Daily Current Affairs, 31st August 2018

1) ICAR Organizes 2-Day Conference On Motivating & Attracting Youth In Agriculture

•In order to meet the challenge of providing sustainable livelihoods for a rapidly growing population and to motivate and attract youth in agriculture, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), inaugurated a two-day conference at NASC, New Delhi on Motivating and Attracting Youth in Agriculture (MAYA). 

•The two-day conference provides an opportunity to all stakeholders to interact and discuss various options and avenues for not only attracting youth to agriculture but even motivating them towards entrepreneurship in agriculture and allied fields. 

2) Indian Railways And GAIL Sign MoU For Use Of Natural Gas In Railway Workshops

•In order to replace Industrial gases like Dissolved Acetylene, LPG, BMCG and Furnace Oil / High Speed Diesel (HSD) oil with environment friendly Natural Gas, Indian Railways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s GAIL (India) Limited, to provide infrastructure facilities for supply of Natural Gas to Indian Railways Workshops, Production Units and Depots at Rail Bhavan.

•This MoU is a broad-based, in principle agreement, between GAIL and Indian Railways for the creation of infrastructure and supply of CNG/LNG/PNG for both industrial and domestic purposes.

3) 6th RCEP Ministerial Meeting Begins In Singapore

•Union Minister of Commerce& Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, is leading the Indian delegation for the 6th RCEP Trade Ministers’ Meeting which has begun in Singapore. 

•The Minister will participate in the meeting consisting of 10 ASEAN countries and six ASEAN FTA partners namely, India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. 

4) Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri Reaches Australia For Exercise KAKADU 2018

•INS Sahyadri entered the Port of Darwin, Australia to participate in Exercise KAKADU 2018. Exercise KAKADU, which started in 1993, is the premier multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

•The exercise is held biennially in Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA). Exercise KAKADU derives its name from Kakadu National Park, which is a protected area in the northern territory of Australia. KAKADU 2018, the 14th edition of the exercise, would see participation from 23 warships, one submarine, 45 aircraft, 250 marines and approx 52 foreign staff from over 25 different countries.

5) India And ADB Sign $346 Million Loan To Improve State Highways In Karnataka

•The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of lndia signed a $346 million loan to finance improvement of over 400 kilometers of state highways that will enhance connectivity and access to economic centers across 12 districts in Karnataka. 

•An ongoing road improvement project financed by ADB with a loan of $315 million is under implementation, which involves upgradation of about 615 kilometres of state roads. 

6) Asian Games 2018: Women’s 4x400m Relay Team Wins Gold

•India won gold in the women's 4X400 metre event. The Indian quartet of Hima Das, Raju Poovamma, Saritaben Laxmanbhai Gayakwad and Vismaya Koroth registered a time of 3 minutes and 28.72 seconds to finish at the top of the podium. India clinched the silver medal in the men's 4X400 metre event. 

7) Asian Games 2018: Jinson Johnson Wins Gold In Men’s 1500m Event

•India’s Jinson Johnson claimed the gold medal in the men’s 1500m event in the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Manjit Singh, 800m champion, however, finished fourth. 

•Johnson clocked 3:44.72 sec to claim the top honours ahead of Iran’s Amir Moradi, who turned in a timing of 3:45.62sec, his season’s best effort. Johnson earlier won a silver in the 800m event.