The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) in coordination with National Investigation Agency (NIA) is organizing the 1st National Conference of Investigation Agencies on 12-13th August, 2016, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The conference has originated from the mandate of the BPR&D and the recommendations of Directors General of Police (DGPs)/Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) conferences which stipulated “To organize the All India Conference of Police and Law Enforcement officers engaged in investigation tasks”. 
•    The conference envisages to provide an annual national platform to all the officers of law enforcement agencies engaged in investigation tasks with the objective to discuss the latest laws and judgments and their implications for investigation and prosecution and to deliberate on new legislation/ criminal law amendments and systematic changes for meeting new challenges in investigation. The conference also envisages about adoption of latest technology in forensic sciences for expeditious and professional investigation and to share best practices followed by different investigation agencies which could be implemented by others. 
•    The deliberations of the conference are expected to help in improving the quality of investigation which has been a long felt demand of public. The conference offers sessions by investigation experts of national repute on themes of Combating Economic and Organized crime, Digital and Technology driven crime, Terrorist Crime Investigation, Legal issue relating to Investigation and Ideas from States: Sharing good practices. 
•    These sessions would provide exposure to the investigator about the role and function of Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and its coordination with investigation agency, Indian Drug Enforcement Regime and Role of investigation agency, co-ordination between Enforcement Directorate (ED) and investigation agencies, issues related to use of social media by terrorists and strategies to counter them and investigation of terrorist crimes. The sessions are also expected to cover combating cyber crime: strategic responses and international experience, use of technology to improve investigation, need for fresh legislation and amendments required in existing laws to facilitate investigation and database and crime investigation. 
•    There will be sessions on show-casing the best practices in investigation being followed in various States/UTs and investigation agencies. Leading experts and practitioners in these areas would present their views. 
•    The DGs of States/UTs, Central Police Organisations (CPOs) and the Heads of Crime Branches/ATS/Economic Offences Wing(EOW)/STF of States/UTs and other investigative agencies will participate in the Conference. Superintendents of Police and other investigators too shall participate.
 

The Union Government on 12 August 2016 constituted the National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF).
•    The committee seeks to develop the pan-India road map for trade facilitation as per the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
•    Earlier, on 22 April 2016, India ratified the TFA which is an outcome of the Bali Package 2013 or Ninth Ministerial Conference of the WTO.
•    It is an inter-ministerial body on trade facilitation.
•    It will act as a national level body that will facilitate domestic co-ordination and implementation of TFA provisions.
•    It will play lead role in developing the pan-India road map for trade facilitation.
•    It will synergise the various trade facilitation perspectives across the country.
•    The focus will be on outreach programmes for sensitization of stakeholders about it.
•    The committee will also be responsible for identifying the nature of required legislative changes and spearheading the diagnostic tools needed for assessing compliance to TFA.
•    It will have a 3-tier structure with main national committee for monitoring implementation of TFA.
•    At the apex level, it will be headed by the Union Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha.
 

Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) on 10 August 2016 inaugurated the Nickel, Copper and Acid Recovery Plant of Hindustan Copper Limited at Indian Copper Complex, Ghatsila in Jharkhand.
•    This is the first facility in India to produce Nickel metal of LME grade from primary resource.
•    This project will utilize an eco-friendly technology and will check pollution by eliminating the use of lead.
•    It will have reduced liquid effluent, generate 75 percent less solid waste, utilize less energy, provide safe working environment and utilize and conserve natural resources.
•    At present the capacity of the plant is 50 MT per annum, considering the current production rate from the Surda mines.
•    The Nickel output is expected to increase by eight times after the completion of mine expansion projects located at Ghatsila.
•    The annual demand for pure Nickel in India is around 45000 MT and its market in the country is totally dependent on import.
•    Interestingly, the process consumes around 30 MT LME-A grade Copper starter sheet per annum.
•    The proposed project will replace the age-old process of liberator cell operation with EMEW & APU technology in the Refinery.
 

The Union Bank of India (UBI) on 12 August 2016 launched an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) based *99# Mobile Application for their customers for basic banking needs.
•    It was launched in partnership with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation for all retail payments system in the country. 
•    It can be downloaded in an android smartphone from the Google Play Store by the bank customers. 
•    It can be used even without any internet connection as it does not require any data and is available in 10 languages. 
•    It provides basic banking facilities like checking account balance, sending money, Mobile PIN (MPIN) management. 
•    Besides, it provides value added services like checking Aadhaar linked overdraft status and PMJDY account overdraft status. 
•    USSD is a GSM based technology used to send text between a mobile phone and an application program in the network. 
•    It is a protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to communicate with the service provider’s computers. 
 

China on 16 August 2016 launched the world's first quantum satellite named Quantum Experiments at Space Scaler (QUESS) satellite. 
•    The satellite was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the remote northwestern province of Gansu.
•    The satellite will help establish hack-proof communications between space and the ground.
•    It is nicknamed Micius, after a 5th century BC Chinese philosopher and scientist who has been credited as the first one in human history conducting optical experiments.
•    It is designed to establish hack-proof quantum communications by transmitting uncrackable keys from space to the ground.
•    It will enable secure communications between Beijing and Urumqi, the capital of China's violence-prone far western region of Xinjiang.
•    It will circle the Earth once every 90 minutes after it enters a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 km.
 

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is Europe’s largest annual meeting of hot air balloons, attracting over 150 Hot Air Balloons from across the globe. 
The Fiesta truly is a sight that can only be seen in Bristol. 
•    Held over four days in August at Ashton Court Estate, the event is completely free with charges.
•    Alongside the fantastic site of hot air balloons filling the skies, it has a large number of great trade stands, fairground rides and entertainment.
•    The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is held annually England. 
•    Teams from the UK and other parts of the world bring their hot air balloons to the site and participate in mass ascents where as many as 100 balloons may launch at a time.
•    The event was first held in 1979 and is now one of the largest in Europe. 
•    It takes place in a large country estate Ashton Court. 
•    One popular attraction is the night glow, when balloons are inflated and glow to music after dark.
 

Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet on 15 August 2016 clinched gold in women’s 3000 metres steeplechase. It is Bahrain’s first ever Olympic gold medal.
•    Jebet won the race in the second-quickest time in history. 
•    She clocked a time of eight minutes 59.75 seconds, narrowly outside of Russian Gulnara Samitova-Galkina's world record of 08:58.16.
•    Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi grabbed the silver in the event. American Emma Coburn won the bronze.
•    Born on 17 November 1996, Ruth Jebet is a long-distance runner and steeplechase specialist.
•    In April 2013, she won the 3000 metres and the 5000 metres at the Kenyan high school championships.
•    She came second in the 3000 metres steeplechase to Moroccan Olympian Salima El Ouali Alami at the 2013 Arab Athletics Championships. 
•    Her time of 9:52.47 minutes was a Bahraini national record for the event.
•    In 2013 Asian Athletics Championships, she defeated Sudha Singh by more than fifteen seconds and her time of 9:40.84 minutes was a new championship record.
•    In 2014, she won the World Junior Championship ahead of two other Kenyan girls.
 

Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has said that a new beginning has been made with the foundation laying of STP in Mathura which will provide treated water for industrial use. 
•    Laying the foundation of 20 MLD STP in Vrindavan today the Minister informed that the STP will be built at a cost of Rs. 40 crore. 
•    A nine kilometer pipeline from Laxmi nagar to Gokul barrage will carry the treated water to Mathura refinery. 
•    An MoU was also signed to this effect between National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). 
•    Sushri Bharti said that with the adoption of hybrid annuity mode by NMCG the complexion of Yamuna will change completely in Mathura-Vrindavan by the year 2018. 
•    The Minister said that with the use of pressure technology in irrigation we would be able to save about 60 percent water of Ganga and Yamuna which will help to maintain good e-flow of water in these rivers. 
•    Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan also addressed the gathering. 
•    Ujjwala LPG connections were also distributed to 300 women on the occasion.