Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 February 2023

Topic: Personality in News

1. PM Modi launched year-long celebrations commemorating Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati’s 200^th birth anniversary.

• PM Modi inaugurated year-long celebrations in Delhi. He also released a logo for commemoration.
• He said that Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati revived the understanding of Vedas in social life.
• He pointed out that Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati launched a campaign against social discrimination and untouchability.
• Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati also made efforts to fight inequality.
• Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati:
  • Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati was a social reformer. He was born on 12th February 1824.
  • He founded Arya Samaj in 1875. He died on 30 October 1883. He wrote the book, Satyarth Prakash.
  • He denounced idolatry and ritualistic worship. He believed in the authority of Vedas.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

2. Angela Merkel has been awarded the Felix Houphouet-Boigny UNESCO Peace Prize in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the Ivory Coast.

• The jury for Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize was impressed by Merkel's courageous decision in 2015 to open her country to refugees.
• 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege was the jury president.
• Mukwege said the jury was touched by her decision in 2015 to take in over 1.2 million refugees, especially from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and, Eritrea.
• Former German chancellor Angela Merkel said she will donate the prize money to an Ivorian NGO called "L'enfance en danger."
• In 1991, Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk received the award for their efforts to put an end to apartheid in South Africa.
• Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize:
  • Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize is named after the first president of Ivory Coast.
  • The prize carries $150,000 in prize money, a gold medal, and a certificate signed by UNESCO's director general.
  • Since 1991, the prize has been given annually to organisations or people who have made remarkable contributions to peace and human rights throughout the world.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

3. 3-day long Digital Economy Working Group meeting begins in Lucknow.

• Digital Economy Working Group meeting will be organized from 13 February to 15 February 2023.
• On the first day of the meeting, 36 esteemed speakers shared their expertise and insights.
• On the second day, thematic session on the crucial topics of Digital Public Infrastructure, Cybersecurity and Digital Skilling have been organized.
• An exhibition showcasing virtual realities and artificial intelligence and innovative solutions will be also organized.
• Digital Initiatives of the State of Uttar Pradesh will also be showcased at the meeting.
• During the meeting, four workshops will be organized on different themes, which are given below.
  • Digital Public Infrastructure – Sharing implementation experiences of Digital Identity in various countries.
  • Sharing of Cyber Security Solutions for MSMEs.
  • Digital Public Infrastructure to boost the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Use of Geo-Spatial technologies for infrastructure and Product development in the digital economy
• Digital Economy Working Groups will also have three more physical events at Hyderabad, Pune, and Bengaluru in April, June and August respectively.

Topic: Sports

4. Real Madrid wins its fifth Club World Cup.

• Real Madrid won the Club World Cup by defeating Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal by 5-3 in the final in Rabat, Morocco.
• Madrid last won the club world cup in 2018 while it won the Club World Cup also in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
• Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde scored two-two goals each while Karim Benzema scored one goal.
• Madrid also won three Intercontinental Cups in 1960, 1998 and 2002.
• The 2023 FIFA Club World Cup has been hosted by Morocco from 1-11 February.
• Chelsea was the winner of the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup.
• Real Madrid is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. Wolf Prize in Medicine has been awarded to Prof Daniel Drucker of Canada.

• The name of the eight winners for the 2023 Wolf Prize were announced.
• The winners of the Wolf Prize for Science and Art are from five different countries. Three of the winners are from the United States.
• The award will be presented at an award ceremony in June held at the Knesset.
• Wolf Prize in Chemistry was awarded jointly to three scientists- Chuan He, Hiroaki Suga, and Jeffery W. Kelly.
• The Wolf Prize in Mathematics went to Ingrid Daubechies.
• Wolf Prize in the Arts was awarded to Nakaya from Japan and Richard Long from England.
• The Wolf Prize in Agriculture was given to Martinus Th Rien van Genuchten of the Federal University.
• Wolf Prize:
  • Israel's Wolf Prize is being given since 1978.
  • It is one of the prestigious awards for scientific and artistic achievements.
  • The winners of the award received a monetary award of $100,000.
  • It is given in different categories including Medicine, Agriculture, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics.
  • Painting and Sculpting, Music, and Architecture are the art categories of Wolf Prize.

Topic: Space and IT

6. Saudi Arabia will send its first woman astronaut into space.

• Rayyana Barnawi will be the first woman astronaut from Saudi Arabia to go into space.
• She will join fellow male astronaut Ali Al-Qarni on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in the second quarter of 2023.
• Astronauts will be sent from the USA and will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission.
• In 2019, United Arab Emirates became the first Arab country to send an astronaut into space.
• 41-year-old Neyadi will become the first Arab astronaut to spend six months in space.
• Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is doing many reforms after he came into power in 2017 to change the image of Saudi Arabia.
• Women have been allowed to drive and travel abroad without a male guardian.
• Women’s contribution to the workforce has increased from 17% in 2016 to 37%.
• Saudi royal Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz is the first Arab Muslim to travel into space.
• Saudi Arabia has launched a space programme in 2022 to send astronauts into space.

Topic: Banking System

7. Financial Literacy Week (FLW) is being organized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from February 13 to February 17, 2023.

• This year, the theme of FLW is “Good Financial Behaviour - Your Saviour.”
• The theme aligns with the overall strategic objectives of the National Strategy for Financial Education: 2020-2025.
• Its objective is to generate awareness among the general public, create financial resilience and sustain their interest.
• In this, the focus will be on creating awareness about savings, planning and budgeting and judicious use of digital financial services.
• During the month of February 2023, the RBI will undertake a centralized mass media campaign to disseminate financial awareness messages.
• Banks have also been advised to disseminate information and create awareness among their customers.
• Since 2016, the RBI has been organizing Financial Literacy Week (FLW) every year to disseminate financial education messages on a particular theme among public across the country.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. Names of 19 individuals and two institutions announced by Bangladesh Government for 'Ekushey Padak'.

• Bangladesh Government has announced the names of 19 individuals and two institutions for the award of 'Ekushey Padak', the country's second highest civilian award.
• On 12 February, the Ministry of Culture announced the names.
• The Ekushey Padak is given for outstanding contribution in various fields such as contribution to the language movement, liberation struggle, art and culture, journalism and social service.
• The award will be presented to three persons under the language movement category, one in the liberation struggle, eight in art and culture, and two in politics.
• Bidyanondo Foundation has been selected for the Ekushey Award 2023 in the social service category.
• The Foundation has been working among the underprivileged and marginalized sections of the society for many years.
• Bangladesh National Museum is the second institution selected for the award.
• Renowned artist Kanak Champa Chakma will get the award for painting, while Jayant Chattopadhyay has been selected under the recitation category.
• Nawaz Ali will get the award for Shilpakala.
• Started in 1976, the Ekushey Padak is awarded to individuals and institutions for notable contributions in their respective fields.
• Awarded institutions or individuals receive a certificate, a gold medal and a cash prize of Taka 4 lakh.

Topic: Sports

9. Maharashtra wins the highest number of medals in Khelo India Youth Games.

• Maharashtra stood first in the medals tally with a total of 161 medals including 56 gold, 55 silver, and 50 bronze.
• Haryana is in the second spot with a total of 128 medals including 41 gold, 32 silver, and 55 bronze.
• Madhya Pradesh came third with total 96 medals including 39 gold.
• During Khelo India Youth Games, 25 national records were broken. 19 records were broken in weight lifting.
• 5 thousand 812 players from 36 states and union territories took part in the Khelo India Youth Games.
• Khelo India Youth Games 2023 was hosted by Madhya Pradesh from January 30 to 11 February at 11 venues.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. President inaugurates 2^nd edition of Indian Rice Congress in Cuttack.

• The Indian Rice Congress-2023 at ICAR- National Rice Research Institute was inaugurated by President Smt. Draupadi Murmu.
• Rice production in India has increased from 89 million tonnes in 2010 to 130 MT in 2022.
• India is the second-largest producer of rice and the largest exporter of rice.
• President said that rice is the basis of food security in India and also a major factor for our economy.
• Rice cultivation in India:
  • It is the main Kharif crop and it is sown after the onset of the southwest monsoon.
  • West Bengal is the highest rice-producing state in India.
  • Basmati Rice, Jasmine Rice, Mogra Rice, Black Rice, etc. are the main varieties of rice in India.
  • Rice is mainly produced in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Kerala.
  • Biofortification of rice has been started to increase its nutritional value.

Topic: International Appointments

11. Mohammad Shahabuddin to become 22^nd President of Bangladesh.

• Mohammad Shahbuddin Chuppu has been nominated as the next President of Bangladesh by the Awami League. Awami League has the absolute majority in Parliament (305 out of 350 seats).
• He will be elected unopposed and will replace President Mohammad Abdul Hamid.
• Abdul Hamid is the longest serving President of Bangladesh and his term will end in April.
• President of Bangladesh:
  • He is the head of state of Bangladesh and commander in chief of Bangladesh Armed Forces.
  • President is elected by indirect voting in Parliament.
  • He holds office for a five year term.
  • He/she cannot hold office for more than two terms as per the Constitution.

Topic: Summits/Meetings/Conferences

12. DHARA 2023, annual meeting of River Cities Alliance, held in Pune.

• On 13-14 February 2023, the yearly meeting of members of River Cities Alliance (RCA), DHARA was organised in Pune.
• DHARA stands for Driving Holistic Action for Urban Rivers. It was organised by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
• DHARA 2023 provided a platform for senior officials of the 95-member river cities in India to co-learn and discuss solutions for managing local water bodies.
• DHARA has strong synergies with Urban20 initiative under the ambit of India’s G20 presidency.
• River Cities Alliance (RCA):
  • RCA was launched by Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in November 2021.
  • It started with 30 cities and now has 95 cities as members.
  • It is launched as dedicated platform for river cities in India to ideate, discuss and exchange information for sustainable management of urban rivers.
  • It is a first of its kind alliance in the world. It is the successful partnership between two ministries- Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  • It focuses on three broad themes:
    • Networking
    • Capacity Building
    • Technical Support

Topic: Awards and Prizes

13. IIT Indore students won Global Best M-Gov Award.

• Egyptian President Abel Fattah Al-Sisi presented Niyati Totala and Neel Kapeshkumar Parikh of IIT Indore Global Best M-Gov Award.
• The students won AED 1 million by winning the gold medal at the World Government Summit 2023 in Dubai.
• These students created “Blockbill” app. Blockbill is a blockchain based receipt generation app that creates digital receipts for all transactions of users.
• “M-Gov Award” and “GovTech Award” are annual awards organised by the UAE government. They are presented as part of the World Government Summit.
• These are given to encourage students, researchers, government agencies and institutions, private companies and startups to create innovative solutions using next-gen technologies to solve evolving local and global challenges.

Topic: International News

14. India plans to introduce MIIRA to popularize millets on global level.

• During India’s G20 presidency, the top priority in agriculture for India is food security and nutrition, following which India plans to launch MIIRA- global initiative to encourage consumption and production of millets.
• Draft charter of MIIRA is ready and will be placed for approval at 1^st meeting of the G-20 Agricultural Deputies at Indore from 13-15 February 2023.
• MIIRA stands for Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness. It aimed at coordinating millet research programmes at the international level.
• It will be launched considering the millets’ nutritional value and climate resilient nature.
• India plans to provide “seed money” for this initiative to start off, and each G20 member will be required to pay membership fee.
• The secretariat of MIIRA would be in New Delhi and India will ensure flow of investment from its industry and research bodies.
• UNGA declared 2023 as International Year of Millets.
• Millets are rich in calcium, iron, and fibers. Bajra, Ragi, Canary, Jawar, and Buckwheat are the varieties of millets exported by India.
• India produces one-fifth of the world’s total millets.
• Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are India’s top five millet producing states.
• Share of export of millets is nearly 1% of the total millet production.
• In Budget 2023, Finance Minister addressed millets as “Shree Anna” and said that Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad will act as Centre of Excellence.