General Knowledge Current Affairs

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Ballistic Missile Interceptor AAD Successfully Flight Tested

DRDO conducted the successful test of the Ballistic Missile Interceptor Advanced Area Defence (AAD)  from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The endo-atmospheric missile, capable of intercepting incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 kms was launched against multiple simulated targets of 1500 km class ballistic missile. One target among simultaneously incoming multiple targets was selected on real time, the weapon system radars tracked the target and the missile locked on to it and intercepted the target with a high degree of accuracy. The complete event including the engagement and interception was tracked by a number of electro-optical tracking systems, radars and telemetry stations. All the mission objectives were successfully met.

Technology for detecting contamination in water

National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials (NCCCM), has developed visual detection kits for detection of Fluoride, Chromium (VI) and Iron. The detection can be done in 5 minutes. Portable Visual Kits for detection of Fluoride, Chromium and Iron have been developed and technology for indigenous manufacturing of these kits is transferred to six private entrepreneurs and product is available in the market. In all detection kits developed, reagents kept inside different bottles are to be added to the water sample. Reagents are added and mixed for two minutes.  Within 5 minutes, colour develops in the top layer, the intensity of colour is compared with a colour chart by visual inspection to obtain the concentration range of contaminant in water.

Iron Contamination detection kit is at advanced stage of development and very soon will be available to private entrepreneurs.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Netherlands win eighth Women’s Hockey World Cup title

Netherlands retained the Hockey World Cup title with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Ireland. Ireland, the second-lowest ranked country in the tournament, was unable to produce a fairy-tale ending at Lee Valley Hockey Center.

Virat Kohli becomes no. 1 Test batsman

India skipper Virat Kohli, jumped up one place and surpassed Australia’s Steve Smith to become the No.1 batsman in ICC Test Rankings. He has become only the seventh Indian and first since Sachin Tendulkar in June 2011, to take the pole position.

Lakshya Sen stuns World No 1 to bag badminton gold in Asian Junior Championships

Lakshya Sen become the third Indian shuttler after PV Sindhu and Gautam Thakkar to win a gold medal at the Junior Asian Championships. The gold medal win is Sen’s biggest win in his career as the world number nine became the first Indian to win the medal at the competition in six years. He also became the first individual in 53 years to win the medal in men’s singles event.

Carolina Marin beats PV Sindhu to claim third World Championship title

Spain's Carolina Marin beat India's PV Sindhu to claim third World Championship title, and she become the first woman to claim three World Championship titles as well.

Friday, August 3, 2018

Indian-origin academic wins maths 'Nobel' Fields Medal

Indian-origin academic Akshay Venkatesh has been awarded the Fields Medal, which is often called the Nobel Prize of mathematics. The award to the 36-year-old academic was announced on 2nd August at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rio de Janeiro.