DAILYGK 8-10 JAN

 DAILYGK 8-10 JAN 

1.      IMD: 2022 FIFTH WARMEST YEAR FOR INDIA SINCE 1901

·           The India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s Statement on Climate of India during 2022 stated that the year 2022 was the fifth warmest for India since 1901.

·           The annual mean land surface air temperature was 0.51 degrees Celsius above the long-term average, which is the mean temperature for the 1981-2010 period.

 

2.      NEW MEMBERS JOIN UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

·           The United Nations (UN) Security Council officially welcomed Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland, who now hold the two-year seats that they won without opposition in June, in charge of preserving international peace and security.

·           Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland are the 5 countries replacing India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway, whose terms ended on 31st December 2022.

·           Mozambique and Switzerland marked their 1st-ever terms on the UN’s most powerful body.

·           Malta joined for a 2nd time, Ecuador a 4th and Japan a record 12th.

·           China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) are permanent UN members.

 

3.      RBI TO ISSUE ITS MAIDEN GREEN BONDS FOR RS. 16,000 CRORE

·           The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that the maiden Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) for an aggregate sum of Rs. 16,000 crore will be issued in two tranches of Rs. 8,000 crore each in January and February 2023, with the intention of mobilizing resources for green infrastructure.

·           The proceeds would be used to fund public-sector projects that will help India reduce its carbon emissions.

·           Green bonds are financial instruments used by the government to raise funds from potential investors for programmes/schemes that promote environmental sustainability and climate adaptation.

·           Issuance Method: SGrBs will be issued through Uniform Price Auction.

 

4.      ASIA’S 1ST SEMI-HIGH-SPEED HYDROGEN TRAIN

·           China’s CRRC Corporation Limited has unveiled Asia’s 1st hydrogen-powered trains for the Urban Railways, which have a top speed of 160 kmph (kilometre per hour) and a range of 600 km on a single tank.

·           In September 2022, the Alstom Coradia iLint of Germany unveiled the world’s 1st hydrogen train.

 

5.      SANIA MIRZA ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT

·           Indian Tennis Player Sania Mirza (36-year-old), the former doubles World No. 1 , has confirmed her retirement from professional Tennis.

·           She announced that the  Dubai Tennis Championships, a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event in Dubai in February 2023 will be her last match.

·           She won her first grand slam in 2009 by winning Austraian Open Mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi.

·           The pair also won the French Open 2012. She won her 3rd mixed doubles title at the US Open in 2014 with Brazil’s Bruno Soares.

·           Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis of Switzerland won 3 women’s doubles – Wimbledon 2015, the US Open 2015 and the Australian Open 2016

·           She was ranked India’s No 1 in Singles from 2003 till her retirement from Singles in 2013.

 

6.      ASSAM CM’S BOOK “MUKHYAMANTRI DIARY 1”

·           Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) and former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi launched the book “Mukhyamantrir Diary 1” authored by Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister (CM) of Assam.

·           The book chronicles the daily activities of the Himanta Biswa Sarma, during the 1st year of his tenure as CM.

 

7.      KERALA BECOMES INDIA’S 1ST STATE WITH FULL DIGITAL BANKING SERVICE

·           Kerala has become the first state in India to go fully digital in its banking service.

·           Kerala also received three ‘Digital India’ awards for the advancement in the digital sector viz. silver medal for Ksheerashree portal, platinum award for Digital Workforce Management System, and gold medal for District Administration of Kottayam.

·           It should be noted that Kerala is the only State in India that has declared ‘the right to Internet’ as a basic right of its citizens.

 

8.      INDIA SURPASSES JAPAN TO BECOME THE WORLD’S 3RD LARGEST AUTO MARKET

·           After China and US, India becomes world's 3rd largest auto market

·           According to the Nikkei Asia report, India surpassed Japan as the world’s third-largest auto market in 2022.

·           According to preliminary results, India’s new vehicle sales were at 4.25 million units, surpassing Japan’s 4.2 million units.

·           China remained the global leader in automobile sales in 2021, with 26.27 million units, followed by the United States (US) in second place with 15.4 million vehicles

 

9.      CHETAN SHARMA - CHAIRMAN  MEN’S SELECTION COMMITTEE OF BCCI

·           Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has retained Chetan Sharma as the Chairman of the 5 members Senior Men’s Selection Committee of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

·           CAC has named Shiv Sundar Das(Central Zone), Subroto Banerjee(East Zone), Salil Ankola(West Zone) and Sridharan Sharath (South Zone) as the other members of the selection committee.

 

10.    5TH KHELO INDIA YOUTH GAMES 2022

·           KIYG 2022 will be hosted by MP from January 30 to February 11, 2023, in MP’s Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Khargone (Maheshwar).

·           Mascots: Asha (Female Cheetah) and Mowgli

·           Torch: Amarkantak.It is named after the place where the Narmada River, considered the state’s lifeline, originates

·           This is the first smart torch in any game in the country. The torch is adorned with carvings of the renowned Mahakaleshwar temple, running cheetah and a lotus on top.

·           Theme Song: MP Shor Macha Do, Hindustan Ka Dil Dhadka Do. Well-known artist Shaan has rendered it.

 

11.    NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS 2023 ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL 1 TITLE

·           Serbian Tennis Player Novak Djokovic won the 2023 Adelaide International 1 by defeating Sebastian Korda of America

·           In the women’s final Aryna Sabalenka won the women’s singles by defeating Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic.

 

12.    TENNIS: TATA OPEN MAHARASHTRA 2023

·           Dutch (Netherlands) Tennis player Tallon Griekspoor (World No.95) won the men’s singles title at the Tata Open Maharashtra 2023 defeating  Benjamin Bonzi (World No. 60) of France at the finals held in Balewadi Stadium in Pune, Maharashtra.

·           It is currently India’s only tour-level tennis event and South Asia ATP Tour professional tennis event.

·           N Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan Finish Second in Men’s Doubles.

·           They lost the finals against the Belgian pair of Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen

 

13.    PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIWAS – 9TH JANUARY 2023

·           Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD), also known as the “Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day” is annually celebrated across India on 9th January

·           The day, 9th January, commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915.

·           The first ever Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was observed on 9th January 2003.