GK Snapshots on 14 December 2021

International Universal Health Coverage Day 2021 – December 12

The United Nations(UN)’s International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) is annually observed across the globe on 12th December to create awareness about the need for strong and resilient health systems and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The day also signifies the unprecedented momentum and global commitment to achieving Health for All by 2030.

The theme of UHC Day 2021 is “Leave No One’s Health Behind: Invest in health systems for all.”

Significance:

The UHC Day, 12th December, also marks the anniversary of the UN’s unanimous endorsement of universal health coverage in 2012

Universal Health Coverage (UHC):

i.UHC entails ensuring that all individuals and communities have access to quality health services, including prevention, promotion, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliation, without incurring financial hardship.

ii.This concept covers three key elements: access, quality, and financial protection.

International Day of Neutrality 2021 – December 12

The United Nations (UNs) International Day of Neutrality is annually observed globally on 12th December to promote neutrality among countries and to lay emphasis on raising awareness levels in public about the value of neutrality in international relations.

• Article 2 of the UN charter also permits the member states to settle their disputes by peaceful means.

Key Highlights:

i.Policy of neutrality by states can also contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security.
ii.International Day of Neutrality is observed to raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.

Note – UNGA adopted the resolution ‘Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan’ on 12th December 1995, it is the only country in the world, which got the permanent neutrality from the United Nations.

70th Miss Universe: India’s Harnaaz Sandhu Crowned Miss Universe 2021; 3rd Indian to become Miss Universe

21 years old Indian Actor and Model, Harnaaz Sandhu from Chandigarh, Punjab, has been crowned Miss Universe 2021 at the 70th Edition of the Miss Universe Competition held in Eilat, Israel.Harnaaz Sandhu became the 3rd Indian to be crowned Miss Universe after Sushmita Sen, the 1st Indian to win Miss Universe (1994) and Lara Dutta (Miss Universe 2000).

• Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza(Mexico) presented the crown to Harnaaz Sandhu.

• The ceremony of the 70th edition was hosted by Steve Harvey.

Note: Nadia Ferreira(Paraguay) finished 2nd followed by Lalela Mswane (South Africa) in 3rd.
About Harnaaz Sandhu:
i.At the age of 17, Harnaaz Sandhu won the Times Fresh Face 2017 representing Chandigarh and later she also won the Liva Miss Diva Universe 2021 title.
ii.She has worked in Punjabi Films which includes ‘Yaara Diyan Poo Baran’ and ‘Bai Ji Kuttange’.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Saryu Nahar National Project in Balrampur, UP

The 40-year long pending project, Saryu Nahar National Project, was inaugurated by Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh (UP) on December 11, 2021.

• The outlay of the project is over Rs 9,800 crore, out of which more than Rs 4,600 crore was provisioned in the last four years.

• It will cater to the problem of water shortage mainly in eastern UP/ Purvanchal with assured water for irrigation to over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers.

Key Points:

i.This project is spread over 6,623 km, covering nine Eastern UP districts namely – Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur and Maharajganj.

ii.The Saryu canal project also involves interlinking of five rivers viz. Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region.

iii.Notably, the UP Government has launched projects of Rs 10,000 crore on December 7, 2021 and had inaugurated 9 medical colleges in Siddharthnagar, and Kushinagar international airport.

Uttar Pradesh’s Haiderpur Wetland Recognized as 47th Ramsar Site in India

Haiderpur Wetland, the human-made wetland of around 6908 hectares in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh(UP) has been recognised as the 47th Ramsar Site of India and 2,463rd site internationally. The wetland is located within the boundaries of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh.

About Haiderpur Wetland:

i.Haiderpur Wetland, a human-made wetland formed in 1984 by the construction of the Madhya Ganga Barrage on a floodplain of the River Ganga.

ii.This provides habitat for various animals and plant species including around 30 species of plants, 300 species of birds (102 water birds), 40 fish and more than 10 mammals.

iii.This also supports more than 15 globally threatened species like

• critically endangered gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)

• endangered hog deer (Axis porcinus), blackbellied tern (Sterna acuticauda), steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis), Indian skimmer (Rynchops albicollis) and gold mahseer (Tor putitora)

iv.This site is also used for recreation and tourism, and scientific and educational activities.

China Launches Satellites for Space Exploration – Shijian-6 05

China successfully launched a new group of satellites Shijian-6 05 into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China for space exploration and new technology tests.

• The satellites were launched by a Long March-4B rocket which marked the 400th mission of Long March series carrier rockets.

Note – The first flight of Long March-1 was in 1970, Long March carrier rockets marked the majority deployment with 92.1 percent of China’s space launches.

Past Missions:
In the recent 100 launches, the Long March rockets have taken up quality missions like the launch of China’s Tianhe space station core module, Shenzhou manned spacecraft, Chang’e-5 lunar probe and the country’s first interplanetary Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021

Red Bull’s Max Emilian Verstappen (24) from The Netherlands clinched the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 by defeating Mercedes’ Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton of the United Kingdom (UK) at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• With this, Max Verstappen won his first Formula One (F1) World Driver Championship.

• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 was the 22nd and final round of the 2021 F1 World Championship.

• The third position is won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro (Carlos Sainz Jr.) of Spain

F1 World Constructor Championship 2021:
For the F1 World Constructor Championship 2021, Mercedes (Germany) won for the 8th consecutive time, setting a new record. It is followed by Red Bull Racing-Honda (Austria) at 2nd and Ferrari (Italy) at 3rd.

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