Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 June 2021

Topic: Important Days

1. International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking: 26 June

• International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed every year on 26 June.
• It aims to spread awareness about the issues related to drugs and to make the world free of drug abuse.
• On 7 December 1987, UNGA adopted a resolution to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
• ‘Share Drug Facts to Save Lives’ is the theme of the 2021 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) prepares the World Drug Report every year on the current situation of the drug problem.
• According to the latest World Drug Report, around 269 million people used drugs worldwide in 2018.

Topic: Sports

2. Saurabh Chaudhary bagged bronze at ISSF World Cup.

• Saurabh Chaudhary won the bronze medal in the men’s 10m air pistol event at the ISSF World Cup. He scored 220 points in the final.
• Abhishek Verma ended in the fifth position with a score of 179.3. Manu finished seventh in the women’s 10m air pistol event with a score of 137.3.
• Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar finished seventh in the men's 10m air rifle final. Deepak Kumar (626) and Divyansh Singh Panwar (624.7) failed to enter the final round.
• Antoaneta Kostadinova of Bulgaria won the gold in women’s 10m air pistol.
• ISSF World Cup 2021 is being held in Osijek, Croatia.

Topic: Defence

3. Enhanced Range 122mm Caliber Rocket successfully test fired by DRDO.

• Enhanced range versions of indigenously developed 122mm Caliber Rocket were successfully test fired by DRDO on June 25, 2021.
• Four enhanced range versions of 122mm rockets were successfully test fired at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
• These rockets have been developed for Army applications and can destroy targets up to 40 km. They would replace the existing 122mm Grad rockets. 
• Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) have developed the rockets with manufacturing support from M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur.

Topic: Space and IT

4. A UN body endorses a multinational project for its use of innovative technology.

• A UN body has endorsed a multinational project for its use of innovative technology and for fostering trust and collaboration among scientists.
• The project is being co-led by ISRO and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from US.
• The project aims to improve the accuracy of coastal data based on satellite and land-based observations.
• The project is called Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Coastal Observations, Applications, Services, and Tools (CEOS COAST).
• The project was recently endorsed by the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
• Committee on Earth Observation Satellites is a consortium of 61 agencies that operate 172 satellites all over the world. It was created in 1984.
• UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission is the UN body responsible for supporting global ocean science and services. It has 150 members. It was established in 1960. Its secretariat is based in Paris, France.

Topic: Defence

5. INS Vikrant to be commissioned into Indian Navy in 2022.

• INS Vikrant, India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, will be commissioned into the Indian Navy next year.
• Directorate of Naval Design (DND) has designed the first indigenous aircraft carrier. It is being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
• The project of building India’s first aircraft carrier was started in 1989 but the design work began in 1999.
• INS Vikrant has 75 percent indigenous content and will be commissioned into the Eastern Naval Command.
• The basin trials were completed in December 2020, and the sea trials will begin by end of 2021.
• Two American drones Sea Guardian and an unarmed version of the Predator series will be also inducted into the Indian Navy.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

6. NITI Aayog organizes National Convention on Prevention of Maternal, Adolescent and Childhood Obesity.

• NITI Aayog organized the National Convention on Prevention of Maternal, Adolescent and Childhood Obesity.
• In this convention, NITI Aayog described obesity as a “silent epidemic”. Global experts, representatives from UN bodies, and national research institutions presented statistics related to obesity and best practices for obesity reduction.
• Experts recommended diversifying food-based social safety nets to prevent obesity. World Obesity Federation conveyed how the obese population is an unhealthy population.
• There is an urgent need to promote a healthy diet, physical activity, and better lifestyle to fight against obesity.
• According to WHO, Overweight and obesity have been defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.

Topic: National News

7. Uttar Pradesh got first rank among states in Smart Cities Award 2020.

• Uttar Pradesh has been ranked as the top-performing state under the Smart Cities Mission’s India Smart Cities Award Contest 2020.
• Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu got second and third rank respectively in the India Smart Cities Awards Contest (ISAC) 2020.
• Indore and Surat have been jointly named as best cities for their work under the Smart Cities Mission. Chandigarh has been ranked first among Union territories.
• India Smart Cities Award was announced on the sixth anniversary of the Smart Cities Mission. The awards were given on different themes like Social Aspects, Governance, Culture, Urban Environment, Sanitation, Economy, Built Environment, etc.
• According to the government, 52% of the proposed project of smart cities in terms of number has been completed.
• Smart Cities Mission was launched in 2015 to develop smart cities which are sustainable and citizen-friendly.

Topic: State News/ Goa

8. Goa becomes first rabies-free state.

• Goa has not reported any cases of rabies in the last three years.
• Goa vaccinated dogs and spread awareness about dog bite prevention across the state. It also set up a 24-hours rabies surveillance system for dog bite victims.
• Goa had also launched the Mission Rabies project for controlling rabies. All the political leaders, panchayats have worked to achieve the target.
• Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. It causes inflammation of the brain in humans.
• Rabies spread through lyssavirus. It spread from infected animal bites or scratches.
• Goa:
  • It is a state in western India.
  • It is surrounded by Maharashtra, Karnataka, and the Arabian Sea.
  • It is the smallest state by area and it’s fourth-smallest by population.
  • The Chief Minister of the state is Pramod Sawant and Governor is Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
  • The capital of Goa is Panaji.

Topic: International News

9. World Bank approved $125 million to support Kerala’s disaster preparedness.

• The World Bank has approved $125 million to support the Resilient Kerala Program.
• It will support Kerala's preparedness against natural disasters, climate change impacts, disease outbreaks and pandemics.
• The aim of this program is to incorporate disaster risk planning in the master plans of urban and local self-governments.
• The resilient program will help in making health and water resources management, agriculture, and road sectors more resilient to calamities.
• The first Resilient Kerala Development Policy Operation (DPO) was approved in June 2019. It helped in the conservation of water resources. It also introduced climate-resilient agriculture, risk-informed land use, and disaster management planning.
• World Bank:
  • It is one of the world’s largest finance providers aiming to end extreme poverty and promote shared growth.
  • It was established in 1944.
  • It is headquartered in Washington, DC, USA.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

10. A team of researchers discovers new species of skittering frog from surroundings of Thattekkad bird sanctuary.

• A team of researchers has discovered new species of skittering frog from the surroundings of Thattekkad bird sanctuary.
• The species has been named ‘Euphlyctis Kerala’ in honour of the astonishing biodiversity of the state.
• Kerala is also known for many endemic species of frog. The new species is known to be found in the fresh water bodies of the foothills of the Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap.
• Members of the genus Euphlyctis (skittering frogs) are distributed in Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand.
• Thattekkad bird sanctuary was the first bird sanctuary in Kerala. Ornithologist Salim Ali described it as the richest bird habitat in peninsular India.

Topic: State News/Maharashtra

11. Maharashtra signs MoU with UK government to make start-ups ecosystem strong.

• Maharashtra has signed MoU with the UK government to make the start-ups ecosystem strong.
• The MoU has been signed under their ACT4Green programme, which aims to enable start-ups from India and UK to expand internationally.
• The MoU was signed during a virtual ceremony organized by Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS).
• MSInS is a nodal agency set up under the aegis of Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department of the Maharashtra government.
• MSInS is responsible for the execution of the state's innovative start-up policy. It was established in 2018.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

12. e-filing portal of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), ‘itat e-dwar’, formally launched by Law Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad.

• Law Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad formally launched the e-filing portal of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), ‘itat e-dwar’.
• The portal will make the possible online filing of appeals, applications and documents by various parties.
• During the launching of portal, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that cases of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal should be integrated with National Judicial Data Grid.
• On the occasion of the launching of the portal, Justice P.P. Bhatt, President of ITAT said that the launch of the portal will enhance the accessibility, accountability and transparency in the day-tos-day working of the ITAT.