Daily GK Update- 12th Nov, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched Purple Fest logo: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has launched logo of Purple Fest at a function held in Manohar Parrikar Memorial Hall of Sanjay Centre for Education, Porvorim. The event was organised by the Office of State Commission for Persons with Disabilities Goa in collaboration with Directorate of Social Welfare and Entertainment Society of Goa. Goa Government is delighted to introduce Purple Fest – Celebrating Diversity, a first-of-its-kind inclusive festival that embraces, expresses and celebrates persons with disabilities. Government will provide 100 per cent facilities to the Divyangs in the State. About the Purple fest: 

a)      The government will start sign language course in next year for the special people, which he assured to public. The aim of the three-day inclusive festival is to illustrate how people can unite to support each other and “make everyone in our society feel included.

b)      While the event is free for Goan delegates, exhibitors, and students with disabilities from around the country, other delegates need to pay a fee of Rs 1,000 to attend the Goa Purple Fest. There are two categories — individual and organisation – mentioned in the registration forms.

c)       NGOs or institutions who work in the field of disability will be allowed a 50 percent discount, the social welfare minister had said earlier. Organisations with more than 10 participants will be charged Rs 500 each.

Note: Goa Capital: Panaji; Goa Chief Minister: Pramod Sawant; Goa Governor: S. Sreedharan Pillai.

 

2. Kerala becomes 1st State to Introduce Uniform Gold Price Based on Bank Rate: Kerala becomes the first state in India to launch uniform gold prices based on the bank rate. The decision to introduce a uniform price on 916 purity 22-carat gold has been taken at a meeting between officials of Malabar Gold and Diamonds and key members of the All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants Association. Key Points:

a)      Being a top gold-consuming state in the country, Kerala can set the stage for a countrywide roll-out of uniform gold prices.

b)      The selling price of gold should be unified everywhere in the country. The gold rate should be uniform across the country based on the bank rates.

c)       Gold is priced at Rs 150-300 per gram extra over the bank rate. In Kerala, gold used to be sold at different prices on a particular day.

d)      Uniform gold price based on bank rate offers an opportunity for consumers to purchase gold at a reasonable and transparent price.

 

3. 42nd International Congress of the INCA Inaugurated in Dehradun: Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd.) inaugurated the 42nd International Congress of the Indian National Cartographic Association (INCA) in Dehradun. The 42nd International Congress is being organized by the National Hydrographic Office at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The theme of the 42nd International Congress of the Indian National Cartographic Association is Digital Cartography to Harness Blue Economy.

 

4. “E. K. Janaki Ammal: Life and Scientific Contributions” authored by Nirmala James: Retired school teacher Nirmala James has authored a new book titled “E. K. Janaki Ammal: Life and Scientific Contributions”, featuring the life and remarkable achievements of Edavalath Kakkat Janaki Ammal (E. K. Janaki Ammal), India’s first woman botanist. The book, published by Enview Research and Development, was released during the event organised on the 125th birth anniversary of E. K. Janaki Ammal.

Essence of the book: The book describes how Dr Janaki Ammal fulfilled her professional dreams despite the gender and caste barriers. She is well known for her work in the areas of cytogenetics and plant breeding. The book narrates several interesting insights from the dairy of Janaki Ammal’s father Krishnan, and the author’s own findings travelling through the paths Janaki Ammal took.

 

5. IFFI 2022: Austrian film ‘Alma and Oskar’ to open film festival: The Austrian movie “Alma and Oskar” directed by Dieter Berner will open the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), to be held in Goa from November 20 to 28. The film will be screened at the festival venue INOX, Panaji. As a festival that seeks to celebrate the art of cinema to the fullest, it is only fitting that 53rd IFFI opens with a film about a love affair between a composer and an artist. The passionate and tumultuous relationship between the Viennese society Grand Dame Alma Mahler (1879-1964) and Austrian artist Oskar Kokoschka ((1886-1980) is the subject of this biopic. Directed by Dieter Berner, the film has a total runtime of 110 minutes.

 

6. National Education Day: 11th November: In India, National Education Day is celebrated every year on November 11 as it marks the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was India’s first education minister after independence. The day is observed to celebrate the work done by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in the education sector during his tenure as the education minister. In 1920, he was elected as a member of the foundation committee to establish Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh in UP.  This day is celebrated to acknowledge and honour Maulana Azad’s contribution to the country’s education system. The theme for National Education Day 2022 is “Changing Course, Transforming Education.”

 

7. Public Service Broadcasting Day: 12th November: Public Service Broadcasting Day is being celebrated on 12th November every year to commemorate the only visit of Mahatma Gandhi to All India Radio in Delhi in 1947. On 12 November 1947, Mahatma Gandhi addressed the displaced people (a refugee from Pakistan), who had temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana after partition. Gandhiji had reportedly said that he saw the medium of radio as Shakti, the miraculous power of God.

History Public Service Broadcasting Day: The day was declared as Public Service Broadcasting Day or (Jan Prasaran Diwas) in 2001, after it was conceptualised by Suhas Borker, Convenor, Jan Prasar. Prasar Bharati has been given the responsibility of public service broadcasting, deepen democratic traditions and provide opportunities to all diverse communities and cultures.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Aruna Miller, 1st ever Indian American to hold office in Maryland: Indian-American woman Aruna Miller has become the first immigrant to hold the office of Lieutenant Governor in Maryland, Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. She stated that residents of Maryland chose Wes Moore as their Governor while she secured victory in the race to become Lieutenant Governor. Ms Miller, who is a former executive director of Indian American Impact, was endorsed by the organization, which supports Indian American representation at every level of government. She also had the support and endorsement by important Indian American organizations and people.

Aruna Miller represented District 15 in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018. She ran for Congress in 2018 in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District and secured the second spot among eight candidates. She is married to Dave Miller and they have three daughters. Aruna Miller resides in Montgomery County with her family.

 

2. State of Food and Agriculture Report 2022 Published by FAO: The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) is one of the annual flagship report released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It provides comprehensive insights into the various issues related to the field of food and agriculture based on science-based assessment.

The key findings of the State of Food and Agriculture Report 2022:

a)      The report assessed various drivers of agricultural automation, including the recently developed digital technologies.

b)      Based on 27 case studies, the report analyzed the business case for the adoption of these digital automation technologies across various agricultural production systems in the world.

c)       It identified various challenges that are preventing inclusive adoption of these technologies, especially by small-scale producers. It recognized two major barriers for their adoption – low digital literacy and lack of supportive infrastructure like connectivity and access to electricity.

d)      The report recommended policies that will enable disadvantaged groups to access the agricultural automation technologies, which will help in the creation of sustainable and resilient agri-food systems.

e)      Agriculture sector in high-income countries in North America, Europe and Oceania are highly mechanized since the 1960s. However, regions dominated by low and middle-income countries are less mechanized.

f)        Only ten of the twenty-seven service providers are profitable and financially sustainable. All of these profitable service providers are based in high-income and used solutions that are in the mature phase, serving only large-scale producers.

g)      The adoption is especially limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture in this region is dominated by human and animal power, limiting the productivity significantly. The report recommends setting up sustainable rental mechanisms to address this issue.

h)      The report addresses the concerns regarding the unemployment crisis caused by labor-saving technologies. It gives several recommendations in this regard:

a.      Avoiding subsidization of automation in regions where rural labor is abundant and wages are low

b.      Creation of favorable environment for the adoption of automation technology

c.       Providing social security for low-skilled workers who are likely to lose their livelihood because of the automation.

 

3. UNESCO: World Heritage Glaciers to Disappear By 2050: Glaciers at many UNESCO World Heritage sites including Yellowstone and Kilimanjaro National Park will likely vanish by 2050, the UN agency warned, urging leaders to act fast to save the rest. The warning followed a study of 18,600 glaciers at 50 World Heritage sites. What The Report Pointed:

a)      The study “shows these glaciers have been retreating at an accelerated rate since 2000 due to CO2 emissions, which are warming temperatures”, UNESCO said.

b)      The glaciers were losing 58 billion tonnes of ice every year, equivalent to the combined annual water use of France and Spain, and were responsible for nearly five percent of observed global sea-level rise, the agency explained.

c)       Countries have pledged to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — a goal the world is set to miss on current emission trends.

d)      The UNESCO study, in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), shows that these glaciers have been retreating at an accelerated rate since 2000 due to CO2 emissions, which are warming temperatures.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Uttar Pradesh to host 2023 Khelo India University Games: Uttar Pradesh government to host Khelo India National University Games in 2023-2024 in four cities. Khelo India National University Games will be conducted in four cities of Uttar Pradesh including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, and Noida. Key Points:

a)      In the Khelo India National University Games, 4,500 athletes will participate representing 150 universities across the country.

b)      There will be 20 disciplines including basketball, judo, kabaddi, wrestling, swimming, boxing, rowing, etc.

c)       Uttar Pradesh has got the opportunity to host the National University Games for the first time after Odisha and Karnataka.

d)      Disciplines like kabaddi, judo, archery, and fencing will be organized in Noida and rowing will be organized in Gorakhpur.

e)      In Varanasi, events like wrestling, malkham, and Yoga will be organized. The rest of the events will be organized in Lucknow.

f)        The government will announce the appointment of 12 former athletes who have made a mark at the international level as coaches in different disciplines for the state government-run sports hostels.

 

2. A new book title “Winning the Inner Battle” authored by Shane Watson: A new book titled “Winning the Inner Battle Bringing the best version of you to cricket” is authored by Shane Watson. This book will give you all the information that you will ever need to deeply understand how to bring the best version of yourself every time your best performance is needed. Shane Watson is one of Australian cricket’s finest all-rounders, representing his country 298 times. Shane Watson’s new book, Winning the Inner Battle, which explores the mental side of the game through his own experiences of revitalising his career after he had considered retirement in 2015.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Central bank digital currency could end RBI-ESMA row: The central bank digital currency, or CBDC, may break the deadlock between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) over the inspection of Indian financing clearing houses. European lenders such as HSBC, Deutsche, Standard Chartered, and Barclays make between 15% and 25% of trades in the so-called negotiated dealing system order matching segment (NDS-OM), which is run by the Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL), one of the central counterparties for trade settlement.

Issue with the Indian Banks: At the moment, banks are required to set aside about 2.5% of capital, or roughly 2.5 crore for every 100 crore in trades. This could increase by roughly 50 times if the Indian central counterparties do not follow ESMA regulations, making business unsustainable. The ability to multilaterally net deals is the main benefit of a central counterparty like CCIL. This means that a bank can settle several transactions with various parties using the system, ensuring that payments and receivables are netted off.

European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA): The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is a Paris-based independent European Union Authority. ESMA works in the area of securities legislation and regulation to enhance the efficiency of financial markets in Europe. Founded: 1 January 2011; Headquarters: Paris, France

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IT-gaints Google launches ‘FloodHub’, a platform to forecast flood: An American technology giant, Google has launched a platform that displays flood forecasts, namely ‘FloodHub’. This platform shows the area and time where floods could occur, in order to inform people about the natural calamity and authorities can assist them with effectively. The technology giant has also expanded its AI flood forecasting services to 18 counties across Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Key Points:

a)      Google launched its flood forecasting services to safeguard people against disasters and natural calamities in 2018. Google states that the company has used an AI technique called transfer learning to make it work in areas where there is less data available.

b)      Meanwhile, the search engine has also integrated its Lens image recognition feature into many of its other features. It includes Google Chrome and Photos.

c)       Recently, 9to5Google has pointed out that Google is adding a Lens button to its home page, in its search bar. After users click on the Lens button, they would be prompted to upload an image or paste a URL to one.

Note: Google CEO: Sundar Pichai; Google Founded: 4 September 1998; Google Headquarters: Mountain View, California, United States; Google Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin; Google Parent organization: Alphabet Inc.

 

2. LIC Buys Additional Stake in Voltas for Rs 635 Cr: Life Insurance Company (LIC) has increased its shareholding in Voltas by buying an additional 2 per cent stake. The state-owned life insurer increased its shareholding from 2,27,04,306 shares (equivalent to 6.862 per cent) to 2,93,95,224 (8.884 per cent) in Voltas.

LIC said it acquired Voltas’ shares worth Rs 634.50 crore through open market transactions during the period from August 10 to November 4, 2022. The transaction was carried out as an open market purchase at an average cost of ₹948.31 per share in Voltas.

About Voltas: Voltas is engaged in the business of air conditioning, refrigeration, electro-mechanical projects as an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor both in domestic and international market. Voltas has a market cap of around ₹27,609 crore.

 

3. Adidas appoints Bjorn Gulden as CEO of the company: Adidas has appointed Bjorn Gulden, the CEO of rival Puma, as its new chief executive, and he will take over the German sportswear brand in January as the company. Gulden will replace Kasper Rorsted, Adidas’ CEO since 2016, whose departure was announced in August. Puma, which like Adidas is based in the southern German town of Herzogenaurach, said its chief commercial officer, Arne Freundt, will replace Gulden as its CEO.

Note: Adidas Headquarters: Herzogenaurach, Germany; Adidas Founder: Adolf Dassler; Adidas Founded: 18 August 1949, Herzogenaurach, Germany.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Prominent Indian physician Dr Subhash Babu to be awarded Bailey K. Ashford Medal: Prominent Indian physician and scientist, Dr. Subhash Babu has received the prestigious Bailey K. Ashford Medal for 2022 and the Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH) award 2022. This award is given to him for his outstanding research and contributions to tropical medicine. The medal is presented annually to one or more mid-career researchers for distinguished work in tropical medicine by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), the largest scientific organization in tropical medicine in the world.

 

2. YKC Wadiyar received International Kannadiga Rathna award 2022: Member of the erstwhile royal family, Yaduveer Krishnaraja Chamaraja (YKC) Wadiyar has been selected for the International Kannada Rathna award. It is presented annually by Dubai Kannadigas to mark Kannada Rajyothsava. The award will be presented to YKC Wadiyar during Vishwa Kannada Habba on November 19 at Sheikh Rashid Auditorium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in association with Kannadigaru Dubai Sangha as part of celebration of the 67th Kannada Rajyothsava. Besides, Vishwamanya Award would be presented to achievers in various fields.

 

3. Arfa Khanum Sherwani to Receive Kuldip Nayar Patrakarita Samman Award for 2022: The Gandhi Peace Foundation has announced the award of its prestigious Kuldip Nayar Patrakarita Samman for 2022 to The Wire’s senior editor Arfa Khanum Sherwani. The announcement was made at a press conference held at New Delhi’s Press Club of India by the well-known academic and author, Ashis Nandy. Nandy also announced that the awardee for 2021 was the independent journalist and YouTuber, Ajit Anjum.

About the Kuldip Nayar Patrakarita Samman: The award honours the legacy of journalist, author and human rights activist Kuldip Nayar and is awarded to journalists working in Indian languages contributing to democratic values and independent media. Under this award received by the Gandhi Peace Foundation, a cash amount of one lakh rupees is given to the selected journalists. Apart from this, he is also honored with a citation.