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By admin: Dec. 31, 2022

Smriti Mandhana nominated for the ICC Women cricketer of the year award 2022

Tags: Sports Person in news

Smriti Mandhana is the only Indian player to be included in the 2022 ICC women’s cricketer of the year nominee list announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC). She has also been nominated for the best women player in T 20.

The International Cricket Council has announced the shortlisted cricket players for its year end awards. Four players are shortlisted in the men’s and women category for its various annual awards taking into account the performance of the players in the calendar year.

Players nominated for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2022

Smriti Mandhana of India, Nat Sciver of England, Amelia Kerr of New Zealand and Beth Monney of Australia.

Players nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year 2022

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, England Test team captain Ben Stokes, Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe and the New Zealand Test team captain Tim Southee.

ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2022

England Test team captain Ben Stokes, Johnny Bairstow of England, Usman Khwaja of Australia and South African fast Bowler Kagiso Rabada.

International cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket.

Headquarters: Dubai 

Chairman: Greg Barclay of New Zealand

Dinesh Kumar Shukla assumes the charge as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

Tags: Science and Technology Person in news

Distinguished Scientist and former Executive Director of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) Dinesh Kumar Shukla assumed the charge as Chairman, AERB on 31st December 2022. He has been appointed to this post for a period of three years.

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board was constituted on November 15, 1983, by the President of India under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions. 

The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

The Mission of the AERB is to ensure the use of ionizing radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to the health of people and the environment.

Currently, the Board consists of a full-time Chairman, an ex officio Member, three part-time Members and a Secretary.

Headquarters of AERB: Mumbai 

ISRO, NCES and Andhra University to set up equipment along beaches to predict rip currents and prevent drowning at sea

Tags: place in news Science and Technology State News

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with National Centre for Earth Sciences (NCES), Thiruvananthapuram and Andhra University will jointly set up equipment to forecast rip currents at Rushikonda and RK beach of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.  

According to the state government over 200 people have drowned in sea at various beaches in and around Visakhapatnam during 2012 to 2022 and of these, RK beach in the city accounted for 60 percent of deaths. Majority of the death has been due to the presence of rip currents.  

The equipment will be used to inform the local marine and local police to alert visitors in the coastal areas.

Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water which moves from shore towards sea. The rip currents are so powerful that they pull people away from the shorelines towards sea. The majority of people who are pulled away by the rip currents die when they are unable to keep themselves afloat and swim to the shore.

Rip currents are found in almost all the beaches of the world.

1668 Journalists killed in the last 20 years: Reporters without Borders.

Tags: Reports International News

According to the yearend report of the Reporters without Borders (RSF) which was published on 31 December 2022, a total of 1,668 journalists have been killed worldwide in connection with their work of journalism over the past two decades (2003–2022), due to murders, contract killings, ambushes, war zone deaths, and fatal injuries.

The report says that on an average every year 80 journalists lost their lives.

Due to the war in Syria over 144 journalists lost their lives in 2012 and 142 journalists died in 2013.

According to the RSF, in the last two decades, 80% of the deaths of journalists have happened in 15 countries. Syria and Iraq have the highest death rates, with a total of 578 journalists killed there over the past twenty years. This is about 1/3 of the world’s death rate. 

After these dangerous countries the most unsafe countries for journalists were Afghanistan, Yemen, and Palestine.

Reporters without Borders (RSF)

Reporters without Borders (RWB) is an international non-profit organisation.

•  It was founded by four journalists in 1985 in Montpellier, France. 
• RSF works to safeguard and promote the freedom of information. 
• Headquarters: Paris, France 
• It has 7 offices in London, Brussels, Tunis, Washington DC, Rio de Janeiro, Dakar, and Taipei.

Ajay Kumar Srivastava to take over as the MD and CEO of the Indian Overseas Bank

Tags: Economy/Finance Person in news

Ajay Kumar Srivastava will take over as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public sector Indian Overseas Bank from 1 January 2023.  Prior to taking up the new role, Srivastava was serving as an executive director in the bank.

He will replace Partha Pratim Sengupta whose tenure ends on 31 December 2022.

Srivastava commenced his banking career as a probationary officer in Allahabad Bank in 1991. After serving over 27 years, he joined Indian Overseas Bank in October 2017. 

Indian Overseas Bank 

It is a public sector bank owned by the government of India 

The Indian Overseas bank was founded by M. Chidambaram Chettyar in 1937.

It was nationalized by the government of India in 1969. 

It has four branches and offices in Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

Headquarters: Chennai 

Tagline of the bank: Good People to Grow With

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lays the foundation stone of the Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI) at Devanahalli, Karnataka

Tags: place in news National State News

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of the Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI) at Devanahalli, Karnataka on 31 December 2022. 

This will be the 6th CDTI of the Bureau of Police Research & Development under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in the country.

The Devanahalli center of CDTI will serve the forensic needs of the neighbouring States of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa and the Union Territory of Daman-Diu.

Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI)

There are five functioning Central Detective Training Institutes (CDTI) in the country under the Bureau of Police Research & Development. The first CDTI was set up in Calcutta in 1958. Others are at Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Ghaziabad.  The objective of the CDIT is to provide training to the police personnel up to Deputy SSP rank.

The main objective of the in-service training is to improve the standard of crime investigation in this country by familiarizing Police Investigation Officers with the various developments in Forensic Science.  They are trained to match the skill and resources of the modern criminal with the aids that the progress of science has placed at their disposal.  They are taught to adopt scientific methods and new techniques and processes and enlist the aid of various branches of science. 

Director General of Bureau of Police Research & Development: Balaji Srivastatva 

CRPF Chief Sujoy Lal Thaosen takes over the additional charge of Director General of the Border Security Force

Tags: Person in news

The Government of India has given the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Sujoy Lal Thaosen the additional charge as Director General Border Security Force (BSF). The incumbent BSF Director General Pankaj Kumar Singh will retire on 31 December 2022.

Sujoy Lal Thaosen is a 1988 batch officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre and he will hold the ‘additional charge’ of BSF DG till the appointment of a regular DG of BSF or until further orders.

Pankaj Kumar Singh's BSF appointment last year had created a history where for the first time a son and father held the top post of a paramilitary force in the country. His father and retired IPS officer of the 1959-batch, Prakash Singh, also headed the BSF as its DG from June, 1993 to January, 1994.

Border Security Force 

The Border Security Force was raised on 1 December 1965 after the India-Pakistan war of 1965. It is a border force which is deployed along the International border with Bangladesh and Pakistan.

BSF is also known as the nation’s ’first line of defence'.

It is the world’s largest border force in the world.

It is one of the 7 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) which comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The other CAPF are Assam Rifles, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Force (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG) and Sashastra Seema BAL (SSB).

The BSF is the only force in the country to have the Camel Contingents and the Camel Mounted Band.

It is the only force in the world which has a female camel riding squad. 

It is the only CAPF to have a full-fledged Water Wing, Air Wing and even an Artillery Regiment of its own.

• Motto of BSF : Duty Unto Death,
• Headquarters: New Delhi,
• First Director General : K F Rustamji

Tamil Nadu Launches Project to protect Nilgiri Tahr

Tags: Government Schemes State News

In a first of its kind initiative in India, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced the 'Nilgiri Tahr Project' on 28 December.

Important facts

• The aim is to restore the original habitat of this state animal and stabilize its population.

• With a budget of Rs 25.14 crore, this five-year initiative will constitute a dedicated team headed by a project director to deal with the conservation of the species.

• The project will explore the possibility of captive breeding of the animal in forested areas where it has become locally extinct.

• The state forest department will conduct a simultaneous survey in the Tahr range, which includes the Nilgiri hills and the Assambu highlands.

• Under the project, radio-telemetry studies of some tahrs will be carried out to understand the pattern, habitat use and behaviour of this animal.

About Nilgiri Tahr

• It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu.

• This endemic species of the Western Ghats is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.

• The Nilgiri tahr faces several threats such as habitat loss due to large-scale deforestation, competition with domestic animals, hydroelectric projects and monoculture plantations.

• October 7 will be celebrated as 'Nilgiri Tahr Day' in honour of ERC Davidar. He did the first study on Nilgiri Tahr in 1975.

Centre approved Karnataka's Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project

Tags: State News

The Centre has approved Karnataka's long pending Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project, which is facing opposition from Goa and Maharashtra.

Important facts

• The Central Water Commission (CWC) has approved the diversion of 1.72 TMC water from Kalsa Dam and 2.18 TMC water from Bhandura Dam.

• Karnataka wants to use the Mahadayi river water from its tributaries Kalasa and Banduri to the drought-hit districts of north Karnataka. 

• The Mahadayi River originates in Karnataka (Western Ghats) from the Bhimgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district, Karnataka.

• It enters the north Goa districts.

• After Goa interjected, it became an inter-state dispute.

About Kalasa-Banduri Project

• It is a dam designed to divert water from the Mhadei basin to the Mala-Prabha river basin.

• The project is aimed at facilitating drinking water for 13 towns in drought-hit northern Karnataka. 

• These areas include Dharwad, Belagavi, Bagalkot and Gadag. These regions together form the second driest region in the country after Rajasthan.

Former Pope Benedict XVI dies aged 95

Tags: Person in news International News

According to a statement released by the Vatican the former Pope Benedict XVI died on 31 December 2022 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. He was 95 years old.

The head of the Catholic Church, former Pope Benedict, was the first pope in 600 years to resign. He resigned in 2013 and was replaced by the present pope Francis.

Pope Benedict was the first German to become pope in 1000 years. He was the head of the Vatican City from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013.

He was born as Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger on April 16, 1927, in the southern German village of Marktl, close to Austria.

Pope and Vatican City 

Pope is a title which is given to the Bishop of Rome who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. He is also the head of the sovereign country of Vatican City.

Roman Catholics are the largest of the three major branches of Christianity. The other branches of Christianity are Protestants and orthodox (Eastern). 

Vatican City is the world’s smallest country which is located within the Italian capital city of Rome.

It is also the least populated country in the world. 

The Holy See is the name given to the government of the Roman Catholic Church, which is led by the pope as the bishop of Rome. 

St. Peter, disciple of Jesus Christ, was the first Pope. Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity.

SpaceX launched the first 54 Starlink v2.0 satellites into orbit

Tags: Science and Technology

On December 28, 2022, the SpaceXFalcon 9 launch vehicle launched into low Earth orbit the first 54 Starlink satellites of the new generation - v2.0 or Gen2.

Important facts

• The launch took place from the SLC-40 launch pad of the US Air Force Base at Cape Canaveral. This is the 60th successful SpaceX mission since the beginning of 2022.

• Starlink v2.0 satellites have several different configurations depending on the launch vehicle.

• v2.0 is carried by the old Falcon 9. The mass of such satellites is 303 kg, and the dimensions are almost the same as in v1.5.

• SpaceX currently has 3,604 operational Starlink satellites in orbit.

• The total number of satellites planned is 12,000 with the possibility of additional expansion up to 42,000.

About SpaceX

• It is a private spaceflight company that sends satellites and people to space, including NASA crews to the International Space Station (ISS).

• The company sent its first two astronauts to the ISS on May 30, 2020, aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon, and several more on behalf of NASA and other organizations.

• As of mid-2022, it is the only commercial spaceflight company capable of sending astronauts into space.

• SpaceX was founded by Alan Musk, a South African-born businessman and entrepreneur.

RBI launches Utkarsh 2.0 for the period 2023-2025

Tags: National Economy/Finance

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on 30 December 2022 launched the second phase of the central bank’s medium term strategy for strengthening regulatory and supervisory mechanisms called Utkarsh 2.0. 

The first strategy framework (Utkarsh 2022) covering the period 2019-2022 was launched in July 2019. It became a medium-term strategy document guiding the Bank’s progress towards realization of the identified milestones.

Utkarsh 2.0 like the Utkarsh 2022 has six Vision statements as well as Core Purpose, Values, and Mission statements. Collectively, they create a strategic guiding path. 

The Vision in Utkarsh 2.0 that will guide the Reserve Bank of India over the period 2023-25 are: 

• Excellence in performance of its statutory and other functions,
•  Strengthened trust of citizens and Institutions in the RBI;
• Enhanced relevance and significance in national and global roles; • Transparent, accountable and ethics-driven internal governance;
•  Best-in-class and environment-friendly digital and physical infrastructure; and
•  Innovative, dynamic and skilled human resources.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Reserve Bank of India was set up under the Reserve Bank of India act 1934. It started functioning from 1 April 1935.

It was nationalized in 1949 and now the government of India is the owner of RBI.

It has the power to regulate Banks under the Banking Regulation Act 1949.

It has the power to regulate the Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) under the RBI act 1934.

RBI is also the regulator of the digital payment system under the Payment and settlement act 2007.

Headquarters of RBI: Mumbai 

Governor of RBI : Shaktikanta Das

Five generations of high-temperature stars revealed in the largest Milky Way globular cluster Omega Centauri

Tags: Science and Technology

Astronomers and scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) while studying the Omega Centauri have found that hot stars and white dwarfs emitted less ultraviolet radiation than expected.

Important facts

• The largest known globular cluster in the Milky Way may provide clues to the formation of a strange class of high-temperature stars in Omega Centauri.

What are Globular clusters?

• A globular cluster is a globular group of stars.

• Globular clusters are bound together by gravity, with high concentrations of stars toward their centres.

• They can include anywhere in the millions of stars.

• These mostly orbit in the extended stellar halo surrounding spiral galaxies.

• It is a matter of research how globular clusters are formed. Or what role they played in the evolution of galaxies.

Omega Centauri

• It is a globular cluster in the constellation of Centaurus that was first identified as a non-stellar object by Edmond Halley in 1677.

• Located at a distance of 17,090 light-years, it is the largest known globular cluster in the Milky Way at a diameter of about 150 light-years.

• It also includes stars of a variety of ages, whereas other globular clusters contain stars from only one generation.

What is Galaxy?

• It is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems bound together by gravity.

• There are more than 100 billion galaxies in the universe, presenting beautiful structures that can be seen in telescopic images taken from the distant universe.

MoU signed for commercial production of indigenously developed vaccine ‘Lumpi-ProVac’

Tags: Science and Technology National News

An MoU for the production of Goat Pox Vaccine and “Lumpi-Provac” vaccine was signed in Nagpur on December 29, 2022 in the presence of Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Parshottam Rupala and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde.

Important facts

• Rupala praised the commendable effort put forth by ICAR in developing indigenous vaccine Lumpi-ProVac for LSD.

• Lumpi-ProVaccine is used for the prophylactic immunization of animals against Lumpy Skin Disease.

• The vaccine technology will meet the standard of the market and significantly provide a defence mechanism to control the devastating lumpy skin disease.

• Goat pox vaccine is currently used to control lumpy Skin Disease in livestock and has been shown to be effective against lumpy.

• Union Minister Rupala further highlighted the relevance of the technology and requested the IVBP, Pune to start manufacturing the vaccine at a large scale without any delay. 

• National Centre for Veterinary Type Culture, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE), Hisar (Haryana), in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar (UP) developed a homologous live-attenuated LSD vaccine, named Lumpi-ProVacInd.

• Agrinnovate India Limited  (AgIn), the commercial arm of DARE, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, granted  “Non-Exclusive Rights” for Commercial production of “Lumpi-ProVac”, to Institute of Veterinary Biological Products (IVBP) , Pune.

Lumpy Skin Disease

• It is caused by infection of cattle or  buffalo with the poxvirus Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV).

• The virus is one of three closely related species of the genus Capripoxavirus.

• The other two species are Sheeppox virus and Goatpox virus.

• Due to its infectious nature and its impact on the economy, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOIE) has declared it a notable disease.

Ronaldo joins Saudi club Al Nassr with record $214 million contract

Tags: Person in news Sports News

After leaving the Manchester United club on 30 December 2022, Portugal team captain Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Important facts

• Ronaldo left Old Trafford after a television interview last month. He said that he has been cheated by the club.

• Al Nassr issued a statement saying that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will be under contract until 2025.

• Although he did not reveal any financial details, Ronaldo's contract is estimated by the media to be worth more than 200 million euros ($214.04 million), the highest salary in football history.

• Ronaldo will move to Saudi Arabia after a stellar spell at Spanish club Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, winning two La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups, four Champions League titles and three Club World Cups.

• Ronaldo's inclusion will provide a boost to the Saudi Arabian club, which is looking to add to its nine Saudi Pro League titles.

About Al Nassr

• Al-Nassr is a club from Saudi Arabia that competes in the Saudi Pro League. It is one of the most successful teams in the country. It was formed in 1955.

• Al-Nasr, nicknamed Al-Alami or Faris Najd, is located in the capital city of Riyadh. It is formally managed by Rudi Garcia of Roma, Marseille and Lyon.

• Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar joined in 2021 and is a key player for the team.

• Brazilian defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo and former Arsenal shot-stopper David Ospina signed for the club in 2022.

BSE appoints Sundararaman Ramamurthy as MD, CEO

Tags: Person in news

Sundararaman Ramamurthy has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BSE Limited. He has been appointed for a five-year term with effect from January 4.

Important facts

• His appointment is subject to the consent of the shareholders. The exchange will seek its approval from shareholders through postal ballot on January 16.

• In November, BSE received consent from regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to appoint Ramamurthy as MD and CEO of the exchange.

• The post has been vacant since July when the then MD and CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan resigned from the post to join the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

• Sundararaman Ramamurthy has over 20 years of work experience in the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) as a senior member of its team since its inception.

• He was responsible for significant transformation of the Indian capital market for more than two decades.

• Prior to this, he was the MD and Chief Operating Officer of the Indian branch of Bank of America (BANA), where his responsibilities included global administration and control of the banking unit and securities segment in India.

• He was also a part of various Board/Leadership forums at Bank of America.

Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)

• Established in 1875 as the Native Share and Stock Brokers' Association, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is Asia's first exchange and the largest securities market in India.

• Based in Mumbai, BSE lists around 6,000 companies and is one of the largest exchanges in the world.

• It has been instrumental in developing India's capital market by providing an efficient platform for the Indian corporate sector to raise investment capital.

• It is known for its electronic trading system that provides fast and efficient trade execution.

Hockey Haryana Women’s U-18 team wins Khelo India Youth Games 2022

Tags: Sports Sports News

Hockey Haryana's women's team won the Khelo India Youth Games 2022 Women’s Under 18 Qualifiers title after defeating Madhya Pradesh 2-0 in the final at Bhubaneswar on December 30.

Important facts

• In the final match, Pooja and Gurmail Kaur scored a goal each for Haryana to turn the match in their favour.

• Odisha stepped up to claim third place after beating Jharkhand by 2-1 in the 3rd and 4th place encounter. 

• Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand have qualified for the Khelo India Youth Games (Women) to be held in Madhya Pradesh next year.

Awards List 

• Best Goalkeeper: Kavita (Haryana) 

•  Best Defender: Yogita Verma (Madhya Pradesh) 

• Best Midfielder: Manisha (Haryana)

• Best Striker: Bhumshika Sahu (Madhya Pradesh) 

Hockey Madhya Pradesh clinches Khelo India Youth Games 2022 Men's U-18 title

Tags: Sports Sports News

In hockey, Madhya Pradesh clinched the title by defeating Odisha 6-5 in the Khelo India Youth Games 2022 Men's Under-18 qualifier title in Bhubaneswar on 30 December.

Important facts

• In a thrilling final, Jamir Mohammad was the star of the final, scoring a hat-trick, while Ali Ahmed, Mohammad Zaid Khan and captain Ankit Pal scored one goal each for Madhya Pradesh.

• On the other hand, Anmol Ekka, Paulus Lakra, Deepak Minz and Akash Soreng scored one goal each for Odisha.

• Haryana defeated Jharkhand 2-0 to secure the third position in the competition. Amandeep and Roshan scored the goals for Haryana.

• With this, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Haryana and Jharkhand have qualified for the Khelo India Youth Games to be held in Madhya Pradesh next year.

• Award List

  • Best Goalkeeper : Ravi (Haryana)

  • Best Defender : Sundaram Rajawat (Madhya Pradesh)

  • Best Midfielder : Prem Dayal Giri (Odisha)

  • Best Striker : Ali Ahmad (Madhya Pradesh)