Daily GK Update- 2nd Feb, 2024

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Five more Indian wetlands added to Ramsar list: India has added five more wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, or the Ramsar List, taking the number of such sites in the country to 80. The announcement of adding five more sites, three in Karnataka and two in Tamil Nadu, to the list was made by Federal Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav. Three of these sites, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve are located in Karnataka whereas two, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are in Tamilnadu.

 

2. Dharmendra Pradhan launches MoE – AICTE Investor Network: Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has launched ‘Ministry of Education – AICTE Investor Network’ in New Delhi. This initiative to be a ground-breaking beginning that will bring students, faculty, investors and the market on one platform to strengthen the culture of innovation. The network aims to provide crucial financial support, mentoring, and strategic guidance to early-stage student or faculty-led startups. Through this unique network, the Ministry of Education seeks to encourage private investment in student- and faculty-led startups.

 

3. BHU gets automated DNA extractor machine: North India’s first human DNA bank is being set up at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The Automated DNA Extractor Machine has been installed in the Gnyaneshwar Lab of the Zoology Department of BHU. These machines are completely indigenous to Make in India. It has been made in such a way that the minimum plastic is used in it, so that there is no harm to the environment. With this machine, DNA can be extracted from any biological material, like blood, saliva, hair or tissue. With its help, DNA can be separated from about 32 samples at one time in 30 minutes.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. WHO awards countries for progress in eliminating industrially produced trans fats for first time: WHO has awarded its first-ever certificates validating progress in eliminating industrially produced trans fatty acids to five countries. Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand have each demonstrated they have a best practice policy for industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFA) elimination in effect, supported by adequate monitoring and enforcement systems. While the ambitious target set by WHO in 2018—to fully eliminate iTFA from the global food supply by the end of 2023—was not met, there has been remarkable progress made towards this goal in every region of the world.

 

2. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt confirmed they are joining BRICS: The BRICS group, a key platform for emerging markets and developing countries, has officially welcomed five new members: Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia. The five countries were extended invitations along with Argentina at a summit in August in Johannesburg to join the bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa. Argentina has declined the invitation to join. The newly enlarged BRICS now boasts a combined population of 3.5 billion and an economy exceeding $28.5tn, constituting around 28% of the global economy.

 

3. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar sworn in as Malaysia’s 17th king: Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor State in Malaysia has become the new Sultan of the country. Ibrahim Iskandar was sworn in as the country’s 17th Sultan. Sultan Ibrahim received the reins from the Sultan of Pahang State, Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah. Ibrahim Iskandar will remain in office as the country’s Sultan for the next five years. The Sultan has been elected every five years in Malaysia since 1957, after gaining independence from Britain.

 

4. 2 February – Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day: Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day is observed every year on February 2nd. Objective – To raise awareness of rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disease that affects the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), another name for rheumatoid disease, is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks and damages the lining of the joints, mistaking it for foreign material. This causes pain and inflammation. Although it can affect people of any age, sex, race or ethnicity, women are more likely to be affected (2.5 times more likely than men). The most common age group is between 20 and 50.

 

5. 2 February – World Wetlands Day: World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2 February.

The day primarily aims to raise global awareness regarding the crucial role of the wetlands for human beings and the planet. Theme 2024 – Wetlands and Human Wellbeing It also marks the date of adopting the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, around 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s. As per the data, the wetlands are now depleting three times faster than the forests, and as these are critically important for the ecosystem World Wetlands Day plays a pivotal role.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. SARVATRA: A Multispan Mobile Bridging System Developed by DRDO: SARVATRA, a Multispan Mobile Bridging System designed and developed by Armament and Combat Engineering Systems (ACE) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Ministry of Defence. SARVATRA assists the Army in constructing bridges over flowing water, ensuring robust connectivity between two areas during natural disasters. SARVATRA’s truck-mounted design facilitates swift setup, ensuring operational readiness within 100 minutes, a critical capability during emergencies and natural disasters. Constructed from aluminum alloy, SARVATRA’s five scissor bridges exhibit exceptional durability, capable of spanning distances of up to 75 meters, overcoming various terrain challenges with ease.

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. GST collections rise 10% to ₹1.72 lakh crore in January: The gross GST revenue collected in the month of January 2024 is ₹1,72,129 crore, which shows a 10.4% Year-o-Year (Y-o-Y) growth over the revenue of ₹155,922 crore collected in January 2023. Notably, this is the second-highest monthly collection ever and marks the third month in this financial year with collection of ₹1.70 lakh crore or more. The government has settled ₹43,552 crore to CGST and ₹37,257 crore to SGST from the IGST collection.

 

2. AU SFB appoints former RBI deputy guv HR Khan as non-executive chairman: Private sector lender AU Small Finance Bank has appointed Harun Rashid Khan, former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as non-executive chairman following approval from the shareholders.

Khan’s tenure will begin from the date of taking charge, January 30, 2024, after approval from the Board of Directors and from the RBI and shareholders of the bank. Khan will take charge from Raj Verma, whose tenure as Part-time Chairman ended on January 29, 2024.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Filmfare Awards 2024 announced: The 69th edition of the Filmfare Awards 2024 took place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The event featured hosting by Karan Johar, and performances by Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Kartik Aaryan among others.