Current Affairs - 13 Apr 2022

Daily Current Affairs of 13 Apr 2022. Follow Current Affairs on daily Basis in on post. Current Affairs PDF for Competitive Exams

International Turban Day celebrates on April 13

International Turban Day is celebrated every year on April 13 since 2004 to bring awareness of the strict requirement on Sikhs to put the turban as a mandatory part of their religion. The 2022 Turban Day marks the 553rd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and the festival of Baisakhi. The turban, also known as “dastar” or “pagri” or “pag” refers to the garment worn by both men and some women to cover their heads.

History of the day:

Since 2004, on Turban Day, Sikhs worldwide organise various events to give information about the turban to the general community in their locality. Turbans of every hue are represented at these events and posters highlighting information about Sikhi are also displayed and handed out. Turban tying sessions are arranged so that youngsters and others get a chance to wear a turban for the first time and have their photos taken.

Many non-Sikhs take part in these events and sport the traditional headgear of the Sikhs to show solidarity with the community. Many famous personalities are also invited to these events to bring more media attention to the plight of the Sikhs since 9/11.

38th Siachen Day celebrates on 13 April 2022

Indian Army marks Siachen Day on April 13 every year. The day is observed to commemorate the courage of the Indian Army under “Operation Meghdoot”. The Day also honours Siachen Warriors serving their motherland successfully from the enemy. Every year this day is observed to pay solemn tributes to the soldiers who laid down their lives to capture the icy heights of Siachen 38 years ago. The day commemorates the courage and fortitude displayed by Indian Army troops in securing the highest and coldest battlefield in the world.

About the Siachen Glacier:

The Siachen Glacier is the highest battleground on earth, where India and Pakistan have fought intermittently since 1984. Both countries maintain a permanent military presence in the region at a height of over 6,000 metres (20,000 ft). More than 2,000 soldiers people have died in this inhospitable terrain, mostly due to weather extremes and the natural hazards of mountain warfare.

Airports Council International: Top 10 busiest airports in the world for 2021

The Airports Council International (ACI) released the list of the top 10 busiest airports worldwide for 2021. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has topped the list with 75.7 million passengers. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) 62.5 million passengers) is second, followed by Denver International Airport (DEN, 58.8 million passengers) at the third spot.

Among the top 10 airports for passenger traffic, 8 are in the United States with the two remaining in China. The airports are ranked based on the preliminary compilation of 2021 global data from airports around the world including passenger traffic, cargo volumes, and aircraft movements.

Top 10 busiest airports in the world for 2021:

Ranks	Airport	PASSENGERS*
1	Atlanta	75,704,760
2	Dallas Fort Worth	62,465,756
3	Denver	58,828,552
4	Chicago O’Hare	54,020,339
5	Los Angeles	48,007,284
6	Charlotte	43,302,230
7	Orlando International	40,351,068
8	Guangzhou	40,259,401
9	Chengdu	40,117,496
10	Las Vegas	39,754,366

UN-FAO: Mumbai and Hyderabad recognised as ‘2021 Tree City of the World’

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Arbor Day Foundation have jointly recognised Mumbai and Hyderabad as the ‘2021 Tree City of the World. The two Indian cities have won the recognition for their “commitment to growing and maintaining urban trees and greenery in building healthy, resilient and happy cities”.

It must be noted that Hyderabad has been recognised for a second consecutive year. In 2021, Hyderabad was the only city in India to be recognised as a ‘ 2020 Tree City of the World’. Apart from Hyderabad and Mumbai 136 other cities from 21 countries have been recognised in the third edition of the Tree City of the World list.

About the programme:

The United Nations’ ‘Tree City of the World’ programme provides direction, assistance, and worldwide recognition for communities’ dedication to its urban forest, and provides a framework for a healthy, sustainable urban forestry.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Food and Agriculture Organisation Headquarters: Rome, Italy;
Food and Agriculture Organisation Founded: 16 October 1945.

Champion of Change Award 2021 in Madhya Pradesh announced

Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have reached the program of Champions of Change Madhya Pradesh 2021 organized by ‘Interactive Forum on Indian Economy’(IFIE) at Kushabhau Thackeray auditorium in Bhopal. The organization recognizes them for the great work done by individuals and organizations towards promoting the values of courage, community service and inclusive social development.

Celebrities including the Chief Minister will be honoured in the program. Here are the names of the awardees:

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan;
Former Governor of UP and Mizoram Dr Aziz Qureshi;
Music performer Padma Vibhushan Teejan Bai;
Mayor of Indore Malini Laxmansingh Gaur;
Rajya Sabha MP Syed Zafar Islam;
Indian actress Divyanka Tripathi;
Indian film actor and lyricist Piyush Mishra;
BJP leader Vikram Verma, Banwari Lal Chouksey, Dr Bhagirath Prasad, Kalapini Komakali, Sudhir Bhai Goyal, Girish Agarwal, Dilip Suryavanshi, Abhijeet Sukhdane, Aarya Chavda, Rohit Singh Tomar, Megha Parmar, Vikas Bhaduaria, Priyanka Dwivedi.
CEO of FidyPay Manan Dixit, Mayur Sethi, Renu Sharma, Dr Prakash Jain and Rajneet Jain.

About the Award:

Champions of Change is an Indian award, for promoting Gandhian values, (Swachata), community service and social development (in Aspirational district in India), selected by constitutional jury members headed by K.G. Balakrishnan, Former Chief Justice of India and Former Chairman NHRC along with Former Judge of Supreme Court of India. The champions of Change Telangana award is a state version of the Champions of change national award.

IFIE annually organizes the Champions of Change Award at the International, National and state-Level in India and it is usually presented by the President, Vice-President, Governor or a leading figure of India. Mr Nandan Jha is the founder and Chairman of the Champions of Change Award.

Commerce Ministry: Number of patent filings rises to 66,440 in FY22

As per the data by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the number of domestic patent filings at the Indian patent office exceeded that of international filings for the first time in the last 11 years. During the January-March quarter of 2022, a total of 19796 patent applications were filed, which included 10,706 patents filed by Indian applicants and 9,090 by non-Indian applicants.

Key points:

The number of patent filings increased from 42,763 in 2014-15 to 66,440 in 2021-22, more than a 50% increase in a span of 7 years.
India granted 30,074 patents in 2021-22 as compared to 5,978 in 2014-15, an increase of nearly five times.
Reduction in the time of patent examination from 72 months in Dec 2016 to 5-23 months at present for different technological areas.

Ecuador became 1st country to give legal rights to wild animals

Ecuador, a South American Country, became the first country in the world to give legal rights to wild animals. The highest court in the country has ruled in favour of the case that focused on a woolly monkey named “Estrellita” who was taken from her home to a zoo, where she passed just a week later.

The court decided to rule in favour of Estrellita and said that her rights had been violated by the government. However, they added that the animal’s rights were also violated by the owner when she removed her from her natural habitat at a young age. The Court has finally stated that animals are subject to rights protected by the rights of nature.

About the Estrellita:

Estrellita was just a month old when she was taken away from the wild so that she could become a pet for librarian Ana Beatriz Burbano Proaño.
Proaño took care of Estrellita for 18 years, however, was seized by authorities in 2019, as owning wild animals is illegal in the South American country.
After being relocated to a zoo, the monkey sadly died. Following the tragic incident, the owner Ana Beatriz Burbano Proañ filed a habeas corpus asking the court to rule that the monkey’s rights were violated.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Ecuador Capital: Quito;
Ecuador Currency: United States Dollar;
Ecuador President: Guillermo Lasso.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla named India’s G20 chief coordinator

Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will take over next month as G20 chief coordinator, the government officially announced. The appointment is significant as India will assume the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022, from Indonesia, and will convene the G20 Leaders Summit for the first time in India in 2023.

Shringla will retire on 30th April 2022, handing over charge to foreign secretary-designate V M Kwatra, who is currently India’s ambassador to Nepal. The G20 sherpa will remain to be Piyush Goyal, the Indian Commerce Minister.

About the summit:

G20 Bali Summit 2022 is the 17th meeting of the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit which is scheduled to take place in Bali, Indonesia from November 15-16, 2022 under the Presidency of Indonesia with the overall theme of “Recover Together Recover Stronger”.

Amrit Samagam inaugurated by Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah

Shri Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation, launched the Amrit Samagam, a summit of the country’s tourism and cultural ministers, in New Delhi. The Ministry of Culture is hosting a two-day conference, as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Key Points:

The goal of this conference is to discuss how far the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav has progressed so far, as well as to gather best practices and ideas for methods to be used for the remainder of the celebration, particularly for impending critical initiatives.
Union Minister for Tourism, Culture, and DONER Shri G. Kishan Reddy launched the Utsav Portal website during the conference, a digital initiative launched by the Ministry of Tourism to showcase all events, festivals, and live darshans across India in order to promote different regions of the country as popular tourist destinations worldwide.

Bank of Maharashtra to divest 4% Stake in ISARC

Bank of Maharashtra announced that it will sell its entire 4% ownership in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company for almost Rs 4 crore. According to a regulatory statement, the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has entered a share purchase agreement for the sale of the entire equity position of 4% in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (ISARC).

Key Points:

The bank’s 4% stake, which translates to 40,00,000 equity shares, would be sold for Rs 9.80 per share for Rs 3.92 crore in cash.
The sale of ISARC’s interest is subject to RBI approval for a change in ISARC’s sponsor shareholder. By the end of December 2022, the transaction should be closed.
ISARC’s overall revenue for the fiscal year ended March 2021 was Rs 11.09 crore, with a net profit of Rs 0.36 crore.
In FY20, it lost Rs 8.39 crore, and in FY19, it lost Rs 9.21 crore.
ISARC is the country’s first Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC), with a large number of public sector banks and undertakings supporting it. It focuses on MSME NPA resolution.
SIDBI, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, and SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd are among the sponsors of the ARC.
On the BSE, the stock of BoM finished at Rs 18.80 per share, up 0.27 percent from its previous closing of Rs 18.75.

Important Takeaways for exam:

ISARC: India SME Asset Reconstruction Company

NASA released the Data on India’s Space Debris

According to the most recent report of NASA’s Orbital Debris Program Office’s Orbital Debris Quarterly News, there are 25,182 pieces of space debris larger than 10 cm in lower earth orbits near 2,000 kilometres of the planet’s surface. India is responsible for only 114 space debris items, whereas the United States has 5,126 space debris objects in Earth’s orbit and China has 3,854 space debris objects in Earth’s orbit, including spent rocket bodies.

According to the research, India’s space debris levels have returned to those of 2018, following a rise in 2019 when the country conducted its first-ever anti-satellite test.

What exactly is space debris?

Any man-made object in earth orbit that no longer serves a useful purpose is referred to as space debris, or space garbage. Space debris can be large items, such as failed satellites that have been left in orbit, or small objects, such as bits of debris or paint flecks that have fallen off a rocket. This debris can range in size from a leftover rocket stage to a minuscule paint speck. Much of the junk is in low Earth orbit, close to the Earth’s surface.

Almost all of the debris is in low Earth orbit, within 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) of the Earth’s surface, while some debris can be found 35,786 kilometres (22,236 miles) above the Equator in geostationary orbit. Experts believe that all space debris is the product of humans shooting items into space. Debris or satellites left at higher altitudes of 36,000 kilometres, where communications and weather satellites are frequently put in geostationary orbits, can circle Earth for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Other times, space debris is created when two satellites collide or when anti-satellite tests are conducted. Anti-satellite tests are uncommon, although the US, China, and even India have all employed missiles to destroy their own satellites.

India’s anti-satellite test and the debris that resulted

On March 27, 2019, India performed Mission Shakti, an anti-satellite missile test, from the Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Island launch complex, making space debris a major topic of discussion. India conducted the test by destroying a defunct Indian satellite orbiting at 300 kilometres. The incident made headlines since India became only the fourth country in the world to possess such technology, after the United States, China, and Russia.

The dangers of space junk

The most serious issue with space trash is the threat it poses to other orbiting satellites. These satellites could be impacted by space debris, which could damage or destroy them.
Satellite operators may face higher costs as a result of the debris. According to industry estimates, space junk protection and reduction initiatives account for around 5-10% of satellite mission expenses.
Pollution from space debris could render certain orbital areas uninhabitable.

Is it possible for us to clear all the debris in space?

According to NASA, trash in orbits less than 600 kilometres will fall down to Earth in a few years, whereas garbage in orbits greater than 1,000 kilometres will circle the Earth for a century or more.
To find and reclaim used satellites and other space debris, Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency teamed up with Astroscale, a Japanese start-up.
The European Space Agency is collaborating with ClearSpace, a Swiss start-up, to fly a mission in 2025.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was investigating the technology needed for active debris removal in India.
ISRO has established the Directorate Space Situational Awareness and Management, according to Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh.

PM Narendra Modi to be honoured with 1st Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be honoured with the inaugural Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award which is instituted in the memory of the veteran singer of Lata Mangeskar. PM Modi will receive the award for selfless service to the nation and society. The award ceremony will be held on April 24 which marks the 80th death anniversary of Master Deenanath Mangeshkar (singing legend’s father).

Among the other awardees will be singer Rahul Despande, who will receive the Master Deenanath Award besides three other special awardees including veteran actress Asha Parekh, actor Jackie Shroff and the Mumbai Dabbawalas, represented by Nutan Tiffin Suppliers.

ADB to approve $2 million loan to support urban development in Nagaland

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed an agreement to provide a $2 million project readiness financing (PRF) loan to Nagaland for the design of climate-resilient urban infrastructure, strengthening institutional capacity, and improving municipal resource mobilisation.

Key Points:

According to a statement released by ADB, Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance, who signed for the Government of India, and Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, who signed for ADB, were the signatories to the project readiness financing (PRF) for the proposed Nagaland Urban Infrastructure Development Project.
By establishing an urban sector plan, conducting feasibility studies, and comprehensive engineering designs of chosen subprojects, the ADB financing will ensure high project readiness.
The PRF loan will be used to help construct climate resilient water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, and urban highways in Nagaland’s 16 district headquarter towns, as well as better access for the poor and vulnerable.

1st Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery Tournament held in Jamshedpur

The first Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery will be held in Tata Archery Academy, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has approved Rs 75 Lakh to host the Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery Tournament over six phases.

The tournament will be conducted as per the World Archery Rules, held in the senior, Junior, and Cadet Categories across the Recurve and Compound events. The Archery Association of India (AAI), in collaboration with the Jharkhand Archery Association and TATA Steel, is organizing the tournament.

The Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery Tournament, now, will provide more competition and exposure at domestic levels for second, third and fourth lines of Archers, in line with Women Empowerment. This will also help to provide them exposure to matches to develop their mental toughness and competitiveness.

IISc Conducted Study, found Microplastics in Cauvery River

A study led by experts from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, discovered that microplastics and other contaminants may be causing growth abnormalities and skeletal deformities in fish in the Cauvery river.

Key Points:

In the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the Cauvery provides a source of drinking water for humans and animals, as well as agriculture. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety is the publication where the research was published.
The researchers looked at pollution levels in river water samples as well as the microplastic composition.
They next looked at zebrafish embryos that had been incubated in these substances in the lab and discovered that they had growth and skeletal malformations, a lower heart rate, a shorter life span, and DNA damage.
The damage was related to molecules in the fish’s cells known as reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are extremely reactive compounds formed from oxygen molecules.
It was found out that the Cauvery waters are hypoxic.
Many types of garbage, including industrial and agricultural waste, have been dumped in the Cauvery, resulting in indiscriminate pollution throughout the body of water.

About the research:

The researchers took water samples from three different types of stations: one where the water was stagnant, another where it flowed slowly, and a third where the water flowed quickly.
Multiple bacteria that are bioindicators of the presence of contaminants were discovered in these samples, which is the first time this has been demonstrated.
The authors conclude, “The findings from this study may prove useful in providing significant insights for future water treatment and the potential health dangers of using KRS-CR water for drinking, fishing, and irrigation.”
Except for the amount of dissolved oxygen that fish breathe in, which showed clear indicators of hypoxic conditions or reduced oxygen, the scientists discovered that all chemical contaminants were below allowed safety levels.

Role of Microplastics as a pollutant:

Microplastics were also found, which had never been quantified in Cauvery waters before.
Microplastics can now be detected in human blood, foetuses in pregnant women, inside plants, deep on the seabed, in Antarctica, on the summit of Mount Everest, and in the air we breathe on a daily basis.
Microplastics can be found in a variety of places, including our clothing and water bottles.
Microplastics in water can infiltrate fish and other species, passing higher up the food chain and eventually ending up on human plates.
They can lead to all sorts of cell and DNA damage in animals, harming ecosystems across the world.

Toxicity of cells caused by hypoxia:

Hypoxic conditions were discovered in both slow-flowing sections and static samples, according to preliminary investigation.
The researchers cleansed water samples to remove chemical contaminants and associated bacteria before incubating zebrafish in them for the study.
They did the same thing with unfiltered water samples.
They discovered that the fish exhibited biochemical and genetic abnormalities both before and after filtering.
In hypoxic conditions, chemicals known as reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced. Peroxides and free radicals like hydroxyl, which are produced from molecular oxygen, are examples of these.
When ROS molecules come into touch with most things, they turn unstable and react. These chemicals cause toxicity in cells by interfering with organelles, resulting in cell death and abnormalities.
DNA damage, a slowed heart rate, a build-up of fluid in the heart’s wall, cell death, skeletal abnormalities, and a shorter life span were among the symptoms reported.
Both microplastics that break down and chemicals poured into the ocean produce hypoxia, putting marine species under oxidative stress, or a diminished ability to repair damage caused by ROS molecules.
As a result, a variety of DNA and morphological abnormalities develop.

Important Takeaways for exam:

Cauvery River:

The term “reactive oxygen species” (ROS) refers to a group of molecular oxygen derivatives that occur naturally in aerobic living. Increased production of various ROS causes molecular damage, which is referred to as ‘oxidative distress.

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a polymer made up of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to create a double helix and carry genetic code for all known organisms and viruses’ genesis, function, growth, and reproduction.
Nucleic acids comprise DNA and ribonucleic acid.

Ecotoxicology:

The study of the impact of harmful chemicals on biological species, particularly at the population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels, is known as ecotoxicology. Ecotoxicology is a multidisciplinary field in which toxicology and ecology are combined.

ROS:

The term “reactive oxygen species” (ROS) refers to a group of molecular oxygen derivatives that occur naturally in aerobic living.
Increased production of various ROS causes molecular damage, which is referred to as ‘oxidative distress.’

India’s gold imports increased by 33.34% to Rs 46.14 billion in 2021-22

According to the official data, the import of gold in India has been rose by 33.34% to Rs 46.14 billion on account of higher demand in 2021-22. The import of gold in 2020-21 was about Rs 34.62 billion. The increase in gold imports has contributed to the widening of the trade deficit to $192.41 billion, against $102.62 billion in 2020-21.

India is the world’s second-biggest gold consumer after China. The imports are largely driven by the jewellery industry. The export of gems and jewellery grew by about 50% to about $39 billion during 2021-22.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah appointed as Member Board Representative of ICC Cricket Committee

Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, has been appointed to the ICC Cricket Committee as a Member Board Representative, while Mahela Jayawardene has been reappointed as the Past Player Representative. Other important decisions were also made at the ICC Board Meeting in Dubai. The CEC agreed, in keeping with a recent suggestion by the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee, that when travel limitations are eased, more neutral match officials should be used, building on the success of the employment of local umpires.

KEY POINTS:

In Tests, one neutral and one home umpire will be permitted beginning in the 2022-23 season, while home umpires will be permitted in ODIs and T20s.
Based on the recent decision to increase the ICC Women’s Championship to ten teams, the ICC Board approved a recommendation that Associate Member women’s teams be granted ODI status, allowing them to compete in global qualifying events based on ODI rankings.
The ICC Board of Directors agreed that South Africa will host the inaugural ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in January of next year, among other decisions. The competition will feature 16 teams and 41 matches.
The eight-team ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup qualification process was also revealed. At the conclusion of the 22-25 ICC Women’s Championship, the host team, as well as the next five highest-placed teams, will automatically qualify .
The remaining two teams will be determined by a worldwide qualifying tournament that will include the four lowest-ranked countries in the IWC as well as two teams from the ODI rankings.
The ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2024 qualification road has also been established, with 12 teams qualifying automatically.

The top eight teams from the 2022 tournament will be joined by the two host countries, the West Indies and the United States, as well as the next highest-ranked teams on the MRF ICC Men’s Rankings Men’s T20 rankings table as of November 14, 2022.