Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 07 April 2021

::NATIONAL::

Longi Green Enters Hydrogen Market

China’s Longi Green Energy Technology Co., the world’s biggest solar company, is entering the hydrogen market, industry publication Solarzoom reported.
Xi’an Longi Hydrogen Technology Co. was registered March 31 in China, according to Solarzoom. Longi’s billionaire founder and president Li Zhenguo is serving as the company’s chairman, and the shareholders are Xi’an Longi Green Energy Venture Capital Management Co. and Shanghai Zhuqueying Private Equity Investment Fund Partnership.
Longi didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on a public holiday in China. The firm, which manufactures wafers, cells and panels, is the world’s largest solar company by market capitalization, at about $52 billion as of Friday’s close.
Energy companies are increasingly turning to hydrogen as a possible carbon-free fuel that could be produced by electrolysis of water powered by renewable energy, and then stored and transported and used in everything from cars to electrical generators to steel mills.

PM Modi to release Hindi Version of OdishaItihaas by Dr. HarekrushnaMahtab on 9th April 2021

Prime Minister NarendraModi will release the Hindi translation of the book ‘OdishaItihaas’ written by ‘UtkalKeshari’ Dr. HarekrushnaMahtab on 9th April 2021 at 12 noon from Ambedkar International Center, Janpath, New Delhi.
The book, available in Odia and English so far, has been translated into Hindi by Shri. ShankarlalPurohit.
Union Minister DharmendraPradhan and ShriBhartruhariMahtabMP(LS), Cuttack will also be present on the occasion.
The event marking the release of the Hindi version has been organised by HarekrushnaMahtab Foundation.

Printed Study Materials for IBPS, SBI Bank Exam

::International::

IMF Projects 5 percent growth rate for Bangladesh

The International Monetary Fund has projected a 5 percent growth rate for Bangladesh for the year 2021.
In its latest World Economic Outlook released ahead of the spring meeting, the IMF projected that the Bangladesh economy will grow at 7.5 percent in the year 2022. Consequently, the GDP of Bangladesh is projected to grow from USD 329 billion in 2020 to USD 352 billion in 2021.
The per capita GDP of Bangladesh currently at USD 1998 in 2020 will grow to USD 2122 in the year 2021 and USD 2330 in the year 2022. The IMF also made an upward revision in the global growth rate projection to 6 percent for the year 2021 and 4.4 percent for 2022.
The report noted that an additional 95 million people are estimated to have fallen into extreme poverty in 2020.
::Economy::

IL&FS sells environment business to EverSource, reduces debt by ₹1,200 crore

IL&FS has sold its stake in environment business to EverEnviro Resource Management, a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF) managed by EverSource Capital.
IL&FS, as the promoter of IL&FS Environmental Infrastructure and Services Ltd (IEISL), held 97.54 per cent of equity shares. The balance 2.46 per cent was held by IL&FS Employee Welfare Trust. The entire shareholding in IEISL held by IL&FS Group has been transferred to EverEnviro Resource Management.
"The sale will reduce IL&FS overall debt by ₹1,200 crore which is the combined debt of entities under IL&FS' environment businesses," it said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
In addition, around 4,000 employees including consultants have been transferred along with the businesses, thus effectively resulting in annual savings of around ₹50 crore to the IL&FS Group.

RBI doubles payments bank balance limit to ₹2 lakh

Payment banks are a type of savings account which can accept a restricted deposit but cannot issue loans or credit cards to customers.
With the aim to promote digital payments banks in the country, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday announced an increase in the maximum end of day balance for payment banks to ₹2 lakh.
The earlier limit, which was in place since 2014, was set at ₹1 lakh per individual customer for the end of the balance for payment banks.
RBI decided to enhance the limit of maximum balance based on a review of the performance of these banks which help in increasing financial inclusion.
Some of the likely beneficiaries of the step taken by RBI include migrant workers, low-income households, small businesses, and other unorganised groups.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

After death, some cells in human brain remain active: Report

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago analyzed gene expression in fresh brain tissue and found that gene expression in some cells actually increased after death.
In the hours after we die, certain cells in the human brain are still active. Some cells even increase their activity and grow to gargantuan proportions, according to new research from the University of Illinois Chicago.
In a newly published study in the journal Scientific Reports, the UIC researchers analyzed gene expression in fresh brain tissue -- which was collected during routine brain surgery -- at multiple times after removal to simulate the post-mortem interval and death. They found that gene expression in some cells actually increased after death.
These 'zombie genes' -- those that increased expression after the post-mortem interval -- were specific to one type of cell: inflammatory cells called glial cells.
"Most studies assume that everything in the brain stops when the heart stops beating, but this is not so," Loeb said. "Our findings will be needed to interpret research on human brain tissues. We just haven't quantified these changes until now."
Loeb and colleagues are at a particular advantage when it comes to studying brain tissue. Loeb is director of the UI NeuroRepository, a bank of human brain tissues from patients with neurological disorders who have consented to having tissue collected and stored for research either after they die, or during standard of care surgery to treat disorders such as epilepsy.

::Sports::

Sania Mirza selected for TOPS on 7th April 2021 during the 56th MOC meeting

SaniaMirza is currently ranked 157th in the World but has a protected ranking of 9 (doubles ranking) based on which she is likely to go to Tokyo Olympics this year.
What is protected ranking or special ranking and how does Mirza fit in the category?
According to WTA, special ranking is a ranking freeze assigned to a player who is out of competition for a minimum period of 6 months due to a medical condition.
When a player is out of competition for more than 52 weeks, they get a ranking freeze for 3 years based on their last tournament played. Within this 3-year period, the player can enter 12 tournaments using their protected ranking (1 Grand Slam/Olympics & 1 WTA 1000 Mandatory Event)