Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 January 2024

Topic: International News

1. Red Sea crisis could increase the oil prices in India.

• Houthi attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea could impact negatively on oil-importing countries, including India.
• Houthi rebels in Yemen have attacked commercial shipping vessels in response to the war in Gaza.
• The attacks were concentrated near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which affected maritime traffic.
• US launched the fourth round of strikes on Houthis in Yemen.
• Why is the southern Red Sea so significant?
  • The Red Sea is one of the world’s most densely packed shipping channels.
  • It is the most significant waterway to connect Europe to Asia and East Africa.
  • About 12% of global trade passes through the Red Sea. Every year, Billions of dollars of traded goods and supplies pass through the Red Sea.
• Who are Houthi militants?
  • Houthi militants are formally known as Ansar Allah or the “partisans of God.".
  • They are backed by Iran and they control the western part of Yemen including the Red Sea coast.
  • They attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea to show support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
  • They want to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

2. MPLADS e-SAKSHI Mobile Application has been launched by Rao Inderjit Singh.

• Rao Inderjit Singh is the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
• The MPLADS e-SAKSHI Mobile Application is for revised fund flow procedure under MPLAD Scheme.
• The mobile app would offer convenience and accessibility to MPS.
• With this app, MPs will be able to propose, track and monitor projects at their fingertips.
• It enhances decision-making processes and enables swift responses to emerging needs or issues.
• It will streamline the communication between MPs and relevant authorities.
• It will promote transparency as it will provide MPs with instant updates on the status and progress of their proposed projects.
• The mobile application has the features for budget management.
• These features will ensure that MPs can monitor expenditures.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

3. Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival’s 9^th edition is being held at Seijosa in the Pakke Kessang district from January 18-20, 2024.

• The Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF) is a state festival of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is focused on wildlife conservation, particularly on hornbills.
• In Arunachal Pradesh’s Pakke Tiger Reserve, four species of this bird are found.
• These species are Wreathed, Great Indian, Oriental Pied and the endangered Rufous-necked.
• Nyishi, the largest tribal group in Arunachal Pradesh, is also found in the area.
• The theme of this year’s PPHF is Domutoh Domutoh, Paga hum Domutoh.
• It means ‘Let Our Hornbills Remain’ in the Nyishi language.
• PPHF was for the first time organised on January 16-18, 2015.
• Its aim was to recognize the role Nyishi tribe play in conserving hornbills in Pakke Tiger Reserve.

Topic: International News

4. China’s population declined for a 2^nd successive year in 2023.

• According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s total number of people declined by 2.75 million to 1.409 billion in 2023.
• This decline was faster than the decline in 2022.
• China’s birth rate has been falling down at a high speed for decades.
• This is a result of the one-child policy implemented from 1980 to 2015.
• This is also a result of China’s rapid urbanisation during that period.
• Large populations came out of China's rural farms into cities. In cities, having children is more expensive.
• Further, unemployment reached to record high levels and wages for white-collar workers declined.
• China’s growth prospects are decreasing because of fewer workers and consumers.
• At the same time, increasing costs of retirement benefits and elderly care are putting pressure on indebted local governments.
• In 2023, India surpassed China as the world’s most populous nation as per estimates by the UN.
• As per UN experts, China's population may decline by 109 million by 2050.
• It is expected that the retirement-age population (aged 60 and over) of China will increase from 280 million people currently to more than 400 million by 2035.
• China’s birth rate declined from 6.77 births per 1,000 people in 2022 to 6.39 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
• Japan's birth rate was 6.3 births per 1,000 people in 2022. South Korea's birth rate was 4.9.
• China’s death rate increased from 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people in 2022 to 7.87 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.

Topic: National News

5. On 18 January, Wings India-2024, the biggest aviation event ever in Asia, began at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad.

• Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated this four-day event.
• The Airports Authority of India has organized this biennial event in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and FICCI.
• It aims to bring together stakeholders and participants from the global aviation industry to foster collaboration, and innovation and explore business opportunities.
• Wings India will showcase the progress of allied aviation services and the tourism sector along with the display of new-generation aircraft.
• The theme of Wings India-2024 is- "Connecting India with the World in Amritkal."
• At the event, the best of the aviation industry will showcase their innovative aviation technology and aircraft machinery.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will be showcasing its indigenous civil platforms like Hindustan-228 aircraft and advanced civil helicopter Dhruv at the exhibition.
• Additionally, Air India will unveil its Airbus A350, the first aircraft of its kind in the country, while the Boeing 777-9 will be on display for the first time in the country.
• During this period, the strategic outline of the future aviation sector of the country will also be considered.
• More than 1500 delegates from over 100 countries and 5000 business delegates are expected to participate in the event.
• More than one lakh spectators will also participate in it. About five hundred business meetings will take place during the program.
• 130 exhibitors and 15 hospitality centers from across the world are also participating. This event will continue till 21 January.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. Project for Artificial Reefs launched by the Union Minister in Vizhinjam to Boost Fish Population.

• The project of depositing artificial reefs launched by Union Fisheries Minister Shri Parashotham Rupala in the seabed at Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram through videoconferencing.
• This project is a joint initiative of the Central and State Governments.
• It aims to increase the income of fishermen by enhancing the fish population in the area.
• Under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, the project is being implemented with a total outlay of 13.02 crore.
• Out of this, Rs 7.812 crore is the share of the central government and Rs 5.208 crore is the share of the state government.
• With technical assistance from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation implements the project.
• In the first phase, 6,300 artificial reefs will be laid in 42 fishing villages from Pozhiyur to Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district.
• These reefs create an artificial habitat on the sea floor, creating favorable conditions for the reproduction of fish and their permanent existence.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

7. LIC has become the most valued PSU.

• Its share price touched ₹900 for the first time since its listing in May 2022. It has moved ahead of the State Bank of India.
• It has reached its 52-week high on the stock market on 17 January 2024.
• The market capitalisation (mcap) of LIC has now exceeded that of the State Bank of India.
• LIC's market capitalisation crossed ₹5.66 lakh crore. The mcap of SBI currently stands at ₹5.63 lakh crore.
• On 17 May 2022, LIC shares were listed on the stock market at ₹875.25 apiece. Its issue price ahead of listing was ₹949.
• The stock is currently only 6.21% away from its ₹949 IPO price.
• The government holds a 96.5% stake in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

Topic: National Appointments

8. Rear Admiral Shantanu Jha assumed charge as Chief Staff Officer at Eastern Naval Command.

• He assumed charge as Chief Staff Officer (Operations) at the Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command.
• Before taking charge as Chief Staff Officer, he holds the charge of the Commodore in (Strategy, Concepts & Transformation) at Naval Headquarters.
• He is a recipient of the Nausena Medal. He is a Navigation and Direction specialist.
• He has a Master's degree in Defence Studies from Madras University and International Security & Strategy from Kings College, London.
• Eastern Naval Command is headquartered in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It was established on 1 March 1968.
• Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar is the current Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

9. The government proposed to repeal the Indian Stamp Act 1899.

• The government has proposed to repeal the Indian Stamp Act of 1899. Indian Stamp Bill, 2023 will replace the Indian Stamp Act, 1899.
• Department of Revenue has invited suggestions on the draft of the ‘Indian Stamp Bill, 2023’.
• The Indian Stamp Act, 1899, is a fiscal statute which legislates a tax in the form of stamps on documents recording transactions.
• Stamp duties are levied by the central government. It is specified in entry 91 of the union list of the Seventh Schedule.
• Stamp duties are collected and appropriated by the concerned States under Article 268 of the constitution.
• The Indian Stamp Act, of 1899 was amended many times to create a more modern Stamp Duty regime. 

Topic: Defence

10. Indian Army developed an end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem ‘SAMBHAV’.

• SAMBHAV, an end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem, has been indigenously developed by the Indian Army.
• SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version) ecosystem operates on the state-of-the-art contemporary 5G technology.
• It has been developed in collaboration with national centres of excellence from the academia and industry.
• It has been developed in line with the vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in the defence sector.
• This initiative aligns with the government’s vision of "dual-use infrastructure" and "civil-military fusion” in technology.
• Indian Army will initially deploy 35,000 sets in two phases, with 2,500 by January 15 and the remaining till 31 May.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

11. US ranked most powerful, and India at 4th position in the 2024 military strength rankings.

• According to the Global Firepower Rankings, India has retained its position as the fourth-strongest military globally.
• In the ranking, the United States is named as the most powerful military, followed by Russia and China.
• As per GFP's assessment, India's Power Index (PwrIndx) score is 0.1023 (a score of 0.0000 is considered 'perfect').
• The power index score of the US is 0.0699, that of Russia is 0.0702, and that of China is 0.0706.
• A total of 145 countries were evaluated based on their global military power for Global Firepower's 2024 military power rankings.
• The ranking of the index is decided after examining the countries on several parameters, including military resources, natural resources, industry and geographical features, and available manpower.
• Of the 145 countries included in the list, Bhutan has the least powerful military, with a PwrIdx of 6.3704, followed by Moldova (4.2311) and Suriname (3.9038).

Topic: Sports

12. Praggnanandhaa became India's No. 1 chess player by surpassing Vishwanathan Anand.

• Chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa secured the number one spot among India's chess players.
• He became India's No. 1 chess player after his impressive win over world champion Ding Liren at the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament.
• The 18-year-old defeated the defending champion with the black pieces and overtook the great Viswanathan Anand to become the top seed in India.
• In 2018, Praggnanandha had become India's youngest grandmaster and the world's second-youngest grandmaster at the age of 12.
• Known for his extraordinary skills and achievements, he is the fifth youngest person to achieve the title of Grandmaster.

Topic: State News/ Assam

13. Karbi Youth Festival Golden Jubilee celebration was attended by President Droupadi Murmu.

• On 17 Jan 2024, President Droupadi Murmu attended the golden jubilee celebrations of the Karbi Youth Festival at Karbi Anglong district headquarters of Diphu in Assam.
• Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma also attended the celebrations.
• The Karbi Youth Festival is the oldest and biggest ethnic festival in Northeast India.
• Karbi and other ethnic communities living in the area administered by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) celebrate this festival.
• This year, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Karbi Youth Festival, the duration of the annual event has been extended from the usual five days to eight days.
• The festival was started on 12 January. Its main aim is to showcase the vibrant culture and heritage of the Karbi community.
• The Karbi community is the indigenous community in the Karbi Anglong district in Assam. They are ethnically related to the Naga people.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

14. 12^th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace has been inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

• The 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace has been inaugurated in New Delhi.
• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that Buddha's timeless wisdom, his Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path guide people towards inner peace, compassion, and non-violence.
• Buddhism was born in India and played a key role in binding several nations together in Asia.
• Buddhism has given a way of life and it has been a strong, trusted and reliable philosophy.
• The Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace are important in shaping the future and directing a positive discourse.