National News Affairs

• TheWomen and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today launched an online portal SHe-box (Sexual Harassment e-box) for the central government’s women employees to file complaints related to workplace sexual harassment.
  • She said the portal would soon cater to women of private companies as well.
• Uttar PradeshPower Minister Shrikant Sharma today launched free power connection schemes for BPL families at 624 places across the state.
• TheMaharashtra government has lifted the ban on the sale of paan masala until a single-member committee decides on the matter.
  • Note: Maharashtra had banned paan masala in 2014.
• According to a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights’ report,Maharashtra and Rajasthan recorded the highest number of cases of child marriage.
• TheLucknow Metro will become India’s first to have its own FM radio station, which will provide entertainment and information on metro safety.
• Delhigovernment has announced plans to launch a mobile application which will allow people to check the status of government projects on a single platform.
  • The move is aimed at bringing all relevant information about the implementation of schemes and policies in the public domain.

MOUs & Agreements

• Iranand US-backed Iraq today signed an agreement to boost military cooperation.
  • This agreement covers border security, logistics, and training, among other provisions aimed at fighting terrorism and extremism.

New Appointments

• ActorAmitabh Bachchan‘s role as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador has been extended for two more years.
  • He will now be working on spreading awareness regarding vaccination for MR (measles and rubella) infections for children.

Banking, Business & Economic Affairs

• TheReserve Bank of India (RBI) has floated a tender for leasing 12 currency verification systems to help isolate fake currency from deposited demonetised notes.
• Maharashtragovernment today approved bank guarantees and loan-related sanctions for four Mumbai Metro projects. T
  • hey approved bank guarantee forMetro 4 and issued Debt Sustainability Certificate (DSC) for Metro 2A, Metro 2B and Metro 7 
    • This will help formalise the loan agreements with Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank which are funding the projects.

Obituary

• Former chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),Udupi Ramachandra Rao (85) passed away.
  • He served as ISRO’s chief from 1984 to 1994 and is widely known as theman behind India’s first satellite Aryabhatta.
  • He was awarded India’s second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan by the government in 2017.

Science & Technology

• Microsoft has announced its long-standing basic graphics editing program ‘MS Paint’ will no longer be availablewith the next Windows 10 update called the Autumn Creators Update.
  • The MS Paint program was first released with the very first version of Windows 1.0 in 1985.
• ‘Yara Birkeland‘, theworld’s first ever self-driving ship worth ₹162 crore will set sail along a 60 km route in southern Norway without any crew member in 2018.

Current Sports Affairs

• Indian shuttlerHS Prannoy won the US Open Grand Prix Gold tournament after defeating Parupalli Kashyap in an all-India final today.
• British cyclistChris Froome won his third consecutive and fourth overall Tour de France, finishing the race in 86 hours 20 minutes 55 seconds in Paris today.
• World youth boxing championSachin Siwach clinched a Gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas.  .
• The Indian contingent at theWorld Para Athletics Championship ended its campaign with five medals (1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze)
• England’s women’s cricket teamdefeated India by 9 runs at Lord’s Cricket Ground to clinch their fourth World Cup title.
  • Note: This was India’s second appearance in the Women’s World Cup final, having lost to Australia in the 2005 edition.