Latest Current Affairs For Saturday 16th October, 2021

Current Affairs in One Minute

1-AQ Khan, known as the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, passed away. He was 85. 

2-Raymond T Odierno, a retired Army general who commanded American and coalition forces in Iraq at the height of the war, has died. He was 67. 

3-Martin J Sherwin, a leading scholar of atomic weapons who in "A World Destroyed" challenged support for the US bombing of Japan and spent more than two decades researching the pioneering physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning "American Prometheus," has died. 

4-Indian Railways has successfully operated two long haul freight trains “Trishul" and “Garuda" for the first time over South Central Railway(SCR). 

5-Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said the entire Haj 2022 process in India will be 100 per cent digital. 

6-Uttar Pradesh's first tribal museum, known as 'Tharu Janjati Museum, will come up at Imilia Koder village, a Tharu populated area in Balrampur district. 

7-The 16th meeting of the India-US Defence Policy Group (DPG) took place in Washington to review the progress on various defence cooperation issues between the two countries, the defence ministry said. 

8-Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia virtually inaugurated the greenfield Sindhudurg airport in Maharashtra under the RCS-UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme of the Government of India. 

9-Astronautical Society of India conferred Aryabhata Award to Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr G Satheesh Reddy. 

10-Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh conferred gallantry and meritorious service medals on the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel at an investiture ceremony held in New Delhi. A total of 21 awards, including three President’s Tatrakshak Medals (Distinguished Service), eight Tatrakshak Medals (Gallantry) and 10 Tatrakshak Medals (Meritorious Service) were presented during the ceremony. 

11-The Indian Navy (IN) would be participating in the Second Phase of Multilateral Maritime Exercise Malabar along with the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the United States Navy (USN). The exercise is being conducted in the Bay of Bengal from 12 – 15 Oct 2021. 

12-The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi launched Indian Space Association (ISpA) via video conferencing. 

13-Justice Satish Chandra Sharma has been sworn in as the Chief Justice of Telangana high Court. 

14-Bharti Group backed OneWeb has entered an arrangement with the commercial arm of ISRO, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), to launch its satellite in India from 2022. 

15-Actor Manchu Vishnu was elected President of Movie Artists Association (MAA) defeating versatile character artist Prakash Raj in a fierce contest held. 

16-The 30th edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) will be held next year in physical form from January 8-16 at the newly constructed halls at the Pragati Maidan. 

17-The 13th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point. 

18-National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd.(NMDC), Country’s largest iron ore producer, a CPSE under Ministry of Steel has bagged Gold Award in Environmental Sustainability category. 

19-Phil Mickelson won for the third time in four career starts on the PGA Tour Champions, closing with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory in the Constellation Furyk and Friends. 

20-Kylian Mbappe scored a late winner as world champion France came from behind to beat Spain 2-1 in the Nations League final. 

Global Handwashing Day : 15th October

The Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is observed on 15th October every year.

It is an international handwashing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilize people around the world to improve their handwashing habits.

The day was established by the Global Handwashing Partnership (GHP) (formerly called “Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing” (PPPHW)) in 2008.

The theme of GHD 2021 is 'Our Future Is at Hand – Let’s Move Forward Together'.

CRISP-M tool for Mahatma Gandhi NREG Scheme launched

Union Minister, Giriraj Singh has launched the Climate Resilience Information System and Planning (CRISP-M) tool for integration of climate information in Geographic Information System (GIS) based watershed planning.

The CRISP-M tool will help embed climate information in the GIS-based planning and implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.

It will open new possibilities for Rural communities to deal with climate change.

Nagaland to host 56th National Cross Country Championship next year

India will host the South Asian Cross Country Championships in  Kohima, Nagaland on 15th January 2022.

While the 56th National Cross Country Championships which is also being hosted by Nagaland will be clubbed with the South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships.

This will be perhaps the biggest ever international event to be hosted in Nagaland and it will bring athletes, officials and delegates from the entire South Asian convention to the state.

India approves $200 million Line of Credit to support projects in Kyrgyzsta

India has approved to provide $200 million Line of Credit (LoC) support to Kyrgyzstan for development projects.

They have also signed MoU on High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) to enable the implementation of quick community development projects in various sectors for the benefit of common people under full grant funding by the Government of India.

Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia.

Capital of Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek.

Country’s first ‘One Health’ consortium launched by Biotechnology

Dept of Biotechnology has launched the First One Health project of DBT through video conferencing. 

This programme envisages carrying out surveillance of important bacterial, viral, parasitic infections of zoonotic as well as transboundary pathogens in India. 

One health consortium consists of AIIMS Delhi, Jodhpur, IVRI, Bareily, GADVASU, Ludhiana, TANUVAS, Chennai, MAFSU, Nagpur, Assam agricultural, veterinary university and many more ICAR, ICMR centres, wildlife agencies. 

World Students Day being observed 15th October

World Students Day is being observed annually on 15th October to mark the birth anniversary of former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

United Nations has declared 15 October as World Students’ Day in 2010 to honour Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. 

The theme of WSD 2021: 'Learning for people, planet, prosperity, and peace'. 

Mr Kalam has served as the 11th President of India and worked with DRDO and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). 

He was known as the ‘Missile Man of India'.

RBI issues SFB license to consortium of BharatPe and Centrum Financial ltd

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a small finance bank (SFB) license to a consortium of fintech companies BharatPe and Centrum Financial Services Ltd.

A new business entity titled ‘Unity Small Finance Bank’ will see Centrum’s MSME and microfinance businesses merged into itself.

This will lead to the expansion of their digital infrastructure to address the market’s requirement for digital products.

WHO forms scientific advisory group to identify Covid-19 origin

WHO has announced the establishment of a scientific advisory group to identify the origin of COVID-19 and other future outbreaks.

WHO’s Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins on Novel Pathogens or SAGO will include 26 scientists from the US, China and about two dozen other countries to find out the answer to the question of how the novel coronavirus first infected humans.

WHO group will also be responsible for establishing a framework to combat future pandemics.

India's Akasa Air gets aviation ministry nod to commence its operation

SNV Aviation, which will fly under the Akasa Air brand has received a no-objection certificate from the ministry and expects to begin flights across India in 2022.

Akasa Air is backed by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.

It expects to start flying next year after getting initial clearance from the civil aviation ministry to launch the country's latest ultra-low-cost carrier.

Aadhyaa Aravind Shankar wins Global Peace Photo Award

Seven-year-old hailing from Karnataka’s Bangalore, Aadhyaa Aravind Shankar has scripted history by becoming the first-ever Indian to win the Children’s Peace Image of the Year-Global Peace Photo Award.

Global Peace Photo Award is awarded annually by Lammerhuber Editions in partnership with UNESCO and the Austrian Parliament.

The award honours photographers from around the world whose pictures reflect human efforts towards a peaceful world.

Justice P K Mishra sworn-in as Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice

Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court at Vijayawada.

Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan administered the oath of office to Justice Mishra.

He succeeded Justice Arup Kumar Goswami.

He worked as the chairman of the Chhattisgarh Bar Council and Additional Advocate General of Chhattisgarh State and Advocate General.

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.