Daily News Digest:18 January 2021

PALESTINE HOLDS ELECTION AFTER 14 YEARS

Palestine will hold its first national elections in 2021 after a span of 14 long years. As per a decree signed by Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas on January 15, 2021, 3 elections namely parliamentary, presidential and National Council polls will be conducted in the nation this year.

RUSSIA PULLS OUT OF OPEN SKIES TREATY

Russia pulled out of the Open Skies Treaty (OST) citing earlier withdrawal of the USA from the treaty. 

Open Skies treaty was eventually signed in 1992 between NATO members and former Warsaw Pact countries following the demise of the Soviet Union. It finally came into effect in 2002. Under the treaty, a member State can undertake surveillance on any part of the host nation, with the latter’s consent.

CRPF, DRDO LAUNCHES BIKE AMBULANCE 'RAKSHITA'

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), DRDO and The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have developed 'RAKSHITA'. It is a bike rescue vehicle or ambulance. These bikes will offer help to CRPF jawans and paramedics if there should arise an occurrence of any wounds during experiences.

NASA CONDUCTS TEST OF SLS ROCKET CORE STAGE FOR ARTEMIS

NASA conducted a hot fire (the final test of the Green Run series) of the core stage for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will launch the Artemis I mission to the Moon.

Artemis I, formerly Exploration Mission-1, is the 1st in a series of missions that will enable human exploration to the Moon and Mars which is expected to launch in November 2021.

CHINA'S ECONOMY SHOWS 2.3 PERCENT GROWTH IN 2020

China grew 2.3 per cent in 2020, registering the lowest annual growth rate in 45 years. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the world's second-largest economy grew by 2.3 per cent, expanding to USD 15.42 trillion in dollar terms in 2020, according to the data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

SEMERU VOLCANO ERUPTED

The Semeru volcano erupted in Indonesia’s East Java province. Semeru - also known as "The Great Mountain" - is the highest volcano in Java and one of the most active.

ODISHA'S OLDEST, MOST POPULAR ART FORM 'PATTACHITRA' PRESERVED IN RAGHURAJPUR

Odisha's traditional art forms Pattachitra', which dates back to 5 BC, continues to live on in India's first heritage village Raghurajpur.

Pattachitra style of painting is one of the oldest and most popular art forms of Odisha. Pattachitra is a painting done on canvas, and is manifested by rich colourful application, creative motifs and designs, and portrayal of simple themes, mostly mythological in depiction.