NATIONAL:
1. 3 IAF Officers Sacked
Why in news – 3 IAF officers dismissed over the accidental firing of Brahmos missile.
Key Points –
• It was fired from a base in Haryana and landed in Pakistan near the town of Mian Channu.
• The Court of Inquiry into the incident was presided upon by Air Vice Marshal RK Sinha.
• It was accidentally fired on March 9, 2022.
2. Adani Steps into NDTV
Why in news – Adani Group acquired 29.18% stake in television channel NDTV Ltd.
Key Points –
• Further, it would launch an open offer to buy another 26% in the company.
• NDTV founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy continue to hold 32.26% share in NDTV.
3. Vizhinjam Port
Why in news – Fisherfolk in Kerala are protesting Adani’s under-construction Vizhinjam port.
Key Points –
About Vizhinjam Port –
• It is an international transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport Project taken up by Kerala.
• It is being developed in landlord model with a PPP component on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (“DBFOT”) basis.
• M/s Adani Vizhinjam Port Private limited has commenced construction on Dec 5, 2015.
REPORTS & INDICES:
1. ‘India’s sex ratio at birth begin to normalise’ Report
Why in news – The report was released by American think tank Pew Research Centre.
Key Points –
• Overall, the number has gone down to 108 boys born for every 100 girls in 2019-21. (110 in 2001).
• “Missing” baby girls in the country fell from 480,000 in 2010 to 410,000 in 2019.
• “Missing” refers to how many more female births would have occurred if there were no female¬ selective abortions.
• The number of boys born for every 100 girls has come down to 111 (Punjab) and 112 (Haryana) in 2019-21. [127 (in both) in 2001].
• Sex ratio at birth improved in the northern states but deteriorated in the southern and eastern states.
• Data used for report - 5 rounds NFHS and census data until 2011.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. Jupiter Through the Webb Telescope
Why in news – The James Webb Space Telescope has captured new images of Jupiter.
Key Points –
• Jupiter has a famous Great Red Spot, a storm so big that it could swallow Earth.
• It has two small moons — Amalthea and Adrastea.
The Webb Telescope ($10 billion) –
• It was developed with the assistance of the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
• It was launched to space on December 25, 2021 and is currently observing from Lagrange point 2 around the Sun.
• It released its first image on July 11, 2022.
2. Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Observatory
Why in news – India’s first commercial space situational awareness observatory would be set up in the Garhwal, Uttarakhand.
Key Points –
• To be set up by Digantara, a space sector start-up.
• Aim - To track objects as small as 10 cm in size orbiting the earth
IMPORTANT DATES:
1. International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
Why in news – It is celebrated on Aug 23 to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade.
Key Points –
• Theme for 2022 - Decolonisation.
• The international slave trade was first eradicated in the year 1807.
In India –
• The Charter Act of 1833 provided for the mitigation of slavery in India.
• Slavery was abolished in India in 1843 with the Indian Slavery Act 1843 (also known as Act V of 1843).
ENVIRONMENT:
1. All things EV
Why in news – HDFC EGRO launched India's first electronic vehicle ecosystem, "All things EV".
Key Points –
• The “All things EV” would create awareness among the people and increase potential customer awareness.
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. GARBA in UNESCO's Heritage List
Why in news – India has nominated the dance form Garba to be inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.
Key Points –
• UNESCO (Hq – Paris) Director - Eric Falt.
• Durga Puja was included in the list in 2021.
2. International Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad (IOAA)
Why in news – India registered a brilliant performance at the 15th IOAA.
Key Points –
• Venue – Kutaisi, Georgia. (from August 14 to 21).
• All the 5 participants from India won a medal at the competition.
• Top 3 – Iran (official team) > Iran (guest team) > India and Singapore (jointly).
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
Why in news - The 65th conference held in Halifax, Canada from August 20 to 26, 2022.
Key Points –
• The Indian Parliamentary delegation was led by LS Speaker Om Birla.
• It was attended by 23 Presiding Officers and 16 Secretaries from State Legislatures in India.
• Om Birla would participate as a panellist in Workshop ‘C’ titled “A People’s Parliament: Accessibility through Innovation”.
• Sunita Duggal attended the meeting of the “Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Steering Committee”.
2. National Seed Congress
Why in news – Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the 11th National Seed Congress.
Key Points –
• Venue - Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior.
• The State Academy of Agricultural and Allied Sciences (SAAS) was established.
SPORTS:
1. Rajiv Gandhi Rural Olympic Games
Why in news - On August 22, 2022, CM Ashok Gehlot unveiled the mascot “Sheru”.
Key Points –
• Games to be held in the indoor hall of Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
• Budget provision - Rs. 40 crores.
Persons in News:
1. Samar Banerjee
Why in news - Former India football team captain, Samar “Badru” Banerjee, has passed away recently.
Key Points –
• He led the country to a historic 4th-place finish in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
• He was bestowed with the Mohun Bagan Ratna in 2009.
• He has won the Santosh Trophy twice as a player in 1953 & 1955 and once as a coach in 1962.
• The West Bengal Government honoured Badru Banerjee with the Lifetime Achievement Award in sports in 2017.
2. Syed Sibtey Razi
Why in news - Former Jharkhand Governor (2004- 2009), Syed Sibtey Razi has passed away.
BIHAR:
1. BIA's Special Campaign
Why in news - Bihar Industries Association (BIA) would make entrepreneurs aware of the development of MSMEs in the state.
Key Points –
• Industry Minister Samir Mahaseth flagged off the BIA awareness campaign Rath on Aug 23, 2022.
• Industry dialogue cum awareness program would start from August 27 in 7 districts.
2. Book “Sone ka haath”
Why in news – Hon’ CM Nitish Kumar launched the book authored by Dr. Raj Vardhan Azad.
POINTERS:
• Union Government signed loan agreement with whom to provide drinking water in Himachal Pradesh- Asian Development Bank.
• Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 23rd meeting of Central Zonal Council in which city – Bhopal.
• Who has been re-appointed as the MD and CEO of Paytm – Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
• Which company has launched a Blockchain Centre of Excellence (CoE) for airports – GMR Group.
• How many medals have been won by India in Thailand Para-Badminton International 2022 – 17 medals.
• Which state is planning to set up an education township in the state for the first time – Uttar Pradesh.
• Who created history by defeating 5-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen by winning three consecutive games in the FTX Crypto Cup– Rameshbabu Pragyanand.
• What is the name of the autobiography of Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Prime Minister of Israel - Bibi: My Story.
• Kerala's first tribal novelist and short story writer who passed away recently – Narayan.
• Who has been appointed as the MD and CEO of Bajaj Electricals recently – Ram Krishna Bajaj.