Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2021

Notes:
Madras High Court has revoked a law that was passed by the state government of Tamil Nadu which banned online games like poker, rummy and other skill-based games that involve stakes. Quashing an amendment on the Tamil Nadu Gaming Act that banned online games, the court stated that complete ban on online games is disproportionate and irrational.

Notes:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore with the aim to boost export of agricultural and processed food products, especially from the state of Karnataka.  The key areas of cooperation will be developing technologies jointly with APEDA for efficient & precision farming, advance alertness, enhancing quality exports, diversifying the export basket, boosting high-value agri exports, etc.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has given its approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Space science and Technology (IIST) and The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), for carrying out Research activities and Academic programmes which will involve faculty and students from each institution.

 

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India and the European Union (EU) have agreed to resume the negotiations for an ambitious, balanced, mutually beneficial and comprehensive trade agreement. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations are to be held considering the interest of both India and EU.

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With the passage in Rajya Sabha, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 got approval of both houses of Parliament on August 4, 2021. Earlier, on July 29, the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha. The Bill paves the way for privatisation of a small loss-making airport by clubbing it with a larger airport. The amendment bill proposes to modify the definition of a major airport under the AERA Act 2008. The objective is to pair the smaller non-profitable airports with profitable airports as a combination/package to bidders to make it a viable combination for investment under PPP (public-private partnership) mode.

Notes:
Indian Visual Artist & Illustrator Anand Radhakrishnan has won the 2021 Eisner Award for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art). He shared the award with UK based colourist John Pearson for “Blue in Green,” a graphic novel authored by Ram V. Eisner Award is named after graphic novel legend Will Eisner and this award is known as the “Oscar of the comic field” and is presented in 32 categories.

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As part of one year celebration of transformative reforms under the government’s National Education Policy, 2020, the Government of India is organising a series of theme-based webinars on different aspects of National Education Policy, 2020. Indian Knowledge System, Language, Arts & Culture being one of the innovative thrust areas of NEP, Indian Knowledge System at AICTE under Ministry of Education organised a National Webinar on Transforming Education in the Light of Indian Knowledge System, Language, Arts & Culture. Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Employment Shri, was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

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The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the Lok Sabha on 6th August, 2021. The bill seeks to do away with the contentious retrospective tax provision. The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill proposes to amend the Income Tax Act, 1961 to provide that no tax demand shall be raised in the future on the basis of the retrospective amendment for any indirect transfer of Indian assets if the transaction was undertaken before May 28, 2012. Pranab Mukherjee was the finance minister when retrospective tax provision was included in 2012.

Notes:
Veteran England pacer James Anderson has surpassed Indian spin legend Anil Kumble’s tally of 619 Test wickets during the third day of the first Test against India at Nottingham. Only Sri Lankan spin great Muttiah Muralitharan (800 Test wickets), and Australian wizard Shane Warne (708 wickets) are now ahead of Anderson, who is playing in his 163rd Test match.

Notes:
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has inducted its first women officers in combat. On 8th August, 2021 ITBP commissioned its first two women officers in combat after they completed their training at the ITBP officers’ training academy located in Mussoorie. A first-ever ‘History of ITBP’ book containing many unknown facts and photographs of the border guarding force was also released by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami along with ITBP director general S. S. Deswal.