Daily GK Updates - 18th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s first woman IAS officer passes away : India’s first woman IAS officer (after Independence) Anna Rajam Malhotra (91-year) passed away in Mumbai.Anna Rajam Malhotra joined civil services in 1951 and opted for the Madras cadre under then Chief Minister C. Rajagopalachari.She later married R.N. Malhotra, who served as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (from 1985 to 1990).

2. first ever India tourism Mart 2018 : Union Minister for Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 'first ever' India Tourism Mart (ITM 2018) in New DelhiThe India Tourism Mart is being organized by the Ministry of Tourism from 16th to 18th September 2018, in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with support of State /UT Governments.

3. PM launches development projects in Varanasi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched various development projects worth over Rs 500 crore in his Lok Sabha constituency. The projects include Integrated Power Development Scheme for Puraani Kashi and Atal Incubation Centre at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India & Malta sign three MoUs in the fields of Maritime Cooperation, Tourism and Training  : India and Malta have signed three MoUs in the fields of Maritime Cooperation, Tourism and Training after delegation-level talks between Venkaiah Naidu (Vice President) and Ms. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca (President of Malta).Mr. Naidu is in Malta in the second phase of his visit to three European countries

2. PM Modi and Sheikh Hasina jointly flag off construction of Indo-Bangla pipeline project : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina (Prime Minister of Bangladesh) has jointly flagged off the construction of India-Bangladesh Friendship Product Pipeline Project through video conferencing.The 130-kilometer pipeline will connect Siliguri (West Bengal- India) and Parbatipur (Dinajpur district of Bangladesh).The estimated project cost will be 346 crore rupees and it will be completed in 30-month time.The capacity of the pipeline will be 1 million metric tons per annum.

3. Japan conducts the first submarine drill in disputed South China Sea : Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the disputed South China Sea, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters.The anti-submarine drill was conducted in the region to improve strategic techniques.

4. India & Sri Lanka sign MoU for construction temp-controlled warehouse in Dambulla : India and Sri Lanka have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for construction of a 5000-metric ton temperature-controlled warehouse (for fruits and vegetables) in Dambulla of Central Province.The warehouse will be constructed with an Indian grant assistance of 30 crore Sri Lankan rupees.

5. Moutaz Mousa Abdallah becomes Sudan’s new Prime Minister : Moutaz Mousa Abdallah (51-years) has become Sudan’s new Prime Minister.A 21-member cabinet was sworn in at the presidential palace in Khartoum.Earlier, he served as Minister of Irrigation and Electricity.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. PayU India gets RBI approval to operate its own NBFC : PayU India has received Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval to operate its own non-banking financial company (NBFC).It will help PayU promote inclusive growth in the country by catering to the diverse financial needs of various segments of the society.The approval from the central bank is subject to “certain pending RBI compliance

SPORTS:

1. China Open Badminton tournament kicks off at Changzhou today : The China Open Badminton tournament kicks off at Olympic Sports Center Xincheng Gymnasium in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China.Indian shuttlers will also figure in Men's, Women's and Mixed Doubles categories.Ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will be seen in action in the Singles opening round.

Daily GK Updates - 17th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Hyderabad gets India’s first dog park : Hyderabad is set to get country’s first exclusive dog park.The park, which is spread over in 1.3 acres, has been developed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation at cost of Rs. 1.1 crore.The park also has dog training and exercise equipments.

2. U.P. to launch first-ever dial-FIR : The Uttar Pradesh Police are set to launch a first of its kind dial-FIR scheme in the country.In this scheme, a common man can register regular crimes without going to a police station.The scheme will also prepare an online photographic dossier of criminals that will be provided to policemen on 22,000 new i-pads.Besides this, the UP Police is also expanding the counter-terror combat and response grid in the State by training over 100 fresh commandos in special skills including a maiden batch of women personnel

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-US military exercise begins in Uttarakhand India and US armies on Sunday began a two-week joint military exercise in Uttarakhand to hone their tactical and technical skills in countering insurgency and terrorism in a United Nation peacekeeping scenario.Battalion-strong Army personnel from the US and an equal number from India are participating in 'Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2018' at Chaubattia in Almora district.. Inaugural Edition of Bimstec Milex-18 Culminates at PuneThe Inaugural Edition of the BIMSTEC Nations Military Field Training Exercise i.e. MILEX - 2018 culminated on 16 September 18 after a Validation Exercise and an impressive Closing Ceremony held at Foreign Training Node, Aundh Military Station, Pune. 

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. NABARD Approves Rs 65,635 crore Loan For 93 Irrigation Projects : The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has approved Rs 65,634.93 crore loan so far to 93 prioritised irrigation projects under the government’s flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).The Nabard is funding the central and state share of 99 prioritised irrigation projects under the PMKSY through long term irrigation fund (LTIF). It is mandated to provide Rs 70,000 crore loan to these projects to be completed by 2019.

2.Centre announces merger of Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda : Moving ahead with consolidation of public sector banks, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced the merger of Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank. The merged entity or amalgamated bank would be India’s third largest.There will be no adverse impact on employees of merged entity, the Finance Minister added.Department of Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar said that the new bank will be strong competitive bank with economies of scale.

3.SBI Appoints Prashant Kumar As CFO : The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced Prashant Kumar as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He also worked as Chief General Manager, Kolkata circle and General Manager in Mumbai Circ

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Second Flight Test of MPATGM Successfulndigenously developed Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), was successfully flight tested for the second time from the Ahmednagar range.All the mission objectives have been met.The two missions on 15 and 16 September 2018 have been successfully flight tested for different ranges including the maximum range capability

 2.ISRO launches two British earth observation satellites onboard PSLV-C42The Indian Space Research Organization has launched its heavy-weight rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), into orbit carrying two earth observation satellites of Britain’s Surrey Satellite Technology Limited.PSLV-C42 is carrying two earth observation satellites of Britain’s Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), NovaSAR and S1-4, weighing 450 kg each

SPORTS:

1.  Ahmet Comert Tournament: India's 3 boxers clinch gold medals : Simranjit Kaur (64kg), Monika (48- kg) & Bhagyabati Kachari (81- kg) claimed gold medals as Indian boxers notched up an impressive seven podium finishes at the Ahmet Comert Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey.Simranjit defeated Turkey’s Sema Caliskan to win the Gold.Monika beat Ayse Cagirer (Turkey) to win the gold medal.

2. Sakshi Malik settles for the silver medal at Medved Intl wrestling : Rio Olympics Bronze medalist Sakshi Malik settled for a Silver medal in 62 kg category at the Medved International Wrestling tournament at Minsk, Belarus.Sakshi lost to Hungary's Marianna Sastin, 2-6 to finish second best.

Daily GK Updates - 16th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Insurance gets new CMD : Tajinder Mukherjee has been appointed as the new chairmen-cum-managing directors of National Insurance Company Limited (NIC).Earlier, she was the General Manager and Chief Underwriting Officer of New India Assurance.She took charge from 14^th Septembe

2. World chefs' Congress on Oct 12-14 in Amritsar : The World Cultural Culinary Heritage Committee will hold the first edition of the World Heritage Cuisine Summit and food festival at the Qila Gobindgarh in Amritsar (12-14^th October 2018).The summit will celebrate traditional cuisine with live demonstrations, food tasting, presentations, panel discussions, master classes by chefs from around the world in the holy city.

3.  HM Rajnath Singh inaugurates pilot project of smart fencing along Indo-Pak Border in Jammu : The Union Home Minister ‘Rajnath Singh’ has inaugurated the ‘pilot project’ of smart fencing’ along the Indo-Pak International Border in Jammu.The Union Home Minister also visited Command Control Centres’ and Border Out Posts’ along the Indo-Pak International Border in Jammu sector.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 16th September: International Day for Preservation of Ozone Layer : The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is being observed every year on 16th September for the preservation of the Ozone Layer.The Ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun and thus helping preserve life on the planet.This year, the theme for the Day is ‘Keep Cool and Carry On: The Montreal Protocol’.

2.  Jaipur literature festival begins in Houston : The Jaipur Literature Festival (the world’s largest free literary gathering) has begun in Houston at the Asia Society of Texas. The festival started with a soulful music performance by Indian Sufi singer ‘Zila Khan’.The inaugural session also saw Congress leader and writer Shashi Tharoor discuss his book “Why i am a Hindu” with writer Namita Gokhale

3. Super Typhoon Mangkhut hits China's Guangdong province : Super Typhoon ‘Mangkhut’ slammed into China's southern Guangdong province.The typhoon made a landfall into the coast of Jiangmen city in Guangdong province, packing winds up to 162 km per hour after leaving a trail of destruction in Hong Kong.

OTHER UPDATES:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. ISRO successfully launches PSLV C 42 with two British earth observation satellites : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C 42 with two British earth observation satellites ‘NovaSAR’ and ‘S1-4’ from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.The satellites were put into sun-synchronous orbit just over 17 minutes after lift-off from the first launch pad.With the successful launch of two British satellites on Sunday, the total number of foreign satellites launched by India goes up to 239.

SPORTS:

1.  MC Mary Kom clinches the gold medal at Silesian Open boxing in Poland

Indian five-time world boxing champion M C Mary Kom clinched her third gold medal of the year in 48 kg category.Mary Kom was up against Kazakhstan's Aigerim Kassanayeva and prevailed 5-0 with a fine tactical performance.Jyoti Gulia picked up the country's lone gold in 51 kg of the youth category of the Silesian Open boxing Tournament for women in Gliwice, Poland.

2. Maldives defeats India to lift SAFF Cup : Maldives have lifted the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup 2018 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.The Maldives defeated India (defending champions) 2-1.The win for the Maldives comes 10 years after their first SAFF Cup title in 2008.

OBITUARIES:

1.Noted Malayalam actor Captain Raju passes away : Noted Malayalam actor ‘Captain Raju’(68-year) passed away at his residence near Palarivattom, Kochi.Some of his popular movies include Nadodikattu, Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha and Pavam Krooran.He had also acted in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada movies.

Daily GK Updates - 15th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 15th September: Engineer’s Day : Engineers’ Day is celebrated on 15th September every year in India commemorating the birthday of one of the greatest engineers in India, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya.Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was an Indian engineer, scholar, statesman and the Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918.He is a recipient of the Indian’s highest honour, the Bharat Ratna (1955)

2.  Samsung opens world's largest mobile experience centre in Bengaluru : Samsung has now opened its biggest experience centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka.Earlier, the world's largest mobile phone-manufacturing factory has been launched in Noida in July 2018,Opera House (33,000 sq ft iconic building) has been given a facelift to showcase Samsung's mobile devices and other consumer electronic products.

3. Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi's Mira Award to Sawai Singh Shekhawat : Poet and writer Sawai Singh Shekhawat will be honoured with Meera Puruskar by Rajasthan Sahitya Academy for his contribution to Hindi literature.Shekhawat was selected for the Meera award to his poetic works, 'Nij Kavi Dhatu BAchai Maine.

4.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi  launches Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign : Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the mega countrywide Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign (fortnight campaign) through video conferencing and interact with a cross-section of people from 18 locations across the country.The objective of the campaign is to mobilise people and reinforce the public movement for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a Clean India.The campaign will accelerate the momentum of Swachh Bharat in the run-up to its 4th anniversary on 2nd of October.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Democracy Day being observed today : The International Day of Democracy is being observed across the world on 15th September every year to raise awareness about the democratic system.The theme of 2018 is ‘Democracy under Strain: Solutions for a Changing World’.This year’s International Day of Democracy is an opportunity to look for ways to invigorate democracy and seek answers to the systemic challenges it faces.

2.India, Iran and Afghanistan hold a Tripartite meeting to consolidate cooperation : India, Iran and Afghanistan held their first tripartite meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan.The Indian delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale while the Iranian team was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.Afghan deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai chaired the meeting.The objective of the meeting is the implementation of the Chabahar port project and a host of other issues including ways to deepen counter-terror cooperation were discussed.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Federal Bank inks MoU with Infopark Kakkanad : Federal Bank has executed MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Infopark Kakkanad for leasing space in their campus.The Bank has already obtained in principle approval of the Reserve Bank of India for the creation of a subsidiary company.The proposed company will integrate and handle all the back-end operations of the Bank.

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.

Daily GK Updates - 13th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Assam govt to distribute over 1 lakh pump sets to double farmers’ income by 2022 : According to Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, the state government will distribute over 1 lakh pump sets to double the farmers’ income by 2022.The pump sets will be distributed under NABARD’s Rural Infrastructure Development Project.

2. Haryana Signs MoU with Indian Oil for Ethanol plan : The Haryana government has signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to set up an ethanol plant in Panipat with an outlay of over Rs 900 crore.The initiative with a proposed capacity of 100 kilolitres of ethanol per day will manage crop residue and prevent straw burning before the upcoming paddy season.

The pact will be valid for one year.

3. Andhra Pradesh launches E-Rythu to boost cashless farm ecosystem :The Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has launched a mobile platform, e-Rythu (e-farmer in Telugu) to enable small-scale farmers to market their produce at reasonable prices.The platform has been developed by global payments and technology company Mastercard.

4. Tamil Nadu govt bans e-cigarettes in state : The Tamil Nadu government has banned e-cigarettes in the state, it is a myth that it is less harmful than Beedis and cigarettes.The ban covers distribution, trade, display, marketing, advertisement, use, import and possession of e-cigarettes.According to the recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey showed that 20% of people in Tamil Nadu (31% men and 9.8% women) use tobacco.The e-cigarette is a battery run an electronic device that tries to create the feeling of tobacco smoking.

5. Assam CM Sonowal inaugurates Indo-Bhutan Border Centre : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated the Indo-Bhutan Border Centre at Darranga in Assam's Baksa district to strengthen bilateral trade with the neighbouring country.The Centre has decided to construct 264 km of border roads touching four BTAD districts of the state.

6. Manoj Jhalani selected for UNIATF Award : Shri Manoj Jhalani has been conferred with the prestigious UN Interagency Task Force (UNIATF) Award for his outstanding contribution towards prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and related Sustainable Development Goals.Mr Jhalani is the Additional Secretary & Mission Director (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sushma Swaraj embarks on a two-day visit to Moscow : The union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj embarked on a two-day visit to Moscow to hold the meeting of the 23rd India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Technical and Economic Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).Mrs Swaraj will co-chair the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Yuri Borisov.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.  CCEA approves 25 per cent hike in ethanol price : According to the Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved over 25% hike in the price of ethanol produced directly from sugarcane juice for blending in petrol.The procurement price of ethanol derived from 100 % sugarcane juice to 59 rupees 13 paise per litre (current rate - 47 rupees 13 paise).The price for ethanol produced from B-heavy molasses has been hiked to 52 rupees 43 paise a litre(current rate- 47 rupees 13 paise).

2.  Retail inflation fell to 10-month low of 3.69 per cent in August : Retail inflation fell to a 10-month low of 3.69% in August on the back of easing prices of fruits, vegetables and other food items.The Consumer Price Index-based inflation was at 4.17 per cent in July.Retail inflation means the increase in prices of certain products or commodities compared to a base price.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. HDFC Life elevates Vibha Padalkar as MD and CEO : HDFC Life has appointed ‘Vibha Padalkar’ as its new managing director(MD) and CEO for a period of three years.Currently, Vibha Padalkar is the executive director and chief financial officer of HDFC Standard Life Insurance.She is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India(ICAI).

SPORTS:

1. Sardar Singh announces retirement from international Hockey : Former India Hockey captain Sardar Singh  has announced his retirement from international hockey after an illustrious career spanning 12 years.He (usually plays the centre-half position) made over 350 international appearances for India and captained the national team from 2008 to 2016.

Daily GK Updates - 12th September, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Piyush Goyal launches a web portal ‘Rail Sahyog’ : The Union Railways Minister Shri Piyush Goyal launched a web portal railsahyog.in.The web portal will provide a platform for the Corporates and PSUs to contribute to the creation of amenities at/near Railway Stations through Corporate Social Responsibility funds.This portal will not only be beneficial for passengers but also for a neighbourhood of Railway vicinity.

2. First ever Bihar-Nepal bus service launched : The Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar flagged off the first bus service between Bihar and NepalThe service will link Bodh Gaya & Patna (in Bihar) to Kathmandu & Janakpur (in Nepal).The bus service was commissioned following an agreement between India and Nepal.Bus services from Kathmandu to Bodhgaya will be started by the Government of Nepal on the 13th of Sept.

3. India's first railway university starts operations in Vadodara : The National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) has started operations this week.A total of 103 students formed the first batch of this unique institute.This year it has started with two UG courses.

4.  NITI Aayog, Intel and TIFR collaborate for Model International Center for Transformative AI : NITI Aayog, Intel, and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) are collaborating to set up a Model International Center for Transformative Artificial Intelligence (ICTAI) towards developing and deploying AI-led application-based research projects.The initiative is part of NITI Aayog’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence discussion paper that focuses on establishing ICTAI through private sector collaboration.

5. 1st regional workshop on RERA inaugurated by Hardeep Puri in Pune :

The union Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated the first regional workshop on RERA (Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act) in Pune.It was launched in 2016 is aimed at consumer protection, by creating an online system for information sharing in the real estate sector.It allows states to set up the Regulatory Authority and the Appellate

6. Apsara-U research reactor becomes operational at BARC : According to the Department of Atomic Energy, Apsara is now operational as 'Apsara-U' on Trombay campus of Maharashtra.Apsara is the first research reactor in Asia that worked nearly five decades before shutting down in 2009.The reactor can also be used for research and production of radioisotopes for medical application and would also be extensively used for research in nuclear physics, material science and radiation shielding.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-born student Rajalakshmi Nandakumar to get 2018 ‘Young Scholar’ award : An Indian-born women scholar in the US ‘Rajalakshmi Nandakumar’ has been chosen for the 2018 ‘Young Scholar’ award for her work to help detect potentially life-threatening health issues using smartphones.She has been selected for the 2018 Marconi society Paul Baran Young Scholar award.

2. INDO-US joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas 2018 : The two-week long, joint military training Exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas 2018’ (14th edition) is scheduled to be conducted in the foothills of Himalayas at Chaubattia in Uttarakhand. (16 - 29 September 2018).The joint exercise Yudh Abhyas 2018 will simulate a scenario where both nations will work together in counter insurgency and counter terrorism environment in mountainous terrain under United Nation charter.It will witness participation of about 350 personnel of the US Army and similar strength of the Indian Army.

3. Dubai to host India-UAE Partnership Summit : The Two-day 2^nd India-UAE Partnership Summit (IUPS) will be held in Dubai (30^th from October).The India-UAE Partnership Summit is being organised by the Business Leaders Forum (BLF) in partnership with the consulate.According to the Consul General of India in Dubai, Vipul, the second edition of the IUPS is being organised by the BLF this year in partnership with the consulate.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Asiad gold medallist Amit Panghal nominated for Arjuna award : Indian boxer Amit Panghal (Asian Games gold medal-winner) has been nominated for this year's Arjuna awards by the Boxing Federation of India.Amit joined Sonia Lather and Gaurav Bidhuri in the list of boxing nominees for the second highest sporting honour after the Khel Ratna.Amit claimed the light flyweight (49kg) category gold after defeating reigning Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan in the Asiad final.