1. Tsunami alert in US coast as Volcano erupts in Tonga
Tags: International News
Tsunami warnings were issued on 15 January 2022 for the entire US West Coast after a massive volcanic eruption across the Pacific Ocean in Tonga, with tsunami waves triggering low-level flooding in Hawaii island.
- The latest eruption of Tonga’s Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano lasted at least eight minutes and sent plumes of gas, ash and smoke several kilometres into the air.
- The US National Weather Service issued tsunami advisories from the bottom of California to the tip of Alaska’s Aleutian islands, predicting waves of up to 60cm, strong rip currents and coastal flooding.
- Similar warnings were issued by nations throughout the Pacific, including New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu and Australia as well as for coastal Chile.
Tsunami is a Japanese word which means giant waves . It is created due to earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under seas.
2. India marks 1st anniversary of nationwide vaccination drive against Covid-19
Tags: National News
India marks the first anniversary of the nationwide vaccination drive against Covid-19.
- The world’s largest vaccination drive began on January 16, 2021, with health workers.
- Then it was opened for the frontline workers on 2nd February 2021 followed by the 60-plus age group and those above 45-years and comorbid from 1st March and for all above 18 years from 1st May in 2021.
- India administered 100 crore vaccine doses in October 2021.
- The drive for administering the precautionary doses to the healthcare workers, frontline workers and sixty-plus individuals commenced on 10th January 2022.
- Vaccination of children in the age group of 15-18 years was started from 3rd January 2022.
- Meanwhile, India’s Covid vaccination coverage has crossed 156 crore 63 lakh mark.
3. 10th century stone idol of Goat Head Yogini being returned to India
Tags: National News
The Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of North East (DONER) Shri G. Kishan has announced that a 10th century stone idol of Goat Head Yogini that had been illegally removed from a temple in Lokhari, Banda, Uttar Pradesh is being returned to India from the United Kingdom.
- The idol was found in the garden of a private person's residence in the United Kingdom.
- Lokhari is a small village situated in the Mau sub-division in Banda district of Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh. Yoginis are a group of powerful females divinities associated with the Tantrik mode of worship. They are worshipped as a group, often 64 and are believed to possess infinite powers.
4. Republic Day Celebrations to begin every year on 23rd January instead of 24th
Tags: National News
According to the Government of India's sources, the step was taken to include the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subash Chandra Bose as a part of Republic Day Celebrations.
- The birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose is celebrated as Parakram Divas on 23rd January, every year across the country.
- This is in line with Modi's Government's focus on celebrating and commemorating important aspects of the country's rich history and culture.
- In recent years, the Centre has marked several dates to commemorate their historical and cultural importance. Some of these dates include-
- 14th August: Partition Horrors Remembrance Day
- 31st October: Ekta Divas-National Unity Day
- 15th November: Janjatiya Gaurav Divas
- 26th November: Constitution Day
- 26th December: Veer Baal Divas
5. Monumental National flag of Khadi was put along the India-Pakistan border at Longewala, Jaisalmer
Tags: National News
The Monumental National Flag, which is the world’s largest national flag made of Khadi fabric was put to a grand public display along the India - Pakistan Border at Longewala in Jaisalmer on the occasion of 74th Indian Army Day on 15th January 2022. Longewala was the center stage of the historic battle between India and Pakistan in 1971.
- This is the 5th public display of the National flag since it’s unveiling in Leh on 2nd October 2021.
- Earlier the khadi National flag was displayed in Hindon Airbase on the occasion of Air Force Day on 8th October 2021 and at Red Fort on 21st October 2021.
- On 4th October 2021, it was displayed at the Naval Dockyard near Gateway of India to celebrate Indian Navy Day.
The monumental national flag symbolizes the collective spirit of Indian-ness and the heritage artisanal craft of Khadi and is the brainchild of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to celebrate ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav-75 Years of Independence’.
6. January 16 to be celebrated as National Start-up Day
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that every year, January 16 will be celebrated as National Startup Day. On this day in 2016 the government of India launched its flagship Startup India initiative.
- He announced this while inaugurating "Celebrating Innovation Ecosystem", which is being hosted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, from 10th to 16th January 2022 through video conferencing.
- He said that last year 42 Unicorns emerged in India and India has the third largest number of Unicorns in the world after the United States and China .
Startup India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to build a strong eco-system for nurturing innovation and Startups in the country that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.
Definition of Startup
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry has defined Startup on the following criteria . The startup has to fulfil all the criteria mentioned below
Company Age :
The date of incorporation of the company shall not be more than 10 years .
Company Type
The company shall be incorporated as a Private Limited Company,a Registered Partnership firm or a Limited Liability Partnership firm.
Annual Turnover
The annual sales of the company shall be not more than Rs 100 crore for any of its financial years since its started its operation .
Original Entity
The company or Entity should have been formed originally by the promoters and should not have been formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business.
Innovative and Scalable
A start-up should be “working towards innovation, development or improvement of products or processes or services, or if it is a scalable business model with a high potential of employment generation or wealth creation”.
7. Ministry of Railway has changed the name of train Guard
Tags: National News
Indian Railways on 14 January 2022 announced its decision to re-designate the post of ‘guard’ as ‘train manager’, fulfilling a long-pending demand.
- The ministry of railways has said that ‘assistant guard’ and ‘goods guard’ will now be known as ‘assistant passenger train manager’ and ‘goods train manager’, respectively.
- The ‘mail/express guard’ will be known as ‘mail/express train manager’. Similarly, ‘senior goods guard’ and ‘senior passenger guard’ have been re-designated as ‘senior goods train manager’ and ‘senior passenger train manager’, respectively.
- The ministry said that the new designation of ‘train manager’ is “more in line with their existing duties and responsibilities” and will improve the motivation level of the employees.
8. Tri-Services probe blames the weather and rules out sabotage in CDS Gen Rawat's chopper crash
Tags: National News
A tri-services Court of Inquiry(CoI) into the December 8, 2021 helicopter crash which killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 other person on board , has attributed the crash to an unexpected change in weather, resulting in pilot disorientation and the helicopter hitting a surface. This is the main preliminary finding of the CoI which ruled out mechanical failure, sabotage, and negligence.
The court of inquiry was led by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh.
For more details on the CDS Bipin Rawat’s Chopper crash kindly see the posts on 09th and 10th December, 2021.
9. Tesla to accept dogecoin as payment for merchandise
Tags: International News
Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Friday said the electric carmaker will accept meme-based digital currency dogecoin for merchandise.
- Products such as the "Cyberwhistle" and "Cyberquad for Kids" could be bought using the cryptocurrency, according to the Tesla website.
- Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency invented by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, who decided to create a payment system.
10. Minimum 6 airbags to be made mandatory in vehicles carrying up to 8 passengers from October 2022
Tags: National News
The Union Road Transport and Highways ministry has said it will make it mandatory for carmakers to provide a minimum of six airbags in motor vehicles that can carry up to 8 passengers for enhanced safety of occupants from October this year.
- The ministry has decided to enhance the safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR),1989.
- The government has already mandated the implementation of fitment of the driver airbag with effect from July 1, 2019 and front co-passenger airbag with effect from January 1, 2022.
- An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system which interferes between the driver and the vehicle's body during a collision, thereby preventing serious injuries.
- Airbag contains the chemical Sodium Azide. When this substance is ignited by a spark during a sudden collision, it releases nitrogen gas which can instantly inflate an airbag.
