Latest Current Affairs For Friday 23rd December, 2022

Viacom18 gets broadcast rights of Olympic Games Paris 2024

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Viacom18 Media Private Limited (Viacom18) has secured the exclusive media rights to broadcast the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

It has also secured the non-exclusive rights to the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024, in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

In 2024, Olympics will be hosted by France in Paris, beginning from July 26 to August 11.

IPL surpasses $10 billion valuation and becomes decacorn

The total valuation of Indian Premier League (IPL) has been surpassed $10 billion, has evolved into a decacorn.

According to the D and P Advisory report titled “Beyond 22 Yards” stated that the league is currently worth $10.9 billion.

According to the reports, the IPL attained the significant milestone after selling its media rights for the years 2023 to 2027.

In less than 15 years since its beginning, the IPL has reached the milestone.

UI ranks MAHE as most sustainable university in India

According to the UI Green Metric World University Rankings 2022, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has been topped in India and ranked 121st worldwide for being the most sustainable university.

In 2022, 1050 universities from 85 countries had been participated.

Top universities: Wageningen University  Research (Netherlands); Nottingham Trent University (UK), University of Nottingham (UK), University of Groningen (Netherlands), Iniversity of California, Davis

Sudeep Sen, Shobhana Kumar won Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22

The prestigious Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22 has been jointly won by Sudeep Sen and Shobhana Kumar.

Sudeep Sen has been recognised for Anthropocene: Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation (Pippa Rann Books & Media, 2021).

While, Shobhana Kumar for her haibun collection A Sky Full of Bucket Lists (Red River, 2021).

The winner receives $10,000 along with a Rabindranath Tagore statuette, while the shortlisted authors each receive $500.

Kerala set to host first International Beach Festival

Kerala government will host the Bekal International Beach Festival from 24 Dec - 2 Jan 2022 at the Spice Coast, in the far north of Kerala.

Aim: To revitalise the district’s development by showcasing its potential.

The festival will be staged at the three venues of Chandragiri, Thejaswini, and Payaswini.

The event will organised by Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) in association with the District Tourism Promotion Council, Kudumbashree, Asmi Holidays.

Worldline ePayments India receives RBI nod to act as payment aggregator

Digital payments services platform, Worldline ePayments India has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India to act as a payment aggregator (PA).

The authorisation by the RBI was under the provisions of the Guidelines on Regulation of Payment dated March 17, 2020.

Payment Aggregator: It is a service provider that integrates various options of online payments together and brings them into one place for merchants.

Nasa formally retires Mars InSight lander after 4-year mission

Nasa has announced that Mars InSight lander has been retired four years after it touched down on the surface of the red planet.

It was the first robotic probe, which was specially designed to study the deep interior of a distant world.

Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) concluded that the mission had ended when two consecutive attempts to re-establish radio contact with the lander failed.

InSight landed on Mars in late November 2018.

Delhi govt schools to introduce pre lunch 'mini snack' break

Delhi government has decided to introduce mini snack breaks to battle malnutrition in children.

According to a circular by the Directorate of Education (DoE), schools have been directed to include a 10-minute mini snack break in the school timetable.

The mini break should be 2.5 hours before the lunch break.

Schools have been asked to prepare a weekly planner of snacks offering three food choices every day which may include food items such as seasonal fruits etc.

IFSCA and CEEW sign MoU to cooperate on sustainable finance

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has signed an MoU with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) for mutual assistance and cooperation in the area of sustainable finance.

India recently launched Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for the Environment) as an India-led global movement to protect and preserve the environment. 

CEEW research has estimated that India’s net zero by 2070 target would require USD 10 trillion in investments.

Gamaka exponent H.R. Keshava Murthy passes away

Gamaka exponent, H R Keshava Murthy has been passed away at the age of 89 in Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

He training in music from his father and later from Venkateshaiah.

He was honoured with Shantala Natya Sri Award by the Government of Karnataka in 1998 and Padma Shri in 2022 by the Government of India in the field of arts.

Gamaka: It is a form of storytelling by singing that originated in Karnataka, India.

J&K LG Manoj Sinha announces 3 New Schemes for J&K

Lt Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha has announced three new schemes- (1) Holistic Development of Agriculture & Allied Sectors, (2) Aspirational Towns, and (3) Aspirational Panchayat for J&K.

Aim: To transform the agriculture economy of the Union Territory putting it on a new trajectory of growth.

The projects have an outlay of Rs 5013 crores over the next five years.

These schemes have been approved by the administrative council, chaired by the L-G.

Defence ministry's iDEX-DIO signs its 150th innovation contract

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), flagship initiative of Department of Defence Production, has signed its 150th contract in New Delhi.

The contract was related to an Indian Navy project of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC 7) SPRINT edition.

The challenge was titled ‘Expendable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Target (EMATT) capable of simulating the sound and movement of a submarine’.

The iDEX framework was launched by the Prime Minister in 2018.

Government appoints former SC Judge Hemant Gupta as new Chief of NDIAC

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of former Supreme Court (SC) Justice, Hemant Gupta as the new chairperson of New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC).

The govt has also appointed Anant Vijay Palli as the part-time members of NIDAC.

Justice Gupta was served as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Purpose of NDIAC: To create an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalised arbitration.

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.