Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 January 2022

Topic: International News

1. US imposed sanctions on North Korea after missile tests.

• The United States has imposed sanctions on North Korea’s weapons programs after a series of missiles have been launched by North Korea.
• The sanction has been imposed on six North Koreans, one Russian, and a Russian firm for procuring goods for North Korea’s weapons programs.
• The United States also proposed the blacklisting of five individuals by the United Nations Security Council.
• North Korea has launched six ballistic missiles since September.
• Recently, North Korea conducted a hypersonic missile test over the Sea of Japan. It was the second missile test within a week.
• The UN had first imposed sanctions on North Korea in 2006 over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
• North Korea:
  • It is located in East Asia on the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
  • It shares its border with China, Russia, and South Korea.
  • Pyongyang is the capital and the currency is Korean People's won.
  • Kim Jong-un is the Supreme Leader of North Korea.

Topic: Miscellaneous

2. North East on Bike Wheels Expedition launched by Minister of State for Culture.

• North East on Wheels Bike Expedition has been launched by Minister of State for Culture Meenakshi Lekhi to promote the culture of northeastern states.
• Bike Expedition has been launched under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. It is scheduled to be held from 8th to 16th April this year. It will also promote the Dekho Apna Desh initiative.
• 75 Bikers participating in this expedition will be selected from all over the country. They will cover about 9000 km in the North East Region in 6 groups.
• Dekho Apna Desh initiative:
  • It is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism.
  • It was launched by Union Minister for Tourism (Independent Charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel at Konark, Odisha on 24th January 2020.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Reports and Indices

3. Digital inequality is one of the top five threats to India.

• According to World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2022, digital inequality is one of the top five threats to India in the next two years.
• The report includes widespread youth disillusionment, fracture of interstate relations, debt crises in large economies, and failure of technology governance in the category of top five threats to India in the next two years.
• The report contains a survey, which looks into five risks that could pose a critical threat to a country in the next two years.
• World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2022 has been released ahead of its online Davos Agenda meeting scheduled from 17-21 January.
• As per the report, Climate action failure, extreme weather events and loss of biodiversity are the top three global risks.
• Global Risks Report:
  • It is published annually by World Economic Forum ahead of its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
  • Global Risks Report 2022 is the 17^th edition of Global Risks Report. It presents the results of the latest Global Risks Perception Survey.

Topic: Art and Culture

4. 14^th January is being celebrated as Makar Sankranti, Bihu and Pongal.

• People in different parts of India celebrate 14^th January as Makar Sankranti, Bihu and Pongal.
• In Tamil Nadu, the beginning of the month Thai is celebrated as Pongal. It marks the onset of Spring Harvest season.
• The season is celebrated for three days. People offer their harvest to the Sun on the first day. The second day is celebrated as Mattu Pongal.
• The last day of the Pongal season is Kaanum Pongal where people visit their relatives and spend time together.
• In Assam, this day is celebrated as Magh or Bhogali Bihu .
• In the north Indian states, the day (14th January) is celebrated as Makar Sankranti. It is dedicated to Sun God. It signifies the beginning of Uttarayana period.

Topic: State News/ Manipur

5. Manipur's Kachai Lemon Festival started on 13 January.

• On the 13^th January, the 18th edition of the two-day Kachai Lemon Festival kicked out in Manipur at the Local Ground of Kachai Village in the Ukhrul district.
• Manipur's Kachai Lemon has got Geographical Indication (GI) registration tag and is widely grown in the Kachai village of Ukhrul district.
• Kachai Lemon is considered distinctive because it contains a high amount of ascorbic acid and it is well-known for its juice content.
• The Kachai Lemon Festival is held every year to promote this special type of lemon and to encourage lemon farmers.
• Theme of the Kachai Lemon Festival 2022 is 'Organic Kachai Lemon for a Safe Environment and Rural Transformation.'
• Manipur:
  • It is a state in northeast India.
  • It borders Nagaland in the north, Mizoram in the south and Assam in the west, and Myanmar in the east.
  • Its capital is Imphal.
  • Governor of Manipur is Shri La. Ganesan and Chief Minister is N. Biren Singh.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

6. Government directed BARC to release news ratings immediately.

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a directive to Broadcasters Audience and Research Council (BARC) to immediately issue ratings of news channels.
• BARC recently said in a statement that it is making changes to the protocol to improve the way it works.
• The television news ratings issued by BARC were suspended a year ago.
• The suspension was imposed following the outcome of the suspected TRP (Television Rating Point) scam that surfaced in October 2020.
• The ministry has asked BARC to present the rating data for the last three months in a month-wise format.
• The ministry has also established a "working group" under the chairmanship of S. S. Vempati, CEO of Prasar Bharati, to look at using Return Path Data (RPD) capabilities for TRP services.
• Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC):
  • It was established in 2010.
  • It is the world's largest television audience measurement body.
  • Nakul Chopra is the CEO of BARC.

Topic: Defence

7. Indian Navy’s ships carried out Maritime Partnership Exercise with Japanese Navy’s ships.

• Indian Navy’s ships, Shivalik and Kadmatt, carried out Maritime Partnership Exercise with Japanese Navy’s ships, Uraga and Hirado, in the Bay of Bengal on 13 January, 2022.
• Japanese Navy’s ships, Uraga and Hirado, were on deployment in Indian Ocean Region.
• The exercise was aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing mutual understanding and inter-operability between two navies.
• Japanese Navy is also known as Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF). It is a maritime warfare branch of Japan's Self-Defense Forces.

Topic: Art and Culture

8. 20^th Dhaka International Film Festival to start on 15 January.

• 20^th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) will be held from 15 January to 23 January in Dhaka.
• 20^th DIFF will be organized in a hybrid mode. It will showcase 225 films under 10 categories.
• Indian entries to 20th DIFF include films like Koozhangal, Avijatrik, Mayar Jonjal and Aandaal.
• The retrospective section of 20th DIFF will screen five films by great Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter Yasujirō Ozu.
• During 20th DIFF, 8th edition of the ‘Women in Cinema’ international conference as well as the 4th edition of the ‘West meets East’ screenplay lab will be organized.
• Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) is organised by the Rainbow Film Society. It was started in 1992.

Topic: International News

9. India and UK launch Free trade agreement negotiations.

• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal launched Free Trade Agreement negotiations with Anne-Marie Trevelyan, UK Secretary of State for International Trade.
• The first round of negotiations will begin on 17 January, and future rounds of negotiations will take place approximately in every five weeks.
• The main objective of the FTA is to double the bilateral trade between India and the United Kingdom by 2030.
• FTA with the United Kingdom will increase exports of Leather, Textile, Jewellery, Marine Products, and processed Agri products from India.
• The Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) will open new a market for the pharma industry of India. It will also help in increasing the export of services like IT/ITES, Nursing, education, healthcare, etc.
• Both countries are negotiating for a mutually beneficial trade deal with balanced concessions and greater market access for products.
• FTA between India and UK will also strengthen supply chain management. Both sides can also sign an Interim Agreement to provide quick gains to their businesses.
• The India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee is working for improving the trade relationship between both countries.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

10. Armed Forces Veterans Day: 14 January

• Armed Forces Veterans Day is observed every year on 14 January.
• It is celebrated in memory of the retirement of M. Cariappa, who retired on 14 January 1953.
• It is observed to honour the sacrifice made by veterans while serving the nation. It was first celebrated in 2017.
• In 2022, it is being celebrated as 6^th Armed Forces Veterans Day.
• On this occasion, Veteran’s Meets is also organized in various Military Stations.
• M. Cariappa was the first commander-in-chief of the Indian Army. He led the Indian Forces during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947. He became commander-in-chief on 15 Jan 1949.

Topic: Reports and Indices

11. Environment Minister released India State of Forest Report 2021.

• Environment, Forest and Climate Change minister Bhupender Yadav released ‘India State of Forest Report 2021’. It has been prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).
• Forest Survey report 2021 has included a new chapter related to the assessment of forest cover in the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India.
• The assessment of forest cover is based on the data from Indian Remote Sensing satellite (Resourcesat-II).
• Important findings of the report are:
  • In 2021, the total forest and tree cover in India is 80.9 million hectares. It is 24.62 percent of the geographical area of India.
  • As compared to 2019, the total forest and tree cover has increased by 2,261 sq km.
  • Currently, 17 states/UT’s have more than 33 percent of the geographical area under forest cover.
  • Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km) and Odisha (537 sq km) are the top three states that have shown an increase in forest cover.
  • Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.
  • Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have more than 75 percent forest cover.
  • In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%), and Nagaland (73.90%) are the top five states.
  • The total mangrove cover in the country is 4,992 sq km. Mangrove cover has increased by 17 sq Km as compared to the last year.
  • India’s carbon stock is 7,204 million tonnes. It has increased by 79.4 million tonnes as compared to the last year.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Reports and Indices

12. Indian passport ranks improved in Henley Passport Index.

• Global immigration consultant firm Henley & Partners has released the Henley Global Mobility Report 2022 Q1.
• According to the Henley Passport Index, Indian passport has become 83rd most powerful in the world. Its rank has improved by seven places from the 90th rank of last year.
• In 2020, India’s rank was 84th while in 2016, India was ranked 85th.
• The report shows that the Indian passport now has visa-free access to 60 destinations around the world. Oman and Armenia are two recent added destinations in India’s visa-free access list.
• India shares its rank with Sao Tome and Principe of Central Africa.
• Japan and Singapore share the first position in the Henley Passport Index 2022.
• The second place on the passport index was acquired by Germany and South Korea.
• Spain, Finland, Italy, and Luxembourg passports are the third most powerful passport in the world.
• Henley Passport Index:
  • It was launched in 2006.
  • It provides a ranking of the 199 passports of the world.
  • It is based on the data collected from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Topic: Books and Author

13. Arundhati Bhattacharya wrote her autobiography.

• Arundhati Bhattacharya, former State Bank of India (SBI) Chairperson, has written her autobiography.
• 'Indomitable - A Working Woman's Notes on Life, Work and Leadership’ is the title of her autobiography.
• Arundhati Bhattacharya is the first woman chairperson of the State Bank of India.
• In this book, she has written about her journey from probationary officer to chairperson of State Bank of India.
• She also shared her personal life events and mentioned the challenges she faced as a banker during her career.
• It is published by HarperCollins India.

Topic: Miscellaneous

14. RenewBuy named Rajkummar Rao as its first brand ambassador.

• Insurance Tech company RenewBuy has named Rajkummar Rao as its first brand ambassador.
• It will launch the 'Smart Tech, Right Advice' campaign with Rajkummar Rao.
• Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami has been roped as the ambassador of Legends League Cricket. She will promote women's empowerment initiatives.
• Pearson India named Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal as its new brand ambassador.