Daily GK Update- 16th Dec, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India launches ‘Group of Friends’ to promote accountability for crimes: India has launched a ‘Group of Friends’ to promote accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. EAM, S Jaishankar has announced that New Delhi will maintain a database that will record all crimes against the Blue Helmets. Along with India, contributing countries like Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco and Nepal were participated as its co-chairs It represents the “political will” of member states, particularly of the troop and police contributing countries

Jaishankar said that the Group of Friends represents the “political will” of member states, particularly of the troop and police contributing countries, to champion the implementation of the provisions of UN Security Council resolution 2589, which was adopted in August last year under India’s Presidency of the Council.

 

2. NHPC appoints Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi assumes additional charge as CMD: Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NHPC Ltd, with effect from December 13, 2022. He is also the CMD of Rishikesh-based THDC India Limited.

Earlier, Yamuna Kumar Chaubey, Director of NHPC (Technical) was holding the additional charge of CMD of the company. NHPC Ltd is a Mini-Ratna Category-I Enterprise of the Government of India. NHPC HQ: Faridabad, Haryana; Founded: 1975

 

3. ISRO earns ₹1,100 crore in five years from foreign launches: According to the Ministry for Space, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had earned approximately ₹1,100 crore in the last five years from the launch of foreign satellites. In the last five years (January 2018 - November 2022) ISRO, via its commercial arms has successfully launched 177 foreign satellites from 19 countries. Under commercial agreement, ISRO launched these satellites on-board PSLV and GSLV-MkIII.

In the last five years, January 2018 - November 2022 ISRO, via its commercial arms, successfully launched 177 foreign satellites from 19 countries — Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Republic ofKorea, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.

 

4. India will be the first country to Auction SatCom Spectrum: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman, PD Vaghela has announced that India will be the first country to auction spectrum for satellite communication (SatCom), and it should be designed to attract investments in the sector.

Satellite communication: It refers to any communication link that involves the use of an artificial satellite in its propagation path. They can be found in geostationary, Molniya, elliptical, and low Earth orbits.

 

5. 8th India International Science Festival 2022 to be held in Bhopal: The eighth edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Bhopal In January 2023. Agenda: To celebrate the country's achievements in the field of science, technology and innovation. IISF is the initiative of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in association with Vijnana Bharati. 14 events will be organised during the four-day event beginning January 21 at the Maulana Azad Institute of Technology, Bhopal.

 

6. Assamese ‘Gamocha’ gets GI tag: The government has granted Geographical Indications (GI) Tag to various products, including Gamosa of Assam, Tandur Redgram of Telangana, and an apricot variety of Ladakh. ‘Gamocha’ literally means towel and is commonly used on a day-to-day basis in Assamese households. The commerce and Industry ministry said that the total number of GI has reached to 432. The top five states holding the maximum number of GIs are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. Recently, the government has supported the promotion of GIs by approving an expenditure of ₹ 75 crore for three years for promotion at awareness programmes. A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product (handicraft and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.

Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Harvard University appoints Claudine Gay as first black president: Harvard University has named Dr Claudine Gay as the first black president to run an Ivy League university. Dr Gay, who is a dean at Harvard, has been appointed as 30th president the university. She will replace Lawrence Bacow, who will retire on July 2023. She will also be the second woman to head the elite college in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Notably, she is the daughter of Haitian immigrants and received her bachelor's degree from Stanford University in 1992. Dr Claudine Gay will replace Lawrence Bacow as president in July 2023, the university noted. Dr Gay will also be the second woman to head the elite college in Cambridge, Massachusetts

 

2. IEX becomes India’s first carbon-neutral power exchange: Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) has become first carbon-neutral power exchange of India, using market based tradable instruments to offset its carbon emissions. To reduce carbon footprint, IEX has voluntarily cancelled CERs (certified emissions reductions) from clean projects registered under the Clean Development Mechanism, UNFCCC. As per the UNEP 2022 report, global greenhouse gas emissions must be cut 45% by 2030 to get on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

New Delhi: Energy trading platform Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) became the country’s first carbon-neutral power exchange, using market based tradable instruments to offset its carbon emissions, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

 

3. Microsoft, Viasat partner to deliver satellite internet globally by 2025: Microsoft has partnered with Viasat (global communications company) to deliver satellite internet access to 10 million people across the world by 2025. Viasat is the first satellite partner to work with Airband Initiative of Microsoft. Both will provide pilot technologies including, satellites and fixed wireless. As per the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), around one-third of the world's population have still never used the internet.

 

4. Russia replaced Iraq as top oil supplier to India in November: Russia has for the first time emerged as a top oil supplier to India replacing Iraq in November 2022. India’s oil imports from Russia rose for the fifth straight month, totaling 908,000 barrels per day (bpd) in November, up 4% from October. The Group of Seven nations, Australia, and the 27 European Union countries have imposed a price cap of $60 a barrel on Russian seaborne oil from December as the West tries to limit Moscow’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine. Russian oil accounted for about 23 percent of India’s overall import of about 4 million bpd oil in November. During April-November, the first eight months of this fiscal year, Iraq continued to be the largest oil supplier to India followed by Saudi Arabia and Russia, which has knocked down UAE to the fourth position.

 

5. UK, France, and UAE extend support for India’s permanent membership at UNSC: The UK, France, and UAE have extended their support for India’s permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). India is holding the presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of December 2022. The UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dame Barbara Woodward, said, the Security Council must become more representative of the world today and the UK has long called for its expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories.

UK Foreign Secretary publicly reiterated the country’s support for new permanent seats for Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan. France thus supports the candidacies of Germany, Brazil, India, and Japan as permanent members. The UN Security Council is the premier global body for maintaining International peace and security.

The Security Council, the United Nations’ principal crisis-management body, is empowered to impose binding obligations on the 193 UN member states to maintain peace.

 

6. G-7 approved 15.5 billion US dollar deal with Vietnam: A group of nine rich industrialized nations has approved a deal to provide Vietnam with 15.5 billion US dollars to help the Southeast Asian nation move faster from coal power to renewable energy, cutting its climate-damaging pollution. The Group of Seven major economies, along with Norway and Denmark is to help Vietnam reduce its emissions to “net zero” by 2050. It is a goal which experts say needs to be met globally to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Just Energy Transition Partnership with Vietnam is among a series of agreements that developing and rich nations are negotiating. The first such deal was signed with South Africa last year, and a similar agreement was reached with Indonesia last month.

 

7. Tokyo makes solar panels mandatory for new homes built after 2025: The Japanese capital Tokyo local assembly has passed a new regulation which stated that all new houses in Tokyo built by large-scale homebuilders after April 2025 must install solar power panels to cut household carbon emissions. Japan is the world’s fifth-largest carbon emitter. The country has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This new regulation for new built homes requires about 50 major builders to equip homes of up to 2,000 square meters (21,500 square feet) with renewable energy power sources, mainly solar panels.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Axelsen and Yamaguchi won badminton World Tour Finals: Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen has won the men’s singles title after defeating Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting at the season-ending World Tour Finals in Bangkok. While Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi defeated Taiwan’s Tai Tzu Ying to win the women’s singles title. Yamaguchi is the current world champion.

Chinese Duo Liu Yuchen and Ou Xuanyi defeated Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in the Men’s Doubles.

 

2. Tata Steel officially partnered FIH Men’s World Cup 2023: Tata Steel Limited has signed an MoU with Hockey India to become an official partner of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023. The 15th edition of the Hockey Men’s World Cup will take place in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, Kerala from January 13 to 29 January 2023. The FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup will be the fourth time that India will be hosting the prestigious tournament after organizing it in 1982 in Bombay, 2010 in New Delhi, and 2018 in Bhubaneswar. A total of 16 nations will take part in the upcoming tournament.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India successfully carries out night trials of Agni-five missile: India has successfully carried out the night trials of nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni-V from Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha on 15th December, 2022. The test was conducted to check the new technologies and equipment on the missile which is now lighter than before. The missile has a capacity to hit targets beyond 5,000 kilometres. The Agni series I to IV missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km. deIndia on Thursday successfully carried out the night trials of the Agni-5 nuclear-capable ballistic missile, according to sources from the defense establishment. The missile has the capability of hitting targets beyond the range of 5000 km and is crucial for India's self-defense systems.

 

2. 16th Edition of Surya Kiran exercise begins: The 16th edition of Indo-Nepal joint army training exercise, SURYA KIRAN has been started at Nepal Army Battle School, Saljhandi, Nepal.

This exercise will continue till 29 December 2022. Aim: To enhance inter-operability in jungle warfare and counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) under UN mandate. Shree Bhawani Baksh Battalion (Nepal Army) and 5 GR (Indian Army) are participating in the exercise. 

 

3. India received all 36 Rafale aircraft from France: India has received all 36 Rafale aircraft from France, including the last aircraft landing in the country on 15th December 2022.

The aircraft has arrived after a quick en-route mid-air refuelling from a UAE Air Force tanker aircraft. India and France had signed the inter-government agreement in 2016 to provide 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around 60,000 crore rupees to India. The first batch of five Rafale jets had arrived on 29th July, 2020. India has received all 36 Rafale aircraft from France, with the last aircraft landing in the country today. According to the Indian Air Force, the aircraft arrived after a quick en-route mid-air refuelling from a UAE Air Force tanker aircraft, after taking off from France.

 

4. 16 December – Vijay Diwas: Vijay Diwas is celebrated in India every year on December 16 to commemorate the victory of India against Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh as an independent nation. After 13 days of battle, India defeated Pakistan on December 16, 1971, in what came to be known as the largest military surrender in history after World War II. The chief of the Pakistani forces, General A. K. Niazi surrendered to the joint forces of the Indian Army and Bangladesh’s Mukti Bahini, along with 93,000 Pakistani troops.

Daily GK Update- 15th Dec, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022: Parliament has passed the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022 with Rajya Sabha on 14th December 2022. The bill was already passed in Lok Sabha. With this amendment, the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre has been renamed as the India International Arbitration Centre. The Bill allows the govt to provide for removing any difficulties in implementing the Act up to five years from the date of commencement of the Act. The Bill amends the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019. 

The  Bill renames the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre as the India International Arbitration Centre. The Act requires the Arbitration Centre to strive to facilitate the conduct of international and domestic arbitration and conciliation and the new legislation expands this to include the conduct of other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

 

2. Centre awards nine GI tags to take total to 432: The govt of India has granted the GIs tags to nine new items on 14th December 2022 including Gamocha (Assam), Tandur red gram (Telangana), Raktsey Karpo apricot (Ladakh), Alibag white onion (Maharashtra). Kerala has been awarded five GI tags for its agricultural produce. With this, the total number of GI tags in India comes to 432. Top five states holding the maximum number of GIs are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala The Geographical Indication, which is recognised by the World Trade Organization, is used to denote the geographical territory from where a product--agricultural, natural or manufactured--originates, and also carries an assurance of quality and attributes unique to that specific geographic region

 

3. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates of 15 NH development projects: Nitin Gadkari (Minister of Road Transport and Highways) has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 15 National Highway development projects worth 45, 536 crore rupees in Kerala. The event was organised at the Travancore International Convention Centre at Karyavattom Sports Hub, Thiruvananthapuram.

The event was presided by Kerala CM, Pinarayi Vijayan It will also enhance tourism possibilities in Bekal, Kannur, Kozhikode, Fort Kochi, Alappuzha, Varkala and Kovalam Giving a major boost to road infrastructure in Kerala, Union Minister for Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari today laid the foundation stones for 15 National Highways projects in Thiruvananthapuram with a total cost of Rs. 45.536 Crore.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. G-7 approves 15.5 billion US dollar deal with Vietnam: A group of nine (G7, Norway and Denmark) rich industrialized nations have approved a deal to provide 15.5 billion US dollars to Vietnam.Reason: To help the Southeast Asian nation move faster from coal power to renewable energy, cutting its climate-damaging pollution. This grant will help Vietnam to reduce its emissions to “net zero” by 2050. It is a goal which experts say needs to be met globally to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

A group of nine rich industrialized nations has approved a deal to provide Vietnam with 15.5 billion US dollars to help the Southeast Asian nation move faster from coal power to renewable energy, cutting its climate-damaging pollution. The Group of Seven major economies, along with Norway and Denmark, said in a statement that the aim is to help Vietnam reduce its emissions to “net zero” by 2050.

 

2. US Wildlife officials declare 'Nevada wildflower' as endangered species: The U.S. wildlife officials have declared a Nevada wildflower as endangered species. It is found on a high-desert ridge, where a lithium mine is planned to help meet the growing demand for electric car batteries. The Fish and Wildlife Service has formally listed Tiehm’s buckwheat and its accompanying area of 910 acres for the 6-inch-tall flower with yellow blooms. Ioneer (Australian mining company) is planning to dig for lithium where the flower grows.

In the United States, wildlife officials declared a Nevada wildflower endangered at the only place it’s known to exist - on a high-desert ridge where a lithium mine is planned to help meet the growing demand for electric car batteries. The Fish and Wildlife Service has formally listed Tiehm’s buckwheat and its accompanying area of 910 acres for the 6-inch-tall flower with yellow blooms

 

3. DealShare appoints Kamaldeep Singh as president of retail business: Kamaldeep Singh has been appointed as the president of retail business of DealShare (Social e-commerce company).

Prior to this role, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Big Bazaar, where he was responsible for retail operations, organizational transformation, and business strategy execution. Recently, the DealShare startup owned and operated by Merabo Labs Pvt Ltd has raised an additional $45 million from Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).

 

4. Tokyo makes solar panels mandatory for new homes built after 2025: The Tokyo local assembly has passed a new regulation, which stated that all new houses in Tokyo built by large-scale homebuilders after April 2025 must install solar power panels to cut household carbon emissions. Currently, Japan stands at fifth spot in the world's largest carbon emitters list. This mandate requires about 50 major builders to equip homes of up to 2,000 square metres (21,500 square feet) with renewable energy power sources, mainly solar panels.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike noted last week that just 4% of buildings where solar panels could be installed in the city have them now. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 2000 levels.

 

5. Cindy Hook appointed as CEO of 2032 Olympic organising committee: Cindy Hook has been appointed as the inaugural CEO of the organising committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane. She had stepped away from her role as CEO of Deloitte Asia Pacific earlier this year. She had worked for the international professional services network in the U.S. and in Australia. The International Olympic Committee awarded the 2032 Games to Brisbane in July of last year. Hook was based in Singapore as CEO of Deloitte Asia Pacific until June and had previously worked for the international professional services network in the U.S. and in Australia, moving to Sydney in 2009 to lead the auditing practice for six years and later becoming CEO of the Australian operation in 2015.

 

6. US prints its first-ever currency with two women’s signatures: The U.S. The Treasury (United States of America’s Finance Ministry) has printed the first US banknotes (currency notes) with two women’s signatures. The new currency notes of $1 and $5 value carry the signature of the Secretary of Treasury (American Finance Minister) Janet Yellen and Lynn Malerba. Lynn Malerba is Native American and is the chief of the Mohegan Tribe, who holds the position of Treasurer of the United States within the Department of Treasury, United States government. Janet Yellen is a former chairman of the United States Central Bank, Federal Reserve of New York. She was the first female head of the Federal Reserve. The United States currency notes are popularly called Greenback.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Tata Steel becomes official partner of Men's Hockey World Cup: Tata Steel Limited has signed an MoU with Hockey India to become an Official Partner of the FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2023. The 15th edition of the Hockey Men's World Cup will take place in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela from January 13 to January 29, 2023. It will be the fourth time that India will be hosting the prestigious tournament after having played hosts in 1982 in Bombay, 2010 in New Delhi, and 2018 in Odisha. A total of 16 nations will take part in the tournament.

Tata Steel Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hockey India to become an Official Partner of the FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. The 15th edition of the Hockey Men's World Cup will take place in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela from January 13 to January 29, 2023, a Tata Steel press release on Wednesday said.

 

2. Iga Swiatek named WTA Player of the Year for 2022: World number one Iga Swiatek (Poland) was crowned 2022 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Player of the Year for the first time in her career. While Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) and Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) were named Doubles Team of the Year.

Swiatek went on a superb 37-match winning run and won the French and U.S. Opens as well as titles at Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome, and San Diego. Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil was named the Most Improved Player of the Year after breaking into the top 20. Germany’s Tatjana Maria was named the Comeback Player of the Year. While China’s Zheng Qinwen was named Newcomer of the Year.

3. India won 6 gold medals at 19th International Junior Science Olympiad: India secured the top rank at the 19th International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) 2022 held in Bogota, Colombia by winning 6 gold medals. In all, 20 gold, 42 silver, and 59 bronze medals were awarded at this IJSO. Arittra Malhotra, Rajdeep Mishra, Devesh Pankaj Bhaiya, Banibrata Majee, and Avaneesh Bansal were the students who bagged gold medals at the IJSO 2022, Bogota.

There were 203 students from 35 countries participating in this year’s IJSO. This year’s competition was originally scheduled to be held in Kyiv, Ukraine; it was shifted to Bogota, Colombia in August 2022 due to the war in Ukraine. This was the last international Olympiad of 2022.

 

4. Sridhar breaks national record at FINA World Swimming Championship: Indian swimmer Siva Sridhar broke the national record in the men’s 200m individual medley heats at the Short Course World Championships in Melbourne. Siva clocked 1:59.80s to finish first in heat 1 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. South Africa’s Matthew Sates won the championship in 1:50.15s with USA’s Carson Foster (1:50.96) and Canada’s Finlay Knox (1:51.04) winning silver and bronze, respectively.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ADB keeps India's economic growth unchanged at 7%: The Asian Development Bank has kept the economic growth outlook for India unchanged at 7% percent for the fiscal 2022-23 and 7.2% for FY 2023-24. Reason: Sustained by positive effects from structural reform and from public investment catalysing private investment. Inflation in India is still expected to rise to 6.7 % in 2022-23 before falling back to 5.8%. As per the bank, Asia will expand at 4.2% this year and accelerate to 4.6% in 2023.

 

2. WPI Inflation declined to 21-Month Low of 5.85% In November 2022: According to the Commerce Ministry data, the Wholesale price inflation (WPI) for November 2022 has hit a 21-month low and reduced to 5.85% from 8.39% in October 2022. Decline in the rate of inflation in November 2022, is primarily contributed by fall in prices of food articles, basic metals, textiles, chemicals & chemical products and paper & paper products as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. Inflation in food articles in November was 1.07 percent against 8.33 percent in the previous month.

Inflation in vegetables was (-) 20.08 percent during the month compared to 17.61 percent in October. In the ‘Fuel and power’ basket, inflation was 17.35 percent, while in manufactured products, it was 3.59 percent in November. On a yearly basis, WPI inflation went down from 14.87% in November 2021 to 5.85 percent in November 2022.

 

3. Bank of Baroda proposed to sell its majority stake in Nainital Bank: State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) plans to sell its majority stake in Nainital Bank. The board of directors of the bank has approved the divestment of its majority shareholding in Nainital Bank Limited (NBL), and authorized the issuance of an advertisement inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) through a Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) from interested parties (IPs). Presently, the bank holds 98.57% of the total equity share capital of Nainital Bank Limited. The Mumbai-based Bank of Baroda had taken over Nainital Bank in 1973 on the directions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Uttarakhand-based Nainital Bank has about 150 branches across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Indian film RRR bags two Golden Globe Award nominations: SS Rajamouli-directed period movie ‘RRR’ has been nominated in two categories at the Golden Globe Awards to be held in January 2023. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has nominated ‘RRR’. The film has been nominated in two categories for Best Non-English Language Film and the film’s song ‘Naatu-Naatu’ for Best Original Song. Recently, director SS Rajamouli has also received the New York Film Critics Circle Best Director Award for the film. RRR is the only Indian film to make the final five out of a clutch of other entries from India, among them Gangubai Kathiawadi, Kantara and Chhello Show.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India-Kazakhstan joint training exercise 'KAZIND-22' begins today: The 6th edition of India-Kazakhstan joint training exercise 'KAZIND-22' has been conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya from 15 to 28 December 2022. The Joint annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army was instituted in 2016 as Exercise Prabal Dostyk. In 2018, this exercise was upgraded to a company level exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind. This joint exercise enables the two armies to train, plan and execute a series of combined tactical drills for neutralising threats. The 6th edition of Indo - Kazakhstan joint training exercise -KAZIND-22 will be conducted at Umroi (Meghalaya) from tomorrow.

The Defence Ministry said, the exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army which will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.

 

 

 

 

 

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Daily GK Update- 14th Dec, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. National Energy Conservation Day 2022: 14th December: The Ministry of Power has organised an event to celebrate the National Energy Conservation Day in New Delhi on 14th Dec, 2022. Aim: To showcase the achievements of the nation in energy efficiency and conservation. President Droupadi Murmu is the Chief Guest of the event and has felicitated the winners of the National Energy Conservation and National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards.

During the event, the she has also launched EV Yatra Portal and Mobile application.

Addressing the National Energy Conservation Day celebrations in New Delhi today, the President said that India's per capita emission is less than one-third of the world's average emission, which reflects its strong commitment towards conserving the environment.

 

2. PM to participate in Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has participated in the inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav held in Ahmedabad on 14th December, 2022. It will be a month-long celebration which will take place from 15th December 2022 to 15th January 2023 in Ahmedabad. The festival was hosted by BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Shahibaug.

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha was established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will participate in the inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav on 14th December, 2022 at 5:30 PM in Ahmedabad. His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a guide and guru who touched countless lives across India and the world. He was widely respected and admired as a great spiritual leader. His life was dedicated to the service of spirituality and humanity. As the leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, he inspired countless cultural, social and spiritual initiatives, providing comfort and care to millions.

 

3. Home ministry set up committee to look into demand for ‘Frontier Nagaland’: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a special committee to look into the demands of a separate state for the member tribes of the Eastern Nagaland People's Organization (ENPO).

The committee will be headed by the Advisor of the Ministry of Home Affairs, A K Mishra.

The committee also includes Mr Mandeep Singh Tull (Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau) and A K Dhyani (Director of the North East Division of MHA).

 

4. UIDAI topped the Grievance Redressal Index for the fourth consecutive month in November: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been awarded the first rank among all group A ministries, departments, and autonomous bodies for resolution of public grievances for the fourth month in a row in November. The rankings report is published by the department of administrative reforms and public grievances (DARPG) for November 2022.

This is the fourth month in a row when UIDAI has topped the said rankings. UIDAI’s new Open-Source CRM (customer relationship management) system is enhancing user experience and improving service delivery to the residents.

This system has the capability to support multiple channels like phone call, e-mail, chatbot, web portal, social media, letter, and walk-in through which the grievances can be registered, tracked and resolved effectively. UIDAI is constantly working to facilitate “ease of living” for residents and is further committed to strengthen its Grievance Redressal Mechanism towards an even more efficient service delivery.

 

5. 8th India International Science Festival to be held in Bhopal in January 2023: The eighth edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Bhopal in January 2023.

Objective – To celebrate the country’s achievements in the field of science, technology and innovation. 14 events will be organized during the four-day event beginning January 21 at the Maulana Azad Institute of Technology, Bhopal. ISF is the initiative of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Science of Government of India in association with Vijnana Bharati which is a science movement with swadeshi spirit led by eminent scientists of the country. The IISF 2022 is the eighth edition since its inception in 2015. The 1st and 2nd IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai, 4th in Lucknow, 5th in Kolkata, 6th through virtual mode and 7th one in Goa.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Jeremy Farrar appointed as new chief scientist of World Health Organisation: Jeremy Farrar (74) has been appointed as a new chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) and will join WHO in the second quarter of 2023. He has replaced Soumya Swaminathan, who had served as chief scientist from 2019 to 2022. Role: To ensure that WHO, its member states and our partners benefit from cutting-edge, life-saving science and innovations Presently, he is serving as the Director of the Wellcome Trust. WHO DG: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that Jeremy Farrar will become its new chief scientist as the agency prepares to cope with post-pandemic health challenges. Currently, Director of the Wellcome Trust, Dr Farrar will join WHO in the second quarter of 2023.

 

2. India, Finland sign joint declaration of Intent on migration and mobility: India has signed a joint declaration of Intent with Finland on migration and mobility between the two countries.

It was signed by V. Muraleedharan (Mos, External Affairs) and Tuula Haatainen (Minster of Employment of Finland). Aim: To facilitate the mobility of researchers, and professionals and to combat irregular migration. The declaration underlines the resolve of both countries to work jointly towards developing a common framework of arrangement and cooperation. India and Finland have signed a joint declaration of Intent on migration and mobility to arrive at a mutually beneficial arrangement on migration and mobility between the two countries.

 

3. New Zealand passes world's first law to ban smoking for future generation: New Zealand has passed a new anti-smoking laws, which banned the future generation of NZ from purchasing tobacco. This law has banned the selling tobacco to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009 and punishable by fines up to NZ$150,000 ($95,910). The ban will remain in place for a person’s whole life. It will also reduce the amount of nicotine, that allowed in smoked tobacco products. Retailers licensed to sell tobacco will be cut to 600 by the end of 2023 from 6,000.

"Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives, and the health system will be NZ$5 billion (US$3.2 billion) better off from not needing to treat the illnesses caused by smoking," Dr. Verralladded.

4. France host conference "Standing with the Ukrainian People": France has hosted an International conference "Standing with the Ukrainian People" in Paris on 13th December 2022. Aim: To coordinate international support for civilian resilience in Ukraine and address the Ukrainian people's urgent humanitarian needs. The conference was organised at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron and co-organised with Ukraine. The conference was virtually attended by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. France to host International conference "Standing with the Ukrainian People" in Paris

 

5. 14 December – International Energy Day: India celebrates National Energy Conservation Day on December 14. Objective – To raise awareness of the value of energy and the need to conserve it by using less of it. The day is dedicated to advocating initiatives to conserve energy resources and raising public awareness of global warming and climate change. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), established under the Union Ministry of Power, has been organizing the National Energy Conservation Day since 1991.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Messi announced retirement after Qatar FIFA 2022: Argentina football player, Lionel Messi has confirmed that he will retire after the FIFA World Cup 2022 final on December 18. He is playing at his fifth World Cup (FIFA 2022) and has surpassed Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano. With his fifth goal in Qatar FIFA 2022, he has also surpassed Gabriel Batistuta as the top Albiceleste scorer at World Cups, netting 11 times. He led Argentina to the final in the 2014 edition as well.

 

2. Jos Buttler & Sidra Ameen won ICC Player of Month Awards for November 2022: England captain Jos Buttler has been named ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for November 2022 for his brilliant performance in the crunch semi-final match against India and for leading England to their first T20 World Cup title since 2010. Buttler beat Adil Rashid and Shaheen Shah Afridi to win the ICC Player of the Month award.

While Pakistan’s opening batter, Sidra Ameen became the second successive winner of the women’s Player of the Month award from the country, thanks to her brilliant performance in the ODI series win over Ireland.

 

3. Hyderabad Strikers crowned as champions of Tennis Premier League 2022: Hyderabad Strikers crowned as champions of 4th Tennis Premier League (TPL) 2022. The final of the 4th TPL was held in Pune, Maharashtra. The final score of the Hyderabad Strikers was 41-32 and was crowned champions of the event for the 2nd year in a row. Hyderabad’s pair S. Balaji and Nikki Poonacha defeated Mumbai’s R. Ramanathan and J. Nedunnchezhiyan 14-6 to win the title. The TPL Plus, the grassroots league of the Tennis Premier League that allows young tennis athletes a platform to learn from international and Indian stars was won by Mumbai Leon Army.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Canara HSBC Life Insurance launches new savings cum investment plan: Canara HSBC Life Insurance has launched new 'Guaranteed Fortune Plan', a non-linked, non-participating individual savings scheme. It offers life cover and a lump sum amount on outliving the policy term. The product was launched in two variants: (1) Guaranteed Savings Option, and (2) Guaranteed Cash Back Option The first option provides a lump sum on outliving the policy term.

The second option offers customers guaranteed cashback at the end of every fifth policy year.

According to the Canara HSBC Life Insurance, the first option provides a lump sum on outliving the policy term. The second option offers customers guaranteed cashback at the end of every fifth policy year, with an opportunity to defer the amount till maturity or withdraw it earlier.

 

2. Bank of Baroda board to divestment majority stake in Nainital Bank: The board of directors of the Bank of Baroda has approved the divestment of its majority shareholding in Nainital Bank Limited (NBL). Presently, the bank holds 98.57% of the total equity share capital Nainital Bank Limited. The Bank of Baroda had taken over Nainital Bank in 1973 on the directions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Nainital Bank has about 150 branches across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan.

 

3. WPI inflation declines to 21-month low at 5.85% in November 2022: According to the recent data, the Wholesale price inflation (WPI) for November 2022 has hit a 21-month low and reduced to 5.85% from 8.39% in October 2022. On a yearly basis, WPI inflation went down from 14.87% in November 2021 to 5.85 per cent in November 2022. Reason: To fall in prices of food items, basic metals, textiles, chemicals and chemical products, and paper and paper products compared to the same period last year.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Tennis player, Iga Swiatek named 2022 WTA Player of the Year: Polish tennis player, Iga Swiatek (World No.1) has been selected for the 2022 WTA Player of the Year by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). While, Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) and Katerina Siniakova  (Czech Republic) have been named the WTA 2022 Doubles Team of the Year.

Other awardees:

·       Most Improved Player of the Year: Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazilian)

·       Newcomer of the Year: Zheng Qinwen (Chinese)

·       Comeback Player of the Year: Tatjana Maria (German)

Pegula reached the Mutua Madrid Open finals for the first time in her career and won the Guadalajara Open Akron, in addition to reaching the quarterfinals of three of the four Grand Slams.

 

2. SpiceJet awarded ‘Safety Performer of the Year’ award by Delhi airport: SpiceJet has been awarded the ‘Safety Performer of the Year’ award by GMR Delhi Airport Awards for being the top performer among the self-handling airlines. Its ground handling team at Delhi Airport achieved this performance through constant focus on quality improvements, innovation and hard work. Recently, the airline was audited by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and its operations, safety processes, and systems were found to be strong and at par with the global best practices and safety standards.

 

3. Venkaiah Naidu conferred with SIES Award for public leadership: Former vice president Venkaiah Naidu has been conferred with the 25th Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award (SIES). Other awardees in various categories included the Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan, eminent industrialist Ratan Tata, renowned cardiologist and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valianathan, Scientific Advisor to the Government of India Ajay Sood and famous Harikatha artiste Vishakha Hari. The awards are given in the fields of public leadership, community leadership, science and technology, and social thinkers who have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields.The awards were instituted by the South Indian Education Society in 1998 in memory of the late Seer of Kanchi, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Poland’s only cosmonaut Mirosław Hermaszewski passed away: Poland’s only cosmonaut Gen Mirosław Hermaszewski passed away recently at the age of 81.Hermaszewski circled the Earth in a Soviet spacecraft in 1978. For nine days in June and July 1978, he and Soviet cosmonaut Pyotr Klimuk circled the Earth in the Soyuz 30 spaceship that docked at the Salyut 6 orbital space station. They went around the globe 126 times. He was the 89th human to reach outer space. He was a part of manned space flight for the USSR on June 27, 1978.