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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

Indian Army Day 2023: 15th January

• Indian Army day 2023 is observed on the 15th of January 2023.
• One million Indians volunteered to serve in the British Army during World War I, and almost 90,000 of them died in the war.
• In a similar vein, about half of the officers in the World War II engagements were Indian.
• The loyalty of Indian soldiers was torn as the struggle for Indian independence gained momentum in 1946.
• The majority of the British-led army and navy divisions either rebelled or quit.
• Although the British military continued to be "Indianized" until after the country gained its independence, the ultimate transfer took place on January 15, 1949, and this is the day we commemorate.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

India’s first Centre of Excellence of online gaming in Meghalaya:

• The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced that India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) of online gaming will be set up in Shillong, Meghalaya by March 2023.
• The CoE will be set up under Digital India Startup Hub through the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).
• The STPI was set up in 1991 as an autonomous society in the field of Science and Technology under the MeitY.
• Digital Skills have become necessary to thrive in the post-Covid world. Understanding the significance of digital skills in today’s era, MeitY is re-launching Skill India through Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0.

Scope of Online gaming industry

• India has one of the largest markets for the gaming business, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Sequoia India report suggests that the Indian mobile gaming industry will be worth $5 Billion in 2025.
• But the other side of the coin is the presence of violent and unregulated content in online games.
• Hence, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that MeitY has recently circulated draft amendments to the IT Rules 2021 about Online Gaming for public consultation.
• According to the draft amendments, online games will be mandated to register and can legally operate in the country only after government clearance.

Piyush Goyal to launch MAARG portal for startup mentorship:

• Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal will launch the MAARG platform (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth), which would facilitate mentorship between startups and entrepreneurs across sectors, stages, and functions.
• The matchmaking phase of the portal, which will be launched on the occasion, will allow startups to connect with mentors and discuss their mentorship needs
• Goyal will also announce the results of the National Startup Awards 2022.
• The National Startup Awards 2022 invited applications across 17 sectors, fur, and 7 special categories.
• The sectors included Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Construction, Drinking Water, Education & Skill Development, Energy, Enterprise Technology, Environment, Fintech, Food Processing, Health & Wellness, Media and entertainment, Industry 4.0, Security, Space, Transport, and Travel.
• The National Startup Awards 2020 and 2021 have recognized 367 startups as winners and finalists.

Bhupendra Yadav inaugurated the Regional Office of Employees Provident Fund Organization in Alwar, Rajasthan:

• Union Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav inaugurated the Regional Office of Employees Provident Fund Organization in Alwar, Rajasthan.
• With the opening of this regional office, more than 2 lakh members and 8500 pensioners working in about 12000 establishments of Alwar and neighbouring districts of Bharatpur and Dhaulpur will be benefitted.
• Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Yadav appreciated the important role played by EPFO in providing social security to workers in the last 70 years.
• EPFO is the custodian of the hard-earned money of more than 6.4 crore members and their families who benefit from this fund in times of distress and it is a big responsibility of this organization.
• Regional Office, Jaipur is divided into two Regional Offices, namely Regional Office Jaipur and Regional Office Alwar, in managing large offices of EPFO.

Voice of Global South Summit: PM Modi announces ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project under which India will provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crisis
• Under this project, India will provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises
• India will launch the Global South Science and Technology Initiative to share its expertise in areas such as space technology and nuclear energy, and establish the Global South Center of Excellence for research on developing solutions that can be scaled up and implemented around the world.
• India will establish a global south centre - Centre of Excellence.
• This institution will research development solutions or best practices of any of our countries which can be scaled & implemented in other members of the global south
• PM Modi also suggested a Global South Young Diplomats Forum that will help connect youthful officers to Foreign Ministries.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India & Panama sign agreement on cooperation in training of diplomats

• India and Panama signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation for the training of diplomats.
• India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Panama's Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney Mencomo signed the MoU during the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) Convention 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh (MP).

About the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention : 

• The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is being organized in partnership with the Madhya Pradesh Government from 08-10 January 2023 in Indore, MP
• The theme of this PBD Convention is "Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal”.

Key Highlights : 

• During the consultations, both sides comprehensively reviewed their bilateral relations covering issues such as trade and investment, pharmaceuticals, capacity building, space cooperation, and consular.
• They also discussed the ways to improve the economic, health, financial and people-to-people ties between India and Panama.
• Both leaders have also shared their perspectives on global situations.

About Panama : 

• President : Laurentino Cortizo
• Capital: Panama City
• Currency: Balboa

India, and the UK sign & exchange letters to formalize Young Professional Scheme in London

• India and the United Kingdom (UK) signed and exchanged letters of the UK-India Young Professional Scheme (YPS) at an event in London, UK.
• High Commissioner of India to the UK, Vikram K Doraiswami, and Matthew Rycroft, the permanent secretary at the Home Office of the UK signed the event.
• It is for the first time that the UK has done such an agreement with a visa-national country like India.

About the Scheme : 

• The YPS is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Migration and Mobility Partnership between the two governments which was signed on May 4, 2021.
• PM Shri Narendra Modi and UK PM Mr. Rishi Sunak announced the launch of the Young Professional Scheme at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.
• The scheme will allow graduates aged 18 to 30 to stay in the other country for up to 2 -years without needing to have a job in hand.
• The scheme allows for exchange visas for up to 3,000 individuals per year
• The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the state of the wide-ranging India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and progress on the Roadmap 2030 for future relations.

About the UK : 

• Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak
• Capital: London
• Currency: Pound sterling

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Meghalaya CM Shri Conrad Sangma launches shared school bus system & agriculture response vehicle scheme

• Meghalaya Chief Minister (CM) Shri Conrad Sangma launched the 30 shared school bus system & prime tourism vehicles and agriculture response vehicle scheme in Shillong city, Meghalaya.

About the shared school bus system :

• The buses will help to minimize traffic congestion in Shillong, Meghalaya.
• The buses are part of the Sustainable Transport and Efficient Mobility Society (STEMS) program focussed on mobility and overall transportation to decongest the city.
• The buses are GPS enabled for real-time tracking with a passenger information system and LED screens to show the routes.
• The National Informatics Centre (NIC) will develop a mobile application and website for tracking and booking the buses while the transport department will be roped in for operations and maintenance of the buses.
• The drivers and the caretakers of the buses will be trained by the Meghalaya Skills Development Society

About Meghalaya Agriculture Response Vehicle Scheme : 

• The Meghalaya government is providing financial assistance to tourism entrepreneurs to purchase premium tourist vehicles.
• The introduction of the Meghalaya Agriculture Response Vehicle Scheme will mitigate the amount spent on the transportation of agricultural produce by our farmers by giving them financial assistance for procurement of the ‘Agriculture Response Vehicles’ under the scheme,

Note : 

• STEMS CEO Isawanda Laloo

About Meghalaya : 

• Governor: B. D. Mishra
• Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma
• Capital: Shillong

OTPC ties up with APDCL to develop a 250 MW battery energy storage system in Assam

• ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd (OTPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) to develop a battery energy storage project in Assam at an investment of Rs 2,000 crore.
• The MoU has been signed to develop a Battery Energy Storage System Project of capacity up to 250 MW / 500 MWh in a phased manner in Assam by incorporating a Joint Venture Company.
• The Project will help the state improve power availability during peak load hours, improve the integration of renewable energy generation with the electricity grid, and enhance grid reliability.

Note : 

• Managing Director of APDCL: Rakesh Kumar
• Minister of Power, Cooperation, Mines & Minerals, Indigenous & Tribal Faith and Cultural Department, Government of Assam: Smt. Nandita Gorlosa

About OTPC : 

• Established: 2004
• Headquarters: Tripura, India
• Chairman: Arun Kumar Singh
• MD : Sanil C.Namboodiripad
• OTPC is a joint venture of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), gas utility GAIL (India) Ltd, the Government of Tripura, and India Infrastructure Fund-II.

 About Assam :

• Governor : Jagdish Mukhi
• Chief minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma
• Capital: Dispur
• National Park: Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Raimona National Park, Nameri National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board signs MoUs with chapters of 8 countries of GOPIO

• Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and 8 countries of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) signed 8 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in Indore, MP.
• The MoUs were signed on the occasion of the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention.
• These MoUs were signed with France Metropole Paris, Reunion Island, Martinique, Sri Lanka, GOPIO International, Malaysia, and
• The MoU was signed by the Principal Secretary of Tourism and Culture and Managing Director of the Tourism Board Sheo Shekhar Shukla and presidents of eight countries of GOPIO.

The objective of the MoUs : 

• To promote cooperation in the development of the tourism sector of the state and to promote tourism destinations.
• It also seeks to strengthen, promote and develop cooperation in research, promotion, and tourism development.

About GOPIO : 

• Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is an international network of people of Indian origin (PIO).
• It was founded at the First Global Convention of People of Indian Origin in New York City in 1989.

Objective :

• To fight against the violation of human rights of people of Indian origin.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance and Punjab & Sind Bank enter into a strategic partnership

• Leading public sector bank Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company (BALIC) have announced their Corporate Agency Partnership.
• Swarup Kumar Saha, MD & CEO, of Punjab & Sind Bank, and Mr. Tarun Chugh, MD & CEO, of Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, signed the partnership agreement in New Delhi, Delhi, India.

About the Partnership : 

• The collaboration would allow new and existing clients of Punjab & Sind Bank to access a range of retail life insurance products from Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, including term, savings, retirement, and investment choices.
• PSB is the 25th Schedule Commercial Bank to collaborate with BALIC to distribute its life goals-based product suite.
• The life insurer will work closely with the bank to enable customers to get seamless service and help them achieve their long-term financial goals in a planned manner.
• This includes responding to customer support requests made via WhatsApp or a self-service tool like the Bajaj Allianz Life LifeAssist App, in addition to the well-trained bank employees servicing the life insurance division.

About Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance : 

• Founded: 2001
• Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra
• CEO: Tarun Chugh

About Punjab & Sind Bank : 

• Founded: 24 June 1908
• Headquarters:  New Delhi, Delhi
• MD & CEO : Swarup Kumar Saha
• Tagline: Where Service is a way of life

SEBI Allows AIFs To Participate In Credit Default Swap Transactions

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed alternative investment funds to participate in credit default swaps (CDS) to protect buyers and
• The new norms will facilitate the deepening of the domestic corporate bond segment & allow business entities to hedge risks associated with the bonds market.

Key Highlights : 

• CDS is a specific kind of counterparty agreement that allows the transfer of third-party credit risk from one party to another.
• Under the new norm, Category-I and Category-II AIFs can buy CDS on underlying investments in debt securities only for
• While Category-III AIFs can purchase CDS for hedging or otherwise, within permissible leverage.
• Category-II and Category-III AIFs may sell CDS by earmarking unencumbered government bonds or Treasury bills equal to the amount of the CDS exposure.
• Category III AIFs are allowed to sell CDS, subject to the condition that effective leverage undertaken is within the permissible limits.
• AIFs will have to report details of CDS transactions to the custodian by the next working day.
• Any unhedged position, which would result in gross unhedged positions across all CDS transactions exceeding 25% of investable funds of the scheme of an AIF, would be taken only after intimating to all unit holders of the scheme
• Category I and II AIFs would not borrow funds directly or indirectly and engage in leverage except for meeting temporary funding requirements for not more than 30 days, not more than four occasions in a year, and not more than 10% of the investable funds.
• Such AIFs which transact in CDS will have to maintain a 30-day cooling-off period between the two periods of borrowing or engaging in leverage.

About SEBI :

• Established: on 12 April 1988 as an executive body and was given statutory powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman: Madhabi Puri Buch
• SEBI is the regulatory body for securities and commodity markets in India under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, GoI.

RBI grants in-principle approval for payment aggregator license to EnKash

• Fintech startup EnKash has got in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a payment aggregator's license.
• The license will enable EnKash to broaden its product offerings to millions of businesses for digital transactions.
• BharatPe and Hitachi Payment Services have also received in-principle authorization to operate as payment aggregators.

About EnKash : 

• Founded in 2018
• Founder: Yadvendra Tyagi
• EnKash claims to have assisted 1 lakh businesses to digitize and decentralize their corporate payments.

About RBI :

• Established: 1 April 1935
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors: Mahesh Kumar Jain, Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra, and T. Rabi Shankar

Exim Bank raises $1 billion via 10-yr sustainability bond issue

• Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank) has raised $1 billion via a 10-year Sustainability Bond issue in the 144A/Reg-S format under its Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Framework.
• According to the Exim Bank, the net proceeds of the Sustainability Bond will be used towards eligible projects under the Bank's ESG Framework, including renewable energy; clean transportation; access to essential services and basic infrastructure; affordable housing; and sustainable water and wastewater management.
• This issuance at a coupon rate of CT10 (US 10-year Treasury Bond) +190 basis points makes India Exim Bank the first Indian issuer to open the markets for dollar and sustainability bond issuances in 2023.

About Exim Bank : 

• Established: 1982
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• MD: Ms. Harsha Bangari

NPCI allows UPI transactions for non-resident accounts linked to international numbers

• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has allowed Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for non-resident bank accounts linked to International mobile numbers of 10 countries.
• The non-resident bank accounts are Non-Residential External (NRE) & Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO).
• To start with, NRIs from Singapore, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, USA, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK), can make transactions using the UPI platform.

Key Highlights : 

• Member banks to ensure such types of accounts are only allowed as per the extant FEMA regulations and adherence to the guidelines/instructions issued by the concerned regulatory departments of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from time to time.
• All the necessary Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/ Combating of Financing of Terrorism (CFT) checks and compliance validation/account level validations as per the extant rules applicable under the regulatory guidelines shall be the responsibility of the remitter/beneficiary banks.
• The NPCI has asked UPI participants, such as Paytm, Google Pay, and more to put in place a mechanism by April 30, 2023.

About NPCI : 

• Founded: 2008
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Dilip Asbe

Startup Funding in India Drops 33% To $24 Billion in 2022: PwC Report

• According to the PwC India report, titled ‘Startup Tracker-CY 22’, the funding for India’s startups dropped by 33% to $24 billion in 2022 in contrast to the earlier year.

Key Highlights : 

• As per the report, the startups received more than twice the funds raised in 2020 and 2019.
• The startups received a total funding of USD 13.2 billion in 2019, USD 10.9 billion in 2020, and USD 35.2 billion in
• In value terms, early-stage deals contributed to approximately 12% of the total funding in 2022 compared to nearly 7% in 2021. 
• Growth and late-stage funding deals, in value terms, accounted for 88% of the funding activity in 2022.
• The average ticket size in the growth-stage deals was $43 million and in late-stage deals was $94 million in 2022.
• The software-as-a-service (SaaS) segment accounted for nearly 25% of all funding activity; it saw an increase of 20% in funding values during 2022 as compared to 2021.
• The early-stage deals accounted for 60–62% of the total funding in 2021 and 2022 in volume terms and the average ticket size per deal was $4 million per deal.
• Bengaluru, Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), and Mumbai account for nearly 82% of total Indian startups.
• As many as 28% of startups in the top three cities have raised more than USD 20 million.

About PwC : 

• Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
• 0Chairperson: Sanjeev Krishnan

SEBI allows MFs to switch from active to passive ELSS schemes

• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed mutual funds with active Equity-Linked Savings Schemes (ELSS) to launch passive schemes, a move that will provide a cost-effective and tax-saving alternative to individual investors.

Key Highlights : 

• Under the procedure, the fund house will have to stop all fresh inflows or subscriptions, including systematic investment plans (SIPs) and systematic transfer plans (STPs), to the actively managed ELSS scheme.
• Besides, AMCs will provide an option to investors to redeem their units without exit load subject to lock-in requirements.
• After completion 3 years from the date of stopping inflows in the actively managed ELSS scheme, the scheme will be merged with the passively managed ELSS scheme and the investments would be managed through the passively managed scheme.
• The investments under the ELSS scheme have a 3-year lock-in period, which is the shortest lock-in period as compared to other tax-efficient products.
• Furthermore, investors can also get a tax deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh per financial year under Section 80C of the IT Act.
• The passive ELSS scheme should be based on one of the indices comprising equity shares from the top 250 companies in terms of market capitalization.
• The assets under management (AUM) of the ELSS category stood at over Rs 1.5 trillion as on December 31, 2022.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWSz

India's forex reserves shrink by USD 1.268 bn to USD 561.583 bn:

• India's forex reserves dropped by USD 1.268 billion to USD 561.583 billion for the week ended January 6, the Reserve Bank.
• The overall reserves had increased by USD 44 million to USD 562.851 billion in the previous reporting week after two consecutive weeks of the slide.
• In October 2021, the country's foreign exchange kitty reached an all-time high of USD 645 billion.
• The reserves had been declining as the central bank deployed the reserves to defend the rupee amid pressures caused by global developments.
• Foreign currency assets (FCA), a major component of the overall reserves, dropped by USD 1.747 billion to USD 496.441 billion during the week of January 6, according to the Weekly Statistical Supplement released by the RBI.
• Expressed in dollar terms, the foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound, and yen held in the foreign exchange reserves.
• The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were up by USD 35 million to USD 18.217 billion
• The data showed that the country's reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was down by USD 18 million to USD 5.141 billion in the reporting week.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Meta appoints Mr. Vikas Purohit as Director of Global Business Group India

• Facebook-parent Meta has appointed Mr. Vikas Purohit as Director of its Global Business Group in India.
• He will lead the strategy and delivery of the charter that is focused on the country's largest advertisers and agency partners.
• Purohit will report to Arun Srinivas, Director and Head of Ads Business for Meta in India.

About Mr Vikas Purohit : 

• Purohit comes with more than 20 years of experience in senior business, sales, and marketing roles at companies such as Tata CLiQ, Amazon, Reliance Brands, Aditya Birla Group, and Tommy Hilfiger.
• He started his career at Aditya Birla Group before joining Tommy Hilfiger and then heading retail at Reliance Brands.
• He has served as the chief executive at Tata CLiQ till October 2022.

About Meta : 

• Founded: January 4, 2004
• Headquarters: California, United States
• Chairman & CEO: Mark Zuckerberg

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA's James Webb Telescope Discovers Its 1st Exoplanet

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s(NASA) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured its first-ever exoplanet, formally classified as LHS 475 b, the planet is almost the same size as our earth clocking in at 99% of Earth's diameter."

About the Research Team : 

• The research team is led by Kevin Stevenson and Jacob Lustig-Yaeger, both from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, United States (US).
• The team’s results were presented at a press conference of the American Astronomical Society (AAS).
• The team chose to observe this target with Webb after carefully reviewing targets of interest from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which hinted at the planet’s existence.
• Webb’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) captured the planet easily and clearly with only two transit observations.
• Among all operating telescopes, only Webb is capable of characterizing the atmospheres of Earth-sized exoplanets.
• The researchers also confirmed that the planet completes an orbit in just two days, information that was almost instantaneously revealed by Webb’s precise light curve.

Key Highlights : 

• LHS 475 b is relatively close, at only 41 light-years away, in the constellation Octans.
• The LHS 475 b is closer to its star than any planet in our solar system, its red dwarf star is less than half the temperature of the Sun, so the researchers project it still could have an atmosphere.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Indian peacekeepers have been awarded the UN Medal for Exemplary Service:

• The United States of America and the United Nations have both received a distinguished award for their contributions to the cause of peace.
• The United Nations Medal was presented to 1,171 Indian peacekeepers deployed with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan during a special award ceremony in Upper Nile.
• Major Jasmine Chatha, a woman officer of the Indian Army, led the parade of the Indian contingent at the award ceremony in Upper Nile for the first time.
• India is one of the most significant contributors of troops to UN peacekeeping missions.
• India's peacekeepers are acknowledged for their outstanding performance and obligations while serving in missions.
• As of June 2022, India has sent 2370 military soldiers to UNMISS, second only to Rwanda (2637).

About UN peacekeeping:

• The UN Security Council authorized the deployment of UN military observers in the Middle East in 1948, marking the beginning of UN peacekeeping.
• It aids in guiding nations away from war and toward the arduous path of peace.
• For peacekeeping, it sends out police and soldiers from all over the world.
• India ranks among the nations that contribute the most police and military personnel to UN peacekeeping missions.
• Currently, nine out of the twelve UN peacekeeping deployments have more than 5,700 Indian personnel on the ground.

Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel crowned Miss Universe 2022:

• Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu crowned her successor, Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel at the 71st Miss Universe pageant held at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
• Contestants from over 84 countries participated and competed at this year's pageant.
• While Miss Venezuela was the first runner-up, Miss Dominican Republic was crowned as the second runner-up.
• The 2022 edition saw many firsts, like the debut of Bhutan, and the comeback of countries like Angola, Belize, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

About R'Bonney Gabriel:

• Miss USA 2022 and Miss Universe 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel is a woman who wears many hats.
• She is a fashion designer, model, and sewing instructor with a zest for life.
• While in high school, she instantly fell in love with constructing designs with fabrics and textiles.
• At the University of North Texas, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design with a Minor in Fiber in 2018.
• She is presently the CEO of her sustainable clothing line, R’Bonney Nola.

Google Doodle honours India’s ‘Pocket Dynamo’ Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav on his 97th birth anniversary:

• Google has celebrated the 97th birth anniversary of legendary Indian wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, also known as Pocket Dynamo, with a doodle.
• The celebrated wrestler became independent India’s first athlete to clinch an Olympic medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki.
• The tribute on Google’s home page shows two sketches of the legendary wrestler. In one, Jadhav can be seen in a tactical position, while the other shows him wearing an Indian jersey.

About Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav:

• According to Google Doodle’s blog, the wrestler was born today in Maharashtra’s Goleshwar village in 1926.
• He inherited his athleticism from his father, who was also a wrestler and one of his village’s best and started training with him.
• Following this, Jadhav shined at multiple competitions held at state and national levels.
• However, his first brush with an international competition was with the London Olympics in 1948, where he finished sixth, the highest-ever for an Indian wrestler at the time.
• After four years of relentless training, Jadhav participated in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and bested wrestlers from Germany, Mexico, and Canada.
• He later lost to the eventual title holder but won a bronze medal, becoming the first athlete from independent India to earn a medal.
• India celebrated Jadhav’s return with a parade of bullock carts that carried him through his hometown village.
• Jadhav’s golden wrestling career unfortunately ended before the next Olympics due to his knee injury.
• He later worked as a police officer before retiring as an Assistant Commissioner in 1983.
• He was posthumously awarded the Chhatrapati Puraskar in 1992-1993 by the Government of Maharashtra for his contribution to wrestling.
• To honour his achievement, the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games’ wrestling venue was named after him.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

India's richest 1% own more than 40% of total wealth: Oxfam:

• The richest one percent in India now own more than 40 percent of the country's total wealth, while the bottom half of the population together share just 3 percent of the wealth.
• Taxing India's ten-richest at 5 percent can fetch entire money to bring children back to school.
• A one-off tax on unrealized gains from 2017-2021 on just one billionaire, Gautam Adani, could have raised Rs 1.79 lakh crore, enough to employ more than five million Indian primary school teachers for a year
• The report titled 'Survival of the Richest' further said that if India's billionaires are taxed once at 2 percent on their entire wealth, it would support the requirement of Rs 40,423 crore for the nutrition of malnourished in the country for the next three years.
• A one-time tax of 5 percent on the 10 richest billionaires in the country (Rs 1.37 lakh crore) is more than 1.5 times the funds estimated by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry (Rs 86,200 crore) and the Ministry of Ayush (Rs 3,050 crore) for the year 2022-23.
• On the other hand, approximately 64 percent of the total Rs 14.83 lakh crore in Goods and Services Tax (GST) came from the bottom 50 percent of the population in 2021-22, with only 3 percent of GST coming from the top 10 percent.
• Oxfam said the total number of billionaires in India increased from 102 in 2020 to 166 in 2022.
• The combined wealth of India's 100 richest has touched USD 660 billion (Rs 54.12 lakh crore) -- an amount that could fund the entire Union Budget for more than 18 months.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Sony Sports signs Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Samsonite as sponsors for Australian Open:

• Broadcaster Sony Sports Network, which will air the Australian Open this month across its channels and OTT app SonyLiv, has roped in sponsors like Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Samsonite as co-presenting sponsors and Panasonic as an associate sponsor for the upcoming open.
• This will mark the return of the network's live tennis studio show, ‘Extraaa Serve’, hosted by Arpit Sharma, Extraaa Serve will feature Olympian, Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist, and Indian tennis player, Somdev Devvarman, former tennis player Gaurav Natekar and Davis Cup player Purav Raja.
• In addition to this, the Hindi commentary for the tournament will be provided by Natekar, Manish Batavia & Atish Thukral.
• Top-seeded players, including the returning Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will all be part of the men’s singles draw.
• The broadcaster launched its 'Slam Of The Greats' campaign, which pays homage to the ‘Greats of Tennis in this Era’, such as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Ashleigh Barty, and other tennis legends while also highlighting the rise of a new young crop of tennis stars vying to leave their mark on the tournament in their path for greatness themselves.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Virat Kohli becomes fifth highest run scorer in ODI:

• Star Indian batter Virat Kohli became the fifth-highest run-scorer in the history of ODI cricket, overtaking Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene to enter the top five.
• Virat added another record to his pile of accomplishments during India’s third and final ODI of the series against Sri Lanka in Kerala.
• In the 35th over of India’s batting, Kohli smashed a leg-cutter bowled by Chamika Karunaratne between mid-off and covers for a four.
• With this, he was able to become the fifth-highest run scorer in ODIs.
• Virat is currently racing towards his 46th ODI and 74th international cricket century.
• He has hit his 65th ODI fifty.
• At the time of becoming the fifth-highest run-scorer, Virat had 12,652 runs in 268 ODIs at an average of 57.78, with 45 tons and 65 half-centuries. His best score in the format is 183.
• He overtook Jayawardene, who has scored 12,650 runs in 448 matches, 418 innings at an average of 33.37.
• He has 19 centuries and 77 fifties in the format, with the best score of 144.
• The highest run-scorer in ODI history is Indian legend, Sachin Tendulkar.
• He has scored 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83.
• He has 49 centuries and 96 fifties in this format, with the best of 200*.
• Following Tendulkar are, Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs in 404 matches), Australian great Ricky Ponting (13,704), Sri Lankan all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya (13,430 in 445 matches), and Virat.

11-year-old Kashmiri girl bags gold medal at National Sqay Championship:

• Falak Mumtaz, an 11-year-old from Shopian in South Kashmir, won gold in the National Sqay Championship 2023.
• Falak Mumtaz won the gold medal in the National Sqay Championship last week in Jammu, overcoming all odds.
• She didn't have access to education because she came from a poor home.
• But that didn't stop her from fulfilling her ambition.
• Her devotion to Sqay earned her a gold medal.
• Falak is a bright and determined sixth-grader at Aisha Ali Academy in Kulgam.
• Her long-term goal is to become an IAS officer and help the valley's people.

Daily CA on January 15,16 & 17:

• Indian Army day 2023 is observed on the 15th of January 2023.
• The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced that India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) of online gaming will be set up in Shillong, Meghalaya by March 2023.
• Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal will launch the MAARG platform (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth), which would facilitate mentorship between startups and entrepreneurs across sectors, stages, and functions.
• Union Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav inaugurated the Regional Office of Employees Provident Fund Organization in Alwar, Rajasthan.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project under which India will provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crisis
• India's forex reserves dropped by USD 1.268 billion to USD 561.583 billion for the week ended January 6, the Reserve Bank.
• The United States of America and the United Nations have both received a distinguished award for their contributions to the cause of peace.
• Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu crowned her successor, Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel at the 71st Miss Universe pageant held at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
• Google has celebrated the 97th birth anniversary of legendary Indian wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, also known as Pocket Dynamo, with a doodle.
• The richest one percent in India now own more than 40 percent of the country's total wealth, while the bottom half of the population together share just 3 percent of the wealth.
• Broadcaster Sony Sports Network, which will air the Australian Open this month across its channels and OTT app SonyLiv, has roped in sponsors like Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Samsonite as co-presenting sponsors and Panasonic as an associate sponsor for the upcoming open.
• Star Indian batter Virat Kohli became the fifth-highest run-scorer in the history of ODI cricket, overtaking Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene to enter the top five.
• Falak Mumtaz, an 11-year-old from Shopian in South Kashmir, won gold in the National Sqay Championship 2023.
• India and Panama signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation for the training of diplomats.
• India and the United Kingdom (UK) signed and exchanged letters of the UK-India Young Professional Scheme (YPS) at an event in London, UK.
• Meghalaya Chief Minister (CM) Shri Conrad Sangma launched the 30 shared school bus system & prime tourism vehicles and agriculture response vehicle scheme in Shillong city, Meghalaya.
• ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd (OTPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) to develop a battery energy storage project in Assam at an investment of Rs 2,000 crore.
• Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and 8 countries of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) signed 8 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in Indore, MP.
• Leading public sector bank Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company (BALIC) have announced their Corporate Agency Partnership.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed alternative investment funds to participate in credit default swaps (CDS) to protect buyers and
• Fintech startup EnKash has got in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a payment aggregator's license.
• Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank) has raised $1 billion via a 10-year Sustainability Bond issue in the 144A/Reg-S format under its Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Framework.
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has allowed Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for non-resident bank accounts linked to International mobile numbers of 10 countries.
• According to the PwC India report, titled ‘Startup Tracker-CY 22’, the funding for India’s startups dropped by 33% to $24 billion in 2022 in contrast to the earlier year.
• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed mutual funds with active Equity-Linked Savings Schemes (ELSS) to launch passive schemes, a move that will provide a cost-effective and tax-saving alternative to individual investors.
• Facebook-parent Meta has appointed Mr. Vikas Purohit as Director of its Global Business Group in India.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s(NASA) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured its first-ever exoplanet, formally classified as LHS 475 b, the planet is almost the same size as our earth clocking in at 99% of Earth's diameter."