International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism
🗞️ Why in News August 21 marks the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism, established under UN General Assembly Resolution 72/165 (2017), with 2026 marking its 9th observance under the theme “Healing Through Memory.”
Key Data
- Global minute of silence at 9 am; UN virtual high-level event held
- India continues pushing for adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT), pending at the UN since 1996
UPSC Angle
GS2: international counter-terrorism architecture (UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, FATF); India’s consistent advocacy for CCIT given its experience with cross-border terrorism.
World Senior Citizens Day
🗞️ Why in News August 21 is observed globally as World Senior Citizens Day, recognising the contributions and needs of the elderly.
Key Data
- Key Indian schemes: Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE, launched 2010-11), Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007
- India’s 60+ population has crossed 16 crore
UPSC Angle
GS1/GS2: demographic transition, elderly welfare policy, and gaps in long-term care infrastructure for India’s ageing population.
Cabinet Committee Approves 75% Prudential Stake Acquisition in Bharti Life Insurance
🗞️ Why in News The Competition Commission of India (CCI) cleared Prudential Corporation Holdings Ltd’s acquisition of a 75% stake in Bharti Life Insurance Company from Bharti Life Ventures Pvt Ltd and 360 ONE Asset Management, for approximately Rs 3,500 crore.
Key Data
- CCI review conducted under the Competition Act, 2002
- Post-transaction, Prudential’s India footprint includes Bharti Life Insurance, Prudential HCL Health Insurance, and minority stakes in ICICI Prudential entities
UPSC Angle
GS3: continuing FDI interest in India’s insurance sector following the raised FDI cap, and CCI’s role in reviewing anti-competitive effects of major acquisitions.
Flash PMI: India’s Private Sector Activity Shows Mixed Signals in August
🗞️ Why in News The HSBC Flash India Composite PMI rose to 54.6 in August 2026 from July’s 52-month low of 54.3, with Services PMI improving to 54.5 but Manufacturing PMI falling to 52.9, its weakest expansion pace in five years.
Key Data
- PMI above 50 indicates expansion; survey compiled by S&P Global, sponsored by HSBC
- Employment growth hit a joint-fastest pace since June 2025
UPSC Angle
GS3: PMI as a leading economic indicator, and the diverging manufacturing-versus-services growth trend as a signal of uneven economic momentum.
Global Digital Capacity Building Alliance Completes Six Months
🗞️ Why in News The Global Digital Capacity Building Alliance (GDCBA) completed six months on August 21, 2026. For background: it was launched at the India AI Impact Summit on February 20, 2026, and has since engaged 10 countries and over 250 public officials in digital-governance capacity building.
Key Data
- Nodal body: Capacity Building Commission (CBC), Government of India, under the Mission Karmayogi framework
- Partners include the Gates Foundation, World Bank, UNICEF, and the Commonwealth
UPSC Angle
GS2: India’s Mission Karmayogi civil-service reform extended into South-South digital-governance cooperation, reinforcing India’s Digital Public Infrastructure diplomacy.
UP Signs Multiple MoUs with Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture
🗞️ Why in News The UP Legislative Assembly and Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly signed MoUs covering legislative exchange, education, tourism, agriculture, and green hydrogen and clean-energy cooperation, as part of the UP-Japan Investment Meet 2026 (August 18-23).
Key Data
- Signed by UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana and Yamanashi Chairman Hidenori Miyamoto
- Builds on an earlier December 2024 UP-Yamanashi MoU
UPSC Angle
GS2/GS3: sub-national diplomacy as a growing channel within the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, and clean-energy technology cooperation at the state level.
First Steering Committee Meeting Held for the 57th International Film Festival of India
🗞️ Why in News The first Steering Committee meeting for the 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), scheduled in Goa from November 20-28, 2026, was held in New Delhi, chaired by MoS Information & Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan.
UPSC Angle
GS1: IFFI’s role in India’s cultural soft power, organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
Today’s Consolidated Facts:
- International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism: UNGA Res. 72/165 (2017), 9th observance
- CCI clears Prudential’s 75% Bharti Life Insurance stake, ~Rs 3,500 crore
- August 2026 Flash Composite PMI: 54.6 (Services 54.5, Manufacturing 52.9, a 5-year low)
- GDCBA: background, launched Feb 20, 2026; six-month milestone reached, 10 countries engaged
- 57th IFFI: Goa, November 20-28, 2026
Sources: PIB, ANI, S&P Global/HSBC, Business Standard
Source: Current Affairs Today, August 21, 2026 — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
