Wednesday, 27 January 2021
GK Update of twenty sixth and twenty seventh January 2021 masking the next information headlines: Republic Day 2021, PANKH Abhiyan, AMPHEX – 21, Akash-NG Missile, SpaceX.
National News
1. Republic Day 2021: India celebrates its 72nd Republic Day
- The nation celebrated the 72nd Republic Day with a grand navy parade and exhibition of its historical past, cultural variety and strategic weaponry on the Rajpath, Delhi. This day is well known by all Indians and twenty sixth of January has been declared as a nationwide vacation by the federal government of India.
- The Republic Day Parade ceremony will start with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the National War Memorial. The National Flag was unfurled adopted by the National Anthem with a booming 21-gun salute.
- The Indian Republic Day is well known all throughout India with a lot of patriotism and fervour. At Rajpath, in Delhi, magnificent parades by regiments of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, police, and paramilitary forces are witnessed. India’s defensive prowess is on show too, with the most recent missiles, plane, and weapon techniques.
International News
2. Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa wins second time period
- The incumbent President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has received a second five-year time period after profitable the 2021 Portuguese presidential election with a landslide victory.
- The 72-year-old former chief of the Social Democratic Party received 61 per cent of the entire votes. He is serving because the President of the nation since 9 March 2016 and would begin his second time period on March 9, 2021.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Portugal Capital: Lisbon; Currency: Euro.
State News
3. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches ‘PANKH Abhiyan’ for Girl Child
- In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a brand new scheme ‘PANKH Abhiyan’ on 24 January, to mark the event of National Girl Child Day.
- The scheme has been launched below the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme for the empowerment and progress of the woman youngster.
- The CM additionally introduced scholarships value Rs 6.47 crore for 26,099 women below Ladli Laxmi Yojana.
- ‘PANKH Abhiyan’ is a year-long programme. The letter within the PANKH scheme stands for:
‘P’ – safety
‘A’ – consciousness of their rights
‘N’ – diet
‘K’ – information
‘H’ – well being.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Anandiben Patel.
4. UP turns into first Indian State to have 2 Expressway airstrips
- In Uttar Pradesh, a brand new 3,300-metre-long airstrip has been constructed close to Kurebhar on Purvanchal Expressway.
- With this new airstrip, Uttar Pradesh has grow to be the primary state in India having two airstrips on expressways.
- Uttar Pradesh additionally has an airstrip on Lucknow-Agra Expressway. Airstrips on expressways are designed to facilitate emergency touchdown and take-off of fighter planes.
- Uttar Pradesh authorities is making an attempt to attach the whole northern a part of the nation with expressways.
- The Hindon and Agra airbases of the Indian Air Force will have the ability to use the runway of all three expressways if wanted.
- Also, these airstrips of Uttar Pradesh can serve the Air Force to reply towards China and Pakistan in case of any warfare.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow.
- Uttar Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel.
- Uttar Pradesh Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.
Defence News
5. Indian Navy conducts train AMPHEX – 21 with Army and Air Force
- A big-scale tri-service joint amphibious train AMPHEX – 21 was held in Andaman & Nicobar group of islands. The train concerned the participation of troops of Army, Navy in addition to the Indian Air Force.
- The train was aimed toward validating India’s capabilities to safeguard the territorial integrity of its island territories. The joint power executed multi-domain, high-intensity offensive and defensive manoeuvres within the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.
- The train concerned multi-faceted maritime operations by synergised employment of amphibious assault ships, surveillance platforms, execution of maritime airstrikes and complicated manoeuvres at sea.
6. DRDO efficiently conducts maiden take a look at launch of Akash-NG Missile
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) performed profitable maiden launch of Akash-NG (New Generation) Missile from Integrated Test Range off the coast of Odisha.
- Akash-NG is a brand new technology Surface-to-Air Missile to be used by Indian Air Force (IAF) with an goal of intercepting excessive manoeuvring aerial threats. The launch met all of the take a look at aims by performing excessive manoeuvres in the course of the trajectory.
Economy News
7. FICCI survey forecasts 8% GDP contraction in FY21
- The gross home product (GDP) of India is predicted to contract by 8 per cent in 2020-21, in accordance with the most recent Economic Outlook Survey of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
- Apart from this, FICCI expects the economic system to carry out significantly better within the monetary 12 months 2021-22 with a GDP progress charge of 9.6 p.c in FY22.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry Founded: 1927.
- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry Headquarters location: New Delhi.
8. IMF revises India’s progress forecast to -8% in FY21
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has pegged the Indian economic system to contract by 8 per cent within the present monetary 12 months 2020-21, in its newest World Economic Outlook, launched on 26 January 2021.
- The IMF expects GDP of India to rise to 11.5 per cent within the subsequent monetary 12 months i.e. 2021-22.
- Apart from this, the IMF projected the worldwide progress to contract at 3.5 per cent in 2020.
- The international economic system is projected to develop by 5.5 per cent in 2021 and 4.2 per cent in 2022 as per the IMF.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- IMF Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S.
- IMF Managing Director and Chairman: Kristalina Georgieva.
- IMF Chief Economist: Gita Gopinath.
9. UN tasks Indian economic system to develop at 7.3% in CY-2021
- India’s financial progress is forecast to be 7.3 per cent within the Calendar Year 2021 by the UN.
- The Indian economic system is estimated to contract by 9.6 per cent within the Calendar 12 months 2020, as per the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021, produced by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).
- In addition to this, the worldwide economic system is estimated to shrink by 4.3 per cent in 2020. The UN has estimated the Global GDP to get better to 4.7 per cent in 2021.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Headquarters location: New York, United States.
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Head: Liu Zhenmin.
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Founded: 1948.
Science and Technology News
10. SpaceX breaks ISRO’s Record by launching 143 Satellites
- SpaceX efficiently launched its bold rideshare mission known as Transporter-1, carrying 143 small satellites, and created a brand new report of launching many satellites from a single rocket.
- With this launch, SpaceX broke the report set by ISRO in February 2017 for deploying 104 satellites onboard PSLV in a single mission.
- The SpaceX used two-stage Falcon 9 rocket for the mission, from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 143 satellites included 133 business and authorities satellites and 10 Starlink satellites of SpaceX.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- SpaceX founder & CEO: Elon Musk.
- SpaceX president & COO: Gwynne Shotwell.
- SpaceX Founded: 2002.
- SpaceX Headquarters: California, United States of America.
Ranks and Reports News
11. India Ranks seventh in Global Climate Risk Index 2021 of Germanwatch
- India has been positioned among the many high 10 most affected nations by local weather change, within the Global Climate Risk Index 2021 revealed by the Bonn-based environmental assume tank Germanwatch. India ranked because the seventh worst-hit nation by way of local weather change in 2019.
- The Global Climate Risk Index 2021 is the sixteenth version of the annual report and has taken under consideration the info obtainable for 2019 and from 2000 to 2019.
- The index analyses and ranks to what extent nations and areas have been affected by impacts of climate-related excessive climate occasions (storms, floods, heatwaves and so forth.)
- Top 3 nations: Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Bahamas had been the highest three most affected nations in 2019 respectively.
- Top 3 Countries most affected up to now 20 years: Between 2000-2019, Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti had been the nations most affected by the impacts of such climate occasions.
12. China surpasses United States as largest recipient of FDI
- China was the most important recipient of international direct funding (FDI) in 2020, in accordance with a report launched by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
- China overtook the United States to achieve the highest place in 2020. The nation attracted $163 billion inflows in 2020, in comparison with $134 billion attracted by the United States.
- However, in 2019, the United States had obtained $251 billion in inflows and China obtained $140 billion.
- Overall, the worldwide FDI had fallen by 42% in 2020, attracting an influx of an estimated $859 billion, in comparison with $1.5 trillion in 2019.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- UNCTAD Headquarters location: Geneva, Switzerland.
- UNCTAD Head: Mukhisa Kituyi.
- UNCTAD Founder: United Nations General Assembly.
- UNCTAD Founded: 30 December 1964.
Awards News
13. Ministry of Home Affairs Padma Awards 2021 introduced
- The Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced a listing of 119 personalities who will likely be conferred the Padma Awards by President Ram Nath Kovind this 12 months.
- These awards cater to numerous disciplines together with artwork, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, commerce and trade, drugs, literature and training, sports activities and civil service.
- While ‘Padma Shri’ is awarded for distinguished service in any subject, ‘Padma Bhushan’ is awarded for distinguished service of a excessive order.
- On the opposite hand, ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for distinctive and distinguished service. Among the 2021 awardees, 29 are ladies, one is a transgender,10 are foreigners/NRIs/OCI and 16 have handed away.
- There will likely be no recipient of the Bharat Ratna in 2021. The Padma Awards shall be formally conferred by the President within the Rashtrapati Bhawan in March or April.
14. 51st International Film Festival of India Concludes
- The 51st version of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was held from 16 January to 24 January 2021 at Shyamaprasad Stadium close to Panaji in Goa.
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pageant was held in hybrid mode, there was the bodily and digital screening of fifty movies out of 224 movies throughout numerous classes.
- Bangladesh was a rustic of focus on the pageant. Four movies of Bangladesh was included in ‘country of focus’ part.
The winners of the IFFI awards are listed under:
- Golden Peacock Award for Best Film: Into the Darkness
- Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor (Male): Tzu-Chuan Liu, The Silent Forest
- Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor (Female): Zofia Stafiej, I Never Cry
- Silver Peacock Award for Best Director: Chen-Nien Ko, The Silent Forest
- Best Debut Director Award: Cássio Pereira dos Santos, Valentina
- Special Mention Award: Kripal Kalita, Bridge
- Special Jury Award: Kamin Kalev, February
- ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Award: Ameen Nayfeh’s 200 Meters
- Indian Personality of the Year Award: Biswajit Chatterjee
- Lifetime Achievement: Vittorio Storaro (Italian cinematographer).
15. Rajendra Kumar Bhandari wins Subhash Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2021
- The Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2021 has been conferred upon Dr Rajendra Kumar Bhandari within the Individual class and Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) in Institutional class.
- The award carries a money prize of Rs 51 lakh and a certificates for an establishment and Rs 5 lakh and a certificates in case of a person.
- The Government of India proclaims the award yearly on January 23, the start anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, to recognise and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by people and organisations in India within the subject of catastrophe administration.
Important Days
16. International Day of Commemoration in reminiscence of the victims of the Holocaust
- International Day of Commemoration in reminiscence of the victims of the Holocaust (International Holocaust Remembrance Day) is noticed on 27 January yearly since 2006 to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred in the course of the Second World War.
- A genocide occurred throughout World War II wherein Nazi Germany, aided by its collaborators, systematically murdered some six million European Jews, round two-thirds of the Jewish inhabitants of Europe, between 1941 and 1945.
- The theme of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021 is “Facing the Aftermath: Recovery and Reconstitution after the Holocaust”.
- United Nations designated the day in 2005 to function a date for the official commemoration of the victims of the Nazi regime and to advertise Holocaust training all through the world.
17. International Customs Day: 26 January
- The International Customs Day (ICD) is noticed on 26 January yearly. The day is well known to recognise the position of customs officers and businesses and deal with the working circumstances and challenges that customs officers face of their jobs.
- This 12 months International Customs Day theme: “Customs bolstering Recovery, Renewal and Resilience”.
- The day was instituted by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to commemorate the day in 1953 when the inaugural session of the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) was held in Brussels, Belgium.
- In 1994 the CCC was renamed World Customs Organization (WCO).
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- World Customs Organization headquarter: Brussels, Belgium.
- World Customs Organization Membership: 182 nations.
- World Customs Organization Secretary-General: Kunio Mikuriya.