Author: Shivali Varshney, Vidhyarthi Darpan

NATIONAL NEWS 

First women-owned industrial park opens in Hyderabad

India’s first-ever 100 percent women-owned industrial park has opened up in Hyderabad. The park’s inauguration was done on International Women’s Day 2022 by Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao. The FLO Industrial park is promoted by FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) in partnership with the Telangana government.

B Chandra Shekhar appointed as Air Force Academy Commandant

Air Marshal B Chandra Shekhar has been appointed as the new Commandant of Air Force Academy. He was a senior staff officer prior to taking the charge of Commandant. He was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on December 21, 1984. He was awarded the Presidential Award of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2020. 

IIT Roorkee Param Super Computer installed: Know Benefits & Features

Param Super Computer has been installed at IIT Roorkee under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). It has been designed and commissioned by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC). The super computer has a capacity of 1.66 Petaflops (Peta Floating-Point Operations Per Second.

Parliament of India to resume the second part of Budget session for March 14

The Indian Parliament will return to its normal functioning schedule in the second part of the budget session starting from March 14. It will conclude on April 8, 2022. Both Houses of Parliament- Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will sit from 11 AM instead of working in the shifts. The decision has been taken in the wake of a decline in Coronavirus cases in India. However, both the Houses will continue to use their chambers and galleries.  In view of the third wave of pandemic, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were working in shifts in the first phase of the Budget session.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

US bans Russian oil, gas and coal imports, Know Impact on India

US President Joe Biden has banned all energy and oil imports from Russia, in an effort to show solidarity with Ukraine and condemn Putin’s war. The United States has taken the major decision unilaterally, knowing that its European allies may not be able to take a similar action, as they are heavily dependent on Russian oil and energy.

Tik Tok, Netflix, McDonalds’s, Pepsi and others suspend business in Russia

As Russia continues to move forward with its invasion of Ukraine, causing massive damage to life and liberty in the nation, several corporates have taken a strict stance to condemn Putin’s war. Several global giants including Apple, Meta, Microsoft, KPMG, Pepsi, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s have withdrawn their businesses in Russia. 

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

India to resume international flights from March 27

India will resume scheduled commercial international passenger services from March 27, 2022 after a two-year hiatus. The move will now allow unhindered operation of flight to and from international destinations. The international flight operations will be subjected to strict adherence to Ministry of Health guidelines for international travel.

List of Nari Shakti Puraskar 2020-2021 Winners

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind presented Nari Shakti Puraskar for the years 2020 and 2021 to 29 outstanding women achievers at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8th. The awardees were honoured for their exceptional work towards women empowerment, especially the marginalized and vulnerable women. 

RBI launches new UPI for feature phones

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das launched a new UPI service for feature phones on March 8, 2022. The new payments service has been named UPI 123Pay. The service will work on simple phones as well that do not have an internet connection. RBI has also launched a 24×7 digital payments helpline called Digisaathi. 

Fortune India 50 Most Powerful Women 2021

Fortune India had released a list of India’s top 50 most powerful women in 2021 in December last year. The list comprises  some of the popular female figures in India including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who grabbed the top position. Nita Ambani is ranked second, followed by Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist of WHO.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Has Russia detached itself from ISS?

Russia recently released a video that showed its cosmonauts disconnecting the Russian ISS modules from the International Space Station. The video is reported to be a joke but can also be a silent threat, acting on the warnings issued by Russian space agency chief after sanctions were imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. 

European Union agrees to examine bids from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to join the bloc. 

The ambassadors of the European Union have agreed to examine the bids by Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova to join the bloc, starting the lengthy process towards accession. The French Presidency of the European Union stated that 27 Permanent Representatives of European Countries had agreed to invite the European Commission to present an opinion on each application. Two former Soviet Republics- Moldova and Georgia- applied for the European Union Republic last week in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine Military Conflict.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Rajya Sabha Elections 2022: AK Antony, Anand Sharma, Naresh Gujral among 13 retiring members

Rajya Sabha elections will be held for 13 seats spread across six states- Punjab, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura and Nagaland on March 31, 2022. In total, five Rajya Sabha seats in Punjab, three in Kerala, two in Assam and one each in Tripura, Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh will be up for biennial polls.

IPL 2022 Schedule. 

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League will held between March 26 and May 29, 2022. The league stage matches will be hosted by Mumbai and Pune, while the playoffs will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Ten teams will take part in IPL 2022, including two new teams-Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans.

Why do We Celebrate International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8 as a symbolic reminder of the historic journey that women have taken globally. The day commemorates the political, cultural and socio-economic achievements of women and calls for a gender-equal inclusive world free of stereotypes, biases and discrimination.

Indian envoy to Palestine Mukul Arya passes away

India’s Representative to Palestine, Mukul Arya was found dead inside the Indian embassy in Palestine. Palestine’s Foreign Ministry stated that the Indian ambassador died at his workplace in Ramallah. They have established contacts with the Indian External Affairs Ministry to complete the arrangements for transporting the body to India.

What is the Role of Exit Polls in Election Result Prediction?

The Exit Polls of UP, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Goa Assembly Elections 2022 will be released today after 6.30 pm, after the end of the last phase of UP Polls. The exit polls are conducted after a voter has cast his or her vote at the polling station. The accuracy of the exit polls depends on the accuracy of the response of the voters. The exit polls are sometimes very accurate and at other times completely wrong.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Chinese Rocket Debris Crashes into Moon, Leaves Behind a 65-foot Wide Impact Crater.

After seven-year of space odyssey, a three-tonne piece of Chinese rocket debris slammed into the Moon, creating a 65 feet wide crater on the lunar surface, the media reported. According to experts, the event took place at 7:25 a.m. EST on the lunar far side, on Friday, Space.com reported. As a result, NASA`s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter could not get a look at the crash. “We certainly have an interest in finding the impact crater and will attempt to do so over the coming weeks and months,” John Keller, the deputy project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, emailed to The Verge in a statement. “We will not be near the impact site when it takes place so we won`t be able to directly observe it. The onboard narrow angle cameras have sufficient resolution to detect the crater but the Moon is full of fresh impact craters, so positive identification is based on before and after images under similar lighting conditions, he added.

 

Russia detaches from International Space Station in propaganda video. 

Amid the complete breakdown of relations between the United States and Russia, a new propaganda video going viral shows Moscow detaching its segment from the International Space Station. The video shows Russian cosmonauts disconnecting the Russian ISS modules from the station. The video releases in the backdrop of the Russian space agency chief’s warning to the US about the consequences if Russia walks out of the Space Station. The new propaganda video comes days after the US imposed sanctions against Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine. The Zvezda module also acts as a space tug for the entire outpost and has the capability of steering the station away from space junk. The life-support system on the module works in tandem with the system inside the U.S. lab, Destiny, making it a crucial part of the entire outpost.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

India’s first indigenous flying trainer HANSA-NG successfully completes sea level trials

India’s first indigenous flying trainer HANSA-NG successfully completed the seal level trials at Puducherry from February 19 to March 5, 2022. HANSA-NG has been designed and developed by CSIR- National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore. The aircraft was flown to Puducherry covering 140 nautical miles in one and a half hours at a cruising speed of 155 km hour on February 19. The objective of the sea level trials was to evaluate the handling qualities, balked handling, climb and cruise performance, and other system performances. HANSA-NG has been designed to meet the Indian flying club needs and it is an ideal aircraft for commercial pilot licensing because of its low cost and low fuel consumption.

9th edition of Sri Lanka-India naval exercise SLINEX begins in Vishakhapatnam

 The 9th edition of Sri Lanka-India naval exercise SLINEX has begun on March 7, 2022, in Vishakhapatnam. The naval exercise will be held in two phases the harbor phase at Vishakhapatnam on March 7 and 8 and the harbor phase on March 9 and March 10 in the Bay of Bengal. Naval exercise SLINEX aims to enhance inter-operability, exchange best practices, improve mutual understanding for multi-faceted maritime operations between Indian and Sri Lankan Navy. The Harbour Phase of the SLINEX exercise will include the cultural, professional, sporting, and social exchanges.

Government launches Donate-a-Pension Programme

The Central Government has launched Donate-a-Pension Programme which is an initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) pension scheme. Under the program, the citizens can donate the premium contribution of their immediate support staff including the drivers, domestic workers, and helpers. The Union Minister Bhupendra Yada said that under the programme, workers in the unorganized sector with the age group of 18-40 years can register themselves and also deposit a minimum of Rs. 660 to Rs. 240 every year depending on their age. After the workers attain 60 years, they will receive the minimum assured pension of Rs. 3,000 per month.

Prime Minister Modi to address a seminar on International Women’s Day in Kutch. PM Modi will address a seminar on International Women’s Day in Kutch at 6 PM via video conferencing. The seminar in Kutch is being organized to recognize the role of women saints in society as well as their contribution towards women empowerment. Over 500 women will attend the seminar in Dhordo. The seminar in Kutch will include sessions on culture, female upliftment, religion, security, social status, and the role of women in Indian culture.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

North Korea performs key tests needed to develop spy satellite

Data transmission and other key tests have been performed by North Korea that is needed to develop a spy satellite. As per the North Korean Central News Agency, the country conducted another important test on March 5, 2022, under its plan to develop a reconnaissance satellite. The agency added that the authorities tested the satellite’s data transmission and the reception system and its ground-based control system. The move has come as North Korea has been carrying out a spate of ballistic missiles launches- including one detected by South Korea this week.

Netflix Suspends Service in Russia Amid Invasion of Ukraine.

Netflix has suspended its service in Russia to protest the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Earlier this week, the streaming service had announced that it would pause all future projects and acquisitions from Russia, joining a growing list of companies that have cut ties with the country. Netflix had four Russian originals in the works, including a crime thriller series directed by Dasha Zhuk, which was shooting and has since been put on hold. Netflix also recently refused to carry 20 Russian free-to-air propaganda channels that it was required to host under Russian law. Now, the company is taking an additional step in shutting down its service entirely. The economic blowback that Russia has faced in the wake of its decision to go to war with Ukraine has been intense. Not only is the country grappling with extensive sanctions, but many corporations and organizations have pulled out of Russia. Companies like Microsoft, Apple and Dell have announced that they have suspended sales in the country, while Ikea has closed stores and Nike has said it will no longer fulfill online orders. On the entertainment front, all of the major studios have announced they will stop releasing their films in Russia.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

NaBFID to be regulated as AIFI under RBI Act

Reserve Bank of India has announced that National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) will be regulated and supervised by it as an All India Financial Institution (AIFI) under the RBI Act, 1934. NaBFID will be regulated and supervised by RBI as an AIFI under Sections 45L and 45N of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Presently RBI has four AIFIs under it namely EXIM Bank, NABARD, NHB and SIDBI. NaBFID will be the fifth AIFI under RBI. NaBFID has been set up as a Development Financial Institution (DFI) to support the development of long-term infrastructure financing in India.

 

Prime Minister Modi chairs meeting to review Ukraine situation

Prime Minister Modi chaired a meeting to review the Ukraine situation. The meeting was attended by Union Minister Piyush Goyal and S. Jaishankar. The other officials present in the meeting were the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and other senior officials. Prime Minister Modi, two days ago, had also held a review meeting on the Ukraine crisis to go through the evacuation situation of Indian students. Prime Minister has been continuously holding high-level meetings on the Ukraine crisis since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Government approves modernization scheme to equip CAPF with modern state-of-art- weapons

The Central Government has approved the Modernisation Plan-IV scheme for the Central Armed Police Forces. It will equip the force with modern state-of-the-art weapons and equipment. The scheme for CAPF with a total outlay of Rs. 1,523 crores will be implemented by the Home Ministry from February 2022 to March 2026. The implementation of the scheme will equip the Central Armed Police Forces to improve the overall operational efficiency and preparedness which will benefit the internal security scenario in the country. The scheme will also bolster Government’s ability to address the challenges being faced on the international border as well as in different areas.

Sunith Francis Rodrigues, Former Army Chief General and Punjab Governor passes away at 88.

 General (retd) Sunith Francis Rodrigues passed away on March 4, 2022, at the age of 88. Rodrigues headed the Indian Army between 1990 and 1993 and had also served as the Governor of Punjab between 2004 and 2010.  The Indian Army expressed grief on the demise of Sunith Francis Rodrigues via Twitter and said, General MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), and all ranks of the Indian Army express heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of General Sunith Francis Rodrigues, who passed away. Prime Minister Modi also expressed grief over the demise of SF Rodrigues. In a tweet, Prime Minister noted that the nation will remain indebted to General Rodrigues for his exceptional service and his contribution towards making India stronger. He also added that General Rodrigues was respected for his deep strategic knowledge.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

French President Emmanuel Macron to run for second term

The President of France Emmanuel Macron announced that he will run for the second term in April’s presidential election in France. Macron, 44-year-old, had long indicated that he wanted to run in the election which is scheduled to be held in two rounds- April 10 and April 24, 2022. However, his initial campaign plans changed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron, in a letter to the French published in the local media, stated that he seeks their trust again. He is already leading the polls. Valérie Pécresse, the conservative candidate and two far-right figures, Marine le Pen and Eric Zemmour, are expected to be his main challengers.

 

ASEAN Envoy Confirms Mission to Myanmar Later This Month.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will make his first official mission to the country as envoy on March 20-23. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will pay a four-day visit to Myanmar later this month for talks with top representatives of the country’s military government, his first official trip as special envoy for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). A ministry spokesperson announced yesterday that the trip would take place on March 20-23. While details of the Sokhonn’s agenda have apparently not been finalized, he is set to inch forward the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus peace plan, which it reached at a special summit last April. The Consensus aims to a achieve an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and a peaceful solution involving all parties, in addition to the delivery of humanitarian aid. But the ruling military junta has dragged its feet on the implementation of the plan, redoubling its efforts to quash the rising armed resistance to its rule.

 

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Sanjiv Kapoor appointed as new CEO of Jet Airways 

Sanjiv Kapoor has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Jet Airways. The appointment comes just days after the appointment of former Sri Lankan Airlines CEO Vipula Gunatileka as the chief financial officer of the airline. The grounded airlines is expected to restart its operations this summer. 

Indian Railways tests Kavach train collision protection system

Indian Railways tested ‘Kavach’, an automatic train collision protection system on March 4, 2022 with Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on board. The testing involved making two trains hurtle towards each other at full speed. The system also conducted a test to see what happens when a train passes a stop-signal when not allowed to do so.

RuPay becomes official partner TATA IPL 2022

RuPay, a flagship product of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has become the official partner for TATA IPL 2022. RuPay is the first-of-its-kind Global Card payment network from India. It is widely accepted at POS devices, ATMs as well as on e-commerce websites and provides a self-reliant card payments network.

NHRC issues notice to Delhi Government over disappearing water bodies

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report on the disappearing water bodies in Delhi. The reason given is alleged unplanned growth and negligence by the authorities. NHRC has issued notice to Delhi Government and the Delhi Development Authority and has also called for a detailed report on the matter within the period of six weeks. It also stated that there are laws and guidelines to safeguard such vital components of the environment. The Commission said that water bodies are a vital part of the hydrological cycle which supports rich biodiversity.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Russia captures Europe’s largest nuclear power plant

Russia has captured Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest power plant in Europe. This comes after the Russian military forces begun shelling at the nuclear power plant site, setting one of the buildings within the complex on fire, raising fears of a nuclear catastrophe.   

Sanctions on India under CAATSA: US 

The United States has announced that it will be looking whether to apply or waive sanctions on India for its purchase of S-400 Triumf missile defence system from Russia under CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act). This comes as India drew criticism from the US lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, at a hearing on the US relationship with India for being among the 35 countries that abstained on March 2 from a UN vote to rebuke Russia’s invasion.