NEWS 13/10/2021. NEWS FOR 15th-OCT (FRIDAY) NATIONAL1. India's GDP for the first quarter for FY22 has soared to a record high of 20.1%. Although the jump was mainly due to a week base last year, but it is definitely a great bounce back.2. Reliance Industries is planning to acquire the REC Group, the largest solar panel manufacturer in Europe, from state-run China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina). The acquisition is expected to cost around $1.2 billion. If it happens it will be yet another milestone for our country. 3. India has approved a new DNA based COVID vaccine ZyCoV-D, which is administered into the skin without an injection & has been found to be 67% protective against symptomatic COVID-19 in clinical trials. 4. Five terrorist groups representing Assam's Karbi tribe have signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the state government, in hopes of a return of peace after decades of violence.5. An emergency landing strip was constructed on NH-925, south of Barmer in Rajasthan, for emergency landing of IAF aircraft. It has been built keeping in view the strategic importance as it is situated at a distance of 40 kms from the Pakistan border. India will have 20 such highways with emergency airstrips soon.6.Govt has launched a portal titled as 'PRANA' for regulation of air pollution in 132 cities across India. PRANA stands for Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities. It will cover cities that come under National Clean Air Programme for tracking physical and financial status of city air action plan.7. Govt has launched ‘Medicines from the Sky’ project to send medicines to Primary Health Care Centres using drones. This project is an initiative of the Telangana govt.8. In a big boost to the 'Self Reliant India' campaign, Indian Navy has signed a Rs 13 crore contract to procure country's first indigenously developed Robotic Lifebuoys. Robot lifebuoys are fitted with sensors & electronic equipments that allows them to locate a stranded person in water.9. Govt has launched 'National Single Window System (NSWS)' for the investors. It is a single window portal that will act as a one-stop-shop for investors, to get approvals and clearances needed. INTERNATIONAL1. The First-ever G20 Ministerial Conference on Women's Empowerment was held in Italy.2. Sri Lanka has declared an economic emergency to contain soaring inflation after a steep fall in the value of the country's currency.3. PM Narendra Modi hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of China, Brazil and South Africa for the BRICS summit in a virtual format.4. Mohammad Hasan Akhund will lead the new Taliban government in Afghanistan, while co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar has been appointed as his deputy.5. Australia has signed a pact with US and UK named ‘AUKUS, to go in for eight nuclear powered attack submarines, to deter China in Indo-Pacific region. France is upset with the deal as Australia was in advance stage of negotiation with them on this. DEFENCE1. The Fifth edition of Indo-Kazakhstan Joint Training Exercise, KAZIND-21 was conducted in Kazakhstan in September. Also a contingent of 200 Army personnel participated in the multinational Exercise ZAPAD 2021, at Russia. Elsewhere the Indian Navy took part in Ex.MALABAR-21, at Guam. All these reflect the growing stature of the Indian Armed forces.2. IAF has inducted Barak 8 Air Defence System that can hit multiple targets 70kms away. India and Israel have jointly developed this defence system which includes advanced radar, command & control systems, and mobile launchers. This is a giant leap towards achieving ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.3. Tata Group will make military transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The Tata-Airbus projects to build 56 C-295 transport aircrafts. Tata will make 40 of these aircrafts in India within 10 years, while the rest will be delivered by Airbus from Spain.4. India's first nuclear-missile tracking ship, INS Dhruv, has recently been commissioned. The 10,00 tonnes satellite and ballistic missile tracking ship has been built by the Hindustan Shipyard Limited in collaboration with the DRDO & National Technical Research Organisation. India now joins France, US, UK, Russia, and China, who possess and operate such ships. 5. DRDO is set to test 550Km Ranged Air to Surface Missile RudraM-III on Su-30 fighter aircraft. It is another boost for the growing indigenous developments.SPORTS1. The 130th edition of Durand Cup took place in Kolkata.16 teams participated in this edition of the oldest club football tournament in Asia. FC Goa were crowned as champions. 2. A total of 54 para-athletes from India across nine sports disciplines participated in the Tokyo Paralympics where they won a total of 19 medals. 3. Sania Mirza- Shuai Zhang have won the 2021 Ostrava Open Women’s Doubles Title. 4. Odisha will host the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2021. < < Back