Economy?

  • India’s Rice and wheat Exports touched new heights (20MT) because 1) In the international market the price of Agricultural commodities has been increasing. UN Food and Agricultural Organization’s global cereal price index is currently ruling at its highest since 2014. 2) Yet, Indian rice is still relatively cheaper than other countries (Due to Massive production), so foreigners prefer to purchase it. 3) Possibility that grains leaked from Public Distribution shop (PDS) by large scale corruption/nexus between PDS shopkeeper and exporters
  • BizGK-4-NonIAS: Credit Suisse is the Second largest bank of Switzerland, It is in controversy because of a financial scam worth 5 billion dollars and now Swiss Parliamentary committee is Investigating it.
  • Science?

  • Application Programming Interface (API) provides web/app developers access to proprietary software application. e.g. Zomato App accessing Google Maps API = It shows when the delivery boy will arrive at your house. NATIONAL Health Authority (NHA) has allowed API access to CoWIN Vaccination platform however, To prevent misuse, NHA made following reforms: 1) limiting number of data requests from individual IP address. Otherwise some hacker may send 500000 requests, then portal may malfunction. For other users 2) geo-fencing = Not allowing for an IP addresses to access the API. This will prevent Distributed Denial Of Service (DDOS) attacks.
  • Indian SARS-COV-2 Genomics Consortia (INSACOG) is a grouping of 10 National Laboratories established by Ministry of Health. It is responsible for country’s Corona genome sequencing work. Head of this body Virologist Shahid Jameel Has resigned. He was also critical of Supreme Court decision to appoint a task force to manage oxygen supplies. Because he believed that doctors only know about medicine, but they do not know about the oxygen supply chain management and logistics.
  • China’s Mars Mission: China became only the second nation after the US to have done a successful Mars landing. Tianwen-1 orbiter
  • Zhurong Solar powered Rover landed on Mars successfully. Its mission objectives: Collect Rock samples and find presence of water/ice. Landing site on Mars? Region named Utopia Planitia. Utopia region is an impact crater caused by The largest meteor strike in the Solar System. Within that, Utopia Planitia is believed to contain vast amounts of subsurface water ice. Previously American Viking rover also landed here in the late 70s.
  • IR/Defense?

  • Indian government stand on present Gaza-Patti Vioence: 1) Need Immediate de-escalation in Israel-Gaza tensions: 2) India supports to the just Palestinian cause 3) India supports two-state solution i.e. Israel =Separate country and Palestine =separate country.
  • Ethics GSM4☯️

  • Chemist shops not accepting unused corona medicines: Usually, If a customer has purchased Capsules tablets but not used them fully sometimes he can return it back. Chemist shop will pay him some price. But, Ahmedabad chemist shops are not accepting Corona related unused medicines back, saying, “These are infected by the Corona patient”. Is the food and drug commissioner how will you address? Points to consider: 1) Chemist shop can reject the medicines back for technical reasons such as expiry date missing from tablet/capsule strip etc. But here the reason given by them (Corona infection) is non-scientific 2) Presently there is a shortage of Corona medicine so they should accept it back. It could be useful to other patients, And the chemist shop can also earn income, It will prevent wastage of unused medicine. 3) So, food and drug commissioner should accordingly issue the guidelines.
  • Quote: “The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonourably, foolishly, viciously.” — JULIAN BARNES, Booker prize author.
  • Secularism and police punishment: Madhya Pradesh Sub-inspector caught some people who are violating Corona lockdown norms / Not wearing mask / loitering in the public area. He told them to sit down for 30 to 45 minutes and write the name of Lord Ram Continuously. Superintendent of the police (Satna District, MP) commented that Sub Inspector acted in the personal capacity. This type of punishment (Making the person write the name of a God) is neither professional nor legal.
  • Corruption and drug regulator: CBI arrested two officers of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for demanding ₹3.50 lakh bribe for issuing license to an orthopaedic implants manufacturer. Further upon raiding the homes of these CDSCO officers, 14 lakh rupees cash was also found. In the time of coronavirus, oxygen and medicine shortage – When the drug regulator themselves are engaging in corruption, it is difficult to expect pharma companies, Chemist shops and others Not to engage in profiteering and black marketing. Because after paying bribes to get their medicine / license, they (pharma cos) will also want to recover the “bribe investment”, By raising the prices. Ultimate victim is common man.
  • PIN-GK?️

  • Death: SUNIL JAIN, Financial Express newspaper’s Managing Editor.
  • Death: Rajeev Satav, Rajya Sabha MP, Congress leader from Maharashtra.
  • Geo?

  • Bamuni Hill in Assam: 18 elephants died by lightning. Reason: 1) SIDE FLASH: When lightning strikes a tall object such as a tree, it may generate a side flash that can strike an animal standing underneath the tree / near another animal. “That’s why people should stay at least 2 m away. 2) Tall animals are more vulnerable to be struck by lightning, If there are no other taller objects in the vicinity.
  • Cyclones over India: Tropical cyclones require warm water and humid air for development .Usually more cyclones develop over the Bay of Bengal than Arabian Sea because, Bay of Bengal is warmer than the Arabian Sea. However nowadays even in the Arabian Sea cyclones are increasing because of global warming. Indian Cyclones usually develop during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon (October to December) periods. Cyclones that have attacked Gujarat or Maharashtra coast 1) Cyclone Mekanu, 2018 2) Cyclone Vayu in 2019 3) Cyclone Nisarga, Maharashtra, 2020 4) Cyclone Tauktae, 2021.
  • Download Current Affairs Excel File?

  • Download topicwise Current Affairs Excel file at https://Mrunal.org/current