Daily Current Affairs and GK | 15 and 16 August 2021

Topic: State News/ Delhi

1. North Delhi Municipal Corporation launched 'Cleancity' App to improve Sanitation.

• North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) launched a 'Cleancity' mobile application to improve cleanliness in the city.
• Residents can register their complaints regarding picking up garbage through the 'Cleancity' App. They can also give their suggestion to improve the services.
• To mark the 75^th year of Independence, NDMC has taken a pledge to discourage the use of single plastic.
• In 2020, North Delhi Municipal Corporation has been ranked 43^rd in the government’s cleanliness survey of the cities with a population of more than 10 lakh people.
• North Delhi Municipal Corporation and South Delhi Municipal Corporation are some of the worst performers in the Swachh Survekshan survey.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

2. Four more Indian wetlands added to Ramsar list as wetlands of international importance.

• Four more Indian wetlands have been added to the Ramsar list as wetlands of international importance.
• These sites are Thol and Wadhwana from Gujarat and Sultanpur and Bhindawas from Haryana.
• Now, India has a total of 46 Ramsar sites covering an area of 1,083,322 hectares. Haryana gets its first Ramsar sites.
• The main objective of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands important for the conservation of global biological diversity.
• Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest wetland in Haryana. It is a human-made freshwater wetland. Ten threatened species are found at this site.
• Sultanpur National Park has more than 220 species of migratory and local migratory waterbirds. It is home to the endangered Egyptian Vulture, Saker Falcon, and Black-bellied Tern.
• Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary lies on the Central Asian Flyway. It supports more than 30 threatened waterbird species.
• Wadhvana Wetland provides wintering ground to migratory waterbirds. It is home to more than 80 species that migrate on the Central Asian Flyway.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

3. India celebrated its 75^th Independence Day on 15 August 2021.

• India celebrated its 75^th Independence Day on 15^th August this year.
• As part of the Independence Day celebrations, PM Modi hoisted national flag. This was for the first time followed by showering of flower petals by two Mi 17 1V helicopters of the Indian Air Force.
• PM Modi said that Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas is of great value in fulfilling all the aspirations of the nation.
• PM said that just within two years of Jal Jeevan Mission, over 4.5 Crore families has started receiving Nal Se Jal.
• He said that government is now focusing on building world-class infrastructure in Ladakh.
• He said that ten crore farmer families have directly received over 1.5 lakh crore rupees in their bank accounts.
• The Prime Minister said that we have decided to celebrate Amrit Mahotsav till 15 August 2023.
• He said that 75 Vande Bharat trains will connect every corner of India in 75 weeks of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence.
• He said that Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti National Master Plan will be launched. He also announced setting of National Hydrogen Mission with the goal of becoming the new global hub of Green Hydrogen and also its largest exporter.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Honours

4. President confers Shaurya Chakra on Indian Air force officers.

• President has conferred Shaurya Chakra on Indian Air force officers.
• Wing Commander Varun Singh who is a pilot in a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Squadron has been conferred with Shaurya Chakra for the act of exceptional gallantry.
• President has also conferred Shaurya Chakra on Air Force Officer Group Captain Perminder Antil who is the Commanding Officer of a Su-30 MKI Squadron since January 2020.
• Air Force Officer Squadron Leader Deepak Mohanan and Wing Commander Uttar Kumar have been conferred with the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for the act of exceptional courage.
• On the eve of Independence Day 2021, President has also approved Shaurya Chakra to Indian Navy Officer, Captain Sachin Reuben Sequeira.
• President has approved 144 Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces, police & paramilitary personnel. These include one Ashok Chakra, one Kirti Chakra, 15 Shaurya Chakras and others.
• President has approved the name of Shri Babu Ram, ASI, J&K Police for Ashoka Chakra and Shri Altaf Hussain Bhat for Kirti Chakra.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

5. Indian contingent wins 15 medals at World Archery Youth Championships.

• The Indian contingent has won 15 medals at the World Archery Youth Championships.
• The 2021 World Archery Youth Championships was organized in Wroclaw in Poland from 9 August to 15 August 2021.
• Indian cadet men’s team, comprising Bishal Changmai, Amit Kumar, and Vickey Ruhal, beat France by 5-3.
• India’s Junior recurve archers bagged gold in the men’s and mixed team event.
• India contingent won 8 gold, two silver, and five bronze medals.
• Komalika Bari becomes second Indian after Deepika Kumari to win the U-21 World Championship and U-18 title.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International News

6. Ashraf Ghani resigned as President of Afghanistan.

• Ashraf Ghani has left the country after resigning as the President.
• Taliban leaders have ordered their troops to remain outside the Afghan capital ahead of talks on a peaceful transition of power.
• Ali Ahamd Jalali is likely to be appointed as head of the new interim government.
• Recently, United States has announced to withdraw its all troops from Afghanistan. UNSC had approved the US-Taliban peace deal in 2020.
• The Taliban were removed from power in Afghanistan by US-led forces in 2001.
• The Taliban emerged in the early 1990s in northern Pakistan after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. Taliban means students in Pashto.

Topic: Space and IT

7. Chandrayaan-2 detected presence of water molecules on moon.

• Chandrayaan-2 orbiter has detected the presence of water molecules (H₂O) and hydroxyl (OH) on the surface of the moon.
• Imaging infrared spectrometer (IIRS) has collected the data. The initial data analysis has depicted the presence of water molecules on the moon.
• The findings of the data were published in the ‘Current Science’ journal. The study reveals that OH and H₂O molecules were detected between 29 degrees to 62 degrees north latitude.
• The study from data found higher OH or H₂O molecules in Plagioclase-rich rocks.
• Chandrayaan-2 mission was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in July 2019. It consists of a lunar orbiter, Vikram lander, and the Pragyan lunar rover. However, the lander had crashed above 2.1 km from the moon’s surface.

Topic: Sports

8. Unmukt Chand announced retirement from Indian cricket.

• Former India Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Unmukt Chand announced retirement from Indian cricket at the age of 28.
• He captained the Under-19 World Cup winning team in 2012.
• Recently, he has signed a 3-year deal with the USA's Major League Cricket (MLC).
• He played 67 first-class games and scored 3379 runs at an average of 31.57. In the T20s, he scored 1565 runs at an average of 22.35.
• He played for Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Topic: Important Days

9. Partition Horrors Remembrance Day: 14 August

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that August 14 will be observed as 'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day'. The announcement comes a day before India’s 75^th Independence Day.
• The day will remind of the pain and suffering faced by the people of India during the partition. It will be observed in the memory of the struggles and sacrifices of people.
• Millions of people were displaced and many lost their lives due to the partition. The partition was outlined in the Indian Independence Act 1947.
• During the partition, British India was divided into two independent Dominions: India and Pakistan. The Bengal and Punjab province was divided based on the non-Muslim or Muslim population.
• The land border between India and Pakistan was drawn by a boundary Commission which was led by British lawyer Cyril Radcliffe.

Topic: National News

10. India’s first Drone Forensic Lab has been established in Kerala.

• India’s first Drone Forensic Lab has been set up in Kerala. It has been established to boost surveillance of terrorist activities and anti-India elements.
• It has been established after the attacks in Jammu and Kashmir from aerial vehicles.
• It has been set up under the public-private partnership initiative. The research lab has been developed with the help of Cyberdome of the Kerala police.
• Cyberdome is a technological research and development center of the Kerala Police Department.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

11. India organized the IBSA Tourism Ministers’ virtual meet.

• India organized the IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) Tourism Ministers’ virtual meeting.
• It was organized to promote cooperation in the field of tourism and to review the intra IBSA Tourism cooperation.
• Indian Tourism Minister emphasized on the importance of domestic tourism in reigniting the tourism economy.
• The ministers of respective countries made a commitment to strengthen the cooperation in tourism to overcome the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.
• Recently, the Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women’s Forum meeting was held virtually.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

12. Pakistan successfully test-fired ballistic missile ‘Ghaznavi’.

• Pakistan successfully conducted a successful training launch of surface-to-surface ballistic missile ‘Ghaznavi’.
• It is capable of delivering multiple types of warheads up to a range of 290 kilometers. It is equipped with a proper terminal guidance system.
• In February 2021, the Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) had also conducted the ‘training launch’ of Ghaznavi as part of its annual field training exercise.
• Lt Gen Muhammad Ali, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command, witnessed the training launch.