Daily Current Affairs and GK | 7 and 8 November 2021

Topic: National News

1. Modi laid foundation stone of various development projects in Kedarnath and dedicated to the nation.

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has laid the foundation stone of various development projects in Kedarnath and dedicated them to the nation.
• PM has inaugurated the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi and unveiled the statue of Adi Shankaracharya.
• PM Modi also offered prayers and celebrations held at 12 Jyotirlingas and 4 dhams and many places of faith all over the country, along with the event at Kedarnath Dham.
• Mr. G. Kishan Reddy, Minister for Culture, Tourism and DoNER has visited the Adi Shankaracharya Temple in Kalady, Kerala.
• Kalady is the place of birth of Adi Shankaracharya. Adi Shankaracharya was one of the earliest social reformers of India to fight caste discrimination.

Topic: State News/ Karnataka

2. Janasevaka scheme launched by Karnataka government to offer home delivery.

• The ‘Janasevaka’ scheme has been launched by Bengaluru Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, which will offer 58 government services at the doorstep of citizens.
• During the first phase, the scheme will be available in all 198 municipal wards of Bengaluru.
• The scheme was launched on the occasion of the 66^th Kannada Rajyotsava. This scheme will be implemented across Karnataka from January 26.
• Various services like caste certificate, property Khata certificate, old age, and widow pension scheme will be provided under the program.
• Under the scheme, a facility fee of Rs 115 along with the department fee will be charged from the citizens for the requested service.
• Jan Sevak pilot project was launched on March 2, 2019, in Dasarahalli assembly constituency of Bengaluru North and then was extended to three more assembly constituencies -Bommanahalli, Rajajinagar, and Mahadevapura, and later to Yeshwantpur in January 2021.

Topic: National News

3. Government has cut basic duty on crude palm oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil from 2.5% to zero.

• Due to the continued rise in cooking oil prices, the government has reduced the basic duty on crude palm oil, crude soybean oil, and crude sunflower oil from 2.5 percent to zero.
• Agricultural cess on these oils has been reduced from 20 percent to 7.5 percent for crude palm oil and 5 percent for crude soybean oil and crude sunflower oil.
• Basic duty has been reduced to 17.5 percent from the existing 32.5 percent on RBD Palmolein Oil, Refined Soyabean, and Refined Sunflower Oil.
• Before the reduction in cess, the Agricultural Infrastructure Cess on all types of crude edible oils was 20 per cent.
• After the reduction, the effective duty on crude palm oil will be 8.25 percent and on crude soybean oil and crude sunflower oil will be 5.5 percent.
• The Government has also suspended futures trading in mustard oil on the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Ltd and imposed stock limits.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

4. National Cancer Awareness Day: 7 November.

• National Cancer Awareness Day is observed every year on 07 November to raise awareness about cancer and encourage its prevention.
• In September 2014, National Cancer Awareness Day was first announced by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.
• National Cancer Awareness Day coincides with the birth anniversary of scientist Madame Curie. She is remembered for her discovery of radium and polonium.
• World Cancer Day is organized by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) on 4 February every year to raise awareness about cancer.
• International Childhood Cancer Day is observed on February 15, 2021.

Topic: Miscellaneous

5. India's first drive-in, rooftop theatre opened in Mumbai.

• India's first drive-in, rooftop theatre has been opened in Mumbai.
• The theatre has a capacity of accommodating around 290 cars.
• It is India’s first open-air rooftop theatre. Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi is the first movie to be showcased in the open-air theatre.
• The theatre is located in Jio World Drive and is spread across 17.5 acres. The theatre will be managed by the multiplex chain PVR Ltd.
• The theatre has a 24m x 10m dimension cinema screen. It is one of the biggest cinema screens in the country.

Topic: Indian Polity

6. Centre issues draft mediation bill for public consultation.

• Centre has issued a draft mediation bill for public consultation.
• The bill takes into consideration the international practice of using the terms ‘conciliation’ and ‘mediation’ interchangeably.
• Since India is a signatory to the Singapore Convention on Mediation, it is desirable to enact a law in mediation on issues of domestic and international mediation.
• The draft bill aims to promote, encourage and facilitate mediation especially institutional mediation.
• It proposes for pre-litigation mediation and safeguards the interest of the litigants to approach the competent adjudicatory forums/courts in case an urgent relief is sought.
• It makes the successful outcome of mediation in the form of a Mediation Settlement Agreement (MSA) enforceable by law.
• The draft bill protects the confidentiality of the mediation undertaken. It provides for immunity in certain cases against its disclosure.
• The draft bill provides for registration of Mediation Settlement Agreement with State/District/Taluk Legal Authorities within 90 days to ensure maintenance of authenticated records of the settlement so arrived.
• The draft bill also provides for community mediation and establishment of the Mediation Council of India.

Topic: Sports

7. Manu Bhaker and Javad Foroughi won air pistol mixed team gold in President’s Cup shooting championship.

• Manu Bhaker in partnership with Iran’s Javad Foroughi won air pistol mixed team gold in President’s Cup shooting championship in Wroclaw, Poland.
• Indo-Iranian team defeated France’s Mathilde Lamolle and Russia’s Artem Chernousov in the match for gold.
• Earlier, Manu Bhaker and Javad Foroughi had defeated Greece’s Anna Korakaki and Serbia’s Damir Mikec.
• Manu Bhaker topped in the individual women’s air pistol. She was two points ahead of Anna Korakaki.
• In men’s air pistol, Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma qualified in the third and fourth spots.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Appointments

8. Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan took charge as Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command.

• Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has took charge as Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command on 04 November 2021.
• Admiral Swaminathan is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla.
• He is a recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.
• He has held key positions including command of missile vessels INS Vidyut and Vinash; the missile corvette, INS Kulish; the guided-missile destroyer, INS Mysore and the aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya.
• He served as the Chief Staff Officer (Training) at Headquarters Southern Naval Command, Kochi.

Topic: State News/ Meghalaya

9. Meghalaya Government approved creation of the Eastern West Khasi Hills district.

• Recently, the Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the proposal to upgrade the Mairang civil sub-division to a full-fledged district.
• It will be named the Eastern West Khasi Hills district. Currently, Mairang is a sub-division under the West Khasi Hills district.
• The main aim of creating new a district is to ensure that the administration will remain closer to the people and to make various scheme implementation more effective.
• Meghalaya Government has instructed the concerned department to complete the procedure of creating a new district.

Topic: International News

10. India-France holds strategic dialogue in Paris.

• India and France held the 35^th session of strategic dialogue in Paris.
• French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took part in this meeting.
• Both leaders discussed various issues including strengthening maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region and the situation in Afghanistan.
• Both sides reaffirmed the vision that their strategic partnership has a vital role to play in advancing peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral defense and security partnership through intelligence and information sharing, operational cooperation, and bilateral exercises.
• Both countries also discussed the continuous challenge of terrorism, cyber security, and space domains.
• Defense cooperation is a major pillar of India-France ties and France is one of India’s largest defense suppliers.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

11. Priyanka Mohite will be awarded Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.

• Mountaineer Priyanka Mohite will be awarded the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020.
• She will be awarded for his outstanding contribution in the field of land adventure. She will receive an award on 13 November at a function in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
• She started trekking in Sahyadri ranges in western ghats and rock-climbing in 2010.
• She has scaled the world's highest peaks Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, and Mt Makalu.
• She became the first Indian woman to climb Mt Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain peak in the world.

Topic: Important Days

12. International Day of Radiology: 08 November

• International Day of Radiology (IDoR) is celebrated annually on 08 November to raise awareness about the importance of radiology research, diagnosis and treatment that contribute to patient care.
• IDoR was first celebrated in 2012. IDoR 2021 is tenth International Day of Radiology.
• International Day of Radiology celebration marks the anniversary of the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen on 8 November 1895.
• This year, International Day of Radiology is dedicated to Interventional Radiology and its essential role in treating patients.
• The motto of International Day of Radiology is ‘Interventional Radiology – Active care for the patient’.
• Radiology uses medical imaging to diagnose and treat diseases. Interventional radiology is the practice of using imaging technologies to perform minimally invasive medical procedures.
• X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), fluoroscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are imaging techniques used to diagnose or treat diseases.

Topic: Reports and Indices

13. Quacquarelli Symonds releases QS Asia University Rankings 2022.

• Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has released QS Asia University Rankings 2022.
• The National University of Singapore has become the best university in Asia for the fourth consecutive year.
• No Indian University is included in the top 10. Total 687 universities from the continent were included in QS Asia University Rankings 2022.
• Out of Indian Universities included in QS Asia University Rankings 2022, 10 Indian Universities were new entrants this year. Of them, 7 found a place in top 100.
• IIT Bombay (Rank 42), IIT Delhi (Rank 45), and IIT Madras (Rank 54) are the top three Indian Universities to find a place in QS Asia University Rankings 2022.
• Delhi University (Rank 77) and JNU (Rank 107) are top central universities to find a place on rankings.
• Among state-run universities, Calcutta University (Rank 154) is ranked highest.
• QS World University Rankings 2022 for higher education institutes across the world were released in early June. No Indian Institute had achieved a position among the top 100 universities of the world.
• For the Asia-specific version released on November 3, QS compared the top 687 universities in Asia across eleven key indicators.
• In QS Asia University Rankings 2022, Mainland China is most represented with 126 universities. It is followed by India with 118 universities.
• Japan has more universities (11 universities) in the top 50 of the ranking. It is followed by Mainland China with 10 universities in the top 50.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

14. Third edition of Indian Navy’s Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) started on 07 November.

• Third edition of the Indian Navy’s Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) has started on 07 November.
• It is being held from 07 to 09 November 2021 under the aegis of Naval War College, Goa.
• The theme for this year’s edition of GMC is “Maritime Security and Emerging Non-Traditional Threats: A Case for Proactive Role for IOR Navies”.
• Chiefs of Navies/ Heads of Maritime Forces from 12 Indian Ocean littorals, including Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand are participating in the event.
• GMC is the Indian Navy’s Outreach Initiative. It provides a multinational platform for harnessing the collective knowledge of maritime security practitioners and academics.
• GMC-21 was based upon the working level deliberations of the Goa Maritime Symposium-21 held earlier in May this year.

(Source: PIB)