VISION

 Why in news?

In the latest in a series of surveillance and hacking attempts, a Chinese state-backed hacker firm has been reported to be targeting Indian vaccine makers.

What were the earlier surveillance and hacking attempts?

• Zhenhua & its targets - A Shenzhen-based technology company was monitoring over 10,000 Indian individuals and organisations.
• This company, the Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co, has links with the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party.
• The attempt was part of the company’s global database of “foreign targets”.
• Its task is to -
  • collect information about relevant people from the web and social media platforms
  • track research papers, articles, patents, and recruitment positions
• The company also monitors the person’s digital footprint across social media platforms and maintains an “information library”.
• Those monitored in this database included -
  1. influential political and industrial figures
  2. bureaucrats in key positions, judges, scientists and academicians, journalists, actors, sportspersons, religious figures, activists
  3. hundreds accused of financial crime, corruption, terrorism and smuggling

• The collection of such data by Zhenhua does not violate any rules under the Information Technology Act of 2000 in India.
• This is because nearly all of this data is available in the public domain.
• However, Zhenhua’s 24×7 watch had raised red flags with cybersecurity experts.
• They feel that the information collected could be put together for tactical manoeuvring.
• It could thereby target the individuals under surveillance or their institutions.
• Red Echo & ShadowPad - Recently, Massachusetts-based cybersecurity company Recorded Future published a report.
• It said that it had observed a “steep rise” in the use of resources like malware by a Chinese group called Red Echo.
• It was used to target “a large swathe” of India’s power sector.
• It said 10 distinct Indian power sector organisations were targeted.
• This included four Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDCs) that are responsible for the smooth operation of the country’s power grid by balancing the supply and demand of electricity.
• The group also targeted two Indian seaports.
• Red Echo used malware called ShadowPad, which involves the use of a backdoor to access servers.
• The Ministry of Power recently confirmed these attempts.
• It had said that “no data breach/data loss” had been detected due to the incidents.
• Also, none of POSOCO’s functions had been impacted.
  • POSOCO ‘(Power System Operation Corporation Ltd) is the government enterprise in charge of facilitating transfer of electricity through load despatch centres.
• The government said it had taken action against the threats observed.

What is the recent Stone Panda & vaccines attempt?

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1)  World Hearing Day: 3 March

•World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. The theme of World Hearing Day 2021 is Hearing care for ALL!: Screen, Rehabilitate, Communicate. World Hearing Day 2021 will mark the launch of the first-ever World Report on Hearing.

2)  World Wildlife Day observed globally on 3rd March

•World Wildlife Day is observed globally on the 3rd of March every year to celebrate the beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora present on earth. World Wildlife Day also raise awareness about the benefits that the conservation of wild fauna and flora provides to people living on earth. The day also reminds us of the need to fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species causing various wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.

•World Wildlife Day will be celebrated in 2021 under the theme “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”, as a way to highlight the central role of forests, forest species and ecosystems services in sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people globally, and particularly of Indigenous and local communities with historic ties to forested and forest-adjacent areas.

3)  Indian Air Force to Participate in EX Desert FLAG VI

•The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in Exercise Desert Flag-VI, which has been organised from March 03 to 27, 2021 at Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE. The purpose of the exercise is to provide operational exposure to the participating forces, train them to undertake simulated air combat operations in a controlled environment, provides an opportunity to enhance their operational capabilities along with the mutual exchange of best practices.

4)  Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV merged into Sansad TV

•The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Television channels that broadcast the proceedings of the upper and lower Houses of Parliament, respectively, have been merged into a single entity. The new channel has been named the ‘Sansad Television’. This change is effective from March 01, 2021.

•Ravi Capoor, a retired IAS officer of the 1986 batch, has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sansad TV for one year. The decision to change the name was jointly taken by Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

5)  Uttarakhand CM launches ”Gharoki Pechan, Chelik Naam” scheme

•Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has launched “Gharoki Paachan, Chelik Naam” (daughter”s name is a home”s identity) programme and development schemes worth Rs 42 crore in Nainital. Initially, the scheme has been launched in Nainital and later is set to be extended to the entire Uttarakhand.

•The government is working towards women empowerment and 32,000 women groups of the state are being linked with self-employment to make them self-reliant. The state government is also set to implement many public welfare schemes for the benefit of the youth.

•As part of the development works, the catchment area of Sukha tal Lake will be revitalized & will undergo a beautification process. The works on the Sukha tal lake will serve as a recharge to Nainital Lake & also add towards tourist attraction at Nainital

6)  Thaawarchand Gehlot launches “Sugamya Bharat App”

•Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot has launched the “Sugamya Bharat App”, through a video conference in New Delhi. The minister also launched a handbook entitled “Access – The Photo Digest”. The App and the handbook have been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

7)  Israel officially receives first ever UAE ambassador

•Israel’s president has formally received the first-ever ambassador from the United Arab Emirates, following last year’s historic agreement between the countries to normalise ties. UAE envoy Mohamed Al Khaja, who arrived in Israel, delivered his credentials to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at a ceremony in Jerusalem. The UAE was the first country to agree to establish full diplomatic relations with the Jewish state under the Abraham Accords, a pact brokered by former US President Donald Trump.

•The agreement made the UAE only the third majority Arab country to form official ties with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan have subsequently joined the Abraham Accords. The agreements broke with the longstanding Arab consensus that there should be no normalisation with Israel until it reaches a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians.

8)  Kuldiep Singh takes additional charge as CRPF DG

•IPS officer Kuldiep Singh has given an additional charge of CRPF director general (DG) after incumbent chief A P Maheshwari retires. Kuldiep Singh is working as the special DG of its central zone, will hold the additional charge of the CRPF head till “the appointment and joining of the successor or until further orders.

9)  Matam Venkata Rao assumes Charge as MD & CEO of Central Bank Of India

•Matam Venkata Rao has taken charge as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Central Bank Of India. Rao till now held the position of Executive Director at Canara Bank. His appointment is for a period of 3 years with effect from the date of assumption of office on or after March 1, 2021, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

•Rao is a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers. He is a post-graduate in agriculture from Sri Venkateshwara Agriculture College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

10)  GST collections up by 7 % to Rs 1.13 lakh cr in February

•The gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue collected in the month of February 2021 is ₹ 1,13,143 crore of which CGST is ₹ 21,092 crore, SGST is ₹ 27,273 crore, IGST is ₹ 55,253 crore (including ₹ 24,382 crores collected on import of goods) and Cess is ₹ 9,525 crore (including ₹ 660 crores collected on import of goods). Revenues for February are 7% higher than the GST revenues of February 2019. Revenues from the import of goods were 15% higher than Feb ’19.

11)  Indian shuttlers Varun, Malvika win Uganda International titles

•India’s Varun Kapur and Malvika Bansod clinched the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the 2021 Uganda International Badminton tournament in Kampala. Varun beat compatriot Sankar Muthusamy 21-18, 16-21, 21-17 in the men’s singles final. Malvika beat compatriot Anupama Upadhyaya in the women singles summit clash 17-21, 25-23, 21-10.

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