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INTERNATIONAL
World’s smallest medical robot sets Guinness record
America Scientists have made a new Guinness World Record by developing the world’s smallest medical robot. The robot is only 120 nanometres in size. It would help in cancer and Alzheimer’s treatments in the future.
Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as Zimbabwe president
Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken the oath as Zimbabwe’s president in front of a stadium crowd after a divisive election, as US observers of the vote questioned the country’s democratic credentials.
Treasurer Scott Morrison elected new PM of Australia
Treasurer Scott Morrison has been elected the new Prime Minister of Australia after winning an internal vote of 45-40 against former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
World’s second fastest growing airport
The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru has been ranked as the second fastest growing among top 20 major airports in the world during the first half of 2018.
Pakistan origin becomes first female Muslim Aus Senator
Mehreen Faruqi a pakistani origin women has become the first muslim senator to be sworn in to Australia’s Parliament. Faruqi replaces veteran senator Lee Rhiannon in the upper house.
Imran Khan becomes the 22nd PM of Pakistan
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan took oath as Pakistan’s new prime minister. Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), secured 176 votes while his only rival and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Sharif got 96 votes, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser announced.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita reelected as Mali president
Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected for a five-year term after winning a landslide in a runoff ballot.
Mario Abdo Benitez sworn in as new President of Paraguay
Mario Abdo Benitez took as Paraguay’s new president, four months after playing down close family ties with the South American country’s late dictator to win a tight election race.
Asad Qaiser Speaker of Pakistan parliament
Asad Qaiser of Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI) party has been elected as the Speaker of Pakistan’s parliament. He secured 176 votes and defeat Khursheed Shah.
Maria Fernanda: President elect of UN General Assembly
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has picked Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, Ecuador’s minister for foreign affairs & human mobility to be its next president.
Bachelet named new UN human rights chief
The UN General Assembly has approved Chile’s former President Michelle Bachelet as the next UN human rights chief by consensus. Bachelet has been a victim of human rights abuses herself and is also a fierce advocate for women’s rights.
Rashida Tlaib set to become 1st Muslim woman
She (42-year-old) is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants and won a Democratic primary election to represent Michigan’s 13th district, securing 33.6 percent of the vote.
Ivan Duque sworn in as Colombia’s next president
Ivan Duque was sworn in as the newly elected President of Colombia. He pledged to unite the country and improve economic growth. He pledged changes to tackle corruption and invigorate the economy and vowed to change the peace deal with the FARC rebel group.
Japan overtakes China to become world’s second-largest stock market
According to Bloomberg’s data Japan is now the world’s second-largest stock market. It has overthrown China as its total equity is $6.17 trillion and that of China’s is $6.09 trillion.
India elected as President of Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting
India was elected as President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for period of two years.
Emmerson Mnangagwa re-elected as Zimbabwe president
Incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa has been re-elected as Zimbabwe’s president. 75-year-old Mnangagwa, of the ruling ZANU-PF party, won 50.8 percent against Nelson Chamisa, of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance.
NDA act 2019 passed
The United States Congress has passed the National Defense Authorisation Act-2019 (NDAA-19) which capped its security-related aid to Pakistan to $150 million, significantly below the historic level of more than $ 1 billion to $750 million per year.
INDIA & WORLD
India & Thailand concludes Maitree Military Exercise
A two-week long platoon level military exercise called ‘Exercise Maitree 2018’ concluded at Jammu & Kashmir Srinagar. The main aim of the military exercise is to strengthen the partnership between armies of the two countries.
Israel opens Visa application centre in Kolkata
Israel opened a visa application centre in the city of Kolkata for tourists from West Bengal and north eastern states. Visa applications in the jurisdiction under the New Delhi centre would also be accepted here.
NATIONAL
Raje opens country’s biggest techno-hub in Jaipur
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has inaugurated the Bhamashah Techno Hub in Jhalana Industrial Area of Jaipur.
Japan to be ‘Country Partner’ for Make in Odisha 2018
The Odisha Government has tied up with Japan for its mega investment Conclave 2018 to take place in November this year. The state has already identified 600 acres near capital city Bhubaneswar that could serve as a dedicated industrial park for Japanese investors.
SC scraps use of option in Rajya Sabha elections
Supreme Court scrapped use of NOTA (none of the above) option for Rajya Sabha elections, saying it defeats fairness in indirect elections, destroys democratic values and serves as Satan of defection and corruption.
Railways launches ‘Digital Screens’ at 22 stations
The Ministry of Railway has made ‘digital screens’ operational at 22 stations on the occasion of Independence Day to spread awareness among public about the opulent heritage of Indian Railways. The project aims at showcasing the legacy of Indian Railways through one to two-minute-long movie clips on digital LED screens at the entrance gate of railway stations and also at different comfort areas.
India’s 1st Tribal Language
Santhali (Santali), a tribal language primarily spoken in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, received global recognition when it got a Wikipedia edition in its own script.
Pune best city to live in
The Ease of Living Index 2018 was released by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri with few most prominent cities failing to make a cut in the top 10. Of total 111 cities ranked under the index, Pune has been ranked first while Navi Mumbai has surfaced as the second preferred spot in terms of ‘liveability’.
Joint postage stamp on India & South Africa approved
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of joint issue of Postage Stamps on India-South Africa on the theme, “20 Years of Strategic Partnership between India and South Africa”.
Parliament Passes Bill To Grant Constitutional status to NCBC
The Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill that seeks to provide constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
World’s First Intertidal art gallery opened in Maldives
The Intertidal art gallery called Coralarium is located at the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi resort. The Art Gallery is filled with around 30 Sculptures acting as a habitat for coral and other marine species.
Nationwide State Energy Efficiency Preparedness Index
As part of its commitment to create awareness about energy efficiency as a resource and also to develop an action plan for energy conservation initiatives, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), released the ‘State Energy Efficiency Preparedness Index. The ‘Front Runner’ states in the inaugural edition of the Index are: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Rajasthan based on available data.
STATES
Kolkata, Bhopal top among Indian Cities in Clean Transport
Bhopal tops for lowest overall emissions and energy use from urban commute. Kolkata emits least among six megacities due to high usage of public transport and walking. The analysis titled The Urban Commute was released in Kolkata.
Top 3 in Overall emissions and energy consumption:
1. Bhopal
2. Vijayawada
3. Chandigarh
Top 3 in Per-travel trip emissions and energy consumption:
1. Kolkata
2. Mumbai
3. Bhopal
Delhi on top in the list of highest polluted cities
The highest pollution is due to transport in the national capital of Delhi. At the same time, Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal has the lowest level of pollution. The Center for Science and Environment (CSE) has released the report named The Urban Commute after studying 14 cities in the country.
Chhattisgarh to rename Naya Raipur as Atal Nagar
The state government of Chhattisgarh has decided to rename the state’s new capital city Naya Raipur as Atal Nagar in the memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The decision was taken during the state’s cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh.
UAE to offer Rs.700 crore in aid to Kerala
The UAE government extended its hand to offer Rs.700 crore to assist Kerala in its distress. Kerala State government sought Rs.2,600 crore from the Centre due to the disaster caused by the flood.
UP government bans plastic
For the third time in past three years, Uttar Pradesh government has banned polythene and plastic. UP became the 19th state in the country to ban polythene.
Karnataka government appointed 4 AAGs
The Karnataka government has appointed 4 Additional Advocates Generals (AAGs) to represent the government in the Principal Bench of the High Court of Karnataka.
500 crore for OBCs in Maharashtra
The main objective of the special assistance is to help the OBC community develop employment opportunities for the youth. OBCs constitute 52 percent of the state’s population and they get 17 percent reservation.
Delhi replaces Gujarat to top ‘most investor-friendly’ destination list
Delhi has toppled Gujarat from the top spot in a list of 21 states and union territories with the most investment potential, according to a report by economic think-tank NCAER.
Rajasthan becomes first State to implement Centre’s ‘Biofuel Policy’
Rajasthan becomes the first state to implement Centre’s ‘Biofuel Policy.’For this Rajasthan has established a Centre of Excellence in Udaipur to promote research in alternate fuels and energy sources.
Odisha to implement Own Food Security act
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced that the state government would implement its own food security act from October to this year.
CONFERENCES
India-Kenya Joint Trade committee meeting
The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu and Mr. Peter Munya, Cabinet Secretary (Minister) for Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Government of Kenya. Indians are the third-largest group of tourists to Kenya.
3rd Indian Ocean Conference
The third edition of Indian Ocean Conference was held in Hanoi, capital city of Vietnam. It was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Min, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
G20 Digital Economy Ministerial meeting
At the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting in Salta, in the north-west of Argentina, G20 ministers and senior officials issued a declaration that reflects the G20’s commitment towards promoting policies and actions that catalyze digital transformations. This Meeting was attended by 33 heads of delegation-Ministers, senior officials & representatives from invited countries and international organizations. India was represented by Union Minister for Electronics and IT & Law and Justice,Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad.
International Conference on Recent Advances in Food Processing Technology
International Conference on Recent Advances in Food Processing Technology (iCRAFPT) got underway at Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur in Tamilnadu.
11th World Hindi Conference
The 11th World Hindi Conference was inaugurated in Mauritius with the theme ‘Hindi World and Indian Culture’. The three-day conference was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Praveen Kumar Jagannath in Port Louis.
24th World Congress of Philosophy
The 24th World Congress of Philosophy (WCP) was held in Beijing, China. It was organized by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies, and Peking University. Its theme was “Learning To Be Human”. This was first time that the quinquennial (once in five year) event was held in China.
Meeting of senior officials of BIMSTEC
A special meeting of Senior Officials of the Bay of Bengal Initiatives for Multi-Sectoral, Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was held in Kathmandu.
NITI Aayog will host Investors’ Conference
NITI Aayog will host an Investors’ Conference at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for the Holistic Development of Islands. The Conference is inaugurated by Shri. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog.
3rd India-Nepal Coordination Meeting
The 3rd India-Nepal Coordination meeting was started in New Delhi. A seven-member delegation from Nepal, headed by Inspector General of Nepal Armed Police Force Shailendra Khanal will take part in the three-day meeting.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers meet
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong chaired the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Singapore.
First ‘Nepal-India Think Tank’ Summit
First ‘Nepal-India Think Tank’ Summit held in Kathmandu, Nepal. To foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the think tanks of the two countries.
Unified Commanders Conference – 2018
The two day Unified Commanders’ Conference (UCC) for the year 2018 was held in New Delhi. The Annual Conference provides a platform for discussions at the Apex Level on all ‘Joint Issues’ amongst the three Services & Ministry of Defence and enables stock taking of the previous year and planning the way ahead for the next year.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Indra Nooyi to be honoured as Game Changer of the Year 2018
Asia Society, a global cultural organization announced that PepsiCo’s CEO Indra Nooyi will be honoured with the Game Changer of the Year title of the 2018 Asia Game Changer Awards in October 2018. Citi is the founding partner of Asia Society’s Asia Game Changer Awards.
Reliance Power unit wins international arbitration award
Reliance Power said its wholly-owned subsidiary Reliance Power Netherlands BV has won an international arbitration award of $56 million (Rs 390 crore).
David Beckham to receive UEFA President’s award
An English retired professional footballer David Beckham will be presented the 2018 UEFA President’s Award by European football’s governing body, in recognition of his remarkable career and humanitarian efforts.
MP Government to name three awards after late former PM Vajpayee
Madhya Pradesh Government will name three awards after the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a tribute. One will be for poets, second will be for outstanding contribution in the field of journalism, and third for good work in administration”, said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana award
Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi was conferred with 2018 Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award. He was presented award in New Delhi on occasion of 74th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
General Dalbir Singh Suhag awarded US ‘Legion of Merit’ 2018
The United States government has awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) to General Dalbir Singh Suhag (Retired), of the Indian Army, for exceptionally meritorious service as chief of the Army staff, Indian Army.
S K Arora awarded WHO World No Tobacco Day 2017 award
Delhi government’s additional director of health, SK Arora was awarded prestigious World Health Organization (WHO) World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control.
Ang Lee to be honoured by directors guild of America
Oscar-winning director Ang Lee will be one of the recipients of the annual Directors Guild of America (DGA) honours at its ceremony. The event will be held at the DGA Theatre in New York City.
2018 Albany Medical Center Prize
Three US scientists James Allison, Carl June and Steven Rosenberg were declared winners 2018 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research.
Aditya Kumar to conferred Shaurya Chakra
Rifleman Aurangzeb and Major Aditya Kumar of Indian Army will be conferred the Shaurya Chakra along with 18 others Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces.
Hindu Playwright award 2018
Annie Zaidi was awarded the Hindu Playwright Award 2018 for her play Untitled-1, at the launch of the 14th edition of The Hindu Theatre Fest at the Taj Coromandel, in Chennai.
3 women honoured at 19th IACCGH
Indian-American Aruna Vishwanathan was one of the 3 women honoured with ‘Women in Business: Making a Difference Award’ at the 19th annual Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) gala, in Houston, United States.
Avi Goel wins International Geography Bee world championship
Indian-American high school student Avi Goel has won the world championship at the International Geography Bee’s junior varsity division which was held in Berlin, Germany. 14-year old Avi is a tenth grader at Silver Creek High School in Evergreen, San Jose, California.
Amul awarded marketer of year
Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), the marketers of the popular Amul brand of milk and dairy products, was awarded the ‘Marketer of the Year’ award by the International Advertising Association of India (IAAI).
Anvar Sadath first Indian to win the International Contributions award
K.Anvar Sadath is the first Indian to receive the International Contributions Award given by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), USA.
Kambaku won the Governor’s Cup
Rank Outsider Kambaku from trainer Arjun Mangalorkar yard shocked the followers of form making every post a winning one in the Governor’s Cup at the summer races.
Javed Akhtar awarded Hindi Sahitya Samman
Eminent personalities from different fields, including Bollywood song writer Javed Akhtar, were presented the Delhi government’s ‘Hindi Sahitya Academy Samman’.
Akshay Venkatesh wins prestigious fields medal
Akshay Venkatesh, a renowned Indian-Australian mathematician, is one of four winners of mathematics’ prestigious Fields medal, known as the Nobel prize for math. Each winner receives a 15,000 Canadian-dollar cash prize.
Outstanding Parliamentarian award for the years 2013-2017
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the years 2013-2017 in New Delhi.
The list of People conferred with Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the years 2013-2017
1) Smt Najma Heptulla: 2013
2) Shri Hukmdev Narayan Yadav: 2014
3) Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad: 2015
4) Shri Dinesh Trivedi: 2016
5) Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab: 2017
Gopal Krishna Gandhi to get Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana award
Former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi has been selected for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award. Rajiv Gandhi National Goodwill Award is given on the occasion of birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Mohun Bagan Ratna conferred on Pradip Chowdhury
Mohun Bagan ‘Ratna’, the highest honour of Mohun Bagan club was awarded to former India international Pradip Chowdhury at its foundation day programme. Pradip Chowdhury is a former Mohun Bagan captain.
SPORTS & GAMES
Swapna Barman, 1st Indian Heptathlete to win gold in Asian Games
Swapna Barman created history by becoming the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games gold in Indonesia, a feat she achieved despite a toothache.
Arpinder Singh wins gold in Triple Jump
Arpinder Singh ended India’s 48-year long wait for a gold in triple jump at the Asian Games with an effort of 16.77m. India’s last Asian Games gold medal in men’s triple jump had come in 1970 from Mohinder Singh Gill.
PV Sindhu wins India’s 1st Asian Games Silver in Badminton
World number three PV Sindhu lost to world number one Tai Tzu-ying (Taiwan) in the women’s singles final to bag India’s first-ever silver medal in badminton at Asian Games.
Sebastian Vettel won Belgian Grand Prix 2018
Sebastian Vettel won the Belgian Grand Prix 2018 at Spa-Francorchamps Track in Belgium. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel beat Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton who tops the driver standings by a 17-point lead, and secured the first position.
Mohammad Irfan sets world record in T20
Mohammad Irfan has set a new world record of being the most economical bowler in the T20 cricket while playing for Barbados Tridents in the ongoing 2018 Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The 36-year-old conceded just one run in his four overs spell against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and scalped two important wickets of Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis in the match.
Japan wins its first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title in France
Japan won its first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title at the La Rabine Stadium in Vannes, France. Japan defeated Spain 3-1 in the final and won its first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Tejender Pal Singh Toor wins historic Gold in Shot Put
India’s Tejinder Pal Singh Toor wins the Gold medal in Men’s Shot Put final at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia. He brought India its seventh gold medal by winning the men’s shot put event with an Asian Games record throw of 20.75 meters in Jakarta.
Jhulan Goswami announces retirement from T20I
Veteran Indian women’s team pacer Jhulan Goswami has announced her retirement from T20 Internationals, effectively ruling her out for the ICC World T20 in West Indies in November.
PV Sindhu seventh in Forbes list of highest paid women sports persons
India’s ace Shuttler and Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu (23) was ranked seventh on Forbes list of highest-earning women sportspersons in the world.
India’s youngest Asian Games gold medallist
Saurabh Chaudhary, all of 16, became the youngest Indian shooter to win an Asian Games gold medal as he trumped a field comprising multiple world and Olympic champions in the 10m air pistol finals.
Vinesh Phogat Wins Gold
Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal and the country’s fifth medal at the ongoing 2018 Asian Games. Vinesh Phogat beat Japan’s Yuki Irie in Women’s Freestyle 50 kg gold medal match.
Mitchell Johnson announces retirement
36-year-old Johnson announced his retirement from international cricket during the Test series against New Zealand in Perth. But remained a useful bowler in Twenty20 competitions, including for Perth Scorchers in the Australian ‘Big Bash’ tournament.
Bajrang Punia won gold in the Asian Games 2018
Bajrang Punia won gold in the final of the 65kg freestyle wrestling competition at the Asian Games 2018. He became the winner of India’s 140th Asiad gold. Punia is the sole torch-bearer of Indian wrestling.
India wins SAFF U-15 Championship
India defeated Bangladesh in the final of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-15 Women’s Championship in Thimpu, Bhutan. A solitary second-half strike by Sunita Munda helped the Indian U-15 team clinch the title.
Esow Alben claims the silver medal
Indian Teen cyclist Esow Alben (17) created history by winning the country’s maiden medal in track cycling at the world level. He achieved this feat beat by winning silver medal in Men’s Keirin event of UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships held in Aigle, Switzerland.
Nihal Sarin becomes 53rd Chess Grandmaster from India
14 years Nihal Sarin became India’s 53rd Chess Grandmaster after winning at the Abu Dhabi Masters. He is only third grandmaster from Kerala after GN gopal & SL Narayanan.
Viraj Madappa to win Asian tour title
Indian golfer Viraj Madappa became the youngest Indian to win on the Asian Tour, as he won his first title on the Asian Tour at Take Solutions Masters in Bengaluru.
Nadal downs Tsitsipas to win Toronto Masters
Rafael Nadal held off a late surge from Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim the 80th title of his career with victory at the Toronto Masters.
Kohli tops 2018 charts for most runs scored in international cricket
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has secured the top spot in the list of highest run scorers in international cricket in 2018. Virat Kohli has surpassed England’s Jonny Bairstow.
Neeraj Chopra to be India’s flag-bearer
Javelin thrower star Neeraj Chopra will be India’s flag bearer in the opening ceremony of the upcoming Asian Games 2018. Chopra, who won the gold medal in Commonwealth Games 2018 event in Gold Coast earlier this year, will lead India’s contingent in the multi-sport event.
Germany’s Mario Gomez retires from International Football
Veteran German striker Mario Gomez announced his retirement from international football. The 33-year-old, who made his debut for Germany in 2007, scored 31 goals in 78 international appearances.
India women win Blitz gold
The Indian women chess team at the Asian Nations Cup 2018 clinched the gold in the Blitz event held in Iran. It’s India’s first gold-medal finish at the event since 2014. They also won silver and bronze in the Rapid and Classical categories, respectively. The tournament began in the Iranian city of Hamadan.
Netherlands wins women’s hockey world cup 2018
In Women’s Hockey World Cup 2018, the Netherlands has been crowned the world champions for a record eighth time.
Nadal maintains 1st spot in ATP rankings
Spain’s Rafael Nadal continued to lead the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals world singles rankings with 9,310 average points, ahead of Switzerland’s Roger Federer.
Virat Kohli completes 7000 runs as captain
Virat Kohli became the fastest captain to reach 7000 international runs. Brian Lara was the fastest among the previous 14 players who scored 7000 International runs as captain.
Nepalese becomes 4th youngest to play an ODI
Nepalese cricketer Rohit Kumar Paudel, aged 15 years and 335 days, has become the fourth youngest debutant in men’s ODI cricket.
Clark Kent beat a record that Michael Phelps
Ten-year-old swimmer Clark Kent Apuada of California placed first in all seven events at the Far West International Swimming Championship and broke Olympian Michael Phelps record.
Neeraj Chopra wins gold medal
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, won a gold medal in the Savo Games in Lapinlahti, Finland.
Dustin Johnson won 2018 RBC Canadian open golf title
Dustin Johnson won the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville in Canada. Dustin Johnson shot a 6-under par 66 and won his first RBC Canadian Open at 23-under par. He is currently in world number one position.
Yasar Dogu International, Turkey: Bajrang Punia wins Gold
In Wrestling, Bajrang Punia has won his second consecutive international gold while Sandeep Tomar had to be content with a silver medal at the Yasar Dogu International in Istanbul, Turkey. Indian wrestlers returned with 10 medals, including seven by women, from the ranking event. Vicky won a bronze in the 57 kilogram.
Egypt beat England to win World Junior squash team title
In the final of the World Junior squash world cup, Egypt inflicted a 2-0 defeat over England to claim its sixth men’s team title.
ECONOMY
India’s economic growth rate to grow at 7.4% in 2018-19
The Reserve Bank of India has released its annual report in Mumbai. It was mentioned in the report that due to the evolving economic conditions, real GDP growth for 2018-19 is expected to increase to 7.4% from 6.7% in the previous year.
India to grow at 7.5% in 2018, 2019: Moody’s Report
The Indian economy is expected to grow by around 7.5% in 2018 and 2019 as it is largely resilient to external pressures like those from higher oil prices, according to Moody’s Investors Service. Moody’s put G-20 growth at 3.3% in 2018 and 3.1% in 2019. The advanced economies will grow 2.3% in 2018 and 2% in 2019, while G-20 emerging markets will remain the growth drivers at 5.1% in both 2018 and 2019.
Indian economy clocked double digit growth in 2006-07
The new estimates released by a government constituted committee suggest that GDP growth in the period 2004-05 to 2011-12 may have been higher than reckoned earlier. According to the report, the growth of the Indian economy is 0.3 to 0.5 percentage points higher for each year.
India Ratings decreases growth forecast to 7.2% from 7.4% for FY19
India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has revised down its FY19 economic growth forecast to 7.2% from 7.4% earlier.
India now world’s 6th largest economy
Addressing the nation on the 72nd Independence Day, PM Narendra Modi said, ‘India has registered its name as the sixth largest economy in the world.
Rupee for first time hit historic low of Rs. 70 mark against US dollar
Indian rupee for first time in history plunged to record low of Rs. 70.07 against US dollar. However, it recovered later at around Rs. 69.84 after heavy intervention by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
India’s GDP growth to rise to 7.5% this fiscal
India’s economy is expected to clock GDP growth of 7.5% in this financial year according to a Morgan Stanley report. The growth recovery will remain robust, supported initially by consumption and exports.
India’s Q1 fiscal deficit at 68.7%
The government of India reported a fiscal deficit of Rs. 4.29 trillion ($62.57 billion) for April-June, or 68.7% of the budgeted target for the current fiscal year 2018-19 compared with 80.8% a year ago.
GDP predicted to 7.2% in second half of 2018: Nomura
According to Nomura , GDP growth to peak to 7.8% in April-June quarter and then moderate to 7.2 per cent in the second half of 2018. The GDP growth was at 7.7 per cent in January-March quarter 2018.
RIL reclaims its top slot
Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) regained its status as the country’s most valued firm by market capitalisation (m-cap). It replaced Tata Group’s Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) from the top slot. Reliance Industries had crossed the $100-billion market capitalisation mark. The m-cap figure of companies changes daily with stock price movement.
UN E-Government Index: India ranks 96th, Denmark tops
India has jumped 22 places to 96th rank to break into the top 100 of the United Nation’s E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2018. Denmark, with an index value of 0.9150, topped the 2018 E-Government Development Survey. The E-Government survey is released by the United Nations in every two years. The 2018 edition was titled as ‘Gearing E-Government to Support Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies’.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ISRO to send 1st Indian into space by 2022
India’s first Indian human mission will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by 2022. This was stated by the Union Minister of State (I/C) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh.
European wind survey satellite ‘Aeolus’
Europe launched a rocket named ‘Aeolus’ from French Guyana. This satellite will be put into orbit at an altitude of 320 kilometres (200 miles) above the Earth which will track global winds, allowing for improved weather forecasting.
Chandrayaan-I data confirms presence of ice on Moon
NASA informed that Scientists have found frozen water deposits in the darkest and coldest parts of the Moon’s polar regions using data from the Chandrayaan-I spacecraft, that was launched by India ten years ago.
Successful Flight Test of ATGM ‘HELINA’
Indigenously developed Helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ has been successfully flight tested from Army Helicopter in the ranges of Pokhran. The weapon system has been tested for its full range.
Chandrayaan-2 Lander to be named ‘Vikram’
The Space Commission has approved ISRO’s proposal of naming the Chandrayaan-2 lander ‘Vikram’ after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of Indian space programme.
World’s first mission to touch the Sun lifts off
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, the world’s first mission to touch the Sun, was launched from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in United States.
Sunita Williams among 9 astronauts for human spaceflight
Sunita Williams has been named for the Boeing programme to the ISS (International Space Station), the first test flight scheduled to take place in the middle of 2019.
Ballistic Missile Interceptor AAD Successfully Flight Tested
DRDO conducted the successful test of the Ballistic Missile Interceptor Advanced Area Defence (AAD) at from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
APPOINTMENTS
Ruchi Ghanashyam appointed India’s next High Commissioner to UK
Ruchi Ghanashyam appointed India’s next High Commissioner to United Kingdom. Ruchi Ghanashyam is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1982 batch. She is at present Secretary at Headquarters.
Satya S Tripathi appointed Assistant Secretary-General & Head of UNEP
Veteran Indian development economist Satya S Tripathi has been appointed as the Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the New York Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) by UN Chief Antonio Guterres. He will replace Elliott Harris.
Ganga Prasad sworn in as Sikkim Governor
Ganga Prasad has sworn in as the 16th Governor of Sikkim at a function held at Raj Bhawan. Justice Meenakshi M Rai, Acting Chief Justice of High Court of Sikkim, administered the oath of office to Prasad.
Lalchand Rajput appointed head coach of Zimbabwe cricket team
Former India opener Lalchand Rajput has been appointed as the head coach of Zimbabwe’s national team. Rajput played two tests and four ODIs for India and was a consistent performer for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
Dr G. Satheesh Reddy appointed Secretary of DRDO
Dr. G Satheesh Reddy has been appointed as the chairman of DRDO for a two year term. He will also be the Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development (DoDRD).He will be replacing Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra who was holding the position as an additional charge after the retirement of S Christopher.
U K Varma appointed Assocham Secretary General
Industry chamber Assocham has appointed former bureaucrat Uday Kumar Varma as its new Secretary General. He succeeds DS Rawat who held the position for nearly 14 years, Assocham said in a statement.
S J Vazifdar as Chairman of panel to decide vedanta’s plea
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice S J Vazifdar as head of a three-member committee to decide mining company Vedanta’s plea challenging closure of its Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin.
Lalji Tandon sworn in as Governor of Bihar
Lalji Tandon, the Senior BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh, was sworn in as Governor of Bihar. Mr.Tandon was administered the oath of office by Patna High Court Chief Justice Mukesh Rasik Bhai Shah.
Arun Jaitley resumes charge as Minister of Finance
Union minister Arun Jaitley has resumed charge of the ministries of finance and corporate affairs after a hiatus of over 100 days, during which he underwent a surgery for kidney ailment.
TP Sharma appointed as New chief of Lokayukta
Retired judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court TP Sharma was appointed the new chief Lokayukta of the Chattisgarh. Sharma will head the Chhattisgarh Lok Ayog, set up to deal with corruption cases against public servants.
Ram Nath Kovind appoints 7 New Governors
President Ram Nath Kovind appointed governors for seven states — Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
Ramesh Powar appointed head coach of women’s cricket team
Former India spinner Ramesh Powar was named head coach of the Indian women’s national cricket team till the ICC World T20. Powar was brought in as the interim coach of the team.
Stalin is elected as the President of DMK party in TN
M.K.Stalin, the working president of DMK is likely to be elected as the President of DMK party in Tamil Nadu. The official announcement will be made in DMK general council.
Kalpesh Satyendra Jhaveri was sworn in as the CJ of Orissa HC
Justice Kalpesh Satyendra Jhaveri was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court. Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal administered the oath at a ceremony held in the Orissa High Court.
Shah appointed as Pakistan’s new foreign minister
Shah Mahmood Qureshi was appointed as Pakistan’s Foreign Minister as Prime Minister Imran Khan approved a 20-member cabinet, Information Minister-designate Fawad Chaudhry said.
IBHFL appointed S.S.Mundra as an independent director
Indiabulls Housing Finance (IBHFL), India’s second-largest housing finance company, appointed Mr.S.S.Mundra as an independent director on the board of the company. He is the former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
K S Srinivas takes over as MPEDA chief
KS Srinivas formally took over as Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. KS Srinivas is a 1997 batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre.
D Bala Venkatesh Varma appointed Ambassador to Russia
Senior diplomat D Bala Venkatesh Varma was appointed as India’s next ambassador to Russia. Varma, a 1988 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as Indian envoy in Spain.
Shaheed Saman Diwas to be observed in MP
The Shaheed Saman Diwas will be observed in all districts of Madhya Pradesh. The state government has taken the decision to observe the day to honour families of martyrs of Madhya Pradesh origin.
Anandiben Patel to hold additional charge as Chhattisgarh Governor
President Ram Nath Kovind gave Madhya Pradesh Governor Anadiben Patel additional charge of Chhattisgarh following the demise of its Governor Balramji Dass Tandon.
Justice Manjula Chellur takes oath as Chairperson
Justice Manjula Chellur took oath as Chairperson of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (ATE), Ministry of Power. Prior to this appointment, she was Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.
Justice Tahilramani sworn in as the CJ of the Madras HC
Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. The swearing was administered by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Chennai.
R S Sharma re-appointed TRAI chairperson
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved reappointment of Ram Sewak Sharma as chairperson of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for further period till 2020.
Rajendra Menon sworn in as CJ of Delhi HC
Justice Rajendra Menon was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court by Lt Governor Anil Baijal at a ceremony held at the Raj Niwas in New Delhi.
Gopakumar appointed as Director & GM in UIIC
Public sector non-life insurance firm United India Insurance Company announced the appointment of S Gopakumar as its Director and General Manager with immediate effect.
Harivansh Narayan Singh elected Dy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha
NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman with 125 votes. The Opposition candidate BK Hariprasad managed to get 105 votes.
S Gurumurthy & Satish Marathe appointed part-time Directors on RBI
S Gurumurthy & Satish Marathe were appointed as part-time directors on the Reserve Bank of India board by The Cabinet’s Appointments Committee for a four-year term.
Nikhil Nanda appointed as Chairman & MD of Escort
Farm and construction equipment maker Escorts appointed Nikhil Nanda as the chairman and managing director (MD) of the company. He succeeded his father Rajan Nanda who passed away earlier this week after a brief illness.
Anurag Sachan appointed as MD of DFCCIL
Anurag Sachan appointed as Managing Director of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. (DFCCIL).
Ajay Data first Indian in ICANN
Ajay Data has got a two-year term and will take up the position during ICANN 63 Meet in Spain. Ajay Data is the first Indian to have been selected as a member of ccNSO and will be representing India at a global level. He will be the custodian of Asia, Australia and Pacific Islands as a member of ccNSO.
Gita Mittal is appointed as new CJ of J&K HC
Chief Justice Gita Mittal has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court (HC). She is the acting Chief Justice of Delhi HC. She is the first woman Chief Justice of J&K HC.
Supreme Court to get 3 serving women Judges
The Supreme Court will have three serving women judges for the first time, after the Centre cleared the elevation of Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee.
Vijay Thakur Singh appointed as Secretary in the MEA
Vijay Thakur Singh was today named secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), according to an official order. Singh is a 1985 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service.
Anup Maheshwari as joint CEO & CIO of IIFL Mutual Fund
IIFL Mutual Fund appointed Anup Maheshwari as the joint Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and chief investment officer (CIO).
Deepak Parekh reappointed HDFC director
HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh was reappointed as non-executive director on the board of Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd (HDFC), though 22.64% of the shareholders voted against his continuation.
HSBC appointed Surendra Rosha as India CEO
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) has appointed Surendra Rosha as the CEO for HSBC India.
RESIGNS
Anil Ambani resigns as Director of RNAVAL
Anil D Ambani has resigned as the Director of Reliance Naval and Engineering Ltd (RNAVAL). Ambani resigned in compliance with provisions of Section 165 of the Companies Act, 2013, prescribing the limit on directorships to only 10 public companies.
Infosys CFO MD Ranganath Resigns
Infosys’ Chief Financial Officer (CFO) MD Ranganath resigned from his position. MD Ranganath became Chief Financial Officer of Infosys in 2015 following the exit of Rajiv Bansal.
AAP leader Ashutosh resigns from the party
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashutosh announced his resignation from the party and cited a very very personal reason. Arvind Kejriwal, the party convener and Delhi Chief Minister, has refused to accept the resignation.
David Silva retired
Manchester City midfielder 32 year old David Silva announced his retirement from international football. He is also known as ‘Spain’s Lionel Messi’.
MD Sriram Kalyanaraman’s resignation
The government has accepted the resignation of National Housing Bank (NHB) Managing Director Sriram Kalyanaraman. Sriram Kalyanaraman was alleged for adopting unethical practices for sanctioning refinance facility to several housing finance companies.
Gerard Pique announces retirement from Spain national team
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has confirmed that he is stepping down from international football following a disappointing World Cup for Spain. Pique has accumulated 102 caps for his national team.
Indra Nooyi ends 12-year run as PepsiCo’s CEO
Indra Nooyi is stepping down as chief executive officer (CEO) of food and beverage giant PepsiCo
DEATHS
Noted Malayalam film director Haridas passes away
Noted Malayalam film director K K Haridas passed away following some heart related ailments. He was 55. Haridas, born in Mailapra in Pathanamthitta district, had directed about 20 movies,giving more importance to comedy.
John McCain passed away
US senator John McCain, a celebrated war hero known for reaching across the aisle in an increasingly divided America, died following a battle with brain cancer. He was 81.
Odia actor Debu Bose passes away
Veteran Odia actor Debu Bose passes away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Hyderabad, at the age of 75.
Sr Congress leader Gurudas Kamat dies at 63
Gurudas Kamat, former Union minister and senior Congress leader, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 63.
Veteran Journalist Kuldip Nayar passes away
Eminent Indian writer and journalist Kuldip Nayar passed away in New Delhi following a brief illness. He was 95.
Israeli Journalist & Peace Activist Uri Avnery passes away
Uri Avnery, a trailblazing Israeli journalist and peace activist and one of the first to openly advocate for a Palestinian state passed away at the age of 94.
Former MP Chennupati Vidya dies of heart attack
Former member of Lok Sabha, Chennupati Vidya died of heart attack due to age-related ailments. Vidya (84) was elected to the Parliament as a Congress candidate from Vijayawada constituency in 1980 and in 1989.
Former UN Secretary General passed away
Kofi Annan, 80 years old, passed away due to illness. He is the first black African secretary-general of the United Nations. Kofi Annan and the UN were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
Former cricket captain Ajit Wadekar dead
Ajit Wadekar, who deployed his famous spinners to devastating effect and recorded historic series wins in the West Indies and England in 1971, passed away. He was 77.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee passes away
Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has passed away aged 93 in Delhi. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was three times Prime Minister of India. he is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Hakam Singh passes away
Asian Games gold medallist athlete Hakam Singh died due to liver and kidney ailments in Sangrur, Punjab. Hakam Singh was 64 years old.
Balramji Das Tandon passes away
Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon passed away at the age of 90. He was admitted to a hospital in Raipur after he suffered cardiac arrest.
Anant Bajaj passed away at 41
Industrialist Anant Bajaj, the only son of Bajaj Electricals Chairman Shekhar Bajaj, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. Bajaj started his career as a project coordinator in Bajaj Electricals back in 1999.
Somnath Chatterjee passes away
Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee passed away. He was 89 years old. Chatterjee was the Speaker of the Lower House from 2004-09 when Manmohan Singh-led UPA- 1 (United Progressive Alliance) was in power.
Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul Dies
Nobel Prize-winning British author V S Naipaul has died at the age of 85. Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul who was born in Trinidad wrote more than 30 books and won the Nobel Literature Prize in 2001.
Australian Professional Golfer Jarrod Lyle passes away
Australian professional golfer Jarrod Lyle has died after a long battle with cancer, aged 36. The Australian won twice on the feeder Web.com tour in 2008, and played 121 US PGA Tour tournaments during his professional career.
Ex-400m world champion Nicholas Bett dies
Former 400m hurdles world champion Nicholas Bett of Kenya died in a car accident. Nicholas Bett was 28 years old. In 2015 IAAF World Championship held in Beijing, he won gold medal.
Kannada writer Sumatheendra Nadig passed away
Well-known Kannada poet and critic Sumatheendra R. Nadig passed away in Bengaluru. He was an important name in the modernist literary movement in Karnataka in the 60s and 70s.
DMK Chief M Karunanidhi passed away
DMK chief, Muthuvel Karunanidhi, passes away at 94. He was made Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the first time in 1969.
RK Dhawan passes away
Senior Congress leader and long-time aide of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Rajinder Kumar Dhawan passed away at the age of 81 years in Delhi.
Library scientist Prof Krishna Shripadrao Deshpande passed away
Eminent library scientist Krishna Shripadrao Deshpande passed away at his residence in Malamaddi of Dharwad, Karnataka.
Malayalam Ghazal maestro Umbayee passes away
Popular Malayalam Ghazal singer Umbayee has passed away. Umbayee, 66, was suffering from cancer.
Veteran screenwriter Jalees Sherwani passes away
Jalees Sherwani, who had penned lyrics for several films like Dabangg, Wanted and Tere Naam, passed away. He was 70.
Filmmaker John Sankaramangalam passes away
Filmmaker and former director of the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, T.C. John, better known as John Sankaramangalam, died.
Eminent Bengali author Ramapada Chowdhury passes away
Sahitya Academy awardee Bengali writer Ramapada Chowdhury, who authored famous novels like Kharij, Bari Badle Jay and Abhimanyu, has passed away.
VISITORS
Prime Minister’s one day Gujarat Visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Surat, where he was received by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Aug 23 2018. During his visit PM inaugurated multiple projects and decision has been taken to develop a medical college and hospital for every three Lok Sabha constituencies initially which will elevate to a medical college and a hospital in every district.
Chinese defence minister finished his 4 day visit on India
Chinese Defence Minister Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe has finished his 4 day visit on India. An aim to improve bilateral relations, especially on military ties. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
MISCELLANEOUS
Scarlett Johansson is the highest paid actress
Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson has become the best-paid actress in the world with USD 40.5 million, according to Forbes magazine.
Godrej’s Smita Crishna tops list of India’s wealthiest women
Smitha Crishna, third-generation heir of the Godrej Empire, has topped the India’s wealthiest women list for 2018, prepared by Kotak WTealth-Hurun Report. Crishna, who has a 20% stake in the Godrej Group, has an estimated net worth of Rs 375.7 bn.
Akshay Kumar becomes brand ambassador for road safety campaigns
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has become the brand ambassador of Road Safety Campaign. A road safety ad campaign was launched to promote safety.
Fortune 500 list of world’s largest companies released
Seven Indian companies have been listed in Fortune 500 list 2018 of world biggest corporations. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is the highest ranked company from India followed by RIL which jumped 55 places. The US-based retail company, Walmart has topped the list.
Apple becomes 1st US-based company
Apple Inc. became the first US-based company with a market value of $1 trillion, four decades after it was co-founded by Steve Jobs in a Silicon Valley garage.
BOOKS IN NEWS
Atal Ji Ne Kaha: A book on Vajpayee launched
Atal Ji Ne Kaha is the latest of the books on the BJP patriarch and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched with a message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who says the life of the stalwart from Jana Sangh days to “sanyas” from politics in 2007 is a golden document, dedicated to the nation. It was Authored and compiled by Brijendra Rehi.
Khaled Hosseinis new book Sea Prayer
Sea Prayer, the new book of writer Khaled Hosseini will be released on August 2018. Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-born American novelist. He has written books like ‘The Kite Runner’, ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ and ‘And the Mountains Echoed’.
Warne’s Autobiography ‘No Spin’
Spin legend Shane Warne will talk about his extraordinary cricketing career and his life off the pitch besides unveiling several unknown facts in his autobiography titled ‘No Spin’ which will be published in October 2018.
VVS Laxman pens autobiography ‘281 and Beyond’
Indian cricketer VVS Laxman, known for the suppleness of his wrists, plans to release his emotional journey as cricket player through his autobiography “281 and Beyond” on November 2018.
Exam Warriors releases in Odia
Union Minister for Oil and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Odia edition of the book ‘Exam Warriors’ written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma Released 3 Books
Minister of state for Culture (I/C), Dr Mahesh Sharma, released 3 books: ‘Jewellery’, ‘Ghats of Banaras’ and ‘Untold Story of Broadcasting’, at IGNCA (Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts), in New Delhi.
Vice President releases the Book ‘Bebak Baat’
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that continuous communication between public representatives and the public is crucial for development of our nation. He was addressing the gathering after releasing the Book ‘Bebak Baat’, authored by the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Statistics & Programme Implementation, Shri Vijay Goel.
COMMITTEES
Committee on review of Company Act 2013
The committee on review of penal provisions of Company Act 2013 submitted its final report to Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.’ The committee is headed by Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas.
NGT forms committee
The National Green Tribunal has formed a committee to look into whether sub regional plans for protection of Natural Conservation Zones (NCZs) were consistent with the regional plan prepared by the National Capital Region Planning Board.
Committee to review security of VIPs
The Jammu and Kashmir Government ordered the formation of a three-member committee to review the security of protected persons in the state. The committee will be headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Security.
GST Council sets up committee to look at MSME grievances
To address the issues, challenges and concerns of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), the apex decision making body of GST Council has decided to create a sub-committee headed by MoS Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla to look into various issues and submit a report.
Centre constitutes committee for thermal power assets issues
The Central government decided to set up a high-level empowered panel under the Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha to resolve issues plaguing the power sector and revive stressed assets.
DAYS & DATES
29 Aug: National Sports Day
The National Sports Day is celebrated on 29th August every year to mark the birthday of legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted all sports enthusiasts and stated that this year has been great for the sporting fraternity, with the Indian athletes excelling in various tournaments including Asian Games 2018 and Commonwealth Games.
19 Aug: World Humanitarian Day
The World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is observed every year on 19 August to recognize work of humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives. The observance of the day provides opportunity to celebrate spirit that inspires humanitarian work around globe.
India celebrates its 72nd Independence Day
India celebrated its 72nd Independence Day. India attained independence from the British rule on 15 August 1947. This day is celebrated as Independence Day, every year on August 15, in India. This day remembers and honours all those who fought and sacrificed their lives for the freedom of India.
12 Aug: International Youth Day
August 12 is celebrated as International Youth Day by United Nations. It is celebrated to draw awareness about legal and cultural issues surrounding the youth of today. Theme for 2018 ‘Safe Spaces for Youth’.
10 Aug: World Biofuel Day
The World Biofuel Day is observed every year on August 10 to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. The World Biofuel Day is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
BANKING AWARENESS
World Bank to provide $250 million loan to Rajasthan
The Government of India, the Government of Rajasthan and the World Bank signed a $250 million Development Policy Loan (DPL) to support the Government of Rajasthan in improving the performance of its Electricity Distribution Sector under the State’s 24×7 Power for All program.
India and the World Bank sign $300 Million Agreement
The Government of India and the IBRD of World Bank signed a total of $300 million agreement for the India Energy Efficiency Scale-Up Program in Delhi. Out of the $300 million, $220 million is a Loan Agreement and a $80 million is a Guarantee Agreement.
DBS named world’s best bank by Global Finance magazine
DBS Bank has been named the world’s best bank by Global Finance magazine, in a reflection of its ability to invest in digital innovation while still maintaining stable operations for its customers.
SBI expects 10% credit growth in FY19
State Bank of India said it has ‘set its house in order’ and the credit growth is expected to see 10 per cent growth by the end of the current fiscal. SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar also said the bank is in the process of recruiting 8,000 people this year and hopes to also bounce back into profits from the current quarter as the major chunk of provisioning for bad loans was done in the first quarter.
Finance Ministry ranks PNB as best PSU bank for digital transactions
A central government report has ranked Punjab National Bank (PNB) as the best PSU bank in the overall digital transactions category in India. According to a PNB statement, the report card on the banking sector’s performance in digital transactions was prepared by the Ministry of Finance.
World Bank launches World’s 1st blockchain bond
The World Bank launched ‘bond-i’, the world’s first bond to be created, allocated, transferred and managed by using distributed ledger technology. This two-year bond successfully raised 110 million Australian dollars (USD 80.48 million).
SBI expects Q1 GDP growth at 7.7%
The country’s GDP is expected to grow by 7.7% in the April-June quarter on the back of a pick-up in leading indicators like cement production, sale of vehicles and bank credit, according to State Bank of India (SBI).
Andhra Bank raised MCLR by 0.15% for various tenors
Andhra Bank raises MCLR by 0.15% for various tenors. This is the second time that Andhra Bank has raised the MCLR. Earlier in June it has raised its MCLR by 0.05 % to up to 8.55 percent for various tenors.
World Bank to issue world’s first blockchain bond
The World Bank has mandated the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) to issue the world’s first blockchain-based bond.
HDFC Bank Dy MD Paresh Sukthankar resigns
Private sector HDFC Bank’s Deputy Managing Director Paresh Sukthankar has resigned amid speculation that he may be joining as the chief of another lender.
Axis Bank first to introduce iris authentication
Axis Bank became first bank in the country to introduce Iris Scan Authentication feature for Aadhaar-based transactions through its micro ATM tablets.
SBI in top 53 banks in the world
Public sector State Bank of India (SBI) has reached 53rd position in the category of world’s top banks. Finance Minister Piyush Goyal gave this information in response to a supplementary question in the Lok Sabha.
RBI to pay Rs. 50,000 crore dividend to Govt for FY18
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has transferred surplus (dividend) of Rs. 50,000 crore to Government for year ended in June 2018, over 63% more than Rs 30,659 crore which it transferred in 2017.
PSU banks’ NPAs decline by Rs 1.29 lakh crore in FY18
Public sector banks’ non-performing assets declined by Rs 1,28,229 crore in FY18 due to write-offs, including compromise settlement. This is about 60 per cent higher vis-a-vis the year ago period.
HDFC Life inks pact with Vijaya Bank
HDFC Life Insurance Company inked a pact with Vijaya Bank to sell insurance products. The tie-up between the insurer and the lender will ensure a greater reach and penetration through 2,129 branches of the bank spread across the country.
RBI bars Fino Payments Bank
Reserve Bank of India observed that a few Fino Payments Bank accounts had deposits in excess of the stipulated amount of Rs 1 lakh. According to RBI’s operating guidelines for payments banks, a customer can make deposits of up to Rs 1 lakh per account in a year.
RBI retains GDP growth at 7.4% in FY19
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel said that Monetary Policy committee (MPC) has projected the GDP growth at 7.4% for this fiscal year as in the June statement.
RBI Hikes Repo rate by 25 base points
In 3rd Bi-monthly Policy Statement, the Reserve bank of India’s (RBI’s) monetary policy committee (MPC) raised policy rates by 25 basis points to 6.5% on account of inflationary pressures arising due to hike in minimum support price.
SBI raises retail fixed deposit rates by 5-10 bps
State Bank of India raised its interest rates on fixed deposits by 5-10 basis points on deposits of below Rs 1 crore. These changes will apply to senior citizens as well. Interest rates on recurring deposits of SBI are the same as that on FDs.
HDFC awarded best performing lending institution in CLSS schemes
Leading mortgage lender HDFC has been awarded the best performing primary lending institution in credit linked subsidy scheme (CLSS) for the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) and LIG (Low Income Group) category. The award was given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
ICICI Bank reports loss for the first time ever
ICICI Bank Ltd, India’s largest private sector lender by assets, reported a net loss of Rs. 120 crore on a stand-alone basis for the June quarter, on account of rising bad loans and treasury losses.