Weekly Ca {PART-3} (21th - 28th FEBRUARY)
PREFACE
It gives us great pleasure to release the monthly edition of the PRAVAHINI - Monthly e-Compendium & Weekly e-Periodicals of Current Affairs. The magazine’s members have shown considerable cooperation as well as devotion. We at successmantra.in work tirelessly to create this magazine and bring it to you with a great sense of gratitude.
The PRAVAHINI February-2022 eBook covers the current events that happened in the month of February. Current Affairs is a crucial component of any competitive exams including CLAT, AILET, DU-LLB, HM, CAT, IAS, PCS, SSC, Banking, MBA and various other competitive examinations.
Current Affairs play the bigger role in many competitive and government exams. It holds the power of making or breaking your chance of success. Therefore, the candidates should cover the Current Affairs thoroughly and smartly.
The PRAVAHINI February-2022 eBook is divided into different sections keeping in mind the need of various exams. The sections covered namely International, National, Economy, Ecology and Environment, Science & Technology, Legal Affairs, Sports, States News Makers and few others.
We would also be pleased to receive any suggestion that could assist us with the upcoming editions.
Success Mantra (GTB Nagar, Delhi)
Website: www.successmantra.in
Mail Id: [email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. National Affairs
2. International Affairs
3. Economic Affairs
4. Appointments
5. Awards And Honors
6. Sports
7. Important Dates & Sports
8. Reports And Indexes
9. Science & Technology
10. Miscellaneous
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
PM MODI INAUGURATED 'KISAN DRONE YATRA'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the ‘Kisan Drone Yatra’, an initiative by Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd and flagged off 100 ‘Kisan Drones’ in various cities and towns across India to spray pesticides in farms across the states of India.
The 100 Kisan Drones were set off in 100 villages in 16 states across India which includes Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa.
The farmers can use the high capacity Kisan drones to transport their produce such as fruits, vegetables and flowers to markets in a minimal time and boost their income.
The Kisan Drones will also be promoted for crop assessment, digitization of land records and spraying of insecticides and nutrients.
Garuda Aerospace has set a target of manufacturing two lakh drones in the next two years and this will provide ample employment to youth.
STATEHOOD DAY OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH & MIZORAM
On February 20, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on the occasion of statehood day in both the states.
Year 2022 marks the 36th State Foundation Day of Arunachal Pradesh. North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) was given a new name and a new identity as Arunachal Pradesh, 50 years ago.
Arunachal Pradesh became a full-fledged state on February 20, 1987. Mizoram was the 23rd state of India. It was made a state on February 20, 1987, with 53rd Amendment Act of Indian Constitution, 1986.
Statehood Day of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is called the “Land of Dawn-Lit Mountains”. It is a state in Northeast India, which is from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region.
It became a state on February 20, 1987. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It has international borders with Bhutan, Myanmar and China. Itanagar is the state capital. It is the largest among Seven Sister States of Northeast India by area.
About Mizoram: It is one among the seven sister states of north-eastern India. Aizawl is its seat of government as well as the capital city. Name of this state is derived from Mizo and Ram’ which means land in the Mizo language. .
Thus, Mizoram means “land of the Mizos”. It is the southernmost landlocked state among the northeast region of India.
The state shares borders with three states namely Tripura, Manipur and Assam. It also shares a 722-kilometre border with Bangladesh and Myanmar. It was established on February 20, 1987.
RASHTRIYA UCHCHATAR SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (RUSA)
The Ministry of Education has approved the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme until 31 March 2026.
The Ministry of Education has approved the continuation of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme till 31 March 2026 with an expenditure of 12,929.16 crores.
The new phase of the scheme would support around 1,600 projects. Out of Rs 12,929.16 crores of expenditure, the center will share Rs 8,120.97 crores, and therefore the state will share Rs 4,808.19 crores.
The new phase of the scheme has been designed to implement a number of the recommendations of the New Education Policy (NEP).
Under the new phase of the scheme, State Governments will support Gender inclusion, Equity Initiatives, Enhance employability through vocationalisation and skill upgradation.
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan:
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan was launched in 2013. It's a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to supply government universities and colleges funding. Its main objective is to enhance the standard of state institutions and ensure reform in affiliation, academic, and examination systems.
COUNTRY'S 1ST DUGONG RESERVE IN TAMIL NADU
The Tamil Nadu government has begun work to set up the first Dugong Conservation Reserve of India in the Palk Bay region. Dugongs are endangered species and are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act’s, 1972 Schedule 1.
Tamil Nadu’s Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Department accepted the concept note of Shekhar Kumar Niraj, the Chief Wildlife Warden, and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, for the Dugong Conservation Reserve’s creation.
He was directed to send a draft notification to obtain the Union environment ministry’s approval.
The size of the reserve will be spread over around 500 sq km and will be located in Palk Bay’s northern part from Adiramapattinam to Amapattinam.
About Dugong
The dugong is a sirenian species found along the Indian coast. Dugongs are related to manatees and have a similar plump appearance to them, but they have a tail that looks like a dolphin’s fluke.
Unlike manatees, which live in freshwater, dugongs are purely marine mammals. Dugongs are also known as Sea Cows. They graze, on seagrass, in shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
GOI LAUNCHED 'OPERATION GANGA'
On February 27, 2022, the ministry of external affairs set up 24×7 control centres in order to assist the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine. India also launched a multi-prong evacuation plan titled ‘Operation Ganga’.
Indian nationals will be evacuated through border crossing points with Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Slovak Republic. The Ministry has activated a dedicated Twitter handle, ‘OpGanga’.
India started the evacuation of stranded citizens on February 26, under Operation Ganga, as Russia intensified its offensive against Ukraine. Evacuation operation started after Ukrainian airspace was shut for civil aircraft operations from February 24.
So far, the Indian government has managed to fly three special flights of Air India to bring back stranded citizens.
The India Government is bearing the cost of evacuation, amid the prevailing emergency situation. Under Operation Ganga, around 15,000 stranded Indians will be evacuated from Ukraine.
CHAMBA AS 100TH HAR GHAR JAL DISTRICT
Jal Jeevan Mission has achieved numerous milestones of providing water to each home of 100 districts across the country.
Jal Jeevan Mission has achieved many milestones in providing water to each home of 100 districts across the country.
Chamba, in Himachal Pradesh, has become the 100th 'Har Ghar Jal' district, the fifth aspirational district to be covered under the initiative.
The other four Har Ghar Jal Aspirational districts are Bhadradri Kothgudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpalli, Komram Bheem Asifabad (all in Telangana), and Mewat in Haryana.
To translate Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of providing clean water to each range in the country by 2024, during a short span of two and half years and despite COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, Jal Jeevan Mission, has provided water supply to quite 5.78 Crore rural households.
As a result, today, 100 districts enjoy unpolluted water supply advantages. Jal Jeevan Mission is on target to fulfill the Government's resolve to supply water to each rural household by 2024.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
RUSSIA-UKRAINE INVASION: IMPACT ON INDIA
On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine, which was termed as “full-scale invasion” by the Ukrainian foreign minister.
US President Joe Biden called this move by Russia “an unprovoked and unjustified attack”. The US & its allies have been responding to the Russian invasion by imposing sanctions on Russia.
Impact on Global Markets
Global markets also reacted in kind to ‘demilitarisation and denazification’ of Ukraine. Major indices are trading in a deep sea of red.
Gold hit the highest since early 2021.
Impact on Energy. As a result of invasion, Crude oil prices have increased to 7-year high.
Brent oil prices increased above USD 100 a barrel for the first time since 2014. Russia is a key supplier of energy, worldwide. Europe relies on Russia for about a quarter of its oil supplies as well as a third of its gas.
According to JPMorgan Chase & Co, oil prices are likely to average USD 110 a barrel in the second quarter because of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
China is the largest single customer for Russia’s oil exports. While Asia and Oceania account for 42% of Russia's total crude oil. In 2020, China was the largest importing country of Russia’s crude oil and condensate, at 31%.
It is likely that oil would come to market, but due to geopolitical risks will keep the prices at high levels.
Impact on India
According to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Russia-Ukraine tension and increase in crude oil prices pose risk to financial stability in India.
India accounts for less than 1% share of Russia’s crude oil exports. This is because most Indian refineries cannot process heavy crudes that Russia exports. Higher crude oil prices will result in higher CPI inflation for longer.
Furthermore, as the European Union is the biggest market for India’s exports, there will be supply disruptions there and a greater demand for steel, engineering goods, etc. for which India is an alternate supplier.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES INDIA PROGRAMME
World Economic Forum (WEF) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a jointly designed ‘Sustainable Cities India program’.
The program aims to create an enabling environment for cities to generate decarbonization solutions across the energy, transport, and built environment sectors.
This initiative is particularly noteworthy as it comes after the Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated India’s commitment to turn net-zero by 2070 as a climate mitigation response at COP26.
Key points: The ‘Sustainable Cities India program’ intends to enable cities to decarbonize in a systematic and sustainable way that will reduce emissions and deliver resilient and equitable urban ecosystems.
The Forum and NIUA will adapt the Forum’s City Sprint process and Toolbox of Solutions for decarbonization in the context of five to seven Indian cities across two years.
The City Sprint process is a series of multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder workshops involving business, government, and civil society leaders to enable decarbonization, especially through clean electrification and circularity.
The outcome of the workshop series will be a shortlist of relevant policies and business models, which not only reduce emissions but also maximize System Value, such as improved air quality or job creation.
JAPAN LAUNCHED FIRST HYDROGEN-POWERED TRAIN
Japan has launched its first hydrogen-powered train. This unveiling is seen as a step towards the country’s objective of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The hydrogen-fuelled train will be tested in the country in March.
“Hybari” the two-car train costs over USD 35 million or 4 billion yen and can go up to 140 kilometers or 87 miles at a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour on a single hydrogen refuelling.
The train has been developed by East Japan Railway in association with Hitachi and Toyota Motor Corporation.
The nation has plans to replace its diesel fleet with this hydrogen variant of trains and will also look to export them. In 2030, commercial services are expected to start.
Which country has rolled out the first hydrogen-fuelled train?
In hydrogen-fuelled trains, Europe has been a pioneer. Germany launched the world’s first train in 2018 which was built by Alstom SA.
Special fuelling stations and new regional trains are being developed by Deutsche Bahn AG and Siemens AG, and they will be tested in 2024.
INDIA & OMAN CONDUCTED EXERCISE EASTERN BRIDGE-VI
The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) have organised a bilateral air exercise named Eastern Bridge-VI from February 21 to 25, 2022 at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
Eastern Bridge-VI is the sixth edition of the exercise. The exercise will provide an opportunity to enhance operational capability and interoperability between the two Air Forces.
Participation of IAF and RAFO in this exercise will promote professional interaction, exchange of experiences and enhancement of operational knowledge, besides strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
Various senior dignitaries are planning to visit Air Force Station Jodhpur during this exercise
US ANNOUNCED NEW SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA
President Joe Biden of the United States has announced new sanctions against Russia, saying that Moscow’s recognition of two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent as the start of a Russian invasion of its neighbour.
The US has criticized Russia’s decision to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk independence and the authorizing of the deployment of Russian troops under the guise of maintaining peace in the region.
The sanction made by the US has targeted the sovereign debt of Russia and two financial institutions of the country which include the military bank of Russia.
These sanctions being placed means that Russia will no longer be able to raise money from the Western as well as the European markets.
Why were the sanctions placed?
The Russian government recognized Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) as independent regions and signed an agreement with them to establish a military presence in the eastern part of Ukraine.
Doing so has made the US term this agreement as to the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine and has thus placed sanctions on Russia.
What is a pariah state?
A pariah state, also known as a global or international pariah, is a country that is considered to be an outcast globally.
Sanctions, international isolation, or even invasion may be placed on a pariah state by the other countries who find its existence, actions, and policies to be unacceptable.
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DIVIDED UKRAINE IN 3 PARTS
Russian President, Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk.
Putin’s announcement paved the way for Russia to openly send troops and weapons to the long-running conflict pitting Ukrainian forces against Moscow-backed rebels.
Russian-backed rebels have been fighting Ukrainian troops in Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014, with regular violence despite a ceasefire agreement.
Putin signed decrees recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions’ independence, eight years after fighting erupted between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces, and called on lawmakers to approve measures paving the way for military support.
INDIA & FRANCE ROADMAP ON BLUE ECONOMY
India and France recently agreed on a Roadmap on Blue Economy and Ocean Governance.
Both the countries agreed on this roadmap with the aim of contributing scientific knowledge and ocean conservation. They seek to ensure that the ocean remains a global common, on the basis of rule of law.
This agreement was signed during a three-day visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to France.
Scope of the roadmap will encompass maritime trade, naval industry, marine technology, fisheries, scientific research, marine eco-tourism, inland waterways, integrated coastal management, and cooperation between competent administrations on civil maritime issues.
Both the countries have planned to organise an annual bilateral dialogue on blue economy and ocean governance for exchanging views on their priorities, support ongoing & future cooperation and share their best practices.
India-France on Blue Economy
India and France seek to make the blue economy a driver of progress in their respective societies, apart from respecting the environment and coastal & marine biodiversity. They noted that fisheries are a vital economic sector, playing a decisive role in food security and livelihood security, specifically for coastal populations.
According to them, demographic, economic & societal factors have resulted into increased global demand for marine products and increasing stress on global fish stocks. Both the countries will make the blue economy a priority in the development of their economic exchanges.
INDO-JAPAN JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE
Dharma Guardian is the name of an Indo-Japan Joint Military Exercise that began in 2018. This exercise takes place between both countries’ armies.
This exercise with Japan is significant and crucial in the matters of security challenges that are faced by both nations in the backdrop of the current global situation.
This exercise covers platoon-level joint operations training in semi-urban and urban environments and forests.
About Exercise Dharma Guardian 2022
The latest edition of this exercise will begin from 27 February to 10 March 2022 and will be conducted at Foreign Training Node, Belagavi, Karnataka.
Indian Army’s 15th Battalion the MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY Regiment and Japan’s 30th Infantry Regiment of Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces are participating in this year’s exercise.
This exercise is being conducted between the two troops to share various experiences gained during operations so as to enhance inter-operability in the execution and planning of various operations in jungle, urban and semi-urban terrain.
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
FIRST COUNTRY TO ADOPT INDIA'S UPI SYSTEM
The first country to adopt India’s UPI system will be Nepal which will be critical in modernising the neighbouring country’s digital economy.
To deliver the services in Nepal, NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), NPCI’s international arm, has partnered with Manam Infotech and Gateway Payments Service (GPS).
In Nepal, GPS is the authorized payment system operator, and Manam Infotech will implement the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) there.
Purpose of the collaboration: According to NPCI, the collaboration will benefit Nepal’s greater digital public good by strengthening interoperable real-time person-to-merchant (P2M) and person-to-person (P2P) transactions in the neighbouring country.
This collaboration will allow the citizens of Nepal’s last-mile consumers to benefit from an interoperable, open payment system that enables real-time financial transfers between merchant payments and bank accounts.
It will open the way for real-time cross-border P2P transfers between Nepal and India in the future.
UPI’s real-time payment system can help accelerate Nepal’s financial inclusion process while also expanding business opportunities.
It will aid in the modernization of Nepal’s digital payment infrastructure and provide citizens with the convenience of digital payments.
About NPCI: The Reserve Bank of India’s specialized section, the National Payments Corporation of India which was founded in the year 2008 is managed by the Ministry of Finance of the Government of India.
It was established by the Reserve Bank of India to manage India’s retail payment and settlement systems.
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL): NPCI has established a separate business to market its product internationally.
Countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have approached NPCI to strengthen their payment infrastructure.
NIPL wants closer cooperation with international partners in areas such as cross-border remittance, UPI implementation, and the use of indigenously produced technologies in digital payments.
APPOINTMENTS
27TH CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF: MM NARAVANE
In April, 2022, General Manoj Mukund Naravane will be retiring from the post of 27th chief of the Indian Army. General M M Naravane will be leaving behind a strong legacy that would be clear only with time.
He worked as an Army Chief without any showoff or publicity, even though he was directly responsible for many important strategic decisions and tactics that will be changing the shape of the Army’s outlook in the coming years.
Career of General MM Naravane:
General MM Naravane (PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC) has done his schooling from Pune’s Jnana Prabodhini Prashala. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
Gen. Naravane was commissioned in the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment in June 1980. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and Higher Command Course.
Journey of General MM Naravane:
In a excellent and glorious military career spanning over four decades, General Naravane has the distinction of tenanting key command and staff appointments in Peace and Field, both in the North – East as well as in Jammu and Kashmir and has been an important part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force that was sent to Sri Lanka.
He has with him a large amount of experience in doing his duty in the most difficult and challenging areas.
He has also commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, and also has raised an Infantry Brigade. General Naravane was Inspector General at the North Assam Rifles and commanded a prestigious group of Strike Corps.
After his successful command at both, the Army Training Command as well as at the Shimla and the Eastern Command which is in Kolkata, he was appointed as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff before getting appointed as the Army chief on 31 Dec 2019.
FIRST WOMAN CHAIRPERSON OF SEBI
Former ICICI Banker, Madhabi Puri Buch has been appointed as the new Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) chairman, replacing Ajay Tyagi.
She is the first woman chief of SEBI and also the first non-IAS to head the regulatory body.
She has over three decades of experience in the financial markets and was SEBI whole-time member (WTM) between April 5, 2017, and October 4, 2021.
During her tenure at SEBI, she handled portfolios such as surveillance, collective investment schemes and investment management.
About the Madhabi Puri Buch: Buch is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad and has a graduate degree in mathematics from St Stephen’s College, New Delhi. She has nearly three decades of financial market experience.
She started her career in 1989 with ICICI Bank where she worked in corporate finance, branding, treasury and loans, before moving to ICICI Securities. She was also a consultant to the New Development Bank, set up by the BRICS bloc of nations.
AWARDS & HONOURS
INDIA'S MOST TRUSTED PUBLIC SECTOR COMPANY
Maharatna company of the Government of India, Coal India Limited has been awarded the ‘India’s Most Trusted Public Sector Company’ award.
Coal India received this honour at the “Energy Meet and Excellence Award” function organized by Industry Chamber “ASSOCHAM” in Kolkata.
The company got this honour at a time when Coal India has not allowed the situation of power crisis in the country to significantly increase coal production and supply in the last few months to meet the increased demand for coal for the power sector.
In the midst of all these difficulties, Coal India has continuously increased its coal production and supply and did not allow the shortage of coal required to generate electricity in the country.
It is worth noting that the name of Coal India Chairman Mr Pramod Agarwal was included in the list of “Top 40 CEOs of India” released in January 2022 by the well-known organization Start-up Lens.
Last month, Vinay Ranjan, Director (Personnel & Industrial Relations), Coal India was named in Forbes India’s list of “India’s 100 Great People Managers, 2021”.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES
INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY
The International Mother Language Day 2022 is being observed on February 21. The day is observed every year to promote awareness on linguistic and cultural diversity.
The day raises awareness with the aim of promoting multilingualism, that is, the ability to speak multiple languages or use multiple languages.
It is part of a broader initiative of promoting preservation and protection of all languages that are used by peoples across the world, as adopted by the UN General Assembly.
History of the day: The international mother language day was an initiative of Bangladesh. It was later approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference. Since then, it has been celebrated annually.
First ever International Mother Language Day was observed in 2000. This day was first announced by UNESCO on November 17, 1999. In 2002, it was formally recognised by the United Nations General Assembly.
Theme for the day: The theme of International Mother Language Day 2022 is “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”.
The theme raises the potential role of technology in advancing multilingual education and supports development of quality learning and teaching for all.
NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY OBSERVED ON 28TH FEBRUARY
On 28 February, every year National Science Day is celebrated to recognize the contributions of scientists towards the nation’s development.
On 28 February 1928, an important discovery in the field of spectroscopy was made by renowned Indian Physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. Later, this discovery was named after him i.e. the Raman Effect.
In 1930, CV Raman received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work. The theme of National Science Day 2022
‘Integrated Approach in Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future’ is the theme for this year’s National Science Day.
History of this day: In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication asked the Indian government to declare February 28 as the National Science Day.
The day was named National Science Day after the government accepted the proposal. On February 28, 1987, the first National Science Day was observed in India.
About CV Raman: CV Raman was an Indian physicist and is known for his work in light scattering under the fields of physics.
He and his student K. S. Krishnan, using a spectrograph developed by Raman, discovered that when light passes through a transparent medium, the frequency, and wavelength of the deflected light change.
They named this phenomenon “modified scattering” and was later termed the Raman scattering or Raman effect.
In 1930, CV Raman received the Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery and was Asia’s first person to receive a Nobel Prize in science.
POLIO NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION DAY 2022
In 2022, the Government of India has organised the Polio National Immunization Day 2022 (NID) (also known as ‘’Polio Ravivar”) on February 27, 2022, to give two drops of oral polio vaccine (OPV) to every child in the country under the age of five.
Over 15 crore children will be covered under the drive across all 36 States and UTs in 735 districts.
The National Polio Immunization Drive for 2022 was launched by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandavia on February 26, 2022.
Polio history in India: In India, one nationwide NID and two Sub-National Immunization Day (SNIDs) for polio is held every year to maintain population immunity against wild poliovirus and to sustain its polio-free status.
India was removed from the list of polio-endemic countries in 2012 and in 2013 the entire Southeast Asia Region was declared Polio free. The last case of wild poliovirus reported in India was on 13th January 2011.
WORLD NGO DAY OBSERVED ON 27TH FEBRUARY
Every year on February 27, people all over the world celebrate World NGO Day to honour the work and contributions of various NGOs. NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organization, and it is a type of organization that works to improve society.
This day recognizes, honours, and celebrates non-profit and non-governmental organizations, as well as people who volunteer their time and effort to make society a better place to live.
History of this day
In 2010, 12 countries from the Baltic Sea NGO Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania, recognized and proposed World NGO Day. Denmark, Belarus, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Poland, Sweden, and Norway were among the Baltic Sea NGO Forum’s members.
On February 27, 2014, Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sponsored the first global inaugural event of World NGO Day in Helsinki, Finland.
The heads of UNESCO, UNOPS, the European Union, UNDP, the Nordic Council, and other international organizations were among the international guests.
SPORTS
WINTER OLYMPICS GAMES CONCLUDED IN BEIJING
The closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games was held on February 20, 2022, at National Stadium (known as the Bird’s Nest) in Beijing.
The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, was held from 4 to 20 February 2022. The Games featured a record 109 events across 15 disciplines in 7 sports.
The venues of the Games were distributed across three zones- Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. The Presidency of the Games was formally handed over to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, in Italy, to host the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The top country in Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing:
Norway has topped the medal table for the second successive Winter Olympics, winning a total of 37 medals, including 16 golds. This is a new record for the most gold medals won at a single Winter Olympics.
Germany finished second with 27 medals overall, while the host nation China finished third with 15 medals.
India at the 2022 Winter Olympics:
The Indian team at the game was represented by one male alpine skier, Arif Khan.
He was the country’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony, meanwhile, a volunteer was the flag bearer during the closing ceremony. India could not win any medal at the games.
MUMBAI HOSTING PRESTIGIOUS IOC SESSION OF 2023
The city of Mumbai will be hosting the 2023 International Olympic Committee session.
This event will see the election for the 2030 Winter Olympics host country and the sports programme for the Olympic Games scheduled in Los Angeles for the year 2028. This IOC session will be held either in the months of May or June the next year.
The announcement confirms that India will host the prestigious IOC meeting for the first time since the year 1983. This will help in bringing in engagement between the Olympic Movement and the youths of the nation.
As India gets to host this session, India will be front-runners to host the 2030 Youth Olympics and can push for the 2036 Summer Olympics.
What is an IOC session?
The annual gathering of the members of the IOC, which consists of 101 voting members and 45 honorary members, is known as an IOC session.
Decisions and discussions on key aspects of the worldwide Olympic movement, such as the approval of any change of the Olympic Charter, the election of IOC members, and the selection of the Olympic host city are done in the IOC sessions.
REPORTS AND INDEXES
INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INDEX 2022
India has improved its overall IP score from 38.4 percent to 38.6 per cent, and the country is ranked 43 out of 55 countries on the International Intellectual Property Index 2022.
This index was released by the Global Innovation Policy Center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In July 2021, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce released a Review of the Intellectual Property Rights Regime in India.
This review is a welcome development and offers a comprehensive and detailed study of the strengths and weaknesses of India’s national IP environment.
The top five countries in the ranking are:
• Rank 1- United States
• Rank 2- United Kingdom
• Rank 3- Germany
• Rank 4- Sweden
• Rank 5U- France
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NORTH KOREA TEST-FIRED BALLISTIC MISSILE
On February 27, 2022, North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile. It was the first test since a nuclear-armed country conducted a record number of launches in January 2022.
During the firing, the missile flew to an altitude of about 390 miles and a range of 190 miles.
According to Japan, this launch was part of “frequent launches” since the beginning of 2022. It is of the view that North Korea was threatening the security of Japan and the international community.
Nuclear Weapons Program of North Korea
North Korea has a military nuclear weapons program. As of early 2020, it is estimated to have an arsenal of around 30 to 40 nuclear weapons as well as sufficient production of fissile material for six to seven nuclear weapons per year.
The country has also stockpiled a significant quantity of biological and chemical weapons.
It withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of nuclear weapons in 2003. Since 2006, it has been conducting a series of six nuclear tests and prompting the imposition of sanctions.
On October 10, 2020, North Korea unveiled a massive intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), during a military parade for the 75th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea. It is believed to be one of the world’s largest road-mobile ballistic missiles.
Non-Proliferation Treaty: It is an international treaty, formulated with the objective of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons & weapons technology, promoting cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and furthering the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament.
This treaty was negotiated by the Eighteen Nation Committee on Disarmament, between 1965 and 1968.
COCHIN AIRPORT TO BECOME POWER POSITIVE
The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is set to commission a 12 MWp solar power plant on March 6 near Payyannur in Kannur district of Kerala.
With the commissioning of the new solar power plant, CIAL will get the status as a power positive airport, from its current status of being a power-neutral airport.
In 2015, CIAL became the world’s first airport to be fully powered by solar energy.
About the power plant: The power plant boasts of 12 megawatt capacity on a 35-acre land where CIAL introduced a concept of terrain-based installation where the geographical characteristics of the area are retained and no changes are made in the gradient of the land.
CHINA'S RECORD LAUNCH OF 22 SATELLITES
On February 27, 2022, China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space.
With the launch, China set a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket.
The rocket blasted off at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in southern Hainan Province. It sent the satellites into pre-set orbits. It marked the 409th flight of Long March carrier rockets.
These satellites will be used for commercial remote sensing services, forest fire prevention, marine environment monitoring, and disaster mitigation.
Long March 8
Long March-8 rocket is an orbital launch vehicle. It has been developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. It can launch up to 5000 kg into Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) with an altitude of 700 km.
It is based on the Long March 7 with its first stage and two boosters.
It also uses the existing liquid hydrogen burning third stage of Long March 3A/3B/3C and 7A as its second stage. First flight of the Long March 8 was launched on December 22, 2020 from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.
Long March 7: Long March 7 is a Chinese liquid-fuelled launch vehicle belonging to the Long March family. It has been developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAST).
Its inaugural flight was made on June 25, 2016. It was designed as a replacement for the Long March 2F.
MISCELLANEOUS
HIMACHAL PRADESH GETS ITS 1ST BIODIVERSITY PARK
Himachal Pradesh gets the first biodiversity park to make its contribution towards the conservation of endangered Himalayan herbs. This park is set to come up at Mandi’s Bhulah valley.
ith the cost of Rs 1 crore, the biodiversity park is set up under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) by HP’s forest department.
The aim of the park is to link tourism activities along with extending new opportunities for researchers to conduct in-depth exploration of various medicinal herbs found in the Himalayas that are on the verge of extinction.
Why Biodiversity parks are Important?:
Biological diversity is a precious resource intended for the continued existence of mankind, and hence, conserving biodiversity is concerned with restoring the equilibrium between humans & the atmosphere.
CORBEVAX VACCINE APPROVED FOR 12-18 YEARS
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the Corona Vaccine Biologicals E Ltd Corbeaux for children in the age group of 12 to 18 years.
Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Biological E Ltd said its coronavirus vaccine Corbevax, is also India’s third homegrown vaccine. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is being given to children aged 15 to 18 years from January 3.
About the Corbevax:
Corbevax is called a protein subunit and currently, we have an example of the hepatitis B vaccine which is also similarly a protein subunit vaccine.
Corbevax and the other vaccine in India, we have Covovax from Serum Institute.
CANADA APPROVED PLANT-BASED COVID-19 VACCINE
Canada became the first country in the world that has authorized the use of a plant-based COVID-19 vaccine.
The two-dose vaccine of Medicago Inc. (a biopharma company owned by Mitsubishi Chemical and Philip Morris), can be given to adults who are aged between 18 to 64, but little data is available on the shots received by people aged 65 and above.
The decision to authorize the vaccine was based on a study conducted on 24,000 adults that showed the efficacy rate of the vaccine is 71% at preventing COVID-19 – although the tests were conducted before the omicron variant emerged.
Covifenz is the name given to this vaccine. Canada agreed to buy 20 million doses of this plant-based vaccine, with an option to purchase 56 million additional doses.
MULTILATERAL AIR EXERCISE 'COBRA WARRIOR-22'
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided not to send its aircraft in the multilateral air exercise ‘Cobra Warrior-22’ in the United Kingdom, due to the deepening crisis in Ukraine, arising out of the Russian military attack in that country.
The exercise is scheduled to take place from March 6 to 27, 2022, at Waddington in the United Kingdom. The announcement by the IAF comes just three days after it confirmed its participation in the drills.
Why does this happen?
The announcement by the IAF came hours after India abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution on the Russian military aggression against Ukraine.
India retained the option of reaching out to all relevant sides to find a middle ground and foster dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the crisis.
RUSSIA DESTROYED LARGEST PLANE IN WORLD
On the fourth day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia destroyed the largest plane in the world called “Ukraine’s Antonov-225 cargo plane”. The plane was destroyed outside Kyiv.
According to weapons manufacturer Ukroboronprom, restoring “AN-225 Mriya” would cost over USD 3 billion and could take over five years.
The aircraft was unique to the world. It was 84 meters long and could transport up to 250 tonnes of cargo at a speed of 850 kilometres per hour.
Missile has been named Mriya, which means “dream” in Ukrainian.
Maria was initially built as part of the Soviet aeronautical program. It made its first flight in 1988. Mriya has been operated by Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines for cargo flights. It was in high demand during Covid-19 pandemic.
INDIA'S FIRST ELECTRONIC WASTE ECO-PARK
The Delhi Cabinet has approved setting up India’s first of its kind electronic-waste eco-park. It has also agreed to devise ‘Delhi Film Policy 2022’, as a thrust to promote tourism.
The electronic waste eco-friendly park is to be built on 20 acres of land in Delhi. Nearly, 2 lakh tonnes of e-waste are thrown by Delhi every year.
This eco-park will recycle, refurbish and dismantle e-waste in a scientific and safe way.
About the eco-park: This eco-park will act as an Integrated Facility, by engaging in dismantling, segregating, refurbishing, material-wise storage, testing and plastic recycling.
It will also have precious metal extraction facilities, especially from Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) through high-end technologies.
The Delhi Film Policy 2022 is to promote tourism in Delhi, making the National Capital- a Brand. It will also make it a hub for modern film-making, meeting European Standards.
The government is to create an ‘e-Film Clearance Portal’ and provide aid of Rs 3 crores for film production. It has also decided to incentivize hiring locals in the cinema industry.
