Daily Current Affairs and GK | 23 and 24 October 2022

Topic: State News/Tripura

1. Tripura’s first Government English Medium College has been inaugurated by CM Dr Manik Saha.

• Tripura’s first government English medium college, Sri Aurobindo General Degree College, has been set up at the old DIET building in Kunjaban of Agartala.
• The new college is a significant step towards the development of higher education in the state. The English language is essential for higher education.
• The Chief Minister said that students need to become good in academic learning as well as in extra-curricular activities.
• At present, 128 pre-primary schools in the state. The government has taken many initiatives for the development of the education system.
• According to the 2011 census, Tripura has a literacy rate of 87.75%. It is one of the most literate states in India.
• Tripura:
  • It is a northeast state of India, bordered by Bangladesh on three sides.
  • The Governor of Tripura is Satyadev Narayan Arya, and Chief Minister is Dr. Manik Saha.
  • Tripura has a total of four universities and more than 60 colleges.

Topic: Defence

2. Army’s 4th round of emergency procurement will be entirely from the domestic industry.

• In the last few years, the Army has done three tranches of Emergency Procurements (EP).
• Army Chief Gen. Manoj Pande said that the Indian Army could place an order worth ₹8 lakh crore to domestic Industry in the next seven to eight years.
• Emergency procurements are done by defence forces to meet critical operational requirements.
• 68 contracts worth ₹6000 crores were signed during the three tranches of the Emergency Procurements.
• Earlier, the Defence Ministry granted Emergency financial powers to the armed forces for procuring weapons systems worth up to ₹300 crores on an urgent basis without any further clearances.
• In the last 3-4 years, the number of indigenous contracts has grown almost three times.
• In 2021, the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for various contracts worth ₹40,000 crores were issued from the domestic industry.
• Indian Army is also planning to induct new long-range rocket systems and software-defined radios less prone to jamming.
• The effort of indigenous defence manufacturing is based on four foundational pillars, which are resource allocation, enabling policies, viable market and competition.

Topic: State News/ Kerala

3. ‘Honesty shops’ opened in 15 schools in Kerala.

• As part of the Student Police Cadet (SPC) project, ‘Honesty shops’ have been opened in 15 schools in the Ernakulam district of Kerala.
• In these schools, no salesman will be present at the counters and students can keep the money for each item in the collection box.
• Students can choose the item of their choice and pay for it as per the price list displayed.
• The Student Police Cadet (SPC) project was launched in 2008 to inculcate better civic sense among students and to make them responsible youth.
• The main aim of the honesty shop is to give students a chance to experience the virtue of honesty.
• The honesty shop has school-based items like notebooks, pens, pencil boxes, erasers, chart papers, etc.
• The Student Police Cadet (SPC) project is planning to expand this initiative in other schools.

Topic: Geography

4. ‘Cyclone Sitrang’ is likely to form in the Bay of Bengal on 24 October.

• India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that it will be the first Cyclone to be formed in the Bay of Bengal since 2018.
• The name of the cyclone has been given by Thailand. It will reach close to the coasts of West Bengal – Bangladesh by 25 October.
• Winds with speeds around 40-45 km/hr could pass over the Andaman and Nicobar islands, and it will convert into a cyclonic storm with a speed of 62 – 87kms/hr.
• Cyclone ‘Titli’ in 2018 was the last tropical cyclone to form in the Bay of Bengal.
• Storms with severe intensity develop in the North Indian Ocean, comprising the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
• In the last 131 years, 61 storms have developed in the Bay of Bengal.
• Factors for a tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal in October are given below:
  • After the Southwest monsoon withdrawal, ocean heating rises which increases the temperature of the sea surface.
  • The availability of moisture over the ocean region also increases.
  • The winds from the South China Sea upon reaching the Bay of Bengal get conducive conditions and it leads to the formation of cyclones.

Topic: Personality in News

5. Anna May Wong will become the first Asian American to appear on US currency.

• The legendary Hollywood star Anna May Wong’s image will be imprinted on quarter-dollar coins across the country.
• The coin is the fifth design of the American Women Quarters Program.
• Anna May Wong has acted in more than 60 films and is recognized as the first Asian American movie star.
• Wong first began acting at the age of 14 and got the first lead role in ‘The Toll of the Sea’.
• Wong received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and she died the next year.
• Wong struggled to get appropriate roles in Hollywood due to the prevailing racism at the time.

Topic: International News

6. FATF decided to add Myanmar on its ‘black list’.

• Myanmar has been added to a group of high-risk countries, known as the ‘black list’.
• North Korea and Iran are on the ‘black list’ since 2020.
• The decision to include Myanmar has been taken due to its failure in resolving illicit financial flows.
• In June 2022, the FATF strongly urged Myanmar to complete its action plan by October 2022.
• Myanmar is already under a range of punitive measures. The Myanmar government is optimistic that the FATF will soon rule in its favour.

Topic: Important Days

7. United Nations (UN) Day 2022: 24 October

• Every year on October 24, the United Nations (UN) Day is celebrated.
• The day is celebrated on 24 October to mark the official establishment of the United Nations in 1945.
• United Nations Day is being celebrated on 24^th October since 1948.
• The primary role of the United Nations is to maintain world peace and security.
• United Nations has responsibility for developing friendly relations between countries, achieving international cooperation and being the centre of coordination for the nations.
• In 1971, the UNGA advised and suggested that 24 October be observed as a public holiday by all member states of the United Nations.
• United Nations:
  • United Nations came into existence on 24 October 1945.
  • The United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt coined the name 'United Nations’ and it was first used on 1 January 1942 during World War II.
  • When the UN was established, it had only 51 members and currently, it has 193 member states.
  • Its Secretary‑General is António Guterres.

Topic: Important Days

8. World Polio Day 2022: 24 October

• Every year on 24 October, World Polio Day is observed.
• It is celebrated to raise awareness for polio vaccination and eradication of polio.
• It was started by Rotary International to commemorate the birth anniversary of Jonas Salk, who had led the first team that made a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
• World Polio Day gives an opportunity to highlight the efforts of frontline workers in the fight against polio.
• In March 2014, WHO certified India as a polio-free country.
• Polio:
  • It is an infectious disease caused by Poliovirus. It can affect the nervous system which can cause paralysis.
  • It can spread through contaminated food and water. It can be prevented by the inactivated poliovirus vaccine or Oral poliovirus vaccine.
  • The first effective polio vaccine was developed by Jonas Salk in 1952.