Daily GK Update- 13th Nov, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Odisha govt launches road safety initiative ‘Rakshak’: The state government of Odisha has launched a first of its kind road safety initiative named Rakshak, to train first responders of road accidents. Under the program, 300 master trainers will train 30,000 local people, staying or working at the eateries and different business establishments located near accident-prone spots. These 30,000 volunteers will be trained as First Responders to road accidents. They will be equipped to administer first aid and pre-hospital trauma care to accident victims within the golden hour. About the initiative:

(1) The ‘Rakshak’ initiative was organised by the Commerce and Transport Department in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Indian Red Cross Society, Odisha State branch.

(2) As part of the initiative, the state government will train volunteers from roadside communities such as eateries, small repair shops, gas stations, and also police officers to be first responders to road accident victims.

The training programme for first responders will be conducted in two phases:

(1) In the first phase, 300 master trainers will be trained by experts from the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) in ten locations: Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Balasore, Koraput, Phulbani, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, and Bhawanipatna.

(2) In the second phase, the 300 master trainers will visit accident-prone areas in all districts and train locals to assist road accident victims. The first responders will also educate and inform the public about road safety precautions and the Good Samaritan law.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik and Governor is Ganeshi Lal.

 

2. President Ramnath Kovind addresses 51st Conference of Governors & LGs: India’s President Shri Ram Nath Kovind addressed the 51st Conference of Governors and Lieutenant Governors at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. It is the fourth conference to be presided over by President Ram Nath Kovind.  The Governors and Lieutenant Governors from all states and union territories across the country attended the conference along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In the inaugural address:

(1) President Ram Nath Kovind said India undertook a comprehensive and effective campaign against Covid-19. He lauded covid warriors for their work. The President said, all our COVID19 warriors have worked dedicatedly to fight this pandemic.

(2) He said, today with more than 108 crore COVID19 vaccinations, the inoculation drive is continuing across the country.

(3) Mr Kovind said, due to the initiatives of the Government and the efforts of Scientists India was able to develop vaccines to fight the pandemic. He said India is helping other countries under the Vaccine Matri initiative.

 

3. Centre launches first-ever Star College mentorship programme for young innovators: The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh launched the first-ever Mentorship Programme for Young Innovators. The ‘DBT-Star College Mentorship Programme’ is a pan India Scheme which envisages to set up Star College in every district of the country. These star colleges will be supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the science and technology ministry.

The Programme will help to realise the concept of networking, hand holding and outreach by:

(1) Organising workshops and meetings every month.

(2) Handhold colleges particularly in the rural areas or lesser endowed areas

(3) Conduct outreach activities with government schools

The programme will also help newly launched colleges which have begun their journey under the scheme to come up as per the mandate of Star College scheme.

 

4. “Nehru: The Debates that Defined India” by Tripurdaman Singh and Adeel Hussain: A book titled “Nehru: The Debates that Defined India” is co-authored by Tripurdaman Singh and Adeel Hussain. A new book serves as a revisionist exploration of India’s first and longest-serving Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and investigates the overlooked role of his contemporaries and opponents in shaping his political vision.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. SpaceX launches Indian-origin astronaut Raja Chari-led Crew 3 mission: US Space agency NASA and the Elon Musk-owned private rocket company SpaceX have launched the “Crew 3” mission on November 10, 2021. The “Crew 3” mission consists of Indian-origin NASA astronaut Raja Chari as its mission commander. The other three astronauts are NASA’s Tom Marshburn (pilot); and Kayla Barron (mission specialist); as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer (mission specialist).

Under this mission, four astronauts have been sent to the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month science mission until April 2022. The four-member international crew of astronauts lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida onboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule named Endurance fixed to Falcon 9 rocket.

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

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

 

2. Fumio Kishida re-elected as Prime Minister of Japan: Fumio Kishida, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been re-elected as the Prime Minister (PM) of Japan following the victory of the LDP in the 2021 Parliament election. Fumio Kishida succeeded Yoshihide Suga who resigned as PM of Japan in September 2021. Elected just over a month ago by parliament, Kishida called a quick election in which his governing party secured 261 seats in the 465-member lower house — the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber legislature — enough to maintain a free hand in pushing legislation through parliament.

Note: Japan Capital: Tokyo; Japan Currency: Japanese Yen.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Mitrabha Guha named as India’s 72nd Grandmaster: International Master (IM) Mitrabha Guha from Kolkata, West Bengal has become the 72nd Grandmaster of India after securing his 3rd and final Grandmaster (GM) norm at GM Third Saturday Mix 220, Novi Sad, Serbia. He won this 3rd GM norm against GM Nikola Sedlak of Mitrabha Guha scored his 2nd GM norm at the Sheikh Russel International GM Tournament 2021, Bangladesh.

Recent Indian Chess Grandmasters:

69th: Harshit Raja (Maharashtra)

70th: Raja Rithvik (Telangana)

71st: Sankalp Gupta (Maharashtra)

 

2. Dwayne Bravo announced retirement from international cricket: Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, the former captain of the West Indies cricket team has confirmed his retirement from international cricket. He has played in all seven T20 World Cups and he has been a part of the West Indies team that won the T20 Title in 2012 and 2016. He has scored 1245 runs at an average of 22.23 and a strike rate of 115.38 and he has picked up 78 wickets.

 

3. Mohammed Siraj appointed as My11Circle Brand Ambassador: Games24x7 fantasy cricket platform ‘My11Circle’ announced Indian Cricketer Mohammad Siraj as its new brand ambassador. Other brand ambassadors of My11Circle –Saurav Ganguly, Ajinkya Rahane, VVS Laxman, etc. Mohammed Siraj plays for the Indian team and represents Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. With a user base of over 25 million players, My11Circle is one of India’s top fantasy sports platforms and is known for its innovative campaigns that have always kept the fans at the centre stage, allowing them to think, meticulously plan, strategise and test their skills.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. NPCI Bharat BillPay ties up with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance: NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd., the wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India has tied up with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance to provide its marquee offering – ClickPay to the insurer’s customers. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance is the first insurance company to offer this facility of ClickPay to its customers empowering them to make renewal premium payments with ease.

To offer an automated and valuable insurance premium payment experience, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance will generate the ClickPay link and share it with the customers which will redirect them to the payment page comprising payment details. This convenient and secure two-step process will help customers pay the bills without the hassle of putting in the premium amount, remembering premium payment dates, and going through arduous steps to make the payment.

Note: National Payments Corporation of India MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe; National Payments Corporation of India Headquarters: Mumbai; National Payments Corporation of India Founded: 2008.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Nykaa’s Falguni Nayar becomes India’s richest self-made woman billionaire: Falguni Nayar, the CEO and founder of beauty and fashion eCommerce platform Nykaa, has become the richest self-made woman in India. She founded Nykaa in the year 2012. She holds 53.5% stake in Nykaa and has a net worth of USD 7.48 billion. This comes after the IPO of FSN E-Commerce Ventures which is Nykaa’s parent entity. This is also the first woman-led unicorn to list on the stock exchange. The issue size of the IPO of FSN E-Commerce Ventures (Nykaa) was Rs 5,351.92 crore with face value of Rs 1 per share.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Nobel Laureate and former South African President FW de Klerk passes away: FW (Frederik Willem) de Klerk, the former president of South Africa and the last white person to head the country, has passed away due to cancer. He was head of state between September 1989 and May 1994. In 1993, De Klerk and Nelson Mandela jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize for their work towards ending apartheid.

Klerk effectively announced the beginnings of a new country in one historic speech at the state opening of Parliament in 1990, revealing to a stunned nation that he would free Mandela, legalize anti-apartheid groups, end a national state of emergency and negotiate to end racial inequality in the country.

Daily GK Update- 12th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Delhi govt launched ‘Shramik Mitra’ Scheme for Construction Workers: The Government of Delhi launched the ‘Shramik Mitra‘ scheme for construction workers. Under the scheme, 800 ‘Shramik Mitras’ will reach out to construction workers, and spread awareness on the government schemes. Delhi Govt has also increased the Dearness allowance for Unskilled, Semi-skilled workers, to increase their salary by around 1%. Shramik Mitras will inform construction workers registered by the Construction Board at the ward level about assistance schemes of the government. Under the Shramik Mitra scheme:

(1) The Shramik Mitra scheme is an initiative by the Delhi Government to ensure that the benefits of all government schemes reach construction workers in Delhi. Under the scheme, around 800 Shramik Mitras will go door-to-door of all construction workers in the national capital to make them aware of several government schemes in the interest of the workers.

(2) Approximately 800 Shramik Mitras will be appointed by the government who will be given training under the programme. These Shramik Mitras will work as District, Ward, and Vidhan Sabha level coordinators.

(3) The Shramik Mitra scheme will appoint at least 3 to 4 Shramik Mitras across all wards who will reach out to workers registered by the Construction Board at the ward level. The Shramik Mitras will also help workers in applying and availing process of the benefits of these government schemes.

(4) There are about 6 lakh construction workers in Delhi who have registered themselves with the Construction Board through various registration campuses that were launched by the CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.

Note: Delhi Chief Minister: Arvind Kejriwal; Delhi Governor: Lt. Governor Anil Baijal.

 

2. India launches E-Amrit portal for Electric Vehicles at COP26: India has launched E-Amrit portal on electric vehicles (EVs) at the ongoing COP26 Summit in Glasgow on November 10, 2021. The web portal has been developed by NITI Aayog with support from UK government. E-Amrit is one-stop destination to provide all information regarding electric vehicles. The website will provide details related to burst myths around the adoption of EVs, as well as their purchase, investment opportunities, policies, subsidies, among other things to raise awareness about EVs and sensitise consumers on the benefits of switching to electric mobility.

 

3. IPS officer Sheel Vardhan Singh to head CISF: The government has announced the appointment of chiefs of two key Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). These are the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau Sheel Vardhan Singh has been appointed as the new CISF DG, while National Police Academy Director Atul Karwal has been appointed as the NDRF DG. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for appointments.

Singh, a 1986 batch Indian Police Service officer of Bihar cadre, is currently Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau. Singh has been appointed as the Director-General, CISF up to 31.08.2023.

 

4. A new book ‘Finding A Straight Line Between Twists and Turns’ by Aseem Chawla: Aseem Chawla, one of India’s leading tax lawyers and well-known international tax and policy expert released his new book “Finding A Straight Line Between Twists and Turns – An Imperfect, Yet Honest Reflections on the Indian Tax Landscape” published by Matrix Publishers. The book provides an in-depth analysis of both national and international of the Indian tax landscape over a decade.

 

5. Public Service Broadcasting Day: 12th November: Public Service Broadcasting Day is celebrated on 12 November every year. The day is celebrated to commemorate the first and only visit of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, to the studio of All India Radio, 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.

History Public Service Broadcasting Day: The day was declared as Public Service Broadcasting Day or (Jan Prasaran Diwas) in 2000, 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. Mahatma Gandhi had decided to visit the studio of All India Radio, to convey his message through radio, as he couldn’t visit refugees of Partition stationed at Kurukshetra in Haryana.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. USA becomes 101st member country of ISA: The United States of America (USA) has joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as a member country. U.S is now the 101st country to sign the framework agreement of the ISA. The framework agreement was formally signed by John Kerry, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. It demonstrates that nations across the world are recognising the economic and climate mitigating value of solar, as well as this energy source’s potential as a catalyst for the global energy transition.

About the ISA’s framework: The ISA’s framework, which was first circulated in 2016 to obtain backing from other countries, emphasises on delivering local benefits to all countries through collaborations. The ISA’s key interventions focus on enabling activities, risk mitigation and innovative financing instruments to facilitate the deployment of solar technologies. Earlier at COP26, the US joined the steering committee of the “One Sun One World One Grid” initiative that includes Australia, France, the UK and India.

Note: ISA Headquarters: Gurugram; ISA Founded: 30 November 2015; ISA Founded: Paris, France; ISA Director-General: Ajay Mathur.

 

2. Climate Change Performance Index: India ranked 10th: India has been placed at 10th spot in the global Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2022 released by Germanwatch on the side-lines of the COP26. In 2020 also India was at 10th position. India has retained its position as the top 10 best-performing countries with higher climate performance for the third year in a row. About the Index:

(1) Meanwhile, the top three places in the overall ranking is once again empty as none of the country performed well enough to achieve an overall very high rating in CCPI.

(2) Moving ahead, Denmark occupied a fourth place as the highest-ranked country in CCPI 2022, followed by Sweden (5th), and Norway (6th) respectively.

(3) Other countries in the top 10 are the United Kingdom (7th), Morocco (8th) and Chile (9th).

 

3. World Pneumonia Day: 12th November: World Pneumonia Day is observed across the world on November 12 every year to raise awareness, promote prevention and treatment and produce action to combat the disease. World Pneumonia Day 2021 is an annual event that was first celebrated in the year 2009.

World Pneumonia Day history: The day was celebrated on November 12 in 2009 by the Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia. Since then the day has provided an annual forum for the world in standing together against the disease. The day is celebrated all over the world through various events and activities related to Pneumonia.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Novak Djokovic won 37th Masters Title at Paris 2021: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) has defeated Danill Medvedev (Russia) in the finals to win his 6th Paris Title & the record 37th Masters Title at Paris, France. In the finals, Djokovic, with an impressive 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 defeating Daniil Medvedev. With this win, Djokovic will remain at the ATP World Number 1 rank, for the record 7th consecutive year. Here is the list of winners:

Category	Winner	Runner-up
Singles	Novak Djokovic	Daniil Medvedev
Doubles	Tim Pütz	Pierre-Hugues Herbert
	Michael Venus	Nicolas Mahut

Note: International Tennis Federation President: David Haggerty; International Tennis Federation Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; International Tennis Federation Founded: 1 March 1913.

 

2. India bags 5 medals at inaugural ISSF President’s Cup: India finished the inaugural ISSF President’s Cup with five medals, including two Gold, two Silver and one Bronze. The invitation-only tournament was held at the Wroclaw in Poland, featuring the top-12 shooters in each of the shotgun, pistol and rifle categories. India’s Manu Bhaker bagged two gold medals.

Medal Winners include:

Gold: (1) 25m Rapid Fire pistol Mixed Team competition: Manu Bhaker

(2) 10m air pistol mixed team competition: Manu Bhaker

Silver: (1) Women’s 25m pistol silver individual competition: Rahi Sarnobat

(2) Men’s 10m Air Pistol individual competition: Saurabh Chaudhary

Bronze: (1) Men’s 10m Air Pistol individual competition: Abhishek Verma

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. PM Modi launches two innovative customer-centric initiatives of RBI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched two innovative customer-centric initiatives of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). These initiatives are the RBI Retail Direct Scheme and the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme. There will be a single point of reference for customers to file their complaints, submit the documents, track status, and provide feedback.

About the RBI Retail Direct Scheme:

(1) RBI Retail Direct Scheme is aimed at enhancing access to the government securities market for retail investors. It offers them a new avenue for directly investing in securities issued by the Government of India and the state governments.

(2) Through this scheme, a retail investor will get access to the government securities market.

(3) This scheme offers a new avenue for directly investing in securities issued by both Centre and state governments.

(4) “Investors will be able to easily open and maintain their government securities account online with the RBI, free of cost.

About the Reserve Bank- Integrated Ombudsman Scheme:

(1) The Reserve Bank- Integrated Ombudsman Scheme aims to further improve the grievance redress mechanism for resolving customer complaints against entities regulated by RBI.

(2) The central theme of the scheme is based on ‘One Nation-One Ombudsman’ with one portal, one email and one address for the customers to lodge their complaints.

(3) There will be a single point of reference for customers to file their complaints, submit the documents, track status and provide feedback. A multi-lingual toll-free number will provide all relevant information on grievance redress and assistance for filing complaints.

(4) Currently, there are three separate ombudsmen for banks, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), and non-bank prepaid payment issuers (PPIs) that are wallets.

(5) These are operated by the RBI from 22 ombudsman offices located across the country. Now, they will be integrated into one centralised scheme to make the grievance redressal mechanism more efficient and simpler.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Amitabh Bachchan roped in as brand ambassador of Amway India: Amway India, a Direct Selling FMCG company announced the appointment of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador. It is a time in moment as the two brands have come together to proliferate messages on the significance of holistic health & wellness, women empowerment, and inspiring youth towards entrepreneurship for a progressive India. As a part of the momentous association, he will endorse the brand Amway and all the Nutrilite products by Amway.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar named as next Chief of the Naval Staff: Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar has been named as the next Chief of the Naval Staff by the Government of India. He is presently posted as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command. He will take on the new role with effect from November 30, 2021. He will replace the incumbent Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Karambir Singh, who will complete his tenure on November 30, 2021.

Note: Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950; Commander-in-Chief of Indian Navy: President Ram Nath Kovind.

Daily GK Update- 11th Nov, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Cabinet approves to observe November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the declaration of November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. 15 November has been chosen as this date marks the birth anniversary of Sri Birsa Munda who is revered as Bhagwan (God) by tribal communities across the country.

About the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas: The Janjatiya Gaurav Divas is dedicated to the brave tribal freedom fighters and their sacrificed for the country. The day will be celebrated every year from now on to recognize the efforts of the tribals for the preservation of cultural heritage and promotion of Indian values of valour, hospitality and national pride.

 

2. National logistics index 2021 released: The Logistics Ease Across Different States 2021 Index was recently published by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. This is the third edition of Index. In the index, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab were emerged as best performing states with respect to mobility of goods and efficiency of logistics chain. This index provide ranking to states on the basis of logistics infrastructure.

Key Points of the Index:

(1) Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab are the best performing states (Top 3 slot respectively)

(2) Tamil Nadu (4th) and Maharashtra (5th) are among the top-5 slot.

(3) Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand have witnessed a significant improvement as compared to the 2019 LEADS ranking. These states have emerged as the top improvers.

(4) For representation purposes, states were ranked in three separate classes:

North Eastern States: Sikkim and Meghalaya emerged as toppers.

Himalayan UTs’: Jammu & Kashmir emerged as the top rankers.

‘Other UTs’ group: Delhi was ranked at the top position.

 

3. IBM launched a client innovation center in Mysuru: IBM Corp. launched a client innovation centre in Mysuru with support from the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) to attract companies to set up operations in cities beyond Bengaluru. This initiative aims at supporting the rapid, high-tech driven economic growth in tier-2 and -3 regions while providing comprehensive hybrid cloud and AI technology consulting capabilities.

Note: IBM Corp. CEO: Arvind Krishna; IBM Corp. Headquarters: Armonk, New York, United States; IBM Corp. Founded: 16 June 1911.

 

4. “MODERN INDIA: For Civil Services and Other Competitive Examinations” authored by Poonam Dalal Dahiya: Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister (CM) of Haryana released the book titled “MODERN INDIA: For Civil Services and Other Competitive Examinations” authored by Poonam Dalal Dahiya, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Gurugram. During the launch event, Poonam Dalal Dahiya gifted the first copy of the book to CM Manohar Lal Khatta The book offers comprehensive information on the history of modern India.

 

5. A new book “Sunrise over Ayodhya – Nationhood in our Times” by Salman Khurshid: Former union minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who recently launched his book on the Ayodhya verdict named “Sunrise over Ayodhya – Nationhood in our Times”. Khurshid said, “People used to think that it will take 100 years for the verdict to come. After the verdict, people started giving opinions perhaps without reading it or understanding that what, why or how did Supreme Court give the judgement.”

Supreme Court Verdict: The Supreme Court in its order on November 9, 2019, directed the central government to hand over the 2.77 acres of disputed land to a trust, set up for the construction and management of a Ram temple. A five-judge Constitution bench presided by the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had also directed that a suitable plot of land admeasuring five acres be handed over to the Sunni Central Waqf Board granting it the liberty to construct a mosque at the alternate site.

 

6. National Education Day: 11th November: In India, the National Education Day is celebrated on 11 November every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India. The day was announced by the Ministry of Human Resource Development on 11 September 2008. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as education minister from 15 August 1947 to 2 February 1958.

History of National Education Day: On 11 September 2008, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has announced to commemorate the birthday of the great person by recalling the contribution of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in the field of education by celebrating 11 November as National Education Day. Since 2008, every year in India, National Education Day is celebrated without declaring it a holiday.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Wang Yaping becomes first Chinese woman astronaut to walk in space: China had launched the Shenzhou-13 spaceship on October 16, sending three astronauts on a six-month mission to the under-construction space station which was expected to be ready by next year. Wang Yaping became the first Chinese woman astronaut to walk in space as she moved out of the under-construction space station and took part in extravehicular activities for over six hours along with her male colleague Zhai Zhigang. The two moved out of the space station core module called Tianhe and spent 6.5 hours of the spacewalk in the early.

 

2. Global Drug Policy Index 2021: India ranked 18th out of 30 countries in the 1st edition of the Global Drug Policy Index which was released by the Harm Reduction Consortium in November 2021. The index ranked Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia as the top 5 countries on humane and health-driven drug policies.

About the Index: The Global Drug Policy Index, a new tool that offers the first-ever data-driven global analysis of 30 countries’ drug policies and their implementation in a systematic, comprehensive and transparent manner.

Here is the list of the top 5 and bottom 5 countries:

 

Rank	Country
1	Norway
2	New Zealand
3	Portugal
4	UK
5	Australia
26	Mexico
27	Kenya
28	Indonesia
29	Uganda
30	Brazil

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Rohit Sharma becomes 3rd cricketer to score 3,000 runs in men’s T20Is: Indian batter Rohit Sharma has completed 3000 T20I runs and became the third cricketer in the world to achieve this feat. Rohit reached the 3000 run mark in the ICC men’s T20 World Cup match against Namibia. Virat Kohli is at the top of the tally with 3227 runs, which is followed by New Zealand’s Martin Guptill & India’s Rohit Sharma with 3115 and 3008 runs respectively.

 

2. ICC Players of the Month for October revealed: Pakistan’s Asif Ali and Ireland’s Laura Delany have been voted the ICC Players of the Month for October. Ali beat Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Namibia’s David Wiese to the men’s award, and Delany beat teammate Gaby Lewis and Zimbabwe’s Mary-Anne Musonda to the women’s prize. Ali scored 52 runs without defeat across three matches for Pakistan in October at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scoring at a strike rate of 273.68. Ireland captain Delany shone in their 3-1 ODI series win over Zimbabwe. The all-rounder flourished with bat and ball, scoring 189 runs at 63, and taking four wickets at 27.

 

3. Morinari Watanabe re-elected as President of FIG: Morinari Watanabe was re-elected as the President of the International Gymnastics Federation or Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) for a period of three years. Morinari Watanabe defeated Azerbaijan’s contender Farid Gayibov, in the FIG President election that was held during a conference in Turkey. Earlier, He was elected as the President of FIG in 2016 for a 4-year term.

Note: International Gymnastics Federation Founded: 23 July 1881; International Gymnastics Federation Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI remove restrictions on Diners Club International Limited: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lifted restrictions imposed on 23rd April 2021 with immediate effect on credit card issuer Diners Club International Ltd to onboard new customers. RBI restricted Diners Club International Ltd. from onboarding new domestic customers onto its card network from May 1, 2021, due to non-compliance with RBI on the storage of Payment System Data. The central bank had banned the US-based company from onboarding new domestic customers onto its card network for violating data storage norms.

Earlier, RBI has banned – American Express, the 7th largest credit card issuer in India (on 23rd April 2021), and Mastercard, the 2nd largest credit card issuer in India (in July 2021) from enrolling new customers. RBI has not yet lifted its ban.

Note: RBI Founded: April 1, 1935; RBI Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; RBI Governor: Shaktikanta Das; RBI Deputy Governors: Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao, T Rabi Sankar.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Junio ties up with RuPay for debit card for pre-teens, teenagers: Children-focussed fintech, Junio has launched a smart multipurpose card for pre-teens and teenagers on the RuPay platform. The Junio RuPay Card is designed for kids and can function as a debit card for both their online and offline purchases. Kids and parents can sign up on the Junio app, and use virtual Junio smart cards with zero annual charges. Junio Smart Card will allow youngsters to make online & offline payments with ease.

Kids and parents can sign up on the Junio app, and use virtual Junio smart cards with zero annual charges. In addition, children can enjoy up to seven per cent cashback and other reward benefits on Junio payments. The newly launched Junio Smart Card powered by RuPay will allow youngsters to make online and offline payments with ease.

Daily GK Update- 10th Nov, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Punjab became 1st Indian state to approve Tissue Culture-Based Seed Potato Rules: The Punjab Cabinet headed by chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi approved the ‘Punjab Tissue Culture Based Seed Potato Rules-2021’ to develop Punjab as a standard potato seed centre. With this decision, Punjab has become the first Indian state to have the facility of tissue culture-based certification, which will develop the Jalandhar-Kapurthala belt of Punjab as the export hub of potatoes. The Cabinet also approved to introduce the ‘Punjab Horticulture Nursery Bill-2021’ by amending ‘Punjab Fruit Nursery Act-1961‘.

Note: Punjab Governor: Banwarilal Purohit; Punjab Capital: Chandigarh; Punjab Chief minister: Charanjit Singh Channi.

 

2. 14th edition of Cyber security conference to be inaugurated by Bipin Rawat: Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat will inaugurate the 14th edition of ‘c0c0n’, an annual Hacking and Cyber Security Briefing, which will be held virtually from Nov 10-13. The conference, which is being conducted by Kerala Police in association with two non-profit organisations, Society for the Policing of Cyberspace (POLCYB) and Information Security Research Association (ISRA), would primarily discuss online scams and defences during the lockdown period. About the conference:

(1) The theme of this year’s ‘c0c0n’ is Improvise, Adapt and Overcome.

(2) The conference is being held in such a way that online security is beneficial even to children in the state where many crimes are taking place with the shift to online classes.

(3) The conference is being held virtually so that people from across the globe can attend the event as the 13th edition of ‘c0c0n’ last year saw more than 6,000 attendees from around the world.

(4) The conference “aims to discuss at the international level the challenges facing the digital world during the COVID period and the solutions needed to overcome them”.

 

3. Srinagar joins UNESCO network of creative cities: Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is among the 49 cities selected worldwide to join the UNESCO creative cities network (UCCN). Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the inclusion as a “fitting recognition” for the vibrant cultural ethos of the old city. It has been designated as a creative city of craft and folk arts, UNESCO. These 49 cities were added to the network of 246 cities following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, in recognition of “their commitment to placing culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices”. Other Indian cities on the list:

Srinagar joins Chennai and Varanasi – UNESCO Cities of music;

Jaipur – UNESCO city of crafts and folk arts;

Mumbai – UNESCO city of film and;

Hyderabad – UNESCO City of gastronomy.

 

4. Rajib Kumar Mishra given charge as PTC India’s CMD: Rajib Kumar Mishra shall exercise the power of chairman and managing director of PTC India Ltd, subsequent to relieving of Deepak Amitabh. PTC India Ltd. (formerly known as Power Trading Corporation of India Limited), was incorporated in 1999 to undertake to the trade of power to achieve economic efficiency & security of supply & to develop a vibrant power market in the country. Mishra joined PTC India in 2011 as executive director and is now a whole-time director since February 2015. Currently, he is director (business development and marketing), in PTC India. Additionally, he is holding the post of managing director of PTC Energy.

Note: PTC India Ltd Founded: 16 April 1999.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China launched world’s 1st Earth Science Satellite named “Guangmu”: China has launched the world’s first Earth-science satellite, Guangmu or SDGSAT-1 into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern Shanxi Province. The satellite was launched by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and developed by the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS).

About the Guangmu: Guangmu was launched by a Long March-6 carrier rocket which is the 395th flight mission. SDGSAT-1 is the first satellite customized according to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which was adopted in 2015 with 17 SDGs for peace and prosperity.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; China Currency: Renminbi; China President: Xi Jinping.

 

2. IHRF appoints Daniel del Valle as the High Representative for Youth: The International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) has appointed the Spaniard Daniel del Valle as the High Representative for Youth due to his achievements in the thematic area of youth empowerment and youth participation for the United Nations. IHRF, a non-governmental and non-profit institution.

About the Daniel del Valle: Daniel del Valle brings to the International Human Rights Foundation his ongoing experience of serving as Policy Advisor to the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the United Nations in New York. As a youth representative, he has distinguished himself through his creativity, dedication, energetic advocacy and awareness-raising about the importance of youth empowerment in today’s world, particularly, in developing countries and also in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Note: International Human Rights Foundation Chairman: Garry Kasparov; International Human Rights Foundation Founder: Thor Halvorssen Mendoza; International Human Rights Foundation Founded: 2005; International Human Rights Foundation HQ: New York, USA.

 

3. World Science Day for Peace and Development: 10th November: World Science Day for Peace and Development is celebrated each year on November 10 every year. This day is celebrated to highlight the important role that science play in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. The year 2021 marks the 20th edition of World Science Day for Peace and Development. With climate change becoming a serious threat to the lives of billions of people and the planet, this year’s celebration will highlight the importance of “Building Climate-Ready Communities”.

History of World Science Day for Peace and Development: World Science Day was proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2001 and celebrated for the first time in 2002.

Note: Director-General of UNESCO: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946; UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Max Verstappen wins 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix: Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) has won the 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) stood second while Sergio Perez (Mexico- Red Bull) came third. Perez became the first Mexican to stand on his home podium at a jubilant Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

 

2. Sankalp Gupta becomes 71st Indian Grandmaster: Sankalp Gupta has become India’s 71st Grandmaster by scoring 6.5 points and finishing second in the GM Ask 3 round-robin event in Arandjelovac, Serbia. The Maharashtra player also touched the 2500 Elo rating mark during the tournament. To achieve the GM title, a player has to secure three GM norms and cross the live rating of 2,500 Elo points.

 

3. India’s Tajamul Islam Wins Gold Medal In World Kickboxing Championship: 13-year-old Tajamul Islam is the first Kashmiri girl to have represented India and won the gold medal in the under-14 age category in World Kickboxing Championship held at Cairo in Egypt. Islam defeated Argentina’s Lalina in the final. She was born in Tarkpora, a remote village in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Tajamul is also a brand ambassador of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI launches 1st Global Hackathon named HARBINGER 2021: The Reserve Bank of India has launched its first global hackathon named “HARBINGER 2021 – Innovation for Transformation”. The theme of HARBINGER 2021 is ‘Smarter Digital Payments’. The Hackathon invites participants to identify and develop solutions that have the potential to make digital payments accessible to the under-served, enhance the ease of payments and user experience while strengthening the security of digital payments and promote customer protection.

HARBINGER 2021 invites innovative ideas for the following problem statements in the payment and settlement systems landscape:

Innovative, easy-to-use, non-mobile digital payment solutions for converting small-ticket cash transactions to digital mode.

(1) Context-based retail payments to remove the physical act of payment.

(2) The alternate authentication mechanism for digital payments.

(3) Social Media Analysis Monitoring tool for detection of digital payment fraud and disruption.

(4) Being part of HARBINGER 2021 gives an opportunity to the participants to get mentored by industry experts and exhibit their innovative solutions before an eminent jury and win exciting prizes in each category.

Winner: Rs 40 lakh

Runner-up: Rs 20 lakh

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Brickwork Ratings Projects India’s GDP at 10-10.5% in FY22: Domestic credit rating agency Brickwork Ratings has estimated the gross domestic product (GDP) of India at 10-10.5 per cent in the current financial year, i.e. in 2021-22 (FY22). Earlier this was estimated at 9 per cent. Brickwork Ratings is a SEBI registered Credit Rating Agency with headquarter in Bengaluru. It expects the GDP growth for Q2 FY22 to be at 8.3 per cent (year-on-year), on the back of a 7.4 per cent contraction in Q2FY21. The country’s GDP grew at 20.1 per cent in the first quarter of fiscal 2022.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Philosopher Koneru Ramakrishna Rao passes away: Well-known educationist, teacher, and philosopher, Koneru Ramakrishna Rao passed away. He was an internationally recognized psychologist and served as president of the US-based Parapsychological Association and the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2011. Ramakrishna Rao was instrumental in bringing in numerous curricular reforms to link classrooms with the community during his tenure as the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University and Chairman of the APSCHE.