CURRENT AFFAIRS - SEPTEMBER 1 TO 11 2017

1st September 2017

Santosh Sharma takes charge

The Ministry of Mines has appointed Santosh Sharma as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Copper for a period of five years. Sharma joined the Company as General Manager (Operations) in 2013 and thereafter, he became Executive Director (Operations). He became Director (Operations) of the company with effect from March 1, last year.

First gene therapy for cancer

U.S. has approved first gene therapy in the nation, a treatment that uses a patient’s own immune cells to fight childhood leukemia. The therapy turns a patient’s cells into a “living drug” & trains them to recognize & attack the disease. Marketed as Kymriah & made by Novartis, was approved for children and young adults for an aggressive type of leukemia — B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

National Nutrition Week

National Nutrition Week will be observed throughout India from 1st to 7th September. The objective of this annual event is to intensify awareness generation on the importance of nutrition for health which has an impact on development, economic growth & ultimately National development. The theme of National Nutrition Week for 2017 is “Optimal Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices: Better Child Health”.

First Civilian Drone Base

Civil Aviation Administration of China has announced the opening of the country’s first test-flight base for civilian drones in Shanghai. The base, located in the district of Qingpu, will provide service to thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles. There are over 120,000 registered drones in China. China has approximately 500 drone manufacturers, controlling almost 70 percent of market share.

Canara Bank cuts interest rate

Canara Bank has reduced the interest rate on savings bank accounts by 50 basis points to 3.5% on deposits of up to Rs 50 lakh. However, the bank will continue to pay 4 per cent interest on deposits of above Rs 50 lakh. Earlier this year, PSU lender, Bank of Baroda and Bank of India also slashed the savings account interest rate to 3.5 per cent on deposits of up to Rs 50 lakh.

CSIR ranked 9th

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research has been ranked 9th amongst 1,207 govt institutions, according to Scimago Institutions ranking World Report 2017. Known for its cutting edge R&D in science & technology, CSIR has a dynamic network of 38 national laboratories & 38 outreach centers. It also provides significant technological intervention in many areas with regard to societal efforts.

Rajiv Kumar takes charge as Niti’s VC

Noted economist Rajiv Kumar today took over as the vice-chairman of government think tank Niti Aayog. Kumar replaced Arvind Panagariya, an Indian-American economist who left the think tank to return to academia. Kumar had also served as the chief economist of CII and held senior positions in the Asian Development Bank, the Indian Ministry of Industries, and the Ministry of Finance.

Cabinet clears pact with Brazil

Union Cabinet has approved an agreement b/w India & Brazil for cooperation in fields of zebu cattle genomics & assisted reproductive technologies. MoU would facilitate scientific cooperation and set up of genomic selection program in zebu cattle. MoU will promote the development of genomics & Assistant Reproductive Technologies in cattle through joint activities between the two countries.

Union Bank, Dena Bank reduce MCLR rates

Union Bank of India & Dena Bank have reduced their marginal cost of lending rates across various tenors with effect from today. Union Bank has cut its MCLR by 20 basis points across all tenor. New 1 year MCLR has been set at 8.20% as against 8.40% earlier. Dena Bank has reduced MCLR by 15 basis points across 1 year, 6 months, 3 months & 1 month. It has fixed its 1year MCLR at 8.40% from 8.55%.

Joint MD and CEO of DHFL

Housing finance company, DHFL has elevated Harshil Mehta as Joint Managing Director & CEO of the company with effect from September 1. Prior to this elevation, Mehta was the Chief Executive Officer of the company. This development is reflective of DHFL’s commitment to continue the successful implementation of the Group’s vision and ambitious growth strategies.

1st Private Sector-Built Satellite Fails

India’s first private sector built satellite IRNSS-1H failed after its launch from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System is an independent regional navigation satellite system developed by India on par with US-based GPS. It was due to a “trivial issue” of satellite’s protective heat shield not getting separated & dropping off that led to failure

Govt clears the first batch of reforms

Cabinet Committee on Security has approved implementation of 1st phase of recommendations of Shekatkar Committee which pertain to Army. The first phase of reforms involves redeployment & restructuring of approx 57,000 posts of officers. The committee headed by Lt Gen DB Shekatkar had given 99 recommendations to govt in its report out of which Ministry of Defence decided to implement 65 suggestions.

Singapore’s Acting President

JY Pillay, an Indian-origin veteran civil servant, was appointed as Singapore’s acting president until a new head of state is sworn in later in September. He took over from Tony Tan Keng Yam who completed a six-year term. This is the first time the office has fallen vacant since the elected presidency was introduced in 1991.

ItzCash partners with HDFC Ergo

 HDFC ERGO has entered into a strategic agreement with payments solutions company ItzCash to offer general insurance products on its platform. The partnership inked will offer a wide range of general insurance policies including health, motor, fire, and auto. The partnership will allow customers to pay their premium at the nearest ItzCash outlet.

GDP growth hits three-year low of 5.7%

The economic growth of India slipped to a 3 year low of 5.7% in April-June as disruptions caused by demonetization spilled over to the third straight quarter. According to the government data, the GDP had expanded by 6.1 per cent in the preceding quarter. With this, India lagged China in terms of growth in gross domestic product for the second consecutive quarter.

Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as CAG

Senior bureaucrat Rajiv Mehrishi has been appointed to lead the country’s top audit body Comptroller and Auditor General. The former Union Home Secretary will replace Shashi Kant Sharma whose term ends on September 23. The CAG is appointed for a term of six years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

Sunil Arora appointed as the new EC

Govt has appointed former I&B secretary Sunil Arora as the Election Commissioner. He is a 1980 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, has worked in ministries such as finance, textiles. He has been brought in to fill the vacancy created by former CEC Nasim Zaidi. He will get 4 years in Election Commission & will most likely oversee the conduct of Lok Sabha polls in 2019 as the CEC.

Rajiv Kumar appointed as new DFS Secy

Senior bureaucrat Rajiv Kumar has been appointed Secretary in the Department of Financial Services. Kumar, a 1984 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, is at present Special Secretary & Establishment Officer in the Ministry of Personnel. Kumar has spearheaded several reforms in Indian bureaucracy including an online system for recording of the bureaucrats’ annual performance appraisal reports

Rajiv Pratap Rudy resigns

Ahead of the likely Cabinet reshuffle, Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy has resigned. Rudy, who represents Bihar’s Saran Lok Sabha constituency, is expected to be given an organisational assignment in the BJP. The Cabinet reshuffling exercise is expected to be completed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for China to attend BRICS Summit.

Railways to get Swiss tilting trains

India will collaborate with Switzerland for developing trains which will tilt on approaching a bend, just like a motorbike on a winding road. Tilting train rounds a curve at speed it cause objects to slide about. During a curve to the left, the train tilts to the left and vice versa. Such trains are now operational in 11 countries including China, Russia, Germany, and Romania.

2nd September 2017

US ambassador to India

President Trump has announced his intent to nominate Kenneth I Juster, a top economic aide & an expert on India, as the US ambassador to India. Juster, who is Deputy Assistant to US President for International Economic Affairs would replace Richard Verma if nominated & confirmed by Senate. The position has been lying vacant since 20 Jan when Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of U.S.

Kenyan court scraps presidential vote

Kenya’s Supreme Court has nullified the result of August 8 presidential election won by President Uhuru Kenyatta. The court said the electoral board committed “irregularities & illegalities” during last month’s vote, harming the integrity of the election. The court ordered another presidential election to be held within 60 days

No presidential election in Kenya has ever been nullified before

Kalraj Mishra resigns

Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises has submitted his resignation from the cabinet. The departure of Mishra, 76, from the cabinet, had been talked about during the reshuffle last year too as the unofficial age limit for ministers in Modi’s council is 75. Along with Mishra, Labour minister Dattatreya & Skill Development Minister Rudy have also submitted their resignations.

Baru takes charge as Secretary General

Sanjaya Baru has taken over as the Secretary General of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry. Prior to this, Baru was Media Advisor to P.M. Manmohan Singh & Director for Geo-economics & Strategy, International Institute of Strategic Studies, London. He was also Member of NSA Board of India, India-ASEAN Eminent Persons Group & Indian National Defence University Committee.

Hockey India sacks Roelant Oltmans

Hockey India has sacked national coach Roelant Oltmans after a string of unimpressive outings at the international level. David John will be in charge till a suitable replacement is found for a smooth transition of the men’s team. The decision was taken during the three-day meeting of the Hockey India High Performance and Development Committee.

Rajaswa Gyan Sangam, 2017

PM Modi inaugurated the annual conference – Rajaswa Gyan Sangam, 2017 in New Delhi. Objective of the Conference was to enable a 2-way communication b/w policy-makers & senior officers in field offices with a view to increase revenue collection & facilitate effective implementation of law & policies. He also urged officials to use data analytics & proactively track & determine undeclared wealth

Anita Karwal is new CBSE chief

IAS officer Anita Karwal has been appointed as the new chairperson of Central Board of Secondary Education. Karwal, a Gujarat-cadre IAS officer, who is Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Human Resources Development replaces Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi as the chairperson of CBSE. Karwal was the Gujarat Chief Electoral officer during the Lok Sabha election in 2014.

Hindu Conference begins in Nepal

3 day International Hindu Conference has begun in Nepal with an aim of reinstating Kathmandu as the global capital of Hinduism. The conference will discuss papers on various contemporary issues including, the scientific basis of Hinduism, climate change & global warming. Hindu scholars, religious leaders, Hindu activists & officials from India, Bangladesh, Pak, US & UK are attending the conference.

Nepal signs UN assistance framework

Nepalese govt has signed UN Development Assistance Framework for 2018-2022, which lays out a development strategy for next 5 years. $635 mn package involving 26 UN agencies is aimed at assisting Nepal in economic growth, social development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The assistance framework will contribute to achieving Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.

New CMD of Coal India

Govt has given interim charge of Coal India Ltd Chairman to Gopal Singh, Chairman of Central Coalfields. Singh has been given the charge to the position of Coal India chairman fell vacant following superannuation of incumbent chairman Suthirtha Bhattacharya. The selection process of chairman for Coal India was scrapped last month after govt said it did not find anybody suitable for the post.

‘Exhibitor Of the Year’ Award

Ajay Bijli, Chairman & MD of PVR, will receive “Exhibitor of the Year” Award at CineAsia Awards Ceremony in Hong Kong. Bijli has also been honored with E&Y Entrepreneurial Award for Business Transformation, CNBC’s Emerging India Award and Most Admired Multiplex Professional. PVR currently operates a cinema circuit comprising of 597 screens at 130 properties in 51 cities.

Aksh Optifibre bags contract from BoB

Aksh Optifibre’s services division has bagged a national level banking correspondent contract from Bank of Baroda. Under this programme, the company plans to set up 5,000 banking kiosks through its flagship services arm, 1 STOP AKSH in the upcoming year. It also plans to mobilize “1 STOP AKSH” kiosks to offer 360-degree banking services, which will be operated on behalf of BoB in rural areas

AP, J&K are fastest growing economies

According to a new series of gross State domestic product data published by CSO, Jammu and Kashmir & Arunachal Pradesh were the fastest expanding State economies in 2015-16. Arunachal Pradesh’s gross GSDP expanded 16.5% and that of Jammu and Kashmir 14.7% at constant 2011-12 prices. The two States also reported the fastest rise in per capita income in the same year.

Asia’s most corrupt country

A recent survey by the Transparency International states that India is the most corrupt country in Asia with 69% bribery rates. According to the report, With 69% bribery rate, India tops the list which is followed by Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan and Myanmar. The organisation had put India at rank 76 out of 168 countries in its Corruption Perception Index last year.

Joint Proposal by India & China

India & China have jointly submitted a proposal to WTO calling for the elimination of a most trade-distorting form of farm subsidies known as Amber Box. It counters efforts by some countries to target subsidies of developing countries while letting developed countries retain their huge farm subsidies. Developed countries have more than 90% of global AMS entitlements amounting to $160 bn.

State govt extends Afspa in Assam

For the first time in 27 years, the Assam govt has on its own extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for 6 months. Earlier, the Act was always enforced by the central govt. AFSPA has been in force in parts of Assam since 1990. Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act gives military sweeping powers to search & arrest and to open fire if they deem it necessary for the maintenance of Public Order.

Gaurav Bidhuri Clinches Bronze

Wildcard entrant Gaurav Bidhuri’s remarkable run at World Boxing Championships ended with a bronze medal after he lost his semi final clash to Duke Ragan in Hamburg. India thus ended the tournament with a bronze medal, equalling the performance of 2009, 2011 & 2015. Despite the loss, he joined a rare club of world championship medallists from India – the past winners being Vijender, Vikas & Shiva

UAE topples Saudi Arabia

 As per the immigration clearance data for the first 6 months of 2017, The United Arab Emirates has emerged as the leading destination for Indians migrating to the Gulf in search of work. As many as 74,778 Indians (or 40.6%) obtained immigration clearances for the UAE. Bihar edged Uttar Pradesh to occupy the top slot as the leading source state during the first half of 2017.

Sports Ministry to constitute ESC

Sports Ministry has approved constitution of a 13-member Empowered Steering Committee which will shape & influence India’s preparation for multi- disciplinary events, including 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Steering Committee will have the mandate to work until December 31, 2020. It will have the power to recommend specific plans or packages for TOPS beneficiaries, picked by the TOPS Committee.

India’s first World Heritage City

Gujarat’s commercial capital Ahmedabad was formally accorded the status of India’s first World Heritage City by UNESCO. UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova handed over the certificate declaring Ahmedabad as a ‘World Heritage City’ to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. In July, the UNESCO had inscribed Ahmedabad as India’s first World Heritage City at a meeting held in Poland.

3rd September 2017

North Korea tests hydrogen bomb

The secretive communist state said its sixth nuclear test was a “perfect success”, hours after seismologists had detected an earth tremor. Pyongyang said it had tested a hydrogen bomb – a device many times more powerful than an atomic bomb. North Korea last carried out a nuclear test in September 2016. It has defied UN sanctions and international pressure to develop nuclear weapons.

5.7 m-year-old footprint discovered

Dating back to 5.7 million years, scientists have managed to discover human-like footprints in Greece that could possibly challenge early human evolution. The discovery of the 5.7 million-year-old human-like footprints by researchers at the Uppsala University in Sweden overthrows this simple picture and suggests a complex reality. Mankind’s ancestors were thought to have originated in Africa

Peggy Whitson returns to Earth

A record-shattering NASA astronaut is set to return to Earth, finishing a 288-day mission that put her over the top as the American who has spent the most cumulative amount of time in space. She is also the oldest female astronaut in the history of space exploration. She is eighth on the all-time space endurance list, NASA said.

Trujet launches Hyderabad-Mysore service

No frills airliner Trujet of Turbo Megha Airways has announced the launch of Hyderabad-Mysore flight under the regional connectivity scheme. The airline covers unserved sectors, including Nanded and Kadapa, and has now added Mysore. This is part of the UDAN scheme of PM Modi which seeks to boost regional connectivity. Under the scheme, fares are capped at Rs. 2,500 for one-hour flights.

Largest malware campaign in 2017

Locky ransomware`s re-emergence with new email distribution campaign has been touted as one of the largest malware campaigns in the latter half of 2017. The ransomware, once considered almost defunct, sent over 23 million emails with the malware to the US workforce in just 24 hours on August 28, zdnet.com reported. Locky rose to prominence in 2016

Hyderabad airport bags award

Hyderabad International Airport Ltd bagged the National Award for ‘Excellence’ in Energy Management at a conference hosted by the CII. Event focused on recognising companies that are engaged in energy efficiency initiatives and displaying commitment towards energy conservation. Airport developer GMR made a presentation highlighting the energy savings of around 14.8 MU over the last 3 years.

Ancient Global Warming

An extreme global warming event 56 million years ago was driven by massive carbon dioxide emissions from volcanoes, during the formation of the North Atlantic Ocean. The research was conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton, UK. The PETM is the most rapid and extreme natural global warming event of the last 66 million years.

Indian Ocean Conference held in Colombo

India Foundation, a Delhi-based think tank, hosted the Indian Ocean Conference 2017 (IOC) in collaboration with RSIS, Singapore, and NIFS, Colombo (both research and study centres). Theme of the conference is peace, progress and prosperity. It has seen participation from around 35 countries including USA, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Germany, Kenya, South Korea and Afghanistan.

Syndicate Bank gets new chairman

Ajay Vipin Nanavati has assumed charge as Chairman of Syndicate Bank. Nanavati, a chemical engineer from Virginia Tech, US, started his career at 3M in India in 1988. A board member of Alicon, Nanavati is an innovation evangelist. He mentors start-ups/SMEs, and is an angel investor. He is the co-sponsor for the CII Directors Guild on corporate governance.

FSFB starts operations

Fincare Small Finance Bank (previously known as Disha Microfin Ltd) kick-started its banking operations with 25 operational branches across Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It was given final SFB licence by RBI in May this year. . Bank aims to be digitally driven, rural and semi-urban bank, focusing on the priority sectors and retail segments of micro and small enterprises.

Model platform for blockchain technology

IDRBT, an arm of the RBI is developing a model platform for blockchain technology. It’s a type of distributed ledger or decentralised database that keeps records of digital transactions. People generally use a trusted third-party like a bank to make a transaction but blockchain removes the need for a third-party by directly connecting the customers and suppliers on the same platform.

APEDA’s new app

Hortinet is an integrated traceability system developed by APEDA for providing Internet based electronic services. It will allow farmers to apply on-line to facilitate their farm registration, tracking the status of application & approvals by State Government and Lab sampling. This mobile app initiative is expected to increase the accessibility and reach of the Traceability software system.

Cabinet reshuffle

Nine ministers took the oath and four were promoted as Cabinet ministers as part of the third reshuffle carried out by Mr. Modi. The ministers promoted were Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal and Nirmala Sitharaman. Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, and Lok Sabha MP from Buxar, Bihar, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, were sworn in as a Ministers of State.

Justice Krishna to head expert group

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India has, on 31st July 2017, constituted a Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Justice B N Srikrishna. The committee was made to recognise the importance of data protection and keeping personal data of citizens secure and protected. Protection of Data is expected to provide big boost to Digital economy in the country.

WCO to unveil norms for e-commerce trade

The World Customs Organization (WCO) will soon bring out guidelines on ‘cross-border e-commerce’. Guidelines, which will focus on preventing illegal trade as well as addressing the challenges stemming from the ‘digital divide’, according to the WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya. The WCO will address issues related to digital divide by looking into what is blocking e-commerce trade.

Coconut palm declared State tree of Goa

The BJP-led coalition Cabinet of Goa passed an amendment granting coconut palm the status of “State tree”. “The State government has decided to include coconut palm as tree in the Goa, Daman and Diu (Preservation of ) Trees Act, 1984 to regulate felling of coconut trees under this Act. The action is taken to protect these trees from cutting down.

RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps to 6%

The RBI has cut the repo rate by 25 bps to 6%. The economy has slowed down through the past five quarters from a high of 9.1% registered in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 to a level of 6.1% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. Reverse Repo rate has also been cut by 0.25 % to 5.75 %. Repo rate is the rate at which RBI lends to its clients generally against government securities.

Prakriti Khoj: An Environment Quiz

The Environment Ministry will launch an environmental awareness initiative, under which an online environmental quiz competition named Prakriti Khoj will be conducted at the national level. The quiz is being launched on September 5 on the occasion of Teachers Day. It will be an ideal medium to reach out to young minds and trigger their sensitivity towards environment protection and conservation.

Switzerland for early India-EFTA pact

Switzerland proposes the Free Trade Agreement between India and European Free Trade Association. Switzerland President Doris Leuthard said the investment protection framework would boost economic ties between the two sides. The EFTA is a regional trade organisation and free trade area consisting of four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Rohingya children to get UNHCR cards

The West Bengal government will distribute identity cards issued by the UNHCR to Rohingya children lodged in the juvenile justice homes of the State. The move comes at a time when there are reports that the Union government is planning to deport Rohingyas refugees. The UNHCR has issued identity cards to the Rohingyas in India so as to shield them from harassment and arbitrary arrests.

4th September 2017

CBDT gets govt-honour

The Central Board of Direct Taxes was honoured by Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh for successfully resolving public grievances. The awards given to the CBDT was based on the theme of appreciation to the Ministries or Departments. The CBDT is the apex policy making body for the Income Tax department.

Konsam Ormila Devi bags Gold

India’s Konsam Ormila Devi bagged a gold medal in 44kg weight category of the Commonwealth Youth (boys & girls) weightlifting championships, held at Gold Coast, Australia. Ormila lifted 57kg in snatch and 76kg in clean and jerk for an overall effort of 133kg, to finish on the top of the podium. With this effort, Ormila has registered her best lift so far.

Central scheme for senior citizens

Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot launched a scheme that provides for physical aids and assisted-living devices for senior citizens belonging to the BPL category in Gujarat. The centrally-sponsored scheme, `Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana’, was unveiled on April 1 this year. Under the scheme, aids and assisted-living devices like walking sticks, elbow crutches etc are provided free of cost.

Ryzen Pro processors

AMD presented a new line of microprocessor chips called ‘Ryzen Pro’ for commercial desktop workstations to be available in India and other countries by end of 2017. The Ryzen Pro desktop processor is an 8 core and 16 thread CPU and much faster than the rival Intel’s ‘Core i7’. The new Ryzen Pro processors are for commercial usage.

Trump to end Dreamers Program

Donald Trump has decided to scrap a program giving work permits to people who came to the United States illegally as children. The program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, was established in 2012. DACA, as it is usually referred to, protected young immigrants who came to the U.S. as children without legal status.

Forecasting Dengue

Scientists have developed a system that can predict the spread of dengue in different parts of India. Study focuses on changes in a factor called extrinsic incubation period of the dengue virus, by taking into account daily and monthly mean temperatures different climatic zones. EIP is the time taken for incubation of the virus in the mosquito.

Augmentation Prog In Buxa Tiger Reserve

Tigers will roar again at Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal. Located in Alipurduar district, the reserve, parts of which border Bhutan, has been identified for the tiger augmentation programme by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Notified as a tiger reserve in 1983, Buxa consists of moist, deciduous and evergreen forests.

New CEO Of Novartis

Vasant Narasimhan will be elevated as chief executive of Novartis in February 2018. He joined Novartis in 2005 and has held numerous leadership positions in development and commercial functions. Mr Narasimhan had also served as a consultant at McKinsey & Company.

Iran tests its homegrown air defence

Iran has tested its home grown air defence system, designed to match the Russian S-300, the head of the Revolutionary Guards’ air defence has said. Bavar (which means “belief”) is Tehran’s first long-range missile defence system, and is set to be operational by March 2018. In 2010, Iran began manufacturing Bavar-373 after the purchase of the S-300 from Russia was suspended.

Alphons Kannanthanam- Min for Tourism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new man to handle tourism, an area where the NDA government has launched a number of projects over the last two years, is Alphons Kannanthanam. He replaces Mahesh Sharma, who retains his post as MoS Culture. Known for his strong anti-corruption stance, the 64-year- old also featured in Time magazine’s list of 100 Young Global Leaders in 1994.

Sports Minister appointed

Rajyavardhan Rathore replaced Vijay Goel as the new Sports Minister in the latest cabinet reshuffle of the Narendra Modi govt. Rathore was named as MoS (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Rathore had won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics.

Tejasvi Duduka wins US Open

Tejasvi Duduka from Hyderabad won the women’s singles of U.S. Open Grand Slam Carrom tournament. Earlier, she had won the Telangana State Women’s singles title in Nizamabad. In the men’s singles, Vemuri Anil Kumar of India finished runner up for the second year in the U.S Open. It was won by former National Champion Radhakrishnan.

Def Ministry to procure weapons from HAL

The Ministry of Defence will buy 41 more ALH advanced light helicopters from public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The Rs. 6,100-crore order signed recently includes 40 of the indigenously developed ALHs for the Army and one for the Navy. In March, HAL had signed a contract for supply of 32 ALHs to boost the maritime security capabilities of the Navy and the Coast Guard.

1st wicket keeper to have 100 stumpings

Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first wicketkeeper in the history of One-day Internationals to effect 100 stumpings. He surpassed the record of Kumar Sangakkara who has the record of 99 stumpings. Dhoni, recently, became the sixth Indian player to play 300 matches in the 50-over format.

Shirish Pai passes away

Noted poet Shirish Pai, credited with introducing ‘Haiku’ to the Marathi speaking world, passed away in Mumbai. Born in 1929, Pai was the daughter of noted writer-journalist ‘Acharya’ Pralhad Keshav Atre. She started writing ‘Haiku’ in 1975. She studied Japanese ‘Haiku’, its origin and nature and published five Marathi ‘Haiku’ books.

Australia and Timor-Leste strike deal

Australia and Timor-Leste have reached a historic agreement, concluding a long-running and bitter maritime boundary dispute over the Timor Sea through conciliation. The deal clarifies the legal status of the Greater Sunrise gas fields, and establishes a regime to develop and share revenue from the resource. Timor sea holds 9tn cubic feet of gas.

World’s most powerful X-ray laser

The world’s largest and powerful X-ray laser- European X-ray Free Electron Laser presented in Hamburg, Germany. The XEFL is series of 3.4-kilometer tunnels up to 38 meters underground near the city of Hamburg. It took 8 years to build 1.5-billion-euro facility. XFEL is the world’s third major X-ray laser facility

2017 Italian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton heaped praise on Mercedes after he and Valtteri Bottas outclassed Ferrari on their 70th anniversary at the Italian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton was first, while Valtteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel came second and third respectively. The 2017 Italian Grand Prixwas the Formula One motor race held on 3 September 2017 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, Italy.

India’s first woman defence minister

Thirty-five years since India’s defence ministry last saw a woman at its helm, there is another: Nirmala Sitharaman. Until now, the only woman to head India’ defence ministry was Indira Gandhi: first in 1975 and again in 1980-82. She joined the BJP in 2008. Before her elevation she was the Union Commerce Minister.

TRAPPIST-1 planets likely to have water

The Earth-sized planets orbiting the TRAPPIST-1 dwarf star may have substantial amounts of water and could be habitable. They had used Hubble Space Telescope, a joint project of European Space Agency & NASA. The seven Earth-sized planets (named TRAPPIST-1b, c, d, e, f, g and h) were discovered in 2017.

5^th September 2017

BRICS list Pak-based terror outfits

In a significant diplomatic win for India, BRICS countries have named for the first time Pakistan-based terror groups like the LeT & JeM for causing violence in the region. During last BRICS Summit in Goa, China did not allow the inclusion of Pakistan-based terror groups in the declaration. BRICS countries also called upon all nations to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism.

India hands over off-shore patrol vessel

India has handed over an off-shore patrol vessel, Varuna, to Sri Lanka. India has earlier handed over two OPVs of the Indian Coast Guard, Varaha in April 2006 and Vigraha in August 2008. The ship has been allocated pennant number SLCG-60 by Sri Lanka Coast Guard and will be commanded by Captain Neville Amara Ubayasiri.

P.R. Seshadri as MD and CEO

Karur Vysya Bank has announced the appointment of P.R. Seshadri as its managing director and chief executive officer. Seshadri succeeds K. Venkataraman who has been leading the bank for more than 6 years. Prior to taking up the new role, Seshadri had served Citibank India in various capacities, including the managing director. He has over 25 years of experience in commercial and retail banking.

Jomde Kena passes away

Arunachal Pradesh Health & Family Welfare Minister Jomde Kena died in Guwahati after a prolonged illness. Kena, who represented Likabali constituency, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2004. He was elected as Deputy Speaker during Nabam Tuki Government and served as Parliamentary Secretary under the Dorjee Khandu and Jarbom Gamlin ministries.

National Teachers Day

National Teachers Day is observed every year on 5th September in India to commemorate birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Dr Radhakrishnan was the 1st Vice President of India (1952–1962) and the 2nd President of India from 1962 to 1967. The first Teachers’ Day was celebrated in India in 1962. This is the year when Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began serving as the second president of India.

Seychelles ratifies ISA pact

Seychelles has become the ninth member to ratify the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement. With this, the ISA will need the ratification of just 6 more countries to become a recognized inter-governmental body. The ISA was instituted to connect 121 solar-resource-rich nations for research, low-cost financing and rapid deployment of clean energy.

Nepal-India military exercise begins

India and Nepal have begun their joint military exercise in the western part of Nepal, focusing on counter-terrorism and forest fighting operations. The exercise “Surya Kiran” was being participated by around 300 troops each side in Rupandehi district. The 12 ^th edition of Nepal-India joint military exercise will provide the two armies a platform to exchange experiences, ideas, and skills.

Murthy receives PLuS Alliance Prize

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy was conferred the PLuS Alliance Prize. Murthy was presented the Prize for Global Leadership. PLuS Alliance Prize is a prestigious honour that recognises Research Innovation, Education Innovation, Global Leadership & Global Innovation. Along with Narayana Murthy, scientist Veena Sahajwalla was also conferred the PLuS Alliance Prize for Research Innovation.

Campaign to Promote Indian GIs

The Cell for IPR Promotions and Management has launched a social media campaign to promote Indian Geographical Indications with “#LetsTalkIP”. The initiative aims to make more people aware about the importance of Intellectual property rights. GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin & possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

SBI’s Intelligent Chatbot

SBI is currently beta-testing its intelligent assistant called SIA – SBI Intelligent Assistant. SIA is a chatbot which is aimed at handling customer queries & help guide them through various retail products & services offered by SBI. Chatbot has been developed by Allincall, a startup backed by IIT B. It makes use of machine learning & bot experience to be able to respond to customer queries.

India starts exporting petroleum product

India has started exporting petroleum products to Myanmar by road, discovering a new market for its fast growing oil refining sector. Numaligarh Refinery delivered a trial consignment of 30 tonnes of diesel fuel to Myanmar’s Parami Energy Group in Myanmar by land. Supply of diesel to Myanmar is part of PM Modi’s goal of having better hydrocarbon synergy with neighboring countries.

RBI gives HDFC “too big to fail” status

Reserve Bank of India has included HDFC Bank in the list of too big to fail lenders, referred to as domestic systemically important bank. With this, HDFC Bank joins SBI & ICICI Bank, which have been tagged as D-SIBs, or “too-big-to-fail” for 3d consecutive year. SIBs are subjected to higher levels of supervision so as to prevent disruption in financial services in the event of any failure.

Task force for Namami Gange

Nitin Gadkari, who assumed additional charge of water resources has announced formation of an inter-ministerial task force to expedite implementation of Namami Gange mission Task force is expected to have ministers & officials from water resources, urban development, drinking water & sanitation among others on board Aim is of NMCG is to clean Ganga & its tributaries in a comprehensive manner

John Ashbery dies age 90

John Ashbery, genius of modern poetry whose boundless command of language raised American verse to brilliant and baffling heights, died at age 90. He was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize and was often mentioned as a Nobel candidate. In 2011, he was given a National Humanities Medal and credited with changing “how we read poetry.”

Karnataka Bank reduces one year MCLR

Karnataka Bank has reduced its One Year MCLR by 5 bps to 8.85% p.a. with effect from 01 Sep 2017. To support women entrepreneurs, the Bank has also decreased the rate of interest on its KBL-Mahila Udyog Scheme to 9.90% with effect from 01 September 2017. The Bank is also offering housing loan upto Rs 75 lakh at a competitive interest rates of 8.60% p.a. (linked to 6 months MCLR of the Bank).

DBS Bank Gets Nod

DBS Bank, Singapore’s largest lender, has received inprinciple approval from RBI to start a local banking subsidiary in the count. DBS will have to lend 40% of its net bank credit to borrowers in sectors such as agriculture or to small enterprises within five years of opening a local subsidiary. The bank has invested $1 billion in capital in India so far.

Star India Bag IPL Media Rights

Star India has piped 23 top companies participating in the auction to win the Indian Premier League media rights for a period of five years from 2018-2022. Star India bagged the IPL media rights for a whopping Rs 16347.5 cr making it the biggest deal in the history of Indian television. Star now hold the both TV and digital rights for IPL all over the world.

Karnataka Bank bags IDRBT award

Karnataka Bank has bagged the ‘best bank’ award among small banks for use of technology for financial inclusion at the 13th IDRBT Banking Technology Excellence Awards 2016-17. Mahabaleshwara MS, MD & CEO of the bank, received the award from Sudarshan Sen, Executive Director of RBI. The Reserve Bank of India has designated Karnataka Bank Limited as an A1+ class Scheduled Commercial Bank.

CBDT gets govt-honour

The Central Board of Direct Taxes was honoured by Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh for successfully resolving public grievances. The awards given to the CBDT was based on the theme of appreciation to the Ministries or Departments. The CBDT is the apex policy making body for the Income Tax department.

Konsam Ormila Devi bags Gold

India’s Konsam Ormila Devi bagged a gold medal in 44kg weight category of the Commonwealth Youth (boys & girls) weightlifting championships, held at Gold Coast, Australia. Ormila lifted 57kg in snatch and 76kg in clean and jerk for an overall effort of 133kg, to finish on the top of the podium. With this effort, Ormila has registered her best lift so far.

6^th September 2017

BSNL, Coriant tie up to chart 5G, IoT

BSNL has entered into an agreement with US-based networking solutions provider Coriant to chart the path to 5G and Internet of Things in India. MoU was signed for laying foundation for innovation in network architectures and services leveraging 5G, IoT, and mobile edge computing technologies. 5G, are the proposed next telecommunications standards beyond the current 4G/IMT-Advanced standards.

Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships

India will host the 2019 edition of the Commonwealth (Youth, Junior and Senior) Weightlifting Championships. The Executive Board of Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation met at Gold Coast, Australia and decided to allot the 2019 edition of the competitions to India. The current edition of the tournament is being held at the Gold Coast, Australia.

Ambassador for Tourism Australia

Australia has roped in Parineeti Chopra to be its first Indian woman Ambassador to encourage Indians to visit the country. She was presented Friend of Australia recognition by Australian Consul General Tony Huber for her contribution to promote Australia. In 2016, India was Australia’s 9th largest inbound market for visitor arrivals & 10th largest market for total visitor spend.

Virendra Kumar takes charge as MoS

Dr Virendra Kumar has taken charge as the Minister of State for Women and Child Development. Kumar is the member of the Lok Sabha from Tikamgarh (Madhya Pradesh). He is 6-time Lok Sabha member. He also has a post-graduate in Economics and a PhD in Child Labour from Dr Hari Singh Gour University in Sagar.

BharatQR launched by Visa

Digital payments network Visa has partnered with payment gateway entity BillDesk, to enable around 59 service providers to start accepting BharatQR payments. This partnership would enable a major shift towards pushing of bill payments into digital mode especially through QR codes. Some of the merchants include the likes of Tata AIG, Reliance Energy, Gujarat Gas, MTNL, Aircel, Tata Power.

Fuel from sunlight, water

Scientists have developed an artificial leaf that absorb sunlight to generate hydrogen fuel from water Device consists of semiconductors stacked in a manner to simulate natural leaf system. When visible light strikes semiconductors, electrons move in 1 direction producing electric current. The current almost instantaneously splits water into hydrogen which is one of the cleanest forms of fuel

CBDT Signs 4 Advance Pricing Agreements

Central Board of Direct Taxes has entered into 4 Advance Pricing Agreements, pertaining to sectors like telecom, banking, manufacturing & education. Out of these 4 agreements, 3 are unilateral & 1 is a bilateral. Bilateral APA is for international transactions b/w an Indian company & a UK-based company. With signing of these 4 agreements, total no. of APAs entered into by CBDT has reached 175

Banks without Aadhaar enrolment centre

UIDAI has given banks one more month to open Aadhaar enrolment centres in a stipulated 10% of branches. A fine of Rs 20,000 will be imposed per uncovered branch after 30 September. There are 1,20,000 bank branches in the country and with this move, 12,000 Aadhaar enrolment and updation centres will have to be set up in those branches.

Gujarat govt bans Blue Whale game

Gujarat Govt has put a ban on use of Blue Whale Challenge game in the state. Gujarat govt has issued instructions to various departments to hold meetings b/w parents & state administration to preempt any suicide. Blue Whale Challenge is reportedly a suicide game in which players is given certain tasks to complete over a period of 50 days & the final task leads him or her to commit suicide.

Sultan Ahmed passes away

Sultan Ahmed, Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP from West Bengal’s Uluberia constituency, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. Ahmed had been a Union Minister of State for Tourism in the UPA-II. He had been a two-time Congress MLA from Entally before joining the Trinamool Congress. He was also the Mohammedan Sporting football club president since 2009.

France to ban oil and gas production

France’s govt is unveiling a law to ban all production & exploration of oil & natural gas by 2040 on its mainland & overseas territories. Ban is part of a larger plan to wean country’s economy from fossil fuels, to encourage clean energy & fulfill France’s commitment under the Paris Climate Agreement. France’s oil & gas production represents just 1% of national consumption the rest is imported

Assam govt sets up DBT cell

Assam govt has set up a Direct Benefit Transfer Cell for implementation of DBT across schemes in the Country. Chief Secretary, Assam will be the Chairman and Addl. Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary; Finance Department will be the Convenor. The Cell will Coordinate with Central Ministries & disseminate the directives to the respective Departments in States.

India signs 11 MoUs with Myanmar

India & Myanmar signed 11 agreements in a range of sectors, including one to strengthen democratic institutions, to further build their multifaceted partnership. The MoUs were signed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. An MoU was also signed to organise cultural exchange programme for the period 2017-2020.

Ankur Mittal settles for silver

Indian shooter Ankur Mittal settled for the silver medal in the double trap event of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Shotgun Championship. Mittal finished with 66 points in contrast to Fokeev’s 68, who won the gold medal. He shot brilliantly throughout the day, finishing top in the qualification round with a score of 145 out of a possible 150.

Noted journalist Gauri Lankesh shot dead

Noted journalist and activists Gauri Lankesh was shot dead at her Rajarajeshwari Nagar’s residence in Bengaluru. Gauri Lankesh was the editor of popular Kannada tabloid Lankesh Patrike founded by her father and well-known writer P Lankesh. Gauri Lankesh was also part of a panel formed by State government to help surrender Naxals to reform.

Raising funds through cyrptocurrencies

China has banned individuals & organisations from raising funds through initial coin offerings, or launches of digital currencies. ICOs have become a bonanza for digital currency entrepreneurs, allowing them to raise large sums quickly by creating & selling digital “tokens” with little or no regulatory oversight. In total, $2.32 billion has been raised through ICOs.

National Nutrition Strategy

NITI Aayog has launched National Nutrition Strategy aimed at Kuposhan Mukt Bharat. It intends at bringing nutrition to centre-stage of National Development Agenda. The framework envisages a Kuposhan Mukt Bharat – linked to Swachh Bharat & Swasth Bharat. It enables states to make strategic choices, through decentralized planning & local innovation, with accountability for nutrition outcomes.

Foundation stone of SAUNI Yojana

President Kovind laid the foundation stone of 2nd phase of link IV pipeline canal of Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation Yojana in Rajkot. The project is aimed at bringing waters of Narmada River to reservoir of parched Saurashtra region. SAUNI was launched with the objective of filling 115 dams by diverting floodwater overflowing from Sardar Sarovar Dam across Narmada river to drought areas

Health Ministry launches contraceptives

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched 2 new contraceptives, an injectable contraceptive MPA under ‘Antara’ programme & a contraceptive pill, ‘Chhaya’, in the public health system. The contraceptives are safe and highly effective, the ‘Antara’ injectable being effective for 3 months & ‘Chayya’ pill for 1 week. The contraceptives have so far been launched in 10 states.

TMB gets new MD & CEO

KV Rama Moorthy has assumed charge as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank. He succeeds HS Upendra Kamath, whose term of three years came to an end in July, 2017. Moorthy’s appointment is for a period of three years. Prior to joining TMB, he was Executive Director of United Bank of India and had also served as ED of Bank of Baroda for a brief period.

7^th September 2017

Oyo closes $250 million funding round

Hotel aggregator Oyo has closed a $250 million round of funding, which was led by its existing backer SoftBank, with new investor Hero Enterprise also coming on board. SoftBank has invested through its $100 billion SoftBank Vision Fund, making this the 2nd major bet placed by the world’s largest pool of private capital in India. Till date, Oyo has now raised about $436 million, across 4 rounds

Viveck Goenka elected new PTI Chairman

Viveck Goenka, Chairman & Managing Director of the Express Group was unanimously elected Chairman of Press Trust of India. Mr. Goenka succeeds Riyad Mathew, who is Senior Assistant Editor and a member of the Manorama management. He is also a director of the Indian Newspaper Society besides being a member of the Advertising Association, India Chapter.

India to grant gratis visa

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced to grant gratis (no-cost) visa to all the citizens of Myanmar who want to visit India. Modi made the announcement during his joint press statement with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi after the 2 leaders held wide-ranging talks. He also announced that India has decided to release 40 Myanmarese citizens, currently lodged in various jails in India.

VP Naidu launches DIKSHA portal

On the occasion of National Teachers’ Day, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu launched DIKSHA portal, a national digital infrastructure for teachers. It will enable, accelerate and amplify solutions in the realm of teacher education. It is built considering the whole teacher’s life cycle – from the time student teachers enroll in Teacher Education Institutes to after they retire as teachers.

GIFT City wins ASSOCHAM Awards

India’s first operational Smart City & IFSC, Gujarat International Finance-Tec City, has won the ASSOCHAM Services Excellence Award. GIFT SEZ was honored for its contribution to the growth of the International Financial Services and Technology Hub in India. GIFT city is operational with approximately 10 leading banks, 2 international exchanges, and around 100 capital market players.

IBM partners with MIT

Massachusetts Institute of Technology has announced the formation of the new MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, which will support joint research by IBM and MIT scientists. Its mission will include advancing the hardware, software, and algorithms used for artificial intelligence. It will be based at the university and IBM’s nearby research center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Fastest to 15,000 international runs

Virat Kohli became the fastest to score 15,000 runs in international cricket, achieving the feat in 333 innings pushing Hashim Amla, who did so in 336 innings, to the second place. Kohli became the 33rd player to reach 15,000 runs and the only one with an average of above 50. Kohli also became the third-highest run-scorer in T20Is after he scored his 17th fifty in the shortest format.

Airtel launches ‘GST Advantage’

Airtel Business has launched GST Advantage – solution specifically designed to enable small businesses & start-ups to file their GST returns accurately, securely & seamlessly. Launched in partnership with ClearTax, Airtel GST Advantage is being offered free to all existing Airtel Business customers It will also enable customers to upload their returns without worrying about bandwidth charges.

SBI Life Insurance gets Sebi approval

SBI Life Insurance has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India for an IPO of up to Rs 8,400 crore. The IPO will involve 120 million secondary shares, or 12% of the insurer’s equity capital. State Bank of India, which currently owns 70.1% of the insurer, will sell 80 million shares and BNP Paribas Cardif, holder of a 26% will sell 40 million.

UJALA scheme launched in Melaka

Energy Efficiency Services Limited has launched UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Lighting for All) Scheme in Melaka, Malaysia. Under this scheme, each household in Melaka will get 10 high-quality 9-watt LED bulbs at a cost of only RM 10, which is almost half of what in begin offered in the market. Each bulb comes with a 3-year free replacement warranty against any technical defects

HCL acquires Datawave

HCL Technologies has announced an acquisition of Datawave to accelerate data integration & migration for their clients. The flagship product Datawave won the Informatica Innovation Award, is extendable to other platforms, including big data. Datawave has created an innovative data automation platform which enables enterprise customers execute complex data–migration in a faster & smarter way.

Exide Life, PMC Bank tie up

Exide Life Insurance has announced a partnership with Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative Bank to offer its protection and savings products to the latter’s customers. PMC Bank is a multi-State scheduled urban cooperative bank with 127 branches spread across India. With this tie up, Exide Life Insurance consolidates its leadership in the co-operative bank segment.

Petronet to set up LNG terminal

Sri Lankan govt has decided to go ahead with the setting up of an LNG terminal near Colombo with Indian & Japanese companies. It is part of MoU for cooperation in economic projects signed between the 2 countries this year. Indian company Petro net LNG will form the joint venture meant to provide re-gasified natural gas to various power plants, domestic & transport sectors in Sri Lanka.

US starts probe into steel flanges

US Department of Commerce has began an investigation into possible dumping & subsidization of stainless steel flanges from China & India. In 2016 imports of stainless steel flanges from China & India were valued at an estimated $16.3 million & $32.1 million, respectively. Probe followed petitions by 2 privately held companies, Core Pipe Products Inc of Illinois & Maass Flange Corp of Texas.

France appoints envoy to mediate

France has picked former ambassador Bertrand Besancenot to Saudi Arabia as a special envoy to try & help mediation efforts in Qatar crisis. France, which has close ties with Egypt & UAE while also being a major arms supplier to Qatar has called for calm in the dispute. A dispute erupted in June when Arab countries cut diplomatic, trade & travel ties over Qatar’s terrorist & extremist groups.

ICICI Lombard gets SEBI nod for IPO

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company has got SEBI’s go-ahead for its estimated ₹6,000 cr IPO, which could be the first by a general insurer in the country. ICICI Lombard, which is India’s largest private sector non-life insurance firm, had filed its draft proposal on 14 July. IPO is an offer for sale of 86.24 mn shares by promoter entity ICICI Bank & joint venture partner FAL Corporation.

Reliance General Insurance Receives Nod

Reliance General Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital, has received in-principle approval from IRDA for the process of its proposed IPO. The company offers a wide range of general insurance products like fire, motor, health, home, crop, travel etc. Listing of Reliance General Insurance is expected to be completed in FY18, subject to necessary approvals.

MakeMyTrip President resigns

Online travel firm MakeMyTrip has announced the resignation of president Ashish Kashyap with effect from Sept 30, 2017. As per the settlement agreement, Kashyap will be under non-solicitation & non-competition obligation for the next 2 years. Kashyap, who was earlier designated as the CEO of the Ibibo Group, joined MakeMyTrip’s executive team as a co-founder & president post the acquisition.

India, Japan to step up Def Cooperation

India and Japan have agreed to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual-use technologies. The two countries resolved to ramp up overall military engagement under the bilateral special strategic framework. The two sides also agreed to ramp up counter-terror cooperation, besides deepening engagement among navies, air forces and ground forces of the two countries.

Task force on employment, export

Govt has constituted a task force headed by NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar to lay down the roadmap for employment generation through export promotion. Task force consisting of senior officials of various ministries & industry representatives will seek expansion of formal sector for creation of well paid jobs. It will recommend sector specific policy interventions in key employment sector

8^th September 2017

N Baijendra Kumar takes charge

Senior IAS officer N Baijendra Kumar has taken charge as the CMD of state-owned NMDC. Prior to joining National Mineral Development Corporation, Kumar was Additional Chief Secretary with a charge of industries & power besides serving as ACS to the state’s chief minister. He also headed the administration of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

Erdenebat, his cabinet voted out

Mongolian lawmakers have voted to dismiss the Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat & his Cabinet for alleged incompetence & corruption related to the signing of govt contracts with companies linked to 3 Cabinet members. Parliament shall appoint a new Cabinet & PM in 45 days, the current officials will continue serving in the interim. No Mongolian PM has completed the 4-year term since 2004

Government Plans Wifi For All Panchayats

The govt is giving shape to an ambitious Rs. 3,700-cr plan in an attempt to cover nearly 5.5 lakh villages with wifi facility by March 2019. The govt expects to start broadband services with about 1,000 megabit per second across 1 lakh gram panchayats by the end of this year. Under the new BharatNet, broadband speed has been enhanced 10 times to 1 gigabit per second at every panchayat level.

Nagaland to implement DBT under MGNREGA

Nagaland will start implementing DBT under MGNREGA beginning from the current financial year. To ensure transparency & check corruption at all levels, wages of the MGNREGA workers will be directly credited to individual accounts of the jobcard holders through National Electronic Fund Management System. To avail,the benefit, every jobcard holder must have a bank account duly linked with Aadhaar

ICAR to undertake major research works

The Indian Council for Agricultural Research ICAR will be undertaking major research works on agriculture this year with the World Bank fund of 1100 crore rupees. The funds will be allocated to ten each of the premier agricultural and veterinary universities in the country. Two research centres would be established in Tamil Nadu for research on preserving and promoting domestic bull species.

US shuts Pakistan’s Habib Bank

US banking regulators has ordered Pakistan’s Habib Bank to shutter its New York office for repeatedly failing to heed concerns over possible terrorist financing & money laundering. State’s Department of Financial Services slapped a $225 million fine on the bank. Habib permitted at least 13,000 transactions that were not sufficiently screened to ensure they did not involve sanctioned countries

National Canine Seminar

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju attended the first National Canine Seminar in NSG Campus, Manesar, Haryana. The theme of the two days National Canine Seminar is ”Canine as Tactical Weapon in Fight against Terrorism”. Objective of this seminar was to discuss & deliberate on the techniques of dog training and strategies of deploying the dogs in Counter Terrorism scenario.

Mother Teresa a patron saint of Calcutta

The Vatican has declared Mother Teresa a patron saint of the Archdiocese of Calcutta at a Mass in the city where she dedicated her life to the poorest of the poor. The honor came 16 months after Pope Francis declared Mother Teresa a saint. Mother Teresa’s name will be mentioned whenever people under the archdiocese pray or a Mass is held.

Marijne named chief coach of hockey team

Holland’s Sjoerd Marijne has taken over as the head coach of the India men’s hockey team following the sacking of fellow Dutchman Roelant Oltmans. Marijne, who was working as the chief coach of the India women’s team since February this year, has been asked to take over the men’s team. Marijne has previously served as the chief coach of Dutch women’s team.

Nestle sets up 1st food safety institute

Swiss food major Nestle has set up a food safety institute to help develop standards in food safety and quality in Manesar, Haryana. The institute aims to train and guide its students in food safety including nutrition check and keeping the ingredients in the food items within the limit among others. FSSAI and Nestle India worked together for the past 7 months to set up this institute.

Uninhabited Lakshadweep island vanishes

One of the uninhabited islands that is part of Lakshadweep has vanished due to coastal erosion & another 4 such territories are shrinking fast, claims a new study. Parali I island, part of Bangaram atoll which had an area of 0.032 km² in 1968 has been completely eroded. Study said erosion & inundation was pointing to gravity of issues associated with coastal erosion within the atoll.

Narmada Mahotsav Yatra

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani flagged off statewide ‘Narmada Mahotsav Yatra’ from Surendranagar district. The aim of this Narmada Mahotsav Yatra – is to create awareness about the importance of increased water supply from Narmada canal-based projects in different parts of the state. 84 `Narmada Raths’ would travel across the state to spread awareness about the importance of the project

SpaceX launches super-secret shuttle

SpaceX has launched the Air Force’s super-secret space shuttle, a technology tester capable of spending years in orbit. It’s the fifth flight for one of these crewless minishuttles, known as the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. This is the first time SpaceX has provided a lift for the experimental mini-shuttle.

Sonam wins Gold in Cadet World Wrestling

Indian grappler Sonam clinched the gold medal at the Cadet World Wrestling Championship in Athens. She achieved this feat on the fourth day of the championship when she defeated her opponent, Sena Nagamoto by a margin of 3-1. Matches were held in five weight categories and all the five Wrestlers of Indian Female Wrestling Team entered in the final match for Gold and Bronze Medals.

NHAI awards first international project

National Highway Authority of India has awarded its first international project in Myanmar to a joint venture of Punj Lloyd-Varaha. This is for the upgradation of the Yagyi–Kalewa section in Myanmar to 2 lanes with earthern shoulder in the engineering, procurement, and construction mode. The 120-km-long project was estimated to cost Rs. 1,177.02 crore and is to be completed within 36 months.

India’s first Hyperloop

Andhra Pradesh govt has joined hands with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies to introduce futuristic “Hyperloop” transportation system in Amrawati. Hyperloop is proposed to be introduced b/w city centres of Vijayawada & Amaravati. It will supposedly cover the distance of over 35 km only in 5 mins. If everything goes well, this will be the 1st Hyperloop project to be implemented in India.

Sri Lanka, India begin naval exercise

Sri Lanka Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels, SLNS Sayura & Sagara arrived at Visakhapatnam to participate in bi-lateral naval exercise b/w India Sri Lanka – SLINEX 2017. SLINEX 2017 will focus on fleet work, communication, replenishment at sea as well as helicopter operations. It will further enhance the capability of the 2 navies to work together at sea & contribute towards maritime security.

India, US to carry out military exercise

Armies of India & US will carry out a 2 week long mega military exercise in Washington from Sept 14. Aim of the exercise Yudh Abhyas is to strengthen jointmanship & facilitate interoperability b/w the two armies to meet any unforeseen contingency across the globe. Both armies will jointly train, plan & execute a series of well-developed operations for neutralisation of threats of varied nature

Assam govt signs MoU with Google

In a bid to take Internet connectivity to the remotest part of the state, Assam govt has signed a MoU with Google India. Through the MoU, the govt would work to provide Internet connection to 26,000 villages & 1,500 tea garden areas to increase digital literacy. MoU would be used as a launch pad to materialise state govt’s vision of women empowerment, skill development & universal education.

International Literacy Day

International Literacy Day is observed every year on 8th September to emphasize the importance of literacy to individuals, society & communities. On this day, in 1965 the World Congress of Ministers of Education met in Tehran for the first time to discuss the programme of education at the international level. Theme of this year’s International Literacy Day, is ‘Literacy in a Digital World’.

9^th September 2017

Anderson reaches 500 Test match wickets

James Anderson became the sixth bowler and first Englishman to take 500 Test wickets. He achieved this feat when he dismissed West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite on the second day of the third Test at Lord’s. Anderson took 129 matches to break 500 and those wickets came at just over 27 runs apiece. He also has 269 wickets in 194 ODIs to his name.

Sandhu wins his fifth consecutive title

Former Indian men’s national squash champion Harinder Pal Sandhu won his fifth professional title in a row when he emerged victorious at the 10th leg of the Malaysian Tour. The World No. 66, who was the top seed at this tournament, edged the 2nd seeded Mohd Syafiq Kamal of Malaysia, 11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6 in final to win the title. This is Sandhu’s 10th international triumph overall.

SANKALP SE SIDDHI exhibition

Union Minister of Petroleum & Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated the SANKALP SE SIDDHI exhibition and conducted pledge meeting in Bhubaneswar. On this occasion, he recalled various incidences of freedom struggle of India and Quit India Movement call given by Gandhiji. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Coal and DAVP of Ministry of I&B have jointly organized the program.

Two Indian Naval Ships depart

In pursuant of India’s Act East Policy, 2 Indian Naval Ships proceeded on deployment to East & South-East Asia. INS Satpura & INS Kadmatt, departed from Visakhapatnam for a deployment of more than 3 months, to visit 12 ports. During this deployment, ships will participate in International Fleet Review hosted by ASEAN countries at Thailand. Ships will also participate in the HADR at Malaysia

Johnson & Johnson’s paternity leave

Johnson & Johnson India has rolled out a new global parental leave for its Indian workforce. As part of this new initiative, new and adoptive fathers will now be entitled to 8 weeks of paid leave during the first year to bond with the newborn or newly adopted child. The company has been offering up to 26 weeks of maternity leave for the last six years.

Nadella pens book on Microsoft journey

Satya Nadella, one of the most celebrated Indians in the global technology sector, has penned the inside story of his journey of becoming the CEO of software giant Microsoft. The book, titled ‘Hit Refresh’ is co-authored by Greg Shaw and Jill Tracie Nichols. The title draws inspiration from the digital world where the screen is refreshed by hitting the function ‘F5’ key.

Water ATM in Hyderabad

Safe Water Network, an international NGO has partnered with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to launch water ATMs, providing affordable, 24×7 safe water access in Hyderabad. A total of 200 ATMs will be set up to reach a targetted 150,000 people. Consumers can collect water that is affordably priced at ₹1 per glass, ₹2 per litre, ₹5 per 10 litres, and ₹10 per 20 litres.

North East Calling festival in New Delhi

Minister of State in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the “North East Calling” festival in New Delhi. The two-day event is being organized by Ministry of DoNER under its Destination North East series for this year. The purpose of the event is to promote the art, culture, heritage, cuisine, handicrafts, business & tourism of North East India.

Bharat Petroleum to get Maharatna status

Bharat Petroleum Corporation is all set to become a Maharatna company. The company is at present a Navratna firm. Decision to elevate BPCL to Maharatna status was taken by a panel headed by Cabinet secretary. After becoming a Maharatna firm, board of BPCL will get enhanced powers which will help in expansion of operations, both in India & abroad. At present, there are 7 Maharatna companies.

Karnataka tops in manufacturing

According to a study by industry chambers Assocham, Karnataka stands at top among the states in terms of manufacturing excellence. Karnataka has the best manufacturing process ratio of 2.63, with a maximum value of goods being converted into finished goods valuing over Rs 2,000 cr. Karnataka ranks 3rd in attracting investments in the manufacturing sector, leaving states like Gujarat behind.

Army to induct women in military police

The government has decided to recruit women jawans into the Army’s Corps of Military Police for investigating gender specific crimes. The plan is to induct approximately 800 women in military police with a yearly intake of 52 personnel per year. Currently, women are allowed in select areas such as medical, educational, legal, signals and engineering wings of Indian Army

India slaps countervailing duty

India has slapped countervailing duty for a period of 5 years on certain Chinese flat steel products to guard domestic players from imports that are subsidized by the exporting nation. Decision to impose CVD was taken by the finance ministry after the DGAD’s recommendation. It will strengthen the efforts of Indian industry to move towards 100% quality regime for better safety & health of users

Pandey appointed interim GSTN chairman

The Unique Identification Authority of India’s CEO A.B. Pandey has been appointed as the interim chairman of the goods and services tax network. Pandey was given additional charge days after GSTN’s first chairman Navin Kumar completed his term on 29 August. GSTN is the firm providing information technology backbone and portal for registration and tax returns under the GST regime.

BCCI releases its players handbook

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has released its first ever players handbook in New Delhi. The book titled ‘100 things every professional cricketer must know’, was released by the Committee of Administrators & is in line with the recommendations of the Lodha panel. The document will be the official handbook for all the cricketers registered with the BCCI.

WB approves changing state’s name

Cabinet ministers in West Bengal have cleared a proposal to name the state Bangla. State will be renamed Bangla, & will be called so in all languages. CM Mamata Banerjee had earlier proposed that WB be named Bangla in Bengali, Bangal in Hindi & Bengal in English, but centre rejected the proposal. State wants to change its name because WB is always last in list of states in alphabetical order

Tighter ratings agency rules

Capital markets regulator SEBI has proposed additional changes to credit rating agencies, including a restriction on cross-holdings & spinning off non-ratings businesses. The new proposals include requiring rating agency to hive off any other business it does. Sebi also proposed that rating agency should not hold more than 10% shares or voting rights & representation on board of a rival

Govt approves Army’s cadre review policy

The government has approved a long-awaited cadre review policy for Junior Commissioned Officers and other rank-holders in the Army. It will offer higher career progression to nearly 1.45 lakh personnel of the force. The upgradation would take place over a span of five years. The decision was conveyed to former Army chiefs by incumbent General Bipin Rawat at the biennial Chiefs’ Conclave.

India keeps off ‘Bali Declaration’

In a show of solidarity with Myanmar, India refused to be a part of a declaration adopted at an International conference in Indonesia India refused to be a part of the declaration as it carried “inappropriate” reference to violence in Rakhine State. India reiterated its stance that the purpose of convening the Parliamentary forum was to arrive at a mutual consensus for implementation of SDGs.

Govt introduces rules for No Fly List

Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has released India’s first 3-tier rules for a national no-fly list. In the new rules, unruly behaviour has been categorised into three levels – verbal, physical and life threatening. The degree of offence will be decided by an independent committee led by a retired District Judge within a period of 30 days of the incident.

PNB, BSNL join hands for mobile wallet

Punjab National Bank & BSNL have teamed up to roll out open mobile wallet Speedpay across 10 states in the country. PNB’s Speedway wallet will operate like any other mobile wallet for paying bills, recharging phone besides its users will be able to deposit and withdraw money from authorised retail outlets. Speedway users will be able to operate Internet banking services from the application.

10^th September 2017

Women global circumnavigation expedition

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged off Navika Sagar Parikrama in Goa, a circumnavigation programme by women naval officers. This is the 1st Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. Under the project, a team of 6 women officers of Indian Navy would circumnavigate the globe on India-built sail boat INSV Tarini. It is aimed at promoting women empowerment in the country

‘Heart Attack’ app to guide patients

Cardiological Society of India has announced launch of an app that can help people suffering from heart disease with rapid & accurate information about the nearest health care centres. The app, named “Heart Attack”, would guide patients with real time information about the nearest hospital capable of immediate care. It will also show details of physician or cardiologists.

Irdai allows OTP for opening account

Irdai has permitted usage of OTP or one time password for opening e-insurance account as an alternative to electronic signature. As per current practise, an e-signature of the e- insurance account holder on the application form for opening the account is considered as a valid authentication. Irdai has also permitted e-KYC facility offered by UIDAI which provides unique Aadhaar numbers.

India may produce surplus power

According to Fitch, India may produce surplus power in the current financial year. A combination of subdued demand growth, consistent capacity additions and relatively better networks is driving a widening surplus at energy exchanges. India added 25GW of capacity in FY17, of which 58 per cent was renewable a record-breaking contribution.

Fuel from methane using oxygen

Scientists have created methanol from methane using oxygen from the air, in an outstanding breakthrough. It uses air, inexpensive chemicals & an energy efficient production process. It has major implications for cleaner, greener industrial processes worldwide. Methanol is currently produced by breaking down natural gas at high temp. into hydrogen gas & carbon monoxide before reassembling them.

Forces, UTs to source goods from GeM

All central armed police forces & Union Territories have been asked to procure goods & services from govt’s e-market place (GeM) to meet their requirements at competitive prices. The move is aimed at bringing in more transparency & streamlining procurement process of these forces, which include CISF,CRPF & ITBP. So far, these forces & UTs are sourcing goods & services through tendering process

Saudi Arabia suspend dialogue with Qatar

Saudi Arabia says it has suspended dialogue with Qatar, shortly after a phone call between the Qatari leader and the Saudi crown prince. The two sides had discussed holding talks to resolve the Qatar crisis, which has seen Doha cut off from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE. The development came after US President Trump spoke separately with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar & UAE.

Committee to discuss trading hours

Advisory committee of market regulator Sebi is likely to discuss a proposal for extending stock market trading hours. Stock market in India currently opens at 9 am & closes at 3.30 pm The 19-member committee is led by Jayanth R Varma, Professor, IIM Ahmedabad. Panel is mandated to review all developments in secondary market & recommends measures for changes & improvements in market structure

Pak PM opens China-backed 5th nuke plant

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi inaugurated the country’s fifth nuclear power plant, developed in collaboration with China. The fifth nuclear plant C-4 plant is located at Chashma in Mianwali district of the Punjab province. Mr. Abbasi said that the nuclear plants were a source of cheap energy and Pakistan would work on setting up more such plants.

Foundation for smart city project

Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone of Greenfield Smart City at Ranchi in Jharkhand. The Greenfield Smart City will cost Rs.10,000 crore and will also have 16,000 residential flats for 70,000 residents. The smart city will have modern transport system, world class education hub, 24 hours water and electricity, wi-fi, public toilets at every 200 meters and will be carbon free zone.

India win 2nd SABA U-16 Championship

India has won 2nd South Asian Basketball, SABA, Under – 16 Championship. India remained unbeaten in its all four matches and accumulated 8 points. Bangladesh finished second and host Nepal third. India has now qualified for 2017 International Basketball Federation, FIBA, Under-16 Asian Championship to be played in Malaysia later this year.

Largest fulfillment center in Hyderabad

Amazon has announced the opening of its largest fulfillment center in the country in Hyderabad. Located at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the center covers over 400,000 sq ft with close to 2.10 million cubic ft. It is the 5th fulfillment center in Telangana & the largest in India. The center will enable sellers to use local infrastructure, save capital and help them grow their businesses

China, Pak Air Forces Joint Exercise

Air forces of China & Pakistan began a joint training exercise in China & deployed their latest fighter jets & AWACS aircraft. China has dispatched J-11 fighters, JH-7 fighter-bombers, KJ-200 AWACS aircraft & ground forces including surface-to-air missile & radar troops to join the exercise, named Shaheen VI. The “Shaheen” joint training was launched by Chinese & Pakistani air forces in 2011

The Chief Of Mahila Congress

Congress has appointed party lawmaker Sushmita Dev as the chief of Mahila Congress. She will be replacing Shobha Oza, who has been in the post since August 2013. Both Ms Dev & Ms Oza are Congress spokespersons currently. She has earlier been a member of the Assam assembly. She represents Silchar Lok Sabha constituency. The change is the part of party’s efforts to rejuvenate its women’s wing

Hickey steps down from IOC board

Scandal-tainted Olympic official Patrick Hickey has resigned his position on the International Olympic Committee executive board with immediate effect. Hickey was detained by Brazilian police in a dramatic raid at his hotel and was held in connection with an an illegal ticket sales scheme. The vacant post will be filled by election during the forthcoming IOC Session in Lima.

Tata Trusts to invest Rs500 crore

Tata Trusts has earmarked around Rs 500 cr towards livelihood enhancement of the tribals in 4 states over the next 5 years under its flagship scheme Cini. Under Cini, or Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives, the Trusts has already spent Rs 25 cr of the Rs 119 cr budgeted for the project in the first phase. Project was launched under the initiative of Chairman Ratan Tata in 2015.

Longest-serving Prince of Wales

Prince Charles has become the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history The 68-year-old broke the record of Queen’s Victoria’s son Albert, who went on to become King Edward VII after holding the title of Prince of Wales for more than 59 years before becoming monarch. The milestone came a day after his wife, Camilla – Duchess of Cornwall, named a Royal Navy aircraft carrier after her husband

Stephens wins 2017 US Open title

Sloane Stephens won the first major title of her career after defeating Madison Keys 6-3, 6-0 in the final of the 2017 U.S. Open. The 24-year-old was ranked as low as 957th six weeks ago went on to become only the fifth unseeded woman to win a major title in the Open era. This is the first all American final for the US Open women’s singles since 2002.

India, China to set up working groups

India & China have agreed to set up industry specific working groups for increasing exports with a view to bridge trade deficit with Beijing. India’s trade deficit with China narrowed marginally to $51.08 bn in 2016-17 from $52.69 bn in 2015-16. India wants greater market access in China for its goods & services like IT & pharma products.

ATGM NAG successfully test fired twice

India’s indigenously developed 3rd generation Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Nag has been successfully flight tested twice by DRDO. The ATGM Nag missile has successfully hit both the targets under different ranges and conditions with very high accuracy. The latest test marks the completion of testing of Nag missiles which can hit its target up to 4 Kilometers.

11^th September 2017

Brilliant Basics acquisition completed

Infosys has completed the acquisition of London-based Brilliant Basics. Through this acquisition, Infosys further expands its worldwide connected network of Digital Studios that are focused on fulfilling the needs of global clients for end-to- end digital transformation solutions. Infosys had acquired the company in a cash deal worth GBP 7.5 mn, including earn-out & employee retention amounts

Mohan nominated to Jet Airways’ board

Harsh Mohan, Etihad Group’s chief of support services has been nominated to Jet Airways board. He joined the airline as vice president, internal audit and risk management in 2011, before progressing to senior VP audit, compliance and risk management in 2013. So far Jet has announced just a single nomination-Mohan-to the board. Etihad currently owns about a quarter of Jet.

NPS upper age limit raised

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority has announced that the upper age limit for joining the National Pension Scheme had been raised to 65 years, from the current 60. The aim is to open up pensions to sectors that are without pensions. NPS has emerged as a scheme for income security of senior citizens and grew by over 100 per cent last year.

World’s most expensive coffee

India, Asia’s 3rd-largest producer & exporter of coffee, has started producing world’s most expensive coffee, in Coorg district of Karnataka. The Civet coffee, also called as Luwark coffee, is expensive because of uncommon method of producing such a coffee. It is produced from the coffee beans digested by civet cat. The feces of this cat are collected, processed and sold.

March against child abuse

Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi launched a march across the country to mobilise action against sexual abuse and trafficking of children. Starting from the southernmost tip of peninsular India, Kanyakumari, and passing through Kashmir, the Bharat Yatra will culminate in New Delhi on October 16. He urged the youth to join the campaign to ensure the safety and security of children.

New avenues for cooperation

PM Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with Belarus President Lukashenko to bring new momentum to bilateral engagement, particularly in areas of trade & investment. His visit takes place in a year when Belarus & India are celebrating 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations. Two sides are likely to exchange views & assessments on regional & multilateral issues of mutual interest

Impact of smart city projects

To measure quality & impact of ongoing smart city projects, Centre will hold a contest carrying total prize money of Rs 50 lakh. A contest is aimed at recognising & rewarding cities, projects & innovative ideas that promote goals of Smart City Mission. Housing & urban affairs ministry has circulated a concept note & guidelines on ‘India Smart Cities Awards Contest, 2017’ to all States & UT’s

Firodia takes over as SIAM president

Force Motors Chairman Abhay Firodia has been elected as the new President of the automobile industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Firodia headed SIAM in 1990-91 and 1991-92 as well. Firodia joined the Force Motors board in 1975 and led the company as Managing Director till 2009. Force Motors is a pioneer in the automobile industry in India for last 60 years.

Sumit Nagal wins ITF Futures

Sumit Nagal blasted Colin van Beem 6-3, 6-0 in the singles final to justify the top billing in the 8th MCC – S R Subramaniam Memorial ITF Futures Men’s tennis championship. Nagal, who is ranked 261 in the world will pocket 18 ranking points and a cheque for $2,160 for his effort. The top-seed played fluently from the start, stroking the ball and kept his rival on the run.

China mulls petrol car ban

China is gearing up to ban petrol and diesel cars, a move that would boost electric vehicles. The plan would follow decisions by France and Britain to outlaw the sale of such cars & vans from 2040 to clamp down on harmful emissions. The Chinese govt in June introduced draft regulations compelling automakers to produce more electrically-powered vehicles by 2020 through a complex quota system.

Pawan Chamling honoured

Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was honoured for his pioneering work in the field of organic farming during a ceremony at Lagau on the occasion of the One World Festival. Chamling was conferred the Grand Prix Award during the One World Award ceremony. It took Sikkim 13 years to fully implement organic farming since the idea was mooted way back in 2003.

Senior World Championships

Coastal city of Kochi is all set to host the BWF World Senior Badminton Championships from Sept 11 to 17. The week-long tournament will see a total of 665 players from 40 countries battle it out in 8 different age groups. The championship will be held in India for the first time. A total of 175 players will represent India including Olympians — Abhinn Shyam Gupta, Nikhil Kanetkar & V Diju

National kickboxing championship

Maharashtra has won the Chief Minister’s cup with 45 gold medals at the National kickboxing championship being held in Raipur. Chhattisgarh secured second position with 27 gold and Haryana third with 15 gold medals. Overall 2000 players from 27 states participated in the tournament which was held in various weight categories total 500 bouts was organised.

Hingis, Jan win women’s doubles title

Martina Hingis & Chan Yung-Jan won the US Open women’s doubles title after defeating Lucie Hradecka & Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2. It was the first grand slam title for Chan but the second in as many days for Hingis, who won the mixed doubles with Britain’s Jamie Murray. The victory took Hingis’s career grand-slam tally to 25, including five singles titles, 13 doubles and seven mixed doubles.

Adviser for bullet train project

Sanjeev Sinha, former Tata executive in Tokyo & the first IIT-ian from Barmer, Rajasthan, has been appointed as adviser for Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail project by Japan Railways. The project, largely funded by low-cost financing from Japan, is planned to be built based on Japanese technology by a consortium of six rail companies. He will be the interface between govt of India & Japan.

Second Indian Workers’ Resource Centre

Indian Ambassador in UAE Navdeep Singh Suri inaugurated 2nd Indian Workers’ Resource Centre in UAE. It provides counseling and support to the overseas Indian Community on legal, personal and financial matters, free of cost. The IWRC will receive, register and monitor grievance petitions and provide clarification to information seeking queries. The first IWRC was opened in Dubai in 2010.

IndusInd in talks with Bharat Financial

IndusInd Bank will enter into exclusive talks with Bharat Financial Inclusion to pursue a potential merger b/w the 2 financial firms. Exclusivity Agreement provides for a mutually agreed exclusivity period for due diligence & discussions to evaluate a potential strategic combination b/w the bank & BFIL. Implied price is likely be set at 10-12% premium over the prevailing market price of BFIL

Rafael Nadal wins US Open

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal defeated No. 28 Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to lift his third US Open title and his 16th overall Grand Slam title. He is second to Roger Federer, who has 19 Grand Slam titles. This win is also Nadal’s final major with his uncle, Toni, as his coach. It is his second grand slam title of 2017 after French Open in June.

ADB to provide $152 mn to Nepal

Asian Development Bank will provide a $152 mn to Nepal for implementation & enhancement of its power transmission & distribution. The project, having a 4 to 5-year completion period, would incorporate various components such as construction of transmission lines, upgrading sub-stations. Aid will be granted to PTDEEP which supports expansion of the transmission lines in various areas of Nepal

India finish 5th in World Championships

India finished fifth in the medals tally with one gold and two silver medals at the Moscow Shotgun World Championship. Only 16 of the 76 participating nations got amongst the medals and Italy topped the tally with nine gold medals for a total of 17 medals in all. Hosts Russia were third in the overall tally with two golds for a total of eight.

source;testbook.com