NATIONAL NEWS

Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer

• In a first, India to get its first vaccine against cervical cancer on 01 September 2022.

• The most awaited vaccine will be launched by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Jitendra Singh.

• The cervical cancer vaccine named Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) has been developed by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

• Serum Institute's qHPV vaccine got market authorization from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on 12 July 2022.

India's First 'Virtual School'

• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the "country's first virtual school”.
• Students from all across the country will be eligible for admissions.
• The school is for classes 9-12 and the application process for the Delhi Model Virtual School (DMVS) began.
• The classes will be online and recorded lectures will also be uploaded online.

World's Largest Carbon Fibre Plant

• Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani announced to build India's first and one of the world’s largest Carbon Fibre plants at Hazira, Gujarat.

• The plants will have a capacity of 20,000 MTPA based on Acrylonitrile feedstock.
• The first phase of the plant will be completed in 2025.
• Carbon fibre is a lightweight material with high conductivity that has the potiential to replace steel.
• The company will further integrate its composites business with Carbon Fibre to produce Carbon Fibre composites.

IIT-Madras and IIS

• Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras partnered with the Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS).

• They have partnered to create a low-cost boxing analytics platform called 'Smartboxer,' to increase India's boxing medal tally at the Olympics 2024.

• The multi-version software is designed to provide feedback and performance assessments through Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled wearable sensors and video cameras.

• 'Smartboxer' is one among the many initiatives of IIT Madras aimed towards the Indian government's ambitious goal of winning more medals in the Olympics.

One Nation One Fertilizer

• One Nation One Fertilizer is introduced to unify fertilizer brands across the country and the government issued an order to all enterprises to promote their products under the brand name “Bharat”.

• According to the One Nation One Fertilizer order all fertilizer bags containing urea di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MOP) or NPK will bear the brand names “Bharat Urea,” “Bharat DAP,” “Bharat MOP” and “Bharat NPK” regardless of the company that manufactures them whether in the public or private sector.

• As part of the One Nation One Fertilizer initiative, under which the Central Government yearly subsidizes the fertilizer companies, the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojana (PMBJP) brand name and logo must be shown on the bags.

Mobile app "JK Ecop"

• In Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K Police has launched online Mobile application "JK Ecop", an easy way to use interface to facilitate common people.

• Mobile App enables the citizens to use a host of services ranging from registering a complaint to downloading a copy of FIR.
• A citizen can make requests like obtaining a character certificate, employee verification, event performance or tenant or PG verification through this Mobile App.
• Other services regarding the traffic police are also available to the citizens through this App.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

MoU Between India and Government of Nepal

• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry for signing an MoU with the Government of Nepal on biodiversity conservation.
• It is aimed at strengthening and enhancing coordination and cooperation in the field of forests, wildlife, environment, biodiversity conservation and climate change.

G20 Digital Innovation Network

• The Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM) has revealed that four of its startups have been selected by MeitY to represent India at the G20 Digital Innovation Network (DIN).

• T-AIM is an initiative of the state Government supported by NASSCOM.
• The four startups include Arficus, Edubuk, Eunimart and MayaMD supported by Revv Up programme.
• Revv Up is a free-of-equity-or-cost acceleration program by T-AIM that is exclusively designed for early-stage AI startups.
• The G-20 DIN will be held during 02 September-04 September 2022 at Bali International Convention Center Bali, Indonesia.
• These startups have been receiving mentorship and knowledge sessions from industry experts, access to global pathways and technology and IP resources to build scalable businesses.

BANKING

RBI to Auction Government Securities

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be auctioning four dated government securities worth ₹33,000 crore on 02 September 2022.

• The Centre will also have the option to retain an additional subscription of ₹2 crore against each security.

• Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on RBI's core banking solution (E-Kuber) system.

• These four government securities as per Finance Ministry are
• 6.69% Government Security 2024 amounting to ₹4,000 crore.
• 7.10% Government Security 2029 aggregating ₹7,000 crore.
• 6.95% Government Security 2061 aggregating to ₹9,000 crore.
• 7.26% Government Security 2032 worth ₹13,000 crore. This would be the highest security for the auction in value terms. It also has the highest coupon rate among the four dated securities.

SPORTS

Neeraj Chopra Gifts Gold Medal-Winning Javelin

• Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra has gifted his historic Tokyo Olympics gold medal winning javelin to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

• The museum has a rich collection of 120 years, which includes the rifle of Abhinav Bindra, who became the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold at Beijing 2008.

• The Museum is managed by the International Olympic Committee’s Heritage team.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

India’s Ambassador to Thailand

• Nagesh Singh, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1995 batch, has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to Thailand.
• Singh will replace the incumbent ambassador Suchitra Durai.
• Nagesh is presently working as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Small Industry Day

• The National Small Industry Day is observed every year in India on 30 August.

• It is celebrated to encourage and promote small industries for their potential for overall growth as well as the chances they have been given to expand throughout the year.

• The purpose of industry day is to support the establishment of new industries and give balanced growth to the state’s current small, medium and large-scale businesses.
• On 30 August 2000, the Ministry of Small-Scale Industries (SSI) introduced a comprehensive set of policies for the SSI sector.

OBITUTARY

Former Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev

• Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader who brought the Cold War to a peaceful end, has died at the age of 91.

• Mr Gorbachev took power in 1985 and introduced reforms as well as opening up the Soviet Union to the world.

• He was the youngest member of the ruling council known as the Politburo.

• He won the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating a historic nuclear arms pact with US leader Ronald Reagan.

Noted Agri Economist Abhijit Sen

• Abhijit Sen, India’s noted agriculture economist and former member of the erstwhile Planning Commission passed away. He was at the age of 72.

• Abhijit Sen was a strong advocate of the public distribution system of food grains and a distinguished rural economy expert.
• During the United Progressive Alliance regime between 2004 and 2014, Sen was a member of the Planning Commission.
• He was awarded the Padma Bhushan for public service in 2010.