Daily Current Affairs 17 January 2024 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
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NATIONAL NEWS
Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka best performing States in developing startup ecosystem: DPIIT
Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have ranked as best performing states in the startup ranking for 2022 based on their initiatives taken to develop the startup ecosystem for promoting budding entrepreneurs. Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana are categorized as top performers.
- The new ranking was released by union commerce minister Piyush Goyal. The states and union territories are ranked by the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT), a department under commerce ministry.
- Meanwhile, the minister will meet senior representatives of about 40 unicorn startups such as Lenskart, Zerodha, CarDekho, EasyMyTrip, Boat and others on Wednesday to hold discussions on ways to further promote sustainable growth of the sector, and to understand risks and domestic capital mobilization plans, etc, a senior official informed.
India to host year-long ‘Ramayan’ festival
India is set to host year-long festival on “connecting the world through Ramayan”. The festival will begin from Delhi’s Purana Qila and then move to various cities like Lucknow, Ayodhya and Varanasi. The festival is also aligning with the grand pran pratistha of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
- As part of the Ramayan festival, cultural activities will also be organised with the help of State Governments at iconic places that hold significance with the ‘Ramayan’. These include Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh, Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar’s Sitamarhi, Hampi in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu’s Kanniyakumari, besides cities like Bhopal and Jaipur.
Bull-taming sport Jallikattu commences in Tamil Nadu
The Tamil annual festival, Pongal has more vigour in districts like Madurai, Pudukottai and Tiruchi for it hosts the famous and ancient sports festival — jallikattu. The bullfight that is similar to the Spanish bullfights traces its history to around 2,000 years when the fight was conducted to select the most suitable bridegroom.
- Due to the risk of injury, both to the participants and the bull, the animal rights organisations called for a ban on the sport. However, after long protests by the people against the ban, the Supreme Court, in May 2023, upheld the Tamil Nadu Government’s law allowing the bull-taming sport jallikattu in the State.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
2024 Military Strength Ranking: US tops list, Bhutan at bottom
The United States took the first spot in Global Firepower’s Military Strength Rankings 2024, followed by Russia and China. India clinched fourth sport, above the United Kingdom and Japan. Bhutan is at the bottom of the list with a power index of 6.3704.
- Global Firepower’s rankings are based on the evaluation of 145 countries, considering over 60 individual factors such as troop numbers, military equipment, financial stability, geographic location, and available resources.
- All the mentioned factors are taken into consideration to determine a particular country’s PowerIndex (‘PwrIndx’) score, with categories ranging from the quantity of military and financial standing to logistical capabilities and geography.
India Emerges as a Global Leader in Trust: Edelman Trust Barometer 2024
In the recently unveiled Edelman Trust Barometer 2024, India emerges as a global frontrunner in trust, topping the charts in confidence in businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
- However, the nation secures the 4th spot for media trust and the 5th position for trust in the government. The comprehensive survey, encompassing over 32,000 respondents across 28 countries, highlights a pattern where developing nations outpace their developed counterparts in overall trust perception.
- Overall Trust Index: India surges to the 2nd position, overtaking its 2023 ranking, with China retaining the top spot. The UK replaces South Korea as the least trusted nation.
World Economic Forum signs agreement with Telangana on C4IR
Telangana is set to pioneer advancements in health tech and life sciences with the establishment of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in Hyderabad. The agreement for the Centre was signed during discussions between Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and World Economic Forum (WEF) president Borge Brende at the ongoing WEF Annual Conference in Davos, Switzerland. The WEF had selected and announced Hyderabad as the location for the C4IR during last year’s annual conference in Davos.
- Scheduled to be launched on February 28 as part of the BioAsia-2024 conference, the C4IR in Hyderabad will focus on leveraging technology to enhance the State’s healthcare under the leadership of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
- The initiative aligns seamlessly with the broader vision of Telangana government and goals of the World Economic Forum, emphasising collaboration to improve people’s lives through enhanced lifestyles and improved quality of living standards.
BANKING & FINANCE
Karnataka Bank and NBFC Clix Capital enter co-lending partnership
Karnataka Bank (KBL), a leading Private Sector Bank and Clix Capital, one of India’s fastest-growing new-age NBFCs, have entered into a strategic digital co-lending partnership through Yubi Co.lend Platform.
- This partnership is focused on providing loans to the Indian MSME sector which is one of the biggest contributors to India’s GDP and employment growth. The agreement is in line with the Reserve Bank of India’s guidelines on co-lending by banks and NBFCs to priority sectors.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Pixxel launches satellite manufacturing facility in Bengaluru
Bengaluru-based space data company Pixxel inaugurated its first spacecraft manufacturing facility in Bengaluru. The new facility holds significance as it targets to launch six satellites this year and 18 more by 2025, further advancing its mission of building a “health monitor” for the planet.
- Spread across 30,000 square feet, the facility, at its full capacity, is equipped to handle more than 20 satellites simultaneously that can be turned around within a timeframe of six months, making possible a total of 40 large satellites per year.
SPORTS
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa surpasses Viswanathan Anand to become India’s number one Chess player
India Chess Wizard Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa defeated World Chess Champion Ding Liren in the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee, in the Netherlands .
- As a result of this victory, Praggnanandhaa became only the second Indian after Vishwanathan Anand to defeat a reigning champion. He also overtook Anand to become India’s new number one Chess player in terms of live ratings
AWARDS
US air force officer Madison Marsh crowned Miss America 2024
Second Lt. Madison Marsh, an officer in the U.S. Air Force, was crowned Miss America, marking the first time an active-duty service member has clinched this prestigious title, as confirmed by the Air Force.
- The 22-year-old Arkansas graduated from the US Air Force Academy in June and was selected for training to become a military pilot. She is working on a two-year master’s degree program in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.