• National

Govt forms committee to rationalise additional taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel

• Aviation Ministry has formed a committee to rationalise additional taxes that airlines have to pay while uplifting Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) at airports across India.
• Currently, they have to pay charges such as ‘throughput charges’ & ‘into plane charges’.

Note:

About Jet fuel

Melting point: −47 °C (−53 °F; 226 K)

Boiling point: 176 °C (349 °F; 449 K)

• Economy and Business

Govt plans debt waiver for small distressed borrowers under IBC

• The government plans to give debt waiver for “small distressed borrowers” under the insolvency law framework.
• The proposed waiver would be offered as part of ‘Fresh Start’ provisions under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

• Sports

Bangladesh Cricket Board name Domingo as new national coach

• Bangladesh Cricket Board appointed former South African Coach Russel Domingo as the Head Coach for the national cricket team.
• Domingo has served as the Head Coach for South Africa’s T20 side in 2012.

Note:

About Bangladesh

Capital: Dhaka

Currency: Bangladeshi taka

Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina

• Sports

India clinched gold at Under- 12 Asian Tennis Team Championship 2019 in Kazakhstan

• In the Under- 12 Asian Tennis Team Championship 2019 held in Kazakhstan, India defeated Chinese Taipei by 2-1 in the summit clash and clinched the gold medal.
• The final was a tie of three matches – 2 singles and one double. India won both the singles matches but lost the doubles match.

Note:

About Kazakhstan

Capital: Nur-Sultan

Currency: Kazakhstani tenge

President: Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

• Sports

AIG Ashish Kapoor strikes 2 gold medals for India at WPFG 2019 held in Chengdu, China

• On August 17, 2019, Ashish Kapoor, an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in Vigilance Bureau of Punjab has clinched 2 gold medals for India in both singles and doubles Tennis events during the 18th edition of World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) 2019, held at Chengdu in China from August 11-17,2019.

Note:

About China

Capital: Beijing

Currency: Renminbi

• Sports

Hima Das, Mohammad Anas win gold at Athleticky Mitink Reiter event

• Top Indian sprinters Hima Das and Mohammad Anas won a gold each in 300m races at the Athleticky Mitink Reiter event in Czech Republic.
• This was Hima’s sixth gold in 2019 in European races since last month.

Note:

About Czech Republic

Capital: Prague

Currency: Czech koruna

• Awards

Deepa Malik nominated for Khel Ratna, Ravindra Jadeja named for Arjuna award

• Deepa Malik will receive Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award along with Bajrang Punia. Ravindra Jadeja is among 19 sportspersons who have been nominated for Arjuna award.
• Khel Ratna is given for most outstanding performance by a sportsperson over 4 year period.

Note:

About Arjuna award

First awarded: 1961

Reward: 5 lakhs INR

Last awarded: 2017

• Awards

Merzban Patel aka Bawa to get Dronacharya award in hockey

• The Dronacharya award (lifetime category) has been conferred on Merzban Patel by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sport.
• The awards ceremony is in New Delhi on August 29, hockey genius Dhyan Chand’s birthday.

• Important Days

World Humanitarian Day observed on 19 August

• World Humanitarian Day (WHO) is observed every year on 19 August.
• The main aim is to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian crises around the world.
• The theme of 2019 WHD campaign is #WomenHumanitarians On World.

Note:

About WHO

Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

Head: Tedros Adhanom

• Obituaries

Hollywood actor Peter Fonda, of Easy Rider fame, dies at 79

• S. actor Peter Fonda, the star of the classic 1969 road movie Easy Rider, died recently, aged 79, from respiratory failure due to lung cancer.
• Fonda was the brother of U.S. activist and actor Jane Fonda, and the son of actor Henry Fonda.

Note:

About U.S.A

Capital: Washington, D.C.

President: Donald Trump

• Obituaries

Roger Rabbit creator, Richard Williams passed away in Bristol, UK

• On August 16, 2019, Triple Oscar-winning and triple BAFTA-winning animator who was best known for creating Roger Rabbit, Richard Williams, aged 86, passed away in Bristol, United Kingdom (UK).
• He was born in Toronto, Canada on March 19, 1933.

Note:

About BAFTA

Chairperson: Ann Morrison

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom

Founded: 1947

• States

Lucknow’s iconic Hazratganj Chauraha renamed as Atal Chowk

• Famous ‘Hazratganj Chauraha’ of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh has been renamed as ‘Atal Chowk’ in memory of former Prime Minister of India, Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the occasion of his first death anniversary, from August 16, 2019.
• He was a five-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Lucknow.

Note:

About Uttar Pradesh

Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath

Capital: Lucknow

Governor: Anandiben Patel

• States

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel announces formation of Lemru Elephant Reserve

• On August 15, 2019, The Chief Minister of Chattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel in his independence day speech in Raipur announced the formation of ‘Lemru Elephant Reserve’ (LER) in the state, over an area of 450 square kilometres.
• It will minimize human-elephant conflict and destruction of property, with the provision of a permanent habitat for the wild tuskers.

Note:

About Chhattisgarh

Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel

Governor: Anusuiya Uikey

• States

Nagaland State police Department gets its first Laboratory-cum-Training centre at Dimapur

• On August 15, 2019, The deputy chief minister of Nagaland Yanthungo Patton (Y. Patton), inaugurated the first Cyber Laboratory-cum-Training Centre of the Nagaland State Police Department at Chumukedima of Dimapur district.
• This training centre was inaugurated for the prevention of Cyber Crime against Women and Children.

Note:

About Nagaland

Capital: Kohima

Chief minister: Neiphiu Rio

Governor: RN Ravi