Daily GK Updates - 24th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Odisha Cabinet gives approval for LC : The Odisha government approved a proposal for setting up a Legislative Council (LC) in the state.The proposed Legislative Council will have 49 members.As per article 171 clause (1) of the Indian Constitution, the total number of members in the Legislative Council of a state shall not exceed one-third of the total number of the members in the Legislative Assembly of that state.

2. UIDAI makes facial recognition mandatory : UIDAI has made facial recognition mandatory for every authentication that requires Aadhaar.This will come along with the process that identifies an individual based on fingerprints or iris scans.Services like purchasing a new mobile SIM, bank account opening, the public distribution system, which commonly uses Aadhaar authentication will now have to implement this added security feature.

3. NITI Aayog launched 5 Thematic Reports : NITI Aayog released five thematic reports on Sustainable Development in Indian Himalayan Region.The themes include Inventory and Revival of Springs in the Himalayas for Water Security, Sustainable Tourism, Transformative Approach to Shifting Cultivation, Strengthening Skill and Entrepreneurship Landscape in the Himalayas.The reports lists challenges in all 5 thematic areas.

4. Train 18 goes for testing from September : The Indian Railways will start the testing of the indigenously built semi-high speed “Train 18” from September 2018.Train 18 will be the first engine-less train of Indian Railways meant for inter-city travel.It is being manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.Train 18 series will replace existing fleet of the Shatabdi Express trains.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Scott Morrison is Australia’s new PM : Scott Morrison will be Australia’s new Prime Minister.Scott Morrison has served as treasurer since 2015.Scott Morrison will be the sixth politician to serve as the country’s Prime Minister since 2007 after ousting incumbent Malcolm Turnbull.Scott Morrison entered parliament in 2007 and has since held three key ministerial portfolios.

2. NASA will launch laser satellite : NASA will be launching a laser satellite that will measure changes in the heights of Earth’s polar ice to understand what is causing ice sheets to melt fast.The name of the satellite is ‘Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2)‘.ICESat-2 will measure the average annual elevation change of land ice covering Greenland and Antarctica.

3. ‘Mountain Echoes Literature Festival’ began : In Bhutan, the ninth edition of Mountain Echoes Literature Festival began in Thimphu.The festival is an initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation and India’s leading literary agency, Siyahi.The 2018 edition of the Festival will celebrate 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India to grow at 7.5% in 2018, 2019 : According to the Moody’s Investors Service’s report, the Indian economy is expected to grow by about 7.5% in 2018 and 2019.The title of the report is ‘Global Macro Outlook‘ for 2018-19.The economy is expected to be largely resilient to external pressures like those from higher oil prices.India’s GDP grew by 7.7% in the first quarter of 2018-19 financial year.

SPORTS:

1. Jhulan Goswami retires from Twenty20 Int : Jhulan Goswami has announced her retirement from Twenty20 Internationals (T20I).In her T20I career she took 56 wickets from 68 matches at an average of 21.94.She made her T20I debut in August 2006 against England.She is the first woman to take 200 wickets in the 50-over format.

2.Dushyant won bronze medal in rowing : Dushyant Chauhan won the bronze medal in the Men’s Lightweight Single Sculls at the Asian Games in Jakarta.Korea and Hong Kong won the gold and silver medals respectively.Dushyant’s previous international medals for India were silver and a bronze in Italian Regatta Championships in 2014.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bhamashah Techno Hub to be inaugurated in Rajasthan : Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the Bhamashah Techno Hub on 23rd August 2018.The hub will provide free space, easier funding avenues and mentorship to startups.The Rajasthan government has already announced setting up of a Rs 500-crore startup fund — Bhamashah Techno Fund.The hub would be able to accommodate over 700 startup ventures.

2. International water colour festival in Ranchi : The international watercolour festival will be organised in Ranchi, Jharkhand.It is organised by the Department of Tourism, Art-Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs.The international watercolour festival aims to bring local artists in touch with the international art and promote the rich art and culture of Jharkhand.The watercolour festival will come to a close on August 27, 2018.

3. ICOMOS launches an initiative in Kerala : The ICOMOS, a global monument conservation body, has launched an initiative to assess the damage to the rich cultural and built heritage in flood-devastated Kerala.The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is a non-government organisation (NGO).ICOMOS is dedicated for conservation of architectural and archaeological heritage across the world.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India seeks revision in price of gas via TAPI : India has sought renegotiation of the natural gas price it is to source through a proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline due to slump in global energy markets.The 4 nations to the pipeline projects had in 2013 signed a gas sale purchase agreement.The gas will be sourced from the Yoloten Usman field, which ranks amongst the five biggest fields in the world.

2. European wind survey satellite launched : A new satellite that will use advanced laser technology to track global winds and improve weather forecasts has been successfully put into orbit.The name of the satellite is “Aeolus” — named after the guardian of wind in Greek mythology.The satellite “will probe the lowermost 30 kilometres of the atmosphere in measuring winds around the Earth.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Ujjivan SFB launches overdraft facility : Ujjivan Small Finance Bank announced the launch of its overdraft facility for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE).The facility is an add-on product to the existing MSE term loans offered by the bank.The bank will offer this facility to all MSEs with a turnover of Rs 50 lakh or more.Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (Ujjivan SFB) started its banking operations in February 2017.

SPORTS:

1. Shardul wins silver in men’s double trap : Shardul Vihan clinched the silver medal in the men’s double trap shooting event at the 18th Asian Games on 23rd August, 2018.Korea’s Shin Hyunwoo clinched the gold medal while Qatar’s Al Marri Hamad Ali bagged the bronze medal.Vihan had grabbed four gold medals at Shotgun Nationals Championship in 2017.

2. David Beckham will receive UEFA Prez’s award : Former England captain David Beckham will receive the UEFA President’s Award for his contribution to football and for promoting the sport around the world.Beckham played for Manchester United, La Galaxy, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris St-Germain.Beckham made 115 appearances for England and won 19 club trophies, including 10 league titles.He will receive the award in Monaco.

OBITUARIES:

1. Veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar passes away : Eminent Indian writer and journalist Kuldip Nayar passed away in New Delhi on August 23, 2018.As a journalist, he has documented in detail, human rights violations by the State.He was also the High Commissioner of India to the U.K. and nominated member of the Rajya Sabha.Nayar worked in several newspapers including as the editor in the Statesman.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kaptan Singh to be new Tripura Governor : Incumbent Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki has been named as the new Governor of Tripura.Tathagata Roy, who was appointed as the governor of Tripura in 2015, would be the new Governor of Meghalaya.Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad has been transferred and appointed as the Governor of Sikkim.

2. Odisha to launch Hockey World Cup campaign : Ahead of the 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup Tournament in the state, Odisha government has decided to launch a build-up campaign in 17 cities from August 29, 2018.Odisha is organising the Men’s Hockey World Cup tournament for the first time.The tournament will begin on November 28, 2018, and will continue till December 16, 2018, at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

3. NCRB to track plaints on sexual violence : The Government of India has designated National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) as nodal agency for monitoring the complaints received on a government portal that records child sexual violence videos.The NCRB would coordinate with service providers such as Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp ask them to block malicious videos and contents.NCRB is a crime record agency of Government of India.

4. Naya Raipur to be named Atal Nagar : The Government of Chhattisgarh decided to name Naya Raipur, the upcoming capital city of the Chhattisgarh, as ‘Atal Nagar‘ in memory of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.Besides the capital, several other government institutions and projects will be named after Vajpayee.Atal Bihari Vajpayee served three terms as the Prime Minister of India.

6. Satya Pal Malik appointed J&K Governor : Satya Pal Malik is set to become the new Jammu and Kashmir Governor and will replace N N Vohra.At present, Satya Pal Malik is the governor of Bihar.Lal Ji Tandon has been appointed as the Governor of Bihar replacing Malik.Satya Pal Malik will be the first career politician to be appointed as governor of the Jammu and Kashmir.

7. Prez to inaugurate “Int Buddhist Conclave” : The President of India Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the “International Buddhist Conclave (IBC), 2018” in New Delhi on 23rd August, 2018.The Conclave is being organized by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the State Governments of Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.The theme of the International Buddhist Conclave 2018 is “Buddha Path – The Living Heritage”.

8. Cyclone Warning Centre to be set up in Kerala : The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has announced it will set up a cyclone warning centre in Kerala and boost weather forecasting in the state with another Doppler radar.The new centre will be set up in Thiruvananthapuram.At present, India Meteorological Centre (IMD) has cyclone warning centres only at Chennai, Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Esala Maha Perehera Festival : Esala Maha Perehera Festival has begun in Kandy ,Sri Lanka.It is one of the oldest Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, featuring dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers and lavishly decorated elephants. This ritual is performed by carrying the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha through the streets and is considered as one of the most beautiful pageants in Asia.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Reliance Jio tops Fortune list : Reliance Jio has been ranked number one on Fortune’s global list for rapidly expanding access to the Internet.The ‘Change the World’ list, which includes for-profit companies that help tackle social problems, was released on 20th August, 2018.It ranked Jio ahead of pharma giant Merck and Bank of America and Chinese billionaire Jack Ma-led Alibaba.

SPORTS:

1. Rahi Sarnobat won gold in shooting : Rahi Sarnobat won the gold medal in in Women’s 25m Pistol shooting at the Asian Games 2018.She also became the first Indian woman shooter to win an Asian Games gold medal.Sarnobat won bronze in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.In the Commonwealth Games, she has won three medals till date – gold (2010, 2014) and silver (2010).

2. FIFA takes charge of Uruguay FA : Football’s world governing body FIFA has taken control of the Uruguayan Football Association (UFA)The FIFA committee would be responsible for managing the affairs of the UFA through to February 28, 2019 and would revise the organisation’s statues and arrange new elections.Uruguayan football has been in crisis since July 30, after the sudden resignation of its chief.

3. V.V.S. Laxman’s autobiography to be out soon : A book titled ‘281 and Beyond‘, which has been written by VVS Laxman, will be published on 20 November 2018.The title has been borrowed from the match in which he made 281 runs against Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2001.Laxman made his debut for India in 1996 in a Test match.Laxman announced his retirement from international cricket in 2012.

4. Shane Warne to come out with autobiography : Shane Warne will come out with his autobiography “No Spin” in October 2018.The autobiography is written with cricketer and TV presenter Mark Nicholas.Shane Warne is widely regarded as one of the finest bowlers in the history of the game.He played his first Test match in 1992 and took over 1,000 international wickets.

Daily GK Updates - 21st August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sports should be made a Fundamental Right : The Supreme Court issued a notice to Centre, state governments and Union Territories on a PIL seeking directions to make sports a part of the Fundamental Rights.The PIL said that sports should be included among academics.There should be a compulsory provision for sports in the school budget which should be utilised for sports activity only.

2. NGT constitutes ‘independent body’ : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted an “independent body” to decide Vedanta Limited’s plea challenging the Tamil Nadu government’s order to close the Sterlite copper plant at Thoothukudi.NGT Chairperson directed the committee to assume charge in two weeks and submit a report within six weeks.The committee will be headed by a retired judge.

3. September to be observed as Nutrition Month :  September will be observed as Nutrition Month with the aim of reaching every household with the message of nutrition — ‘har ghar poshan tyohar’.The month-long intensive campaign will promote antenatal care, breastfeeding, fight anemia, convey messages about the importance of nutrition for girls and the right age of marriage and also promote hygiene and sanitation.

4. TP Sharma appointed as New chief of Lokayukta : Retired judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court TP Sharma was appointed the new chief Lokayukta of the Chattisgarh.Sharma will head the Chhattisgarh Lok Ayog, set up to deal with corruption cases against public servants.Sharma, the state’s fourth chief Lokayukta, will succeed Justice (retired) Shambhu Nath Shrivastava, who was appointed to the post on August 14, 2013.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Iran unveils first domestic fighter jet : Iran unveiled its first domestic fighter jet at a defence show in Tehran.The fighter jet called Kowsar is capable of carrying various weapons and will be used for short aerial support missions.It is a fourth-generation fighter, with “advanced avionics” and multi-purpose radar.The new fighter jet has passed all tests.

2. First-ever IAF-RMAF joint air exercise : The first-ever joint air exercise involving the Indian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Air Force commenced on 20th August 2018 at Subang Air Base in Malaysia.The exercise in Malaysia will be called Exercise Elang Shakti.The IAF contingent landed at the Subang Air Base in Malaysia comprises of C-17, C-130 and Su-30 aircraft.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Paytm launches AI Cloud for India :  One97 Communications Limited has partnered Alibaba to launch artificial intellingence-based cloud computing platform ‘Paytm AI Cloud for India’ for developers, startups and enterprises.The company said Paytm AI Cloud processes and stores all their consumer data locally in servers located only in India.The platform offers business-centric apps for organisations.

DEFENCE:

1. INS Khanjar visits Yangon, Myanmar : INS Khanjar a Missile Corvette of Indian Navy was on a three-day visit to Yangon, Myanmar from August 18-20.INS Khanjar (P-47) is a Khukri-class Missile Corvette and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 22 October, 1991.INS Khanjar is part of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam.

SPORTS:

1. Sanjeev Rajput wins silver in Rifle shooting : Indian shooter Sanjeev Rajput clinched a silver medal in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the 18th Asian Games on 21st August, 2018.China won the gold medal with a score of 453.3 while Japan bagged the bronze medal with 441.4.Rajput had won the gold medal at the 50m rifle 3 positions in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018.

2. Saurabh Chaudhary wins 10m air pistol gold : Saurabh Chaudhary won the gold medal in pistol shooting at the Asian Games 2018 on 21st August 2018.Saurabh Chaudhary became only the fifth Indian shooter to claim a gold in the Asian Games history.Shooters have won 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze of the 7 medals India has 

3. Vinesh Phogat wins India’s second gold : Vinesh Phogat won a gold medal in wrestling at the Asian Games 2018.This is Vinesh’s second medal at the Asian Games, having picked up the bronze medal at Incheon in 2014.She also became the fifth Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in wrestling, and the first among those to clinch gold.

Daily GK Updates - 20th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Gen Dalbir Singh awarded ‘Legion of Merit’ : Former Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag has been awarded United States (US) ‘Legion of Merit‘ (LOM).The award was given to Singh for exceptionally meritorious service as Chief of Army Staff from August 2014 to December 2016.The LOM is issued to members of the seven uniformed services of the United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign governments.

2. SS Mundra appointed Independent Director : Subhash Sheoratan Mundra has been appointed as Independent Director on the Board of Indiabulls Housing Finance for a period of three years.SS Mundra was the Chairman of Bank of Baroda and an Executive Director at Union Bank of India.SS Mundra was the former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and left the RBI in July 2017.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Greece exits final bailout successfully : According to European Stability Mechanism (ESM), Greece has successfully exited its final, 3-year bailout programme, agreed in August 2015 to help it cope with the continued fallout from a debt crisis.The ESM has disbursed 61.9 billion euros over 3 years in support of macroeconomic adjustment and bank recapitalisation.The ESM is a European Union agency that provides financial assistance.

2. World Mosquito Day observed on 20th August : World Mosquito Day is observed every year on August 20.World Mosquito Day is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans.The day intends to raise awareness regarding what all causes malaria and ways to prevent it.The day is celebrated by The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

3. India, Thailand military drill concludes : The armies of India and Thailand have concluded their two-week joint exercise ‘Maitree 2018’ in Thailand on 19th August 2018.Exercise Maitree is an annual event designed to strengthen the partnership between Royal Thai Army and Indian Army.The exercise commenced on August 6, 2018 in Thailand.

OTHER UPDATES:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY :

1.First 4D printing for ceramics developed : Scientists have successfully developed the world’s first 4D printing for ceramics, that can be used to create complex, shape-changing objects.4D printing is conventional 3D printing combined with the additional element of time as the fourth dimension.The printed objects can re-shape or self-assemble themselves over time with external stimuli, such as mechanical force, temperature.

DEFENCE:

1. India building new fighter jet : The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s next indigenous fighter, is expected to make its first flight by 2032.The aircraft will have a low radar cross-section, making it difficult for the enemy to spot it.This is India’s only fifth generation aircraft programme.The AMCA will feature geometric stealth and will initially fly with two GE-414 engines

2. Successful flight test of ATGM ‘HELINA’ : Indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) HELINA has been successfully tested in the ranges of Pokhran.

The missile is guided by an Infrared Imaging Seeker (IIR) operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode.It is one of the most advanced Anti-Tank Weapons in the world.

The HELINA missile will be a part of the Army’s weaponry.

SPORTS:

1. Rishabh Pant creates history on debut : Rishabh Pant became the fourth Indian wicket-keeper to take five catches on debut.He achieved this feat on Day 2 of the third Test against England at Trent Bridge.He also became the third in the world to take five catches in an innings on Test debut.Besides Rishab, the two other cricketers to achieve this feat are – Australia’s Brian Taber and his compatriot John Maclean.

2. India opens medal count with bronze in Rifle : Apurvi Chandela and Ravi Kumar won the bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on 19th August 2018.Chinese Taipei won the gold medal while China won the silver medal.Kumar had earlier won team gold at the 2014 Asian Games and individual bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while Chandela won gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

3. Bajrang Punia won gold in wrestling : Bajrang Punia won the gold medal in the 65 kg freestyle wrestling event at Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on 19th August 2018.Bajrang Punia beat Japan’s Daichi Takatani.This is India’s first gold medal of the 2018 Asian Games.He had won a silver medal in the 61 kg category in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

4. Deepak Kumar wins silver medal : Deepak Kumar clinched India’s third medal at the Asian Games 2018 by winning the silver medal in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle category in Jakarta on 20th August 2018.Deepak Kumar had earlier won the bronze medal at the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Mexico in the 10-metre air rifle mixed team event.China’s Haoran Yang won the gold with an Asian Games.

Daily GK Updates - 19th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Railway Ministry launches ‘Digital Screens’ at 22 stations : The Railways Ministry has made “digital screens” operational at 22 stations as an innovative low-cost solution to spread awareness among the public about the opulent heritage of Indian Railways.the project aims at showcasing the legacy of Indian Railways through one to two-minute-long movie clips.The short films will showcase heritage buildings, locomotives and much more to make people aware of the rich heritage of Indian Railways.

2. Telangana Government launches Disaster Response Force in Hyderabad : Telangana Govt. has launched its own Disaster Response Force (DRF) vehicles in Hyderabad to swiftly deal with emergency situations.DRF vehicles provided to this force will be parked at 24 locations with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).It will help DRF staff to reach the emergency spots in no time.Disaster Response Force (DRF) is a state level dedicated disaster force trained in tackling of urban flooding, tree falls, structural collapses and any other site of normal emergencies.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.19^th August: World Humanitarian Day observed today : The World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is observed across the world every year on 19th August to recognize the work of humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes.The day provides an opportunity to celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the globe.The 2018 World Humanitarian Day campaign: #NotATarget

2.19^th August:  World Photography Day being observed today : The 'World Photography Day' observed to inspire photographers across the planet to share a single photo with the world.On this day, camera persons take stock of the different kind of photography that has come to the fore.On August 19 in 2010, World Photo Day hosted its first global online gallery.

3. Sushma Swaraj inaugurates ‘Panini language laboratory in Mauritius : The External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated 'Panini Language Laboratory' at Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) at Port Louis in Mauritius.She called on Pravind Kumar Jagnauth (Prime Minister of Mauritius) and discussed further deepening of the special ties between the two nations.The Lab has been gifted by the Government of India to help MGI in the teaching of all Indian languages in Mauritius.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Infosys CFO Ranganath resigns : The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Infosys (India’s second-largest software services company) ‘MD Ranganath’ has abruptly stepped down from his position.Deputy CFO at Infosys Jayesh Sanghrajka is likely to replace Mr. Ranganath as the company’s next finance chief.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY :

1.India successfully tests indigenously Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ in Pokhran : Indigenously-developed guided bombs- Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon and anti-tank guided missile 'Helina' has been successfully tested at separate firing ranges in Rajasthan.The weapon system tested for its full range was released smoothly from the launch platform.The indigenously designed and developed guided bombs Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) has been also successfully flight tested from IAF aircraft at Chandan range in Jaisalmer.

SPORTS:

1.Mitchell Johnson announces retirement from all forms of Cricket : Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson has announced the retirement from all forms of cricket.Johnson played 73 Tests in the Baggy Green, claiming 313 wickets (the fourth most for an Australian).He also played 153 ODIs before retiring from international cricket in 2015.Johnson was awarded the International Cricket Council's Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year) in 2009.

OBITUARIES:

1. Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan passes away : Former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize winner ‘Kofi Atta Annan’ (80-years) passes away after a short unspecified illness.Ghanaian diplomat Mr Annan served as the 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations (January 1997 to December 2006).Mr Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the UN in 2001 "for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world"

Daily GK Updates - 18th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tigress released into Satkosia Tiger Reserve : A female tiger, brought from Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve was released in Satkosia Tiger Reserve.The name of the tigress is ‘Sundari’.A male tiger was also brought from Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha National Park to Satkosia Tiger Reserve.Satkosia Tiger Reserve is a tiger reserve located in the Angul district of Odisha.

2. East-Coast freight corridor to come in 2019 : India’s third freight corridor is likely to come up between Kharagpur and Vijaywada sections.The project, which is also called the East Coast Corridor, will be 1,114 km in length and is part of the Golden Quadrilateral project of Indian Railways.The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd has sent a proposal to Indian Railways to undertake the 3rd freight corridor project.

3. IRCTC partners with PhonePe : Mobile payment platform PhonePe has partnered with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to facilitate digital payment on the IRCTC Rail Connect Android app.The partnership will enable over 100 million PhonePe users to use their bank accounts to pay for their travel booking directly via UPI, credit and debit cards, and PhonePe digital wallets.PhonePe is owned by Flipkart.

4. Govt launches ‘Digital northeast vision’ : The Central Government launched the ‘Digital Northeast Vision Document 2022’ in Guwahati.North East Indian region has become the newest member of the Centre’s flagship programme ‘Digital India’ initiative.‘Digital Northeast India Vision 2022’ envisages in implementing the initiative throughout the North East through optimum utilization of information, communication, and technology.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Delhi official wins WHO award : Delhi government’s additional director of health S K Arora has been awarded the prestigious WHO World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control.Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has come down by 6.5% in the past six years.The National Health Policy 2017 has set targets of relative reduction in tobacco prevalence by 15% by 2020 and 30% by 2025.

2. United States forms Iran Action Group : Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, has announced the creation of the Iran Action Group (IAG).IAG is a dedicated group to coordinate and run the US’s policy towards Iran following President Donald Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from a multinational nuclear deal with Tehran.Brian Hook, the Department of State’s director of policy planning, has been appointed as its head.

3. Ibrahim re-elected as president of Mali : President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected as President of Mali after beating opposition candidate.Keita will serve his second five-year term as Malian leader.Keita will take office on September 4, 2018.Mali is a landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups where the majority of people live on less than $2 a day.

4. Imran Khan takes oath as Pakistan PM : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on 18th August, 2018 took oath as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan.The oath-taking ceremony was administered by Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain.In the July 25, 2018 general elections, the PTI had emerged as the single largest party with 116 seats.

5. McQueen to receive BAFTA’s Britannia Award : British director Steve McQueen will receive BAFTA’s John Schlesinger Britannia Award.McQueen, who won an Oscar for 12 Years a Slave, would be this year’s recipient of the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for excellence in directing.The award’s previous recipients include Danny Boyle, Christopher Nolan, and Quentin Tarantino.

6. 11th World Hindi Conference begins : The 11th World Hindi Conference, an event aimed at expanding the reach of the Hindi language at a global level, was inaugurated in Mauritius on 18th August, 2018.The theme of the conference for the year 2018 is “Hindi World and Indian Culture”.World Hindi Conference was started in 1975 to make the Hindi language a medium of service and knowledge.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Infosys CFO MD Ranganath resigns : IT major Infosys said its Chief Financial Officer M D Ranganath has resigned from the company.Ranganath will continue in his current position till November 16, 2018.Ranganath had taken over the said role after the then CFO Rajiv Bansal had quit in 2015.Ranganath has worked at Infosys for 18 years.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. MSME credit growth slowed during note ban : According to Reserve Bank of India’s report, credit growth in the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector declined during the demonetisation phase.Bank credit to MSMEs increased on average by 8.5% year on year during the June quarter of fiscal year 2018-19.MSMEs face constraints in accessing credit through formal channels because about 97% of them operate in the informal sector.

DEFENCE:

1. U.S. imposes sanctions on Myanmar military : The United States imposed sanctions on four Myanmar military and police commanders and two army units.The sanctions were imposed for their involvement in human rights abuses against the country’s Rohingya Muslims.The sanctions marked the toughest US action so far in response to Myanmar’s crackdown on the Rohingya minority which started in 2017.

SPORTS:

1.UAE all set to host Asia Cup 2018 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) signed an agreement for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to host the prestigious Asia Cup.The Asia Cup 2018 will have cricket teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.The tournament will be held from September 15 to September 28 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

2. India won silver medal at cycling C’ship : Teen cyclist Esow Alben won the silver medal at the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Switzerland.This is India’s first-ever medal at any cycling World Championships.Alban became the Junior World No. 1 this July 2018 after becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Asian Junior Track Cycling Championships.

3. Asian Games begin in Jakarta : The 18th edition of the Asian Games officially kicked off in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on 18th August 2018.Asian Games 2018, also known as Jakarta Palembang 2018, starting from August 18 will end on September 2, 2018, in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.It is the second time for Jakarta to host the sports games after 1962.