Current Affairs

25^th & 26^th December 2022

Top 20 Daily Current Affairs: National & International News:

Here is the Daily Current Affairs of the 25th and 26th December 2022 covering the following news headlines: Losar Festival, North East Festival, Good Governance Day, Veer Bal Diwas 2022, Forbes annual list, Sports Science Center.

International News

1. CPN-Maoist Centre Chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Set to Become New Nepal PM

CPN-Maoist Centre chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, mustered the support of 168 parliamentarians, way above the magic mark of 138 in the House of Representatives, clearing the way for his third stint in the Nepal Prime Minister’s Office in the last 14 years.

 President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed Prachanda as the prime minister as per Article 76 (2) of the constitution.

Prachanda has support of 165 lawmakers in the 275-member House of Representatives which includes CPN-UML with 78, CPN-MC with 32, RSP with 20, RPP with 14, JSP with 12, Janamat with 6 and Nagarik Unmukti Party with 3.

2. Sitiveni Rabuka elected as new Prime Minister of Fiji

Sitiveni Rabuka was confirmed as Fiji’s next Prime Minister  more than two decades after the former military commander first held the office in a term lasting nearly seven years.

The 74-year-old won the nomination by one vote over incumbent Frank Bainimarama at a sitting of the Fijian Parliament in Suva. It also signals the end of former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama’s 16 years in power. In the 55-member Parliament of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka secured 28 votes against Bainimarama’s 27 votes.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Fiji Capital: Suva; 

Fiji Currency: Fijian dollar;

Fiji President: Wiliame Katonivere.

3. ‘Bomb Cyclone’ Winter Storm hits US with Life Threating Extremely Cold Climate

Bomb Cyclone: Bomb Cyclone has thrashed US and Canada with extreme climate and has trapped the residents inside their houses with snow and power outages. During the Christmas season, the bomb cyclone occurred due to a low temperature of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Thousands of flights have been canceled and several highways have been blocked. People are advised not to step outside their homes as it can be life-threatening.

Due to Artic Blast, the US has been experiencing an extremely cold climate, heavy snow, and intense wind. The authorities have ordered to put a halt on traveling during the Christmas season because of the Bomb Cyclone.

Appointments News

4. SBI Funds Management appoints Shamsher Singh as new MD, CEO of company

State Bank of India: SBI Funds Management has appointed Shamsher Singh as managing director and chief executive officer of the company.

Singh, who was deputy managing director at State Bank of India (SBI), has taken over the charge from Vinay M Tonse following his repatriation to the public sector lender, the asset management company.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara.

SBI Headquarters: Mumbai.

SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.

Agreements News

5. Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) Signs Agreements with MSMEs

Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) signed agreements with MSMEs for incubation of newer technologies into commercial products. The agreements were signed to commemorate the launch of the AIC at the BARC to hasten conversion of products from research labs to the market.

The incubation agreements are signed specifically for technologies aligned with India’s global commitments of achieving Net Zero (carbon neutrality) such as access to safe drinking water, and growth of potential import substitutes for advanced and affordable healthcare in the country.

Banking News

6. RBI’s Revised Bank Locker Rules to Come Into Effect from 1st of January

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently said that all leading banks should issue the locker agreement to its holders before January 1, 2023, as the new locker rules will be implemented from that date.

Earlier, the RBI had announced revised guidelines on August 8, 2021, which became effective from January 1, 2022. And now, all the locker owners must display their eligibility for a new locker arrangement and sign a renewal agreement prior to January 1, 2023.

Business News

7. Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani to Control Nearly 65% of NDTV

Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani is to control 64.71% of New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) as the founders have decided to sell most of the shares.

The founders of NDTV, Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy have decided to transfer most of the shares in the company giving Gautam Adani his conglomerate control of about 65% of NDTV. The decision comes after four months after Gautam Adani announced his takeover of the news channel.

Defence News

8. Garuda Aerospace Receives Type Certification and RTPO Approvals from DGCA

Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace has received the Type Certification and RPTO (Remote Pilot Training Organisation) approvals from the Director General of Civil Aviation for the indigenously designed kisan drones.

DGCA Type certification is provided on the basis of the quality check and is issued after a rigorous testing process of the unmanned aerial vehicles.

The kisan drones are developed for agricultural purposes and with the Type Certification received for the GA-AG model, Garuda Kisan drones were eligible for Rs 10 lakh unsecured loans from the agri-infrastructure fund offered by the Centre.

9. Defence Acquisition Council Clears Over ₹84,000 Crore Proposals

In a step to augment the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces and the Indian Coast Guard in future, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accorded approval for Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 24 Capital Acquisition Proposals.

These proposals include six for the Indian Army, six for the Indian Air Force, 10 for the Indian Navy and two for the Indian Coast Guard for a total value of Rs 84,328 crore.

Summits and Conferences

10. PM Modi Addressed 75th Amrut Mahotsav of Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 75th Amrut Mahotsav of Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan via video-conferencing. Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan was established at Rajkot in 1948 by seer Shri Dharmajivandasji Swami.

It has expanded and currently has more than 40 branches all over the world, providing facilities for school, undergraduate and postgraduate education to more than 25,000 students. As part of the Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, mega blood donation camps, free medical check-up camps are being organised at Sahajanand nagar where renowned multi-specialty doctors are providing free medical services and free of cost medicine to the people.

11. CJI D Y Chandrachud Constituted Committee to Conduct Accessibility Audit of SC Premises

In a bid to remove the barriers to access, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud has constituted a committee headed by apex court judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat to conduct an audit of “physical and functional access” of the top court premises to make them disabled friendly.

The ‘Supreme Court Committee on Accessibility’ has been given a broad mandate to prepare and release a questionnaire for persons with disabilities, including the apex court employees, advocates, litigants and interns, who visit the top court premises to assess the nature and extent of problems they face.

Science and Technology

12. IIT Kanpur Develops Artificial Heart to Deal with Acute Cardiac Problems

IIT Kanpur is ready with an artificial heart that would be of great help to people with acute cardiac problems. IIT Kanpur Director, Abhay Karandikar, said that the trial on animals would begin next year.

Now heart transplant will be easy. Artificial hearts can be implanted in serious patients. IIT Kanpur and cardiologists from across the country have developed this artificial heart. Trial on animals will start from February or March. After success in the trial, transplantation can be done in humans in the next two years. Artificial heart is being developed to reduce the sufferings of the patients.

Sports News

13. Geto Sora wins Malaysia’s Junior International Badminton Championship title

Geta Sora, a rising star in badminton, won the under-9 category of the Top Arena Junior International Badminton Championship in Malaysia, bringing honor to Arunachal and the nation as a whole.  Jaryl Teh, the second seed from Malaysia, was defeated by Sora in two sets of 21-5 and 21-16 to win the championship.

In the last two months, Sora has won two international badminton championships. The BTY-Yonex-Singha Championship, which was held at the Banthongyord Badminton School in Bangkok, Thailand, in November, was won by 7-year-old Sora. Sora clinched the U-9 boys singles title in the Yonex-Singha-BTY Championships 2022.

14. FIFA officially announced the 2022 world rankings

FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association): FIFA has officially announced the 2022 world rankings, and Brazil hold on to their No. 1 spot and 22nd FIFA Men’s World Cup 2022 Champions Argentina ranked 2nd.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

FIFA President: Gianni Infantino;

FIFA Founded: 21 May 1904;

FIFA Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland.

15. Union Minister Anurag Thakur inaugurates Sports Science Center in Karnataka

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur inaugurated the Sports Science Centre here at M.G. Stadium in Udupi, Karnataka. This Sports Science Centre will bring together sports scientists and athletes. The sports science center has been set up by the government of Karnataka.

The state government has set up two sports science centers at Udupi and Bengaluru. These centers will conduct research on medicines, nutritious food, treatment and rehabilitation measures forsportspersons, which would help them to boost their abilities.

Ranks and Reports

16. Forbes annual list, PV Sindhu among top 25 highest-paid female athletes

Forbes annual list: India’s badminton star, PV Sindhu is the only Indian sportsperson to feature in the top 25 of Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest-paid female athletes. Sindhu, the 2016 Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, occupies the 12th spot in the list.

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka tops the list. For the third straight year, Osaka tops Forbes’ annual list of the World’s highest-paid female athletes. The list is dominated by tennis players once again.

Important Days

17. Veer Bal Diwas 2022: History, Significance and Celebration in India

Veer Bal Diwas 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced to observe Veer Bal Diwas 2022 on the occasion of the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Veer Bal Diwas is going to be celebrated in India every year on 26th December.

Veer Bal Diwas 2022 marks the martyrdom of Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s sons Sahibzada Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji. Veer Bal Diwas is observed to pay honor and tribute to the sacrifices made by Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh.

The Veer Bal Diwas will be observed to honor the ‘Sahibzadas’, the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh. On this day, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh who was just 6 years old, and Fateh Singh who was just 9 years old, were killed by Mughal forces in Sirhind, Punjab.

18. Good Governance Day 2022 celebrates on 25 December

Good Governance Day: Every year, in honour of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee’s birthday, India observes “Good Governance Day”. The day is devoted to former prime minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi 2014 announced that “Good Governance Day” will be observed annually on December 25 in memory of the former PM.

In 1998–1999, he was elected prime minister for a second term. On October 13, 1999, he was elected as the nation’s prime minister for the third time.

Significantly, former prime minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee was the first head of state to address the UN in Hindi.

The “Bharat Ratna” award was given to him on March 27, 2015.

Miscellaneous News

19. 10th Edition of North East Festival Begins at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

The 10th Edition of the North East Festival began at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The festival aims to promote the North East region’s diverse life, culture, traditions, and tourism. Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Narayan Rane inaugurated the MSME Exhibition at the North East Festival.

The last two editions were held in Guwahati in a hybrid model due to rising Covid in the national capital. Since its inception in 2013, this festival has contributed a lot in promoting tourism in the North Eastern states.

20. Losar Festival Celebrated to Mark Ladakhi New Year in Ladakh

Ladakh celebrated Losar Festival to mark the Ladakhi New Year. Losar Festival is celebrated in Ladakh on 24th December 2022. The Losar Festival or the Ladakhi New year is a major socio-religious festival of Ladakh celebrated during winter.

The Losar Festival will continue for nine days from the new year. People will celebrate by offering prayers in the name of God and goddess. They will also dance and sing in honor of Ibex and the pilgrimage of Mount Kailash.