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.
