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Daily Current Affairs – August 2021
The day’s news that matters for Prelims and Mains, organised by GS paper, with practice questions.
Daily Current Affairs 30.08.2021 (NITI bats for tax breaks to achieve monetisation goal,
Current AffairsDaily News
1.NITI bats for tax breaks to achieve monetisation goal It proposes insolvency cover for investment instruments To make the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) a success, the government should give Income Tax breaks to attract retail investors into instruments such as Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), the NITI Aayog has recommended. The Centre’s think tank driving the […]
Daily Current Affairs 29.08.2021 (Why are hydropower projects in the Himalayas risky?, Plasmid DNA vaccine ZyCoV-D is safe and effective for adolescents, BCG vaccine: 100 years and counting)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Why are hydropower projects in the Himalayas risky? Environment Ministry told the SC earlier this month that seven hydel projects in the region can go ahead The story so far: The Environment Ministry, in an affidavit placed in the Supreme Court earlier this month, has disclosed that it has permitted seven hydroelectric power projects, which […]
Daily current Affairs 28.08.2021 (Centre to ease path for monetisation, Asset monetisation — execution is the key, Indian astrophysicists spot rare merger of three jumbo black holes)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Centre to ease path for monetisation Finance Minister to chair meet with regulators to relax investment norms Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will soon chair a meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) to nudge financial regulators to relax and harmonise investment norms for instruments such as Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) to be […]
Daily Current AFfairs 27.08.2021 (Biden briefed on Kabul airport attack: White House)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Biden briefed on Kabul airport attack: White House Britain will continue to evacuate its citizens and Afghans despite the ‘barbaric’ bomb attack, says Boris Johnson President Joe Biden is being briefed on the bloody attack against Kabul’s airport, the White House said on Thursday, delaying a planned meeting with Israel’s visiting Prime Minister. “The President […]
Daily Current Affairs 26.08.2021 (Income and Quotas, Negotiating the new global climate policy, Probe agencies too hit by lack of manpower: CJI)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Income and quotas SC lays bare the limits of using economic criterion to determine reservation eligibility The Supreme Court’s ruling that economic criterion alone cannot be used to classify a member of a Backward Class as belonging to the ‘creamy layer’ adds an interesting nuance to the jurisprudence of affirmative action. There was a time […]
Daily Current Affairs 25.08.2021 (Climate change, a catalyst for Arctic cooperation, Modi, Putin discuss crisis in Afghanistan)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Climate change, a catalyst for Arctic cooperation Environmental challenges should be a priority for all players in the region, outweighing military and economic issues It is tempting to view the current geopolitics of the Arctic through the lenses of the ‘great power competition’ and inevitable conflict of interests. Interestingly, the current geopolitical scenario is, to […]
Daily Current Affairs 24.08.2021 (Bhima Koregaon: NIA files draft charges, Roots of economic recovery deepen as restrictions ease)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Bhima Koregaon: NIA files draft charges ‘The accused committed unlawful acts with an intent to threaten the unity and sovereignty of country’ The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the Bhima Koregaon violence case of 2018, has submitted draft charges before the NIA court against 15 accused and six absconding accused. According to the […]
Daily Current Affairs 23.08.2021 (In Afghan collapse, the fall of international relations, China will not get drawn into a serious security role in Afghanistan)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.In Afghan collapse, the fall of international relations That global mediation has had a positive role in asking for a more pragmatic attitude from the Taliban is wishful thinking The heartbreaking images of Afghans clinging on to a United States Air Force plane in Kabul, on August 16, in a desperate bid to flee Afghanistan […]
Daily Current AFfairs 22.08.2021 (War of words over Opposition’s silence on Article 370, U.S. lab makes headway in nuclear fusion energy, Will changes in AERA Act help smaller airports?)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.War of words over Opposition’s silence on Article 370 Sajad Lone questions National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party silence over issue at Sonia’s meet A war of words erupted between Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference (PC) and Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) on Saturday, a day after the virtual meeting of 19 Opposition parties, chaired by Congress […]
Daily Current Affairs 21.08.2021 (Arrest is not always a must, says Supreme Court, Elopements most prosecuted under child marriage law: study, ‘Both Trump and Biden administrations responsible for Afghan situation’)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Arrest is not always a must, says Supreme Court Bench says provision in the law does not mean that govt. can use power indiscriminately to crush personal liberty The Supreme Court has held that merely because law allows arrest does not mean the State can use the power indiscriminately to crush personal liberty. “We may […]
Daily Current AFfairs 20.08.2021 (The Abraham Accords as India’s West Asia bridge)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.The Abraham Accords as India’s West Asia bridge The signing of the Accords has helped remove strategic obstacles for New Delhi and aided defence cooperation The recent visit by the Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal R.K. Bhadauria, to Israel offers a window to study how New Delhi is taking advantage of the Abraham […]
Daily Current Affairs 19.08.2021 (The significance of the ‘there is no data’ answer, ‘Days of 50% cap are numbered’)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.The significance of the ‘there is no data’ answer The Government’s consistent ‘no data’ declarations on important issues are a critical part of a larger political project It can be safely assumed that the popular American dictum, “In God we trust; all others must bring data”, is unlikely to be found in any office of […]
Daily Current Affairs 18.08.2021 (The script of the new endgame in Afghanistan, A report that is at odds with access to knowledge, Exporters to get duty relief as part of Jan. 1 RoDTEP scheme)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.The script of the new endgame in Afghanistan This is a moment of tragedy for Asia as well, with the U.S. leaving the country in a worse situation than when it came in The rapidity with which Afghanistan has unravelled has shocked and surprised everyone. The fall of Kabul, and the ignominious end of any […]
Daily Current Affairs 17.08.2021 (The message from the IPCC report, Fall of Kabul)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.The message from the IPCC report Equitable cumulative emission targets and not net zero is the key to achieving the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Working Group I contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), titled ‘Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis’, is […]
Daily Current Affairs 16.08.2021 (CJI rues ‘sorry state of affairs’ in lawmaking , India’s fate is tied to the rest of the world, Rising judicial vacancies pose challenge)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.CJI rues ‘sorry state of affairs’ in lawmaking ‘Ambiguity in laws triggering litigation and causing inconvenience to citizens’ Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Sunday lamented the “sorry state of affairs” of lawmaking and Parliamentary debate in the country, saying there was “a lot of ambiguity in laws” which was triggering litigation and causing […]
Daily Current Affairs 15.08.2021 (Courts in the country continue to differ on marital rape, Using nanorobots in dental procedures)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Courts in the country continue to differ on marital rape Contradiction arises despite recommendation by the Justice J.S. Verma Committee to make marital rape a crime Four years after the Supreme Court referred to Justice J.S. Verma Committee’s recommendation to make marital rape a crime, besides quoting from decisions of courts across the world that […]
Daily Current Affairs 14.08.2021 (Growth needs steps beyond reforms, Afghan Tragedy)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Growth needs steps beyond reforms While the reform agenda must continue, social cohesion and equity considerations must be guaranteed The Indian economy has travelled through an eventful period through the last three decades. In the post-independence economic history of our country, 1991 stands out as a watershed year. This was the year in which the […]
Daily current Affairs 13.08.2021 (Parliament is abdicating its oversight role, Satellite mission: two stages completed but third failed)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Parliament is abdicating its oversight role The monsoon session which has ended is another example of Parliament being quite ineffective in all its functions The monsoon session of Parliament which ended on Wednesday was a disappointment in several ways. This was the fourth straight session that ended ahead of the original schedule — other than […]
Daily Current Affairs 12.08.2021 (‘Backchannel talk was on before Balakot’, The importance of the booster dose to plan ahead, Biden to host democracy summit in Dec.)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.‘Backchannel talk was on before Balakot’ Two foreign journalists were involved in India-Pakistan messaging, says new book National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) exchanged messages with top Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officials as part of a unique backchannel connection bet- ween the two countries that involved two foreign […]
Daily Current Affairs 11.08.2021 (LS clears Bill restoring States’ rights to specify OBC groups, MFIs urge RBI to drop urban, rural difference for borrowers)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.LS clears Bill restoring States’ rights to specify OBC groups Lawmakers across parties call for removal of 50% cap on reservation The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the 127th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2021, with unanimous support from the House and not a single vote against, with Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar stating that […]
Daily Current Affairs 10.08.2021 (IPCC report forecasts a future of severe weather, Glaciers will keep shrinking: IPCC report, LS passes three Bills in 20 minutes)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.IPCC report forecasts a future of severe weather Global warming to trigger extreme rain in South India, it says The Indian Ocean is warming at a higher rate than other oceans, said the latest report by the Intergovernmen- tal Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released on Monday, with scientists warning that India will witness increased […]
Daily Current AFfairs 09.08.2021 (The sovereign right to tax is not absolute)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.The sovereign right to tax is not absolute BIT provisions to challenge taxation measures include expropriation and fair and equitable treatment An important bill introduced in Parliament last week aims to nullify the regressive 2012 amendment in the Income Tax Act. The 2012 amendment overturned the Supreme Court’s decision in Vodafone International Holdings v. Union […]
Daily Current Affairs 08.08.2021 (Neeraj spears historic Olympics gold, Sunderbans is now drowning in plastic,Location of Dara Shikoh’s grave still a mystery,New technique to study ultrasmall particles in cells)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Neeraj spears historic Olympics gold The 23-year-old javelin thrower becomes the first Indian to win an athletics event at the Games On an incredible Saturday in Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, India found its brightest athletics star. Neeraj Chopra’s history-altering effort in the men’s javelin throw at the Tokyo Olympics landed India’s maiden […]
Daily Current AFfairs 07.08.2021 (Amid adjournments, Lok Sabha passes two Bills, RBI holds rates, MPC splits on stance, India’s history-making women fall agonisingly short)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Amid adjournments, Lok Sabha passes two Bills House was adjourned for the day in the first half of the sitting itself The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day in the first half of the sitting itself and at the end of a third week of protests by Oppositions MPs on the Pegasus snooping issue […]
Daily Current Affairs 06.08.2021 (A guide to resolving the Assam-Mizoram issue, Jaishankar’s Tehran trip holds key amid Afghan developments, Britain will not recognise a Taliban govt. that takes power by force)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.A guide to resolving the Assam-Mizoram issue Historical knowledge, sensitivity and an accommodative spirit need to accompany any dialogue and negotiation The violent stand-off between the Assam and Mizoram armed policemen at Vairengte in Mizoram, on July 26, about six kilometres from Lailapur, Assam which took six lives and left over 50 injured is the […]
Daily Current Affairs 05.08.2021 (A grand tax bargain in danger of coming apart, Tigray’s woes, The doubted scientist and her vaccine revolution)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.A grand tax bargain in danger of coming apart A Goods and Services Tax version 2.0 may have to be designed soon given the flaws in the existing structure, After four years, the promise of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) remains substantially unrealised. It is a far cry from the attempted avoidance of cascading […]
Daily Current AFfairs 04.08.2021 (Poverty in India is on the rise again)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Poverty in India is on the rise again In the absence of CES data, the Periodic Labour Force Survey shows a rise in the absolute number of the poor India has not released its Consumption Expenditure Survey (CES) data since 2011-12. Normally a CES is conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSO) every five […]
Daily Current Affairs 03.08.2021 (SC questions States on cases under 66A, A disconcerting picture behind the headline numbers, Criminalising welfare issues)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.SC questions States on cases under 66A Citizens are still being booked under it, says plea The Supreme Court on Monday asked the States to respond to a petition that stated citizens continued to get booked and prosecuted under Section 66A of the Information Technology Act for expressing themselves freely on social media. Section 66A […]
Daily Current Affairs 02.08.2021 (Pegasus, a blemish on democracy, Clinical trials of ‘Ashwagandha’ soon)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Pegasus, a blemish on democracy The hour has come to oppose excessive oppression through serious political action Pegasus, the mythical winged horse from Greek mythology, is known to have allowed Bellerophon, the Corinthian hero, to ride him in order to defeat the monstrous Chimera before flying off to the heavens where he was turned by […]
Daily Current Affairs 01.08.2021 (India all set for UNSC presidency term, ‘Erroneous to conclude we have attained herd immunity’, Stellar mid-life crisis: What ails the middle-aged Sun?, Ruins of an Indus Valley civilisation site – Dholavira)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.India all set for UNSC presidency term Meetings to focus on maritime security, counterterrorism and peacekeeping As it begins its month-long presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), India is set to hold high-level meetings and briefings to bring focus to its three priorities: maritime security, counterterrorism and peacekeeping, said India’s Permanent Representative to […]
Daily Current Affairs 31.07.2021 (Visualising the Himalaya with other coordinates, Govt. introduces Bill on insurance firms)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.Visualising the Himalaya with other coordinates Looking at it only through the prism of geopolitics and security concerns ignores its other crucial frameworks A conceptual audit of questions related to geopolitics and security concerns while talking or thinking about the Himalaya is perhaps long overdue. There is no gainsaying the truth that we have been […]
Daily Current AFfairs 30.07.2021 (The wings of Pegasus, the epoch of cyberweapons, The long road to winning the battle against trafficking, LS passes 2 Bills without debate)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.The wings of Pegasus, the epoch of cyberweapons With their use not only during a conflict but even during peacetime, matters have reached a tipping point A raging controversy across the world on the misuse of Pegasus spyware — a great deal of which is mired in facts, suppositions, false trails, allegations and counter-allegations, but […]
Daily Current Affairs 29.07.2021 (A judgment that must be taken in the right spirit, Oxygen for fiscal federalism)
Current AffairsDaily News
1.A judgment that must be taken in the right spirit The striking down of the 97th Amendment is a reminder that the power to regulate cooperatives must stay with States A constitutional amendment is a rare event. There have only been 104 such cases of those in the 71 years since the Constitution came into […]