4th August, 2022 Current Affairs

Archana Lakkavajula

NATIONAL
GoI released commemorative postage stamp to honour Tricolour designer P Venkayya

The government of India released a special commemorative postage stamp to mark the 146th birth anniversary of PingaliVenkayya, the designer of India’s national flag. The stamp was released by Prime Minister NarendraModi during an event “TirangaUtsav” organised by the Ministry of Culture at Indira Gandhi Stadium, in New Delhi.
The event will also display the original design of the national flag made by PingaliVenkayya. The current flag is the modified version of the first design of the flag. The TirangaUtsav will also witness the grand launch of the “HarGharTiranga” anthem and video. Venkayya, born on August 02, 1876, near Machilipatnam town in Andhra Pradesh, was a freedom fighter and a follower of Gandhian principles.

INTERNATIONAL
Auguste Tano Kouamé appoints World Bank’s New Country Director for India

The World Bank has appointed Auguste Tano Kouamé as the Country Director for India, effective. He replaces Junaid Kamal Ahmad who recently completed a five-year term. He most recently served as the World Bank’s Country Director for the Republic of Türkiye, where he led the expansion of the Bank’s country program and deepened its support to Türkiye’s climate agenda.
Prior to this, he served as Director of the Department of Human Development and Economic Management in the World Bank Group’s Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) from January 2017 to April 2019.

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ECONOMY
RBI’s Financial Inclusion Index(FI-Index) Inches Up

The Reserve Bank of India’s composite financial inclusion index (FI-Index) capturing the extent of financial inclusion across the country rose to 56.4 in March 2022, showing growth across parameters. RBI now publishes the index annually in July every year.
The index stood at 53.9 in March last year. It was at 43.4 for the period ending March 2017, showing rapid improvement in reach of financial services over the past five years.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Japan, US, and South Korea participate in missile defence drill

A joint ballistic missile defence exercise between South Korea, the US, and Japan will begin this week in the waters off Hawaii as part of increased security cooperation against North Korea‘s growing military threats, a media outlet claimed. According to the sources, the biannual Pacific Dragon drill will take place. Australia and Canada will also take part in the exercise in the edition of 2022, in addition to the three other nations.
The exercise, which involves the mobilisation of eight warships and two planes, aims to improve coordination between the participating nations in the identification, tracking, and reporting of ballistic missile targets.
The exercise was planned after the defence chiefs of South Korea, the United States, and Japan decided to improve their security coordination during their trilateral meeting on June 11 in Singapore, which was held in conjunction with the annual Shangri-La Dialogue.

India Navy and France Navy conducted exercise in the Atlantic Ocean

The Indian Navy guided-missile frigate INS Tarkash, while on her long-range overseas deployment, conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French naval ships in the North Atlantic Ocean on July 29 and 30. INS Tarkash and French Fleet Tanker FNS Somme carried out a replenishment at sea, followed by cooperative air operations with the maritime surveillance aircraft Falcon 50, taking part in several mock missile engagements and air defence drills.
The successful conduct of these surface and aerial exercises symbolise the high degree of professionalism and interoperability that exists between the two navies. India and France are maritime nations with dynamic maritime economy sectors like marine technology and scientific research, fisheries, port and shipping, to name a few. Possessing vast exclusive economic zones, their fate is closely linked to the sea and the ocean.

SPORTS
Lovepreet Singh clinches bronze medal in men’s weightlifting

Lovepreet Singh has won bronze in the men’s 109kg weightlifting final with a total lift of 355kg, taking India’s medal tally in the Commonwealth Games 2022. Cameroon’s Junior has taken the lead with a total lift of 361kg. Samoa’s Jack Opeloge is second with a total lift of 358kg.
Lovepreet Singh is third with a total lift of 355kg. Australia’s Jackson is the last man standing, trying to win a bronze. The Indian weightlifting contingent has now won a total of 9 medals.

Vikas Thakur wins weightlifting silver medal

Weightlifter Vikas Thakur has won the silver medal in the men’s 96 kg category. Thakur lifted a total weight of 346 kg. He completed a best snatch attempt of 155 kg and a clean & jerk attempt of 191 kg.
Samoa’s Don Opeloge won the gold medal with a total lift of 381 kg. He was placed joint-third with Fiji’s Rainibogi after the snatch round. In the clean & jerk round, Thakur started with an attempt of 187 kg and succeeded. He also took a 2 kg advantage over Fiji’s weightlifter.

Indian Team bags gold in Lawn Bowl

India’s lawn bowls women’s fours team made history by winning the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022.
This was the country’s first medal in the lawn bowls event and the team, made of skipper Rupa Rani Tirkey, Lovely Choubey, Pinki and NayanmoniSaikia, ended up winning the title itself after beating 2018 silver medallists South Africa. The Indian team won against South Africa with a 17-10 victory.

BOOKS
A book titled “Dangerous Earth” by Marine biologist Ellen Prager

Marine biologist Ellen Prager has come up with a book titled “Dangerous Earth: What we wish we knew about volcanoes, hurricanes, climate change, earthquakes and more”.
In the book, the author seeks to respond to the most compelling question: Why can’t we better predict natural disasters?

A book titled “Lion Of The Skies: Hardit Singh Malik” by Stephen Barker

A book titled “Lion of the Skies: Hardit Singh Malik, the Royal Air Force and the First World War” is all about an “India’s first fighter pilot” who participated in the World War, long before the Indian Air Force was born.
The book has been written by author Stephen Barker, who describes in great detail, how challenging it was for an Indian to serve in the British armed forces, fighting racial discrimination – both institutional and interpersonal.

Published date : 04 Aug 2022 06:30PM