Today's Current Affairs - 6th October 2022

INTERNATIONAL

Saudi Arabia to host 2029 asian winter games in desert megacity that doesn't yet exist

• Saudi Arabia has won the bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at a planned Mountain Resort in the Gulf Arab State. The Asian Games will be held at a $500 billion futuristic megacity in the desert that will feature a year-round winter sports complex. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said that the deserts and mountains of Saudi Arabia will be turned into a playground for winter sports.The bid by Saudi Arabia was approved without any opposition. The Megacity known as NEOM will be the first West Asian City to host the event.
• The Asian winter games will take place in Trojena, an area of NEOM.During winter temperature drop below zero and generally is 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the region in Trojena.

Stunning! Dubai's majestic Hindu temple opens to public on Dussehra

• A majestic new Hindu Temple has been inaugurated in Jebel Ali Village, Dubai. The temple combines both Indian and Arabic architectural designs and gives a powerful message of tolerance, peace, and harmony. The temple is located in a neighborhood that is generally known as the ‘Worship Village’ of UAE.
• The temple was inaugurated by the Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and Ambassador Sunjay Sudhir.
• Sunjay Sudhir thanked the UAE Government for their support to the 3.5 million Indian population in UAE.
• The ‘Worship Village’ of UAE now has nine religious’ shrines, including seven churches, the Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh Gurudwara, and the new Hindu House of Worship.
• The inaugural ceremony was facilitated by the CEO of the Social Regulatory and Licensing agency for the Community Development Authority (CDA) Dr. Omar Al Muthanna, trustee of the Hindu Temple Dubai Raju Shroff, and Director General of the Community Development Authority Ahmed Abdul Karim Julfar.

NATIONAL

HM Amit Shah announces Scheduled Tribe status for Pahari community in J&K

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah announces that Pahari Community in Jammu and Kashmir will get a Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and political reservations before Assembly elections. The abolition of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019 paved the way for providing reservations to deprived sections of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The ST quota in J&K carries 7% spots in government jobs and educational institutions.The Gujjars and Bakerwals community were getting ST benefits since 1991.
• The Paharis were given a 4 percent quota in the OBC category from January 2020. The Centre formed the Justice Sharma Commission in March 2020, however it seemed to upset the Gujjars and Bakerwals.

 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX launches Crew-5 mission for NASA, carrying astronauts to space station

• A SpaceX rocket soared into orbit from Florida carrying the next long-term International Space Station crew, with a Russian cosmonaut, two Americans and a Japanese astronaut flying together in a demonstration of US-Russian teamwork in space despite Ukraine war tensions.
• SpaceX Crew5 astronauts, Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina, NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, NASA astronaut Nicole Mann and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata pose for a photo as they leave the Operations and Checkout building before heading to Launch Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, for a mission to the International Space Station.
• The mission, designated Crew-5, marks the fifth full-fledged ISS crew NASA has flown aboard a SpaceX vehicle since the private rocket venture founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk began sending US astronauts aloft in May 2020. The SpaceX launch vehicle, consisting of a Falcon 9 rocket topped with a Crew Dragon capsule dubbed Endurance, lifted off into clear skies at noon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. The two-stage, 23-story-tall Falcon 9 ascended from the launch tower as its nine Merlin engines roared to life in billowing clouds of vapor and a reddish-orange fireball.

 APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATION

Pankaj Tripathi Becomes 'National Icon' Of Election Commission Of India

• Election Commission of India (ECI) in creating awareness amongst voters, Actor Pankaj Tripathi has been declared as the ‘National Icon’ of ECI. The actor was chosen for the honour by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar for keeping in view his commitment to the cause and wide appeal across the country. An event on the ‘Voter Awareness Program’, CEC Rajiv Kumar complimented ECI state icon, Pankaj Tripathi, for his association with ECI in creating voting awareness across citizens, and henceforth declared him as the National Icon for ECI.
• Interestingly: One of Pankaj’s most acclaimed roles involved the electoral process in the 2017 film Newton, for which he won the National Award. He played the role of a CRPF officer, who was tasked with conducting elections in a conflict-ridden zone in the jungles of Chhattisgarh. National Award-winner Pankaj Tripathi has been active in the industry for almost two decades. Some of his critically-acclaimed films include Omkara, Dharm, and Aakrosh among others. Further, he has also worked in various web series and other Over Top Content.

 SUMMIT'S & MOU's

National Payments Corporation of India and Central Bank of Oman signed a historic MoU

• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Central Financial institution Of Oman signed a historic MoU to launch the Rupay debit card in Oman, paving the best way for a brand new period of monetary connectivity.
• Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan witnessed the signing of the MoU and met Tahir Al Amri, Govt President, Central Financial institution of Oman. MoS Muraleedharan arrived within the capital metropolis of Oman, Muscat for a two-day go to to deepen ties between each nations. Terming the MoU as a brand new milestone in bilateral relations, Minister of State for Exterior Affairs V. Muraleedharan tweeted, “Blissful to satisfy with H.E. Tahir Al Amri, Govt President, Central Financial institution of Oman & witness signing of the historic MOU between CBO and NPCI to launch the Rupay debit card in Oman, paving the best way for a brand new period of monetary connectivity.”

 AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Angela Merkel to receive UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award for protecting refugees at height of Syria crisis

• Former German chancellor Angela Merkel won the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) prestigious Nansen award for her “leadership, courage and compassion” in ensuring the protection of hundreds of thousands of desperate people at the height of the Syria crisis. Dr. Angela Merkel is the 2022 Nansen Award global laureate for her political courage, compassion and decisive action as Federal Chancellor of Germany to protect people forced to flee.
• The year 2022 marked a century (100 years) since Fridtjof Nansen was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922. It is also 100 years since the creation of the Nansen passport, an identity document for refugees that enabled its holders to move across borders in search of work.
• The Nansen Award 2022 regional winner for Africa was given to The Mbera Fire Brigade, an all-volunteer firefighting group in Mauritania led by Ahmedou Ag Albohary.
• The award for the Americas went to Vicenta González, a women’s rights advocate and activist whose cacao cooperative in Costa Rica empowers local and asylum-seeking women.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

No charges on using RuPay credit card for UPI transactions less than ₹2,000

• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has said there will be no charge for RuPay credit card use on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for transactions up to ₹2,000. RuPay credit card has been operational for the last four years, and all major banks are enabled and are issuing incremental cards for both commercial and retail segments.
• RBI has approved linking of RuPay Credit Cards to UPI, which will provide a seamless, digitally enabled credit card lifecycle experience for the customers. Customers will benefit from the ease and the increased opportunity to use their credit cards. Merchants will benefit from the increase in consumption by being part of the credit ecosystem with acceptance of credit cards using asset lite QR codes. Credit cards can now be linked to a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) i.e., UPI ID (credit card number cannot be part of this), thus directly enabling safe, and secure payment transactions.

Aditya Birla Health Insurance launches Activ Fit for young & healthy adults

• Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Limited (ABHICL), the health insurance subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL), has launched ‘Active Fit’ which is a comprehensive health insurance plan for young and healthy adults. It is first-of-its-kind in the industry.
• The ‘Active Fit’ plan by Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Limited provides an upfront 10 percent good health discount basis an assessment done through a unique facial scan, up to 50 percent HealthReturns TM on being active and 100 percent binge refill to ensure that health insurance becomes an attractive proposition for the cohort.
• While purchasing the policy, customers get a Good Health Discount of 10 percent upfront.
• Customers below the age of 35 years, can avail of an Early Bird Discount at renewal, 5 percent from the 4th to 7th policy year and 10 percent from the 8th policy year for the lifetime of the policy.

Centre approves Rs. 26,000 crore for installation of 25,000 telecome towers

• The government has approved Rs 26,000 crore for the installation of 25,000 mobile towers in 500 days. According to the Telecom Ministry, the financial support for the project will be provided by the Universal Services Obligation Fund and it will be implemented by Bharat Broadband Network.
• The project was announced by Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnav at a three-day long ‘Digital India Conference of State IT Ministers’.
• In the three-day long Digital India Conference of State IT Ministers, IT ministers from 12 states and UTs were present.