8th August 2018 Current Affairs

Contents

Pacific Endeavor-2018 under MCIP starts in Kathmandu

Pacific Endeavor-2018, a 12-day communication exercise under the Multinational Communications Interoperability Program (MCIP), has been kicked off in Kathmandu.
The basic objective is to develop Communications Operating Procedures so that military forces in the Asia Pacific region can collectively work together in the wake of disasters.
Around 270 personnel from 20 Asia-Pacific Countries will participate in the exercise.
Pacific Endeavor began in 2005.

The nominating committee of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has selected Ajay Data as new council member of Country Code Supporting Organisation (ccNSO).
Ajay Data is the founder and CEO of Data XGen Plus and a global leader in email linguistic services.
He will be the custodian of Asia, Australia and Pacific Islands as a member of ccNSO.
Data has been admitted for a two-year term and will take up the position during the ICANN 63 Meet in Spain in October 2018.

The Indian women’s chess team won the gold medal in the Blitz event at the Asian Nations Cup 2018 held in Iran.
India also won silver and bronze in the Rapid and Classical categories at the event.
This is the first gold medal that India has won at the event since 2014.
The Indian team was made up of Harika Dronavalli, Eesha Karavade, Padmini Rout, Vaishali R and Aakanksha Hagawane.
India finished first with 21.5 points, Vietnam came in second for a silver medal with 18.5 points, and China was third for the bronze with 17.5 points.

Startup India has launched the Startup Academia Alliance programme, which is a unique mentorship opportunity between academic scholars and startups working in similar domains.
The launch is targeted at promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship in the country.
The aim of the programme is to reduce the gap between scientific research and its industrial applications.
This is expected to increase the efficacy of these technologies and widen their impact.

The 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill, which ascribes constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), has received Parliamentary assent.
The bill gives the institution the power to safeguard the rights of the socially and educationally backward classes.
The bill also fulfils a long-pending commitment of the central government to the OBCs.