Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 November 2021

Topic: Important Days

1. World Pneumonia Day: 12 November

• World Pneumonia Day is observed every year on 12 November.
• Its main aim is to raise awareness regarding the complications and issues related to pneumonia.
• This year, World Pneumonia Day, on 12 November 2021, was held during COP 26 – the UN Climate Change Conference.
• According to the World Health Organization(WHO), the rate of the severity of Pneumonia is more in children less than 5 years of age.
• World Pneumonia Day was first established in the year 2009 by the Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia.

Topic: Sports

2. Mitrabha Guha becomes India's 72^nd Grand Master.

• Mitrabha Guha has become India's 72^nd chess Grand Master. He bagged his third and final GM norm during a tournament in Serbia.
• He achieved this feat by defeating Nikolathe final norm at the ongoing GM Third Mix 220 tourney.
• Two days earlier, Sankalp Gupta has become India’s 71st Grand Master.
• Mitrabha Guha, a resident of Tollygunge in Calcutta, now has 2511 Elo Points.
• Chess is a competitive board game played between two players.
• Checkmate, King, Bishop, Castling are some prominent terms, which are used in Chess.

Topic: Space and IT

3. SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carried four astronauts to International Space Station.

• A new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carried four astronauts including Indian Origin Raja Chari to the International Space Station (ISS).
• NASA astronauts Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer reached International Space Station (ISS) through the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
• These astronauts will spend approximately six months in the space station. They will conduct Scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science.
• NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• Regular, commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations.
• International Space Station (ISS) is a modular space station in lower earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project.

Topic: Important Days

4. Public Service Broadcasting Day: 12 November

• Public Service Broadcasting Day is celebrated every year on 12 November.
• It is celebrated every year in remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi’s first and only visit to the All India Radio (AIR) studio in Delhi.
• In 1947, Mahatma Gandhi visited AIR studio at Delhi and addressed people, who were displaced and temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana after partition.
• 12 November was adopted as the Public Service Broadcasting Day officially in the year 2001.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. PM Modi launched two customer centric initiatives of RBI.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the Retail Direct Scheme and the Reserve Bank Integrated Ombudsman Scheme.
• During addressing the event, Prime Minister said that these schemes will expand the scope of investment in the country.
• Both schemes are customer centric initiatives of RBI. These schemes will make access to the capital market easier and secure for investors.
• The Retail Direct Scheme will help smaller investors in investing government securities in a more convenient way.
• Small investors will now have direct access to government securities and they will no longer rely on indirect investment agencies like banks, insurance companies, or mutual funds.
• Investors can now invest in government securities by opening a Retail Direct Gilt Account on RBI Retail Direct’s official website.
• The Integrated Ombudsman Scheme has been launched to improve the grievance redress mechanism for resolving customer complaints against banks, NBFCs, and payment service operators regulated by RBI.
• A Centralized Receipt and Processing Centre (CRPC) has been set up to handle all complaint receipts and initial processing.

Topic: Defence

6. 32^nd edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol to be conducted from 12-14 November.

• The 32nd edition of the India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol will be conducted from 12 – 14 November 2021.
• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Karmuk, Thailand Ship (HTMS) Tayanchon along with Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies participated in the CORPAT.
• Both navies are undertaking CORPAT bi-annually since 2005 at their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
• It will help in enhancing understanding and interoperability between both navies. It will further help in enhancing operational synergy by exchange of information for preventing smuggling, and illegal immigration.
• The 32nd Indo-Thai CORPAT will strengthen the bonds between India and Thailand. The Indian Navy and Royal Thai Navy have friendly relationship over the years.

Topic: Indian Polity

7. 29^th Meeting of the Southern Zonal Council to be chaired by Union Minister of Home Affairs at Tirupati.

• 29^th Meeting of the Southern Zonal Council will be chaired by Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on 14 November 2021 at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
• Southern Zonal Council comprises Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Union Territories of Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh is the Vice Chairman and host of Southern Zonal Council.
• The Zonal Councils take up issues involving Centre and States and one or many States falling in the Zone.
• Zonal Councils provide a forum for resolving disputes and irritants between Centre and States and among many States in the Zone.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. President Ram Nath Kovind presented National Sports Awards 2021.

• President Ram Nath Kovind has presented National Sports Awards 2021 on 13 November 2021.
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award has been given to 12 sportspersons. They are given in the below list.

• ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’ is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of previous four years.
• 35 sportspersons received Arjuna Award. Some of them are given below.

• ‘Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games’ is given for good performance over a period of previous four years.
• President also presented Dronacharya Award to outstanding coaches in Sports and Games, Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.
• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2021 has been given to Panjab University, Chandigarh.
• Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.
• National Sports Awards were announced by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports on 2nd November 2021. They are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

9. Ministry of Corporate Affairs simplified IEPFA claim settlement process.

• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has taken a major step towards Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has further simplified the claim settlement process through rationalization of various requirements under the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounts, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016.
• For claimants:
  • The requirement of advance receipt has been waived.
  • The requirement of Succession Certificate/ Probate of Will/ Will has been relaxed up to Rs 5,00,000 (five lakh) both for Physical & DEMAT shares.
  • Notarization of documents has been replaced with self-attestation.
  • Affidavit and bail requirements have been relatively eased.
• For companies:
  • The requirement of attaching documents related to Unclaimed Suspense Account has been eased
  • Companies have been given the flexibility to accept transmission documents viz. Succession Certificate, Will, etc. as per their internal approved procedures
• The ministry has focused to make the process simpler and quicker for the claimants.
• The expectations with these changes are that many more claimants will come forward to claim their shares and amounts from the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA).
• So far, IEPFA has cleared over 20,000 claims refunding over 1.29 crore shares. Shares of market value above Rs 1,011 crore and dividends and other amounts over Rs 20 crore have been refunded.

Topic: Important Day

10. World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021: November 18 to November 24.

• World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is observed annually from 18 to 24 November.
• World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) hosted by World Health Organization every year, which is also known as World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WHO).
• The aim behind the celebration of the week is to raise global awareness of antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance.
• The theme of the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021 is ‘Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance.’
• The primary tagline of the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is ‘Antimicrobials: Handle with Care.’

Topic: Defence

11. 6^th Edition of Indo France Joint Military Exercise “SHAKTI 2021” begins in France.

• The 6th Edition of Indo France Joint Military Excercise- EX SHAKTI 2021 is being conducted from 15 to 26 November 2021 in Frejus, France.
• Exercise SHAKTI will focus on Counter-Terrorism operations under United Nations Mandate.
• The main objective of the exercise is to enhance military cooperation and inter-operability between the two Armies.
• Troops of 21st Marine Infantry Regiment of 6th Light Armoured Brigade will represent French Military.
• The last edition of the SHAKTI Exercise was conducted at Foreign Training Node in Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan.
• Military Exercise between India and France:

Topic: International News

12. Fumio Kishida re-elected as Prime Minister of Japan.

• Fumio Kishida has been re-elected as Prime Minister of Japan on 10 November 2021.
• His party (Liberal Democratic Party) scored a major victory in parliamentary elections.
• His party secured 261 seats in the 465-member lower house. Lower house is more powerful part of Japan’s legislature (National Diet).
• He succeeded Yoshihide Suga who tendered resignation as PM of Japan in September 2021.

Topic: State News/Odisha

13. Odisha CM launched ‘Rakshak’ road safety initiative.

• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Rakshak’ road safety initiative to train 30,000 first responders to road accident victims.
• Under the Rakshak initiative, 30,000 first responders will be trained by 300 master trainers across all 30 districts.
• Commerce and Transport Department in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Indian Red Cross Society, Odisha State branch organized Rakshak initiative.
• The training programme will be held in two phases. In the first phase, experts from the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) will train 300 master trainers.
• In 2nd phase, 300 master trainers will visit accident-prone areas in all districts and train locals to assist road accident victims.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

14. The presence of Norovirus confirmed in Wayanad district in Kerala.

• The presence of Norovirus has been confirmed in Wayanad district in Kerala.
• Nearly, 1,000 cases of acute diarrhoeal disease were reported in the district in October-November.
• Many cases of diarrhoeal disease were reported among students living in hostels.
• Health Department sent seven stool samples for testing at the National Virology Institute, Alappuzha, by the first week of November. Four of the seven samples were positive for the virus.
• Norovirus is an animal-borne disease. It is transmitted through contaminated water and food.
• It causes gastrointestinal illness, including inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines, severe vomiting and diarrhoea.
• Diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, a high temperature, headache and body aches are symptoms of Norovirus.