Current Affairs 21st August 2018

NATIONAL

India successfully flight tested the indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ from Pokhran in Rajasthan.
The Indian and Thailand’s armed forces concluded a two-week long platoon level military exercise called ‘Exercise Maitree 2018’ in Jammu & Kashmir’s Srinagar.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) constituted a group of experts from the health and nutrition sector to look into the issue of food labelling.
NABARD All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS), conducted by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), was released by Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog in New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated ‘Panini Language Laboratory’ at Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) at Port Louis in Mauritius.

AWARDS

Delhi government’s additional director of health, SK Arora was awarded prestigious World Health Organization (WHO) World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control.
The United States government has awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) to General Dalbir Singh Suhag (Retired), of the Indian Army, for exceptionally meritorious service as chief of the Army staff, Indian Army.

APPOINTMENTS

Subhash Sheoratan Mundra has been appointed as Independent Director on the Board of Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd (IBHFL) for a period of three years. He was former Deputy Governor of RBI.

SPORTS

Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson announced the retirement from all forms of cricket almost three years after he stepped down from the international game.
A dominating Bajrang Punia opened India’s gold medal account by defeating Japan’s Daichi Takatani in the final of Men’s Freestyle 65 kg. category.

OBITUARY

Uri Avnery, a trailblazing Israeli journalist and peace activist and one of the first to openly advocate for a Palestinian state passed away at the age of 94.