09-10 September 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

09-10 September 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

1. Novak Djokovic wins 2018 US Open men's title

• Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (31-years) defeated Argentine’s Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 to claim US Open Men’s tennis tournament - 2018 in New York (USA).
• It was Djokovic's 14th Grand Slam title and the third US Open title.
• Japan’s Naomi Osaka (20 -years) has lifted the Women's singles title of US Open 2018.
• She won the Grand Slam defeating Serena Williams of US in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.
• It was the first time a Japanese tennis player claimed the Grand Slam title. 

Event	Champion	Runner-up	Score
Men's Singles final	Novak Djokovic (Serbia)	Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina)	6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3
Women's Singles final	Naomi Osaka (Japan)	Serena Williams (USA)	6-2, 6-4
Men's Doubles final	Jack Sock (USA) & Mike Bryan (USA)	Łukasz Kubot (Poland) & Marcelo Melo (Brazil)	6–3, 6–1
Women's Doubles final	Ashleigh Barty (Australia) & Coco Vandeweghe (USA)	Kristina Mladenovic (France) & Timea Babos (Hungary)	3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (8-6)
Mixed Doubles final	Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) & Jamie Murray (UK)	Nikola Mektić (Croatia) & Alicja Rosolska (Poland)	2-6 6-3 11-9.

Note:

• The 2018 US Open was the 138th edition of tennis' US Open and the fourth and final Grand Slam event of the year.
• It was held on outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City.
• This was the last Grand Slam to have 32 seeds with the format reverting to 16 seeds from the start of the 2019 season.

2. Triple jumper Arpinder Singh has become the first Indian to win a medal in IAAF Continental Cup

• Triple jumper Arpinder Singh (25-year) has become the first Indian to win a medal (bronze medal) in the IAAF Continental Cup at Ostrava in the Czech Republic.
• No Indian has ever won a medal in the Continental Cup which was known as the IAAF World Cup before 2010.
• Two top athletes from the four regions of Europe, Americas, Africa, and Asia-Pacific were taking part in each of the 36 events in men and women sections taken together.
• Reigning Olympic and world champion Christian Taylor of the United States took the gold with a jump of 17.59 meters.

3. Ankur Mittal wins double trap gold in World Championship

• Ankur Mittal (26-year) has won the men’s double trap gold medal in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship in Changwon, South Korea.
• The multiple World Cup medallist shot 140 out of 150 to go into a shoot-off for gold with China's Yiyang Yang and Slovakia's Hubert Andrzej.
• Ankur also won the team bronze in the event along with compatriots Md. Asab and Shardul Vihaan, their tally of 409 points putting them behind China's 410 and the gold-winning team Italy's tally of 411.
• India has also secured two Olympic quotas, making it the country's best performance ever at the World Championship.

4. India Blue beat defending champion India Red to win Duleep Trophy

• India Blue thrashed India Red (defending champion) by an innings and 187 runs in the final to win the Duleep Trophy at Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.
• India Blue scored 541 in the first innings while India Red scored 182 in the first innings and 172 in the second innings.
• Himachal Pradesh batsman Nikhil Gangta was named the man of the match for his superb knock of 130.

Note:

• The Duleep Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition played in India between teams representing geographical zones of India.
• The tournament was contested by three teams, namely India Red, India Blue, and India Green.

5. Luka Modric wins 'UEFA men's player of the year award

• Real Madrid's Luka Modric (32- year) has been named the 2017-18 UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award.
• Modric surpassed former Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
• Modric's Madrid team-mates Keylor Navas and Sergio Ramos won the best goalkeeper and defender awards respectively

Note:

• The UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award is an association football award given to the footballer playing for a football club in Europe that is considered the best in the previous season.
• The award was created in 2011 by UEFA.

National Appointments

6. Axis Bank appoints HDFC’s Amitabh Chaudhry as MD & CEO

• Amitabh Chaudhry (54 -year) has been appointed as its managing director & CEO of the Axis bank for a period of three years (from 1^st January 2019).
• Mr. Chaudhry has been associated with HDFC Life since January 2010.
• He will take the charge at India’s third largest private sector bank after incumbent Shikha Sharma steps down on December 31, 2018.

Important Dates

7. 10^th September: World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD)

• The World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is being observed on 10^th September to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.
• The WSPD is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP).
•  WHO has been co-sponsor of the day.
• The theme of 2018 is “Working Together to Prevent Suicide”.

Note:

• In past years, over 300 activities in around 70 countries were reported to IASP, including educational and commemorative events, press briefings and conferences, as well as Facebook and Twitter coverage.

National Affairs

8. Rajasthan CM announces a 4-pc reduction in VAT on petrol, diesel

• Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has announced a 4% reduction in value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel (around 2.50 Rs. Per liter)
• VAT on petrol will be reduced from 30 to 26 percent and on diesel from 22 to 18 percent.
• The decision will cost the exchequer 2,000 crore rupees.

9. Iconic 'Hazratganj Chauraha' of Lucknow city to be renamed as 'Atal Chowk'

• The Iconic 'Hazratganj Chauraha' of Lucknow city (Uttar Pradesh) will be renamed after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as 'Atal Chowk'.
• The State Government has also announced to convert Vajpayee's ancestral house in Bateshwar (Agra) into a memorial and develop a tourist circuit there.

10. Switzerland planning to install a statue of veteran Hindi film actor late Sridevi

• The Switzerland authorities are planning to install a statue of late Sridevi (Hindi film actor) whose superhit movie "Chandni" was shot at the country's picturesque locations.
• The statue of the renowned filmmaker, Yash Chopra is already there.
• 1989 blockbuster 'Chandni' had also put Switzerland on center stage as almost half the song and dance sequences in the film had a Swiss backdrop.

11. Bengaluru to host Aero India 2019 in February

• According to Defence Ministry (MoD), The 2019 edition of Aero India will be held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from 20 to 24 February next year.
• This five-day event will combine a major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defense industries with public air shows.