Daily Current Affairs 20th August 2025: Your guide for daily General Knowledge Preparation
Dear Readers,
This post contains the daily current affairs 20th August 2025. It includes all National, International, Business & Sports related to Current Affairs 20th August 2025. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these Current Affairs, we would recommend you to try 20th August, 2025 Current affairs test.
Important Days News
World Humanitarian Day 2025 – August 19
- Observed annually on 19 August to recognize the courage, commitment, and service of humanitarian workers worldwide.
- Theme for 2025: “Strengthening Global Solidarity and Empowering Local Communities”, highlighting the role of grassroots participation in global aid efforts.
- The day commemorates the 2003 UN headquarters bombing in Baghdad, honoring those who lost their lives.
- Activities include UN-led initiatives, local community programs, and digital campaigns, which share real stories, spread compassion, and encourage individual involvement in humanitarian causes.
World Mosquito Day 2025 – August 20
- Marked every year on 20 August to spread awareness about mosquito-borne diseases.
- Established in 1897 by Sir Ronald Ross, who discovered that female mosquitoes transmit malaria to humans.
- History & Significance: Dedicated to Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery, it emphasizes the fight against mosquito-related illnesses.
- According to a WHO report, mosquitoes are responsible for the deaths of nearly 7–10 lakh people annually, making them the deadliest carriers of infectious diseases.
International News
Dubai Introduces AI-Based Passenger Corridor at DXB
- Dubai International Airport (DXB) has unveiled an AI-powered passenger corridor that allows travelers to clear immigration within seconds, without documents.
- Operates using facial recognition technology and pre-registered biometric data.
- Part of the “Travel Without Borders” initiative, it can handle up to 10 passengers at once in just 14 seconds, eliminating the need for traditional passport counters.
- Currently deployed at Terminal 3 (First & Business Class lounges), this system builds on Dubai’s 2020 smart tunnel project, aiming to deliver a fast, seamless, and secure travel experience.
Six-Day Indian Film Festival in Sri Lanka
- A six-day Indian cinema festival began at Trincomalee campus, Eastern University of Sri Lanka, featuring six Indian films in multiple languages.
- Inauguration: Conducted by Governor Prof. Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera.
- Prof. Ankuran Dutta, Director of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, spoke about the 111-year journey and diversity of Indian cinema.
- The festival’s objective is to strengthen cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka through cinematic art.
National News
Launch of ‘SabhaSaar’ – AI Tool for Gram Sabhas
- The government introduced SabhaSaar, an AI-driven tool designed to automatically generate structured minutes from Gram Sabha video/audio recordings.
- Ensures transparency, uniformity, and efficiency across panchayats.
- Built on the BHASHINI platform, it supports multi-language transcription.
- Integrated with e-GramSwaraj and monitored via the Panchayat NIRNAY portal, the tool strengthens digital governance and participatory democracy, aligning with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
Business News
SBI Introduces Collateral-Free Loan for Agniveers & Revises IMPS Charges
- On the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day, SBI launched a special personal loan scheme for Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme.
- Loan amount: Up to ₹4 lakh.
- Collateral-free, with zero processing fees.
- Flat 10.50% interest rate, valid until September 30, 2025.
- Repayment tenure is aligned with the Agnipath service duration.
- SBI also revised IMPS charges for online transfers above ₹25,000, effective August 15, 2025, ranging between ₹2 and ₹10 plus GST.
FPIs Movement in August 2025
- Between August 1–15, 2025, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs):
- Invested ₹4,469 crore in debt markets.
- Withdrew ₹20,975 crore from equity markets.
- This continues July’s trend, where FPIs pulled out ₹17,741 crore from equities.
- Earlier months saw positive inflows: ₹14,590 crore in June and ₹19,860 crore in May — the best performance of 2025 so far.
Awards News
Manika Vishwakarma Crowned Miss Universe India 2025
- Manika Vishwakarma, a model from Ganganagar, Rajasthan, won the Miss Universe India 2025 title at the national pageant in Jaipur.
- Previously titled Miss Universe Rajasthan 2024, she will represent India at the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand.
- Currently working as a model in Delhi, she expressed gratitude to her supporters.
- Jury members, including Urvashi Rautela and ex-titleholder Riya Singha, praised her outstanding performance among 50 finalists.
Defense News
Assam Rifles Collaborates with IIIT Manipur on Drone Technology
- Assam Rifles signed an MoU with IIIT Manipur to boost the use of drone technology in defence and security.
- The partnership will launch an Advanced Drone Training & Refresher Course for Assam Rifles personnel.
- Training covers flight operations, maintenance, and DGCA-certified modules.
- Aimed at enhancing capabilities in surveillance, reconnaissance, and logistics.
- The MoU also strengthens defence-academia collaboration, with over 80 participants from armed forces and academic institutions attending the signing at Mantripukhri.
Sports News
Carlos Alcaraz Wins 2025 Cincinnati Open
- Carlos Alcaraz clinched his first Cincinnati Open title (2025) after Jannik Sinner retired due to illness in the final.
- This marks Alcaraz’s:
- 6th title of 2025.
- 8th ATP Masters 1000 trophy overall.
- With this win, Alcaraz now tops the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin by 1,890 points, boosting his chances of finishing the year as World No. 1.
- Victory also ended Sinner’s 26-match hard court winning streak, improving Alcaraz’s head-to-head record to 9–5 against him.
- This is his third Masters 1000 win in 2025 (after Monte-Carlo and Rome), extending his Masters win streak to 17 matches.
Iga Świątek Triumphs at Cincinnati Open 2025
- Iga Świątek captured the Cincinnati Open 2025 title by defeating Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 in the final.
- Achievements with this victory:
- First hard-court title since Indian Wells 2024.
- 24th career title overall.
- Climbs back to World No. 2.
- Comes after her Wimbledon 2025 win, signaling strong momentum ahead of the U.S. Open.
- Her performance displayed renewed mental toughness, defensive strength, and variety, reinforcing her status as a top contender.
Science & Technology News
Parag Agrawal Launches AI Startup – ‘Parallel’
- Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal founded Parallel Web Systems, an AI company aiming to build a “web for machines.”
- The startup offers low-level search tools and deep research APIs for AI agents, enabling faster research and verification tasks.
- Parallel’s APIs have reportedly outperformed OpenAI’s GPT-5 in benchmarks such as BrowseComp and DeepResearch Bench.
India’s Space Ambitions – Space Station & Crewed Moon Mission
- Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated India’s space goals in Parliament:
- Establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035.
- Launch a crewed Indian mission to the Moon by 2040.
- These missions are part of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
- He praised IAF Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla for his historic role in the International Space Station mission, calling it a proud moment for India.
Russia Plans Venera-D Mission to Venus
- Russia announced plans for the Venera-D mission to Venus between 2034–2036.
- The mission will include a lander, balloon probe, and an orbital spacecraft.
- Preliminary design phase begins in January 2026, lasting two years, led by the Space Research Institute (IKI) in partnership with Lavochkin Association.
- Final launch schedule will be determined post-design completion.
Obituaries News
Veteran Actor Achyut Potdar Passes Away at 91
- Veteran actor Achyut Potdar died on August 18, 2025, at the age of 91, in Jupiter Hospital, Thane.
- His career spanned over four decades with 125+ films in Hindi and Marathi cinema.
- Famous for his line “Kehna kya chahte ho?” in 3 Idiots.
- Notable films include Aakrosh, Tezaab, Rangeela, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, and Ventilator.
- Originally a professor and Indian Oil employee, he transitioned to acting via Marathi theatre in the 1970s.
- Remembered for his versatility and impactful roles, his passing led to widespread tributes, though the cause of death was not disclosed.