Daily GK Update- 12th, May 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Paytm unveiled COVID-19 vaccine finder tool: Fintech major Paytm launched ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Finder’, a platform to help citizens check the availability of vaccination slots on its Mini App store. The platform will help citizens to check the availability of vaccination slots for a specific date by individually entering different pin codes or district details along with age group (18+ or 45+). In case the slots are saturated for the near future, users can select the option for real-time alerts from Paytm once any slot is free. The automated process reduces the hassle and ordeal of refreshing the platform for new slots repeatedly. The data is sourced on a real-time basis from the CoWIN API where a slot can be booked to take the vaccination. The new feature will help users find COVID vaccine slots in their locality and set for alerts when new slots open up.

Note: Paytm HQ: Noida, Uttar Pradesh; Paytm Founder & CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma; Paytm Founded: 2009.

 

2. Indian-origin expert Sankar Ghosh elected to National Academy of Sciences: Sankar Ghosh, an award-winning Indian-origin immunologist, has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. He was among the 120 newly elected members announced by the Academy.

About the National Academy of Sciences: The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a Congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognises achievement in science by election to membership and – with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine – provides science, engineering and health policy advice to the federal government and other organisations.

 

3. UjjwalaSinghania takes over as 38th National President FICCI FLO: UjjwalaSinghania has been appointed as the National President of FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO), the oldest women-led & women-centric business chamber of Southeast Asia. As the 38th National President of FLO Singhania will focus on empowering women by facilitating an enabling environment that promotes entrepreneurship, industry participation and economic development of women. Under her leadership, FLO will carry out many interventions towards fostering larger contributions of women in India’s Industrial and economic growth story.

FICCI FLO: FLO was established in 1983. As a division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Aims: Women’s economic participation along with their increased ownership and control of productive assets will speed up the development of India and Women-led development will pave the way for self-reliant India in true sense”.

 

4. Centre releases advance amount of over Rs 8,923 crore to 25 States for grants to Rural Local Bodies in view of COVID-19 pandemic: The Centre has released over 8,923 crore rupees to 25 States for providing grants to the Rural Local Bodies in advance, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are meant for all the three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions – village, block and district. Panchayati Raj Institutions can utilise the fund among other things for various prevention and mitigation measures needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

5. A book titled ‘Life in the Clock Tower Valley’ author by Shakoor Rather: “Life in the Clock Tower Valley” is the debut book of Press Trust of India (PTI) journalist Shakoor Rather. The book is published by Speaking Tiger, it talks about Kashmir’s pristine past, its grievous present and always-uncertain future. It also includes historical and political information about Kashmir as well as environmental issues that are seldom talked about. Besides talking about various aspect of life in the Valley, the author also describes in detail how different characters pop up in its streets during different seasons: “life-size scarecrows during summers to frighten the unrelenting birds hovering over the paddy fields, and the ceremonial snowmen that delight the neighbourhood children celebrating the much-awaited snowfall”.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Former Senator Bill Nelson Sworn in as the 14th NASA Administrator: Former Senator Bill Nelson was sworn in as the 14th NASA administrator tasked with carrying out the Biden-Harris administration’s vision for the agency. Nelson served in the U.S. Senate for 18 years from Florida and as a payload specialist on space shuttle mission 61-C in 1986.

About the Bill Nelson: Nelson has served in public office over four decades, first in the state legislature and U.S. Congress, then as State Treasurer. He was elected three times to the United States Senate, representing Florida for 18 years. His committees included the breadth of government policy from defence, intelligence and foreign policy to finance commerce, and health care.

Note: Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States; NASA Founded: 1 October 1958.

 

2. SpaceX to launch ‘DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon’: Elon Musk-owned SpaceX is set to launch the “DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon”, the first-ever commercial lunar payload, paid entirely in the cryptocurrency Dogecoin. The satellite is scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2022 onboard the Falcon 9 rocket. The dogecoin-funded mission is led by the Canadian company Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC).

Under the mission: SpaceX will carry a 40-kilogram cube satellite dubbed as DOGE-1, as rideshare on a Falcon 9 rocket. The payload will obtain lunar-spatial intelligence from sensors and cameras on board with integrated communications and computational systems. This launch will make DOGE the first crypto in space as well as the first meme in space.

Note: SpaceX founder & CEO: Elon Musk; SpaceX Founded: 2002; SpaceX Headquarters: California, United States of America.

 

3. International Nurses Day: 12 May: International Nurse Day is observed globally on 12 May every year. This day is observed to commemorate the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale. She was also known as Lady with the Lamp. She was the founder of modern nursing and was a British social reformer and statistician. The theme of 2021 International Nurses Day is ‘Nurses: A Voice to Lead – A vision for future healthcare’.

Florence Nightingale: Florence Nightingale was put in charge of nursing British and allied soldiers in Turkey during the Crimean War. She is renowned for setting up the Nightingale School of Nursing, at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London (opened 1860) in order to formalize nursing education. She was the first woman awarded the Order of Merit (1907).

Note: International Council of Nurse’s headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; International Council of Nurses founded: 1899; International Council of Nurses President: Annette Kennedy.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Pakistan’s Babar Azam Wins ICC Players of the Month for April 2021: Pakistani skipper Babar Azam has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for April 2021 for his consistent and stellar performances across all formats in the recently concluded series against South Africa. The ICC Player of the Month Awards recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year.

Along with Babar, Australian women’s team wicketkeeper-batsman Alyssa Healy also bagged the ICC Women’s Player of The Month accolade for her incredible performances during the month of April. Healy’s consistency with the bat has played a significant role in Australia’s dominance. Healy has shown her class in all conditions and against all types of bowling in the recent series against New Zealand.

Note: Chairman of ICC: Greg Barclay; CEO of ICC: Manu Sawhney; Headquarters of ICC: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI appoints Jose J Kattoor as Executive Director: The Reserve Bank of India has appointed Jose J Kattoor as Executive Director (ED). Prior to being promoted as ED, MrKattoor was heading Bengaluru Regional Office of the Reserve Bank as Regional Director for Karnataka. He will look after Human Resource Management Department, Corporate Strategy and Budget Department and Rajbhasha Department.

 

2. IRDAI introduces guidelines on standard domestic travel insurance policy: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has issued guidelines on Bharat Yatra Suraksha, the standard domestic travel insurance product, that will provide coverage for hospitalization expenses, death, permanent complete or partial disablement due to an accident, for travel through taxi, bus, train, ship, and airplane in the country. The base cover will provide coverage for hospitalization expenses ranging from Rs1 lakh to Rs10 lakh and an accidental death benefit ranging from Rs1 lakh to Rs1 crore. Optional covers include coverage for missed flight connections, loss of checked-in baggage, trip delays beyond three hours, and cancellations. As the proposed product will be issued as per journey and trip, policyholders won’t be able to renew the policy, however, extension on payment of premium has been permitted.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. NITI Aayog, Mastercard release report on Connected Commerce: The NITI Aayog has released a report titled ‘Connected Commerce: Creating a Roadmap for a Digitally Inclusive Bharat’. NITI Aayog has released the report in collaboration with Mastercard. The report identifies the various challenges faced in accelerating digital financial inclusion in India and also provides recommendations for making digital services accessible to its 1.3 billion citizens.

Key recommendations in the report:

(1) The report includes strengthening the payment infrastructure to promote a level playing field for NBFCs and banks;

(2) Digitizing registration and compliance processes and diversifying credit sources to enable growth opportunities for MSMEs;

(3) Building information-sharing systems, including a ‘fraud repository’, and ensuring that online digital commerce platforms carry warnings to alert consumers to the risk of frauds;

(4) Enabling agricultural NBFCs to access low-cost capital and deploy a ‘physical (physical + digital) model for achieving better long-term digital outcomes.

(5) Digitising land records will also provide a major boost to the sector and to make city transit seamlessly accessible to all with minimal crowding and queues, leveraging existing smartphones and contactless cards, and aim for an inclusive, interoperable, and fully open system such as that of the London ‘Tube’.

Note: NITI Aayog Formed: 1 January 2015; NITI Aayog Headquarters: New Delhi; NITI Aayog Chairperson: Narendra Modi.

Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States; Mastercard President: Michael Miebach.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. DrTaheraQutbuddin 1st Indian to Win Arab World Nobel Prize: Mumbai born, DrTaheraQutbuddin, a professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Chicago, recently became the first person of Indian-origin to win the 15th Sheikh Zayed Book Award. The award is considered to be the Nobel Prize of the Arab world. She won the award for her latest book, “Arabic Oration – Art and Function” published by Brill Academic Publishers of Leiden in 2019. In the book, she puts forth a comprehensive theory of Arabic literature in its foundational oral period dating the seventh and eighth centuries AD. She discusses its influence on modern-day sermons and lectures as well.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Renowned Sitar Player Prateek Chaudhuri passes away: Renowned sitar player Prateek Chaudhuri has died due to COVID-related complications, almost a week after his father, music maestro PanditDevbrata Chaudhuri, succumbed to the virus. He was 49. Prateek Chaudhuri, who belonged to the SeniaGharana of music, was also a professor at the Department of Music, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi.

 

2. Veteran Urdu Critic, Professor ShamimHanfi passes away: Veteran Urdu Critic, writer and poet, Professor ShamimHanfi passed away in New Delhi after battling coronavirus-related complications. He was 82. Professor Hanafi was associated with JamiaMilliaIslamia as Professor Emeritus. A proponent of the modernist movement in Urdu literature, Professor Hanafi authored several books on literary criticism, plays and books for children. He also translated AbulKalam Azad’s book ‘India Wins Freedom’.