TELANGANA
Goldman Sachs opens new global competence centre in Hyderabad, to hire over 2,500 by 2023
Financial services giant Goldman Sachs unveiled its new global competence centre (GCC) spread over nearly 1.6 lakh sq ft across three floors in Hyderabad’s IT hub of Madhapur on Monday and said it plans to hire over 2,500 techies by 2023.
The Hyderabad centre, which became operational remotely in March this year with around 250 techies (including internal relocations from Bengaluru and new hires), is expected to grow to 800 employees by end of 2021, of which about 70% would be new hires, said Gunjan Samtani, head of Goldman Sachs services in India.
The new GCC at Hyderabad is part of Goldman Sachs’ commitment to expand its global centre for engineering and business innovation in India, the US-based biggie said.
The new centre, which was inaugurated by Telangana IT & industries minister KT Rama Rao, will include functions like engineering, finance, human capital management and support for consumer banking.
INTERNATIONAL
First Human Case of Monkey B Virus
China has reported the 1st human infection case with the Monkey B virus (BV). Monkey B virus is an alphaherpesvirus enzootic (endemic) in macaques, and it was initially isolated in 1932.
Highlights:
Alphaherpesviruses are pathogens or neuroinvasive viruses that establish lifelong infections in the peripheral nervous system of humans and many other vertebrates.
B virus is commonly referred to as herpes B, herpes virus simiae, and herpesvirus B.
B virus can survive for hours on surfaces, exceptionally when moist.
Updation of Motto of the Olympics
The Motto of Olympics was updated to Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together from Faster, Higher, Stronger, on 20th July 2021. Motto updation was done to show solidarity around the globe at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the change.
The Olympic motto was Citius, Altius, Fortius (in Latin) or Faster, Higher, Stronger (in English), from 1894, when it was adopted at the suggestion of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
Citius, Altius, Fortius, Communiter is the Latin version of the new motto.
Ski mountaineering was approved as an extra sport for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games which is to be in 2026. Ski mountaineering sport involves climbing mountains either by carrying the skies or on them and then descending on skies. Ski mountaineering is a prevalent sport in Italy. Five medal events for this category were planned at the 2026 Games.
NATIONAL
New Generation of Akash Surface-to-Air missile
The DRDO successfully flight-tested a new generation of Akash surface-to-air missiles from an integrated test range off the coast of Odisha, enhancing air defence capabilities. Compared with the original version, the new variant of Akash-NG has a slightly better range and can strike targets at a distance of about 25 kilometers. During testing, the missile demonstrated the high manoeuvrability required to eliminate rapid and agile aerial threats.
Akash is India’s first indigenously manufactured medium-range Surface-to-Air missile capable of engaging multiple targets from multiple directions.
It is capable of being launched from mobile platforms such as battle tanks or wheeled trucks. It has a kill probability of nearly 90%.
The missile is aided by an indigenously developed radar known as ‘Rajendra,’ which is capable of handling multiple targets from multiple directions in group or autonomous mode.
Indigenously Developed MPATGM for Minimum Range
In a major push for AatmaNirbhar Bharat and the strengthening of the Indian army, DRDO successfully conducted flight tests on the indigenously developed low-weight, firepower and forget Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).
The test successfully validated the minimum range.
The maximum range of the missile has already been successfully flight tested.
The missile is equipped with the most advanced miniature infrared imaging seeker and advanced avionics.
The test made the development of an indigenous third-generation MPATGM nearly completed.
Sero Survey – Population Affected by Covid
Antibodies against the coronavirus are present in two-thirds of India’s population. 67.6 percent of adults were seropositive, and more than 62 percent were unvaccinated. Around 400 million of India’s 1.4 billion people do not have antibodies
About the Sero Survey:
♦ Sero studies are often called sero surveys, which check how many people in the population are infected with COVID-19.
The sero survey roughly shows the following points:
♦ The percentage (%) of the population that has been infected with the virus.
♦ Which groups have more exposure or higher infection rates
♦ The progress of the infection rate in a specific area.
♦ How close are we to herd immunity