Daily GK Update- 17th Dec, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. AIIMS Delhi campus declared ‘tobacco-free zone’: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi premises have been declared as a “Tobacco Free Zone”. Smoking and spitting of tobacco on the premises of AIIMS Delhi are prohibited and are a punishable offence with a fine of Rs 200. The Director AIIMS has issued guidelines in this regard and mentioned the risk factor for leading causes of death and a number of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) including cancers, and lung disorders. Tobacco is a prominent risk factor for leading causes of death and a number of non-communicable diseases (NCD), including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and lung disorders. AIIMS New Delhi was established in 1956 and is under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

 

2. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kaam Karyakram PMKKK renamed as PMVIKAS Scheme: The central government has renamed the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) PM VIKAS aims to improve the livelihoods of the minorities, particularly the artisan communities, using the components of skill development, education, women leadership & entrepreneurship. This integrated scheme amalgamates the five earlier schemes of the Ministry – Seekho aur Kamao, Ustad, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil. The scheme has been approved by the cabinet for the period of the 15th Finance Commission.

 

3. 8th India International Science Festival 2022 to be held in Bhopal: The eighth edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2022 will be held in Bhopal In January 2023. The IISF 2022 is the eighth edition since its inception in 2015. Objective -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 organized during the four-day event beginning January 21 at the Maulana Azad Institute of Technology, Bhopal. The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai, the fourth one in Lucknow, fifth in Kolkata, sixth through virtual mode and the last one IISF was held in Goa.

 

4. 48th GST Council meeting held in New Delhi: The 48th GST Council meeting was held in New Delhi. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the meeting. Tax rates, rules, and regulations under GST are governed by the Council, which consists of the Finance minister, and her counterparts. The GST Council agreed to decriminalize certain offences and doubled the threshold for launching prosecution to ₹2 crore. The Council has recommended to raise the minimum threshold of tax amount for launching prosecution under GST from Rs. One Crore to Rs. Two Crores, except for the offence of issuance of invoices without supply of goods or services or both.

Monetary threshold will be increased, from the current Rs 5 crore to Rs 20 crore, for launching legal proceedings against offenders.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India announced candidature for UNSC membership for 2028-29 term: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar announced the candidature of India for non-permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-29 term. India assumed the monthly rotating Presidency of the UNSC in December. This is the second time India got the Presidency after holding the top spot in August 2021. India has presided over the Security Council during its two-year tenure as an elected member. UNSC rules of procedure say that the Council presidency rotates between each of the 15 members of the UNSC in alphabetical order.

 

2. Leo Varadkar re-elected as Prime Minister of Ireland: Indian-Origin Leo Varadkar has been re-elected as the Prime Minister of Ireland in line with a coalition deal struck in 2020. Varadkar replaced Micheal Martin as Taoiseach (premier) in a rotation between his Fine Gael and Martin’s Fianna Fail parties. He was born in Dublin to an Irish mother who worked as a nurse and an Indian immigrant father, who was a qualified doctor. He became the country’s youngest Taoiseach at the age of 38 as well as its first openly gay head of government and first of Indian heritage. In 2007, he secured the election for Fine Gael in Dublin West.

 

3. Iran Removed From UN Commission on the Status of Women: Iran has been expelled from the United Nation’s Commission on the Status of Women (UNW) in a vote on which India abstained. The US proposal at the UN Economic and Social Council to remove Iran from the panel received 29 votes, while there were eight votes against and 16 abstentions in the 54-member elected body. Mahsa Amin who died after being held by “morality police” in September. Her death sparked the protests, during which, “government security forces have reportedly detained and tortured thousands of people, killed hundreds of peaceful protestors, and badly injured many more. Men supporting women in the streets are now being targeted with the death penalty.

The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was established in 1946, and has become instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Its 45 members are elected by ECOSOC, based on equitable geographical distribution, and serve for four years.

 

4. New York, Singapore most expensive cities, List of top universities and tuition fees: New York and Singapore are the most expensive cities in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Worldwide Cost of Living Index for this year. For many students, pursuing higher education in New York has long been a dream. Students will be exposed to the rich culture and way of life of the Big Apple while studying there, which will open up various job prospects. Ivy League institutions like Cornell University and Columbia University are located in New York.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Neeraj Chopra becomes the most written-about athlete in 2022: Tokyo Olympics gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (India) has the most written-about track and field athlete in 2022, displacing the Jamaican legend Usain Bolt from the top lists. World Athletics said that in 2022, Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra displaced the charismatic Bolt, who is still the world record holder in the 100m and 200m despite retiring in 2017. Chopra leads the way with 812 articles ahead of a troika of Jamaican women sprint stars, Elaine Thompson-Herah, with 751 articles, world 100m champion Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (698) and world 200m champion Shericka Jackson (679), with Bolt still featuring in 574 articles. Neeraj Chopra also became the first athlete from India to win the Diamond League final this year.

 

2. India won blind T20 cricket world cup for 3rd consecutive times: India defeated Bangladesh by 120 runs in the final to win the 3rd T20 World Cup for Blind played at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It was the third title for India having won it in 2012 and 2017. All three T20 World Cup for Blind has been hosted by India. India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Australia, Bangladesh, and South Africa competed in the tournament. The Pakistan team was denied a visa by the Indian government. It was organized by the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI). The 4th T20 World Cup for Blind will be held in Pakistan in 2023.

 

3. Rehan Ahmed Becomes England’s youngest Cricketer to Debut in Test Cricket: Rehan Ahmed becomes England’s youngest-ever Test Cricketer to debut in the final match between Pakistan and England. Rehan Ahmed will be 18 years and 126 days old when the match begins. Till now, Brian Close, who was 18 years and 149 days old, was the youngest player in England during the New Zealand vs England match in 1949. Ben Stokes announced the debut of Rehan Ahmed in the Final match of England vs Pakistan. Rehan Ahmed beats Brian Close for being the youngest cricketer to debut for England in Test Cricket. Rehan Ahmed is 18 years and 126 days old.

 

 

 

 

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. TPG to acquire Poonawalla housing finance: US-headquartered private equity major TPG Capital wraps the deal with Poonawalla Fincorp to acquire 100 percent stake in its housing finance arm. The transaction is sized at ₹3,900 crore. TPG Capital will deploy ₹1,000 crore into Poonawalla Housing Finance as part of its capital infusion commitment. In May, Poonawalla Fincorp’s board had approved a capital raise permitting an equity dilution by the promoter of up to 15 percent in the housing finance company. However, with limited interest, Poonawalla Fincorp started exploring a complete exit from the business by July. The existing management team led by ManishJaiswal will continue to carry out the operations. PHFL currently has over 153 branches spread across 20 states. The group had planned for value unlocking for the housing finance business with an IPO planned in 2025.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Nation Pays Tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on His Death Anniversary: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union Ministers paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 71st death anniversary. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, known as the “Iron Man of India,” was born in Nadiad village in present-day Gujarat on October 31, 1875. In India’s freedom struggle, he was a political and freedom leader. He is known as the Iron Man of India because of his strong views on the union of princely states into one nation, his good attitude toward women’s emancipation, and his active participation in shaping India into what it is now. Vallabhbhai Patel was given the title of ‘Sardar’ by Mahatma Gandhi. In 1991, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna. Since 2014, his birthday has been celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day). Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel joined the princely kingdoms in British Indian territory, preventing India from becoming divided.

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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