NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur
inaugurates Sports Science Centre: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh
Thakur has inaugurated the Sports Science Centre in Udupi, Karnataka.
The government has increased the sports budget from 854 crores before 2014 to
3,100 crore rupees (2022) and spent 2700 crore rupees to enhance sporting
infrastructure as against 630 crore rupees earlier. For Khelo India Games, the
government has spent 3,136 crore rupees for a period of five years. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag
Singh Thakur inaugurated the Sports Science Centre in Udupi yesterday. Speaking
on the occasion, he said that the government is making efforts to transform
India into a sporting soft power. It has increased the sports budget from 854
crores before 2014 to 3,100 crore rupees this year and spent 2700 crore rupees
to enhance sporting infrastructure as against 630 crore rupees earlier.
2. India observes Veer Baal Diwas of
26th December: India has
observed first 'Veer Bal Diwas' on December 26, to honor
the ‘Sahibzadas’, the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh. This day is observed
to pay honor and tribute to the sacrifices made by Sahibzada
Zorawar Singh (6) and Sahibzada Fateh Singh (9), who were laid down their
lives while defending their faith in Sirhind, Punjab. Veer Bal Diwas has been
celebrated at an event hosted by PM Narendra Modi at Major Dhyan Chand
National Stadium, Delhi.
3. Consumer Affairs Minister, Piyush
Goyal unveiled 'right to repair' portal: Consumer Affairs Minister, Piyush Goyal has
introduced various initiatives, including a right to repair portal and an
NTH mobile app and opened new premises of the National Consumer Helpline
centre. On this portal, manufacturers would share the manual of product
details with customers so that they could either repair by self, by third
parties, rather than depend on original manufacturers.
Initially, mobile phones, automobiles and farming equipment will be
covered. Food
and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday introduced a host of new
initiatives, including a right to repair portal and an NTH mobile app and
opened new premises of the National Consumer Helpline centre in the national
capital.
4. Ladakh celebrates Losar Festival to
mark Ladakhi New Year: Ladakh has celebrated Losar Festival on December 24, to mark the
Ladakhi New Year. Ladakhi New Year is the major socio-religious festival
of Ladakh celebrated in winter. The Losar festivities continue for nine
more days from the new year with the offering of prayers in the name of
God and Goddess, dances and songs in honour of Ibex and the pilgrimage of Mount
Kailash. During the festival, they perform the traditional role of the
three Lama Jogis and Grandparents. Ladakh is celebrating
Losar Festival today, December 24, to mark the Ladakhi New Year. Ladakhi New
Year is the major socio-religious festival of Ladakh celebrated in winter.
AIR correspondent
reports, the lighting of prayer lamps, illumination of buildings, houses,
religious places like monasteries, stupas, and other business establishments
making appear that the entire Ladakh is lit in lights are part of celebrations
of the Losar Festival.
5. Railways plans to modernize 1,000
small stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme: The
railways is planning to modernize 1,000 small yet important stations
under the new “Amrit Bharat Station Scheme”. This is apart from the
ambitious plan to revamp 200 big stations under a separate redevelopment
programme. The aim is to identify developing cities with potential and envisage
railway stations as city centres that would link not just various parts of the
city but also between different cities in the future. The plan is to map
everything connected to it — bridges and different modes of transport. Khurda
station in Odisha has been modernized for Rs 4 crore with all contemporary
amenities for passengers. The main structure was renovated, the facade was
redone and the number of railway tracks was also increased.
6. IIT Kanpur developed an artificial
heart: IIT Kanpur is ready
with an artificial heart that would be of great help to people
with acute cardiac problems. Trial on animals will start from February or
March. After success in the trial, transplantation can be done in humans in the
next two years. An artificial heart is being developed to reduce the suffering
of the patients. A team of 10 scientists and doctors has prepared this
artificial heart. After the success of the trial on animals, heart
transplantation in humans will begin within two years.” India imports 80
percent of equipment and implants from abroad. Only 20 percent of the equipment
and implants are being manufactured in India. Most of the implants and stents
for heart patients are being imported.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'
elected as PM of Nepal for third time: CPN-Maoist Centre chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has
been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time. He
will head the new government until 2025 as part of a deal reached
with another party. He has replaced Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali
Congress party. Prachanda’s Maoist Centre party has won 32 seats in the
275-member House of Representatives. The UML (Party) has won 78 seats, and the
rest won by smaller groups. CPN-Maoist Centre
chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' appointed as the new Prime Minister
of Nepal for the third time.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed Prachanda
as the prime minister as per Article 76 (2) of the constitution this evening.
2. Former Maldivian President Abdulla
Yameen sentenced to 11 years: Former Maldives
President Abdulla Yameen has been sentenced to 11 years in
prison after being found guilty of money laundering and bribery. Yameen
was accused of abusing his position and taking one million US Dollar from a
private company to facilitate the sale of Aarah for resort development.
Yameen, who lost power
in 2018, was sentenced to five years in jail and fined 5 million dollars in
2019 for embezzlement in state funds.
About Maldives
·
Capital – Male
·
Currency – Rufiya
·
President – Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
3. Polar bears in a key region of
Canada are in sharp decline: According to a government survey, the Associated Press reported, Polar
bears in Western Hudson Bay of Canada, an inland sea connected to the
Arctic Ocean, are dying at a fast rate. The study has also revealed
that females and younger polar bears are the worst affected. When the last
survey took place in 2016, there were 842 bears in the area, but now only
618 bears left in Western Hudson Bay.
The polar bear is classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List Polar bears in Canada’s Western Hudson Bay, an inland sea connected to
the Arctic Ocean, are dying at a fast rate, according to a new government
survey, the Associated Press reported on Friday. It also revealed that females
and younger polar bears are the worst affected.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Arunachal’s Geto Sora won Junior
International Badminton Championship: Arunachal Pradesh’s 7-year-old Geto Sora has won the Top
Arena Junior International Badminton Championship title in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. He won the championship title after beating Malaysia’s second seed
Jaryl Teh in straight sets 21-5, 21-16. This is Sora’s second international
badminton title in two months. In November, the 7-year-old Sora won the
multinational BTY-Yonex-Singha Championship, which was held at the Banthongyord
Badminton School in Bangkok, Thailand.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBI's revised bank locker rules to
come into effect from 1st January: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated banks in the country
to renew their locker agreements with existing locker customers by 1st
January, 2023. All the existing locker depositors are required to furnish proof
of eligibility for a renewed locker arrangement. RBI has advised the banks
to install CCTV camera at entry and exit points of the strong room and the
common areas of operation. It mandates to preserve its recording for a
period of not less than 180 days. RBI has also instructed banks to ensure that any “unfair terms or
conditions” are not covered in their locker agreements. The revised guidelines
add that the terms of the agreement shall not be more “onerous than required in
ordinary course of business” to secure the interests of the bank.
2. HDFC gets $400-million loan from IFC
for homes, affordable and green: International Finance Corporation (IFC) has provided a loan of
USD 400 million to Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Limited. Reason: To
boost the green affordable housing finance in India. The loan will support
India's shift towards a more sustainable growth path, creating jobs and
ensuring long-term business growth. It focuses on its green affordable housing
portfolio, with 75 per cent (USD 300 million) of the proceeds earmarked for
this sector.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. NHPC won 2022 ‘Best Globally
Competitive Power Company of India' award: NHPC Limited has been awarded the ‘Best
Globally Competitive Power Company of India – Hydropower and Renewable Energy
Sector’ award at PRAKASHmay ‘15th Enertia Awards 2022’.
Reason: For its leadership in the hydropower sector with a gross asset
class renewable energy capacity of more than 7000 MW. The award also recognizes
that NHPC has more than 5000 MW of projects under construction and an ambitious
7000 MW plus plan for Solar capacity addition. NHPC Limited has been awarded as Winner of ‘Best Globally Competitive
Power Company of India – Hydropower and Renewable Energy Sector’ at PRAKASHmay
‘15th Enertia Awards 2022’. Shri U.S. Sahi, Executive Director
(EMS/CC/CSR), NHPC received the award on behalf of NHPC at a glittering
function held at New Delhi Institute of Management, New Delhi on 22nd December
2022.
DEFENCE
1. India & Japan to conduct 1st
bilateral air combat exercise in Jan 2023: Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japanese Air Self
Defence Force (JASDF) will conduct their first Air exercise “Veer
Guardian 23” from January 16 to 26 at Hyakuri air base and Iruma air
base in Japan. The exercise aims to promote mutual understanding and strengthen
defence cooperation between the air forces.
IAF will be fielding its Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft drawn from a
squadron under the Western Air Command. The IAF 150 crew will be flying in
IAF’s C-17 transport aircraft. The fighter jets on their journey from India to
Japan will be re-fuelled mid-air using the IL-78 planes of the IAF. Japan will
field its F-2 jets which are derivatives of the F-16 plane of the US. It will
also field the F-15, like the ones used by the US too. The exercise will at
Hyakuri Air Base northwest of Tokyo.
2. Indian Navy launched
indigenously-built ship ‘Arnala’ in Chennai: The Indian Navy launched the indigenously-built ship INS
Arnala at the shipbuilding facility of Larsen & Toubro (L&T)
in Chennai’s Kattupalli. The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(GRSE) built the ship. Arnala is the first of the 8 anti-submarine warfare
shallow watercraft (ASW-SWC).
The vessel made its first contact with the water of the Bay of Bengal during a recently-held launch ceremony in Chennai. The launch ceremony is one of the four important ceremonial occasions associated with a ship’s life. The other three are keel laying, commissioning, and decommissioning. The ship has been named ‘Arnala’ to signify the strategic maritime importance accorded to the island of Arnala. The ‘Arnala’ class ships are being built to replace the Indian Navy’s ‘Abhay’ class ASW ships.
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