25th August Current Affairs

India

‘Mountain Echoes Literature Festival’ began

In Bhutan, the ninth edition of Mountain Echoes Literature Festival began in Thimphu.

The festival is an initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation and India’s leading literary agency, Siyahi.

The 2018 edition of the Festival will celebrate 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan.

NITI Aayog launched 5 Thematic Reports

NITI Aayog released five thematic reports on Sustainable Development in Indian Himalayan Region.

The themes include Inventory and Revival of Springs in the Himalayas for Water Security, Sustainable Tourism, Transformative Approach to Shifting Cultivation, Strengthening Skill and Entrepreneurship Landscape in the Himalayas.

The reports lists challenges in all 5 thematic areas.

Vazifdar to head Sterlite plant committee

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a three-member committee to decide Vedanta’s plea challenging closure of its Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin.

The committee will be headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice S J Vazifdar.

The committee will also include representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Science

NASA will launch laser satellite

NASA will be launching a laser satellite that will measure changes in the heights of Earth’s polar ice to understand what is causing ice sheets to melt fast.

The name of the satellite is ‘Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2)‘.

ICESat-2 will measure the average annual elevation change of land ice covering Greenland and Antarctica.

New Li-ion batteries developed

Scientists have developed lithium-ion batteries with components that harden on impact, preventing them from catching fire and causing injuries to users.

Lithium-ion batteries commonly used in consumer electronics.

They burst into flame when damaged or improperly packaged.

To make these batteries safer, some researchers used a non-flammable, solid electrolyte.

Sports

Indian men’s kabaddi team got bronze

The Indian men’s kabaddi team got the bronze medal in the 2018 Asian Games.

India was defeated by Iran.

India had won the men’s kabaddi gold in all the earlier seven Asiad games since the sport was introduced in 1990.

Indian rowing team won gold medal

The Indian rowing team won the gold medal in the Men’s Quadruple Sculls at the ongoing Asian Games in Indonesia.

The Indian rowing team comprised of Sawarn Singh, Dattu Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh.

This was India’s first gold medal in rowing.

Indonesia bagged the silver medal while Thailand won the bronze medal.

Rohit and Bhagwan won bronze in rowing

India bagged two bronze medals in rowing through Rohit Kumar and Bhagwan Singh in lightweight double sculls at the Asian Games 2018.

Japan won the gold medal while Korea bagged the silver medal.

This was India’s 20th medal at the ongoing Games and 12th bronze.

Dushyant won bronze medal in rowing

Dushyant Chauhan won the bronze medal in the Men’s Lightweight Single Sculls at the Asian Games in Jakarta.

Korea and Hong Kong won the gold and silver medals respectively.

Dushyant’s previous international medals for India were silver and a bronze in Italian Regatta Championships in 2014.

Rohan, Divij won gold in men’s doubles tennis

India’s Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan won the gold medal in the men’s doubles tennis event at the ongoing 18th Asian Games 2018.

India’s Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan defeated Kazakhstan’s Aleksandr and Denis to win the gold medal.

This is India’s second tennis medal at the Asian Games in Indonesia after Ankita Raina won bronze medal.

World

Nepal signed agreement with UNDP and UK

Nepal has signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) and the United Kingdom (UK) to implement climate-resilient development projects.

As part of the agreement, the UK will support the UNDP to implement the Nepal Climate Change Support Programme (NCCSP).

NCCSP is the joint project between UNDP and Nepal Government.

Scott Morrison is Australia’s new PM

Scott Morrison will be Australia’s new Prime Minister.

Scott Morrison has served as treasurer since 2015.

Scott Morrison will be the sixth politician to serve as the country’s Prime Minister since 2007 after ousting incumbent Malcolm Turnbull.

Scott Morrison entered parliament in 2007 and has since held three key ministerial portfolios.

Business

India to grow at 7.5% in 2018, 2019

According to the Moody’s Investors Service’s report, the Indian economy is expected to grow by about 7.5% in 2018 and 2019.

The title of the report is ‘Global Macro Outlook‘ for 2018-19.

The economy is expected to be largely resilient to external pressures like those from higher oil prices.

India’s GDP grew by 7.7% in the first quarter of 2018-19 financial year.