Major News and Events of 13 August 2015

Social media platform Facebook has said that it has given benefits to Indian app developers worth $20 million since 2014 under its FBStart initiative to help them build as well as monetise their apps. FBStart is an initiative under which Facebook is tying up with developers who would produce apps for their platform or integrate Facebook tools and services in them. Under the programme, the social networking site has already given away benefits worth $50 million in Asia Pacific. Source: IANS

India opener Shikhar Dhawan (134) and skipper Virat Kohli (103) struck fluent centuries as India were bowled out for 375 in the first innings while Sri Lanka struggled at 5/2 in the second innings, trailing by 187 runs at stumps on Day 2 of the first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Earlier, the hosts were bundled out for 183 on Day 1 of the first innings, thanks to an impressive six-wicket haul by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Source: IANS

At least eight people were killed when a state-run roadways bus rolled down a hill in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district, police said. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus was on way from Chamba town to Killar when the accident occurred near Baragarh near Tissa, around 100 km from district headquarters Chamba. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. Source: IANS

Instant messaging platform Hike Messenger has said that it was integrating Hoppr and Tiny Mogul Games (TMG) under its brand. Tiny Mogul Games amassed five million downloads including hit games like Shiva: The Time Bender. According to the company, users can now expect Hike to bring high quality gaming to the platform, with the aim of building Hike into a service that goes beyond simple messaging. Source: IANS

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will arrive in India on 13 August 2015 on a 20-hour visit during which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Zarif, who arrives here from Islamabad in the evening, will call on Modi on Friday morning at 7, Race Course Road. He will later hold a meeting with union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at Transport Bhavan. He will meet Sushma Swaraj at Hyderabad House and later call on Vice President Hamid Ansari. Source: IANS

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring back to India former IPL chief Lalit Modi, who is sought by the Enforcement Directorate."I am asking the PM to bring back Lalit Modi. This is a big opportunity for him (Modi). Let him bring back Lalit Modi and clear all the scam in cricket," Rahul told the media in parliament complex. "I am here to defend this country from the RSS, I am here to defend this country from Narendra Modi," Gandhi said. Source: IANS

The week-long monsoon session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly will begin on 14 August 2015. The session, which will see the government presenting the supplementary budget, is likely to be a stormy one as the opposition - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) - is together against the Samajwadi Party (SP) government.Source: IANS

The Bombay High Court has lifted the ban on Nestle's flagship instant noodle brand Maggi and called for fresh tests within six weeks to again check if it complies with the country's food safety norms. The relief came following a petition filed by Nestle India, challenging the withdrawal and recall order of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The food satefy watchdog had passed its orders on June 5, following which Nestle had withdrawn Maggi from the market. Source: IANS

Steel, power, mining and infrastructure company Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) has announced it posted a net loss of Rs.267.28 crore for the first quarter of 2015-16, a decline of 87.26 percent compared to the same period last year. In a regulatory filing, the company said its total income from operations declined to Rs.3,133.85 crore in the period under review against Rs.3,323.85 crore in the same quarter of 2014-15. Source: IANS

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Rs.1,750 crore for strengthening drug regulatory systems at both central and state levels. Of the amount, an amount of Rs.900 crore will be spent on strengthening central structures and Rs.850 crore will be made available to the state governments, said a cabinet communique. Source: IANS

At least 11 people were injured in a grenade explosion in a mosque compound in Kashmir's Shopian district, an official said. "Eleven people were injured in a grenade explosion when they came out of the Jamia Trenz mosque in Shopian after offering morning prayers."The 'Nimazis' (those who offer daily Muslim prayers) discovered an inverted metallic tumbler in the mosque compound. When one of them tried to turn the tumbler straight, the grenade kept under it exploded," a senior police said. Source: IANS