CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS JANUARY 23 TO 26 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

JANUARY 23 2021

NATIONAL

Video of PM Modi unveiling Netaji's 28-ft tall hologram at India Gate released

A video of the unveiling of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's 28-foot tall and 6-foot wide hologram at New Delhi's India Gate has been released by the government. PM Narendra Modi unveiled the 3D projection of Netaji's image on the occasion of 'Parakram Diwas' to commemorate his 125th birth anniversary. The hologram will later be replaced by a granite statue.

Harmeet Singh Kalka elected Delhi gurdwara management body chief

Harmeet Singh Kalka of the Shiromani Akali Dal was on Saturday elected the president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) amid heated arguments among the members. The elections took place at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi. The voting had to be stopped after a member revealed his choice publicly, to which the others objected.

TN may remove Sunday lockdown if COVID-19 cases dip: State minister

The Tamil Nadu government will consider withdrawing Sunday lockdown if COVID-19 cases in the state continue to decline, said state Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Sunday. While addressing the media, Subramanian said, "Cases are reducing in comparison to last one or two days. It is satisfactory." Tamil Nadu reported 30,580 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths in past 24 hours

India correcting past mistakes: PM after unveiling Netaji's statue

PM Narendra Modi while unveiling Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's statue at India Gate on Sunday said attempts were made after independence to erase contributions of many great people, but now the country is correcting past mistakes. He asked people to take inspiration from Bose's "can do" and "will do" spirit. PM Modi added, "Netaji's statue will inspire democratic values...future generations."

Suspected Naxalites blow up bridge in Jharkhand’s Giridih

Suspected Naxalites blew up a bridge on the Barakar river in Jharkhand’s Giridih district on Sunday. The explosion was caused by a detonator around 2 am. The Naxalites are reportedly demanding the release of their leader Prashant Bose and his wife Sheela Marandi. The bridge connected Jharkhand with West Bengal.

25% off on due property tax for fully vaccinated: Kolkata civic body

The South Dum Dum Municipality in North Kolkata has announced a 25% discount on pending property taxes for fully vaccinated residents. "This will serve two purposes. Firstly, it will encourage people to take the full dose and secondly, it will help us clear dues, which run into crores," said Debashis Banerjee, member, Board of Administrators (Health & Public Health).

 

Who is Adwaita Gadanayak, the sculptor who'll carve Netaji's granite statue?

short by Sakshita Khosla / 10:10 pm on 23 Jan 2022,Sunday

Sculptor Adwaita Gadanayak will be creating the 28-foot tall granite statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that will be installed at India Gate. The Odisha-born artist is the Director-General of the National Gallery of Modern Art and Gandhiji's Dandi March statue in Delhi's Rajghat is one of his most famous projects. He received the National Lalit Kala Akademi Award 1993.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

Thailand PM to visit Saudi Arabia, 33 yrs after Blue Diamond Affair

Saudi Foreign Ministry said that Thailand PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha will visit the country on Tuesday. The high-profile visit comes 33 years after Saudi downgraded its relations with Thailand after a Thai janitor working in the Saudi prince's palace in 1989 stole jewels worth $20 million. The incident later came to be known as the 'Blue Diamond Affair'.

 

French adventurer dies at 75 while crossing Atlantic Ocean solo

French adventurer, Jean-Jacques Savin died aged 75 at sea while rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Savin's support team said. Earlier, he had made the crossing in a large barrel in 2019. They added that Savin was found dead on Saturday in his overturned boat near the Portuguese archipelago of Azores, three weeks after he set off on January 

 

Brussels police fire water cannon, tear gas at COVID-19 curbs protest

Belgian police on Sunday fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters opposing the COVID-19 norms near the European Commission's headquarters in capital, Brussels. This comes after the demonstrations involving nearly 50,000 people turned violent. As per current norms, booster doses are required after five months to maintain the vaccination pass allowing them to enter bars and cinemas.

 

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

World Bank approves ₹1,000 crore loan for Bengal's social schemes

World Bank has approved a loan of around ₹1,000 crore to make social protection services offered by the West Bengal government accessible to poor and vulnerable groups. It has been sanctioned under 'West Bengal Building State Capability for Inclusive Social Protection' operation. It will help in improving services like medical help through telemedicine, a statement by the state government said.

ICICI's net profit grows over 25% YoY in Q3, reaches ₹6,193.81 cr

ICICI Bank Ltd reported a YoY rise of over 25% in net profit in the October-December quarter, reaching ₹6,193.81 crore from ₹4,939.59 crore in Q3 FY21. Provisions and contingencies fell 26.8% YoY to ₹2,007.30 crore from ₹2,741.72 crore. The bank also reported 6.3% YoY rise in gross non-performing assets to ₹37,052.74 crore from ₹34,860.43 crore in Q3 FY21.

Amazon says Samara ready to buy Future Retail assets for ₹7,000 cr: Report

Amazon has reportedly told the independent directors of Future Retail that Samara Capital "remains interested and committed" in investing ₹7,000 crore to buy all retail assets of the debt-ridden company, PTI reported. Earlier, Future Retail's independent directors had sought ₹3,500 crore in unsecured long-term loan from Amazon to help avoid its debt from being classified as non-performing assets.

 

 

SPORTS
Don't point fingers: AIFF Prez on India's Asian Cup 2022 game cancellation

Following cancellation of India-Chinese Taipei Pool A match in Women's Asian Cup Football 2022 due to several COVID-19 cases in Indian team, AIFF President Praful Patel said, "Let there be no fingers pointed at any." He added, "This is a pandemic situation...no bubble is foolproof around the world." Match was to be played at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Manipur man sets Guinness World Record of 109 push-ups in 1 minute

A 24-year-old man from Manipur has created a new Guinness World Record for the most push-ups (fingertips) in one minute. Thounaojam Niranjoy Singh performed 109 push-ups in a minute, smashing his old record of 105 push-ups in the same duration. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted a video of Singh and wrote, "I'm so proud of his achievement !!"

Sindhu clinches gold in Syed Modi India International, wins a tournament after 2 years

PV Sindhu defeated Malvika Bansod 21-13, 21-16 to win gold medal in the women's singles event at the Syed Modi India International 2022. With this, Sindhu won a tournament after two years, four months and 29 days. This is Sindhu's second Syed Modi India International title. She had won her first title in 2017.

Who won what in annual cricket awards announced by ICC today?

ICC today announced some of the winners of annual ICC awards for 2021. Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan has been named Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year, while England's Tammy Beaumont won Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year award. Oman's Zeeshan Maqsood won the Men's Associate Cricketer of the Year and Austria's Andrea-Mae Zepeda was named Women's Associate Cricketer of the Year.

India suffer ODI series whitewash against SA, lose 5th international match in a row

South Africa defeated India by 4 runs in the third ODI to complete a 3-0 series whitewash. India have now lost five consecutive international matches, including three ODIs and two Test matches. Further, India have now lost three of their last four away ODI series. India will next face West Indies in a three-match ODI series starting February 6.

 

 

OBITUARY
Meat Loaf's daughter pays tribute to late singer, says 'We got you'

American singer-actor Meat Loaf's daughter Pearl Aday paid tribute to her father, who passed away aged 74. Taking to Instagram, she posted a picture of her hugging her father from behind and captioned it, "I love you always, no matter what...We got you. Forever." He worked in over 65 movies, including Brad Pitt and Edward Norton-starrer 'Fight Club'.

 

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CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

24th January 2022

National News

Indian Armed Force selected ‘Saab’ for supply of Anti-Armour weapon

Swedish defence company ‘Saab’ had been selected by the Indian Armed Force through a competitive programme for the supply of single-shot anti-armour weapon AT4. AT4 will be used by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.  The order includes the AT4CS AST, which can be fired from confined spaces such as from inside buildings, bunkers and other urban environments. Carl-Gustaf system of Saab is being already used by the Indian Armed Forces.  AT4 will be operated by a single soldier and its single-shot system has proven efficacy against structures landing craft helicopters armoured vehicles and personnel. Its 84 mm calibre warhead offers enhanced power and performance to the Indian armed forces.  The weapon can be fired with a range of projectiles, such as high-explosive anti-tank rounds, anti-structure tandem-warheads, and high explosive rounds. It can penetrate more than 17.5 inches (44 centimetres) of armour.  The AT4 is equipped with an optical night sight for missions in low-light environments and has a minimum arming distance of 10 meters (32.8 feet), making it more accurate when hitting closer targets.

 

Himachal Pradesh CM launched ‘Apna Kangra’ app

Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur has launched the ‘Apna Kangra’ app and hampers handcrafted by self-help groups (SHGs) at Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.  The app aims to provide a hassle-free experience for tourists and to boost sales of local handicrafts. While the app is bound to provide a unique experience for tourists on the one hand, on the other it will serve as an e-marketing platform for SHG products from the district.  The CM also virtually inaugurated Radhe Krishna Cow Sanctuary at Luthan in Jawalamukhi Vidhan Sabha area of Kangra. The govt of HP initiated the scheme ‘Mukhya Mantri HIMCARE’ to provide medical services to cattles.

Karnataka became India’s first state to launch AVGC Center of Excellence

The government of Karnataka has launched India’s first AVGC Center of Excellence (CoE) (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) in Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, Karnataka.  AVGC CoE was launched with pioneering high technology digital media hub under its Innovate Karnataka initiative. It is funded by the Department of Electronics Information Technology Biotechnology and Science & Technology. Karnataka became India’s first state to set up such an AVGC CoE, it is also the biggest centre in Asia.  The centre also has a finishing school that offers unique courses based on emerging technology such as virtual reality, digital compression, photogrammetry, gamification of education, real-time virtual production, and other emerging technologies.

India’s First “District Good Governance Index” launched

The Union Minister of Home and Cooperation Amit Shah has virtually released India’s First “District Good Governance Index” for 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The top 5 districts in the District Good Governance Index” are (1) Jammu, (2) Doda, (3) Samba, (4) Pulwama and (5) Srinagar. This index has been prepared by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. The District Good Governance Index (DGGI) is a framework document comprising of performance under ten governance sectors having 58 indicators with 116 data points.

Govt annouces 40-100 per cent subsidy to popularise drone in agriculture

Union Agriculture Ministry has amended the guidelines of Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) to provide 40-100 per cent subsidy until March 2023 in purchasing drones for farm mechanization. After the amendment, a grant for the purchase of drones up to 100 per cent of the cost of agriculture drones or Rs 10 lakhs, whichever is less, can be given.  Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Agriculture Universities- 100% subsidy- Rs 10 lakh maximum.  Agriculture graduates establishing Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs)= 50 per cent subsidy up to Rs 5 lakh.  Existing CHCs or new ones, already or to be set up by a cooperative society of farmers, farmer producers organizations (FPOs) and rural entrepreneurs are entitled to receive= 40 per cent subsidy (maximum Rs 4 lakh).

‘Jai Bhim’ wins 3 awards at Noida International Film Festival

Film ‘Jai Bhim’, starring Suriya, has won three awards at the 9th Noida International Film Festival. It won the Best Film award along with Best Actor and Best Actress awards for Suriya and Lijomol Jose, respectively. Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian, CEO of 2D Entertainment, the production house of the film, announced the news on Twitter.

Exporters seek support measures in Budget 2022 to boost shipments

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said that exporters have demanded support measures like high import duty on plastic finished goods and setting up of an Indian shipping line for the upcoming Budget to promote shipments. They have also suggested fiscal incentives to address logistics challenges, and reduction of income tax on limited liability partnerships to support MSMEs.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

Armenia's President Sarkissian resigns citing lack of powers

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian resigned on Sunday, claiming that the country's Constitution doesn't give him sufficient powers to be an effective head of state. "The roots of some of our potential problems are hidden in the current Basic Law," he said. Following a referendum in 2015, Armenia became a parliamentary republic with the presidential powers being significantly curtailed.

Sweden not planning to apply for NATO membership yet: Minister

Sweden isn't planning on joining NATO yet and will make its own security decisions, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Monday. "We [don't intend] to apply for NATO membership now, neither Sweden [nor] Finland,” she said. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry said it views NATO's willingness to accept Sweden and Finland in bloc as an attempt to influence their foreign policies.

 

Ayesha Malik takes oath as 1st female judge of Pak Supreme Court

Justice Ayesha Malik was sworn in by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Monday as the first female judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The swearing-in took place in the ceremonial hall of the Supreme Court. Justice Malik was educated at Harvard University and had served as a High Court judge in Lahore since 2012.

 

Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe given Netaji Award 2022

Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was conferred with the Netaji Award 2022 by Netaji Research Bureau. Consul General of Japan in Kolkata Nakamura Yutaka received the honour on behalf of Mr. Abe at a function at the Elgin Road residence of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary.  Satoshi Suzuki, the Japanese Ambassador to India, addressed the program remotely from New Delhi. Abe is a tremendous admirer of Netaji, according to Sugata Bose, the famed liberation fighter's grand-nephew and Director of the Netaji Research Bureau. Moreover, in January 2021, India bestowed the Padma Vibhushan on former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the country's second-highest civilian honour.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley wins second consecutive term

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley was sworn in for a second term in office on 20 January 2022, following a landslide victory by her party in the 2022 election. She is serving as the Prime Minister of Barbados since 2018.  She is the leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) since 2008. She is the first woman prime minister of the country as well as first PM under a republic system.

NATO partners to hold maritime drills in Mediterranean Sea

The NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member countries will be conducting a 12-day maritime exercise in the Mediterranean Sea from January 24, 2022. The name of the maritime exercise is “Neptune Strike ’22”. The naval drill will end on February 04, 2022. The main purpose of this exercise will be to demonstrate and test NATO’s wide range of maritime capabilities.  The US announced the decision to hold NATO naval drills, which will involve the participation of the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier, a day after Russia said it would demonstrate its own naval capabilities for two months, January and February, from the Pacific to the Atlantic Sea.

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
GoodDot ropes in Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador

Plant-based meat company GoodDot has roped in Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador. With this association, the company wants to create awareness about the new category of plant-based meats. It also wants to send out a message that small changes in lifestyle and food choices can go a long way in making the world a better place.  The company provides alternatives to mutton, chicken and eggs and is a Direct-to-consumer (D2C) player so far and sells also through online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, etc. It also sells in countries like Canada, Singapore, Nepal, Dubai, South Africa, Mauritius, and Oman.

Axis Bank reports 224% YoY rise in net profit to ₹3,614 cr in Q3

Axis Bank reported a 224% YoY rise in net profit to ₹3,614 crore in the October-December 2021 quarter. The bank also reported a 17% YoY rise in net interest income to ₹8,653 crore. "The Bank holds cumulative provisions of ₹13,404 crore at the end of Q3," Axis Bank said in a filing.

Actor Allu Arjun offered ₹100 cr for a new film with Atlee: Reports

Actor Allu Arjun will reportedly collaborate with filmmaker Atlee for a Pan-India project. According to reports, the movie will be backed by Lyca Productions, which has produced films like '2.0', 'Kaththi' and, 'Darbar'. Reports added that Lyca has offered Rs 100 crore to the Telugu star for the film after the success of his movie 'Pushpa: The Rise'.

5 richest tech billionaires collectively lose $85 billion of wealth in Jan

World's five richest tech billionaires collectively lost $85.07 billion of their wealth in the first few weeks of 2022, as per Bloomberg Billionaires Index. While Elon Musk lost about $26.9 billion, Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos' wealth declined by $24.7 billion in 2022. Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates and Google Co-founder Larry Page's wealth dropped by $9.5 billion and $11.9 billion, respectively.

Air India likely to be transferred to Tata Group on Jan 27: Report

Air India is likely to be handed over to Tata Group on January 27, as per an official of the airline. In a purported email to employees, Air India's Director, Finance, Vinod Hejmadi said the airline’s disinvestment will take place on January 27 and the closing balance sheet as of January 20 will be provided to the Tata Group today.

RBI Paper: Optimal hedge ratio for ECBs is at 63%

According to a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Working Paper, the optimal hedge ratio for the External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) raised by firms in India is estimated at 63 per cent for the periods of high volatility in the foreign exchange (forex/FX) market.  An optimal hedge ratio is a ratio that implies the percentage of total asset or liability exposure that an entity ought to hedge against exchange rate fluctuations.  According to the Paper, domestic economic activity and movements in the exchange rate of the Indian rupee are the two major factors influencing the ECBs issuance. Depreciation of the Indian rupee has an adverse impact on the issuance of ECBs in the short as well as long run.

NITI Aayog & RMI India releases report ‘Banking on Electric Vehicles in India’

NITI Aayog has released a report titled ‘Banking on Electric Vehicles in India’ on January 22, 2022, which outlines the need and importance of the inclusion of Electric Vehicles in RBI priority-sector lending guidelines.  The report has been developed by NITI Aayog in collaboration with US-based non-profit organisations Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), and RMI India.  The report has indicated electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and commercial four-wheelers as early segments to prioritise under Priority Sector Lending. The suggestion has also been made to recognise Electric Vehicles as an infrastructure sub-sector by the Finance Ministry and the incorporation of electric vehicles as a separate reporting category under RBI.

Dry days in Delhi cut down from 21 to 3 this year

The Delhi government on Monday said that it is reducing the number of dry days in the city from 21 to three, for the year 2022. Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) will be observed as dry days in the national capital, an official Excise Department notification said.

 

Science and Technology News

ISRO Successfully Tests Vikas engine in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully test-fired the Vikas engine that would power India’s first human-carry rocket (Gaganyaan human space mission).  This qualification test of the Vikas Engine for the Gaganyaan human space mission was conducted by ISRO at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. More such tests on Vikas Engine will be conducted in the future by ISRO.  The test was carried out to verify the robustness of the engine by operating beyond its nominal operating conditions (fuel-oxidiser ratio and chamber pressure). The performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.

Sports News

India’s first para-badminton academy launched in Lucknow

India’s first para-badminton academy has been set up in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It has all the advanced equipment and facilities. The set-up will improve India’s medal prospects at the 2024 Paralympics to be held in Paris, France at Stade de France stadium.  The badminton centre has been launched by the head national coach of the Indian para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna, in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance.

PV Sindhu wins title at Syed Modi badminton 2022

Ace Indian shuttler, PV Sindhu has bagged the women’s singles title at the Syed Modi International Tournament in Lucknow. Sindhu beat fellow Indian Malvika Bansod 21-13 21-16 to win her second Syed Modi title after 2017.  The 2022 Syed Modi International badminton tournament was held at Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from 18 to 23 January 2022.

Winners in other categories:

Men’s singles: Final was declared a ‘No Match’ between Arnaud Merkle and Lucas Claerbout, after one of the finalists tested positive for Covid-19.  Men’s doubles: Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia).  Women’s doubles: Anna Cheong and Teoh Mei Xing (Malaysia).  Mixed Doubles: Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Castro (India).

 

Smriti Mandhana wins ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award for the second time

short by Anmol Sharma / 02:45 pm on 24 Jan 2022,Monday

India Women batter Smriti Mandhana has won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for being the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year for 2021. The 25-year-old scored 855 runs in 22 international matches in 2021 at an average of 38.86 with one century and five half-centuries. This is Mandhana's second Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award, with her winning the award for 2018 as well.

Lucknow IPL team to be called 'Lucknow Super Giants'

The Lucknow franchise of the Indian Premier League will be called 'Lucknow Super Giants', the owners announced today. The team, owned by RPSG Group, had launched a consumer engagement campaign on social media on January 3 to decide the name. The RPSG Group had bought the new franchise for ₹7,090 crore.

 

Looking forward with clear focus on winning WC 2022: Mandhana

Following her second ICC Women's Cricketer of Year Award in 2021, India Women opening batter Smriti Mandhana said she's looking forward to 2022 with a "clear" focus on winning Women's World Cup in New Zealand. The 25-year-old scored 855 runs in 22 international matches across three formats last year, including a maiden Test hundred against Australia in Day-Night Test.

Who won what in annual cricket awards announced by ICC today?

The ICC today announced the remaining winners of annual awards for 2021. South Africa's Marais Erasmus was named Umpire of the Year. Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year award, while South Africa's Lizelle Lee was named Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year. Joe Root was named Men's Test Cricketer of the Year.

 

Important Days

Parakram Diwas: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose 125th Birth Anniversary

The Indian government has decided to celebrate January 23rd as 'Parakram Diwas' to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This year is the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.  Netaji was born on January 23, 1897. The day is celebrated to honour and remember Netaji’s indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation.

International Day of Education observed on 24 January

The International Day of Education is marked every year on 24 January globally to celebrate the role of education in bringing global peace and sustainable development.  The first-ever International Day of Education was celebrated on 24 January 2019 as per the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 3rd 2018 to celebrate the role of education in development.  The theme of 4th International Day of Education in 2022 is Changing Course, Transforming Education. The celebration is led by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

National Girl Child Day observed on 24 January 2022

In India, the National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is observed annually on January 24. The day aims to focus on the inequalities faced by girls, to promote the education, health & nutrition of the girl child, and to spread awareness about the rights of a girl child. The day was observed for the first time in 2008 as an initiative by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Government of India.  The day was initiated to spread awareness among people about all the inequalities faced by girls in the country. The day promotes awareness about the rights of a girl child and increases awareness on the importance of girl education, health, and nutrition.

Obituaries News

Former India footballer Subhas Bhowmick passes away

Former India footballer Subhas Bhowmick has passed away at the age of 72 years due to prolonged illness. He was born in West Bengal. He was part of the Indian Football team that won a bronze medal at the 1970 Asian Games (held in Bangkok).  He also scored a hat-trick against the Philippines in the Merdeka Cup in 1971. He has also served as the coach for football teams like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. 

Rajubhai Shah, who financed films like 'Sarkar', dies due to heart attack in Gulmarg

Rajubhai Shah, who financed films like 'Sarkar', 'Bol Bachchan', 'Golmaal' and 'Jab We Met', passed away after suffering a heart attack on Saturday night while he was on a holiday in Gulmarg. His last rites took place at Pawan Hans crematorium in Mumbai's Vile Parle today morning. He was the owner of TA Shah Group of Companies.

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25 January 2022

National News

 

Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad awarded Padma Bhushan for public affairs

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee have been awarded the Padma Bhushan for public affairs on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day. They are among the 17 people who have been awarded the country's third-highest honour this year. Actor Victor Banerjee has also been awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Democracy in deep peril in West Bengal: Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday remarked that democracy is in “deep peril” in the state and governance is far from constitutional norms. While addressing mediapersons, he said the state government officers have forgotten rules and people aren’t being allowed to exercise their right to vote freely. He also claimed that over 25 vice-chancellors were appointed without his approval.

Who are the recipients of the Padma Awards 2022 in the business field?

Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech's Krishna Ella and Suchitra Ella and Covishield maker Serum Institute's Founder Cyrus Poonawalla are among Padma Bhushan awardees in the business field for 2022. Padma Shri awardees are Jagjit Singh Dardi, Muktamani Devi, Japan's Ryuko Hira and Rupa & Co's Prahlad Rai Agarwala.

Olympian Neeraj Chopra, Paralympian Avani Lekhara awarded Padma Shri

Tokyo Olympics gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra and Paralympians Pramod Bhagat, Sumit Antil and Avani Lekhara were named among Padma Shri awardees announced by the Indian government on Tuesday. Paralympic athlete Devendra Jhajharia will meanwhile, be awarded the Padma Bhushan. Hockey player Vandana Kataria is also among the Padma Shri awardees.

Ex-WB CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee refuses Padma Bhushan, says 'wasn't informed'

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday refused to accept the Padma Bhushan that was conferred on him by the Central Government on Tuesday. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury quoted Bhattacharjee as saying, "I don't know anything about Padma Bhushan award, no one has said anything about it. If I've been given Padma Bhushan I refuse to accept it."

 

Himachal Pradesh and Haryana govts tie-up for construction of Adi Badri Dam

Governments of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have signed an MoU at Panchkula, for the construction of Adi Badri Dam that would come upon 77 acres in Himachal Pradesh near the Adi Badri area of Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana. The proposed dam aims for the rejuvenation of the Saraswati river with an estimated cost of Rs 215.35 crore.  The Dam would get 224-hectare metre water from Himachal Pradesh’s Somb River that falls in the Yamuna near Adi Badri in Yamuna Nagar district. The executing agency for the construction of Adi Badri Dam would be Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited. Adi Badri, also Sri Sarasvati Udgam Tirath, is located in the foothills of the Sivalik Hills in the Bhabar area. It is situated in the northern part of Haryana’s Yamunanagar district.

 

Govt appoints Vinodanand Jha as new chairperson to PMLA Adjudicating Authority

Vinodanand Jha has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Adjudicating Authority, for a period of 5 years. Jha is a 1983-batch retired IRS officer, who was serving as the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in Pune before this.  The PMLA Adjudicating Authority is a three-member body whose mandated is to adjudicate the cases of attachment of assets orders issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and order for its continuity and further confiscation or release, considering the merits of the investigation.  Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted by the NDA government to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from money laundering. PMLA and the Rules notified there under came into force with effect from July 1, 2005.

 

29 Children Awarded Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) for the year 2022 has been conferred to 29 children.  These winners include 15 Boys and 14 Girls, belonging to 21 States and UTs. The PMRBP award is given by the Government of India to children with exceptional abilities and outstanding accomplishments in 6 categories. The award carries a cash prize of Rs.1,00,000/-.

Category wise distribution of awards is given below:

Innovation: 7

Social Service: 4

Scholastic: 1

Sports: 8

Art & Culture: 6

Bravery: 3

International News

Tencent fires 70 employees in 2021 amid campaign against fraud

Chinese technology company Tencent sacked 70 employees as part of a campaign against fraud in 2021, CNBC reported on Tuesday. Tencent's recent report of internal investigations said the company identified cases of embezzlement and bribery and took action accordingly. Tencent added it has reported some of the sacked employees to the authorities.

 

AIIB invests USD 150 million in data center development to serve emerging Asia

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a multilateral development bank has committed USD 150 million to invest in the development of data centres that mostly serve emerging Asia.  This project is being AIIB’s 1st data centre project. India is a key founding member of AIIB. AIIB’s investment of USD 100 million through a parallel fund structure and USD 50 million through co-investments mark the final close of KDCF II, a development fund making strategic investments in the fast-growing data center sector with a focus on the Asia Pacific.

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Banking , Business and Economy

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank launched ‘Platina Fixed Deposit’ Scheme

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) has launched ‘Platina Fixed Deposit’, offering interest of 15 basis points (bps) higher than the regular term deposit rates provided by Ujjivan SFB.  The Platina FD is a non-callable deposit, where partial & premature withdrawal is not applicable. While the interest amount can be received on monthly, quarterly or at the end of the maturity period.  The general FD for 990 days tenure gives 6.75% interest for general citizens and 7.50% for senior citizens, while Platina FD offers 6.90% & 7.65% interest rates.  FD limit: the minimum amount is Rs 20 lakh and the maximum amount is Rs 2 crores, with tenure ranging from 1 year to 5 years.

PMC Bank merges with Unity Small Finance Bank

Branches of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank Ltd (PMC Bank) will operate as Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd (USFBL) branches from Tuesday, RBI said in a press release. RBI added that USFBL is making all necessary arrangements to implement provisions of the merger. The bank's amalgamation scheme envisages takeover of the assets and liabilities of PMC Bank.

 

Swiggy turns decacorn with valuation of $10.7 billion

Food-ordering and instant grocery delivery platform, Swiggy has signed a $700 million funding round led by asset manager Invesco. With this, the total valuation of Swiggy has reached to $10.7 billion i.e. it is now a decacorn.  A decacorn is a startup with a valuation of more than $10 billion. Swiggy’s latest valuation is almost double that of Zomato before the latter went for its initial public offering. Zomato was valued at $5.4 billion before its IPO.

Fullerton India partners with Paytm to expand digital lending to MSMEs

Fullerton India and One97 Communications Limited, which owns the brand Paytm, have announced a partnership to provide lending products to merchant partners and consumers.   With the partnership, the two established institutions will leverage data-driven insights and wide reach to bring credit to new-to-credit users. They aim to co-create innovative merchant loan products using customer payment behaviour and Fullerton’s years of experience of understanding of this segment.  The program will offer Paytm Postpaid (buy-now-pay-later) to millions of consumers on the Paytm platform while utilizing Fullerton’s deep risk assessment capabilities and scale.

Awards News

International Cricket Council announced ICC Awards 2021

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the 17th edition of ICC Awards for the year 2021 to recognise and honour the best international cricket players of the previous 12 months, between January 01, 2021, and December 31, 2021.  Notably, these awards honour players for their performances for their respective national side in a year.

Winners are listed below:

Category	Winners
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year	Smriti Mandhana (India)
Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year	Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
ICC Umpire of the Year	Marais Erasmus
ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year	Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year	Tammy Beaumont (England)
ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year	Janneman Malan (South Africa)
ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year	Fatima Sana (Pakistan)
ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year	Zeeshan Maqsood (Oman)
ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year	Andrea-Mae Zepeda (Austria)
ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year	Babar Azam (Pakistan)
ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year	Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year	Joe Root (England)

India's Koozhangal gets the best film award at Dhaka International Film Festival

P S Vinothraj directed film Koozhangal from India won the best film award in the Asian Film Competition section at the 20th Dhaka International Film Festival.  Information and Broadcasting Minister of Bangladesh Hasan Mahmud gave away the awards as Chief Guest during the concluding session organised at the National Museum auditorium in Dhaka.

The list of the award for different categories are:

The best actor award was given to Jayasurya for Ranjith Sankar-directed film Sunny.  The Best Script Writer Award went to Indranil Roychowdhury and Sugata Sinha for Indranil Roychowdhury-directed India-Bangladesh film Mayar Jonjal.  The special audience award was given to Aimee Baruah Directed film Semkhor.  Sujit Bidari directed film Aina Jhyal Ko Putali from Nepal got the best director award.  In the Women film maker’s section, the best feature film award was given to Maryam Bahrololumi directed film Shahrbanoo (Lady from the City) from Iran.  Two Bangladeshi films, Nurul Alam Atique directed Lal Moroger Jhuti and N Rashed Chowdhury directed Chandrabati Kotha got the Audience Award.

Sports News

Ladakh team wins 9th Women National Ice Hockey Championship 2022

The women’s team from Ladakh has lifted the 9th National Women’s Ice Hockey Championship in Himachal Pradesh. The championship was organised by the Ice Hockey Association of India at Kaza area in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.  A total of six teams participated in the championship from Delhi, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Telangana and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. 

Important Days

National Voters Day celebrated on January 25

India observes “National Voters’ Day” every year on January 25 to encourage more young voters to take part in the political process. Election Commission of India is celebrating 12th National Voters Day on 25th January 2022.  The theme for this year’s NVD, ‘Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative’, envisages focus on ECI’s commitment to facilitate the active participation of voters during the elections and to make the complete process hassle-free and a memorable experience for all categories of voters.  Since 2011, National Voters’ Day has been celebrated on January 25 every year, all across the country to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India, i.e. 25th January 1950.

National Tourism Day of India celebrated on 25 January

The Indian government established January 25 as the National Tourism Day to raise awareness about the importance of tourism for the country’s economy.  The day is observed to cultivate awareness among the global community on the importance of tourism and its social, political, financial and cultural worth.  The ministry of tourism is the nodal agency in India to form national policies for the promotion and development of tourism. It also coordinates with central, state agencies and the public sector.

Obituaries News

Eminent archaeologist Thiru R. Nagaswamy passes away

Noted Indian historian, archaeologist and epigraphist from Tamil Nadu, Ramachandran Nagaswamy, has passed away. He was 91. He first director of the Tamil Nadu government’s Department of Archaeology.  Nagaswamy was known for his work on temple inscriptions and art history of Tamil Nadu. In 2018, Nagaswamy was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award. He has authored more than 100 books and his latest book was ‘Senthamizh Naadum Pandbum’, published in January 2022.

directors Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh’s Writing with Fire, a film about a newspaper run by Dalit women, has been shortlisted in the Best Documentary Feature category at the Oscars 2022. 

 

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CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

JANUARY 26, 2022

NATIONAL

My mentor, my hero: Adar Poonawalla shares old pic as father gets Padma Bhushan

Covishield maker Serum Institute's CEO Adar Poonawalla shared a childhood picture with his father Cyrus Poonawalla on Twitter after the government named him as a Padma Bhushan awardee for 2022. Adar wrote, "I thank the government of India for acknowledging my mentor, my hero, my father." He also congratulated all "deserving individuals who will receive the Padma awards this year".

Charger horse of President's Bodyguard named Virat retires; pics show PM petting him

PM Narendra Modi was seen caressing Virat, the charger horse of President's Bodyguard, during the Republic Day parade as the animal retires from service today. The Hanoverian breed horse was awarded with Chief of the Army Staff's commendation on Army Day this year. President Ram Nath Kovind and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were also seen petting the horse.

70-yr-old 'tunnel man' from K'taka, who turned barren land fertile, awarded Padma Shri

Amai Mahalinga Naik, a 70-year-old labourer from Karnataka, is one of the Padma Shri awardees named by the government on Tuesday. Naik, credited with turning a barren piece of land near Kepu village into a farm, cut through the stones and dug tunnels to source water. He's fondly called 'Surang Man' or 'Tunnel Man' and 'One man army'.

Tabla player Pandit Anindo rejects Padma award, says 'juniors awarded years ago'

Tabla player Pandit Anindo Chatterjee has declined to receive the Padma Shri award. "Many of my contemporaries and juniors were given Padma Shri years ago. Anyway I said with all humbleness, that I am sorry but I cannot accept it (award) now," he stated. He added that he's not ready to receive Padma Shri at this phase of his career.

BSF, Pak Army exchange sweets at Attari-Wagah border on Republic Day

Border Security Force and Pakistan Army on Wednesday came together to exchange sweets and greetings at the Attari-Wagah border to mark India's 73rd Republic Day. BSF also exchanged sweets with Border Guard Bangladesh at the India-Bangladesh border at Fulbari near Siliguri. Meanwhile, Indian Army jawans unfurled the national flag at multiple places along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

90-yr-old singer Sandhya Mukherjee refuses to accept Padma Shri; says 'felt insulted'

Veteran singer Sandhya Mukherjee on Tuesday refused to accept the Padma Shri. The 90-year-old's daughter Soumi Sengupta said that her mother told the senior official who called from Delhi that she "felt insulted" at her being offered the award at her age. Earlier, former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee turned down the Padma Bhushan.

Railways suspends NTPC, Level 1 exams amid protests by job aspirants

Ministry of Railways has suspended examinations of Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) and Level 1 of Railway Recruitment Board amid protests by job aspirants. "A committee has been formed to listen to the candidates who cleared or failed. It'll give a report to the Ministry," a Railways spokesperson said. This comes days after job aspirants blocked the arterial Delhi-Kolkata line.

A truly global leader: Pai as Tata Sons' Chandrasekaran gets Padma Bhushan

short by Aishwarya Awasthi / 12:38 pm on 26 Jan 2022,Wednesday

Ex-Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai has congratulated Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on being awarded Padma Bhushan, calling him "a truly global leader". "He is a great Patriot, nationalist and has worked hard to put India on the global map always!" he added. Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are also among the recipients of Padma Bhushan.

National Flag unfurled at Rajpath as India celebrates 73rd Republic Day

The Tricolour was unfurled at Rajpath in the presence of President Ram Nath Kovind and PM Narendra Modi on the occasion of 73rd Republic Day. A 21-gun salute was presented by Ceremonial Battery of 871 Field Regiment following the unfurling. Earlier, PM Modi paid tribute to the martyrs by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial.

Andhra cabinet approves creation of 13 new districts, total districts now at 26

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh cabinet has approved the creation of 13 new districts in the state, taking the total number of districts from the existing 13 to 26. The names of the new 13 districts are Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Kona Seema, Eluru, NTR District, Bapatla, Palnadu, Nandyal, Sri Satyasai, Annamayya and Sri Balaji.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to seek re-election in 2022 midterms

short by Saurabh Sinha / 10:52 am on 26 Jan 2022,Wednesday

Putting an end to speculations over her retirement, United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she would seek re-election to Congress in 2022 midterms. "While we have made progress, much more needs to be done to improve people's lives. This election is crucial: nothing less is at stake than our democracy," said the 81-year-old.

90-yr-old fish in US believed to be the oldest living aquarium fish; pics surface

A fish that's about 90 years old is believed to be the world's oldest living aquarium fish. The 4-foot-long Australian lungfish brought to the San Francisco museum in 1938 from Australia, weighs 18.1 kilograms. Until a few years ago, the oldest Australian lungfish was at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, but that fish died in 2017 aged 95.

Sweden to extend COVID-19 curbs by 2 weeks amid rising cases

Sweden will extend its COVID-19 curbs by another two weeks amid rising infections, Swedish Health Minister Lena Hallengren said on Wednesday. Existing restrictions in Sweden place a cap of 500 people inside large indoor venues while restaurants and bars must close by 11 pm. Sweden has reported around 2,70,000 COVID-19 cases in the last seven days.

 

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Sterlite Tech bags multi-year order worth ₹170 cr from Power Grid

Sterlite Technologies announced that it has bagged a multi-year order of about ₹170 crore to build a unified network management system for Power Grid Corporation of India. The broadband technology company will also provide a consolidated infrastructure with centralised controls for their inter-regional networks. Sterlite said it has already been supplying optical fibre cables to Power Grid.

Insurers seek high investment limit, GST reduction in Budget

Insurance companies are seeking a separate deduction limit of ₹1 lakh for insurance premium payment under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act in the upcoming Budget. Insurers are also seeking reduction in GST on health insurance products from 18% to 5% to make them affordable. They are also seeking doubling of medical insurance limit under Section 80D to ₹50,000.

TCS, Infosys in world's 10 most valuable IT services brands listed by Brand Finance

Brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance has named Accenture as the world's most valuable IT services brand of 2022 with a valuation of $36.2 billion. It's followed by India's TCS and Infosys with valuations of $16.8 billion and $12.8 billion, respectively. Infosys is followed by IBM, Cognizant, Capgemini, India's Wipro and HCL, and Japan's NTT Data and Fujitsu.

What are IMF's Gita Gopinath's recommendations for India's Union Budget?

IMF's First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath said that India's Union Budget for 2022-23 should address "the very unequal recovery within the economy". The rural jobs guarantee scheme should remain "well-funded" and the government should extend the free food scheme beyond March 2022, India-born Gopinath told BloombergQuint. Spending on healthcare and education also needs attention, she added.

Which are the world's 10 most valuable brands according to Brand Finance?

Apple has been named the most valuable brand of 2022 by brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance with a valuation of $355.1 billion. Apple is followed by Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Walmart, Samsung, Facebook, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Huawei and Verizon. While technology remains the most valuable industry, pharmaceutical is the fastest-growing industry, Brand Finance said.

Aluminium association seeks to hike customs duty on scrap to 10% in Budget

Ahead of the Union Budget, Aluminium Association of India (AAI) has sought an increase of customs duty on aluminium scrap from 2.5% to 10% citing that country's consumption of scrap is "100% import-dependent". The association said the duty increase will encourage recycling of domestic scrap and reduce the share of scrap in total imports, which stood at 66% in 2020-21.

Gems, jewellery exports up by 71% during Apr-Dec to $28.9 billion

Gems and jewellery exports grew by 71% during April-December 2021 to $28.9 billion as compared to $16.9 billion in the same period last year, as per Commerce Ministry's data. The exports grew by 16.38% to $2.99 billion in December 2021, the data showed. US, Hong Kong, UAE, Belgium and Israel were the top five export destinations for the sector.

 

 

 

OBITUARY

Kathakali dancer Padma Shri Milena Salvini of France passes away, PM pays tribute

Noted Kathakali patron and Padma Shri recipient, France's Milena Salvini, passed away on Tuesday. As founder-director of 'Centre Mandapa' in Paris, she promoted and taught Indian dance and music for more than four decades in France. PM Narendra Modi in a tweet said he's "anguished" by her passing away and added, "She'll be remembered for her passion towards Indian culture."

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