Daily Current Affairs and GK | 28 January 2021

Topic: Sports

1. Introduction of the ICC Player of the Month awards announced by International Cricket Council (ICC).

• Introduction of the ICC Player of the Month awards has been announced by International Cricket Council (ICC).
• ICC Player of the Month awards will recognize the best performances of both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket.
• An independent ICC Voting Academy will vote for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month and ICC Women’s Player of the Month.
• It will comprise former players, broadcasters, and journalists from all over the world. It will team up with fans to vote.
• International Cricket Council:
  • The International Cricket Council is the global governing body of cricket.
  • It was established in 1909 by the representatives of Australia, England, and South Africa as the Imperial Cricket Conference.
  • It is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Topic: Reports and Indices

2. India ranked seventh in Global Climate Risk Index 2021.

• India ranked seventh in Global Climate Risk Index 2021, released on 25 January by Bonn (Germany) based environmental think tank, Germanwatch.
• Mozambique and Zimbabwe are ranked first and second place, respectively, in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021. Afghanistan is ranked sixth.
• In terms of fatalities in 2019 and losses in million US dollars, India is ranked first. Puerto Rico is ranked first in the list of ten most affected countries from 2000-2019.
• As per the report, India witnessed monsoon conditions for a month longer than usual. The report says that a total of eight tropical cyclones occurred in 2019 during the Northern Indian Ocean cyclone season.
• Out of the eight cyclones, six became very severe. Cyclone Fani in May 2019 was the worst cyclone.
• Global Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS) 2021 was held online on 25 and 26 January. The Netherlands hosted it.
• Global Climate Risk Index 2021 is the 16^th edition of the annual Global Climate Risk Index. It is released annually by Bonn (Germany) based environmental think tank, Germanwatch.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

3. World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda Summit to be addressed by PM Modi.

• PM Modi will address the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda Summit.
• WEF’s Davos Agenda Summit is being organized on 25-29 January 2021. WEF’s Davos Agenda will be a sign of the launch of the Great Reset Initiative of World Economic Forum.
• During the summit, architect Sir David Adjaye and photographer Sebastião Salgado won 27^th annual Crystal Award.
• WEF founder Klaus Schwab’s latest book titled ‘Stakeholder Capitalism: A Global Economy that Works for Progress, People and Planet’ was released.
• The report, ‘Upskilling for Shared Prosperity’ was released during the online summit. WEF’s annual meeting will be held in May in Singapore.
• World Economic Forum (WEF):
  • It was founded in January 1971 by Klaus Schwab.
  • It is headquartered in Cologny, Switzerland.
  • Its motto is “committed to improving the state of the world”.

Topic: International News

4. Indian Defence Minister and National Security Adviser speaks to their American counterpart.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin.
• National Security Adviser Ajit Doval talks to US counterpart Jake Sullivan. He congratulated him on his appointment as National Security Advisor of the US.
• Both leaders have discussed various issues, including terrorism, maritime security, cybersecurity, etc.
• Both countries have agreed upon working together on common strategic and security interests.
• Lloyd Austin is appointed as United States Secretary of Defense.
• National Security Adviser (India):
  • It is an executive agency responsible for advising the Prime Minister on national security policy and international affairs matters.
  • He is equivalent to the rank of Union Cabinet Minister.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. Union IT and Communications Minister will launch virtual intelligence tool Tejas and ‘Work from Anywhere’ portal.

• Union IT and Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will launch virtual intelligence tool Tejas and ‘Work from Anywhere’ portal. He will launch it on the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI).
• He will also launch ‘e-Auction India’ for conducting online auction by the government organizations.
• Tejas: It is a virtual intelligence tool, which will convert critical data into important information. It will help policy decisions and improve the efficiency of government services.
• ‘Work from Anywhere’ portal: It will help government employees to access applications like e-office, calendar, mail, and other departmental applications. It will also help in departmental communications.   
• National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI):
  • It was established in 1995.
  • It is a company under the National Informatics Centre.
  • It is responsible for providing and procuring IT solutions for multiple e-governance projects.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

6. India inked an agreement with International Energy Agency for global energy security.

• India has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the International Energy Agency (IEA) for cooperation on global energy security, stability and sustainability on 27 January 2021.
• The partnership will build mutual trust and will also help in the exchange of knowledge in the field of energy.
• This agreement has been signed by Power Secretary Sanjiv Nandan Sahai and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
• The IEA Secretariat will be responsible for the implementation of the cooperative activities in India.
• International Energy Agency (IEA):
  • It is an autonomous body within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
  • It recommends policies to enhance the security, affordability and sustainability of energy.
  • It was established in 1974 and currently, it has 30 members.
  • India is an associate member of the IEA.
  • It releases the World Energy Outlook report

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International News

7. US will remain part of World Health Organisation.

• US President Joe Biden announced that the US would remain part of the World Health Organisation. India and other countries of the world have welcomed this decision.
• The United States will work together with other member countries in this fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Post-COVID-19 world will be a more challenging era for the WHO. It needs to be more empowered to provide health care facilities in member countries.
• World Health Organization (WHO):
  • It is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.
  • It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • It was established on 7 April 1948.
  • It is comprised of 194 members.
  • Its current Director-General is Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Topic: State News/ Ladakh

8. Ladakh MP unfurled national flag at highest location.

• Ladakh MP Jamayang Tsering Namgyal unfurled the National Flag at an altitude of 15000ft (4571mtr) on Stongday Top. It has been unfurled on the occasion of 72^nd Republic Day.
• Stongday is located in Zanskar Sub Division in Kargil.
• He has set a record of unfurling the National Flag at the highest altitude and the lowest temperature of -35 degrees Celsius.
• The main attraction of the location is the snow sculptured National Emblem.
• At present, the country’s tallest flag is hoisted at the Attari border at the height of 360 feet.
• Indian National flag:
  • It has strips of saffron, white and green colour with Ashoka Chakra (24 spoke wheel) in the center.
  • The ratio of length to breadth of the National flag should be 3:2.
  • The first national flag in India was hoisted on 7 August 1906 in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Kolkata.
  • It was designed by Pingali Venkayya.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

9. Madhya Pradesh Government launched ‘PANKH Abhiyan’ on the occasion of National Girl Child Day.

• Madhya Pradesh CM has launched the ‘PANKH Abhiyan’ to empower the girl child on the occasion of National Girl Child Day.
• It has been launched under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme.
• The CM has also announced scholarships under Ladli Laxmi Yojana.
• PANKH Abhiyan:
  • P stands for protection, A for awareness of their rights, N for nutrition, K for knowledge and H for health.
  • It has been launched for one year.
• Ladli Laxmi Yojana:
  • It was launched by the Madhya Pradesh government in 2007.
  • It aims to improve the sex ratio, education and health status of girl children.
  • It provides financial assistance for the educational and marriage expenses of girls.

Topic: Agriculture

10. CCEA approved increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) of copra.

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved an increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) of copra.
• MSP of copra has been kept at Rs 10,335 per quintal for the 2021 season. It is an increase of Rs 375 over 2020 rates.
• Minimum Support Price (MSP) is made available for 23 crops on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP). The names of 23 crops are given below.