Daily Current Affairs, 31st July 2018

1) 1st Nepal-India Think Tank Summit Begins In Kathmandu

•The first Nepal-India Think Tank Summit has begun in Kathmandu to foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the think tanks of the two countries. The summit is being jointly organized by the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs and Nehru Memorial Museum Library. 

•Former Prime Minister of Nepal and Co-chairman of ruling Communist Party of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda inaugurated the summit. The main objective of the summit is to strengthen bilateral relations between India and Nepal through multi-faceted collaboration among think-tanks in both the countries. 

4 Sessions-4 Themes:

•1st session- Building innovative cooperation between Indo-Nepal think tanks, 
•2nd session- Bolstering bilateral economic ties for the shared prosperity, 
•3rd session- Managing security dilemma, 
•4th session- Redefining Nepal-India relations in 21st century. 

2) Chhattisgarh CM Launch Mobile Distribution Scheme 'Mobile Tihar'

•Actress Kangana Ranaut and Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh launched a smartphone distribution scheme called 'Mobile Tihar' under Sanchar Kranti Yojna. 

•The scheme includes distribution of smartphones to 45 lakh women and 5 lakh children, and setting up of 556 new mobile towers. The Chhattisgarh government is working towards improving network connectivity and empowering youth with smartphones. 

3) US Elevated India’s Status To STA-1 To Ease Export Controls For High-Tech Product Sales

•The United States has eased export controls for high-technology product sales to India by elevating its status to a Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) country. The information was shared by US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. 

•With the move, the United States has granted India the same access as NATO allies, Australia, Japan and South Korea. 

4) Scientists Discover New Shape 'Scutoid' From Human Cells

•American and Spanish Scientists have discovered a new shape called 'scutoid' while studying nature’s way of moulding tissue to form the skin, cavity linings and the building blocks of organs. The shape has five sides on one end and six on the other and a triangular surface on one of its longer edges. 

•Scientists have referred to it as a twisted prism kind of shape that allows the tissue to mould around organs. Epithelial tissue, one of the four kinds of tissue that forms the human body, is composed of epithelial cells packed together in a particular formation that has been given a nifty name: scutoid. 

5) Renu Satti Quits As Paytm Payments Bank CEO

•Paytm Payments Bank CEO Renu Satti has resigned from the role and will now head Paytm's new retail initiative. Paytm will look for a replacement for Satti, who had taken over the CEO role last year. 

•In the past, Satti has built businesses ground up that include market place, movie ticketing and most recently Paytm Payments Bank. 

6) 3rd BRICS Film Festival Concluded: Complete List Of Indian Winners

•The 3rd BRICS Film Festival took place in Durban, South Africa, along with the International Durban Film Festival (DIFF). The last day of the festival (27th July) was celebrated as India Country Day, followed by Awards and Closing Ceremony. The film festival is aimed at celebrating world-class film productions from the BRICS nations with the objective of inspiring more collaboration from these nations. 

•Awards won by Indian films in the 3rd BRICS Film Festival, Durban, South Africa: 
1. Best Actress: Bhanita Das, Village Rockstars,
2. Best Film: Newton by Amit Masurkar,
3. Special Jury Award: Village Rockstars by Rima Das.

•The festival screened four Indian Films in the following category: 
(a) Films in Competition Section:
•Newton by Amit Masurkar,
•Village Rock Stars by Rima Das.

(b) Films in Non-competition Section:
•Sinjar by Sandeep Pampally,
•Bhanayakam by Jayaraj.