14th February, 2023

1. India will get 12 Cheetahs from South Africa in its Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
2. 11th meeting of India-Mongolia Joint Working Group was held in New Delhi.
3. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati (12 February 1824 – 30 October 1883), at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi
4. National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) organized the 1st International Conference on Communication, Electronics and Digital Technologies – NICE-DT 2023.
5. Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal will inaugurate the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav -2023 (annual festival of National School of Drama) at Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi.
6. Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has constituted a High-Level Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri S. K. Mehta (chair of Deendayal Port Authority) for drafting revised Guidelines for operationalization of Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax ferry service.
7. As per the Smart Cities Mission’s progress report, 22 cities will complete the implementation of this mission by March 2023.
8. Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched a 10-day Aadi Mahotsav festival in New Delhi.
9. Rajasthan State Government has launched the Wetland Ex-Situ Conservation Establishment (WESCE) plan, in collaboration with France.
10. Lithium deposits, amounting to 9 million tonnes, have been found in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.
11. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari inaugurated the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav- 2023 (RSM) at Azad Maidan, Churchgate in Mumbai.
12. West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose will continue to function as the Chancellor of State universities.
13. Renault and Nissan have announced a ₹5,300 crore ($600 million) investment in Tamil Nadu as part of their new India strategy.
14. The 2nd edition of the Indian Rice Congress was conducted at the National Rice Research Institute at Cuttack, Odisha.
15. India has signed an agreement with Mauritius to export the ALH Mk3 helicopters to the country.
16. According to a new report released by Russian state news agencies, Russia supplied India with around $13 billions of arms in the past 5 years.
17. India and USA military conducted the TARKASHA exercise in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
18. The World Government Summit is held in Dubai, UAE every year. This year, the theme of the “Summit is Shaping Future Governments”.
19. SpaceX’s Starship Rocket will be used in the Artemis mission to land humans to moon.
20. Italian researchers have discovered a Black Galaxy or Invisible Galaxy using Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) in Atacama Desert, Chile.
21. ‘Ekushey Padak’, the second-highest civilian award of Bangladesh, has been awarded to 19 individuals and two institutions.
22. World Health Organization recently confirmed the Marburg disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea.
23. As per the “Revised Estimates of the Direction of Tax Collection in 2022-23” released by Central Board of Direct Taxes, the direct tax collection has increased by 24% in 2022-23.
24. Kotak Mahindra Bank has acquired micro-finance company Sonata Finance for ₹537 crore in an all-cash deal.
25. India’s Retail inflation rose to 52% in January 2023.
26. com Inc’s self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has successfully tested a robotaxi with employees as passengers on a public road.
27. Former Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides was elected as the next President of Cyprus.
28. February 1 to 7 – World Interfaith Harmony Week
29. February 7 – Safer Internet Day; Theme – Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online
30. National Women’s Day (birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India)
31. 2nd Monday in February – International Epilepsy Day (February 13); Theme – Focus on “STIGMA”
32. February 13 to 17 – RBI’s Financial Literacy Week; Theme – ‘Good Financial Behaviour – Your Saviour’
33. February 14 – Cow Hug Day (by Animal Welfare Board of India)
34. March 8 – International Women’s Day; Theme – “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality
35. Wolf Prize is presented by the Wolf Foundation of Israel to scientists and artists.
36. India won the first test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Nagpur.
37. Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
38. New Zealand has been hit by Cyclone Gabrielle.

National News

1. India will get 12 Cheetahs from South Africa in its Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
   • India and South Africa signed an agreement on Project Cheetah in January 2023.
   • Cheetahs became extinct in India in 1952.
   • Project Cheetah, also called Action plan for the Introduction of Cheetah in India was launched to reintroduce the big cats in the country.
2. 11th meeting of India-Mongolia Joint Working Group was held in New Delhi.
3. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati (12 February 1824 – 30 October 1883), at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi
4. National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) organized the 1st International Conference on Communication, Electronics and Digital Technologies – NICE-DT 2023.
5. Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal will inaugurate the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav -2023 (annual festival of National School of Drama) at Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi.
   • Organised by National School of Drama (NSD), the prestigious international theatre festival will be held in Delhi, Jaipur, Rajahmundry, Ranchi, Guwahati, Jammu, Srinagar, Bhopal, Nashik and Kevadia.
6. Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has constituted a High-Level Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri S. K. Mehta (chair of Deendayal Port Authority) for drafting revised Guidelines for operationalization of Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax ferry service.
   • The Committee would simultaneously draft Model Concession Agreement for Ro-Ro / Ro-Pax Terminal Operator and Model License Agreement for Operation of Ro-Ro/ Ro-Pax/ Fast Passenger Ferry.
   • The Ministry has already operationalized Ro-Pax Ferry service between Ghogha – Hazira in Gujarat and Mumbai – Mandwa in Maharashtra.

7. As per the Smart Cities Mission’s progress report, 22 cities will complete the implementation of this mission by March 2023.
   • The Smart Cities Mission was launched in 2015 to provide clean mobility, air, public safety, etc.
   • So far, the govt has allocated Rs 36,447 crores for the mission. In further stages, Rs 48,000 crores will be allocated. On average, a city receives Rs 100 crores per year in this mission.
8. Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched a 10-day Aadi Mahotsav festival in New Delhi.
   • Theme – A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Crafts, Culture, Cuisine, and Commerce

State News

1. Rajasthan State Government has launched the Wetland Ex-Situ Conservation Establishment (WESCE) plan, in collaboration with France.
   • The French Government will finance the project for a period of 8 years. The total cost is estimated to be around Rs 1200 crores.
   • The WESCE is a zoo that will be launched within the Keoladeo National Park (a World Heritage Site).
2. Lithium deposits, amounting to 9 million tonnes, have been found in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.
   • Lithium, a shiny grey metal, is also called ‘white gold’ because it is a key component of electric batteries.
   • Chile – at 9.2 million tonnes – has the highest lithium reserves, followed by Australia (6.2 million tonnes).
   • Now, India’s recent find of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium could position it among the top three countries in the world with the highest lithium reserves.
3. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari inaugurated the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav- 2023 (RSM) at Azad Maidan, Churchgate in Mumbai.
4. West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose will continue to function as the Chancellor of State universities.
5. Renault and Nissan have announced a ₹5,300 crore ($600 million) investment in Tamil Nadu as part of their new India strategy.

Agricultural and Rural Development

1. The 2nd edition of the Indian Rice Congress was conducted at the National Rice Research Institute at Cuttack, Odisha.
   • Theme – “Transforming Rice Research”
   • Organizers – Association of Rice Research Workers of the National Rice Research Institute
   • Cuttack is called Silver city and a Millennium City.

Defence News

1. India has signed an agreement with Mauritius to export the ALH Mk3 helicopters to the country.
   • The agreement was signed in January 2022.
2. According to a new report released by Russian state news agencies, Russia supplied India with around $13 billions of arms in the past 5 years.
   • India has placed orders with Russia for weapons and military equipment exceeding $10 billion. India accounts for 20% of Russia’s defence trade.
   • With this, India becomes the biggest defence buyer of Russia.
3. India and USA military conducted the TARKASHA exercise in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

International News

1. The World Government Summit is held in Dubai, UAE every year. This year, the theme of the “Summit is Shaping Future Governments”.
   • The first edition of the summit took place in 2013.
   • World Government Summit Organization is a global, neutral, non-profit organization dedicated to shaping the future of governments.
2. SpaceX’s Starship Rocket will be used in the Artemis mission to land humans to moon.
3. Italian researchers have discovered a Black Galaxy or Invisible Galaxy using Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) in Atacama Desert, Chile.
4. ‘Ekushey Padak’, the second-highest civilian award of Bangladesh, has been awarded to 19 individuals and two institutions.
   • Started in 1976, Ekushey Padak is given in recognition of notable contribution to people and institutions in their respective fields.
   • Bidyanondo Foundation in the social service category and Bangladesh National Museum are the two institutions which have won the awards.
5. World Health Organization recently confirmed the Marburg disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea.
   • The Marburg disease virus comes from bats. It spreads through close skin contact, bodily fluids, and also through infected surfaces.

    

Banking and Economy

1. As per the “Revised Estimates of the Direction of Tax Collection in 2022-23” released by Central Board of Direct Taxes, the direct tax collection has increased by 24% in 2022-23.
   • In 2022-23, the total direct taxes collected were Rs 15.67 lakh crores.
   • Reasons for the increase – high corporate and personal income tax payments
2. Kotak Mahindra Bank has acquired micro-finance company Sonata Finance for ₹537 crore in an all-cash deal.
3. India’s Retail inflation rose to 52% in January 2023.
4. com Inc’s self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has successfully tested a robotaxi with employees as passengers on a public road.

Appointments

1. New Governors have been appointed by the President of India.

2. Former Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides was elected as the next President of Cyprus.

Important Days

1. February 1 to 7 – World Interfaith Harmony Week
2. February 7 – Safer Internet Day; Theme – Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online
   • Other website shows “Together for a better internet” as the theme of this day.
3. February 13
   • National Women’s Day (birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India)
   • World Radio Day; Theme – Radio and Peace
4. 2nd Monday in February – International Epilepsy Day (February 13); Theme – Focus on “STIGMA”
5. February 13 to 17 – RBI’s Financial Literacy Week; Theme – ‘Good Financial Behaviour – Your Saviour’
6. February 14 – Cow Hug Day (by Animal Welfare Board of India)
7. March 8 – International Women’s Day; Theme – “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality

Awards

1. Wolf Prize is presented by the Wolf Foundation of Israel to scientists and artists.
   • The winners get USD 100,000.
   • A total of 8 people won the awards.

Sports

1. India won the first test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Nagpur.
   • Border Gavaskar Trophy is given for the test match series between India and Australia.
   • A total of four test matches will be played in the trophy.
2. Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Miscellaneous

1. New Zealand has been hit by Cyclone Gabrielle.

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