13 august 2021 current affairs

1. CURRENT AFFAIRS
13 AUGUST 2021
Dr.A.PRABAHARAN
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2. Kaziranga becomes India’s first National Park
with satellite phones worth Rs. 16 lakh
In a first-of-its-kind move to provide assistance
to prevent poaching and ensure coordinated
functioning, the officials of Kaziranga National
Park have been provided with satellite phones.
The Chief Secretary of Assam Jishnu Barua on
handed over 10 satellite phones to the forest
personnel of Kaziranga National Park.
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3. Delhi High Court to resume physical hearings
from September 6
◦ Delhi High Court on August 12, 2021, announced
that the physical hearings in the High Court to be
resumed in a restricted manner effective from
September 6, 2021, and from August 31, 2021, in the
district courts.
◦ The High Court further stated that the physical
hearings in the High Court and district courts are
subject to the scale and magnitude of the COVID-19
pandemic in the capital.
◦ The orders further stated that the courts shall permit
hybrid or video conferencing hearing if any parties
make a request to such effect.
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4. US approves extra COVID-19 vaccine dose for
people with weakened immunity
◦ The United States on August 12, 2021 authorized an extra dose of
Covid vaccine for people with weakened immune systems.
◦ The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulator granted
emergency use authorisation for the third vaccine dose of Pfizer-
BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.
◦ This comes as the United States is witnessing a surge in Delta
variant cases. Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said
that the United States has entered yet another wave of the Covid-
19 pandemic.
◦ The FDA has noted that immunocompromised people are
particularly at risk for severe disease in the wake of Delta variant
spread.
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5. Swachh Survekshan 2021
◦ Indore has been declared as the first ‘Water
Plus’ certified city of India under the Swachh
Survekshan 2021, said Madhya Pradesh CM
Shivraj Singh Chouhan on August 11, 2021.
◦ Madhya Pradesh’s Indore is the state’s
commercial capital and the country’s cleanest
city. CM Chouhan tweeted to express his
heartiest congratulations to the citizens of
Indore for exhibiting determination and
dedication towards cleanliness.
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6. Water on moon? Chandrayaan-2 detects presence
of water molecules on lunar surface
◦ Chandrayaan-2, the second lunar mission of the Indian Space
Research Organisation, has detected the presence of water
molecules on the moon. Data obtained from the mission revealed
the latest details.
◦ In a paper co-authored by A S Kirankumar, former Chairman of
ISRO, stated that imaging infrared spectometre (IIRS) is one of the
payloads onboard Chandrayaan -2, which has been placed in a 100
km polar orbit to acquire the global scientific data.
◦ The latest development that came to light regarding
Chandrayaan-2 has also been assumed as significant
considering that the mission did not yield the desired results.
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7. India's total installed renewable energy capacity
crosses 100 GigaWatts
◦ The Union Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister R K
Singh said in a tweet that another landmark day in the history of
the Indian Power Sector.
◦ The Minister said, "Our installed Renewable Energy capacity
(excluding large Hydro) has crossed 1,00,000 Megawatts. Under
the visionary leadership of PM @narendramodi ji, we shall
continue to be global leaders in Energy Transition."
He stated that the milestone of achieving 100 GigaWatts of
installed renewable energy capacity is an important landmark in
India’s journey towards achieving its target of 450 GigaWatts by
2030.
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8. COVID-19 origin: WHO forms new expert group
to continue studies into origins of Coronavirus
◦ The World Health Organisation informed that the next step in the search of
the origins of COVID-19 will be the creation of a new advisory group. It will
develop a global framework to study pathogens with pandemic potential.
◦ WHO in a statement on August 12, 2021, said that the International Scientific
Advisory Group for origins of Novel pathogens, or SAGO, will be a new
advisory group for World Health Organisation.
◦ The global health agency in July 2021 had proposed a second phase of studies
into the origins of Coronavirus in China, including the audits of markets and
laboratories in the city of Wuhan. Meanwhile, Beijing had rejected the
proposal of WHO.
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9. SCO Agriculture Ministers Meeting: India’s agriculture
sector performed well even during COVID-19
◦ SCO Agriculture Ministers meeting was organized virtually in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on
August 12, 2021, on strengthening cooperation in food security and nutrition especially in
this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
◦ Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar during the 6th
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Agriculture Ministers Meeting said,
“Agriculture has always been a high priority for India. India’s agriculture sector performed
well even during the severe Covid-19 pandemic”.
◦ The meeting reflected on the possibility that COVID 19 pandemic may have impacted food
security and supply chain, therefore close interaction and cooperation among countries
holds significant importance to ensure the functioning of the food supply chain to
safeguard food security and nutritional intake.
◦ The Indian delegation at the 6th SCO Agriculture Ministers Meeting was led by Union
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, and other senior officials.
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10. Investor Summit 2021: PM Modi launches
National Automobile Scrappage Policy
◦ Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched National Automobile Scrappage
Policy through video conferencing during the Investor Summit in Gujarat on August
13, 2021.
◦ Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated during the launch of the policy that around 99
percent of recovery of metal waste can be done with regular scrapping. He said that it
will bring down the cost of raw material by approx 40 percent.
◦ He said that it will make the components less expensive and increase competitiveness
in the international market. He added saying that with increased sales of automobiles,
the government will get a profit of Rs 30,000-40,000 cr in GST.
◦ The Minister said that the state government will also get a profit of Rs 30,000-40,000 cr
in GST.
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11. Taliban claims capture of Kandahar, second-
largest city in Afghanistan
◦ Taliban on August 13, 2021 claimed capture of Kandahar,
the second-largest city in Afghanistan. Kandahar is the
twelfth provincial capital to fall to the Taliban, among the
total 34 provincial capitals.
◦ Kandahar has fallen after more than two months of
fighting. All districts except one is under Taliban control in
southern Kandahar province.
◦ A Taliban spokesperson tweeted saying, "Kandahar is
completely conquered. The Mujahideen reached
Martyrs' Square in the city." The Afghan government
forces appeared to have withdrawn en masse to a military
facility outside the city.
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12. Independence Day 2021: Government launches official website
for 75th Independence Day celebrations
◦ The Government of India has announced a new website for the 75th
Independence Day celebrations https://indianidc2021.mod.gov.in/.
◦ As per the government release, the website was launched on August 3, 2021,
by Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar to mark the upcoming Independence
Day 2021 celebrations.
◦ The website by the Indian Government will serve as a platform to connect
Indians all over the world in the celebrations of the National festival. The
official release also informed that a mobile app for Independence Day 2021
celebrations will also be launched by the government soon.
◦ The Independence Day celebrations platform will be accessible to all and
will provide updates and information regarding the activities centered
around India’s 75th Independence Day.
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13. Nag Panchami 2021: Check Date, Timings, Puja,
History and Significance of this auspicious day
◦ Happy Nag Panchami 2021: Nag Panchami is celebrated as a day in
India which is devoted to the Nag Devta or Snake God in Hindu
tradition. According to Hindu Calendar, every year Nag Panchami is
celebrated in the auspicious month of Sawan.
◦ Nag Panchami is known to be a significant day for the devotees of Lord
Shiva and Lord Vishnu. In Hindu mythology, these gods are associated
with snakes- Lord Shiva can be seen with a snake coiled around his neck
while Lord Vishnu is known to use sheshnag or snake as his vehicle.
◦ Nag Panchami 2021 Date
◦ Nag Panchami in 2021 will be celebrated on August 12 and 13. The
festivities of Nag Panchami will commence on August 12 at 3.38 PM and
will end on August 13 at 1.44 pm.
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