Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 April 2021

Topic: Important Days

1. World Hemophilia Day: 17 April

• It is an international awareness day for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. It is observed every year on 17 April.
• It is an initiative of the ‘World Federation of Hemophilia’.
• It was started in 1989, and it is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Frank Schnabel, the founder of the World Federation of Hemophilia.
• The theme of World Hemophilia Day 2021 is “Adapting to change: sustaining care in a new world”.
• Hemophilia: It is an inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood doesn’t clot properly. It is caused due to the absence of clotting factor in the blood.

Topic: Sports

2. India clinched one Gold, two Bronze medals in Asian Wrestling Championship.

• India women won one Gold, two Bronze medals in Asian Wrestling Championship.
• Sarita Mor clinched the gold medal in the 59 kg category. She had also won a gold medal in the Asian Wrestling Championship  2020 in New Delhi.
• In the women’s 76 kg category, Pooja defeated Seoyeon Jeong of Korea.
• In the women’s 50 kg category, Seema defeated Yung Hsun Lin of Taiwan to win bronze medal.
• Vinesh Phogat (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Sakshi Malik (65kg) also reached in their respective finals at the Asian Wrestling Championships.
• Asian Wrestling Championships 2021 is being held at Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is organised by the Asian Associated Wrestling Committee.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

3. Indian Air Force Commanders’ Conference 2021 held in New Delhi.

• The Indian Air Force Commanders’ Conference 2021 concluded in New Delhi.
• The theme of the conference was ‘Reorienting for the Future’. 
• This three-day conference has been organised to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
• The Chief of Defence Staff, Navy Chief, and Army Chief have addressed the conference.
• Many issues, including the future challenges for the Indian Air Force, the roadmap for effective utilisation of assets and future inductions, etc., were discussed.
• The Air Force Chief stressed upon the need for induction of new technologies into the Indian Air Force. He also said that there is a requirement for innovative and low-cost solutions for enhancing training effectiveness.
• Indian Air Force:
  • It was established on 8 October.
  • The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Air Force.
  • The Chief of the Air Staff is Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

4. Government approves ROPAX jetty project in Odisha.

• The government has approved a Rs 110-crore ROPAX jetty project on the Dhamra River in Odisha. It will connect Kaninali in Bhadrak district and Talachua in Kendrapada district.
• This project has been approved under the Sagarmala initiative. This project will reduce the travel time for passengers from 6 hours to one hour by waterway.
• It will increase the commercial and business activities in the region and also enhance the socio-economic status of the people.
• It will reduce the road distance of 200 km from Talachua to Dhamra.
• The cost of this project will be shared by the center and state on 50: 50 basis.
• Dhamra River is formed by the confluence of the Brahmani and Baitarani rivers. The Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary lies on the Dhamra estuary.
• Odisha:
  • It is a state on the Bay of Bengal in the east of India.
  • It is the eighth largest state by area and the eleventh largest by population.
  • It is known for its tribal cultures and many ancient Hindu temples.
  • The Chief Minister is Naveen Patnaik and Governor is Ganeshi Lal.

Topic: Important Days

5. Save the Elephant Day: April 16

• Save the Elephant Day is celebrated every year on 16 April. It is observed to raise awareness about the dangers and difficulties faced by Elephants.
• This day was established by the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand.
• The day is celebrated to make people aware of the trade of ivory and the loss of habitat of elephants.
• The Red List of IUCN lists African elephants as vulnerable and Asian elephants as Endangered.
• According to an estimate, there are about 50,000-60,000 Asian elephants in the world. More than 60% of those elephants live in India.
• World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on 12 August.
• India had also launched Project Elephant for the protection of Elephants. It was launched in 1992.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Geography

6. IMD predicted Normal monsoon for 2021.

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that monsoon will be normal in 2021.
• IMD predicted that the probability of the normal monsoon is 40% while the probability of ‘above normal’ monsoon is 21%.
• India Meteorological Department has predicted that the monsoon seasonal rainfall is likely to be 98% of the Long Period Average (LPA).
• If the prediction of IMD’s comes true, it will be the third consecutive year when India will receive normal or above normal-monsoon.
• The Indian Ocean Dipole and La Nina are expected to be neutral for this year.
• Indian monsoon:
  • The word monsoon has been derived from the Arabic word ‘Mausim’.
  • Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring rainfall in the Indian region.
  • India receives south-west monsoon winds in summer and north-east monsoon winds in winter.
  • The south-west monsoon brings most of the rainfall in India between June to September.
  • The south-west monsoon has two branches:
    • The Arabian Sea branch
    • The Bay of Bengal branch

Topic: Personality in News

7. Former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha passed away.

• Former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha died at the age of 68.
• He was appointed as chief of CBI in 2012. He worked on different posts in the state and central government.
• He also headed the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
• Under his tenure, Supreme Court called the CBI a “caged parrot”.
• He was accused of influencing the probe in coal block allocation during his tenure.
• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI):
  • It is an investigating agency in India.
  • It works under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
  • Praveen Sinha is the current interim director of the CBI.
  • It was established on the recommendation of the Santhanam Committee.
  • It derives its powers from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.

Topic: Defence

8. India will get Air Defence System S-400 from Russia.

• Russia will deliver the first set of S-400 air defence systems to India by the end of 2021.
• In 2018, both countries had signed a pact of $ 5.43 billion for the S-400 Triumf missile defence system. It will help the India Air force in enhancing its capability.
• According to the Russian News Agency, China has received the second batch of the S-400 air defense system.
• The US has imposed Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) on Turkey for the purchase of S-400 missile systems from Russia.
• S-400 missile defence system:
  • It is a surface-to-air missile system (SAM).
  • It is developed by Russia.
  • It has been designed to destroy aerial threats like aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles
  • It has a range of 40km to 400Km.

Topic: Reports and Indices

9. Economist Intelligence Unit released Inclusive Internet Index in partnership with Facebook.

• The Economist Intelligence Unit and Facebook have jointly released the Inclusive Internet Index.
• The index shows that how relevant and affordable the internet has become for common people and how people are using it throughout the world.
• The index has been released based on categories, availability, affordability, relevance, and readiness.
• According to the Inclusive Internet Index report, Internet usage increased with the pandemic.
• In both developing and developed countries, their reforms related to Internet availability have increased.
• In the Inclusive Internet Index, India ranked 49^th.

Topic: Important Days

10. World Voice Day celebrated on 16 April with theme “One World, Many Voices.”

• World Voice Day is celebrated on 16 April every year throughout the world.
• It is celebrated around the world to create awareness and recognize the importance of our voice.
• The theme of World Voice Day 2021 is “One World, Many Voices.”
• It was first celebrated by a group of Brazilian voice care professionals in 1999. 
• The Brazilian Society of Laryngology and Voice was the first to observe April 16 as Voice Day.
• Initially, the day was celebrated as the Brazilian Voice Day.
• From 2002, the day was officially declared as World Voice Day.