CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• Nagasaki Day is observed every year on August 9 to promote peace politics and raise awareness of the effects of the bomb attack on Nagasaki.
• The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed on 9 August each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population.

• World Biofuel Day is commemorated on 10 August every year to raise awareness about the use of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels.
• World Lion Day is celebrated annually on August 10 each year, with an emphasis to raise awareness and gather support for their declining population and conservation.
• August 12 marks the annual celebration of International Youth Day as an awareness day, designated by the United Nations (UN).
• World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on August 12.
• Every year on August 13, the world celebrates International Left-Handers Day to recognize the distinctiveness and distinctions of left-handers and to spread awareness of the benefits and drawbacks of having a left hand in a world that is largely right-handed.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended the seventh NITI Aayog governing council meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s cultural center in New Delhi.
• Since 2009–10, “Mission Vatsalya,” formerly known as the Child Protection Services (CPS) project, has been carried out by the Ministry of Women and Child Development for the welfare and rehabilitation of children.
• Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal emphasized the need for a “Whole of Government” strategy to increase exports.
• The Government has started a short-term course namely ‘Drone Service Technician’ in 126 Industrial Training Institutes.
• With Assam being the newest state to join the effort in June 2022, the program has now been implemented nationwide.
• A Bill to modify the Electricity Act to provide non-discriminatory open access to power suppliers’ distribution networks was submitted in Lok Sabha, prompting concerns from the Opposition, who said it sought to take away certain powers from the state governments.
• The International Telecommunication Union’s Regional Standardization Forum for Asia and Oceania was held in New Delhi, and Devusinh Chauhan, the state minister for communications, spoke at the inaugural ceremony.
• The 12th edition of the Defense Expo, India’s biggest exhibition on land, naval, and homeland security systems, will take place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, according to the Ministry of Defense.
• In Panipat, Haryana, the second generation (2G) ethanol plant—built at an estimated cost of Rs 900 crore—will be dedicated to the country by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi via video conference.
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the signing of an audio-visual co-production treaty between India and Australia with the view to promoting the co-production of films.
• Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah e-launched the onboarding of cooperatives on the GeM portal.
• The Centre has decided to offer the use of the Indigenous 5G Test Bed free of cost to the Government recognized start-ups and MSMEs for the next six months up to January 2023.
• At the Srinagar International Airport in Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Mr. Manoj Sinha unveiled the UMEED Market Place as a component of the Airport Authority of India’s AVSAR Scheme.
• The Center has shortlisted six merchant bankers to assist the government in offloading its 5 percent residual stake in Hindustan Zinc in tranches.
• Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) – Housing for All Mission up to 31st December 2024.
• Election Commission will host a virtual Asian Regional Forum meeting in August.
• Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launched the indigenous vaccine Lumpi-ProVacInd to protect livestock from Lumpy Skin disease.
• Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, has identified 75 Municipal Corporations to implement comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of begging under “SMILE: Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise” named as “SMILE-75 Initiative”.
• The Cabinet has approved the ratification of amendments to the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) as contained in the Eleventh Additional Protocol to the Constitution.
• Meghalaya is all set to host the upcoming 2nd edition of the North East Olympics from October 30th to November 6th in Shillong.
• Income taxpayers will not be eligible for the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), a universal social security scheme, from 1 October.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The Russian enterprise Scientific and Production Corporation “Radio technical Systems” (RTS) of Russia has signed a large-scale contract with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the supply of radio equipment.
• India has adopted the United States Joint Statement on Cooperation on Global Supply Chains which was released by the USA Government & the 17 partner economies during the Virtual 2022 Supply Chain Ministerial Forum.

• Nepal approved India’s hydropower board to study and develop 1,200MW hydropower projects in western Nepal.

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) in partnership with the government of Cuba has floated a tender for setting up an 1150 MW solar project in

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

• Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Yogi Adityanath launched the  ‘Panchamrut Yojana’ which will help to achieve the goal of doubling farmers’ income through the introduction of cost-effective technical measures and promotion of co-cropping methods.
• For the first time in India, Telangana Government has launched the ‘Nethanna Ku Bima’ Scheme, which extends insurance coverage to handloom and power loom weavers in
• The Andhra Pradesh cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shri YS Jagan Mohan Reddy approved the renaming of Konaseema as Dr. BR Ambedkar Konaseema district.
• The Arunachal Pradesh government has approved the naming of the under-construction Hollongi greenfield airport near Itanagar as “Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar” which will start operations in August 15, 2022.
• Delhi Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena launched the “One Road-One Week” initiative of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
• The Kerala government will launch a mobile app named Lucky Bill App to curb Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion.
• Haryana Chief Minister Shri Manohar Lal Khattar launched the “Chief Minister Equal Education Relief, Assistance, and Grant (Cheerag)” scheme.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• ONDC (OPEN Network of digital commerce), which is developing a first-of-its-kind open network for digital commerce, US tech giant Microsoft has onboarded its platform.
• Telecommunications firm, Airtel Africa, has signed a $125 million revolving credit facility with Citi through its branch offices/subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Microsoft has partnered with the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and Capacity Building Commission (CBC) to enhance the functional computer literacy of nearly 2.5 million civil servants of the Central government.
• The government is aiming at reducing import dependence on palm oil by 25 to 30% through the production of 2.8 million tonnes (MT) of oil by 2030 under the National Edible Oil Mission.
• Retail inflation fell to 6.71 percent in July due to lower food costs, although it remained above the Reserve Bank’s comfort limit of 6% for the seventh consecutive month.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY

• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted in-principle approval for a change in control of HDFC Asset Management Company (AMC), a subsidiary of HDFC, and the asset management company of HDFC Mutual Fund, due to a change in co-sponsor of HDFC Mutual Fund, on account of proposed amalgamation of HDFC with and into HDFC Bank.
• The market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has constituted a 15-member advisory committee, FPI (Foreign Portfolio Investment) Advisory Committee’ FAC.
• American Express,  a Small Business Card issuer in the S has launched a cross-border payment solution Global Pay, that will let U.S. businesses make secure domestic and international B2B (Business to Business) payments.
• HDFC Bank raised $300 million in Non-Resident External (NRE) deposits, offering up to 50 basis points higher than the current rates.
• Dhanlaxmi Bank Limited has agreed with its first fintech partner, New Street Technologies Private Limited, for Micro Lending, Operations Management, and Technology Services under priority sector lending.
• Indian Bank has collaborated with Hatchlab Research Centre, Technology Business Incubator (TBI) of SRM University-Andhra Pradesh to launch ‘IND SpringBoard’, an initiative for financing start-ups and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

• Axis Bank becomes the first Indian bank to launch Axis Receivables Suite (ARS)-an innovative Cash Management proposition.
• IDFC FIRST Bank and India’s leading early-stage platform for investors and founders, LetsVenture Technologies Pvt. Ltd has partnered to explore synergies and support the startup ecosystem by offering curated products and solutions to startups, founders and investors.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that small finance banks which have completed two years of operations and have a minimum net worth of Rs 500 crore can deal in foreign exchange.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has permitted non-financial institutions and unregulated entities to own more than 40 percent stake in IDBI Bank

• Paytm Payments Bank Limited has Partnered with Piramal Capital & Housing Finance to offer merchant loans to small cities and towns across India.
• State Bank of India (SBI) is the first Indian lender to frame a policy to fund makers of lab-grown diamonds which come across as replicas of natural diamond stones.
• HDFC Bank has partnered with the Trade receivables discounting platform, M1xchange promoted by Mynd Solutions Pvt Ltd to make a debut in the Trade receivables Discounting System (TReDs) platform.
• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a first-of-its-kind initiative to democratize the country’s e-commerce ecosystem has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), for the coordination of capabilities of establishments engaged in related actions.
• Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited launched Kotak Crème, a lifestyle-focused corporate salary account, offering an upgraded banking experience to new-age professionals working with eminent corporations.
• Yes Bank and IBSFINtech, the leading TreasuryTech Solution provider, have partnered to explore untapped opportunities emerging out of the digitization of corporate finance.
• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has sold 2 percent of its shareholding in automaker Mahindra & Mahindra for about Rs 2,222.49 crore
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the license of Pune-based Rupee Co-operative Bank Ltd as the lender does not have adequate capital and earning prospects following an order from the Bombay High Court.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a regulatory framework to make digital lending safe for members of the public.
• Navi Mutual Fund has introduced the launch of its sixth fund for this year, the Navi Nifty India Manufacturing Index Fund.
• Airtel Africa has signed up for a USD 125 million revolving facilities from American banking major Citi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• The highest civilian honor in Ladakh, the “dPal rNgam Duston” award, was given to the head of the Tibetan spiritual order, the Dalai Lama.
• Aarya Walvekar, an Indian American from Virginia, was named Miss India USA in 2022 in New Jersey.
• The 22nd “Bharat Rang Mahotsav” was officially launched at Rabindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
• Ramadhar Singh, a professor at Ahmedabad University, is the first Indian social psychologist to be inducted onto the American Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s (SPSP) US Heritage Wall of Fame.
• Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress politician, is slated to receive France’s highest civilian honor, the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.
• Kerala’s Sangeetha Abhayan won the World Women Entrepreneurs’ Award instituted by the Junior Chamber International Hong Kong (JCIHK) for her handloom and handicrafts startup’s performance in tune with the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• Former West Bengal governor and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, has been elected as the 14th Vice-President of India.
• Unity Small Finance Bank Limited (Unity Bank) has appointed Inderjit Camotra as its Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). 
• Indian chess legend & Five-time World Chess Champion Mr. Viswanathan Anand has been elected as the deputy president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
• Catamaran Ventures, backed by Infosys Ltd. founder NR Narayana Murthy, has appointed Managing Director (MD) Mr. Ranganath as its Chairman and Mr. Deepak Padaki as its President.
• Gustavo Petro, a former rebel fighter, has been sworn in as the first leftist president of Colombia.
• Senior electrochemical scientist Nallathamby Kalaiselvi has become the first woman director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), in two years.

• Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Mr. James Marape was sworn in for a second term.
• The Board of Directors of the Powergrid Corporation of India Limited has appointed Mr. Pramod Kumar as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

• Janata Dal (United) leader Shri Nitish Kumar took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the 8th time in the last 22 years, Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Shri Tejashwi Yadav took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.
• In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President of India Draupadi Murmu has appointed Shri Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India
• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, appointed Star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand in a program organized at Uttarakhand Sadan in New Delhi.
• United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres has appointed a veteran Argentinean naval officer Mr. Rear Admiral Guillermo Pablo Ríos as Head of Mission and Chief Military Observer for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).
• FMCG firm Dabur India Limited has announced that the board has accepted the resignation of Mr. Amit Burman as the Chairman of the company, Mr. Mohit Burman has been appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman for five years.
• The government has reappointed four independent directors on the board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for another four years.
• Civil Aviation Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia has been given the additional charge of the Ministry of Steel, Meanwhile, Women and Child Development Minister Ms. Smriti Irani has been assigned the charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, in addition to her existing portfolio.
• Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja, sports icon P T Usha, acclaimed screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad and philanthropist and spiritual leader Veerendra Heggade were nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• The Assam and Mizoram governments signed a joint statement after a ministerial-level discussion in Aizawl in Mizoram to take forward the process of resolution of the boundary dispute between the two states.
• Public sector power generator NLC India Limited (NLCIL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) to develop 1,000 MW solar power projects in
• Public sector power generator NLC India (NLCIL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Assam Power Distribution Company (APDCL) to develop solar power projects.
• Aditya Birla Group’s Hindalco Industries Ltd has entered into a commercial arrangement with Greenko Energies Pvt Ltd to set up a renewable energy project for the supply of 100 MW round-the-clock carbon-free power to its smelter in Odisha.
• The National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation and the National Skill Development Corporation have signed an agreement to facilitate collaboration in skill development initiatives.
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly work on the emerging opportunities in the Indian Defence and Aerospace sectors.
• Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the District Administration of Varanasi, Government of Uttar Pradesh, to enable national market access for artisans, weavers, and people with disabilities.
• The Odisha government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Ocean Technology for the protection of its coasts. 
• The Tripura government has signed an MoU with the North Eastern Space Application Center (NESAC), Shillong, for 21 projects including disaster management and resource mapping.
• The Punjab government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for becoming a member of the global network called Under2 Coalition to address climate change.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

• The Indian Army conducted a pan-India satellite communication exercise called ‘Ex Skylight’.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed a contract worth over USD 100 million with Honeywell for the supply and manufacture of 88 TPE331-12B engines/kits along with the maintenance and support services to power the indigenous Hindustan Turbo Trainer – 40 (HTT-40), which provides initial flying training to Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots.

• The 13th Edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercises “Ex Vajra Prahar 2022” commenced at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS), Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.
• The 12th edition of India’s prestigious biennial defense exhibition on Land, Naval, and Homeland Security systems, DefExpo 2022 will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat between October 18-22, 2022.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) conduct a bilateral air exercise named ‘Udarashakti’, at the RMAF base of Kuantan in Malaysia.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) launched automated online data transfer for capturing critical data related to domestic value addition in the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the auto sector.
• A next-generation dark matter detector, LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Detector given the first scientific results from the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, United States.
• Russia will pull out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its orbiting space station.
• Intellecap and Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF) has launched a national carbon finance platform for 1 million smallholder farmers.

• Russia launched a Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying an Iranian remote sensing satellite Khayyam, into orbit from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan.
• Google has launched an online project called ‘India Ki Udaan’ to mark 75 years of Independence India Ki Udaan – Software at the Sunder Nursery in Delhi in the presence of Union Culture and Tourism Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy.

• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully carried out the test-firing of the Low Altitude Escape Motor (LEM) of the Crew Escape System, from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• China launched 16 new satellites into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China’s Shanxi province.
• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath has launched India’s First 3D virtual space tech park called SPARK: The Space Tech Park as part of the celebrations of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commemorating India’s 75th year of Independence
• Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center, New Delhi (RGCIRC) have installed the first-ever Made-in-India Surgical Robotic System, SSI-Mantra devised by the new-age Indian medical technology start-up SS Innovations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS

• Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) for the Ministry of Science and Technology, recently debuted the poetry collection “Rusty Skies and Golden Winds,” written by Sannidhya Sharma, a seventh-grade student from Jammu, who is 11 years old.
• Minister of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Parshottam Rupala has launched a unique coffee table book titled – “Fish and Seafood” – a collection of 75 gourmet recipes in New Delhi.
• Deepak Singh, an established content creator with more than 15 years of experience in content creation recently penned a book ‘Bravo Yadav’.
• Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury with others release a book ‘Freedom Struggle and Beyond’ written by Praveen Davar, in New Delhi.
• Recalibrate: Changing Paradigms, by K. Singh with select insights from P.K. Mishra, principal secretary to the prime minister – presents the progress and the unfinished tasks of proximate developmental goals that are essential in the life of India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ENVIRONMENT

• In a field guide that was created by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the organization described around 1,331 distinct bird species that may be found in India.
• Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) released a report titled ‘Threatened animals of Kerala’.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Sunil Chhetri and Manisha Kalyan have been selected for the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) Men’s and Women’s Footballers of the Year for 2021-22,
• 1st Khelo India Women’s Hockey League under-16 will be held at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium in New Delhi.
• At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Priyanka Goswami won silver in the 10000-meter race walk.
• At the Commonwealth Games 2022, Avinash Sable wins the silver medal in the men’s 3000m steeplechase.
• In the Men’s Freestyle, 57kg Wrestling event at the Commonwealth Games 2022, Ravi Kumar Dahiya won gold for his nation, making history.
• At the Commonwealth Games 2022, Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal in the Women’s Freestyle 53 kg division.
• At the Coventry Stadium and Arena, Indian wrestler Naveen Malik won the gold medal in men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
• Bhavina Patel, a well-known Indian para table tennis player, won the women’s singles class 3-5 gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
• Amit Panghal, an Indian boxer, won the gold medal in the 48-51 kg weight division at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
• At the Commonwealth Games 2022, Indian boxer Nitu Ghangas won a gold medal by defeating English boxer Demie-Jade Resztan in the women’s 48 kg division final.
• At the Commonwealth Games 2022, Eldhose Paul of India made history by winning the men’s triple jump event’s first-ever gold medal.
• At Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India defeated Bangladesh 5-2 in overtime to win the 2022 SAFF U20 Championship.
• By winning a competition in Romania, the chess prodigy from Chennai, V Pranav, became the 75th Grandmaster of India.
• India placed fourth overall on the medals tally after their CWG 2022 campaign.
• At the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022, the Indian women’s cricket team made history by winning the nation’s first-ever medal in the sport.
• Emma McKeon, an Australian swimmer who is 28 years old, broke a kind of record in the 2022 Commonwealth Games by winning more medals than 56 different countries or territories combined.
• P V Sindhu, a shuttler from India, won the women’s singles gold medal in the Commonwealth Games 2022 final.
• Uzbekistan will host the 2026 Chess Olympiad, according to a tweet from the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
• Serena Williams, a tennis icon from the United States, has declared her retirement.
• The winners of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Player of the Month honors for July 2022 were named England batting all-rounder Emma Lamb and Sri Lankan spin wonder Prabath Jayasuriya.
• Boxer Nikhat Zareen and table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal have been named by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as India’s flag bearers at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Birmingham in 2022.
• The 44th Chess Olympiad has come to a close, as Uzbekistan’s team Won the gold medal in the Open division.
• Former West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard became the first cricketer to play 600 T20 matches.
• In the finals, Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 to win the 2022 UEFA Super Cup in Helsinki, Finland, setting a new record.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has announced that the 106-year-old astronomical observatory at Langat Singh College in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district has not been inscribed on its list of endangered heritage.
• Former International athlete P. V. Kamaraj Passed away at the age of 68 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author and renowned historian David McCullough Passed away at the age of 89 in Hingham, Massachusetts, United States.
• Former South African cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen passed away in a car crash at the age of 73.
• Former Member of Parliament and senior All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) politician K. Maya Thevar passed away at the age of 87 in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.

• The British-born Australian singer and actor, Olivia Nwewton-John passed away at the age of 73 in Southern California.
• Indian American Journalist And Emmy Award Winner, Uma Pemmaraju Passed away at the age of 64.