1) National Sports Day: 29th August
•Every year, 29th August has been observed as National Sports Day in India. The first National Sports Day was celebrated on 29th August 2012, on the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand who was the star of hockey team of India.
•This day was selected in the perspective of honouring this great hockey player and as an occasion to honour the country’s sporting heroes with recognitions awards like the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dhyan Chand Award and the Dronacharya Award.
2) International Day against Nuclear Tests: 29 August
•The International Day against Nuclear Tests is observed globally on 29th August since 2010. The day aims to increase awareness about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
3) Kerala Govt commissioned 1st Marine Ambulance ‘PRATHEEKSHA’
The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan commissioned the first-ever marine ambulance named ‘PRATHEEKSHA’ at Vizhinjam village of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala. The other marine ambulances that are to be deployed are Pratyasha and Karunya. The ambulances to be deployed are as follows:
•Pratyasha in Ernakulam
•Karunya in Kozhikode
4) Japan’s longest-serving PM Shinzo Abe resigns
•The Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe has announced to step down from the post on 28 August 2020, because of the poor health conditions. The 65-year-old had held record 7 years and eight months as leader of the world’s third-biggest economy, becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister in Japanese history.
•Shinzo Abe had been serving as the PM of Japan since 26 December 2012. Prior to this, he had also served as the PM for a short period between July 2006 to September 2007, becoming the youngest PM of the country, elected at the age of 52.
5) 51st IFFI to be held in Goa from Nov 20
•51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in Goa, from November 20th to 28th. This film festival is a hybrid film festival due to COVID 19, would screen films on the official digital platform along with the theatrical screenings.
6) GoI enhances prize money in National Sports Awards
•The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju has announced an enhancement in the prize money in four of the seven categories of the National Sports and Adventure Awards. He made this announcement on the occasion of the National Sports Day 2020. The prize money for the Sports Awards was last reviewed in 2008.
7) Dwayne Bravo becomes 1st bowler to scalp 500 wickets in T20 cricket
•West Indies All-Rounder, Dwayne John Bravo became the first bowler in cricket to scalp 500 wickets in Twenty20 matches. He achieved the feat in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2020 match between his team Trinbago Knight Riders and St Lucia Zouks. Bravo took the wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall (18) to register his 500th wicket. Dwayne Bravo achieved the feat in his 459th match in the shortest format.
•Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga is the second-highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket with 389 scalps from 339 matches followed by Sunil Narine (383), Imran Tahir (374), and Sohail Tanvir (356).
