NATIONAL:
1. Jio AirFibre
Why in news - Reliance announced fixed wireless broadband Jio AirFibre.
Key Points –
• It will launch on September 19, 2023.
• With JioAirFiber, India can connect up to 150,000 connections per day (currently - 15,000).
• Earlier in August 2023, Bharti Airtel launched a similar product in Delhi and Mumbai called Xstream AirFiber.
2. Karnataka Cultural Festival
Why in news – Sri Lanka hosted its very first Karnataka cultural festival.
Key Points –
• Organized by - International Cultural Council of India.
• It showed dances, folk songs, multi-lingual poems, ballet, and captivating puppet shows.
Value Addition –
• Karnataka
(a) Folk dance - Yakshagana and Dollu Kunitha.
(b) Puppet - Gombeyatta (string puppets).
(c) Music - Carnatic music.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. China's Latest Map 2023
Why in news – China officially released the 2023 edition of its so-called "standard map".
Key Points –
• It includes parts of Arunachal Pradesh, J&K, Aksai, Taiwan and some regions of the disputed South China Sea.
• Nine-dash line (U-shaped line or cow's tongue) - Chinese claim on the ocean, islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES:
1. Project AMBER
Why in news – It aims to provide “cloud” skills training to 1,500 learners and connect them to employment opportunities.
Key Points –
• Launched by - Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• Aim –
(a) to train 30,000 youth, 50% of whom will be women
(b) to improve gender diversification in the tech industry and underprivileged groups.
• The initiative has been undertaken under the SANKALP programme of MSDE.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. Chandrayaan 3
Why in news - Chandrayaan rover detected sulfur, other elements on Moon.
Key Points –
• Other elements detected - Aluminum (Al), Sulphur (S), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Titanium (Ti), Manganese (Mn), Silicon (Si), and Oxygen (O).
• Direct evidence of Sulphur was not available yet.
• It was detected by a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument.
• LIBS uses a high-energy pulsar to generate plasma from rocks or soil.
• In plasma state, elements emit characteristic wavelengths of radiation that can then be used to identify these elements.
2. SeamlessM4T
Why in news – Meta has launched an AI model, SeamlessM4T.
Key Points –
• It can translate and transcribe up to 100 languages across text and speech.
• It allows researchers and developers to build on it.
• In 2022, Meta has released its text-to-text machine translation model, No Language Left Behind (NLLB).
REPORTS & INDICES:
1. 6th Census Report On Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes
Why in news – Ministry of Jal Shakti Releases the 6th Census Report On Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes.
Key Points –
• Total (MI) schemes - 23.14 million. Ground Water (GW) schemes - 21.93 million (94.8%). Surface Water (SW) schemes - 1.21 million (5.2%).
• Maximum MI schemes - Uttar Pradesh (1st), Maharashtra (2nd), Madhya Pradesh (3rd).
• The 6th minor irrigation census with reference year 2017-18 was completed in 32 States/ UTs.
• It was conducted under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census”.
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. 26th National Award for e-Governance (NCeG) 2023
Why in news – SVAMITVA scheme of M/o Panchayati Raj was conferred the National Award for e-Governance 2023 (Gold).
Key Points –
• Category - for Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services.
• NCeG was organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• NCeG theme - Viksit Bharat, Empowering Citizens.
• SVAMITVA Scheme - Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas.
• SVAMITVA provides ownership to property owners in the village-inhabited area by using the latest drone and GIS technology.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. National Small Industry Day 2023
Why in news – It is celebrated on August 30.
Key Points –
• On August 30, 2000, government unveiled a policy package to bolster small-scale industry.
• Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act came in 2006.
• World MSME Day - June 27.
APPOINTMENTS:
1. Iga Swiatek
Why in news – Infosys appointed Iga Swiatek as its global brand ambassador.
Key Points –
• Women's tennis world number 1 Iga Swiatek (Poland) is a four-time Grand Slam Champion.
• Earlier, Infosys appointed Rafael Nadal as its ambassador for the brand and Infosys' Digital Innovation.
2. Dr Sonali Ghosh
Why in news – Dr. Sonali Ghosh has been appointed as the first woman field director of Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
Key Points –
• In 1950, KNP was declared as a wildlife sanctuary and upgraded to a national park in February 1974.
• UNESCO declared KNP as a World Heritage Site in December 1985.
BIHAR:
1. 6th Census Report On Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes
Why in news – Ministry of Jal Shakti Releases the 6th Census Report On Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes.
Key Points –
• Bihar has 7,00,635 MI schemes.
• Ground Water (GW) schemes - 6,91,231 (98.7%).
• Surface Water (SW) schemes - 9,404 (1.3%).
• There has been an increase to the tune of 7.8% in the 6th MI census (5th MI census - 6,49,992).
2. Nalanda Open University (NOU)
Why in news – Hon’ CM Nitish Kumar inaugurated newly constructed NOU building on August 29, 2023.
Key Points –
• It was started in 1987 from a makeshift campus at Patna.
• It was constructed by the Bihar Educational Infrastructure Development Corporation.
• NOU is the only university in the state providing higher education through distance mode.
3. Celebratory Gunfire
Why in news – The Inspector General (IG) of Tirhut region issued stern directives to curb such activities.
Key Points –
• He recommended the cancellation of licenses for those engaged in celebratory firing.
• Celebratory gunfire which can endanger the personal safety of others is covered by the Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019.
• This Act prohibits the discharge of firearms in a public place without a valid reason.
4. International Science Olympiad (ISO)
Why in news – Patna boy Saharsh has secured 2nd position among the 3 global champions of ISO.
Key Points –
• Saharsh secured 299 marks out of 300 (99.67%) at the ISO competition.
• He is a Class X student of Don Bosco Academy, Patna.
• Top 3 - Katherine (1st, USA), Saharsh (2nd, India) and Schwak K (3rd, China).
• ISO was organised by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.
POINTERS:
• In which city the temple museum will be constructed by the state government of Uttar Pradesh – Ayodhya.
• President Draupadi Murmu has released a postal stamp in whose memory - Dadi Prakashmani (former chief of Brahma Kumaris).
• Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has tied up with whom to explore business opportunities in the civil aviation sector - Haveus Aerotech India.
• By what name has the Government of India launched the 'Invoice incentive Scheme' - Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar.
• Which has become the first city in India to have 100 percent sewerage facilities by May 2023 – Hyderabad.
• Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in which country – Mauritius.
• Who has won the Spanish Grand Prix 2023 - Max Verstappen.
• In which state/UT, ‘Operation Kavach’ has been launched to crack down on drug menace – New Delhi.
• Who will provide a loan Rs. 4,527.68 crore to Damodar Valley Corporation to set up 1,320 MW thermal power project at Raghunathpur in West Bengal - REC Limited.
• Aditya-L1, first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun, will be launched on which date - September 2.