Current Affairs

15th and 16th January 2023

Top 17 Daily Current Affairs: National & International News:

Here is the Current Affairs 15th and 16th  January 2023 covering the following news headlines: Jallikattu, Wholesale Price Index, Border Roads Organisation, 71st Miss Universe 2022, Critics Choice Awards 2023, Virat Kohli.

States News

1. Jallikattu 2023 Celebrations begin in Madurai

·      The renowned Jallikattu bull-taming competition got underway in the Tamil Nadu village of Avaniyapuram. Aneesh Sekhar, the district collector of Madurai, as saying that preparations had been made to ensure a successful Jallikattu. ensuring the players’ and bulls’ safety. Bulls are protected in the play area by three levels of barricading, as are spectators.

·      A bull (Bos indicus), such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people during the traditional event known as jallikattu (or sallikkattu), also known as eru thazhuvuthal and mancuvirattu. Participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull’s back with both arms and hang on to it as the bull tries to flee. In an effort to halt the bull, participants hold the hump for as long as they can. Occasionally, riders are required to ride far enough to remove flags from the bull’s horns.

Appointments News

2. UK Treasury Adviser Clare Lombardelli appoints as OECD Chief Economist

·      Chief Economic Adviser to the Treasury, Clare Lombardelli, has been appointed as the new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Chief Economist. She will lead the OECD’s economic work, replacing France’s Laurence Boone, who has held the post since 2018.

·      A British national, Clare holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science and Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

·      OECD Headquarters: Paris, France;

·      OECD Founded: 30 September 196.

Economy News

3. SEBI Allows AIFs to Participate in Credit Default Swap Transactions 

·      Regulator SEBI allowed Alternative Investment Funds(AIFs) to participate in the Credit Default Swaps(CDS) market as protection buyers and sellers in a bid to facilitate the deepening of the domestic corporate bond segment.

·      The new norms, which will come into force with immediate effect, allow business entities to hedge risks associated with the bonds market. In 2012, the capital markets regulator SEBI had allowed mutual funds to participate in Credit Default Swap transactions, which allow business entities to hedge risks associated with the bonds market.

·      A credit default swap (CDS) is a financial swap arrangement in which the buyer is compensated by the seller in the event of a debt default (by the debtor) or another credit event.

4. WPI inflation ease to 4.95 percent in December

·      In December 2022, the wholesale price-based inflation fell to 4.95 percent, primarily as a result of lower costs for food items and crude oil. Inflation measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) was 5.85% in November 2022 and 14.27% in December 2021.

·      In December 2022, the inflation rate for food items was (-)1.25% while it was 18.09% for fuel and electricity.

·      According to a statement from the ministry of trade and industry, inflation in manufactured goods was 3.37 percent in the month.

·      Declining prices for food items, mineral oils, crude oil, natural gas, textiles, chemicals, and chemical products are the main factors behind the decrease in the inflation rate in December 2022.

Banking News

5. SMBC Bank, Oaktree Submit EoIs for IDBI’s Strategic Stake Sale

·      Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Group (SMBC Bank) of Japan and Oaktree Capital Management are among those that have submitted expressions of interest (EoIs) for the strategic stake sale in IDBI Bank.

·      Oaktree is a US alternative assets firm founded by Howard Marks, one of the world’s most formidable distressed debt investors. The stake being sold is held by the Centre and LIC.

·      “Multiple expressions of interest received for the strategic disinvestment of govt and stake in IDBI Bank,” Tuhin Kanta Pandey, secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), had said. The transaction will now move to the second stage.

Defence News

6. Captain Surbhi Jakhmola becomes 1st woman officer to be posted at BRO

·      Captain Surbhi Jakhmola of the Indian Army’s 117 Engineer Regiment will be the first woman officer to be posted on a foreign assignment at the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

·      The officer will be sent to Bhutan as part of Project Dantak. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is an executive road construction force in India that supports the Indian armed forces.

·      BRO builds and maintains road networks along India’s borders and in friendly neighbouring countries. It is also included in the armed forces Order of Battle, ensuring their support at all times. BRO was established on May 7, 1960. In order to improve border connectivity, BRO was transferred entirely to the ministry of defence in 2015. It is responsible for maintaining the road network in the border areas of India.

Awards News

7. United States R’Bonney Gabriel crowned 71st Miss Universe 2022

·      The United States candidate R’Bonney Gabriel has crowned Miss Universe 2022 at a ceremony held in New Orleans, Mexico. The crown was presented to her by India’s Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu who had won the 2021 title.

·      She was handed a bouquet of flowers, draped in the winner’s sash and crowned with a tiara onstage at the 71st Miss Universe Competition. The second runner-up was Miss Dominican Republic, Andreina Martinez. Miss Curacao, Gabriela Dos Santos, and Miss Puerto Rico, Ashley Carino, rounded out the top five finalists.

·      Divita Rai of India reached the top 16, but she was unable to advance further. India’s participation in the 71st Miss Universe was restricted to the top 16 since she was unable to make it into the top 5.

8. Critics Choice Awards 2023 full winners list: RRR bags two more awards

·      The 28th Critics Choice Awards were held, and once again, SS Rajamouli’s RRR has made India proud, as the film scored two awards. RRR won Best Song award for Naatu Naatu, as well as Best Foreign Language film. RRR was also nominated for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Visual Effects.

·      The 28th Critics Choice Awards were held, and once again, SS Rajamouli’s RRR has made India proud, as the film scored two awards. RRR won Best Song award for Naatu Naatu, as well as Best Foreign Language film. RRR was also nominated for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Visual Effects.

Sports News

9. India claimed victory over Sri Lanka by a record 317 runs in 3rd ODI

·      In Cricket, India scripted history by defeating Sri Lanka by the largest ever margin of 317 runs in the third and final ODI in Thiruvananthpuram, Kerala. With this, India also clean sweeped the series by 3-0.

·      Previous record of a win by a largest ever margin was with the New Zealand, for 290-run win over Ireland in 2008.  Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill scored sublime centuries to help the hosts post an imposing 390 for five.

·      Virat Kohli produced an incredible performance in the third and final ODI of the series, as he smashed an unbeaten 166 off just 110 deliveries, hitting 13 fours and eight sixes.

Here’s the list of highest victories by runs in ODIs:

·      317 – India vs Sri Lanka, 2023

·      290 – New Zealand vs Ireland, 2008

·      275 – Australia vs Afghanistan, 2015

·      272 – South Africa vs Zimbabwe, 2010

·      257 – India vs Bermuda, 2007

10. Virat Kohli becomes fifth highest run scorer in ODI cricket

·      Star cricketer Virat Kohli became the fifth-highest run-scorer in history of ODI cricket, overtaking Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene to enter into top-five. 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-century.

·      His best score in the format is 183. As per records, the highest run-scorer in ODI history is Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who 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*.

·      Followed by Sachin, 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.

Ranks and Reports News

11. India’s Richest 1% Own More Than 40% of Total Wealth: Oxfam

·      The richest one per cent of Indians own over 13 times more wealth than the bottom 50 per cent, according to a report by Oxfam India. The top five per cent own 61.7 per cent of the total wealth, nearly 20 times more than the 3 per cent owned by the bottom half.

·      According to the “Survival of the Richest: The India Supplement”, released by the non-government organisation (NGO), wealth inequality gets denser on the top. More than half of the wealth of the top 10 per cent of richest Indians is owned by the top 1 per cent.

·      The combined wealth of India’s 100 richest persons reached Rs 54.12 lakh crore in 2022. The total wealth of the 10 richest Indian stood at Rs 27.52 lakh crore in 2022, a 32.8% rise from 2021.

Science and Technology News

12. Centre to launch National Urban Technology Mission for Municipal Services and ULBs

·      The Centre is about to launch a five-year National Urban Technology Mission which is able to infuse technological improvements in municipal providers and infrastructure of 4,500 city native bodies within the nation.

·      The mission, to be spearheaded by the ministry of housing and urban affairs, can have three main sub-heads. A be aware ready for the approval of the expenditure finance committee (EFC) pegs the mission outlay at ₹15,000 crore for 5 years.

·      The primary sub-head is online governance. The mission will establish six primary frequent citizen providers which each city native physique should provide on-line. These would essentially embrace issuing beginning and loss of life certificates, offering water and electrical energy connections, computation and assortment of property tax and grievance redress.

Schemes News

13. Right to Sight, Rajasthan Becomes first state to implement Blindness Control Policy

·      Under its campaign of Nirogi Rajasthan, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has implemented the policy for Blindness Control with the objective of ‘Right to Sight’. With this, Rajasthan has become the first state to have such a policy.

·      This policy has been brought with an aim to bring light in the lives of more than 3 lakh people suffering from visual impairment in the State. The prevalence rate of blindness in the country was 1.1% in 2020 and the initiatives under the  Blindness Control Policy will help to bring it down to 0.3 percent.

·      Under the policy for Blindness Control, the state government will mandatorily run Keratoplasty Centre and Eye Bank in all the government medical colleges. The government funded private organizations and NGOs that are collecting cornea will have to provide the collected cornea to the government institutions on priority.

Obituaries News

14. Hong Kong DJ who broadcast for six decades passes away at 98

·      Ray Cordeiro, who interviewed music acts including the Beatles during a six-decade career on Hong Kong radio that earned him the title of the world’s longest-working disc jockey, has passed away. Cordeiro, who was born in Hong Kong in 1924 of Portuguese descent, was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest-working DJ.

·      He joined Hong Kong’s public broadcaster in 1960 after working as a prison warden and bank clerk. His “All the Way With Ray” show of easy listening music was on RTHK Radio 3 for 51 years until his retirement.

Miscellaneous News

15. Regional carrier Flybig starts flight service from Itanagar to Guwahati

·      Regional carrier Flybig commenced its services from Itanagar to Guwahati. The Flybig carrier has commenced flights from Hollongi in Arunachal Pradesh to Guwahati in Assam. With this, Itanagar becomes the 10th destination on the Flybig network while the third destination in Arunachal Pradesh alone.

·      Flybig is a regional airline based in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. The airline began its operations in December 2020 and is focused on connecting tier-2 cities within India.

·      The company received a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AoC) on 14th December 2020. It began operations with a single ATR-72-500.  The flight commenced on 21st December 2020 and to fulfil its obligations, the airline wet-leased a Dash 8 Q400 from Spicejet.

16. Arjun Ram Meghwal handed over 9th to 10th century Nataraja Idol to Officials in Chittorgarh Fort

·      Union Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal handed over the 9th to 10th century Nataraja Idol of the Archeological Department official in Chittorgarh Fort in Rajasthan.

·      Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal noted that there are only 13 idols of ancient importance that could be brought to India by the year 2023 but after 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought 229 idols to India.

·      The Nataraja Idols were stolen from the Shiva temple at Badoli in Chittorgarh in 1998. The idols were brought to India in 2020 from a private museum in London after a long legal process. Union Minister has also ensured to build a ropeway on Chittorgarh fort and connect Chittorgarh with Bharatmala Yojana.

17. Italian man Michele Santelia sets Guinness World Record by creating ‘mirror typing’ books

·      A 63-year-old Italian man, Michele Santelia has achieved a world record by typing copies of 81 books backwards, a technique that he calls ‘mirror writing’, as per a report by the Guinness World Records (GWR). For the purpose of this record, the books must be typed using ‘mirror writing’, such that the result is the mirror image of any given language’s normal writing.

·      Michele’s latest book, Das Nibelungenlied Backwards, a medieval German heroic epic, was typed in 2022. Michele dedicated it to “the disabled people of the whole world; to all those who suffer daily in a bigoted and clumsy society.”