Current Affairs of August Month




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Monetary Policy - In its 3rd Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee meeting, the Reserve Bank of India has reduced the policy Repo Rate by 35 basis points (BPS).
Repo Rate - 5.40% (Decreased 0.35%)
Reverse Repo Rate - 5.15% (Decreased 0.35%)
Cash Reserve Ratio – 4% (No change)
Statutory Liquidity Ratio – 18.75% (No change)
Bank Rate - 5.65% (Decreased 0.35%)
Marginal Standing Facility - 5.65% (Decreased 0.35%)  
GDP growth for 2019-20 - 6.9% (7%)
National Film awards  - The 66th National Film awards have been announced by Rahul Rawail, head of the Jury for feature films. The Jury unanimously conferred the award for the Most Film Friendly State to “Uttarakhand” for furthering the growth of the film industry in the state.
Best Feature Film - Hellaro (Gujarati Film)
Best non feature film - Son Rise by Vibha Bakshi and The Secret Life of Frogs by Ajay and Vijay Bedi
Best Director - Adhitya Dhar for Uri : The Surgical Strike
Best Actor - Ayushmann Khuranna for Andhadhun and Vicky Kaushal for Uri : The Surgical Strike
Best Actress - Keerthy Suresh for Mahanati
Best Hindi Film – Andhadhun
New State Governors - Five new state Governors were appointed by the Union Government on September 1, 2019 –
Rajasthan - Kalraj Mishra
Himachal Pradesh - Bandaru Dattatreya
Kerala - Arif Mohammed Khan
Maharashtra - Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Telangana - Tamilisai Soundararajan 
Merger of Public Sector Banks - Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces the merger of ten big public sector banks (PSBs) into four. India will now have 12 Public Sector Banks from 27 in 2017. Banks that will be merged as one.

Merger of Public Sector Banks
Merger of Public Sector Banks
The Government would infuse Rs 55,250 Crore of capital in these 10 big banks for their credit growth and regulatory compliance to boost the economy.

Capital Infusion in Public Sector Banks
Capital Infusion in Public Sector Banks
G7 Summit - The Group of 7 or G7 Summit has begun in Biarritz, France. It is an informal meeting between France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada as well as the European Union. These world powers represents 50% of the global economy. India has been invited as a special guest in the summit. PM Narendra Modi will address sessions on the environment, climate, oceans and digital transformation at the G7 Summit.
Bimal Jalan Committee - The Reserve Bank of India has decided to transfer a sum of Rs. 1,76,051 crore to the Government of India as per the recommendations made by Bimal Jalan Committee. The surplus money includes a sum of Rs. 1,23,414 crore for the year 2018-19 and Rs. 52,637 crore of excess provisions identified as per the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF) adopted at the meeting of the Central Board.
Ghaznavi Missile - Pakistan has successfully test-fired nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hatf-III Ghaznavi from Sonmiani test range near Karachi. The Ghaznavi missile is capable of delivering different types of warheads including nuclear and conventional up to a range of 290 km.
Rajiv Gauba - Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba appointed as a Cabinet secretary for two years. He will replace P.K. Sinha.
Ajay Kumar Bhalla - Ajay Kumar Bhalla was appointed as the new Union Home Secretary. He replaces Rajiv Gauba, who was appointed as the new cabinet secretary.
Rajiv Kumar - Rajiv Kumar was designated as Finance Secretary. Rajiv Kumar will replace Subhash Chandra Garg.
Ajay Kumar - Ajay Kumar has been appointed as Defence Secretary. He will replace Sanjay Mitra.
General Qamar Javed Bajwa - Pakistan Prime Minister Office has announced a 3-year extension of General Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure as Chief of Army Staff. 
Madhur Deora - Digital payments player Paytm announced the promotion of its Chief Financial Officer Madhur Deora as the company's President.
Ravinder Takkar - Ravinder Takkar has been appointed as the MD and CEO of Idea-Vodafone. 
Order of Zayed - The United Arab Emirates will honour the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the "Order of Zayed", the highest civilian award of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will recieve the award during his visit to the UAE.
Ravi Shashtri - Former all-rounder Ravi Shashtri has been appointed as the head coach of Indian cricket team for another two years. 
Chief of Defence Staff - In his Independence Day address to the nation, Prime Minister has announced the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff. The Chief of Defence Staff will be above the three Service Chiefs. The CDS is meant to be a single-point military advisor to the government who will coordinate long-term planning, procurements, training and logistics of the three services. The CDS will also act as the military advisor to the Prime Minister on nuclear issues.
Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee - In the absence of a CDS, presently the senior most of the three Chiefs functions as the Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa is the present chairman of COSC.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award - Tamil Nadu government has awarded K. Sivan with its Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award. K. Sivan is currently serving as the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation.
India Slipped from 7th Place - India has slipped down to the 7th place in the global GDP rankings of 2018, reveals data compiled by the World Bank. India recorded a GDP of $2.73 trillion in 2018, which is less than that of the UK and France, which had a GDP of $2.82 trillion and $2.78 trillion respectively in the same year. India had emerged as the fifth largest economy in 2017.
One Nation One Ration Card - "One Nation One Ration Card" scheme to be rolled out in India from June 1, 2020. To implement the scheme successfully, the centre has kick started inter state portability of ration card pairing two states each. The pairs are made between Telangana-Andhra Pradesh as well as Maharashtra-Gujarat. 
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification - Union Environment minister launched a website 'unccdcop14india.gov.in, which contains all the information related to COP14. The 14th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP14), will take place on 2-13 September 2019 at Greater Noida, India.
HarmonyOS - Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled its own operating system will be called the HongmengOS, known in English as the HarmonyOS. The operating system will be released as an open-source platform worldwide to encourage adoption. HarmonyOS is future-oriented and designed to be more smooth and secure, and is completely different from Android and iOS. 
Abhinandan Varthaman - Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be honoured with the Vir Chakra on Independence Day. Wg Cdr Abhinandan became the face of a tense military confrontation between India and Pakistan when his MiG-21 was shot down during the aerial combat between Indian and Pakistani air forces on February 27 after the February 26 Balakot airstrike. 
Chandrima Shaha - Chandrima Shaha is set to be the 1st woman president of the Indian National Science Academy. Her tenure will begin from January 2020.
Ramon Magsaysay Award - Indian journalist Ravish Kumar has been awarded the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award for “harnessing journalism to give voice to the voiceless”. The Magsaysay award was started in 1957 and celebrates the memory and leadership example of the former Philippine president Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay. Ramon Magsaysay Award is also known as Asian version of the Nobel Prize.
One nation one ration card - One nation one ration card scheme was launched on a pilot basis in four states- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Under the one nation one ration card scheme, families who have food security cards will be able to buy rice, wheat or any food grain at a subsidised price from any ration shop in the mentioned states. The ration cards will need to be linked with the Aadhaar Number to avail the service. The Union Government plans to extend the One nation one ration card scheme to all the states by August 2020 to enable the portability of the food security card.
Gambia - President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated exhibitions on Mahatma Gandhi and Khadi at the "Ebunjan Theatre" in the Gambia to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi. President Ram Nath Kovind is on the visit of African country, Gambia. During his visit India has promised to extend an assistance of USD 500,000 to Gambia. 
Supreme Court Strength Increased - Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to increase the strength of judges in Supreme Court from the present 31 to 34 including Chief Justice of India (CJI). At present Supreme Court has sanctioned strength of judges is 31 including the CJI. According to Article 124 (1) of Constitution of India, the strength of the Supreme Court is fixed as per the law.
Ban on Single Use Plastic - India is set to impose a nation-wide ban on single-use plastic on October 2, 2019, on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. As per reports, six single-use plastic items will be scrapped with effect from the day including plastic bags, straws, cups, plates, small bottles and certain types of sachets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has set the goal to make India free of single-use plastics by 2022, had appealed to the nation to stop the use of single-use plastic in his speech on India’s Independence Day.
Committee on Fake Degrees - The UGC has set up a five-member committee to look into the allegations of sale of fake degrees by certain universities. The committee was set up after the Union HRD Ministry directed UGC to immediately constitute a high-level committee to inquire into the matter. The special committee will be headed by Chairman DP Singh and assisted by UGC Joint Secretary (Private Universities) Surender Singh. 
US Space Command - US President Donald Trump launched the US Space Command on August 29, 2019. Trump announced the establishment of the space command as the newest US military combatant command in a ceremony at the Rose Garden, White House.
Samudrayaan - After Chandrayaan, India’s is planning to explore the deep sea region with the 'Samudrayaan' project. The 'Samudrayaan' project proposes to send men into the deep sea in a submersible vehicle for ocean studies. The project is expected to become a reality by 2021-22. The project has been undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). The 'Samudrayaan' is a pilot project of the Ministry of Earth Sciences for deep ocean mining for rare minerals.
National Yoga Awards - National Yoga Awards 2019 were conferred by PM Narendra Modi. Winners of Yoga Awards 2019
National Category - Bihar School of Yoga
Individual Category - Munger Swami Rajarshi Muni of Life Mission
International Category - Japan Yoga Niketan Antonietta Rozzi
Individual-International category - Italy
Pavan Kapoor - Senior diplomat Pavan Kapoor has been appointed as India's Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates by the Ministry of External.
Akshay Kumar - Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar has made it to the 4th position on the Forbes magazine’s Worlds Highest-Paid Actors Of 2019 list. Akshay has raked in $65 million. Hollywood star Dwayne ‘Rock’ Johnson tops the Forbes list of the 10 highest-paid actors.
RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA AWARD
Bajrang Punia – Wrestling
Deepa Malik - Para Athletics
DRONACHARYA AWARD
Vimal Kumar – Badminton
Sandeep Gupta - Table tennis
Mohinder Singh Dhillon – Athletics
Merzban Patel – Hockey
Rambir Singh Khokhar – Kabaddi
Sanjay Bhardwaj – Cricket
ARJUNA AWARD
Tajinderpal Singh Toor – Athletics
Mohammed Anas Yahiya – Athletics
S. Bhaskaran - Body Building
Sonia Lather – Boxing
Ravindra Jadeja – Cricket
Chinglensana Singh Kangujam – Hockey
Ajay Thakur – Kabaddi
Gaurav Singh Gill - Motor Sports
Pramod Bhagat - Para Sports (Badminton)
Ms. Anjum Moudgil – Shooting
Harmeet Rajul Desai - Table Tennis
Pooja Dhanda – Wrestling
Fouaad Mirza – Equestrian
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu – Football
Poonam Yadav - Cricket
Swapna Barman – Athletics
Sundar Singh Gurjar - Para Sports (Athletics)
Bhamidipati Sai Praneeth – Badminton
Simran Singh Shergill – Polo
Manuel Fredricks – Hockey
Arup Basak - Table Tennis
Manoj Kumar – Wrestling
Nitten Kirrtane – Tennis
Lalremsanga – Archery
Fedor Humanoid Robot - Russia launched an unmanned rocket carrying a life-size humanoid robot named Fedor, (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research). Fedor will spend 10 days learning to assist astronauts on the International Space Station. It blasted off in a Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft from Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Vikram Rathour - Former Indian opener Vikram Rathour appointed as team India's new batting coach. He will replace Sanjay Bangar.
"Bharatcraft" - Union Government is planning to launch an e-commerce portal named "Bharatcraft" for MSME's. The portal is based on other e-commerce portals like 'Alibaba' and 'Amazon'. The portal will provide a platform for MSMEs to market and sell their products and in turn boost the sector. 
Pakistan Blacklisted in FATF - Pakistan has been placed on the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force’s Asia Pacific Group. Pakistan has been blacklisted for non-compliance and non-enforcement of safeguards against terror financing and money laundering.
Floating Nuclear Reactor - Russia launched the world's first floating nuclear reactor. The vessel weighs 21,000 tons and has two reactors with a capacity of 35 megawatts each. This reactor loaded with nuclear fuel, the Akademik Lomonosov left the Arctic port of Murmansk to begin its 5,000 kilometres (3,000-mile) voyage to Pevek in northeastern Siberia.
Amazon - Amazon has opened its largest campus in the world in Hyderabad. This is Amazon's first owned-building outside of the US and and is also its largest tech base outside the Seattle headquarters.
Sulphur Dioxide - India is the world’s largest emitter of anthropogenic sulphur dioxide, which is produced from coal burning, and greatly contributes to air pollution. According to an analysis of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) data released by environmental NGO Greenpeace. India has more than 15% of all anthropogenic sulphur dioxide (SO2) hotspots in the world detected by the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) satellite.
Neelum Sharma - Doordarshan Anchor and Nari Shakti Award Winner Neelum Sharma passed away. Neelum Sharma was known for her programmes like ‘Tejaswini’ and ‘Badi Charcha’ and had been awarded the Nari Shakti Puruskar by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2018.
Forex Reserves - India's forex reserves has reached the highest ever valuation of $430.57 bn. Foreign currency assets expressed in dollar terms includes the effect of appreciation/depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound and yen held in the reserves.
Bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir - President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to legislation for bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, and two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will come into existence on October 31.
NEFT will be 24x7 - The Reserve Bank of India will make available the National Electronic Funds Transfer system (NEFT) on a 24x7 basis from December 2019 as per the Payment System Vision 2021 document. Presently, the transfer of funds via NEFT can only be done during banks’ working hours. The facility of electronic transfer of funds is available from 8 am to 7 pm on all working days, except the second and the fourth Saturday of the month.
AMOS-17 Communication Satellite - US carrier rocket Falcon 9 loaded with Israeli AMOS-17 communication satellite successfully lifted off from a space centre in Florida, spacecraft manufacturer SpaceX. Amos-17, built by Boeing, will provide Ka, Ku and C-band signal transmission and expand Israeli communications satellite operator Spacecom's coverage in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Founder of SpaceX is Elon Musk.
Priyam Chatterjee - Priyam Chatterjee became the 1st Indian chef to be awarded the 'Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricoleto' by the government of France.
Alejandro Giammattei - Alejandro Giammattei has been elected as new president of Guatemala. He defeated former first lady Sandra Torres for the president's seat.
Priya Priyadarshini Jain - Eminent Social entrepreneur and philanthropist Priya Priyadarshini Jain has been felicitated with the prestigious 'Indian Woman of Influence' award at the House of Lords, the United Kingdom Parliament, London.
V.K. Johri - IPS officer V.K. Johri has been appointed as the next Director General (DG) of Border Security Force (BSF). The order has been issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) that is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Vidisha Baliyan - Vidisha Baliyan, a 21 year old girl from Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar city, was crowned the Miss Deaf World 2019 title. The international beauty pageant was held in Mbombela, South Africa.
Gita Jayanti Mahotsav - Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has invited Nepal to be the partner country for this year's 'Gita Jayanti Mahotsav 2019' scheduled to be held at Kurukshetra. 
Women Entrepreneurship Platform - WhatsApp has partnered with NITI Aayog, under the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) to announce its plan to support and promote women entrepreneurs in India. WhatsApp will also partner with the Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards 2019, flagship initiative of NITI Aayog.
National Conference on e-Governance - The 22nd National Conference on e-Governance will be held in Shillong, Meghalaya. The theme of the conference is 'Digital India: Success to Excellence'. 
R-27 Missiles - India has signed a deal worth around Rs 1,500 crore to acquire R-27 air-to-air missiles from Russia to be equipped on the Su-30MKI combat aircraft. The R-27 missile is a medium-to-long-range air-to-air missile for MiG and Sukhoi series of fighter jets.
Shawala Teja Singh temple - Pakistan has opened a 1,000 year old Hindu temple in eastern city Sialkot for worship for the first time since partition on the demand of the local Hindu community. The Shawala Teja Singh temple, located in city’s congested Dhaarowal locality, some 100 km from Lahore, is more than 1,000 years old.
KABIL - Khanij Bidesh India Ltd - KABIL, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, a joint venture company will be set up soon to ensure a consistent supply of critical and strategic minerals to the Indian domestic market. KABIL will be set up in joint partnership between three Central Public Sector Enterprises including National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO), Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL) and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd (MECL). The equity participation between NALCO, HCL and MECL in the company is in the ratio of 40:30:30.
Tiger Estimation Report - Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a census report of tigers in India. The report - ‘The Tiger Estimation Report 2018’ is a data about tigers in India. PM Modi said that India has already achieved the target of doubling the numbers of tiger population. Highest number of tigers have found in Madhya Pradesh (526), after that Karnataka has 524 and Uttarakhand is accommodating 442 tigers.
Commonwealth Games - The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) pulled out of the Commonwealth Games Federation general assembly meeting, to protest against the move of dropping shooting from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games roster. The federation, instead, recommended the inclusion of three new sports - beach volleyball (men and women), women's T20 cricket and para-table tennis (men and women).
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill - The Triple Talaq Bill or the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 received President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent on July 31, 2019. The bill has now become a law. 
Man vs Wild episode - Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be featured in the special Man vs Wild episode on the Discovery Channel with ace adventurer Bear Grylls. The episode was shot in Jim Corbett National Park and will air on August 12 at 9 pm.
7th Economic Census - The Government of India begins the 7th Economic Census from Tripura. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will conduct the census. It will be conducted after a gap of 5 years. The fieldwork is expected to be completed by December and the results at the national level is expected to be available by March 2020.
Kaiga Atomic Energy Station - Kaiga Atomic Energy station (Karnataka) sets a World Record in continuous operation of 962 days by Unit-1 of Kaiga Generating Station (KGS-1) among nuclear power plants of all technologies. KGS-1 (220 MW) in an indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) fuelled by domestic fuel which started commercial operation on November 16, 2000.
Official Team India Sponsor - The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that Bengaluru-based education and learning app Byju's, which is owned by Think and Learn Private Limited, has replaced Oppo India as the official Team India sponsor.
Khelo India Youth Games 2020 - The 3rd edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2020 will be held in Guwahati. It will be conducted in partnership with Indian Olympic Association (IOA), School Games Federation of India(SGFI) & Assam as host State.
Bank of China - The Reserve Bank of India allowed Bank of China to offer regular banking services in the country. In another notification, the RBI said the name of 'The Royal Bank of Scotland plc' has been changed to 'NatWest Markets Plc' in the Second Schedule.
Indian Army Launched e-cars - The Indian Army launched e-cars for use of its officials in New Delhi on August 1. The e-car initiative has been launched in partnership with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) in a joint venture of the Central PSU’s under the Ministry of Power. The e-car launch is in line with government policies on environmental protection.
Rasagola - The rasagola, a popular dessert of Odisha, has received the geographical indication tag from the Registrar of Geographical Indication. The GI number 612 has been registered in favour of the Odisha Small Industries Corporation Limited.
BlueTalon - Microsoft has acquired data privacy, governance service firm BlueTalon. BlueTalon helps enterprises set policies for how their employees can access their data. 
Defence Cooperation - India, Mozambique sign 2 MoUs to strengthen defence cooperation. The two MoUs include an agreement on sharing white shipping information and another on co-operation in the field of Hydrography. Rajnath Singh is currently on his first official visit abroad as the Defence Minister to the African country. This is also the first time a Defence Minister has visited Mozambique.
Prithvi Shaw - Prithvi Shaw has been suspended by Board of Control for Cricket in India for 8 months for a doping violation. Shaw was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules.
Penalty on Prepaid Instrument - The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty on two online payment solutions providers ii. Mobikwik Systems and Hip Bar for non compliance of regulatory guidelines. Mobikwik Systems Private Limited has been slapped a fine of Rs 15 lakh while Hip Bar Pvt Ltd faced a fine of Rs 10.85 lakh.
India-Nepal Logistics Summit - Prime Minister of Nepal inaugurated India-Nepal Logistics Summit between India and Nepal in Kathmandu. The theme of the summit was “Transforming Logistics Landscape”. 
World Day Against Trafficking - United Nations observes 30 July every year as World Day Against Trafficking. On the 2019 World Day UNODC is focusing on highlighting the importance of Government action with a tagline: Human Trafficking: call your government to action.
Paramjit Singh - Lt Gen Paramjit Singh will be the next Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army.
Sudarsan Pattnaik - Padma Awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik has won the People’s Choice Award at a prestigious sand sculpting festival in the U.S. Pattnaik was participating in the 2019 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival in Boston, Massachusetts. He won the People’s Choice Award for his sand sculpture ‘Stop Plastic Pollution, Save Our Ocean’.
S. Jaipal Reddy - Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader S. Jaipal Reddy passed away.
World Hepatitis Day - World Health Organization observe 28 July every year as "World Hepatitis Day" to step up national and international efforts on hepatitis. The date of 28 July was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus. The theme for 2019 is “Invest in eliminating hepatitis”. The host country for World Hepatitis Day 2019 is Pakistan.
India Post Payments Bank - The postal department has decided to convert the India Post Payments Bank into a small finance bank. This bank will provide micro credit at the doorsteps to individuals and SME's. The postal department has also target the milestone of 1 crore accounts for IPPB in 100 days.
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund - Australian Super and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan will invest $1 billion each in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). NIIF is India’s first sovereign wealth fund that was set up by the Government of India in February 2015. The Fund invests in equity capital in core infrastructure sectors in India with a focus on transportation, energy and urban infrastructure. Australian Super is Australia’s largest superannuation fund and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is Canada’s largest single-profession pension plan.
Central Payment Fraud Registry - The Reserve Bank of India has decided to set up a "Central Payment Fraud Registry". The registry will track frauds in the payment systems. Under this registry, payment system participants will be provided access to it for near-real time fraud monitoring. 
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City - Securities and Exchange Board of India has approved Singapore Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India Ltd to operate jointly in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, Gandhinagar. The two entities will create a new platform for trading called NSE International Financial Service Centre (IFSC)-SGX Connect.
ASEAN summit - Foreign Ministers from South East Asia are attending the 52nd ASEAN summit in Bangkok.
ADB Loan to India - Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 200 million loan for improving road infrastructure in 34 districts of Maharashtra. The aim of the project is to connect rural areas with markets and services. Roads in rural areas would be upgraded to all weather standards.
Article 370 & Art-35-A - A series of historical decisions which includes the scrapping of Article 370 & Art-35-A and the introduction of “J&K Reorganisation Bill 2019” were taken today during the session of Rajya Sabha. Article 370 was providing special autonomous status to the Indian state “Jammu & Kashmir” which will be no longer applicable.
Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile - India successfully test-fired its all-weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM) from a mobile launcher at launch complex III of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha. QR-SAM system can also engage multiple targets within a range of around 25 to 30 km.
Fame Scheme - The Department of Heavy Industry has sanctioned 5,595 electric buses under the phase II of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) India scheme. The buses are sanctioned to 64 cities in 22 states and union territories for intercity and intercity operations in order to push for clean mobility in public transportation.
Joint Technical committee For Ganges water - India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up a Joint Technical committee for optimum use of Ganges water. The river Ganga's water is being received by Bangladesh under the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty 1996.
Samagra Shiksha-Jal Suraksha - Union HRD Minister will launch ‘Samagra Shiksha-Jal Suraksha’ to create awareness about Water Conservation among all school students in the country. So that they can become competent, conscientious and committed water citizens of our nation. 
Women Transforming India Awards - The NITI Aayog will launch the 4th Edition of Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards. The WTI Awards is being organized in collaboration with the United Nations to recognize women entrepreneurs from across India. This year’s theme is ‘Women and Entrepreneurship’, in continuation of the theme for WTI Awards 2018. WhatsApp has collaborated with NITI Aayog for WTI Awards 2019 and will be providing support amounting to US$100,000 to the award winners.
Hashim Amla - South African batsman Hashim Amla has retired from all formats of international cricket. 
Archery Association of India - The World Archery (WA) has suspended the Archery Association of India for violating its guidelines. 
Transgender Inclusive Policy - The Cricket Australia has announced new transgender inclusive policy. This policy will enable transgender players to play the game of cricket at the highest levels. The decision aligns in accordance with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) gender recognition policy and gender diversity guidelines.
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples - United Nations observes 9th August every year as International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the needs of these population groups. Theme for year 2019 is Indigenous Languages.
Nagasaki Day - Japan commemorates the 9th August every year as the Nagasaki day. On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. It was code named "Fat Man" due to the design of the bomb as it had a wide, round shape.
Navodayam Scheme - The Andhra Pradesh government will launch the Navodayam scheme. The scheme is a complete outreach programme for thousands of ailing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state. Navodayam will provide a lifeline to stressed MSMEs by ensuring that all eligible units are permitted for the one-time restructuring of accounts up to March 31, 2020 with an outlay of Rs 3,900 crore.
Serena Williams - Serena Williams topped the List of Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2019 published by Forbes. She has topped the annual list for a 4th consecutive year with estimated total earnings of $29.2 million. Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu came in tied for 13th ($5.5 million), with Thai golfer Ariya Jutanugarn ($5.3 million).
Om Prakash - Veteran director Om Prakash passed away. Prakash was best known for his collaboration with two of Bollywood biggest superstars, late Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra. 
Consumer Protection Bill - The Rajya Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019. The bill will lead to setting up of a Central Consumer Protection Authority to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class. The Bill seeks to strengthen the rights of consumers and provides a mechanism for redressal of complaints regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services. The bill will replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
UN Palestine Refugee Agency - India contributed 5 million USD to the UN Palestine refugee agency and called for ensuring sustained financial support for the organisation's work. The amount was hand over to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian Refugees.
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant – Bangladesh signed a deal with Russia for the supply of uranium for its 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). The deal was signed in Dhaka between the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Russian Nuclear Fuel Supply Company (TVEL). Under this deal, Russia will supply the nuclear fuel needed for the plant during its entire life cycle. 
International Army Scout Masters Competition - The 5th edition of International Army Scout Masters Competition with teams from 8 countries including India, China and Russia as participants was inaugurated at the Jaisalmer Military Station under the aegis of the Southern Command. Army Scout Master Teams from Armenia, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Sudan, Uzbekistan and India are participating in the 9-day event from August 6 to 14.
Sushma Swaraj - Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away. She was the 1st full time woman external affairs minister of India. She was also the youngest cabinet minister at 25 when she joined the Haryana government in 1977 and the first woman chief minister of Delhi.
Hiroshima Day - August 6 marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima during World War The horrific incident took place on August 6, 1945, when the United States dropped an atomic bomb named Little Boy, on the town of Hiroshima in Japan.
National Handloom Day – India celebrates National Handloom Day every year on 7th August. The day is celebrated to honour the handloom weavers in the country and also highlight India’s handloom industry. Bhubaneswar has been chosen as the venue for the celebrations of the day for its rich tradition of Handlooms. 
Currency Manipulator - The United States has officially labeled China a "currency manipulator". The US has accused China of using yuan to gain “unfair competitive advantage” in trade. The US took the action as Beijing has allowed its yuan to fall below the politically sensitive level of "seven" to the U.S. dollar for the first time in 11 years.
Bills Against Mob Lynching - The Rajasthan Assembly passed Bills against mob lynching and honour killing, which make the cognisable, non–bailable and non-compoundable offences with life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 5 lakh. The bill to curb honour killing also has a provision of the death penalty for the convict. Now Rajasthan has become the 2nd state after Manipur which passed a law to curb lynching cases.
Kosi-Mechi River Interlining Project - The Centre has approved a Kosi-Mechi river interlining project in Bihar. Estimated cost of the project is Rs 4,900 crore. This is India's 2nd major river linking project after Ken-Betwa of Madhya Pradesh.
ScooNews Global Educators Fest - The 3rd edition of India's largest education brainstorming event, the ScooNews Global Educators Fest (SGEF) will held in the city of lakes, Udaipur. The theme for fest is Education for Sustainability: Moving on from Conformity to Creativity'.
Vinesh Phogat - Vinesh Phogat won gold in women’s 53kg category at Poland Open wrestling tournament in Warsaw.
Space Situational Awareness Control Centre - K Sivan, chairman, ISRO, laid the foundation stone for Space Situational Awareness Control Centre at Peenya in Bengaluru.
Automated Multi-modal Biometric Identification System - Maharashtra became the first state to adopt a digital fingerprint and iris scanning system to aid police investigations. The Automated Multi-modal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS) adopted by the Maharashtra Police will soon be replicated across the country, with the state government working with the National Crime Records Bureau in New Delhi to create standards to be used by other state police forces.
China's National Advance Payment System - The State Bank of India's (SBI) Shanghai branch is now connected to China's National Advance Payment System (CNAPS). SBI is the only Indian bank to have obtained the license to do business in local currency and also inducted to the CNAPS by the People's Bank of China (PBOC). 
Bank of China - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed "Bank of China" to offer regular banking services in the country. Banks falling under this schedule have to adhere to the norms of the RBI. 'Bank of China Limited' has been included in the 2nd Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
Lok Sabha will become paperless - Lok Sabha Speaker has announced that the Lower House will become paperless from the next session. This move will save crores of rupees to the exchequer.
ISRO Technical Liaison Unit - Cabinet has approved the setting up of ISRO Technical Liaison Unit (ITLU) at Moscow in Russia. The unit will collaborate with Space agencies and industries in Russia and neighbouring countries for mutually synergetic outcomes. 
Best City For Students - London has named the world’s best city for students for the 2nd consecutive year, beating Tokyo and Melbourne that came 2nd and 3rd, respectively. According to the rankings, India’s best student city is Bengaluru (81st), followed by Mumbai (85th), Delhi at 113th and Chennai at 115th. The QS Best Student Cities Ranking compiled by global education consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds highlights each city’s performance across different categories.
Paytm - The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced that mobile payments and e-commerce company "Paytm" has retained the title sponsorship rights. Paytm has retained the title sponsorship rights for all cricket matches, domestic and international, played in India for 5 years. Paytm has signed the deal for Rs 326.80 crores which it will pay BCCI over a period ranging between 2019 and 2023.
Super 50 - Tribal Development Department of Maharashtra in association with the Pace Educational Trust launched an academic programme "Super 50". The programme has been launched for young tribal students aspiring to be doctors and engineers. The Super 50 programme will mentor 50 most meritorious tribal students from the State and prepare them for engineering and medical exams. 
Recurring Transactions - The Reserve Bank of India has permitted processing of e-mandate on credit and debit cards for recurring transactions (merchant payments). The maximum limit for such a transaction will be Rs 2,000. While processing the first transaction in e-mandate-based recurring transaction series, additional factor authentication (AFA) validation should be performed. The direction is applicable for transactions performed using all types of cards—debit, credit and Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), including wallets.
NISHTHA - Union HRD Minister launched the training programme NISHTHA, (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) to improve Learning Outcomes at the Elementary level across the country. This is the largest teachers’ training programme of its kind in the world.
Operation Blue Freedom - Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and former India football captain Baichung Bhutia flagged off Operation Blue Freedom in  Delhi. This is an initiative in which a group of armed forces veterans train sports enthusiasts in survival training and self-defence. It comes under the parent project "Special Forces Adventures".
India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee - The 9th Session of the India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee was held in New Delhi. The Joint Trade Committee reviewed the progress in cooperation in the power sector, renewable energy, petroleum and natural gas, civil aviation and agricultural research. The next session of the Joint Trade Committee meeting in Nairobi.
World Photography Day - World Photography Day is celebrated on 19 August every year. World Photography Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science and history of photography.
Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana - The chief minister of Punjab has launched a universal health insurance scheme "Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana " benefiting nearly 46 lakh families. With this scheme, covering 76% of the state’s population. Punjab has become the first state in the country to offer medical insurance cover to the maximum number of its people. The scheme would entitle beneficiaries to avail annual cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, including pre-existing diseases.
WIRIN - Wipro announced a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to conduct advanced applied research in autonomous systems, robotics and 5G. Wipro IISc Research and Innovation Network (WIRIN) will focus on the research and development of cutting-edge technologies in Artificial Intelligence.
S Sreesanth - Former India paceman S Sreesanth’s life ban has been reduced to 7 years. This order was passed by BCCI Ombudsman, Justice (Retd.) DK Jain. The Ban will end in 2020.
Babulal Gaur - Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Babulal Gaur passed away. He served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from August 2004 to November 2005.
Uday Express - Indian Railway's 2nd double-decker Uday (Utkrisht Double-Decker Air Conditioned Yatri) Express will run between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. 
Nicotine as "Class A poison"- The Karnataka government has amended the Karnataka Poisons (Possession and Sale) Rules 2015 and notified Nicotine as "Class A poison". The step has been taken to strengthen the enforcement of the ban on production and sale of electronic cigarettes. 
Retirement Age of CRPF - The Union Home Ministry has fixed the retirement age of all Central Armed Police Force personnel at 60 years. MHA has issued the order following the 2019 Delhi High Court verdict.
Sadbhavana Diwas - Sadbhavana Diwas is celebrated on 20 August every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. This year will be the 75th Birth Anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi.
Chilika and Ansupa lake - The Odisha Wetland Authority has approved implementation of an integrated management plan of lakes "Chilika and Ansupa".The Chilika lake is India’s largest brackish water lagoon and Ansupa is the Odisha’s largest freshwater lake. 
India-Nepal Joint Commission - The 5th meeting of India-Nepal Joint Commission will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal. India's Minister for External Affairs and Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs will co-chair the meeting.
Jagannath Mishra - Former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra passed away. He was 3-time Chief Minister of Bihar.
Bunker Museum - President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated underground Bunker Museum at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.
UN Special Purpose Trust Fund - India has contributed $1 million to the UN Special Purpose Trust Fund for the Resident Coordinator System. The Special Purpose Trust Fund (SPTF) is a specific fund housed within the UN Secretariat.
Aadi Mahotsav - National Tribal Festival “Aadi Mahotsav” has begun in Leh-Ladakh. The theme of the festival is “A celebration of the spirit of Tribal Craft, Culture and Commerce” The 9 day Adi Mahotsav will showcase traditional art and handicrafts and cultural heritage of the country. 
World Junior Track Cycling Championships - Indian cyclists team have won the gold medal in the Team Sprint event at World Junior Track Cycling Championships held in Frankfurt, Germany. This is India's first ever gold medal in a global cycling competition. The Indian team defeated Australian team in the finals to won the gold medal.
T20 Physical Disability World Cricket - India has won the inaugural T20 Physical Disability World Cricket Series 2019 held in England. India defeated England by 36 runs in the finals to win the title. The 6-nation tournament was organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Inter-State Council - The Inter-State Council has been reconstituted with Prime Minister as its chairman and 6 Union ministers and all chief ministers as its members. Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the standing committee of the Inter-State Council.
Global Investors Summit - Jammu and Kashmir administration will host a 3 days global investors summit from October 12 in Srinagar. The summit will provide J&K with an opportunity to showcase its strengths, strategies and potential.
P.T. Usha - Legendary Indian sprinter P.T. Usha, one of India’s greatest athletes, has been appointed as a member of the Asian Athletics Association’s (AAA) Athletes Commission. This is the 2nd time P.T. Usha has been appointed a member of the Asian Athletics Association’s Athletes Commission.
Air India - On the nation's Independence Day, Air India will become the 1st Indian airline to fly over the North Pole while connecting New Delhi and San Francisco, America. Currently, the route taken by New Delhi to San Francisco flight goes over Bangladesh, Myanmar, China and Japan before crossing the Pacific Ocean to enter the United States of America.
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 - Central government has made "Headgear" mandatory for children above 4 years while travelling on a motorcycle. The safety measures for the children travelling on motorcycles have been included in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019.
Aadhaar enabled Payment - National Payments Corporation of India has announced that Aadhaar enabled Payment System has crossed the milestone of over 200 million transactions during July 2019. The transaction count of AePS stood at 220 million in july 2019.
Freedom Card - Business-to-business payments startup EnKash has launched the country's first corporate credit card called 'Freedom Card' for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The Freedom Card would give SMEs and startups the freedom to avail credit facility for immediate needs and to manage their liquidity.
Mission Reach Out - The Army has launched "Mission Reach Out". This Mission aims to ensure basic necessities and essential services are available in the region post the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 and reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar - The book, titled 'Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar' will be launched on Sridevi's 56th birth anniversary. The book is written by author-screenwriter Satyarth Nayak.
Aishwarya Pissay - Aishwarya Pissay made history by becoming the first Indian to win a world title in motorsports as she won the FIM World Cup in women’s category after the final round of the championship in Varpalota, Hungary.
Bianca Andreescu - Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu wins Rogers Cup tennis tournament 2019 held in Toronto, Canada. She was the first Canadian to win the event in 50 years. Serena Williams was the runner-up in the final.
15-Km Long National Flag - In Chhattisgarh, thousands of students and members of several social organisations unfurled a 15-km long national flag by forming a human chain in Raipur ahead of the Independence day. This event was organised by Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam Foundation to entered the Champions Book of World Records (for the longest tricolour).
Reliance Jio and Microsoft - Reliance Jio and Microsoft announced a partnership to accelerate the digital transformation in India. Under this deal, Microsoft will bring in the Azure Cloud on Jio Network and target the enterprise and business users seeking a technological shift.
Listening, Learning & Leading - Home Minister Amit Shah released a Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu's book titled “Listening, Learning & Leading”. The book captures the glimpses of the Vice President’s 330 public engagements across the country in the last 2 years.
Bajrang Punia - Bajrang Punia wins gold at Tbilisi Grand Prix held in Tbilisi, Georgia. He defeated Iran’s Peiman Bibyani by 2-0 in the 65 kg final of the men’s freestyle competition.
World Biofuel Day - World Biofuel Day is observed every year on 10th of August to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. The theme for the year 2019: Production of Bio-diesel from Used Cooking Oil.
International Youth Day - The International Youth Day 2019 is observed across the world on 12 August with the theme “Transforming education”.
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 - President has approved the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. The bill amends the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The act aims to make Indian roads safer, reduce corruption and use technology to overhaul the country's transportation system.
Vriksharopan Mahakumbh - Uttar Pradesh's "Vriksharopan Mahakumbh" drive has created world record after planting more than 22 crore saplings. The drive was launched on the occasion of 77th anniversary of Quit India Movement.
International Electric Vehicle Conclave - The 3rd International Electric Vehicle Conclave was inaugurated at the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) in Manesar, Haryana. 
National Anti-Doping Agency - The Board Of Control For Cricket In India has agreed to come under the ambit of the National Anti-Doping Agency. This decision makes Indian Cricket's governing body a sports federation as per government norms. As a result, all cricketers will now be tested by NADA.
National Sports Awards - Selection Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 has announced the National Sports Awards 2019. Selection Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 was headed by Justice Mukundakam Sharma, Retired Judge, Supreme Court.
Group of Minister on Jammu and Kashmir - The Union Government has constituted a 5-member Group of Ministers (GoM) to look into issues concerning the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The GoM will look into the development, economic and social issues of the two UTs and suggest ways to improve the situation. The two UTs will come into existence on October 31. The GoM will comprise Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Jitendra Singh, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Narendra Singh Tomar and Dharmendra Pradhan.
Bavar-373 - Iran has unveiled new missile defence system "Bavar-373". This is also Iran's first domestically produced long-range missile defence system which has been inducted into the country's missile defence network. 
Shalija Dhami - Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Shalija Dhami has become the first female officer in the country to become Flight Commander of a flying unit.
Lionel Aingimea - Former human rights lawyer Lionel Aingimea won the presidential election of the pacific nation Nauru by defeating his rival David Adeang.
Pramod Chander Mody - The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister has approved the extension of the tenure of CBDT Chairman Pramod Chander Mody. The tenure of the CBDT chairman has been extended by one year.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2018 - The award is given in 4 categories: Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Life Time Achievement. The awardee will receive statuettes, certificates and award money of Rs. 5 lakh each. Edmund Percival Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers in the world who reached the summit of Mount Everest.
Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress - The 4th edition of India’s largest confluence of digital technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka with the theme of  ‘Mainstreaming the Internet of Things’.
Indo Pacific Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) Conference - The 2019 Indo Pacific Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) Conference will be held in Bangkok, Thailand’s. In this conference, India will be represented by Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of the Air Staff- Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa. The theme for the conference is "Collaboration in a free and Open Indo - Pacific". 
Arun Jaitley - Former Union finance minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley passed away. He was a lawyer by profession. He held the portfolios of Finance Ministry, Corporate Affairs Ministry, Defence Ministry, and Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
Arun Jaitley Stadium - The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) decided to rename Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium as Arun Jaitley Stadium in the memory of its former president of DDCA. Jaitley was the president of DDCA from 1999 to 2013. The renaming of the stadium will take place in September.
Narendra Modi Visited UAE - Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has launched the RuPay card, making the UAE the first country in the Middle East to initiate the Indian indigenous system of electronic payment. RuPay card scheme was launched in 2012 to fulfil the Reserve Bank of India's vision to have a domestic, open and multilateral system of payments. India has already launched the RuPay card in Singapore and Bhutan.
Scarlett Johansson - For the second consecutive year, Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson has topped the Forbes’ list of highest-paid female actors in the world. Spurred by the success of her summer Marvel film Avengers: Endgame, the 34-year-old actor’s earning reached USD 56 million.
The Central Vigilance Commission has constituted a 4-member Advisory Board for Banking Frauds. The ABBF will be headed by former Vigilance Commissioner T.M. Bhasin.
National Food Laboratory - Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated FSSAI's National Food Laboratory (NFL) in Ghaziabad on the occasion of 13th anniversary of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This national lab is a result of a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), the first-of-its-kind in the food laboratory sector. NFL is one of the two premier referral laboratories under the direct administrative control of the apex food regulator named- Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).
Fit India Movement - On the occasion of National Sports Day on 29 August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Fit India Movement in New Delhi. The nation-wide Fit India Movement aims to motivate every Indian to incorporate simple, easy ways of staying fit in their everyday life.
Sri Krishna Temple - Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched redevelopment project of the 200-year-old Sri Krishna temple in Manama, Bahrain. 
World Youth Conference - President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the first-ever World Youth Conference. Which was organised by the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi. The theme of the conference was ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Gandhi for the Contemporary World: Celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 
Time magazine - The 597-ft tall 'Statue of Unity' in Gujarat and Mumbai's Soho House have been featured by the Time magazine in its second annual list of the 2019 World's greatest places, in a compilation of 100 new and newly noteworthy destinations.
Biometric Seafarer Identity Document - India has become the first country in the world to issue Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID), capturing the facial biometric data of seafarers. The new facial biometric technology is a marked improvement over the two-finger or iris-based bio-metric data, with modern security features.
India Security Summit - The 12th India Security Summit was held in New Delhi. The theme of the summit was “Towards New National Cyber Security Strategy”.
International Day Against Nuclear Tests - United Nations observes International Day Against Nuclear Tests on 29 August every year. It is observed to increase awareness and education about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Campaign Against Dengue - Delhi government will launch mega 10-week campaign against dengue and chikungunya. The campaign has been titled as "10 Hafte, 10 Baje 10 minute Har Ravivar, Dengue Par War".
Penality on Johnson & Johnson - Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $572 million for Opioid addiction crisis in the US. Oklahoma court has accused J&J of its role in fostering the state’s opioid addiction crisis. The money will be used to provide care for addicts, families and communities ravaged by the crisis.
OTP facility for ATM withdrawals - Public sector Bank, Canara Bank has launched India’s first OTP facility for ATM withdrawals. This additional factor of authentication protects from unauthorized ATM cash withdrawals for cardholders. Now Canara Bank ATMs get safer and more secured with OTP facility on cash withdrawals above Rs 10,000 in a day.
WorldSkills Kazan 2019 - Indian team created history by winning one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the world's biggest international vocational skill competition, 45th WorldSkills Kazan 2019, Russia.
Springhill - Intel Corp launched its latest processor, it's first using artificial intelligence (AI), designed for large computing centres. The chip developed at its development facility in Haifa, Israel. The name of the chip is  Nervana NNP-I or Springhill and it is based on a 10 nanometre Ice Lake processor that will allow it to cope with high workloads using minimal amounts of energy.
PV Sindhu - Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu has won the World Championships title defeating Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in the final at Basel, Switzerland.
Postal Stamp of Bandra Station - Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan launched heritage postal stamp of Bandra station in Mumbai, Maharashtra on the completion of 150 years of the railway station.
Co-Branded Credit Card - Bandhan Bank launched a co-branded credit card in association with Standard Chartered bank. This credit card would be offered to 40 lakh savings bank account holders across the 1,000 branches of Bandhan Bank.
Big Billion Startup: The Untold Flipkart Story - A new book recounting the story of how Binny Bansal and Sachin Bansal (both-former founders of Flipkart) built e-commerce giant Flipkart. This book is written by Mihir Dalal. The book is titled as “Big Billion Startup: The Untold Flipkart Story” and will be published by “Pan Macmillan India”.
Ocean Energy as renewable energy - The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has declared Ocean Energy as renewable energy status. It has clarified to all stakeholders that energy produced using various forms of ocean energy such as tidal, wave and ocean thermal energy conversion and shall be eligible for meeting the non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO).
Insider Trading - The Securities and Exchange Board of India has announced a new mechanism to reward insider trading informants to uncover insider trading cases. The reward would be 10 per cent of the money collected, subject to a maximum amount of Rs 1 crore. 
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition - United Nations observes 23 August every year as “International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition”.