Major News and Events of 18 August 2015

Internet giant Google has revealed that the sixth version of its Android operating system (OS) will be called Marshmallow and opened it to app developers for testing. Previously called Project M, the new OS will follow Google's nomenclature rules of naming operating system after sweet treats. Earlier operating systems were named Jelly Bean, KitKat and Lollipop.Source: IANS

Privacy and confidentiality of personal information is under assault by emerging technologies, according to an expert on IT laws. Eben Moglen, of Columbia Law School, founder of the Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC), New York, and a long-standing Free software supporter, says that a combination of the internet, Cloud and mobile devices, with data mining "is emerging as a super machine that will soon know more about people than people themselves". Source: IANS

10 people have been killed at the Sikh shrine Gurudwara Manikaran Sahib in Shimla due to a landslide which resulted in the fall of the boulders on the Gurudwara. According to media reports, some people are believed to be trapped below the boulders which are being removed by the authorities. The rescue operation is underway and devotees, local residents, and government and Gurudwara officials are involved to save the precious lives.

The 2015 Hockey World League (HWL) Final will be held in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur from November 27 to December 6.The event will be held in the 3,000 capacity Raipur International Hockey Stadium which was opened as a dedicated hockey facility in August 2014. The tournament will feature eight teams who qualified through the HWL Semi-Finals in Buenos Aires and Antwerp. They include World No.1 Australia, Netherlands (2), Germany (3), Belgium (4), Great Britain (5), Argentina (6), hosts India (8) and Canada (13). Source: IANS

Chinese handset maker Lenovo, which acquired US handset brand Motorola from Google last year has announced its plans to contract manufacture smartphones in partnership with its global partner Flextronics from its Chennai facility. The company already operates a manufacturing unit out of Puducherry, where it makes all its laptops. Source: IANS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a Rs.1.25 lakh crore Bihar package to "change the face of Bihar". Modi inaugurated a national highway project in Ara town of Bhojpur district and said: "I am announcing a package of Rs.1.25 lakh crore. This package will change the face of Bihar." He said Rs.40,000 crore left from an earlier aid to the state will also be given, taking the total amount of central assistance to Rs.1.65 lakh crore. Source: IANS

President Pranab Mukherjee's wife Suvra Mukherjee has died on 18 August 2015, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. She was 74. "It is informed with deep sorrow that First Lady Suvra Mukherjee passed away this morning (August 18, 2015). She left for her heavenly abode at 10.51 a.m.," said a statement. Source: IANS

A day before Odisha assembly's monsoon session begins, the opposition Congress and the BJP have demanded resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on issues of Sarathi Baba and false implication of former DGP Prakash Mishra.While Congress took out a massive rally and submitted a memorandum to Governor S.C. Jamir, demanding Patnaik's resignation for deteriorating law and order situation and alleged links of ruling Biju Janata Dal leaders with Sarathi Baba, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of false implication of former director general of police Mishra in a vigilance case. Source: IANS

Elections for Rajasthan's 129 civic bodies including the Ajmer Municipal Corporation on 17 August witnessed over 76 percent of the 37.58 lakh voters casting their ballot, an official said.The voting percentage was much higher than the 70.57 percent polling recorded five years ago."Voting, held between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., was more or less peaceful. As per tentative figures, 76.05 percent voting was recorded."Only minor incidents like fights between supporters of political parties and allegations of bogus voting were reported from some places," a state election commission official said. Source: IANS

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex),gained 122.34 points or 0.44 percent during the morning session.The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also gained 30.95 points or 0.37 percent and was trading at 8,508.25 points. The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,949.13 points, was trading at 28,000.61 points (at 9.27 a.m.) in the early session, up 122.34 points or 0.44 percent from the previous day's close at 27,878.27 points. Source: IANS

Pakistan violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked at both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said. A civilian was injured in an overnight ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rangers on the International Border in Jammu district. Subhash Chander, 38, received a bullet injury in his leg in R.S. Pura sector during the night, a senior police officer said. He has been shifted to a hospital in Jammu. Pakistan Rangers targeted Border Security Force outposts with automatics and small arms in Suchetgarh area late Monday. Source: IANS