Daily Current Affairs August 21

Dear Champions, as you all know that a lot of competitive exams have been notified consequently. Candidates have to prepare themselves according to the level of competition and expectation of the Recruitment board. Regarding that one of the most important topic is Daily Current Affairs August 21. Current Affairs in the form of contemporary events of national & international play a crucial role in almost every competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC, UPSC, TNPSC, Railway etc.

Current affairs are the most dynamic yet scoring among all sections and need to be prepared from the right source. Here, we cafunsta team, providing  Daily GK Updates, Current Affairs Questions, and Monthly  current affairs pdf.

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August 21| Daily Current Affairs 2023

Important Days – Daily Current Affairs August 21

1. On which date is World Senior Citizen Day observed annually?
A) July 1
B) August 15
C) September 10
D) October 1
E) August 21
Answer: E) August 21

• World Senior Citizen Day is observed on August 21 every year to raise awareness regarding contributions of the elderly people to society.
• In India, people above the age of 60 years are considered senior citizens.
• In 1988, Ronald Reagan, the then President of the United States declared August 21 as the day to honour the senior citizens for their achievements and contributions.
• He announced that August 21 will be celebrated as World Senior Citizen Day.

International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism

• The International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017.
• It designated 21 August as the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism in order to honor the victims and survivors of terrorism.

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Sports – Daily Current Affairs August 21

2. Which category did Anahat Singh from India secure a gold medal at the Asian Junior Squash Individual Championships?
A) U-13
B) U-15
C) U-17
D) U-19
E) U-21
Answer: C) U-17

• India’s Anahat Singh clinched the gold medal in the U-17 category of the Asian Junior Squash Individual Championships, held in Dalian, China from August 16-20.
• The 15-year-old Anahat defeated Hong Kong’s EnaKwong 3-1 in the final on 20th August 2023 to win the gold medal.
• She had beaten Malaysian players Doyce Lee and Whitney Isabelle Wilson in the quarterfinal and semifinal, respectively.
• Last year in Thailand, the Delhi-based Anahat had won her first gold medal of this event.
• The Indian player shot to prominence in 2019 when she won the U-11 title during the British Junior Open Squash and by winning the U-13 title in the Dutch Junior Open Squash.
• Earlier this year, Anahat emerged winner in the U-15 category of the British Junior Open Squash, beating Sohaila Hazem of Egypt in the final.

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Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs August 21

3. Which bank has launched an interoperable digital rupee mobile app for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions?
A) State Bank of India
B) HDFC Bank
C) Canara Bank
D) ICICI Bank
E) Axis Bank
Answer: C) Canara Bank

• Canara Bank launched the UPI Interoperable Digital Rupee mobile application as a part of the Reserve Bank of India’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot project.
• It is the first bank in both the public and commercial sectors to offer this feature via its CBDC mobile app called the Canara Digital Rupee app, according to a company release.
• With the introduction of this feature, customers can scan merchant UPI QR codes using the Canara Digital Rupee app and pay through digital currency.
• Moreover, the feature is aimed at empowering merchants to accept digital currency payments using their existing UPI QR codes in addition to UPI-based payments without the requirement of a separate onboarding process for CBDC.
• The digital currency is legal tender per RBI regulations, and the launch of this app is a significant step towards adopting digital currency in India.

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4. Which Indian private life insurer has become the first to establish a 24X7 inbound contact centre, providing pre and post-sales services to customers?
A) HDFC Life Insurance
B) ICICI Prudential Life Insurance
C) SBI Life Insurance
D) Max Life Insurance
E) Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
Answer: C) SBI Life Insurance

• SBI Life Insurance, one of the most trusted private life insurance companies in the country, launched its dedicated 24X7 inbound contact centre to address before and after purchase queries related to comprehensive insurance solutions provided by the company.
• The toll-free number is 18002679090.
• SBI Life, thus, becomes the first private life insurance company in the country to have such an extensive customer care support, which aligns with the company’s commitment in enriching customer experience and addressing their insurance needs/queries at their convenience.
• SBI Life’s 24X7 inbound contact centre is made available to both existing and prospective consumers, 365 days a year.
• Through the 24X7 customer care support, the insurance company aims to redefine seamless accessibility and interaction with trained professionals.
• The company also has an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), which has 13 self-service options. With the implementation of this new service, the company aims to enhance their services further.
• By introducing an 24X7 inbound contact centre, SBI Life is poised to establish new benchmarks towards customer service in the private life insurance sector.
• SBI Life Insurance SBI Life Insurance (‘SBI Life’ / ‘The Company’), one of the most trusted life insurance companies in India, was incorporated in October 2000 and is registered with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in March 2001.

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5. Which private lender recently launched its advanced mobile banking app called ‘iris’?
A) HDFC Bank
B) ICICI Bank
C) Axis Bank
D) State Bank of India
E) YES Bank
Answer: E) YES Bank

• Private lender YES Bank introduced its state-of-the-art mobile banking app ‘iris’ by YES Bank.
• Designed to cater to both existing and new customers, the app offers access over 100 features and services in just a few clicks on a single platform
• It also ensures the safety of the customers’ financial data by incorporating best-in-class safety features like biometric authentication, SIM binding as well as a two-factor verification.
• The app is available on both Google Play Store and App Store and can be seamlessly downloaded on Android as well as iOS-based smartphones.

Key features of iris mobile app:

• Savings account: Users can open a savings account effortlessly in real-time through the app.
• Credit cards: Users can apply for a YES Bank credit card and choose from the wide range of card options offered by the bank.
• Loan in seconds: Access to YES Bank’s bouquet of lending products with quick approvals on the app itself.
• Deposits: Recurring and fixed deposits can be booked through the app on the go.
• Easy payments: Multiple digital modes can be availed for making seamless and hassle-free payments on the app.
• Investments: Access to a wide range of investment options that can be customised based on individual risk appetite and financial goals.
• Insurance: Users can choose from a range of insurance services integrated into the iris by the YES Bank app.

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6. Indian Bank has extended the execution of online locker agreements through which platform?
A) UPI (Unified Payments Interface)
B) Aadhaar Authentication
C) NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer)
D) DDE (Data Destruction and Erasure) platform of NeSL
E) IMPS (Immediate Payment Service)
Answer: D) DDE (Data Destruction and Erasure) platform of NeSL

• Indian Bank announced that it has become the first public sector bank to extend the facility of execution of online locker agreement through the Digital Document Execution (DDE) platform of National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
• Online locker agreement, which is available round the clock, will enhance customer convenience and reduce the turn-around time of the agreement execution
  DDE is a fully automated contract execution platform with paperless e-stamp and electronic signature (e-Sign) facility.
• The e-Sign facility includes Aadhaar-based (OTP/Biometric) and dongle-based digital signature.
• The platform offers individual and multiple signatories to execute documents in sequence, which will facilitate joint account holders also to execute onlocker agreements at their ease.
• Customers can track transaction status and download the electronic evidence (65B) certificate in real-time

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Business and Economy – Daily Current Affairs August 21

7. IIFL Home Finance Ltd (IIFL HFL) has secured a debt-funding of up to USD 100 million from which international financial institution?
A) World Bank
B) Asian Development Bank
C) International Monetary Fund
D) International Finance Corporation
E) European Investment Bank
Answer: D) International Finance Corporation

• IIFL Home Finance Ltd (IIFL HFL) has secured a debt-funding of up to USD 100 million from International Finance Corporation
• The debt-funding will help IIFL HFL increase home finance to the economically weaker sections (EWS) and low-income groups(LIG), including women borrowers
• Under the loan agreement, 50 per cent of funding is earmarked to promote housing finance for women borrowers, and the remaining is dedicated to financing green housing for buyers in this underserved segment
• Affordable and green housing remains a strategic focus area for IFC in India, having invested over USD 2.2 billion since 2013 in housing finance companies and developers in the country for on-lending

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Appointments – Daily Current Affairs August 21

8. Who emerged as the winner of Guatemala’s presidential election?
A) Carlos Castillo Armas
B) Alvaro Colom
C) Otto Pérez Molina
D) Alejandro Giammattei
E) Bernardo Arévalo
Answer: E) Bernardo Arévalo

• Bernardo Arévalo, progressive MovimientoSemilla party candidate appeared to have won Guatemala’s presidential election
• With over 95 per cent of the ballots counted, Arévalo received 59.1 per cent of the votes beating former first lady Sandra Torres in a race where she garnered 36.1 per cent

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Awards – Daily Current Affairs August 21

9. How many Indian youths have been selected among the group of 17 teen environmental activists from around the world to be honored with the 2023 International Young Eco-Hero Award?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
E) 6
Answer: D) 5

• Five youths from India have been named among 17 teen environmental activists from across the globe to receive the 2023 International Young Eco-Hero Award who have taken initiatives to tackle the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
• The young eco-warriors who were recognised for their efforts by the US-based non-profit organisation, “Action For Nature”, are Eiha Dixit from Meerut, Manya Harsha from Bengaluru, NirvaanSomany and Mannat Kaur from New Delhi and KarnavRastogi from Mumbai.
• The International Young Eco-Hero Awards programme recognises and encourages children and teens from ages 8 to 16 who have taken action towards solving the most critical environmental issues.
• The awardees are eco-conscious youth who took the crucial steps to solve tough environmental problems.
• Nine-year-old Eiha Dixit who won the first prize, has been growing saplings to protect the environment since the age of four.
• Manya Harsha, 12, from Bengaluru engages in activities such as walkathons, planting saplings, distributing seed balls, and organising clean-up drives.
• NirvaanSomani, 16, repurposes used jeans into washable and insulating sleeping bags for the homeless, reducing landfill waste and providing better protection from harsh weather conditions.
• Mannat Kaur, 15, from New Delhi has designed a system to collect, filter, and reuse greywater from households for non-potable purposes.
• KarnavRastogi, 13, from Mumbai has written two books, “Kartik, Daddy & Plastic: A journey about beating plastic pollution” and “Kartik, Mixie& Monster: A journey about ocean pollution”, to educate young people about the impact of plastic pollution and climate change.
• For the past 20 years, “Action For Nature” has recognised 339 Eco-Heroes from 27 countries and 32 US states

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Science and Technology – Daily Current Affairs August 21

10. From which location did China launch a new earth observation satellite into space?
A) Wenchang Satellite Launch Center
B) Baikonur Cosmodrome
C) Tanegashima Space Center
D) Vandenberg Space Force Base
E) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Answer: E) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

• China sent a new Earth observation satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
• The satellite, Gaofen-12 04, was launched by a Long March-4C carrier rocket at 1:45 a.m. (Beijing Time) and has entered the planned orbit successfully.
• It will be used in a variety of fields, including land surveys, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimation and disaster relief.
• The launch marks the 484th flight mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs August 21

11. Which Chief Minister inaugurated the commencement of construction for a desalination plant worth ₹4,276 crore?
A) Kerala Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan
B) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
C) Karnataka Chief Minister BasavarajBommai
D) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin
E) Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray
Answer: D) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin

• The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin kick-started the work for what is described as Southeast Asia’s largest desalination plant — a 400 MLD desalination plant to be executed by a joint venture led by Va Tech WABAG (WABAG) and Metito Overseas Ltd and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at a cost of ₹4,276 crore.
• The new desalination plant, which is coming up at Perur along the east coast road, is expected to produce 400 million litres of potable drinking water every day
  The project is expected to be completed before December 2026.
• This water will be distributed by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) to the residents of South Chennai.
• The design, build, operate (DBO) project includes the entire spectrum of project development — from design and engineering to procurement, construction, installation, testing and commissioning.
• Post successful completion WABAG will be responsible for 20 years of operation and maintenance (O&M)
• The first desalination plant with a capacity of 100 MLD was commissioned in July 2020.
• Another desalination plant with a capacity of 100 MLD was built by WABAG at Nemmeli, with full financial assistance from the Government of India, and became operational in 2013.

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12. What is the name of the program launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, aimed at raising awareness about climate change and related objectives?
A) Environmental Conservation Initiative
B) Climate Awareness Campaign
C) Green Revolution Program
D) Chief Minister’s Green Fellowship Programme
E) Eco-Consciousness Project
Answer: D) Chief Minister’s Green Fellowship Programme

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin launched the “Chief Minister’s Green Fellowship Programme,” aimed at spreading awareness on climate change besides other aligned goals.
• Implementing green initiatives in districts is one of the key objectives, under which 40 “green fellows,” have been selected by knowlege partner of the programme, state-run Anna University’s Institute of Energy Studies.
• A programme lead and four research associates form part of the fellowship initiative.
• The Department of Environment and Climate Change of the State government is the implementing agency for the Chief Minister’s Green Fellowship Programme.
• Primary role of the green fellows would be to support the district administrations in implementation of Green Tamil Nadu Mission, Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission and Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission.
• Tamil Nadu has 38 districts and each of the fellow of the green project would be assigned to one district.

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13. PFC (Power Finance Corporation) has signed a loan agreement worth $1.28 million with which organization for a waste-to-energy project in Karnataka?
A) World Bank
B) Asian Development Bank
C) International Monetary Fund
D) JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation)
E) European Investment Bank
Answer: D) JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation)

• State-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has signed a loan agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for JPY 1.85 billion or $1.28 million for a waste-to-energy project in Karnataka.
• The agreement was signed under the long-term facility of JPY 30 billion provided by JBIC to PFC.
• The loan proceeds would be used to finance the 11.5 MW for waste-to-energy project of KPC Gas Power Corporation Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of KPCL, at Bidadi, Ramanagara district, Karnataka.
• The loan was signed at JBIC’s office in New Delhi by Parminder Chopra, chairperson and managing director, PFC, and Nobumitsu Hayashi, governor, JBIC.

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14. The Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department received a grant of USD 25 million from which fund to address pandemic-related challenges?
A) UNICEF Emergency Fund
B) World Health Organization (WHO) Relief Fund
C) G20 Pandemic Fund
D) Global Red Cross and Red Crescent Fund
E) World Food Programme Crisis Fund
Answer: C) G20 Pandemic Fund

• In a step towards bolstering India’s pandemic preparedness and response, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, has secured a USD 25 million grant from the G20 Pandemic Fund.
• This financial injection, aimed at enhancing animal health security, comes as a part of India’s commitment to the One Health approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of human and animal health.
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on human, economic and social fronts, has underscored the urgency of unified efforts to establish resilient One-health systems
• The G20 Pandemic Fund, established under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, has approved the USD 25 million proposal submitted by India’s Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying. This grant is specifically earmarked for “Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.”
• The fund focuses on providing critical financial support to reinforce pandemic prevention, preparedness and response capacities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries
• The proposal from India received approval amidst fierce competition, with the Pandemic Fund receiving 350 Expressions of Interest (EoI) and 180 full proposals, collectively requesting over USD 2.5 billion in funding, a stark contrast to the available budget of USD 338 million
• The Pandemic Fund’s Governing Board, recognizing the urgency of strengthening global pandemic resilience, allocated grants to 19 projects across 37 countries in its first funding round on July 20, 2023
• Additionally, the project aims to fortify health security against transboundary animal diseases and foster regional cooperation through cross-border collaboration.
• The implementation of this project will be a collaborative effort, with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) taking the lead as the implementing entity.

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15. Who inaugurated the 9th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Udaipur?
A) Narendra Modi
B) Amit Shah
C) Rajnath Singh
D) Om Birla
E) Venkaiah Naidu
Answer: D) Om Birla

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the ninth India Region Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in Rajasthan’s Udaipur.
• An Executive Committee meeting of the CPA was chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla prior to the conference
• The theme of the two-day Conference is “Strengthening Democracy and Good Governance in Digital Age”.
• One of the topics is how to make public representatives more effective or efficient in encouraging good governance through digital empowerment. The other topic is the role of public representatives in strengthening the nation through democratic institutions.

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16. At the G20 Summit’s Health Minister’s Meeting hosted by the Government of India, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the G20 India presidency introduced a new initiative focused on digital health. What is the initiative called?
A) G20 Digital Health Alliance
B) Global Digital Health Initiative
C) HealthTech G20 Partnership
D) Digital Health for All Program
E) Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH)
Answer: E) Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH)

• The World Health Organization (WHO) and the G20 India presidency announced a new Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) at the Health Minister’s Meeting of the G20 Summit hosted by the Government of India.
• The new GIDH initiative (pronounced “guide” for short) will operate as a WHO-managed network and platform to support the implementation of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025.
• WHO serves as the Secretariat for the strategy implementation to converge and convene global standards, best practices and resources to fast track digital health system transformation
• The GIDH initiative aims to bring countries and partners together to achieve measurable outcomes by:
  • developing clear priority-driven investment plans for digital health transformation;
    improving reporting and transparency of digital health resources;
  • facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration across regions and countries to accelerate progress;
  • supporting whole-of-government approaches for digital health governance in countries; and
  • increasing technical and financial support to the implementation of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025 and its next phase.
• WHO and partners announced substantial commitments in cash and kind from multiple stakeholders to support the launch of this new Initiative.
• Digital health is a proven accelerator to advance health outcomes towards achieving Universal Health Coverage and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

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17. Which police department has initiated the ‘SaveraYojna’ program to offer timely assistance to senior citizens?
A) New Delhi Police
B) Mumbai Police
C) Kolkata Police
D) Ghaziabad Police
E) Chennai Police
Answer: D) Ghaziabad Police

• Police Commissionerate Ghaziabad formally launched the ‘SaveraYojna’ for providing timely help to the senior citizens with emergency response number 112
• The elderly people will after registration of their names get police help at the earliest when they call at 112 in any emergency
• The Police Response Vehicle (PRV), which has been assigned to attend the call, takes extra time to trace the victim’s location due to densely populated colonies
• PRV would be able to reach the spot without wasting time following registration of the names and addresses of the senior citizens in the ‘SaveraYojna’.
• The elderly will be helped with the integrated service of dial 112 like ambulance service 108, women in distress helpline 181, women power line 1090 and 101 fire service help line

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18. Telangana has partnered with UNESCO to implement which organization’s recommendations regarding the ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
A) World Economic Forum (WEF)
B) International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
C) United Nations (UN)
D) World Health Organization (WHO)
E) UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
Answer: E) UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

• The Telangana government and UNESCO will be collaborating to implement the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) after a Letter of Intent was signed
• The collaboration focuses on promoting the ethical development and use of AI awareness raising, capacity building, and contributions to UNESCO’s Global Observatory on AI Ethics
• The partnership signifies a shared commitment to an AI-powered future that prioritises societal good and equitable development
• The Letter of Intent marks the beginning of a strategic partnership aimed at promoting the implementation of UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

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19. Which banana variety from Kanniyakumari District has been granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag?
A) Mysore Banana
B) Malabar Banana
C) Cavendish Banana
D) Matti Banana
E) Plantain Banana
Answer: D) Matti Banana

• The Matti banana variety, native to Kanniyakumari district, which was recently granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• According to this story, when it was brought to the attention of King of Travancore ChithiraiThirunal Balarama Varma that some farmers were selling Matti banana saplings to farmers in Tamil country
• There are six known types of Matti bananas
• Commonly known as ‘Baby Banana’ owing its nipple-like appearance, it flourishes mainly in Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks.

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20. What is the name of India’s first long-range side swing revolver that was launched, offering “twice the range of other revolvers,” and made available for civilians and arms dealers?
A) Nirbhay
B) Prabal
C) Akash
D) Tejas
E) Agni
Answer: B) Prabal

• The country’s first long-range side swing revolver, ‘Prabal’ with “twice the range of other revolvers” was launched for civilians and arms dealers.
• Manufactured by the state-owned enterprise Advanced Weapons and Equipment India (AWEIL) based in Kanpur, the Prabal revolver boasts of a firing range of up to 50 metres
  The .32 bore revolver is capable of accurately hitting targets up to 50 metres away.
• This range is more than double that of other revolvers currently in production, establishing Prabal as a frontrunner in the field of long-range handguns,
• The single and double-action ‘Prabal’ revolver weighs 675 grams (excluding cartridges).
• It has a chrome-platted barrel length of 76 mm, and an overall length of 187.7 mm

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