Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why; many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 16 August 2021, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc.
Daily Current Affairs 16 August 2021
Google dedicated its doodle to Indian poetess Subhadra Kumari
Google recently dedicated its doodle to Indian poetess Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s 117th birth anniversary.
Subhadra Kumari Chauhan (16 August 1904 – 16 February 1948) was an Indian poet. She wrote in the Khariboli dialect of Hindi, in a simple, clear style.
One of her most popular poems is “Jhansi ki Rani” (about the courageous Queen of Jhansi).
This and her other poems, Jallianwala Bagh mein Vasant, Veeron Ka Kaisa Ho Basant, Rakhi Ki Chunauti, and Vida, openly talk about the freedom movement.
They are said to have inspired great numbers of Indian youth to participate in the Indian Freedom Movement.
The ICGS Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, an Indian Coast Guard ship, was named for the poet.
Hindi film, Shershaah, brought the spotlight back on Captain Vikram Batra
The Hindi film, Shershaah, has brought the spotlight back on Captain Vikram Batra, a war hero who had been martyred during the Kargil war of 1999.
Batra took the CDS exam and was selected by the Services Selection Board (SSB) at Allahabad in 1996. He was commissioned into the Indian Army as lieutenant in the 13th battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.
Batra’s battalion, the 13 JAK Rifles came to Drass in early June. By then, the Kargil conflict had been underway for a month and had escalated to a full-out war.
Batra’s battalion, the 13 JAK Rifles were to act as reserves to the 2nd battalion, the Rajputana Rifles. The 13 JAK Rifles played a significant role in the capture of Point 5140 under the leadership of Lt Col. Yogesh Kumar Joshi.
It was during the briefing for the capture of Point 5140 that Batra used the phrase ‘Yeh Dil Mange More’ – taken from a popular Pepsi ad campaign – as his success signal.
Batra was severely injured during the attack, but he killed three enemy combatants and a large number of arms and ammunition were recovered. India didn’t suffer a single loss of life during the capture of Point 5140.
In fact, the victory started off a string of successful recaptures, and the Indian army captured Point 5100, Point 4700, Junction Peak and the Three Pimple Complex.
Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest gallantry honour for his valour, posthumously.
Mapping the advance of the Taliban in Afghanistan
The Taliban recently entered Kabul, saying they were awaiting a “peaceful transfer” of power. They, in less than eight weeks have swept through Afghanistan took all major cities including Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar and Herat among others.
The withdrawal of forces by USA is now being likened to the fall of Saigon, a somewhat similar catastrophe that befell the US almost half a century ago when Saigon, the capital of US-backed South Vietnam, fell to Communist-ruled North Vietnam two years after the withdrawal of the American military which had been in the country for 19 years.
Saigon’s capture on April 30, 1975 (it was later renamed after North leader Ho Chi Minh) signalled the end of the Vietnam War, and the Communists consolidated their hold over the entire country in the next few months.
The Vietnam War—the first televised war in the world—was a bloody conflict that left 58,000 Americans and 2,50,000 Vietnamese dead, and ended with the US being thrown out of the Southeast Asian country.
The war lasted from 1954, when North Vietnam’s legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap defeated French colonial troops at the famous strategic spot, Dien Bien Phu, until 21 years later when the same military leader vanquished the Americans and their South Vietnamese protégés at Saigo.
Bennington Battle Day 2021
Bennington Battle Day is celebrated on August 16th every year by Vermont. The Battle of Bennington was fought in 1977 during the Revolutionary War.
A popular attraction is to ride up the elevator of the Bennington Monument, which offers views of the landscapes of Virginia, Massachusetts, and New York.
The monument was built at the site of Bennington’s supply depot. The site is sometimes referred to as Old Bennington.
Beside a battle reenactment put on by historical societies, there are not many traditions observed on the holiday.
Some commemorations may honor fallen soldiers. Schools may hold educational programs about the battle and the Revolutionary War.
The 100th anniversary was marked by a series of speeches that were attended by President Rutherford B. Hayes.
Parsi New Year 2021
The Parsi New Year is observed on the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Zoroastrian calendar.
It is also known as Navroz, which is derived from the Persian words Nav and Roz, which indicate a ‘new day’.
The celebration occurs around the Spring Equinox around March 21 each year. However, the Parsi community in India follows the Shahenshahi calendar which does not account for leap years.
Hence, the celebration has now shifted by 200 days from its original date of the spring equinox. The Parsi New Year in India is celebrated later in July or August.
Zoroastrianism, one of the earliest known monotheistic faiths, is practised by Parsis. It was created over 3,500 years ago in ancient Iran by Prophet Zarathustra.
3rd death anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
India is remembering Bharat Ratna, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his third death anniversary on 16 August, 2021. He passed away on this day in 2018.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an Indian statesman who served three terms as the prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004.
Vajpayee was one of the co-founders and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation.
He was the first Indian prime minister not of the Indian National Congress to serve a full term in office. He was also noted as a poet and a writer.
Canadian PM called for snap election on September
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for a snap election which will take place on September 20.
A snap election is an election that is called earlier than the one that has been scheduled.
Generally, a snap election in a parliamentary system is called to capitalize on an unusual electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue, under circumstances when an election is not required by law or convention.
A snap election differs from a recall election in that it is initiated by politicians rather than voters, and from a by-election in that the winners will serve an entire term as opposed to the remainder of an already established term.
Early elections can also be called in certain jurisdictions after a ruling coalition is dissolved if a replacement coalition cannot be formed within a constitutionally set time limit.
Major Earthquake strikes in Haiti 2021
At least 304 people died and hundreds were injured after a major earthquake struck southwestern Haiti on August 15.
The United States Geological Survey said that the 7.2-magnitude quake was followed by a series of aftershocks.
Haiti is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, to the east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
It occupies the western three-eighths of the island which it shares with the Dominican Republic.
To its south-west lies the small island of Navassa Island, which is claimed by Haiti but is disputed as a United States territory under federal administration.
Komalika Bari becomes world champion at Youth World Championships
Komalika Bari became the new under-21 recurve world champion at the Youth World Championships in Wroclaw, Poland in Archery.
Komalika Bari is the only third Indian player to win the world title at the Tata Archery Academy’s Cadet World Youth Archery Championships.
She made her mark to ensure her place in the Indian team for elite events including the World Championships and the Olympic Test Event.
Fortification of rice distributed under various government scheme
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced fortification of rice distributed under various government schemes including Public Distribution System (PDS) and Mid-Day-Meal scheme by 2024.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) defines the fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health.”
According to the FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice shall contain iron (28mg-42.5mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram) and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients, singly or in combination, at the level– zinc(10mg-15mg), Vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), Vitamin B1 (1mg-1.5mg), Vitamin B2 (1.25mg-1.75mg), Vitamin B3 (12.5mg-20mg) and Vitamin B6 (1.5mg-2.5mg) per Kg.
PM announced Rs 100 lakh-crore Gati Shakti master plan
The Prime Minister of India announced that the Centre will soon launch the Rs 100 lakh-crore Gati Shakti national infrastructure plan to boost the country’s economy.
In his speech, PM Modi pegged the project as a source of employment opportunities for the youth in future.
The Gati Shakti plan will help raise the global profile of local manufacturers and help them compete with their counterparts worldwide. It also raises possibilities of new future economic zones.
More details and the launch date of the project are awaited. Other significant announcements include the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission and the opening up Sainik Schools for girls.
Four more sites in India added to Ramsar list
Four more sites – two each from Haryana and Gujarat – were recognised as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon and Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary in Jhajjar (both in Haryana) have been added to the list this year.
Apart from that, Thol and Wadhwana from Gujarat too have now become a paert of the convention.
Haryana’s Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary is a human-made freshwater wetland. It is also the largest in Haryana.
The Sultanpur National Park supports more than 220 species of resident, winter migratory and local migratory waterbirds at critical stages of their life cycles.
The Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat lies on the Central Asian Flyway and more than 320 bird species can be found here.
Meanwhile, the Wadhvana Wetland in Gujarat is internationally important for its birdlife as it provides wintering ground to migratory waterbirds, including over 80 species that migrate on the Central Asian Flyway.
75 ‘Vande Bharat’ trains to connect different parts of the country
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that 75 ‘Vande Bharat’ trains will connect different parts of the country in 75 weeks to mark the ongoing ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
Vande Bharat— the indigenous semi-high speed train set — is being given a boost, with the Railways gearing to roll out at least 10 of them, linking around 40 cities, by August 2022 to commemorate 75 years of Independence.
Hyderabad-based engineering firm, Medha, which in February secured the contract to supply the electrical systems for 44 Vande Bharat trains, has now been told to advance its production plan, so that at least two prototypes can be rolled out by next March following all trials.
Adoptation of Indian flag on July 22, 1947
The Indian flag was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on July 22, 1947.
The first national flag, which consisted of three horizontal stripes of red, yellow and green, is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, at the Parsee Bagan Square, near Lower Circular Road, in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
Later, in 1921, freedom fighter Pingali Venkayya met Mahatma Gandhi and proposed a basic design of the flag, consisting of two red and green bands.
After undergoing several changes, the Tricolour was adopted as our national flag at a Congress Committee meeting in Karachi in 1931.
The earliest rules for the display of the national flag were originally governed by the provisions of The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
In 2002, the Flag Code of India came into effect which allowed the unrestricted display of the Tricolour as long as the honour and dignity of the flag were being respected.
The flag code did not replace the pre-existing rules governing the correct display of the flag; it was, however, an effort to bring together all the previous laws, conventions and practices.
The Flag Code of 2002 is divided into three parts — a general description of the tricolour, rules on display of the flag by public and private bodies and educational institutions, and rules for display of the flag by governments and government bodies.
The ‘incel’ movements slowly becoming a threat to law and order
The ‘incel’ movement, a dangerous online subculture comprising men who identify as ‘involuntary celibates’ and regularly express deeply misogynistic views about women, is slowly becoming a threat to law and order.
Incels are a largely online community of men who describe themselves as “involuntary celibates. Men who are part of this movement harbour a deep resentment towards both women and other men who are sexually active.
The blame women for their own lack of sexual and social status. While views tend to vary, some believe that sex is their right — something that is owed to them by virtue of them being males. An extreme section of Incels even advocate violence against women.
The ‘black pill’ theory, often associated with incels, promotes the defeatist idea that your fate is sealed at birth and no matter what changes you try to make, your sexual capital cannot be altered.
