Daily GK Update- 17th Feb, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Tourism Ministry to organize first Global Tourism Investors' Summit: Minister of Tourism, G Kishan Reddy has announced that the Tourism Ministry will organize the first Global Tourism Investors' Summit from 17 to 19 May 2023 in New Delhi. Agenda: To showcase opportunities in the Tourism and hospitality sector. This Summit will deliberate on potential opportunities for investment across tourism segments including hotels and restaurants and other related sectors.

He also informed that the govt is working to promote the Tourism sector.

 

2. Pratiksha Trust, IISc and CBR sign MoU: The Pratiksha Trust has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Centre for Brain Research (CBR) for research, innovation, and translation in deep science. Aim: To support the fundamental and translational research on neurodegenerative diseases of the elderly population. For this research, Pratiksha Trust commit over 450 crore rupees over the next 10 years. Pratiksha Trust: It was established by Kris Gopalakrishnan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan.

 

3. National level Hackathon ‘KAVACH-2023’ launched: A national-level hackathon, KAVACH-2023 was launched in New Delhi to identify innovative ideas and technological solutions for addressing the cybersecurity and cybercrime challenges of the 21st century. A 36-hour long event participated by youth from educational institutions and registered start-ups. AICTE, the Bureau of Police Research and Development, and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre jointly conducted this Hackathon. Chairman, AICTE: T G Sitharam

 

4. Sixth phase of Sujalam-Sufalam Jal Abhiyan begins: The sixth phase of Sujalam-Sufalam Jal Abhiyan has been started in Gujarat on 17th February 2023. The state-wide campaign was launched by the Gujarat CM, Bhupendra Patel at Khoraj in Gandhinagar. Aim: To raise the groundwater level and maximize the use of rainwater. This phase will be held for 104 days and continue till 31st May 2023 Developmental works like the deepening of lakes, delisting works of check dams and reservoirs, and cleaning of canals will be carried out

 

5. IIT Kanpur develops energy-efficient system to transport coal, minerals: The IIT Kanpur has developed an energy-efficient compressed air-based pipeline system. Reason: For transporting coal and minerals, offering round-the-clock monitoring with considerable savings in time and costs Professor, Bishakh Bhattacharya, and research scientists, Kanhaiya Lal Chaurasia and Yashasvi Sinha, developed the cargo-based hyperloop system. It will address challenges such as material loss, uncertainty in delivery time, and air pollution.

 

6. Ministry of Sports, NIPER, and FSSAI sign MoU: The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, FSSAI, and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hyderabad (NIPER Hyderabad) signed a tripartite MoU to create nutritional supplement testing capacity in India. This will provide information & build awareness about the risks associated with the use of nutritional supplements. It also increases the research opportunities in the clean sport & anti-doping domain.

 

7. UIDAI launches new AI chatbot Aadhaar Mitra: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched a chatbot named Aadhaar Mitra to help people get an answer to their queries related to the Aadhaar card. The Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-based chatbot can answer queries related to enrolment number, PVC Card order status, and complaint status. It is available in both English and Hindi languages. It also shows videos to help the users understand its features and how to use them.

 

8. India’s industrial production index grows 4.3% in December 2022: As per the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation data, India’s Industrial Production (IIP) index grew by 4.3 percent in December 2022. It grew by 5.4% during April to December of the current fiscal 2022-23. The manufacturing sector’s output grew by 2.6 percent in December 2022, while the mining output rose by 9.8 percent and electricity production increased by 10.4 percent during the month. For the month of December 2022, the Quick Estimates of IIP with base 2011-12 stands at 144.7.

 

9. Andhra Pradesh CM inaugurated tourist police stations at 20 centres: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has inaugurated Tourist Police Stations at 20 important religious and tourist places in various districts of the state. The purpose of this move is to give boost to tourism security. The tourist police stations would be run by specially trained police personnel and headed by a Sub Inspector or an ASI rank officer. Linked to local police stations, each Tourist Police Station would have six police personnel, including women constables, it said. These security kiosks would work as additional police stations and exclusively attend to complaints from tourists.

 

10. Air India signed 470 aircraft deal with Airbus, Boeing: Tata-owned Air India has confirmed an agreement to buy a total of 470 wide-body and narrow-body planes from Airbus and Boeing. Of the 470 new aircraft ordered by Air India, 250 are from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. The two deals involve the purchase of 40 Airbus A350, 20 Boeing 787 and 10 Boeing 777-9 wide-body aircraft, along with 210 Airbus A320 and A321neo and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle planes. The first of these new planes will enter service in late 2023, and the bulk will arrive starting mid-2025. At list price the aircraft deal is valued at over $70 billion. The A350s will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines. The 777s and 787s will have engines from GE Aerospace, while engines from CFM International will power all single-aisle aircraft.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian-American Neal Mohan appointed as the new CEO of YouTube: Indian-American, Neal Mohan has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of YouTube. He will replace the current head, Susan Wojcicki, who will step down after 25 years. He joined Google in 2008, and later he was appointed chief product officer at YouTube in 2015. Prior to Google, he worked as a Senior Analyst at Accenture and later joined Microsoft. He is an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

 

2. Bengaluru city center ranked second slowest to drive in the world: According to the latest report, released by TomTom, Bengaluru’s traffic has made it the second slowest place to drive through in the world in 2022 with about half an hour of travel time by road to cover 10 km. While London ranks first with an average of 36 minutes and 20 seconds to travel 10 km in 2022.

Dublin (Ireland), Sapporo (Japan's town), and Milan(Italy) rank third, fourth, and fifth respectively.

 

3. India signed MoU with South Africa for cooperation in the Disability Sector: The government of India has signed an MoU with the Government of the Republic of South Africa for cooperation in the Disability Sector. The MoU will encourage cooperation between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities of India and the Government of South Africa through joint initiatives in the disability sector. In another decision, the Union Cabinet has approved the signing of an MoU between India and Chile for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied sectors. The MoU provides for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. Under the MoU, a Chile-India Agricultural Working Group is to be constituted which will be responsible for the supervision, review and assessment of the implementation of this MoU as well as for establishing frequent communication and coordination.

 

4. 15 February – International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD): International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed on 15 February. Objective – To raise awareness and show support for children and adolescents suffering from cancer. Childhood Cancer International, an umbrella organization of various child cancer support groups created by parents, created the day.

Theme 2023 — Better Survival Childhood Cancer International was established in 1994. It is the largest patient-support organisation for childhood cancer in the world.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Hyundai Motors India signs two more women cricketers as ambassadors: Hyundai Motor India Ltd has signed two more women cricketers named Yastika Bhatia and Renuka Singh Thakur, to its roster of brand ambassadors. Bhatia and Thakur will join Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues in the list of brand ambassadors for Hyundai. The company said it recognizes these women as rising sport stars and that they will be a catalyst in this women’s cricket calendar of 2023. Hyundai Motor India has announced the next edition of its ‘The Drive Within’ campaign with these five women cricketers.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI makes changes in NEFT, RTGS for daily reporting of foreign remittances: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made necessary changes in NEFT and RTGS systems for Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related transactions. Under the FCRA, foreign contributions must be received only in the "FCRA account" of the State Bank of India (SBI), New Delhi Main Branch (NDMB). The contributions to the FCRA account are received directly from foreign banks through SWIFT and from Indian intermediary banks through NEFT and RTGS systems.

 

2. ICICI Bank signed MoU with BNP Paribas for providing financial service: ICICI Bank has signed an MoU with BNP Paribas to cater to the banking requirements of European corporates operating in India. It establishes a framework of the partnership between the two banks for providing financial services to corporate customers operating in India. BNP Paribas Group has been in India since 1860 and is among the leading international financial institutions.

 

3. Paytm Payments Bank becomes first to launch UPI LITE feature: Paytm Payments Banks Limited (PPBL) has launched the UPI LITE feature for multiple small-value UPI transactions and become the first payments bank to launch such feature. The UPI LITE feature will help with faster real-time transactions with a single click through Paytm as the bank aims to drive the adoption of digital payments across the country. The NPCI designed the feature which was launched by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in September 2022. The small value transactions would now only show in the Paytm balance and history section, and not in the bank passbook. Once loaded, a UPI LITE wallet allows a user to do instant transactions of up to ₹200, making the entire experience quick and seamless. A maximum of ₹2,000 can be added twice in a day to UPI LITE, making the cumulative daily usage up to ₹4,000.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. UNDP's Don’t Choose Extinction climate campaign wins two Anthem Awards: A campaign ‘Don’t Choose Extinction’, launched by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has won Gold and Silver in two different categories at the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the climate emergency. This campaign won Gold in Sustainability, Environment & Climate – Non-Profit Campaign Category, while Silver in Sustainability, Environment & Climate – Global Awareness Campaign Category.

 

2. Kollam district won Swaraj Trophy for Best District Panchayat: Kerala’s Kollam district panchayat has won the Swaraj Trophy for the best district panchayat in the State for the 2021-22 financial year. The Kannur district (Kerala) panchayat stood second in the rankings. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation bagged the trophy for the best corporation. The Mulanthuruthy grama panchayat won the award for the best grama panchayat in the State and Pappinissery and Marangattupilly grama panchayats won the second and third places.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 4th edition of joint military Exercise Dharma Guardian-2023 begins: The 4th edition of a joint military exercise, "EX DHARMA GUARDIAN" between India and Japan is being started at Camp Imazu in Shiga province of Japan from 17th February - 2nd March 2023. This exercise covers platoon-level joint training on operations in jungle and semi-urban or urban terrain. Indian Army's Garhwal Rifles Regiment troops and Japan's Infantry Regiment troops participated in the exercise. Aim: To enhance inter-operability in planning and execution

 

2. The 6th edition of India-US exercise TARKASH’ concluded in Chennai: The 6th edition of the joint exercise TARKASH’ has concluded in Chennai by the National Security Guard (NSG) and the US Special Operations Force (SOF). “Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Terror Response” has been included in this exercise for the first time. An exercise to deal with chemical and biological attacks by terrorists was also included in the exercise. Chemical and biological attacks have been made part of the exercise in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war. Last year, Russia accuses Ukraine of receiving aid from Western countries and of carrying out a chemical attack in Kharkiv.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Actor Javed Khan Amrohi passed away: Veteran actor Javed Khan Amrohi passed away at the age of 60. He was known for his work in films such as Once Upon A Time in Mumbai, Chak De India, Lagaan and Andaz Apna Apna. He was best known for his roles in the popular DD serial Nukkad. Amrohi’s other notable titles are the ’90s hit films such as Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Laadla, Ishq, and the 1988 TV series Mirza Ghalib.

Daily GK Update- 16th Feb, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Cabinet approves “Vibrant Villages Programme”: The Union Cabinet has approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme “Vibrant Villages Programme” for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26 with a financial allocation of Rs. 4800 Crore. The scheme will provide funds for the development of essential infrastructure and the creation of livelihood opportunities. In the first phase, 663 Villages will be taken up in the program. Aim: To improve the quality of life of people living in identified border villages.

 

2. Cabinet approves MoU between India, Chile in agricultural sector: The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, has approved the signing MoU between India and Chile for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied sectors. Main areas of cooperation: Agricultural policies for the development of modern agriculture Organic agriculture to facilitate the bilateral trade of organic products Promote innovation in the agricultural sector  Both countries will constitute a Chile-India Agricultural Working Group. Chile Capital: Santiago

 

3. Cabinet approves MoU for cooperation in Disability Sector: The Union Cabinet has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and South Africa for cooperation in the Disability Sector. The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Aim: To encourage cooperation between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in India and South Africa This MoU will strengthen the bilateral ties between India and South Africa. South Africa President: Cyril Ramaphosa

 

4. India and Spain agree to collaborate on digital infrastructure: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sánchez had a telephone conversation to discuss ways to further strengthen the growing relationship between both countries. Both leaders discussed a number of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest. They also agreed to collaborate on issues such as digital infrastructure, climate action, clean energy transition, and sustainable development. Spain Capital: Madrid

 

5. Union Cabinet approves construction of Shinku La Tunnel: The I&B Minister, Anurag Singh Thakur has informed that the Union Cabinet has approved the construction of the Shinku La Tunnel in Ladakh. Reason: To provide all-weather connectivity in Ladakh region The construction work of this 4.1-kilometer tunnel will be completed by December 2025. The total expenditure on this project will be 1,681 crore rupees. The tunnel will lead to the development of the region and boost the tourism, Health, and education sectors.

 

6. Indian Army gets 'World's First' fully operational SWARM Drone System: Bengaluru-based start-up, NewSpace Research has delivered SWARM drones to Indian Army. These drone systems will make the Army the first major armed force in the world to operationalize with these high-density SWARM drones. The swarm of 100 drones is capable of hitting targets at least 50 km away into enemy territory. It is a part of the Aatmanirbhar effort to indigenize critical and disruptive military technologies.

 

7. Ladakh to host India’s first frozen-lake marathon at Pangong Tso: India’s first “Frozen-Lake Marathon” at Ladakh’s Pangong Tso at a height of 13,862 feet will be held on 20 February 2023.

The Indian army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been roped in to implement a “proper action plan” for the event. The 21-kilometer marathon will be started from Lukung and ended at Maan village. The event will be participated by 75 selected athletes from India and abroad. The marathon is being called the “Last Run” to highlight the issue of climate change

 

8. PM Modi inaugurated national Aadi Mahotsa in New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the national Aadi Mahotsav at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. The festival is scheduled between 16 to 27 February 2023 and it will celebrate the tribal spirit including its culture, crafts, cuisine, commerce and traditional art. Around 1000 tribal artisans will participate in the Mahotsav. In line with the International Year of Millets celebration, a special focus in the Mahotsav will be on showcasing Shree Anna grown by the tribals.

 

9. India’s first electric AC double-decker bus inaugurated in Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) has inaugurated the country’s first electric air-conditioned (AC) double-decker bus in Mumbai. The seating capacity of the Electric Double Decker Bus is 73. It is equipped with CCTV cameras and automatic doors and can be charged in 80 minutes. The tickets will be priced as before — a minimum fare of Rs 6 will be charged for a distance of 5 km. Currently, the transport undertaking has 45 electric AC buses of various sizes, and this year 100 more wet-lease buses will be added to its fleet in phases.

 

10. 13 – 17 February 2023 – RBI’s Financial Literacy Week: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been conducting Financial Literacy Week (FLW) every year since 2016 to propagate financial education messages on relevant themes including “MSMEs”, “Credit Discipline and Credit from Formal Institutions” and “Digital Financial Literacy” and so on. The theme for this year’s Financial Literacy Week to be observed during 13 – 17 February 2023 is “Good Financial Behaviour, Your Saviour”. The theme aligned with the strategic objectives of the National Strategy for Financial Education: 2020-2025.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Egyptian President presented Global Best M-GOV Awards on IIT Indore students: Students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore have won an award of AED (Emirates Dirham) 1 million along with a gold medal at the World Government Summit in Dubai. Niyati Totala and Neil Kalpeshkumar Parikh who are students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore were awarded this prestigious medal by the President of Egypt, Abel Fattah El-Sisi. These students are the makers of the ‘Blockbill’ app. BlockBill is a blockchain-based receipt generation app that generates digital receipts for all its users’ transactions.

·       Silver Award – ‘Don’t Waste’ team (Uzbekistan)

·       Bronze Award – ‘Farmit’ team (Serbia)

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Smriti Mandhana created history, became the most expensive player: India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana has become the costliest player in the ongoing player auction for the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Mandhana joined Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 3.4 crore after winning the highest bid in the ongoing Women’s Premier League 2023 auction in Mumbai.

Australia’s Ashley Gardner was at number two in the list of expensive players. He was bought by Gujarat Giants for Rs 3.20 crore. While Natalie Sciver is at number three. She was bought by Mumbai Indians for 3.20 crores. India’s all-rounder Deepti Sharma is at number four. Deepti is included in UP Warriors for 2.60 crores. Jemima Rodrigues was at number five. He was included in their team by Delhi Capitals for 2.20 crores.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Indian Overseas Bank launches electronic bank guarantee scheme: Indian Overseas Bank has launched the facility of issuance of the e-BG (Electronic Bank Guarantee) scheme in association with the National e-Governance Services Ltd. e-BG: An instrument issued by the bank in which the bank agrees to guarantee a particular sum in the event that the applicant fails to fulfill an action/performance. It is a paperless mode with digital stamping and digital signature. Real-time issuance would make it available for the beneficiary instantly.

 

2. Muthoot FinCorp launches Vyapar Mitra: Muthoot FinCorp has introduced ‘Vyapar Mitra Business Loans’ to provide working capital and business loans to micro and small businesses like traders. This new feature can offer business loans based on their daily cash flow without additional collateral. Besides, one can receive a business loan without Income Tax Return (ITR) papers and no prior CIBIL score records. Benefits: No prepayment charges, loan renewals up to three times a year, and simple and fast documentation

 

3. Paytm Payments Bank becomes first to launch UPI LITE feature: Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) has launched the UPI LITE feature, which is enabled by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for multiple small-value UPI transactions. The feature enables faster real-time transactions with a single click through Paytm. Aim: To drive the adoption of digital payments across the country UPI LITE was launched by the RBI in September 2022. A UPI LITE wallet allows a user to do instant transactions of up to ₹200.

 

4. EbixCash becomes first entity to enable UPI for foreign nationals: EbixCash Limited has become the first company in India to launch and enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for foreign nationals visiting India. It will offer UPI services to international delegates attending the G-20 summit, being held in India. This facility will be enabled across all other entry points in the country. It can be extended to foreign travelers after physical verification of the Passport and Visa of the customers at the point of issuance.

 

5. CAMSPay receives RBI nod to operate as payment aggregator: CAMSPay has received in-principle approval from RBI to operate as a payment aggregator. It is a part of Chennai-based Computer Age Management Services (CAMS) CAMS is India’s largest registrar and transfer agent of mutual funds. CAMSPAy is a payment platform specializing in solving the banking and finance services sector's payment challenges. Payment aggregators are entities that on-board digital merchants and accept payments on their behalf after getting a licence.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Karnataka Bank wins Prathista Puraskar under Digidhan Award 2021-22: the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) honored The Karnataka Bank with the ‘Prathista Puraskar’ under the ‘Digidhan Awards 2021-22’. Reason: To achieve the target with the highest percentage in BHIM-UPI transactions in the private sector bank category. DigiDhan award is a recognition for the top-performing banks in the digital payments space. MD& CEO of Karnataka Bank: Mahabaleshwara MS Karnataka Bank HQ: Mangaluru

 

2. Kantara’s Rishab Shetty wins ‘Most Promising Actor Award’ at DPIFF 2023: Kantara movie actor & director, Rishab Shetty will be honored with the Most Promising Actor Award at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) Award 2023 on February 20 in Mumbai. He was awarded for his stellar performance in the Kannada film, Kantara. Rishab Shetty is an Indian actor and filmmaker primarily working in Kannada cinema. DPIFF was founded in 2012 and established in 2016. DPIFF CEO: Abhishek Mishra

Daily GK Update- 15th Feb, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kerala launched Monthly Stipend Scheme for Junior Lawyers: Kerala CM, Pinarayi Vijayan has launched the monthly stipend scheme for junior lawyers in Kerala. Under this scheme, a monthly stipend of Rs. 3,000 will be provided to junior lawyers in the State. Eligibility for stipend: Lawyers below 30 years of age with less than three years of practice. Annual income less than Rs. 1 lakh.

The Bar Council of the state will implement the scheme. Junior lawyers are law graduates who work under attorneys or legal associates.

 

2. Bihar among states that allocated more towards education: According to the government data, the States/UTs - Delhi, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh - allocated a higher portion of their budget expenditure on education. Delhi spent 22% of its budget, while Assam spent 20% and  HP spent 19%. Among the big States, such as Chhattisgarh and Bihar allocate 18.82% and 18.3% respectively, of the State’s estimated net budget expenditure to education.

Other allocations:

·       Maharashtra: Rs 80,437

·       UP: Rs 75,165 crores

·       WB: Rs 43,466 crores

 

3. Namami Gange Mission-II approved with a budgetary outlay of ₹22,500 cr: The government has approved Namami Gange Mission-II with a budgetary outlay of Rs.22,500 crore till 2026. It also includes the projects for existing liabilities of Rs.11,225 crore and new projects/interventions of ₹11,275 crore. The Government has released a total of Rs.14,084.72 crore to the NMCG, from 2014-15 till 31st January 2023. Out of which, NMCG has released Rs.13,607.18 crore to State Governments to implement Ganga-related projects.

 

4. India’s 1st National Metro Rail Knowledge Centre to be built in Delhi: A leading infrastructure company in India, GA Infra Pvt Ltd has been awarded the contract for designing and constructing the country’s first National Metro Rail Knowledge Centre. Near a projected cost of Rs 460 million, the centre will be built under a public-private partnership (PPP) model and would be located at the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station in Delhi. The building is intended to serve as a hub for information and innovation for the Indian Metro train networks. It will give all parties involved a platform for dialogue and collaboration.

 

5. PM Modi inaugurated Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru: PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 14th edition of the Aero India show in Bengaluru (Karnataka). Aero India 2023 is being organized by the Indian Department of Defense Production from February 13 to 17 at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Theme 2023 – The Runway to a Billion Opportunities The main objective of the event is to promote indigenous production and exports of aerial platforms and attract foreign investment. 98 countries are participating in the event and MoUs worth Rs 75,000 crore are expected to be signed during the event. LCA Tejas Mark 1 is the main attraction of these products.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. International Childhood Cancer Day 2023: 15th February: International Childhood Cancer Day is observed annually on February 15 to raise awareness and show support for children who are suffering from cancer. In 2021, the three-year campaign for International Childhood Cancer Day was started. The theme for the three-year campaign is ‘Better Survival’. The campaign is an attempt to meet the WHO Global Childhood Cancer Initiative's goal of at least 60% of children diagnosed with cancer worldwide surviving by 2030.

 

2. Saudi Arabia to send its first woman astronaut into space: A Saudi Arabian woman, Rayyana Barnawi will become the first woman astronaut from Saudi Arabia to go on a space mission. She will join fellow Saudi astronaut, Ali Al-Qarni on a 10-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Barnawi and Al-Qarni will fly to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as part of a mission by Axiom Space. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will launch the Ax-2 mission.

 

3. Mohammad Shahabuddin elected as new President of Bangladesh: Awami League party nominee, Mohammad Shahabuddin has been elected as the 22nd president of Bangladesh. He will replace incumbent President Mohammad Abdul Hamid, the longest-serving president of the country. Hamid was elected Bangladesh President in the last two elections. He was sworn in for his second term on April 24, 2018. According to Bangladesh’s constitution, an individual cannot hold a third term as president. He was the only candidate to file his nomination after the time for nomination and withdrawal was over.

 

4. 13 February 2023 – International Epilepsy Day: International Epilepsy Day is observed every year on the second Monday of February and this year day falls on the 13 February. Objective – To raise awareness of Epilepsy and its impact on individuals & communities around the world. International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) to raise awareness about epilepsy. Epilepsy is a nervous disorder that affects brain activity.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Smriti Mandhana becomes the Most Expensive Player in WPL with ₹3.4 crore: Indian Women's cricket player, Smriti Mandhana became the most expensive women’s pick in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction. She has been bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for 3.40 Cr. A total of 87 players were bought by the five franchises for a sum total of Rs. 59.50 Cr. The second costliest Indian player is all-rounder Deepti Sharma who was bought by UP Warriorz for Rs 2.6 crore. Indian skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur was bought by Mumbai Indians.

 

2. Real Madrid defeated Al Hilal to win record fifth Club World Cup title: Real Madrid has won the Club World Cup 2023 for a record-extending fifth time in the final held in the Abdellah stadium, Rabat, Morocco. Real Madrid has defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal by 5-3. It won the tournament in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Madrid also won three Intercontinental Cups in 1960, 1998 and 2002; a match between European and South American champions, which merged with the Club World Cup in 2005.

 

3. Eoin Morgan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket: Former England captain Eoin Morgan has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Morgan captained the ODI World Cup played in England in the year 2019 and won his team the title. He also became the first captain to win the ODI World Cup for England. He is England’s leading run-scorer with 6957 runs in 225 ODIs with 13 hundred and the most successful captain in ODIs, with 76 wins from 126 matches. Previously, he retired from international cricket in July 2022. Born in Dublin, Morgan made his ODI debut for England in 2009 at the age of 16 against Ireland.

 

4. Shubman Gill named ICC Players of the Month for January 2023: India batter Shubman Gill has been named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for January 2023. Gill was the top contender in the shortlist With 567 runs during January, which included three century-plus scores, and the 23-year-old batter expectedly won the award. While England’s U-19 skipper Grace Scrivens was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month and became the youngest player to be named for the women’s honor. She was named for her performance in the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. South Indian Bank ties up with Maruti for car financing: South Indian Bank has signed an MoU with Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) to help dealer partners streamline vehicle inventory funding. Under this partnership, they will also offer convenient and comprehensive retail financing solutions to their customers. It will cater to the business requirements of both companies and produce a significant synergistic effect. South Indian Bank MD and CEO: Murali Ramakrishnan; Headquarters: Thrissur

 

2. HDFC Bank to sell entire 9.95% stake in Softcell Technologies: HDFC Bank has proposed to sell its entire stake of 9.95% (1,65,731 shares) in Softcell Technologies Global Pvt Ltd for ₹9.94 crore at ₹600.36 per share. In 2020, HDFC Bank sold a 2.05% stake (34,150 shares) in Softcell for Rs 1.47 crore. Softcell was founded on 6h September 2018 to sell Information Technology products and offers software and related services.

 

HDFC Bank CEO: Sashidhar Jagdishan; 

Headquarters: Mumbai

 

3. ICICI Bank signs MoU with European bank BNP Paribas: ICICI Bank and European bank's BNP Paribas signed a Memorandum of Understanding to fulfill the banking needs of European corporates operating in India and Indian companies in the European Union. This MoU will set up a framework between the two banks for providing financial services to corporate customers operating in the India–Europe corridor.

·       BNP Paribas Group has been in India since 1860.

·       BNP Paribas provides a wide range of financial services.

 

4. RBI announces 2nd global hackathon HARBINGER 2023: The Reserve Bank announced its second global hackathon -- 'HARBINGER 2023 - Innovation for Transformation'. Theme: Inclusive Digital Services Aim: To develop solutions that have the potential to make digital financial services accessible The RBI has invited innovative ideas in four segments.

Differently-abled

·       Facilitate efficient compliance

·       Extend the reach of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)

·       Enhance the scalability of blockchains

·       RBI governor: Shaktikanta Das

 

5. CBDT notifies 6 income tax return forms for AY 2023-24: The Income Tax Department has notified the New Income Tax Return (ITR) filing forms for individuals and businesses for Assessment Year 2023-24 (FY 2022-23). The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified six ITR forms - ITR-1 SAHAJ, ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-4 SUGAM, ITR-5, ITR-6 The CBDT has also notified ITR-V (verification form), and ITR acknowledgment form. The forms will come into effect from April 1, 2023. CBDT Chairman: Nitin Gupta

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Dr. Mahendra Mishra to receive International Mother Language Award 2023: An eminent linguist, Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mishra will be honored with UNESCO’s International Mother Language Award 2023. Reason: For the promotion of the mother language in India Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina will present this award to Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mishra at the International Mother Language Institute, Dhaka. He is the first Indian to receive this prestigious award for the promotion of a language. He is also the recipient of Odisha Sahitya Akademi. 

 

2. Angela Merkel awarded UNESCO Peace Prize in Ivory Coast: Former German chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded the Felix Houphouet-Boigny UNESCO Peace Prize in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. Merkel is a German former politician and scientist who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. Her selfless choice in 2015 to accept more than 1.2 million refugees, particularly those from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eritrea, moved every jury member. She implemented a “open-door” refugee policy in Germany by allowing more than 1.2 million migrants to enter in Germany between 2015-2016.

 

3. Haryana Police received Prestigious President’s Colour Award: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has presented the President’s Colour award to Haryana Police in recognition of its exceptional service. Shah presents the President’s Colour on behalf of President Droupadi Murmu. The President’s Colour is a special flag given to a military, paramilitary or police unit as a mark of recognition for its services. All officers and ranks of the force on their uniform can wear a replica of the flag presented to the unit as an insignia. Uttar Pradesh Police was the first state police force to receive the award from then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952.

 

4. Subhash Chandran won Kerala’s Akbar Kakkattil award for ‘Samudrasila’: Writer Subhash Chandran’s novel Samudrashila has been chosen for the Akbar Kakkattil Award instituted by a trust in the memory of the short story writer and novelist from Kozhikode. A three-member jury from among the literary works published in the last five years selected the novel. Writer M. Mukundan at an event on 17 February will present the award consisting of Rs 50,000 and a sculpture to Subhash Chandran. Akbar Kakkattil was an Indian short-story writer and novelist from Kerala state and has received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award twice.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran actor Javed Khan Amrohi passes away: Noted actor, Javed Khan Amrohi passed away at the age of 73 due to lung failure. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2001 for the film 'Lagaan'. He worked in about 150 movies including Andaz Apna Apna (1994), and Chak De! India (2007). He also worked in TV series such as Mirza Ghalib (directed by Gulzar) and Karim (the barber) in Nukkad (directed by Saeed Akhtar Mirza). He was also a member of the acting faculty at the Zee Institute of Media Arts.

 

2. Noted painter Lalitha Lajmi passed away: Noted painter Lalitha Lajmi passed away at the age of 90. She was sister of late actor-filmmaker Guru Dutt She has held several exhibitions in international art galleries in Paris, London and the Netherlands. Lalita made a small appearance in the 2007 film Taare Zameen Par, starring Aamir Khan, in which she played an art teacher.

She was also fond of classical dance.