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CURRENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY PDF OCTOBER 2017
AWARDS AND HONOURS
NAME OF THE AWARD AWARD WINNER KEY POINTS TO NOTE Jeffrey C Hall, Michael For their work on internal biological clocks 2017 Nobel Prize in Medicine Rosbash and Michael W known as the circadian rhythm. Young Jacques Dubochet, Joachim 2017 Chemistry Nobel award Frank and Richard For developing cryo-electron microscopy Henderson Rainer Weiss For decisive contributions to the LIGO 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics Kip Thorne detector and the observation of gravitational Award Barry Barish waves In novels of great emotional force, has 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature Kazuo Ishiguro (Japan) uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense Award of connection with the world For its work to draw attention to the International Campaign to catastrophic humanitarian consequences of Abolish Nuclear Weapons 2017 Nobel Prize in Peace Award any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground- (ICAN) (founded in breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based Australia) prohibition of such weapons 2017 Nobel Prize in Economic Richard H. Thaler (USA) For contributions to behavioural economics Sciences Award The award given in the memory of a slain Gauri Lankesh Anna Politkovskaya Award Russian reporter and political activist Germany’s Highest Civilian Rajesh Nath He is Managing Director of VDMA India Honour Mathrubhumi Literary M K Sanu He is Eminent critic, biographer and orator Award Padma Prabha Puraskaram Prabha Varma He is eminent poet, lyricist and journalist For his first full-length novel Lincoln in the 2017 Man Booker Prize George Saunders Bardo Swachh Bharat Inter-Ministerial Ministry of Petroleum & ─ Award Natural Gas NASSCOM Customer Service CSS Corporation India’s premier IT industry body Excellence Award 2017 Set up by the International Society for Krishna Green platinum award The Govardhan Eco Village Consciousness (ISKCON) Alka Yagnik and Udit Lata Mangeshkar Award ─ Narayan For her sensor that can detect lead levels in America’s Top Young Scientist Gitanjali Rao water For Global Leadership in Public Service and Golden Peacock Award N Chandrababu Naidu Economic Transformation Lifetime Achievement Award by the PHD Chamber of Commerce Sharmila Tagore For her contribution in the field of cinema and Industry He is Chairman of Film and Television Pramod Mahajan Smriti Award Anupam Kher Institute of India He is veteran writer-lyricist Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award Javed Akhtar
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European Union’s Sakharov Venezuela’s democratic For a peaceful transition to democracy Prize opposition
APPOINTMENTS
NAME DEPT/FIELD Ramesh Narayan President of the India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) Brenda Hale First female president of UK’s supreme court Soumya Swaminathan Deputy director-general, World Health Organization (WHO) Param Shah Director of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Rajnish Kumar Chairman of State Bank of India Zafar Mahmood Abbasi Pakistan’s New Navy Chief Ashish Srivastava MD & CEO of PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd (PNB MetLife) Sandeep Bhushan Interim MD of Facebook India Matam Venkata Rao Executive Director of Canara Bank Anupam Kher Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) John Flint Chief Executive of HSBC Yuvraj Singh First Indian ambassador of Laureus foundation Audrey Azoulay Director-General of UNESCO Rukaiya Rangwala Head of MobiKwik Payment Gateway Esther Staubli First Female Referee to Officiate at U-17 World Cup Sunny Verghese Chairman of World Business Council for Sustainable Development Manika Jain Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Cambodia Jacinda Ardern New Zealand Prime Minister Sibi George Ambassador of India to Switzerland Izham Ismail CEO of Malaysia Airlines Ine Eriksen Norway’s 1st Female Foreign Minister Rao Surapaneni Regional President for South India Council of The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC). Rakesh Asthana CBI Special Director Suresh Sethi CEO of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) NS Venkatesh CEO of Association of Mutual Funds in India(AMFI)
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Jayant Rikhye CEO of HSBC India Ravi Krishnaswamy Chief Technology Officer of InMobi Utpal Kumar Singh Uttarakhand Chief Secretary J.N. Gangte High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Zambia Anil Khaitan President of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar Vice Chief of Naval Staff Suresh Raina Brand ambassador of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Green nod to Karnataka’s Rs 1,561 cr Harohalli industrial park
The Centre has given its green light to the combined development of Harohalli industrial zone in Ramnagara district of Karnataka entailing an investment of Rs 1,561 crore.
The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB)’s proposal is to build a multi-product industrial park in about 904.86 hectares.
Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 to be Held in Hyderabad, November 28-30
A high-level delegation from the Government of India and the United States, at NITI Aayog to plan the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which will be held November 28-30 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad, India.
The Summit will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump, who leads the U.S. delegation.
Karnataka launches mid-day meals scheme for pregnant women
The Karnataka Chief Minister has launched the Mathru Poorna scheme meant to meet the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating mothers.
The scheme provides free mid-day meals for 25 days in a month to pregnant and lactating women in rural areas. These meals will be served at the anganwadis in the villages.
Andhra CM Naidu inaugurates Blockchain Business Conference
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated a two-day International Blockchain Business Conference, which will also have sessions on Blockchain in banking, insurance and capital markets.
Regional and international experts, startups, corporates, leading FSI executives, regulators, entrepreneurs, policy- makers and academics will explore Blockchain technologies, its applications and how it will impact the financial services industry.
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Kerala Tourism launches Continuous Tourist Survey 2017-20
To accelerate the growth of tourism in Kerala, the Department of Tourism has launched a three-year long Continuous Tourist Survey (CTS) from this year.
The 2017-2020 sample survey is being conducted in collaboration with M/s Datamation Consultants, selected through a transparent tender process.
Kerala to launch ‘health for all’ drive with focus on lifestyle
The Kerala government is taking the dictum ‘health is wealth’ seriously and making plans to become a 100 per cent healthy State by replicating its resounding success in literacy.
The State will kick off ‘Kayika Kshmata Mission’ (Physical Endurance Mission) on New Year Day. It will focus on the physical well-being of all, from nursery students to senior citizens.
President launches Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project Jeevamritham in Kerala
President Ram Nath Kovind has said, the Nation requires more people who use their knowledge for the betterment of the nation and society.
President launched 100 crore rupees Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project “Jeevamritham “to provide filtration system for cleaning drinking water to 5000 villages across India, in kollam district in kerala.
Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple Named Best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India
The Madurai City Corporation is set to receive a special award from the Centre as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple has been adjudged best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India as on October 1. Ten spots were identified by the Central Government as part of the ‘Swachh Iconic Places’ initiative earlier this year.
Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and UP Sign MoU to Boost Culture and Tourism
In an attempt to boost cultural ties, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya under the ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ programme.
“Under the ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ programme, efforts are being made to boost cultural relationship between different states of the country. Under this, the states will connect with each other to know more about the culture, heritage and traditions of each other
Chairman NHAI launches new website and PMIS Mobile App
The Chairman of National Highways Authority of India Shri Deepak Kumar launched a world class, new multilingual website of the organization.
He also launched a Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) Moblie App that will facilitate close, in-house monitoring of NHAI projects on a mobile phone.
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The NHAI also plans to soon launch a public interface of the PMIS desktop and App versions, so that the general public will be able to view the real-time status of any project across the Highway network.
Turtle Sanctuary to be set up in Allahabad
The development of a Turtle sanctuary in Allahabad along with a River Biodiversity Park at Sangam has been approved under Namami Gange programme.
The project at an estimated cost of Rs 1.34 crore would include development of River Biodiversity Park at Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Sarasvati), establishment of a Turtle Rearing Centre (Permanent nursery at Triveni Pushp and makeshift annual hatcheries) and awareness about the importance of river Ganga and imperativeness of its conservation has been approved.
India to be First ASEAN-India Music Festival Begins in New Delhi
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India in collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Seher presents the first ever ASEAN-India Music Festival from October 6th-8th 2017 at Purana Quila in New Delhi. The Festival is being organised to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations.
The theme for this commemorative year “Shared Values, Common Destiny” along with this Music Festival aims to boost cultural influences among the peoples of the ASEAN member states and India.
South Delhi launches city’s first “pink toilet” for women
To mark the International Day of the Girl Child, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will inaugurate the ‘pink toilets’ for women with exclusive facilities.
The first-of-its-kind model will have vending machines for sanitary napkins, incinerator facilities and feeding area for breastfeeding mothers. The first of the pink toilets will be inaugurated at PVR Vikaspuri.
Delhi ranked among the worst cities in the world for women
India’s capital is one of the worst megacities in the world when it comes to the safety of women, a survey by the Thomson Reuters Foundation has revealed.
The survey was conducted in 19 of the world’s biggest megacities (as ranked by the United Nations) between June and July 2017.
Global Wizards set to Converge in New Delhi for the 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space’
The Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) 2017 is getting bigger and better. The 5th edition, being hosted by India is to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on November 23, 2017. It will see participation of ministers, officials, industry leaders and academia engaged in the global cyber ecosystem.
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“Swachhta Pakhwada” Observed Successfully by Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Culture and its 43 organisations observed Swachhta Pakhwada and Swachhta hi Seva Abhiyaan from 16th September to 2nd October, 2017.
During this campaign close to 400 activities/events were organised by the Ministry and its organizations by dedicating more than 500 effort hours for cleanliness and awareness during Swachhata Pakhwada.
Prasar Bharati launches Online Application System for AIR Auditions
Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash haslaunched an online application system for music auditions across all genres for the All India Radio (AIR).
The AIR conducts auditions in different genres of music, including classical, light, folk, tribal and western, and award suitable grades to them.
PM Modi lays foundation stone for Bhadbhut Barrage over Narmada River
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of Foundation Stone of Bhadbhut Barrage over the River Narmada.
At a public meeting in Bharuch, the Prime Minister also flagged off the Antyodaya Express between Udhna (Surat, Gujarat) and Jaynagar (Bihar).
He also unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of Foundation Stone, and Inauguration of various plants of Gujarat Narmada Fertilizer Corporation Ltd.
Prime Minister launches Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI)
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) at Vadnagar in Gujarat.
The special drive will focus on improving immunization coverage in select districts and cities to ensure full immunization to more than 90% by December 2018.
Bihar Cabinet approves govt job reservation for ‘Divyangs’
The Bihar government on Tuesday approved reservations for persons with disabilities in government jobs and educational institutions.
The cabinet gave its approval during a meeting presided by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The cabinet also approved establishment of a state advisory board for the empowerment of ‘Divyangjan’ as envisaged in the Act.
President Kovind launches ₹100-crore clean water initiative
President Ram Nath Kovind has launched Mata Amritanandamayi Math’s Rs 100 crore clean water initiative for rural India at the math headquarters in the coastal hamlet of Vallikkavu.
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Kovind, who is on his maiden visit to the southern state after assuming office, inaugurated the ‘Jivamritam’ filtration system, envisaged to provide clean drinking water to 10 million villagers across the nation.
Indian Air Force celebrates 85th anniversary
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is celebrating its 85th anniversary , October 8. The celebrations would be marked by a stellar show in the skies by various aircraft at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad.
Cabinet approves renaming of Kandla Port as Deendayal Port
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to the renaming of Kandla Port as Deendayal Port.
By renaming Kandla Port as “Deendayal Port, Kandla”, a grateful nation would be remembering the invaluable contributions made by one of the greatest sons of India, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. This will inspire the People of Gujarat, particularly the Youth, who may not be fully aware of the contributions made by the great leader.
India’s First Portal Dedicated to Para-Sports Launched
In a bid to create awareness about para-sports and provide a platform to para sportspersons to narrate their stories of triumph and adversity, thenationspride.com, the country’s first portal dedicated to para-sports was launched.
The nationspride.com is a non-profit initiative, helmed by 17-year-old Mumbai student and sports enthusiast, Saachi Munot.
International Conference on Dialogue of Civilizations – IV
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with National Geographic Society is hosting an international conference on “Dialogue of Civilizations – IV” from 8th – 15th October, 2017 at Delhi, Gandhinagar and Dholavira.
President of India inaugurates India water Week-2017
The President of India Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated India Water Week-2017(October 10, 2017) in New Delhi. It is fundamental to the economy and to ecology – and to human equity.
The issue of water is becoming still more critical in view of climate change and related environmental concerns.
Rajnath Singh inaugurates the First BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the four-day first Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Disaster Management Exercise (BIMSTEC DMEx-2017)
The Exercise is being conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as the lead agency from October 10-13, 2017 in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). At the 17th BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting held in Kathmandu, Nepal on February 7, 2017, it was decided that India would organize the first annual Disaster Management Exercise for the region.
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Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) has been started to provide a permanent solution from drought
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh said the government started PMKSY to provide a permanent solution from drought. Three ministries are implementing this scheme in mission mode and the Ministry of Water Resources is leading the project.
PMKSY aims not only to create irrigation sources but also to create protected irrigation by harnessing rainwater at micro level through ‘Jal Sanchay’ and ‘Jal Sinchan’.
Odisha Government Department Signs MOU with SBI
The Odisha government’s Directorate of Treasuries and Inspection and the State Bank of IndiaBSE 0.34 % have signed an MOU for integration of SBI e-Pay with cyber treasury.
The MoU is a landmark initiative by the state government to facilitate revenue collection from citizens through digital banking platform.
Govt to give ₹51k ‘Shaadi Shagun’ to Muslim women graduates
To encourage the pursuit of higher education among Muslim women, those who obtain graduate degrees will soon be given a wedding gift of Rs 51,000 by the Modi government.
The scheme has been christened Shaadi Shagun, to start with. A website is currently being put up by Maulana Azad Educational Foundation where all details of the scheme would be made available.
Mahindra Launches ‘Prerna’ Project for Women Farmers*
Mahindra & Mahindra has launched a programme, Prerna, to empower women working in the agriculture sector by promoting efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment.
The project will be initially launched in the state of Odisha, with the intention to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages .
Rajasthan Assembly First in India to Call Motions Online
Rajasthan assembly has become the first in India to call attention and adjournment motions and proposals online from legislators to send them to the state government.
The system is expected to save time, labour and use of paper in the functioning of the assembly, and also help legislators in bringing attention to urgent public issues.
Myntra, Textile Ministry Tie-up to Promote Handloom Industry
E-commerce major Myntra launched its CSR initiative in association with the Union Textile Ministry, to work directly with weavers and elevate their economic stature.
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With an initiative to provide impetus to the Government’s agenda to transform and revive demand for arts and handloom products in India, the company is committing itself along with some of its partner brands to bring artisans and their products online, providing them access to new customers and opportunities.
PM Modi inaugurates 1st ever All India Institute of Ayurveda
On the occasion of National Ayurveda Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) at Delhi’s Sarita Vihar.
T he first ever AIIA has been set up along the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Build up as an apex institute under the ministry of AYUSH, the institution is expected to bring synergy between the traditional wisdom of Ayurveda and modern diagnostic tools and technology.
Deepika Padukone launches Hema Malini’s biography
Deepika Padukone launched the biography of veteran actress Hema Malini in Mumbai. The biography, titled Beyond The Dream Girl, is written by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, and was unveiled on Hema Malini’s 69th birthday (October 16).
The biography’s foreword has been written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hema Malini’s daughters Esha and Ahana Deol were also present at the launch along with their respective husbands.
Indian-origin teen becomes one of UK’s youngest millionaires
An Indian-origin teenager has become one of Britain’s youngest millionaires after his online estate agency business got valued at £12 million in just over a year.
Akshay Ruparelia, at just 19 years of age, juggled his school work with negotiating property deals for his no-frills business that offers to sell properties for a fraction of the cost charged by established high street estate agents.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Launches ‘Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana’
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has attended a “Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana” programme in Sagar. A
The Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana should be publicised at wide scale in rural areas for maximum registration of farmers. CM Shivraj also extended his support to the farmers and they will provide all the required helps to the farmers to fulfill their loans.
Ministry WCD Launched Campaign on ‘women for women’
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is undertaking an online campaign #IamThatWoman.
Through the campaign, the Ministry seeks to highlight the various aspects of women standing ‘by’ and ‘for’ women. Ministry of WCD has urged people to shun stereotypes associated with women harming other women.
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Twitter and Facebook users have been encouraged to tag and share stories of women helping women with a photograph and post online with the hashtag #IamThatWoman.
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu lays foundation stone for TU142M aircraft museum
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has laid the foundation stone for the TU142M aircraft museum in Visakhapatnam.
The chief minister along with Eastern naval command chief Vice Admiral H. C. S. Bisht laid the foundation stone of the museum, being built at the Beach Road.
Arunachal Assembly approves Kamle as 23rd district
The Arunachal Assembly has passed a bill paving way for creation of a new district to be named Kamle, bifurcating the present Upper and Lower Subansiri districts.
With the official creation of the new district, the total number of districts in the state shot up to 23.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu introduced the Arunachal Pradesh (Re-Orgaisation of Districts) (Amendment) Bill 2017 in the Assembly on October 14.
Mumbai civic body opens online portal for business approvals
The Maharashtra government has released a sum of Rs 4,000 crore under the first phase of the over Rs 34,000 crore farm loan waiver scheme.
Disbursal, in the first phase, will cover more than 8 lakh farmers, Fadnavis said as he listed initiatives taken by his government towards increasing investment in the agriculture sector.
Income Tax dept Launches ‘Online Chat’ to answer Taxpayers Queries
The Income Tax Department has launched an ‘online chat’ service for taxpayers so that they can seek answers to their basic queries and doubts relating to direct tax issues.
A window has been hosted on the main page of the department’s website — www.incometaxindia.gov.in/ — with a prominent icon stating ‘Live Chat Online – ask your query.’
A team of experts from the department and independent tax practitioners has been deputed to answer the general queries of a taxpayer. The first-time initiative is aimed to enhance taxpayer services in the country.
Jaipur, Srinagar top ranked airports in small aerodrome
AAI-owned Jaipur and Srinagar airports have been ranked among the best aerodromes in the world in the 2-5 million passengers per annum category by the Airport Council International (ACI).
While Jaipur was ranked first, Srinagar was rated second in the 2-5 million passengers per annum category during the annual ACI-ASQ survey.
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This is for the second consecutive year that the Jaipur airport has been ranked the best airport in the World in the traffic volume of 2-5 million passengers per year.
Indian Army organises Jashn -e-Kokernag to strengthen jawan-awam relationship
The Indian Army has organised ‘Jashn-e-Breng’ festival in Kokernag village of the Anantnag district to promote peace and brotherhood between security forces and the local population.
With the slogan of “Jawan aur Awaam Amun Hai Muqam” ( Army and Locals together, peace will prevail ), the soldiers arranged free medical assistance and several cultural programmes for the Kokernag public.
Maharashtra Government releases Rs 4000 crore in phase 1 of Loan Waiver Scheme
The civic body of Mumbai has introduced an online single window system to issue permissions for new businesses and factories. Henceforth, all new business permissions will be available through the online portal and the BMC will stop accepting physical applications.
The troubled textile sector in Telangana State is all set to get a booster dose with the Government taking up the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in Warangal district.
Telangana CM to lay foundation stone for Kakatiya textile park
State Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will lay the foundation stone for the Park which will come up over a 2,000 acre campus between Shyampet and Chintapalli villages.
PM Modi to launch India’s first ‘Ro-Ro’ ferry service in Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch India’s first roll on-roll off or ‘Ro-Ro’ ferry services between Ghogha in Saurashtra’s Bhavnagar district and Dahej in Bharuch district on October 22.
The Rs 615 crore ‘Ro-Ro’ ferry service between Ghogha and Dahej, which PM Modi described as his “dream project” while addressing a gathering at Gandhinagar, will be able to carry up to 100 vehicles (cars, buses, and trucks) and 250 passengers.
Kerala to give sabbatical leave to academics for launching startups
Kerala government has given green signal to a proposal of the state Startup Mission (KSUM) to accord sabbatical leave to the faculty members of all colleges who intend to establish startups.
The new initiative would help members of the academic community in the state to become part of entrepreneurship, a statement said in Thiruvananthapuram.
An expert panel, headed by KSUM CEO Saji Gopinath, will select 10 faculty members on a pilot basis for the implementation of the project.
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Rajasthan limits probes against public servants
The Vasundhara Raje government has passed an ordinance, which seeks to protect both serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in Rajasthan from being investigated for on-duty action without its prior sanction.
The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated on September 7, also seeks to bar the media from reporting on accusations till the sanction to proceed with the probe is obtained.
Govt to set up portal for NRIs to track adoption requests
The central adoption body CARA is planning to set up a portal to help prospective parents from outside India track the status of their applications instead of relying solely on their country’s authorised agency.
The move will help non-resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) as well as foreign nationals who apply for inter-country adoption.
Kandla Port gets green nod for Rs 1,176-cr smart industrial port city
State-owned Kandla Port Trust has received environment clearance for setting up a Rs 1,176-crore smart industrial port city in Kutch, Gujarat.
The proposal is to develop a smart industrial port city at two separate sites in Gandhidham which would house about 35,700 residential flats, schools and parks. The project is expected to generate jobs for more than 60,000 people in the region.
Shillong to host cherry blossom festival
The Meghalaya government, in association with the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal, and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, is organising India International Cherry Blossom Festival in Shillong between November 8-11, for the second year in a row.
The cherry blossom festivals have generated huge employment and revenues for various cities and countries as millions of visitors from different parts of the world travel to Japan, New Zealand and parts of Korea.
Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates 1st phase of PNG Supply System in Bhubaneswar
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhanhas inaugurated Odisha’s first PNG (Piped Natural Gas) project in Bhubaneswar.
The PNG supply, a part of ‘Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga’, was launched almost six months before the deadline of March 2018 set by the Minister.
Pradhan, in association with GAIL (India) Limited, commenced PNG supply to 255 houses in Nalco Nagar of Bhubaneswar in the first phase of the project.
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Govt plans to triple foreign tourist inflow by 2022
The Union tourism ministry has announced key initiatives to boost annual foreign tourist traffic to the country from the present 14.4 million to 40 million in next five years.
These included plans for setting up of a national tourism board, facilitation centres at the key airports for foreign tourists, make the world heritage monuments more attractive places, ease visa norms and invite private sector to adopt monuments to increase facilities.
India’s First Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra Launched
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated India’s first Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) for Skilling in Smart Cities, in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
The ministers also laid the foundation for a Skill Development Centre at Moti Bagh and a Centre of Excellence at Dharam Marg, New Delhi.
IIT Kanpur to host cultural festival Antaragni from Oct 26-29
IIT Kanpur will be hosting its annual cultural festival, Antaragni from 26th-29th October. Antaragni in its 52nd edition will be a host to a variety of competitions ranging from music, dance and drama to debates, slam poetry and fashion shows.
The headline events at the fest include performances by artists like KSHMR, Skyharbor, Euphoria, Vishal & Shekhar.
Maharashtra govt approves 2 new Metro corridors in Mumbai
The Maharashtra government has approved two more metro projects with an aggregate value Rs15,088 crore, a move that will enable seamless east-west connectivity in the metropolis. These will be the 5th and 6th metro lines.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the nodal agency for development of the metro network in the megapolis, had proposed the construction of a 24 km Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan metro-5 corridor and 14.5 km Swami Samarth Nagar-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg-Vikhroli metro-6.
India to become 3rd fastest growing aviation market: IATA
India is expected to have 478 million air passengers in 2036 on the back of strong demand, global airlines’ grouping IATA. The country is projected to see a staggering growth from 141 million passengers in 2016.
Releasing its 20-year passenger forecast, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said globally a total of 7.8 billion passengers are expected to travel in 2036, with Asia-Pacific region leading the demand.
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Tamil Nadu CM lays foundation stone for Rs. 198 cr aerospace park
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edapaddi K Palanswami has laid the foundation stone for an aerospace park at Kanchipuram district to be set up by the State Government in 245 acres and at an estimated cost of ₹198 crore.
When fully ready, the park will attract a total investment of nearly ₹1,000 crore and create job opportunities for nearly 30,000.
The aerospace park at Vallam-Vadakkal Sipcot Industrial Park premises in Sriperumbudur will be jointly implemented by State Industries Promotion Corporation Ltd and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.
Madhya Pradesh Tops in Digital Initiatives: Survey
Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the top state in terms of digital initiatives undertaken, with a maximum score of 100.1 on performance index, followed by Maharashtra at 99.9 and Andhra Pradesh at 99.8, says a report by Coeus Age Consulting.
The assessment by the knowledge domain service provider was done using a scoring framework made up of two key constructs, Policy and Infrastructure Readiness (PIR) Score and Mission Mode Projects’ Performance (MMP) Score for each state.
Mumbai to host second Ahimsa festival
Mumbai is set to host the second Ahimsa festival that seeks to spread a cruelty free lifestyle. And participating it the 18 day festival are Dr Will Tuttle, author of the ‘World Peace Diet’ and Kuntal Joisher, India’s very own vegan mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest, among many others.
The aim is to spread the word on compassionate living that “involves not just caring for our own health but also that of our fellow animal beings and to go beyond that to care for our planet as well. The event is on from October 26th to November 12th.
Kiren Rijiju inaugurates Special Centre for Disaster Research at JNU
The Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the Special Centre for Disaster Research at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
The Centre was conceived three years ago and has now taken shape into a multi-disciplinary Centre that will offer Master’s and Doctorate programmes in Disaster Risk Management (DRM).
Puducherry Becomes an Associate Member of BCCI
The Cricket Association of Puducherry (CAP) was chosen by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) as an associate member of the BCCI.
This means Puducherry will be allowed to play the Ranji Trophy next year. It’s a big thing for cricket in the region and the players stand to benefit immensely.
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GMR Hyderabad Airport, Malaysia Tourism, MAHB Sign Pact to Promote Tourism
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad and Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board have come together to promote the growth of tourism traffic.
A memorandum of agreement was inked to promote tourism from the catchment area of Hyderabad to Malaysia and also explore new locations for connectivity.
Union Ministries of Power & Textiles Jointly Launched ‘SAATHI’ Initiative
In a bid to encourage the power loom sector in the country, The Ministry of Power along with the Ministry of Textiles have launched its new initiative named Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption of efficient Textile technologies to Help small Industries (SAATHI).
Under the initiative, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a public sector entity under the administrative control of Ministry of Power, would procure energy efficient power looms, motors and rapier kits in bulk and provide them to the small and medium power loom units at no upfront cost, a release from the textile Ministry informed.
Petroleum ministry launches Rs 320 crore startup fund for entrepreneurs
In a novel initiative by the petroleum ministry, 10 oil and gas companies under it launched a startup programme for entrepreneurs with a fund corpus of Rs 320 crore to be disbursed over a 3-year period to support innovations in the energy sector.
The scheme was launched here with memoranda of understanding (MoU) being signed by 36 startups for partnering with various state-run firms like Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and GAIL India, which is India’s largest gas transmission utility
Karnataka cabinet clears State Transgender Policy
The Karnataka cabinet has cleared the State Policy for Transgenders, 2017 with an aim of bringing the community into the mainstream and safeguarding them from exploitation. The policy had been drafted in compliance with a Supreme Court order.
The different categories of transgenders mentioned in the policy include “jogappa, jijra, female to male, male to female, inter-sex, kothis, jogtas, shivashakti and aravanis”.
West Bengal dedicates ‘Analytics city’ to support frontier areas in IT space
The West Bengal government is trying to encourage frontier areas in the information technology space, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, robotics and Internet of Things (IoT).
For this purpose, the state was dedicating an entire ‘Analytics City’ for AI, analytics at Kalyani where mathematicians, statisticians, AI and cyber security experts would co-habit.
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Cabinet Approves Rs 7,000 crore for Construction of Six IIT Campuses
The Union Cabinet has approved over Rs 7,000 crore for construction of permanent campuses of six new Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) across the country.
Each of the permanent campuses to be established at Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwad (Karnataka), Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) and Goa will have a facility for housing 1,200 students from the academic year 2020-2021.
11th World Congress on Adolescent Health held in New Delhi
India has host the World Congress on Adolescent Health this year from October 27-29. It is held once every four years and the International Association for Adolescent Healths 11th World Congress will be organised on the theme — Investing in Adolescent Health, the Future is now.
The world is home to 1.2 billion adolescents, and India has the largest population of adolescents in the world — 253 million — with every fifth in the world being an Indian and every second being an Asian, Professor Susan Sawyer, President of the International Association for Adolescent Health.
Assam CM launches a new web portal “Assam Darpan”
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has launched a web portal ‘Assam Darpan’ that will reflect the government’s performance and achievements for information of the citizens.
It has been developed as the Chief Minister’s Dashboard where citizens will be able to see the progress of the flagship schemes of the government.
Hyderabad SHE Teams help reduce crimes against women by 20%
SHE teams of the Hyderabad police have registered 3,516 cases of harassment against women in the state, since its inception three years ago on October 26. SHE teams were formed in October 2014 and were restricted to Hyderabad initially. They have now spread to all the districts of Telangana.
In Hyderabad, there are over 100 SHE teams, who receive complaints over WhatsApp, through letters and via the police app-Hawk eye.
Railways launches its first set of solar plants in Delhi
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has launched the Railways’ first set of solar plants with a total capacity of 5 megawatt peak (MWp) in the Capital, an ambitious project aimed at reducing the national transporter’s carbon footprint.
The project is part of the government’s National Solar Mission in which the Railways plans to commission 1,000 MWp solar plants across its network.
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International Peace Conference held in Imphal
The 14th Dalai Lama during his three-day maiden visit to Manipur addressed at the International Peace Conference in the capital. The conference was held on October 18. The conference was aimed at promoting peace and harmony in the northeastern region.
The conference brought a host of religious leaders from various countries, including Buddhist monks from South- East Asia and Myanmar, under one platform.
Andhra to make digital prescriptions for medicines mandatory
In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, sale of medicines will be possible only though digital prescriptions.
The project is being rolled out because it is felt that with over 60,000 quacks in Andhra Pradesh, reckless prescriptions are resulting in anti-microbial resistance, a huge health threat. The Comprehensive Drug Monitoring System (CDMS) is being finetuned at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore.
India to host UN global wildlife summit in 2020
India will host the next United Nations (UN) global wildlife conference in 2020. India to be the host of next CMS Conference of the Parties CMSCOP13. It was officially announced at the closing CMSCOP12 plenary, in Manila.
An announcement in this regard was made in the Philippine capital on the last day of the six-day 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species, or CMS COP12, the only international treaty devoted exclusively to migratory animal species.
President Ram Nath Kovind launches technocity project in Kerala
President Ram Nath Kovind laid foundation stone for the first government IT building and launched Technocity at Pallippuram, Kerala.
The first government IT building at Technocity will be a signature building with a built-up area of 200000 sq.ft with four floors and is expected to be operational by 2019 to accommodate the demand for more office space from large number of SMEs located in Technopark to expand operations.
Giriraj Singh launches MSME Delayed Payment Portal – MSME Samadhaan
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Shri Giriraj Singh launched MSME Delayed Payment Portal – MSME Samadhaan (http://msefc.msme.gov.in), empowering micro and small entrepreneurs across the country to directly register their cases relating to delayed payments.
The Portal will give information about the pending payment of MSEs with individual CPSEs / Central Ministries, State Governments, etc.
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PM Modi Inaugurated Bidar-Kalaburagi New Railway Line in Karnataka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is in Karnataka has offered prayers at the famous Lord Manjunatha Swami temple at Dharmasthala.
The prime minister symbolically launched the distribution of RuPay Cards for self-help group members who enrolled for Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana through the Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural development Project, a non-governmental organisation, during the programme.
BANKING, BUSINESS AND FINANCE
RBI opens banking ombudsman office in Dehradun
Reserve Bank has opened a banking ombudsman office in Dehradun, taking the total number of such offices to seventeen in the country, following a significant increase in banking network.
Dehradun office is the third in North India after Kanpur and Chandigarh. With this, the total number of RBI ombudsman offices have increased to 17 in India.
RBI raises inflation projection to 4.2-4.6% for H2 2017-18
The Reserve Bank has raised its inflation projection to 4.2-4.6 per cent for the second half of the current fiscal due to firming global oil prices and uncertainty on kharif farm output.
RBI in its previous monetary policy in August had projected the Consumer Price Index (CPI) based retail to be in the range of 4-4.5 per cent during second half of 2017-18. The inflation path for the rest of 2017-18 is expected to be shaped by several factors.
RBI to soon Launch Financial Literacy Drive in 9 States
The Reserve Bank will soon launch a financial literacy drive in 80 blocks in nine states on pilot basis to educate people on e-transactions, formal sector borrowings and insurance purchases.
Six NGOs registered with the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund — CRISIL Foundation, Dhan Foundation, Swadhaar Fin Access, Indian School of Micro Finance for Women (ISMW), Samarpit and the PACE Foundation — have been selected to execute the pilot project in collaboration with banks.
RBI forms 10-member task force on Public Credit Registry
The Reserve Bank of India announced a 10-member high level task force to review and determine the scope of a Public Credit Registry.
The move is aimed among other things at increasing efficiency of the credit market and reduces defaults. The task force will be chaired by YM Deosthalee, ex-CMD, L&T Finance Holdings Limited.
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North East Small Finance Bank starts operations: RBI
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has nod for commencement of operations for the North East Small Finance Bank. A small finance bank has been envisioned to undertake basic banking activities of acceptance of deposits and lending to unserved and underserved sections.
The development comes after the RBI issued a licence to the North East Small Finance Bank to carry out the business of small finance bank.
Banks to Provide Funds at 7% to Women SHGs under DAY-NRLM: RBI
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will provide funds to women SHGs (self help groups) in rural areas at 7 percent under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in the current fiscal.
The central bank issued the revised guidelines on interest subvention scheme under DAY-NRLM, as received from the Ministry of Rural Development for implementation by 21 public sector banks and 19 private banks.
SBI Slashed IMPS Service Charges up to 80%
The SBI has slashed Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) charges up to 80 pct. This latest development by the State Bank of India comes as a huge relief for the SBI customers.
If the users are doing an online transaction of money after selecting IMPS option, then they will have to pay 80 pct less charge than what they used to pay earlier.
SBI-World Bank sanction Rs 2,317-cr for 575 mw rooftop solar projects
State Bank of India has announced sanction of credit facilities amounting to ₹2,317 crore to corporates for financing Grid Connected Rooftop Solar projects under an SBI-World Bank programme.
This funding will create solar power capacity aggregating 575 MW. India’s largest bank sanctioned loans to JSW Energy, Hinduja Renewables, Tata Renewable Energy, Adani Group, Azure Power, Cleantech Solar and Hero Solar Energy.
HDFC Bank opens SmartUp Zones in 9 branches in Bengaluru
HDFC Bank has opened nine SmartUp Zones in Bengaluru. A SmartUp Zone is an exclusive area inside the branch dedicated to start-ups. In the first phase, SmartUp Zones have been launched in nine branches in the city, catering to all the start-ups located in Karnataka.
The new SmartUp Zones were inaugurated by Vidhya Shankar, Executive Director, Grant Thornton India and Arun Mediratta, Branch Banking Head, HDFC Bank.
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HDFC Life Launched Neo, a Bot for Twitter
HDFC Life Insurance Company has launched Neo — a servicing bot for Twitter that uses artificial intelligence for customer service. The insurer hopes to deploy the bot in answering policy —related queries on social media.
Other life insurers like PNB Metlife have launched VR humanoids like Kushi leveraging the power of AI, chat bots, natural language processing. This is the second bot put in operation by HDFC Life, after the launch of SPOK, which was an email bot to answer customer queries.
HDFC Bank gets green nod for Rs. 194-cr Mohali project
Private sector lender HDFC Bank has been given the green signal for setting up a call centre-cum-residential training centre in Mohali district, Punjab, at a cost of Rs. 194 crore.
The proposed commercial project, to come up in a built-up area of 38,406.27 sq m in SAS Nagar in Mohali, is expected to provide direct and indirect jobs in the area.
SIDBI Revamps Portal for Easy Credit Access
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has revamped its portal www.udyamimitra.in with enhanced features to provide easy access to credit and hand-holding services for micro small medium enterprises (MSME).
The portal brings transparency and competition among lenders and removes the need to approach several banks individually.
India and Asian Development Bank Sign $300 Million Loan
The Asian Development Bank and the Government of India signed a $300 million loan to continue a series of fiscal reforms in the State of West Bengal to improve the quality of public service delivery.
The Second West Bengal Development Finance Program targets a further increase in public investment through reduction of unproductive expenditure, and savings from efficiencies in revenue collections.
India to top global remittances chart with $65 billion in 2017: World Bank
India is expected to retain it position as the top remittances receiving country, with its diaspora set to pump in a whopping USD 65 billion in the year 2017, the World Bank said.
After India the other top five remittances receiving countries are China (USD 61 billion), the Philippines (USD 33 billion), Mexico (USD 31 billion), and Nigeria (USD 22 billion).
Bangladesh signs $4.5 bn loan deal with India
Bangladesh has signed USD 4.5 billion third line of credit (LoC) agreement with India for its infrastructure and social sector development. The agreement was signed in the presence of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his Bangladeshi counterpart A M A Muhith after the two leaders.
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The new Indian line of credit, worth a staggering USD 4.5 billion, will be used to fund 17 major projects in Bangladesh, which include electricity, railroads, roads, shipping and ports.
India, EIB Ink Pact for Financing Bangalore Metro Rail Project
India and European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed the finance contract for lending of 300 million euros (about Rs 2,293 crore) for Bangalore Metro Rail Project phase-II.
Bangalore Metro Rail Project Phase II is to be jointly financed by the EIB (500 million euros) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (300 million euros).
Vijaya Bank Inks MoU with HPCL for Digital Payments
Vijaya Bank has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for enabling all HPCL retail outlets with BHIM/UPI merchant solutions.
Following the success of the pilot launch at five outlets, the solution is being scaled to enable UPI acceptance in all HPCL outlets throughout Karnataka over the next few weeks.
IndusInd Bank to Take Over Microfinance Player Bharat Financial
The Board of Directors of IndusInd Bank Ltd and Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd have approved the merger of two companies through a composite scheme of arrangement.
As per the merger terms, the shareholders of Bharat Financial will receive 639 shares of IndusInd for every 1,000 shares of Bharat Financial.
IndusInd Bank Launches m-wallet with MobiKwik
IndusInd Bank, in association with MobiKwik has announced the launch of a co-branded wallet ‘IndusInd Mobikwik’ that allows its customers to pay at the MobiKwik merchant network using their accounts, with a ‘Direct Debit Feature’.
The direct debit feature will allow IndusInd Bank account holders to link their accounts just once and pay using the co-branded app as and when required, thereby eliminating the need to load the MobiKwik prepaid wallet separately.
Kotak Mahindra Bank launches Paymint
Kotak Mahindra Bank and Zeta, a fintech pioneer has announced the launch of ‘Paymint’, a comprehensive digital wallet to manage multiple employee benefits.
Enabling secure, easy and paperless process for employee allowances and reimbursements, Paymint will enable corporates to offer a host of benefits to its employees including meal vouchers, medical reimbursements, leave travel allowances, gift cards, conveyance, fuel allowances, and driver salaries to maximise tax benefits for employees and optimise the process of making claims.
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Kotak Bank ties up with Samsung Pay
Private sector lender Kotak Mahindra BankBSE -0.24 % said its credit and debit card holders will be able to tap and pay using smartphones at merchant establishments.
The city-based lender has tied up with Samsung, under which its cardholders will be able to tap and pay using smartphones of the Korean electronics major having the Samsung Pay acceptance machines.
Private insurer Tata AIA Life announced the launch of ‘Eazy Connect’
Private insurer Tata AIA Life has announced the launch of ‘Eazy Connect’ that will extend online customer service to social media platforms.
The chatbot will be available through social media platforms and is developed to respond to the most frequently asked queries.
MobiKwik, IRCTC Rail Connect Partner for Ticket Bookings
Digital payments firm MobiKwik has announced its partnership with IRCTC Rail connect app, which will allow customers book railway tickets using the former’s payment gateway. Mobikwik’s Payment Gateway currently powers payments for more than 3,000 ecommerce websites and apps.
The tie-up is aimed at simplifying payment systems by introducing MobiKwik’s easy-to-use interface for all, which supports payment solution through channels like debit card, credit card, net Banking, ATM Cards and Wallets.
MasterCard launches India innovation centre
MasterCard has announced the launch of its innovation centre to focus on solving “India-specific” problems in the areas of technology and financial enablement. This would be their second innovation centre, after Singapore, in Asia and ninth globally.
IMF lowers India’s growth forecast over demonetisation, GST
India’s economic growth for 2017 and 2018 will be slower than earlier projections, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest World Economic Outlook released on October 10. The report cited “lingering impact” of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax for the expected slow down during the current and the next year.
The IMF projected India to grow at 6.7% in 2017 and 7.4% in 2018, which are 0.5 and 0.3 percentage points less than the projections earlier this year, respectively.
Cabinet approves MoU between SEBI and FSC
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Financial Services Commission (FSC), Gibraltar for mutual co-operation and technical assistance.
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The MoU is likely to promote further development of economic links and cooperation between the two regulators and aims at creating conditions for an effective development of securities markets in the two countries.
Cabinet approves signing of MoU between Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Kuwait
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Kuwait for mutual co-operation and technical assistance.
The MoU is likely to promote further development of economic links and cooperation between the two regulators, and aims at creating conditions for an effective development of securities markets in the two countries.
Cabinet approves Rs 2.11 lakh-cr public sector banks’ capitalisation plan
The Indian government has approved a state bank recapitalisation plan of Rs 2.11 lakh crore over the next two years, in a bid to clean banks’ books and revive investment in a slowing economy.
Of the planned sum, recapitalisation bonds will account for Rs 1.35 lakh crore, while Rs 76,000 crore will come from budgetary support and equity issuance, said Rajiv Kumar, India’s financial services secretary.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the recapitalisation of state banks would be followed by a series of reforms. He did not give details.
Myntra, Textile Ministry Tie-up to Promote Handloom Industry
E-commerce major Myntra launched its CSR initiative in association with the Union Textile Ministry, to work directly with weavers and elevate their economic stature.
With an initiative to provide impetus to the Government’s agenda to transform and revive demand for arts and handloom products in India, the company is committing itself along with some of its partner brands to bring artisans and their products online, providing them access to new customers and opportunities.
IBM launches blockchain banking for cross-border payments*
IBM and a network of banks have begun using digital currency and blockchain software to move money across borders throughout the South Pacific.
The significance of the news, which IBM announced is that merchants and consumers will be able to send money to another country in near real-time, accelerating a payments process that typically takes days.
Airtel-Tigo merger gets NCA approval in Ghana
Bharti Ghana (Airtel) and the Ghana’s National Communications Authority has given approval for its merger with Millicom Ghana (Tigo) to proceed, subject to some conditions. According to the company, the merger will result in an entity which will be the second largest mobile network operations in the west African country.
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The company said the merger — which was first announced in March this year — required the regulator to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the application and the regulatory ecosystem.
Cisco buys US software company BroadSoft for $1.9 billion
Cisco Systems Inc will buy software company Broad Soft Inc for $1.71 billion, it said in a deal that boosts Cisco’s collaboration tools and helps the company diversify its offerings away from switching and routing.
Shares in BroadSoft, which specializes in software used by major cable and telecommunications networks, rose 1.35 percent after Cisco offered $55 per share for the company, giving shareholders a premium of 2 percent to last Friday’s closing share price.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ISRO to Set up Research Centre in Guwahati
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will set up a research centre here for start ups, academicians, environmentalists and entrepreneurs.
ISRO would set up the exclusive research facility in Assam to explore the possibility of using geospatial technology, which include data generated through global positioning system (GPS), geographical information systems (GIS) and satellite remote sensing for expediting the development of Assam.
IIT researchers develop tool to synthesise new molecules
Indian Institutes of Technology in Delhi and Madras have developed a machine learning tool that can fish out new ways of synthesising novel molecules.
The algorithm that Raman and IIT Delhi computer scientist Sayan Ranu created does this by mining the repertoire of biochemical reactions available in public databases maintained by research groups across the world.
IIT Kharagpur Signs MoU with Samsung for Digital Academy
IIT-Kharagpur has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Samsung India for the setting up of a digital academy on the institute’s campus.
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering in the institute will host the Samsung Innovation Lab and train students on the Internet of Things (IoT) through Tizen-based operating systems, commonly used by the company for its mobile phones and home appliances.
World’s largest radio telescope makes its first discovery
China’s 500-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST for short) has just made its first confirmed discovery.
Astronomers used the giant dish to spot a pair of pulsars thousands of light years away, heralding big things for what is now the world’s largest single dish radio telescope.
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Ozone layer recovery could be delayed by 30 years: Study
Increasing emissions of harmful chemicals are threatening the recovery of the ozone layer, undoing decades of progress. The new threat comes from chemicals that are predominantly being emitted by China, as the country’s industry and economy continues to grow.
The substances are used for everything from paint stripping and agriculture, to the production of pharmaceuticals and PVC.
Apple Co-founder launches online tech education platform
Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs, is launching a new online tech education platform he’s calling Woz U, which is designed to promote technology jobs and the skills required to enter the industry.
Over time, Wozniak hopes to expand the initiative to include as many as 30 physical locations around the world and courses on everything from software engineering and information technology to mobile app development and cybersecurity, among others.
SpaceX successfully launches Falcon 9 rocket, 2nd in a week
SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9, its 15th rocket launch of this year. The rocket took off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying a satellite with a dual-purpose mission for both EchoStar and SES.
The rocket used on this flight included a first stage that was previously flown for a Space Station resupply mission in February, and then recovered and refurbished by SpaceX.
Anti-Submarine Warship INS Kiltan commissioned into Navy*
The Indian Navy inducted its newest anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, boosting the force’s capability to detect and target hostile vessels and to provide protection to Indian warships.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman commissioned the indigenously built INS Kiltan into the navy at the Naval Dockyard at Visakhapatnam in the presence of navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba.
Cassini scientists find toxic ice on Saturn’s moon
Researchers with NASA’s Cassini mission have found evidence of a toxic hybrid ice in a wispy cloud high above the south pole of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.
The finding is a new demonstration of the complex chemistry occurring in Titan’s atmosphere—in this case, cloud formation in the giant moon’s stratosphere—and part of a collection of processes that ultimately helps deliver a smorgasbord of organic molecules to Titan’s surface.
NASA discovers Mars has a twisted magnetic ‘tail’
Mars has an invisible magnetic “tail” that is twisted by interaction with the solar wind, according to new research using data from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft.
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NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) spacecraft is in orbit around Mars gathering data on how the Red Planet lost much of its atmosphere and water, transforming from a world that could have supported life billions of years ago into a cold and inhospitable place.
UK scientists develop first 3D printed wearable ‘battery’
In a first, scientists have found a simple and affordable method to 3D print a flexible and wearable ‘battery’.
The technique developed by researchers from Brunel University in the UK opens the way for novel designs for super-efficient, wearable power banks for phones, electric cars, medical implants like pacemakers and more.
Blue Origin tests world’s strongest methane rocket engine
Blue Origin, the US private space launch company, has successfully test fired the world’s most powerful methane-burning rocket engine. Rockets such as this, fuelled by natural gas, will be essential for the first crewed missions to Mars.
The company, founded in 2000 by Amazon’s chief, Jeff Bezos, released a video on 19 October showing a six- second firing of the BE-4 engine at its suborbital launch facility near Van Horn, west Texas.
World’s first hydrogen tram begins operation in China
The world’s first hybrid electric tram powered by hydrogen fuel cells has started running in China, marking a big step in the application of green energy in public transport.
Researched and manufactured by Chinese, it is the world’s first hybrid electric tram, with hydrogen being the main power source, according to China Railway Rolling Corporation (CRRC) Tangshan Co, the maker of the tram.
ISRO to launch 28 commercial satellites along with CartoSat-2
The Indian Space Research Organisation will launch 28 commercial satellites along with CartoSat-2 satellite in the second half of December.
International Seminar on Indian Space Programme: Trends and Opportunities for Industry’, supported by Ficci and ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation, ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar said that out of the 28 commercial satellites, 25 are nano and three are micro.
SpaceX successfully launches 16th Falcon 9 rocket in 2017
SpaceX just successfully launched its 16th Falcon 9 rocket this year, for client KT SAT, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is to deliver the company’s Koreasat-5A satellite, which will provide broadband communications services to KT SAT’s customers.
As part of the launch, SpaceX also successfully recovered its Falcon 9 first stage, which landed aboard the drone spaceship ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ floating in the Atlantic Ocean.
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FOREIGN RELATIONS
India, EU to Hold 14th Summit Talks in New Delhi
India and the European Union will hold their 14th summit talks on October 6 during which both sides are expected to discuss a host of key issues including ways to remove hurdles for the long pending free trade agreement.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MAE) said the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and the president of the European Commission, Jean—Claude Juncker, will be here on a working visit from October 5—7 for the summit.
India to get its first US oil
India will receive its first ever shipment of US crude oil when a very large crude carrier (VLCC) docks at Paradip port in Odisha.
Indian Oil Corp (IOC) in early July booked the first US cargo, opening floodgates that saw other state-owned refiners including Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) rush to buy US crude oil.
India, Nepal to Conduct First Joint Tiger Count
Nepal and India will undertake a joint tiger census next month in their national parks, forests and protected areas adjoining the two countries using a globally-recognised method.
Conservation authorities and experts would install cameras in various locations in tiger habitats as well as in buffer zones to capture and track the movements of the big cat.
Cabinet approves the Extradition Treaty between India and Lithuania
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the signing and ratification of the Extradition Treaty between India and Lithuania.
The Treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Lithuania.
Cabinet apprised of the MoU between India and Switzerland on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector
The Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Railways, Government of India and the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications of Swiss Confederation on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector. The MoU was signed on on 31st August, 2017.
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Cabinet approves MoU on Upgradation of the Women’s Police Training Centre at Yamethin, Myanmar
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Myanmar on upgradation of the Women’s Police Training Centre at Yamethin, Myanmar. The MoU was signed on 6th September, 2017.
The MoU covers upgradation of the Yamethin Women’s Police Training Centre to further augment the capabilities of the Myanmar Government to build capacities of its police force with technical and financial assistance from Government of India.
Saudi Aramco opens India office in Gurugram
The world’s top oil exporter Saudi Aramco has opened an office in India to boost its crude sales in the world’s third-largest oil consuming nation.
Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H Al-Nasser opened the office of the company’s subsidiary, Aramco Asia India, at Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon).
India, Ethiopia Sign Agreements on Trade, Communication
India and Ethiopia have signed agreements on trade, communication and media to boost bilateral ties as President Ram Nath Kovind held talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Mulatu Teshome.
Kovind and Teshome discussed economic relations, with the agreements on trade, communication and media signed in their presence, according to the president’s Twitter page.
India also thanked Ethiopia for its participation in the International Solar Alliance (ISA), established in 2015.
India, Lithuania sign extradition treaty
India has signed an extradition treaty with Lithuania following a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Lithuanian counterpart Linus Linkevicius in New Delhi, thus enhancing its engagement with the Baltic region.
The treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Lithuania.
Cabinet approves MoC between India and Japan on the “Technical Intern Training Program (TITP)”
The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of “Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC)” between India and Japan on the “Technical Intern Training Program (TITP)”.
This MoC is expected to be signed during the forthcoming visit of Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship during October, 16-18, 2017 at Tokyo.
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Cabinet approves signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan
The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on establishing a liquid, flexible and global LNG Market.
The MoC will promote bilateral relationship between India and Japan in the energy sector. It will contribute to the diversification of gas supplies for India. This will strengthen our energy security and lead to more competitive prices for consumers.
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Belarus for Cooperation
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Belarus for cooperation in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET). The MoU was signed on 12th September, 2017 during the State visit of H.E. Mr. Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus to India.
This is for the first time MoU for cooperation in area of vocational education, training and skill development has been signed with Eurasian country.
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Morocco on cooperation in the field of water resources
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Morocco on cooperation in the field of water resources.
The MoU intends to enhance cooperation in the field of water resources development and management within the framework of their expertise and their respective legislations.
Canada chosen as partner country for 2017 Technology Summit, New Delhi*
Canada will be the partner country at the 23rd iteration of the Tech Summit, India’s largest knowledge and technology conference and exhibition to be held from November 14 to 15, 2017 in New Delhi.
The Summit is organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST). The India-Canada Tech Summit will highlight range of research and innovations areas where India and Canada are world leaders.
INDRA – 2017: Indo-Russia’s first-ever tri-service joint exercise begins in Vladivostok,Russia
India and Russia have began their first mega tri-services war game involving their armies, navies and air forces with an aim to boost their operational coordination.
The Indian contingent includes nearly 450 personnel while the Russian side is being represented by around 1,000 troops in the 10-day exercise Indra.
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India Signs Pact to Send Interns to Japan for Training
India and Japan have signed a memorandum of cooperation on Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP). The pact will pave the way for sending Indian technical interns to Japan for on-the-job training for a period of three to five years.
As per Japan’s data for end-2016, about 2,30,000 technical intern trainees from multiple countries are on training in Japan.
India, Brazil, South Africa sign IBSA Trust Fund agreement
India, Brazil and South Africa signed the IBSA Trust Fund Agreement that seeks to fight poverty in developing countries. The agreement was signed by Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh who led the Indian side at the 8th IBSA trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting in Durban.
Singh also met Brazil’s Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira and South African Foreign Minister Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane, on the margins of the conclave.
India, Mozambique agree to develop Rovuma gas discovery
India and Mozambique have agreed to expedite development of the giant Rovuma gas discovery, which is planned to be converted into LNG for exports.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is here to attend the LNG Producer–Consumer Conference, met his Mozambique counterpart Leticia Klemens to discuss the development of the gas field.
30th Edition of CORPAT Begins Between Indian-Indonesian Navy
Indian Naval ship Sukanya reached Indonesia to take part in the 30th edition of CORPAT (Coordinated Patrol) and third Bilateral exercise between the Indian and Indonesian navies.
The ship, commanded by Commander SA Deodhar, arrived at Belawan port for CORPAT scheduled from 24 October to 5 November.
India and France Agree to Strengthen Bilateral Defence Cooperation
India and France have discussed their ongoing military cooperation during the Defence Minister-level talks, stressing that defence cooperation was an important pillar of the strategic partnership between both the countries.
Negotiations between India and France are in final stages for the Rs 50,000-crore deal for procuring 126 Rafale combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The two sides are also holding negotiations for a Rs 30,000-crore project for co-developing the Maitri surface-to-air missile defence system.
India, UAE second strategic talks held in Abu Dhabi
India and the United Arab Emirates have held the second round of their strategic dialogue in Abu Dhabi to deepen cooperation in a range of areas such as trade and investment.
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The Indian delegation at the talks was led by Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar while the UAE side was headed by its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash.
Paolo Gentiloni first Italian PM to visit India in a decade
Italian prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni is set to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations during the first prime ministerial visit from Italy to India in a decade.
The visit marks the end of a chill in ties that set in 2012 after the killing of two Indian fishermen by a pair of Italian marines off the coast of Kerala.
India, Tunisia agrees to combat terror, extremism
India and Tunisia have agreed to jointly combat terrorism and extremism while ramping up cooperation in the field of security.
A review of bilateral ties was undertaken as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj co-chaired the 12th India- Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting with her Tunisian counterpart Khemaies Jhinaoui.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
World’s largest nuclear plant gets approval to restart
The operator of Japan’s stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been given initial approval to restart reactors at another atomic facility, marking the first step towards the firm’s return to nuclear power generation more than six years after the March 2011 triple meltdown.
Japan’s nuclear regulator has approved an application from Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) to restart two reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa – the world’s biggest nuclear power plant – even as the utility struggles to decommission Fukushima Daiichi.
French Parliament passes new anti-terror law
The French parliament has approved a new anti-terrorist bill. The new bill, which seeks to increase law enforcement powers in the fight against terrorism, was supported by 415 lawmakers, with 127 voting against it.
The parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly, passed the new legislation in the first reading.
German law to police social media for hate speech comes into effect
A new German law designed to combat hate speech on social media platforms has come into force.
The law named ‘Enforcement on Social Networks‘ abbreviated as NetzDG will require social media platforms to police and remove hate speech as well as offensive content within 24 hours of notification from the government.
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If the content is difficult to evaluate, the time for taking it down could be stretched up to seven days. Germany’s Ministry of Justice could impose fines going up to a whopping €50m (£44m, $59m) on companies that fail to comply.
US FDA approves first test to screen Zika virus in donated blood
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for the first time a test for detecting the Zika virus in donated blood. The Zika virus is transmitted primarily by mosquitos (Aedes aegypti), but it can also spread through blood transfusion and sexual contact.
The cobas Zika test, manufactured by Roche Molecular Systems Inc., is intended for use by blood collection establishments to detect Zika virus in blood donations, not for the individual diagnosis of Zika virus infection.
Vanuatu 1st nation to accept Bitcoins for citizenship
Vanuatu, a South Pacific archipelago of some 80 islands, will now let outsiders use the volatile cryptocurrency to apply for so-called investment citizenship.
Fork over the equivalent of about $280,000, and your family of up to four can receive passports from what the New Economics Foundation, a U.K.-based think tank, calls the fourth-happiest country in the world.
With bitcoin reaching a record price of $5,209, more than five times its value at the start of the year, passports for the whole clan cost about 53.8 bitcoin.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines launch joint air patrols
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have begun coordinated air patrols to intensify their fight against Islamic militants who have laid siege to a southern Philippine city.
The start of the air patrols comes four months after the three countries launched joint maritime patrols to prevent Islamic State group-aligned militants in the southern Philippines from fleeing to neighbouring nations.
UK’s Oxford plans to have world’s first zero-emissions zone
Petrol and diesel vehicles could be banned from Oxford city centre by 2035 under plans to bring in what officials believe would be the world’s first ‘zero emissions zone’.
The proposals aim to slash air pollution in the historic universitycity, which has seen levels of harmful pollutant nitrogen dioxide plateau above legal limits in some areas.
Pakistan wins seat on UN Human Rights Council
Pakistan has once again secured a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) among countries representing the Asia-Pacific region.
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Activists on the social media have however criticised the government for what they say is its failure to match words with actions on its commitment to fundamental rights of Pakistani citizens. The election took place during the 72nd session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Google Viewed as Most Authentic Brand in India: Survey
Search engine giant Google has emerged as the most authentic brand in the country, followed by Microsoft, Amazon, Maruti SuzukiBSE -0.68 % and Apple, according to New York-based global communications firm Cohn & Wolfe.
Sony, YouTube, BMW, Mercedes Benz and British Airways are the other brands to feature in the top 10. The communications firm part of WPP group, noted that Indian consumers are becoming more positive in their perceptions of brand authenticity.
French Parliament adopts new anti-terror law
The French parliament has adopted a controversial anti-terror bill that gives the authorities permanent new powers to search homes, shut places of worship and restrict freedom of movement.
The new law, which will replace the state of emergency imposed after the 2015 Paris attacks, was approved by the Senate on its second reading, despite campaigners warning of a threat to civil liberties.
WHO removes Zimbabwe President as Goodwill Ambassador
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has been removed as a goodwill ambassador for the World Health Organisation following outrage among Western donors and rights groups at the appointment.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus named Mr Mugabe to the largely ceremonial post at a high- level WHO meeting on chronic diseases, attended by both men, in Uruguay.
World’s 1st floating wind farm starts producing electricity
The world’s first floating wind farm has started generating electricity in waters off the coast of Scotland. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon officially opens the Hywind project about 15 miles (25km) off the shore of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, which could provide power for 20,000 homes.
The project has been developed by Norwegian state energy company Statoil – although Ms Sturgeon stressed Scottish firms had been involved in the work.
Nicaragua Signs Paris Climate Agreement
Nicaragua signed the Paris climate agreement, leaving the United States and Syria as the only two holdouts on the global climate pact.
The government of President Daniel Ortega said the global 2015 pact represented “the only international instrument that offers the conditions to face global warming and its effects,” according to a statement read out by vice president Rosario Murillo.
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Capital: Managua Currency: Nicaraguan córdoba
Singapore passport named world’s most powerful passport
Singapore has the world’s “most powerful” passport, according to a global ranking topped for the first time by an Asian country with India figuring at 75th position, three notches better than its previous ranking.
According to the ‘Global Passport Power Rank 2017’ by global financial advisory firm Arton Capital, Germany is ranked second, followed by Sweden and South Korea in third place. India, which was listed 78th, last year, has improved its ranking, figuring at 75th position with a visa-free score of 51.
Chile named best country to visit in 2018
The tastemakers at travel guide Lonely Planet have released their picks for the best destinations to visit next year, declaring Chile the country of 2018 and Seville, Spain the top city of 2018.
To make the cut on one of the most influential travel lists of the year, destinations must offer outstanding experiences in the year ahead, editors say, be it for a special event, milestone, or new openings and attractions.
China unveils World’s first track-less train that runs on virtual railways
China has unveiled a track-less train that runs on virtual rails in a bid to speed up public transportation in major cities. The new trains were announced on June 2 in Zhuzhou, China’s Hunan province and are said to be non- polluting.
The Chinese rail corporation began designing the new system in 2013 and it is set to begin operating in 2018
Qatar Introduces Minimum Wage for First Time
World Cup 2022 host Qatar, under global scrutiny over its alleged ill-treatment of migrant labourers, is to introduce a minimum wage for workers.
Qatar News Agency also announced that the gas-rich emirate has signed bilateral accords with 36 countries from which it draws most of its two-million-strong foreign workforce, to provide legal protection for workers headed to the Gulf.
International meets on sustainable innovations
To create a sustainable environment, an organisation must look at innovation from the social, environmental, technology and economic perspective. Only then will it bring change in the processes, operating procedures and practices, say industry leaders.
The ideas were shared by the leaders in the first international conference on ‘Implementation Strategies for Sustainable Innovations’ organised by the School of Management of DG Vaishnav College in Chennai. BusinessLine was the media partner.
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Saudi Arabia becomes 1st nation to give citizenship to robot
Saudi Arabia has become the first country to grant citizenship to a robot. The lucky machine is Sophia the Humanoid, who was designed to look like Audrey Hepburn.
News of Sophia’s citizenship was announced at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sophia was created by David Hanson for Hong Kong company Hanson Robotics. Hanson is known for making human- like robots.
Saudi to allow women into sports stadiums from 2018
Saudi Arabia will allow women into three sports stadiums for the first time from next year, authorities said, in a landmark move that would open up the previously male-only venues to families.
The kingdom, which has some of the world’s tightest restrictions on women, has long barred women from sports arenas by strict rules on segregation of the sexes in public.
Burundi becomes first country to leave International Criminal Court
Burundi has become the first country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, but officials say the court’s prosecutor will move ahead with an examination of the East African nation’s deadly political turmoil.
An ICC spokesman confirmed that the pullout took effect; a year after Burundi notified the United Nations secretary-general of its intention to leave the court that prosecutes the world’s worst atrocities.
Jeff Bezos overtakes Bill Gates as world’s richest person
Jeff Bezos may have just overtaken Bill Gates to reclaim the distinction of richest person in the world, after Amazon reported earnings that beat Wall Street expectations, sending the stock up 8% in after-hours trading. The move boosted Bezos’s net worth by as much as $6.6 billion.
Bezos is the founder and largest stakeholder in Amazon, and his total net worth is greater than $83 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Gates still sits atop that list, with a total of $88 billion.
Catalonia declares independence from Spain
Catalonia’s parliament declared independence from Spain in defiance of the Madrid government, which at the same time was preparing to impose direct rule over the region.
Although the declaration was in effect a symbolic gesture as it will not be accepted by Spain or the international community, the moves by both sides take Spain’s worst political crisis in four decades to a new level.
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RANKING AND INDEX
India Slips to 8th Rank in Valuable Nation Brand List
India is ranked the eighth most valuable nation brand while the United States retained its top position and China took the second spot in the League of Nations according to Brand Finance’s Nation Brands 2017.
India went down one spot over the previous year, the report said, because the economy grew at its slowest pace. India switched places with Canada and its brand value dropped by one percentage point while that of Canada’s rose 14 per cent.
IIT Bombay top ranked Indian institute in QS Asia University Rankings 2018
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has emerged as the only Indian institute to better its performance among the top 100 universities in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings 2018.
The top-ranked Indian institute in the QS Asia University Rankings, IIT Bombay saw its best position at 34th rank in the last three years since its 46th rank in 2016. Earlier this year, IIT Bombay was ranked 179th in the QS World University Rankings, showing an improvement in its 2017 performance by 40 places.
India Overtakes US to Become Second Largest Smartphone Market: Report
India is now the world’s second largest smartphone market. That’s according to a new report from Canalys which claims smartphone shipments in India crossed the 40 million mark for the first time in Q3 2017 courtesy of 23 percent annual growth. That means that India has overtaken the U.S. on sales with only China ahead of it.
GIFT City’s IFSC Bags 10th Place in Global Financial Centres Index
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City)’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) has bagged the 10th spot in the latest edition of Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), London, September 2017.
GIFT IFSC is ranked tenth, ahead of Luxembourg, Seoul, Abu Dhabi, Toronto and Beijing in the list of the GFCI report, which has 15 centres that are likely to become more significant in the next few years.
SPORTS
WINNER TITLE SPORT/ VENUE Max Verstappen Malaysian Gran Prix ─ Pooja Kadian Wushu World Championship Gold Held in Russia Rafael Nadal China Open title ─ Lewis Hamilton Japanese Grand Prix ─ Anupama Ramachandran Under-16 Snooker Championship Title Held in St. Petersburg, Russia RMV Gurusaidutt Bulgarian International Future Series ─
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tournament Selena Selvakumar(17) Egypt Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Ope ─ India Asia Cup Hockey title Dhaka, Bangladesh Gaganjeet Bhullar 8th Asian Tour Golf title ─ Kidambi Srikanth Superseries title of 2017 Defeated Korean veteran Lee Hyun I Amanpreet Singh (Bronze) ISSF World Cup Final ─ Sangram Dahiya (Silver) ISSF World Cup Final Kerrville, Texas Indian Women’s Team Women’s Asia Cup 2017 Kakamigahara, Japan England FIFA U-17 World Cup Kolkata, India Patna Pirates Pro Kabaddi Title Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Bihar Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Sultan of Johor Cup ─ (Bronze) Lewis Hamilton Mexican Grand Prix ─ Geeta Phogat All India Police Championship ─ Heena Sidhu (Gold) Commonwealth Shooting C’ships Brisbane, Australia Russia leads the list of seven post-Soviet states suspended from weightlifting competitions for up to 12 months alongside China and Turkey. Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has announced the launch of National School and College Games in December and January next year respectively to tap talent from every nook and corner of the country. Long-serving Indian boxing coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu has been honoured with the National Awards for senior citizens by President Ramnath Kovind. Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 gold medal-winning sailor Robert Scheidt has announced his retirement from Olympic competition, ending a career that spanned a quarter of a century. Kavita Devi,a former competitive powerlifter, has become the first ever Indian woman to be signed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The 17th edition of the FIFA U-17 World in India turned out to be a milestone event as it became the most attended and the highest scoring tournament ever. Indian captains Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj came out on top in ICC rankings
OBITUARY
NAME OF THE PERSON FIELD Jalal Talabani Iraq’s first non-Arab President Kundan Shah Veteran director Purushottam Lal Kaushik Former Union minister and socialist leader
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Baba Bajrang Das Rajasthan’s “mountain man” Shamsher Khan India’s first Olympic swimmer Roy Dotrice British Actor Richard Wilbur Poet Laureate William Lombardy Chess grandmaster Gaur Kishore Ganguli Freedom fighter Girija Devi Eminent classical singer Punathil Kunjabdulla Malayalam Writer Dr Digamber Singh Former BJP minister MV Sridhar Former BCCI general manager Kim Joo-hyuk South Korean veteran actor Khadri Achyuthan Writer and journalist
IMPORTANT DAYS
DATE DAY OBSERVED THEME / PURPOSE OBSERVED October 01 International Day of Older Persons Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society October 02 International Day of Non-Violence 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi October 05 World Teacher’s Day Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers October 10 World Mental Health Day Mental health in the workplace EmPOWER girls: Before, during and after October 11 International Day of the Girl Child conflict
To promoting practical solutions to end the October 11 World Obesity Day global obesity crisis.
Challenges and opportunities in climate- October 15 International Day of Rural Women resilient agriculture for gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls Change the future of migration. Invest in food October 16 World Food Day security and rural development October 17 International Day for the Eradication ─
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of Poverty October 20 World Statistics Day Better Data, Better Lives It is the date on which China attacked India in October 20 National Solidarity day 1962. The 72nd anniversary of the UN Charter's entry October 24 United Nations Day into force To object of drawing the attention of world October 24 World Information Development Day public-opinion each year to development problems October 27 World Audiovisual Heritage day Discover, remember and share October 28 International Animation Day ─ October 30 World Savings Day/ World Thrift Day Our future starts with savings National Unity Day/ Rashtriya Ekta The 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar October 31 Diwas Vallabhbhai Patel The birthday anniversary of the first woman October 31 National Integration Day prime minister of the India Indira Gandhi
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