Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 03 July 2021

::NATIONAL::

Wako India Kickboxing Federation gets official recognition

The Sports Ministry announced that it has decided to recognise the WAKO India Kickboxing Federation as a National Sports Federation (NSF), in a bid to promote and develop the sport in the country.
WAKO India Kickboxing Federation is affiliated to the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), the world body for kickboxing.
"It is expected that with government recognition of WAKO India Kickboxing Federation as NSF, the sport of kickboxing will develop at a faster pace in the country," a ministry release said.
WAKO has been a provisionally recognised member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since November 30.
The recommendation to approve WAKO as a fully recognised member of the Olympic family had been taken by the IOC last month.
"International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board at its meeting on 10th June 2021 has approved the recommendation for WAKO to become a fully recognized member of the Olympic family of sport," the release stated.
The full recognition of WAKO will be finally decided by the IOC Session in Tokyo in July 2021. To be fully included and accepted in the Olympic movement is important for the recognition and development of the sport of kickboxing.

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::International::

'Eye of fire' on Gulf of Mexico after gas leak in underwater pipeline

A fire broke out in the Gulf of Mexico early on Friday sending bright orange flames onto the water after a gas leak in an undersea pipeline of state-owned oil company PetroleosMexicanos or Pemex, reports have said. The flames resembled molten lava and were dubbed “eye of fire” on several social media platforms. Several Mexican journalists and publications shared videos on Twitter of the fire raging in the middle of the ocean as boats sprayed streams of water on it and the clips quickly racked up millions of views.
A Reuters report noted that Pemex said it took more than five hours to completely extinguish the fire. A video of the incident showed the blaze having a circular shape, as it emerged a few distances from a Pemex oil platform.
Pemex said no injuries were reported in the incident and that oil production from its flagship project remained unhindered following the gas leak that occurred around 5:15am local time. The flames were fully put out by 10:30am local time, Reuters reported. The company said it would probe the cause of the fire, the Reuters report added. Pemex further highlighted it has also shut the 12-inch-diameter pipeline’s valves.

::Economy::

Government announced to include retail and wholesale trade under MSMEs

Union Minister NitinGadkari announced inclusion of retail and wholesale trade under MSMEs as per which they will also now get the benefit of priority sector lending under RBI guidelines.
He said the retail and wholesale trade sector was left out of the ambit of MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises).
"Now under the revised guidelines, retail and wholesale trade will also benefit from priority sector lending under RBI guidelines," the MSME minister added.
In a tweet, he said the government is committed to strengthening MSMEs and make them engines of economic growth.
The revised guidelines will benefit 2.5 crore retail and wholesale traders. The move would also allow them to register on Udyam portal.

India records highest ever merchandise exports of $95 billion during April-June

quarterIndian merchandise exports touched $95 billion in the three months ended June, recording an all-time high in any single quarter, commerce and industry minister PiyushGoyal said on Friday, adding that the country is set to achieve its $400 billion export target in 2021-22. He attributed the performance, which came despite the second wave of the coronavirus disease pandemic, to excellent performance by labour-intensive sectors such as engineering goods, rice, oil meals and marine products.
Merchandise exports in the first quarter of 2021-22 jumped 16% over $82 billion in the same quarter two years ago (Q1, FY19), when compared with a normal year preceding the first wave, he said. The previous record was $90 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020-21.
The first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent 68-day nationwide lockdown since March 25, 2020 adversely affected merchandise exports in the first quarter of the previous financial year (April-June, 2020-21) , which clocked $51 billion.
According to official data, the highest growth of 168% was achieved in iron ore exports, which touched $1.7 billion compared to the same period two years ago [Q1 FY-20]. Similarly, rice exports grew 37% to $2.4 billion. In value terms, engineering goods worth $25.9 billion were exported , a 25% jump over $20.7 billion in April-June 2019. Petroleum products saw 16% growth during this period to $12.9 billion. About 14% growth was also recorded in pharmaceutical exports , the tenth top export item, to $5.8 billion .
Commerce secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said export growth in India surpassed that in major economies such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the US in April 2021.

::Science and tech::

Pregnant women in India are now eligible for COVID vaccination: NTAGI (National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization)

Based on recommendations from National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), the Union Ministry of Health and family Welfare (MoHFW) approved the vaccination of pregnant women against COVID-19. The decision empowers pregnant women to make an informed choice on taking the COVID vaccination. The decision has been communicated to all the States/ UTs to implement it under the ongoing National COVID Vaccination Program.
India’s National COVID Vaccination program incorporates recommendations of the foremost experts in the field of immunization, public health, disease control and information technology. Based on scientific and epidemiological evidence, the programme gives priority to strengthening the country’s healthcare system by protecting the professionals, health and frontline workers, manning it, as well as protecting the most vulnerable population groups. Till date, all groups except pregnant women were eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Now, it is expanded to even pregnant women in the world’s largest Immunization drive.
Studies have shown that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy may result in rapid deterioration of health of pregnant women and they are at an increased risk of severe diseases and it might affect fetus too.
The matter has been examined by domain knowledge experts based on the evidence that indicate that pregnant women are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant women in case they get infected.
Further, pregnant women with COVID-19 infection are at an increased risk for preterm birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes including higher chances of neonatal morbidity. Additionally, the experts have also highlighted pre-existing co-morbidities, advanced maternal age, and high body mass Index as factors for severe COVID-19 in pregnancy.

::Sports::

Mana Patel becomes first Indian woman swimmer to qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

India's MaanaPatel became the first female and only the third swimmer from the country to punch her Tokyo Olympics 2021 ticket. Patel, a backstroke simmer from Ahmedabad, joins SrihariNataraj and SajanPrakash to have qualified for the event and secured a direct entry. The development was confirmed by Sports Minister KirenRijiju.
Patel, 21, is a decorated athlete having won gold medals in 50 backstroke and 200 metre backstroke also at the National Games. She also clinched gold in 100 metre backstroke at the 60th National School Games (2015) breaking the national record in backstroke.