NATIONAL NEWS

ICAR developed seeds

•  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi released 109 high yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crops developed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
•  Among 109 varieties of 61 crops include 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops.

ICAR

Technology transfers for Sugar Content

• Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research (SAMEER), a R&D Institute of MeitY, Government of India, signed a Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement for Microwave based in situ BRIX measurement system with Toshniwal Hyvac Pvt. Ltd. and Sir Automation Industries.
• Microwave based Brix measurement technology will help sugarcane farmers to produce sugar cane syrup more accurately and efficiently.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Grand Collar of Order of Timor Leste

• President Droupadi Murmu was accorded the Grand Collar of Order of Timor Leste, the highest civil award by President José Ramos Horta at the Presidential Palace in Dili.

 Munal satellite

• An MoU was signed between the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for grant assistance for the launch of Nepal’s Munal satellite.
• Munal Satellite is an indigenous satellite developed in Nepal, aims to build a vegetation density database of the Earth’s surface. This satellite is expected to be launched soon on NSIL’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Nepal

ECONMOY & BANKING

Sovereign Green Bonds

• According to Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das trading of sovereign green bonds can commence at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat during the second half of the current fiscal.

IFSC

ENVIRONMENT + SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Neelakurinji in IUCN’s Red List

•  Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana), the purplish flowering shrub which blooms once in 12 years, has been included on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) official Red List of threatened species.
• ·The latest global assessment confirms its threatened status in the Vulnerable (Criteria A2c) category of the IUCN.

IUCN

Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis

• Government launched the second phase of the Bi-annual Nationwide Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign for Lymphatic Filariasis elimination.
•  Lymphatic Filariasis (Haatipaon) is a priority disease that is targeted for elimination by 2027.

Lymphatic Filariasis

National Geospatial Data Repository

• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh proposed a ‘National Geospatial Data Repository’ to create a unified Geospatial interface for utilisation of industry and StartUp ecosystem in order to create innovative and indigenous products for the welfare of farmers, rural artisans and others.

DEFENCE

Tarang Shakti 2024

• India’s first multinational Air defence Exercise, Tarang Shakti 2024 started at Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
• Thirty countries across the world including US, Germany, France, Australia, UAE and Singapore will be participating in the exercise with state-of-the-art fighter jets performing exercises.

Exercise Udara Shakti 2024

•  Indian Air Force (IAF) and Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) concluded joint air ‘Exercise Udara Shakti 2024’ from 05 to 09 August 2024 at Kuantan, Malaysia.

Indian Air Force

Indian flag at Kilimanjaro

• In run-up to 78th Independence Day, the Divyangjan expedition team of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), under the aegis of Ministry of Defence, has unfurled 7800 sq ft Indian national flag atop Uhuru Summit of Kilimanjaro, the highest peak of African continent.

PERSON IN NEWS

TV Somanathan

• TV Somanathan is appointed as India's new cabinet secretary for a tenure of 2 years, currently he was finance secretary.

Shri Natwar Singh

•   Veteran Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh passed away at the age of 93.

Obaidul Hassan

•  Bangladesh’s Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan has resigned following protests demanding a revamp of the judiciary.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Biofuel Day

• The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) celebrated World Biofuel Day on 10 August with a special event aimed at showcasing the advancements in biofuels and carbon capture technologies.
• The theme for World Biofuel Day 2024 is “Sustainable Biofuels: Fueling a Greener Future”.

SPORTS

The Olympic Order Award

•  India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, was awarded the prestigious Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 142nd IOC Session in Paris.
• Bindra won India’s first individual Olympic gold in the Men’s 10-meter Air Rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Games.

India in Paris Olympics 2024

• With a total Six medals (1 Silver & 5 Gold) India’s campaign ended at Paris Olympics 2024.

Indian medal winners at Paris Olympics 2024