• National

Government has constituted a 21-member to advice Prime Minister

• The Union Government has constituted a 21-member science and technology council to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi on matters related to science, technology and innovations.
• The council will be headed by K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific adviser to the Union Government.

• International

SAARC Agri Cooperative Business Forum began in Kathmandu

• The First South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Agri Cooperative Business Forum began in Kathmandu on 28 Aug.
• The three-day event will continue till August 30.

• Economy and Business

India and World Bank have signed a $220 million loan agreement

• India and World Bank have signed a $220 million loan agreement and $80 million guarantee agreement for India Energy Efficiency scale-up program.
• Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) will utilize the fund to scale up the deployment of energy-saving measures in residential and public sectors, strengthen the firm’s institutional capacity and enhance its access to commercial financing.

• Sports

Manjit Singh won the gold medal in the men's 800m event

• India’s 28-year-old sprinter Manjit Singh won the gold medal in the men’s 800m event at the 2018 Asian Games, securing the ninth gold for the country.
• Another Indian sprinter Jinson Johnson, who is ranked first in Asia, won the silver at the event.

• Important Days

Major Dhyanchand birthday is celebrated as National sports day

• August 29, the birthday of hockey legend Major Dhyanchand, is celebrated as the National Sports Day.
• Indian government also conducted the function to award the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and other sports awards.

• Important Days

United Nations recognizes the International Day Against Nuclear Tests on 29th August

• United Nations recognizes the International Day Against Nuclear Tests every year on 29 Aug to commemorate the decision by Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev to shut the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan.
• Semipalatinsk was more than just one site: its closing in 1991 was symbolic, amidst the crumbling of the Soviet Union.

• Science and Tech

ISRO recently unveiled the details of the Gaganyaan mission

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) recently unveiled the details of the Gaganyaan mission for manned space flight before 2022.
• The Gaganyaan mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 72nd Independence Day speech.

• States

Rajasthan and the World Bank signed a USD 250 million Development Policy Loan

• The Union Government, Rajasthan and the World Bank signed a USD 250 million Development Policy Loan (DPL) to support Rajasthan in improving the performance of its Electricity Distribution Sector under the State’s ‘24×7 Power for All’ program.
• The loan from the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 3 year grace period and a maturity of 21 years.

• States

Odisha government signed a MoU with an America-based agency

• Odisha government signed a MoU with an America-based agency ‘Malaria No More’ and Indian agency ‘Malaria Elimination Trust’ to make the state malaria-free.
• The two agencies will prepare the roadmap for public awareness and will work with the various organization in the state.

• Miscellaneous

OPV of the Indian Coast Guard has launched at Kattupalli

• An offshore patrol vessel (OPV) of the Indian Coast Guard was launched at Kattupalli 28 km from Chennai.
• This is the second OPV of the seven OPVs commissioned to the L&T shipyard and is expected to be inducted into service in September.

• Miscellaneous

Google has launched the Project Navlekha

• Google has launched the Project Navlekha, which in Sanskrit means “a new way to write”.
• Project Navlekha will empower offline newspapers and magazines in India to bring their content online.