14th June, 2022 Current Affairs

Archana Lakkavajula

National
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launches “Start-Ups for Railways” in New Delhi

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched “Start-Ups for Railways” in New Delhi.
This Start-Ups policy aims to leverage innovative technologies developed by Indian Start Ups, MSMEs, Innovators and Entrepreneurs to improve operational efficiency and safety of Indian Railways.
The policy which is a part of Indian Railways Innovation Programme, will bring scale and efficiency in the field of operation, maintenance and infrastructure creation through participation of very large and untapped Start- Up ecosystem.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vaishnaw said, through this platform, start-ups will get a good opportunity to connect with Railways. He said, out of over 100 problem statements received from different divisions, field offices or zones of Railways, 11 problem statements like rail fracture and headway reduction have been taken up for phase 1 of this programme. The Minister said, these will be presented before the start ups to find innovative solutions.
He requested the Start Ups to use this opportunity and ensured them of support from Railways in form of 50 percent capital grant, assured market, scale and ecosystem.

Download Sakshi Education Mobile APP

INTERNATIONAL
UNGA adopts resolution on multilingualism, mentions Hindi language for 1st time

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted an India-sponsored resolution on multilingualism that mentions the Hindi language for the first time.
The resolution passed encourages the UN to continue disseminating important communications and messages in official as well as in non-official languages, including in Hindi language. The resolution also mentions Bangla and Urdu for the first time.
As part of these efforts, ‘Hindi @ UN’ project was launched in 2018 with an objective to enhance the public outreach of the United Nations in the Hindi language, and to spread greater awareness about global issues among millions of Hindi-speaking populations around the world.
Multilingualism is an essential factor in harmonious communication among peoples and an enabler of multilateral diplomacy. It ensures effective participation of all in the Organization’s work, as well as greater transparency and efficiencies and better outcomes.
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the six official languages of the United Nations; English and French being the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

China: Proposal of Space Solar plant

Recently, China proposed a plan to launch a solar power plant in space, in order to get inexhaustible power in 2028, two years before the original schedule.
China had planned to establish a solar power station of 1 megawatt capacity, in space by 2030.
However, according to updated plan, China will launch a satellite in 2028.
This satellite will test wireless power transmission technology from space to ground, from the height of 400 km.
It will convert solar energy to microwaves or lasers.
Using the lasers, energy beams will be directed to various targets, including the moving satellites and fixed locations on the Earth.
Solar power plant will have the capacity of 10 kilowatts, which is enough to meet the needs of few households.

Britain’s Queen becomes the world’s second-longest reigning monarch

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II overtook Thailand’s King to become the world’s second-longest reigning monarch in history, after France’s Louis XIV.
The UK has been celebrating the 96-year-old Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to mark 70 years of service to the nation with grand events. After four days of royal parades, street parties, pageantry and other events held across the UK and the Commonwealth to mark the Platinum Jubilee milestone.
Crowned in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-serving British monarch in September 2015, surpassing her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria. Now she has overtaken Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years and 126 days between 1927 and 2016, to set another record. Louis XIV of France remains the longest-reigning monarch, with a 72-year and 110-day reign from 1643 until 1715.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Fast Radio Burst (FRB)

Astronomers have detected a signal from a galaxy, which is around 3 billion light-years away. This signal is called “Fast Radio Burst (FRB)”.
Mysterious Fast Radio Burst has been detected for the second time ever.
The Burst is said to be “co-located with a compact and persistent radio source.
It is connected with the dwarf host galaxy of high specific star-formation.
It is also related to and is accompanied by a persistent source that results the location to emit in radio frequency continuously.
Fast Radio Bursts are brief and intense flashes of radio frequency emissions. Such flashes typically last for milliseconds.

APPOINTMENTS
Ambassador Rabab Fatima appointed UN Under-Secretary-General

Ambassador Rabab Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations has been appointed as the Under Secretary General of the United Nations.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Ambassador Fatima. She succeeds Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica who was appointed as the Chef de Cabinet.
Ambassador Rabab Fatima is the first woman diplomat from Bangladesh to be appointed to this post.
With her appointment as Assistant Secretary General to the UN, Rabab Fatima has become the highest ranking official of Bangladesh under the UN system.
The appointment of Rabab Fatima is testimony to Bangladesh’s close engagement with the multilateral diplomatic system and recognition of the professionalism of Bangladeshi diplomats.

SPORTS
Mascot & Logo for FIDE Chess Olympiad

The official logo, mascot and hashtag were unveiled by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M K Stalin and President of AICF Dr. Sanjay Kapoor in Chennai.
The 44th Chess Olympiad is scheduled to be organised in July 2022.
‘Thambi’ is the official mascot of the Olympiad. In Tamil language, Thambi means little or younger brother.
Before the launch of Mascot, it was announced that Torch Relay will take place at Olympiad, for the first time in the history of Chess Olympiad.
Torch Relay will now take place at each Olympiad and will start from the 44th edition.

R Praggnanandhaa won Norway Chess Group A Open Chess Tournament

Young Indian Grandmaster, R. Praggnanandhaa emerged winner in the Norway Chess Group A open chess tournament here with 7.5 points from nine rounds.
The 16-year-old GM, the top-seed, was in fine form and remained unbeaten through the nine rounds. He finished the tournament with a win over fellow Indian V Praneeth, an International Master. Praggnanandhaa finished a full point ahead of second-placed IM MarselEfroimski(Israel) and IM Jung Min Seo (Sweden).
The Indian teenaged star has been putting in impressive performances in recent times and had beaten world number one Magnus Carlsen for a second time in the Chessable Master online event and lost a close final to China’s Ding Liren. Praggnanandhaa’scoach R. B. Ramesh congratulated him after the win and said it will help boost his confidence.

Teenager Rahul Srivatshav becomes India’s 74th Grandmaster

Rahul Srivatshav P of Telangana has become India’s 74th Grandmaster, achieving the title after breaking the 2500 (Elo points) barrier in live FIDE ratings during the 9th Cattolica Chess Festival 2022 in Italy.
The 19-year old player reached the 2500 Elo live rating mark after drawing his 8th round game against Grandmaster Levan Pantsulaia in the Cattolica event. His current Elo rating is 2468. Srivatshav had already secured five GM norms and achieved the title when he crossed the rating threshold of 2500.

Published date : 14 Jun 2022 05:31PM