Daily GK Updates - 14th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launches National Scholarship Portal mobile app : Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Minority Affairs Minister) has launched the country's first National Scholarship Portal Mobile app ((NSP Mobile App) in New Delhi.This Portal will ensure a smooth, accessible and hassle-free scholarship system for students belonging to poor and weaker sections.All the scholarships are being directly transferred into bank accounts of the needy students under Director Benefit Transfer mode, which has prevented duplication and leakage.

2. PM Modi attends Ashara Mubaraka event at Saifee Mosque in Indore : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attended Ashara Mubaraka, the commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain in Indore.Prime Minister also meet the 53rd religious head of Dawoodi Bohra community Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.Dr Saifuddin is holding nine-day religious discourse at the Saifi Nagar mosque in Indore.Prime Minister also attend sermon to be delivered by the supreme spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohra community Dr Syedna in the city.

3. Centre approves over Rs. 150 crores additional drought relief to UP : In a meeting of High-Level Committee chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, The Union Govt. has approved an additional assistance for Uttar Pradesh (Rs. 157.23 crore) and for Maharashtra (Rs. 60.76 crores).The assistance has been approved from National Disaster Response Fund for Uttar Pradesh affected by drought in rabi season during 2017-18 and for Maharashtra which was hit by pest attack and cyclone last year

4. Country's first Tribal Tourism Circuit launched in Chhattisgarh : The Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons has inaugurated the country's first tribal circuit tourism project under the Swadesh Darshan scheme has been inaugurated at Gangrel in Chhattisgarh.It covers 13 sites in Chhattisgarh which are Jashpur, Kunkuri, Mainpat, Kamleshpur, Maheshpur, Kurdar, Sarodadadar, Gangrel, Kondagaon, Nathiya Nawagaon, Jagdalpur, Chitrakoot and Tirthgarh.

5.  Hindi day being celebrated across the country today : The National Hindi Divas is being observed on 14th September every year across the country.Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will present Rajbhasha Awards to chiefs of various departments, Ministries and offices for their outstanding performances in promoting the language. In 1949, on this day the Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi written in Devanagari script as the official language of the country.

6. Festival of Nuakhai being celebrated in Odisha : The festival of Nuakhai is being celebrated in Odisha.The Nuakhai Juhar is a major ritual of the festival, during which greetings are exchanged with friends, relatives and well-wishers.During this harvest festival of western Odisha, new produce Nabannis offer

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Russia launches the biggest war games 'Vostok-2018' since the cold war : Russia has launched its biggest military exercise since the Cold War named "Vostok-2018", involving about 300,000 service personnel, in eastern Siberia.China is sending 3,200 troops to take part in "Vostok-2018", with many Chinese armoured vehicles and aircraft. Mongolia is also sending some units.

2.  Vice President Venkaiah Naidu to embark on the 3-nation visit to Serbia, Malta, Romania : Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will embark on a three-nation visit to Serbia, Malta and Romania.In the first leg of his visit, Mr Naidu will reach  Serbia where he will meet the leadership of that country.Several MoUs including in the field of Agriculture and Tourism are expected to be signed during Vice President's visit to these countries.In the second leg of his visit, Mr Naidu will arrive in Malta (on 16th Sep), where he will meet the country's leadership and discuss issues of mutual interest.

3.  Suresh Prabhu to take part in the G-20 meet in Argentina : The Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu will participate in G-20 trade and investment ministerial meeting at Mar del Plata in Argentina.According to Mr Prabhu, Govt of India wants to ensure reforms in WTO but keep it as an engine for global trade.The G20 aims to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Udhayveer Singh wins individual gold in jr. men's 25m pistol event in S Korea : Udhayveer Singh has won an individual Gold Medal in Junior Men's 25-metre pistol event in the World Shooting Championships in South Korea.Udhayveer Singh shot a score of 587 in the individual competition to grab the Gold ahead American Henry Leverett and Korean Lee Jaekyoon.India is placed fourth in the medals tally with 9 Gold, 8 Silver and seven bronze medals for a total of 24.