ANDHRA PRADESH
- India’s Andhra Pradesh investigates planting of Monsanto’s unapproved GM cotton
- One of India’s biggest cotton-growing states has formed a panel to investigate how 15 percent of the state’s cotton acreage has been planted with a non-approved genetically modified strain developed by Monsanto and may bring criminal charges.
- Monsanto last year withdrew its application seeking approval for Bollgard II RRFfollowing a dispute with the government that cut the royalty the company received for licensing out the technology to local seed firms.
- The withdrawal was seen as a major escalation in a long-running dispute between the Indian government and Monsanto, which is also locked in a legal battle with some local seed companies over intellectual property rights.
INTERNATIONAL
· Facebook launches food delivery service in US
- Facebook launched a service in the United States, through which users can order food and get it delivered by using Facebook’s app or website.
- The feature allows users to browse nearby restaurants by visiting the ‘Order Food’ section on Facebook’s ‘Explore’ menu.
- The social media giant has partnered with food ordering services like comfor the same.
- Restaurant partners include Chipotle, Five Guys, Papa John’s and Jack in the Box.
· Vanuatu became the First Nation to accept bitcoin as Payment for its Citizenship Program
- Vanuatu, a South Pacific archipelago, has become the first nation to accept Bitcoins as payment for its ‘investment citizenship’ program.
- A family of up to four can receive Vanuatu passports by paying the Bitcoin equivalent of $280,000 (₹1.8 crore).
- Vanuatu citizenship allows individuals to reside on the island, and travel to over 100 countrieswithout a visa.
- World Students’ Day: 15 October
- World Students’ Day is celebrated on 15 October every year on the occasion of birth anniversary of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
- The most loved President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam was a scientist who made India proud with his missile defense programme.
- But his favourite job was teaching and that’s how he wanted the world to remember him.
- Due to his love for students and focus on promoting education, the United Nations declared his birthday (October 15) as ‘World Student’s Day’ in 2010.
NATIONAL
· Worlds largest combustion research centre inaugurated at IIT Madras
- The world’s largest combustion research centre which will impart a major boost to the Indian scientific community was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras.
- TheNational Centre for Combustion Research and Development(NCCRD) was inaugurated by NITI Aayog member V K Saraswat in the presence of Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology.
- NCCRD’s research interests will cover automotive, thermal power and aerospace propulsion, besides fire research and microgravity combustion to minor extent.
· PM Modi announces Rs. 10,000 crore for 20 best varsities in India, to make them world class
- At the centenary celebrations ofPatna University (PU), India’s seventh oldest varsity, PM Narendra Modi said that the government has decided to allot ₹10,000 crore and autonomy to 10 public and 10 private universities over the next five years, to make them world-class.
- The universities will not be selected by the prime minister or a chief minister or any other political figure. Their potential will be assessed by a third party agency.
· Graduate Muslim Girls to get Rs 51,000 Shaadi Shagun from Modi Government
- Meritorious Muslim girls who go on to complete graduation before marriage will get a special gift of 51,000from the Narendra Modi government.
- The shaadi shagun – as the scheme is called- is aimed at incentivising higher educationamong minority groups.
· Rajasthan Assembly becomes first in India to call attention and adjournment motions online.
- Going digital, the Rajasthan assembly has become the first in India to call attention and adjournment motions and proposals online from legislators to send them to the state government.
- Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Kailash Meghwalinaugurated the new system.
- The system is expected to save time, labour and use of paper in the functioning of the assembly, and also help legislators in bringing attention to urgent public issues.
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