21st August Current Affairs

Sports

Djokovic beats Federer in Cincinnati final

Novak Djokovic defeated  Roger Federer in the finals to win his first title of Cincinnati Masters.

Novak Djokovic won the Wimbledon Championships in July 2018, was the runner-up of the Cincinnati Masters on five occasions.

Novak Djokovic became the first player to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.

Exercise Pitch Black 2018 concludes

Exercise Pitch Black a biennial multi-national warfare exercise was hosted by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from 24 Jul 18 to 18 Aug 18 in Darwin, Australia.

Indian Air Force had earlier participated in the exercise as observers.

With participation of 16 nations and more than 140 aircraft, the 2018 edition was the largest Pitch Black ever conducted by Australia.

India, Thailand military drill concludes

The armies of India and Thailand have concluded their two-week joint exercise ‘Maitree 2018’ in Thailand on 19th August 2018.

Exercise Maitree is an annual event designed to strengthen the partnership between Royal Thai Army and Indian Army.

The exercise commenced on August 6, 2018 in Thailand.

India opens medal count with bronze in Rifle

Apurvi Chandela and Ravi Kumar won the bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on 19th August 2018.

Chinese Taipei won the gold medal while China won the silver medal.

Kumar had earlier won team gold at the 2014 Asian Games and individual bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while Chandela won gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Bajrang Punia won gold in wrestling

Bajrang Punia won the gold medal in the 65 kg freestyle wrestling event at Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on 19th August 2018.

Bajrang Punia beat Japan’s Daichi Takatani.

This is India’s first gold medal of the 2018 Asian Games.

He had won a silver medal in the 61 kg category in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

Deepak Kumar wins silver medal

Deepak Kumar clinched India’s third medal at the Asian Games 2018 by winning the silver medal in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle category in Jakarta on 20th August 2018.

Deepak Kumar had earlier won the bronze medal at the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Mexico in the 10-metre air rifle mixed team event.

China’s Haoran Yang won the gold with an Asian Games.

Rishabh Pant creates history on debut

Rishabh Pant became the fourth Indian wicket-keeper to take five catches on debut.

He achieved this feat on Day 2 of the third Test against England at Trent Bridge.

He also became the third in the world to take five catches in an innings on Test debut.

Besides Rishab, the two other cricketers to achieve this feat are – Australia’s Brian Taber and his compatriot John Maclean.

Science & Technology

Successful test of Smart Anti Airfield Weapon

Indigenously designed and developed guided bombs Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) were successfully flight tested at Chandan range in Rajasthan.

The weapon is capable of destroying a variety of ground targets using precision navigation.

The SAAW is developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and will be used by the Indian Air Force.

Successful flight test of ATGM ‘HELINA’

Indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) HELINA has been successfully tested in the ranges of Pokhran.

The missile is guided by an Infrared Imaging Seeker (IIR) operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode.

It is one of the most advanced Anti-Tank Weapons in the world.

The HELINA missile will be a part of the Army’s weaponry.

India building new fighter jet

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s next indigenous fighter, is expected to make its first flight by 2032.

The aircraft will have a low radar cross-section, making it difficult for the enemy to spot it.

This is India’s only fifth generation aircraft programme.

The AMCA will feature geometric stealth and will initially fly with two GE-414 engines.

First 4D printing for ceramics developed

Scientists have successfully developed the world’s first 4D printing for ceramics, that can be used to create complex, shape-changing objects.

4D printing is conventional 3D printing combined with the additional element of time as the fourth dimension.

The printed objects can re-shape or self-assemble themselves over time with external stimuli, such as mechanical force, temperature.

Awards & Appointments

Gen Dalbir Singh awarded ‘Legion of Merit’

Former Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag has been awarded United States (US) ‘Legion of Merit‘ (LOM).

The award was given to Singh for exceptionally meritorious service as Chief of Army Staff from August 2014 to December 2016.

The LOM is issued to members of the seven uniformed services of the United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign governments.

SS Mundra appointed Independent Director

Subhash Sheoratan Mundra has been appointed as Independent Director on the Board of Indiabulls Housing Finance for a period of three years.

SS Mundra was the Chairman of Bank of Baroda and an Executive Director at Union Bank of India.

SS Mundra was the former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and left the RBI in July 2017.

Important Days

World Mosquito Day observed on 20th August

World Mosquito Day is observed every year on August 20.

World Mosquito Day is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans.

The day intends to raise awareness regarding what all causes malaria and ways to prevent it.

The day is celebrated by The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

National

Panini Language lab inaugurated in Mauritius

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj inaugurated ‘Panini Language Laboratory’ at Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) in Mauritius.

The lab, gifted by the Indian government, will help MGI in teaching Indian languages in Mauritius.

The lab would serve as medium to generate more interest in learning Hindi amongst the youngsters thereby strengthening the language.

PFRDA sets up panel on cyber safety

Pension Fund and Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA) has set up a standing committee to suggest steps to deal with cybersecurity challenges.

The committee on ‘Information Systems and Technology and Cyber Security’ will suggest steps to align PFRDA’s technology with best industry practices.

PFRDA is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament to promote old age income security.

Armyworm spotted in Telangana

The Fall Armyworm, an agricultural pest, has now been reported in the state of Telangana.

The Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is considered deadly as it has caused massive agricultural losses in several countries in Africa.

The worm was first found in Karnataka in the country and later spread to Tamil Nadu.

Ganga stretches in Bengal unfit for bathing

A map published by the Central Pollution Control Board has revealed that water in major stretches of the Ganga in West Bengal is not fit for bathing.

The affected stretches of the Ganga are located in the districts of Howrah, Hooghly, North 

24 Paraganas, Nadia and Murshidabad.

Apart from West Bengal, the water of the Ganga is also unfit for bathing in States such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.