Daily Current Affairs and GK | 2 and 3 May 2021
Main Headlines:
- 1. 400th Birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur celebrated across the country.
- 2. Indian Scientists discovered a high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean.
- 3. First woman officer for a road project along border with China appointed by BRO.
- 4. SIDBI launches two new quick credit delivery schemes, SHWAS and AROG.
- 5. World’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge opened in Portugal.
- 6. EAM S Jaishankar will participate in G-7 Foreign Ministers’ meet.
- 7. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs released Global Forest Goals Report 2021.
- 8. World Laughter Day 2021: 2 May
- 9. United States approved sale of six P-8I patrol aircraft to India.
- 10. A snake has been named after Herpetologist Deepak Veerappan.
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Topic: Personality in News
1. 400th Birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur celebrated across the country.
- Guru Tegh Bahadur 400th Birth anniversary has been celebrated across the country on 1 May.
- He was the 9th Guru of the 10 Gurus of the Sikh religion.
- He was killed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1675.
- To mark the 400th anniversary, Sri Akhand Path inaugurated Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal at the birthplace of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
- Guru Tegh Bahadur:
- He was born on 1st April 1621 at Amritsar in Punjab.
- He was also known as ‘Hind di Chaadar’, which means the ‘Shield of India’.
- He built the city of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab.
- He had resisted the forced conversions of non-Muslims to Islam by the Aurangzeb.
- Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi is the site of the cremation of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Topic: Agriculture
2. Indian Scientists discovered a high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean.
- Indian Scientist has discovered a new high-yielding and pest-resistant variety named ‘MACS 1407’ of soybean.
- It will be suitable for the cultivation of soybean in the states of Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and North-Eastern states.
- Scientists of MACS- Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed this variety.
- It is a high-yielding variety, which can give 39 quintals per hectare. It is also resistive against pests like girdle beetle, leaf miner, leaf roller, stem fly, etc.
- It takes 104 days to become mature after sowing. It needs less amount of water and fertilizers for growth.
(Source: PIB)
Topic: Appointments
3. First woman officer for a road project along border with China appointed by BRO.
- First woman officer for a road project along the border with China has been appointed by BRO.
- Vaishali S Hiwase is the name of the officer. She comes from Wardha in Maharashtra.
- She will command a Road Construction Company (RCC), which is tasked to provide connectivity in a high-altitude area along the India-China border.
- Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
- It develops and maintains a road network in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
- It is headquartered in New Delhi.
- It was founded in May 1960 by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives
4. SIDBI launches two new quick credit delivery schemes, SHWAS and AROG.
- SIDBI has launched two new quick credit delivery schemes- SHWAS and AROG.
- These schemes will help MSMEs in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Their names are given below:
- SHWAS (SIDBI assistance to Healthcare sector in War Against the Second wave of Covid-19)
- AROG (SIDBI Assistance to MSMEs for Recovery & Organic Growth during a pandemic)
- SWAS and AROG schemes envisage 100 % funding up to an amount of ₹2 crore to an MSME unit.
- They have been launched to provide funding for production and services related to the supply of oxygen cylinders and essential drugs.
- SIDBI Assistance to Facilitate Emergency response against corona virus (SAFE) scheme was launched by SIDBI last month.
Topic: Miscellaneous
5. World’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge opened in Portugal.
- The world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge opened in Portugal on 29th April. It has been opened in Arouca in northern Portugal.
- It is a 516-meter-long bridge over the Paiva River. It is located in UNESCO-recognised Arouca Geopark.
- It will encourage people to live in this region.
- Portugal:
- It is located in south-western Europe.
- It is the westernmost country of Europe.
- It is the oldest country in Europe.
- António Costa is the current Prime Minister of Portugal.
- Lisbon is the Capital of Portugal and Euro is the currency of Portugal.
Topic: International News
6. EAM S Jaishankar will participate in G-7 Foreign Ministers’ meet.
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will begin a four-day visit to London to participate in a meeting of foreign ministers of G7 countries.
- The UK is hosting the G7 foreign ministers meeting in London from May 3 to 5.
- In this G-7 Foreign Ministers’ meet, India, Australia, South Korea, South Africa, and the chair and secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been invited as guests.
- The main agenda of this meeting is to discuss climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the geopolitical situation in the world.
- India has also been invited as a guest to the 47th G7 summit. It is scheduled to be organized in the United Kingdom from 11th to 13th June.
- Group of Seven (G7):
- G7 is an international intergovernmental economic organization of the world’s seven advanced economies.
- Members- Canada, Japan, Italy, France, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom
- Its first meeting was held in 1975 in France.
- Its headquarters is located in Taormina, Italy.
Topic: Reports and Indices
7. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs released Global Forest Goals Report 2021.
- The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has released the Global Forest Goals Report 2021.
- It has been released during the meetings of the UN Forum on Forests. It is the first evaluation of the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2030.
- According to this report, many countries of Asia, Europe, and Oceania are on the track of increasing the forest area by three percent till 2030.
- However, many factors, including land degradation, pests, invasive species, fires, storms, and droughts, have degraded the forest of the world.
- As per the report, people have moved towards the forest for their subsistence needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. It can lead to more deforestation of the forest.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the challenge for countries in managing forests. Pandemic has reduced income of the forest-dependent populations and diminished the market access of their products.
Topic: Important Days
8. World Laughter Day 2021: 2 May
- World Laughter Day is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of May. In the year 2021, it was celebrated on 2 May.
- The main objective of this day is to spread awareness about laughter and its healing benefits.
- This day celebration was started by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1998. Madan Kataria is the founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement.
- The health benefits of laughing are:
- It relaxes the whole body relieving physical tension and stress.
- It enhances the immune system by decreasing stress hormones.
- It improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow in our body.
- If one laughs for 10 to 15 minutes a day, around 40 calories can be burnt.
Topic: Defence
9. United States approved sale of six P-8I patrol aircraft to India.
- The US administration has approved the sale of six more P-8I patrol aircraft to India. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has cleared this deal.
- India had procured eight P-8I patrol aircraft in 2009 and it had given an order of four more P-8I patrol aircraft in 2016.
- It will help Indian Navy in expanding its maritime surveillance aircraft (MSA) capability.
- P-8I patrol aircraft is manufactured by Boeing. It has been designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
- It is equipped with the Multifunctional Information Distribution System- Joint Tactical Radio Systems 5, Missile Warning Sensors, and Global Positioning Systems.
Topic: Environment and Ecology
10. A snake has been named after Herpetologist Deepak Veerappan.
- A tiny size snake has been found in the Western Ghats. It has been named after Indian herpetologist Deepak Veerappan.
- Named Xylophis deepaki is just 20 cm in length.
- Deepak Veerappan is known for finding a new subfamily of Xylophiinae and for accommodating wooden snakes.
- Wood snakes are found in farms beneath the logs in Western Ghat forests. They eat earthworms and other invertebrates.
- Captain’s wood snake is found in the Western Ghats forest in Kerala.
- This discovery has increased the number of wooden snake species to five.
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