Current Affairs 20th August 2015

Current Affairs 20th August 2015

Updated : 20-Aug-2015

Current Affairs 20th August 2015 - Important Points
Current Affairs 20th August 2015 - Details
Who is elected as President of IAAF - Olympic champion Sebastian Coe
Among the important appointments, On 19th August 2015, The former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe was elected as the sixth President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

He has replaced Senegalese Lamine Diack who has led the IAAF for past 16 years.
About Sebastian Coe
- He former track and field athlete and also a British politician.
- In 1980 and 1984, Coe had won four Olympic medals, including the 1500 metres gold medal at the Olympic Games as a middle-distance runner.
- In middle-distance track events, he set eight outdoor and three indoor world records – including, in 1979, setting three world records in the space of 41 days – and the world record he set in the 800 metres in 1981 remained unbroken until 1997.
- On 16th May 2000, he became a Life Peer. Post retirement, he became the Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party from 1992 to 1997.
Do You Know :
Founded on 17th July 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation, it is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was. Since October 1993, it has been headquartered in Monaco.
Who has been assigned additional charge of Director of Enforcement Directorate - Karnal Singh
Among the important appointments, On 19th August 2015, the additional charge of Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) was assigned to Karnal Singh, an IPS officer of 1984 batch of union territories cadre.
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his name for the post. He will replace Rajan S Katoch who was given three extensions as ED Director.

Currently, Singh is serving as Special Director in Centre Region of Enforcement Directorate.
About Enforcement Directorate (ED)
The ED is a law enforcement agency and economic intelligence agency in charge for fighting economic and enforcing economic crime laws in India.
The team constituted to assess situation in FTII by Union Government is headed by - SM Khan
On 19th August 2015, a three member team to assess the situation over the student protest in Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune was constituted by the Union Government.
Registrar of Newspapers in India (RNI) SM Khan will head the three-member team.
About Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)
FTII is an selg governing institute under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. FTII has become India's premier film and television institute, with its alumni becoming technicians, actors and directors in the film and television industry since its establishment in 1960.
It has been granted the status of Institute of National Importance by the Union Government. It is also a member of the International Liaison Centre of Schools of Cinema and Television (CILECT), which is an organisation of the world's leading schools of film and television.

'In-principle' approval to 11 Payment Banks applicants was granted by - RBI
On 19th August 2015, in-principle approval to 11 payment banks applicants under the Guidelines for Licensing of Payments Banks was granted by the Reserve Bank of India.
The 11 payment banks granted the approval includes
- Reliance Industries Limited
- Shri Dilip Shantilal Shanghvi
- Shri Vijay Shekhar Sharma
- Department of Posts
- Fino PayTech Limited
- National Securities Depository Limited
- Tech Mahindra Limited
- Vodafone m-pesa Limited
- Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited
- Airtel M Commerce Services Limited
- Cholamandalam Distribution Services Limited
The “in-principle” approval will be limited for a period of 18 months, during which the applicants have to obey with the requirements under the Guidelines and fulfill the other conditions as may be stipulated by the Reserve bank.
The Reserve Bank would consider their approval of licence for commencement of banking business under Section 22(1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 on being satisfied that the applicants have followed the requisite conditions laid down by it as part of “in-principle” approval, . The applicants cannot undertake any banking business till a regular licence is issued.
Who has won the James Tait Black Award 2015 - Debut Novelist Zia Haider Rahman
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 19th August 2015, the James Tait Black award 2015 was won by Bangladesh novelist Zia Haider Rahman for his debut novel In the Light of What We Know during the 2015 Edinburgh international book festival.
About the book
It is a story of an investment banker in a lead role who receives a visit from an old friend and addresses a whole range of issues including Afghanistan war, the rise of Muslim fundamentalism and global banking crisis.
Do You Know :
- James Tait Black award is presented for literature written in the English language in UK and is the oldest literary award of UK. It is an annual literary award.
- It was initiated in 1919 in memory James Tait Black and carries a monetary prize of 10000 British pounds.
- The categories in which the award is presented are : Fiction, Biography and Drama
Haryana, Maryland agreed to cooperate in - biotechnology and life sciences
On 18th August 2015, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Lt Governor of Maryland Boyd K. Rutherford, have approved to explore the possibilities of cooperation in the fields of bio-technology, life sciences and agriculture, engineering and cyber security.
During a meet of Khattar with Lt. Governor in Annapolis (Maryland) this decision was made. A 20-member delegation of officials and businessmen on a 10-day trip to the US and Canada was led by Khattar at present.
In the memory of the first Indian-origin astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the government of Haryana has decided to set up the university.
Final notification of sepration of ESZ around Okhla Bird Sanctuary was issued by - Union Government
On 19th August 2015, the final notification regarding the sepration of the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Okhla bird sanctuary was issued by The Union Government.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar made this announcement and also said that the final notification was issued after the National Board of Wild Life cleared the process of demarcating the ESZ.
The area for the ESZ around the sanctuary will be up to 100 meters from the eastern, western and southern boundary whereas in the Northern boundary, the ESZ will expand up to 1.27-km from the Okhla Bird Sanctuary, which extends up to DND flyover across the riverbed situated in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district and southeast district of NCT Delhi.
A defence agreement that includes the sale of four Mi-35 helicopters was signed by - Pakistan and Russia
Among the important International Current Affairs, On 19th August 2015, a landmark defence agreement that includes the sale of four Mi-35 Hind E attack helicopters to Pakistan was signed by Russia and Pakistan. The top defence officials from Pakistan and Russia in Rawalpindi signed the agreement.
The Mi-35 helicopter is an exceedingly modernised version of the Mi-24 (Hind) combat helicopter with new onboard equipment and avionics. It also has a more powerful engine and a different tail rotor.
Since the year 2014, both countries were negotiating for this deal.
Name the Uttar Pradesh Minister who has passed away - Chitranjan Swarup
On 19th August 2015, Chitranjan Swarup, Uttar Pradesh (UP) Minister of State (MoS) for Parliamentary Affairs passed away at the age of 70. He was from the ruling Samajwadi Party.
He was a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Uttar Pradesh state assembly from Muzaffarnagar constituency. In the year 1974, he was elected as a MLA on a Congress ticket for the first and later in 2002 and 2012 on a Bhaujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket.
Prasar Bharti inked a MoU with - Digital Television Russia
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 20th August 2015, a memorandum of understanding for cooperation which will set the stage for a new media era in both the countries was signed by Prasar Bharti and Digital Television Russia.
The objective of the MoU is at co-producing TV programmes, repackaging and dubbing popular programmes from the both countries and also covers technology modernisation, news exchange and programmes.
YouTube tied-up with - Whistling Woods International
On 19th August 2015, Google-run video sharing portal YouTube to set up YouTube Space in Mumbai, a collaboration and production facility for YouTube video creators tied-up with Whistling Woods International (WWI).
The YouTube Space Mumbai facility will enable YouTube creators and students at WWI to collaborate with other creators and learn about video production.
They will also develop original courses to train the upcoming generation of Indian filmmakers to flourish in digital and online media.
About Whistling Woods International
Subhash Ghai, Bollywood director owns the WWI, which is a film, communication and media arts institute promoted by Mukta Arts Limited.
12 MW solar power project inaugrated by - Kerala Government
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 18th August 2015, a 12 MW solar power project at the Cochin International Airport was inaugrated by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. It has a area of over 50 acres and is the single largest solar project which has been constructed in an airport in India.
Now, Cochin airport became the first airport in India to run on solar power. Approximately 50000 units of electricity will be generated by this project daily and the airport will technically become grid power neutral.
The project is executed by Bosch Energy and Building Solutions (BEBS) team in India executed this project.