11) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired a meeting o | SSC CGL CPO CHSL MTS JE
11) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in which the leaders exchanged views on Covid-19 pandemic and global and regional issues of concern, sustainable development and countering terrorism.
BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Russia hosted the most recent 12th BRICS summit on 17 November 2020 virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic outbreak
12) The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was apprised of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), government of India and Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, government of Maldives on cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development. The MoU was signed in February, 2021.
Maldives :-
Capital - Malé
Official languages - Dhivehi, Arabic
President - Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Vice President - Faisal Naseem
Currency - Maldivian rufiyaa
Legislature - People's Majlis
13) A 41-year-old man in China's eastern province of Jiangsu has been confirmed as the first human case of infection with a rare strain of bird flu known as H10N3.
Many different strains of bird flu are present in China and some sporadically infect people, usually those working with poultry.
14) Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) continues to be the best institution from India at 37 rank in Asia among the top 200 best universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Ranking 2021.
Apart from IISc Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Roopar and Indore are the names which followed it in the the top 200 best universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Ranking 2021.
This year 18 Indian universities have found a place in the list and three Indian institutions were included in the top 100 list as against four last year.
15) A three-month extension has been granted by a parliamentary committee to the Union home ministry for framing of rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in view of the raging second wave of Covid-19.
Ministry of Home Affairs :-
Headquarters - New Delhi
Founded - 15 August 1947
Minister - Amit Shah
16) Industry body International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI), which represents large foreign liquor companies in India announced the appointment of Nita Kapoor as its chief executive officer (CEO).
India is among the largest liquor markets in the world with presence of top global players who derive significant business from the market. The liquor industry is also highly regulated in India.
17) The Asian Development Bank and the Government of India has signed a $2.5 million project readiness financing (PRF) loan to support project preparation and design activities to upgrade major district roads in Sikkim that will help improve connectivity to important towns, rural areas, and pilgrimage and tourist destinations in the northeastern state.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) :-
President - Masatsugu Asakawa
Formation - 19 December 1966
Headquarters - Manila, Philippines
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