Daily GK Updates - 21st August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sports should be made a Fundamental Right : The Supreme Court issued a notice to Centre, state governments and Union Territories on a PIL seeking directions to make sports a part of the Fundamental Rights.The PIL said that sports should be included among academics.There should be a compulsory provision for sports in the school budget which should be utilised for sports activity only.

2. NGT constitutes ‘independent body’ : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted an “independent body” to decide Vedanta Limited’s plea challenging the Tamil Nadu government’s order to close the Sterlite copper plant at Thoothukudi.NGT Chairperson directed the committee to assume charge in two weeks and submit a report within six weeks.The committee will be headed by a retired judge.

3. September to be observed as Nutrition Month :  September will be observed as Nutrition Month with the aim of reaching every household with the message of nutrition — ‘har ghar poshan tyohar’.The month-long intensive campaign will promote antenatal care, breastfeeding, fight anemia, convey messages about the importance of nutrition for girls and the right age of marriage and also promote hygiene and sanitation.

4. TP Sharma appointed as New chief of Lokayukta : Retired judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court TP Sharma was appointed the new chief Lokayukta of the Chattisgarh.Sharma will head the Chhattisgarh Lok Ayog, set up to deal with corruption cases against public servants.Sharma, the state’s fourth chief Lokayukta, will succeed Justice (retired) Shambhu Nath Shrivastava, who was appointed to the post on August 14, 2013.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Iran unveils first domestic fighter jet : Iran unveiled its first domestic fighter jet at a defence show in Tehran.The fighter jet called Kowsar is capable of carrying various weapons and will be used for short aerial support missions.It is a fourth-generation fighter, with “advanced avionics” and multi-purpose radar.The new fighter jet has passed all tests.

2. First-ever IAF-RMAF joint air exercise : The first-ever joint air exercise involving the Indian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Air Force commenced on 20th August 2018 at Subang Air Base in Malaysia.The exercise in Malaysia will be called Exercise Elang Shakti.The IAF contingent landed at the Subang Air Base in Malaysia comprises of C-17, C-130 and Su-30 aircraft.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Paytm launches AI Cloud for India :  One97 Communications Limited has partnered Alibaba to launch artificial intellingence-based cloud computing platform ‘Paytm AI Cloud for India’ for developers, startups and enterprises.The company said Paytm AI Cloud processes and stores all their consumer data locally in servers located only in India.The platform offers business-centric apps for organisations.

DEFENCE:

1. INS Khanjar visits Yangon, Myanmar : INS Khanjar a Missile Corvette of Indian Navy was on a three-day visit to Yangon, Myanmar from August 18-20.INS Khanjar (P-47) is a Khukri-class Missile Corvette and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 22 October, 1991.INS Khanjar is part of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam.

SPORTS:

1. Sanjeev Rajput wins silver in Rifle shooting : Indian shooter Sanjeev Rajput clinched a silver medal in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the 18th Asian Games on 21st August, 2018.China won the gold medal with a score of 453.3 while Japan bagged the bronze medal with 441.4.Rajput had won the gold medal at the 50m rifle 3 positions in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018.

2. Saurabh Chaudhary wins 10m air pistol gold : Saurabh Chaudhary won the gold medal in pistol shooting at the Asian Games 2018 on 21st August 2018.Saurabh Chaudhary became only the fifth Indian shooter to claim a gold in the Asian Games history.Shooters have won 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze of the 7 medals India has 

3. Vinesh Phogat wins India’s second gold : Vinesh Phogat won a gold medal in wrestling at the Asian Games 2018.This is Vinesh’s second medal at the Asian Games, having picked up the bronze medal at Incheon in 2014.She also became the fifth Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in wrestling, and the first among those to clinch gold.