Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Current Affairs Weekly PDF – August First Week (1-7)

INDIAN AFFAIRS

• On July 31, 2107, Constitution 123rd Amendment Bill, 2017 for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes was passed by Rajya Sabha after dropping an important clause.

• A campaign to protect children from major childhood diseases like measles, mumps and rubella has been started in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh from August 1, 2017. The campaign has been initiated by Dharamshala Municipal Corporation Mayor Rajni Vyas.

• The Supreme Court has imposed a ban on the use of five harmful heavy metals like lithium, antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacturing of firecrackers as they cause air and noise pollution.

• The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has announced a package of Rs 2350 crore for relief, rehabilitation and building flood mitigation infrastructure in the flood-affectedNorth-Eastern states including Assam on 1st August 2017.

• The Union Government has proposed to establish an additional 14 new AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Science) in a phased manner in different States under Pradhan MantriSwasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has appointed an expert panel committee that would study various issues relating to data protection in the country and will suggest a draft data protection Bill. It is a 10 member panel and it is headed by Supreme court Judge (retired) Justice B N Srikrishna.

• On August 2, 2017, Lok Sabha passed two bills, CGST (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017 and IGST (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017, extending Central Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Integrated Goods and Services Tax (GST) to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

• In an attempt to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture, Government launched “AGRI UDAAN”- Food and Agribusiness Accelerator 2.0 programme in New Delhi on August 4, 2017. The program will be run by ICAR-NAARM Technology Business Incubator (TBI), a-IDEA and Indian Institute of Management Ahmadabad’s Center for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE).

• The Bihar Government has informed that it has decided to compulsory retirement to the non-performing teachers, head masters and education department officials above the age of 50 years announced on 3rd of August 2017.The committee is headed by RK Mahajan.

• On 3rd August 2017, Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation Shri Jayant Sinhainformed that the Indian Government is encouraging to develop green airports, Airports Authority of India ( AAI )has inaugurated installation of 1MWp solar power plant at Tirupathi and Vijaywada Airports.

• The state government of Assam has decided to distribute 13 lakh Soil Health Cards among farmers. • The Yogi Adityanath cabinet in Uttar Pradesh has approved a proposal to rename the Mughalsarai railway station near

Varanasi after the Jan Sangh leader who died in 1968. The centre has approved a proposal to rename the Mughalsarai railway station in Uttar Pradesh after RSS ideologue DeenDayalUpadhyaya.

• Union Home Ministry passed an order to merge the three-decade old National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) with Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD).

• Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and luxury cars, which became cheaper after the rollout of the goods and services tax (GST) from July 1, 2017, may now cost more as the GST Council, has decided to raise cess on them from 15% now to up to 25%.

PLACES IN NEWS

• India’s First Heli-taxi service launched by MoS for Civil Aviation Jayanth Sinha in Bengaluru. Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) is the first airport and Bengaluru is the first city in the country with such a service.

• Union Agriculture Ministry signed a memorandum of association (MoA) for setting up a regional centre of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to develop high- yielding rice varieties.

• AadiPerukku is celebrated for the birth of the Tamil month of Aadi. This is the beginning of all the festivals during the festival seasons. It is celebrated in a special way in temples like MangaduKamakshi Temple.

• On August 3, 2017, India’s first private sector missile sub-systems manufacturing facility, a joint venture between the $2.5 billion Kalyani Group and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd., was inaugurated near Hyderabad, Telangana.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

• World Bank has said that India is allowed to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). World Bank’s comments came as officials from India and Pakistan concluded the secretary-level talks over the IWT.

• The United States has issued a ban prohibiting its citizens traveling to North Korea. The ban which comes into effect from 1st of September. The new ban will remain in effect for one year, unless it is revoked sooner by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

• A new representative body US- India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is being set up to enhance business relations between India and US.

• Qatar’s Cabinet approved a draft law making permanent residency available to some non-citizens of the country announced on 3rd of August 2017. Under the new law, Residency permits will be granted to children of Qatari women married to foreigners.

• On August 2nd 2017,The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has adopted a resolution to preventing terrorists from acquired weapons, particularly small arms and light weapons.

• The Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari has said that the government is keen on developing Chabahar Port in Iran and is hopeful of starting operations by 2018. The Indian Government has allocated Rs 6 billion for the development of the port.

SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

• 19th round of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) meetings and other related meetings were held from 17th to 28th July 2017 in Hyderabad, India.

• The first meeting of the Japan-India Coordination Forum (JICF) for Development of North-Eastern Region was held in New Delhi on 4th of August 2017.

• On 1st and 2nd August 2017, Union Commerce Minister NirmalaSitharaman attended BRICS Trade Ministers meeting in Shanghai, China. On the sidelines of this meeting she also held meeting with Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan.

• Southeast Asian foreign ministers and their counterparts from the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, the two Koreas and other have arrived to the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in Manila on Aug 5, 2017.

RANKINGS & REPORTS

• As per ‘ICT Facts and Figures 2017’, released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), India and China are home to 39% of the 830 million young people worldwide who use the Internet.

BANKING & FINANCE

Reserve Bank announces its third bi-monthly policy review of current fiscalPolicy Repo Rate 6.00% Reduced by 25 basis points. Earlier it was 6.25%Reverse Repo Rate 5.75% Reduced by 25 basis points. Earlier it was 6.00%Marginal Standing Facility Rate 6.25% Reduced by 25 basis points. Earlier it was 6.50%Bank Rate 6.25% Reduced by 25 basis points. Earlier it was 6.50%Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 4.00% Unchanged – since 9th February 2013Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 20.00% Unchanged – since 7th June 2017

• As per a report by global financial services major UBS, Indian government is on track to achieving the fiscal deficit target of 3.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the current fiscal year.

• Airtel Payments Bank; India’s first payments bank has announced a strategic partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on 1st of August 2017.

Under which 14,000 HPCL fuel stations will act as banking points for Airtel Payments Bank. • SEBI has set up a committee on fair market conduct on 2nd of August 2017. It will suggest measures for improving

surveillance of the markets and strengthen rules for algo trades, among other norms. The panel is headed by former law secretary T K Viswanathan.

• The State Bank of India (SBI) and Samsung India has announced the availability of Samsung Pay for higher variants of SBI debit card to advance Digital India initiativeon 1st of August 2017.

• As per Japanese financial services firm Nomura, India along with ASEAN – 5 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam) is more attractive Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) destination as compared to other emerging markets. Nomura has dubbed as “Asia’s tiger cubs”and has said that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows to these nations are expected to surge to around USD 240 billion by 2025.

• State Bank of India plans to raise Rs 2,000 crore by allotting Basel-III compliant bonds to various investors. • India signs loan agreement with AIIB for Financing of US$ 329 million for Gujarat Rural Roads Project. • On August 4, 2017, Finance Minister ArunJaitley launched a new Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) under the name

Bharat 22, comprising shares of 22 companies from 6 sectors of the economy. The ETF will feature four banking stocks — SBI, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda and Indian Bank — other than CPSEs such as Nalco, ONGC, IOC, BPCL and Coal India.

• Canara Bank has hit the international debt market with a benchmark dollar bond issue that will have a tenor of 5 years. Through this issue, Canara Bank will raise $400 million as part of its $2 billion medium-term note programme. Bond sale will be drawn through London branch of Canara Bank.The bonds will be listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

• Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched a new service called “Kotak Remit”.This service is an Aadhaar-based integrated outward forex remittance solution for both customers and non-customers.

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has directed to companies which fail to disclose any default on the payment of interest or repayment of principal to banks or financial institutions within a day.

• During the week to July 28, the RBI showed data which refers the country’s foreign exchange reserves surged by $1.536 billion to touch $392.867 billion, helped by rising in foreign currency assets (FCAs). In the previous week, it had increased by $2.27 billion to $391.33 billion.

• In a bid to emerge as a top consumer finance brand in the digital space, mobile wallet major MobiKwik has entered into a strategic partnership with Bajaj Finance to transform itself into a financial services app from a payments app at present.

• Mastercard and PayPal have announced an extension of their partnership into Asia Pacific for making MasterCard a clear payment option within PayPal.

• PNB customers will have to pay charges for depositing cash above Rs 5,000 in a non-base branch even if it is located in the same city. A customer will have to pay Re 1 per Rs 1,000 for above Rs 5,000 cash deposit or part thereof with a minimum of Rs 25 per transaction.

BUSINESS

• The new bilateral Agreement on Trade Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan came into force on 29th July 2017. The agreement was last renewed on 29th July 2006 for ten years.

• Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev-led Herbal products manufacturer PatanjaliAyurved plans to team up with social media site Facebook and search engine Google in a push to increase its digital presence for better online marketing.

• On August 4, 2017, Indian Railways signed its first Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with L&T for large electrification projects. Including this contract, Railways Ministry has signed total nine EPC contracts for electrification of railway lines at a cost of Rs. 2,800 crore.

• Essar Ports has signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Government of Mozambique to develop a 20 million tons per annum (MTPA) coal terminal at Beira Portas part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project.

• Mauritius government-led Metro Express Limited has given an order to Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to design and build an Integrated Light Rail-based Urban Transit System in the African island nation with an estimate cost of Rs. 3,375-crore.

• Government revises the base year of All-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2004-05 to 2011-12.The new series has 697 items as compared to 676 items in old series.

• Indian government has formulated National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (2017-20), a detailed action plan with timelines for smooth implementation of WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Recommendations made by four working groups on legislative changes, time release study, outreach programme and infrastructure augmentation have been included in this plan.

• India’s leading FMCG Britannia Industries would set up its largest plant in Maharashtra in a food park at Ranjangaon announced on 7th August 2017.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• Reliance Industries Chairman MukeshAmbani has become Asia’s 2nd richest personannounced on 1st of August 2017.Ambani Net worth is $35.2 billion.LiKa-shing is the richest man in Hong Kong with a business empire that ranges from telecommunications to retail and port.

• Former India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay was honoured with the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ by East Bengal Football Club on its foundation day on 1st August 2017.

• JK Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter tops the ranking of the highest paid author by Forbes with earnings of £72m ($95) this year announced on 4th of May 2017.

• Veteran actress and national award winner Sharada has been selected for this year’s PremNazir. The award will be presented to Sharada by Kerala state DevaswomMinisterKadakampallySurendran at a function at Chirayankeezhu on August 15, 2017.

• Firoz Merchant, an Indian businessman in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who has spent over USD 4 million to help free prisoners languishing in jails due to non-payment of debts, has been honoured with UAE’s prestigious Community Service Medal.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Appointee Designation- OrganisationVenkaiah Naidu 13th Vice-President of IndiaSameer Garde Cisco president for India, Saarc regionArvind Panagariya (resigns) NITI Aayog Vice ChairmanLt.Gen. Abhay Krishna Eastern Naval Command chiefDhirendraSwarup BSE chairmanChristopher Wray Chief of FBI USASanjay Baru Secretary General of FICCIPeter O’Neill (Re-Elected) Prime Minister of Papua New GuineaHassan Rouhani Iran’s president for a second termRahul Dravid Brand ambassador of InCred (financial services group)Harmanpreet Kaur DSP by Punjab GovernmentUshanath Banerjee AIFF-chairman of Transfers Dispute CommitteeAir Marshal Hemant Narayan Bhagwat Air Officer-in-charge Administration of IAFPrabhat Kumar Ambassador of India to the Republic of KazakhstanMohammad Mustafa CMD Of SIDBIIndian-Americans are Neil Chatterjee, Krishna Members of the Federal Energy RegulatoryR. Urs, and Vishal Amin. Commission (FERC).Akshay Kumar Brand ambassador of Swachh Bharat Mission- Uttar

PradeshGautam Kaushik CEO of PayBack IndiaPaul Kagame Wins the Rwanda Election forPresidentDarshanLal First Hindu to work in Pak govtEconomist Rajiv Kumar Vice Chairman of NITI AayogSenior bureaucrat S Aparna Executive Director -World Bank

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• To build out a more elaborate personal assistant for the Messenger users, Facebook has acquired an artificial intelligence (AI) startupOzlo that specialises in understanding text-based conversations. However, there are no details so far about the financial terms of the deal.

• The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the proposed merger between Bharti Airtel and Telenor India announced on 3rd of August 2017.

• Software services firm Infosys would acquire London-based firm Brilliant Basics for Rs 62.76 crore (£7.5 million).

MoUs

• Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi apprised of MOU between India and Spain on India-Spain cooperation in renewable energy.

• Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed among India and various BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, China & South Africa) for establishment of the BRICS Agriculture Research Platform (BRICS-ARP).

• India and Somalia has signed an agreement on1st of August 2017. The agreement has been signed for transfer of sentenced persons.

• The Delhi Police has tied up with Uber for enhancing the women safety. Commuters can now access the Delhi Polices women safety mobile application Himmat via cab aggregator Ubers application while travelling in taxis.

• Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX) and Mahindra Agri Solutions Ltdhave signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide agriculture related price information. This information would be available on their recently launched mobile application ‘MyAgriGuru’ which is available for free on Google play store.

• ISRO and CSIR-NPL sign MoU for time and frequency traceability services. The MoU provides for time and frequency traceability services to ISRO by CSIR-NPL.

• On August 3rd 2017, Tata Memorial Centre has joined with the Indian Dental Association (IDA) to initiate India’s first digital initiative for prevention and early detection of oral cancer. COMMITTEE

• A high level committee headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice B N Srikrishna set up to review the Institutionalization of Arbitration Mechanism, has submitted its recommendations to Union Law ministry.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The all-new Jeep Compass SUV has been finally launched in India with prices starting at a very competitive Rs. 14.95 lakh for the entry-level Sport petrol and goes up to Rs. 20.65 lakh (ex-showroom) for the range-topping diesel.

• Scientists in the U.S. (Researchers at Nemours Children’s Hospital and the University of Central Florida (UCF)) have found a method to use curcumin, the bioactive component of turmeric, to treat cancer in children.

• The Union Government has launched a portal, e-RashtriyaKisanAgriMandi(e-RaKAM) on 1st of August 2017. The e-RaKAM is a first-of-its-kind initiativethat leverages technology to connect farmers of the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world through internet and e-RaKAMcentres.

• The Indian Army has developed a mobile application app “Humraaz”through which serving soldiers can track their details like postings and promotions.

• An international team of scientists have discovered a way to successfully freed embryos of a piece of faulty DNA that causes deadly heart disease in families.

• Indian Railways have launched to provide the ‘buy tickets now and pay later’ service for any Express trains announced on 3rd of August 2017.Through this service a passenger can book a ticket five days prior to the journey with a service charge of 3.5% and pay it in the next 14 days.

• Maharashtra Government has launched two online portals MahaDBT and MahaVASTU to ease the process of direct benefit transfer (DBT).It is the first state in the country to launch such a system that will provide direct benefits with Aadhaar authentication.

• Two satellites have been launched by Israel that is one dedicated to monitoring the effects of climate change on vegetation were successfully launched into orbit. The satellites were launched from Korou, in French Guiana, at 10:56 PM (local time) on 3th of August 2017.

• NASA’s Curiosity rover which found evidence that ancient Mars had the fair conditions to support microbial life has marked five years of exploring the red planet. The Mountain found in the middle of the crater about long ago lakes on Mars.

• Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi have tested a new antibiotic drug-delivery system that improves the efficacy of drugs thereby reducing the dosage used for treating bacterial infections.A peptide called sushi-peptide, which has not been approved for clinical use, bound to gold nanoparticles was able to kill coli and Salmonella typhi more efficiently at lower dosages.

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc)researchers from Bengaluru have developed a highly sensitive, low cost nanometre-scale carbon monoxide (CO) sensor with possible applications in environmental pollution monitoring.

• NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has discovered the strongest evidence for a stratosphere on an enormous planet outside our solar system, WASP-121b.

DEFENCE

• Sri Lankan Navy has commissioned an India-built state-of-the-art Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) announced on 5th of August 2017. Sri Lankan President and Armed Forces commander-in-chief MaithripalaSirisena commissioned the new patrol vessel “SLNS Sayurala” at a ceremony at the Eastern Container Terminal of the Port of Colombo.

• A 66-member Indian Navy band has joined the historic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in the UK announced on 5th of August 2017. Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will join for this year’s musical event where they will mark the 70thyear of India’s Independence.

• China has formally launched its first overseas naval facility in Djibouti, an East African nation. The event marked the 90th anniversary of the Chinese military.

ENVIRONMENT

• As per two different studies, using entirely different methods published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the global temperature is likely to rise more than 2 degrees Celsius by the end of this century.

• An international team of astronomers has found that the Sun’s core rotates nearly four times faster than its surface. These low-frequency waves, called g-modes, revealed that the solar core is rotating some four times faster than the solar surface.

• The Archaeological Survey of India has declared all ASI protected Monuments and Archaeological Sites as ‘Polythene Free Zone’ announced on 4th of August 2017. The move follows a recommendation by the Ministry of Culture that suggested prohibition on the use of polythene.

SPORTS

• According to the latest ICC Test Rankings RavindraJadeja maintained his top positionin the bowlers’ list while India skipper ViratKohli remained stayed at fifth place in the batting charts released on 1st of August 2017. The batting list is being topped by Australia captain Steve Smith.

• Paris will host the 2024 Summer OlympicsGames. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics after reaching a deal with Olympic organizers, the Los Angeles Times reported on 31st of July 2017.

• Indian Super League Club FC Goa has confirmed the signing of Moroccan International Ahmed Jahouh on a one year loan deal from FUS Rabat of Morocco.

• Neymar has become the most expensive player in football history after completing his blockbuster transfer to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for 222 million euros ($262 million).Neymar had signed a five-year contract to PSG until June 2022.

• DevendraJhajharia has become the first paralympian to be recommended for India’s highest sporting honour — the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna — along with celebrated former hockey captain Sardar Singh.

• Indian doubles pair of Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik bagged for a bronze medal at the WSF World Doubles Squash Championship in Manchester England.

• On August 5, 2015, Boxer Vijender Singh of India defeated China’s ZulpikarMaimaitialito win the unified WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental Super Middleweight title in Mumbai. This was Vijender Singh’s ninth successive win in his professional career.

• Ukrainian former professional boxer WladimirKlitschko has announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 41. • Usain Bolt has finished third in his final individual event at the 16th World Athletics Championships - London 6th of

August 2017.Justin Gatlin from USA has received gold and Bolt had to settle for Bronze in 100 m Final. American Christian Coleman took silver with 9.94 having beaten Bolt in the semi-finals.

• India’s ManjuKumari clinched the bronze medal in women’s 59kg category of the Junior World Wrestling Championship in Tampere, Finland.

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has beaten Bengaluru Hockey Association (BHA) by 4-2 in the final in 91st All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament held in Chennai on 6th of August 2017. ONGC has also defeated Indian Railways in the semi-finals.

• Indian shooter Ankur Mittal has won the individual as well as the team gold medal in Men’s double trap at the 7th Asian Shotgun Championship held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

• Kerala High Court ordered Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to lift the life ban imposed on Cricketer Sreesanth in the wake of the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.

OBITUARY

• Eminent Dhrupad singer UstadSayeeduddinDagar passes away at 78 • Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Santosh Mohan Dev has passed away in Silchar, Assam on 2nd of

August 2017. He was 83. • Sam Shepard, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Oscar-nominated actor passed away on 27 th July 2017.

Shepard was from Fort Sheridan, Illinois U.S. • Dr P M Bhargava, an eminent scientist and founder-director for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) passed away

on 1st of August 2017. • An India international hockey player, Jyoti Gupta a 20-year-old has committed suicide on 2nd of August 2017.Jyoti

hails from Sonepat and had represented India in the South Asian Games in 2016. • English actor, Robert Hardy, famous for his role as Cornelius Fudge in Harry Potter, passed away on August 3, 2017.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

• The world’s shortest woman Jyoti Amge has presented a 51-feet high book at a programme on 6th of August 2017. The book KadveVachan is written by Jain saint Acharya TarunSagarMaharaj. It was unveiled by her in the presence of BJP state president Ashok Parnami.

IMPORTANT DAYS

• The Non-cooperation movement was launched on 1st August 1920 by the Indian National Congress (INC) under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. It signified a new chapter in the history of Indian freedom struggle.

• World breastfeeding week 2017 is being celebrated from 1st to 7th August 2017 with the theme “Sustaining Breastfeeding Together”.

• Japan has observed the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bomb attack in Hiroshima on 6th of August 2017. • National Handloom Day is being observed on 7 th August 2017 to encourage people to use hand-made loom in the

country. It is celebrated every year due to its significance in India’s history, as ‘Swadeshi Movement’ was launched in 1905 on this day.

Current Affairs Weekly PDF–August Second Week (8-14)

INDIAN AFFAIRS

• Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik, informed that during the year 2016-17, central Government released Rs. 41711.849 lakhs fund to State/UT Governments under National AYUSH Mission (NAM). Abbreviation AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

• Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has become the first female actor ever to hoist the Indian National Flag at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM),Australia’s annual celebration of film from India and the subcontinent. Aishwarya was also bestowed with ‘Excellence in Global Cinema’ award at the film festival.

• The 2030 Water Resources Group (2030WRG) will help the Maharashtra Government to raise $270 million from the Green Climate Fund, which will be invested in integrated watershed programmes in the state

• In a bid to eliminate measles and curb instances of rubella by 2020, Union Government has rolled out the second phase of its measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the country.

• The Centre has declared the entire Assam as a “disturbed” area under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the AFSPA for three more months.

• The Goa Legislative Assembly has passed a bill which regain coconut as a `tree, ensuring legal protection for it on 8th of August 2017. The Assembly, on the last day of Monsoon session has passed the Goa, Daman and Diu (Preservation of) Trees Act, 1984 to regulate felling of coconut trees and reclassify it as tree.

• The Bombay High Court has accepted Maharashtra government’s statement that it would not allow children under the age of 14 years to participate in the ‘Dahi Handi’ festival on 7th of august 2017.

• Government will soon expand operation of Logistics Data Bank (LDB) project to India’s southern region. So far, it had covered only the western logistics corridor..

• On August 8, 2017, NITI Aayog announced partnership with six states (with three states for health sector reforms and three states for education sector reforms) under its Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital (SATH) initiative. NITI Aayog has selected Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka to improve healthcare delivery and key outcomes in these States.

• Government has constituted a committee of joint secretaries for ensuring enhanced affordability, availability and accessibility of drugs for the citizens announced on the parliament on 8th of August 2017.

• On August 10, 2017, Union Government announced that it has set up institutional mechanisms including a task force, an inter-ministerial synergy group and a steering committee to realise the full potential of textile sector. National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved ten projects in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to the tune of about Rs 2,033 crore.

• On August 9, 2017, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology PP Chaudhary said first phase of National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC), set up to scan the country’s web traffic to detect cyber security threats, has been made operational now.

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a temporary ban on use of non-biodegradable plastic bags which are less than 50 microns in Delhi.A bench is headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar.

• The Uttar Pradesh Government has launched a new awareness drive called Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra announced on 10th of August 2017. The drive will mainly focus on cleanliness along the banks of Ganga river and maintain hygiene.

• The Supreme Court has issued a set of directions including that insurance companies will not renew insurance of a vehicle unless the owner provides pollution under control (PUC) certificate. It has been announced on 10th of August 2017.

• On August 10, 2017, the Lok Sabha passed State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill 2017 to repeal the SBI (Subsidiary Banks) Act 1959, State Bank of Hyderabad Act 1956 and to further amend the State Bank of India Act, 1955, following the merger of five associates with the parent State Bank of India.

• As per Economic Survey 2016-17 Volume II, tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on August 11, 2017, meeting the upper end of the 6.75-7.5 per cent GDP growth forecast for 2017-18 will be a challenge.

• Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Raohas initiated Rs2,000-crore project that seeks to modernise and strengthen its network. It has been initiated to modernise the SriramSagar project and increase the area served by this lifeline project.The project on the Godavari River has the capacity to boost water supply to several districts in the State.

• Government has fixed an ambitious target of installing 60 giga watt (GW) wind power capacity in the country by 2022.Power Minister Piyush Goyal said, the current wind power installed capacity in the country is over 32.5 GW.

• The Delhi Assembly has passed the Minimum Wages (Delhi) Amendment Bill 2017and the Delhi Netaji Subhash University of Technology Bill 2017.In the amended bill, the penalty for violation of law had been raised from the existing

Rs 500 to Rs 50,000 and minimum imprisonment of 6 months increased to 3 years. • Code on Wages 2017 Bill that seeks to fix a national minimum wage was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 10,

2017. Introducing the Bill, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said, Code on Wages Bill will consolidate and amend the laws relating to wages and bonus.The Bill seeks to unite four laws — the Payment of Wages Act 1936, the Minimum Wages Act 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act 1976.

• The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has launched a new video of the National Anthem in sign language, featuring disabled and partially disabled children announced on 10th of August 2017..It is directed by veteran filmmaker GovindNihalani. The 3-minute video features film star Amitabh Bachchan along with physically challenged children performing the anthem in sign language with the Red Fort in the background.

• To improve road safety in Hyderabad with the use of technology, the Government of Telangana, along with World Resources Institute (WRI) India Ross Center, has announced the launch of Smart Streets Lab program.

• The 9 year old Kaamya Karthikeyan became the youngest person to reach the summit of the 6,153 metres-high Mt Stok Kangri in Kashmir.Kaamya reached the peak by climbing 30 Km over a course of 3 days, with an altitude gain of 2,750 metres.

• Jharkhand Assembly passed the below two bills on August 12, 2017.Jharkhand Assembly Passes Religious Freedom Bill, It also passed land acquisition 2013 amendment bill.

• All state-run universities in Rajasthan will not observe a holiday on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti this year announced on 11th of August 2017.

• A Parliamentary Panel has suggested that 100 per cent pension should be given to the widow of the deceased soldier. Standing Committee on Defence headed by Maj. General (Retired) B C Khanduri tabled its report in Parliament. The report said after the death of a soldier, the pension of the spouse comes down to 60 per cent of his pension.

• Infusion Nurses Society (INS) is a global authority in infusion therapy has launched India’s first online course on Infusion Therapy for nurses on 13th of August 2017.

• Gabriel Chundan, the snake boat powered by oarsmen of Thuruthippuram Boat Clubhas won the 65th edition of the prestigious Nehru Trophy held at the Punnamda Lake.

• A three-day annual cultural festival named ‘Fete de Puducherry’ organized by the Government of India begins in Puducherry.Artistes from 11 states and the union territory of Puducherry will take part in ‘Fete de Puducherry.

PLACES IN NEWS

• The dawn of cruise tourism in India was inaugurated in Mumbai on 8th of August 2017. There is the launch of three reports, “Mumbai Port SoP’s for cruise operations”, “Road map for Sea cruise tourism” and “Cruise terminals in India”.

• Bangladesh will open a new diplomatic station in Chennai. It is likely to focus on medical tourism and educational centres that drew thousands of Bangladesh citizens to India every year.

• Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved two projects for development of industrial clusters at Hindupur and Bobbili in the respective districts of Ananatapur and Vizianagaram of Andhra Pradesh. It comes under ‘Modified Industrial Infrastructure Up gradation Scheme (MIIUS)’.

• India’s first railways disaster management village is expected to come up near Bengaluru by December 2018, where situations like trains falling into rivers and coaches catching fire will be replicated and mock rescue operations will be carried out in real time.

• Vijaya Bank has disbursed loan sanction letters to beneficiaries who were trained at the Vijaya Bank Self Employment Training Institute (VIBSETI) in Bhenslay Village, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

• The land of 19 acres of land which housed around 70 government office buildings in Chattisgarh’s Raipur is being converted into India’s first micro forest to create an oxy-zone.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

• On August 7, 2017, at Eighth Mekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting in Manila, Philippines, India called for expanding the areas of cooperation among the member countries of the bloc to further deepen mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh represented India at this meeting.

• India has ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol announced on 9th of August 2017 that commits countries to contain the emission of greenhouse gases, reaffirming its stand on climate action. India has become the 80th country to accept the amendment relating to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the international emissions reduction treaty.

• The Qatari government has announced that citizens belonging to 80 countries including India, Canada, US and UK can now enter Qatar without the need of applying for a visa.The passport will have a minimum validity of six months

and a confirmed onward or return ticket. • The Bank of England has announced that it would not change the way its new plastic banknotes are

made. Some vegetarians and religious groups have concerned about trace amounts of animal fat used in their production.

• Dr Ruth Pfau, a German doctor popularly known as Pakistan’s ‘Mother Teresa’ for dedicating her life to eradicate leprosy in the country passed away on August 10, 2017 in Karachi.

• African country, The Republic of Chad will release a limited edition Lord Krishna silver coin on Janmashtami in commemoration of the 5,244th birth anniversary of the Hindu God.The price has been kept at Rs 25,555 per coin with free shipping within India.

• UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that in the last three years Somalia had not recorded any case of polio disease and announcing the country polio free on 13th of August 2017.

SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

• The 8th meeting of the Regional Technical Group of Confidence Building Measure on Trade, Commerce & Investment Opportunities under the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process was hosted by Indiain New Delhi.

• 15th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ministerial Meeting was held in Kathmandu, Nepal on August 11, 2017.

RANKINGS & REPORTS

• India ranked 43rd position in 2017 Global Retirement Index (GRI). It is published by French asset management company Natixis Global.The top three countries in 2017 GRI are Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.

• According to the survey, almost all rural households in Kerala and Haryana had access to a toilet report published on 9th of August 2017. The survey is released by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and was carried out by the Quality Council of India (QCI). Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has least access to toilets compared to other states.

• According to Asian Cities & Regions Outlook 2016 by Oxford Economics, Delhi will have the fastest growth among all Asian cities with the economy growing almost 50 percent larger in 2021 than it was at the end of last year. BANKING & FINANCE

• The Department of Financial Services under Ministry of Finance has set up a committee to resolve the pending issues of bank pensioners and retirees.

• ICICI Bank has announced the launch of Instant Credit Card Service that will enable its savings account customers to get a credit card instantly, in a completely digital and paperless manner. There is a credit limit of up to Rs 4 lakh based on pre-checked bureau scores.

• IDFC Bank has partnered with digital payments company Zeta, to launch ‘IDFC Bank Benefits’ announced on 9th August 2017.‘IDFC Bank Benefits’is a payment solution for corporates that digitizes employee spends and claims, making the process simple, real-time and paperless.

• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has introduced a biometric attendance register in the place of the existing system of signing attendance in the attendance register. The biometric attendance device will capture the attendance along with the time of marking the attendance.

• Markets regulator SEBI has introduced an online registration mechanism for custodians of securities to make it convenient for them to do business on 10th of August 2017. The new system would help custodian of securities to complete registration and other regulatory filings with SEBI much faster and in a cost-effective manner.

• This year, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be transferring to the Government Rs 30,659 crore as dividend. This amount is less than half the amount of Rs 65876 crore it transferred to Government last year.

• On August 10, 2017; Canara Bank unveiled two new digital services for online payments. Bharat QR (Quick Response) for payment settlement at merchant locations and Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), an integrated bill payment system for net banking customers.

• Indian Bank has introduced two tier interest rate structures for saving bank accounts. It will offer 4% per interest per annum for incremental balance over Rs 50 lakh and 3.50% per annum for balance up to Rs 50 lakh.

• Flipkart has taken over the rein of the market by becoming the third most funded private company in the world.Flipkart’s total raised capital is now almost $7 billion which is higher than that raised by global giants like online house rental aggregator Airbnb ($3.3 billion) and mobile phone maker Xiaomi ($1.4 billion). In valuation, Flipkart stands at the 9th position with about $15 billion.

• Indian messaging app Hike has acquired a Bangalore-based startup Creo. It is known for releasing smartphones, media

streaming dongles, and an operating system.

BUSINESS

• Bajaj Auto has announced a partnership with Triumph Motorcycles UK on 8th of August 2017. The aim of this partnership is to deliver a range of outstanding mid-capacity motorcycles.

• Flipkart is going to launch a programme under which the e-commerce major will provide financial assistance to employees. It has been announced on 8th of August 2017. The programme will cover all national and international sports and non-sports competitors recognized by the govt. authorities.

• ONGC Videsh, the overseas arm of the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp has planned to invest $150 million in exploration to drill more wells in Colombia, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh.

• Amazon has announced the launch of Virtual Customer Service (VCS) model on 9th of August 2017.It is an initiative launched to create cost efficient employment prospects for skilled candidates seeking more flexible work opportunities. VCS has currently been launched in Hyderabad, Pune, Coimbatore and Noida.

• The Gujarat government has issued a tender for power developers to receive cheap coal. It is marked for the state in return for selling coal-based power at less than Rs 2.82 a unit.The aim is to reduce the cost of fuel for financially ailing distribution companiesand ensure effective distribution of domestic coal.

• On August 8, 2017, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Google India launched Android Skill Development Programme to impart mobile app development training on the Android and Web platform and improve the quality of mobile app development ecosystem in India.

• Softbank fund invests in Flipkart, becomes one of its largest shareholders Flipkart Group (Flipkart), India’s leading e-commerce marketplace, has announced an investment – a mix of primary and secondary capital – from SoftBank Vision Fund (Vision Fund), the world’s largest technology-focused investment fund. SoftBank Vision Fund is the $100-billion technology-focused fund floated by Masayoshi Son.

• The commerce ministry has started the process of shutting down over 100-year-old government procurement arm – Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D)- in this fiscal year.The public procurement of goods and services is being managed by the ministry’s e-market platform (GeM) since last year.

• Facebook has launched Youtube competitor called ‘Watch’ on 10th of August 2017. To help and keep up with the shows one follow, Watch has a ‘Watchlist’ so the latest episodes of the shows would be available.

• The Multi Commodity Exchange Ltd (MCX) has received markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)’s approval to launch country’s first gold options contract. MCX has received the approval to launch options on futures in gold contract from SEBI.

• Facebook to monitor MSME growth in Odisha, launches SheMeansBusiness. Facebook has partnered with the Odisha’s MSME department and Project Mission Shakti to train 25,000 entrepreneurs by the end of 2018.

• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) bought 1.9 million barrels of U.S. crude in its second import tender making it the first Indian refiner to purchase Eagle Ford shale oil.IOC bought 950,000 barrels of light sweet Eagle Ford shale oil and 950,000 barrels of heavy sour Mars crude for end-October delivery from trading firm.

• Three Indian firms namely Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints and BhartiAirtel are among Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most innovative companies.Salesforce.com has replaced Tesla Motors on the top position. BhartiAirtel has entered the ranking at 78th position.

• India’s Factory output fell to a four-year low and contracted by 0.1% in June 2017with poor performance of manufacturing and mining sectors..Since June 2013 this is the lowest growth when the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) contracted by 1%. In June 2016, it had grown 8%.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• Indian-origin actor Dev Patel is to be honoured by a leading educational organisation for making a “transformative and positive” difference for the future of Asia and the world. He will be felicitated with the Asia Society 2017 Asia Game Changers Award at a ceremony to be held at the United Nations, New York, in November.

• The Hindu Playwright Award 2017 is awarded to GerishKhemani and Akshat Nigam for their play ‘In Search of DariyaSagar’. The playwriting awards was organized by the newspaper The Hindu in Chennai.

• Veteran journalist T J S George has bagged for the first Kesari Media Awardannounced on 11th of August 2017.It is instituted by the Kesari Memorial Journalist Trust.

• African-American author Nora K. Jemisin, has won the Hugo Award for Best Novel 2017 for her work ‘The Obelisk Gate’. The award was presented at the 75th World Science Fiction Convention in Helsinki, Finland on August 11, 2017.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNSAppointee Designation –OrganisationJustice Dipak Misra 45th Cheif Justice of IndiaIndian-American Neil Chatterjee Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).Indian-American Dilip Chauhan Deputy Comptroller to the minority affairs in Nassau CountyHrithik Roshan Brand Ambassador Health and wellness startup cure.fiReenat Sandhu Next Ambassador of India to the Republic of San MarinoBollywood lyricist-screenwriter Prasoon Joshi Chairperson of CBFCUhuru Kenyatta Kenya’s President (Re Elected)Gaitri Issar Kumar Ambassador of India to the Grand Duchy LuxembourgVinay Dube CEO of Jet AirwaysDavid Rasquinha Exim Bank MDDilip Asbe Acting chief executive of NPCILalit Modi (resigns) As the president Rajasthan Cricket AssociationMilkha Singh WHO Goodwill AmbassadorVidyaBalan, Gautami CBFC board MembersSandeep Gupta New India Head- EarthportGurdeep Singh Sappal (resigns) Rajya Sabha TV CEOSantosh Sharma Chairman and Managing Director of HindustanCopper Limited (HCL)

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• Online entertainment platform Netflix has announced that it has acquired Millarworld, a comic book company. Netflix is the leading platform globally with 104 million members in over 190 countries.

MoUs

• Amazon India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)with the Telangana Department of Handloom and Textiles on 8th of August 2017.The MoU is signed to educate, train and enable weavers and artisans to directly sell their products to Amazon customers across the country.

• Markets regulator SEBI has entered into a pact with its counterpart in Iran on 10th of August 2017.The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Securities & Exchange Organization (SEO) of Iran have entered into a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for mutual cooperation and technical assistance.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch a full-fledged niche Earth observation (EO) satellite called the Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite orHySIS using a critical chip called optical imaging detector array it has developed. ISRO first tried it out in an 83-kg IMS-1 experimental satellite in May 2008.

• Upendra Kushwaha, Minister of State, Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched the NCERT’s Web portal for supply of textbooks to schools and individuals in New Delhi on 9th of Aug 2017. The portal will ensure better distribution of textbooks across the country.

• Oxford University Press (OUP) has launched online dictionaries in Tamil and Gujarati as part of its special focus on Indian languages. The Oxford Global Languages (OGL) initiative began in September 2015.

• BitBay is one of the top ten cryptocurrency trading platforms in the world. It has launched a platform for trade and exchange of digital currencies such as bitcoin, litecoin, ether, Lisk, monero, dash and gamecredits. The company will also work towards creating awareness about digital currencies.

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has lined up over 21 rocket launchesand will be putting over 70 satellites in space over the next five years. ISRO’s plan to launch 21 rockets in coming years is a part of the Rs 8,658.74 croresanctioned by the Indian Government to build and launch about 31 rockets, including 15 PSLVs, 13 GSLV’s and three GSLV MK-III.

• Engineers at Purdue University in the US have designed and tested a micropropulsion system. It is used liquid water as the propellant for orbital maneuvering of tiny satellites called CubeSats.CubeSats are miniature satellites that weigh about 2 kilograms.

• As per new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, researchers have found that the TRAPPIST-1 star is between 5.4 and 9.8 billion years. This is up to twice as old as our own solar system, which formed some 4.5 billion years ago.

• On August 15, 2017, According to the global leader in broadband testing Ookla declared that Norway has the fastest mobile Internet (has speed of 52.6 megabits per second) in the world. The Netherlands and Hungary are ranked number two and three on the list of the world’s fastest mobile networks.

• Scientists have been successful in developing a plant-based Zika vaccine that could be more effective and economical to produce than other Zika medicines.According to the researchers, experiments of immunisation on mice have showed a 100% success in triggering antibody and cellular immune response to protect against multiple Zika virus strains.

DEFENCE

• The Indian Army has been evicted from a multi-nation tank competition in Tank Biathlon Russia 2017 at Russia due to their T-90 main battle tanks had technical problems at the Alabino ranges in the Moscow region.

• On August 12, 2017, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan commissioned Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Shaurya’ in Goa. ICGS ‘Shaurya’ is the fifth in the series of six 105-metre offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

• India and Russia will hold a major bilateral military exercise in October 2017 involving their armies, navies and the air forces for the first time to further ramp up defense ties. The exercise ‘Indra’, which will be held in Russia from 19th to 29th October 2017, will primarily focus on achieving coordination between forces of the two countries in a tri- services integrated theater command scenario.

• Despite growing tensions with China, the Indian Navy would join the Chinese Navy in the maiden International Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (IMMSAREX) to be chaired by Bangladesh at the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in November 2017

ENVIRONMENT

• Research conducted on a tree found in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in West Bengal has revealed two new species of Cycas to the world. Research based on morphological and anatomical characters of this tree led to the discovery of new species of Cycas pschannae and, later, Cycas dharmrajii in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

• Scientists have identified a new type of barred snakes, now the total number of European grass snakes species to four.The grass snake is among the most common and widespread snakes in Europe and these non-toxic reptiles which can reach a length of up to one meter.

• Vizag’s Rayichapalu is declared one of the rarest fish in the world by researchers from the Marine Living Resources Department of Andhra University. Ranguchapulu is a colourful fish which is around 97mm in length and lives near the reefs.

• Canada based researchers have discovered fossils of a new species of arrow-shaped marine animals.Theyhas translucent bodies and it makes them difficult to spot.

• Anthropologists in Kenya have discovered a 13 million year-old baby ape skull that reveals what the common ancestor of all living humans and apes would have looked like. According to the study published in Nature roughly the size of a lemon, the skull belongs to a newly identified species of early ape named Nyanzapithecusalesi.

• The largest volcanic region on Earth, with nearly 100 volcanoes, has been discovered 2 km below the surface of the vast ice sheet in west Antarctica.These newly discovered volcanoes range in height from 100 to 3,850 metres, with the highest almost as tall as Switzerland’s 3,970 meters Eiger Mountain.

• On analysing data collected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite, which measures level of carbon dioxide in atmosphere, scientists have found that the monster El Nino of 2014-16 caused over 3 billion tonnes of carbon to get released into the atmosphere, pushing carbon dioxide concentration to record levels.

SPORTS

• In the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings, Ravindra Jadeja has been ranked as World No. 1 all-rounder after eclipsing Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh.

• Trap shooter and Olympian Kynan Chenai won the bronze medal in the Men’s Trap, at the ongoing 7th Asian Championship Shotgun, being held at Astana, Kazakhstan.Kynan first shot 116 out of 125 to qualify for the six-man final round in third position and then held on to it till the end of the finals.

• India shooter Shapath Bhardwaj, aged 15, has become the country’s youngest athlete to figure in the government’s Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme. The Sports Ministry has launched the TOPS with the aim of supporting medal prospects for Olympics.

• Real Madrid, a professional football club of Spain, has won the 2017 UEFA Super Cup football tournament by defeating Manchester United in the final by 2-1. UEFA awards €2.2 million to the runners-up and €3.2 million to the winners of the Super Cup..

• Davinder Singh Kang has become the first Indian to qualify for the final round of the javelin throw World Championships.The IAAF World Athletics Championships is going on in London.

• According to the previous FIFA rankings, India dropped one step to be placed 97th in the latest edition of the FIFA rankings issued on 10th of August 2017.Brazil has gained the top spot from Germany.

• Maheshwari Chauhan has won an individual bronze medal at the 7th Asian Championship Shotgun in Astana, Kazakhstan.She becomes the first Indian to win a medal in women’s skeet at the top international level in Astana, Kazakhstan.

• India beat SL Test Series 2017, Clinch Series 3-0/India claimed their first ever 3-0 series win overseas.

OBITUARY

• Ex-MP Vishvjit P Singh passed away. He had represented Maharashtra for two consecutive terms from April 1982 to April 1988 and April 1988 to April 1994.

• BJP MP from Ajmer and Former Union Minister Ajmer Sanwar Lal Jat passed away • Former West Bengal minister Gyan Singh Sohanpal passed away • Acclaimed Bollywood actor Sitaram Panchal passed away • Poet, Writer Vijay Nambisan passed away. He became the first All India Poetry Champion in 1988. • Veteran sports journalist Ted Corbett passed away in Huntingdon, the UK. He was 82. • South African Bodybuilder SifisoThabete passed away • Israeli Holocaust survivor Yisrael Kristal died at the age of 113 on 11th of August of 2017. Israel Kristal passed away

in his hometown of Haifa.

IMPORTANT DAYS

• The resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly has decided that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples will be observed on 9th August every year. This year’s celebration of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples marks the 10th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

• The nation is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement on 9th of August 2017. This year’s theme is “Sankalp se Siddhi- the attainment through resolve.

• The second round of National Deworming Day (NDD) is observed between 10th of August to 23rd August in 33 States and Union Territories to tackle worm Infections, targeting more than 11 crore children. The NDD program was launched in 2015.

• Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas celebrated the World Biofuel Day 2017 on 10thof August 2017 to create awareness about non fossil-fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, biogas, etc.

• The International Youth Day was observed on 12 August 2017 across the world.The 2017 International Youth day Theme is ‘Youth Building Peace’.

• Union Environment, Forest and ClimateChange Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhanhaslaunched ‘Gaj Yatra’ on 12th of August 2017.The goal of World Elephant Day is to create awareness about the plight of elephants and to share knowledge and positive solutions for the better care and management of captive and wild elephants.

• International Left-Handers Day is being observed on 13th August. International Left-Handers Day is designated by Lefthanders International. It was first observed on the 13th of August, in the year 1976.

• Organ Donation Day is observed every year on 13th of August. The aim of this day is to motivate people to donate organs after death, and to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation.

• Pakistan on 14th of August celebrated its Independence Day. Pakistan hoisted a 400-feet high national flag, the largest in its history at the Attari-Wagah border to mark its 70th Independence Day.

• The Social Security day is being observed on 14th of August 2017.

Some More Bits

• A local court in Delhi has restrained publication and distribution of the book ‘Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev’, written by journalist Priyanka Pathak-Narain, on the basis of a complaint alleging defamation filed on behalf of Ramdev.

• 85% Of Kaziranga National Park under Water as second bout of floods hit Assam this year. The national park is a world heritage site and is home to two-thirds of the world's one-horned rhinos that fall under the vulnerable category.

• The Jharkhand government has banned the sale of Hansda Shekhar's two-year old collection of short stories 'The Adivasi will not dance' for portraying the Santhal community, particularly the women, in a 'bad light'.