1. INS Khanderi to be commissioned into the Indian Navy

• India’s 2nd Scorpene-class submarine, INS Khanderi will be commissioned into the Indian Navy by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• The conventional diesel-electric submarine has been manufactured by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai.
• The first Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned into the Indian Navy in December 2017.

Foot Notes:
Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

2. Haryana CM launches two insurance schemes for traders

• The State Government of Haryana launched two insurance schemes for registered small and medium traders. The schemes are Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana and Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema Yojana.
• The insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh would be provided under the Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana. The insurance cover ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh would be provided under the Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema Yojana.
• The traders registered under the Haryana Goods and Service Tax (HGST) Act 2017 would be covered under these schemes.The premium of people under both schemes would be paid by the State government.

Foot Notes:
About Haryana
1. Capital: Chandigarh
2 .Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya
3 .Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar

3. SL’s new luxury train Pulathisi Express by Indian railways ‘make in india’ product flagged off

• The new luxurious train of Sri Lanka(SL), Pulathisi Express which was produced under the ‘Make in India’ project of the Indian Railways was launched.
• The president of SL Shri Maithripala Sirisena flagged off the new train from Fort railway station in Colombo to Polonnaruwa, North central province of SL.
• The train was supplied under Line of Credit (LoC) by  Rail India Technical and Economic Service(RITES) ltd and was manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.

Foot Notes:
About Sri Lanka
1. Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
2. Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
3. Prime Minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe

4. Navdeep Singh Suri honoured with First Class Order of Zayed II

• Navdeep Singh Suri, India’s envoy to United Arab Emirates, has been honoured with the First Class Order of Zayed II award.
• He was awarded by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations and co-operation between India and UAE during his tenure.

Foot Notes:
About UAE
1. Prime Minister: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
2. Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham
3. Capital: Abu Dhabi

5. Water found on a potentially life-friendly alien planet

• Water has been found by scientists in the atmosphere of a potentially habitable super-Earth. The exoplanet, named K2-18b, is twice the size and eight times the mass of Earth. K2-18b is the first planet outside the solar system in the habitable zone of its star.
• The discovery was published in a paper in a scientific journal, Nature Astronomy by researchers from University College London (UCL).
• The paper revealed that scientists studied the atmosphere of K2-18b, a distant super-Earth and for the first time discovered water vapor in its atmosphere and temperature that could potentially support life.

6. Thailand 1st in Asia to roll out plain cigarette packaging

• Thailand became the first Asian nation to unveil plain cigarette packaging to reduce the appeal of smoking and complied with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines.
• In 2012, Australia became the first country to require tobacco products to be sold without colourful brand logos.

About Thailand
1. Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha
2. Capital: Bangkok
3 .Currency: Baht

7. Army Exercise Maitree-2019 to further bolster India and Thailand Military ties

• India and Thailand will conduct the Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 from 16-29 September 2019 at Foreign Training Node, Umroi, Meghalaya. Over 50 soldiers from each Navy will be participating in the exercise.
• Exercise Maitree-2019 from September 16 will be third consecutive military engagement between the two country’s forces within a month demonstrating India's warm ties with Thailand.
• Indian Army is prepared to reach Thailand for Exercise Maitree 2019 next week with the Royal Thailand Army (RTA).

Foot Notes:
About Thailand
Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha
Capital: Bangkok
Currency: Baht

8. Cryodrakon boreas is the largest flying animal of all time

• Scientists have unveiled a newly discovered species of a pterosaur, the largest ever flying animal according to a study conducted by Queen Mary University in London.
• These species come from the Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs. The pterosaur’s name Cryodrakon boreas roughly translates to ‘frozen dragon of the north wind’.
• Cryodrakon boreas is the largest flying animal of all time, With a wingspan of 10 m and weighing 250 kg, researchers reported in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

9. International Day for South - South Cooperation is observed on 12 September

• South-South cooperation is a broad framework where the South Countries have collaborated in various domains including political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains.
• The day celebrates the political, social and economical developments made by regions and countries in the south in recent years.
• South-South Cooperation works towards achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). It aims to boost the progress towards implementing the SDGs. It raises the awareness of the efforts taken by the United Nation to work on technical cooperation among developing countries.

10. DRDO successfully tests indigenous anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM)

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested an indigenously-developed low weight, fire and forget Man-Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM) in the ranges of Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
• This is the third series of successful testing of MPATGM. The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics.
• The test paves the way for the Army to have developed third-generation man-portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile indigenously.

Foot Notes:
About DRDO
1 .DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy
2. Established: 1958
3. Headquarters: New Delhi.