1) India Joins Rescue Ops For Missing Indonesian Submarine “KRI Nanggala-402”
•The Indian Navy has joined the rescue operation for an Indonesian submarine and its 53-person crew that went missing more than 4 days ago. Indonesia had sought assistance from India after its 44-year-old submarine, KRI Nanggala-402, went missing while conducting a torpedo drill north of the island of Bali. The Navy’s Deep-Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSVR) left from Visakhapatnam.
2) China names its first-ever Mars rover “Zhurong”
•China has named its first-ever Mars rover “Zhurong” after an ancient fire god ahead of a landing attempt on the Red Planet in May. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) revealed the name at the sixth China Space Day held in Nanjing. The Chinese name for Mars, “Huoxing,” literally means “fire star.”
•Zhurong was the most popular of 10 shortlisted names for a public vote that opened in January, and that choice was backed by an expert panel and the CNSA itself. The rover carries panoramic and multispectral cameras and instruments to analyze the composition of rocks. Zhurong will also investigate subsurface characteristics with ground-penetrating radar if all goes according to plan.
3) Goldman Sachs Downgrade India’s GDP Growth Forecast to 10.5% for FY22
•Wall Street brokerage, Goldman Sachs revised downward the GDP growth forecast of India for the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY22) to 10.5 per cent from the earlier estimate of 10.9 per cent. The downward revision is due to the increasing number of pandemic cases and a host of key states announcing stricter lockdowns, thus affecting economic activities.
4) A new book title “Living Mountain” by Amitav Ghosh
•“The Living Mountain” is a new story by Jnanpith winner and internationally renowned author Amitav Ghosh, written during the course of the pandemic. It is a fable for the current times: a cautionary tale of how humans have systematically exploited nature, leading to an environmental collapse.
•HarperCollins Publishers India will publish The Living Mountain as a special standalone edition in January 2022 under its prestigious Fourth Estate imprint. The book will also be published simultaneously in Hindi, and as an ebook and an audiobook.
5) Rafael Nadal clinches 12th Barcelona Open title
•Rafael Nadal beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 to win his 12th Barcelona Open title. It was Nadal’s 87th career title, and his 61st title on clay. This is the second tournament where Nadal has captured 12 or more titles. The 13-time Roland Garros champion will return to No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.
6) Manchester City won League Cup football tournament
•Manchester City won the League Cup for a record-equalling fourth time in succession with a deserved victory over a disappointing Tottenham Hotspur side at Wembley. City’s victory equalled Liverpool’s achievement in the early 1980s of winning the competition four years in a row.
7) UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham leads global vaccination drive
•UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, is fronting a global initiative to inspire confidence in vaccines and encourage parents around the world to vaccinate their children against deadly diseases.
•In a powerful video released ahead of World Immunization Week, Beckham talks about the loss of everyday activities due to COVID-19, such as hugs with family, spending time with friends, and being with the people we love, and encourages parents to vaccinate themselves so that they can be safe.
