NATIONAL
UPDATES:
1. National
Sports Awards 2019: Selection
Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 has announced the National Sports
Awards 2019. National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and
reward excellence in sports. The awardees will receive their awards from the
President of India at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Selection Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 was headed by Justice
Mukundakam Sharma, Retired Judge, Supreme Court. Apart from a medal and a
citation, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee will receive a cash prize of Rs. 7.5
lakh. Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand Awardees will receive statuettes,
certificates and cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh each. A trophy and citation is given
to the entity in the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2019. Recipients of Rashtriya
Khel Protsahan Puruskar will be given Trophies and certificates. Overall
top performing university in inter-university tournaments will be given MAKA
Trophy, award money of Rs. 10 lakh and certificate.
2. Karnataka
categorises Nicotine as "class A poison": The Karnataka government has amended
the Karnataka Poisons (Possession and Sale) Rules 2015 and
notified Nicotine as "Class A poison". The step has
been taken to strengthen the enforcement of the ban on production and sale of
electronic cigarettes. The notification has also ordered the suspension of
all kinds of promotion of e-cigarettes, including online promotion. This will
curb the illegal sale, smuggling of nicotine cartridges and e-cigarettes. Class
A poison are "Highly toxic chemicals", which even in very small
quantities as gas or vapour in the air are dangerous to life (such as cyanogen,
hydrocyanic acid, nitrogen peroxide, and phosgene).
Note: Capital of Karnataka: Bengaluru; CM: BS
Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala.
3. Gujarat
to get India’s first CICET: According
to Union Minister of State for Chemical & Fertilizers Mansukh
Mandaviya, India's first Central Institute of Chemical Engineering &
Technology (CICET) will be set up in Gujarat to give boost to the chemical
industry. The CICET will come up either at Ahmedabad or Surat. The Minister of
State for Chemical and Fertilisers also announced setting up of another campus
of the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering & Technology (CIPET) in
Valsad at the cost of Rs 54 crore for the benefit of tribal students and the
plastic industry. The Central government is also planning to set up a Plastic
Waste Management Centre in Ahmedabad to find out solutions to systematic
segregation and recycling of plastic waste.
Note: CM of Gujarat: Vijay Rupani; Governor:
Acharya Devvrat; Capital: Gandhinagar.
4. Manmohan
Singh elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan: Congress leader and former Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh (86-years) has been elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from
Rajasthan. The election for a seat in Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan
comes after demise of BJP’s unit president Madan Lal Saini in June. With
this Manmohan Singh has become the sole Congress
candidate amongst 10 Rajya Sabha Members in Rajasthan.
Note: The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of
the bicameral Parliament of India. It has a maximum membership of 245, of which
233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using
single transferable votes through Open Ballot while the President can appoint
12 members for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social
services.
5. Govt
directs all CAPFs to adopt uniform retirement age of 60 years: A Home Ministry order issued has corrected
the anomaly where personnel between the ranks of Constable to Commandant in
four forces (Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan
Border Police force and Sashastra Seema Bal) superannuated at the age of
57, instead of 60-years. Officers from the rank of Deputy Inspector General up
to the top-most rank of Director General in these four forces retired after
attaining the age of 60 years. Personnel who had retired and approached the
court for clarification or were granted stay will be deemed "not
superannuated" and will continue to serve till 60 years of age. The latest
Home Ministry direction comes in the wake of a January order of the Delhi High
Court where it had called the policy of different age of superannuation as
discriminatory and unconstitutional and said it created two classes in the
uniformed forces.
6. Sadbhavana
Diwas: 20 August: Sadbhavana
Diwas is celebrated on 20 August every year to commemorate the
birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. This year
will be the 75th Birth Anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. On this day
national integration, peace, love, affection and communal harmony among all
Indians are encouraged. Shri Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20,
1944, in Bombay. At 40, Mr Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest Prime
Minister of India.
Note: Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the 6th Prime Minister of
India, serving from 1984 to 1989. He was assassinated on 21 May 1991.
INTERNATIONAL
UPDATES:
1. Pak
Army chief General Bajwa gets a three-year extension: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has
approved an extension in the tenure of Pakistani Army
chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa (58-years) for another three
years. Qamar Bajwa was appointed the chief of the Pakistani
Army in November 2016 by then Prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Bajwa’s
original term was to end in November 2019 after serving as Army chief for three
years. He will remain as Army chief till November 2022.
Note: Pakistan Capital: Islamabad; PM: Imran Khan;
President: Arif Alvi.
2. Shavendra
Silva appointed as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army: President of Sri Lanka has appointed Lieutenant
General Shavendra Silva as 23rd Commander of the Sri Lankan Army. He
will replace Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake as the Commander of the Sri Lankan
Army. Mr. Silva commanded the Sri Lankan Army’s 58 Division during the
final stages of the war against the rebel LTTE in 2009.
Note: Currency of Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan Rupee; Prime
Minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe; President: Maithripala Sirisena.
OTHER
UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Mitchell
Johnson becomes MCC Honourary Life member: Former Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson (37-years) has
been elected as an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC),
custodians of the game's laws. Johnson represented Australia in 153 One Day
Internationals picking up 239 wickets, 73 international Test matches claiming
313 wickets and 30 T-20 Internationals in which he takes 38 wickets. Johnson
made his ODI debut for Australia in 2005 and hung up his boots a decade later
in 2015.
2. AIG
Ashish Kapoor clinches two gold medals at WPFG: Ashish Kapoor has claimed gold medals in both
singles and doubles titles in Tennis events during the 2019 World Police and
Fire Games (WPFG) (18th edition) held at Chengdu in China. Ashish
Kapoor is the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in Vigilance
Bureau of Punjab.
Note: The World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) is a
biennial athletic event, open to active and retired law enforcement and fire
service personnel throughout the world. In 2021 the host city will be
Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This was the 18th edition of the event.
3. Bangladesh
Cricket Board name Domingo as new national coach: According to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)
President Nazmul Hasan, Former South African Coach Russel Domingo has been
appointed as the Head Coach for the national cricket team for two years. He
succeeds Steve Rhodes whose tenure was cut short after Bangladesh finished at
the 8th position in the 10-nation World Cup this year. Russel Domingo has
served as the Head Coach for South Africa’sT20 side in 2012. He later
replaced Gary Kirsten as South Africa Coach in the Tests and ODIs in
2013.
4. Former
Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole announces retirement: Former Chelsea, Arsenal and England football
player Ashley Cole aged 38, announced his retirement from football.
He was ending his 20-year playing career. He won 3 Premier League titles and
seven FA Cups, as well as helping the Chelsea to win the 2011-12 Champions
League.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Paytm
promotes CFO Madhur Deora as President:
Paytm has elevated its CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Madhu
Deoraas President of the company. Prior to
joining Paytm (in 2016), Mr. Deora has served as Managing
Director (MD) in Citigroup's investment banking business in New
York, London and Mumbai.
Note: Paytm was founded in August
2010 with an initial investment of USD 2 million by its founder Vijay
Shekhar Sharma. Paytm is available in 11 Indian languages and offers
online use-cases like mobile recharges, utility bill payments, travel, movies,
and events bookings as well as in-store payments at grocery stores, fruits and
vegetable shops, restaurants, parking, tolls, pharmacies and education
institutions with the Paytm QR code.
2. Ravinder
Takkar appointed as MD-CEO of Vodafone Idea: Ravinder Takkar has been appointed as the MD and CEO of
Idea-Vodafone. He is currently a board member of Vodafone Idea and Indus
Towers, where he is responsible for all Vodafone Group interests in India. He
will replace Balesh Sharma after his resignation as the chief
executive officer of Vodafone Idea (VIL).
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. CCMB
scientist K Thangaraj awarded JC Bose Fellowship: Dr K Thangaraj, Chief Scientist at Council
of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)- Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology (CCMB) was awarded JC Bose Fellowship. Thangaraj
was given this fellowship for his outstanding contributions in the field
of population and medical genomics. The JC Bose Fellowship is awarded
to scientists in recognition for their outstanding performance by
the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and
Technology.
Defence
OBITUARIES
1. Veteran
music composer Khayyam passes away: Veteran music
director-composer Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi (92-years- popularly
known as Khayyam) passed away after a prolonged illness at a hospital
in Mumbai. He was best known for his music in classic films such as 'Umrao
Jaan' and 'Kabhi Kabhi'. Besides ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ and ‘Umrao Jaan’, the musician's
other notable works include films such as "Trishul",
"Noorie" and "Shola Aur Shabnam". In 2007, Khayyam was
honoured with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Creative Music by the Sangeet
Natak Akademi. In 2011, he was conferred with Padma Bhushan, the country’s
third-highest civilian award. He won three Filmfare Awards for Best Music for
Kabhi Kabhie (in 1977) and for Umrao Jaan (1982), and a lifetime achievement
award in 2010.
2. Sahitya
Akademi Award winner NS Tasneem passes away: Eminent Punjabi writer and Sahitya Akademi winner Professor Niranjan
Singh Tasneem (91-years) passed away at his residence in Ludhiana, Punjab. Tasneem
was awarded Sahitya Akademi award in 1999 for his novel ‘Gawache Arth’ (The
Lost Meaning) which was based on Punjab and lives of Punjabis in 1984. He was
also awarded Punjab’s highest literary honour “Punjabi Sahit Rattan” in 2015. Tasneem
had served as a professor at SCD Government College, Ludhiana.
3. Triple
Oscar-winning Animation Director Richard Williams passes away: Three-time Oscar winner & triple BAFTA winner legendary
animation director Richard Williams (86-years) passed away. He
debuted in 1958 with “The Little Island” which won him BAFTA. He received his
first Oscar for his animated adaptation of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”
in 1971. Williams is best known for his 1988 animated film “Who Framed Roger
Rabbit”. “The Return Of The Pink Panther” and “The Pink Panther Strikes Again”
are some of his famous works.
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