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.

Air India company airlines govt plans to transfer Non-Core Assets to Special Purpose Vehicle.

NOTA – None of The Above. On August 21,2018 None of The Above (NOTA) option will not be available for elected MPs and MLAs voting in the coming Rajya Sabha elections, with the Supreme Court canceling an Election Commission notification which had provided such option in Upper House. A Bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra held that the NOTA option is meant only for the universal right of voting and direct elections and not polls held in the Rajya Sabha. The Bench had reserved for judgment on a petition filed in 2017 by Gujarat Congress leader Shailesh Manubhai Parmar to do away with the ‘NOTA’ option in Rajya Sabha elections.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh will organize a three day Krishi Kumbh International Conference and Exhibition in Lucknow in October 2018. It aims at providing a platform to farmers, technical experts, and entrepreneurs for the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of the agriculture sector.

Since the floods began in Kerala, UAE offering Kerala Rs. 700 Crore to help Kerala.

Saudi Arabia successfully tested nap-pods. The nap-pods will be provided free of cost. It aims at providing a place to rest for the pilgrims who cannot afford to book hotels on site during hajj.

HELINA is the name of the missile which is tested by India recently.

Qatar announced Financial aid of Rs. 34.89 crore for flood-hit Kerala, to help provide shelter to those who lost their homes as a result of the humanitarian crisis.

The Popular ‘8888 uprising’ is related to People’s Pro-Democracy Movement of Myanmar. It was started by the Students on 8th August 1988 (8-8-88). This was done against the Military rule in Myanmar and is also a Pro-Democracy Movement.

A Joint cycling cum Trekking expenditure of Indian Army and Royal Bhutan Army was conducted to commemorate ‘Fifty years of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between India and Bhutan’. It began on 31st July 2017 from Haa Dzong in Bhutan and was Flagged-in at Thimpu on 7th August 2018. 17 Personnel from both the armies participated in it covering 384 kms of distance.

Delhi government’s additional director of health S.K. Arora has been awarded the WHO World No Tobacco Day 2018 Award for his remarkable contribution towards tobacco control. Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has reduced by 6.5% in the last 6 years. This is more than the rest of India average figures. National Health Policy 2017 has fixed targets of a relative reduction in tobacco prevalence by 15% by 2020 and 30% by 2025. These targets have already been achieved by Delhi before 2017.

On 20th August 2018, the Ifo institute said that Germany’s current account surplus will remain the world’s largest in 2018, in spite of increased trade tensions. Current account surplus measures the flow of goods, services, and investments. Germany’s current account surplus will remain the world’s largest for the third year in 2018 at $299 billion. It is followed by Japan in the second position with $200 billion. The Netherlands would be third with a current account surplus of around 110 billion dollars.

On 20th August 2018, 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. He will take up this new assignment soon.

PFRDA – Pension Fund and Regulatory Development Authority
On August 19, 2018, Pension fund regulator, Pension Fund and Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA), set a standing committee to suggest steps to deal with cyber security challenges. The focus area of the committee is on ‘Information Systems and Technology and Cyber Security’. It would suggest ways to integrate the technology of PFRDA with the best in industry to protect the subscribers.