Daily GK Update- 9th Dec, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated FAI Annual Seminar at New Delhi: Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has inaugurated the Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Annual Seminar 2022 in New Delhi. He also released three FAI publications and the FAI Data portal. This portal will create a uniform database. FAI Annual Seminar 2022 is devoted to the theme ‘Fertilizer Sector by 2030. By 2025, India will become self-sufficient in urea. One of the recently introduced schemes of our government is “One Nation One Fertilizer” under which Urea, MOP, DAP, and NPK will be sold under the uniform Bharat brand to bring uniformity in the quality and brands”.

 

2. FalguniNayar, RoshniNadar in ‘World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’ list: Forbes’ annual list of ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2022’ has been released. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, and Nykaa founder FalguniNayar are among six Indians who have made it to the Forbes’ annual list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Ranked at number 36, Nirmala Sitharaman has made it to the list for the fourth time in a row. In 2021, the 63-year-old minister was ranked at number 37 in the list, while she was in the 41st spot in 2020 and 34th in 2019.

The other Indians to feature on the list are HCL Tech Chairperson RoshniNadar Malhotra (rank 53), Securities And Exchange Board Of India (SEBI) Chairperson MadhabiPuriBuch (rank 54), and Steel Authority Of India Chairperson Soma Mondal (rank 67).This year Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is ranked 72, while FalguniNayar is at 89th spot, according to the list released by Forbes.The list includes 39 CEOs; 10 heads of state; and 11 billionaires worth a combined $115 billion.

 

3. ISRO signed MoU with Vyom Space to build private space capsules: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed anMoU with Gurugram-based private space firm Vyom Space Exploration and Services Private Limited for its human and cargo transportation capsule program. A ‘capsule’ in a space mission is the module inside which any cargo is placed for being carried to space. In manned missions, the capsule is what hosts the astronauts. The capsules have typically been single-use in nature, with the exception of US-based private space firm, Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s reusable human and cargo module, Crew Dragon.It was facilitated by India’s nodal space authorization body, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (In-Space).

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Priyanka Chopra among 4 Indians on BBC’s 100 influential women list: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has released the list of 100 most influential women in the world 2022. Priyanka Chopra is among four Indians who have made it to BBC’s ‘100 Women’ list of influential figures of the year. She is the only Indian actor on the list which includes names like singer Billie Eilish, actor and disability activist Selma Blair and Hollywood icon Rita Moreno. In this list, four Indian women have also included – Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Geetanjali Shree (Author), SirishaBandla (engineer and astronaut), and SnehaJawale (social worker).On the list, Priyanka is described as one of Bollywood’s biggest film stars, with more than 60 films to her name. The list also included European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.

 

2. India ranked 87th in the world’s strongest passport list 2022: India has ranked 87 in the world’s strongest passport list, while UAE ranked first in the rating of passports for 2022 has been made public recently. Passport Index 2022 published by Arton Capital is the ranking of the world’s strongest and weakest passports. The top-ten spots after UAE in the list were dominated by European countries. While UAE ranked first, it is followed by Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, France.

While Afghanistan stood last, Pakistan stood at 94. Japan ranked 24 on Arton’s index with easy access to 171 countries. The country’s travel document was ranked as the world’s best earlier this year in a list published by Henley & Partners The passport rankings tell you the number of countries you can enter without acquiring a visa.

Recent index

Global Aviation Safety Rankings: India ranked 48th; topped by Singapore

List of countries at risk of mass killings: India ranked 8th; Pakistan topped

Global Prime Cities Index by Knight Frank: Mumbai ranked 22nd

Network Readiness Index 2022: India ranked 61st; topped by US

Climate Change Performance Index 2023: India ranked 8th; top 3 empty; Denmark at 4th

 

3. Dina Boluarte elected as first female President of Peru: Former Vice President Dina Boluarte has assumed the charge as the first female and sixth president of Peru.

Boluarte, 60, who started the day as vice president and next in line to replace Castillo, faces the unenviable challenge of healing a divided Peru where the presidency has been locked in battle with Congress for more than a year.

Her oath came, when her predecessor being detained by police and impeached by lawmakers.

The ceremony took place hours after a majority of 101 members in the 130-person legislative body voted to impeach Pedro Castillo (former president of Peru).

About Peru

Capital – Lima

Currency – Sol

 

4. 9 December – International Anti-Corruption Day: International Anti-Corruption Day is observed every year on 9 December.

Objective – To raise awareness against corruption and the measures that can be implemented to fight it.

The UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption on October 31, 2003, and designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day.

Theme 2022 – Uniting the World Against Corruption.

 

5. 9 December – International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide Crime: International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime is commemorated on December 9 of every year around the world.

Objective – To raise awareness about the greatest crime perpetrated by man against man, the violation of human rights, and how it can be prevented in the future.

The United Nations General Assembly with a resolution in 2015 adopted December 9 as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

 

SPORTS

 

1. Eden Hazard announced his retirement from International Football: Belgium captain Eden Hazard has announced his retirement from international football after Belgium’s early exit from the FIFA World Cup 2022.

He was the captain of Belgium in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Hazard made his international debut in 2008 and scored 33 times in 126 appearances.

He helped Belgium reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champions France, and beat England in the third-placed playoff.

 

2. DeepikaPadukone to unveil the FIFA World Cup trophy during the finals:Actor DeepikaPadukone will unveil the FIFA World Cup trophy during the finals, making her perhaps the first global actor to do so in the history of FIFA.

The final match will be played at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar on 18 Dec.

The tournament is being held from Nov 20 to Dec 18.

She was also awarded the TIME100 Impact Award in 2022.

 

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. AU Small Finance Bank partnered with ICICI Lombard for bancassurance: ICICI Lombard General Insurance has signed an agreement with the AU Small Finance Bank for bancassurance.Objective – To diverse the bank’s customers access to the Non-life insurer’s portfolio and enhance penetration across India.The entire suite of products will be offered across 980+ banking touchpoints spread over 20 states & 2 union territories.With this partnership, the general insurance’s suite of ICICI Lombard products will be offered across over 980 banking touchpoints of bank.

AU Small Finance Bank is a scheduled commercial bank, a Fortune India 500 Company, and the largest small finance bank in the country.ICICI Lombard is one of the leading general insurance companies and the leading motor insurer in the country.

About AU Small Finance Bank Limited

Founded – 1996

Founder – Sanjay Agarwal

Headquarters – Jaipur, Rajasthan

MD & CEO – Sanjay Agarwal

Tagline – ChaloAageBadhein

 

2. KV Shaji appointed as Chairman of NABARD: K V Shaji has been appointed as new Chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

He formerly served as NABARD’s Deputy Managing Director (DMD) till May 21, 2020.

He succeeds GovindaRajuluChintala.

Before joining NABARD, he worked in Canara Bank in various capacities for 26 years.

He also played a role in the merger of Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank.

About National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

Founded – 12 July 1982

Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Chairman – K V Shaji

NABARD established on the recommendations of B. Sivaramman Committee

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. McLaughlin-Levrone& Mondo Duplantis won World Athlete of the Year 2022 awards: World champion American hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Swedish pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis has won the World Athlete of the Year awards 2022McLaughlin-Levrone- She had broken the world women’s 400m hurdles record twice.She became the first American to win Athlete of the Year since fellow 400m hurdler Dalilah Muhammad in 2019.Duplantis- He has broken the world pole vault record on three occasions and became world champion indoors and outdoors.