Daily Current Affairs and GK | 12 and 13 February 2023

Topic: Defence

1. National Security Guard (NSG) and US Special Operations Forces (SOF) are taking part in Exercise TARKASH.

• The 6th Edition of Indo-US Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise ‘TARKASH’ is being conducted from 16 January to 14 February in Chennai.
• For the first time, India-US include chemical, bio, radiology, and nuclear terror response in joint military drills.
• The main objective of the exercise is to learn about the rapid response to neutralise the terrorists, rescue the hostages safely and deactivating of chemical weapons.
• The main aim of the drill is to prevent terrorist chemical and biological assaults.
• Hostage rescue, neutralisation of the chemical agent weapon, and intervention in a big auditorium are part of the exercise.
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons are categorised as weapons of mass destruction.
• According to the UN, CBRN is a major threat to the world peace and security.

Topic: Important Days

2. World Radio Day: 13 February

• World Radio Day is observed every year on 13 February to raise awareness about the importance of radio.
• It is also observed to encourage access to information through radio.
• The 12th edition of World Radio Day was celebrated this year.
• The theme for World Radio Day 2023 is ‘Radio and Peace’.
• On World Radio Day, the Radio Festival is celebrated every year.
• The Radio Festival is founded by a community broadcaster Archana Kapoor.
• This year the festival is being held at the India International Center in New Delhi.
• The two-day celebrations will discuss the themes of 'Radio for Peace and Radio for Climate Action'. 
• The 6th edition of the Radio Festival- The Wave Forward - will deliberate on agenda and the action points of G20.
• The event will be hosted in collaboration with the G20 Secretariat. It will be supported by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Prasar Bharati, UNESCO, and UNICEF.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

3. Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway inaugurated by PM Modi.

• PM Modi inaugurated this 246-km section from Dausa in Rajasthan on 12 February 2023.
• The new section will cut down the travel time from Delhi to Jaipur from 5 hours to nearly three and a half hours.
• This is the first completed section of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. It has been developed at a cost of more than ₹12,150 crore.
• PM Modi also laid foundation stone of 247 km of national highway projects to be developed at a cost of more than ₹5,940 crore.
• PM launched road development projects worth more than ₹18,100 crore from Dausa.
• Delhi-Mumbai Expressway:
  • It will be India’s longest expressway with a length of 1,386 km.
  • It will cut travel distance between Delhi and Mumbai by 12%, from 1,424 km to 1,242 km.
  • It will reduce travel time by 50%, from 24 hours to 12 hours.
  • It will pass through six states. These states are Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Topic: International Appointments

4. Nikos Christodoulides will be the next President of Cyprus.

• Christodoulides is the former Foreign Minister of Cyprus.
• Christodoulides won the election by defeating Andreas Mavroyiannis.
• Christodoulides won the election with nearly 52% of the votes. Mavroyiannis scored 48% votes.
• Mavroyiannis previously served as Cyprus’ ambassador to the United Nations.
• Major issues for the voters were irregular immigration, the cost of living crisis and, the Cyprus dispute involving the Turkish-occupied north of the island.
• Christodoulides will succeed President Nicos Anastasiades.
• Cyprus:
  • It is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
  • It is located north of Egypt, east of Greece, south of Turkey, and west of Lebanon and Syria.
  • Its capital is Nicosia. Its government is a unitary presidential republic.

Topic: Geography

5. Cyclone Gabrielle has hit northern New Zealand.

• The cyclone has brought strong winds and heavy rain to Auckland and nearby regions.
• The cyclone passed by the Australian territory of Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea on 11 February 2023.
• According to the weather forecasters, it is now in the north of New Zealand. Forecasters expect rain and winds to intensify here.
• Auckland and surrounding areas suffered from record rains only two weeks ago.
• So, the cyclone is the second significant weather event to hit Auckland in just a few weeks.
• Cyclone Gabrielle:
  • It is a severe tropical cyclone. It is affecting New Zealand and Norfolk Island.
  • It has been named Gabrielle by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
  • It is a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone. Category 3 severe tropical cyclone has a wind strength of at least 118kph.

Topic: Important Days

6. National Women's Day: 13 February

• National Women's Day is observed every year on 13 February on the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu.
• This day marks the contribution made by Sarojini Naidu for establishing women’s rights.
• Sarojini Naidu was born on 13 February 1879 in Hyderabad.
• She is known for her literary works, particularly patriotic poems. She is called the Nightingale of India (Bharat Kokila).
• She was the President of the Indian National Congress in 1925. She was the first Indian woman to become the president of the Indian National Congress.
• International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on 8 March.

Topic: National News

7. Asia's biggest Aero India Show 2023 inaugurated by PM in Bengaluru.

• On 13 February, 14th edition of Aero India Show has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bengaluru.
• 'The Runway to a Billion Opportunities' is the theme of the five-day event.
• The exhibition will showcase indigenous defense equipment, technology and fighter aircraft.
• Defense Ministers' Conference, CEOs' Round Table Meeting, Manthan Startup Event, Bandhan Ceremony will also be held.
• The India and Karnataka pavilions are the main attractions of the Aero India show, which is considered to be the largest such event in Asia.
• The objective of the program is to promote indigenous production and air events and measures to attract foreign investment.
• 98 foreign countries are participating in this programme.
• MoUs worth Rs 75 thousand crore are likely to be signed during the event.
• In the India Pavilion section, 115 companies will display 227 products made in India. The fully configured LCA Tejas Mark-1 is the main attraction of these products.
• Made in India, Tejas Light Combat aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv Mark III and IV, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, HTT 40 trainer aircraft of HAL will take part in the air show.

Topic: National Appointment

8. Ramesh Bais appointed as the new governor of Maharashtra and twelve other governors and Lt governors, also reshuffled.

• Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Radha Krishnan Mathur have resigned from their posts.
• President Draupadi Murmu has accepted the resignations of both.
• Now Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais will be the new Governor of Maharashtra, while Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brigadier (Dr.) B.D. Mishra has been appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
• The list of newly appointed governors of states and lieutenant governors is given below:

Topic: Art and Culture

9. Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2023 begins in Mumbai.

• Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari inaugurated the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2023.
• It will be held at Azad Maidan from 11th to 19th February 2023.
• It is being organised by the Ministry of Culture in association with the Maharashtra government to promote National Unity and integrity through cultural exchange.
• Around 1000 artists will perform during the Mahotsav. It will transmit our rich culture from one generation to other.
• Around 350 folk and tribal artists from all over India took part in the Mahotsav. 
• The main aim of the Mahotsav is to connect the cultures of different states and citizens through the 3Cs of craft, culture and cuisine.
• All the seven zonal Cultural Centres and academies under the Ministry of Culture are taking part in the Mahotsav.
• A special tourist Babasaheb Ambedkar Circuit train will be inaugurated on 14 April on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: State News/ Rajasthan

10. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot presented the budget for the financial year 2022-23.

• The Budget of Rajasthan has been presented on the theme of 'Bachat, Rahat, Badhat' for the financial year 2023-23.
• The government in the budget proposed free 100 units of electricity to domestic consumers, which was earlier 50 units.
• The government announced an inflation relief package of 19000 crores to provide relief to common people from inflation.
• Free Chief Minister Annapurna food packets will be also given along with ration.
• The state government announced the enactment of the Gig Workers Welfare Act and a welfare board and welfare fund worth rs 200 crore.
• The government announced the Old pension scheme for personnel of various boards and corporations.
• The State Government announced no new taxes under this year’s budget.
• The medical cover under the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance scheme has been increased to Rs 25 lakh per family per year from Rs 10 lakh.
• The budget proposed free electricity for farmers consuming less than 2,000 units per month.
• The state government announced to give electric two-wheelers to girl students.
• It is the first time that a state budget was shown live in all government and private colleges of the state.

Topic: National News

11. PM Modi inaugurated the new campus of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah Arabic Academy at Marol in Mumbai.

• PM Modi officially inaugurated the Arabic Academy with a ceremonial untying of the ribbon.
• Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah is an Arabic academy whose sessions begin in the month of Shawwal.
• Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah Arabic Academy is also known as Jamea. It is an academic institute for the education of young boys and girls from the Dawoodi Bohra community.
• The academy mainly focuses on spiritual and religious studies. It will also provide mainstream education to students.
• The Mumbai campus is the only second such campus in India. The first campus was established in Surat in 1810.
• It is the fourth campus of the Jamea in the world after Surat (1810), Karachi (1983) and Nairobi (2017).
• The main aim of the Jamea is to prepare young boys and girls from the Bohra community for leadership role in the community.
• The students of the age group of 12 to 14 takes admission in the academy after completing their traditional schooling.
• The students are taught various subjects like empirical sciences, economics, sociology, and business studies, apart from Islamic knowledge.
• The Mumbai campus now has a capacity of up to 700 students and there are around 160 faculty in the campus.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

12. Union Minister Anurag Thakur flagged off Formula E-Championship in Hyderabad.

• Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur along with Union Tourism Minister Kishan Reddy flagged off ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Hyderabad.
• India’s first ever Formula E-race Hyderabad E-Prix hosted at the ‘Hyderabad Street Circuit’.
• In the last 10 years, it is the first motorsport event in India.
• Hyderabad now becomes the first Indian city and 30th in world to host a major electric car race.
• Gen 3 EV cars of Maserati, McLaren, Nissan, Mahindra, Jaguar, and Porsche, etc are taking part in the competition.
• Hyderabad’s Formula E track is 2.835km long track at the shores of Hussain Sagar Lake.

Topic: International News

13. PM of Moldova Natalia Gavrilita resigned on 10 February.

• Moldovan Prime Minister quoted the lack of support in the former Soviet Republic as the reason for her resignation.
• Gavrilita’s party won a majority in elections held in August 2021.
• The government had been planning to diversify its energy supply and reduce dependency on Russia.
• Moldova:
  • It is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe.
  • It shares its borders with Romania and Ukraine.
  • Capital of Moldova: Chisinau
  • Currency of Moldova: Moldovan leu
  • It became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991 and adopted its constitution in 1994.
  • It is a parliamentary republic with President as head of state and Prime Minister as head of government.

Topic: Indian Polity

14. President Droupadi Murmu appointed 6 new governors including 4 BJP leaders and a former Supreme Court judge.

• On 12 February, the government appointed six new governors including retired SC judge- S Abdul Nazeer.
• Justice S. Abdul Nazeer was part of the five-judge Bench that gave the November 2019 Ayodhya verdict.
• Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh R K Mathur resigned from their posts.
• The newly appointed governors are as follows: