending money under the CSS to meet local developmental requirements. These guidelines were based on the instructions issued by NITI Aayog for rationalisation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes. These recommendations were based on instructions of the sub-group of Chief Ministers of states and consultations with stakeholders.
Indian Coast Guard commissions offshore patrolling vessel Sarathi
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has commissioned well-equipped offshore patrolling (OPV) vessel named ‘Sarathi’. It was commissioned by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) shipyard at Vasco in south Goa. ICGS Sarathi is the third in the series of six OPVs built by GSL for Indian Coast Guard (ICG). It is designed and built indigenously by GSL. It is the largest i.e. 105-meter long and is most advanced new generation off-shore patrol vessel. It has been fitted with advanced EW and electronic systems and guns. The vessel will be joining coast guard fleet based at Kochi, Kerala and will form part of the Naval Training Squadron.
Integration of DigiLocker with Driving Licenses & RC launched
The Union Government has launched a new service-integration of DigiLocker with Driving Licenses (DL) & Vehicle Registration Certificates (RC). It was jointly launched by Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi. With this integration people will no longer need to carry around physical copies of their Driving Licences and RCs. Using DigiLocker mobile app, they can instead access digital copies of the same on their mobile phones.
Helpline no. 14401 for info on power cuts launched
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has introduced a new helpline called ‘Urja Mitra’ for updates about electricity supply. Consumers in India can now dial 14401 and get an update from their respective power distribution companies about outages in their area through the ‘Urja Mitra Helpline’.
India Post releases commemorative postage stamp on Saint Teresa
The Postal Department has released a commemorative stamp to honour the Mother Teresa’s canonization in Mumbai. Union Minister of State (MoS) for Communications Manoj Sinha unveiled the postage stamp during a ceremony at the Divine Child High School. Teresa, who worked for the destitute in Kolkata and became a global icon of Christian charity, was declared a saint by Pope Francis at the Vatican. Mother Teresa MC, known in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary.
Union Government approves use of chilli based PAVA shells as alternative to pellet guns
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the use of Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide (PAVA) shells as an alternative to pellet guns for crowd controlling in Jammu and Kashmir. PAVA sheels also called Nonivamide are chilli-filled grenades. They are less lethal compared to pellet guns and immobilises the target temporarily rather than causing physical injury.
Election Commission grants National Party status to All India Trinamool Congress
The ElectionCommission has granted Nationalparty status to All India Trinamool Congress(TMC). The party led by West BengalChief Minister Mamata Banerjeehas ful-
filled the conditions required to become a Nationalparty after getting status of state party in four states. As per the provisions, to become a Nationalparty, a political outfit needs to win at least two percent of the total seats in the Lok Sabhafrom at least three different states or get at least six percent votes in four states in addition to four Lok Sabhaseats, or recognised as a state party in four states. The TMC is ruling the West Bengaland has presence in Manipur, Arunachal Pradeshand Tripura.
Indian Railways launches travel insurance for 92 paise
The railways has launched a scheme allowing a person to get an insurance cover of upto Rs. 10 lakh on booking a train ticket online by paying less than one rupee. A person booking a train ticket through the IRCTC website will be able to opt for travel insurance cover for a premium of 92 paise only. The railways will provide optional travel insurance for train journey at the time of booking. The new facility will be available to all passengers, excluding those travelling by suburban trains while booking online irrespective of the class. The cover will not be applicable for children upto 5 years of age and foreign citizens. It will be for passengers holding tickets such as confirmed, RAC and wait-listed ones.
Union Cabinet approves grant of Permanent Residency Status for Foreign Investors
The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme for granting of Permanent Residency Status (PRS) to foreign investors. However, this status will be subject to the relevant conditions in the FDI Policy notified by the Central Government from time to time.The scheme is expected to encourage foreign investment in India and facilitate Make in India Programme. Under the scheme, suitable provisions will be incorporated in the Visa Manual to provide for the grant of PRS to foreign investors.The PRS will be granted for a period of 10 years with multiple entry.
India to grow at 7.6% in FY’17 RBI
The RBI, in its Annual Report, has projected India’s growth rate at 7.6% in 2016-17, up from 7.2% last year. The Reserve Bank of India is India’s central banking institution, which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee.
Union Government launches POCSO e-box
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) e-box, in New Delhi. It was launched by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi. POCSO e-box is an online complaint management system for easy and direct reporting of sexual offences against children and timely action against offenders under POCSO Act, 2012.
NCS signs MoUs to enhance quality & reach of employment services
National Career Service (NCS) signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with strategic partners for enhancing quality and reach of employment services through the NCS network. These MoUs were signed with job portals companies Indeed, First Job, Freshersworld, Merajob and HT Shine etc. to enhance quality and reach of its employment generation services. Earlier, the NSC had partnered with leading organisations like Uber, Monster.com, Saral Rozgar, Quikrjobs, Indian Staffing Federation etc for the same purpose. NCS project is being implemented by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment. It was launched in 2015.
Union Government launches Accessible E-Library Sugamya Pustakalaya
Union Government has launched Accessible E-Library ‘Sugamya Pustakalaya’ for Divyang under Prime Minister’s Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan). The e-library was jointly launched by Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javadekar and Thawar Chand Gehlot. Sugamya Pustakalaya is an online library for Divyang and houses publications across diverse subjects and languages and multiple accessible formats. The online
library has been created in collaboration with National Institute of Visually Handicapped (NIVH), member organisations of Daisy Forum of India and Bookshare
and is powered by TCS Access.
UC approves MoU between India and Myanmar in field of Traditional Systems of Medicine
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Myanmar in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine. The MoU will provide structured frame work for promotion of AYUSH/ Traditional Systems of Medicine in Myanmar. It will boost the importance of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) systems of medicine and conservation, production and standardisation.
STATES
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar declares Charkhi Dadri as 22nd district
Haryana Government has announced Charkhi Dadri as the 22nd district of the state. At present, it is part of Bhiwani, the state’s largest district carved out on December 22, 1972. It was announced by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at a public rally in Dadri in Bhiwani district. The new district will have two state assembly constituencies Dadri and Badhra under its jurisdiction.
Andhra Pradesh tops in attracting industrial investments
Andhra Pradesh has emerged on the top among all other states in attracting industrial investments in 2015-16, pushing the previous year’s topper Maharashtra to the third spot. Andhra Pradesh attracted an investment of Rs 21,914 crore out of the Rs 1,38,700 crore gross investments across India, the state government said in an official release, quoting a report by the Reserve Bank of India. This was 15.8% of the total investments of over Rs 10 crore each unit. In 2014-15, AP’s share in the country’s investments was 8.1%.
Naropa Festival begins in Ladakh
The Naropa festival, which is held every 12 years, began on 16 September at the 17th century Hemis Monastery in Ladakh. The main events at the week-long Naropa festival, a celebration of the 1,000th birth anniversary of Saint Naropa, are the display of six bone ornaments and the unfurling of the ancient silk Thangka (Tibetan Buddhist painting) of Buddha Amitabha.
Ahmedabad to host African Development Bank meet next year
India will host the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group in May next year. To be held at Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre, Ahmedabad on May 22-26, the event is expected to be attended by over 5,000 delegates from 80 member countries of AfDB. The meetings would be attended by Governors, Alternate Governors, Executive Directors, policy makers and businesses.
Andhra Pradesh becomes second state to achieve 100% electrification
Andhra Pradesh has become the 2nd state in the country after Gujarat to achieve 100% electrification of households. JM Financials published the report based on a national -level survey on electrification in various states. About 35% rural households in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Assam still lacked access to power supply.
CM inaugurates week-long Onam celebrations in state
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated the Onam celebrations in Thiruvannanthapuram. The inaugural ceremony also witnessed the state government honouring noted playback singer P Jayachandran, who has completed 50 years in the field of music. Onam is the biggest festival celebrated in Kerala, India. It is also the State festival of Kerala with State holidays on 4 days starting from Onam Eve (Uthradom) to the 3rd Onam Day. The festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug – Sep) and marks the commemoration of home-coming of the mythical King Mahabali.
Odisha bags 9th Global Agriculture Leadership Award 2016
Odisha has bagged 9th Global Agriculture Leadership Award 2016 at the National Level gathering of important stake-holders in agriculture development at the Agriculture Leadership Summit at Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi. Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) have awarded Odisha in the category of Best Agriculture State-2016 in recognition of the efforts towards development of agriculture and bringing rural prosperity.
Haryana wins Best Horticulture State award
Haryana has won ‘Best Horticulture State’ award of the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA). The award was bestowed upon the state for its concerted efforts made to increase the income of the farmers in horticulture. The award was received by Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar at two-day 9th Agricultural Leadership Summit 2016 that organized by ICFA in New Delhi. Besides, the 2016 Best Agriculture State award was bestowed upon Odisha in recognition of state’s efforts towards development of agriculture and bringing rural prosperity.
Mandi, Sindhudurg emerge cleanest Districts in India
Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra have emerged the cleanest districts in India according Gramin Swachh Survekshan. Sindhudurg was judged as the cleanest in the ‘Plains’ category and Mandi in the cleanest district in ‘Hills’ category. The Gramin Swachh Survekshan report was released by the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
Sikkim cleanest state in India
Sikkim has been adjudged the cleanest state while Jharkhand comes last in the list of 26 states. Gujarat is ranked 14th in the survey conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). The results of survey carried out last year by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) was released by Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi. Gujarat is ranked 14th in the survey. Kerala, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Meghalaya are among the top 10 states.
Haryana govt to develop 340 villages as Horticulture Villages
Haryana Government led by CM Manohar Lal Khattar has decided to develop 340 villages as Horticulture Villages at a cost of 93 crore rupees during the Golden Jubilee year of the State. It has also decided to establish 140 clusters in these villages. This was stated by Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister OP Dhankar. A MoU was also signed with the Apio Inc. for processing and packaging of horticultural products in New Delhi.
CM inaugurates Asia’s biggest digital library in Silchar
On the occasion of the 55th Teachers’ Day Assam, CM Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated Asia’s biggest digital library dedicated to the memory of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, in NIT Silchar. The world class library is established with the help of University of Illinois, USA. It was the wish of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam during his last visit to the Institute to have a world class library stacked with 1 lakh books and research papers.
Second unit at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant connected to Southern Grid
The second 1,000 MW unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu was connected to the grid. This marks the generation of electricity and its supply to the grid by the second reactor of KKNPP. The plant had attained criticality in July 2016. Besides with this synchroni-sation, the total atomic power generation capacity of Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd (NPCIL) crossed 5,000 MW. The KKNPP is located in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, around 650 km from Chennai. It is built under India-Russian Nuclear agreement of 1988. KKNPP is India’s first nuclear power plant to use imported pressurised water reactor (PWR) technology for generation of electricity.
GST bill unanimously passed in Maharashtra Assembly
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has ratified the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitutional Amendment Bill passed by the Parliament, at a special one-day session of the state legislature. GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc.
West Bengal Assembly passes resolution for State’s name change
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution changing the name of the State to Bengal in English and Bangla in Bengali. Despite the Trinamool Congress government trying hard to arrive at a consensus of all political parties on the issue, the Congress, the Left Front and the BJP did not support the resolution. While representatives of all the three parties participated in the debate, Congress legislators walked out of the House during discussion, the Left Front wanted an amendment to the name change resolution and BJP opposed the resolution. In the end resolution was passed through voice vote.
India’s first textile university to come up at Surat
Gujarat government is planning to set up India’s first textile university at Surat with an investment of about Rs.800 crore – Rs 900 crore. The main aim of the university is to provide all kind of support including technology, research and development (R&D), skilled manpower etc. The university will build on over 250 acre land in Surat and it is expected to get operational in the next one and a half years.
South India’s First Children’s Court Inaugurated In Hyderabad
Giving a push to fast disposal of cases related to children, south India’s first Children’s Court was inaugurated in Hyderabad. After Goa and Delhi, Telangana has become the third state to have a child friendly court and sixth in the country with features like separate waiting rooms for children and a video camera trial for the accused, mandated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act-2012. The ‘child friendly’ courtroom was jointly inaugurated at the Nampally Criminal Courts Complex in Hyderabad by Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad and Director General of Telangana Police Anurag Sharma.
Maharashtra, Telangana ink pact for 3 irrigation projects
Maharashtra and Telangana have signed agreement for three irrigation projects to be constructed on Godavari, Pranahita and Painganga rivers. These agreements were signed in presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Under the agreement, the two States would take up Tummidi Hatti, Medigadda and Chanaka-Korata irrigation projects on Godavari River and its tributaries.
Sakshi Malik made brand ambassador for Beti Bachao, Beti Padao campaign in Haryana
Wrestler Sakshi Malik was named as Haryana’s brand ambassador for Beti Bachao, Beti Padao (save daughter, educate daughter) campaign in Haryana. Sakshi Malik had won bronze medal in wrestling at 2016 Rio Olympics in the 58 kg category. She had created history by becoming first women from India to win Olympics medal in wrestling. Announcement in this regard was made by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar after awarding Malik with 2.5 crore rupees and Commendation Certificate.
Chhattisgarh Assembly passes GST Bill, becomes fifth state to do so
The Chhattisgarh Assembly unanimously ratified the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill becoming the fifth state to pass the bill. Before Chhattisgarh, Himachal, Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar became the first four states to pass the bill.
Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal launches mobile app for farmers
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has launched a mobile app ‘Kisan Suvidha’ for farmers. The app will provide basic information on weather updates, crop prices and expert advices. Praising the Agriculture Department initiative, he said this would go a long way to keep the farmers abreast with the changing agricultural practices and marketing support, coupled with the latest agronomical techniques to enhance productivity.
Ahmedabad to host 2016 Kabaddi World Cup
The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat from October 7 to 22. Gujarat will play host to 12 kabaddi teams from USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Iran, Poland, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Korea, Japan and Kenya, besides hosts India. The matches will be held in Ahmedabad’s The Arena stadium.
Telangana govt to create 17 new districts in Oct
In a major administrative revamp, the two-year-old Telangana government has issued draft notification on rearranging district borders to create 17 new districts. After the completion of the process, the number of districts in the State will go up to 27 from the present 10. The new districts will come into being in October.
CONFERENCES
17th NAM summit held at Venezuela
17th NAM summit held in Venezuela and Vice President Hamid Ansari held talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on a host of issues of mutual interest. The organization was founded in Belgrade in 1961 and largely conceived by India’s first prime minister-Jawahar-lal Nehru, Indonesia’s first president-Sukarno, Egypt’s second president,Gamal Abdel Nasser, Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, and Yugoslavia’s president, Josip Broz Tito.
Vice President Ansari to represent India at NAM Summit
Vice-President Hamid Ansari will be representing India at the upcoming 17th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to be held at Margarita Island in Venezuela from September 17-18. India is one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement and India hosted the 7th NAM Summit in 1983 in New Delhi. The last NAM Summit was hosted by Iran in 2012.
3rd BRICS Urbanisation Forum Meet begins in Vishakhapatnam
The third edition of BRICS Urbanisation Forum Meet has started in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The three days conference was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the presence of Union Minister of Urban Development, M. Venkaiah Naidu. In this edition of conference the delegates from the BRICS nations, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are participating. Based on the discussions and deliberations ‘Vizag Declaration’ will be prepared, which will play a vital role in ministers’ conference of BRICS to be held on October 15 and 16, 2016 in Goa.
Indo-US Economic Summit has began in New Delhi
The 2-day Indo-US Economic Summit begins in New Delhi from September 13. Leaders from business, government and academia from both the countries has participated in the summit. They deliberate on ways to en-hance bilateral trade and investments between India and the US. The summit brings together more than 250 people, who are thought leaders from business, government, civil society and academia.
2016 BRICS Wellness Workshop begin in Bengaluru
The first BRICS Wellness Workshop has begun in Bengaluru, Karnataka from September 10, 2016. Besides, National Fair on comprehensive Indian Medicine system (AROGYA) was also inaugurated. The four day event has been organized by Union Ministry of AYUSH, in collaboration with Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). The Workshop is designed to have sessions related to Traditional Systems of Medicine, Trade and Economy. It includes a session on WHO strategy for Traditional Medicine.
G-20 Summit 2016 start in Chinese city of Hangzhou
Two-day G-20 Summit of the world’s major economies has started in the Chinese city of Hangzhou to discuss efforts to reform global economic governance. The theme of the summit is toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy.
BRICS Convention on Tourism begins in Madhya Pradesh
The two-day long BRICS Convention on Tourism was inaugurated inKhajuraho Madhya Pradesh. Union Culture Mahesh Sharma will inaugurate the convention. Delegations from the BRICS countries India, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa will participate in it.
Pakistan to host 19th SAARC Summit on Nov. 9 & 10 this year
Pakistan will host the 19th SAARC Summit on November 9 and 10 this year. The SAARC Summit Cell is headed by Ambassador Amjad Sial. SAARC is an organization of eight countries located in the South Asia and it stands for the South Asian Association for Regional Corporation.
BRICS countries adopt Udaipur Declaration on disaster
The two-day meeting of Ministers of Disaster Management of BRICS countries concluded with the adoption of the Udaipur Declaration. This was the second meeting and in the follow up of the first meeting of the BRICS MDM convened by the Russia in St. Petersburg in April, 2016. BRICS nations to set up a dedicated Joint Task Force for Disaster Risk Management for regular dialogue, exchange, mutual support and collaboration among them. The meeting was a new milestone in collaboration and cooperation among BRICS countries in the field of disaster management. The roadmap for implementation of the three-year Joint Action Plan for BRICS emergency services (2016-18) was also finalised.
BRICS Women Parliamentarians forum passes Jaipur Declaration
BRICS Women Parliamentarians forum has unanimously passed the Jaipur Declaration on the concluding day of the Forum’s meeting held in Jaipur. The 19-point declaration was adopted at the two-day meeting of BRICS Women Parliamentarians forum held in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The meeting was attended by heads and members of delegation from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Declaration will strengthen strategic partnership between members on all three dimensions of sustainable development viz., economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Emmy Awards 2016
The 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards was announced in Los Angeles, California, U.S. The Game of Thrones won best drama series at the 2016 Primetime Emmy Awards, while Veep took home the top comedy award. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story also earned several awards, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her fifth consecutive Emmy in the lead comedy actress category.
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to get humanitarian award
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been honored as the 2016 humanitarian of the year by students and faculty at the Harvard Foundation. Suu Kyi gained international prominence as the General Secretary of the newly formed National League for Democracy in Myanmar in 1990. She became one of the world’s most well-known political prisoners during her 15 years of house arrest for participating in protests against the government.
Malayalam critic M Leelavathi bags Mohanan Suvarna Mudra award
Eminent Malayalam critic and academician Dr M Leelavathi has been chosen for the prestigious N Mohanan Suvarna Mudra Award 2016, instituted in memory of well-known short story writer N Mohanan. The honour comprises a gold medal of one sovereign. Jnanpith winning poet late O N VKurup was the previous winner of the honour, the office-bearers of ‘Sammohanam’, a gathering of the friends and well-wishers of N Mohanan which instituted the award. The award would be presented to Leelavathi in a function to be held at press club here on October 3.
WB to confer Bangabibhushan award to Lata Mangeshkar
To honour her contributions to Bengali songs, West Bengal government will confer this year’s ‘Bangabibhushan’ to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. The award will be conferred to Mangeshkar after the Durga Puja. The Trinamool Congress government had started conferring Bangabibhushan to eminent personalities for their contribution to various fields since 2011. Danseuse Amala Shankar was the first person to receive of the award.
Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma conferred with Arjuna Award
Cricketers Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma were conferred with the Arjuna Award for this year and the previous year respectively by Sports Minister Vijay Goel for their contributions to sport of cricket. Rahane and Rohit could not earlier receive the Arjuna Awards from the President of India, as they were participating in international tournaments.The awardees are given a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress & prize money of Rs. 5 lakh.
Two India-Born MIT Scientists Win Prestigious US Awards
Two Indo-American scientists from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been conferred with prestigious awards for their path-breaking inventions. Nasik-born Ramesh Raskar, an imaging scientist and inventor at MIT, has been awarded the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize 2016, it was announced at Cam-bridge, in Massachusetts. Dinesh Bharadia, the re-searcher at MIT, won the Paul Baran Young Scholar Award of the US-based Marconi Society. Raskar, 46, is the co-inventor of radical imaging solutions including femto-photography an ultra-fast imaging system that can see around corners low-cost eye-care solutions for the developing world, and a camera that allows users to read pages of a book without opening the cover.
Indian-American Abraham Verghese selected for National Humanities Medal 2015
Indian-American physician-author, Abraham Verghese (61) has been selected for the prestigious 2015 National Humanities Medal. President Barack Obama will bestow the honour upon Verghese along with 11 others recipient’s at a ceremony to be held in Washington on 21st September 2016. He has been selected for the prestigious award for reminding us that the patient is the centre of the medical enterprise. He was born in Ethiopia to parents from Kerala who had worked as teachers. Currently, Abraham Verghese is a professor of medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine. His work has emphasised empathy in medicine. He has authored several acclaimed books, including “My Own Country” and “Cutting for Stone”.
Thithi wins Best Film honour at 1st BRICS Film Festival
Raam Reddy’s Kannada film Thithi was conferred the Best Film award by Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu at the closing ceremony of the 1st BRICS Film Festival. Thithi, which earlier won various honours at 68th Locarno International Film Festival, Marrakech International Film Festival, 19th Shanghai International Film Festival and 63rd National Film Awards.“ South African actor Thabo Rametsi won the Best Actor (Male) award for his role in Kalushi, Russian actress Yulia Peresild was given the Best Actor (Female) honour for her film “The Battle for Sevastopol” and Chinese director Huo Jianqi was announced as the Best Director for helming Indo-Chinese co-production film, Xuan Zang.
Subramanian Swamy was awarded ‘Tamil Ratna’ in US
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has been honoured with ‘Tamil Ratna’ award by a body of Tamil diaspora in New York for fighting corruption and working for more transparency in the functioning of the government.
22-year-old Indo-Japanese crowned Miss Japan
A beauty queen with an Indian father and a Japanese mother was crowned Miss Japan on Monday, furthering racial equality in the country. Priyanka Yoshikawa’s tearful victory comes a year after Ariana Miyamoto faced an ugly backlash for becoming the first black woman to represent Japan. Social media lit up after Ms. Miyamoto’s trailblazing triumph as critics complained that Miss Universe Japan should instead have been won by a “pure”Japanese rather than a “haafu” – the Japanese for “half”, a word used to describe mixed race.
Dr Hrushikesh Mallick to get prestigious Sarala Award-2016
Noted Odia poet Dr Hrushikesh Mallick will be honoured with the 37th edition of prestigious Sarala Award for his outstanding poetry. The annual award carrying a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a citation would be conferred on Mallick for his poetry work “Jeje Dekhi Nathiba Bharat”.
Jackie Chan to receive lifetime achievement Oscar
Popular actor Jackie Chan will be awarded with an honorary Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on November 12. Chan will accept the Oscar alongside fellow honorees, film editor Anne Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and documentary film-maker Frederick Wiseman at the Governors Awards. The Honorary Award was created for artists like Jackie Chan, Anne Coates, Lynn Stalmaster and Frederick Wiseman – true pioneers and legends in their crafts. Chan is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of im-provised weapons, and innovative stunts, in his movies. His first major breakthrough was the 1978 film, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow.
Kiran M Shaw appointed ‘Knight of Legion of Honour’ by France
Biocon chairperson and managing director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has been appointed ‘Cheva-lier de l’Ordre National de la Le-gion d’Honneur’ (Knight of the National Order of the French Legion of Honour) for her outstanding contribution and dedication to Biosciences and Research field globally. The award will be conferred on behalf of the President of the French Republic at a special ceremony later this year. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an Indian entrepreneur. She is the chairman and managing director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bangalore, India and the current chair-person of IIM-Bangalore.
Bezwada Wilson, TM Krishna Win Ramon Magsaysay Award
Karnataka-born Bezwada Wilson, a prolific campaigner for eradication of manual scavenging in India, and Carnatic singer T M Krishna from Chennai, were chosen for the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2016. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay’s example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic ideal-ism within a democratic society.
Padma Sachdev awarded 2015 Saraswati Samman
Jammu-born poet and novelist Padma Sachdev has been chosen for the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2015 for her autobiography ‘Chitt-Chete’ (published in 2007) in Dogri language. She was felicitated by Delhi’s Lt Governor Najeeb Jung in New Delhi. Sachdev is first modern woman poet of Dogri language. She also writes in Hindi. She has published her several poetry collection and has 60 books to her credit. Her poetry collection Meri Kavita Mere Geet (My Poems, My Songs) has won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971.
Four athletes get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award
Four athletes, including Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, shooter Jitu Rai and Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award from President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi. Fifteen sportspersons were honoured with the Arjuna Award and three with the Dhyan Chand Award. Be-sides, the Punjabi University of Patiala was awarded the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2015-16.
Actor Kamal Haasan selected for France’s Chevalier de L’Ordre Arts et Lettres
Prominent film actor Kamal Haasan (61) has been selected by France for its prestigious Chevalier de L’Ordre Arts et Lettres. It is also known as Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. He has been chosen for this prestigious award recognition of his high level artistic excellence and distinguished career achievements. He will be the second Tamil actor to be chosen for this award after the legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan. The award is part of French Government’s premier award “The Legion of Honour.” It is aimed at honouring artists and writers of world repute.
IOA President N Ramachandran bestowed with Olympic Order award
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President N. Ramachandran was awarded the Olympic Order for his outstanding services to the Olympic movement. The Olympic Order is the highest award of the Olympic Movement and is awarded for particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement, that is, recognition of efforts worthy of merit in the cause of sport. It was established in May 1975.
SPORTS & GAMES
Rio Paralympics 2016 Concluded
The 15th Rio 2016 Paralympic Games 2016 (7-18 September) is over and this time we have witnessed some of the world record-breaking performances by the athletes. The 2020 Summer Paralympics, the 16th edition of the international multi-sports event, will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from 25 August to 6 September 2020. The Paralympic Games are an attempt to provide an equal platform for athletes with disabilities to showcase their skills at a stage that lets them represent their countries. India capped off a successful Paralympic Games campaign in Rio de Janeiro by procuring their best ever haul of four medals, including two golds and a silver and bronze medal apiece. The Nineteen Indian competitors (16 Men & 3 Women) participated in Rio 2016 paralympic games for India in Five sports.
Sushmita Rai wins Bronze at World Martial Arts Masterships
Sikkim’s Sushmita Rai in the second week of September 2016 won a bronze medal at the recently concluded World Martial Arts Masterships 2016, which was held at Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do of South Korea. The competition is considered an Olympics for martial arts with 2073 participants from 87 countries. The World Martial Arts Masterships was the first comprehensive martial arts competition where national teams from across the globe took part.
India Blue wins Duleep Trophy tournament
Gautam Gambhir-led India Blue has won the inaugural day/night 2016-17 Duleep Trophy Cricket tournament played with a pink ball. The 2016-17 was 55th season of Duleep Trophy. In the final match held in Greater Noida, India Blue defeated India Red, captained by Yuvraj Singh, by a massive 355 runs. Ravinder Jadeja, who bagged 5 wickets in the second innings, finished the game with a 10-wicket haul. Cheteshwar Pujara was named player of the match. The Duleep Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket tournament played between teams representing geographical zones of India. The Tournament was instituted in 1961-62 by BCCI. The tournament is named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji of Nawanagar. It was contested by three teams, namely India Red, India Blue and India Green.
Devendra Jhajharia wins gold medal in javelin throw at 2016 Rio Paralympics
India’s Devendra Jhajharia (36) has won gold medal in the men’s javelin throw, F46 event held at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. With this, he becomes only the second gold medallist at the Paralympics for the country. He won the gold medal with world-record throw of 63.97 metres. Devendra victory took India’s medal tally at this edition of the Paralympics to four medals – two golds, one silver and a bronze. He had also secured the gold medal in the javelin event at the 2004 Athens Paralympics with record throw of 62.15 metres. With this, he also became first Indian Paralympian to win two gold medals at the Paralympics.
Stan Wawrinka Beats Defending U.S. Open Champion Novak Djokovic
Third-seeded Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland over-whelmed World No 1 Novak Djokovic 6-7 (1-7), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 at the Flushing Meadows in New York to clinch his first US Open tennis title and his third Grand Slam title. It was the 31-year-old Swiss’ third Grand Slam title in as many major final appearances, after he won the Australian Open in 2014 and the French Open in 2015. Wawrinka now becomes one of eight men to win at least three Grand Slam finals without losing. He also becomes one of just five players who have won at least two Slams at age of 30 or older.
Deepa Malik first Indian woman to win Paralympics medal
Deepa Malik has created history by winning silver medal in Women’s shotput at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. With this she becomes first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics. It is India’s 3rd medal in the ongoing Paralympics games at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Malik had won the silver medal in the shotput F-53 event with her best throw of 4.61m in her six attempts. In the shotput F-53 event, Bahrain’s Fatema Nedham had won the gold medal with the best throw of 4.76m. Greece’s Dimitra Korokida had won the bronze medal with a throw of 4.28m.
Chinappa rises to 10th in PSA rankings
In Women’s Ranking Indian squash player Joshna Chinappa rose to 10th while Deepika Pallikal remained at 19th in the latest Professional Squash Association (PSA) rankings. In the men’s rankings, Saurav Ghosal dropped to 21st from his previous perch of 17th. Mahesh Mangaonkar gained a position to be on 60th, while Vikram Malhotra remained 73rd.
Mariyappan Thangavelu wins India’s first Gold medal at 2016 Rio Paralympic Games
Mariyappan Thangavelu has won India’s first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. He won the gold medal in the Men’s High Jump T-42 event with jump of 1.89 metres. With this, Thangavelu became the first Indian high-jumper to win gold at the Paralympics. This was India’s overall third gold at the Paralympics and the first after 12 years. In addition, India’s Varun Singh Bhati won the bronze medal in same event with the jump of 1.86 metres to finish third.
Vietnam wins 1st Paralympic gold with world record
Vietnam won its first-ever Paralympic gold medal after para weightlifter Le Van Cong lifted 183 kgs, to set a new world record at the event. Vietnam also ended its six-decade-long wait for an Olympic gold last month in Rio with a record-breaking performance by shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh in the 10-metre air pistol shooting event.
Anjum Chopra becomes first Indian woman to be honoured with MCC life membership
Former Indian women’s cricket team captain Anjum Chopra was awarded an honorary life membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Chopra is presented with the honour along with former men’s team stalwarts Zaheer Khan and Virender Sehwag. With this, Chopra became the first Indian woman cricketer to get the prestigious life membership of MCC.
Serena Williams makes Grand Slam history with win
Serena Williams surpassed Roger Federer for most Grand Slam match victories in tennis’ Open era with No. 308, a 6-2, 6-3 win over Yaroslava Shvedova to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals.
100-year-old athlete from India, wins Gold Medal at Masters Games
India’s 100-year-old athlete, Man Kaur has won Gold medal at the American Masters Games in the 100-meter dash. She took a minute-and-a-half to cross the finish line in Vancouver. Kaur from Chandigarh was the only female competitor in her age category at the competition for older athletes.
Yogeshwar Dutt’s bronze medal turns to silver
Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt’s bronze medal from the London Olympics is set to be upgraded to silver after reports that the silver medallist from the 2012 Games, deceased Besik Kudukhov of Russia, has been stripped off his medal for using banned substance. Following the upgrade, India now has eight Olympic silver medals.
Nico Rosberg wins 2016 Belgian Grand Prix
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg from Germany has won the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix of Formula One. It was Rosberg’s overall tenth championship title of F1 in his career and the sixth win in the 2016 season.Earlier, he had won Australian Grand Prix, Bahrain Grand Prix, Chinese Grand Prix and Russian Grand Prix. 2016 Belgian Grand Prix was the thirteenth race of the 2016 season of Formula One in which total 11 teams had participated.
Ronaldo wins UEFA Best Player in Europe award
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Uefa’s Best Player in Europe for the second time after winning the Champions League and Euro 2016 last season. Ronaldo, 31, claimed the prize ahead of his club team-mate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.
Sania Mirza becomes World No 1 in ATP Women’s Doubles Tennis rankings
India’s ace tennis player Sania Mirza was on 22 August 2016 topped the ATP Women’s Doubles Tennis rankings. She topped the list after teaming up with new partner, Barbora Strycova of Czech Republic. The new ranking also follows the victory of the pair in the Cincinnati final. To win the title, the Sania-Barbora duo defeated Martina Hingis and Coco Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-4. Incidentally, Sania recently ended her partnership with Martina Hingis after three Grand Slam victories and 11 WTA doubles titles together.
Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred with the Jharkhand Dungdung
Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred with the Jharkhand Dungdung Former Olympian Silvanus Dungdung Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award will be rewarded. Dhyan Chand was an Indian field hockey player, who is considered as one the greatest field hockey player of all time.
National Sports Awards 2016
The Union Government bestows National Sports Awards every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports in India. These awards include Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Dronacharya Award, Arjuna Award, Dhyan Chand Award, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.
2016 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
It is India’s highest sporting award given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years. “Recipients: PV Sindhu (Badminton), Sakshi Malik (Wrestling), Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastics) and Jitu Rai (Shooting).
2016 Dronacharya Award
It bestowed upon coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious international sports events. “Recipients: Nagapuri Ramesh (Athletics), Sagar Mal Dhayal (Boxing), Raj Kumar Sharma (Cricket), Bishweshwar Nandi (Gymnastics), S. Pradeep Kumar (Swimming) and Mahabir Singh (Wrestling).
2016 Arjuna Award
It is India’s second highest sporting award bestowed upon sportsperson for consistently outstanding performance for four years. “Recipients: Rajat Chauhan (Archery), Lalita Babar (Athletics),Sourav Kothari (Billiards & Snooker), Shiva Thapa (Boxing),Ajinkya Rahane (Cricket), Subrata Paul (Football), Rani (Hockey), Raghunath V.R. (Hockey), Gurpreet Singh (Shooting), Apurvi Chandela (Shooting), Soumyajit Ghosh (Table Tennis),Vinesh (Wrestling), Amit Kumar (Wrestling), Sandeep Singh Mann (Para-Athletics) and Virender Singh (Wrestling).
2016 Dhyan Chand Award
It is bestowed upon sportspersons for life time contribution to sports development. “Recipients: Satti Geetha (Athletics), Sylvanus Dung Dung (Hockey) and Rajendra Pralhad Shelke (Rowing).
2015-16 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy
It is bestowed upon overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments.“Recipient: Punjabi University, Patiala.
ECONOMY
Reliance Communications and Aircel to be merged
Anil Ambani led Reliance Communications (RCom) has signed a deal with Maxis Communications Berhad (MCB) for merger of wireless businesses of Aircel Limited with itself. The merger is considered as the largest ever consolidation in the Indian telecom sector. The merged entity will be country’s fourth-largest phone company in terms of customers and revenue. The merged company will have second-largest spectrum holding amongst all operators in the country aggregating 448 MHz across the 850, 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz bands. It will be one of India’s largest private sector companies, with an asset base of over $9.7 billion (Rs. 65,000 crore) and net worth of $5.2 billion (Rs. 35,000 crore).
PayU acquires Citrus Pay for $130 million
Global online payment service provider PayU has acquired Indian payments technology player, Citrus Pay, for $130 million. Citrus Pay’s managing director Amrish Rau will take charge of the merged entity, and as chief executive of PayU in India.
HP to Acquire Samsung Printer Business for $1.05 Billion
HP Inc. agreed to buy Samsung Electronics Co.’s printer business for $1.05 billion, a deal designed to bolster the Silicon Valley company’s offerings in the market for high-volume devices that handle printing and copying for office workgroups. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close within 12 months, the companies said on Monday.
Wadhwa Group ties-up with Snapdeal
Realty player Wadhwa Group has tied up with e-commerce platform Sanpdeal to make its properties accessible to customers online. With this tie-up, the Wadhwa Group has stepped into the e-commerce space, and is now showcasing their project. Snapdeal.com is an online marketplace, featuring a wide assortment of products across categories like Mobiles, Electronics, Fashion accessories, Apparel, Sports, Books; and services like Restaurants, Spas & Entertainment amongst others.
Canada’s British Columbia becomes first foreign government to issue masala bonds
Canada’s British Columbia province has become the first foreign government to issue of masala bonds, a rupee-denominated bond. It had issued Rs 500 crore rupee denominated overseas bonds (masala bond) on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). The bond raised $75 million (about Rs 500 crore) with 6.62 percent semi-annual yield, securing high-qual-ity investor support from across Europe, Asia and America. It is a AAA rated bond by the three major rating agencies and will mature on January 9, 2020, The Province of British Columbia.
Ten Sports sold to Sony Pictures for Rs 2,600 crore
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and ZEE have entered into definitive agreements to acquire TEN Sports Network and its sub-sidiaries for $385 million. The acquisition will add five sports channels, TEN 1, TEN 1 HD, TEN 2, TEN 3, TEN Golf HD to SPN’s existing portfolio of channels.
Pfizer to acquire oncology specialist Medivation for $ 14 bn
The US-headquartered pharma major Pfizer Inc has entered into an agreement to acquire Medivation Inc, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising small molecules for oncology, for a total enterprise value of approxi-mately $ 14 billion. The merger will give a boost to Pfizer’s consolidation effort through a series of acquisitions, especially after its bid to take over Allergan Plc in a $150 billion deal late last year fell apart when the Obama admini-stration prevented the proposed combination with new rules.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Long range surface-to-air Barak-8 missile successfully test fired
India and Israel jointly developed most advanced long range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) Barak-8 was successfully test fired off the Odisha coast. The missile was test fired from a mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore district in Odisha. Barak-8 (Lightning 8 in Hebrew) is long-range nuclear capable ballistic missile, developed jointly by Israel and India. It has been designed and developed by DRDO, Israel Aero-space Industries and Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure. It is 4.5-meter long and weighs around 3 tonnes can carry a payload of 70 kilograms. It has a speed of Mach2.
Scientists successfully grow three-dimensional lungs in lab using stem cells
Scientists in the United States including those of Indian origin have successfully grown three-dimensional (3D) lungs in the lab, using stem cells. The 3D lungs or organoids was created by coating tiny gel beads with lung-derived stem cells and then allowing them to selfassemble into the shapes of the air sacs found in human lungs. To show that these tiny organoids mimicked the structure of actual human lungs, researchers compared it with real sections of human lung.
Indian Navy’s most Advanced Guided Missile Destroyer Mormugao launched
Indian Navy’s indigenously built most Advanced Guided Missile Stealth Destroyer ‘Mormugao’ was launched in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The bedecked ship was launched by Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba’s wife Reena at a function at Mazagaon Docks. It has been Christened ‘Mormugao’ after the Mormugao port of Goa, the home State of Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. The stealth vessel was built by government-run Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd and belongs to Visakhapatnam class of ships being constructed under Project 15B. Mormugao has a displacement of 7,300 tonne with maximum speed of over 30 knots. It is fitted also with the Barak-8 long-range missiles. The vessel has been fitted with multi-mission radar for surveillance along with medium range air and surface surveillance radar and other advanced electronic warfare and decoys.
Surgeons use robot to operate inside eye in world first
British surgeons have successfully performed the world’s first robotic operation inside the eye, potentially revolutionising the way such conditions are treated. The procedure was carried out at John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, where surgeons welcomed its success. Current technology with laser scanners and microscopes allows surgeons to monitor retinal diseases at the microscopic level. This is the first time a device has been available that achieves the three-dimensional precision required to operate inside the human eye.
World’s first daily driverless bus service launched in Lyon, France
The world’s first daily driverless bus service has started in Lyon, France which will run in the city’s Confluence area. The driverless bus service includes two electric shuttles that will transport passengers on a ten-minute route hosting five stops. The driverless buses can hold up to 15 passengers and are electric buses. It has features like LIDAR radar technology and motion sensors will help to avoid accidents. The LIDAR radar technology allows these buses to know exactly where they are and to detect everything happening around them.
ISRO’s GSLV-F05 launches advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR. The satellite was launched on board of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F05), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. So far this year, it was the seventh successful mission of ISRO including the IRNSS series and the scramjet propulsion mission. INSAT-3DR weighing 2,211-kg will supplement the services of INSAT-3D launched from French Guiana in July 2013. It has designed mission life of ten years.
China tests stealth-defeating quantum radar
China has claimed that it has successfully developed and tested a radar system that uses quantum entanglement to beat the stealth technology of modern military aircrafts. This first Chinese quantum radar was developed by the Intelligent Perception Technology Laboratory. Prior to it, US was only the country stealth-defeating quantum radar. Quantum radar is a device that uses quantum entanglement photons to provide better detec-tion capabilities than conventional radar systems.
NASA launches OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to collect samples from Bennu asteroid
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a US space agency has launched OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to collect samples from an asteroid 101955 Bennu and return to Earth. The spacecraft was launched onboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. OSIRIS-Rex stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer. It is an unmanned spacecraft and NASA’s first mission to collect samples from an asteroid and return to Earth. OSIRIS-Rex will travel for two years on a journey to Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid about the size of a small mountain.
India’s light utility helicopter maiden flight successful
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has successfully completed test flight of indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Bengaluru. The LUH will replace the military’s obsolescent fleet of Chetak and Cheetah helicopters that have flown for over three decades.
GRSE hands over fast attack craft ‘Tihayu’ to Indian Navy
The Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC), ‘Tihayu’ built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was handed over to the Indian Navy. The warship was handed over by Rear Admiral (Retd) A.K. Verma, Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE to the Commanding Officer of the ship Cdr. AjayKashov, at a ceremony held in GRSE. GRSE had earlier built and delivered ten (10) WJFACs to the Indian Navy during 2009 to 2011, which are proving well in service. The Indian Navy has placed order for four more of these WJFACs as ‘Follow-on’ ships.
MobiKwik launches one step offline payments with ‘Bubble Pin’
India’s largest digital payment company, MobiKwik has launched a one-step offline payments mode, called Bubble Pin.This pin is generated on the MobiKwik app when a user clicks on the ‘Pay at store’,and it is valid for 60 seconds.The pin is a combination of alphabets & numbers. To make a payment,the user needs to share this pin with the retailer. Bubble pin also makes the transaction more secure as no phone number is required to be shared.
NASA Scientist for first time sequences DNA in Space
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the first time has successfully sequenced DNA in space aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The genome sequencing was undertaken for the first time in microgravity as part of the Biomolecule Sequencer experiment performed by NASA astronaut Kate Rubins. The experiments were undertaken by using commercially available DNA sequencing device called MinION on samples of mouse, virus and bacteria DNA.
ISRO tests Scramjet Rocket engine
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully test-fired its Scramjet Rocket Engine. which will use oxygen from the atmosphere thereby reducing launch cost, from the spaceport of Sriharikota.
For the first time scientists predict brain activity patterns
Researchers have, for the first time, decoded and predicted the brain activity patterns of word meanings within sentences, an advance that may help brain injury and stroke patients communicate better. The brain activity patterns were predicted using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure human brain activation. With this, researcher can now predict 70% brain activity patterns. This study may help treat persons with brain injury and stroke patients to communicate better. It also makes key advances towards understanding how information is represented throughout the brain.
Scientists for first time develop laser from fluorescent jellyfish proteins
Scientists for the first time have developed LASER (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) from fluorescent jellyfish proteins that were grown in bacteria. The first of its kind represents a major advance break through in so-called polariton lasers operating at room temperature. To develop the fluorescent Polariton laser, scientists had engineered barrel-shaped fluorescent proteins from jellyfish DNA. They had filled optical microcavities (between two mirrors) with this protein before subjecting them to optical pumping. Nanosecond flashes of blue light from an external laser were used to bring the system up to the required energy to create laser light. After the threshold was reached for polariton lasing, scientists pumped more energy into the device setup that resulted in conventional lasing.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A). APPOINTMENTS
Alka Sirohi appointed as UPSC chairman
President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed former IAS officer Alka Sirohi as chairman of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as per Article 316 of Constitution. She will replace Deepak Gupta who demits office on 20th September 2016. She will be in office till completion of her term as member on January 3, 2017. She is a retired IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre. Prior to this appointment she was member of the UPSC. Before joining the UPSC as a member in January 2012, she was Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
V K Sharma gets additional charge as LIC chairman
V K Sharma, who is currently one of the two managing directors at Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), has taken additional charge as Chairman, LIC of India. He will take the place of S K Roy who has been relieved of his duties.Asper the LIC Act, the insurer can have four MDs and a chairman, as part of its top management.
Atul Kumar Goel takes charges as ED in UBI
Atul Kumar Goel, General Manager, Allahabad Bank, has taken charge as Executive Director (ED) in Union Bank of India (UBI). The Central Government appointed Goel though a notification dated September 15. The appointment is for a period of 3 years. Union Bank of India is one of the largest government-owned banks of India.
Nadia Murad named UN Goodwill Ambassador
Nadia Murad, a former ISIS captive, has been named the UN’s new Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. Nadia Murad, 23, a member of the Yazidi community was kidnapped by Is-lamic State (ISIS) forces when they raided her village over two years ago.
V Shanmuganathan sworn in as Arunachal Governor
Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan was sworn in as the governor of Arunachal Pradesh. Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court Justice Ajit Singh administered the oath of office to Shanmuganathan in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, his cabinet colleagues, besides a host of civil and police officials.
Narayana Murthy named Director of RCI, DRDO
BHVS Narayana Murthy, an expert in Avionics has been appointed as Director, Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), Hyderabad. During the past three decades he has made contributions towards design, development and delivery of onboard computers, Missile launch processors, real-time mission software etc. He is an alumni of NIT, Warangal. For his contributions to various defence R & D projects, he won several awards and recognitions.
Jim Yong Kim heads for second term as World Bank president
Jim Yong Kim is heading for another five-year term as president of the World Bank. Kim, 56, has focused the World bank on programs to reduce extreme poverty. Kim’s first term ends on June 30, 2017. Jim Yong KimMD, Ph.D, also known as Kim Yong is a South Korean-Ameri-can physician and anthropologist who has served as the 12th President of the World Bank since July 1, 2012.
Vidya Balan Brand Ambassador of Samajwadi Pension Yojana
Bollywood actress Vidya Balan has been appointed as brand ambassador of the ambitious Samajwadi Pension Yojana by Uttar Pradesh government. The main Objective of the scheme is to encourage savings among people living below the poverty line and provide them financial assistance.
Bakytzhan Sagintayev appointed as the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
Bakytzhan Sagintaev appointed as Prime minister of Kazakhstan by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev on September 9,2016. Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country and former Soviet republic.
IDBI AMC appoints Dilip Mandal MD & CEO
Dilip Kumar Mandal has been appointed managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of IDBI Asset Management Company (AMC). Prior to joining IDBI AMC, Mandal was chief general manager & zonal head of retail banking group. IDBI Bank is an Indian government-owned financial service company, formerly known as Industrial Development Bank of India, head-quartered in Mumbai, India.
OP Kohli sworn in as MP Governor
Senior BJP leader Om Prakash Kohli has been sworn in as the 26th governor of Madhya Pradesh. Acting Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court Rajendra Menon administered the oath. Kohli, who is also the Gujarat Governor, has been given the additional charge of Madhya Pradesh after Ram Naresh Yadav’s tenure in office got over on 7th sepetmber.
Sakshi Malik appointed Wrestling Director of Rohtak University
Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik has been appointed as Wrestling Director at Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak. She will be given Rs 21 lakh out of his discretionary fund and a plot measuring 500 square yards. Sakshi Malik is an Indian freestyle wrestler. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, she won the bronze medal in the 58 kg category, becoming the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics and the fourth fe-male Olympic medalist from the country.
Maharashtra Governor sworn in as Tamil Nadu’s acting Governor
Governor of Maharashtra Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, was sworn in as the acting Governor of Tamil Nadu. Rao was administered the oath of office by the Madras High Court’s Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul at the Raj Bhavan, Chennai. President Pranab Mukherjee had given additional charge of Tamil Nadu to C Vidyasagar Rao as per Article 153 of Constitution as the tenure of K. Rosaiah ended on 31 August 2016.
Kerala appoints sachin as brand ambassador for anti-liquor campaign
Legendary Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been appointed as brand ambassador for anti- li-quor and drug campaign by the Kerala government. Anti- liquor and drug campaign were part of the government’s move to create awareness among people against alcoholism and drug in the state.
Michel Temer sworn in as new Brazil president
Michel Temer, Brazil’s former vice president, has been sworn in as the country’s new president. A few hours after the country’s Senate voted to remove Dilma Rousseff from office.
Aishwaryaa Dhanush appointed as UN Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality
Noted film maker Aishwaryaa Dhanush was appointed United Nations Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality and Women’s Em-powerment in India. In her new role she will help raise awareness of UN Women’s core message of gender equality and women’s empowerment across India. Besides she will play important role in boosting the organisation’s efforts to close the gender gap and achieve a more equal world, a Planet 50-50 by the year 2030. With this, Aishwaryaa joins other celebrities who have joined hands with U.N. Women to work for gender equality and the empowerment of women. Aishwaryaa Dhanush is superstar Rajinikanth’s elder daughter and actor Dhanush’s wife. She had started her career by working as an assistant to director and Dhanush’s brother Selvaraghavan in her debut film 3.
PV Sindhu to be Commandant in CRPF
Country’s largest paramilitary force CRPF has decided to appoint Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu as it’s brand ambassador and bestow the honorary rank of Commandant on the ace badminton player. A Commandant rank in the CRPF is equivalent to the position of a Superintendent of Police (SP) and such an officer commands a battalion of about 1,000 personnel, when posted in field operations.
Badnore sworn in as new Punjab governor
V P Singh Badnore took oath as the new Punjab Governor and also as Administrator of Chandigarh Administration. Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice S J Vazifdar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Badnore at Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh. Badnore was a 4-time BJP legislator in the Rajasthan assembly.
Jagdish Mukhi sworn in as Lt Guv of Andaman and Nicobar
Senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi assumed office as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was administered the oath of office and oath of secrecy by Justice Girish Chandra Gupta, acting chief justice of Calcutta High Court at a formal swearing-in-ceremony held at Raj Niwas in Port Blair. He had been a minister and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly in the past.
Dr. Najma Heptulla sworn-in as 18th Governor of Manipur
Dr. Najma Heptulla was sworn-in as the 18th Governor of Manipur. She replaced Shanmuganathan who was holding the dual charge of Governor of Meghalaya and Manipur. She was administered oath of office by Acting Chief Justice of Manipur High Court Rakesh Ranjan Prasad as per the provisions of Article 159 of Constitution of India.
B). RESIGNS
Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa removed as Arunachal Pradesh governor
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa was removed from the post of Arunachal Pradesh Governor. V. Shanmuganathan, Governor of Meghalaya has been given the charge of Arunachal Pradesh by President Pranab Mukherjee.
Abhinav Bindra announces retirement from Shooting
Abhinav Bindra, India’s lone individual Olympic gold medallist, has officially announced his retirement from shooting. He announced his retirement after playing for almost two decades.In Rio Olympics 2016, Bindra nearly missed a second Olympic medal by a whisker and came fourth. Presently, he is the Chairman of a review committee formulated by the NRAI to examine and identify in a cold and ruthless manner the reason as to why shooting failed to secure any medal at Rio Olympic Games. He is the first Indian to win an individual Gold medal in Olympic since 1900 the year our country participated in the Olympic Games.
Wipro’s chief learning officer Abhijit Bhaduri quits
Abhijit Bhaduri, chief learning officer of Wipro has resigned. Bhaduri will start his own executive coaching company. Bhaduri is the man behind many of Wipro’s initiatives like global 100 program. He has been with Wipro for 7 years.
C). DEATHS
Former Italian PM Carlo Azeglio Ciampi dies
Former Italian president, prime minister and central bank governor Carlo Azeglio Ciampi has died at the age of 95. As treasury minister he is credited with leading Italy into the euro currency.
Noted animal rights activist Claude Lila Parulekar passes away
Animal rights activist Claude Lila Parulekar, daughter of eminent editor and founder of the Marathi daily ‘Sakal’, Nanasaheb Parulekar, passed away. Ms. Parulekar, a spinster and a former director of ‘Sakal’, was confined to a wheelchair since 2007 after she was struck by a series of paralytic strokes. Her sensitivity and passion for the welfare of animals, and tireless advocacy of the law to care for their well-being, made her one of the best-known figures in animal rights activism.
Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov dies
Uzbek President Islam Karimov has died after suffering a stroke at the age of 78. Karimov was the first President of Uzbekistan, in office from 1990 to 2016.
Noted Assamese poet Nalini Dhar Bhattacharyya dies at 95
Noted Assamese poet, literary critic and author and winner of the Sahitya Akademi award Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya passed away in Guwahati. Bhattacharyya, aged 95, was suffering from age-old ailments.
Former MP Governor Mohammad Shafi Qureshi no more
Former Madhya Pradesh Governor Mohammad Shafi Qureshi passed away in Delhi. He was 87 years old. He also served as the Deputy Union Minister of Railways and got elected for Lok Sabha twice from Islamabad Parliamentary Constituency.
Noted painter, art historian Dinanath Pathy passes away
Eminent painter, writer and art historian Dinanath Pathy passed away following a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Bhubaneshar. He was 74. He is known for his versatility; Pathy was a former secretary of Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi and Bhubaneswar and is regarded as the pioneer of the art movement in Odisha.
Former Governor of Bihar, West Bengal and Haryana A R Kidwai Dies
Former Governor of Bihar, West Bengal and Haryana, A R Kidwai, died at Delhi’s Escorts Hospital. He was 96. Kidwai is survived by two sons and four daughters. He was Governor of Haryana till 2009. He was born on July 1, 1920, in Baragaon in UP’s Barabanki district, Kidwai started his career as a professor of Chemistry and became Dean of Faculty of Science at Aligarh Muslim University.
Mathrubhumi former editor K K Sreedharan Nair passes away
Mathrubhumi former editor K K Sreedharan Nair passed away. He was 86. The end came at a private hospital in Kochi. He started his carrer in Journalism as a sub-editor in Mathrubhumi in 1953, Nair had an illustrious career in various capacities including Chief Sub-Beginning his journalism career as a sub-editor in Mathrubhumi in 1953, Nair had an illustrious career in various capacities including Chief Sub-Editor, News Editor and Deputy Editor.
Singapore’s Indian origin President passes away
Indian-origin former Singapore President S R Nathan died at a hospital, days after suffering a stroke. He was 92. He was the sixth and longest-serving President of Singapore. He was closely associated with the country’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew.
D). VISITORS
President of Egypt to arrive on three-day visit to India
President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, has arrived on August 31st for a three-day visit to India. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Ministers, officials and business leaders.
E). MISCELLANEOUS
Abhishek Bachchan Holds a Guinness World Record
Abhishek Bachchan might be the most underrated actor of the industry, but one didn’t know that he’s actually hold a Guinness World Record. Jr Bachchan holds the record for ‘Most Public Appearances made by a Film Star in 12 Hours.’ In fact, he beat Hollywood actor Will Smith who had made three public appearances in 2 hours during the promotions of his film I, Robot in 2004.
“His Bloody Project” shortlisted for Man Booker prize
Novel titled “His Bloody Project” by Graeme Macrae Burnet has been shortlisted for the 2016 Man Booker prize. His Bloody Project, a crime thriller, narrates a story in which a triple murder in a remote community in the Scottish Highlands leads to arrest of a young man, Rode-rick Macrae. It is one of the six books that were shortlisted for the £50,000 award that will be announced on 25 October at Guildhall. The other five books are: The Sellout by Paul Beatty, Hot Milk by Deborah Levy, Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh, All That Man Is by David Szalay & Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien.
World’s largest LEGO ship sets Guinness record
A new Guinness world record for the largest LEGO ship has been set in Den-mark, where employees of a shipping company successfully constructed the incredible 2,860 kg boat using over one million interlocking plastic bricks. The blue and white LEGO boat measures 12.035 metres in length. It took 900 person hours to build and thousands of DFDS employees from across the world got on board, assisted in the challenge by a few LEGO building professionals.
China’s unmanned submersible sets new national record
China’s unmanned submersible has dived to a depth of 10,767 metres at the world’s deepest ocean point, setting a new record for the country to enable it to explore ocean beds for minerals and other natural resources. This dive created a new record for China that also helps the country to enable it to explore ocean beds for minerals and other natural resources.
PLACES IN NEWS
Ankasamudra to become a conservation reserve
The Karnataka State Wild-life Board, chaired by Chief Min-
ister Siddaramaiah, has decided to declare Ankasamu-dra tank in Hagari Bommana-halli taluk as a bird conservation reserve. The Ankasamudra tank was gaining popularity as a natural bird sanctuary when about 140 species of birds, both local and migratory – Rosy Starlings, painted storks, open billed storks, Northern Shovelors, Northern Pintails, Sand pipers, cormorants, parakeets, egrets, ibis, herons among others – chose it as not only a roosting place but also as a breeding spot. This is the first bird conservation reserve declared in the entire Hyderabad-Karnatak region.
Majuli named world’s largest river island
The Guinness World Records has declared Majuli in Assam as the largest river island in the world. The beautiful river island is situated on the Brahmaputra River. It has toppled Marajo in Brazil to clinch the record. The river island covers an area of around 880 sqkm. According to Guinness World Records, the island lost around one-third of its area in the last 30-40 years due to frequent flooding of the river.
Toxic gas leak at Bangladesh fertiliser unit sickens 250 plugged
About 250 people, including children, have fallen sick and hundreds of residents have been evacuated from their homes after a toxic gas leak from a fertiliser unit in Bangladesh’s port city of Chittagong. Di-ammonium phosphate (DPA) leaked from the DAP Fertiliser Company Limited on the bank of Karnaphuli river last night and firefighters battled until late morning to plug the leakage. DPA is one of a series of water-soluble ammonium phosphate salts that can be produced when ammonia reacts with phosphoric acid.
World’s largest indoor theme park to open in Dubai
The world’s largest indoor theme park is set to open in Dubai this august to lure back some of the tourists and residents who often flee abroad during the scorching desert summer. In a sandy suburb beyond Dubai’s concrete jungle and pockets of artificially green spaces, IMG Worlds of Adventure’s boxy exterior belies a 140,000-square metre (1.5 million-square foot) air-conditioned cathedral of entertainment teeming with animatronic dinosaurs, roller coasters, Marvel superheroes and Cartoon Network characters. Zombies pop out from dark corners of a haunted house and the Velociraptor coaster throttles passengers within a misty simulated rain forest dubbed the Lost Valley.
Books in News
Malaysian envoy releases translated book on Sai Baba
The Consul General of Malaysia in India Eldeen Husaini Muhammad Hashim has released the translated version of ‘Sai Charitra Granth’,a book on the life of Sai Baba.Sai Baba, also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian spiritual master who was regarded by his devotees as a saint, fakir, and satguru, according to their individual proclivities and beliefs. He was revered by both his Hindu and Muslim devotees, and during, as well as after, his life it remained uncertain if he was a Hindu or a Muslim.
Uttarakhand governorreleases book by author Nagrath
Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul has released a book titled ‘Shanti ki Talaash mein Zindagi’ written in Hindi by Haridwar-based author and journalist Radhika Nagrath. The book is a philosophical treatise written in simple language incorporating interesting examples and anecdotes from day-to-day life.
Chris Gayle launches his autobiography ‘Six Machine’ in India
Explosive West Indies opener Chris Gayle has launched his autobiography ‘Six Machine, which contains extensive details about his life and career. Published by Viking – Penguin UK, the book was unveiled by Anurag Singh Thakur, President of the BCCI. Christopher Henry “Chris” Gayle is a Jamaican cricketer who plays international cricket for the West Indies.
Book based on Arunachal wins UK award for historical fiction
Famous Author Stuart Blackburn’s “Into the Hidden Valley”, a book based on Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, won the MM Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction 2016 in the UK. He is the author of 16 books on Indian culture. The award is named in memory of writer-historian Bennetts who was a specialist in early 19th century British history and the Napoleonic wars.
MoUD, Amar Chitra Katha sign MoU to publish comic book on Swachh Bharat Mission
Storyteller to generations of Indians, Amar Chitra Katha will now publish and distribute a special edition of a comic book focusing on Swachh Bharat Mission. The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has signed an MoU with Amar Chitra Katha to publish and distribute a 32-page comic.
COMMITTEES
AK Sinha Committee to study silt in river Ganga in Bihar
“The Government has constituted an expert committee of 4 members to study the silt in the river. The Centre will send a team to Bihar to study silt in river the river. Member of Ganga Flood Control commission A .K. Sinha has been made Chairman of the committee. The committee will submit its report within 10 days. “Other members of committee: Chief Engineer of Central Water Commission SK Sahu, Prof. of IIT AK Gosain and National Disaster Management Authority member Dr. Rajnish Ranjan.
Madhukar Gupta Committee Recommendations on border protection
A high powered committee of the National Security Council, headed by former home secretary Madhukar Gupta, has presented its report on India-Pakistan border to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. The Committee was constituted to suggest recommen-dations for strengthening border protection and addressing the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing along India-Pakistan Border. It was headed by former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta. The committee has examined security mechanisms of all four Indian states sharing border with Pakistan keeping in mind challenges of different climate and topography. It has given separate recommendations for four states as each of them has different topography and problems.
Finance Ministry set up a committee for digitalizing incentive payments
The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has set up a committee to consider incentives such as cash back schemes and tax rebates for promoting card and digital payments in a step towards discouraging cash transactions. The 11-member committee, headed by former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal.
BCCI submits Compliance Report to Lodha Panel
The BCCI has submitted the first Compliance Re-port to the Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha Panel in regards to the implementation of reforms as per the apex court verdict. The BCCI has already filed a Review Petition with the Supreme Court seeking recusal of CJI TS Thakur from the case.
Abhinav Bindra to Head NRAI Review Committee on Rio Debacle
India’s first and only individual Olympic gold-medal-list Abhinav Bindra was named Chairman of a five-member review committee to probe the shooters’ Rio Games debacle but has recused himself from questioning them as he was himself a part of the team. The committee is also mandated to recommend concrete steps that NRAI must immediately undertake to ensure that this is not repeated in future Olympics.
IMPORTANT DAYS & DATES
September 5 – International Day of Charity
September 5 – National Teachers Day
September 8 – International Literacy Day
September 14 – National Hindi Divas
September 15 – International Democracy Day
September 16 – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
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