Daily GK Update- 22nd Jan, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Centre released endorsement guidelines for Social Media Influencers: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution has released ‘Endorsements Know-hows!’ guidelines for celebrities, influencers, and virtual influencers on social media platforms.

Aim: To ensure that individuals do not mislead their audiences. It also ensures that they are in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act 2019. Endorsements must be made in simple terms such as "advertisement," "sponsored," or "paid promotion" can be used.

 

2. Indian Embassy in Kathmandu organised 5 km marathon 'Run for Life': Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has organized a 5 km marathon 'Run for Life' from Pashupatinath Temple premises in Nepal. 2023 Theme: lifestyle for Environment It was participated by college-going students, rescued human trafficking victims, sports persons, health enthusiasts, medics, and children. The Run for life marathon celebrates 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and Nepal as well as 75 years of India’s Independence. The Marathon winner was awarded a gold medal

 

3. AIF inaugurated India’s First STEM Innovation and Learning Center: The American India Foundation (AIF) has inaugurated India’s first STEM Innovation and Learning Center (SILC) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was inaugurated under the scheme of Vanavil Mandram. AIF is an award-winning flagship education Program 'Digital Equalizer (DE)'. It has designed the Center to be a one-stop solution for STEM among students and teachers. AIF's DE has also launched Drone and Satellite Launch Vehicle (DSLV) Mission on the occasion.

 

4. India’s deepest metro station to be built at Pune Civil Court: The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) has announced that the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) will inspect a stretch of the Pune Metro in February, and clearances are expected in March. This line features India’s deepest underground station, which will be ready in a few months at the Civil Court and measures 33.1 metres (108.59 feet) in depth. It will be used as an interchange facility for an underground station on the Pimpri-Chinchwad-Swargate route and one elevated route on Vanaz-Ramwadi route and Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar line. This underground station’s ceiling is 95 feet high and was constructed to receive direct sunshine or natural light.

It is also the largest station in the Pune Metro network, spanning 11.17 acres and featuring various access and exit locations.

 

5. Brand Guardianship Index 2023: Mukesh Ambani No1 among Indians: Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani has been ranked second globally and top among Indians in Brand Guardianship Index 2023, compiled by Brand Finance. The Brand Guardianship Index is a global recognition of CEOs, who are building business value in a sustainable manner, by balancing the needs of all stakeholders – employees, investors, and the wider society. The Brand Guardianship Index 2023 saw the rise of Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang, and Mukesh Ambani of Reliance to 1st and 2nd position, respectively. They both now rank above last year’s leader Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, who now sits in the 3rd place. He is also the 9th richest person in the world, as per the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. Ambani has ranked ahead of global majors like Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Apple’s Tim Cook and Tencent’s Huateng Ma, and fellow Indians such as N Chandrasekaran of Tata Group, Anand Mahindra, Sunil Bharti Mittal, among many others.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Egypt president Abdel Fattah El Sisi to be chief guest at Republic Day celebrations: Egypt President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations. This is for the first time that the president of Egypt has been invited as chief guest on our Republic Day 2023.

A 180-member strong military contingent from the Egyptian army will also participate in the Republic Day parade. President el-Sisi is scheduled to visit India from 24 January to 26 January, during which he will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attend the Republic Day celebrations and interact with the business community. The Egyptian president previously visited India in October 2015 to participate in the third India-Africa Forum Summit, which was followed by a state visit in September 2016. A commemorative stamp marking 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and Egypt will be released during his visit.

 

2. Global Fire Power Index 2023: India ranked 4th; topped by US: Global Firepower Index is a rating of the military forces of all countries on the planet. The Index ranks the countries based on their potential military strength. India is ranked fourth in the index. The Global Firepower Index ranked 145 countries. The most powerful country in the world is the United States of America, followed by Russia, China, and India. Turkey has once again emerged as the most powerful country in the Middle East and North African region. Turkey has been placed at the 11th position in the global ranking. Egypt is ranked 14th and Iran is ranked 17th in the global ranking. Egypt is ranked as the most powerful Arab country in terms of its military power. Saudi Arabia emerged as the most powerful country among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Saudi Arabia has the second most powerful military among the Arab countries. It is placed at the 22nd position in the global ranking. Algeria is the most powerful of the North African countries, ranking 26th on the global index. While Lebanon has been described as the weakest country in the Middle East. Top 10 Countries on Global Power Index 2023

 

3. Pakistan is South Asia’s weakest economy: World Bank report: World Bank forecast Pakistan’s economic growth to slow further to two percent during 2023. This will mark a drop of two percentage points from its June 2022 estimates, according to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report. The reason behind this is unprecedented floods, depleting forex reserves, food shortages, and poverty. It forecast Pakistan’s GDP growth rate to improve to 3.2% in 2024, which would be lower than earlier estimate of 4.2%.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Thai shuttler Kunlavut Vitidsarn wins India Open Badminton title 2023: Thailand badminton player, Kunlavut Vitidsarn won the India Open title 2023 after defeating Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) in the men's singles of the India Open Badminton Championship, held at K. D. Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. While An Seyoung (Korean) won the Women's singles final after defeating Japanese Akane Yamaguchi.

Other winners (doubles):

·       Men's: Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang (China)

·       Women's: Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida (Japan)

 

2. FIH Partners with JSP Foundation for Hockey Development and Men’s World Cup: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has signed a partnership with JSP Foundation for its development programs and FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela as a Global Partner. FIH will be working closely with JSP Foundation for some of its key initiatives for hockey development. JSP Foundation is the social arm of Jindal Steel & Power.

Chairperson of JSP Foundation:  Shallu Jindal President of International Hockey Federation: Tayyab Ikram

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Canara Bank to sell its stake in Russian joint venture to SBI for Rs 114 cr: Canara Bank would sell its stake in the Russian joint venture 'Commercial Indo Bank LLC (CIBL)' to the other venture partner State Bank of India (SBI) for Rs 114 crore (approx). CIBL was incorporated in 2003, a joint venture in Russia between SBI (60%) and Canara Bank (40%). Canara Bank has entered into a share sale agreement in relation to the sale of equity shares held by it in CIBL with SBI.

The Canara Bank entered into the agreement for sale on November 11, 2022.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Dr Prabha Atre awarded Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia Lifetime Achievement Award: Padma Vibhushan awardee, Dr. Prabha Atre was awarded the Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was conferred by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to her, at a function at Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan in Mumbai. She was also presented with a citation and Rs 1 lakh. She is an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana Gharana. The Government of India has awarded her Padma Shri (1990), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2022).

 

2. Indian films bag award for best scriptwriter and best actress at 21st DIFF: Two Indian films were awarded for the best script writer and best actress in the Asian Film Competition section at the 21st Dhaka International Film Festival organized from 14-22 Jan 2023. Aparajito (directed by: Anik Dutta) won the best scriptwriting award. Ketaki Narayan won the best actress award for Prappeda (directed by: Krishnendu Kalesh).

·       Best Actor: Japanese Ikkei Watanabe (for Nakodo- Matchmakers)

·       Best Director: Iranian Ali Ghavitan (for Zendegi va Zendegi)

Daily GK Update- 21st Jan, 2023

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi attends All India Conference of DGs and IGs of Police 2022 in Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended All India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police 2022 in New Delhi. It is a three-day conference which was inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah.Conference held discussions on futuristic themes in policing and security, Cyber Crime, Technology in Policing, Counter Terrorism challenges, Left Wing Extremism, Capacity Building, and Prison Reforms.

 

2. Business20 (B20) inception meet to be organized at Gandhinagar, Gujarat: Business20 (B20) inception meeting will be held at Gandhinagar in Gujarat between January 22-24 as a part of India’s G 20 presidency. It will be held to formulate policy recommendations to be submitted to G20 ahead of the leaders' summit and will be the first of 15 events that the state is set to organize as part of India's G20 presidency. More than 150 policymakers, business executives, CEOs, and senior executives will take part in the inaugural meeting.

 

3. Egypt president Abdel Fattah El Sisi to be chief guest at Republic Day celebrations: Egypt President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations. This is for the first time that the president of Egypt has been invited as chief guest on our Republic Day 2023.

A 180-member strong military contingent from the Egyptian army will also participate in the Republic Day parade. President el-Sisi is scheduled to visit India from 24 January to 26 January, during which he will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attend the Republic Day celebrations and interact with the business community. The Egyptian president previously visited India in October 2015 to participate in the third India-Africa Forum Summit, which was followed by a state visit in September 2016. A commemorative stamp marking 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and Egypt will be released during his visit.

 

4. India’s deepest metro station to be built at Pune Civil Court: The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) has announced that the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) will inspect a stretch of the Pune Metro in February, and clearances are expected in March. This line features India’s deepest underground station, which will be ready in a few months at the Civil Court and measures 33.1 metres (108.59 feet) in depth. It will be used as an interchange facility for an underground station on the Pimpri-Chinchwad-Swargate route and one elevated route on Vanaz-Ramwadi route and Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar line. This underground station’s ceiling is 95 feet high and was constructed to receive direct sunshine or natural light. It is also the largest station in the Pune Metro network, spanning 11.17 acres and featuring various access and exit locations.

 

5. Odisha CM inaugurated ‘International Craft Summit’: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated an ‘International Craft Summit’ in Jajpur, Odisha. This first-of-its-kind craft summit features pioneering craftspeople, culture, and art enthusiasts. International delegates from 15 countries have arrived in Jajpur to engage with local artisans and other stakeholders.Four UN agencies and five UNESCO Creative Cities have partnered with the District to realize this ambitious and forward-looking event on behalf of the State Government.

 

6. IIT Madras developed Indigenous Mobile Operating System ‘BharOS’: IIT Madras incubated firm has developed an Indigenous Mobile Operating Shystem named ‘BharOS’. The OS is claimed to be a significant contribution towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and is said to offer a secure environment for users. JandK Operations Private Limited (JandKops) – a non-profit organization established by IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, has developed BharOS. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS), fund the Foundation. BharOS provides access to trusted apps from organization-specific Private App Store Services (PASS). A PASS provides access to a curated list of apps that have been thoroughly screened and have met certain security and privacy standards of organizations. This means users can be confident that the apps they are installing are safe to use and have been checked for any potential security vulnerabilities or privacy concerns. At present, BharOS services are being provided to organizations that have stringent privacy and security requirements, and whose users handle sensitive information and require access to private cloud services through private 5G networks. Director of IIT Madras – Prof. V. Kamakoti

 

7. 21 January – Foundation Day of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura: The Statehood Day of Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura is celebrated on January 21. This year marks the 51st foundation year for the three states which attained statehood under the North Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act of 1971. Manipur became a part of India from 15 October 1949 after the merger treaty on 21 September 1949. Manipur was made a Union Territory in 1956. Tripura was a princely state until its merger with the Indian Union on 15 November 1949. After the death of Bir Bikram Singh, the last Maharaja of Tripura on 17 May 1947, Maharani Kanchan Prabha (wife of Maharaja Bir Bikram) represented the state of Tripura and merged it with India.

The rulers of the Garo and Khasi regions acceded to the Indian Union in the year 1947. Meghalaya was created as an autonomous state within Assam under the Assam Reorganization (Meghalaya) Act of 1969.

 

8. 19 January – National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Day: the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrates 18th National Disaster Response Force day on 19 January 2023. It was formed in the year 2006 under the Disaster Management Act of 2005. It plays a crucial role in the country’s disaster management and community awareness for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). NDRF at present consists of 12 Battalions. These battalions are located at 16 different locations on the basis of the vulnerability profile. The NDRF is the primary agency responsible for conducting rescue operations during disasters like drowning, building collapses, landslides, devastating floods, earthquakes, and cyclones.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ex-SC judge AK Sikri appointed Administrator of Shooting World Cup 2023: Former Supreme Court judge Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri has been appointed as the administrator of Shooting World Cup 2023 by Delhi High Court He has been appointed to oversee the utilization of funds for the upcoming International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India in March. ISSF is the governing body of Olympic shooting events in rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines, and of several non-Olympic shooting sport events.

 

2. Mukesh Ambani ranks 2nd among top 100 CEOs globally: Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has been ranked second on Brand Finance’s list of the world’s top CEOs. Top performer of Brand Guardianship Index 2023: Jensen Huang (Nvidia CEO). The Index was released annually by brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance, celebrates CEOs who balance the needs of commercial success with long-term brand building and personal reputation management. Satya Nadella has been slipped to 3rd place, followed by Sundar Pichai.

 

3. Chris Hipkins will replace Jacinda Ardern as prime minister of New Zealand: New Zealand’s police and education minister Chris Hipkins (44 years) will replace Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister after emerging as the only candidate nominated to lead the ruling Labour Party. He was first elected to parliament for the Labour Party in 2008 and was later being appointed minister for COVID-19 in November 2020. New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and is the sixth-largest island country by area. Capital: Wellington

 

4. G20's Environment and Climate Sustainability Meet to be held in Feb: First Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group Meeting of G20 will be held from 9th to 11th Feb in Kalkere Arboretum and Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bengaluru Aim: promotion of the blue economy along with coastal sustainability, restoration of degraded lands and ecosystems, enhancement of biodiversity and circular economy Conference focused on Master Planning and Building the National Capacity for species Management & Conservation Breeding

 

5. UNESCO dedicates International Day of Education to Afghan girls and women: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has decided to dedicate the International Day of Education, which is to be held on 24th January, 2023 to Afghan girls and women. According to UNESCO, currently, around 80% of school-aged Afghan girls and young women are out of school under the Taliban rule, as they denied them access to secondary schools and universities. UNESCO will also publish a global report, 2023 SDG4 Scorecard

 

6. Co-founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings steps down as CEO: Netflix Inc co-founder Reed Hastings is stepping down as chief executive officer (CEO), handing the reins of the streaming service to longtime partner and co-CEO Ted Sarandos and the company's chief operating officer, Greg Peters. He had co-founded Netflix as a DVD-by-mail business in 1997, saying the idea came from his frustration at having returned a rental of Apollo 13 to the local Blockbuster, a chain of physical stores in the US from where movies could be rented.

 

7. Global Fire Power Index 2023: India ranked 4th; topped by US: Global Firepower Index is a rating of the military forces of all countries on the planet. The Index ranks the countries based on their potential military strength. India is ranked fourth in the index. The Global Firepower Index ranked 145 countries. The most powerful country in the world is the United States of America, followed by Russia, China, and India. Turkey has once again emerged as the most powerful country in the Middle East and North African region. Turkey has been placed at the 11th position in the global ranking. Egypt is ranked 14th and Iran is ranked 17th in the global ranking. Egypt is ranked as the most powerful Arab country in terms of its military power. Saudi Arabia emerged as the most powerful country among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Saudi Arabia has the second most powerful military among the Arab countries. It is placed at the 22nd position in the global ranking. Algeria is the most powerful of the North African countries, ranking 26th on the global index. While Lebanon has been described as the weakest country in the Middle East. Top 10 Countries on Global Power Index 2023

 

8. Pakistan is South Asia’s weakest economy: World Bank report: World Bank forecast Pakistan’s economic growth to slow further to two percent during 2023. This will mark a drop of two percentage points from its June 2022 estimates, according to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report. The reason behind this is unprecedented floods, depleting forex reserves, food shortages, and poverty. It forecast Pakistan’s GDP growth rate to improve to 3.2% in 2024, which would be lower than earlier estimate of 4.2%.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Hashim Amla announced retirement from all forms of cricket: South Africa cricketer Hashim Amla has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He last played for Surrey in the County Championship 2022 and helped them win the title as well. The right-handed batter had already retired from international cricket after the World Cup in 2019. Hashim Amla, South Africa’s second-highest Test run-scorer of all time. He scored 9282 runs in 124 Tests, second only to Jacques Kallis, hit 27 ODI hundreds, and scored a total of 18672 runs in all formats for South Africa. He became the first and only South African batsman to score a triple century in Test Cricket.

 

 

 

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI General Insurance collaborates with HP Police and Doers NGO: SBI General Insurance has partnered with Doers NGO to assist Himachal Pradesh police in reducing the number of traffic accidents under the Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. Under this, SBI General has donated a well-equipped ambulance which would provide timely medical care to the road accident victims in Mandi district within the ‘Golden hour’. MD & CEO of SBI General Insurance: Kishore Kumar Poludasu.

 

2. LIC launched Jeevan Azad limited premium payment plan: The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has launched Jeevan Azad (Plan No. 868) to offer an attractive combination of protection and savings. It is a limited-period premium payment plan that offers financial support for the family in case of unfortunate death of the life assured during the policy term. If the LIC policyholder survives the maturity term, then the plan offers a guaranteed base sum-assured amount. The minimum age of entry is 90 days completed and the maximum age at entry is 50 years.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Goa Manohar International Airport wins Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport Award: A subsidiary of GMR Airports Infrastructure, GMR Goa International Airport (GGIAL) has won the ‘Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport’ award under aviation sustainability and environment at ASSOCHAM’s 14th International Conference-cum-Awards for Civil Aviation 2023. The award was presented for “outstanding initiatives” taken by Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) in implementing sustainability. The criteria of awards are contribution, innovativeness, applicability, relevance and impact potential in their respective areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Goa Manohar International Airport on 11 December 2022.

Daily GK Update- 20th Jan, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. IIT Madras develops BharOS - India's Indigenous Mobile Operating System: IIT Madras incubated firm has developed an Indigenous Mobile Operating System named 'BharOS'.

About BharOS:

·       It can be installed on commercial off-the-shelf handsets.

·       It provides access to trusted apps from organization-specific Private App Store Services (PASS).

·       It comes with No Default Apps (NDA), which means that users are not forced to use apps that they may not be familiar with or that they may not trust.

·       Developed by: JandK Operations Private Limited

 

2. "Vigyanika — Science Literature Festival" event to be held in IISF, Bhopal: A Science Literature Festival 'Vigyanika' will be organized from 22-23 January 2023 at the Indian International Science Festival (IISF), Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal. “Science Literature Festival” is being organized as part of the 8th IISF. In 2023, IISF is being coordinated and organized by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Ministry of Science & Technology, and Vijnana Bharati.

 

3. Aero India 2023 to begin in Bengaluru from 13-17 February: The 14th edition of Aero India 2023 will be held at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru from 13-17 February 2023. This event will be a combination of the major trade exhibition of the aerospace and defence industries as well as an aerial display by IAF. It will also be participated by global leaders and big investors in the aerospace industry. This platform provides a unique opportunity for the exchange of information, and new developments in the aviation industry.

 

4. India announced 100 million Maldivian Rufiyaa for development projects: During the visit to Maldives, EAM S Jaishankar has announced an additional grant of 100 Million Maldivian Rufiyaa for community development projects in Maldives. He also witnessed an MoU between Maldivian National University and Kochi University of Science & Technology. The agreement included grant assistance of 100 million rufiyaa (Maldives’ currency) for the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP). He has also announced that India has handed over two sea ambulances to help the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). India has completed 23 out of 45 impactful community development projects.

 

5. Hyderabad selected to host WEF Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The World Economic Forum (WEF) has chosen Hyderabad to set up its Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution focused on healthcare and life sciences. This will be the only centre in India thematically focused on healthcare and life sciences. The announcement was made at the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos. The centre will be an autonomous, non-profit organization, leading on policy and governance for healthcare and life sciences. The Telangana government and the World Economic Forum signed a collaboration agreement during the Davos meeting. C4IR Telangana is the 18th centre to join the World Economic Forum’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Network, which spans four continents. Telangana is known as the vaccine centre of the world and produces one-third of all vaccines produced globally.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Meta's WhatsApp fined $5.95 million by lead EU privacy regulator: WhatsApp, a subsidiary of Meta' was fined 5.5 million euros ($5.95 million) by the Data Privacy Commissioner (DPC) of Ireland for an additional breach of the EU's privacy laws. The DPC acts as the EU's lead privacy regulator for Meta. The DPC has issued a similar order to Meta's other main platforms, Facebook and Instagram, which stated Meta must reassess the legal basis upon which it targets advertising through the use of personal data.

 

2. TCS, Infosys rank among the most valuable IT services brands globally: According to Brand Finance’s rankings for 2023, four Indian companies have been featured in the list of the world’s top 10 most valuable IT service brands. Four Indian companies are TCS (2), Infosys (3), HCLTech (8), and Wipro (9). While Accenture has succeeded in retaining its position as the most valuable IT services brand for the fifth consecutive year. While IBM ranked fourth followed by Capgemini, NTT Data, Cognizant.

 

3. NASA’s Geotail mission operations sign off after 30 years: The joint mission operations of the NASA-JAXA, Geotail spacecraft have signed off after 30 years in orbit. Reason: Failure of the spacecraft’s remaining data recorder. This mission was launched on July 24, 1992. Geotail orbited Earth had gathered an immense dataset on the structure and dynamics of the magnetosphere, Earth’s protective magnetic bubble. It was originally slated for a four-year run, but the mission was extended due to its high-quality data return.

 

4. India ranks 4th globally for Tech VC Investments in 2022: According to the report, released by the Dealroom and London & Partners, India ranked 4th globally with USD $24.1$ billion worth of venture capital (VC) investments in 2022. The United States of America (USA) with a USD $233.3$ billion tech investment topped the list, followed by China (USD 48 billion) and the United Kingdom(UK) (USD $29.9$ billion). As per the research, USD $10.7$ billion of the total tech investment to India went into Bengaluru-based companies.

 

5. India and South Korea hold Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue in Seoul: The 5th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue between India and South Korea was held in Seoul. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in areas including trade and investment, security and defense, science and technology, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

They agreed to take concrete steps to take bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030 from current all-time high of $28 billion.

 

6. Jacinda Ardern resigns as Prime Minister of New Zealand: Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern will step down on 7 Feb’23. Ardern doesn’t have the energy or inspiration to seek re-election later this year. Ardern will not also contest general elections set for 14 October. The ruling Party will vote for a new leader, the party leader will be the Prime Minister until the next general election. Ardern, 42, became the youngest female head of government in the world when she was elected prime minister in 2017, at the age of 37. A year later, she became the second elected world leader to ever give birth while in office, following Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto in 1990. During her time in office, she successfully navigated the country through the Covid-19 pandemic and its ensuing recession, the Christchurch mosque shootings, and the White Island volcanic eruption.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Friends Pushkum and Down Hill Kargil lifted 14 CEC Ice Hockey Cup 2023: The Friends Pashkum has lifted the 14th CEC Ice Hockey Cup 2023 in the men's category, after defeating the Humas Warriors Drass. While in the women's category, DownHill Kargil won the cup, after beating Wakha Mulbekh. CEC LAHDC Kargil, Feroz Ahmad was the chief guest of this event. The tournament was held in Ladakh and was participated by 27 teams, including 4 Women's teams. The efforts of the Rural Development Dept and Youths service and Sports Dept were appreciated.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. LIC unveils Jeevan Azad limited premium payment plan: The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has launched Jeevan Azad (Plan No. 868) to offer an attractive combination of protection and savings. Aim: To offer Individual savings and life insurance It is a limited-period payment endowment plan. It provides financial support for the family in case of unfortunate death of the life assured during the policy term. The minimum age of entry is 90 days completed and the maximum age at entry is 50 years.

 

2. PNB launches credit card against fixed deposit (FD): PNB becomes the first public sector bank to launch credit cards against fixed deposits digitally. Aim: To offer for those account holders, who don’t meet the eligibility criteria for regular credit cards. The bank offers RuPay or VISA credit cards digitally against single or multiple FDs with 80% credit limit. PNB has raised the Interest rates on term deposits below ₹2 crore between one year and three years by 50 basis points to 6.75%.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Dr Sanduk Ruit conferred with Bahrain's ISA Award for Service to Humanity: Dr Sanduk Ruit (Nepalese ophthalmologist) was awarded the top civilian award of Bahrain, the ISA Award for Service to Humanity. He is a co-founder of the Himalayan Cataract Project. He is a pioneer in delivering high-quality microsurgical procedures in remote eye camps. The award carries a cash prize ($1 million), a certificate, and a gold medal He was awarded the Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (2007), the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2006), and Padma Shri (2018)

 

2. Naanera’ bagged ‘Golden Kailasha’ award in Ajanta-Ellora film festival: “Naanera”, a Rajasthani film directed by Deepankar Prakash, bagged the ‘Golden Kailasha’ award for the best movie at the 8th edition of the Ajanta-Ellora film festival. “Naanera” also bagged awards for best director, best screenplay, and best editor. The best picture award, announced by FIPRESCI India jury N Vidyashakar, included a trophy and a cash prize of Rs one lakh. Best Actress: Akshatha Pandavapura Best Actor: Jeetu Kamal (Bengali film: Aparajito)

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. US rock legend David Crosby passes away: US Rock singer, David Crosby passed away at the age of 81. He was one of the most influential rock singers of the 1960s and ’70s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with two different groups. He was a founding member of Byrds, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. He was known for his intricate vocal harmonies, unorthodox open tunings on the guitar, and incisive songwriting. He was awarded the Grammy for Best New Artist of 1969 for his debut album "I See You".

 

2. Bharatanatyam dancer, guru Lakshmi Vishwanathan passes away: Renowned Bharatanatyam dancer and guru, Lakshmi Vishwanathan passed away at the age of 78. She was awarded many awards such as Kalaimamani from the Tamil Nadu government, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. She was a gold medallist in English literature from Madras University. She authored four books Kunjamma-Ode to a Nightingale (a biography of M.S. Subbulakshmi); Women of Pride-the Devadasi Heritage; Kapaliswara Temple; and Bharatanatyam: The Tamil Heritage.