Daily GK Updates – 8th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Arvind Kejriwal launches ‘Switch Delhi’ campaign to promote electric vehicles: Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal has launched the ‘Switch Delhi’ campaign to promote electric vehicles and appealed to people to buy such vehicles to combat pollution in the city. Kejriwal said his government will hire only electric vehicles for various purposes in the next six weeks.

About the ‘Switch Delhi’ campaign: In the ‘Switch Delhi’ campaign, awareness will be created about the benefits of electric vehicles and how it can contribute to making Delhi clean and pollution-free. Under its electric vehicle policy, the Delhi government has planned extensive subsidies on purchase of electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers, besides waiving road tax and registration charges. More than 6,000 electric vehicles have been purchased since the policy launch in August 2020. The government has also issued tenders for setting up 100 charging stations across the city. The government has fixed an ambitious target of 25 per cent electric vehicles among total vehicle registrations in Delhi by 2024.

 

2. Centre approves release of Rs 1,751 cr to Assam, Arunachal, Odisha, Telangana & UP: The High-Level Committee under the Chairmanship of Home Minister Amit Shah approved Additional Central Assistance of over one thousand seven hundred 51 crore rupees under the National Disaster Response Fund, NDRF to five states, which were affected by floods, landslides during South-West Monsoon-2020 and hailstorm during Rabi 2019-20. For floods and landslides during South-West Monsoon-2020, over 437 crore rupees were approved for Assam, over 75 crore rupees to Arunachal Pradesh, nearly 321 crore to Odisha, nearly 246 crore rupees to Telangana and over 386 crore rupees to Uttar Pradesh. For hailstorm during Rabi 2019-20, over 285 crore rupees to Uttar Pradesh has been approved

 

3. Assam CM launches schemes for college students, literary bodies: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched two schemes to provide monetary assistance to college students and literary bodies of the state. Under Pragyan Bharati scheme, 3,26,046 college students were given Rs 1,500 each for purchasing textbooks, while a total of Rs 161 crore was reimbursed for the free admission of 4 lakh eligible students. The second scheme is Bhasha Gourab, under which the state government provided 21 Sahitya Sabhas (literary bodies) with a total of Rs 43 crore as a contribution towards their corpus funds.Under the scheme, 600 writers have also got Rs 50,000 each to help in their literary activities.

 

4. HAL to develop world’s first high-altitude pseudo satellite: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is developing a futuristic high altitude pseudo satellite with a start-up company, to strengthen the country’s military strike capabilities. It is a first of its kind project in the world, where a manned aircraft will operate within the boundary and the unmanned aircraft will enter the enemy zone and can carry out strikes deep inside the enemy territory.

About the Satellite: Capable of autonomous functions, these unmanned aerial vehicles will also have all the manoeuvring capabilities. “It can straightway hit the target at a distance of 700 kilometres or can go to 350 kilometres and come back. It carries ammunition, missiles if needed CATS Alpha. The technology has been named Combined Air Teaming System (CATS). It will have a manned aircraft (will be known as mother ship), operating from far away, and four autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles known as CATS Warrior. The satellite will be solar energised and become a big asset flying unmanned around 70,000 ft for 2-3 months and taking information.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. World’s First ‘Energy Island’ to be built by Denmark: The Government of Denmark has approved a project to build the world’s first energy island, in the North Sea that will produce and store enough green energy to meet the electricity needs of three million households in European countries. The hub will strengthen the integration of Europe’s power grids and increase renewable electricity production necessary for a climate-neutral Europe.

About the hub: The energy hub will serve as an offshore power plant gathering and distributing green electricity from hundreds of wind turbines surrounding the island directly to consumers in countries surrounding the North Sea. It is the long-term ambition to be able to store green electricity on the island, convert it to liquid green fuel, and send it via subsea cables to Denmark and neighbouring countries. Facts about the energy islands:

(1) The artificial island will offer the best opportunities to expand the project, for example by building a harbour and facilities for storage and conversion of green electricity from the nearby wind turbines in the sea.

(2) The first-of-its-kind giant island will be as big as 18 football pitches (120,000sq m).

(3) A broad coalition of Danish parties have decided to establish two energy hubs and associated offshore windfarms. One as an artificial island in the North Sea and one at the Danish island Bornholm.

(4) An energy hub serves as a hub that collects electricity from the surrounding offshore windfarms and distributes the electricity between countries connected via the electricity grid.

(5) The two hubs initial capacity will be 5 GW triple the current installed offshore capacity in Denmark. Later they will be expanded to provide a capacity of 12 GW in total.

(6) The deal also established a final phase-out date of fossil extraction by 2050 and laid out plans for a just transition of impacted workers. Denmark is currently the largest oil producer in the EU, and it is the biggest producer worldwide to establish a final phase-out date so far.

Note: Denmark Capital: Copenhagen; Denmark Currency: Danish krone.

 

2. India & Bahrain join hands for Renewable Energy: The first India-Bahrain Joint Working Group meeting in the field of Renewable Energy was held in a virtual format on February 04, 2021, for promoting bilateral cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy. The Indian delegation was led by Dinesh Dayanand Jagdale, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza, President of Sustainable Energy Authority led the Bahraini delegation. Both sides also agreed to forge deeper engagement in capacity building and focused cooperation between concerned agencies as well as the private sector of the two countries in this sector, particularly in the field of solar, wind and clean hydrogen.

Note: King of Bahrain: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa; Bahrain Capital: Manama; Bahrain Currency: Bahraini dinar.

 

3. Hunter Biden to Release Memoir ‘Beautiful Things’: United States President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, is publishing his memoir titled “Beautiful Things”, which narrates about his struggles with addiction and drug abuse. The book is scheduled to be published in the United States on April 6 by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. The 51-year-old Hunter Biden has narrated his personal story about how he was a drug addict- from his first sips of alcohol as a child, when he was dealing with the aftermath of a family tragedy, to his crack-cocaine use and how he fixed that problem.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI to Set up Committee on Urban Co-op banks: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will set up an expert committee on Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs). The committee, involving all stakeholders, will provide a medium-term road map for strengthening the sector, enable faster resolution/rehabilitation of UCBs.

About the committee: Along with enabling faster resolution of UCBs, the committee will also examine critical aspects related to the urban co-op banks. The provisions of the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020 have become applicable to Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) from June 26, 2020. The amendments have brought near parity in supervisory and regulatory powers between UCBs and commercial banks in respect of regulatory powers, including those related to governance, audit, and resolution. The members of the committee and its terms of reference have not been notified yet. It will be informed separately by the RBI.

 

2. Federal Bank launches ‘FedFirst’ savings account scheme for children: Federal Bank has announced the launch of “FedFirst”, a special savings account scheme for children below 18 years of age. The account helps children develop healthy saving and spending habits, thereby giving them the freedom to save, spend and earn.

About the account: The account is designed to enable children to learn the importance of money management. The account comes with unique features and offers. The account holder is provided with a FedFirst contactless Debit Card with a daily cash withdrawal limit of ₹2,500 and POS/e-com limit of ₹10,000, in addition to free online facilities including access to internet banking, mobile alerts and e-mail alerts.

Note: Federal Bank MD & CEO: Shyam Srinivasan; Federal Bank HQ: Aluva, Kerala.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. RBI: India’s GDP growth projected at 10.5 per cent for FY22: In the last bi-monthly monetary policy meet for the current, the Reserve Bank of India projected India’s GDP growth rate at 10.5 per cent for the fiscal year 2021-22. The growth outlook has improved significantly, and the vaccination drive will further boost the economic rebound. The apex bank expects the Indian economy to grow in the range of 8.3 per cent to 26.2 per cent in the first half of FY22, followed by a 6 per cent growth in Q3FY22. The central bank’s projection is lower than that of the Economic Survey that projected India to grow at a rate of 11 per cent in the coming fiscal.

 

2. Paypal to shut domestic payments service in India from April 1: The California-based global digital payment platform PayPal has announced that the company has decided to wind down its domestic payment services in India with effect from April 01, 2021. The decision has been taken because the company wants to shift its focus on cross-border payments business. However, the global customer will be able to pay Indian merchants using Paypal. PayPal was a payments options on many Indian online apps such as travel and ticketing service MakeMyTrip, online film booking app BookMyShow, and food delivery app Swiggy.

Note: PayPal Founded: December 1998, Palo Alto, California, United States; PayPal CEO: Dan Schulman.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Oscar-winning Canadian actor Christopher Plummer passes away: Oscar-winning actor Christopher Plummer, who rose to prominence for his critically-acclaimed film ‘Sound of Music’, has passed away. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 82 for Beginners (2010), becoming the oldest person to win an acting award. The prolific and versatile Canadian-born actor has received various awards for his work, which includes Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a British Academy Film Award.

Daily GK Updates – 7th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kerala to open its First Human Milk Bank: Kerala will open its first Human Milk Bank (HMB) on February 5, 2021. This is a state-of-the-art facility, and Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja will open at Ernakulam General Hospital. A milk bank was established with the support of the Rotary Club of Cochin Global. After the State Health Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rotary Club of Cochin Global in 2020, its cost was 3.5 million rupees. The Association of Pediatricians (IAP) will provide trained nursing staff to operate the milk bank. About the Human Milk Bank:

(1) The breast milk bank will ensure that newborn babies who are not ill or deceased or who are not breastfed due to insufficient breast milk production can obtain breast milk.

(2) Approximately 3,600 babies are born in general hospitals every year. Among them, 600 to 1,000 sick babies enter the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). However, due to the low weight of premature babies or babies separated from their mothers, mothers cannot adequately feed them. Therefore, pasteurized breast milk from the milk bank will reduce the risk of infection and help strengthen its immunity.

(3) The concept of this milk bank appeared in India 32 years ago, but Kerala has no milk bank until now.

(4) Milk will be collected in accordance with all safety regulations and procedures, stored and provided to children in need in accordance with government guidelines. The collected milk will be safely stored in the bank for 6 months. Initially, the milk will be provided free of charge to babies admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. At a later stage, plans will be made to establish a hospital network for multiple collections and safe distribution points.

(5) The milk will be donated by the delivery mother in the hospital. These mothers will get all health statistics in the hospital.

(6) The human milk bank includes a pasteurization unit, deep freezer, refrigerator, disinfection equipment, reverse osmosis equipment and computer.

Note: Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

2. Centre Appoints Praveen Sinha as interim Director of CBI: Department of Personnel and Training, under Personnel Ministry, has appointed Praveen Sinha, as the interim director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with immediate effect on 03 February 2021. He has been appointed in place of the incumbent chief RK Shukla, whose tenure came to an end on February 03, 2021. Sinha, a 1988-batch Gujarat cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, is currently an additional director at CBI, the premier investigating agency of India. Sinha shall look after the duties of Director CBI till the appointment of new director CBI, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Note: Central Bureau of Investigation Headquarters: New Delhi; Central Bureau of Investigation Founded: 1 April 1963; Central Bureau of Investigation Founded: 1 April 1963.

 

3. S.N. Subrahmanyan appointed as Chairman of the National Safety Council: The Ministry of Labour & Employment has appointed S.N. Subrahmanyan as the new Chairman of the National Safety Council (NSC) of India for a period of three years. Subrahmanyan is the CEO and Managing Director of L&T Ltd., India’s largest construction company.

About the National Safety Council: National Safety Council plays a major role to ensure safety in workplaces under new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions code, 2020 (OSH Code, 2020).

 

4. Andaman and Nicobar Islands becomes first Union Territory to be corona free: Andaman and Nicobar Islands has become the first state or Union territory in the country to become Covid-19 free with active cases falling to zero in the islands. Health ministry’s website reported that the last four infected persons in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been declared cured. The UT had reported a total of 4,932 cases and 62 deaths from the virus. The share of Kerala in India’s daily cases crossed 50 per cent for the first time. There were 11,024 fresh cases in the country out of which Kerala alone reported 5,716, 51.8 per cent of the total. The state also has the highest count of active cases at 69,157, out of around 1 lakh 61 thousand in the country.

Note: Andaman and Nicobar Capital: Port Blair; Andaman and Nicobar Lieutenant Governor: Admiral D K Joshi.

 

5. Ayesha Aziz becomes India’s Youngest Female Pilot at 25: A 25-year-old Kashmiri woman, Ayesha Aziz, has become the youngest female pilot in the country. She became the youngest student pilot to get a license at the age of 15 in 2011. The 25 -year-old from Kashmir who is the youngest female pilot in the country acts is a source of inspiration and a beacon of empowerment for numerous Kashmiri women.

About the Ayesha Aziz: In the year 2011, Aziz became the youngest student pilot to get a license at the age of 15 and underwent training to fly a MIG-29 jet at Russia’s Sokol airbase the following year. She later graduated in aviation from the Bombay Flying Club (BFC) and obtained a commercial license in 2017.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India ranks 53rd in EIU’s Democracy Index: India’s position has slipped by two places to be placed at 53rd spot in the 2020 Democracy Index, from among 167 countries. The overall score of India is 6.61 in the Index, on a scale of 0-10. India has been classified as a ‘flawed democracy’. Democracy Index is the global ranking released by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that provides a snapshot of the current state of democracy worldwide.

About the Index: Norway has topped the Index. Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada are the top five countries on the list. From the 167 countries, the Democracy Index has classified 23 countries as full democracies, 52 as flawed democracies, 35 as hybrid regimes and 57 as authoritarian regimes.

Note: The Economist Intelligence Unit Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; The Economist Intelligence Unit Parent organization: Economist Group; The Economist Intelligence Unit Founded: 1946.

 

2. Reliance sources world’s first ‘carbon-neutral’ oil from United States: Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Ltd has received the world’s first consignment of ‘carbon-neutral oil’ from Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV), a division of United State oil major Occidental. This feat will further help the oil major to accomplish its target of becoming a net zero-carbon company by 2035.

The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Sea Pearl containing the carbon-neutral oil from Permian basin, unloaded the cargo at Jamnagar on January 28, 2021. It must be noted that Reliance operates the world’s largest single-location oil refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat with a capacity of 68.2 million tonnes a year.

 This transaction is the first major petroleum shipment of Reliance, for which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the entire crude lifecycle, including oil extraction, transport, storage, shipping, refining, subsequent use, and combustion, have been offset.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. PHDCCI Report: India to emerge as second most resilient economy in 2021: India will emerge as the second most resilient economy in 2021, as per the International Economic Resilience (IER) Rank, released by industry body, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI). The ranking has been topped by Germany, among the top-10 leading economies. South Korea is at the third position in the list. Apart from this, India’s real GDP growth rate is projected to be the highest in the year 2021 among the top-10 leading economies in the world, at 11.5%. It reflects India’s strong “economic resurgence” to the global economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

2. BSE sets up innovation sandbox web portal: Leading stock exchange BSE said it has set up an “innovation sandbox” web portal where fintech firms and individuals may use the environment for offline testing of their applications in a test environment. This will help in creating an ecosystem which promotes innovation in the securities market. The portal is a workflow-based platform, where applicants will be able to access application programming interfaces (APIs), test data of stock exchanges, depositories and qualified registrar and share transfer agents, among others.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. HAL inks deal with MIDHANI to develop, manufacture composite raw materials: The state-owned aerospace and defence company, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyderabad-based Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) for development and production of composite raw materials for use in aerospace. This is the first time that such an MoU has been signed for composite raw materials. The MoU was signed during the Aero India 2021 on February 04, 2021, in Bengaluru.

About the Composites raw materials: Composites raw materials are currently imported since there is no equivalent proven Indian approved/qualified supplier for these raw materials for the aircraft applications. These composite raw material, mainly in the form of prepregs, are used in platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).

 

2. India hosts Indian Ocean Region Defence Ministers’ Conclave: India hosted Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Defence Ministers’ Conclave on the sidelines of Aero India 2021. The conclave is an initiative to promote dialogue in an institutional, economic and cooperative environment that can foster the development of peace, stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region. The broad theme of the conclave is ‘Enhanced Peace, Security and Cooperation in the Indian Ocean’.  The conclave is also taking place at a time Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a bitter standoff in eastern Ladakh for the last eight months.

Daily GK Updates – 6th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. GoI launches unified web portal for monitoring progress of GOBARDHAN activities: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Animal Husbandry Minister Giriraj Singh, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rattan Lal Kataria jointly launched a unified web portal for monitoring the progress of GOBARDHAN activities across the nation. About Gobardhan:

(1) Gobardhan aims to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste.

(2) It focuses on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste in farms to useful compost, biogas and bio-CNG.

(3) It will also help in keeping the village clean while increasing the income of farmers and cattle herders.

(4) It will be hugely beneficial for the country as India is home to the highest cattle population in the world (around 300 million in number) which produces around 3 million tonnes of dung.

(5) It will encourage farmers to consider dung and other waste not just as waste but as a source of income.

(6) It will provide many benefits to rural people by keeping villages clean and sanitized, improving livestock health and increasing farm yields.

 

2. Punjab CM launches ‘Har Ghar Pani, Har Ghar Safai’ mission: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has virtually launched the ‘Har Ghar Pani, Har Ghar Safai’ mission as part of the government’s campaign to accomplish the goal of 100 per cent potable piped water supply in all rural households. The scheme is being funded by the World Bank, Jal Jeevan Mission of GoI, NABARD, and State Budget. The scheme will benefit more than 1.6 lakh residents from 155 villages in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur districts by helping replace groundwater with surface water supply for drinking, besides resolving the problem of arsenic affected habitations. The Chief Minister also inaugurated one Mega Surface Water Supply Scheme covering 85 villages in the Moga district, 144 new water supply schemes for 172 villages, 121 Arsenic, and Iron removal plants.

Note: Punjab CM: Captain Amarinder Singh; Punjab Governor: V.P.Singh Badnore.

 

3. India’s First Amputee Clinic Launched In Chandigarh: The first of its kind ‘amputee clinic’ in India, has been launched by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), a premier medical and research institution in Chandigarh. The basic intent of this initiative is to bring an Amputee as a near-normal functional human being in society. This initiative will attempt to provide appropriate management to amputees to guide them in their path to rehabilitation in society and will support patients with counselling and medical facilities during their treatment and recovery.

About the ‘PGI Amputee Clinic’: ‘PGI Amputee Clinic’ in Chandigarh has been set up with the aim of improving amputation patient care by providing a collection of services under one roof with significant coordination. The clinic will provide social, mental and physical support to its patients.

 

4. ‘Atmanirbharta’ named Oxford Hindi word of 2020: Oxford Languages, the world’s leading dictionary publisher, has named ‘Aatmanirbharta’ as the Hindi word of the year 2020. The Oxford Hindi word of the year is a word or expression that is chosen to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the passing year, and have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.

About the ‘Aatmanirbharta’: ‘Aatmanirbharta’ means self-reliance. The word was chosen as it “validated the day-to-day achievements of the countless Indians who dealt with and survived the perils of a pandemic”.

 

5. IT minister launches ‘Work from Anywhere’ portal, Tejas Virtual Intelligence tool: IT and Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched virtual intelligence tool Tejas and ”Work from Anywhere” portal at an event. The National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI), a public sector enterprise under the National Informatics Centre (NIC), celebrated 25 years of its establishment at an event. Tejas, a virtual intelligence tool that extracts critical information from data to make its meaningful information for policy decisions and improving efficiency in government services and citizen delivery. “Work from Anywhere” portal, a virtual environment that enables employees to “access routine applications like e-office, calendar, mail, and other departmental applications and communicate across through VC ensuring safety during this pandemic with social distancing and work assurance from anywhere.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India is 3rd Globally in Scientific Publications after China, US: India has seen an exponential increase in the number of scientific publications over the last 10 years and is in the third position globally after China and the US,the Department of Science and Technology (DST) said. According to data from the US agency the National Science Foundation (NSF) India is currently in third place only behind China and the United States with 135788 scientific articles in the year 2018. The NSF database shows that India’s growth rate of scientific publication was 12.9 percent as against the world average of 4.9 percent

 

2. Saudi Arabia hosted Future Investment Initiative (FII) summit: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is hosting Future Investment Initiative (FII) with the theme “The Neo-Renaissance.” . The two-day Davos styled summit, would witness global policymakers and business tycoons speaking on a range of topics. The topics will include pharmaceuticals, entertainment and several others. The summit was planned to take place in October 2020 but was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conference dubbed as ‘Davos in the desert‘ would witness the participation of 150 speakers.

 

3. Mongolia PM Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh resigns amid COVID-19 scandal: Mongolia’s prime minister Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh has resigned following a protest over a hospital’s treatment of a new mother who tested positive for the coronavirus. Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa submitted his resignation and a proposal to dissolve his government after hundreds gathered outside the parliament building to demonstrate against the policies.  Parliament, which is controlled by Khurelsukh’s Mongolian People’s Party, voted overwhelmingly to accept his resignation.

 

4. International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation: 6th February: International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female is observed globally on 6 February. This day is sponsored by the United Nations for their efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation. It was first introduced in 2003. This year theme of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female: No Time for Global Inaction: Unite, Fund, and Act to End Female Genital Mutilation.

About the Female genital mutilation: Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women. Girls who undergo female genital mutilation face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Ashok Dinda announces retirement from all forms of cricket: Fast bowler Ashok Dinda, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The 36-year-old right-handed pacer made his first-class debut for Bengal in 2005 and played for 15 years in Bengal cricket. He made his international debut in 2009, in a T20I against Sri Lanka, followed by making his ODI debut in Zimbabwe in 2010. He played 13 ODIs and 9 T20I matches for India. He played 116 first-class matches for Bengal, taking 420 wickets at a bowling average of 28.28.

 

2. Ajay Singh re-elected Boxing Federation of India President: Spicejet chairman Ajay Singh defeated Ashish Shelar in a high-profile contest to get re-elected as president of Boxing Federation India for a second term. As for his second tenure, Singh said the focus will be developed at the grassroots, sports science, women’s boxing and involving young administrators in the sport. He will focus on training of Tokyo Olympics-bound boxers, grassroot development and women’s boxing.

Note: Boxing Federation India established: February 25, 1949.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Andy Jassy set to replace Jeff Bezos as Amazon CEO: Amazon.com Inc founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos has announced that he would step down as CEO of the company and become Executive Chairman in Q3 of 2021, i.e. with effect from July 01, 2021. Andy Jassy, who is currently serving as the chief executive of Amazon Web Services (AWS), will replace Bezos as CEO of Amazon. Bezos started the company 27 years ago, on 5 July 1994, as an internet bookseller.

Note: Amazon.com Inc Founded: 5 July 1994; Amazon.com Inc Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, United States.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Chiefs of Air Staff (CAS) Conclave Organised at Bengaluru: Raksha Mantri, Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the ‘Chiefs of Air Staff (CAS) Conclave’ at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The two-day conclave has been organised by Indian Air Force, from 3 to 04 February 2021, in a Hybrid Form with extensive use of digital media. The Chiefs of Air Staff from about 75 countries would come together on a single platform to exchange their thoughts on current issues related to aerospace power strategy and technological developments.

About the Conclave: The Conclave is a perfect example of India’s Defence Cooperation with other countries working as a diplomatic instrument, giving an opportunity for building bridges of friendship, mutual trust and capacities on a global basis. Promoting transparency in defence cooperation and building areas of common interests in military aviation will be focus areas of the CAS Conclave.

Note: Air Chief Marshal: Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria; Indian Airforce founded: 8 October 1932; Indian Airforce Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

2. Aero India 2021 Begins in Bengaluru: The Aero India 2021 event, country’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition, kick-started at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru. The 13th edition of the international event touted as the world’s first-ever hybrid aero and defence show will see several aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Army, Navy, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), and the Coast Guard participating in the show.

About the event: The three-day event will focus on India’s indigenous defence sector capabilities amid buzz around Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India campaigns. This 13th edition will see a combination of both physical and virtual exhibition with 601 exhibitors, including 523 from India and 78 from 14 foreign countries. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited would exhibit its Aatmanirbhar Formation Flight.

Daily GK Updates – 5th Feb, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi Inaugurates Chauri Chaura Centenary Celebrations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the Chauri Chaura incident on February 4 via videoconferencing. February 4, 2021 marks 100 years of the ‘Chauri Chaura’ incident, a landmark event in the country’s fight for independence. PM Modi also released a postal stamp dedicated to the Chauri Chaura incident, to mark the beginning of the event. The state government of Uttar Pradesh has planned a year of celebrations in all 75 districts of the state in the memory of the martyrs.

What is Chauri Chaura incident: On February 4, 1922, a group of freedom fighters had set ablaze a police station at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur district of the then United Province (now Uttar Pradesh) in British India, to protest against the high-handedness of the British regime. The incident claimed the lives of 22 policemen and three freedom fighters. As many as 19 freedom fighters were given capital punishment for this one incident.

 

2. India gets its first Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management: A dedicated Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM) has been established at the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management(NCSCM), Chennai, an institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. This was announced by Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Babul Supriyo on the occasion of the World Wetland Day on 2nd February 2021.

About the Wetland Conservation and Management: The dedicated CWCM Centre would address specific research needs and knowledge gaps, give a fillip to capacity development and cutting-edge research on wetlands of India, as well as aid in the application of integrated approaches for conservation, management and wise use of the wetlands.

 

3. Maharashtra tops 2nd India Justice Report for delivering justice to people: Maharashtra has retained its top rank in the second edition of the India Justice Report – 2020, which judges states in terms of delivery of justice to people. Maharashtra retained its number one position among 18 large and mid -sized states (where population is over one crore each). Tamil Nadu and Telangana were second and third respectively in the same category. Among the 7 small states (where the population is less than one crore each), Tripura has topped the list followed by Sikkim and Goa. The India Justice Report (IJR) is launched by Tata Trusts in collaboration with Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS–Prayas, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and How India Lives.

 

4. UP govt to set up India’s first leather park in Kanpur: Uttar Pradesh government will establish the first leather park of the country in Kanpur district. The park will be established in 268 area of land in Ramaipur village of Kanpur district and is expected to attract an investment of more than 5850 crores. He said that the leather park will also have an effluent treatment plant of 20 million litre per day capacity so that it will not pollute the Ganga river. The leather park will have all the facilities for production as well as exhibition of leather products. It will also have fooding and lodging arrangements for the  investors who will come here from all over the world.

 

5. UP Singh assumes charge of secretary in Textiles Ministry: Upendra Prasad Singh, a 1985 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer of Odisha Cadre has taken over as Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. Prior to his appointment, Singh held the post of Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, from December 1, 2017. The post of Secretary, Textiles is vacant since Ravi Capoor’s Central deputation ended on December 31, 2020. In between, AK Sharma and Pradip Kumar Tripathi were temporarily given additional charge as Secretary, Ministry of Textiles.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ministry of Education launched ASEAN India Hackathon 2021: The Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has addressed the inaugural ceremony of the ASEAN India Hackathon 2021 on February 1. The Ministry of Education has launched the ASEAN India Hackathon 2021. The ASEAN India Hackathon 2021 is being conducted virtually from February 1 to 3, 2021. The 10 ASEAN countries are- Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

About ASEAN-INDIA Hackathon: The ASEAN-INDIA Hackathon is an initiative by PM Modi and is launched by the Ministry of Education. This unique hackathon presents opportunities for India and all the 10 ASEAN countries to improve and strengthen their economic and cultural ties through cooperation in science and technology and education.

 

2. Nguyen Phu Trong re-elected as Chief of Vietnam for 3rd term: The ruling Community Party of Vietnam has re-elected its 76-year-old General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong for a third five-year term. He is serving the post since 2011. Trong was granted an exemption to contest in the election, though he was above the age limit of 65. The General Secretary is the highest office within the Communist Party of Vietnam. Trong also holds the position of the President of Vietnam since 2018. Vietnam has a communist government, which means that the country does not have a single strongman at the apex. There are four main leaders that collectively run the show which includes: The Communist Party general secretary, the prime minister, the president and the chair of the National Assembly.

Note: Vietnam Capital: Hanoi; Vietnam Currency: Vietnamese dong; Vietnam Prime Minister: Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

 

3. Dalai Lama pens new book ‘The Little Book of Encouragement’: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has come out with his new book titled ‘The Little Book of Encouragement’, in which he has shared quotes and words of wisdom to promote human happiness. The book has been edited by Renuka Singh and published by Penguin Random House.

The essence of the book: The Little Book of Encouragement contains 130 quotes related to how to deal with the new realities of the panic-stricken world, combat rising extremism, polarity and climate change besides Dalai Lama’s views on Tibet.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Former pacer Merv Hughes inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame: Former right-arm fast bowler Merv Hughes has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. The 59-year-old played 53 Tests and 33 ODIs for Australia in a career spanning from 1985 to 1994, during which he captured 212 Test wickets and 38 ODI wickets. His career-best figures of 8-87 against the West Indies at the WACA in 1988 included the final wicket of a hat-trick spread across three separate overs, two innings and two different days. In 2005, Hughes became a selector for the Australian cricket team, a role he would hold through until 2010.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI issues directions for LPCC by mutual fund houses: SEBI has released guidelines for setting up of limited purpose clearing corporation (LPCC) by asset management companies, making it obligatory for them to contribute towards the share capital of such entities. The LPCC is an entity established to undertake the activity of clearing and settlement of repo transactions. SEBI requires AMCs contribute INR 150 crore towards share capital of LPCC in proportion to the asset under management (AUM) of open ended debt oriented mutual fund schemes. The contribution must be primarily based on common AUM of debt oriented schemes for the monetary 12 months 2019-20. For this, Affiliation of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) is required to calculate contribution per AMC primarily based on the common AUM of debt oriented schemes and inform them.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ford joins hand with Google to offer cloud-based data services: Ford Motor Co has joined hands with Alphabet Inc’s Google to cooperate in software, artificial intelligence and cloud computing, to develop new consumer services and modernize internal operations. The automaker will deploy Google artificial intelligence technology to improve the efficiency of vehicle development, supply chain and manufacturing operations. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker has entered into a six-year partnership with the tech giant, under which it will incorporate the Android operating system of the Google into its Ford and Lincoln vehicles starting in 2023. The customers of Ford will get built-in Google apps, including its map and voice technology.

Note: Ford Motor Co-Founder: Henry Ford; Ford Motor Co-Founded: 16 June 1903, Detroit, Michigan, United States.

CEO of Google: Sundar Pichai; Headquarters: California, United States.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. A.R. Rahman presented ‘Alert Being Icon Award’: Music composer AR Rahman and social activist from Saidapet Hari Krishnan were among the 14 people who were presented the fourth edition of the Alert Being Awards 2020 by the NGO ALERT, for their Good Samaritan work. In his video message, Mr Rahman said ALERT had been doing a brilliant job in empowering a common man to save lives. Hari Krishnan had been appointed by the Greater Chennai Corporation as a district volunteer head for Covid-19 relief work.

About Alert Being Awards 2020: The Alert Being Icon Award for an organisation was presented to the Biocon Foundation founded by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. Thirty COVID-19 warriors were honoured with Alert Being Covid Frontline Warrior for their contribution during the pandemic. Alert Being Awards 2020 received 156 nominations from 15 States and 35 districts across India.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Rajnath Singh inaugurates HAL’s second Tejas Light Combat Aircraft’s: Defence minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) second Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas production line in Bengaluru, ahead of the upcoming Aero India 2021. The deal to be signed in the next few days with HAL would strengthen the Indian Air Force’s fleet of homegrown fighter jet ‘LCA-Tejas’ and overall combat capability.

Last month, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the largest indigenous defence procurement deal worth about Rs 48,000 crores to buy 83 LCA Tejas Mark1A fighter jets.  The Aero India, which provides a platform for aerospace companies to showcase their products and services is scheduled to be held from February 3 to 5 at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. During the inaugural day, 41 aircraft including Dakota, Su-30 MKI would participate in the flight display while there would be 63 aircraft on static display.

Note: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited: CMD: R Madhavan; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HQ: Bengaluru.