Current Affairs August 2016 - Miscellaneous

KK Khurana, General Manager in-charge, has taken over as Head of BHEL Corporate R&D with effect from August 4, 2016.
Devendra Fadanvis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, was chosen for the 2016 Nag Bhushan Award that is conferred by Nagpur-based Non-Governmental Organization Nag Bhushan Foundation.
The tropical storm that triggered landslides in Mexico killing at least 38 people is Earl.
Famous musician, Ricci Martin, died in August 2016.
Tamil Nadu launched an online service for consumers to apply for low-tension service connections.
Voters of Thailand approved a new draft constitution, giving extra powers to the military.
Indian researchers have found that endosulfan causes DNA damages in animals. Endosulfan is Organochlorine pesticide.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, 2014 is also known as Constitution (122^nd Amendment) Bill.
The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013 that was passed by Rajya Sabha seeks to repeal the Mental Health Act, 1987.
Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi launched a social media campaign in New Delhi to mark the Daughters Day to be celebrated on 11 August 2016.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Yaad Karo Kurbani celebrations at Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh, the birthplace of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad.
The Iron Lady of Manipur, who ended her 16-year-long hunger strike outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, Manipur is Irom Chanu Sharmila.
The legendary Carnatic vocalist who will be honoured at the United Nations on India’s 70^th Independence Day by A.R. Rahman is M. S. Subbulakshmi.
American swimmer, Michael Phelps, recently won his 21^st Olympic gold Medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Russia has agreed to restore bilateral relations and end the economic sanctions with Turkey.
High Court of Uttar Pradesh issued directions to the Election Commission that teacher should not be deployed for poll duty during examinations.
Bihar decided to increase tax rates on diesel by one percent and petrol by 1.5 percent.
United Nation member states have reached on an agreement ahead of the first-ever summit on addressing the large movements of refugees and migrants to be held in September 2016 in New York.
Parliament of Egypt has passed legislation that will prohibit police from providing information to the media without government permission.
Vietnam discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China's runways and military installations across the vital trade route.
The reactors of the Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant are built jointly by Russia’s Atomstroyexport company and India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India.
Kazakhstan’s swimmer who won men's 200m breaststroke swimming event at the Rio Olympics is Dmitriy Balandin.
Kazhakstan’s weightlifter who won gold medal of the men's 77kg weightlifting class at the Rio Olympic Games is Azerbaijan.
The estimated cost of the R&D project for development of Advanced Ultra Super Critical (AUSC) Technology for Thermal Power Plants that was approved by CCEA is 1554 crore rupees.
Chinese player, Ma Long, won gold medal in Table Tennis at Rio Olympics and also became the fifth male player to complete the Grand Slam.
Theme of the International Meeting on Counter Terrorism held in Bali, Indonesia was Countering Cross Border Movement of Terrorism.
Delhi Development Authority has decided to create a Special Purpose Vehicle SPV for operation and maintenance of its green projects including those related to parks, nature reserves and eco-friendly corridors.
Sri Lanka's parliament approved the establishment of office of missing persons (OMP) to investigate incidents of people reported missing during and soon after the war against LTTE.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that was passed by Rajya Sabha increases the availability of the maternity benefit by Eight weeks from the date of expected delivery.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that was passed by Rajya Sabha seeks to amend the Maternity Benefit Act 1961.
Hollywood actress Gita Hall, who starred as Eva in 1958 film The Gun Runners, passed away in August 2016.
The American artistic gymnast who won gold in the Floor Exercise event at Rio Olympics is Simone Biles.
The Indian tennis doubles pair who won the Abierto Mexicano Los Cabos title is Purav Raja and Divij Sharan.
Shri Farooq Khan, IPS (Retd.) has been appointed as Administrator of Union Territory of Lakshadweep. His appointment is effective from the date he assumes charge of his office.
e-Trans web portal was launched by the Union Government for e-bidding and e-reverse auction for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) in transmission projects.
Jamaican athlete, Usain Bolt, won the men’s 200m gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
P V Sindhu became the first Indian badminton player to enter the women’s singles finals in Olympics.
The Union Ministry of Power launched the e-bidding portal DEEP for Medium term purchase of power.
The Union Ministry of Power launched the TARANG Mobile App to Track power transmission projects.
Shiv Kumar Sharma was selected for 2016 Sangeet Martand Ustad Chand Khan Lifetime Achievement Award.
The theme of the World Humanitarian Day that was observed on 19 August 2016 was One Humanity.
The monogrammed suit worn by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with American President Barack Obama last year, which created huge controversy, entered Guinness Book of World Records as ‘the most expensive suit sold’ after it was auctioned for Rs 4.31 crore.
Shri Yogeshwar Sangwan, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Armenia, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to Georgia.
The cycler who won gold in Men's omnium track cycling at Rio Olympics is Elia Viviani.
The hammer thrower who created a world record of 82.29m in women’s hammer throw to win gold at Rio Olympics is Anita Wlodarczyk.
1000 MW Turga hydel project that was approved by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) will be located in West Bengal.
Bangladesh accounted for the highest share of tourist arrival in India.
Yogeshwar Sangwan has been appointed as India's Ambassador to Georgia.
Sunita Jain has been awarded with the prestigious 25^th Vyas Samman 2015.
Pink Bollworm pest that has been in news primarily affects Cotton.
The book Life in Diplomacy was authored by M K Rasgotra.
The famous Sreekrishna temple in Guruvayur has been included in the Union Tourism Ministry’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD).
Government has planned to provide loan worth 90 thousand Crore rupees to Women Self-Help Groups for non-farm economic activities in next two years.
Banwarilal Purohit has been recently appointed the Governor of Assam.
P D Gupta has been appointed the Vice Chancellor of the Homi Bhabha National Institute.
Typhoon that made landfall near Tateyama City in Chiba Prefecture south of Tokyo, Japan is Mindulle.
Three states that ratified the Goods and Services Tax Constitutional amendment bill 2016 after Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand are Himachal Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Gujarat.
Odisha decided to engage retired teachers in government high schools under “Teacher on Call” scheme to meet the shortage of teaching faculty.
President Pranab Mukherjee launched Kolkata Akashvani Kendra’s Moitree Service in Bangla for listeners in Bangladesh.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday launched a mobile app 'Kisan Suvidha' for farmers. The app will provide basic information on weather updates, crop prices and expert advices.
The 8^th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit will be held in Goa.
State in which a special pink colour envelop under speed post was launched by Justice Virender Singh with a purpose to expedite judicial process is Jharkhand.
Italy was struck by a high-intensity earthquake of magnitude 6.2 on the Richter scale which led to death of about 150 people.
Union Cabinet enhanced the compensation to victims of terror and left extremism from three lakh rupees to Five lakh.
Islamabad hosted a 2-day SAARC Finance Ministers’ Conference.
North Korea launched the KN-11 ballistic missile from a submarine in Sea of Japan.
Russia will not compete at September’s Paralympics in Rio after losing an appeal against a ban imposed for state-sponsored doping.
Telangana and Maharashtra government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start work on three barrages at Tummidi Hatti on Pranhita River, Medigadda on Godavari River and Chanaka-Korata on Painganga River.
Haryana State government made available online A2 milk of indigenous cows in North India through Vita Milk Plants on demand of general public.
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has signed an MoU with Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU), Tirunelveli, to carry out collaborative research programmes and develop adequate manpower to explore marine biodiversity prospects in the region.
The Film Federation of India (FFI) has approached Ketan Mehta to head the 17-member jury that will select India's official entry to the Oscars.
Astrophysicist Anjali Tripathi from California and physician Tina R Shah from Chicago are among the 16 selected for the prestigious White House Fellow programme that offers first-hand experience of working at the highest levels of the US federal government.
Country's two leading mobile operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone are rolling out e-KYC service at their stores to help customers activate new SIMs instantly with Aadhaar number verification.
Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for promoting renewable energy.
Pakistan will host the 19^th SAARC Summit on November 9 and 10 this year. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited the leaders of SAARC Member States and nine observers countries to attend the Summit.
The Next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Conference is to be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Tumakuru Road in Bengaluru from 07^th January, 2016.
Shri P Kumaran (IFS: 1992), presently Joint secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar.
Bharat Dhuppar has been appointed as the CEO of Sheth Creators, a real estate company of Nusli Wadia-led Wadia Group.
R Muthukumaraswamy appointed as the Advocate General of Tamil Nadu in August 2016.
ISRO used ATV02 rocket to test Supersonic Combustion Ramjet engine called Scramjet, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta in Andhra Pradesh.
Marine National Monument off Hawaii that was expanded by President Obama to turn up to be world's largest marine reserve is Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
Scientists in Japan studying earthquakes have detected a rare deep-Earth tremor, known as S wave microseism.
Twelve coaches of Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Express derailed between Aluva and Karukutty stations in Ernakulam district.
Himachal Pradesh launched the 108 mobile app for immediate and easy facility of the National Ambulance Service.
Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar formally inaugurated the IIT Dharwad. The first batch of IIT-Dharwad began on August 1 with 120 students.
Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the “Mera Aspataal / My Hospital” initiative at the third National Summit on Good and Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Health Facilities at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
This year the winner of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy is Punjabi University, Patiala. The award money is Rs. 10 lakh and a certificate. The award is given to top performing university in inter-university tournaments.