Current Affairs – 14 October 2022

International E-Waste Day 2022

• International E-Waste Day is held on 14 October, an opportunity to reflect on the impacts of e-waste and the necessary actions to enhance circularity for e-products. ​​​​​
• The slogan “Recycle it all, no matter how small!”
• International E-Waste Day was developed in 2018 by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycling (WEEE) Forum to raise the public profile of waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling and encourage consumers to recycle.
• 2022 is the fifth edition of International E-Waste Day.

World Standards Day

• World Standards Day is marked every year on October 14 to raise awareness about the importance of using standardised measurements, technologies, and industries. 
• The theme is ‘Shared Vision for a Better World.’ 
• The theme is part of the IEC, ISO and ITU multi-year campaign to increase understanding about how standardisation is important to achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.

Beijing Witnesses A Protest Against President Xi

• 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, a rare protest reportedly took place in China against President XI Jinping and his zero-Covid policy, the toughest in the world.
• Various photos circulating on social media showed posters and banners on Sitong Bridge overpass in Beijing against the authoritarian rule of Jinping, who is set to get the record third term during the National Congress

Megha Kayak Festival 2022

• Meghalaya is all set to host the four-day long mega global adventure sports spectacle, ‘Megha Kayak Festival, 2022’ starting October 13 at the picturesque Umtrew River at Umtham Village. 
• The 2022 edition of the festival will witness over 100 participants from close to 20 countries across the globe, featuring some of the best-known athletes.

PM Modi flag off 4th Vande Bharat Express in Himachal Pradesh

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fourth Vande Bharat Express Train of India.
• He also launched a slew of development projects in Himachal Pradesh.
• PM Modi flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express Train from Amb Andaura to New Delhi. 
• In Chamba district, he laid the foundation stone of two hydropower projects and launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III in Himachal Pradesh.
• Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur highlighted the ninth visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Himachal Pradesh in five years.
• The Vande Bharat Express Train launched in Himachal Pradesh is much lighter and capable of reaching higher speeds in a shorter duration.
• The Vande Bharat Express Train will run six days a week except on Wednesday.
• The stops will include Ambala, Chandigarh, Anandpur Sahib, and Una.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi also dedicated IIIT Una to the Nation where he will lay the foundation stone.

Indian Navy Conducts Offshore Security Exercise, ‘Prasthan’

• ‘Prasthan’ an Offshore Security Exercise was conducted by the Eastern Naval Command in the Offshore Development Area (ODA) off Kakinada.
• ‘Prasthan’ is a half-yearly exercise that was conducted in the KG basin to validate SOPs, address various contingencies and strengthen the command and control organization toward Maritime security.
• Prasthan was a two-day offshore security exercise.
• It aims to integrate the efforts of all maritime stakeholders involved in offshore defense.
• The exercise aims to refine the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and response actions to several contingencies in the Offshore Defence Area.
• The Prasthan exercise is conducted every six months and it is an important element of ensuring offshore security as per the Defence Ministry.
• The exercise was conducted onboard Drill rigs Platinum Explorer and DDKG of ONGC and RIL located about 40 nm south of Kakinada.
• Contingencies performed during the exercise include terrorist intrusion, bomb explosion, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, man overboard, major fire, oil spill, and mass evacuation.

Tata partnered with 75F Smart Innovations

• Tata Power Trading Company (TPTCL) has signed an agreement with 75F Smart Innovation India to jointly promote automation and energy efficiency solutions in the commercial building space.
• This will include industry verticals like IT/ITeS, BFSI hospitality, healthcare, education, government, and retail.
• The solutions by a collaboration of TPTCL and 75F will help commercial buildings with centrally air-conditioned spaces attain assured savings in their HVAC energy consumption.
• The HVAC energy consumption constitutes 50% or more of total building energy consumption.
• TPTCL holds a category-I trading license and is engaged in the business of energy sourcing, trading, and energy efficiency services.
• TPTCL is also a Grade-I ESCO certified by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).

Rajnath Singh will be launching the ‘Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot’ website

• Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh will be launching the ‘Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot’ (MBKS) website for the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF) during a function at the National War Memorial Complex in New Delhi.
• The AFBCWF is a Tri-service fund utilised to grant immediate financial assistance of ex-gratia to the next of kin and dependents of Battle Casualties.
• Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan to be the ‘Goodwill Ambassador’.

National Conference on Skilling in NTL for Girls ‘Betiyan Bane Kushal’

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) is set to organize a National Conference on skilling in Non-traditional Livelihood (NTL) for girls.
• The program is named “Betiyan Bane Kushal“, under the banner of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
• The set of professions includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
• The event will witness the signing of MoUs with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Ministry of Minority Affairs for the Skilling of young girls.
• The project aims to increase equality and empower the girl child.

Google Cloud gets MeitY nod

• Google Cloud has announced an empanelment by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which allows it to apply cloud technology to solve complex problems for government organizations.
• Google is now positioned to fully partner with India’s public sector organizations to become an active participant in India’s digital Transformation initiatives with the empanelment by the MeitY.
• This will especially aim to make Project Meghraj a multi-level, national cloud-sharing foundation giving affordable, secure, and safe data storage for everyone.