NATIONAL NEWS

President Kovind to Review Indian Naval Fleet

• President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces will be reviewing the Naval Fleet comprising over 60 ships and submarines and 55 aircraft on the event conducted at Visakhapatnam.

• This is the 12th edition of Fleet Review conducted on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India's Independence as the country is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• The President’s boat INS Sumitra, is an indigenously built Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel.
• The Review will be followed by the release of a special First Day Cover and a commemorative stamp by the President in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State for Communication Devusinh J Chauhan.

PM Modi launches 'Kisan Drone Yatra’

• Kisan Drone Yatra, an initiative by Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and flagged off 100 Kisan Drones.

• It is launched in cities and states across the country to spray pesticides to support the farmers.

• High-capacity drones will be used to carry vegetables, fruits and flowers to market directly to the market with minimal damage, consuming lesser time and boosting their profit.
• With this initiative India will soon emerge as a global leader in the drone sector.

India's First Biosafety Level-3 Mobile Lab Launched in Nashik

• Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of state (MoS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched India’s and South Asia’s First Biosafety level-3 mobile laboratory in Nashik, Maharashtra.
• It will strengthen healthcare infrastructure through the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
• The mobile laboratory will investigate newly emerging and re-emerging viral infections that are highly infectious to human beings.
• The laboratory has been designed and built by Indian Council of Medical Research in collaboration with Mumbai based bio-safety equipment maker Klenzaids and it was built at a cost of Rs.25 crore.
• ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava termed the launch of the mobile laboratory as ‘historic’.

Smart Card Arms License of Delhi Police

• The Delhi Police has become the first police force in the country to introduce 'Smart Card Arms License' and it was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Delhi Police.
• It is launched in order to provide techno friendly digital services to the citizens of the national capital and with security features the smart card is easy to carry and handle.
• It will be printed in-house after verification of data of the arms license holders to replace the existing bulky arms license.
• The card is also integrated with the e-Beat book of Delhi police through the Shastra mobile app for effective policing.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Six African Countries to Get Vaccine Production Centres: WHO

• To acquire self-reliance against the Covid pandemic, The World Health Organization has announced that six African countries will be given the revolutionary mRNA technology to set up their own vaccine production centers helping the continent.

• A ceremony marking the mRNA technology transfer will be held later in Brussels at a summit between the European Union and the African Union.

•  Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia will get the technology used in the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna jabs developed in Europe.
• The Senegalese president said the aim was to have 60% of vaccines administered in Africa will be produced in Africa. In the future, the new African vaccine hub might also produce vaccine for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.

BANKING

World Bank and GOI to Sign Agreement for REWARD Project

• The Government of India, the State Governments of Karnataka and Odisha and the World Bank have signed USD 115 million (INR 869 crore) loan agreement to strengthen the “Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development” (REWARD) Programme.
• It will help national and state institutions adopt improved watershed management practices to help increase farmers’ resilience to climate change, promote higher productivity and better incomes.
• The Government of India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and doubling farmers’ income by 2023.
• REWARD project is an initiative of Department of Land Resources under Ministry of Rural Development and World Bank.
• It is a Six-year project proposed from 2021-2026 and one of the largest watershed management programs in the world.
• World Bank through its International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), will give USD 115 million loan. It has a maturity period of 15 years.
• Karnataka is given USD 60 million, Odisha with USD 49 million and USD 6 million for the central government’s Department of Land Resources.

ABOUT World Bank

• HQ: Washington, US.
• President: David Malpass.

SBI Ecowrap Report

• Ecowrap is released by State Bank of India.

• Based on SBI Nowcasting Model, it has revised downwards the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of India for FY22 to 8.8 per cent. Earlier this was estimated at 9.3 per cent.

• The report projects the GDP to grow at 5.8 percent in the third quarter Q3 of FY22.
• ‘Nowcasting Model’ is based on 41 high frequency indicators associated with industry activities, service activities and, global economy. The model uses the dynamic factor model to estimate the common or representative or latent factor of all the 41 high frequency indicators from Q4 of FY13 to Q3 of FY22.

SPORTS

Shakibul Gani Becomes First to Score Triple Hundred in Ranji Trophy

• The Ranji Trophy would be held in two phases. The pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase is being played from February 10 to March 15. The post-IPL-phase will be played from May 30 to June 26.
• Shakibul Gani became the first cricketer to score a triple hundred on his First-Class debut. He made his debut for Bihar.
• Ajinkya Rahane scored a century for Mumbai.

AWARDS AND PRIZES

Philanthropist Bill Gates conferred with Hilal-e-Pakistan

• On 17 February 2022, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has been conferred with Hilal-e-Pakistan, the second highest civilian honour of Pakistan, for his efforts to help eradicate polio in Pakistan.

• President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi, conferred the award to Bill Gates at the ceremony held in Aiwen-e-Sadr, Islamabad, Pakistan.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

IOC Athlete’s Commission

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes' Commission re-elected Emma Terho (Finland, ice hockey) as its Chairman in the meeting held in Beijing.
• Terho is a five-time Olympian and former captain of the Finland women's ice hockey team, winning a bronze medal at both the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998 and Vancouver 2010. She will head the Commission until the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
• Seung Min Ryu (Republic of Korea, table tennis) was elected as first Vice-Chairman, and Sarah Walker (New Zealand, cycling) as second Vice-Chairman of the Commission.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day of Social Justice

• The United Nations' (UN) World Day of Social Justice is observed every year on 20th February. The day is celebrated all over the world to encourage people to look at how social justice affects poverty eradication.

• It also focuses on the goal of achieving full employment and support for social integration.

• The theme for the day is Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment.

World Pangolin Day

• World Pangolin Day is observed every year on the Third Saturday of February. This year world Pangolin Day is celebrated on 19th February 2022.

• In 2022, 11th edition of the World Pangolin Day is celebrated.
• The day aims to raise awareness and recommit international N.G.O.s to the fight against the global capturing of pangolins in Africa and Asia as Pangolin numbers are rapidly declining in Africa and Asia.

OBITUARY

Football Legend Surajit Sengupta

• The former Indian Footballer Surajit Sengupta passed away due to Covid-19. He was 71.

• Sengupta was born on 30 August 1951 in Chakbazar in the Hooghly district, West Bengal.
• He played for the India national team, representing the country in the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran and the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok.
• He had represented all three of Calcutta's football clubs, Mohun Bagan FC, East Bengal FC,and Mohammedan Sporting FC. 
• Sengupta won the IFA Shield and the Calcutta Football League six times and the Durand cup thrice while representing East Bengal FC.