Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 February 2024

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

1. One in five of the world's migratory species is at risk of extinction.

• According to a United Nations report, more than a fifth of the world's migrating species are at risk of extinct.
• Climate change and human encroachment are the main threats to the world's migratory species.
• The report recommended what governments need to do to tackle the threats to migratory species.
• Human activities, including hunting, fishing, and other forms of overexploitation, impacted 70% of the species on the U.N. list.
• Habitat loss affected up to 75% of the species. Of the 1,189 species covered by a 1979 U.N. convention to protect migratory animals, 44% of them number has declined.
• The numbers are based on assessments and data provided by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as well as the Living Planet Index.
• The report urged the government to avoid disrupting habitats and migration paths while creating dams, pipelines or wind turbines.

Topic: Miscellaneous

2. Etihad became the official sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings.

• Gulf carrier Etihad Airways became the official sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings. The partnership will cover CSK's events and platforms.
• Etihad roped in Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif as its brand ambassador.
• The partnership with CSK was announced at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai in the presence of team officials and CSK players.
• Gulf carrier Etihad Airways has also recently increased the frequency of its Mumbai and Delhi flights to four from two.
• Shyam Steel appointed Ravi Kishan as the brand ambassador.
• Neeraj Chopra joined Team Visa as its new brand ambassador in India.

Topic: International News

3. Former Prime Minister of Finland Alexander Stubb became the new President of Finland.

• On 11 February, after a seven-year hiatus, Former Prime Minister, triathlete, and Europhile Alexander Stubb made a triumphant return to politics, winning the Finnish presidency in the election.
• In the counting, 98% of the votes were counted. Stubb received 51.7% of the vote while his Green Party rival, former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, received 48.4%.
• This is the first election after Finland joined the NATO military alliance.
• In April 2023, Finland officially became the 31st member of the Washington-led alliance.
• On 1 March, Mr Stubb will officially assume office, replacing Sauli Niinisto.
• The head of Finland is in charge of foreign and security affairs and is the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.

Topic: Sports

4. Drass Warriors won the 15th CEC Ice Hockey Cup Championship.

• In a thrilling encounter at the Khree Sultan Choo Ice Hockey Rink, Kargil in Ladakh, the Drass Warriors won the 15th CEC Ice Hockey Cup Championship.
• They achieved a spectacular 7-goal victory against United Chiktan.
• Wasim Bilal earned the prestigious titles of Man of the Series and Man of the Match.
• The District Youth Services and Sports Department organized the tournament.
• 31 men's teams and 4 women's teams from Kargil participated in the tournament.
• In women, Bodhkharbo women's team also won the Women's Cup by defeating Wakha Mulbkeh.
• On the occasion, plans to set up ice hockey rinks at the block and village levels were also announced, with a focus on completing an international all-weather ice hockey rink, to further promote the sports.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. National Creators Awards announced by the government for new age influencers.

• 'National Creators Awards' announced by the government to recognize new age influencers and creators and celebrate India's digital creator economy.
• The 'National Creators Awards aims to highlight the diverse voices and talents shaping India's development and cultural narrative, driving positive social change, and fostering innovation and creativity in the digital sector.
• The National Creators Awards, which honour digital innovators and content creators for their significant contributions to India's digital ecosystem, have been announced by MyGov India.
• The award recognizes exceptional creativity and innovation across more than 20 categories, including storytelling, social change advocacy, environmental sustainability, education, gaming, and more.
• The 'Disruptor of the Year' award is given to a creator who has challenged the status quo by bringing significant change or innovation in his or her field.
• The 'Celebrity Creator of the Year' recognizes a high-profile creator who has leveraged their celebrity status to influence positive change and set an example for creative and influential online content.
• The 'International Creator Award' honors foreign-based creators who are helping enhance India's culture and soft power.
• The 'Tech Creator Award' is for those who uncover the secrets of technology while providing insights, reviews, and recommendations on the latest gadgets and innovations.
• The selection process involves a combination of the nomination phase, screening of nominations, followed by public voting, and jury review.
• The winners will be announced based on a combination of jury and public votes.
• “The aim of the National Creators Awards is to inspire, recognise, and celebrate the transformative potential of digital media in building more inclusive, participatory, and empowered societies.”

Topic: Indian Economy

6. Due to increase in factory production, the economy doubled and retail inflation rate decreased.

• Data released on February 12 showed that the Indian economy showed signs of resilience at the beginning of the year, with increased industrial production and a decline in inflation.
• Industrial production growth accelerated to 3.8% in December after falling to an eight-month low of 2.4% in November.
• While the consumer price index (CPI)-based retail inflation fell to a three-month low of 5.1% in January.
• The latest factory output points to a pickup in manufacturing pace in December after a slowdown.
• In the April-December period, factory output expanded by 6.1%, compared to the 5.4% figure in the same period last year.
• December inflation fell to 5.1% from 5.7% in November due to a slow rise in prices of food items like cereals, milk and milk products, fruits, pulses, and spices.
• It remains above the central bank's target of 4% but remains within the tolerance range of 2-6% for the fifth consecutive month.
• Overall, food inflation fell to 8.3% in January from 9.53% in December, led by a sharp rise in prices of vegetables and other food items such as pulses, spices, and cereals.
• Food inflation, measured by the Consumer Food Price Index, accounts for about half of the total consumer price basket.
• It was 8.7% in November, 6.61% in October and 6.62% in September.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. IEEE Kerala Section has given the KPP Nambiar Award for 2024 to ISRO Chairman S Somanath.

• The award is named after KPP Nambiar, founder-chair of IEEE Kerala Section.
• It is an annual award. It is instituted to honour individuals in Kerala.
• They are awarded for their significant contributions to the IEEE vision of advancing technology for humanity.
• Somanath was selected for his contributions in steering Chandrayaan-3, ISRO’s lunar exploration programme.
• Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Kerala Section has given the Amarnath Raja Humanitarian Technology Award to Jawahara Fathima and team, MA College, Kothamangalam.
• They have been awarded for the project ‘Light for lives’.
• Outstanding Woman Engineer Award has been to Athuladevi S, Deputy Director, Avionics, VSSC.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

8. Paytm E-commerce has changed itself to Pai Platforms.

• On 8 February, the Registrar of Companies gave official approval to rebranding.
• The name of Paytm E-Commerce Private Limited has been changed to Pai Platforms Private Limited.
• Elevation Capital is the largest shareholder in the Pai Platforms.
• Paytm E-commerce has also acquired the Bitsila, a key seller platform operating with the ONDC.
• Innobits Solutions Private Limited operates under the name of Bitsila. It was launched in 2020.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

9. Gupteswar Forest in Odisha has been declared a Bio-Diversity Heritage site.

• Gupteswar Forest in Koraput district has been declared the fourth biodiversity heritage site (BHS) of Odisha.
• The other three are- Mandasaru BHS in Kandhamala district, Mahendragiri BHS in Gajpati district, and Gandhamardan BHs in the Bargarh and Bolangir districts.
• It is spread over more than 350 hectares area of land. The local community traditionally worships its sacred groove.
• The Odisha Biodiversity Board has conducted the biodiversity inventory and survey.
• It shows that 608 faunal species, including 28 species of mammals, 188 species of birds, 18 species of amphibia, 48 species of reptiles, 43 species of moths, and 141 species of butterflies, have been found in this area.
• Eight species of bats out of the total 16 species found in southern Odisha have been found in the limestone caves of Gupteswar.
• This Bio-Diversity Heritage site has 182 species of trees, 76 species of shrubs, 177 species of herbs, 69 species of climbers, 14 species of orchids, and threatened medicinal plants.
• The state government has also directed the Odisha Biodiversity Board to prepare a long-term plan for intensive conservation and development of these sites with the help of local communities.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. NIMHANS, Bengaluru, received the WHO Nelson Mandela Award.

• The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion in 2024.
• For 2024, the award has been jointly presented to Professor Bontle Mbongwe of Botswana and NIMHANS.
• NIMHANS received the award for its dedication and outstanding contributions in promoting mental health and well-being.
• It has played a key role in the field of mental health and neurosciences.
• It has started and implemented avant-garde mental health programs that fulfil the needs of diverse populations.
• The Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion was started by WHO in 2019.
• It recognizes individuals, institutions, and governmental or non-governmental organizations that make remarkable contributions to health promotion.

Topic: National News

11. Center of Excellence launched by IIT Guwahati to boost health sector on 9 February.

• The Center of Excellence on Smart Wearable Advanced Nano Sensing Technologies in Healthcare ACISs (SWASTHA) was inaugurated by S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Rajeev Ahuja, Acting Director, IIT Guwahati.
• It was launched with state-of-the-art ISO five and six clean room facilities at the centre of the Department of Nanotechnology of the institute.
• The SWASTH project aims at intensive technological innovation, startup support, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and revenue generation.
• The SWASTH project will revolutionize the healthcare industry through advanced nanoelectronic theranostic devices, focusing on micro/nanoelectronics and nanomaterials for healthcare and energy applications.
• Additionally, the ISO five and six clean room facilities focus on increasing awareness of micro or nanoelectronics manufacturing, facilitating industrial research and development, and supporting the Indian Nano Electronics User Programme.

Topic: Important Days

12. World Radio Day 2024: 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.
• This year, the 13th edition of World Radio Day was celebrated.
• The theme for World Radio Day 2024 is "Radio: A century informing, entertaining and educating".
• In 1895, the first radio broadcast was made by Guglielmo Marconi.
• Radio came into commercial existence in the early 1920s.
• Radio stations came into existence about three decades later and by the 1950s, radio and broadcasting systems became a common commodity throughout the world.
• In 2011, UNESCO member states declared 13 February as World Radio Day.
• In 2013, it was adopted as an international event by the United Nations General Assembly.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/ Assam

13. Assam Cabinet approved a bill to ban 'magical healing' in the state.

• The Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, has been passed by the Assam cabinet.
• It has banned magical healing practices in the name of treatment.
• The bill will provide relief to victims of fraudulent magical treatments.
• The bill proposes imprisonment and fines in the case any individual is found guilty of engaging in illegal practices of magical healing.
• Magical healing is generally used for treating diseases such as deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformities, and autism.
• The state cabinet also approved the establishment of the Wildlife Safari & Rescue Centre in Namdang Reserved Forest, Dibrugarh district.
• It will have international-standard safaris for herbivores, carnivores, and bird aviaries.
• The cabinet also approved the Village Defence Organisation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and amendments to the Assam Municipal Act, 1956.
• The proposed bill defines the roles and responsibilities of three state municipal cadres: Assam Urban Administrative Service, Assam Urban Engineering Service, and Assam Urban Financial Service.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

14. 200^th birth anniversary of the Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati programme has been addressed by PM Modi.

• The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, addressed a programme on the 200th birth anniversary of Swami Dayananda Saraswati organized at the birthplace of Swami Dayananda, Tankara in Morbi, Gujarat.
• The year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati were inaugurated by Narendra Modi in 2023.
• The new education policy has been formed as per Swami Dayanand’s vision.
• Swami Dayanand Saraswati:
  • He was born on 12 February 1824, in Gujarat and his real name was Mool Shankar.
  • He founded the Arya Samaj in Bombay in 1875.
  • He had given the slogans- ‘Go back to the Vedas‘ and ‘the Vedas are the source of all knowledge’. He emphasized the doctrine of Karma and Reincarnation.
  • He was against the caste system, idol worship, and untouchability. He had founded the Dayanand Anglo Vedic schools for the education of men and women.
  • He has written several famous books, including Satyarth Prakash, Sanskarvidhi, Rigvedadi Bhashya Bhumika, etc.