S S C E Monthly CurrentAffair(August)

Transcription

1 S S C E Monthly CurrentAffair(August) Contact : / Visit us: - Daily Current Affairs 1,August,2018 1) Govt launched eaksharayan Software in how many languages? Ans:- 7 Explanation:- E-Aksharayan is free, desktop software for converting scanned printed Indian Language documents into a fully editable text format in Unicode encoding. The software supports editing in seven Indian languages - Hindi, Bangla, Malayalam, Gurmukhi, Tamil, Kannada & Assamese. 2) Which of the following country will build the intercontinental ballistic missiles? Ans:- North Korea Explanation:- Washington Post reported that North Korea seems to be building one or two new liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles at a factory at Sanumdong. It also said that the advancement of the missiles is unknown. North Korea has produced the country's first missiles which are capable of reaching the United States. This is the latest evidence that suggests the ongoing activity at North Korea's nuclear and missile facilities despite of the Singapore Summit in June between the US SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 1

2 President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jongun. 3) Which network company signed world's first big 5G deal worth $3.5 billion? Ans:- Nokia Explanation:- Finland's Nokia will supply T-Mobile, the third biggest U.S. mobile carrier, with $3.5 billion in next-generation 5G network gear, marking the world's biggest 5G deal so far. In February, T-Mobile was working both with Nokia and rival network vendor Ericsson of Sweden to build out 5G networks in 30 U.S. cities during ) This city hosted the 2018 Unified Commanders' Conference (UCC). Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- The Unified Commanders' Conference (UCC) for the year 2018 has started at New Delhi on July 30 to review external security challenges as well as the country's preparedness. The 2- day annual conference will provide a platform for discussions at the Apex Level on all 'Joint Issues' among the three Services & Ministry of Defence. The scope of this conference is to enable the forum to facilitate joint stock taking of the previous year's performance of all Services & Departments of Ministry of Defence and jointly chart the course for the next year. The conference will be attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force among others. 5) Which country has been designated as a nodal centre for preparing flash-flood forecasts to Asian nations by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)? Ans:- India SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 2

3 Explanation:- The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has designated India as a nodal centre for preparing flash-flood forecasts to Asian nations including Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. That means the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will have to develop a customized weather model that can issue advance warning of floods. Using a combination of satellite mapping and ground-based observation, this system - called the Flash Flood Guidance System - aims to provide forecasts six hours in advance. Like India, several south-east Asian countries depend on the monsoon and are prone to its vagaries. The proposed model will provide forecasts by computing the likelihood of rainfall and the soil moisture levels to warn of possible floods. 6) Name the Bengali author who has passed away, recently. Ans:- Ramapada Chowdhury Explanation:- Acclaimed Bengali writer Ramapada Chowdhury (95), whose story 'Abhimanyu' was made into a Hindi movie 'Ek doctor ki maut', has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal on July 29, 'Abhimanyu' was based on the life and work of Dr Subhas Mukhopadhyay who created India's first and the world's second test-tube baby in Director Tapan Sinha turned the story into a award winning Hindi film 'Ek doctor ki maut' in Mrinal Sen's Hindi film 'Ek din achanak' (1989) was also based on Chowdhury's story 'Beej'. Chowdhury had penned famous literary works such as 'Pratham Prahar' (1954), 'Banpalashir padabali' (1960), 'Ekhoni' (1969), 'Kharij', 'Bari badle jay' (1988), 'Abhimanyu' (1982). His last book 'Har. 7) Which team won the WSF-World junior squash team championship 2018? Ans:- Egypt Explanation:- The Egypt squash team has won the boy's title at the 6th WSF-World junior squash team championship 2018 by defeating England by 2-0 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on July 29. Egypt's Marwan Tarek, who lost the individual championship SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 3

4 final, defeated Nick Wall of England in straight games. Czech Republic and USA finished third and secured the bronze medal. Host India finished 11th overall. 8) Which rank did India obtain at UN E-Government Index recently? Ans:- 96 Explanation:- India jumped 22 places to 96th rank in the top 100 of the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) Denmark, with an index value of , topped the 2018 E-Government Development Survey. The E-Government survey is released by the United Nations in every two years. The 2018 edition was titled as 'Gearing E-Government to Support Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies'. India, which was ranked 118 in 2014, jumped 11 places to be ranked 96 in ) Which of the following is the only state in India that has an NRC (National Register of Citizens)? Ans:- Assam Explanation:- Assam is the only state in India that has an NRC. In a bid to identify the illegal Bangladeshi migrants, the government released the final draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) list with names of 28,983,677 citizens in Assam. 10) Which player enters pre-quarterfinals of World Badminton Championships at Nanjing in China? Ans:- Kidambi Srikanth Explanation:- Kidambi Srikanth enter pre-quarterfinals of World Badminton Championships at Nanjing in China. Srikanth defeated Pablo Abian Vicen of Spain 21-15, 12-21, In Women's singles, Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu will face Fitriani Fitriani of Indonesia in the second round of the championships. Saina Nehwal already entered the pre-quarterfinals defeated SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 4

5 Turkey's Aliye Demir In Men's doubles, pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Sumeeth Reddy and Manu Attri will also play their round-of-16 matches. 11) Who of the following conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award 2018? Ans:- Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi Explanation:- The advisory committee of the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award has decided to award the Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, this year, with the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award He was chosen by the committee for his outstanding contribution for promoting communal harmony, peace and goodwill. The award carries a citation and a cash award of Rs.10 lakh. The award will be presented on 20th August 2018 on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Former recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award: Mother Teresa, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Mohammed Yunus, Lata Mangeshkar, Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Kapila Vatsyayan, Teesta Setalvad, Swami Agnivesh, K.R. Narayanan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Muzaffar Ali and Shubha Mudgal. 12) RBI increased the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to. Ans:- 6.5% Explanation:- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.5% and the reverse repo rate to 6.25%. This is the third bi-monthly policy review of the financial year. The marginal standing facility rate and the bank rate have been adjusted to 6.75%. This decision was made by the Monetary Policy Committee headed by RBI Governor Urjit Patel. Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks in the event of a shortfall of funds. 13) Which team entered quarter finals of 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 5

6 Ans:- India Explanation:- India stormed into the quarterfinals of the Women's Hockey World Cup beating Italy 3-0 in London. In their last playoffs, Indian women produced a stellar performance to ease past Italy. Two penalty corner goals from Neha Goyal and Vandana Katariya in 45th and 55th minute helped India register the emphatic win. India will meet in Ireland. Meanwhile, in the second crossover match of the day, hosts England beat Korea 2-0 to set up a quarterfinal date with the Netherlands. The semi-finals will be played on Saturday. The Final is slated for Sunday. 14) Which ministry signed MoU With Ministry Of Electronics And Information Technology recently? Ans:- Ministry of Home Affairs Explanation:- Ministry of Health Affairs signed MoU With Ministry Of Electronics And Information Technology recently. 15) Which bank awarded as the best performing bank in CLSS schemes? Ans:- HDFC Bank Explanation:- HDFC has been awarded the best performing primary lending institution in Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) for the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) and LIG (Low Income Group) category. The award was given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. CLSS was introduced in June 2015 under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana ( PMAY) for home loans to customers from the EWS as well as LIG. Daily Current Affairs 2,August,2018 SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 6

7 1) Who has become the first Asian to swim UK-France channel? Ans:- Prabhat Koli Explanation:- Prabhat Koli (19) from Maharashtra, who crossed the English Channel when he was 16, has become the first Asian to swim the choppy water from Jersey (an Island in the UK) to France in cold weather. The long-distance sea swimmer covered 25km in 6 hours and 54 minutes. He started off from La Coupe Point of Jersey, behind St Catherine's backwater and touched the shore of St Germain Plage on the Normandy coast of France. As part of his seven seas challenge, Prabhat is now training to cross the North Channel in Ireland in first week of August. 2) Who won the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, recently? Ans:- Dustin Johnson Explanation:- Dustin Johnson won the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville in Canada. Dustin Johnson shot a 6-under par 66 and won his first RBC Canadian Open at 23-under par. He is currently in world number one position. Now he has become the first player after Tiger Woods ( ) with at least three wins in three consecutive seasons. Dustin Johnson was awarded $1,116,000 for the win. Byeong Hun An and Whee Kim secured second place. 3) Which Union Ministry unveiled a blueprint of Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) to explore deep ocean? Ans:- Union Ministry of Earth Science Explanation:- The Centre drew a five-year plan and allocated Rs crore to explore the ocean and its resources. It would focus on deep sea mining, under water robotics, underwater vehicles and ocean climate change. The goals would be achieved by : establishing offshore desalination plant for tidal energy, developing a submersible vehicle that can travel to atleast 6,000 metres with three people on board. 10 percent of the recovery from these reserves have been presumed to meet the energy requirement of India for the next 100 years with the presence of SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 7

8 380 million metric tonnes of polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin. 4) Which social network has announced that it is to introduce a time management tool which will be like a daily reminder? Ans:- Facebook Explanation:- Facebook (and Instagram) has announced that it is to introduce a time management tool which will be like a daily reminder. This tool will help people to manage their time by restricting them in spending time on the platforms. Using this tool the users can set a time limit to be spent on the app. They will be alerted when they reach the time limit. It is also introducing an option to deactivate notifications on smartphones. 5) China successfully launched satellite, an optical remote sensing satellite, as part of its high-resolution Earth observation project? Ans:- Gaofen-11 Explanation:- The Gaofen-11 satellite was launched on a Long March 4B rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province, China. It was the 282nd flight mission on a Long March carrier rocket. This satellite will be useful in land survey, urban planning, road network design, agriculture, and disaster relief. It will also provide data for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China introduced the Gaofen project in ) With which country India sign Pact on Financial And Technical Cooperation? Ans:- Germany Explanation:- India and Germany have signed an agreement on financial and technical cooperation focusing on sustainable urban development and renewable energy. The government-togovernment Umbrella Agreement on Financial Cooperation and Technical Co-operation 2017 is worth about 5,000 thousand crore rupees. The agreement under the Indo-German Bilateral Development Cooperation was signed between Joint Secretary in the Finance Ministry, Sameer Kumar Khare, and German Ambassador to India, Martin Ney, in New Delhi. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 8

9 7) India and USA Military Cooperation Meeting begins in. Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- India and USA Military Cooperation Meeting begins in New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Lt Gen Satish Dua, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) and Lt Gen Bryan Fenton, Deputy Commander, Indo-Pacific Command. External Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would meet their US counterparts in 2 plus 2 meeting in September in New Delhi. The main aim of the meeting is on strengthening defense and strategic ties. 8) Former FTII director John Sankaramangalam passes away. He belongs to the state of; Ans:- Kerala Explanation:- Filmmaker and former director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), John Sankaramangalam, died due to age related ailments in Thiruvalla, Kerala. John Sankaramangalam was 84 years old. He hailed from Pathanamthitta in Kerala. He had received two National and four Kerala State Film Awards. He had directed several experimental movies and documentaries. He had secured a diploma in direction and screenplay writing from FTII. Later, he became the director of FTII. 9) Which become the first State in the country to implement the national policy on biofuels? Ans:- Rajasthan Explanation:- Rajasthan has become the first State in the country to implement the national policy on biofuels unveiled by the Centre this year. The desert State will lay emphasis on increasing production of oilseeds and establish a Centre for Excellence in Udaipur to promote research in the fields of alternative fuels and energy resources. The policy on biofuels seeks to help farmers dispose of their surplus stock in an economic manner and reduce the country's oil import dependence. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 9

10 10) The US elevated this country's status in the export control regime and designated it as a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) country. Ans:- India Explanation:- The US has elevated India's status in the export control regime and designated it as a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) country. This will allow India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies from America. India is the only South Asian country to be on the list. Currently there are 36 countries on STA-1 list. Other Asian countries designated as STA- 1 are Japan and South Korea. 11) BEML Ltd and this firm signed pact for making mining equipment. Ans:- HEC Explantion:-BEML, HEC sign pact for making mining equipment. The MoU will result into additional Rs crore revenue for both PSUs. It will delivery time, reduce working capital and create capability for high capacity equipment. The mining products could be co-branded and will come under 'Make in India' initiative. Coal India is a major client for these mining equipment. 12) Which of the following company has been acquired by the Elgi Equipments Limited, recently? Ans:- Pulford Air and Gas Explanation:- Elgi Equipments Limited, an Indian manufacturer of air compressors and automotive equipment, has acquired Pulford Air and Gas, an Australian company, at a total cost of Australian $11.04 million. Sydney based Pulford is one of the largest distributors of industrial air compressors in Australia. Elgi has now acquired F.R. Pulford & Son Pty Limited and its whollyowned subsidiary Advanced Air compressors Pty Ltd. Jairam Varadaraj, MD, Elgi Equipments, said Elgi expects Rs. 60 crore revenue in Australia this financial year because of the acquisition. 13) Which state government announched to up 'ihub' (the intelligent hub) for research and scientific learning? Ans:- Andhra Pradesh SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 10

11 Explanation:-The Andhra Pradesh government will set up 'ihub' (the intelligent hub), a first-of-its kind global research centre for scientific learning with an initial investment of Rs 245 crore spread over five years. For this purpose, the state government has already collaborated with UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP). Some of the social and economic objectives of ihub will be to create 50,000 future-ready skilled manpower, reduced school dropouts and capture the EdTech market. The initial staff will be about 40 International researchers in disciplines such as neuro-science, education, psychology, digital instructional design, educational technology, Artificial Intelligence, data sciences, and gamingamong others. The centre will also issue "Global Certification" for digital educational content. 14) World Ranger Day was celebrated all over the world on; Ans:- July 31 Explanation:- World Ranger Day was celebrated all over the world on July 31st. The World Ranger Day was initiated by International Ranger Federation (IRF). It is jointly promoted by The Thin Green Foundation, the charity arm of IRF. Ranger Day was first celebrated in 2007 on the anniversary of IRF's foundation day.. This day is celebrated to honour Rangers killed or injured during duty. It also honours the work of Rangers in safeguarding earth's natural treasures and cultural heritage. 15) This firm has been awarded the 'Marketer of the Year' award by the International Advertising Association of India (IAAI) Ans:- Amul Explanation:- Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), the marketers of the popular Amul brand of milk and dairy products, was awarded the 'Marketer of the Year' award by the International Advertising Association of India (IAAI). The award was received by RS Sodhi, the Managing Director (MD) of GCMMF, on behalf of the 36 lakh milk famers and producers of Gujarat. Amul is the brand worth Rs 41,000 crore and is the biggest cooperative owned by 36 lakh farmers of Gujarat. Amul is SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 11

12 not only known for its cooperative structure and farmer's faith, but is also known for its marketing and advertizing strategies. Daily Current Affairs 3,August,2018 1) Which of the following test did the Navy recently perform on the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) in Goa? Ans:- LCA Naval Prototype 2 Explanation:- The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Naval Prototype 2 (NP2) successfully landed on the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) in Goa. This trial is a milestone towards completion of CCT trials of LCA Navy. The Arrestor Hook System (AHS) for Ship Deck operations of LCA Naval version was designed and developed by Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) wing of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The combined effort by HAL, Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), Regional Director Aeronautical Quality Assurance (RDAQA) and Navy led to the success. Navy will conduct a series of such trials and the Naval LCA is expected to be on INS Vikramaditya by the end of ) Which state government launched 'Mukhya Mantri-Yuva Nestham' for the unemployed youth in the state? Ans:- Andra Pradesh Explanation:- The Andhra Pradesh government has launched 'Mukhya Mantri-Yuva Nestham', a scheme through which an allowance of Rs 1000 per month will be provided to unemployed youth in the state. About 12 lakh youths in the age group of years will get the benefit of the scheme. The scheme will be extended to all those eligible even if there are more than one beneficiary in a family. 3) Indian-origin prison guard, who won MasterChef Australia 2018 is. Ans:- Sashi Cheliah Explanation:- The 39-year-old Sashi Cheliah from Adelaide earned 93 out of 100 points to beat fellow contestant Ben Borsht, who scored 77 out of 100. He earned a prize money of $250,000 (almost Rs 1.7 crore). Cheliah has served in the Singapore police SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 12

13 force for over a decade and then relocated to Australia, where he started working as a prison guard in a women's prison. MasterChef Australia 2018 is the popular culinary reality show. 4) Who will organice the Investors Conference for the Holistic Development of Islands? Ans:- NITI Aayog Explanation:- NITI Aayog is set to host an Investors' Conference for the Holistic Development of Islands, at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. This Conference will be inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. It is expected to gain investment for the sustainable development of eco-tourism projects in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. The Conference is organized by NITI Aayog along with the respective UT Administration. NITI Aayog has been mandated to look over the Holistic Development of Islands program, along with the respective UT administration and State Governments. 5) Who taken charge as a Director (Finance) of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL)? Ans:- C B Ananthakrishnan Explanation:- C B Ananthakrishnan took charge as Director (Finance) of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). He joined HAL as Chief Manager (Finance) at Helicopter Division, Bengaluru, in He was also HAL nominee Director in the Board of three joint ventures of HAL. 6) Recently, which department join hands with SBI for Rs 25k cr loan? Ans:- NHAI Explanation:- NHAI will ink a pact with State Bank of India (SBI) for a long-term unsecured loan to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore. This is SBI's highest long-term unsecured loan to any entity and also the largest ever loan sanctioned to NHAI. NHAI is getting an unsecured loan from SBI for 10 years with 3 years of moratorium on repayments. 7) \Who of the following wins 6th Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix, recently? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 13

14 Ans:- Lewis Hamilton Explanation:- Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the 6th time, at the Hungaroring circuit, in Hungary. This is the 67th career victory for Lewis Hamilton. Daniel Ricciardo was named Driver of the Day by Formula One for finishing at fourth position after starting from the 12th position. 8) Which company signed MoU with Karur Vysya Bank to provide financial assistance to commodity traders and farmers? Ans:- StarAgri Finance Explanation:- To provide financial assistance to commodity traders and farmers, StarAgri Finance signed MoU with private lender Karur Vysya Bank. Micro-lending would be provided to traders and farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The assistance would be provided against the commodities stored in warehouses of StarAgri Finance. 9) Which firm makes history by becoming first US company to reach $1 trillion market value? Ans:- Apple Explanation:-Apple Inc. became the first U.S.-based company with a market value of $1 trillion, four decades after it was cofounded by Steve Jobs in a Silicon Valley garage and later revolutionized the worlds of computing, music and mobile communications. The imac desktop computer, the ipod, iphone, and ipad were smash hits. Apple CEO - Tim Cook. 10) Who laid the foundation stone of the 2nd Phase of construction of NEIAH in Shillong? Ans:- Shri Shripad Yesso Naik Explanation:- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik laid the foundation stone of the 2nd Phase of Construction of North East Institute of Ayurveda & Homeopathy (NEIAH) at NEIAH Campus in Mawdiangdiang, Shillong. The estimated cost of the construction is Rs crore. The estimated cost of the construction is Rs crore. It will SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 14

15 have residential accommodation for students, doctors and staff and guest house. 11) On which date, the Earth Overshoot Day was observed? Ans:- August 1 Explanation:- Earth Overshoot Day 2018 was observed on Aug 1st. Earth Overshoot Day is an initiative of Global Footprint Network. Global Footprint Network is an international research organization that is changing how the world measures and manages its natural resources. The date of Earth Overshoot Day is calculated from data of Global Footprint Network. Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when we all have consumed more from nature than our planet can renew in the entire year. 12) Reliance Jio partnered with which bank for digital services? Ans:- SBI Bank Explanation:- RIL's telecom subsidiary Reliance Jio partnered with State Bank of India (SBI) to extend the next generation of digital banking and payments services to customers. MyJio platform will enable SBI YONO's digital banking features and solutions for a seamless, integrated and superior customer experience. It will also extend the financial services capabilities of SBI and Jio Payments Bank. 13) The Metro Rail Corporation of this city have signed an MoU with BSNL for extending benefits in customer services. Ans:- Lucknow Explanation:- Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) and BSNL have signed an MoU for extending benefits in customer services. BSNL will use the smart card services of LMRC for collection of post-paid bills. It will also involve sale of pre-paid products like recharge vouchers and electronic top-up at LMRC Ticket Office Machine (TOM) station counters. 14) Who launched the Dedicated Portal FOCAL For Cargo Owners And Shippers? Ans:- IWAI SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 15

16 Explanation:- The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has launched a dedicated portal to connect cargo owners and shippers with real-time data on the availability of vessels. The portal has been named as the Forum of Cargo Owners and Logistics Operators (FOCAL). This is designed by the IT Department and the traffic wing of IWAI. 15) This state made Yoga mandatory for all Colleges and Universities, recently. Ans:- Karnataka Explanation:- The Karnataka government has made Yoga mandatory for all colleges and universities in the State. It was decided at a meeting of Vice-chancellors and other officials of state universities which was chaired by State Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda. According to the officials, all government, aided and private degree colleges in the state must conduct yoga for 20- minutes. It also said that a proposal to recruit 5,000 teaching staff has been approved by the Chief Minister and the Finance Department of the State. Daily Current Affairs 4,August,2018 1) Which state government approves over Rs 7,000 crore for water projects? Ans:- Maharashtra Explanation:- Maharashtra state minister informed that Maharashtra govt. has approved over Rs 7,000 crore to fulfill the drinking water projects in scarcity hit regions. The government has approved Rs 7,952 crore to finish 6,624 water projects in 10,583 villages under the National Rural Drinking Water Scheme. The government has aimed to provide water supply to all regions and villages that are perennially drought-hit and also to finish the project in Konkan, Nashik, Aurangabad, Amravati, Nagpur and SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 16

17 Pune divisions. Around 6,500 projects have already been completed in the last four years by spending Rs 5,500 crore. 2) Who has been appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs? Ans:- Vijay Thakur Singh Explanation:- Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh is currently India's envoy to Ireland and will take over as Secretary (EAST) from October 1 after superannuation of Preeti Saran on September 30. She is a 1985 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service. 3) This ministry and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship join hands to train one lakh RAC Service Technicians. Ans:- Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Explantion:- A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship took place up skilling and certification of 100,000 RAC service technicians. This is under under the Skill India Mission - Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). It was attended by representatives of UN Environment, UNDP, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ),etc. Skill training will happen under HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage-I being implemented by the Ozone Cell, MoEFCC and Electronic Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI). 4) Which company inks pact with Telangana govt? Ans:- Tech Mahindra Explanation:- The Telangana State Information Technology, Electronics and Communication department (ITE&C) signed an MoU with Tech Mahindra to launch India's first Blockchain district in Telengana at the International Blockchain Congress It will have process development for the emerging technology with innovative infrastructure and facilities. This will SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 17

18 start the growth of Indian blockchain start-ups and companies. The blockchain district will provide the platform and technology assistance to all the incubators in it. It will be a centre of excellence and an incubator. 5) Which state government has launched a 360 degree nationwide publicity campaign publicity campaign for 2018 men's hockey World Cup? Ans:- Odisha Explanation:- The Government of Odisha has launched a 360 degree nation-wide publicity campaign "Heartbeats for Hockey" to attract fans for 2018 men's hockey World Cup. The movement attempts to get India behind the game by way of music, entertainment, fashion, pure sport and panel discussions. Each time anyone holds the custom-made hockey stick, named 'Heart Beat', their heart beat will be recorded as a pledge to support hockey. The 'Heart Beat' will take a round of the country through 'Hockey Adda', a curated on-ground discussion platform for hockey players and experts. The event will take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar from November 28 to December 16. The state is the title partner for the hockey event and Odisha Tourism is the host partner. The maximum players in the national team are also from Odisha. 6) India & to cooperate in bamboo sector in Tripura. Ans:- Japan Explanation:- A team from the Japanese Embassy in New Delhi and stakeholders in the Bamboo handicraft sector of Tripura took part in a workshop called 'Bridging Japan and India by Bamboo'. The Japanese team, led by Kenko Sone, Minister, Economic and Development, Embassy of Japan, India. 7) Who of the following won the 2018 International Contributions Award given by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), USA? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 18

19 Ans:- K Anvar Sadath Explanation:- K. Anvar Sadath, the vice chairman and executive director of the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), has won the 2018 International Contributions Award given by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), USA. He has been chosen for the award to recognize his outstanding contribution to the field of educational communication and technology in an international setting. With this, he has become the first Indian to be honoured with the International Contributions award. The award will be presented at 2018 AECT International Convention function to be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 26, The AECT is a premier professional association for instructional design and educational technology. 8) India successfully test-fires Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile from. Ans:- Abdul Kalam Island Explanation:- India test-fired the endo-atmospheric Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. It is a part of the country's ballistic missile defence (BMD) shield against a multiple target scenario. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) testfired the AAD interceptor from a canister against multiple simulated targets. The interceptor is a 7.5-meter long single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile. 9) How many amendments of GST Laws were approved in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 1st August 2018? Ans:- 46 Explanation:- In a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amendments of GST Laws were approved. It has 46 amendments. It includes hiking threshold limit to Rs.1.5 crore, allowance of employers to claim input tax credit on food, transport SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 19

20 and insurance provided to employees under any law. It also has modification of reverse charge mechanism, separate registration for companies having different business verticals, cancellation of registration, new return filing norms and issuance of consolidated debit/credit notes covering multiple invoices. 10) Who announced to set up the floating solar power plants? Ans:- MRPL Explanation:- Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) is setting up the floating solar power plants on the three water storage reservoirs on its premises. Floating solar power plants would not only generate around 6 MW of energy but also minimise water evaporation from the reservoirs. The 6 MW of solar power is already being tapped from the rooftop panels. Also, MRPL would be distributing 31,867 LED bulbs to 8,000 families, angadwadis, schools, community halls and shops in Bala, Kalavar, Permude, Kuthethoor, Jokatte, Thokur, Soorinje, Delanthabettu, Chelyar and Madya villages, at a cost of around Rs.43 lakh. These bulbs being would have a warranty period of two years. 11) Which Indian-Australian mathematician has bestowed with the prestigious 2018 Fields medal? Ans:- Akshay Venkatesh Expklanation:- Akshay Venkatesh, a renowned Indian-Australian mathematician, has won the 2018 Fields Medal for his profound contributions to an exceptionally broad range of subjects in mathematics. Venkatesh is one of four winners of mathematics' top honour known as the Nobel prize for math. The Fields medals are awarded every four years to the most promising mathematicians under the age of 40. Each winner receives a 15,000 Canadian-dollar cash prize. The other three winners are: Caucher Birkar, a Cambridge University professor of Iranian Kurdish origin; Germany's Peter Scholze, who teaches at the University of Bonn and Alessio Figalli, an Italian mathematician at ETH Zurich. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 20

21 12) Gita Mittal is appointed as new Chief Justice of high court. Ans:- Jammu and Kashmir Explanation:- Chief Justice Gita Mittal has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court (HC). She is the acting Chief Justice of Delhi HC. She is the first woman Chief Justice of J&K HC. Justice B.D. Ahmed, the State's last Chief Justice, was retired on March 15, Patna High Court Chief Justice Rajendra Menon has been appointed as the Chief Justice Delhi HC. 13) This country becomes World's 2nd biggest stock market. Ans:- Japan Explanation:- As a result of China's trade war with the US and its campaign to cut debt, the value of China's stock market fell to $6.09 trillion, losing its position as the World's second biggest stock market to Japan ($6.17 trillion). The U.S. has the world's largest stock market at just over $31 trillion. China's stock market overtook Japan's in 2014 and soared to an all-time high of over $10 trillion in ) What is the current repo rate, as per the 3rd bi-monthly policy, released by RBI? Ans: Explanation:- The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.50% in its third bi-monthly monetary policy review of Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds. Reverse repo rate, the rate at which the Reserve Bank borrows money from commercial banks within the country, was adjusted to 6.25%. Accordingly, the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate too stand adjusted at 6.75%. This time too, RBI has maintained neutral stance with an objective of achieving the SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 21

22 medium-term target for headline inflation of 4 per cent while supporting growth. 15) Name of the Indian player who becomes the second Indian cricketer to smash a hundred in women's T20 cricket. Ans:- Smriti Mandhana Explanation:- Indian women's cricket team opener, 22-year-old, Smriti Mandhana scored 102 runs off 61 balls for Western Storm against Lancashire Thunder, slamming 12 fours and four sixes. The first Indian who scored century in women's T20 cricket is Mithali Raj (100* for Railways, 2017). Daily Current Affairs 5,August,2018 1) According to a Morgan Stanley report, the GDP growth of India is: Ans:- 7.5% Explanation:- India's economy is expected to clock GDP growth of 7.5% in this financial year according to a Morgan Stanley report. The growth recovery will remain robust, supported initially by consumption and exports. In the January-March quarter, India's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at the fastest pace in seven quarters at 7.7% on robust performance by manufacturing and service sectors as well as good farm output. India's economy is expected to clock GDP growth of 7.5% in this financial year according to a Morgan Stanley report. The growth recovery will remain robust, supported initially by consumption and exports. In the January-March quarter, India's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at the fastest pace in seven quarters at 7.7% on robust performance by manufacturing and service sectors as well as good farm output. 2) How many Indian companies are ranked in the Fortune's World's Largest Companies? Ans:- 7 SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 22

23 Explanation:- Seven Indian companies have been listed in Fortune's 500 list 2018 of world biggest corporations. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is the highest ranked company from India followed by RIL which jumped 55 places. The US-based retail company, Walmart has topped the list. IOC ranked 137th in 2018 with a significant jump from 168th position from RIL is the top private sector company in India. It ranked 148th in 2018 from 203rd from ONGC ranked 197th in 2018 which not even featured in SBI got 216th rank 1 place higher than 217th in ) The researchers from this country creates world's first single-chromosome yeast. Ans:- Chinese Explanation:- Researchers from China have claimed to have created the world's first single-chromosome yeast while not affecting the majority of its functions. The researchers involved in the creation are molecular biologists from the Centre for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences in China. 4) Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu launched a logo and tagline for Geographical Indications (GI) to increase awareness about intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the country. The slogan for the GI tag is; Ans:- Invaluable Treasures of Incredible India Explanation:- Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu launched a logo and tagline for Geographical Indications (GI) to increase awareness about intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the country. The slogan for the GI tag is- 'Invaluable Treasures of Incredible India'. A GI product is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicraft and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory 5) Who of the following beat a record of Olympian Michael Phelps at the Far West International Swimming Championship? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 23

24 Ans:- Clark Kent Apuada Explanation:- Ten-year-old swimmer Clark Kent Apuada of California placed first in all seven events at the Far West International Swimming Championship and broke Olympian Michael Phelps record. In the 100 meter butterfly, he broke a record set by Olympian Michael Phelps at the same meet back in He broke the records by 1.1 seconds. 6) Who won the gas distribution network auctions, recently? Ans:- Gautam Adani's Group Explanation:- Gautam Adani's group won the gas distribution network auctions. It gained rights to sell Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in 11 cities, including Allahabad. In the country's biggest City Gas Distribution (CGD) Adani won 6 cities on its own and another 5 in joint ventures with state-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC). 7) Bharti Airtel plans to provide optical fibre network to which state? Ans:- Tamil Nadu Explanation:- Bharti Airtel plans to provide optical fibre network in Tamil Nadu. Being the telecommunications provider, it aims to improve network connectivity in the State. Currently, Tamil Nadu has a fibre network for 14,000 km. With Bharti Airtel's plan for a rollout of 3,000 km of fresh optic fibre, it would touch 17,000 km in The company has planned to invest Rs. 24,000 crore to Rs. 26,000 crore pan-india in mobile network sites, capacities, fibre rollout and digitalisation among others. 8) This department joined hands with Invest India to offer its three-month programme 'Integrate to Innovate' for startups in the sector. Ans:- DIPP SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 24

25 Explanation:- The commerce and industry ministry joined hands with Invest India to offer its three-month programme 'Integrate to Innovate' for startups in the sector. This programme would be carried out by the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP). The selected start-ups will receive a cash prize grant of up to Rs 5 lakh along with an opportunity to pilot their product with corporates. The corporates would offer them access to technology, technical and commercial mentorship and access to customers through networks. Innovators across various stages of energy lifecycle : generation, transmission and distribution, storage and consumption and in multiple sectors such as households, farm, industry, infrastructure, building, utility and transport are invited. 9) Which country got warning from UNICEF about the outbreak of cholera? Ans:- Yemen Explanation:- World Health Organization (WHO) warned Yemen may be on the verge of another cholera epidemic, which could be deadlier than previous ones because of widespread malnutrition in the war-torn country. Since April 2017 to February 2018, more than 1,060,000 suspected cases of cholera and 2300 deaths have been reported in Yemen. 10) Which payment bank has been bared by the RBI from enroling new customers? Ans:- Fino Payments Bank Explanation:- Reserve Bank of India observed that a few Fino Payments Bank accounts had deposits in excess of the stipulated amount of?1 lakh. According to RBI's operating guidelines for payments banks, a customer can make deposits of up to?1 lakh per account in a year. Such banks cannot accept deposits beyond this limit. RBI has imposed similar restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank (on June 20) and Airtel Payments Bank (in January) which are also not able to on-bard new customers. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 25

26 11) Which of the following is the first foreign lender to get RBI approval for subsidiary? Ans:- SBM Group Explanation:- Mauritius-based SBM Group has received Reserve Bank of India's approval to operate in the country through a wholly-owned subsidiary route. It is the first foreign lender to receive such a licence after local incorporation was introduced in ) Who was conferred with the Hindi Sahitya Academy's Shalaka Samman for ? Ans:- Javed Akhtar Explanation:- Hindi Academy Delhi has given its highest Shalaka Samman for to bollywood lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar. He is a father of Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar. The scriptwriter, lyricist and poet has five National Awards for Best Lyricist to his name for works such as Border, Refugee and Lagaan. The lyricist has also been honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in The lyricist has also been honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in ) For the first time, Supreme court to get serving Women judges. Ans:- 3 Explanation:- The Supreme Court will have three serving women judges for the first time, after the Centre cleared the elevation of Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee. The other two judges are R Banumathi, appointed in August 2014, and Indu Malhotra, appointed in April Notably, SC will have a total of 22 male judges including two new male appointees. 14) The name of World's 1st Hindi-Speaking Robot is. Ans:- Rashmi SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 26

27 Explanation:- Ranchi-based software developer Ranjit Srivastava is developing the world's first Hindi-speaking humanoid robot, claimed to cost just Rs50,000 so far. Named Rashmi, the AIpowered robot can also speak Bhojpuri, Marathi, and English, and is equipped with facial expressions and recognition systems. He was inspired to create Rashmi after seeing Hong Kong-made humanoid 'Sophia' in ) Who has become the fourth youngest debutant in men's ODI cricket, recently? Ans:- Rohit Kumar Paudel Explanation:- Nepalese cricketer Rohit Kumar Paudel, aged 15 years and 335 days, has become the fourth youngest debutant in men's ODI cricket. Rohit made his debut against the Netherlands in the second ODI at the VRA Ground in Amstelveen. Daily Current Affairs 6,August,2018 1) This ministry agreed to hand over land for works on ten infrastructure development projects in Bengaluru. Ans:- Ministry of Defence Explanation:- The Ministry of Defence(MoD) Nirmala Sitharaman agreed to hand over land for works on ten infrastructure development projects in Bengaluru. In exchange, the State government will have to sanction land of equal value in other parts of the State. The State cabinet is yet to make its decision this issue. Meantime, MoD has been instructed to begin the construction works. The list of the projects is yet to be announced. 2) Which International organization will conduct an agricultural research for rural development? Ans:- ICRISAT SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 27

28 Explanation:- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Catchment Area Development Authority of Telangana Irrigation Department at the State Secretariat. Upon this, Telangana government has asked the ICRISAT to conduct a research on the impact of Mission Kakatiya programme. The research would be conducted for 2 two years covering various aspects like the impact of de-siltation on water availability for irrigation, changes in cropping pattern and recharge of groundwater. It would also incorporate economic valuation in terms of nutrients applied. 3) The first Indian who have been selected in ICANN is; Ans:- Ajay Data Explanation:- Ajay Data has got a two-year term and will take up the position during ICANN 63 Meet in Spain in October Ajay Data is the first Indian to have been selected as a member of ccnso and will be representing India at a global level. He will be the custodian of Asia, Australia and Pacific Islands as a member of ccnso. ccnso of the ICANN is the policy-development body for global issues. 4) Who won gold in Women's singles of BWF World Championships 2018? Ans:- Carolina Marin Explanation:- Spanish badminton ace Carolina Marin won gold in Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships 2018, in Nanjing. She created history by becoming the first woman to win three badminton World titles with an emphatic victory. She beat P.V.Sindhu of India by 21-19, in Nanjing. P.V. Sindhu won Silver. 5) A scheme for the girl child 'Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana' was launched in. Ans:- Bihar SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 28

29 Explanation:- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched 'Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana', a scheme for the girl child. The scheme will provide Rs.54,100 for a girl child from her birth until she graduates. This is to express the State government's resolve for the empowerment of women. The 'scheme will be run by three departments namely education, health and social welfare. The Chief Minister also said that the amount under the 'Bicycle Yojna' will be increased from Rs.2500 to Rs ) This state government will setup a state of the art "B-Hub" for biotech and biopharma sector? Ans:- Telangana Explanation:- The Telangana government will setup a state of the art "B-Hub" for biotech and biopharma sector in Genome Valley, Hyderabad. It's a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, aimed at providing much-needed support to the biopharma research and development activities, featuring a scale-up manufacturing facility along with a turnkey incubator, lab space module at GLP grade spreading over a built-up area of 40,000 sq.ft. This end-to-end biopharma scale-up manufacturing facility will give domestic companies the required impetus here on par with Korea, China and France who have taken lead in biopharma innovation. 7) Who becomes 6th Indian woman to enter top 200 Tennis rankings in Singles? Ans:- Karman Kaur Thandi Explanation:- Karman Kaur Thandi, 20-year-old Delhi girl, jumped 32 places and now ranked 200th in the WTA (Women's Tennis Association) list. In April, India's top singles player Ankita had broken into the top-200 and is now ranked 195 (-4). Earlier, Sania Mirza, Nirupama Vaidyanathan, Shikha Uberoi and Sunitha Rao had made it to the top-200. In the men's singles, Yuki Bhambri was unchanged at 86 while Ramkumar Ramanathan climbed four places to a career-best 111. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 29

30 8) Which state government constituted two committees to deal with a possible influx of illegal immigrants? Ans:- Manipur Explanation:-The Manipur government has constituted two committees - state and district level - to deal with a possible influx of illegal immigrants. The State Level Monitoring Committee will monitor the entry or presence of illegal immigrants in the state and take steps for creating adequate public awareness to counter the situation. It will be headed by Special Secretary (Home) while the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police as its members. The district level committee will be headed by the concerned deputy commissioners while Superintendent of Police, SDOs, SDPO, SDCs, OCs will be the members. The committee with local bodies would likely to conduct headcounts if needed. 9) Who tops in the List of India's 28 Fugitive Economic Offenders? Ans:- Vijay Mallya Explanation:- Vijay Mallya (promoter of defunct Kingfisher Airlines) allegedly defrauded banks of about Rs 7,500 crore, according to the list the Finance Ministry submitted in the Lok Sabha. Mehul Choksi, promoter of Gitanjali Jewels (?7,080 crore) and his nephew Nirav Modi (?6,498 crore) took the second and third spots. The list also includes Sterling Biotech promoters Chetan Sandesara, Nitin Sandesara and Diptiben Sandesara, who allegedly defrauded banks of?5,383 crore. 10) With which country India collaborate to strengthen sectors of agriculture, health & environment? Ans:- Israel Explanation:- Six Israeli startups working on healthcare, agriculture and water management sectors have been selected under the "Israel-India Bridge to Innovation" program to interact with various Indian businesses. The 6 startups that have been SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 30

31 selected include: Amaizz, Biofeed, Zebra Medical, MobileODT, etc. The innovation week was started by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) and Invest India in India-Israel Innovation Bridge was developed to help Israeli companies use their technologies, develop, adapt and commercialize their innovation in India. 11) NASA selects Indian origin Sunita Williams for which program to the International Space Station. Ans:- Boeing Explanation:- Indian-origin U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams is among the 9 astronauts selected by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to fly the first missions into space on commercial spacecraft, starting in These nine astronauts will launch on the first crewed test flights and missions of new commercial spacecraft built and operated by the Boeing Company and SpaceX. The astronauts will launch on Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Dragon capsules to the International Space Station starting in These missions will be the first crewed launches from United States soil after the end of the space shuttle programme in ) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and this country minister discussed the bilateral ties on health, tourism, defence and security. Ans;- Kyrgyzstan Explanation:- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Kyrgyzstan Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev discussed possible areas of collaboration and the areas discussed during the bilateral meeting includes political and parliamentary exchanges, defense and security, science and technology, economic, health and tourism. 13) Which of the following railway station is renamed as the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction recently? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 31

32 Ans:- Mughalsarai Junction Explanation:- The Mughalsarai station got a new name after Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Amit Shah inaugurated the renamed station. It is located on the main Howrah-Delhi Grand Chord line. 14) Who topped ICC Rankings for Test Batsmen? Ans:- Virat kohli Explanation:- India captain Virat Kohli topped the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen. Kohli thus became the seventh India batsman, and first since Sachin Tendulkar (in June 2011) to be ranked the number one Test batsman in the latest ICC rankings. At 934 points,kohli has become India's highest-ranked batsman, 14th overall, on the all-time tally of points. Daily Current Affairs7,August,2018 1) Who resigned her position as CEO of PepsiCo? Ans:- Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi Explanation:- Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi, 62, resigned her position as CEO of PepsiCo. She has been leading the company since She studied at the Madras Christian College. She went to the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata, before leaving for the U.S. in 1980 for a second master's degree at the Yale School of Management. Ramon Laguarta, 54, will succeed Ms.Nooyi as CEO. Her office will resume from October 3. Ms.Nooyi will remain Chairman until early 2019 to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. 2) Which Bike company signed an MoU with Telangana government and Adishwar Auto Ride International (AARI) for setting a manufacturing facility? Ans:- Benelli Explanation:- Italian motorcycle-maker Benelli signed an MoU with Telangana government and Adishwar Auto Ride International (AARI) for setting a manufacturing facility. The group company SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 32

33 would initially start assembling CKD (completely knocked down) kits of the bike for Benelli to assemble, manufacture bikes and import exclusive range of the bikes from Italy and SouthEast Asian regions. 3) Which state government has launched "Horn Not Ok" awareness campaign? Ans:- Himachal Pradesh Explanation:- The Himachal Pradesh government has launched "Horn Not Ok" awareness campaign in Shimla and Mandi along with a statewide mobile application 'shaur nahin' (no noise). The main aim of the campaign is to spread awareness of unnecessary blowing horn as it creates unnecessary noise pollution. The other towns of the state will also be brought under the purview of no honking zones after the successful execution of this campaign in the two tourist places for 2 months. Though, no-honking rule will not be applicable on emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire tenders. The "Shor Nahin" application has been developed to report any noise pollution complaint to the authorities. It's an initiative of the Department of Environment, Science and Technology in association with the NIC of Himachal Pradesh. It allows a user to lodge a complaint with the officials concerned, including deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and sub divisional magistrate, who can upload the action taken report on the app. 4) The 10th annual conference on oral implantology was held in. Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- The 10th International conference on oral implantology was held in New Delhi to enhance the awareness and knowledge on the latest innovations and technologies in oral implantology world over. The 3-day conference hosted by Academy of Oral Implantology (AOI) has representations by doctors from the UK, the US, Israel, Austria, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain. Oral implantology is a highly dynamic specialty and has over the years, introduced innumerable modifications and improvements for dental treatment of patients. The vision is to SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 33

34 promote latest technologies and encourage younger doctors, in the field of innovation. Experienced professionals will share their work, expertise with the younger crop and this translates into sharing of knowledge from different parts of the globe. Various companies from the medical field have also showcased their advanced products and technologies. Teeth decay, loss of teeth due to old age, diseases or accidents, bad and crooked teeth, teeth decay happen due to bad oral hygiene. 5) ISRO annouced to launch its heaviest satellite GSAT 11 on which of the following month? Ans:- November Explanation:- Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) heaviest satellite so far - the GSAT-11 (weighing over 5.7 tonnes i.e., 5,700-kg)- which the space agency had cleared for launch in June, will take off a spaceport in French Guiana on 30 November. GSAT-11 carries 40 transponders in the Ku-band and the Kaband frequencies, and is capable of providing high bandwidth connectivity with up to 14 GB per second data transfer speed. 6) Who won the 2018 Fiji International Golf title? Ans:- Gaganjeet Bhullar Explanation:- Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar has won the 2018 Fiji International title. It is his first win on the European Tour, ninth Asian Tour and 10th international title overall. Thus, he became the most successful Indian player on Asian Tour and the first Indian to win on Australasia Tour. Bhullar joined Arjun Atwal, Jeev Milkha Singh, SSP Chawrasia and Anirban Lahiri as the only Indians to win on the European Tour as this was sanctioned by Asian, Australasia and European Tours. The victory also granted him an exemption on all three Tours till end of Other Indian in fray, Ajeetesh Sandhu scored 71 in the final round to end his campaign at the tied 43rd spot. 7) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has conducted the first-ever Orientation Workshop on Election Management for IAS Asstt Secretaries in which city? Ans:- New Delhi SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 34

35 Explanation:- The Election Commission of India (ECI) has conducted the first-ever Orientation Workshop on Election Management for IAS Asstt Secretaries in New Delhi on August 3, The aim of the workshop is to familiarize the Assistant Secretaries with all facets of Electoral Management before they are required to handle crucial assignments in conducting Elections in their field postings soon. In it, Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat advised the officers to be prepared for facing the newer challenges like Data harvesting; targeted messaging & profiling; money and media influencers. 8) This country became 3rd Asian nation to get STA 1 status from US. Ans:- India Explanation:- India has become the third Asian nation after Japan and South Korea, 37th overall, and first south Asian nation to get the Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA - 1) status from the US. This status paves way for high-technology product sales to New Delhi, particularly in civil space and defence sectors. The US made an exception for India, which is yet to become a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). India so far was listed in STA-2 category along with Albania, Hong Kong, Israel, Malta, Singapore, South Africa and Taiwan. 9) The world's first-ever thermal battery plant was unveiled in. Ans:- Andhra Pradesh Explanation:- The world's first-ever thermal battery plant was unveiled in Andhra Pradesh by the state's Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Manufactured by the Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST), the first-of-its-kind batteries will aim to boost renewable sources of energy production and reduce the dependence on non-renewable fossil fuel-based energy generation. The technology, which will help in mitigating carbon emissions, is best suited for grid balancing and stabilisations. It will also be used to store energy for telecommunication, commercial establishments, electric vehicles and highway charging stations. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 35

36 10) The International Conference on Sustainable Growth through Material Recycling was inaugurated in which Indian city? Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- The conference was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways & Ganga Rejuvenation, Nitin Gadkari at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. The daylong conference has 5 technical sessions on Circular Economy in Material Recycling", "Infrastructural Issues in Recycling Industry", "Standardization and certification in Recycling Industry", "Environmental Benefits of Material Recycling", "Financial and Taxation issues in Recycling Industry". 11) Google launched the latest version of the Android operating system, It is names as; Ans:- Pie Explanation:- Google announced 'Pie' as the name for the latest version of the Android operating system, succeeding Android Oreo. The Android P or 'Pie' version has begun rolling out to Pixel phones and will be available to other devices later this year. 12) Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced a cash back of for digital transactions. Ans:- 20% Explanation:- Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announces 20% Cashback upto Rs 100 for the Digital Transactions done via BHIM, Rupay or USSD mode. The main aim of the meeting on the concerns and suggestions of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. About GST Goods and Services Tax (GST) is an indirect tax (or consumption tax) levied in India on the supply of goods and service. The GST was launched at midnight on 1 July 2017 by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, and the Government of India. 13) With which country the Indian army begins the military exercise "Maitree 2018" recently? Ans:- Thailand SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 36

37 Explanation:- 'Maitree' is a joint military exercise between Indian Army and Royal Thai Army which is running on in Thailand. It is a platoon level exercise which comprises of infantry component. The exercise will emphasize to hone the tactical and technical skills in joint counter insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in the rural and urban scenario under UN mandate. 14) Who launches Academia Alliance Programme Ans:- Startup India Explanation:- To fulfil the Government of India's mission to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in the country, Startup India launched the "Startup Academia Alliance programme". The programme is a unique mentorship opportunity between academic scholars and startups working in similar domains. The programme aims to reduce the gap between scientific research and its industrial applications. 15) Name of the Indian personality who tops in the IQ world list with the score of 148. Ans:- Amit Sahai Explanation:- Amit Sahai, a 43-year-old senior professional from Kolkata has topped the prestigious Intelligence Quotient (IQ) World list along with two other Americans with a score of 148. He has a background in international sales of software, IT, ITes services and high end audio and engineering products. He is also a member of the International High IQ Society. Daily Current Affairs8,August,2018 1) World's largest bird sculpture Jatayu sculpture will be inaugurated in. Ans:- Kerala Explanation:- The Jatayu sculpture at the Jatayu Earth Center (JEC) at Chadayamangalam in Kollam district, Kerala, said to be world's largest bird sculpture, will be inaugurated on August 17 by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. This Rs 100 crore-project is a creation by film director and sculptor Rajiv Anchal. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 37

38 2) Who maintains Top Spot in men's Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world singles rankings? Ans:- Rafael Nadal Explanation:- Spain's Rafael Nadal maintained his lead in the men's Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world singles rankings, with 9,310 average points, ahead of Switzerland's Roger Federer. 3) GST Council meeting, a sub-committee was formed to address issues of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. Who is the head of the committee? Ans:- Shiv Pratap Shukla Explanation:- GST Council meeting, a sub-committee was formed to address issues of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. Shiv Pratap Shukla is the head of the commitee. The committee will consist of Manish Sisodia, Sushil Modi, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Thomas Isaac and Manpreet Badal. The issues related to law would be taken up by the law committee and issues related to rates would be taken up by the fitment committee. The reports would be presented before the subcommittee. 4) Which state hosted the 5th Act East Business Show to strengthen business ties between ASEAN countries? Ans:- Meghalaya Explanation:- 5th Act East Business Show was held in Shillong, Meghalaya. It aims to strengthen business ties between ASEAN countries and northeastern states. Also, to explore the potential of Meghalaya and its neighboring states. This is Indian Chamber of Commerce along with Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER). Main focus was to boost the bamboo sector of the region. North eastern states have great potential for development of bamboo-based industries. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 38

39 5) How many districts are identified by the NITI Aayog as Aspirational Districts for RUSA Scheme? Ans:- 117 Explanation:- During the second phase of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), central assistance is provided for opening of new Model Degree Colleges (MDCs) in 'Aspirational Districts' identified by NITI Aayog and in unserved & underserved districts in North Eastern and Himalayan States. These districts have been selected on the basis of the composite index which includes published data of deprivation enumerated under Socio-Economic Caste Census, Health & Nutrition, Education and Basic Infrastructure. 6) Name of the Indian tennis player who won a bronze medal in the 2018 Hang Seng Hong Kong Junior and Cadet Open, in Hong Kong. Ans:- Swastika Ghosh Explanation:- India's Swastika Ghosh won a bronze medal in the junior girls' doubles along with Singapore's Jingyi Zhou in the 2018 Hang Seng Hong Kong Junior and Cadet Open, in Hong Kong. Swastika Ghosh and Jingyi Zhou pair was defeated by Li Lin Jassy Tan of Singapore and Ruei Ling Wen of Taipei 2-3 in the semi finals. In the junior boys' doubles category, Indian pair of Raegan Alberquerque and Payas Jain pair reached pre-quarters. But they were knocked out as they lost to Yanapong Panagitgun and Supakron Pankhaoyoy of Thailand. 7) S Gopakumar appointed Director and General Manager of; Ans:- UIIC Explanation:- Public sector non-life insurance firm United India Insurance Company announced the appointment of S Gopakumar as its Director and General Manager with immediate effect. Prior to taking up the new role, Gopakumar was serving GIC Housing Finance Ltd as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 39

40 8) Who of the following entering into a strategic partnership with Reliance Money? Ans:- PayU Explanation:- PayU India announced entering into a strategic partnership with Reliance Money, leading NBFC brands in India, to offer instant app-based personal loans, via LazyPay. It is an attempt to reach out to the underserved consumers in India. The loan amount will start from as low as Rs. 100 and will extend up to Rs. 1,00,000 with a duration varying from 15 days to 24 months. The loan amount will start from as low as Rs. 100 and will extend up to Rs. 1,00,000 with a duration varying from 15 days to 24 months. 9) Which country successfully tests first hypersonic aircraft: Xingkong-2, recently? Ans:- China Explanation:- China successfully tested "Xingkong-2" or "Starry Sky-2", its first waverider hypersonic aircraft that could carry nuclear warheads and penetrate any current generation antimissile defence systems. Xingkong-2 or Starry Sky-2 was launched in a target range in Northwest China. It was launched in a rocket and was released in the air after 10 minutes. It flew independently and landed in the targeted area after making largeangle turning maneuvers. It reached an altitude of30 km with a speed of Mach It was designed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA) along with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. 10) What is the rank of Indian men's hockey team in the latest FIH rankings? Ans:- 5 Explanation:- Indian men's hockey team has improved one rank and has reached the 5th spot in the latest FIH rankings chart. Germany, England, Spain, New Zealand and Ireland are the other SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 40

41 teams in the top 10. In the women's rankings, the Indian team improved one spot to and reached 9th position. 11) Andhra govt signed an MoU with this company for setting up electronics manufacturing plant. Ans:- Holytech Explanation:- Andhra Pradesh Government signed an MoU with electronics company Holytech. Under this MoU, Holytech will set up its plant in 75 acres land in Tirupati and Chittoor districts. It will have cost of Rs crores. This would be the first-of-itskind facility in India. The production of the facility is estimated to begin in the first quarter of ) The Asin Nations Cup Chess Tournament 2018 was held in. Ans:- Iran Explanation:- The biennial Asian Nations Cup Chess Tournament was held in Hamadan, Iran. It was organized by Iran Chess Federation on behalf of Asian Chess Federation. India won 5 medals: 1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze. India ranked 2nd in the overall ranking. he winning team of Gold consisted of : Grand Master Harika Dronavalli, International Master Eesha Karavade, International Master Padmini Rout and Women's International Masters (WIMs) Vaishali R, Aakanksha Hagawane. 13) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed non-fund-based at State levels to revive India's co-operative banking sector? Ans:- Umbrella organisations (UO) Explanation:- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed nonfund-based Umbrella organisations(uo) at State levels to revive India's co-operative banking sector. It would conduct non-fund activities in the areas of training, capacity building and IT infrastructure and research. Gujarat is the first State in the SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 41

42 country to have an UO for the UCB sector. Along with this, it is conducting a two-day conference and exhibition of co-operative banking sector under the name Sahakar Setu 2018, in Ahmedabad, from August ) Which team won the gold medal in the Women's Hockey World Cup 2018? Ans:- Netherlands Explanation:- Women's Hockey World Cup 2018 was held in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. Defending champions the Netherlands defeated Ireland 6-0 in the finals and won the Women's Hockey World Cup 2018 title. The Netherlands have emerged as the world champions in Women's hockey for a record 8th time. They have extended their unbeaten performance in all competitions to 32 matches. Kitty van Male, one among the 6 different goal scorers emerged as the top scorer of the tournament with 8 goals. 15) Who won his first European Tour title at the Fiji International, at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, in Fiji? Ans:- Gaganjeet Bhullar Explanation:- Gaganjeet Bhullar won the title at the Fiji International with a six-under 66 for a four-day total of 14-under 274. Australia's Anthony Quayle finished in the second position. South Africa's Ernie Els finished at tied third with Australia's Ben Campbell. Another Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu finished at tied 43rd position. This is Gaganjeet Bhullar's 10th overall title. Now he has become the most successful Indian golf player on Asian Tour. Daily Current Affairs9,August,2018 1) Which team has won the 2018 Cotif Cup football tournament? Ans:- India SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 42

43 Explanation:- The Indian Under-20 football team has created history by winning the 2018 Cotif Cup football tournament by defeating the 6-time U20 World Cup champions Argentina by 2-1 in their final match in Spain on 6 August. Deepak Tangri scored for India in the 4th minute and Anwar Ali's 68th minute put India 2-0 up against the most successful team in U-20 World Cup history. Argentina pulled one back in the 72nd minute, and hit the cross bar in added time, but failed to break the Indian resolve as India concluded the tournament with a memorable performance. 2)Who launches reusable rocket to send a communication satellite for Indonesia into the orbit? Ans:- SpaceX Explanation:- SpaceX relaunched its newest version of its Falcon 9 rocket booster to send a communication satellite for Indonesia into the orbit. The so-called Block 5 booster, which SpaceX says will be able to fly as many as 10 times with routine maintenance. The booster first flew on May , when it delivered the first Bangladeshi satellite into space. 3) Which Constitutional Amendment Bill has passed by the Parliment to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)? Ans:- 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill Explanation:- The Parliament of India has passed the 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill, which grants constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC). The bill was passed after the House repealed the NCBC Act, It will contribute to the empowerment of the OBC communities across India. The bill states that the President may specify the socially and educationally backward classes in the various states and union territories. He may do this in consultation with the Governor of the concerned state. It will give the institution all powers to safeguard the rights of the socially and educationally backward classes and fulfils a long pending commitment of the central govt to the OBCs. The Clause-3 (5) of the Bill gives the proposed Commission the power to inquire into complaints of SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 43

44 deprivation of rights and safeguards. Clause 3 (8) gives it the powers of a civil court trying a suit and allows it to summon anyone, require documents to be produced and receive evidence on affidavit. 4) Which country's women team has clinched gold in the Blitz event at the Asian Nations Chess Cup 2018? Ans:- India Explanation:- The Indian women chess team has clinched the gold in the Blitz event at the Asian Nations Chess Cup 2018 at Hamadan, Iran on August 3. It's India's first gold-medal finish at the event since The Indian team comprising Harika Dronavalli, Eesha Karavade, Padmini Rout, Vaishali R and Aakanksha Haga left the teams from Vietnam and China behind to clinch gold. Apart from this, they also bagged a silver and a bronze in the Rapid and Classical categories, respectively. India (1st) finished with 21.5 points, Vietnam (2nd) settled for silver with 18.5 and China (3rd) bagged bronze with ) Which firm unveiled a new logo symbolizing integrity, excellence, trust and commitment? Ans:- NSE Explanation:- To mark 25 years of its existence, the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) unveiled a new logo symbolizing integrity, excellence, trust and commitment. The National Stock Exchange of India Limited is the leading stock exchange of India, located in Mumbai. The NSE was established in 1992 as the first demutualized electronic exchange in the country. 6) Rashida Tlaib set to become the 1st Muslim woman to be elected to the parliament of; Ans:- United States Explanation:- Rashida Tlaib set to become 1st Muslim woman in US Congress. She (42-year-old) is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants and won a Democratic primary election to represent Michigan's 13th district, securing 33.6 percent of the vote. Tlaib is set to replace John Conyers. She served in the Michigan state SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 44

45 house from 2009 to 2014, and was also the first Muslim woman ever elected to the state's legislature. 7) IKEA, Swedish home furnishings opened its first store in which Indian city? Ans:- Hyderabad Explanation:- IKEA, Swedish home furnishings major, opened its first store in Hyderabad, India. IKEA has already been sourcing for the past three decades in India. It will be opening its other branches in Mumbai, Bengaluru and National Capital Region. The store is of 400,000 sq. ft located at the heart of city's IT hub. IKEA in Hyderabad employs 950 people directly, half of them women, and 1,500 indirectly in services and expects to host close to 7 million visitors each year. 8) The 22nd edition of 'Parampara series - National Festival of Music and Dance' festival 2018 was held in. Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- The 22nd edition of 'Parampara series - National Festival of Music and Dance' festival will be held at Kamani Auditorim in New Delhi from August 10, The purpose of the festival is to offer a platform to young talents trying to make their foothold in the world of art and culture. It is organised by Natya Tarangini led by Padma Bhushan awardee Kuchipudi couple Raja and Radha Reddy. The 3-day event will also see performances by veteran classical dance couple 'The Dhananjayans' (Shanta and Vannadil Pudiyaveettil Dhananjayan) and Kathak exponent Uma Dogra. The festival has featured artistes like Grammy winning instrumentalist Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Carnatic vocalist Abhishek Raghuram, Khyal singers Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra are among the many eminent artistes. 9) This country hosted the communication exercise "Pacific Endeavor-2018 (PE-18)" under the Multinational Communications Interoperability Program (MCIP), recently. Ans:- Nepal Explanation:- The communication exercise "Pacific Endeavor (PE-18)" under the Multinational Communications SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 45

46 Interoperability Program (MCIP) has started in Kathmandu, Nepal on August 6, The basic objective of 12 day exercise is to develop common communications operating procedures to enable military forces in the Asia Pacific region to collectively work in the wake of disaster. Around 270 personnel from 20 Asia-Pacific Countries are participating in the exercise, which is jointly organised by the Nepali Army and United States Pacific Command (USPC). The Pacific Endeavor began in 2005 and it focuses on establishing rapid and effective inter-operable communication systems to jointly act in disaster relief operations. 10) Which bank launched a payments machine called MOPAD & allows to facilitate transactions from cards to QR code based payments? Ans:- SBI Explanation:- State Bank of India launched a payments machine called MOPAD. The full form of MOPAD is Multi Option Payment Acceptance Device. It is a Point of Sale (PoS) terminal that will allow to facilitate transactions from cards to QR code based payments. It would accept payments through UPI, Bharat QR, and SBI Buddy wallet which till now required different tools to receive payments. Customers won't have to carry cards and can just scan the QR code to make the payment. 11) S. Gurumurthy and Satish Kashinath Marathe as part time non-official directors on the central board of Ans:- RBI Explanation:- The Centre appointed S. Gurumurthy and Satish Kashinath Marathe as part time non-official directors on the central board of Reserve Bank of India for four years. Gurumurthy is a noted chartered accountant, economic and political columnist, and editor of Tamil magazine Thuglak. The proposal for the appointment came from the Finance Ministry's Department of Financial Services. 12) Which of the following sculpture will be returned to India by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest museum in the US? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 46

47 Ans:- Limestone sculpture of 'Head of a Male Deity' Explanation:- An eighth-century stone sculpture of Goddess Durga and a third century limestone sculpture 'Head of a Male Deity' will be returned to India by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest museum in the US. The stone sculpture of Durga Mahishasuramardini was donated to the museum in The limestone sculpture, donated in 1986, was part of Nagarjunakonda Site Museum's excavated inventory. 13) The former President of this country is named as new chief of UN Human Rights Council. Ans:- Chile Explanation:- UN (United Nations) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has chosen former two time Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to be new UN high commissioner for human rights. She would replace Jordan's Zeid Ra'ad al-hussein. Bachelet who ranks among the world's most powerful women in politics, also served in 2010 as the first director of UN Women, the UN agency promoting gender equality worldwide. 14) Which of the following category will be introduced this coming year, at the 91st Oscars? Ans:- Popular Film Explanation:- The new Oscar will be awarded for "Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film" and will be introduced this coming year, at the 91st Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars, has added a new category after 17 years to recognise popular films. The last category to be added was 'Best Animated Feature Film'. 15) A facial recognition system using artificial intelligence will be used at which of the following event? Ans: Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Explanation:- A facial recognition system using artificial intelligence will be used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Tokyo Olympics will be the first games to have this kind of security system using facial recognition technology. It is aimed at strengthening security and preventing SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 47

48 terrorism, as well as shortening waiting times to lower athlete stress. Daily Current Affairs10,August,2018 1) Who signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology to boost research in traditional medicine and streamline hospital care facilities in the country? Ans:- AIIA Explanation:- All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology to boost research in traditional medicine and streamline hospital care facilities in the country. The MoU is aimed at upgrading the national institutes of traditional medicine at par with the IITs and IIMs. AIIA is a public Ayurveda medicine & research institution located in New Delhi. 2) Google has launched a new video-based Q&A app which allows people to answer questions about themselves, then share those answers directly on Google. The name of the app is; Ans:- Cameos Explanation:- Google has launched a new video-based Q&A app called 'Cameos' on the App Store, which allows people to answer questions about themselves, then share those answers directly on Google. The app is aimed at celebrities and other public figures, who are often the subject of people's Google searches. With the Cameos app, they can address fans' questions in their own voice, instead of leaving the answers up to other websites. 3) Project SWAYAM that aims to provide one integrated platform and portal for online courses. Which ministry launched the project? Ans:- Ministry of Human Resource Development Explanation:- HRD ministry launched a project named Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds' (SWAYAM), SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 48

49 aims to provide one integrated platform and portal for online courses. This course covers all higher education subjects and skill sector courses. The main objective is to ensure that every student in the country has access to the best quality higher education at the affordable cost. 4) Who will replace Indra Nooyi as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PepsiCo Inc, on 3rd October 2018? Ans:- Ramon Laguarta Explanation:- PepsiCo Inc announced that Indra Nooyi would step down as its long time chief executive officer. She will replaced by Ramon Laguarta. He will take over on October 3 and will also join the board. Laguarta oversaw global operations, corporate strategy, public policy and government affairs in his role as president. He has also served as CEO of the company's Europe Sub-Saharan Africa division. 5) Who will addreses the 2018 World Biofuel Day? Ans:- Shri Narendra Modi Explanation:- World Biofuel Day is observed every year on August 10 to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a diverse gathering consisting of farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs, students, government officials and legislators in New Delhi today to mark the World Biofuel Day ) With which banke PayPal joint hands to offer safer, faster and convenient payment experiences for the bank's cardholders? Ans:- HDFC Bank Explanation:- PayPal, a digital payments platform has announced its strategic partnership with and HDFC Bank to offer safer, faster and convenient payment experiences for the bank's cardholders. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 49

50 To initiate incremental digital spend, the HDFC cards will be presented as a payment option during enrollment and subsequent payments, with the ability for consumers to easily open PayPal accounts and set it as their preferred payment method. The partnership will create a number of joint growth opportunities that will advance PayPal and HDFC Bank's shared vision of offering consumers greater choice and flexibility in managing their money. 7) Who of the following has been elected as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha? Ans:- Ram Shakal Explanation:- The BJP-led NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected the Rajya Sabha's Deputy Chairman post, which fell vacant after the retirement of Congress' PJ Kurien on July 1. Harivansh got 125 votes, while Congress-led UPA's candidate BK Hariprasad got 105 votes. Harivansh Singh is a member of the Janata Dal (United), the BJP's ally in Bihar. 8) Who inaugurated the 'One District One Product' Summit in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh? Ans:- Shri Ram Nath Kovind Explanation:- The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the 'One District One Product' Summit in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The special emphasis was laid on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). After the agricultural sector, most people find employment in this sector. Uttar Pradesh contributes around 44% in the total handicraft exports of the country. Under the 'One District One Product' scheme, the state government has set a goal of providing employment to 25 lakh people in five years through the financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 crores. 9) Who launched a new digital platform 'MyDeal' to raise funds via Capital Markets? Ans:- HSBC SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 50

51 Explanation:- Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) has launched a new digital platform 'MyDeal' to simplify capital raising process through capital markets by providing realtime access to information such as investors' feedback, profiles, client orders and deal pricing. The platform contains all the information relating to a client's capital markets transaction and is updated on real-time basis. In its pilot phase, MyDeal has raised over USD 25 billion in the first seven months through over 30 transactions globally. 10) Who of the following has been reappointed as the chairman of TRAI? Ans:- Ram Sewak Sharma Explanation:- The government reappointed Ram Sewak Sharma as Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) till September 2020 when he turns 65. He was named the TRAI chief in July 2015 for a three-year period. Sharma, who recently shared his Aadhaar number on Twitter, also served as UIDAI's Director General between and even wrote the first software for UIDAI for enrolment. 11) Who launched the mobile application Niryat Mitra'? Ans:- Shri Suresh Prabhu Explanation:- Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu launched Mobile App Niryat Mitra. The app developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) is available both on Android and on IOS platforms. The app provides a wide range of information required to undertake international trade right from the policy provisions for export and import, applicable GST rate, available export incentives, tariff, preferential tariff, market access requirements - SPS and TBT measures. 12) Who hosted the Investor's Conference at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for the Holistic Development of Islands? Ans:- NITI Aayog SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 51

52 Explanation:- NITI Aayog hosted an Investors' Conference at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for the Holistic Development of Islands along with the respective UT Administration. The Conference was inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. NITI Aayog hosted an Investors' Conference at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for the Holistic Development of Islands along with the respective UT Administration. The Conference was inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. It attracted investment for the sustainable development of eco-tourism projects in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. The 11 anchor tourism projects are proposed to be implemented with private sector participation under the suitable risk-sharing model and through opencompetitive bidding. 13) Which state government launched Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana for empowerment of women? Ans:- Bihar Explanation:- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana for empowerment of women. A sum of Rs 7221 crore will be spend in a year on the programme. It will be run by three departments - education, health and social welfare. It will provide Rs 54,100 from the birth of a girl child till she graduates. 14) Maharashtra Government has announced a special assistance of for OBC community to help them develop employment opportunities for the youth? Ans:- Rs 500 cr Explanation:- Maharashtra Government announced a special assistance of Rs 500 crore for OBC community to help them develop employment opportunities for the youth. This announcement was made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the 3rd National Convention of National OBC Association in Mumbai. Maharashtra government has also recommended to the Centre to award Bharat Ratna posthumously to 19th-century social reformer Jyotiba Phule and his wife SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 52

53 Savitribai Phule, who is a pioneer of women's education. The government will assess the extent of representation offered to OBCs in jobs and take measures to address the backlog, in a timely manner. OBCs constitute 52 % of Maharashtra's population. They have been given 17 % reservation. 15) Who will be the flag bearer for the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2018? Ans:- Neeraj Chopra Explanation:- Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will be the flag bearer for the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games The 20-year-old has won a gold medal in World Junior Championships, Asian Championships, South Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in his career. The Haryana athlete equalled the national record when he recorded a throw of 82.23m at the 2016 South Asian Games. Chopra set a new national record when he registered a throw of 87.43m at the Diamond League in May Daily Current Affairs11,August,2018 1) Which Union Minister launched Bid round -II under Discovered Small Field Policy? Ans:- Dharmendra Pradhan Explanation:- Bid round -II under Discovered Small Field Policy was launched by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The government aims to increase India's growth to become the 4th largest economy and is bringing policy reforms to the energy sector. They are focused on: Energy Access, Energy Efficiency, Energy Sustainability and Energy Security. Discovered Small Fields (DSF) policy is a part of that reform. 2) Recently, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a defence industrial corridor in which state? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 53

54 Ans:- Uttar Pradesh Explanation:- Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a defence industrial corridor in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. The move is part of the government's efforts to develop specialised zones dedicated to defence production in the state. Six nodal points, Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chitrakoot and Jhansi have been identified in state for the corridor. There will be an exhibition of products by the armed forces, defence public sector undertakings and DRDO which are planned to be indigenised over the next five years. Another defence corridor was also launched in Tamil Nadu. 3) Which become the first bank in the country to introduce Iris Scan Authentication feature for Aadhaar -based transactions through its micro ATM tablets? Ans:- Axis Bank Explanation:- Axis bank has become the first bank in the country to introduce Iris Scan Authentication feature for Aadhaar -based transactions through its micro ATM tablets. This is being run as a pilot project in 8 branches of rural Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. 4) This company acquired a multi-million dollar order from AP Cargo Logistic Network Corporation. Ans:- Ramco Systems Explanation:- Ramco Systems, a Software firm, acquired a multimillion dollar order from Manila-based air freight leader AP Cargo Logistic Network Corporation with an aim to implement its logistics software. It is expected that AP Cargo would implement the software to streamline its freight operations countrywide. AP Cargo partnered with Ramco after the partnership with the Philippines as it was adopting IT solutions to ramp up its logistics capabilities and infrastructure. The freight and logistics market is expected to reach $60.22 billion by SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 54

55 5) Who has been appointed as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women, recently? Ans:- Rekha Sharma Explanation:- NCW member Rekha Sharma has been appointed as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women. Rekha Sharma was earlier a member of the Commission and was holding the additional charge of chairperson. The National Commission for Women is the apex national level organisation of India with the mandate of protecting and promoting the interests of women. 6) Which renowned earth scientist has become the new vice chancellor of the University of Kashmir? Ans:- Prof. Talat Ahmad Explanation:- Prof. Talat Ahmad, the renowned earth scientist, has become the new vice chancellor of the University of Kashmir. He succeeded Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi. Prior to this post, Ahmad was the vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia. He has been a recipient of several prestigious awards and citations, including the National Mineral Award, 1994 from the Government of India. He has also been a fellow of the Indian National Science Academy in New Delhi, Indian Academy of Sciences in Bangalore, fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in Allahabad, J C Bose National Fellowship, DST, New Delhi. 7) Which country has emerged as the top source of inward remittances according to the Reserve Bank of India's survey for ? Ans:- United Arab Emirates Explanation:- According to the Reserve Bank of India's survey of inward remittances for , the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the top source of inward remittances, while Kerala has received the maximum funds sent from abroad. UAE's share in total remittances was 26.9%, followed by the United States (22.9%), Saudi Arabia (11.6%), Qatar (6.5%) and Kuwait (5.5%). SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 55

56 According to the survey, 82% of the total remittances received by India originated from eight countries - UAE, the U.S, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, the United Kingdom and Malaysia. 8) The government approved a pact between the and Chartered Professional Accountants, Canada. Ans:- ICAI Explanation:- The government approved a pact between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and Chartered Professional Accountants, Canada. The MoU includes collaboration on the definition, learning, and evaluation of the professional qualities and skills and competencies of Chartered Accountants. It will provide an opportunity for the ICAI members to expand their professional horizon. 9) How many branches of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) will be opened by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 21st August, 2018? Ans:- 650 Explanation:- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 650 branches of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) on the 21st August, The IPPB has been setup under the Department of Post, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by the Indian government. The IPPB will leverage the vast network of the Department of Posts with 1.55 lakh access points, three lakh postmen and Grameen Dak Sewaks. 10) The theme for International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2018 is; Ans:- Indigenous people's migration and movement. Explanation:- International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples was observed all over the world on Aug 9th of every year. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly declared August 9 as International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. This day is SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 56

57 observed to promote and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population. The theme for International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2018 is: Indigenous peoples migration and movement. 11) How many branches of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) will be opened by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 21st August, 2018? Ans:- 650 Explanation:- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 650 branches of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) on the 21st August, The IPPB has been setup under the Department of Post, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by the Indian government. The IPPB will leverage the vast network of the Department of Posts with 1.55 lakh access points, three lakh postmen and Grameen Dak Sewaks. 12) Name of the Justice who taken charge as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, recently? Ans:- Rajendra Menon Explanation:- The Delhi high court with a sanctioned strength of 60 judges after the appointment of Justice Rajendra Menon. He served as a judge in the Gwalior Bench of the Madhya Pradesh. 13) Which of the following is the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India to be included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) of UNESCO? Ans:- Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve Explanation:- UNESCO has included the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (KBR) in the list of World Network of Biosphere Reserve (WNBR) at the 30th Session of the Man and Biosphere International Coordinating Council (ICC) in Palembang, Indonesia. With this, KBR has now become the India's 11th internationally designated WNBR and joined the list of other biospheres such as SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 57

58 Nandadevi, Simlipal, Sunderbans, Nokrek, Pachmarhi and Nilgiri. The reserve, which is located in Sikkim, includes a range of ecoclines varying from subtropical to arctic, as well as vast natural forests in different biomes that support an immensely rich diversity of forest types and habitats resulting in high species diversity and endemism. The core zone of the biosphere alone has over 150 glaciers and 73 glacial lakes, the prominent one being the famous 26-km-long Zemu glacier. It is home to a number of globally threatened fauna including musk deer, snow leopard, red panda and Himalayan Tahr and many ethnic communities including Lepcha, Nepalese, and Bhutia. 14) Who sworn as the 60th and youngest president of Colombia? Ans:- Ivan Duque Explanation:- Colombia's President-elect 42-year-old Ivan Duque has been sworn in as the country's 60th president. He replaced Juan Manuel Santos and became the youngest president in Colombia's recent history. He defeated left-leaning candidate, Gustavo Petro, in a presidential runoff in June with 54 percent of the vote. 15) Exercise SCO Peace Mission 2018 to be held in. Ans:- Russia Explanation:- As part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) initiatives, SCO Peace Mission Exercise is conducted biennially for SCO member states. The joint exercise for the year 2018 will be conducted by Central Military Commission of Russia from 22 August to 29 August 2018 at Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk, Russia. This will be a historic occasion due to the maiden participation of India post becoming a full member of the SCO in June This exercise marks a major milestone in the multilateral relations of SCO member nations. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 58

59 16) The head of the 4-member Group of Ministers (GoM) who has been constituted to discuss concerns of trade pact with RCEP countries is; Ans:- Shri Suresh Prabhu Explanation:- Four-member Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu has been constituted to to discuss concerns of trade pact with RCEP countries. This meeting will determine whether India is willing to give 92% of its market access to these countries or not for free trade or not. The trade pact will affect the sectors of steel, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, electronics, heavy industry, textiles and chemicals as there will be an influx of Chinese products effecting the domestic markets. These talks are to be held before the upcoming trade negotiations in RCEP Summit with member nations - including Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea in November ) Which Indian-American personality has won the International Geography Bee World Championship 2018 in junior varsity division? Ans:- Avi Goel Explanation:- Avi Goel (14), the Indian-American high school student, has won the International Geography Bee World Championship 2018 in junior varsity division in Berlin, Germany. Avi is a tenth grader at Silver Creek High School in Evergreen, San Jose, California. He won a gold medal in 7 out of the 10 medal events, and a silver medal in two of the events, topping the overall medals table. He also bagged the top spot in all the three events counting towards the world championship title: the International Geography Exam, the International Geography Showdown, and the International Geography Bee. The competition took place from 11th to 18th of last month, bringing together over 100 of the world's top geography students to vie for the world championship title in the subject. The competition was held by International Academic Competitions, a worldwide organization that runs SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 59

60 academic competitions across the world, including the newly formed International Geography Bee. Daily Current Affairs12,August,2018 1) Who launched the World's first mission to touch the Sun "Parker Solar Probe"? Ans:- NASA Explanation:- NASA's Parker Solar Probe, the world's first mission to touch the Sun, was launched from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in United States. The Parker Solar Probe was carried by a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket. The Parker Solar Probe has been sent on a 7 year long mission to study the Sun's outer atmosphere and its effects on space weather. The Parker Solar Probe has been sent on a 7 year long mission to study the Sun's outer atmosphere and its effects on space weather. 2) Indian Government extended e-visa facility for citizens of; Ans:- 165 countries Explanation:- In order to promote tourism, the Indian government has extended e-visa facility for citizens of 165 countries at 25 airports and five seaports. On March 2018, The Ministry of Tourism has launched the 'Incredible India 2.0' campaign, to promote various destinations and tourism products of the country including spiritual, medical and wellness tourism in important and potential source markets overseas. 3) Kidambi Srikanth ranked in the 2018 BWF ranking. Ans:- 8th Explanation:- India's Saina Nehwal has come out of the top 10 and Kidambi Srikanth has come down to 8th place in BWF ranking, as per the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released on 9th August Following poor performance at the SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 60

61 badminton World Championship, the ranks of Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth have dropped. Saina Nehwal has been ranked world number 11 currently, in women's singles rankings. Kidambi Srikanth has gone down two places and has reached 8th position in men's singles rankings. PV Sindhu remains at world number 3 in women's singles rankings. 4) Which digital payments major has acquired Balance Technology, a Bengaluru-based savings management start-up? Ans:- Paytm Explanation:- The digital payments major Paytm acquired Bengaluru-based savings management start-up, Balance Technology, for an undisclosed amount. The transaction is expected to be about $2 million. This would enhance its user and merchant interfaces with customised and intuitive user experiences. A six-member team of Balance Technology has joined the product and design team. 5) Which team won the COTIF Tournament in Spain? Ans:- Argentina Explanation:- Argentina's U-20 football team won Torneo Internacional de Futbol Sub-20 de L'Alcudia (L'Alcudia International Under-20 Football Tournament), also known as COTIF Tournament, held at Valencia, Spain by defeating Russian team in the Extra Time by 2-1 goals. India was playing for the first time in the tournament. Floyd Pinto was the coach of the Under 20 team appointed by AIFF(All India Football Federation). 6) For, which state Southern Naval Command lunched an operation "Madad" recently? Ans:- Kerala Explanation:- Operation "Madad" was launched by the Southern Naval Command (SNC) at Kochi, in Kerala, to assist the Kerala state administration and to carry out disaster relief operations due SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 61

62 to the floods. Several parts of Kerala have been flooded due to continuous rainfall and release of excess water from Idukki and other dams. Naval helicopters are used for ferrying divers, power tools, axes and relief material to the flooded areas to speed up the relief operations. 7) What will be the theme of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit- 2019? Ans:- Shaping of a New India Explanation:- The theme of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit-2019 will be 'Shaping of a New India'. It was decided at the first meeting of the Advisory Committee of the event. The summit is proposed to be held between January 18 and 20 next year. 8) Who of the following has been appointed as member of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights? Ans:- R. G Anand Explanation:- Dr. R. G Anand has been appointed as member of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Government has appointed Dr. R. G Anand as Member of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights with effect from 13th July 2018 for a period of 3 years, or until he attains 60 years of age, or until further orders, whichever is earlier 9) Which city was declared as India's most polluted city by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in its Air quality index (AQI), on 5th August 2018? Ans:- Gurugram Explanation:- The AQI of Gurugram has crossed 300 mark marking it in the 'Very Poor' category of AQI. It scored 321 marks. 6 cities have been marked as 'Poor', 1 City (Gurugram) has been marked as 'Very Poor', 2 cities has been marked as 'Good', 26 cities marked as 'Satisfactory' and 27 cities as 'Moderate'. 10) Who signed MOU with National Medicinal Plant Board? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 62

63 Ans:- Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) Explanation:- The main aim to promote Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) forest produced for livelihood development of tribal people by promoting primary level value addition to MAPs produce from forest area at the grassroots level. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) was established in August 1987 by the Ministry of Welfare, Government of India. 11) The Theme of 18th International Youth Day is; Ans:- Safe space for Youth Explanation:- August 12 is annually celebrated as International Youth Day. It is an awareness day designated by the United Nations to draw attention to cultural and legal issues surrounding youth. The Theme for IYD 2018 is: "Safe space for Youth". It was designated by the United Nations in 1999 with the adoption of Resolution 54/ ) The World Elephant Day is observed on which date? Ans:- August 12 Explanation:- August 12 is annually celebrated as World Elephant Day. It is an international annual event dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. It is an international annual event dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. It was first conceived by Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures, and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary- General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand. It was started in August 12, ) With which bank Bajaj Allianz General Insurance entered into a bancassurance deal? Ans:- Vijaya Bank SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 63

64 Explanation:- Bajaj Allianz General Insurance entered into a bancassurance deal with Vijaya Bank. The General Insurance products would be available through the bank's network of 2,129 branches. Insurance products such as health, personal accident, home, motor and travel along with a commercial line of insurance products will be offered. The partnership will strengthen the presence of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance in southern India. 14) Global Innovation Index 2018 (GII- 2018) was launched in. Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- Global Innovation Index 2018 (GII- 2018) was launched in India in New Delhi. The event was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) along with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in collaboration with Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). CII is one of the founding partners of GII. Global Innovation Index 2018 is the 11th edition of GII. The theme for GII 2018 is: "Energizing the World with Innovation". The GII 2018 analyses the energy innovation landscape of the next decade and identify possible new technological breakthroughs and innovative approaches and their sources at the country, region, or firm level. India's rank on the Global Innovation Index (GII) is 57 in It has improved from 60 in India has been consistently improving in GII ranking in the last 2 years. 15) Which country opens Visa Application Centre in Kolkata? Ans:- Israel Explanation:- Israel opened a visa application centre in the city of Kolkata for tourists from West Bengal and north eastern states. Visa applications in the jurisdiction under the New Delhi centre would also be accepted here. The visa application categories include : employment, business, tourism, meeting and conferences, students. Israel announced a reduction in visa fees to INR 1,100 from its previous INR 1700 charge from Indians. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 64

65 Daily Current Affairs13,August,2018 1) Which Union minister released 'Digital North East Vision 2022' in Guwahati, recently? Ans:- Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad Explanation:- Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad released 'Digital North East Vision 2022' in Guwahati. Digital technologies to transform the lives of people of the northeast and enhance the ease of living. A cloud hub for North East will be created in Guwahati and capacity building for 50,000 government staff will be taken up. The number of seats planned for BPOs in the Northeastern states will be doubled to 10,000. The network of common service centres will be expanded to cover all villages. 2) India's 1st Tribal Language to get own Wikipedia Edition is; Ans:- Santhali Explanation:- Santhali (Santali), a tribal language primarily spoken in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, received global recognition when it got a Wikipedia edition in its own script. The language is been spoken by over 6.4 million people in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam. The initiative to get a Santhali edition for Wikipedia, began six years ago, in Santhali, written in the Ol Chiki script currently has content of about 70,000 words. 3) This state government plans to launch Ayushman Bharat scheme to provide cashless healthcare facilities to beneficiaries at empanelled hospitals. Ans:- Haryana Explanation:- Haryana Government to launch Ayushman Bharat scheme on Aug 15. The main aim of the scheme to provide cashless healthcare facilities to beneficiaries at empanelled hospitals.the scheme would be initially implemented on a pilot basis in one government hospital in each of the 22 districts, one ESI hospital and one medical college.under the scheme, families identified by the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) would be provided with coverage of Rs 5 lakh. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 65

66 4) Which Indian authority has launched the RUCO initiative recently? Ans:- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Explanation:- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched an initiative "RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil)" that will enable collection and conversion of used cooking oil to biodiesel. Under this initiative, 64 companies at 101 locations have been identified to enable collection of used cooking oil. According to FSSAI regulations, the maximum permissible limits for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) have been set at 25%, beyond which the cooking oil is unsafe for consumption. Beside this, FSSAI is also working in partnership with Biodiesel Association of India and the food industry to ensure effective compliance of used cooking oil regulations. 5) Who has started a wellness clinic for its medical students and doctors? Ans:- AIIMS Explanation:- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has started a wellness clinic for its medical students and doctors. Medical college in India experiences the highest level of stress than students in any other country. The wellness clinic is being run under the supervision of the AIIMS psychiatric department. 6) Who has topped the 'Women who Changed the World' list as per the survey of BBC History Magazine? Ans:- Marie Curie Explanation:- Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie was adjudged the most influential woman in history, through a poll conducted by BBC History Magazine. Marie Curie has topped the 'Women who Changed the World' list followed byrosa Parks (US civil rights activist), Emmeline Pankhurst (leader of the British suffragette movement), Emmeline Pankhurst (leader of the British suffragette movement). 7) India's first all-woman Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team for anti-terrorist operations has been inducted for whom? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 66

67 Ans:- Delhi Police Explanation:- India's first all-woman Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team for anti-terrorist operations has been inducted in Delhi Police. The 36 elite women commandos, hailing from north-eastern states, have undergone rigorous training of around 15 months from specialists all across India and abroad to handle urban situations as well as jungle operations. Their expertise includes unarmed combat, ambush and counterambush and urban operations like building interventions, vehicle intervention and VVIP security. They will be deployed at Red Fort and India Gate during the 2018 Independence Day celebrations. The SWAT team is the brainchild of Amulya Patnaik, the Delhi Police Commissioner. 8) Wipro has launched Santoor women's scholarship for higher education to girls from economically weaker families for which three states? Ans:-Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Explanation:- The Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting will offer 3- year Santoor women's scholarship for higher education to girls from economically weaker families in the three southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Approx 900 girls from the 3 states will be given Santoor scholarship, with Rs 24,000 for each of them per annum to do under-graduation.. The students can apply for the scholarship on " till September 15 or in state-run colleges across the three states. The scholarship is an attempt to empower women to change their life and the world. Enrollment ratio of women pursuing higher education in the country is low and many give up higher study due to lack of financial support. 9) ISRO will celebrate centenary celebration to commemorate its first ISRO chief and renowned cosmic ray scientist. Who is the renowned scientist? Ans:- Vikram Sarabhai Explanation:- The Indian Space Research Organisation will have a year-long Vikram Sarabhai centenary celebration starting in August 2019 to honour visionary scientist and its legendary SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 67

68 founding father. Sarabhai, the architect of the Indian space programme, the first ISRO chief and renowned cosmic ray scientist, was born on August 12, ) Which bank has signed a multilateral cooperation agreement with member development banks of BRICS? Ans:- Exim Bank Explanation:- Exim Bank of India has signed a multilateral cooperation agreement with member development banks of BRICS to undertake "collaborative research" in distributed ledger/blockchain technology. The MoU signed by Exim Bank Managing Director David Rasquinha was an outcome of the discussions the member development banks had during their annual meeting, with the objective of strengthening the cooperation under the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism. 11) Who of the following was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court? Ans:- Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani Explanation:- Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. The swearing was administered by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Chennai. Justice Tahilramani served in the Bombay High Court. The appointment is after the elevation of Justice Indira Banerjee, as a Supreme Court judge. Ms.Tahilramani, who was born in 1958, enrolled the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in 1982 and was serving as a government leader and has been practising in Bombay HC. In 2001, she was elevated as a judge of the Bombay High Court. 12) Name the person who has been taken charge as the new chairperson of Appellate Tribunal of Electricity. Ans:- Manjula Chellur Explanation:- Smt. Justice Manjula Chellur took Oath as Chairperson, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, Ministry of Power. Prior to this, Smt. Justice Manjula Chellur was Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. She was the first woman Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 68

69 13) Somnath Chatterjee who passed away recently was served as a. Ans:- Lok Sabha Speaker Explanation:- Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee passed away. He was 89 years old. Chatterjee was the Speaker of the Lower House from when Manmohan Singh-led UPA- 1 (United Progressive Alliance) was in power. 14) Name of the Indian Author who won the 2018 Hindu Playwright Award is; Ans:- Annie Zaidi Explanation:- Annie Zaidi, an Indian author, has won the 2018 Hindu Playwright Award 2018 for her play 'Untitled' at the 14th edition of The Hindu Theatre Fest at the Taj Coromandel. The award was presented by Ratna Pathak Shah, actor and director. The award, instituted in 2008, carries a prize of Rs 2 lakh for the best original, unpublished and unperformed play script in English. 15) According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which of the following place would become World's richest place by 2020? Ans:- Macau Explanation:- According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Macau in China would overtake oil-rich Qatar with the highest per-capita gross domestic product of any country or jurisdiction on earth, by Macau is the only place in China where casinos are legal and its gross domestic product has more than tripled from about $34,500 per capita in 2001, the IMF data shows. Three European countries -- Luxembourg, Ireland, and Norway -- made the top 10 places expected to be the world's wealthiest by 2020, while the US came in at No. 12. Daily Current Affairs14,August,2018 1) Balramji Das Tandon a Governor of this state passed away at the age of 90. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 69

70 Ans:- Chhattisgarh Explanation:- Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon passed away at the age of 90. He was admitted to a hospital in Raipur after he suffered cardiac arrest. 2) The lander of the Chandrayaan-2 to be named as; Ans:- Vikram Explanation:- The lander on the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which is scheduled to be launched in January 2019 will be named 'Vikram' after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of Indian space programme. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has got clearance from the space commission. This mission, unlike Chandrayaan-1 which only orbited the Moon, involves a Lander soft-landing on the lunar surface and unloading a Rover to study and take measurements from the Moon, while the orbiter will go around the Earth's satellite. 3) For which city, Justice Mukesh R Shah was sworn in as the Chief Justice, recently? Ans:- Patna Explanation:- Justice Mukesh R Shah was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. Justice Shah was a judge of the Gujarat High Court before his appointment as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik administered the oath of office to Justice Shah. He became a judge of the Gujarat High Court on March 7, 2004 and was confirmed as permanent judge on June 22, ) Which city tops in the "Ease of Living Index 2018" survey? Ans:- Pune Explanation:- Of total 111 cities ranked under the 'Ease of Living Index 2018' which was released by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Pune has been ranked first while Navi Mumbai has surfaced as the second preferred spot in terms of 'liveability'. Top 10 cities SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 70

71 in 'Ease of Living Index' 2018 list are: 1- Pune; 2- Navi Mumbai; 3- Greater Mumbai; 4- Tirupati; 5- Chandigarh; 6- Thane; 7- Raipur; 8- Indore; 9- Vijaywada; 10- Bhopal. 5) Which of the following party formed the 15th National Assembly in Pakistan? Ans:- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Explanation:- Pakistan's 329 newly-elected members, including Imran Khan, of the National Assembly took the oath on 13th August. Imran Khan is all set to form the next government, only the second democratic transition of power in the country. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq administered the oath to the leaders in the 342- member house. Imran Khan and other prominent leaders including Shahbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and former President Asif Ali Zardari also took the oath. The maiden session of the 15th National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, happened after the swearing of the members. The PTI's final tally reached 158 after it was allotted 28 out of 60 seats reserved for women and 10 seats reserved for minorities. 6) Who of the following has been appointed as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reccently? Ans:- Michelle Bachelet Explanation:- Michelle Bachelet, the former two-time President of Chile, has been officially appointed new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for a period of 4 years. She will succeed Jordanian diplomat Zeid Ra'ad al-hussein in September The High Commissioner is the principle official who speaks out for human rights across the whole UN system. It strengthens human rights mechanisms, enhance equality & fight discrimination in all its forms. It also strengthens accountability & the rule of law and widens the democratic space & protecting the most vulnerable from all forms of human rights abuse. 7) UK-based online market research and data analytics firm YouGov reported this as India's most Patriotic Brand. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 71

72 Ans:- SBI Explanation:- Country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) is considered to be the most patriotic brand, according to a survey conducted by UK-based online market research and data analytics firm YouGov, followed by Tata Motors, Patanjali, Reliance Jio and BSNL. Around 16% respondents ranked SBI to be the most patriotic brand overall, followed by Tata Motors and Patanjali with 8% each, and Reliance Jio and BSNL with 6% each. The survey, which covered 152 brands across 11 categories, is based on data collected online by YouGov Omnibus among 1,193 respondents in the country using its panel of an online representation of India. 8) India's first genetic bank for wildlife conservation has been inaugurated in. Ans:- Hyderabad Explanation:- In Hyderabad, India's first genetic bank for wildlife conservation has been inaugurated by Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan at the Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) in CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) to protect India's biodiversity and environment. It is dubbed as National Wildlife Genetic Resource Bank (NWGRB), which can store 17,000 vials worth of samples. Currently genetic material, including DNA, cells and tissues besides semen and eggs of 23 wildlife species are stored. This facility would also facilitate exchange of genetic material between Indian zoos for maintaining genetic diversity and conservation management made accessible to scientists and wildlife managers for implementing conservation programmes. The Genetic Resource Bank (GRB) is the systematic collection and preservation of tissues, sperm, eggs and embryos, genetic material (DNA/RNA). 9) The first state to provide Right to Skill's Development to the youth is; Ans:- Chhattisgarh SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 72

73 Explanation:- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh announced that Chhattisgarh is the first among the 28 other states in the country to provide Right to Skills' Development to the youth. The Chief Minister along with Union Minister of State for Skill Development Anant Kumar Hegde flagged off fifteen Skill Chariots to launch the government's project of 'Skills on Wheels' in the state. The chariots aimed at creating awareness regarding the project will tour 13 districts in the first phase and the rest 14 in the second phase. 10) Who has become the youngest Indian golfer to claim Asian Tour title at the 2018 Take Solutions Masters? Ans:- Viraj Madappa Explanation:- Viraj Madappa (20) from Kolkata has become the youngest Indian golfer to claim the Asian Tour title after lifting the 2018 TAKE Solutions Masters trophy in Bengaluru on August 12. Beside this, Madappa has also become the first rookie and youngest player to win on Tour this season. He takes home a winner's prize purse of US$63,000 and earned a one-year winner exemption on the region's premier Tour. The earlier record was held by Gaganjeet Bhullar, who won the Indonesia Invitational, when he was 21 years and three months, while Shubhankar Sharma won Joburg Open when he was 21 years and five months old. 11) Ministry of Railways released a report of cleanliness. Which among the following tops in the A1 category? Ans:- Jodhpur railway station Explanation:- In a cleanliness report released by the Ministry of Railways, Jodhpur and Jaipur of North Western Railway in Rajasthan captured the first two spots in the A1 Category stations. Tirupati, an important site for religious tourism and in South Central Railway, ranked third. Rajasthan's Marwar topped among the A Category railway stations, followed by Phulera and Warangal. There are over 8,000 stations on the Indian Railway SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 73

74 network and they are classified into seven categories: A-1, A, B, C, D, E and F based on their annual passenger revenue. 12) Name of the Football Player who has been named as the as captain of Barcelona? Ans:- Lionel Messi Explanation:- Lionel Messi has succeeded Andres Iniesta as captain of Barcelona, after the Spaniard ended his 22-year stay at the club to join Japanese side Vissel Kobe in May. Sergio Busquets will be the vice-captain, with Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto the third and fourth captains respectively. Messi, 31, joined the Barcelona club in 2001 and is their record goalscorer. 13) is planning to launch a TV channel to promote scientific temper among people and conduct training camps for school students. Ans:- ISRO Explanation:- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch a TV channel to promote scientific temper among people and conduct training camps for school students. ISRO will select students and organise training camps for 25 to 30 days and the students will be allowed to visit laboratory and make their small satellite. ISRO was planning to set up an incubation centre for startups. 14) Which city hosted the Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018? Ans:- Birgunj Explanation:- The Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018 was held in Birgunj, Nepal on August 12 to strengthen Indo-Nepal ties. On this occasion, the renowned writers from both the countries were also felicitated. Approx 250 participants from India and Nepal attended the two day festival. The event was organized by Nepal India Co-operation Forum. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 74

75 15) Name the bill that was passed in the Parliament that seeks to clarify that allottees under a real estate project should be treated as financial creditors. Ans:- Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018 Explanation:- Parliament has passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill,2018 with the Rajya Sabha's approval. The Bill seeks to clarify that allottees under a real estate project should be treated as financial creditors. Home buyers will get due representation in the Committee of Creditors and make them an important part of decision making process. Setting up of a special dispensation for small sector enterprises has also been made. Daily Current Affairs15,August,2018 1) Karnataka government launched a drive under Hasiru Karnataka programme on 15th August to increase the tree cover of the city and the district. It is named as; Ans:- Green Mysuru drive Explanation:- The Forest Department of Karnataka is to launch a Green Mysuru drive on 15th August 2018 under Hasiru Karnataka programme. The aim is to increase the tree cover of the city and the district. The program involves planting saplings in vacant spaces of government offices and schools, available space on the roadside, embankment abutting farmland and agricultural fields, courtyards etc. The drive considers the participation public as its key success of the programme. A total of 100,000 saplings have been prepared in various nurseries of the Forest Department. In the year , the Forest Department has distributed around lakh saplings and lakh tree guards to the public. As per the National Forest Policy, at least 33% of the land SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 75

76 area should be under green cover wherein Karnataka has the green cover of 22.56%. 2) Who was elected as vice president of South West Asian Football Federation? Ans:- Subrata Dutta Explanation:- All India Football Federation (AIFF) senior vice president Subrata Dutta was elected as a vice president of the newly formed South West Asian Football Federation (SWAFF). He has been elected for a period of 4 years. The President of SWAFF is Dr. Adel Ezzat. He is also, the President and Chairman of Saudi Arabian Football Federation. SWAFF consists of 10 member countries: India, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Yemen. 3) Whom will be conferred the Shaurya Chakra award? Ans:- Rifleman Aurangzeb and Major Aditya Kumar Explanation:- Rifleman Aurangzeb and Major Aditya Kumar of Indian Army will be conferred the Shaurya Chakra along with 18 others Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces. Aurangzeb, who has been selected posthumously, was abducted and later killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, Sepoy Vrahma Pal Singh will be awarded with Kirti Chakra posthumously. President Ram Nath Kovind has approved these names on the eve of Independence Day along with three Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 93 Sena Medals (Gallantry) and, 11 Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry). The President also conferred Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) to Group Captain Abhishek Sharma, Squadron Leader Vernon Desmond Keane and Sergeant Shashidhar P Prasad. 4) Which city tops in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index? Ans:- Vienna SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 76

77 Explanation:- Vienna has replaced Melbourne for the first time at the top of the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index. Damascus retained the last place, followed by the Dhaka, and Lagos in Nigeria. The survey does not include several of the world's most dangerous capitals, such as Baghdad and Kabul. 5) Who among the following was ranked first in the 'Kotak Wealth Hurun-Leading Wealthy Women 2018 list? Ans:- Smitha V. Crishna Explanation:- Smitha V. Crishna was ranked first in the 'Kotak Wealth Hurun-Leading Wealthy Women 2018 list'. Roshni Nadar, the CEO and executive director at HCL, ranks second in the list. The chairperson of the Times Group, Indu Jain, ranks third in the list. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder and MD of Biocon, ranks fourth in the list. 6) Which Indian Film Actor becomes Brand Ambassador for Road Safety campaigns? Ans:- Akshay Kumar Explanation:- Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari launched three short films for generating public awareness towards road safety. Film actor Shri Akshay Kumar has featured in these films, which are directed by Shri R.Balki. Mr Gadkari announced the appointment of Shri Akshay Kumar as Road Safety Brand Ambassador. 7) International left handers day is observed on which date? Ans:- Aug 13 Explanation:- August 13 is celebrated as International left handers day annually. It aims to celebrate the uniqueness and differences of the left handers. The day was first observed in the year 1976 by Dean R. Campbell, founder of the Lefthanders International, Inc. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 77

78 8) PV Sindhu ranked in the BWF 2018 ranking. Ans:- 3rd Explanation:- In the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) singles rankings, P V Sindhu remained static at the third spot, Saina Nehwal lost a place to be ranked 11th now. Kidambi Srikanth slipped two places to eighth. Viktor Axelsen from Denmark and Tai Tzu Ying from Chinese Taipei ranked first in BWF Men's Singles and Women's Singles, respectively. 9) The Indian Banks' Association has appointed as a 'Knowledge Partner' to the Banks Board Bureau. Ans:- Egon Zehnder International Explanation:- The Indian Bank's Association has appointed Egon Zehnder International as a 'Knowledge Partner' to the Banks Board Bureau. It will design, implement and institutionalise a flagship leadership development strategy for public sector banks in India. In addition, Hay Consultants Private Limited will assist the bureau in assessing leadership competencies of candidates. 10) Name of the country which is first to participate in SCO Peace Mission 2018 exercise at Russia is; Ans:- India Explanation:- India will participate for the first time in the joint SCO Peace Mission Exercise, a part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) initiatives, being conducted by Central Military Commission of Russia from August at Chebarkul. India became a full member of the SCO in June The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an eight-member multilateral organization, established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China. 8 members of SCO are:- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. 11) Who was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 78

79 Ans:- Ashish Kumar Bhutani Explanation:- Ashish Kumar Bhutani was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). He is an IAS officer of the 1992 batch of Assam- Meghalaya cadre. He has been appointed the CEO of PMFBY till 9th May PMFBY provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop and helps to stabilise the income of the farmers. 12) This country test fired and unveiled the latest generation of its Fateh ballistic missile named Fateh Mobin. Ans:- Iran Explanation:- Iran has successfully test fired and unveiled the latest generation of its Fateh ballistic missile named Fateh Mobin or Bright Conqueror. It is a short-range ballistic missile. It has a range between kilometers. It is capable of striking targets on land and sea. It has been indigenously designed. It is an agile, radar-evading and tactical missile with pinpoint accuracy. 13) Which country has decided to recommence the Adoption Programme with India, as per Hague Convention on Inter- Country Adoption? Ans:- Australia Explanation:- The Australia Government has decided to recommence the Adoption Programme with India, as per Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption. The Australian Government had put on hold adoptions from India, 8 years ago, due to allegations of child trafficking for Inter-country adoption by some recognized Indian placement agencies. Inter-country adoption regulations have been made stricter by the Indian Government with the passing of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and notification of Adoption Regulations, ) Pitch to MOVE" a mobility pitch competition to provide budding entrepreneurs of India is launched by; SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 79

80 Ans:- NITI Aayog Explanation:- NITI Aayog has launched "Pitch to MOVE" - a mobility pitch competition that aims to provide budding entrepreneurs of India a unique opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a distinguished jury. Startups working in the various fields of mobility can pitch their ideas to industry leaders and Venture Capitalists for raising investments. Winners of the event will be felicitated by PM during the Global Mobility Summit. Pitch to MOVE aims to identify and incentivise the startups, which will help the Government realize its vision of Shared, Connected, Intermodal and Environment-Friendly Mobility for India. 15) This state government started a 'Tatkal sewa' for property registration across the state. Ans:- Punjab Explanation:- The Punjab government started a 'Tatkal sewa' for property registration across the state. Under this, people can seek appointment for 'tatkal' (instant) registration for properties for an hour-long slot from 9 am to 10 am. The facilitation charges for the service would be Rs additional dedicated sub-registrars had been deputed at Ludhiana (East), Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Kharar and some more districts. So far 1,62,410 online documents have been registered under the new system. 16) Which of the following is the largest natural gas field in the world? Ans:- South Pars Explanation:- The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the world's third-largest oil and gas firm, is likely to expand its stake in an Iranian gas field. CNPC has replaced Total, the French energy giant, in the South Pars, world's single largest natural gas field, Phase 11 project. In the project 2017, Total acquired a 50.1%, CNPC held a 30% stake and the rest was allocated to Iran's Petropars Ltd. Meantime, Washington, U.S. demanded both Total and CNPC to scrap their businesses from Iran. Following the SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 80

81 U.S. framework, Total apparently withdrew from the project. The option lies with Chinese firm the to take over Total's stake if it left Iran. Chinese Foreign Ministry opposed to "unilateral sanctions" imposed by the U.S. against Iran and it is likely to expand its stake in an Iranian gas field. Daily Current Affairs16,August,2018 1) Who of the following become the 53rd Grandmaster of India? Ans:- Nihal Sarin Explanation:- International Master Nihal Sarin became the 53rd Grandmaster of India despite losing his final round game to Richard Rapport of Hungary in the ninth and final round of Abu Dhabi Masters. The 14-year-old Nihal tallied 5.5 points out of a possible nine and the final GM norm came the Kerala boy's way with one round to spare. 2) Which bank's server was under a malware attack for 2 days and an amount of Rs 94 crore has been transferred off? Ans:- Cosmos Bank Explanation:- Cosmos bank announced that the server of Punebased bank was under a malware attack for 2 days between August 11 and August 13 and an amount of Rs 94 crore has been transferred off. The fraudulent transactions were carried out via cloning of thousands of the bank's debit cards and 25 ATMs located in Canada, Hong Kong and a few in India. The cards of the cooperative bank customers that were cloned were of Visa and Rupay. The malware attack was on the switch, which is operative for payment gateways of Visa and Rupay debit cards. 3) and Airtel Payments Bank entered into an alliance to offer the 'Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana' (PMJJBY). Ans:- Bharti Axa Life Insurance SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 81

82 Explanation:- Bharti Axa Life Insurance and Airtel Payments Bank entered into an alliance to offer the 'Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana' (PMJJBY), a government-backed life insurance scheme. The alliance will leverage Airtel Payments Bank's vast network to reach deep rural pockets and serve the under-insured. With this, Airtel Payments Bank also becomes the first payments bank in India to offer the Government of India-backed life insurance scheme. The product (PMJJBY) provided by Bharti Axa Life Insurance offers Rs 2 lakh life insurance cover for a nominal premium of Rs 330 per annum and can be purchased by all existing or new Airtel Payments Bank savings bank account holders between the ages of ) President Ram Nath Kovind approved Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for how many womens of Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini? Ans:- 6 Explanation:- President Ram Nath Kovind approved Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for the 6 women crew members of Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, who circumnavigated the globe. Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi captained the 194-day mission. The mission started on 10th September Nao Sena Gallantary medals were also announced for marine Lt Cdr Anil Raina and Kunal Saini for anti-insurgency operations. 5) Madhya Pardesh Governor Anandiben Patel was sworn in as Governor of which state? Ans:-Chhattisgarh Explanation:- Madhya Pardesh Governor Anandiben Patel was sworn in as Governor of Chhattisgarh. President Ram Nath Kovind gave Anandiben Patel the additional charge as Governor of Chhattisgarh following the death of Chhattisgarh governor Balramji Dass Tandon. Chhattisgarh High Court Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi administered the oath of office to Anandiben Patel. Anandiben Patel will perform additional duties as SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 82

83 Chhattisgarh governor until regular arrangements for the office of the governor of Chhattisgarh are made. 6) Supreme Court has approved proposal to use hologrambased colour-coded stickers for vehicles of this city. Ans:- Delhi Explanation:- For better tackling of air pollution related issues in the Delhi, Supreme Court has approved the central government's proposal to use hologram-based colour-coded stickers for vehicles in Delhi based on the fuel used. The vehicles that run on petrol and CNG will have light blue stickers, while the diesel vehicles will have orange stickers. The scheme is based on a model used in Paris. 7) Who won Tamil Nadu Premier League 2018 title? Ans:- Madurai Panthers Explanation:- Madurai Panthers won their first Tamil Nadu Premier League 2018 title, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Madurai Panthers beat Dindigul Dragons by seven wickets in the final and won the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League title. Madurai Panthers' Arun Karthik scored his sixth fifty of this season and remained the highest run scorer in the tournament. 8) As per Ficci's survey 'Ficci's Economic Outlook Survey', the Indian economy is expected to grow at in the current fiscal. Ans:- 7.4 Explanation:- As per Ficci's survey 'Ficci's Economic Outlook Survey', the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.4 per cent in the current fiscal. It projects that GDP will grow at 7.4 per cent for , with a minimum and maximum range of 7.1 per cent and 7.5 per cent, respectively. The economic activity on the first quarter of the current fiscal would be 7.1 per cent. The study SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 83

84 further said the median growth forecast for agriculture and allied activities has been put at 3 per cent for ) The 2018 World Organ Donation Day (WODD) has been observed on which date? Ans:- August 13 Explanation:- The World Organ Donation Day (WODD) is observed every year on August 13 to encourage people to donate their precious organs. Every year, about 5 lakh people die awaiting organ transplants due to non-availability of organs. There is a wide gap between the number of transplants awaited and the organs available. Organ donation is a process where an organ is transferred from the body of the one who is giving the organ (donor) to the one who needs the organ (recipient). The donor can be living or deceased. Organs that can be donated are kidney, lungs, heart, eye, liver, pancreas, cornea, small intestine, skin tissues, bone tissues, heart valves and veins. 10) With which techonlogical giant Prasar Bharati join hands to telecast 2018 Independence Day programme live online? Ans:- Google Explanation:- Prasar Bharati has tied up with Google and its video sharing platform YouTube to telecast the 72nd Independence Day programme live online on 15th August 2018 to increase digital presence. Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati has stated that the live stream window will be seen on the homepage of Google itself so that people do not have to look for a separate link to go to the Youtube channel. In a first-of-itskind digital drive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech from Red Fort will be live streamed on both Google and YouTube. This year, Doordarshan anchors will introduce the programme from Red Fort instead of the studios. Doordarshan will also translate the PM's speech in over 20 regional languages. The Independence Day coverage will open with a song composed by Shankar Mahadevan. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 84

85 11) The Indian Naval Ship that is one a goodwill visit to Fiji is; Ans:- INS Sahyadri Explanation:- Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which was on a good will visit to the island nation entered the Port of Suva on 13th August The naval ship is visiting the Republic of Fiji en route to India after participating in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC)-2018 organised at Hawaii. During the visit, the Indian naval ship personnel will have professional interaction with their Republic of Fiji counterparts and the ship will have an 'Open Day' for general public. 12) Who has been appointed as head coach of the women's national cricket team till the ICC World T20? Ans:- Ramesh Powar Explanation:- Former India spinner Ramesh Powar has been appointed as head coach of the women's national cricket team till the ICC World T20, scheduled to be held in November, by BCCI. He was appointed interim coach of the team in July after the resignation of Tushar Arothe. He is the third coach of women's team in past one and a half year after Purnima Rau and Tushar Arothe. Powar has played 31 ODIs and two Tests from 2004 to 2007, picking 34 wickets with a best of 54 in the 50-over format. 13) D Bala Venkatesh Varma has been appointed as the Ambassador to. Ans:- Russia Explanation:- D Bala Venkatesh Varma has been appointed as the Ambassador to Russia. He is currently serving as Indian envoy in Spain. He will succeed Pankaj Saran who has been appointed as the deputy National Security Advisor. 14) Which bank increased the marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by up to 0.10 per cent for various tenors, recetly? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 85

86 Ans:- IDBI Bank Explanation:- IDBI Bank increased the marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by up to 0.10 per cent for various tenors. For overnight and one-month tenor loans, the MCLR are increased by 0.05 per cent each to 8 per cent and 8.25 per cent respectively. The one year loan will be priced at 8.85 per cent, two year and three year tenors will be priced at 8.90 per cent each. 15) Name the girl who became India's latest Woman Grandmaster (WGM) recently. Ans:- R Vaishali Explanation:- R Vaishali became India's latest Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She is the elder sister of R. Praggnanandhaa, who became the second youngest Grand Master in the world in June She is 17 years old. She completed her third and final WGM norm in the Riga Technical University Open chess tournament in Riga, Latvia. Daily Current Affairs17,August,2018 1) Which city will get free WiFi and high-speed broadband under 'Smart City' project launched by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh? Ans- Delhi Explanation:- Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched a host of new Smart City projects in Delhi. The event took place at the Charkha Park in Connaught Place. Besides launching the two projects to provide high speed connectivity in the city, the Union Home Minister also launched other projects under the Centre's Smart City initiative. These projects include-- a solar tree, an ideation centre, smart poles, Amdedkar Vatika, two hi-tech nurseries, 50 LED interactive screens, four mechanical road sweepers, two litter picking machines and 10 auto tippers. 2) Which app partners with IRCTC app Rail connect to facilitate convenient payments? Ans:- PhonePe SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 86

87 Explanation:- India's fastest growing payments platform, PhonePe entering into a partnership with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to facilitate convenient, fast and secure payments through PhonePe on the IRCTC Rail connect Android app. The partnership will enable PhonePe's 100 million plus users to now pay directly from their bank accounts using UPI, credit and debit cards and also the PhonePe wallet for their travel bookings. 3) Which state government has decided to observe September as the "month of nutrition" to create awareness among people living in the state? Ans:- Rajasthan Explanation:- The Rajasthan government has decided to observe September as the "month of nutrition" to create awareness among people living in the state. From September, the students of Class 1 to 8 of government schools will be given milk daily instead of thrice a week for which additional funds of Rs 203 crore will be allocated. Besides, students in the age group of 3-6 years, adolescent girls and pregnant women registered with Anganwadi centres will also be provided milk thrice a week and the government will allocate Rs 100 crore for this. In the month of nutrition, the awareness in rural as well as urban areas will be created for nutrition. 4) For which South American country, Mario Abdo Benitez was elected as the new President? Ans:- Paraguay Explanation:- Colorado Party's Mario Abdo Benitez was sworn in as the new President of Paraguay for a five-year term. Benitez clinched the top spot after defeating his closest rival, Efrain Alegre from the liberal opposition alliance, by four percentage points in the nation's elections, which were held in April ) The First project under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme "North East Circuit: Imphal & Khongjom" was inagurated in. Ans:- Manipur SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 87

88 Explanation:- The governor of Manipur Dr. Najma A. Heptulla, inaugurated project "Development of North East Circuit: Imphal & Khongjom" implemented under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism in Imphal, Manipur. It is the first project under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme being inaugurated in the country. The project under inauguration was sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism in September 2015 for Rs Crores. Under this project Ministry has carried out developmental works at a cost of Rs Crore. The project covers two sites i.e. Kangla Fort and Khongjom. 6) This country plans to invest 15 Billion in Turkey's Financial Markets and Banks? Ans:- Qatar Explanation:- Qatar King Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has pledged to make direct investment in Turkey and announced a 15- billion US dollar investment into the country's financial markets and banks. The announcement came after holding talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Turkey is currently grappling with a currency crisis and heightened tensions with the United States, its NATO ally. Sheikh Tamim is the first foreign head of state to visit Ankara since the stand-off with Washington. 7) Railway Ministry launched Digital Screens for how many stations? Ans:- 22 Explanation:- In the wake of Prime Minister's vision for creating digital museums at stations using QR code, Ministry of Railway has made "digital screens" operational at 22 stations on this Independence Day as an innovative low-cost solution to spread awareness among public about the opulent heritage of Indian Railways. The project aims at showcasing the legacy of Indian Railways through one to two-minute-long movie clips on digital LED screens at the entrance gate of railway stations and also at different comfort areas. In addition, QR code based posters on Railway Heritage are also being displayed at these stations. A passenger can scan the QR code on their mobile to view a SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 88

89 streaming video on their mobile on various facades of Railway heritage. 8) How many gallantry awards were conferred to Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces, this year? Ans:-131 Explanation:- Rifleman Aurangzeb has been honoured posthumously. He was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir in June Also, Sepoy Vrahma Pal Singh has been conferred with Kirti Chakra posthumously. Also, Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) has been conferred on Group Captain Abhishek Sharma, Squadron Leader Vernon Desmond Keane and Sergeant Shashidhar P Prasad. The President has approved 131 Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces. This consists of: 1 Kirti Chakra, 20 Shaurya Chakras, three Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 93 Sena Medals (Gallantry), 11 Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and three Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry). 9) Who has won the Community Award in the Junior NBA World Basketball Championship 2018? Ans:- Sunishka Kartik Explanation:- Sunishka Kartik from Bengaluru won the Community Award in the 2018 Junior NBA World Basketball Championship, which concluded at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, USA, on August 12. She had top-scored with 17 points in the team's impressive win over South America Combined in a pool game. The award recognizes players who are committed to give back to those in need. The tournament featured the best 13 and 14-year-old boys and girls from around the world in 32 teams. 10) Which country forms the 'Iran Action Group' for Post- Nuclear Deal Policy? Ans:- US Explanation:- US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo announced the formation of the Iran Action Group (IAG) to coordinate and run the country's policy towards Iran. The development follows President SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 89

90 Donald Trump's announcement of the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the multinational Iran nuclear deal. The aim behind the formation of IAG is to change the Iranian regime's behaviour. Pompeo has named Brian Hook, the State Department's director of policy planning, as the group's head. 11) The multi-purpose 'Barak 8' missile defence system was jointly developed by India and. Ans:- Israel Explanation:- The multi-purpose Barak 8 missile defence system, jointly developed by India and Israel, will be procured by the Israeli Navy to protect its economic zones and strategic facilities from diversified threats and the sales for it have exceeded USD 5 billion. Barak-8 is an operational air and missile defense system used by the Israeli Navy as well as by the Indian Navy and air forces. Barak 8 has been jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India's DRDO, Israel's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and some other Indian defence companies. 12) The 24th World Congress of Philosophy (WCP) was held in. Ans:- Beijing Explanation:- The 24th World Congress of Philosophy (WCP) was held in Beijing, China. It was organized by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies, and Peking University. Its theme was "Learning To Be Human". This was the first time that the quinquennial (once in five year) event was held in China. 13) Which state CM launched a scheme Rythu Bima for farmers on 72nd Independence Day? Ans:- Telangana Explanation:- Telangana launches two major schemes on Independence Day. 'Rythu Bima', aimed at providing life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to every farmer. 'Kanti Velugu', the entire population of 3.7 crore will be provided free eye care. 14) Who inagurated the 3 mobile apps launched for e-filing of cases? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 90

91 Ans:- Dipak Misra Explanation:- The E-committee of the Supreme Court headed by Justice M B Lokur, launched 3 mobile applications for the benefit of litigants and lawyers. The apps were inaugurated by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. These software have been developed on "open source technology" and thus has saved Rs 1,670 crore. The litigants and the lawyers would be able to file petitions in almost 17,000 district and 'taluka' courts in the country. e-pay would enable the litigants to pay court fees, costs imposed by courts, maintenance in matrimonial cases through digital. 15) Good Governance Day is observed in India on the 25th December every year. It is a honor of this leader's birth anniversary. Ans:- Atal Bihari Vajpayee Explanation:- Atal Bihari Vajpayee (93), the veteran leader, prolific writer and former Prime Minister of India, has passed away in New Delhi on 16th August Born on 25th December 1924 in Gwalior, he was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1957 and had a long parliamentary experience spanning over four decades. He was elected to the Lok Sabha nine times and two times for the Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee was the Minister of External Affairs (MEA) in the cabinet of Prime Minister Morarji Desai. He served as the PM of India between 1996 and 2004 in three non-consecutive terms viz. May 1996 (for 13 days), (for 11 months) and He was awarded the India's highest civilian honour 'Bharat Ratna' in His birthday is celebrated as the Good Governance Day (GGD) by the Central Government since 2014 to foster awareness among the people of accountability in government. Daily Current Affairs18,August,2018 1) How many US scientists was confrerred with the 2018 Albany Medical Center Prize? Ans:- 3 Explanation:- Three US scientists James Allison, Carl June and Steven Rosenberg were declared winners 2018 Albany Medical SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 91

92 Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research. They were awarded in recognition of their research in immunology and translation of their ideas into effective therapies that have led to innovative treatments for cancer, HIV and other diseases. They will share this $500,000 medical prize. They will receive the award at the ceremony to be held in September 2018 in Albany, New York. 2) Who of the following has been elected the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI)? Ans:- N Raghuram Explanation:- N Raghuram has been elected the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI), a global policy making initiative. N Raghuram is an Indian scientist and academician. He is a professor at the GGS Indraprastha University, New Delhi. He has been the President of the Indian Nitrogen Group and a Steering Committee member of the UNEP Global Partnership on Nutrient Management. He is the first Indian and Asian to be elected as Chair of INI. He will succeed Mark Sutton as chair of INI. 3) Who develops missiles to counter the military expansion of China? Ans:- Taiwan Explanation:- Taiwan is building up and developing missiles and interceptors in order to counter the military expansion of China. Since 2016, under the Presidentship of Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan has deployed one set of missiles, perfected another and sped production of a third. This development in its defence is to reduce Beijing's military advantage over the self-ruled island. As a training mission, Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent warships, bombers and fighter planes over the self-governed island in a show of strength. 4) The Jakarta Palembang 2018 was begin in. Ans:- Indonesia Explanation:- This year's Asian Games, also known as Jakarta Palembang 2018, has started from 18th August to 02nd SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 92

93 September in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang. It is the second time when Jakarta is hosting the sports games after A total of 572 Indian athletes will be participating in the event in 36 different sports categories. The contingent will be led by Chef de Mission Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. 5) Who is appointed as Chairman Of Marine Products Export Development Authority? Ans:- Shri K S Srinivas Explanation:- IAS officer K S Srinivas has taken over as Chairman of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). Prior to this appointment, he had served as Joint Secretary in Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmer's Welfare in Ministry of Agriculture. 6) According to BSE data, which company becomes the most valued Indian company? Ans:- TCS Explanation:- According to BSE data, TCS overtakes RIL to become most valued Indian company. The market capitalisation (m-cap) of TCS stood at Rs 7,69, RIL stood at Rs 7,60, crore. There is a difference of total Rs 8, crore in m cap. 7) What is the position of India in the FIFA world rankings? Ans:- 96th Explanation:- Indian football team improved a rank and secured 96th position in the latest FIFA world rankings. India's improvement in the ranking is seen after the introduction of a new ranking system called ELO by FIFA. As per ELO, points will be added or subtracted to a national team's already existing total before a match. 8) Who launched a new campaign named 'Our Safety, Our Rights', among children against sexual abuse on International Day of the Girl Child? Ans:- Amnesty International India SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 93

94 Explanation:- Amnesty International India launched a new campaign named 'Our Safety, Our Rights', among children against sexual abuse. The campaign will culminate on October 11 - International Day of the Girl Child. The campaign in collaboration with Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, People's Action for Rural Awakening (PARA) and Institute of Social Education. 50,000 students, parents, teachers and children from 400 schools, across four Indian states will be participating in this campaign. This include schools in Amnesty International India's Human Rights Education network in Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. 9) This country releases additional funds for Nepal's Postal Highway, recently. Ans:- India Explanation:- Indian Government released additional NPR 470 million for the Postal Highway being constructed in Southern Plains of Nepal. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over NPR 470 million to the Secretary of Nepal's Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Madhusudan Adhikari. This amount has been released for the ongoing construction of 14 road packages under Postal Highway Project. With this payment, a total of NPR 2.35 billion has been released to Nepal out of the total grant assistance of NPR 8 billion committed by Indian Government for implementing 14 road packages. With this payment, a total of NPR 2.35 billion has been released to Nepal out of the total grant assistance of NPR 8 billion committed by Indian Government for implementing 14 road packages.with this payment, a total of NPR 2.35 billion has been released to Nepal out of the total grant assistance of NPR 8 billion committed by Indian Government for implementing 14 road packages. Indian Mission in Nepal also gifted books to 68 libraries and educational institutions in Nepal worth NPR 17 Lakhs. 10) With which hospital did Microsoft join to introduce an AIpowered Cardiovascular Disease risk? Ans:- Apollo Hospitals SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 94

95 Explanation:- Microsoft India and Apollo Hospitals together have built an Artificial Intelligence powered CardioVascular Disease (CVD) risk score Application Program Interface (API). The API is built on Microsoft's cloud computing platform Azure. It is the first of its kind in India. It has been designed to predict the risk of CVD in the Indian population. The aim is to prevent heart disease, save lives. It is expected that AI can augment human ingenuity. It would also enable doctors across the Apollo network of hospitals to drive preventive cardiac care across the country. The collaboration is because Microsoft needed to partner (Apollo hospitals) with a firm that can provide key ingredients such as relevant data and the right level of domain expertise in cardiology to build the technology. 11) Who to be Honoured by Directors Guild of America? Ans:- Ang Lee Explanation:- Oscar-winning director Ang Lee will be one of the recipients of the annual Directors Guild of America (DGA) honours at its ceremony. The event will be held at the DGA Theatre in New York City on October 18. Apart from the 63-year-old director, Fox Searchlight chairman Nancy Utley, US Senator Amy Klobuchar, SAG-AFTRA senior adviser John McGuire and costume designer Ann Roth will also be honoured at the ceremony. 12) Name of the Indian Cyclist who won Silver at 2018 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland. Ans:- Esow Alben Explanation:- Indian cyclist Esow Alben has won India's first medal (a silver medal) at the 2018 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland. In the Men's Keirin event, Czech Republic's Jakub Stastny won gold medal. Esow Alben finished seconds behind him and won silver medal. Kazakhstan's Andrey Chugay won the bronze medal. Esow Alben also participated in the men's team sprint event with Mayur Pawar and James Keithellakpam Singh. But the team did not qualify for the finals. Esow Alben is 17 years old. He hails from Andaman SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 95

96 and Nicobar islands. He trains at the Sports Authority of India's National Cycling Academy in Delhi. 13) Name the person who was re-elected as president of Mali? Ans:- Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Explanation:- Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was re-elected as president of Mali. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita won 67 percent of the vote and defeated his opponent Soumaila Cisse in the presidential election. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita will serve his second five-year term as President of Mali. He is 73 years old. He will assume office on 4th September ) Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology's 'icrafpt '18' was held in which city in Tamilnadu? Ans:- Thanjavur Explanation:- By commemorating its golden jubilee 'icrafpt '18', the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), started an international conference on recent advances in food processing technology till August 19, 2018 at its campus in Thanjavur. It would be inaugurated by union minister of food processing industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The theme of the conference is: 'Doubling Farmers Income through Food Processing'. Daily Current Affairs19,August,2018 1) DRDO's light weight glide bomb Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) was tested near. Ans:- Pokhran Explanation:- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully tested indigenously developed light weight glide bomb Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) dropped from an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft. Total of three tests with different release conditions and ranges were conducted at Chandan range near Pokhran in Rajasthan. Total of three tests with eighth round of developmental trails with different release conditions were conducted during 16 to 18 August 2018 SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 96

97 and all the mission objectives have been achieved. During the test, weapon system was integrated with live warhead. It successfully destroyed targets with high precision. 2) India's first Humboldt penguin was born in. Ans:- Jijamata Udyan Explanation:- India's first Humboldt penguin was born on 15th August at Mumbai's Veer Jijamata Udyan. It is the first penguin to be born in the country. Eight Humboldt penguins were brought to Mumbai from South Korea in July The zoo authorities will later conduct a DNA test to find out its gender and then name it. 3) The atmosphere of which exoplanet is made up of vaporized iron and titanium? Ans:- Kelt-9b Explanation:- The astronomers carried out new observations of exoplanet Kelt-9b. Kelt-9b is the hottest exoplanet discovered and was discovered in Astronomers discovered that the atmosphere is made up of vaporized iron and titanium. The team used the Galileo National Telescope in La Palma, Canary Islands, to observe the planet. 4) PM Narendra Modi announced immediate relief of Rs crore to flood hit Kerala. Ans:- Rs 500 crore Explanation:- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday immediate financial assistance of Rs 500 crore for rainbattered Kerala, after reviewing the flood situation in the state. Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. 5) The 11th World Hindi Conference has started in which of the Mauritius city? Ans:- Port Louis Explanation:- The 11th World Hindi Conference has started in Port Louis the capital of Mauritius. At the beginning of the conference, a two-minute silence was observed to pay tribute to SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 97

98 former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. After the inauguration session, a condolence meeting will be held in the memory of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In the afternoon sessions, delegates from 20 countries including India will deliberate on eight sub-topics related to "Hindi World and Indian Culture". 6) Which team won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-15 Women's Championship in Thimpu, Bhutan? Ans:- India Explanation:- India defeated Bangladesh in the final of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-15 Women's Championship in Thimpu, Bhutan. A solitary second-half strike by Sunita Munda helped the Indian U-15 team clinch the title. This is the second edition of the Championship. Bangladesh had won the inaugural edition last year, beating India, 1-0 in the final played at Dhaka. 7) The Biennia multinational air exercise PB-18 was hosted by; Ans:- Royal Australian Air Force Explanation:- Pitch Black - 18 (PB-18), biennia multinational air exercise hosted by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) concluded recently Darwin, Australia. Exercise Pitch Black 18 involves the participation of more than 4,000 personnel and 140 military aircraft from different countries across the globe. The exercise is part of the USAF's biennial, capstone International Engagement activity with participation from nearly 15 airforces from different regional and coalition nations. The participating nations include Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, and the US amongst others. 8) Who is the world's highest paid female actress according to Forbes? Ans:- Scarlett Johansson Explanation:- Actress Scarlett Johansson has emerged as the world's highest paid female actress according to Forbes. Scarlett Johansson is 33 years old. She earned $ 40.5 million in pre-tax SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 98

99 earnings from June 1, 2017, to June 1, Angelina Jolie has ranked second with $28 million and actress Jennifer Aniston, is in third position with $19.5 million. 9) Which country successfully test fires an anti-tank guided missile "HeliNa"? Ans:- India Explanation:- India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed HeliNa anti-tank missile at the Pokhran Range in Rajasthan. The HeliNa stands for Helicopter-launched Nag, and is a variant of the land-launched Nag anti-tank guided missile. The HeliNa is designed to be launched from the helicopters operated by the Indian Army Aviation Corps. It has been designed to be launched from the HAL Light Combat Helicopter, the HAL Dhruv and its armed variant, HAL Rudra. 10) Who is the head of the panel formed to review redlabelling draft of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)? Ans:- B Sesikeran Explanation:- Abill for red-labelling of packaged products containing fat, sugar and salt has been halted by the government as per FSSAI's report. Additionally, a group of experts from health and nutrition background has been set up to look into the issue of labeling. The group is headed by B Sesikeran, former director of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) as well as the current director Hemalatha and doctor Nikhil Tandon. 11) Nobel Peace Prize awardee Kofi Annan passed away recently, he was the former secretery of this organisation. Ans:- UN Explanation:- Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has passed away at the age of 80. Annan, who was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, served at the UN from 1997 to He was the first to emerge from the ranks of United Nations staff. Annan, of Ghanaian nationality, died in hospital in Bern, Switzerland. Annan was awarded the Nobel SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 99

100 Peace Prize along with the UN in 2001 "for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world". 12) Who has been named as the 'Best Sportsperson of India' by Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club? Ans:- Sunil Chhetri Explanation:- India football team captain Sunil Chhetri, 34-yearold, is currently taking part in Bengaluru FC's pre-season training in Spain. Special awards would also be given to Hima Das for winning the 400m gold in the under-20 world championship and to Dipa Karmakar for finishing on top on her comeback event in Turkey. The other Award Winners are: Best Junior Sportsperson of the Country: Ishan Porel Lifetime Achievement awards: Aroon Ghosh, Arun Lal, Akhtar Ali Best athlete (men): Safiqul Mondol; Best athlete (women): Bhairabi Roy. 13) India's first mission to study the solar corona, that is planned to be launched in , by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL) from Sriharikota is; Ans:- Aditya-L1 Explanation:- ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission, India's first mission to study the solar corona, is planned to be launched in , by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL) from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Aditya - L1 will be inserted in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) that is 1.5 million km from the Earth. Solar corona is the outer layers of the Sun. Lagrangian point is a point where the attraction by the Sun and the Earth becomes equal. 14) Who developed the new version of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) version 2.0? Ans:- NPCI Explanation:- RBI Governor Urjit Patel unveiled UPI version 2.0. The new version has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). It will allow the customers to use overdraft limit for making payments for merchants. This has been made in need for ensuring adequate importance on cyber security. UPI 2.0 member banks as on date are: State Bank of India, HDFC SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 100

101 Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, RBL Bank, YES Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, Federal Bank and HSBC. 15) Name the mountain which is climbed by the Indian Army recently to achieve greater heights in the field of mountaineering. Ans:- Mt Makalu Explanation:- To achieve greater heights in the field of mountaineering, Indian Army is planning to attempt fifth highest mountain peak in the world - Mt Makalu (8,485 metres) in Under the protection of Army Adventure Wing, an expedition to Mount Kamet (7756 meters), Joshimath (district Chamoli, Uttarakhand), is also being conducted from August to September. Mount Kamet is the third highest peak of India after Kanchanjunga and Nandadevi and the only highest peak available to climb within the country. Daily Current Affairs20,August,2018 1) Who inaugurates 'Panini Language Laboratory' in Mauritius? Ans:- Smt Sushma Swaraj Explanation:- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurates Panini Language Laboratory In Mauritius. The lab is gifted by the Indian government and will help MGI in teaching Indian languages in Mauritius. Education Minister of Mauritius Leela Devi Dookun and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. 2) Which country will host the prestigious Asia Cup 2018? Ans:- UAE Explanation:- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) signed an agreement for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to host the prestigious Asia Cup. The Asia Cup 2018 will have cricket teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The tournament will be held from September 15 to September 28 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 101

102 3) Walmart completes acquisition of 77% stake in Flipkart for. Ans:- $16-billion Explanation:- Walmart and Flipkart announced the completion of the $16-billion deal. Walmart now holds 77 per cent stake in the Indian firm. Walmart will appoint five members to the eightmember board of Flipkartout of which 2 will be independent directors, Initially, Steuart Walton, Judith McKenna and Dirk Van den Berghe, regional CEO of Walmart Canada and Asia, will join the Flipkart board. $16 billion investment includes a $2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business. 4) Subhash Sheoratan Mundra has been appointed as Independent Director for which of the following? Ans:- Indiabulls Housing Finance Explanation:- Subhash Sheoratan Mundra has been appointed as Independent Director on the Board of Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd (IBHFL) for a period of three years. The former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and senior banker is not replacing an existing member on the Board. Mundra, a Post- Graduate from the University of Poona, used to be the Chairman of Bank of Baroda and an Executive Director at Union Bank of India. He left the RBI in July ) On which date the World photography day is observed? Ans:- August 19th Explanation:- August 19 is celebrated as World photography day. It is celebrated in order to inspire photographers to share their work and to celebrate the art of photography. The birth of this day dates back to 1839 in France, but it came in to force in ) Name of the company which becomes first PSU to transact on TReDS. Ans:- HAL Explanation:- Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has become the first public sector enterprise to make a transaction on the "TReDS SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 102

103 platform". TReDS is an online electronic institutional mechanism for facilitating the financing of trade receivables of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) through multiple financiers. In 2017, the government mandated all major PSUs to join TReDS platform. 7) Who has been awarded the prestigious WHO World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award? Ans:- S K Arora Explanation:- Delhi government's additional director of health S K Arora has been awarded the prestigious WHO World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control. Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has come down by 6.5% in the past six years. The National Health Policy 2017 has set targets of relative reduction in tobacco prevalence by 15% by 2020 and 30% by ) The Chief Financial Officer, M D Ranganath has recently resigned. He was a CFO of which company? Ans:- Infosys Explanation:- IT major Infosys said its Chief Financial Officer M D Ranganath has resigned from the company. Ranganath will continue in his current position till November 16, Ranganath had taken over the said role after the then CFO Rajiv Bansal had quit in Ranganath has worked at Infosys for 18 years. 9) The Central Government launched the 'Digital Northeast Vision Document 2022' in. Ans:- Guwahati Explanation:- The Central Government launched the 'Digital Northeast Vision Document 2022' in Guwahati. North East Indian region has become the newest member of the Centre's flagship programme 'Digital India' initiative. 'Digital Northeast India Vision 2022' envisages in implementing the initiative throughout the North East through optimum utilization of information, communication, and technology. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 103

104 10) Apurvi Chandela and Ravi Kumar won in 10m Air Rifle mixed Team Shooting event in 2018 Asian Games. Ans:- Bronze Explanation:- Apurvi Chandela and Ravi Kumar won bronze in 10m Air Rifle mixed Team Shooting event in Asian Games 2018, Indonesia. The team scored It was a maiden Asian Games medal for Apurvi. Chinese Taipei's Yingshin Lin and Shaochuan Lu won the gold by scoring The silver was won by Chinese pair Ruozhu Zhao and Haoran Yang who scored Korea and Mongolia finished fourth and fifth respectively in the event held for the first time at the Games. 11) Which Indian Army person conferred with the US 'Legion Of Merit' 2018? Ans:- Dalbir Singh Suhag Explanation:- The United States government has awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) to General Dalbir Singh Suhag (Retired), of the Indian Army, for exceptionally meritorious service as chief of the Army staff, Indian Army. The award was presented to General Suhag at Pentagon, Washington DC, in the presence of his family members and the Indian Military Attache to the United States of America. 12) Who has been appointed as the head of the Iran Action Group? Ans:- Brian Hook Explanation:- Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, has announced the creation of the Iran Action Group (IAG). IAG is a dedicated group to coordinate and run the US's policy towards Iran following President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from a multinational nuclear deal with Tehran. Brian Hook, the Department of State's director of policy planning, has been appointed as its head. 13) Who of the following will receive BAFTA's John Schlesinger Britannia Award? Ans:- Steve McQueen SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 104

105 Explanation:- British director Steve McQueen will receive BAFTA's John Schlesinger Britannia Award. McQueen, who won an Oscar for 12 Years a Slave, would be this year's recipient of the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for excellence in directing. The award's previous recipients include Danny Boyle, Christopher Nolan, and Quentin Tarantino. 14) This IIT has decided to set up a Re-Water Research Center to replenish and rejuvenate water resources? Ans:- IIT Kharagpur Explanation:- The IIT Kharagpur has decided to set up a Re- Water Research Center to replenish and rejuvenate water resources. It will be seed-funded by two alumni members - Aneesh Reddy & Aditya Choubey. The purpose of the 'Aditya Choubey Center for Re-Water Research' is to tackle the challenge of resolving two burning issues faced by urban India - sewage disposal and access to clean potable water. The institute will set up an on-campus plant which will convert 1.35 million litre of sewage water from the hostels to 1.2 million litre of potable water, on a daily basis. The project is being developed to attract potential entrepreneurs and government agencies to take up sewage treatment at a large scale and with a business model for banks to gain confidence in funding such businesses. 15) The theme for the 2018 World Humanitarian Day is; Ans:- NotATarget Explanation:- August 19th is annually observed as World Humanitarian Day It is observed to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives for humanitarian services. The theme for the 2018 World Humanitarian Day is : #NotATarget. The day was designated by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the 19 August 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. 16) Which state decided to honour former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee with 3 awards? Ans:- Madhya Pradesh SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 105

106 Explanation:- Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan to have 3 awards after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The first award will be given for poets (as former PM was also a poet). The second award will be for the outstanding contribution in the field of journalism. And the third award would be for good work in administration. 17) Who won gold in the 2018 Asian Games 65kg freestyle wrestling competition? Ans:- Bajrang Punia Explanation:- Bajrang Punia won gold in the final of the 65kg freestyle wrestling competition at the Asian Games He defeated Japan's Daichi Takatani with a scoreline of He became the winner of India's 140th Asiad gold. Punia is the sole torch-bearer of Indian wrestling. Punia said that he has fixed his eyes on bigger targets, the first of which would be the World Championships in October, with an Olympic quota at stake. He also said he dedicates his win to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Daily Current Affairs21,August,2018 1) Maxxis, Taiwan based company planned to launch how many tyre units in India? Ans:- 5 Explanation:- Maxxis India, the Indian subsidiary of Taiwanbased tyre-maker Maxxis, plans to launch 5 new manufacturing plants in India. The company had been supplying Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tyre fitments to HMSCI through the Vietnam facility since But recently, it rolled out its first two-wheeler tyre consignment from its Sanand facility, Gujarat to Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSCI), Gurgaon. The Sanand facility is currently manufacturing two-wheeler tyres and tubes. It has a capacity to produce about 20,000 tyres and 40,000 tubes a day. The company now targets to supply one million tyres to its OEM partners by the end of this year. It also aims to capture at least 15% of the country's two-wheeler tyre market by SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 106

107 2) Which car company launched a new version of Ciaz 2018 recently? Ans:- Maruti Suzuki Explanation:- Maruti Suzuki launched a new version of Ciaz 2018 with prices starting from Rs.8.19 lakh. The mid-sized sedan is designed with a new 1.5-litre K15 petrol engine along with smart hybrid technology featuring a lithium-ion battery. Manual, as well as automatic transmissions, are available for the petrol version. The price of the manual variants of the petrol version is between Rs.8.19 lakh and Rs.9.97 lakh and the automatic transmission version is between Rs.9.8 lakh and Rs lakh. The fuel efficiency of the newly launched Ciaz will be km/litre. The diesel versions of the same would continue to be powered by the original 1.3-litre diesel engine with hybrid technology. It would be priced between Rs.9.19 lakh and Rs lakh. 3) The Union Government has proposed to set up which committee to suggest changes to the JEE (Advanced) examination? Ans:- Bhaskar Ramamurthy committee Explanation:-The Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development (HRD) has proposed to set up a 5-member committee to suggest changes to the JEE (Advanced) examination in the wake of an inadequate number of candidates qualifying the entrance test this year. The aim of the committee, which will be headed by IIT-Madras director "Bhaskar Ramamurthy", is to develop a robust and scientifically designed entrance exam system to test the potential of the candidates as well as to reduce their dependence on coaching institutes. The proposal is on the agenda of the IIT Council, which is considered to be the top decisionmaking body of all the IITs. Additionally, the IIT-Council is expected to discuss a suggestion made by one of the 23 premier engineering schools that the students who qualify JEE (Advanced) should be allocated an institute and not the engineering branch. According to the suggestion, the student should be allocated an engineering branch only in the second year, based on the aptitude exhibited in the first year. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 107

108 4) India-Thailand's 'Exercise Maitree 2018' concludes in. Ans:- Srinagar Explanation:- The Indian and Thailand's armed forces concluded a two-week long platoon level military exercise called 'Exercise Maitree 2018' in Jammu & Kashmir's Srinagar. The exercise was an annual event designed to strengthen the partnership between armies of the two countries. The exercise began on August 6 and comprised of cross-training period, which included familiarization between the two armies to evolve drills and procedures that help in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in varied terrains under the United Nations (UN) mandate. 5) Who wins Gold medal in 10m Air Pistol of Asian Games 2018? Ans:- Saurabh Chaudhary Explanation:- 16-Year-Old Saurabh Chaudhary became only the fifth Indian shooter to claim a gold in the Asian Games history, beating a field of multiple world and Olympic champions in the 10m air pistol finals in Indonesia. Another Indian making his international debut, 29-year-old Abhishek Verma, shot to secure bronze. 6) What technology did Paytm launch recently? Ans:- Paytm AI Cloud for India Explanation:- One97 Communications, the parent entity of Paytm launched "Paytm AI Cloud for India", an AI Cloud computing platform designed for developers, startups and enterprises. Paytm AI Cloud will process and store all the data of the consumer locally in servers located only in India while conforming to the highest security and privacy standards. For this cloud computing infrastructure, Paytm had partnered with Chinese technology giant Alibaba. The company has committed around Rs.250 crore in this business. The AI Cloud computing platform will offer a suite of business-centric apps for organisations that need solutions for cloud computing, ready-to-use services to automate SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 108

109 their workflow, easy to integrate payments, messaging and customer engagement. 7) With which country Indian government agree to expand maritime co-operation to ensure peace & stability in Indo- Pacific region? Ans:- Japan Explanation:- India and Japan have resolved to expand their maritime cooperation and work together to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Both sides also exchanged views on the current security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including developments in the Korean Peninsula. 8) Who of the following was appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe? Ans:- Shri Srikumar Menon Explanation:- Srikumar Menon was appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. Currently, he is the Ambassador of India to Angola. He has been concurrently appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, with residence in Luanda. 9) The first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in the Asian Games is; Ans:- Vinesh Phogat Explanation:- India got its second Gold medal at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia when Vinesh Phogat defeated Japan's Yuki Irie in the final of freestyle 50 kg category in Women's Wrestling. With this victory, Vinesh created history as she is the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in the Asian Games. Vinesh Phogat had entered the final after beating Uzbekistan's Yakhshimuratova Dauletbike on technical superiority. Bajrang Punia had given India its first Gold of the Games in men's freestyle 65 Kg category. 10) This state government has launched Disaster Response Force (DRF) vehicles. Ans:- Telangana SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 109

110 Explanation:- Telangana Government has launched Disaster Response Force (DRF) vehicles in Hyderabad to handle situations like flash floods, heavy rains, building collapse and fire mishaps. The DRF vehicles will be parked at 24 locations with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) DRF staff. It will reached affected spots for relief work during necessary situations. DRF personnel will be available on the field for 24/7. Hyderabad is the second city to have an exclusive Enforcement Vigilance Disaster Management wing. 11) On which date, World Mosquito Day is observed? Ans:- Aug 20th Explanation:- World Mosquito Day observed on 20th August every year. This day is a honor of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross's discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Mosquitoes have been around for over a hundred million years. Mosquitoes spread diseases like malaria, West Nile virus, dengue, chikungunya, Zika among human beings. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine holds Mosquito Day celebrations every year, including events such as parties and exhibitions, a tradition dating back to as early as the 1930s. 12) Union Ministry of Women and Child Development declared this month as National Nutrition Month to mark the country's fight against malnutrition. Ans:- September 2018 Explanation:- Union Ministry of Women and Child Development announced to observe September 2018 as the National Nutrition Month to mark the country's fight against malnutrition. The month-long intensive campaign will be undertaken with an aim of reaching every household with message of nutrition - 'har ghar posha'. 13) Historic Esala Maha Perehera festival begins in. Ans:- Sri Lanka Explanation:- In Sri Lanka, the ten-day festival of the historic Esala Maha Perehera began in Kandy with a grand procession. The procession set off from the biggest Buddhist temple in Sri SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 110

111 Lanka, Sri Dalada Maligawa at an auspicious time. The Esala Perahera is one of the oldest and grandest of all Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, featuring dancers, jugglers, musicians, firebreathers and lavishly decorated elephants. 14) As per All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) by NABARD more than what per cent of rural households have bank accounts? Ans:- 88% Explanation:- All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) by NABARD was released. According to the survey; more than 88 per cent of rural householdshave bank accounts. Only about 24per cent of the 88% of rural households use ATM services at least once in three months, 7.4per cent of these households use debit or credit card. 7.5per cent use cheque to make a payment at least once in three months. 15) Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi called India for an Uninterrupted dialogue in 2018 because; Ans:- To resolve all issues Explanation:- Pakistan's newly elected Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi extended the hand of friendship. He offered an Uninterrupted dialogue. This talk is aimed to resolve all outstanding issues so that peace can be maintained between the countries. He also said that Pakistan is interested in resolving the Kashmir issue and to rebuild ties with eastern and western neighbours and to create peace in the region. Mr.Qureshi welcomed the wishes from India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. He said Pakistan will bilaterally try to resolve all issues with Afghanistan as it will be working through socioeconomic development. Daily Current Affairs22,August,2018 1) Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister Raman Singh renamed this city as Atal Nagar to tribute the late former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ans:- Naya Raipur SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 111

112 Explanation:- In a tribute to the late former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Chhattisgarh Cabinet approved the proposal to rename Naya Raipur as 'Atal Nagar'. Chief Minister Raman Singh made the announcement after a Cabinet meeting. The Bilaspur University will be known as Atal Bihari Vajpayee University while the Narrow Gauge Line will be called Atal Path. The Central Park, which is being constructed beside collectorate, will be named as Atal Park 2) According to the annual FIBAC productivity report; which two states lead the way in internet banking? Ans:- Manipur and Telangana Explanation:- Eastern and the Southern States such as Manipur and Telangana lead the way in internet banking according to the annual FIBAC productivity report FIBAC productivity report has been published by the Boston Consulting Group, FICCI and Indian Banks' Association. In Telangana, 21.7% of the savings banks accounts carried out the financial transaction through internet banking. 3) Name of the company which tops in Fortune's 'Change the World' list. Ans:- Reliance Jio Explanation:- Mukesh Ambani-led telecom company Reliance Jio secured the top spot in Fortune's global 'Change the World' list released on August 20. American pharma company Merck ranked second while Bank of America ranked third on the list. Chinese group Alibaba is ranked 5th on the list. 4) Indian shooter Sanjeev Rajput clinched a medal in the men's 50m Rifle in 2018 Asian Games. Ans:- Silver Explanation:- Indian shooter Sanjeev Rajput clinched a silver medal in the men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the 18th Asian SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 112

113 Games on 21st August, China won the gold medal with a score of while Japan bagged the bronze medal with Rajput had won the gold medal at the 50m rifle 3 positions in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games ) Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has announced to set up Cyclone Warning Centre in, Kerala. Ans:- Thiruvananthapuram Explanation:- Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has announced to set up Cyclone Warning Centre in Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram. It also proposed to set up C-band Doppler weather radar at Mangalore, Karnataka. This comes in view of recent heavy rainfall and concerns over extreme weather activities in future. At present, India Meteorological Centre (IMD) has six cyclone warning centres, four along the east coast at Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, and two along the west coast at Ahmedabad and Mumbai. 6) Who is the only Indian to feature in Forbes list of World's top 10 highest-paid female athletes of 2018? Ans:- PV Sindhu Explanation:- With earnings of $8.5 million (nearly 60 crore), Rio Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu is the only Indian to feature in Forbes list of top 10 highest-paid female athletes of Placed seventh, Sindhu is the only badminton player in the list, which features eight tennis players and one race car driver- Danica Patrick. Twenty-three-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams tops the list, with $18.1-million total earnings. 7) How many new Governors are appointed by the President Ram Nath Kovind recently? Ans:- 7 Explanation:- President Ram Nath Kovind appointed governors for seven states - Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu and SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 113

114 Kashmir, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Tripura. Governor Satya Pal Malik has been transferred from Bihar to Jammu and Kashmir to replace NN Vohra, while senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon has been appointed the Governor of Bihar, replacing Malik. 1. Satya Pal Malik - Jammu & Kashmir. 2. Tathagata Roy - Meghalaya (Replaced Ganga Prasad). 3. Lalji Tandon - Bihar (Replaced Satya Pal Malik). 4. Ganga Prasad - Sikkim (Replaced Shriniwas Patil). 5. Kaptan Singh Solanki -Tripura (Replaced Tathagata Roy). 6. Satyadev Narayan Arya - Haryana (Replaced Kaptan Singh Solanki). 7. Baby Rani Maurya - Uttarakhand (Replaced K K Paul). 8) With with Airforce; Indian Air Force (IAF) planned to conduct its joint air exercise to deepen defence and military ties between the two countries? Ans:- RMAF Explanation:- The first-ever joint air exercise involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) commenced at Subang Air Base in Malaysia. India has been eyeing a foothold at the strategically important Subang Air Base. The main aim of the exercise seeks to deepen defence and military ties between the two countries. 9) Who among the following has won the title of Cincinnati Masters on 19 August 2018? Ans:- Novak Djokovic Explanation:- Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer in the finals to win his first title of Cincinnati Masters. Novak Djokovic won the Wimbledon Championships in July 2018, was the runner-up of the Cincinnati Masters on five occasions. Novak Djokovic became the first player to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. 10) The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, India's next indigenous fighter, is expected to make its first flight by Ans: SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 114

115 Explanation:- The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India's next indigenous fighter, is expected to make its first flight by 2032.The aircraft will have a low radar cross-section, making it difficult for the enemy to spot it. This is India's only fifth generation aircraft programme. The AMCA will feature geometric stealth and will initially fly with two GE-414 engines. 11) Book titled '281 and Beyond' is the autobiography of; Ans:- VVS Laxman Explanation:- Veteran cricketer VVS Laxman, known for the suppleness of his wrists, has penned down his autobiography titled, "281 and Beyond". The book will be released this year in November. The book will be released by the Westland Publications. The title has been borrowed from the Hyderabad stylist's fabulous series-turning innings of 281 against Australia at the Eden Gardens in ) Who was the highest paid female athlete for a third consecutive year in 2018, as per the "List Of Highest Paid Female Athletes 2018" by Forbes? Ans:- Serena Williams Explanation:- Serena Williams (with earnings of $18.1 million) was the highest paid female athlete for a third consecutive year in 2018, according to "List Of Highest Paid Female Athletes 2018" published by Forbes. Dane Caroline Wozniacki, who captured her maiden grand slam title at Australian Open 2018, was second on the list with combined earnings of ($13 million). Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu was at seventh place with earnings of $8.5 million. 13) With which company, Paytm joint hands to launch AIbased cloud computing platform 'Paytm AI Cloud'? Ans:- Alibaba SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 115

116 Explanation:- Digital payments firm Paytm has partnered with China's Alibaba to launch AI-based cloud computing platform 'Paytm AI Cloud'. The platform will offer business-centric apps to developers, startups and enterprises that need cloud-computing solutions including customer engagement and easy-to-integrate payments. It will process and store all consumer data locally in servers located only in India. The company has committed around Rs 250 crore in this business. 14) According to European Stability Mechanism, which country has successfully exited its final, 3-year bailout programme? Ans:- Greece Explanation:- According to European Stability Mechanism (ESM), Greece has successfully exited its final, 3-year bailout programme, agreed in August 2015 to help it cope with the continued fallout from a debt crisis.the ESM has disbursed 61.9 billion euros over 3 years in support of macroeconomic adjustment and bank recapitalisation.the ESM is a European Union agency that provides financial assistance. 15) Which centre won an award for Outstanding Contribution to Gold Policy Research in at the 15th India International Gold Convention held in Kochi? Ans:- India Gold Policy Centre (IGPC), IIM Ahmedabad Explanation:- The India Gold Policy Centre (IGPC), IIM Ahmedabad won an award for Outstanding Contribution to Gold Policy Research in at the 15th India International Gold Convention held in Kochi. The award was received by Professor Arvind Sahay, Chairman of IGPC, along with his team. The convention was held at Le Meridien Convention Centre. Around 400 delegates participated. Daily Current Affairs23,August,2018 1) Which airport has emerged as the second fastest growing airport in the world? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 116

117 Ans:- Kempegowda International Airport Explanation:- The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has emerged as the second fastest growing airport in the world in the first half of 2018 in terms of actual growth in the number of passengers. It has recorded 1,58,50,352 flyers during the sixmonth period. Only Tokyo's Haneda International has bettered KIA's growth. The report was published by RoutesOnline, a company focussing on the quality and standards of aviation globally. New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport is placed sixth (with a growth of 32,76,183) while Hyderabad is placed 17th in terms of actual growth of passengers (20,97,087 passengers). 2) The Indian team won medal in Sepak takraw in the 18th edition of Asian Games in Indonesia. Ans:- Bronze Explanation:- The Indian men's Sepak takraw team secured their maiden bronze medal after losing to Thailand at the ongoing 18th edition of Asian Games in Indonesia. Sepak takraw is a traditional sport of the nations in Southeast Asia. Sepak takraw has been part of the Asian Games since the 11th edition in Beijing A match is played by two Regus (teams) each made up of three players. 3) When was World Senior Citizen Day celebrated? Ans:- August 21 Explanation:- World Senior Citizen Day, 2018 will be observed worldwide on August 21. The history of International Senior Citizens Day comes from the period of It was officially established by the former president of United States of America i.e. Ronald Reagan. He had signed the 5847 promulgation on August 19, 1988, which manifested August 21 as the National Senior Citizens Day. 4) Who inagurted the International Buddhist Conclave in New Delhi? Ans:- Ram Nath Kovind Explanation:- President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the International Buddhist Conclave in New Delhi. The theme of the SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 117

118 conclave is 'Buddha Path - The Living Heritage' which aims to showcase Buddhist Heritage in India and boost tourism to the Buddhist sites in the country. The Ministerial level delegation from ASEAN countries will participate in the conclave along with delegates from 29 countries including US, UK, Germany, France and Russia. This year Japan is the partnering country for the Buddhist conclave. 5) Which space agency has confirmed presence of ice on Moon using data from the Chandrayaan-I spacecraft? Ans:- NASA Explanation:- Using data from the Chandrayaan-I spacecraft, that was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2008, NASA Scientists have confirmed the presence of frozen water deposits in the darkest and coldest parts of the Moon's polar regions. Scientists used data from NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument aboard the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft to identify three specific signatures that definitively prove there is water ice at the surface of the Moon. According to the study published in the journal PNAS, the ice deposits are patchily distributed and could possibly be ancient. The study said with enough ice sitting at the surface within the top few millimetres water would possibly be accessible as a resource for future expeditions to explore and even stay on the Moon. 6) Which institute has launched the 'Aditya Choubey Center for Re-Water Research' to treat and convert sewage water into potable water? Ans:- IIT-Kharagpur Explanation:- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT- Kharagpur) launched 'Aditya Choubey Center for Re-Water Research' to treat and convert sewage water into potable water. Aditya Choubey Center for Re-Water Research has been set up by a seed fund created by IIT alumni Anant Choubey and Aneesh Reddy. This has been launched to handle the issues of sewage disposal in urban areas and access to clean potable water. 7) Home Minister assigned which Bureau to curb "sexual violence" videos involving women and children? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 118

119 Ans:- An important meeting was held under the head of Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss recommendations on ways to curb "sexual violence" videos involving women and children. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) would be the designated nodal agency for monitoring the complaints received on a government portal that records child pornography and sexual violence videos. The NCRB would coordinate with service providers such as Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp to block malicious videos and contents. A notification has been issued to NCRB under the Information Technology Act, 2000 to enable us take action against such videos and to ask the service providers to block the content. 8) Who become the first Indian woman to win an individual gold in shooting at the 2018 Asian Games? Ans:- Rahi Sarnobat Explanation:- Indian shooter Rahi Sarnobat has become the firstever Indian woman to win an individual shooting medal at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. She bagged gold in the 25m pistol final event at the Jakabaring Shooting Range in Palembang, after prevailing in a double shoot-off at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. Earlier, in shooting, Saurabh Chaudhary won gold in the Men's 10m Air Pistol event. In wrestling, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat clinched gold in Men's freestyle 65 kg and Women's freestyle 50 kg, respectively. India is currently placed 7th in the tally with 12 medals, comprising 4 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze. 9) Who won the 24th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award recently? Ans:- Gopalkrishna Gandhi Explanation:- Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi was awarded the 24th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award on the occasion of 74th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in New Delhi. Gopalkrishna Gandhi was awarded the 2018 Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award for promoting communal harmony and peace. The award includes a citation and a cash award of Rs 10 lakh. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 119

120 10) Who will be conferred with the 2018 UEFA President's Award? Ans:- David Beckham Explanation:- Former England captain David Beckham will receive the UEFA President's Award for his contribution to football and promoting the sport in "every corner of the planet". David Beckham will become the third Englishman to receive the UEFA President's Award. Sir Bobby Robson (2002) and Sir Bobby Charlton (2008) are the previous English winners. 11) The 4th BIMSTEC Summit to be held in. Ans:- Kathmandu Explanation:- The fourth Summit of Heads of State/Government of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will be held at Kathmandu in Nepal on August 30 and 31. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the summit. During the two-day Summit, leaders of member states will review progress achieved so far in the areas of cooperation and provide guidance to the future work of the BIMSTEC. 12) This state government will set up a befitting memorial to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ans:- Maharashtra Explanation:-Maharashtra government will also set up a study chair in the name of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in each of the 13 universities in the state. The state government created a corpus of `20 crore for setting up the study chair in the name of Vajpayee in 11 state universities and two private varsities. The economy of Maharashtra is the largest state economy in India with?27.96 lakh crore (US$410 billion) in GDP and a per capita GDP of?180,000 (US$2,600). 13) Which country is the current chairperson of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)? Ans:- Nepal SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 120

121 Explanation:- Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will be held at Kathmandu in Nepal on August 30 and 31. BIMSTEC is a regional economic bloc comprising seven member states lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. The group was formed in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka Myanmar and Thailand. 14) NGT directed government to submit an action plan on e-waste management. Ans:- Uttar Pradesh Explanation:- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board to submit an action plan on e-waste management within three months. NGT stated that as a measure to combat pollution and protect the environment the scientific disposal of e-waste is an important factor. NGT, while disposing of a plea against unauthorised recycling, collection, dismantling, burning, selling of e-waste and other solid waste on roadsides directed the State and riverbanks in violation of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and E-Waste (Management) Rules, NGT said that electronic waste accounted for 40% of lead and 70% of all heavy metal found in landfills. It also states that burning and selling of e-waste and other solid waste has resulted in groundwater contamination and air pollution. 15) The 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup will be hosted by; Ans;'- Odisha Explanation:- Odisha for the First time is Organizing the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup, which will be the 14th edition of the Hockey World Cup field hockey tournament. It is scheduled to be held from 28 November to 16 December 2018, at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. 16 Teams are to be participated in the Tournament. The Hague in Netherland hosted the Previous tournament in the year 2014,in which Australia won the title which is their third title and the Netherland became the Runner SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 121

122 Up.Only 12 Teams Participated in the Tournament. Earlier, a nation-wide publicity campaign, 'Heartbeats for Hockey', was launched to showcase Bhubaneswar as a sporting venue and Odisha as a tourist destination.advertisements were put up on buses in London with the tagline of 'Odisha by Morning, Hockey by Evening'. Daily Current Affairs24,August,2018 1) Who has become the new brand ambassador of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP)? Ans:- Raveena Tandon Explanation:- The Maharashtra government has appointed actor Raveena Tandon as the brand ambassador of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) to spread environmental awareness among citizens. The SGNP is spread over 103 Sq. Km. and is wedged between the suburbs of Mumbai and Thane. It is home to more than 274 species of birds, 35 species of mammals, 78 species of reptiles and amphibians, 170 species of butterflies and over a staggering 1,300 species of plants. The park is notable as one of the major national parks existing within a metropolis limit and is one of the most visited parks in the world. It was formerly known as Borivali National Park and was renamed SGNP in 1996, after Sanjay Gandhi, the son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 2) CEPR and NITI Aayog's "2018 India Banking Conclave" was held in. Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and the government Think Tank NITI Aayog organised two-day 'India Banking Conclave' (IBC) in New Delhi between August 23 and August 24, The main focus is On reform in the banking sector. About Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) : CEPR is network of over 1100 researchers who are based mainly in universities throughout Europe and collaborate in research and its dissemination. It aims to enhance quality of economic policymaking within Europe and beyond. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 122

123 3) What is the name of the European wind survey satellite launched from French Guiana? Ans:- Aeolus Explanation:- A new satellite that will use advanced laser technology to track global winds and improve weather forecasts has been successfully put into orbit. The name of the satellite is "Aeolus" - named after the guardian of wind in Greek mythology. The satellite "will probe the lowermost 30 kilometres of the atmosphere in measuring winds around the Earth. 4) Name the bank which launched 'bond-i', the world's first bond to be created, allocated, transferred and managed by using distributed ledger technology. Ans:- World Bank Explanation:- The World Bank launched 'bond-i', the world's first bond to be created, allocated, transferred and managed by using distributed ledger technology. This two-year bond successfully raised 110 million Australian dollars (USD million). This was the first time that investors supported the World Bank's development activities in a transaction that is fully managed using the blockchain technology from start to finish. 5) How much amount did the European Union announce to aid flood-hit Kerala to the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS)? Ans:- 190,000 Explanation:- The European Union announced an offer of 190,000 (Rs.1.53 crore) in aid funding to the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS). It is to provide immediate relief to flood-affected people in Kerala. The announcement was made by the office of the grouping that comprised 28 European countries. The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). It is said the aid will directly benefit 25,000 people from some of the worst hit areas of the state, adding a humanitarian expert from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Operations (ECHO) has also been deployed to assess the situation in the state. As outbreaks of SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 123

124 vector-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and malaria are common following the flood, disease prevention and hygiene promotion activities are also being conducted. The mosquito nets are being provided. 6) Who launched overdraft facility for medium and small enterprises recently? Ans:- Ujjivan SFB Explanation:- Ujjivan Small Finance Bank announced the launch of its overdraft facility for micro and small enterprises (MSE). This aimed at the MSEs who don't have easy access to formal credit. It would be offered to all MSEs with a turnover of Rs 50 lakh or more. This interest rate on the overdraft is for one year with a minimum credit of Rs 11 lakh to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh renewed on an annual basis. Ujjivan SFB also offers composite loans, where the overdraft facility can be combined with existing MSE term loan products. 7) According to Forbes magazine, what is the position of Akshay Kumar in the highest-paid actor list? Ans:- 7th Explanation:- According to Forbes magazine, Akshay Kumar has emerged as the seventh highest-paid actor in the world by earning USD 40.5 million in Salman Khan ranked ninth place with USD 38.5 million. Hollywood star George Clooney tops the list of 'World's Highest-Paid Actors 2018' with $239 Million. Forbes list of the World's best-paid male actors 2018: George Clooney - $239m; Dwayne Johnson - $119m; Robert Downey Jr - $79m; Chris Hemsworth - $64.5m; Jackie Chan -$45.5m; Will Smith - $42m; Akshay Kumar -$40.5m; Adam Sandler - $39.5m; Chris Evans - $34m; Salman Khan - $33.5m. 8) India Wins it 5th Gold in which of the following game at the Asian Games History? Ans:- Rowing Explanation:- Indian rowers Sawarn Singh, Dattu Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh won the men's Quadruple Sculls to win India's fifth gold medal at the Asian Games The medal SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 124

125 is only the second ever gold medal for India in the rowing competition in Asian Games history. India has now won a total of 21 medals at Asiad ) Which company planned to launch an all-electric car sharing service in Berlin? Ans:- Volkswagen Explanation:- Volkswagen is to launch an all-electric car sharing service in Berlin. It is to serve a business serving people in big cities who don't own cars. The company planned to expand its "We Share project to big cities" in Europe and North America by Volkswagen would deploy 2,000 of such cars in the first months of next year. It is to build visibility and ensure that there are enough cars available that customers could always find one near them. It selected Berlin because of its dense population. Nowadays Volkswagen and other global automakers are investing in new business models where people use cars as something to be used when needed rather than owned. 10) This institute launches Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI) to incubate a minimum of 50 'Make-in-India' chip design companies. Ans:- IIT-Hyderabad Explanation:- IIT-Hyderabad launches First of its kind in India, Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI). It offers facilities like free software tools with leading technology partners in Electronic Design Automation (EDA). The main aim to incubate a minimum of 50 'Make-in-India' chip design companies that can compete globally and generate Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). 11) The 9th edition of Mountain Echoes Literature Festival 2018 is hosted by the country of; Ans:- Bhutan Explanation:- The 9th edition of Mountain Echoes Literature Festival 2018 has started in Thimphu, Bhutan to serve as a collaborative platform for knowledge sharing, leading to global cultural potpourri of ideas. The 4-day Literature Festival began with a tribute to former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 125

126 Vajpayee, who was remembered at the annual event for his animated style of poetry recitations. It will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan. The 2018 edition will focus on subjects such as Spirituality and Philosophy, Performing Arts, Environmental Conservation, Food, as well as Film and Theatre, among others. The literary festival of Bhutan was established under the patronage of Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck and is known for bringing together literary stalwarts from across the world in the lap of the Himalayas. 12) Who clinched silver in the men's double trap shooting event at the 2018 Asian Games? Ans:- Shardul Vihan Explanation:- Indian shooter Shardul Vihan (15) from Uttar Pradesh clinched silver in the men's double trap shooting event at the Jakabaring shooting range in the 18th Asian Games 2018 on August 23. He shot 73 to claim the silver medal, while Korea's Shin Hyunwoo clinched gold with a score of 74. Qatar's Al Marri Hamad Ali bagged the bronze after shooting 53 at the Jakabaring shooting range. Vihan, who is coached by former Asian Championship double gold medallist Anwer Sultan, had grabbed four gold medals at Shotgun Nationals Championship in ) Who is appointed as head of India investments by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)? Ans:- Kabir Mathur Explanation:- Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), world's second largest sovereign wealth fund hired private equity veteran Kabir Mathur to head operations in India. He is a former director with US fund KKR & Co. L.P. 14) Name of the Indian-American scientist who has found simple way to predict Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)? Ans:- Chander Mohan Explanation:- Prof. Chander Mohan, an Indian-American scientist, has identified as many as 50 protein biomarkers that can non-invasively detect Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - a SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 126

127 gut disorder that leads to diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and weight loss. Mohan, who is professor at University of Houston in the US, received a $ 347,490 grant from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. Along with IBD expert Subra Kugathasan, a gastroenterologist at Emory University in the US, Mohan is examining stool protein biomarkers that indicate the disease. IBD occurs when the body's immune system fights its intestinal cells. Two of the most common types are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, both of which cause inflammation in the digestive tract. 15) Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has given recognition to. Ans:- Kho-Kho Explanation:- Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has given recognition to Kho-Kho, India's indigenous sport. Kho-Kho will be included as a demonstration sport in the Asian Indoor Games. Also, it has the possibility to be included as a discipline in the next Asian Games. Rajeev Mehta is the Secretary General of Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He is also the president of Asian Kho-Kho Federation. 16) Scientists have developed a wireless 'in-body GPS' which helps to track tumours inside the body. It is named as; Ans:- ReMix Explanation:- Scientists have developed a wireless 'in-body GPS' system named "ReMix" that can accurately locate ingestible implants and track tumours inside the body. ReMix was able to track implants with centimetre-level accuracy in animal tests. Similar implants can be used to deliver drugs to specific regions of the body. The test was conducted by scientists from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US. ReMix is not accurate enough to be implemented in clinical settings as of now. For actual implementation, the margin of error should be closer to nearly two millimetres. Daily Current Affairs25,August,2018 SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 127

128 1)Industry chamber Assocham appointed whom as a Secretary General? Ans:- Uday Kumar Varma Explanation:- Industry chamber Assocham appointed former bureaucrat Uday Kumar Varma as its new Secretary General. He succeeds DS Rawat who held the position for nearly 14 years. Varma retired from the position of Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India in 2013, and has extensive administrative experience at the highest levels of administration both in the state government (of Madhya Pradesh) and central government. 2) India's largest Business Incubator Bhamashah Techno Hub launched in. Ans:- Jaipur Explanation:- In a big step forward to strengthen the startup ecosystem in Rajasthan, the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje launched India's largest business incubator the Bhamashah Techno Hub in Jaipur. The incubator will provide end-to-end support to startups, ranging from infrastructure, technology, angel funding, access to venture capitalists, mentorship, exposure to national and international organisations and experts and much more. 3) India bagged medal in Women's kabaddi at the Asian Games Ans:- Silver Explanation:- India bagged silver medal in Women's kabaddi at the Asian Games 2018 after losing to Iran in the final match. The Indian women's kabaddi team finished second for the first time at Asiad after having won gold in the 2010 and 2014 editions. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 128

129 4) Which state government has increased the free electricity supply to the families of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for domestic purpose, recently? Ans:- Telangana Explanation:- Telangana State Government increased the free electricity supply to the families of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for domestic purpose from the current 50 units to 101 units. This was announced by Telengana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao at a review meeting in Hyderabad. This decision has been made keeping in mind, the increasing usage of electrical appliances. The state government will pay these charges to the distributary agencies. Telangana State Government has also increased the honorarium paid to Imams and Moazins of Masjids to 5000 rupees from the current 1500 rupees per month. 5) Which of the following pair won Gold medal in Tennis mixed doubles at the Asian Games 2018? Ans:- Bopanna-Sharan Explanation:- Indian Tennis players Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan defeated Aleksander Bublik and Denis Yevseyev of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-4 in 52 minutes. India have claimed the men's doubles gold on four occasions at the Games, the last pair being Somdev Devvarman and Sanam Singh in the 2010 Guangzhou edition. 6) How many thematic reports on Indian Himalayan Region released by NITI Aayog? Ans:- 5 Explanation:- NITI Aayog Releases 5 Thematic Reports On Indian Himalayan Region. It was released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 129

130 Rajiv Kumar, CEO Amitabh Kant and member Dr V K Saraswat in New Delhi. The themes include Inventory and Revival of Springs in the Himalayas for Water Security, Sustainable Tourism, and Transformative Approach to Shifting Cultivation, Strengthening Skill and Entrepreneurship Landscape in the Himalayas. Himalayan Tourism is growing annually at 6.8% has created a huge challenge related to solid waste, water, traffic, loss of biocultural diversity. 7) Which company won the Gold Flame Award of the Best Energy Services Company, in the Sri Lanka National Efficiency Awards 2018 in Colombo? Ans:- Forbes Marshall Explanation:- The Sri Lanka National Efficiency Awards 2018 commenced in Colombo. The Sri Lanka National Efficiency Awards 2018 was instituted by Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority. Forbes Marshall won the Gold Flame Award in the Energy Efficiency Improvement category of the Best Energy Services Companyfor its contribution to reduce energy use through energy management efforts. This award ceremony was organised annually by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy and Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority. 8) With which country India signed the Second Protocol amending the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement in New Delhi? Ans:- Singapore Explanation:- India and Singapore have signed the Second Protocol amending the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement in New Delhi which will boost bilateral trade between the two countries. The Protocol was signed in New Delhi by Rajneesh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Francis Chong, Senior Director, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Government of Singapore. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 130

131 9) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed this committee to decide Vedanta's plea challenging closure of its Sterlite plant. The committee is named as; Ans:- S J Vazifdar committee Explanation:- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice S J Vazifdar as head of a 3-member committee to decide mining company Vedanta Limited's plea challenging the Tamil Nadu government's order to close the Sterlite copper plant at Thoothukudi. The committee may, if necessary, visit the site and consider the technical data and take a decision as early as found viable preferably within 6 weeks after it assumes it's working. Recently, on 9th August 2018, the Tribunal had allowed Vedanta to access the administrative unit inside its Sterlite copper plant at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. Though, the plant would remain closed and the company would not have access to its production unit and directed the district magistrate to ensure this. In March 2013, Sterlite's factory came into limelight when a gas leak led to the death of one person and injuries to several others, after which then chief minister J Jayalalithaa had ordered its closure. 10) Which Indian aircraft will be fitted with a marine hydraulic system to boost the air operations of the ship? Ans:- INS Vikramaditya Explanation:- For the first time, India's only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya will be fitted with a marine hydraulic system to boost the air operations of the ship. Hydraulics technology uses fluid pressure to power machines. Technodinamika, a subsidiary of Russia's Rostec State Corporation, will install the system in the SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 131

132 Indian Navy ship by May The GS-1MF hydraulic system is used in helicopters, while GS-3 is used in aircraft. 11) Shardul Vihan became the youngest Indian shooter to win a medal at the Asian Games. He belongs to the state of; Ans:- Uttar Pradesh Explanation:- Uttar Pradesh teenager Shardul Vihan (Fifteen-yearold) became the youngest Indian shooter to win a medal at the Asian Games. He shot 73 to claim the silver medal, while Korea's 34-year-old Shin Hyunwoo clinched the gold medal with a score of 74. The Union Sports Minister Rahyavardhan Singh Rathore, who won a Olympic silver in the same event at Athens 2004, tweeted his congratulations to the young marksman 12). Name of the Indian female tennis player has won bronze in women's singles at the 18th Asian Games 2018? Ans;- Ankita Raina Explanation;- Indian Tennis player, Ankita Raina has won a bronze after losing a hard fought women's singles semifinal 4-6, 6-7 in straight sets against Shuai Zhang of China at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games on August 23. With this, she became the 2nd Indian female tennis player after Sania Mirza to win a medal in singles' competition at the Asian Games. For India, Mirza won silver in Doha in 2006 and a bronze in Guangzhou Ankita from Maharashtra is currently India's number one women's singles. 13) Which state aims to be the manufacturing hub in eastern India? Ans:- Odisha Explanation:- Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reported as Odisha aims to leverage its ports. This move is a part of a push to develop SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 132

133 the State as a manufacturing hub in eastern India that could serve the larger South Asian regional market. He inaugurated 2 manufacturing plants, a caustic soda facility and Jyoti Solar Solutions solar power plant. He also laid the foundation stones for 13 units entailing a total investment of Rs. 2, crore. OCL India, the flagship company of the Dalmia Group, will be investing Rs.2,000 crore, Hindustan Urban Infrastructure Ltd. Rs.389 crore, IFFCO Rs crore and Jaipur Cement with Rs crore. 14) International water colour festival was held in. Ans:- Patna Explanation:- Five-day long 'International water colour festival' is held in Ranchi at Audrey House, to promote the rich art and culture of Jharkhand. This is the first time in the country that international artists will paint together. In this program 24 countries of the world, 25 states of India and 24 districts of the state are participating. On this occasion, the artist Victoria from Ukraine and artist Uttam Karmakar from Italy did the live painting and presented it to the Chief Minister Raghubar Das. 15) Who launched the National Electoral Transformation (NETA) mobile application to rate Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs)? Ans:- Pranab Mukherjee Explanation:- Former President Pranab Mukherjee launched the National Electoral Transformation (NETA) mobile application to rate Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The Neta App aims to build political accountability and transparency among leaders. It will enable users to rate their MLAs and MPs. It is billed as an instrument to measure voter sentiment in Indian constituencies. The Neta app has been developed by Pratham Mittal, a 27-year-old entrepreneur. It uses Artificial Intelligence, advanced algorithms, one time password and Aadhaar SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 133

134 numbers to make sure that the users are genuine. Daily Current Affairs26,August,2018 1)What is the India s GDP forecast for 2018, as per Moody s Investors Service report Global Macro Outlook for ? Ans:- 7.5% Explanation:- Moody s Investors Service has recently released its Global Macro Outlook for In it, the Indian economy is expected to grow by about 7.5% in 2018 and 2019 as it is largely resilient to external pressures like those from higher oil prices. However, the rating agency expects the India s economy to grow at a higher rate of 7.7% in the first quarter of Apart from this, Moody s put G-20 growth at 3.3% in 2018 and 3.1% in The advanced economies will grow 2.3% in 2018 and 2% in ) Which state government has decided to organize youths conclave ATAL in September 2018? Ans:- Arunachal Pradesh Explanation:- The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to organize a youths conclave ATAL Arunachal Transformation & Aspirational Leadership in Itanagar on 22nd September The aim of the 3-day ATAL conclave is to engage youths in the age group of 18 to 30 years of the state pro-actively in the areas of public policy and governance. 3) Which country is host to the multi-nation counter-terror exercise SCO Peace Mission 2018? Ans:- Russia Explanation:- The multi-nation counter-terror exercise Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Peace Mission 2018 has started at Chebarkul, Russia on August 24 to provide an opportunity to the armed forces of SCO nations to train in counter terrorism operations in urban scenario in a multinational and joint environment. The scope of the exercise includes professional interaction, mutual understanding of drills & procedures, establishment of joint command and control structures and elimination of terrorist threat in urban counter terrorist scenario. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 134

135 4) Which of the following cities is the venue of the International Water Colour Festival 2018? Ans:- Ranchi Explanation:- On August 23, the International Water Colour Festival 2018 has started at Audrey House in Ranchi, which is organized by the Jharkhand Art Culture and Tourism Department in Audrey House. The aim of the 5-day fest is to bring local artists in touch with the international art and promote the rich art and culture of Jharkhand. During the water colour festival, the visiting artists will interact with school students and local artists on various themes including nature and modern/abstract. Approx 56 internationally renowned artists from 24 countries and 25 Indian states are participating in the festival. 5) The NETA app that seeks to let Indian voters rate their elected representatives, is inspired by which country s approval system? Ans:- United States Explanation:- On August 24, the National Electoral Transformation (NETA) mobile application has been launched by former President Pranab Mukherjee wherein voters can review and rate their elected representatives (MPs& MLAs) as well as hold them accountable. Apart from this, the application is being seen as an instrument to track voter sentiment across various constituencies in India. 6) Who has been appointed new chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)? Ans:- G Satheesh Reddy Explanation:- Renowned aerospace scientist Dr G Satheesh Reddy, who is scientific adviser to the Defence minister, has been appointed new chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for a period of two years. He will also be secretary in the Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D) for the same period. The post of DRDO chief was lying vacant since May 2018 after the then Chief Dr. S. Christopher stepped down. Dr. Reddy is the first defence scientist working in SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 135

136 India to receive the Silver Medal of Royal Aeronautical Society, UK, and has also been selected for the first IEI (India) and IEEE (USA) joint award for Engineering Excellence. 7) The world s first public blockchain bond bond-i has recently launched by which International organisation? Ans:- World Bank Explanation:- The world s first blockchain bond bond-i has recently launched by World Bank (WB), which is to be created, allocated, transferred and managed through its life cycle using distributed ledger technology. The bond-i stands for Blockchain Operated New Debt Instrument and is also has reference to Sydney s most famous beach Bondi Beach. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is the sole arranger of the issuance for the bond. It was the first time that the World Bank bond raised capital from public investors through a legally valid bond issuance that uses blockchain from start to finish. This 2-year maturity bond has successfully raised 110 million Australian dollars (USD million). The World Bank, whose bonds hold an AAA rating, regularly uses its borrowing power to help develop new bond markets as well as pioneering new means for selling and trading the securities. The bond-i blockchain platform was built and developed by the CBA Blockchain Centre of Excellence, housed in the Sydney Innovation Lab. 8) Tejinder Pal Singh Toor, who clinched Gold in men s Shot- Put event at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, has set new Asiad record of how much meters? Ans: m Explanation:- Indian shot putter Tejinder Pal Singh Toor from Punjab has clinched Gold in men s Shot-Put event with a recordshattering throw at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games on August 25. He threw the iron ball to 20.75m to win the gold and set a national as well as Asian Games record. The previous mark of 20.57m was set by Sultan Abdulmajeed Al-Hebshi of Saudi Arabia at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games in China. With this, Tajinder became the first Indian to win the men s shot put gold at the Asian Games since Bahadur Singh Sagoo, who had thrown a best of 19.03m to SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 136

137 win the gold in Busan in This is the 8th gold medal for India in men s shot put in the history of the Asian Games. 9) The 2018 Nallur Kantha Swamy festival has started in which neighbouring country of India? Ans:- Sri Lanka Explanation:- On August 23, the annual festival at Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil has started in Jaffna, Sri Lanka with the sacred flag hoisting ceremony and is attracting thousands of Hindu pilgrims from within the country and abroad. During the 25-day festival, thousands of Tamil Hindu devotees will attend the rituals in worship of Lord Murugan, Valli and Devanai Amman. The colourful festival includes vibrant chariot processions, rhythmic drumming, dancing and acts of self-mortification. The Ther Thiruvila (chariot festival) is the most popular of all events is very colourful. 10) Which state government is host to the 2018 Krishi Kumbh International Conference and Exhibition? Ans:- Uttar Pradesh Explanation:- The 2018 Krishi Kumbh International Conference and Exhibition will be held at Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (Telibagh) in Lucknow from October 26, which will be organized by the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The aim of the 3- day conference is to provide a platform to farmers, technical experts and entrepreneurs for exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of agriculture sector. It also aims at increasing the agriculture production by adopting advance technologies. In it, farmers from all 75 districts National & International agriculture scientist, representatives from industries & policy maker from Central and State govt. will participate. Daily Current Affairs27,August,2018 1) Who is the author of the book "Atal Ji Ne Kaha" which has been published by Darpan Publication? Ans:- Brijendra Rehi Explanation:- "Atal Ji Ne Kaha" is the latest of the books on the BJP patriarch and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 137

138 launched with a message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The book is Authored and compiled by Brijendra Rehi. Mr Rehi is noted Doordarshan producer, and senior journalist. The 320-page book is a rich repository of the former Prime Minister's select speeches and photographs beside having three interviews by the author. The book has been published by Darpan Publication. 2) Who will launch the second phase of FAME India scheme? Ans:- Narendra Modi Explanation;- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon launch the second phase of the FAME India scheme offering incentives for mass adoption of electric vehicles with an outlay of Rs 5,500 crore. The Prime Minister will unveil the scheme at the inaugural session of 'MOVE' - the global mobility summit. 3) This bank suggested its customers to switch to EVM cards. Ans:- SBI Explanation:- State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender, has asked its customers to replace their ATM cards for Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV) chip based ATM-cum-debit cards with magnetic stripe before December 31. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had asked banks to issue only chip-based and Personal Identification Number (PIN) enabled debit and credit cards to protect customers from frauds. EMV chip card protects against counterfeit skimming (card fraud). EMV chip card and PIN protects against both counterfeit skimming and lost and stolen card fraud. 4) Who become the first Indian badminton player to enter the finals of Asian Games? Ans:- PV Sindhu Explanation:- India's PV Sindhu defeated Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 15-21, in their semifinal clash at the 18th Asian Games to become the first-ever badminton player to reach the final of Asian Games in either singles or doubles. 5) Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as the president of which country? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 138

139 Ans:- Zimbabwe Explanation:- Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken the oath as Zimbabwe's president in front of a stadium crowd after a divisive election, as US observers of the vote questioned the country's democratic credentials. 6) The fourth Asian electoral stakeholders forum (AESF-IV) begins in. Ans:- Colombo Explanation:- In Sri Lanka, the fourth Asian electoral stakeholders forum (AESF-IV) begins in Colombo to discuss the state of elections and democracy in the region. The two-day forum is being held for the first time in South Asia with support from the Election Commission of Sri Lanka and the Asian network for free elections (ANFREL). The AESF will be attended by more than 250 delegates from 45 countries. The theme is, 'Advancing Election Transparency and Integrity: Promoting and Defending Democracy Together'. India is being represented by Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra Ashwini Kumar and an NGO. 7) Who will be honoured with the Game Changer of the Year award? Ans:- Indra Nooyi Explanation;- PepsiCo's India-born CEO Indra Nooyi will be honoured with the Game Changer of the Year award by a global cultural organisation Asia Society in recognition of her business achievements, humanitarian record and advocacy for women and girls around the world. PepsiCo's India-born CEO Indra Nooyi will be honoured with the Game Changer of the Year award by a global cultural organisation Asia Society in recognition of her business achievements, humanitarian record and advocacy for women and girls around the world. 8) Who won the Silver medal in 400-meter race in Asian Games 2018? Ans:- Anjana Thamke Explanation:- 18-year-old Hima Das won the Silver medal in 400- meter race in ongoing Asian Games 2018, Indonesia. Hima clocked SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 139

140 50.79 seconds to complete her race. Dutee Chand also bagged silver medal in women's 100 meter race. Dutee clocked seconds to complete her race. Muhammed Anas won Silver medal in Men's 400m race. Anas clocked seconds to complete his race. 9) Which team wins the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup for the first time? Ans:- Japan Explanation:- The U-20 Japan Women's National Team won against the U-20 Spain Women's National Team at the final of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018, taking down the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup title for the first time in Japanese football history. Japan received the Fair-play award as a team and the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018 has closed its curtains. 10) Which bank has been ranked as best State-Run Bank for Digital Transactions? Ans:- Punjab National Bank Explanation:- According to the PNB statement, the report card on the banking sector's performance in digital transactions, PNB's average percentage of technical declines is only 0.83 per cent of the total transactions. It has been rated as the sixth best in the overall category amongst all banks in India for digital performance. 11) India's 1st Biofuel-Powered Flight lands in. Ans;- Delhi Explanation:- In a Historic day for the country's aviation and energy sector, India's first biofuel-powered flight landed in Delhi, covering the distance between Dehradun & Delhi. The biofuel is developed by Indian Institute of Petroleum. The flight test was successfully completed by SpiceJet. The flight was powered with a blend of 75% air turbine fuel (ATF) and 25% biojet fuel. The advantage of using biojet fuel as compared to ATF is that it reduces carbon emissions and enhances fuel efficiency. Made from Jatropha crop, the fuel has been developed by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 140

141 12) This compaby wins $56-million International Arbitration Award, recently. Ans:- Reliance Power Explanation:- Reliance Power has announced that its whollyowned subsidiary Reliance Power Netherlands BV has won an international arbitration award of $56 million (Rs 390 crore) against Prestige Capital Holdings (a Seychelles-based company) and Kokos Jiang. Kokos Jiang is the owner of Sugico Group in Indonesia, from whom Reliance Power had acquired the entire economic interest in three coal mining concessions in Indonesia in ) According to the report of CERT, per cent of attacks on Indian sites are from China. Ans:- 35% Explanation:- According to the report, China has made the highest number of attacks on the official websites of India. While analysing the data for April and June, CERT has found that 35% of intruding activities on Indian cyberspace are from China. The infamous attack impacted the top five cities of India, including Kolkata, Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Mumbai. 14) Mizzima Media Group of Myanmar signed an MoU to realize cooperation and collaboration in broadcasting and content sharing with which of the Indian company? Ans:- Prasar Bharati Explanation:- Prasar Bharati and Mizzima Media Group of Myanmar signed an MoU to realize cooperation and collaboration in broadcasting and content sharing. The agreement was signed in the presence of Prasar Bharati CEO, Shashi Shekhar Vempati and Editor-in-chief and MD, Mizzima in New Delhi. The Agreement will realize cooperation and collaboration in broadcasting and envisions content-sharing covering a wide range of genres, including culture, entertainment, education, science, news and sports along with other areas of mutual interest. 15) The third edition of Indian Ocean Conference was held in. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 141

142 Ans:- Vietnam Explanation:- The third edition of Indian Ocean Conference is set to begin on August 27 at Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. The theme of the two- day conference will focus on 'Building Regional Architectures', particularly with regards to trade and commerce, security and governance. Daily Current Affairs28,August,2018 1) The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) will start operating its regional centre on the campus of Wetland Research and Training Centre in which state? Ans:- Odisha Explanation:- The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) will start operating its regional centre on the campus of Wetland Research and Training Centre near Chilika Lake in Odisha. BNHS is India's premier avian research institutes. The centre will carry out research on the avian disease by collecting samples and monitor the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary. 2) Who launched the sports policy for Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), recently? Ans:- Chaudhary Birender Singh Explanation:- Union Minister of Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh, unveiled the corporate sports policy for Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under the Ministry of Steel. The policy will provide a framework for promotion of sports by Steel Ministry CPSEs. Steel CPSEs will allocate a specific budget for sports activities, as per their financial strength, and this budget will be separate from the company's CSR funds. 3) Which Indian actor has joined Maharashtra Government's Mission Shakti' initiative to help sportspersons with medalwinning potential for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympiad? Ans:- Aamir Khan Explanation:- Aamir Khan will be part of Maharashtra Government's Mission Shakti' initiative to groom sportspersons SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 142

143 with medal-winning potential for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympiad. 'Mission Shakti' will target sports like weight-lifting, archery, shooting, swimming, athletics, volleyball and gymnastics, with excellence in physical endurance, fitness, superior stamina and other features included in a rigorous selection test. 4) Which of the following digilocker system did CBSE launch to the students of flood-hit Kerala? Ans:- Parinam Manjusha Explanatuion:- The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) along with National e-governance Division has developed 'Parinam Manjusha', digital academic repository, to provide digital mark sheets, migration certificates and pass certificates to students from CBSE-affiliated schools in Kerala, whose board exam academic documents have been lost or damaged in the recent floods. This academic repository has been integrated with DigiLocker. Over 1,300 schools are affiliated to the CBSE in Kerala. 5) This country becomes the world's first country to provide free sanitary products to all students in a bid to tackle "period poverty". Ans:- Scotland Explanation:- Scotland has become the world's first country to provide free sanitary products to all students in a bid to tackle "period poverty". Scottish government approved a 5.2 million ($6.7 million) initiative that will make sanitary products free at all schools, colleges and universities. Nearly 4 lakh pupils and students are expected to benefit from the Scottish government's scheme. One UNESCO report estimates that one in 10 girls in sub- Saharan Africa miss 20 percent of the school year because of their period. 6) The G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting was held in which country? Ans:- Argentina Explanation:- The G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting was held in Salta, Argentina. It took place as part of Sherpa Track for 2018 G20 Leaders' Summit, which is to be hosted by Argentina by SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 143

144 end of The theme of the meeting was 'Building consensus for fair and sustainable development'. Its three key issues for the agenda were future of work, infrastructure for development, and sustainable food future. It concluded with the adaptation of declaration that reflects G20's commitment towards promoting policies and actions that catalyze digital transformations. 7) Government approves commercial flying of drones in India from; Ans:- December 1 Explanation:- The government announced that industries including real estate, power and agriculture will be able to legally fly remotely piloted aircraft or drones in the country for commercial purposes from December 1, when the 'Digital Sky' platform will become operative. The Digital Sky platform will be a first national unmanned traffic management platform that implements 'no permission, no takeoff' for remotely piloted aircraft. Initially, drones will be allowed only along visual line-of-sight during day-time with a maximum altitude of 400 feet. The usage of drones for delivering goods and food items has been restricted. 8) Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari signed an MoU with how many states for the construction of the Lakhwar multi-purpose project in the upper Yamuna basin? Ans:- 6 Explanation:- Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari signed an MoU with six states for the construction of the Lakhwar multi-purpose project in the upper Yamuna basin to deal with water crisis. Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh (Yogi Adityanath), Rajasthan (Vasundhara Raje Scindia), Uttarakhand (Trivendra Singh Rawat), Himachal Pradesh (Jai Ram Thakur), Haryana (Manohar Lal Khattar) and Delhi (Arvind Kejriwal) signed the MoU. Under the agreement, the 204-metres high project will be constructed near Uttarakhand's Lohari village with live storage capacity of million cubic metres (MCM). The total project is worth Rs 3, crore. 9) Which country's government banned VIP protocol at airport, recently? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 144

145 Ans:- Pakistan Explanation:- Pakistan government has banned the VIP protocol given by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to influential people at airports. The VIP protocol was given to politicians, legislators, senior bureaucrats, judges, military officials and journalists. The decision came into effect on 26th August. The Interior Ministry said that the ban will be strictly implemented to provide equal opportunities to all travellers. It also warned that in case any FIA official is caught giving protocol to a VIP, he would face strict action. 10) Name of the former Indian cricketer who was appointed the head coach of Zimbabwe national cricket team is; Ans:- Lalchand Rajput Explanation:- Former India opener Lalchand Rajput was appointed the head coach of Zimbabwe national cricket team by the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). He is likely to remain in charge for the 2020 World T20 and beyond. He was earlier appointed as the interim head coach of Zimbabwe in May. He has been the manager of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team during the T20 World Cup in South Africa in ) P V Sindhu won medal in badminton at Asian Games. Ans:- Silver Explanation:- World number three PV Sindhu lost to world number one Tai Tzu-ying (Taiwan) in the women's singles final to bag India's first-ever silver medal in badminton at Asian Games. Sindhu, playing in her fifth final of 2018, lost the match with a scoreline of 13-21, Saina Nehwal had won bronze medal in the event. 12) Integrated Defence Staff signed an MoU with which organization aims to set up telemedicine nodes for soldiers in high-altitude areas? Ans:- ISRO SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 145

146 Explanation:- He Integrated Defence Staff of the Defence Ministry and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up satellite-enabled telemedicine nodes to improve emergency medical support to Indian soldiers posted in high-altitude areas, especially Siachen. ISRO will establish 53 more nodes in the first phase over and above the existing 20, in various establishments of the Army, Navy and Air Force across the country. These nodes will enable medical consultation between soldiers deployed at the Siachen glacier and medical echelons in the rear. This joint initiative by ISRO and the Armed Forces Medical Services will transform the reach of telemedicine to soldiers, airmen and sailors in remote and isolated posts. One can say that the communication through these nodes will be a paradigm shift in the delivery of lifesaving health care in adverse terrain and extreme weather conditions till the weather clears up and movement is possible. 13) Neeraj Chopra wins at medal in Javelin with a distance of 88.06m sat the Asian Games. Ans:- Gold Explanation:- Neeraj Chopra became the first-ever Indian javelin thrower to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. The 20-year-old junior world record holder hurled the javelin to a distance of 88.06m to bag the Asiad gold. 14) The 2019 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships will be hosted by; Ans:- North Korea Explanation:- North Korea announced that it would be the host for the 2019 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships that will commence from October 27, The Asian Weightlifting Federation and North Korea's Sports Minister Kim Il Guk signed an agreement for the championship to be held in capital Pyongyang. Earlier in September 2013, the Asian Cup and Interclub Junior and Senior Weightlifting Championship was held in North Korea. 15) Who introduced the GST helpline for customers? Ans:- NAA SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 146

147 Explanation:- The National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) has introduced a helpline to encourage consumers to resolve all the queries to file complaints against the companies that are not passing GST rate cut benefits. Since the rollout of GST on July 1, 2017, the GST Council has cut tax rates on several occasions on a number of items. The helpline number is It will guide the consumers to register their complaints, provide information and resolve queries related to profiteering under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law. NAA said that the consumers can call the helpline number between 9.30 am to 1 pm and 1.30 pm to 6 pm on all working days. 16) Who became the first Indian to win an individual medal in the equestrian event at the 2018 Asian Games? Ans:- Fouaad Mirza Explanation:- Fouaad Mirza became the first Indian to win an individual medal in the equestrian event at the Asian Games in Jakarta on 26th August He won the silver medal in the Eventing competition, while Japan won the gold medal. The last individual medal in Eventing competition, however, came in ) Tamil Nadu has launched a campaign to highlight the impact of plastic pollution. Who has been appointed the brand ambassador of the project? Ans:- Vivek Explanation:- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E.Palanisamy launched an app and a website on plastic pollution free Tamilnadu. He inaugurated a campaign to highlight the impact of plastic pollution. He appointed actor Vivek as the brand ambassador of the project. Daily Current Affairs29,August,2018 1) Who among the following launched 'Navlekha' for Indian language publishers? Ans:- Google Explanation:- At the fourth 'Google for India' event, Google has unveiled Project Navlekha to help Indian language publishers take SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 147

148 their content online. Navlekha is a word derived from Sanskrit meaning 'a new way to write'. The new platform will allow 1.35 lakh Indian publishers to digitise their offline content by creating instant web pages using scanned documents or PDFs. 2)Which bank named as the world's best bank for its digital innovation according to Global Finance magazine? Ans:- DBS Bank Explanation:- Global Finance magazine named DBS Bank as the world's best bank for digital innovation while still maintaining stable operations for its customers. It is the first Asian bank to receive the accolade. It was given to ING Bank in It also received the Asia's best bank title. 3) Which airlines operated India's first biofuel-powered flight from Dehradun to Delhi on its Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft? Ans:- SpiceJet Explanation:- SpiceJet would fly India's first biofuel-powered flight from Dehradun to Delhi on its Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft from Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport. It has used a blend of the aviation turbine fuel and biofuel to power the flight. The flight had 20 people, including officials from aviation regulator DGCA and SpiceJet and was around 25 minutes. It would encourage sustainable and alternative fuels for the transportation & aviation sector under National Biofuels Policy. With this test, India will be among the first developing nations to adopt the sustainable alternative jet fuel. 4) Name the Indian economist who has been appointed Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the New York Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)? Ans:- Satya S Tripathi Explanation:- Satya S Tripathi, the veteran Indian development economist and UN official, has been appointed Assistant Secretary- General and Head of the New York Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The appointment was made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Mr. Tripathi, who will SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 148

149 succeed Elliott Harris of Trinidad and Tobago, has worked with the UN since 1998 in Europe, Asia and Africa on sustainable development, human rights, democratic governance and legal affairs. UN Environment is the leading agency at the world body focussed on environment. It works with governments, the private sector, the civil society and with other UN entities and international organisations across the world. 5) Whose birth anniversary is commemorated as National Sports day. Ans:- Dhyan Chand Explanation:- The National Sports Day in India is celebrated on 29 August each year. This day marks the birthday of Dhyan Chand Singh, the hockey player who won gold medals in Olympics for India in the years 1928, 1934 and He scored over 400 goals in his career, from 1926 to ) Which among the following rebranded as Google pay to offer Instant Bank Loans? Ans:- Tez Explanation:- Google recently partnered with HDFC Bank Ltd., ICICI Bank Ltd., Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. and Federal Bank Ltd. to offer instant, pre-approved loans to customers. About Tez Release date: September 19, 2017 Tez got about 8.5 million installations. Over 30 million transactions were made on the app as of October 27, ) NASA's OSIRIS-Rex an asteroid sampling spacecraft, has caught its first image of which asteroid? Ans:- Bennu Explanation:- NASA's OSIRIS-Rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer), an asteroid sampling spacecraft, caught its first image of asteroid Bennu, last week after a 2-year journey. OSIRIS-Rex has started its final approach towards its target asteroid Bennu. The mission's asteroid operations started on 17thAugust. OSIRIS-Rex's PolyCam camera secured the image from a distance of 1.4 million miles (2.2 million km) SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 149

150 8) Who of the following has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland? Ans:- Sandeep Kumar Explanation:- Sandeep Kumar was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland. Sandeep Kumar is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1985 batch. Currently, he is the Ambassador of India to Croatia. He has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland. He will take up this assignment soon. 9) India's first interstate connected wind power project commissioned in. Ans:- Bhuj Explanation:- 126 MW wind power capacity, part of country's first Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) auction, is commissioned in Bhuj, Gujarat. The energy generated from this project is being purchased by Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. This was a 1,000 MW bid for projects to be connected on ISTS (interstate transmission system) wherein power generated from one state (renewable resource rich state) could be transmitted to other renewable deficient states. 10) Abhaya Prasad Hota was appointed as an independent director of. Ans:- Indiabulls Ventures Explanation:- Indiabulls Ventures appointed Abhaya Prasad Hota, as an independent director on the board for a period of 3 years. Abhaya Prasad Hota is a former managing director at the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). He was involved in designing the operating payments eco-system. He had worked with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for 27 years. He had played a major role in launching payment systems like MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition), RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement), NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer), IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) and Aadhaar based system with UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). 11) What is the size of the nano medical robot that set a new SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 150

151 Guinness World Record? Ans:- 120 nanometres Explanation:- The scientists have developed the smallest medical robot and set a new Guinness World Record. The device, which is of 120 nanometres in size, can interact with biological cells. These nanocomposite particles can assist to treat cancer and Alzheimer's in the future and one day it might lead to huge medical advancements. The nanocomposites are made of two different types of multifunctional oxide materials in a "core and shell" configuration. The core is magnetic and changes shape in response to magnetic fields. The ferroelectric shell converts pressure into electric potentials. The magneto-elasto-electric coupled effect in the nanocomposites acts as arms and legs that move the nanoparticle around to interact with targeted biological cells. 12) Who won silver in Kurash at Asian games? Ans:- Pincky Balhara Explanation:- India's Pincky Balhara and Malaprabha Jadhav won silver and bronze respectively in 52 Kg category Kurash at the Asian Games Kurash is a form of wrestling indigenous to Central Asia. It combines the skills of judo and wrestling. The 19- year-old Pincky lost 0-10 to Gulnor Sulaymanova of Uzbekistan in the gold medal clash to get the silver. 13) Goldman Sachs appointed whom as the managing director and chief India economist? Ans:- Prachi Mishra Explanation:- Goldman Sachs appointed Prachi Mishra as the managing director and chief India economist. Prachi Mishra will be based in Mumbai. Earlier, she was the deputy division chief of the western hemisphere department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She was the head of the strategic research unit at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from February 2016 to May She was also a specialist adviser at the RBI between November 2014 and February She was the first lateral recruit at the RBI. She also worked as a senior economist at IMF and the Finance Ministry of India. SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 151

152 14) The Odisha government launched a programme to identify young talents. It's named as; Ans:- Mu Hero, Mu Odisha Explanation:- The Odisha government has launched a programme "Mu Hero, Mu Odisha" (I am Hero-I am Odisha)" to identify and to give recognition to the young achievers of the state. The initiative is to be conducted by the Biju Yuva Vahini (BYV) members. 15) The European Union join hands with this country to develop new Influenza vaccine, recently. Ans:- India Explanation:- EU-India joined hands to develop new Influenza vaccine. They have committed EUR 15 million each to fund for this cause through the "Horizon 2020" programme. Indian government and the European Union (EU) partnered for Rs. 240 crore research programme to develop a Next Generation Influenza Vaccine to protect people throughout the world. About EU The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. It has an area of 4,475,757 km2 (1,728,099 sq millions) and an estimated population of over 510 million. 16) India's tallest Film Studio was inagurated in which state? Ans:- Tamil Nadu Explanation:- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has inaugurated India's tallest Film Studio named 'MGR Centenary Film Studio'. The 56 feet tall, 110 metres long and 100 feet wide studio was constructed using funds collected by the Federation of Film Employees Union of South India (FEFSI), at Paiyanur. The studio is named after former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran. Daily Current Affairs30,August,2018 1) Indian women's team won medal in the compound archery team event at the 2018 Asian Games. Ans:- Silver SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 152

153 Explanation:- Indian women's team won silver medal in the compound archery team event at the 2018 Asian Games. The Indian team comprised Muskan Kirar, Madhumita Kumari and Jyothi Surekha Vennam. The Indian team was defeated by South Korea in the finals at the 18th Asian Games. 2) Who plans to outsource the production of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) to private Industries? Ans:- ISRO Explanation:- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will outsource the production of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) to private Industries. The Indian Space agency Chairman K Sivan informed that private industries will play a major role in capacity building. The ISRO will launch Gaganyaan, India's first manned mission to outer space in As per the announcement, the Indian Air Force will identify six persons who can be trained to be astronauts. The assistance of the country's first astronaut Rakesh Sharma and that of foreign space agencies will be sought for the training of astronauts. 3) Name of the Indian athelete who brokes the national record in the men's 400 metres hurdles to claim the silver medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta. Ans:- Dharun Ayyasamy Explanation:- Dharun Ayyasamy broke the national record in the men's 400 metres hurdles to claim the silver medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta. It is India's first medal in the hurdles event since Joseph Abraham won a gold in Asian Games Qatar's Abderrahman Samba won the gold medal at the Asian Games ) Which committee has given its approval for the umbrella scheme "Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)" of Ministry of Earth Sciences? Ans:- CCEA Explanation:- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 153

154 has given its approval for the umbrella scheme "Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O- SMART)" of Ministry of Earth Sciences. The scheme with an overall cost of Rs crore encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services, Technology, Resources, Observations and Science. The services rendered under the O-SMART will provide economic benefits to a number of user communities in the coastal and ocean sectors, namely, fisheries, offshore industry, coastal states, Defence, Shipping, Ports etc. This scheme also provides necessary scientific and technological background required for implementation of various aspects of Blue Economy. 5) Who clinched the silver in women's 3000m steeplechase event in the 2018 Asian Games? Ans:- Sudha Singh Explanation:- Sudha Singh clinched the silver in women's 3000m steeplechase event in the Asian Games in Jakarta. Bahrain won the gold medal, while Vietnam won the bronze medal. Sudha won a gold medal when women's 3000m steeplechase was introduced in the Asian Games in ) Which country using robots to teach the Kindergarten children? Ans:- China Explanation:- China is using robots to teach the Kindergarten children. The 60cm high, autonomous Keeko robot is an unconventional teacher. It covers things like storytelling and problem-solving. More than 600 kindergartens across the country use Keeko robots. The robot makers are hoping to expand it into Greater China and Southeast Asia. Beijing has invested money and manpower in developing artificial intelligence as part of its "Made in China 2025" plan. 7) Which among the following became the first bank subsidiary to enter the commodity broking business? Ans:- Axis Securities Explanation:- Axis Securities launched commodity broking SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 154

155 services with MCX and became the first bank subsidiary to enter the commodity broking business. Axis Securities launched commodity broking services with MCX and became the first bank subsidiary to enter the commodity broking business. These cover: industrial metals, energy and agricultural segments. 8) Who launched the logo for flagship health insurance scheme, 'Ayushman Bharat' in New Delhi? Ans:- JP Nadda Explanation:- Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched the logo for flagship health insurance scheme, 'Ayushman Bharat' in New Delhi. Under 'Ayushman Bharat' more than 10 crore poor & vulnerable families will get the benefit with an insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year. The health insurance scheme will be launched on Septemeber 25. 9) With which bank, the Indian government signed a $375 million loan agreement to contribute to double farming incomes in Madhya Pradesh by expanding irrigation networks and system efficiency? Ans:- ADB Explanation:- The government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $375 million loan agreement to contribute to double farming incomes in Madhya Pradesh by expanding irrigation networks and system efficiency. The Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project will develop 125,000 hectares of new, highly efficient and climate resilient irrigation networks and improve water use efficiency in more than 400 villages, benefiting over 800,000 people in Madhya Pradesh. 10) The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned two new projects under Heritage and North East Circuits of Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) in Which two states? Ans:- Punjab and Tripura Explanation:- The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned two new projects under Heritage and North East Circuits of Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) in Punjab and Tripura. 'Swadesh Darshan' is the scheme of the Ministry of Tourism for the development of SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 155

156 thematic circuits in the country. The first project under Swadesh Darshan Scheme 'North East Circuit: Imphal and Khongjom' was inaugurated in Manipur. 11) Researchers from this country developed a new technique to detect early-stage cancer tumour cells in the blood through malaria protein VAR2CSA. Ans:- Australia Explanation:- Australian researchers have announced that they have developed a new technique to detect early-stage cancer tumour cells in the blood through malaria protein VAR2CSA. In this method malaria protein VAR2CSA sticks to cancer cells and helps detect more number of cancer cells than before. This will help in detecting cancer at early stage. The findings were published in the journal 'Nature Communications'. Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney and the University of Copenhagen were involved in this research. 12) L&T Shipyard launched a Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel in. Ans:- Chennai Explanation:- A Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel was launched at L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli in Chennai. It is the third of series of the seven offshore patrol vessels under construction by L&T Shipbuilding Ltd. The length of the OPVs is 98 metre and breadth is 14.8 metre, with gross tonnage of 2100 tonne. It will be used for surveillance along with anti-terrorist and anti-smuggling operations in exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and for coastal security. 13) Who is the head of the newly formed Prime Minister's Science Technology and Innovation Council (PM-STIAC)? Ans:- K Vijay Raghavan Explanation:- The Government of India (GoI) has constituted a 21- member committee to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi on policy matters related to science, technology and innovation. The committee, dubbed as Prime Minister's Science Technology and Innovation Council (PM-STIAC), will be headed by K Vijay SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 156

157 Raghavan, the principal scientific adviser to the GoI. It will facilitate the formulation and implementation of policies and decisions, provide action-oriented and future preparedness advise and assist in directing S&T to solve the socio economic problems in the country. 14) Who become the first Indian heptathlete to win a Gold Medal in the 2018 Asian Games? Ans:- Swapna Barman Explanation:- Swapna Barman created history by becoming the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games gold in Indonesia, a feat she achieved despite a toothache. The 21-year-old Barman logged 6026 points from the seven events competed for two days. En route to the title, she won the high jump (1003 points) and javelin throw (872 points) events and finished second-best in shot put (707 points) and long jump (865 points). 15) For which state, the world bank provide a loan amount of 250 million USD recently? Ans:- Rajasthan Explanation:- The Union Government, Rajasthan and the World Bank signed a USD 250 million Development Policy Loan (DPL) to support Rajasthan in improving the performance of its Electricity Distribution Sector under the State's '24x7 Power for All' program. The loan from the World Bank's International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 3 year grace period and a maturity of 21 years. Daily Current Affairs31,August,2018 1) Indian Railways and this organisation Sign MoU for use of Natural Gas in Railway Workshops. Ans:- GAIL Explanation:- In order to replace Industrial gases like Dissolved Acetylene, LPG, BMCG and Furnace Oil / High Speed Diesel (HSD) oil with environment friendly Natural Gas, Indian Railways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s GAIL SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 157

158 (India) Limited, to provide infrastructure facilities for supply of Natural Gas to Indian Railways Workshops, Production Units and Depots at Rail Bhavan. This MoU is a broad-based, in principle agreement, between GAIL and Indian Railways for the creation of infrastructure and supply of CNG/LNG/PNG for both industrial and domestic purposes. 2) How much did the Cabinet approve to set up more disaster warning systems in Indian coasts? Ans:- Rs.1,623 crore Explanation:- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared at an outlay of Rs.1,623 crore to get more disaster warning systems and desalination plants along Indian coasts. The system will be functioning under the programme called O-SMART (Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science). O-SMART is monitored by the Union earth sciences ministry. O-SMART provides economic benefits to a number of user communities in the coastal and ocean sectors, namely, fisheries, offshore industry, coastal States, defence, shipping, ports, etc. 3) The first U.S.-India 2+2 dialogue will be held in which city? Ans:- New Delhi Explanation:- The first U.S.-India 2+2 dialogue will be happening in New Delhi on September 6. The countries will discuss regional and strategic issues of Asia and will also have some real outcomes. Randall G. Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs of the United States said that China and how to respond to it will be front and centre of the dialogue. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis will be travelling to India for the dialogue. 4) Who organizes 2-Day Conference On Motivating & Attracting Youth in Agriculture? Ans:- ICAR SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 158

159 Ans:- In order to meet the challenge of providing sustainable livelihoods for a rapidly growing population and to motivate and attract youth in agriculture, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), inaugurated a two-day conference at NASC, New Delhi on Motivating and Attracting Youth in Agriculture (MAYA). The two-day conference provides an opportunity to all stakeholders to interact and discuss various options and avenues for not only attracting youth to agriculture but even motivating them towards entrepreneurship in agriculture and allied fields. 5) Which state signed a MoU with an America-based agency 'Malaria No More'to make the state malaria-free? Ans:- Odisha Explanation:- Odisha government signed a MoU with an Americabased agency 'Malaria No More' and Indian agency 'Malaria Elimination Trust' to make the state malaria-free. sthe two agencies will prepare the roadmap for public awareness and will work with the various organization in the state. Earlier this year 1.13 crore mosquito nets medicated with larvicides were distributed in the state. 6) Who is appointed as India's next High Commissioner to United Kingdom? Ans:- Ruchi Ghanashyam Explanation:- Senior diplomat Ruchi Ghanashyam has been appointed as India's next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Ghanashyam is a 1982 batch Indian Foreign Service officer and is currently Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs. She succeeds Y K Sinha who had assumed the charge in December ) Name the racer who won the Belgian Grand Prix 2018 on 26th August 2018? SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 159

160 Ans:- Sebastian Vettel Explanation:- Sebastian Vettel won the Belgian Grand Prix 2018 at Spa-Francorchamps Track in Belgium. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton who tops the driver standings by a 17-point lead, and secured the first position. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton finished in the second position. He was followed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the third position. 8) Which Indian Naval Ship is participating in the multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise "KAKADU 2018"? Ans:- INS Sahyadri Explanation:- The 14th edition of multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise "KAKADU 2018" has started in Darwin, Australia from August 29 and will continue till September 15. It is hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Indian Naval Ship 'INS Sahyadri', commanded by Captain Shantanu Jha, is participating in this edition of exercise. Indian Navy's participation is a significant milestone in towards strengthening mutual confidence among regional navies and is expected to further bolster India's contribution in ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The exercise KAKADU is held biennially in Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA). 9) This bank changes its names and IFSC codes of its branches recently. Ans:- SBI Explanation:- The State Bank of India (SBI), has changed the names and IFSC codes of 1,300 of its branches. The idea behind the move is to rationalize SBI's merger with six associate banks and the Bhartiya Mahila Bank (BMB) which came into effect from April 1, SBI has updated the list of branches with old and new names and IFSC codes on its website. 10) The Indian table tennis mixed doubles pair, A.Sharath SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 160

161 Kamal and Manika Batra won medal in the 18th Asian Games Ans:- Bronze Explanation:- The Indian table tennis mixed doubles pair, A.Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra won the first-ever historic bronze in the 18th Asian Games In the semifinals, Kamal and Batra lost to China's Yingsha Sun and Wang Sun and scored 9-11, 5-11, 13-11, 4-11, In their pre-quarterfinal, they won against the South Korean pairing of Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee by securing 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 10-12, ) Which among the following become the wettest place in India? Ans:- Mahabaleshwar Explanation:- Maharashtra's Mahabaleshwar has become the wettest place in India this year, leaving behind Meghalaya's Cherrapunji. India Meteorological Department (IMD) data revealed that the hill station in the state of Maharashtra received a staggering mm rainfall this season till now, much more than Cherrapunji's 4735 mm. Cherrapunji holds two Guinness world records for receiving the maximum amount of rainfall in a single year, 26,471mm (1,042.2 in) of rainfall between August 1860 and July 1861 and the maximum amount of rainfall in a single month (9,300mm) in July ) Name of the Indian athelete who won gold medal in the men's 1500m event in the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Ans:- Jinson Johnson Explanation:- India's Jinson Johnson claimed the gold medal in the men's 1500m event in the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Manjit Singh, 800m champion, however, finished fourth. Johnson clocked 3:44.72 sec to claim the top honours ahead of Iran's Amir Moradi, who turned in a timing of 3:45.62sec, his SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 161

162 season's best effort. Johnson earlier won a silver in the 800m event. 13) India won medal in the women's 4X400 metre event. Ans:- Gold Explanation:- India won gold in the women's 4X400 metre event. The Indian quartet of Hima Das, Raju Poovamma, Saritaben Laxmanbhai Gayakwad and Vismaya Koroth registered a time of 3 minutes and seconds to finish at the top of the podium. India clinched the silver medal in the men's 4X400 metre event. 14) Who represented India at the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting 2018? Ans:- Ravi Shankar Prasad Explanation:- In Argentina, the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting 2018 was held in Salta with theme 'Building consensus for fair and sustainable development' on August It took place as part of Sherpa Track for 2018 G20 Leaders' Summit, which is to be hosted by Argentina by end of India was represented by Union Minister for Electronics and IT & Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad. The G20 Ministerial meeting allowed India to showcase the inclusive use of digital technology by the Government to empower the people. It also allowed India to articulate it's views on global issues relating to cyber security, data protection and innovation for growth. The key issues of the meeting were future of work, infrastructure for development, and sustainable food future. It concluded with the adaptation of declaration that reflects G20's commitment towards promoting policies and actions that catalyze digital transformations. 15) The Indian women's hockey team enters Asian Games for 1st time by defeating Which country? Ans:- China SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 162

163 Explanation:- The Indian women's hockey team defeated threetime champions China 1-0 in the semi-final to reach their first final at Asian Games since Indian defender Gurjit Kaur scored the only goal of the match. India will face Japan in the final match on Friday, August ) The 6th RCEP Trade Minister's Meeting begin in which country? Ans:- Singapore Explanation:- Union Minister of Commerce& Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, is leading the Indian delegation for the 6th RCEP Trade Minister's Meeting which has begun in Singapore. The Minister will participate in the meeting consisting of 10 ASEAN countries and six ASEAN FTA partners namely, India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Best Regards from:- SSCE / Downloaded from :- Page 163

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