Current Affairs

20^th January 2023

Top 21 Daily Current Affairs: National & International News:

Here is the Current Affairs 20th January 2023 covering the following news headlines: Rohit Sharma, Goa Manohar International Airport, Dr Sanduk Ruit, Mukesh Ambani, Praveen Sharma, Aruna Miller, FITUR 2023.

National News

1. India-Bangladesh Friendship pipeline to begin supplying diesel

The India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFPL) would begin supplying diesel to Bangladesh on an experimental basis in June of this year, according to State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid.

The international pipeline will transport diesel from Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation’s Parbatipur depot to the Numaligarh Refinery Limited’s Siliguri-based marketing terminal (BPC).

The IBFPL’s groundbreaking ceremony was conducted in September 2018 via video conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh: Important Takeaways

Bangladesh Currency: Bangladeshi Taka

Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka

2. PM Modi Inaugurated Rs 38,000-crore Development Projects in Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of development projects worth more than Rs 38,000 crore in different sectors in Mumbai. It is a big step in infrastructure, urban travel, and healthcare ahead of civic polls.

This was PM Modi’s first visit to Mumbai after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took office at June-end last year after replacing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

At a ceremony that was held at the MMRDA ground in BKC, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of a string of projects worth more than Rs 38,000 crore.

These projects are aimed at developing infrastructure, easing urban travel, and strengthening healthcare in Mumbai.

He laid the foundation stones for seven sewage treatment plants, a road concretization project, and the redevelopment of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

International News

3. International Tourism Fair FITUR 2023 kicks off in Madrid

FITUR is the global meeting point for tourism professionals and the leading trade fair for inbound and outbound markets in Latin America. FITUR is the second most important tourism fair in the world. Around 10,000 national and international companies take part in each edition and there are more than 50,000 visitors spread over the different days of the event. The fair is being organized in Madrid, Spain.

This year the organisers have announced a total of 8,360 exhibiting companies, an estimated attendance of 82,000 professionals from the tourism sector or associated companies, and an influx of up to 30,000 members of the general public.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Spain Government: Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Spain Capital: Madrid

Spain King: Felipe VI of Spain

Spain Prime Minister : Pedro Sánchez

4. Aruna Miller becomes Maryland’s first Indian-American Lieutenant Governor

Aruna Miller has scripted history by becoming the first Indian-American politician to be sworn in as the Lieutenant Governor in the state of Maryland, adjoining the US capital. Aruna, 58, a former delegate to the Maryland House, made history when the Democrat became the 10th Lieutenant Governor of the state.

The Lieutenant Governor is the state’s highest official following the Governor and assumes the role when the Governor is out of state or incapacitated. Moore became Maryland’s 63rd governor, the state’s first and the country’s only current Black chief executive. The newly sworn-in Lt Governor took her oath on the Bhagwat Gita.

Miller’s swearing-in will break a barrier that no other immigrant or woman of colour has breached before her. She was part of a historic Democratic ticket that sailed to victory in November and also gives Maryland its first Black governor, its first Black attorney general and its first female comptroller.

5. UN General Assembly adopts Indian Co-sponsored Resolution on ‘Education For Democracy’

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution titled ‘Education for Democracy’ that reaffirms the right of everyone to education.

The resolution, which was co-sponsored by India, recognises that “education for all” contributes to the strengthening of democracy. The resolution encourages member states to integrate education for democracy into their education standards.

Earlier in 2015, a similar resolution was passed at the Assembly encouraging all UN entities to use education to promote peace, human rights, and democracy. The resolution aimed at encouraging member states to integrate education for democracy into their education standards.

6. UAE and India discussing settling non-oil trade in Rupees 

The United Arab Emirates is in early discussions with India to trade non-oil commodities in Indian rupees, Minister for Foreign Trade Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi said in World Economic Forum, Davos.

The minister said other countries, including China, had also raised the issue of settling non-oil trade payments in local currencies. He added that the UAE is hoping to conclude a trade agreement with Cambodia in the first quarter.

The move would build on an agreement signed in 2022, which aimed to increase trade excluding oil between the two countries to $100 billion by 2027.

7. Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc announces resignation

The continuous anti-corruption campaign has prompted President Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam to announce his resignation. In Vietnam, the anti-corruption campaign has resulted in the dismissal of several ministers. Two of President Phuc’s deputy prime ministers had resigned earlier. Former prime minister Phuc has been the country’s president since 2021.

Between April 2021, when he was elected president, and 2016, the 69-year-old was Vietnam’s prime minister.

The National Assembly must approve the president’s resignation; a special vote will be held today; however, it is anticipated that this will only be a formality.

Vietnam: Important Takeaways

Vietnam Capital: Hanoi

Vietnam Currency: Vietnamese Dong

8. Indian-American attorney Janani Ramachandran becomes first LGBTQ woman of colour city council

A 30-year-old Indian-American attorney, Janani Ramachandran has emerged as the youngest and the first queer woman of colour to take oath as the Oakland City Council member in the U.S. state of California.

She took the ceremonial oath wearing a saree as the Oakland City Council member for District 4 in an inauguration ceremony.

LGBT is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.

To recognize this inclusion, a popular variant, LGBTQ, adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual or gender identity. The initialisms LGBT or GLBT are not agreed to by everyone that they are supposed to include.

States News

9. Kerala Higher Education Minister Allows 60 days Maternity Leave for Female Students

Higher Education Minister in Kerala R Bindu announced that girls students above the age of 18 years will get maternity leave of 60 days. The required attendance percentage for female students will be 73 percent including menstrual leave. The attendance percentage required earlier was 75 percent.

The government is considering granting menstrual leaves in all state universities as recently announced by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

The CUSAT has announced the grant of menstrual leaves to female students.

The Kerala government is planning to extend the leave policy to all the universities under the State Higher Education Department.

Appointments News

10. Praveen Sharma appointed as Director of National Health Authority

Praveen Sharma has been selected for appointment as Director in the National Health Authority (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Sharma has been appointed to the post under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years with effect from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever event takes place earlier.

Sharma is an Indian Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE) officer of 2005 batch. National Health Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for implementing India’s flagship public health insurance/assurance scheme called “Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana” & has been entrusted with the role of designing strategy, building technological infrastructure and implementation of “National Digital Health Mission” to create a National Digital Health Eco-system.

Economy News

11. RBI to Guide Inflation Towards 4% Target by 2024

The Reserve Bank of India’s 2023 monetary policy objective is to hold inflation within the mandated tolerance band and guide it towards the medium-term target of 4% by 2024, it said in its monthly bulletin published.

Recent data indicated “the first milestone of monetary policy is being passed – bringing inflation into the tolerance band”, the RBI said. The objective during 2023 is to tether inflation therein so that it aligns with the target by 2024 – the second milestone, it added.

Annual retail inflation rose 5.72% in December versus 5.88% in the previous month, dipping below 6% for a second straight month after having stayed above the central bank’s tolerance band of 2%-6% for 10 months.

In India, with inflation being brought within the RBI’s tolerance band, macroeconomic stability is getting bolstered and lead indicators are suggesting that the current account deficit (CAD) too will narrow through the rest of 2022 and 2023. The CAD had reached 4.4% of GDP in the July-September quarter of the current fiscal year ending March, its worst since the June quarter of 2013.

Bankings News

12. PNB Launches Credit Card Against Fixed Deposit

State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) offers credit cards against Fixed Deposit to customers who don’t meet the eligibility criteria for regular credit cards. This facility will be available for salary account customers, and they shall be able to apply through the mobile banking app PNB One, website or Internet Banking Service (IBS), the lender said.

Customers can avail loan without visiting a bank branch, adding there is a concession of 0.25 per cent on the interest rate when applied through digital platforms like PNB One. Get the RuPay or VISA credit card digitally against single or multiple FDs with 80% credit limit, the lender added.

Ranks and Reports News

13. India to become $26 trillion economy by 2047: EY report

Ernst & Young, released a report titled India@100: Realizing the potential of a US$26 trillion economy. According to the estimates Indian economy will reach GDP size of US$26 trillion by 2047, the 100th year of the country’s independence.

The per capita income is expected to increase to US$15,000, putting the country among the ranks of developed economies.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

EY Headquarter:- London, England

Chairman & CEO – Carmine Di Sibio

14. Mukesh Ambani Number 1 Among Indians And 2 Globally On Brand Guardianship Index

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani ranked No.1 among Indians and second globally on the Brand Guardianship Index 2023, overtaking the likes of Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Google’s Sundar Pichai. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang topped the list globally, with Microsoft’s Satya Nadella occupying third place

Defence News

15. Tata Boeing Aerospace Delivers First Fuselage for Indian Army AH-64 Apache

Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) has delivered the first fuselage for six AH-64 Apache attack helicopters ordered by the Indian Army from its state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad.

The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems.

It is armed with a 30 mm M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft’s forward fuselage, and four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons for carrying armament and stores, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 has significant systems redundancy to improve combat survivability.

Awards News

16. Nepalese Dr Sanduk Ruit wins Bahrain’s ISA Award for Service to Humanity

Himalayan Cataract Project Co-Founder Dr Sanduk Ruit has won the ISA Award for Service to Humanity, a top civilian award of Bahrain. The award carries a cash prize of USD 1 million, a certificate of merit and a gold medal.

He is pioneer in delivering high-quality microsurgical procedures in remote eye camps. He made modern eye care affordable and accessible to countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Dr Ruit has trained more than 650 doctors, teaching them to cure preventable blindness.  He has been instrumental in making modern eye care affordable and accessible to countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. He is fondly called “God of Sight” for saving the sight of 1,20,000 eyes.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

King of Bahrain: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Bahrain Capital: Manama.

Bahrain Currency: Bahraini dinar.

17. Goa Manohar International Airport wins best sustainable greenfield airport award

The New Goa Manohar International Airport (MIA), built by the GMR Goa International Airport Ltd (GGIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited, won the prestigious “Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport” award under Aviation Sustainability and Environment at ASSOCHAM 14th International Conference-cum-Awards for Civil Aviation 2023 at New Delhi.

The award was presented for “excellent initiatives” taken by GGIAL in implementing sustainability as one of core concepts. During the conference, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia presented the award to the senior officials from GGIAL in the presence of industry dignitaries and participants.

Sports News

18. Rohit Sharma shattered MS Dhoni’s record of most sixes in ODIs in India

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has shattered a long-standing record held by MS Dhoni to become India’s most prolific six-hitter in the history of ODI cricket. At the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, Rohit achieved this remarkable feat during the first ODI between India and New Zealand.

The Indian captain’s knock included two maximums, breaking MS Dhoni’s long-standing record. Rohit is now India’s leading six-getter in the history of ODI cricket, with a total of 125 sixes to his name.

Obituaries News

19. Renowned Assamese poet Nilamani Phukan passes away

Renowned Assamese poet and recipient of Jnapith Award, Nilamani Phookan has passed away. He was 89. Phookan was one of the most celebrated poet of Assam and has been awarded the country’s highest literary award, the 56th Jnanpith for the year 2021. The notable works of Phukan are ‘Xurjya Henu Naami Aahe Ei Nodiyedi’, ‘Kabita’, and ‘Gulapi Jamur Lagna’.

Phookan was born on September 10, 1933, Phookan’s poems were replete with French symbolism which he infused in his Assamese poetry. He was awarded the 1981 Sahitya Akademi Award in Assamese for his poetry collection, Kavita (Kobita).

20. David Crosby, the father of American folk-rock, passes away at 81

David Crosby, the father of American folk-rock, has passed away at the age of 81. He was influential musical pioneer of the 1960s and 1970s who created a distinctly American brand of folk-rock with the Byrds and later with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

He was born David Van Cortlandt Crosby on August 14, 1941, in Los Angeles. His father was Oscar-winning cinematographer Floyd Crosby of “High Noon” fame. The family, including his mother, Aliph, and brother, Floyd Jr., later moved to Santa Barbara.

Miscellaneous News

21. 115-years-old Branyas Morera becomes the world’s oldest living person

A Spanish great-grandmother who was born in the United States has likely become the world’s oldest living person at 115, a Guinness World Records. The organisation shared that the woman named María Branyas Morera was born in March 1907 in the US and presently resides in Spain.

Mrs Morera is 115 years 321 days old, as of 19 January 2023. María Branyas Morera (USA/Spain) is now confirmed as the world’s oldest woman living and oldest person living, following the death of 118-year-old Lucile Randon (France).