DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Feb. 14, 2023

PM Modi to inaugurate national Aadi Mahotsav on Feb 16 in New Delhi

Tags: Festivals National News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate  the national Aadi Mahotsav on 16th February, 2023 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. 

An overview of the news

• This 15-day festival is being organised at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.

• This was announced at a media briefing by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda in New Delhi. 

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is making all out efforts to ensure full participation of tribal communities in realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

• The Minister said that TRIFED is working with top designers to ensure quality and contemporary design in tribal products as well as to retain their originality.

Theme of Aadi Mahotsav 2023

• The Theme of the event “A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Crafts, Culture, Cuisine and Commerce”. 

• The theme represents the basic ethos of tribal life. 

Festival Highlights

• The festival will feature exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, handlooms, paintings, jewellery, cane and bamboo, pottery, food and natural products, tribal cuisine and more to showcase it through 200 stalls.

• One thousand tribal artisans and artists from 28 states and union territories will participate in the festival.

About Aadi Mahotsav

• It is a national tribal festival and a joint initiative of the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).

• It was started in the year 2017.

• The main objective of this festival is to acquaint people with the rich and diverse crafts and culture of tribal communities at one place.

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)

• It came into existence in 1987. 

• TRIFED is a national-level organisation functioning under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

• Its Head Office is located in New Delhi and has a network of 13 Regional Offices.

• It aims at socio-economic development of tribal people in the country through marketing development of tribal products.

New Zealand declares national emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle lashes North Island

Tags: International News

The New Zealand government has declared a national emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle hit the North Island.

An overview of the news

• Cyclone Gabrielle causes widespread flooding, landslides and huge ocean swells across the North Island.

• This is an unprecedented weather event that is having widespread impacts across much of the North Island.

• Gabriel appeared over some small islands about 100 km north-east of Auckland, but is now moving south-west.

National State of Emergency in New Zealand

• A national state of emergency has been declared in New Zealand on two previous occasions – the first in 2011 after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Christchurch and the second in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saudi Arabia to send its 1st female astronaut to space this year

Tags: Science and Technology International News

Saudi Arabia's first female astronaut is set to go into space this year, in what is seen as a move to reform Saudi Arabia's ultra-conservative image.

An overview of the news

• Saudi female astronaut Rayna Barnawi will join Saudi Ali Al-Qarni on a 10-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) this year.

• Barnawi and al-Karni will fly to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as part of a mission by American privately funded space infrastructure developer private space company Axiom Space .

• The Ax-2 will be launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, America.

• Another fellow Emirati, Sultan Al-Neyadi will also visit the space station at the end of February 2023.

• Axiom Space launched its first private astronaut mission to the ISS in April 2022, with four private astronauts spending 17 days in space orbit.

• In 2019, Saudi Arabia's neighbouring United Arab Emirates became the first Arab country to send a citizen into space. Astronaut Hazza al-Mansoori spent eight days on the ISS.

• In 1985, Saudi royal prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz participated in a US-organised space mission, becoming the first Arab Muslim to travel in space.

Saudi Arabia 

• King - Salman

• Capital - Riyadh

• Currency - Saudi Arabian riyal

• Official Language    - Arabic

• Official Religion - Islam

Egyptian President bestows Global Best M-GOV Awards on IIT Indore students

Tags: Summits Awards

Students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore won an award of AED (Emirates Dirham) 1 million along with a gold medal at the World Government Summit in Dubai on 13 February.

An overview of the news

• Niyati Totala and Neil Kalpeshkumar Parikh who are students of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore were awarded this prestigious medal by the President of Egypt, Abel Fattah El-Sisi.

• These students are the makers of the 'Blockbill' app. 

'Blockbill' app

• BlockBill is a blockchain-based receipt generation app that generates digital receipts for all its users' transactions.

• This app solves many problems, transitioning from producing thermal paper to printing receipts.

• Thermal papers that are ubiquitous and found in most retail locations cannot be recycled due to the chemicals used to make them.

• Blockbills have been conceptualised to address this issue.

“M-Gov Award” and the “GovTech Award” 

• These are annual awards organised by the Government of the United Arab Emirates as part of the World Government Summit.

• These awards are given to leading students, researchers, government agencies and institutions, private sector companies and startups for developing innovative solutions using the latest technologies.

World Government Summit 2023

• It was held under the theme of “Shaping Future Governments” at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 13 -15 February 2023.

• The participants of this summit reaffirm its important role as a unique platform for building a better future for humanity.

'Khanan Prahari' Mobile app to Curb Illegal Mining launched

Tags: National National News

The government on 13 February launched a mobile app namely ‘Khanan Prahari’ and a web app Coal Mine Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS).

An overview of the news

• It has been launched to report unauthorised coal mining activities so that monitoring and appropriate action can be taken by the concerned law and order enforcing authority.

CMSMS Application

• CMSMS has been developed to take transparent action to curb illegal mining and use of space technology as an e-governance initiative of Government of India.

Objective of CMSMS Application

• To ascertain the participation of citizens against illegal mining by receipt of complaints of citizens through Mobile App Khanan Prahari

• Monitoring and taking action on any illegal coal mining activity being carried out within the leasehold limits.

''Khanan Prahari' Mobile App

• It is a mobile app of the Ministry of Coal to report illegal coal mining.

• It is a tool for geo-tagged photographs of any illegal coal mining incident as well as information to any citizen from the location of the incident.'

Former England captain Eoin Morgan retires from all forms of cricket

Tags: Sports Sports News

Former England captain Eoin Morgan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on 13 February.

An overview of the news

• Morgan had said goodbye to international cricket on 28 June 2022. He announced his retirement from all three formats of cricket.

• Eoin Morgan captained the ODI World Cup played in England in the year 2019 and won his team the title. He also became the first captain to win the ODI World Cup for England.

• Morgan has scored 2458 runs playing a total of 115 T20 matches. While playing 248 ODIs, he scored 7701 runs.

• Morgan captained England in 126 ODIs and 72 T20Is, registering 118 wins as captain in both formats.

• Apart from this, he scored 700 runs in 16 Test matches.

• Born in Dublin, Morgan made his ODI debut for England in 2009 at the age of 16 against Ireland.

India’s first electric AC double-decker bus inaugurated in Mumbai

Tags: State News

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) inaugurated the country’s first electric air-conditioned (AC) double-decker bus on 13 February in Mumbai.

An overview of the news

• According to BEST, the regional transport agency in Mumbai is yet to complete the registration process for the electric bus.

• After the approval of this bus, this bus will ply between Kurla Bus Depot and Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

• The ticket price has been kept at a minimum of Rs 6 for a distance of 5 km.

• The seating capacity of the Electric Double Decker Bus is 73.

• It is equipped with CCTV cameras and automatic doors and can be charged in 80 minutes.

• At present, the transport department has 45 electric AC buses of various sizes, and 100 more will be inducted this year.

• The Electric Buses or SWITCH EiV boasts of latest technology, state-of-the-art design, highest safety and best-in-class comfort features for 22 passengers.

Union Health Ministry organises “Cycle for Health” rally at Lady Hardinge Medical College

Tags: National National News

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised a Cyclothon with the theme 'Cycle for Health' at Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) on 14 February.

An overview of the news

• Faculty, staff and students participated in the rally with great enthusiasm and in large numbers.

• The main objective of organising this rally is to promote physical and mental health and to provide information about environment friendly transport to the citizens.

• Mega cycling events in the form of cyclothons or cycle rallies are being organised in all the 1.56 lakh Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centers (AB-HWCs).

• These activities are being carried out as part of the year-long "Healthy Mind, Healthy Home" campaign launched in November last year, which aims to promote awareness about healthy living.

• Accordingly, a health fair will also be organised on the 14th of every month in all AB-HWCs across the country, where activities like yoga, tele-counselling, Nikshay Poshan Abhiyaan, non-communicable diseases screening and drug distribution, sickle cell disease screening will be organised. Activities will be organised.

• Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, also known as "Green MP" for his enthusiasm for cycling, has urged people to use cycles to promote health and fitness.

Noted painter Lalitha Lajmi passes away

Tags: Person in news

Noted painter Lalitha Lajmi, late actor-filmmaker Guru Dutt's sister, died on 13 February at the age of 90. The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) shared the news of her demise.

An overview of the news

• Lalita Lajmi was born in 1932 in Kolkata.

• Hailing from an artistic family, Lajmi was very fond of classical dance and painting.

• She has held several exhibitions in international art galleries in Paris, London and the Netherlands.

• Lalita made a small appearance in the 2007 film Taare Zameen Par, starring Aamir Khan, in which she played an art teacher.

• She was also fond of classical dance.

• Through her work, she has told a layered history of the modern Indian woman in the decades following independence.