DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: AUGUST 21, 2018
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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: AUGUST 21, 2018
Daily Current Affairs (August 21, 2018) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness , Static GK and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.
NATIONAL
Northern states to set up joint secretariat to deal with drugs menace
The Northern states have decided to set up a joint secretariat at Panchkula, Haryana for data and information sharing to effectively fight the drug menace.
The decision was taken at a meeting of Chief Ministers of Northern States in Chandigarh, convened to evolve and formulate a joint strategy to fight the malady.
It was also decided that the states would launch a major awareness campaign in their respective schools, while engaging youth in sports and other activities at village levels.
Skill development of youth would also be undertaken on a major scale to prevent the spread of drugs.
FSSAI Constitutes B Sesikeran Committee To Review Food Labelling Standards
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to form a three-member committee to look into the draft food labelling and display regulations.
The expert panel will be headed by B Sesikeran, former director of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and comprises Hemalatha and Dr Nikhil Tandon. The panel will study in detail the concerns of the industry and make recommendations.
The regulations have proposed making red colour-coded labels mandatory on packaged food products which are high in fat, sugar and salt contents.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
FSSAI
Headquarters: New Delhi
Chairman: Ashish Bahuguna
INTERNATIONAL
India, Japan agree to expand maritime co-operation to ensure peace & stability in Indo-Pacific region
India and Japan has resolved to expand their maritime cooperation and work together to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, which is witnessing growing Chinese assertiveness.
In their wide ranging talks, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera also agreed to deepen the overall defence cooperation between the two countries including in areas of co-development of military platforms and weapons.
The two ministers also exchange views on India’s long-pending proposal to procure the US-2 ShinMaywa amphibious aircraft from Japan for its Navy. The two sides also firmed up a project in the area of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) and robotics, marking the start of first such bilateral initiative.
Japan
Capital: Tokyo
Currency: Japanese yen
Sri Lanka: Ten-day festival of historic Esala Maha Perahera begins
In Sri Lanka, the ten-day festival of the historic Esala Maha Perahera began in Kandy.
The procession set off from the biggest Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, Sri Dalada Maligawa.
The Esala Perahera is one of the oldest and grandest of all Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, featuring dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers and lavishly decorated elephants.
It is to commemorate the first teaching given by the Buddha after he attained enlightenment.
Sri Lanka
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
India-Thailand Conclude ‘Maitree’ Military Exercise
The Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army has completed a two-week-long platoon level annual joint military exercise “Maitree”.
It is aimed at strengthening partnership and cooperation between the two countries.
The ‘Exercise Maitree’ commenced on August 6 in Thailand. The exercise last year was conducted in Himachal Pradesh.
Thailand
Capital: Bangkok
Currency: Thai baht
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Gopalkrishna Gandhi conferred with Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award
The Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi was honoured with this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavna Award for promoting communal harmony and peace.
The award was presented on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
He led the foundations for India’s entry into the 21st century with his focus on Information Technology, Telecommunications, and computers.
S K Arora Awarded WHO World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award
The Delhi government’s additional director of health S.K. Arora has been awarded the prestigious WHO World No Tobacco Day 2018 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control.
Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has come down by 6.5% in the past six years, which is more than the rest of India average figures. Delhi has already achieved these targets before 2017.
SPORTS
Teen Cyclist Esow Alben Claimed India’s 1st Ever Medal
Esow Alban won India’s first ever junior cycling World Cup medal when he finished second in the keirin event in Aigle, Switzerland.
Earlier, he had got a silver in the under-14 500m time trial event in the 67th National Cycling Championships in Kerala in 2015.
ASIAN GAMES:
Wrestling: Vinesh Phogat for wins gold medal at Asian Games
Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Asian Games gold after she defeated Japan’s Yuki Irie in the 50 kilogram women’s Freestyle final.
Earlier, Vinesh had won the gold medal in women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling at 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. She had defeated Jessica MacDonald of Canada in the final.
Shooting: Saurabh Chaudhary wins 10m air pistol gold
Saurabh Chaudhary became only the fifth Indian shooter to claim a gold in the Asian Games history in the 10m air pistol.
He defeated 2010 World Champion Tomoyuki Matsuda to clinch the gold.
In the same event Abhishek Verma won the bronze with a score of 219.3 (10m air pistol).
Shooting: Shooter Sanjeev Rajput clinched a silver medal
Sanjeev Rajput clinched a silver medal in men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event.
He was dominated by China’s Hui Zicheng to clinch the medal. Japan’s Matsumoto Takayuki bagged the bronze with 441.4.
OBITUARY
Israeli Journalist And Peace Activist Uri Avnery Passes Away
Uri Avnery, a trailblazing Israeli journalist and peace activist and one of the first to openly advocate for a Palestinian state has passed away.
For decades, he was a symbol of the Israeli peace camp.
Avnery challenged successive Israeli governments in arguing that a Palestinian state was the only way to secure peace for a democratic Israel with a Jewish majority.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Mosquito Day – August 20
The World Mosquito day is observed on August 20.
The day marks the groundbreaking discovery of British doctor, Sir Ronald Ross. In 1897 he had identified the link between mosquitoes and malaria.
National Sadbhavana Day – August 20
Sadbhavana Diwas 2018 (74th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi) will be celebrated all over the India on 20th of August.
The Sadbhavana (means having good feelings for others) Diwas or Harmony Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of the earlier Prime Minister of India named Rajiv Gandhi.
