Current Affairs January 14th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

SC appoints high-level committee under retired judge Indu Malhotra to investigate PM’s security breach:

The Supreme Court has appointed former SC Judge, Indu Malhotra, as the Chairperson to head the inquiry committee, along with other members.
The inquiry committee will look into the alleged security breach of Prime Minister’s Punjab visit on 5th January this year.
A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, have passed the order.
While pronouncing the order, the CJI Ramana, leading the bench of the Supreme Court appointed a committee headed by Justice (Retired) Indu Malhotra, DG- NIA, DG Security of Punjab and Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Arun Goel inaugurates the Exhibition on ”Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle from Madhya Pradesh:

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Bhopal, a CPSE under the aegis of Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav from 10th- 16th January, 2022.
As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, inauguration of Exhibition on ”Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle” at BHEL Bhopal & Presentation on “Idea Generation Challenge” on Sanrachna Portal was organised through online mode.
Arun Goel, Secretary, MHI joined the program virtually from New Delhi as Chief Guest.
India is celebrating 75th year of Independence. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.

Subhas Sarkar launches Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2021 2022:

Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education has virtually launched Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2021 2022.
The event was attended by Anita Karwal, Secretary (SE&L), and representatives from all States and UTs and UNICEF.
Shri Sarkar while launching the awards underlined the importance of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools as it plays a significant role in determining the health of students, their attendance, dropout rate, and learning outcomes.
The provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools secures a healthy school environment and protects children from illness (including COVID-19) and exclusion.
In order to create self-motivation and awareness about sanitation the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) was first instituted by the Department of School Education and Literacy, in 2016-17.

Atal Innovation Mission unveils the Top Teams of the ATL Space Challenge 2021:

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog declared the results of the ATL Space Challenge 2021.
The Challenge was launched in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
The event coincides with the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, also celebrated as the National Youth Day to honor the birthday of Swami Vivekananda who voiced the important role that youth play in the building up of a strong nation throughout his life.
The ATL Space Challenge witnessed over 2500 submissions from both ATL and Non-ATL students across the country from which 75 top innovators were selected and announced.
The Challenge was a one-of-a-kind challenge and the first time that an ATL challenge open to both ATL and non-ATL students.
ATL Space Challenge 2021 witnessed over 6500 students participating in the challenge from 32 States/ UTs.

Prime Minister inaugurates MSME Technology Centre at Puducherry:

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated a Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry, established at Puducherry, on the occasion of National youth day.
This World Class Technology Centre set up with an investment of about 122 crore is spread across 10 acres, will train 20,000 youth, support 2000 MSMEs and incubate 200 Start Ups, thereby propelling the local economy to great heights.
The inauguration of this MSME Technology Centre by the Prime Minister will boost skill development and inculcate entrepreneurial spirit among the youth of the region.
The MSME Ministry through its various initiatives and programs is revving up the sector to achieve inclusive growth, provide sustainable employment opportunities and thereby attain the Prime Ministers vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India-US agree to advance cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security among other issues:

The Senior Officers Meeting of the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue was held in virtual mode.
The meeting was co-chaired by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy and Plans, Department of Homeland Security, Government of USA, Robert Silvers.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security, securing critical infrastructure, maritime security and aviation security among other issues.
During the meeting, both sides agreed that the existing sub-groups under the Homeland Security Dialogue on law enforcement engagement, securing global supply chains, investigative cooperation, and capacity building would meet separately in the coming months.
It will deliberate and explore how ongoing cooperation can be strengthened further.

India and UK Launch Free Trade Agreement Negotiations:

The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal launched the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the United Kingdom along with Rt. Hon. Anne-Marie Trevelyan, UK Secretary of State for International Trade in New Delhi.
The FTA is expected to facilitate the target of doubling bilateral trade between India and United Kingdom by 2030, set by the Prime Ministers of both the nations, Shri Narendra Modi and Mr. Boris Johnson in May 2021.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY

HDFC Bank adjudged Best Private Bank in India at the Global Private Banking Awards 2021:

HDFC Bank has been adjudged Best Private Bank in India at the Global Private Banking Awards 2021, organized by Professional Wealth Management (PWM).
the world’s leading global business publication – Professional Wealth Management (PWM) specializes in analyzing the growth strategies of private banks and the regional financial centers in which they operate.
HDFC Bank Private Banking, part of India’s largest privately-owned bank, provides customers with a product suite across all asset classes for “optimal asset allocation” depending on clients’ risk profiles and goals.

About HDFC:

CEO: Sashidhar Jagdishan
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founded: August 1994.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Alikhan Smailov appointed as new Prime Minister of Kazakhstan

On Jan 11, 2022, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev nominated Alikhan Smailov for Prime Minister and the lower house of parliament swiftly voted him in during a session broadcast live on state television.
Smaiylov was appointed acting prime minister on 5 January 2022 following the resignation of the Mamin Cabinet during the violent 2022 Kazakh protests.
Kazakh security forces have detained 9,900 people over the unrest.

About Alikhan Smailov :

Alikhan Smailov was born on 18 December 1972 in Almaty.
Smaiylov served as the chairman of the Agency of Kazakhstan on Statistics again until August 2014, when he became the chairman of the Committee on Statistics.
On 11 December 2015, Smaiylov was appointed as the Assistant to the President of Kazakhstan.
In 2019, he became the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan in Mamin’s government.
In 2019, Smaiylov served as the Minister of Finance until 18 May 2020.
In 2020, Smaiylov was the representative of Kazakhstan in the Eurasian Economic Commission.

About Kazakhstan :

Capital: Nur-Sultan
Currency: Kazakhstani tenge
President : Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Prime Minister : Alihan Smaiylov

Eminent rocket scientist S Somanath appointed new chairman of ISRO

On Jan 12, 2022, The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) appointed eminent rocket scientist Dr S Somanath as its new chairman and Space Secretary.
He will succeed K Sivan who completes his extended tenure as ISRO chief.
His appointment is for a combined tenure of three years from the date of joining of the post, inclusive of an extension in tenure beyond the age of superannuation in public interest.
The post of the ISRO chairman, the Space Secretary, and the Space Commission chief is usually held by one person only.

About Dr S Somanath :

S Somanath was born in July 1963 & he hails from Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kerala.
Mr Somanath joined VSSC in 1985 and was a team leader for the integration of PSLV during the early phases.
In January 2018 he was appointed as the ISRO chief, Secretary of the Department of Space, and Chairman of Space Commission.
He will be the 10th chairman of the premier space organisation.
He also spent a two-and-a-half years stint as the Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Thiruvananthapurams Valiamala.
Previously, he served as the Associate Director (Projects) of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and also as the Project Director of GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle.
Currently Mr Somanath, is Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), will succeed K Sivan.

Awards & Honors :

Space Gold Medal from Astronautical Society of India (ASI)
Performance Excellence Award-2014 and Team Excellence Award-2014 for GSLV Mk-III realization from ISRO

RenewBuy appoints Rajkummar Rao as brand ambassador

RenewBuy has appointed Indias adored film actor, Rajkummar Rao, as its first brand ambassador.
The campaign has been designed and conceptualized by Havas Worldwide India.
The ad campaign highlights the brands promise of addressing consumers insurance needs, through its digital-led insurance POSP (Point of Sale Person) advisor network.
POSP insurance advisors can help them understand the product, its terms, and conditions, choose the right product as per their specific needs and requirements and most importantly give them assistance at the time of claims.
In the case of emerging markets, there is still a huge gap in terms of awareness of insurance, and product accessibility.
Digitally enabled insurance advisors have been playing an instrumental role in building awareness along with making insurance accessible.

About RenewBuy :

Founded : 2015
Founder : Balachander Sekhar and Indraneel Chatterjee
Chief Marketing Officer : Devesh Joshi
RenewBuy, one of Indias InsurTech companies, launched its first 360-degree ad campaign with its brand proposition of Smart Tech, Right Advice.

Ortega sworn in for 4th straight term as Nicaragua’s president

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega was sworn in for a new presidential term.
The Central American country held presidential elections on Nov. 7 2021 in which Ortega’s Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) secured at least 99% of the votes.
Ortega will be president of the country until 2027.
It was Ortegas fifth electoral victory and fourth consecutive victory since he first ran for president in 1984 and was elected as president in 1985.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Plaza de la Revolución, northwest of the capital Managua.
He received the presidential sash from the head of the National Assembly, Gustavo Porras, Ortega swore in his cabinet.

About Daniel Ortega :

Daniel Ortega was born on 11 November 1945 in La Libertad, Chontales, Nicaragua.
He has served as President of Nicaragua since 2007.
Previously, he was leader of Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, first as Coordinator of the Junta of National Reconstruction (19791985) and then as President of Nicaragua (19851990).
After the retirement of Fidel Castro in 2008, Ortega is one of the longest-serving non-royal rulers in the world and the longest serving non-royal leader in the Americas.

About Nicaragua :

President: Daniel Ortega
Capital: Managua
Currency: Nicaraguan córdoba

Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas succeeds Gita Gopinath as IMF’s Chief Economist

On Jan 11, 2021, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) appointed French-born University of California-Berkeley economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas as the next economic counselor and director of the Research Department (RES).
Gourinchas will succeed Gita Gopinath, a US national of Indian origin.
He will take over as IMFs new chief economist from January 24 initially on a part-time basis so as to fulfill some of his prior commitments as a scholar & he will transition to full-time on April 1, 2022.

About Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas :

He has also served as program director of international finance and macroeconomics at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).
From 2012 to 2013, he was a member of the French Council of Economic Advisors to the Prime Minister.
From 2009 to 2016, Gourinchas was IMF visiting scholar and the editor-in-chief of the IMF Economic Review, the funds premier research journal.
He has also served as co-editor of the American Economic Review journal.
In 2008, Gourinchas received the Prize of the Best Young Economist of France.

Note :

Gopinath has been appointed the first deputy managing director of the IMF.

About IMF :

Founded : 1944
Founders: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White
Headquarters : Washington DC.
Managing Director : Kristalina Georgieva
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international financial institution, consisting of 190 countries.
It aims to foster global monetary cooperation, facilitate international trade, secure financial stability, promote high employment, sustainable economic growth while reducing poverty around the world.

Adani Power Board Appoints Shersingh B Khyalia As Its CEO

Adani Power’s board approved the appointment of Shersingh B Khyalia as the chief executive officer (CEO) with effect from, 11 January, 2022.

About Shersingh B Khyalia :

Shersingh B Khyalia is a Chartered Accountant.
He had 32 years of experience in managing complex business in the power industry, including generation, transmission and distribution.
He has worked as the managing director in Gujarat Power Corporation.
During his almost three decades of service in the power sector, he has been director on the boards of Power Exchange (India) Ltd, Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Ltd, Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Ltd, Dakshin Gujarat Company Ltd, Madhya Gujarat Company Ltd, Dakshin Haryana Distribution Company Ltd, and Gujarat Green Revolution Ltd.

About Adani Power :

Founded : 22 August 1996
Headquarters : Ahmedabad , Gujarat
Chairman : Gautam Adani
MD & CEO : Anil Sardana
Adani Power Limited is an Indian power business subsidiary of Indian conglomerate Adani Group.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO Flight Tests Final Deliverable Configuration of MPATGM

On Jan 11, 2021, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the final deliverable configuration of Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).

About the Missle :

The indigenously developed anti-tank missile is a low weight, fire & forget missile and is launched from a man portable launcher, integrated with thermal sight.
It has a range of5 km.
The test was to prove the consistent performance for the minimum range.
The missile has miniaturized infrared imaging seeker and advanced avionics for onboard control and guidance.
The missile performance has been proven for the maximum range in earlier test trials.
It impacted the designated target and destroyed it.
The missile derived from the Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile is a boost to the development of advanced technology-based defence systems.
Also On January 11, 2022, India successfully test-fired the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile from the Indian navy Destroyer INS Visakhapatnam off the Western Coast.

About Ministry of Defence :

Defence Minister : Rajnath Singh
Minister of Defence : Ajay Bhatt
Secretary : Dr. Ajay Kumar

About DRDO :

Founded: 1958
Headquarters : New Delhi
Chairman : Dr G. Satheesh Reddy

CURRENT AFFAIRS : RANKING & INDEX

Chennai International airport ranked 8th in global list for on-time performance

In a review conducted by Cirium, Chennai International Airport has been ranked eight for on-time performance among large international airports globally for 2021.
It is the only Indian airport ranked in the top 10.

Top 3 Airports :

Miami Airport in the United States
Fukuoka Airport
Haneda Airport in Japan
The on-time departures to 70 routes globally analyzed by Cirium is 89.32 percent for Chennai.
Chennai Airport has worked out detailed plans to enhance operational capacity together with customer delight.
One rapid exit taxiway (C1) and two parallel taxiways (R&N) have already been commissioned.
Multilevel car parking and a new integrated terminal T2 will be commissioned.
The airport also plans to develop new facilities to boost its per hour handling capacity.

About Cirium :

Cirium is a provider of aviation data to the travel, finance, aerospace and aviation industries.

Indian passport becomes 83rd most powerful globally in 2022

London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners has released the Henley Passport Index for the year 2022, India has improved its ranks and is currently placed at 83rd position with a visa-free score of 60.
Indias ranking has improved by 7 places from 90th in 2021.
India has added 35 more destinations since 2006.
India shares the position with Sao Tome and Principe in Central Africa, behind Rwanda and Uganda.

Top 10 World’s best passports to hold in 2022 :

Japan, Singapore (192)
Germany, South Korea (190)
Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain (189)
Austria, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Sweden (188)
Ireland, Portugal (187)
Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States (186)
Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Malta (185)
Poland, Hungary (183)
Lithuania, Slovakia (182)
Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia (181)

World’s worst passports to hold in 2022:

North Korea (39)
Nepal and Palestinian territories (37)
Somalia (34)
Yemen (33)
Pakistan (31)
Syria (29)
Iraq (28)
Afghanistan (26)

About Henley Passport Index :

Henley Passport Index ranks worlds passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa and is based on data from International Air Transport Association (IATA).
It provides a ranking for 199 passports of the world according to the number of countries their holders can travel visa-free.
According to historical data from the Henley Passport Index, an individual could, on average, visit 57 countries in 2006 visa-free.
Now, that number has risen to 107, but this overall increase masks a growing disparity between countries in the global north and those in the global south, with nationals from countries.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BOOKS & AUTHORS

Ratan N. Tata: The Authorized Biography to hit stands in November 2022

Industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata’s authorized biography titled ‘Ratan N. Tata: The Authorized Biography’ authored by Dr Thomas Mathew & it set to hit the stands globally in November 2022.
HarperCollins has acquired rights to publish the authorized biography of legendary business figure Ratan N. Tata.
The book will be published by HarperCollins India in English and the principal Indian languages, by HarperCollins Leadership in the US and by William Collins in the UK.

About the Book :

The biography chronicles the 84-year-old Ratan Tata’s childhood, college years, and early influences.
It entails formerly unreported details about events such as Tata’s Nano project, the ouster of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, and Tata Steel Ltd.’s acquisition of Corus.
The book will also contain anecdotes on the inspiring and engaging documentation of Ratan Tatas business strategies, leadership vision, and personal integrity, all of which contributed to having shaped the Group.

About Dr Thomas Mathew :

Dr Thomas Mathew is a retired career bureaucrat belonging to the 1983 batch of the Indian Administrative Service.
He has several publications to his credit, including books :

In Search of Congruence: India-US Relations under the Obama Administration (edited and contributed to its lead chapter),
The Winged Wonders of Rashtrapati Bhavan
Abode Under the Dome.

He has worked in key roles in the Ministries of Finance, Defence and Industry, amongst others.
He subsequently served as Additional Secretary to President of India Pranab Mukherjee.

About Ratan Tata :

Ratan Naval Tata is an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and a former chairman of Tata Sons.