NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. 3rd INTERPOL Young Global Police
Leaders Programme held in New Delhi: The 3rd INTERPOL Young Global Police Leaders Programme (YGPLP) is
being organized from 25 January to 2 February 2023 in New Delhi,
India. It was virtually addressed by INTERPOL Secretary General, Jurgen
Stock. The event was organized by the Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI). As many as 59 participants from 44 countries participate in the
programme.
·
CBI Director: Subodh Kumar
Jaiswal
·
INTERPOL Headquarters: Lyon,
France
2. Amit Shah laid foundation stone for
National Forensic Sciences University: HM Amit Shah has laid the foundation stone for
a National Forensic Sciences University at the premises of the University of
Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad in Karnataka. Aim: It will help to create
expert manpower for the country to combat crime and result in the prosecution
of criminals. He was also part of a road show in Dharwad and addressed a public
rally in Belagavi district. He had a darshan of God Shambulingeshwara and
visit Sri Basavanna Devara mutt in Dharwad.
3. Construction of "Bajrang
Setu" to be completed by July 2023: Asia's second and country's first cable suspension bridge
"Bajrang Setu" is being constructed at Rishikesh,
Uttarakhand, and will be completed by July 2023. This bridge is coming up
next to the famous 90-year-old Laxman Jhula. Laxman Jhula was closed
in 2022 when it was found that it wasn't safe for pedestrians anymore. However,
it will not be removed and will be preserved as a heritage. The
construction of the new bridge would cost Rs 67 crores.
4. Government renamed Delhi’s Mughal
Gardens as ‘Amrit Udyan’: The Central
government has renamed the Mughal Gardens in New Delhi’s Rashtrapati
Bhavan as ‘Amrit Udyan’. In keeping with the theme of ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ to
commemorate 75 years of India’s independence, the Union Government has renamed
the Mughal Gardens as Amrit Udyan. On the occasion of ‘Azadi ka Amrit
Mahotsav’, the President of India has given a common name to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Gardens as Amrit Udyan. Designed in 1917, the gardens spread over 15 acres are
also known as the “soul of the presidential palace. The Mughal Gardens were
designed by Edwin Lutyens in 1917, and the first saplings were planted in
1928–1929. The Central Government had last year renamed Delhi’s iconic Rajpath
as “Kartavya Path”.
5. PM Modi addressed 1111th Avataran
Mahotsav of Bhagwan Devnarayan: Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the ceremony commemorating
the 1111th ‘Avataran Mahotsav’ of Bhagwan Shri Devnarayan Ji in Bhilwara,
Rajasthan. Bhagwan Shri Devnarayan Ji was born in the family of a popular
Mandalji Gurjar who established the famous Mandal Lake near Bhilwara district
in Mewar. Devnarayan was a mighty warrior who fought many battles and wars
against tyrannical rulers. He was also a ruler. Devnarayan is worshipped as an
incarnation of Vishnu by the Gujjar community as a folk deity in Rajasthan and
South-Western Madhya Pradesh.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Indian-American Raja J. Chari
nominated as US Air Force brigadier general: US President Joe Biden has nominated Indian-American
astronaut Raja J. Chari for the appointment to the grade of
Air Force brigadier general. His appointment will have to be confirmed by
the Senate, which approves all senior civilian and military appointments Currently,
he is working as the Crew-3 commander and astronaut at Johnson Space
Center, NASA He also served as an Expedition 66 flight
engineer aboard the station NASA: National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
2. South Africa to host 15th BRICS
summit in August 2023: The 15th
BRICS summit will be held in Durban, South Africa in August 2023. It
was announced by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov in a joint
conference with Foreign Minister of the State of Eritrea Osman Saleh in
Massawa, Eritrea. The fifth annual BRICS summit was held in Durban, South
Africa in 2013. BRICS: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. BRIC was founded
in 2006 and later, in 2010, South Africa was included and it became
BRICS.
3. India, South Africa sign MoU to
introduce 12 African Cheetahs: India and South Africa signed
a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to introduce 12 African Cheetahs annually over the next
eight to ten year. An initial batch of 12 cheetahs will
be flown from South Africa to India in February 2023. The
cats will join eight Cheetah brought
to India from Namibia in 2022. Aim: To reintroduce cheetah to a
former range state is being carried out following the local extinction of this
iconic species due to overhunting and loss of habitat
4. Data Privacy Day 2023: 28th January: Data Privacy Day (DPD) is observed across the world
on January 28 annually to sensitize individuals and disseminate
privacy practices and principles. It encourages everyone to own their privacy
responsibilities to create a culture of privacy. The theme for this
year (2023) is ‘Think Privacy First’. On April 26, 2006, the Council of Europe
decided to coin a Data Protection Day and announced that it will be observed
each year on January 28.
5. Canada to commercialize world’s
first photonic-based Quantum Computer: Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau has announced to commercialize the world’s first
photonic-based, fault-tolerant quantum computer. The investment of 40 million Canadian
dollars will enable Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc. to develop the quantum
computer which will help solve complex data problems and could be used in
finance, transportation, and health. This project of 177.8 million Canadian
dollars ($142 million) is expected to create 530 new highly skilled positions
in the high-tech and quantum computing fields. Founded in 2016, Xanadu, with
the mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people
everywhere, leads the development of PennyLane, an open-source software library
for quantum computing and application development.
6. 27 January – International Holocaust
Remembrance Day: International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed
every year on 27 January. This day is observed to reflect on the
atrocities inflicted by Adolf Hitler, which resulted in the deaths of an
estimated six million Jews.
Theme 2023 – Home and
Belonging The day commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in January
1945 from Nazi control. The Holocaust was Nazi Germany’s “Final Solution” for
eliminating all Jewish people.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Aasif become the 1st Nepali
cricketer to win the ICC Spirit of Cricket: Nepal wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh has been awarded
the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award for 2022 after his selfless decision
to refuse the run-out of Ireland’s Andy McBrine in their T20I match in the Oman
Quadrangular Series back in February. Sheikh’s incredible gesture in the
cricketing field saw Balbirnie safely reach the striker’s end after that batter
had taken a tumble while running. Aasif thus becomes the first player from
Nepal to win the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award. The award is annually awarded by
the ICC to recognize the player or team upholding the spirit of the game.
2. England’s Ben Stokes and Nat Sciver
won ICC annual awards: England Test
captain Ben Stokes and England all-rounder Nat Sciver have
won ICC cricketer of the year 2022 awards. All-rounder Stokes has been
named Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year while Sciver won the Rachael Heyhoe
Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. Sciver, 30, is also named
Women’s one-day international (ODI) Cricketer of the Year. The 31-year-old
Stokes took over the Test captaincy from Joe Root in April 2022 and has won
nine of his 10 Tests in charge. ICC awards winners for 2022-
3. Arina Sabalenka won the Australian
Open title: Arina Sabalenka of Belarus has won the women’s
singles title by defeating Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the Australian Open
2023. Sabalenka has won the Grand Slam title for the first time, while Rybakina
missed out on winning the Grand Slam for the second time. Sabalenka defeated
Elena Rybakina 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 in the final match played at Rod Laver Arena in
Melbourne. While the Brazilian duo of Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos won
the Mixed Doubles title. The Brazilian pair defeated the Indian pair of Rohan
Bopanna and Sania Mirza 7-6, 6-2 at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Mirza was
the first Indian to win a WTA singles title in her hometown Hyderabad in 2005.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. UN cuts India’s Economic Growth
Forecast by 20 bps to 5.8% for 2023: The United Nations (UN) has cut its GDP growth
forecast for India for the calendar year 2023 to 5.8 percent, citing
the effect of tighter monetary policy and weak global demand. Growth in India
is expected to remain strong at 5.8%, albeit slightly lower than the estimated
6.4% in 2022, as higher interest rates and a global slowdown weigh on
investment and exports. The government’s first advance estimate for growth in
this financial year is 7 percent. The report projected India’s retail inflation
to decelerate to 5.5 percent in 2023 from 7.1 percent in 2022 as global
commodity prices moderate and slower currency depreciation eases imported
inflation.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. New Zealand to introduce Debbie H.
Medal to honour women cricketers: New Zealand
Cricket has announced the introduction of the Debbie Hockley Medal to
honor the outstanding female cricketer. Cricketer Debbie Hockley played 19
Tests and 118 ODIs for New Zealand from 1979 to 2000. Hockley was the fourth
woman to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, in 2013.
New Zealand
awards the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the outstanding male cricketer of the
year.
2. M Yeoh becomes first Asian to bag Oscar nomination for Best Actress: Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian to bag an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her movie “The ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once”. Malaysian descent, Michelle Yeoh has also won the Golden Globe Award in the Best Actress category for her performance in the movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ She was also nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Awards 2022.
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