Friday 22 January 2021
GK Update of fifteenth January 2021 overlaying the next information headlines: Donald Trump, Kerala, Supreme Court Bar Association, Intel, India Post Payments Bank.
International News
1. Donald Trump turns into the primary U.S. President to be impeached twice
- President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House for a historic second time on January 13, charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the lethal mob siege of the Capitol in a swift and beautiful collapse of his closing days in workplace.
- He was first impeached in 2019 over his Ukraine dealings. The House voted 232-197 to question Mr Trump.
- The proceedings moved at lightning pace, with lawmakers voting only one week after violent pro-Mr. Trump loyalists stormed the U.S. Capitol, urged on by the President’s requires them to “fight like hell” towards the election outcomes.
State News
2. Kerala turns into eighth State to finish ease of doing enterprise reforms
- Kerala has develop into the eighth State within the nation to efficiently undertake “Ease of Doing Business” reform stipulated by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
- Kerala has develop into eligible to mobilise further monetary assets of Rs.2,373 crore by way of Open Market Borrowings. Permission for a similar was issued by the Department of Expenditure on twelfth January 2021.
- Kerala has now joined the seven different States specifically, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, who’ve accomplished this reform.
- On completion of reforms facilitating ease of doing enterprise, these eight States have been granted further borrowing permission of Rs.23,149 crore.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan.
- Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.
Appointments News
3. Dushyant Dave resigns as SC Bar Association (SCBA) President
- Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president, Dushyant Dave has resigned from his put up with speedy impact, he has forfeited his proper to proceed.
- Acting SCBA Secretary Rohit Panday confirmed the event that the senior advocate has resigned with speedy impact.
- The SCBA is an Indian bar affiliation, comprising the practising legal professionals of the Supreme Court of India.
- The SCBA has been within the vanguard of the motion for upholding, sustaining and consolidation of the constitutional values of democracy, rule of legislation and independence of Judiciary. In its assembly dated 4th May 1951.
- The Committee in its decision noticed that no try must be made to abridge or restrict the Fundamental Rights.
- The Committee additional identified that the Constitution was in operation just for a brief interval of sixteen months and the Supreme Court had no event to pronounce on the validity of varied State legal guidelines.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Supreme Court Bar Association Headquarters: New Delhi, India.
4. Intel appoints Pat Gelsinger as new CEO
- Intel has appointed Pat Gelsinger as its new Chief Executive Officer, efficient Feb. 15, 2021. Gelsinger may even be part of the Intel board of administrators upon assuming the function.
- He will succeed Bob Swan, who will stay CEO till Feb. 15.
- Gelsinger is an business veteran with greater than 4 many years of expertise and management expertise, together with 30 years at Intel the place he started his profession.
- Pat is a confirmed expertise chief with a distinguished monitor file of innovation, expertise growth, and deep information of Intel.
- He will proceed a values-based cultural management method with a hyper-focus on operational execution.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Intel Founded: 18 July 1968.
- Intel Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States.
- Intel Founders: Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce.
Agreements News
5. FSS and IPPB be part of arms to advertise monetary inclusion
- Financial Software and Systems (FSS), a number one cost processor and supplier of built-in cost merchandise, has partnered with India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) to advertise monetary inclusion amongst underserved and unbanked segments.
- IPPB will use FSS’ Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) to ship interoperable and reasonably priced doorstep banking providers to clients throughout India.
- Customers of any financial institution can entry their Aadhaar-linked checking account by merely utilizing their fingerprint for money withdrawal, steadiness enquiry and switch of funds into an working IPPB account, proper at their doorstep.
- This strategic partnership gives vital alternatives to deliver hundreds of thousands of unbanked clients into the monetary mainstream. Currently, there are almost 410 million Jan Dhan accounts in India.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- MD and CEO of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB): J Venkatramu.
- India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) Headquarters: New Delhi.
Economy News
6. Fitch Ratings Projects GDP of India at -9.4% in FY21
- The Fitch Ratings count on the gross home product (GDP) of India to contract by 9.4 per cent in FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021).
- Fitch additional initiatives the GDP to broaden by 11 per cent in FY22 (April 2021 to March 2022).
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Fitch Ratings Headquarters: New York, United States.
- Fitch Ratings CEO: Paul Taylor.
- Fitch Ratings Founder: John Knowles Fitch.
- Fitch Ratings Founded: 1914.
Defence News
7. Indian Army inks $20 mn contract to purchase SWITCH drones
- The Indian Army has lately signed a contract with Mumbai-based drone manufacturing firm, ideaForge, to obtain high-altitude variant of SWITCH unmanned aerial autos (UAVs). The whole value of the deal is roughly USD 20 million.
- However, the amount of UAVs to be procured just isn’t disclosed. These UAVs will probably be delivered to the Indian Army over a interval of 1 12 months.
- SWITCH UAV is an indigenous system constructed to cater for essentially the most demanding surveillance operations of the Indian Forces.
- This Fixed-Wing VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) UAV could be deployed at excessive altitude and harsh environments for day and night time surveillance in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
- It is man-portable and has the best time on track in comparison with another UAV in its class.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- IdeaForge CEO: Ankit Mehta.
- IdeaForge HQ: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
8. DRDO develops India’s first Indigenously-Developed 9mm Machine Pistol
- India’s first indigenous 9mm Machine Pistol has been collectively developed by DRDO and Indian Army.
- Infantry School, Mhow and DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune have designed and developed this weapon utilizing their respective experience within the complementary areas.
- The weapon has been developed in a file time of 4 months. The weapon is aptly named “Asmi” that means “Pride”, “Self-Respect” & “Hard Work”.
- The Machine Pistol fires the in-service 9mm ammunition and sports activities an higher receiver constituted of aircraft-grade Aluminium and decrease receiver from carbon fibre.
- The 3D Printing course of has been utilized in designing and prototyping of varied components together with set off parts made by metallic 3D printing.
- The weapon has big potential in Armed forces as a private weapon for heavy weapon detachments, commanders, tank and plane crews, drivers/dispatch riders, radio/radar operators, Closed Quarter Battle, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations and many others.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Secretary Department of Defence Research and Development & Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
- DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.
- DRDO Established: 1958.
Important Days
9. Indian Army Day: 15 January
- The Army Day in India is widely known on 15 January yearly, to salute the valiant troopers who sacrificed their lives to guard the nation and its residents. This 12 months marks the 73rd Indian Army Day.
- The Army Day is widely known in any respect Army Command headquarters to honour our nation’s troopers who set the best instance of selfless service and brotherhood, and above all, love for the nation.
- The day is marked to commemorate the day when General (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa took over the command of Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the final British Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and have become the primary Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army put up Independence.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- twenty eighth Chief of Army Staff: General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
Miscellaneous News
10. IFFI 2021 to rejoice the work of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray
- The 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will probably be celebrating the work of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray by screening 5 of his classics.
- As a part of the tribute, the competition will showcase Ray’s acclaimed “Pather Panchali”, the primary movie of his The Apu Trilogy, 1964 romantic drama “Charulata”, “Sonar Kella”, his 1977 Hindi directorial debut “Shatranj Ke Khilari” and “Ghare Baire” (1984). 12 movies for Festival Kaleidoscope & 50 movies for World Panorama part have been unveiled too.