Top Current Affairs 18 April 2021

Top Current Affairs 18 April 2021

Top Current Affairs 18 April 2021: This post contains the latest current affairs for 18 April 2021 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. You can also attempt our Current Affairs Quiz after reading our daily current affairs.

Banking & Economy

RBL Bank Partners Mastercard to launch “Pay by Bank App “

• The Mumbai-based private lender RBL bank has partnered with Mastercard to launch a mobile app called “Pay by Bank App “.
• The Pay by Bank App is a first-of-its-kind mobile-based customer-friendly payment solution, launched to suit the growing demand for digital, contactless payments to ensure social distancing norms amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
• Using the new payment solution, the RBL Bank customers will be able to make contactless transactions across the globe, both online and in-store, at all Mastercard accepting merchants across the world.
• The new payment solution will also allow customers to make bill payments and personal payments through the mobile banking application.
• The app also ensures that the customer’s credentials are never revealed to the merchant.

International

NASA Set To Launch SpaceX Crew-2 Mission on April 22 with 4 Astronauts onboard

• The US space agency NASA has planned to launch its SpaceX Crew-2 mission to the International Space Station on April 22, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• The Crew-2 mission will have four astronauts on board SpaceX Crew Dragon. They will include
• Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, who will serve as the mission’s spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively.
• Apart from this, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut-Akihiko Hoshidea and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomasa Pesquet, will serve as mission specialists to the space station.
• This mission is the second of the six certified, crew missions of NASA, and SpaceX, as a part of the Commercial Crew Programme of NASA.
• The Crew-2 astronauts will remain aboard the space station for approximately six months as expedition crew members, along with three crewmates who will launch via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

NASA Awards $2.9 billion contract to SpaceX to build commercial moon lander

• The United States space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has picked Elon Musk’s SpaceX for its Artemis programme, to develop the first commercial lander and take the next two US astronauts to the moon
• The total value of this contract is $2.89 billion.
• Under this contract SpaceX will develop a spacecraft ‘ SpaceX Starship’ to land next two US astronauts, including a women astronaut at the lunar south pole region, by 2024.
• NASA also aims to bring the first person of colour to the moon’s surface as part of the Artemis programme.
• Between 1969 and 1972, the US brought 12 astronauts to the moon.

Military Exercise

8th India-Kyrgyz Joint Special Forces Exercise ‘Khanjar’ Begins at Bishkek

• The  8th India-Kyrgyz Joint Special Forces Exercise ‘Khanjar’ was inaugurated at Special Forces Brigade of National Guards of Kyrgyz Republic in Bishkek, on April 16, 2021.
• The two-week long exercise focuses on high-altitude, mountains and counter-extremism.
• The exercise is being held between Special forces of India and Kyrgyzstan since 2011, to take forward the strategic partnership between India and the Kyrgyz Republic.

Books & Author

Suresh Raina’s Autobiography ‘Believe – What Life and Cricket Taught Me’ to Release in May 2021

• The much-awaited autobiography of Suresh Raina, titled ‘Believe – What Life and Cricket Taught Me’, is set to hit the bookstands in May 2021.
• The memoir has been co-authored by Raina and sports author Bharat Sundaresan.
• It will be published by the prestigious publishing house, Penguin India.
• In this book, Suresh Raina talks about the story of his early days as a budding cricketer in UP, and the challenges he faced as a young cricketer as well as the hardships that he encountered on the way to becoming a record-breaking batsman. 

Sports

2021 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack 

• The 2021 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, was published on April 15, 2021.
• To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first One-Day International, Wisden has named five ODI cricketers of the decade in 2021 edition. One cricketer has been named for each of the decades between 1971 and 2021. These are listed below:
  1. Viv Richards – 1970s
  2. Kapil Dev – 1980s
  3. Sachin Tendulkar – 1990s
  4. Muttiah Muralitharan –2000s
  5. Virat Kohli – 2010s
• Leading Male Cricketer in the World – England’s Ben Stokes 
• Leading Women’s Cricketer in the World – Australia’s Beth Mooney 
• Wisden Cricketers of the Year 2021 –  Jason Holder, Mohammed Rizwan, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, and Darren Stevens
• Leading T20 Cricketer in the World – West Indies’ Kieron Pollard 

Days

International Day For Monuments and Sites: 18 April

• The International Day for Monuments and Sites (World Heritage Day) is observed on 18 April each year to promote awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage of humanity, their vulnerability and the efforts required for their protection and conservation.
• The International Day for Monuments and Sites was proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) on 18 April 1982 and approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983.
• Theme 2021- Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures.

Obituary

Vinay Agrawal, First CEO of Angel Broking, passes away at 57

• Vinay Agrawal, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and whole‐time Director of leading stockbroking firm, Angel Broking, has passed away suffering from stomach cancer. He was 57.
• A chartered accountant by profession, Agrawal joined the stockbroking firm in 2000 as a consultant and became the first CEO of Angel broking in 2015
• He had more than 15 years of experience in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector.

Former Footballer Ahmed Hussain Passes Away at 89

• Former India International Football defender Ahmed Hussain Lala has passed away due to COVID-19. He was 89.
• Ahmed represented India in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where India finished fourth.
• Besides, he was also part of the Indian team that won the gold medal in 1951 Asian Games.
• Ahmed also took part in the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan, in which India finished fourth.
• In Club Football, Ahmed played for Hyderabad City Police, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting Club. In his career, he had won two Santosh Trophy, three Durand Cups and six Rovers Cups.

Veteran Tamil actor and comedian Vivek passes away at 59

• Renowned Tamil actor and comedian Vivek has passed away following a cardiac arrest. He was 59.
• The actor was awarded the Padma Shri in 2009 for his excellent work in Tamil cinema.
• He acted in over 200 movies.