Daily Current Affairs and GK | 21 December 2021

Topic: Sports

1. Kidambi Srikanth wins silver medal in the World Badminton Championships.

• Indian Shuttler Kidambi Srikanth clinched the silver medal in the World Badminton Championships.
• In the final, he was defeated by Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew by 21-15, 22-20.
• Lakshya Sen has won the Bronze medal in the latest edition of the World Badminton Championships. Kidambi had reached the final after he beat compatriot Lakshya Sen in the men's singles semi-finals.
• Earlier, Prakash Padukone in 1983 and B. Sai Praneeth in 2019 have won the bronze medal in the men’s World Badminton Championships.
• P. V Sindhu has won the gold medal in the World Badminton Championships of 2019.
• The 2021 BWF World Championship was held in Spain from 12 to 19 December 2021.

Topic: Indian Polity

2. Lok Sabha passed Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021.

• Lok Sabha has passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021. The bill seeks to link electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem.
• The linking of Aadhar number with electoral rolls is not compulsory or mandatory but voluntary.
• It will also allow the electoral registration officers to ask Aadhaar numbers from the people for the authentication of entries in the electoral roll.
• The legislation will end bogus voting in the country and make the electoral process more transparent.
• The amendments in the bills were recommended by the Election Commission of India and the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
• Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021 will amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951.
• It will also make the elections gender-neutral for service voters.

Topic: State News/ Nagaland

3. Nagaland government created three new districts.

• The Nagaland government has created three districts named- Tseminyu, Niuland, and Chumukedima.
• Tseminyu became the 13th district followed by Nuiland and Chumukedima as 14th and 15th Districts respectively.
• Now, the total number of districts in Nagaland has been raised to 15. Niuland and Chumukedima have been formed out of the Dimapur district.
• Tseminyu has been promoted to a district. Earlier, it was the sub-division of the Kohima district.
• A state can create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts. It can be done either through an executive order or by passing a law in the state assembly.

Topic: Defense News

4. Indian Navy's stealth destroyer Mormugao begins her maiden sea sortie.

• Stealth destroyer Mormugao of the Indian Navy has begun its maiden sea sortie. It is the second indigenous stealth destroyer of the P15B class.
• Indian Navy's stealth destroyer Mormugao has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDSL). It was launched in 2016.
• It has been named after the port town in Goa. It will be commissioned into the Indian Navy in mid-2022.
• Mormugao completed its basic trials on 14 December 2021 and started its maiden sea trials on 19 December 2021
• Mormugao will strengthen the combat capabilities of the Indian Navy. Recently, INS Vela has been also commissioned in November.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Appointments

5. Government appoints Pradeep Kumar Rawat as India’s next Ambassador to China.

• Government has appointed Pradeep Kumar Rawat as India’s next Ambassador to China.
• Mr Rawat is currently India’s Ambassador to the Netherlands.
• He will replace Vikram Misri, who completed his three-year term earlier this month.
• Mr Rawat will take up the assignment shortly in Beijing.
• He will take charge at a time when India and China are struggling to resolve the more than 18 month-long border crisis along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

6. Prasar Bharati and ICCR sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for promoting Indian culture.

• Prasar Bharati and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) have signed a MoU for promoting Indian culture.
• As part of MoU, the performances of eminent artists associated with ICCR will be telecast on the national and international Channels of Doordarshan.
• The MoU aims to bring forth the best of Indian Culture to the National and International audiences.
• It also aims to provide TV and Digital platforms to the performing artists.
• MoU will be in operation for the period of three years from December 2021 till December 2024.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

7. Parliament passed Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Amendment Bill, 2021.

• Parliament has passed the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• It will replace the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021. It will amend the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
• The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) (Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks only to correct a drafting error in the law.
• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was amended in 2014 for medical access of narcotic drugs and removing barriers in transporting and licensing of essential narcotic drugs.

(Source: News On AIR)

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

8. India’s biggest drone show has been organized in Lucknow.

• India’s biggest drone show has been organized in Lucknow as part of the Amrit Mahotsav series of events on 1857.
• It has been jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Department of Tourism and Culture, Uttar Pradesh.
• The story of India’s freedom struggle from 1857 to 1947 were presented in the sky through music, laser light, acrobatics through 500 drones. The drone show has been organized at the Residency.
• More than 13,000 programmes will be organized under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The initiatives under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav were constantly supported by DIGITAL OUTREACH.
• Recently, Government has notified the Drone Rules 2021 on 25 August.
• Drone Rules, 2021 reduced the number of forms that need to be filled to operate drones from 25 to five and decreased types of fees charged from drone operators from 72 to four.

Topic: Space and IT

9. SpaceX launches 52 Starlink satellites from California.

• SpaceX has launched 52 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from California base through the two-stage Falcon 9 rocket.
• The first stage of the Falcon’s rocket returned and landed on a SpaceX droneship in the ocean. It was the 34th launch for Starlink.
• The second stage continued into orbit and deployed the Satellities. Starlink is a satellite-based global internet system.
• SpaceX is building a global internet system for providing internet access to underserved areas of the world.
• SpaceX also launched a Turkish communications satellite from Florida.
• Starlink is a project under which SpaceX aims to send 12,000 satellites to provide space- based internet. 
• SpaceX is also developing the next-generation Starship rocket for going to Mars.

Topic: State News/Uttarakhand

10. RIshabh Pant appointed as brand ambassador of Uttarakhand.

• RIshabh Pant has been appointed as brand ambassador of Uttarakhand.
• He has been appointed with an aim to promote Sports and General Health among the people of Uttarakhand.
• Pant is an Indian wicketkeeper-batter. He was born in the Uttarakhand’s Roorkee town in Haridwar district.
• In February 2021, he was named Men's Player of Month in first edition of ICC Player of the Month Awards.
• In September 2021, he was named in India's squad for 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

11. Indian desert cat seen for the first time in MP’s Panna Tiger Reserve.

• Indian desert cat has been seen for the first time in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Reserve.
• A tourist has taken and shared pictures of an Indian desert cat in the reserve's Akola buffer zone during the night safari.
• Indian desert cat is found in deserts. It can survive without water. It toes have cushion like hair which help it balance the fluctuating desert temperatures.
• Earlier, presence of a desert cat was recorded in Nauradehi sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh.
• In August 2021, a fishing cat was seen in Panna Tiger Reserve. Fishing cat is one of the endangered animals in India.

Topic: Defence

12. DRDO conducts flight demonstration of Controlled Aerial Delivery System.

• Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra has carried out a flight demonstration of Controlled Aerial Delivery System of 500 kg capacity (CADS-500).
• ADRDE, Agra is an R&D laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• CADS-500 is used for precise delivery of payload upto 500 kgs at predetermined location.
• System performance was demonstrated at Drop Zone, Malpura from an altitude of 5000m.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

13. SAIL has won the Prestigious Golden Peacock Award for Environmental Management 2021.

• The Institute of Directors has given the prestigious Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for the year 2021 in the Steel Sector to the Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL).
• SAIL has won this award for the past three years in a row. SAIL is sensitive to global concerns for climate change.
• This award is a testimony to the company's efforts towards sustainable and environmentally responsible steelmaking.
• The company's corporate policies and operations have made carbon footprint reduction a priority.
• The Company’s environmental protections measures are focused on adopting various environmental measures, which are:
  • Upgrading pollution control facilities
  • Water conservation efforts with the goal of achieving Zero Liquid Discharge
  • Efficient handling of various solid wastes (such as process waste, hazardous waste, canteen/township waste)
  • Carbon sequestration through afforestation
  • Eco-restoration of mined-out areas

(Source: PIB)

Topic: International News

14. Chile's next president will be Gabriel Boric.

• Gabriel Boric, a leftist candidate, has won Chile's presidential election, becomes Chile's youngest leader ever.
• The 35-year-old former protest leader beat his far-right rival Jose Antonio Kast by 10 points.
• According to official results, Mr. Boric has received 56 percent of the vote to Mr. Kast's 44 percent.
• Mr. Boric, 35, will become Chile's youngest president when he takes office in March.
• Chile has one of the world's largest income gaps, with 1% of the population owning 25% of the country's wealth.
• Boric has promised to address this inequality by expanding social rights and reforming Chile's pension and healthcare systems.
• He also promised to stop a controversial proposed mining project which can harm communities and the national environment.