It gives us great pleasure to release the monthly edition of the PRAVAHINI – Monthly e- Compendium & Weekly e-Periodicals of Current Affairs. The magazine’s members have shown considerable cooperation as well as devotion. We at success mantra.in working tirelessly to create this magazine and bring it to you with a great sense of gratitude.
The February -2023 eBook covers the current events that happened in the month of October. Current Affairs is a crucial component of any competitive exams including CLAT, AILET, DU-LLB, HM, CAT, IAS, PCS, SSC, CUET, Banking, MBA and various other competitive examinations.
Current Affairs play the bigger role in many competitive and government exams. It holds the power of making or breaking your chance of success. Therefore, the candidates should cover the Current Affairs thoroughly and smartly.
The PRAVAHINI February -2023 eBook is divided into different sections keeping in mind the need of various exams. The sections covered namely International, National, Economy, Ecology and Environment, Science & Technology, Legal Affairs, Sports, States News Makers and few others.
We would also be pleased to receive any suggestion that could assist us with the upcoming editions.
➢ The Government of India recently disinvested Air India to TATA.
Since TATA took over the airlines, many changes were brought in. Air
India was merged with VISTARA Airlines.
acquisition, to learn real-time happenings during the flight. Now, Air
India has signed a deal with Airbus and Boeing. With this, Air India
will acquire 470 aircraft.
➢ PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron attended the deal-signing function. US
president Joe Biden, and UK PM Rishi Sunak congratulated India and the company for the deal.
➢ The financial terms were not disclosed. However, the deal is worth tens of billions of
dollars. Boeing is to supply 190 of its 737 Max Single–Aisle planes, 10 of its 777X, and 20 of its
Dreamliners widebodies. The total deal is around 45.9 billion USD approximately.
➢ Airbus is a European multinational aerospace corporation. However, the major business of
the company happens through the French. Most of its manufacturing facilities are in Europe.
Boeing is an American company.
➢ Its headquarters is in Virginia. In 2019, the company produced 390 commercial aircraft and 229
military aircraft. As you see, India is to buy almost half of its annual production!
international agencies.
launched in October 2021 (till FY 2025-26).
➢ Loan agreements have been signed with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for USD 300 million
and with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for 50 billion Japanese Yen.
➢ The World Bank has approved USD 1 billion IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development) for PM-ABHIM. IBRD is the lending arm of the World Bank.
➢ It is one of the largest pan-India schemes for strengthening healthcare infrastructure across
the country. It is in addition to the National Health Mission (NHM). It aims to provide support
to 17,788 rural Health and Wellness Centres in 10 ‘high focus’ states and establish 11,024
urban Health and Wellness Centres across the country.
India Energy Week (IEW) 2023 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
➢ E-20 Ethanol Fuel: Ethanol Blending programme has been a key focus area of the Government
to achieve Atma Nirbharta in the field of energy.
➢ E20 is a blend of 20% ethanol with petrol. The Government aims to achieve a complete 20%
blending of ethanol by 2025, and HPCL and other oil marketing companies are setting up 2G3G ethanol plants that will facilitate the progress.
➢ Due to the sustained efforts of the Government, Ethanol production capacity has seen six times
increase since 2013-14.
➢ The achievements under Ethanol Blending Program & Biofuels Program have not only
augmented India’s energy security but have also resulted in a host of other benefits including
reduction of 318 Lakh Metric Tonnes of CO2 emissions and foreign exchange savings of around
Rs 54,000 crore.
➢ President Murmu recently appointed six new governors and reshuffled seven others. The
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh B D Mishra was made the LG of Ladakh.
Maharashtra.
➢ In all, the president made 13 appointments. 12 were made in the states
and one in the UT. Of these 13, 2 states Nagaland and Meghalaya are
election-bound.
• Governor of Chhattisgarh Sushri Anusuiya was appointed as the Governor of Manipur
➢ The Tipra Motha Party was founded by Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma. The core
demand of the party is “Greater Tipraland”. Tipraland is a proposed region for the Tripuris. They
are now a part of Tripura state.
➢ They demand 68% of Tripura state. Also, the party wants the Tripuris living outside the region
to be added.
➢ The ECI is to conduct Tripura state elections in February 2023. Tripuris are the major tribes in
the state. They constitute more than 50% of the Tripura state population as of the 2011
census. Therefore, the party gaining their trust has a greater chance to win the elections.
➢ In 2019, the Tipra Motha Party leader Bikram Manikya Deb Barma was appointed as the
president of the Tripura Congress Committee. However, he resigned alleging the Congress
party is forcing him to include corrupt people.
➢ The Tripuris want to form a separate state as per articles 2 and 3 of the constitution. Article
2 says that territories acquired or in the possession of GoI shall be converted into a separate
state. Article 3 explains the rules and procedures of forming a new state. It also speaks about
changing the boundaries of the existing state.
➢ Pulwama district is in Jammu and Kashmir. The Pulwama Attack killed more than 40 CRPF
personnel. It occurred on February 14, 2019. The Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group claimed
responsibility for the attack.
➢ The attack was conducted by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber. The UN and several other
countries condemned the attack. This includes China, Russia, and France, the UK, the US, and
Israel. In 2023, the CPRF marked the fourth anniversary of its fellowmen.
➢ India launched the Balakot Airstrike in response to the Pulwama attack. During the
airstrike, The IAF dropped bombs into Balkot and blasted the training camps of Jaish-eMohammed. Around 300 to 350 terrorists were killed during the operation. India conducted
areas in the northern Border States and union territories. More than
663 villages will be developed under the programme.
2025-26. The Central Government allocated Rs 4,800 crores for the
scheme. Of this Rs 2500 crores will be used for building roads. The
Cabinet approved the scheme recently.
• Social entrepreneurship will be encouraged by opening growth centers. These centers will
border between HP and Ladakh. It is at an altitude of 5,091 meters.
In 2016, the Border Road Organization built a road to the pass.
➢ However, the road couldn’t be accessed during winter and largewheeled vehicles couldn’t pass through. Following this, in 2020, GoI
planned to build a 13.5 km tunnel in the pass.
tunnel. With the Atal Tunnel and the completion of the Shinku La Tunnel in 2025, the Nimmu –
Padum – Darcha road shall be accessed all through the year.
• The tunnel will help to boost the Zanskar valley economy. It reduces the travel time
between HP and Ladakh. Currently, one has to travel 101 km on the Manali-Leh road and
then take the Darcha road to enter the Zanskar region. With the tunnel, you can drive from
Darcha to Padum.
• The toughest hurdle is the 15-20 feet of snowfall the region received during winter. Almost
all roads are closed during this season. The Shrink La Tunnel is to make the Zanskar
valley accessible 365 days.
• Project Yojak: The Shinku La tunnel is a part of Project Yojak. This project is implemented
by BRO. The main objective of the project is to make sure the Manali – Leh route is
accessible all through the year.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
WORLD GOVERNMENT SUMMIT HELD IN DUBAI
➢ Every year the World Government Summit is held in Dubai, UAE. During the summit, world
leaders discuss policies and governmental processes. More than 4,000 foreign delegates from at
least 100 countries attend the summit.
➢ The summit acts as a knowledge exchange hub. Policymakers and the private sectors learn about
mutual interests and future requirements.
➢ World Government Summit 2023
➢ The 2023 summit is to begin in February 2023. More than 20 presidents will attend this
year’s summit. This includes Abdel El Sisi of Egypt, African Union chairperson Macky Sall,
Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, etc.
➢ The theme of World Government Summit 2023: Shaping Future Governments
WHAT IS NORD STREAM PIPELINE?
➢ The recent claims made by investigative journalists regarding the
bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines (September 2022) have
ignited intense discussions and controversies.
➢ What is the Nord Stream Pipeline?
➢ The Nord Stream pipeline is a natural gas pipeline that runs under the Baltic Sea,
connecting Russia and Germany.
➢ The pipeline was built with the aim of transporting natural gas from Russia to Europe, bypassing
traditional transit countries such as Ukraine.
➢ The first line of the Nord Stream pipeline was completed in 2011 and the second in 2012,
and it has since become a major source of natural gas for Europe.
➢ Nord Stream 1 is a 1,224 km underwater gas pipeline running from Vyborg in northwest Russia
to Lubmin in northeastern Germany via the Baltic Sea.
➢ Nord Stream 2, which runs from Ust-Luga in Leningrad (Russia) to Lubmin, has the capacity
to handle 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year once it becomes fully operational.
CANADA'S INDO PACIFIC POLICY
➢ Recently, India-Canada Foreign minister’s bilateral meeting as
‘India-Canada Strategic Dialogue’ took place ahead of G20 Foreign
ministers’ meeting in March in New Delhi.
➢ India welcomed the announcement of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy
given the shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo pacific.
➢ What is Canada’s Indo Pacific Policy?
➢ Canada released a new Indo-Pacific strategy, focusing on four regions: China, India, the North
Pacific (Japan and Koreas), and ASEAN.
➢ The Indo-Pacific region is home to the largest diaspora in Canada, with 1 in 5 Canadians having
family ties to the region and 60% of Canada's international students.
➢ The strategy contains strong words on China's challenge to the international rules-based
order and human rights, while expressing a positive view of India's shared tradition of
democracy and pluralism.
➢ However, Canada also acknowledges its dependence on China as its main export destination and
recognizes the need for cooperation with China on issues such as climate change and health.
JAPAN'S REACHING OUT TO THE GLOBAL SOUTH
➢ Japan has taken the initiative to raise the Global South to the top of the G7 agenda.
➢ Japan is hosting the G7 summit 2023 at Hiroshima. With India wanting to make the voice of
the Global South heard at this year’s G20 summit, there is much new room for global political
collaboration between Delhi and Tokyo.
➢ What is Global South?
➢ The term ‘Global South’ began by loosely referring to those countries that was left out of the
industrialisation era and had a conflict of ideology with the capitalist and communist countries,
accentuated by the Cold War.
➢ It includes countries that are mostly in Asia, Africa and South America. Moreover, Global North
is defined essentially by an economic division between the rich and poor countries.
➢ Global North’ refers loosely to countries like the US, Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and New
Zealand. ‘Global South’ is significant because of its large population, rich cultures, and abundant
natural resources.
➢ Understanding the Global South is important for addressing global issues such as poverty,
inequality, and climate change.
EU PLANS TO BAN SALE OF GAS, DIESEL CARS FROM 2035
➢ The European Union recently planned to ban the sale of gas and
diesel cars. The ban will come into effect in 2035. The decision was
made to increase the use of Electric Vehicles. The main objective is
to achieve zero emissions.
➢ To execute the plan successfully, the European Commission will
prepare a report on the progress every two years starting from
2025. Manufacturers welcome the move. Automakers like Volkswagen have already started
producing EVs only.
➢ New Legislation
➢ The European Union recently passed a law to reduce emissions. Under the law, the
commission will ban the sale of diesel and gas cars by 2035. Sale is to be banned only in the EU.
➢ The manufacturers can still make the cars and sell them in other countries! However, the cost of
production is to be increased.
WHAT IS BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL?
➢ Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of food grains such as rapeseed, maize, wheat, and
sunflower oil. The country has good access to the Black sea ports. Ukrainian ports in the Black
sea are the lifelines of the country’s trade with Europe and middle-east.
➢ Unfortunately, the Ukraine-Russia war blockaded the ports. To aid Ukraine with its smooth
exports, the United Nations and Turkey came forward. Under their brokering, Ukraine and
Russia signed the Black Sea Grain Deal in July 2022.
➢ What is the Black Sea Grain Deal?
➢ The deal was to provide a safe corridor for Ukrainian exports, especially food grains on
humanitarian concerns. The main objective of the deal was to calm markets and to reduce
increasing food inflation affecting several countries.
ISRAEL NEW LAW TO STRIP ARAB ATTACKERS OF CITIZENSHIP
➢ The Israeli Government has been making a series of changes recently. While the Judicial
reforms proposed are creating a ruckus in the country, Knesset
recently approved a new law against the Arabs involved in
nationalistic attacks.
➢ According to the new law, the Israel Government is to deport the
Arabs who are convicted of attacks and receive financial support
from the Palestinian Government.
➢ Background
➢ The main reason for the Knesset to frame the law is age-old Israel – Palestine conflict. The
land over which Israel and Palestine are fighting was once under the Ottoman Empire. After the
First World War, it came under British control.
➢ There were very few Jews here. During Hitler’s rule, Jews from Europe started fleeing here.
According to them, their ancestors lived here. As the Jewish population increased, they started
demanding a separate land for their community. Arabs resisted their claim.
➢ Balfour Declaration
➢ In 1917, the UK which was controlling the land assured that it would help the Jewish
people to establish a “National Home for the Jewish”. Arabs did not agree to this declaration.
The dispute started with Balfour’s declaration. However, the UK succeeded and created land for
Jews with the help of the League of Nations (or prior to the UN) in 1923.
INDIA-JAPAN DHARMA GUARDIAN EXERCISE
➢ India and Japan recently conducted the Dharma Guardian
Exercise. The exercise was held at Camp Imazu of Shiga province in
Japan. The Middle Army’s Infantry Regiment and the Garhwal Rifle
regiment of the Indian Army participated in the exercise.
➢ The armies shared tactics and their best practices with each other. The
exercise will boost the friendship between the armies.
➢ About Dharma Guardian Exercise
➢ The Indian Army and Japanese Army participated in the exercise. It was held in the Shiga
province of Japan. The exercise held in 2023 was the fourth edition. During the exercise, the
armies conducted joint tactical drills, employed aerial assets and surveillance grids
I2U2 VICE MINISTERIAL MEETING
➢ I2U2 is a joint initiative of India, Israel, the USA, and the UAE. I2
stands for Israel and India. U2 stands for USA and UAE. The main
objective of the initiative is security cooperation, technological
hubs, food security, and other different energy fields.
➢ The UAE recently hosted the vice-ministerial meeting of I2U2. It was
held in Abu Dhabi. It was attended by the Economic Growth,
Energy, and Environment secretary of the USA, the Prime Minister of Israel, PM Modi, and the
UAE President.
➢ This is the first meeting of its kind. During the meeting, the leaders discussed regional
cooperation opportunities and investment opportunities among the countries. They also
discussed food insecurity and energy crisis issues.
➢ Principled Vision of I2U2
➢ The leaders of the initiative aim to increase private sector investments in the field of clean
energy, emerging technologies, and waste treatment. The first summit of the initiative was held
in 2022.
US PRESIDENT VISIT TO KYIV AMIDST RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
➢ US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine’s
capital. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia are still strong with
the first anniversary of the Russian Invasion fast approaching.
➢ Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
➢ The US provided 30 billion USD of aid to Ukraine. Ukraine disintegrated from the USSR in
1991. After the disintegration, the US established a diplomatic relationship with the US in 1991.
➢ The US aims to develop Ukraine into a secure region and integrate the country with the
Europeans.
INDIA & UZBEKISTAN DUSTLIK EXERCISE 2023
➢ India and Uzbekistan conducted the fourth edition of the DUSTLIK 2023 military exercise
in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. During the exercise, the countries trained their troops in multidomain operations and shared their skills.
➢ India’s GARHWAL Rifles from the Western Command participated in the exercise. And from
Uzbekistan, the North Western Military command participated in the exercise. The exercise is
biennial, meaning conducted once in two years.
➢ The country ranks 62 in its military power. It is a part of the Turkic world. With more than 65,000
soldiers, the Army of Uzbekistan is one of the largest in Central Asia.
➢ Why is DUSTLIK important?
➢ Uzbekistan is important to India for connectivity to Iran and the Central Asian region.
India is trying to expand its trade in the Central Asian region. But the conflicts in Afghanistan are
a big hindrance.
➢ To counter such security issues, India needs the support of other central Asian countries like
Uzbekistan
ECONOMIC affairs
WHAT ARE THE TRANSFER PRICING RULES?
➢ The Income Tax department recently conducted surveys in BBC
offices located in Mumbai, Delhi, and in different other cities in the
country. According to the IT Department, the BBC has violated
“TRANSFER PRICING RULES”.
➢ Transfer Pricing is a practice where one company charges another
(in the same division). The parent company of both companies is the
same.
➢ In Simple Terms Example
➢ Take two Companies Company A and Company B. Parent Company of both companies are the
same. For instance, the parent company of “BBC UK” is in London. Now assume, Company A is
“BBC India” and Company B is “BBC USA”.
➢ Now company A is selling XYZ goods and services. Company B is selling PQR goods and
services.
➢ Say company A is selling XYZ in the international market. It is also selling to Company B.
Now, company B is requesting A to provide the goods at a reduced price.
➢ With the parent company’s (BBC UK) insistence, company A too sells its goods to B at reduced
prices. With this, the profit of company B increases because its cost of raw material
decreases.
➢ But the profit of company A decreases because it is selling its products at a reduced rate.
However, the overall profit of the parent company is the same.
WB PRESIDENT DAVID MALPASS TO STEP DOWN
➢ David Robert Malpass is an economist from the USA. He has been
serving as the President of the World Bank since 2019. He served as
Economic Advisor to former US President Donald Trump.
➢ He recently announced that he is resigning. He has not completed
his term yet. The term of the president of the World Bank is five years.
➢ Why is Malpass resigning?
➢ He has been criticized by climate activists since September. He was asked if he agreed that
fossil fuel burnings are warming the planet. Malpass refused to answer.
➢ Being a physics graduate and an economist, he is well aware of the fact that fossil fuel burnings
warm the planet. Yet he chose to stay silent! This is the criticism placed by climate activists.
➢ About Malpass: He played a major role during the US financial crisis of 2007-08. He predicted
the crisis and the great recession that followed right.
RBI ANNOUNCED HACKATHON 'HARBINGER-2023'
➢ The Reserve Bank of India recently announced the
“HARBINGER-2023”. It is a hackathon. The theme of the
hackathon is “Inclusive Digital Services”. Competitors from 22
different countries will participate in the hackathon.
➢ This includes Israel, the Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, the
USA, and the UK. RBI also received 363 proposals from Indian
candidates.
➢ The hackathon is to be conducted in four segments namely Digital Banking, regulations,
transactions, and the use of blockchain in transactions.
➢ The central bank invited fintech to participate in the Hackathon. They will develop solutions that
will aid the differently abled to access digital financial services. Also, fintech will work on
increasing the reach of digital currencies of the central bank.
➢ Benefits of HACKATHON
➢ Participants of the HACKATHON will get opportunities to interact with industrial experts. Some
of them will be mentored by them. Also, new fintech can exhibit their innovative solutions.
WHAT IS CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT?
➢ Recently, the government released data showing that India's
exports and imports decreased by 6.59% and 3.63%,
respectively, in January 2023, there are indications that the
country's current account deficit (CAD) will moderate despite the
global slowdown triggered by the rising inflation and interest rates.
➢ The moderation in CAD is expected to be aided by the fall in commodity prices, rising workers’
remittances and services exports, and abatement of selling pressure by foreign investors.
➢ What is the Current Account Deficit?
PRAVAHINI (Weekly Periodical - FEBRUARY 2023) by www.successmantra.in & www.easevidya.com | P a g e | 20
➢ Current account deficit (CAD) is when the value of a country's imports of goods and services
is greater than its exports.
➢ CAD and fiscal deficit together make up twin deficits that can impact the stock market and
investors. Fiscal Deficit is the gap between the government’s expenditure requirements and its
receipts. This equals the money the government needs to borrow during the year.
APPOINTMENTS
NEAL MOHAN TO BECOME YOUTUBE CEO
➢ An Indian-American, Neal Mohan will become the next Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Alphabet-owned YouTube following
Susan Wojcicki’s announcement that she will be stepping down from
her role as the head of the video-sharing platform.
➢ With this, Mohan will be joining the elite list of global tech chiefs of
Indian origin such as Google parent Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai,
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, IBM’s Arvind Krishna, and Adobe’s
Shantanu Narayen.
➢ Why did Susan Wojcicki resign?
➢ Wojcicki says she left her role for personal reasons. In her blog post, she said she is starting a
new chapter focused on her family, health and passion projects.
➢ She is also mother to five children and has always been open about sharing her experience
juggling the demands of her job with motherhood.
• YouTube Founders: Jawed Karim, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen;
• YouTube Founded: 14 February 2005, San Mateo, California, United States;
• YouTube Headquarters: San Bruno, California, United States;
• YouTube Parent organization: Google
IMPORTANT DAYS & DATES
WORLD UNANI DAY OBSERVED ON 11TG FEBRUARY
➢ Hakim Ajmal Khan was a famous Indian Unani scholar. World Unani
Day is celebrated on February 11 marking his birth anniversary. Unani,
also called Yunani, is Greek medicine.
➢ It was mainly developed by the Arabs and Persians. World Unani Day
is celebrated to spread the findings of Hakim all over the world.
➢ The theme of World Unani Day 2023: Unani Medicine for Public Health
➢ History
➢ Hakim invented the Unani Medical system. He worked hard and contributed several
advancements to the field of Unani medicine. He founded three Unani institutions such as the
Central College of Delhi, Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, and Hindustani Dawakhna.
➢ All these institutions played a major role in spreading awareness of Unani medicine. In 2017, the
AYUSH Ministry decided to celebrate his birth anniversary as Unani Day. In 2017, the CRIU in
Hyderabad celebrated the first Unani day.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN & GIRLS IN SCIENCE
➢ The United Nations General Assembly has designated February 11 as the International Day of
Women and Girls in Science to recognise the significant contribution that women make to the
fields of science and technology.
➢ The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 also lays out gender equality in science
as an essential component of the agenda.
➢ International Day Of Women And Girls In Science 2023: Theme
➢ The theme for the 8th International Day of Women and Girls in Science is “Innovate.
Demonstrate. Elevate. Advance (IDEA): Bringing communities Forward for sustainable and
equitable development.”
➢ The focus of this year’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science will be on how the
Sustainable Development Goals connect to the role of women and girls in science.
INTERNATIONAL EPILEPSY DAY OBSERVED ON 13TH FEBRUARY
➢ Epilepsy is a nervous disorder. It affects brain activity. The disease is identified late among
children. Early symptoms of the disease are left unnoticed. If identified at early stages, it can be
cured easily.
➢ To increase awareness of the disease and to identify the symptoms at early stages, International
Epilepsy Day is celebrated. It is celebrated on the second Monday of February every year.
➢ The theme of International Epilepsy Day 2023
➢ The celebrations are to focus on “STIGMA”. Stigma means fear or feeling negative reactions.
➢ About the day: The day is celebrated by the WHO of the UN and several other countries. The
members of the UN spread awareness of the disease on this day.
NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY OBSERVED ON FEBRUARY 13TH
➢ India celebrates National Women’s Day on February 13. The
celebrations commemorate the birth anniversary of Sarojini
Naidu, the Nightingale of India. She stood for women’s
empowerment. She took an active part in the Indian
independence movement. She is popular for her poems on
patriotism and other literary works.
➢ Why do we celebrate National Women’s Day?
➢ India celebrates National women’s day to honor the achievements of women in the country,
especially in the field of politics, culture, and economy.
➢ About Sarojini Naidu
➢ She was a contributor to the Indian Constitution. She served as the President of the Indian
National Congress in 1925. She was imprisoned for 21 months for participating in the Quit
India Movement. She did her higher studies in London. She was born in Hyderabad and died in
Lucknow.
➢ International Women Day
➢ It is celebrated on March 8 by the UN and other countries of the world. The day has been
celebrated since 1975. The day is marked to honor the achievement of women in the field of
politics, culture, and economy.
➢ (The same reason for which National Women's Day is celebrated). Also, the celebrations aim
to achieve Goal 5 of the SDG, which is, Achieve Gender Equality.
FINANCIAL LITERACY WEEK: 13TH TO 17TH FEBRUARY
➢ Financial Literacy Week is celebrated between February 13 and
February 17. The celebrations are organized by the Reserve Bank of
India. RBI will conduct a mass media campaign to spread financial
awareness during the week.
➢ The week has been celebrated by the central bank since 2016. The
main objective of the week is financial education.
➢ Theme of Financial Literacy Week 2023: Good Financial Behaviour – Your Saviour
➢ The theme of this year’s Financial Literacy Week aligns with the goals of the National Strategy
for Financial Education. The plan aims to build a financially resilient India. Also, it will create
financial awareness among the public.
➢ This week’s celebrations are based on this plan. In 2023, the RBI will focus on spreading the
importance of financial savings, planning, and efficient budgeting.
WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE 2023
➢ Social justice provides equal social, political, and economic
opportunities for all. The World Day of Social Justice is
celebrated by the United Nations and several other
international organizations on February 20.
➢ The main objective of observing world social justice day is
to spread awareness of the relationship between poverty eradication and social justice. The day
also focuses on decent work for laborers.
➢ For instance, manual scavenging is not decent work. The day insists on removing such
practices. The International Labor Organization also celebrates the day with different themes.
➢ The theme of World Day of Social Justice 2023: Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing
Opportunities for Social Justice
REPORTS & INDEXES
WORLD HAPPINESS INDEX 2023
➢ The World Happiness Index 2023 Report will mark its tenth
anniversary with this year’s Globe Happiness Reflect, which uses
data from international surveys to show how people rank their lives
in more than 150 countries.
➢ In these dark times, there is a glimmer of optimism revealed by the
World Happiness Index 2023. The pandemic not only caused
anguish and suffering, but it also led to a rise in social assistance and charitable giving.
➢ Finland was named the world’s happiest country for the fifth year in a row, according to the
World Happiness Report.
➢ The Sustainable Development Solutions Network of the UN has published a new report, which
was made public two days prior to the yearly International Day of Happiness.
➢ It rates 150 countries (146 in 2023) based on factors such as GDP, life expectancy, and other
indicators of quality of life.
➢ The ranking, now in its eleventh year, assigns a score between 0 and 10 based on an average of
data gathered over three years and a mathematical formula.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SAUDI ARABIA TO SEND FIRST WOMAN IN SPACE
➢ Rayyana Barnawi. The legendary woman is to make history. She will
be the first Arab woman to enter space.
➢ This is a historical moment for the country that had centuries of
restrictions against Muslim women! Rayyana is to travel to the
International Space Station along with Ali Al-Qarni, a fighter jet
pilot. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is to carry them. The crews are to be
launched from Florida.
➢ Why is it historic?
➢ Saudi Arabia has been very conservative about its women. However, Crown Prince
Mohammed Bin Salman brought in several changes. He allowed women to drive. Also, permitted
women to travel abroad.
➢ First Arab Muslim to travel to space
➢ The Royal Prince of Saudi Arabia Prince Sultan Bin Salman was the first Saudi Arabian to travel
to space in 1985. He too traveled in a US-organized space flight.
NORTH KOREA INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE
➢ The HWASONG-15 is one of the three major ICBM (Intercontinental
Ballistic Missile) of North Korea. All the ICBMs of North Korea use
liquid propellants. North Korean missiles are of big trouble and great
concern to the west for this reason.
➢ The liquid fuels used in the ICBMs of North Korean missiles can stay
stable only under controlled conditions. The solid-fueled ICBMs are
difficult to detect and NK is now building them.
➢ North Korea recently demonstrated the HWASONG-15. The missile had its maiden flight in 2017.
➢ HWASONG has the capability to reach the mainland of the USA. It can reach altitudes of 4,475
km and travel 950 km downrange.
MISCELLANEOUS
CYCLONE GABRIELLE HITS NEW ZEALAND
➢ New Zealand announced heavy rain with Cyclone
Gabrielle hitting its shore. Red Heavy rain means the
downpours cause an emergency. The rain pour is greater than 30
millimeters and it occurs within one hour! In India, a red alert is
issued when the pour is greater than 20 cm within 24 hours.
➢ About Cyclone Gabrielle
• It is a tropical cyclone.
• It is a Severe Tropical Cyclone and belongs to Category 3; Speed of the cyclone ranges
between 119 km/hr to 157 km/hr
• State of Emergency declared in Auckland
➢ Rainy season in Australia: The Southern Hemisphere summer falls in the months of Dec-March.
Rains are common during 70% of these months. Of all these January is the wettest.
IMITING WARMING BELOW 1.8 DEGREE CELSIUS
➢ According to a recent study published in Nature Communications, limiting global temperature
rise to the UN-mandated Paris Agreement target of 2 degrees Celsius is probably
insufficient to prevent an accelerated sea level rise over the next century.
➢ What Does the Recent Study on Rising Temperature Suggest?
➢ The study suggests that if global temperatures rise above 1.8°C, the world could see an
irreversible loss of the west Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, leading to a rapid sea level rise.
➢ Scientists studying Antarctica’s vast Thwaites Glacier (Doomsday Glacier) say warm water
is seeping into its weak spots, worsening melting caused by rising temperatures.
➢ Using an underwater robot vehicle known as Icefin, mooring data and sensors, they monitored
the glacier’s grounding line, where ice slides off the glacier and meets the ocean for the first
time. By 2150, global sea level rise is estimated to increase by roughly 1.4, 0.5, and 0.2 metres
under high, mid, and low-emission scenarios, respectively.
