Current Affairs 12 February 2022

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 12 February 2022, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2021 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India Agreed to Grant Sri Lanka to Implement ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’ 

The Indian Government has agreed to provide a grant to Sri Lanka for implementing its ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’ which is modelled on Aadhaar card. However, no information is provided on the value of the grant.

• This framework will be implemented by the Sri Lankan government as a national level programme on a priority basis.
• Under this, a personal identity verification device will be introduced, based on biometric data, a digital tool to represent identities of individuals in cyberspace. The identification of individual identities that can be accurately verified in digital and physical environments by combining the two devices.

Key Points:
i.The framework will be launched on the lines of the bilateral talks between Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa in December 2019.
ii.In January 2022, Sri Lanka received economic assistance from India, worth USD 1.4 billion for its dollar crunch, and import food, medicines and fuel due to shortages.
Note – This is not the first time that Sri Lanka is attempting to digitise its citizens’ identities. Just a few years ago, the predecessor Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickremesinghe administration, in power from 2015 to 2019, mooted a similar Electronic-National Identity Card — or E-NIC —that privacy advocates opposed on grounds that the state would have full access to citizens’ personal data in a central database. The former Mahinda Rajapaksa government tried initiating the project as early as 2011. Neither project was implemented.

GEM 2021/2022 Report :India Ranked 4th in Ease of Starting Business; Saudi Arabia Topped In accordance with the “Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2021/2022 Global Report: Opportunity Amid Disruption”, unveiled at the Dubai Expo, India is among the top five easiest places to start a new business. The report has gathered data via a survey of at least 2,000 respondents across each of 47 high, medium and low-income economies.
India: Tops among Low-income economies:
India has topped amongst low-income economies (according to GDP per capita) on different Entrepreneurial Framework Conditions such as Entrepreneurial Finance, Ease of Access to Finance, Government Policy: Support and Relevance; and Government Support: Taxes and Bureaucracy; while Government Entrepreneurial Programmes was ranked second highest.
 Survey of Indian respondents:
i.The survey of Indian respondents, who answered questions on their entrepreneurial activity, attitudes to enterprise and view of their local entrepreneurial ecosystem, found that 82% think it is easy to start a business.

• In this scenario, they had placed India 4th globally.It was topped by Saudi Arabia and followed by Netherlands & Sweden.

ii.83% believe that there are good opportunities to start a business in their area. As per this, India secured 2nd place globally.Saudi Arabia Topped in this Category. Swedan Ranked 3rd.
iii.86% believed they have the skills and knowledge to start a business, thereby, placing India 4th globally.Saudi Arabia Topped in this Category. It is Followed by Dominican Republic & Sudan.
iv.54% cite fear of failure as a reason for not planning to start a new business in the next three years, placing India 2nd out of 47 in this list.Belarus Topped in the category.
v.The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has the highest total score by a clear margin, having improved in 11 of the 13 framework conditions since 2020, and scoring highest of all 47 economies in four of them. The United Arab Emirates is the only economy to have scored as sufficient or better for all framework conditions.
vi.In 22 of the 47 economies, more than one in two adults agreed their household income had decreased.
About Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM):
GEM began in 1999 as a joint project between Babson College (USA) and London Business School (UK).GEM Global Sponsor – Babson College.GEM Report Sponsors:United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Cartier Women’s Initiative, School of Management Fribourg (HEG-FR). Interim Chair – José Ernesto Amorós ; Headquarter – London, United Kingdom (UK).

BANKING & FINANCE

Paytm has Highest Penetration in Digital Payments: Comscore Report 

In accordance with the Comscore report, Paytm has the highest digital payments with over 45% penetration in Fintech. Paytm is followed by Google Pay (mobile App) at 43% penetration (reach as percentage of total digital population).

• Paytm got listed on the stock exchange in November 2021.
• The Comscore report revealed that financial services was among the top online content categories, accounting for 80 per cent of the total internet audience in India.

Key Points: 
i.In 2021, payments was the largest subcategory within the fintech domain with over 372 million unique visitors.
ii.Paytm’s revenue from operations grew 89% Y-o-Y (Year-on-Year) in Q3FY22 to Rs 1,456 crore. Revenue from financial services and payments grew 98% Y-o-Y in Q3FY22 to Rs 1,116.8 crore.
iii.As per the Q3FY22 earnings report, Paytm’s monthly transacting users (MTU) grew consistently to 64.4 million, up by 37% Y-o-Y and 12% quarter-on-quarter (Q-o-Q).

HDFC Ergo General Insurance & Visa Partnered For Insurance cover on Select Bank Cards

HDFC Ergo General Insurance (HDFC ERGO) entered into a first-of-its-kind partnership with Visa to offer curated insurance covers for Visa’s Platinum card holders for select public sector banks.

• The policy will offer fraud insurance cover for an amount up to Rs 1 lakh to all Visa Platinum Credit & Debit Cards of participating issuers.
• Due to COVID-19, the payment using card usage was increased and it was accepted as a preferred mode of payment.

Key Points:
i.Through the partnership with Visa, HDFC Ergo intends to insure the risk of fraudulent transactions and enable the issuing banks to offer zero liability to their cardholders.
ii.Under the tie-up, Visa will offer a complimentary fraud insurance cover for its Platinum Debit & Credit cardholders across participating issuers to ensure the protection of cardholders from the event of card fraud.
iii.The insurance policy under the partnership is applicable for Visa’s Platinum cardholders and it will provide security to Visa’s partner banks.
iv.Under the program, Visa is the master policyholder and the insurance coverage is provided by HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd., complimentary to Visa Platinum cardholders of participating banks.
v.RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has mandated banks to offer zero liability to cardholders for frauds reported.
vi.As per the data of RBI, fraudsters have gradually stolen Rs. 615.39 crore in more than 1.17 lakh cases of credit and debit card frauds over 10 years.
About HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd:
HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd. is a joint venture between HDFC Ltd., India’s premier Housing Finance Institution and ERGO International AG, the primary insurance entity of Munich Re Group. 
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO – Ritesh Kumar

Paisabazaar Partners with RBL bank to Offer Credit CardPaisabazaar.com, a digital platform for consumer credit, has partnered with RBL Bank Limited to offer ‘Paisa on Demand’ (PoD), a credit card that will be exclusively available on the Paisabazaar platform.
Aim – To build products that offer integrated services for the large under-served segments across India.
Highlights:
i.The credit card from RBL Bank will be lifetime free with a digital onboarding process.

• It provides options of availing personal loans from RBL Bank, using the same credit limit at normal personal loan rates to customers.

ii.This is the 3rd product under Paisabazaar’s neo-lending strategy through which a credit line for prime and super prime segments, through a paperless and presence-less process is created.

• In September 2021, Paisabazaar had launched a credit card, designed for new-to-credit or subprime consumers named ‘Step UP’, that provides benefits of a credit card and also facilitates building credit score.

About Paisabazaar.com:
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana
CEO & Co-founder – Naveen Kukreja
About RBL Bank Limited:
Establishment – 1943
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO – Rajeev Ahuja (Interim)
Tagline – apno ka bank

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

18 Indian Airports including Chennai, Goa & Mangaluru Airport were named for 2021 ‘Voice of the Customer’ award by ACIThe Airports Council International (ACI), an international organization for policy development in the Aviation sector, has awarded 18 Indian Airports  with the ‘Voice of the Customer’ award for 2021. ACI is also known as the trade association of the world’s airports.
The 18 recognized Indian Airports includes some of India’s famous International Airports, including:

• Mangaluru International Airport of Karnataka
• Chennai International Airport from Tamil Nadu
• Cochin International Airport of Kerala
• Goa International Airport 
• Biju Patnaik International Airport of Bhubaneswar, Odisha
• Indira Gandhi International Airport of New Delhi 
• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport of Hyderabad, Telangana 

Click here to read more

Note – Mangaluru International Airport is one of the 6 airports that are under the Operational control of Adani Airports for a period of 50 years, starting from 2020.

Over 200 airports have been recognized with the ‘Voice of the Customer’ award for 2021 around the world.

Highlights: 
i.The award acknowledges the continued efforts of the airports that remain committed to giving priority to its passenger’s safety during COVID-19 pandemic.
ii.The Airports were awarded for delivering most efficient services to the passenger and gathering passenger feedback on customer needs in 2021.
About Airports Council International (ACI):
Director General- Luis Felipe de Oliveira 
Headquarters– Montréal, Québec, Canada
Founded- 1991

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS       

Krishi Network ropes in actor Pankaj Tripathi as Brand AmbassadorOn 10 February 2022, The Krishi Network, an agritech startup company, appointed Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathi as its Brand Ambassador and investor. 
Key points:
i.The Krishi Network is a startup co-founded by Ashish Mishra and Siddhant Bhomia, alumni of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. The start-up provides grassroot level information support to farmers’ doubts.
ii.Currently, the platform is connected to 3 million farmers and is planning to grow its network further. It  offers ‘15-minute answers’ for questions around any agricultural service.
About Krishi Network: 
Founded -2018
CEO & Founder – Ashish Mishra
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi

Tata Sons reappointed N Chandrasekaran as its Chairman for the Second 5-year TermTata Sons reappointed Natarajan Chandrasekaran (N Chandrasekaran) as its Executive Chairman for the period of another five year term (2022-2027), starting from February 2022. 

• Ratan Tata, who was also present in the meeting of the Board of Tata Trusts that recommended a renewed term for the Executive Chairman.

About N Chandrasekaran:
i.He joined the Tata Sons Board in October 2016 and started his first term as the Chairman in January 2017.
iiHe also served as Chief operating officer (COO) and executive director of Tata Consultancy Services. He is also the Chairman of Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power and Tata Consultancy Services.
About Tata Sons:
Founded- 1868
Headquarters- Mumbai,Maharashtra
Chairman- Natarajan Chandrasekaran

Ruchir Sharma Appointed as Managing Director & Chairman of Rockefeller International

Former Morgan Stanley executive, Ruchir Sharma will take over as the Managing Director and Chairman of Rockefeller International, the international unit of Rockefeller Capital Management on 14th February 2022. 

• He will also act as an advisor to the company, be a resource to Rockefeller’s global family office, its advisors and clients, and serve as the company’s global brand ambassador. 
• Previously he has served as the chief global strategist and head of emerging markets at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. 

Books by Ruchir Sharma include, “The 10 Rules of Successful Nations”, “The Rise and Fall of Nations: Ten Rules of Change in the Post-Crisis World”, “Democracy on the Road: A 25 Year Journey through India”, and “Breakout Nations: In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles”.   

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA Selects MUSE & HelioSwarm Missions to Help Better Understand Earth-Sun EnvironmentThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected two science missions – the Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE) and HelioSwarm to help improve our understanding of the dynamics of the Sun, the Sun-Earth connection, and the constantly changing space environment.

• They provide deeper understanding about the universe and provide information to help protect astronauts, satellites, and communications signals such as GPS.
• These missions also provide a unique perspective in understanding the mysteries of our star.
• Funding and management oversight for these missions is provided by the Heliophysics Explorers Program, managed by the Explorers Program Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

About the MUSE mission:
i.The MUSE mission helps scientists in understanding the forces driving the heating of the Sun’s corona and the eruptions in that outermost region.
ii.This also offers deep insights into physics of the solar atmosphere using a ‘multi-slit spectrometer’ by capturing the highest resolution images of the solar transition region and the corona.
iii.The mission will also provide complementary observations from heliophysics research such as the Extreme UltraViolet Spectroscopic Telescope and ground-based observatories.
iv.The primary goal of the MUSE mission is to investigate the causes of coronal heating and instability, such as flares and coronal mass ejections, and gain insight into the basic plasma properties of the corona. MUSE will obtain high-resolution images of the evolution of solar flare ribbons in a field of view focused on a large, active region on the Sun.
v.The principal investigator for the MUSE mission is Bart DePontieu of the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LMATC) of Palo Alto, California. This mission has a budget of $192 million. LMATC will provide project management.
About HelioSwarm mission:
i.The HelioSwarm mission is a constellation or ‘swarm’ of 9 spacecraft that will capture the 1st multiscale in-space measurements of fluctuations in the magnetic field and motions of the solar wind known as solar wind turbulence.
ii.The turbulence is due to the Solar winds spread through the Sun’s outermost atmospheric layer, heliosphere, and disruptions such as coronal mass ejections.
iii.The HelioSwarm mission’s principal investigator is Harlan Spence from the University of New Hampshire. The mission’s budget is $250 million. NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, will provide project management. 
About National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):
Commenced Operation –  1958
Headquarters – Washington, D.C., United States
Administrator – Bill Nelson

SpaceX Successfully Launches Italian Earth-Observation Satellite ‘COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2’ 

SpaceX has finally launched COSMO(COnstellation of small Satellites for the Mediterranean basin Observation)-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 (CSG-2) satellite, an Italian Earth-observation satellite aboard its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States (US).

• Objective – It will monitor the Earth and provide data risk management, cartography, forest & environment protection, natural resources exploration, land management, defence and security, maritime surveillance, food & agriculture management. The system consists of two satellites, which are designed to observe Earth using synthetic aperture radar (SAR).

Key Points:

• The Satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) and operated in orbit by Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%)
• The CSG-2 is funded by the Italian Space Agency, the Italian Ministry of Defence and the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Scientific Research.
• Italy plans to control the spacecraft from the country’s Fucino Space Center.
• The mission marked the first time that a Heavy side booster had been reconfigured and launched alone as a Falcon 9.

About CSG:
i.CSG is an Italian government system consisting of two satellites that observe Earth using synthetic aperture radar and to monitor the Earth for any emergency prevention, strategy, scientific and commercial purposes.
ii.The CSG-1 was launched in December 2019 aboard a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana and is currently operating in a sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of 620kilometers (385 miles). CSG-2 will also operate in the sun-synchronous polar orbit.
Other Launches:
Earlier in February 2022, SpaceX had launched a batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida and the NROL-87 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Note – SpaceX had managed 31 launches in 2021 and has planned to achieve a massive target of 52 launches in 2022.
About SpaceX:
CEO – Elon Musk
Headquarters – California, United States (US)

SPORTS

Indian Cricketer Rishabh Pant Wins ESPNcricinfo ‘Test Batting’ Awards for 2021

The 15th Edition of ESPNcricinfo Awards, India’s wicket keeper batsman, Rishabh Pant wins ‘Test Batting’ award by scoring 89 not out, helped India to win the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2021 by (2-1) and shattered Australia’s unbeaten record at Gabba after 32 years. 
i.Rishabh Pant was the top scorer of the series for Indian team, scoring (274runs).
ESPNcricinfo Winners:
i.New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was adjudged ‘Captain of the Year’. 
ii.The Test bowling award went to Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand) for his 5 wickets leaving just 31 runs, which helped New Zealand in becoming the first World Test champions (2019-2021).
ICC Ranking (as of February 2022):
Test Ranking – Australia (Rank 1), India (Ranks 3)
ODI Ranking – New Zealand (Rank 1), India (Ranks 4)
T20I Ranking – England (Rank 1), India (Ranks 2)
>> Read Full News

OBITUARY

French Virologist Luc Montagnier who Co-Discovered HIV Virus Passed AwayFrench virologist Luc Montagnier, who led the team in 1983 that identified the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), has died.

• He shared the 2008 Nobel Prize for Medicine particularly in identifying the virus that causes AIDS with his fellow French scientist Francoise Barre-Sinoussi.

About Luc Montagnier:
i.Montagnier was born in 1932 in France and gained a PhD in virology at the University of Paris and later became Director of the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention in Paris.

• He joined the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France  in 1960 and became head of the Pasteur Institute’s virology department in 1972.

ii.He for the first time identified an infectious double-stranded RNA from cells infected with the murine encephalomyocarditis virus, a small single-stranded RNA virus in Kingsley Sanders’ laboratory at Carshalton near London.

• The first description of infectious viral RNA from the tobacco mosaic virus by Fraenkel-Conrat and Gierer and Schramm inspired him to become a virologist in 1957.  

iii.His investigation of interferon, one of the body’s defences against viruses, also opened avenues for medical cures for viral diseases.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2022 – February 11

The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science is annually observed across the globe on 11th February to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology. 
The 11th February 2022 marks the observance of the 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly 2022:
The 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly was organised in virtual format on 11th February 2022 from the UN headquarters in New York, United States of America (USA). 
The theme of the 2022 International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly is “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us”.
About UN Women:
Executive Director– Sima Bahous
Headquarters- New York, United States of America(USA)
>> Read Full News

World Unani Day 2022 – February 11World Unani Day is annually observed across the globe on 11th February to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mohammad Ajmal Khan, better known as “Hakim Ajmal Khan”, a great Indian Unani Scholar and social reformer. 

• The day also aims to spread awareness about healthcare delivery through the Unani system of medicine.

Background:
i.The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), Government of India has declared the birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan, 11th February of every year as the World Unani Day to recognise his contribution towards the development of Unani medicine in India and across the world.
ii.The first ever World Unani Day was observed in 2017 at Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine (CRIUM), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of AYUSH, in Hyderabad, Telangana.
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Manoj Sinha launches 1st of its Kind QR code-based Mechanism To Certify Handmade Carpets of J&KOn February 10, 2022, the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Manoj Sinha launched the Quick Response (QR) Code-based mechanism for labelling the handmade carpets in J&K, a first-of-its-kind in the country.

• Objective- With the QR-based application, customers can check and verify authenticity and other requisite details of carpets produced in Jammu and Kashmir.
• He also felicitated UT’s awardees of Handicrafts & Handloom.

Key Points:
i.J&K Handicrafts are repositories of India’s creative traditions that are serving as a cultural expression.
ii.Government is also providing training & financial support to strengthen the artistic and cultural heritage of J&K,
iii.It should be noted that currently carpets are being exported from J&K to at least 25 countries. In 2020-21, carpets worth Rs 115 crore were exported to Germany, Rs 34 crore worth to USA, Rs 36 Crore to UAE and Rs 22 crore to Netherlands.
iv.The Jammu and Kashmir government has introduced Export Incentive Scheme. Under this scheme, incentive of 10 per cent of the total volume of GI certified Handicrafts and Handloom products exported to any country, with maximum reimbursement up to ₹5 crore, shall be provided to eligible exporters registered with Department of Handicrafts and Handloom.
About Jammu & Kashmir (J&K):
Capital– Jammu (winter), Srinagar(summer)
International Airport– Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Rajparian Wildlife Sanctuary, Overa Aru Wildlife Sanctuary, and Thajwas – Baltal Wildlife Sanctuary

Munishwar Nath Bhandari Appointed as the Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari (MN Bhandari), Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) of the Madras High Court (HC), has been appointed as the Chief Justice (CJ) of the Madras HC.

• The appointment has been approved by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. 

Following the transfer of Justice Sanjib Banerjee, CJ of the Madras High Court, to Meghalaya HC in November 2021, Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari was appointed as the ACJ of the Madras HC. 
About Munishwar Nath Bhandari;
i.Munishwar Nath Bhandari, who hails from Rajasthan, was initially appointed as a judge in the Rajasthan High Court in 2007.
ii.Later he was transferred to the Allahabad HC in 2019.
iii.In 2021, he was transferred to the Madras High Court, where he assumed office as the ACJ on 22nd November 2021.

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