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National:
1. India foiled a British Company’s bid to patent use of turmeric, pine bark and tea for treating hair loss and succeeded in protecting its traditional knowledge.
2. Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India released the Census 2011 data on Highest Education Level Attained.
The data relates to population of 7 years and above by age and sex for total, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) up to district levels.
3. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced construction of 800 kilometers of Nagpur-Mumbai expressway.
The Nagpur-Amravati-Aurangabad-Ghoti-Mumbai expressway, also called Communication Super-expressway, would be build at the cost of 30000 crore rupees.
4. The Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways formulated a Draft Notification for Mass Emission Standards for Bio-diesel (B100) fueled vehicles also called flex-fuel bio-diesel vehicle.
The Draft rules further seek to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 and these Rules may be called Central Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2015.
5. India will host second edition meeting of Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) on 21stAugust 2015 in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
The meeting will be attended by the heads of 14 island nations from Indo-Pacific oceanic region.
It is seen as India’s first step towards greater engagement with the region, which is important from geostrategic and economic standpoint.
6. Spices Board of Indiahas launched subsidy schemein a bit to promote spice cultivation in India by offering subsidies and sensitize to farmers.
7. Tripura legislative assembly passed a resolution against the death penalty.
8. Lok Sabha passed the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
The Bill provides for filing of cheque bounce cases at the place where a cheque is presented for clearance and not the place of issue.
9. Forest Ministers of southern states of India decided to set up aSouthern Forest Ministers’ Inter-state Coordination Council.
Kerala Forest MinisterThiruvanchoor Radhakrishnanwill be the President of the council for the first year.
10. Delhi Government reconstituted the Urdu Academy which will comprise of renowned academicians, performers and poets and announced a threefold increase in artistes’ pay.
11. Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar launched scheme named Thari Pension Thare Passin Chandigarh.
12. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) signed the Phase II of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation for establishing aNational Coordination Centre for Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Training Services in India.
13. Multi-Application Solar Telescope (MAST), a telescope for the detailed study of the solar activity including its magnetic field, was operationalized at the Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO) of Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).
14. The Union Cabinet approved release of wages directly to the accounts of the workers engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
15. Bihar legislative Assembly passed the Bihar Public Grievance Redressal Bill, 2015.
16. Uttar Pradesh Government announced that two films namely Masaan and Jaanisaar will be free from the entertainment tax in the state. They were made tax free as they were entirely shot in Uttar Pradesh.
17. Maharashtra government increased the retirement age for group ‘A’ category medical officers from 58 to 60 years.
18. Delhi government decided to run trams in several walled city areas including Lal Quila, Jama Masjid and Old Delhi Railway Station.
19. Jharkhand Government empowered Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to arrest Minister, MLA and senior civil servants without taking permission from the concerned authorities in cases of being caught on taking bribes.
20. eCommerce firm Snapdeal launched its new service named Snapdeal Instant to enable delivery of packages to customers as early as within an hour of placing the order.
21. Kamayani Express & Mumbai-Jabalpur Janata Express derailed over Machak River of MP.
22. Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh launched SAMANVAY, a compilation of all schemes of both Union and State governments for Gram Panchayats.
23. The Haryana government has decided to honour those who were oppressed or went to jail during the Emergency between 15 June 1975 and 21 March 1977.
24. Delhi’s central district police in first week of August 2015 launched ‘Operation Shishtachar’ to teach lesson to eve-teasers. The operation aims at nabbing offender and teach lesson of manner to them.
25. The new simplified “Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children 2015”are intended to provide for more effective regulation for adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children and would bring more transparency and efficiency in the adoption system.
26. ASSOCHAM (Associated Chamber of Commerce Industries) Study on Start-Ups released, pointed out that India is expected to produce at least a score of billionaires and many times millionaires among the start-ups in the next five years.
27. Union Government has decided to allow Aadhaar enrollment of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Overseas Citizen of India (OCIs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
28. Maharashtra government has declared the area along Thane Creek as Flamingo Sanctuary.
29. Indian Multinational conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T) to be the first to receive license for technology of full-scale system to make Lakshya from Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
International:
1. Sri Lanka government announced its decision to repair and renovate one Hindu and one Buddhist temple in Nepal that was destroyed in the recent earthquake.
2. Pakistan was formally conferred Associate Membership status by European Organization for Nuclear Research(also known as CERN).
The membership was granted after Pakistan formally completed the required internal ratification process.
3. India and Bangladesh physically transferred 162 enclaves/chitmahals located on Indo-Bangladesh.
Under the historic exchange, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves merged with India, while 111 Indian enclaves from West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram merged with Bangladesh.
4. Tendong Lho Rum Faat (Prayer of the Tendong Mountain), an ancient and natural festival of the ethnic Lepcha tribe of Sikkim was celebrated with traditional devotion and fanfare on 9 August 2015.
It is an annual festival celebrated in the month of July-August.
5. The 48th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers’ meet was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between 4 August and 6 August 2015.
The meet was chaired by Anifah Aman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia.
The meet was held under the theme “Our People, Our Community, Our Vision”, to create an ASEAN Community which is truly people-oriented, people-centred comprising all areas of cooperation.
6. India and Myanmar inked an agreement to set up Centre of Excellence in Software Development and Training (CESDT)in Myanmar.
7. The 193 member states of the United Nations reached agreement on a new Sustainable Development Agenda for the next 15 years.
It calls for eradicating poverty and hunger, achieving gender equality, improving living standards and taking urgent action to combat climate change.
8. National Directorate of Security, the intelligence agency of the government of Afghanistan banned all mourning ceremonies for deceased Taliban leader Mullah Omar.
Sports:
1. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) lifted the 5-year ban on Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khanon entering the Wankhede Stadium. The decision on removal of ban imposed on Khan was taken during the Association’s meet in Mumbai.
2. Indian women’s recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Laxmirani Majhi and Rimil Buriuly won a silver medal at the World Archery Championshipsin Copenhagen, Denmark.
3. Indian champion Joshna Chinappawon the women’s squash title in the 15000 US Dollar Victorian Open WSA Eventin Melbourne, Australia on 2 August 2015.
4. Fourteen year old Master Prabhroop Sekhonwon two gold medals in 300 metre and 500 metre Roller Skating at the Special Olympics World Summer Games. The event is being held at Los Angeles, USA.
5. India’s Ranveer Singh Sainihas won a Gold medal at the Special Olympics World Games held in Los Angeles. The 14 year old golfer suffering from autistic achieved this feat in GF Golf-Level 2 Alternate Shot Team Play.
6. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the formation of Ad-Hoc Committee for cricket administration of Bihar and Uttarakhand.
7. India decided to boycott 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference to be held in Islamabad.
8. The August edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings was released on 6 August 2015. The rankings show change in top three places with Argentina remaining at No 1 position.
9. Ace Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar clinched the women’s vault bronze medal at the 6th Senior ART Gymnastics Asian Championships at Hiroshima, Japan.
10. China will host the men’s basketball World Cup in 2019 for the first time.
11. England defeated Australia by an innings and 78 runs on the third day of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-match series and so regain the Ashes.
Australia captain Michael Clarke also announced that he will retire at the end of the current Ashes series.
Awards & Recognition:
1. An Indian diplomat with the Indian consulate in Dubai Tiju Thomaswas in news in first week of August 2015.
He came in news after spearheading an initiative to make blood from rare groups accessible to those in need through a website blooddonors.ae.
2. The state government of Tamil Nadu instituted a youth award in the name of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
3. Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recommended name of Indian Tennis legend Sania Mirzafor the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award 2015.
4. Union Government has conferred Arjuna Awardon Indian cricket team off-spinner bowler Ravichandran Ashwin.
With this Ashwin became 48th cricketer to receive the prestigious award.
5. Zhanna Nemtsova, the daughter of slain Russian politician Boris Nemtsov awarded with Poland’s Solidarity Prize 2015.
6. Forbes released the list of 2015 World’s Highest-Paid Actors.
Top ten in the list are –
• Robert Downey Jr. stood at top position in the list with earnings of 80 Million US dollars
• Jackie Chan stood at second position with earnings of 50 Million US dollars
• Vin Diesel stood at third position with earnings of 47 Million US dollars
• Bradley Cooper stood at fourth position with earnings of 41.5 Million US dollars
• Adam Sandler with stood at fifth position with earnings of 41 Million US dollars
• Tom Cruise stood at sixth position with earnings of 40 Million US dollars
• Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan stood at seventh position with earnings of 33.5 Million US dollar
• Akshay Kumar stood at ninth position with earnings of 32.5 Million US dollars
• Mark Wahlberg stood at tenth position with earnings of 32 Million US dollars.
7. Mathematician Doctor Amalendu Krishna won the Ramanujan Prize for year 2015.
8. Hindi litterateur Kashinath Singh was chosen for the Uttar Pradesh’s highest literary award Bharat Bharti for the year 2014. The award is given by UP Hindi Sansthan every year.
9. The World’s Largest Radio Telescope, Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), is being constructed in Guizhou province of south west China, whose dish size will be equivalent to 30 football fields.
10. Manigandan Manjunathan enters Guinness World Records for the longest journey on a motorcycle in a single country.
Mergers & Acquisition:
1. French global financial services group Banque Nationale de Paris(BNP) Paribasto acquire retail brokerage firm Sharekhan at about 2,000 crore rupees.
2. Major tour operator Thomas Cook (India) Ltdhas acquired Sri Lanka based destination management company Luxe Asia Pvt. Ltd.
3. Leading e-commerce player Snapdeal tied-up with retailer Shoppers Stop Ltd to launch a digital marketplace through a flagship Shoppers Stop store on Snapdeal.
4. India’s largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel acquired financial solutions firm YTS Solutions for an undisclosed amount.
5. Fairfax-owned Thomas Cookhas acquired Swiss tour operator Kuoni Group’s business in India and Hong Kong for about INR 535 crore as a part of its strategy to scale up the inbound tour business and expand in foreign markets.
Economics:
1. 162 enclaves of India and Bangladesh were integrated with the main land with the execution of Land Border Agreement, 1974 between the two countries.
According to the agreement, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves situated at Indian soil in Coochbehar District of West Bengal amalgamated with India, while 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladeshi territory integrated with that country when the clock struck 12 at night.
2. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notified Section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 -Relaxations in Branch Authorization Policy. The notification allows banks to shift, merge or close branches, in urban areas, at their own discretion.
3. Private insurer SBI Life Insurance launched Smart Humsafar, a unique plan which offers multiple benefits of savings and insurance cover for husband and wife under a single policy.
4. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed two unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) with two Multi-National Companies (MNCs). The aim of the APAs is to user in an era of certainty in taxation.
5. NASA signed a contract worth 490 million US dollars with Russia’s space agency Roscosmos for carrying the US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
6. The water treatment engineering company Polutech Limited of Murugappa Group signed an agreement with Japan-based Organo Corp to form a Joint venture (JV) of an industrial water treatment requirement company.
7. India and Mozambique signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in New and Renewable Energy Sector.
8. Maharashtra government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tiawan-based Foxconn to set up its manufacturing facility in the state.
9. Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Rajesigned memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth 2,452 crore rupees at an investor event organized in New Delhi.
The event was organized in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) by the Bureau of Industry Promotion in Rajasthan.
10. In order to bring certainty in tax liability and avoid disputes in taxation with the multinationals operating in India, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for the first time has entered into an Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) with ‘Rollback’ provision with the two US MNCs.
Appointments & Resignations:
1. Rekha M Menon was appointed as the chairperson of Accenture India.
2. Indian-American Atul Keshap was appointed as the United States (US) Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives.
3. Amitava Ghosh was appointed as Vice President-engineering of Domestic e-commerce portal Snapdeal.
4. Roland S Folger was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mercedes-Benz India with effect from 1 October 2015.
5. Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari was appointed as Acting Chief Justice of Patna High Court.
6. Accenture names Rekha Menon as new India chairman, Anindya Basu new country MD.
7. President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Acharya Dev Vrat and Ram Nath Kovind as the governors of Himachal Pradesh and Bihar respectively.
Science & Technology:
1. India’s first Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence and Surveillance System (IUHDSS) was commissioned in Kochi, Kerala.
First of its kind system in the country is part of initiatives to strengthen and beef up coastal security in the western coastline.
2. Wildlife researchers have discovered new frog species in Netravali forest sanctuary of Goa.
The discovered species has been christened as ‘Indirana Salelkari’after Netravali Range Forest Officer Prakash Salelkar for his contribution to conservation of wildlife.
3. Bharti Airtel launched pan-India 4G high-speed data services. The service was launched in 296 towns across India and it will be available to customers through 4G-enabled mobile phones, internet dongles and Wi-Fi routers.
4. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi approved the proposal of hiving about 65000 towers of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) into a new company.
5. Scientific technology named SHEFROL (Sheet Flow Root Level)was in news in the first week of August 2015. It was in news as the SHEFROL-based waste water treatment plant built at Chinna Kalapet fishing hamlet in Puducherry, was found to be successful.
6. NASA beefed up its enhanced collision-avoidance system with an aim to ensure that Mars orbiters do not approach each other too closely.
The system involves process of traffic monitoring, communication and maneuver planning.
Important Dates:
1. 70th Hiroshima Day was observed on 6 August 2015. The day was marked by adding of names of survivors of the explosion called the hibakusha, who died in previous 12 months, on the cenotaph of the Peace Memorial Park. With this, total number of dead ones listed on the cenotaph reached 292325.
Death:
1. United States country singer Lynn Andersonpassed away after she suffered a heart attack in Nashville, US. She was 67.
2. Frances Oldham Kelsey, the Canadian doctor who played a central role in preventing the drug thalidomide being distributed in the US, died in London, Ontario. She was 101.
3. The actor George Cole, best known for playing the role of Arthur Daley in the TV series Minder, died due to a brief illness. He was 90.
4. Arnold Scaasi, the Canadian Fashion Designer, died due to cardiac arrest in New York. He was 85.
5. Colonel Harwant Singh, a World War-II hero, died at Patiala. He was 95.
6. The last surviving Dambusters pilot, Les Munro, died in New Zealand following heart problems. He was 96.
7. Legendary British singer Cilla Black, who had a 50-year music and television career, passed away.
8. Former Madhya Pradesh (MP) Minister and senior Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Jagannath Singh passed away in Bhopal after prolonged illness. He was 69.