Daily Current Affairs – 15 February 2022 | Gkseries
Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why; many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 15 February 2022, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc.
Daily Current Affairs 15 February 2022
J&K government signs pact with New Zealand for transforming sheep farming sector
The Jammu and Kashmir government has signed a pact with New Zealand for the transformation of the sheep farming sector in the Union territory. The year 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of the commencement of bilateral relations between India and New Zealand.
According to the agreement, the overarching objective is to improve farmers’ remuneration, transfer of technology in research and development as well as marketing and value addition of sheep products of Jammu and Kashmir.
S. Kishore appointed as Chairman of Staff Selection Commission
S. Kishore appointed as Chairman of Staff Selection Commission: Senior bureaucrat S. Kishore has been elected as Chairman of Staff Selection Commission (SSC). His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. S Kishore is a 1989-Batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre.
Germany re-elects President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for second 5-year term
Frank-Walter Steinmeier was re-elected to a second term as Germany’s president on Sunday as a special assembly voted the veteran politician, seen as a symbol of consensus and continuity, back in to the prominent yet largely ceremonial post.
This is also the final term for Steinmeier, which he won with 71% of the vote. The special assembly was made up of the members of parliament of lower house and representatives of Germany’s 16 states. Steinmeier was first elected as the president on February 12, 2017 with 74% of the vote.
Ravi Chopra Resigns as Chairman of Supreme Court-appointed Char Dham Panel
Veteran environmentalist Ravi Chopra has resigned as Chairman and member of the Supreme Court’s High Powered Committee (HPC) for the Char Dham project. His belief that the HPC could protect this fragile (Himalayan) ecology has been shattered. The Supreme Court on December 14 allowed double-lane widening of roads for the project in view of “security concerns.”
The Chopra (75 years) was assigned the chairmanship of the HPC in September 2019 to oversee all-weather road widening project in Char Dham circuit. The Char Dham Road Project envisages widening of roads up to 10 metres to improve the accessibility and provide all-weather connectivity to the Char Dham (Four shrines) circuit : Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.
ISRO successfully launches earth observation satellite, EOS-04 and 2 co-passenger satellites, in its first mission of 2022
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday successfully launched Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04, into an intended sun-synchronous polar orbit of 529 km altitude. This was the first launch mission of ISRO in the year 2022.
The satellites were launched onboard the launch vehicle PSLV-C52 rocket from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Yes Bank launches Agri Infinity program
Yes Bank has announced the launch of an annual startup enabler program, Yes Bank Agri Infinity. It seeks to co-develop digital financial solutions for the food and agriculture ecosystem.
Those meeting the eligibility criteria will receive the guidance and support necessary to develop their solutions and apply them across the agricultural value chain. Through the initiative, a select cohort of startups will receive mentoring by veteran bankers.
Axis Bank set to buy Citigroup’s India retail banking business
Axis Bank Ltd. is nearing a deal to buy Citigroup Inc.’s India retail banking business in a transaction that could be valued at about $2.5 billion. An agreement for the consumer unit may be announced as soon as the next few weeks and is contingent on approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
The deal would include a cash component of less than $2 billion, accounting for the consumer business’s liabilities.
Axis Bank CEO: Amitabh Chaudhary.
Bank of Baroda to acquire Union Bank’s stake in India First Life Insurance
Bank of Baroda will acquire Union Bank of India’s 21% stake in IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company. It is a joint venture between Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India and Carmel Point Investments.
At present, the shareholding in IFIC is BoB holds 44%, Carmel Point Investments India holds 26% and UBI holds 30%. The acquisition is pursuant to a ‘Right of First Offer’ made by UBI to the existing shareholders of IndiaFirst Life, to divest 21% of its stake in IndiaFirst Life.
CBI finds India’s biggest bank fraud of Rs 22,842 cr, books ABG Shipyard and its directors
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against ABG Shipyard Ltd and its directors, including chairman and managing director Rishi Kamlesh Agarwal, in what could be the biggest bank fraud case in the history of India. ABG Shipyard, one of the most prominent private sector shipping firms, was on Saturday booked for allegedly defrauding 28 banks to the tune of ₹22,842 crore. This consortium was led by ICICI Bank. Of this, ABG Shipyard owes Rs. 7,089 crore to ICICI Bank, Rs. 3,639 crore to IDBI Bank, Rs. 2,925 crore to State Bank, Rs. 1,614 crore to Bank of Baroda, and Rs. 1,244 crore to Punjab National Bank, among others.
This is the biggest bank fraud case ever registered by the CBI. The case pertained to funds gotten and misused during the 2012-17 period. Rishi Agarwal, the then CMD of ABG Shipyard has been named in the FIR.
Besides Agarwal, the agency has also named the then executive director Santhanam Muthaswamy, directors Ashwini Kumar, Sushil Kumar Agarwal and Ravi Vimal Nevetia and another company ABG International Pvt Ltd for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust and abuse of official position under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act,
The Funds given by these banks were used by the executives of ABG Shipyard for purposes other than for which they were given and they were engaged in diversion of funds, misappropriation and criminal breach of trust. The same has been revealed in a report submitted by M/s. Ernst & Young LP.
Reliance Jio ties up with Luxembourg’s SES for satellite-based broadband service in India
Reliance Jio has tied-up with Luxembourg-based satellite and telecom services provider SES to provide satellite-based broadband communication services in India. Mukesh Ambani-controlled Jio Platforms Ltd. will set up a joint venture to provide satellite-based broadband services across India as it joins the race with SpaceX and OneWeb to offer reliable, high-speed internet everywhere. Under the agreement, Jio Platforms has formed a joint venture with SES, named Jio Space Technology Ltd.
The joint venture will deliver the next generation scalable and affordable broadband services in India, leveraging satellite technology. The holding company for digital and telecom assets of Reliance Industries Ltd. and Luxembourg-based SES SA will own 51% and 49% equity stake, respectively, in the joint venture, Jio Space Technology, according to an exchange filing. The total value of the contract is around $100 million.
Ilker Ayci appointed as MD and CEO of Air India
Tata Sons on February 14 appointed Ilker Ayci, who was until recently the chairman of Turkish Airlines, as CEO & MD of Air India. He will assume his responsibilities on or before 1st April 2022.
The Air India board met to consider the candidature of Ayci and N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, was a special invitee to this board meeting, said a statement by Tata Sons. The board after due deliberations approved the appointment of Ayci, it said.
Ilker Ayci is a former chairman of Turkish Airlines. Ayci was born in Istanbul in 1971.
Indian Railways to set up country’s biggest & world-class Wrestling Academy in Delhi
The Indian Railways will provide a world class wrestling academy at Delhi’s Kishanganj at an approximate cost of ₹30.76 crore, ministry informed. The railway minister had committed Indian Railways wrestlers to provide the state-of-art wrestling academy at the earliest.
The wrestling academy will be the biggest in India, and equipped with advanced training facilities to promote the sports of wrestling in the country. The academy will offer the best sports facilities to sportspersons, and provide an opportunity for many budding wrestlers to become champions in the coming time.
Book titled ‘How to Prevent the Next Pandemic’ by Bill Gates to be launched in May 2022
Technologist, business leader, philanthropist Bill Gates alerted people about a possible pandemic in the future in his now-famous TED Talk in 2015. With the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, our world has changed a lot. Many people have lost their lives or livelihoods in the last two years of the pandemic. Reflecting upon the pandemic and what can be done to make Covid-19 the last pandemic, Bill Gates has penned a new book titled ‘How to Prevent the Next Pandemic’ which will be published this year in May 2022.
In the book Bill Gates has written about specific steps that can only stop future pandemics but, in the process, provide better health care for everyone around the world. Bill Gates’ last book ‘How to Avoid a Climate Disaster’ was published in 2021.
Israel becomes 1st country to allow drone flights in civilian airspace
Israel becomes the first-ever country to allow drones in civilian airspace. The certification was issued to the Hermes Starliner unmanned system by the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority and was manufactured and developed by Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense electronics company. The UAVs will be used for the benefit of agriculture, environment, public welfare, economic activity and against crime.
Capital-Jerusalem
PM – Naftali Bennett
Currency- Israeli Shekel
IIT-M Research Park, Saint-Gobain India sign MoU on renewable energy
Saint-Gobain India and the IIT Madras, Research Park have signed an MoU to develop a 100 per cent renewable energy, research park. Saint-Gobain would support IIT-M with a funding of Rs 1 crore over the next 3 years.
The aim through this collaboration was to boost the transformation towards a low carbon future and to aid India in achieving 100% renewable energy.
Objective: To focus on addressing the energy challenges and promote maximum use of alternate energy sources.
APEDA celebrates its 36th Foundation Day
Agricultural Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) celebrated its 36th Foundation Day on 13th February. APEDA actively supported the Government in taking the export of agricultural products to 20.67 billion dollar in 2020-21 from 0.6 billion dollar in 1986 when it was founded.
The target given to APEDA in the current financial year is 23.7 billion dollar, out of which more than 70 per cent has been achieved till January this year.