WHY IN THE NEWS?

The United States announced the end of its 20-year-old war in Afghanistan before the deadline of August 31, 2021

About:

• This announcement was made after the last American military flight flew out of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul before the August 31 deadline.
• America announced the formal end of America’s longest war, just before the 20th anniversary of September 9/11, in which Al Qaeda terrorists hit the twin towers in New York.
• The 9/11 terrorist strike had forced the US to enter Afghanistan and overthrow the Taliban rule who had provided safe havens to the Al Qaeda leadership.
• The Taliban rule was overthrown and replaced by US-backed Afghans. They then ruled the country for 20 years. In last 20 years several during general elections were held.
• US-backed Afghan rule was overthrown by the Taliban again on August 15 when president Ashraf Ghani fled the country and 3,00,000 Afghan armed forces troops, who were trained by the United States, gave up without any fight.
• The Taliban is now ruling Afghanistan and it welcomed the departure of the US troops from the country.

War in Afghanistan

It was a conflict, took place from 2001 to 2021, in Afghanistan. The war started with the invasion that led to the United States and its allies to topple the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan so that they could deny al-Qaeda a safe base of operations in Afghanistan. War was officially fought by allied NATO & Afghan Armed Forces against Taliban insurgents. The Taliban defeated the Afghanistan Army after majority of NATO forces left the country. This was the longest war in the history of United States.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Discus thrower, Yogesh Kathuniya, clinched a silver medal on August 30 in the men’s F56 event in 2020 Paralympics.

About:

• On August 29, India picked up a silver in high jump and a bronze in discus throw, which is on hold because of a protest.
• Brazil’s defending champion and world record holder, Claudiney Batista dos Santos, won the gold medal for best throw of 45.59m.
• Leonardo Diaz Aldana from Cuba won the bronze for throw of 43.36m.

Men’s F56 event

In the F56 classification, athletes have full arm as well as trunk muscle power. Pelvic stability is provided to full ability in order to press the knees together.

Who is Yogesh Kathuniya?

He is a 24-year-old, B.Com graduate from Kirorimal College of Delhi. He is the son of an Army Man. He suffered a paralytic attack, when he was eight. Attack left him with coordination impairments in his limbs. During KMC, his potential was noticed by several coaches following which he came under tutelage of Satyapal Singh at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. After some years, coach naval Singh started guiding him.

His achievements

2018 Para-athletics Grand Prix Competition in Berlin was his first even international competition in which he created a world record in F36 category. He won a bronze medal in 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai with the throw of 42.51m. This win made ways for him to Tokyo. At Tokyo Paralympics, he sent the disc to a distance of 44.38m in his sixth which was the last attempt to clinch the silver medal.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur, launched the Fit India Mobile Application on the occasion of celebrating the second anniversary of Fit India Movement.

About:

• The application was launched as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on the occasion of National Sports Day on August 29, 2021.
• On the occasion, Ministers virtually interacted with Indian Hockey team captain Manpreet Singh, pilot Captain Anny Divya, wrestler Sangram Singh, journalist Ayaz Memon etc.

Fit India App

Fit India App is free and available in English & Hindi on the Android and the iOS platforms. It was developed in a way that it works even on basic smartphones. This app will bring ease of checking one’s fitness levels. It comprises of unique features such as fitness score, activity trackers, animated videos, and my plan in accordance with the individual specific needs.

Fitness Protocol

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the age-appropriate fitness protocols in the year 2020. These protocols are certified by World Health Organisation (WHO). A fitness mantra “FITNESS KI DOSE, AADHA GHANTA ROZ” was also dedicated to nation.

Fit India Movement

This movement was launched by PM Modi on August 29, 2019 on the occasion of National Sports Day. It was launched with the aim of making fitness an integral part of lives of every Indian. Fit India was first established by Suparno Satpathy in 1993 and was incorporated as a company in the year 2000.

Fitness Pledge

Fitness Pledge of the campaign is “I promise to myself, I will devote time for physical activity and sports every day. I will encourage my family members & neighbours to be physically fit and make India a fit nation”.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Union AYUSH Ministry launched a Y-Break App from Vigyan Bhawan

About:

• • It was launched by Union AYUSH minister, Sarbananda Sonowal.
  • On the occasion, several bouquets of activities and campaigns was launched by Ministry of Ayush to commemorate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
  • Apart from Y-Break App, year-long campaigns like cultivation of medicinal plants in farmland, distribution of medicinal plants to households and sensitisation of School & College going students on Ayush systems were launched.
  • This week-long activities & campaigns will start from August 30 to September 5.
  • These activities will be launched with the aim of reaching to remote areas in India and address all categories of our population viz., children, old people, farmers and corporate.

• Activities and Campaigns

Activities launched by AYUSH Ministry comprises of:

• Cultivation of medicinal plants on 75,000 hectares of land to benefit farmers.
• Launch of the Y-Break App.
• Five-minute Yoga protocol for office goers.
• Distribution of Ayush prophylactic medicines, focusing specially on people aged above 60 years age group.
• AyushAapkDwar Programme to take taking medicinal plants to the doorstep of 75 lakh families in the year 2021.
• Series of sensitisation lectures & distribution of IEC material to school and college students
• Webinar on Y-break application.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is a series of events being organised to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence. Events are being organised by government of India and it will be celebrated as a Jan-Utsav in the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has proposed amendments in the liquidation process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in order to bring transparency.

About:

• According to IBBI, regulatory framework of liquidation process has been improvised on various occasions in last five years in a bid to address the difficulties faced by stakeholders, meet evolving requirements and to achieve the objectives of the Code.
• New amendments were proposed to further strengthen the regulatory framework of the liquidation process with respect to accountability of liquidator towards stakeholders.
• Discussion paper also proposed to provide that if the secured creditors with 60 per cent of the value in secured debt decide to realise the security interest, this decision will be binding on the other ‘pari-passu’ charge holders.

 IBBI (Liquidation Process) Regulations, 2016

It provides that the liquidator should carry on the business of corporate debtor for its beneficial liquidation and exercise all the powers of its board of directors, managerial personnel as well as the partners. It also provides to comply with applicable laws in behalf of the firm.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)

IBBI is the regulator to look after the insolvency proceedings and entities such as Insolvency Professional Agencies (IPA), Information Utilities in India and Insolvency Professionals (IP). It was established in October 2016. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code provides IBBI statutory powers. The code was passed by Lok Sabha in May 2016. Present whole-time members of the IBBI include Dr. Navrang Saini, Dr. Ms. Mukulita Vijayawargiya and Sh. Sudhakar Shukla.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

On August 30, 2021, Shooter Avani Lekhara has won India’s first gold medal in 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

About:

• Avani Lekhara won medal in women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing (SH1) event
• She is a 19-year-old Lekhara and created a record at Paralympics by equalling the world record of Ukraine’s Iryna Shchetnik.
• Iryna Shchetnik had a record score of 249.6 in 2018.
• Avani became the first Indian woman to win first gold medal at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
• Cuiping Zhang of China won silver medal with a score of 248.9 while Iryna Shchetnik won the bronze medal with a score of 227.5.
• Avani finished 7th with a score of 621.7 and become the 5th Indian athlete to won a gold medal in the Paralympics Games.
• She is the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold following swimmer Murlikant Petkar in 1972, javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia in 2004 & 2016 and high jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan in 2016.

India’s Medal Tally

India has won 19 medals so far across all 11 editions of Tokyo Paralympics Games since 1960. It comprises of 5 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze.

About Avani Lekhara

Avani Lekhara is an Indian Paralympic athlete of the shooting event. She was born on November 8, 2001. She has been currently ranked at World No. 5 in Women’s 10m Air Rifle standing (SH1). She competed in the 2018 Asian Para Games and has been getting support by GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme. Avani sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident in 2012. She started shooting after reading the autobiography of Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra. She tried hand in different sports with her father’s support but ultimately, she got inclined towards shooting

WHY IN THE NEWS?

SpaceX launched shipments of ants, avocados, human-sized robotic arms toward the International Space Station on August 29, 2021.

About:

• The delivery of shipments is due to arrive on August 30, 2021.
• It will be SpaceX’s 23rd mission for NASA in a decade.
• The Dragon is carrying more than 2,170 kilograms of supplies and experiments as well fresh food like avocados, lemons and ice cream for seven astronauts of the space station.
• The Girl Scouts have sent ants, brine shrimp and plants as test subjects.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists sent seeds from mouse-ear cress which is a small flowering weed used in genetic research.
• Samples of concrete, solar cells and other materials will be subjected to weightlessness.

Falcon Rocket

Recycled Falcon rocket was blasted into predawn sky from Kennedy Space Center of NASA. The first-stage booster was landed on newest ocean platform called “A Shortfall of Gravitas” of SpaceX, after hoisting the Dragon capsule. The booster-recovery vessel was named so, in tribute to the late science fiction writer Iain Banks and his Culture series.

Robotic arm

Dragon is also carrying a robotic arm by a Japanese start-up company. It will attempt to screw items together in its orbital debut as well as perform other mundane chores that are normally done by astronauts. The first tests will be conducted inside the space station.  According to the company, a squad of these arms could help in building lunar bases and mine the moon for precious resources as early as 2025.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

The event of International Day against Nuclear Tests is held on August 29 each year.

About:

• This event is organised with the aim of bringing about awareness regarding the harmful effects of testing nuclear weapons and calls to end such tests.
• The year 2021 marked the 12th anniversary of the event.

Background

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established and adopted the International Day against Nuclear Tests in December 2, 2009 in its 64th session. This resolution was initiated by Kazakhstan to mark the 18th anniversary of the closing of the USSR-controlled Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in 1991 at Kazakhstan.

First nuclear test

United States Army had conducted the first nuclear test, called Trinity, in a desert site of New Mexico on July 16, 1945. This test empowered United States to drop atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. This event resulted into an estimated 200,000 casualties while the survivors suffered from cancers due to radiation. Nuclear tests by USA and USSR led to the Cold War, that continued till 1991. About 2000 nuclear test explosions were conducted in between 1945 and 1996.

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)

CTBT was established by UNGA in 1996. It was signed and ratified by 170 nations.15 nations signed the treaty but did not ratify. It was not signed by 11 nations.

Significance of the Day

This day highlights the urgency of ban on all forms of nuclear weapons tests and its use by any country. The signatories of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty pledged to secure peace and security from the threat of nuclear weapons.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development have planned to organise and celebrate Thematic POSHAN Maah in September 2021.

About POSHAN Abhiyaan

POSHAN Abhiyaan is the flagship programme of government of India to improve nutritional outcomes for pregnant women, lactating mother, children and adolescent Girls. This mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2018. POSHAN stands for “Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition” Abhiyaan. This mission was announced in Budget 2021-2022.

Aim of the Mission

POSHAN Abhiyaan divert the attention of country towards the problem of malnutrition and address it in a mission-mode. This mission focuses on the aims of POSHAN Abhiyaan, Mission Poshan 2.0. it seeks to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcomes in order to develop practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity on disease as well as malnutrition.

Jan Andolan

POSHAN Abhiyaan is a Jan Andolan or People’s Movement. It incorporates inclusive participation of public representatives of local bodies, government department from States or UTs, Public & Private sector and social organizations.

POSHAN Maah

POSHAN Maan is celebrated in the month of September to ensure community mobilization and bolster people’s participation. In the year 2021, as India celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, this month has been subdivided into weekly themes with a focused and assimilated approach to improve holistic nutrition. It will broadly focus on Plantation Drive for POSHAN VATIKA at Gram Panchayats, Anganwadis, School Premises etc. Saplings of nutritious fruit trees, local vegetables and medicinal plants & herbs will be planted as a part of celebration

WHY IN THE NEWS?

The Union Minister for Agriculture has launched the National Food and Nutrition Campaign for the farmers.

About National Food and Nutrition Campaign for the farmers:

• Organized by: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• Objectives of the campaign:
  • To make agriculture and farmers connected with new technology
  • To expertise in production and also ensure products are of better quality and meet global standards.
  • To attract farmers towards cultivating costly crops.