The Daily Brief – 13th August, 2016

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• The Delhi Government will soon partially lift the ban on retrofitting of CNG kits in cars. According to the Transport Department, retrofitting of CNG kits in new cars will soon be allowed after vehicle manufacturers certify that original kits have been installed in the vehicle.

• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) has bagged the highest number of Medals for Young Scientists, instituted by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), for 2016. The INSA annually honours with medals young scientists who have made notable research contribution in science and technology. About 760 scientists have been recognised so far by the INSA since 1974. A maximum of 30 awards are given each year. Five faculty members of IISc. have been chosen for the honour, for their research in science and technology.
• 165 important Tulu works will be digitised and made available online on a Union government portal soon. They will be uploaded under the Bharatavani project, an initiative of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. The project is about making available “knowledge in and knowledge about” all languages in the country in multimedia formats (text, audio, video and images) through an online portal.
• Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi announced that he was planning to launch a campaign called ‘100 million for 100 million’. The programme will target 100 million youth, whose idealism, energy and enthusiasm would help liberate the 100 million children shackled in slavery and poverty across the world. His new organisation, The Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, has been working for a more comprehensive child rights policy.
• In the aftermath of the missing An-32 transport aircraft, the Indian Air Force has accelerated steps to procure and fit Underwater Locator Beacons (ULB) on all aircrafts, as they are critical for tracking them.The ULBs are located on the flight data recorder of an aircraft and send out a signal over specific frequencies, which can be tracked to locate a missing aircraft.
• The Odisha government has decided to make the Aadhar Card mandatory for procurement of paddy in the state. The government has also decided to link Aadhaar numbers of beneficiaries for availing ration under National Food Security Scheme and work under MG-NREGA.
• The Nagaland Government has decided to grant 33 percent reservation to women in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting held in Kohima.
• Tata Steel is planning to set up a joint venture company in Europe, and is in talks with German industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp AG.
• Top seed Dipika Pallikal has defeated Mayar Hany of Egypt to win the Australian Squash Open. This is Dipika’s first PSA title of the year. She last won the Winnipeg Winter Open in Canada in February 2015.
• Fourth seeds Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna beat Samantha Stosur and John Peers of Australia in the mixed doubles pre-quarterfinals at the Rio Olympics. They will be playing the quarterfinal against Heather Watson and Andy Murray.
• A 3,000-year-old grave found on a Greek mountain could be evidence of a rare case of human sacrifice. The grave of a teen, likely a male, was found a few weeks ago atop Lykaio mountain by a Greek-American team excavating the area since 2004.

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