DAILY GK 17 - 18 AUG

 DAILY GK 17 - 18 AUG

1.       INDIA RAMSAR SITES TALLY RISES TO 75

·         India has designated 11 more wetlands under the Ramsar Convention or the Convention on Wetlands, taking the total number of Ramsar sites in India to 75 from 64 with area coverage of 13,26,677 hectare (ha).

·         The 10 new sites include 4 sites in Tamil Nadu (TN), 3 in Odisha, Two in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), and 1 each in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Maharashtra.

·         In 2022, a total of 28 sites have been declared as Ramsar sites.

·         Based on the date of designation mentioned on Ramsar Certificate, the number is 19 for this year (2022) and 14 for previous year (2021).

·         TN has maximum no. of Ramsar sites (14). It is followed by Uttar Pradesh (UP) which has 10 Ramsar sites.

·         Sundarbans in WB is the largest Ramsar site in India.

·         Chilika lake is Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon and first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

·         The United Kingdom (175) and Mexico (142) have the maximum Ramsar sites whereas Bolivia spans the largest area with 14,842,405 hectares under the Convention protection.

 

2.       FORBES ASIA’S 200 BEST UNDER A BILLION 2022 RANKING

·         According to Forbes Asia’s 200 “Best Under A Billion 2022 Ranking, 24 Indian companies made the list, a decrease from 26 in 2021.

·         This placed India in fourth place among Asian countries, one spot ahead of China, which had 22 firms on the list.

·         The majority of publicly traded firms are located in Taiwan, with 30, followed by Japan with 29 and South Korea with 27.

 

3.       “ROSHNI,” INDIA’S FIRST SALINE WATER LED LAMP

·         Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Earth Science (MoES), has introduced “Roshni”, India’s first saline water lantern that uses seawater as an electrolyte between specially designed electrodes to power LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps.

·         The first-of-its-kind lantern was unveiled during his visit to the SAGAR ANVESHIKA, a Coastal Research Vessel operated and used for coastal research by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

·         Roshni saline lantern would provide “ease of living” to the poor and needy, notably the fishing community living along India’s 7,500-kilometre (km) long coastal line, which is home to 9 coastal states and 1,382 islands.

 

4.       INDIA’S FIRST 3-D PRINTED CORNEA DEVELOPED BY SCIENTISTS FROM HYDERABAD

·         Researchers from Hyderabad(Telangana), A team of clinicians and scientists from the LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), has developed India’s first 3D-printed artificial cornea and transplanted it into a rabbit’s eye.

·         The printed corneas need to undergo further clinical testing and development before they can be used in patients, which could take several years.

·         Corneal damage is the leading cause of blindness worldwide with more than 1.5 million new cases of corneal blindness reported every year.

 

5.       INDIA BANNED BY FIFA

·         The world governing body FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) suspended All India Football Federation (AIFF) for undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.

·         This is the first time AIFF has been banned by FIFA in its 85 year history.

·         It also took back the rights from India to host 7th Under-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 which was scheduled to be held in October 2022 at Odisha ,Goa and Maharashtra

·         It was for the first time that India is hosting the FIFA women’s football tournament.

 

6.       RAKESH JHUNJHUNWALAPASSED AWAY

·         Billionaire business and veteran investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala passed away at the age of 62 years in Mumbai, Maharashtra due to sudden cardiac arrest.

·         He was famously referred to as the “Big Bull of Dalal street”,King of Bull Market” and “Big Bull”.

·         He was also known as ‘India’s Warren Buffett’.

·         According to Forbes, he was the 36th Richest man in India in 2021 and the 438th Richest man in the world in 2022.

·         Rakesh Jhunjhunwala co-founded Indian airline Akasa Air which took its first flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad on August 7 2022.

 

7.       BOOK “PUTIN HIS LIFE AND TIMES”  BY PHILIP SHORT

·         “Putin- His Life and Times”, a biography of the Russian President Vladimir Putin written by Philip Short, a former correspondent for the BBC, The Economist and The Times, was released in the midst of the Ukraine crisis.

·         The book explores the legacy of Vladimir Putin who has been President of Russia since 2000.

·         “First Person” published in 2001 was an authorised biography of Putin.

 

8.       INDIA’S 76TH INDEPENDENCE DAY 2022

·         On August 15, 2022, India and Indians around the world celebrated the 76th Independence Day, marking the beginning of a period of freedom from the more than 200-year oppression of British colonialism.

·         The Government of India has launched the AzadiKaAmritMahotsav to commemorate and celebrate 75 years of independence as well as the glorious past of its people, culture, and achievements.

·          Droupadi Murmu, the President of India and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has presented 107 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel on the occasion of Independence Day 2022

 

9.       UK– THE FIRST COUNTRY TO APPROVE COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINE TARGETING OMICRON STRAINS

·         The United Kingdom (UK) has become the first country to approve Moderna’s ‘bivalent’ Covid-19 vaccine that tackles both the original virus strain from 2020 and the Omicron BA.1 variant.

·         The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved Moderna’s bivalent which meets its standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

 

10.    WILLIAM RUTO WINS KENYA’S PRESIDENTIAL POLL

·         Deputy President of Kenya, William Samoei Arap Ruto won the presidential election 2022.

·         He will be succeeding 4th President Uhuru Kenyatta.

·         He is the leader of the United Democratic Alliance party under the Kenya Kwanza (Kenya First) coalition.

·         Kenya Capital- Nairobi,Currency- Kenyan shilling

 

11.    RAJKIRAN RAI IS NEWMD OF NABFID

·         The Centre govt. and the board of National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID)  appointed Rajkiran Rai G as its Managing Director (MD) for  five years (2022-2027).

·         In October 2021, the government appointed veteran banker KV Kamath as the chairperson of the NaBFID for three years.