Daily Current Affairs December 06 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

National Microwave Oven Day: 6th December

• National Microwave Oven Day 2022 is observed on the 6th of December 2022.
• Percy Spencer, a self-taught American engineer, developed a way to safely prepare food with microwaves.
• In 1945, he realized a candy bar in his pocket was melting while working with active radar.
• He discovered that he could direct the magnetron’s power into a metal box and trap it there.
• He also noted that food placed in the box quickly heated up.
• Raytheon submitted a patent for a microwave oven on October 8, 1945.
• In 1955 the first domestic microwave was introduced.
• Litton invented a microwave oven with a design similar to those used today, which helped promote home microwaves even more.
• In the United States, there were around 40,000 microwaves in use in 1971, rising to one million by 1975.

BR Ambedkar Death Anniversary: 6th December

• BR Ambedkar Death Anniversary in 2022 is observed on the 6th of December 2022.
• Ambedkar was born into a Mahar (Dalit) caste, who were treated as untouchables and subjected to socio-economic discrimination.
• 6th December 2022 will be celebrated as the 67th death anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
• The death anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar is referred to as Mahaparinirvana Divas.
• Ambedkar’s ancestors had long worked for the army of the British East India Company, and his father served in the British Indian Army at the Mhow cantonment. Although they attended school, Ambedkar and other untouchable children were segregated and given little attention or help by teachers.
• They were not allowed to sit inside the class.
• BR Ambedkar was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
• He has done various works for the development of various castes in India mainly he tried to demolish untouchability.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

India’s First Debt Collection Innovation Lab is Unveiled by Spocto:

• The first Innovation Lab (SIL) in India, focused on the debt collection sector of the banking sectors in India and the Middle East, was opened with the help of the world’s top full-stack debt assistance and risk mitigation platform.
• To gain a deeper understanding of the NPA situation and possible technological solutions, SIL will collaborate with a variety of bank stakeholders.
• By utilizing technology that offers hyper-personalization and data-driven solutions to enhance repayments, Spocto will also advance digitalization in the ecosystem of the collection.
• The concepts will be refined in collaboration with a “borrower” focus group made up of people from diverse racial and socioeconomic groups.
• By incorporating feedback from both the borrower and lender sectors, SIL is expected to help spocto reduce the default rate by 10% by 2025.
• SIL aims to accelerate the development of disruptive technologies like AI/ML, big data, data security, and so on that preparedness.
• SIL is collaborating with each member of the collecting ecosystem to adopt a digital-first strategy to prepare for the future.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Germany announces €1 billion funding for energy transition projects in India

• Germany has unveiled a proposal to provide 1 billion euros (Rs 8440 crore) to India for energy transition projects across India under a bilateral partnership for green and sustainable development.
• The announcement comes days ahead of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s visit to India in December 2022.

Background : 

• In May 2022 after signing the agreement with PM Modi & German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced support of 10 billion Euro to India by
• The funding of 1 billion euros for the projects in India is part of this pledge.

Key Highlights : 

• India & Germany agreed on funding for more than 20 development projects over the next 8 years.
• The funding, including 10% grants and 90% in the form of lines of credit, will support India’s efforts in the fields of renewable energy, sustainable urban development in smart cities, and sustainable use of natural resources.”
• The lines of credit will be provided by KfW Development Bank with “very cheap interest” ranging from 2.75% to 3.25% for development projects across the country.

About Germany : 

• President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier
• Capital: Berlin
• Currency: Euro

India & South Korea sign agreement for EDCF loan to develop Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway project

• India and South Korea signed an agreement on an Economic Development Cooperation Fund loan (EDCF) of over 245 billion  (approx. Rs. 1,495.68 crores) Korean won for the establishment of the Intelligent Transport System on the Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Project in

Objectives of the project : 

• To enhance the efficiency in traffic management through the establishment of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and traffic center
• To improve the efficiency in toll management through the establishment of the Toll Collection System (TCS) 
• To establish a sustainable model of ITS and its O&M through the transfer of technology from the Republic of Korea.

Key Highlights : 

• The Republic of Korea was designated as India’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) partner for development cooperation in October 2016. 
• This is the first project funded by an EDCF loan by the Government of the Republic of Korea.
• The bilateral relationship between the two countries was upgraded to ‘Special Strategic Partnership’ in the year

About EDCF :

• The EDCF was established in 1987 and plays an important role as Korea’s representative aid fund.
• The EDCF’s loans are administered by the Export-Import Bank of Korea under the supervision of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

About South Korea :

• President: Yoon Suk Yeol
• Capital: Seoul
• Currency: South Korean won

CAGs of India & Chile sign MoU to support capacity building

• The Comptroller & Auditor General of India and the Comptroller General of the Republic of Chile signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen institutional and professional capacities and learn from each other’s best practices.
• The MoU was signed at the Chilean capital of Santiago, Chile.

Signatories : 

• Girish Chandra Murmu, Comptroller and Auditor General of India
• Jorge Bermudez Soto, the Comptroller General of the Republic of Chile.
• Under the new agreement, both sides agreed to support capacity building and share methodologies in public audits, and conduct training programs in their respective countries.

About Comptroller & Auditor General of India :

• The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is the supreme audit institution of India, established under Article 148 of the Constitution of India.
• The CAG is also the statutory auditor of Government-owned corporations and conducts a supplementary audit of government companies

About Chile : 

• President : Gabriel Boric
• Capital: Santiago
• Currency: Chilean peso

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

BoB launches Foreign Currency Loan against INR Deposits for Corporates

• Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched “Foreign Currency Loan against INR Deposits of Indian Companies for their Overseas Subsidiaries/Joint Ventures” at its branch in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• BoB is the first bank to offer this facility at GIFT City.
• Foreign Currency Loan against INR Deposits’ provides Indian companies with an alternative facility to raise funds for their international businesses. 

Key Highlights : 

• Under the new loan scheme, BoB’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Banking Unit (IBU) in GIFT City in Gandhinagar will provide financial support to Overseas Subsidiaries/Joint Ventures of Indian corporates by leveraging their INR deposits.
• It helps Indian companies meet the cash flow requirements for their international operations.
• BoB already offers Loans against NRE/FCNR Deposits and Loans against Deposits at the IBU.

About BoB : 

• Founded: 20 July 1908
• Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat, India
• MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha

ICICI Bank launches STACK for companies in the real estate sector

• ICICI Bank has launched a STACK for companies in the real estate sector to offer solutions to their banking requirements on one platform.

Note :

• ICICI Bank is the first bank in the industry to offer real estate-specific STACK to provide unparalleled convenience to players in this sector.

About STACK : 

• The STACK, which is a combination of digital and physical solutions, enables participants of the real estate sector namely builders, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs) to undertake banking transactions efficiently.
• It is an extension of the ‘ICICI STACK for Corporates’ which the Bank launched in 2021 to provide a customized set of banking solutions for corporates and their entire ecosystem.
• The STACK is a one-stop shop for mortgage loans to prospective home buyers.
• The Bank extends customized home loan solutions to retail buyers at the project premises.

About ICICI Bank : 

• Founded: 5 January 1994
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi

City Union Bank authorized to enable GST payments

• Old private sector lender, City Union Bank (CUB), announced that the Goods and Services Tax Network, under the auspices of the GST Council, has included CUB as one of the banks available for paying GST.
• City Union Bank’s digital solutions include – digital signatures, QR codes, Video KYC, and digital payment solutions, such as UPI 123pay, payment on the go through wearables, increased payment limit for online transactions, & soft launch of voice biometric authentication for mobile banking.

About CUB : 

• Founded: 1904
• Headquarters: Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India
• MD & CEO : Dr. N. Kamakodi

BookMyForex launches “Interbank Rate Forex Card” – India’s first true zero markup travel card

• India’s first online foreign exchange marketplace, BookMyForex.com has launched the Interbank Rate Multi-Currency Forex Card, which is India’s first true zero markup travel card. 
• The card has been developed in association with Yes Bank, and M2P, and is powered by Visa.

Key Highlights :

• The card is accepted globally at 35+ million stores, 1+ million e-commerce websites, and 2+ million ATMs.
• The card can be loaded with 14 different currencies, and the exchange rates on forex cards remain fixed.
• The forex card comes with a Free International SIM with unlimited incoming calls & WhatsApp chat facility for one month.

About BookMyForex.com : 

• Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana
• CEO: Sudarshan Motwani
• BookMyForex (a MakeMyTrip Group Company) is India’s very first tech initiative in the foreign exchange domain and the market leader in the online retail forex space.

IDFC AMC to be renamed as Bandhan Mutual Fund as regulators approve a change in ownership

• Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved the acquisition of IDFC Asset Management Company Limited (IDFC AMC) by a consortium comprising Bandhan Financial Holdings Limited (BFHL), GIC, and
• Following the completion of the proposed transition, BFHL will own about 60% and GIC and ChrysCapital will own approximately 20% each in IDFC AMC.
• On completion of the transition, IDFC AMC is proposed to be renamed as Bandhan Asset Management Company Limited, and IDFC Mutual Fund (IDFC MF) is proposed to be renamed as Bandhan Mutual Fund.
• Consequently, each scheme of IDFC MF will be renamed to replace the word ‘IDFC’ with the word ‘Bandhan’.

RBI permits overseas Indian banks to deal in financial products not permitted in domestic markets

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed foreign branches/foreign subsidiaries of Indian banks and All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs) to deal in financial products that are not available or are not permitted by it in the domestic market without its prior approval.
• The relaxation applies to Indian Banks and AIFIs operating in foreign jurisdictions and International Financial Services Centers (IFSCs) in India including Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).

Key Highlights : 

• While allowing branches/subsidiaries in foreign jurisdictions as well as in IFSCs to deal in such products, the parent bank in India/AIFI has to ensure prior approval from its Board and, if required, the appropriate authority in the concerned jurisdictions.
• RBI asked entities to appropriately capture and report to it their exposure and mark-to-market (MTM) on these products.

SEBI reduces the timeline to list debt securities issued on a private placement basis

• Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reduced the timeline for listing debt securities issued on a private placement basis to 3 days from the current timeline of 4 days.
• The new guidelines would come into effect from January 1, 2023.

Key Highlights : 

• SEBI has listed out the steps involved in pre-listing and post-listing along with relevant timelines, both through Electronic Book Provider (EBP) platform and otherwise.
• The time taken for a listing of such securities after the closure of the issue has been reduced to three working days (T+3) as against the present requirement of 4 working days (T+4).
• T refers to the issue closure date.
• Subsequently, the issuer would have to ensure receipt of an International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) from a depository before pay-in and apply to other depositories for admission of such proposed debt issuance by T+1.
• On or before T+1/T+2, the issue of credit confirmation letter by depositories to the issuer, and issuers will have to make an application for listing of its debt securities by T+3.

About SEBI : 

• Established: on 12 April 1988 as an executive body and was given statutory powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman: Madhabi Puri Buch
• SEBI is the regulatory body for securities and commodity markets in India under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, GoI.

Tata Play becomes the first firm to file confidential papers with SEBI for IPO

• Tata Play, a direct-to-home platform, has become the first company to submit confidential papers to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an initial public offering (IPO). 
• Tata Play confidentially pre-filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the markets regulator.
• The proposed IPO is Tata’s first since the public issue of TCS in 2004.
• Tata play is a joint venture between the Tata group and Walt Disney.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

The NSE introduces a new Nifty Bharat Bond Index:

• NSE Indices, a division of the National Stock Exchange, announced the introduction of a new index in the Nifty Bharat Bond Index series.
• Each index in the Bharat Bond Index series evaluates the performance of a portfolio of “AAA” rated bonds issued by government–owned businesses and maturing in a certain year. The series has a target maturity date structure.
• The sixth installment of the Bharat Bond ETF series will follow the recently created Nifty BHARAT Bond Index, which has a 2033 maturity date.
• In December 2019, the first Bharat Bond ETFs were introduced, mirroring the Nifty Bharat Bond indices. CEO of NSE Indices is Mukesh Agarwal.
• As a result of the Bharat Bond ETFs’ introduction, a new category of target maturity date index funds with more than 1.30 lakh crore in assets under management has also been created.
• In addition to the current five target maturity indices, the introduction of the new Bharat Bond index, which matures in 2033, would give fixed-income investors more investment options and support the development of a ladder structure of varying maturities.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

SS Rajamouli received Best Director at the 2022 New York Film Critics Circle Awards:

• The Best Director Award went to director SS Rajamouli for his work on RRR at the 2022 New York Film Critics Circle.
• This group is among the first critics’ organizations to comment on the awards season.
• Many people were astonished by Rajamouli’s victory considering his rivals, who included Gina Prince-Blythewood, Sarah Polley, Steven Spielberg, and Darron Aronofsky.
• In “RRR,” a fictional pre-independence tale, Ram Charan and Jr. NTR play Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, two real-life Indian revolutionaries of the 1920s.
• The movie became one of the most successful ones at the Indian box office after grossing more than Rs 1200 crore internationally, and it garnered high praise from critics there.
• It was not chosen as India’s official entry for the 2023 Oscars,
• The year’s Best Picture award went to Todd Field’s Tar, which also won Best Actress for Cate Blanchett’s star turn.
• Two of Colin Farrell’s performances this year, in the sci-fi drama with a future setting, earned him the Best Actor award.
• Following Yang and The Banshees of Inisherin by Martin McDonagh.
• Keke Palmer won the Best Supporting Actress award for Nope, while Ke Huy Quan got the Best Supporting Actor award for his work in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

India’s Greenhouse-in-a-Box startup Kheyti won Earth shot Prize 2022:

• The Prince of Wales, Prince William, unveiled the five winners in Boston, Massachusetts, and one of them was India’s Greenhouse-in-a-Box.
• A Telangana-based Indian firm named Kheyti created a sustainable solution for small-scale farmers and earned $1,2 million for it.
• Kaushik Kappagantulu, co-founder and CEO of Kheyti, said that he has developed the remedy for at least 100 million regional smallholder farmers who are most adversely affected by climate change.
• The goal of greenhouse-in-a-box is to lower costs and boost yields, which will aid in preserving these farmers’ means of subsistence.
• The second Earth shot award ceremony, often known as the “Eco Oscars,” was founded by Prince William and featured several famous people who walked the green carpet.
• In the Protect and Restore Nature category, which received numerous entries from around the globe, Kheyti was awarded the prize.
• The Earth shot Prize Global Alliance, a global network of NGOs and private sector companies will offer assistance in scaling these solutions to all 15 finalists.
• Kenya, the UK, Australia, and Oman are the countries represented by the remaining five winners.

Earthshot Prize:

• Clean air is a concern for Mukuru Clean Stoves in Kenya.
• Indian nature is being preserved and restored by Kheyti.
• The Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network is assisting the U.K. in reviving Australia’s oceans Notpla’s circular waste management strategy.
• In Oman, the 44.01 Project transforms CO2 into rock.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

Global Aviation Safety Rankings 2022 placed India at position 48:

• India, according to DGCA officials, has moved up to position 48 in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) evaluation of the world’s aviation safety.
• The nation held the 102nd place ranking four years ago.
• According to the officials, Singapore is at the top of the list, followed by the UAE and South Korea in second and third place, respectively.
• China is in position 49.
• An ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) was carried out from November 9 to November 16 as part of its Continuous Monitoring Approach for its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).
• According to the officials, the nation now has an effective implementation score of 85.49 percent for critical safety components.
• The audit, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), was done in the areas of law, administration, individual licensing, operations, airworthiness, and aerodromes.
• Initial indications indicate that the mission was a great success.
• India has performed incredibly well, and as a result, we will see a significant increase in our scores, joining the ranks of countries with the highest safety standards and control mechanisms.

About International Civil Aviation Organization

• Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
• Founded: 7 December 1944
• President: Salvatore Sciacchitano
• Secretary General: Juan Carlos Salazar Gómez

India is listed eighth on a list of nations at risk of mass murder:

• India is ranked eighth among the nations with the highest danger of mass murder in 2022 and 2023, according to a new analysis by the US think tank Early Warning Project.
• India’s ranking has decreased from second place in the previous year.
• The improvement in men’s freedom of movement, which was one of the variables utilized in the analysis, is primarily responsible for India’s drop in position from second to ninth.
• A fresh mass murder is predicted to occur in Pakistan in 2022 or 2023 with a probability of one in six, according to the report.
• While Pakistan topped the list this year, the 2022–23 study revealed that out of the 162 nations, Yemen came in at number two, Myanmar at number three, Ethiopia at number five, Nigeria at number six, and Afghanistan at number seven.
• India’s ranking is lower than that of Sudan (ninth), Somalia (tenth), Syria (eleventh), Iraq (12th), and Zimbabwe (14th rank).
• Within the top 15 countries with the highest risk over the previous five years, India was ranked second, according to the 2021–2022 report.

WMO Announces the Global Water Resources Report 2021:

• The first edition of the World Meteorological Organization’s State of Global Water Resources Report 2021 has been published.
• In a time of rising demand and constrained supplies, the purpose of this yearly report is to enable the monitoring and management of the world’s freshwater resources.
• A summary of river flow, significant floods, and droughts is provided in the report. It sheds light on areas where freshwater storage could shift and emphasizes the critical function and susceptibility of the cryosphere (snow and ice).
• The paper demonstrates how significant regions of the world had drier-than-average conditions in 2021, a year in which climate change and a La Nia event affected precipitation patterns.
• In comparison to the 30-year hydrological average, the region with below-average streamflow was around two times greater than the region with above-average streamflow.

Three main areas are the report’s focus:

• Streamflow is the amount of water that is constantly flowing through a river channel.
• All water on the land’s surface and underneath it is referred to as terrestrial water storage or TWS.
• The cryosphere (frozen water).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar was appointed as chairperson of the National Statistical Commission of India

• Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar who is a Professor Emeritus at the Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) has been appointed as the part-time chairperson of the National Statistical Commission of India for 3 years.
• He will continue to be a professor while taking up his responsibility as the chairperson.
• The chairperson of the National Statistical Commission has the status equivalent to that of a Minister of State.

About Mr Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar :

• Prof Karandikar, who joined CMI as a visiting professor in 2010 and was its director from January 2011 to April 2021
• He has designed, supervised, and analyzed countrywide opinion polls for parliamentary elections and also for State assemblies since 1998.
• He was a member of the committee constituted by the Election Commission (EC) of India to advise the EC on the sampling scheme for EVM-VVPAT verification.

About the National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India :

• Founded: July 12, 2006
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• It is an autonomous body set up on the recommendation of C Rangarajan Commission.
• It has 4 members and a Chairperson.
• The Chief Statistician of India, also the secretary to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), is the Secretary of the Commission.

Jawahar Reddy appointed as Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh

• Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1990 batch, K S Jawahar Reddy, was appointed as the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• He will be in service till June 30, 2024.
• He will replace 1985-batch officer Sameer Sharma, who will retire on November 30, 2022.
• Jawahar Reddy is currently serving as Special Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister of AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy since Feb 2021.
• Poonam Malakondaiah, two years senior to Jawahar Reddy, has been appointed as the Special Chief Secretary to CM.

IAMAI appoints Rohit Jain as Chairman of the Digital Entertainment Committee

• The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has appointed Rohit Jain, managing director, of emerging markets Asia, Lionsgate, as the new chairman of their digital entertainment committee for the period of 2 years from 2022 to 2024.
• Rohit Jain has succeeded Amit Goenka, head of ZEE5 Global
• Amit Doshi, head, of IVM Podcasts has also been appointed co-chair, alongside Jain.

Roles & Responsibilities :

• As chairman, Jain will play a key role in working with various stakeholders of the digital entertainment ecosystem, such as OTT players, regulatory bodies, and other industry associations to focus on creating a rewarding vision and guiding the digital ecosystem to a more evolved space.

About IAMAI :

• Founded: 2004
• Headquarters: Mumbai,  Maharashtra
• Chairman: Sanjay Gupta
• IAMAI is a not-for-profit industry body representing the interests of the online and mobile value-added services industry.

Vijender Sharma was elected as the President of the Institute of Cost Accounting of India

• The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) has elected Vijender Sharma as the President and Rakesh Bhalla as the Vice-President of the Institute for the year 2022-23

About Vijender Sharma :

• Vijender Sharma is a law graduate and a member of ICAI.
• He has been an Insolvency Professional since January 2017.
• He was elected as a member of the Council of the Institute from 2015 to 2019 & re-elected from 2019 to 2023.
• He has handled roles of responsibility as the Vice President of the Institute (2021-22), the Chairman of the Professional Development Committee (2020-21), the Chairman of the International Affairs Committee (2020-21), and the Chairman of NIRC (2012-13 and 2014-15) 

About Rakesh Bhalla :

• Rakesh Bhalla is a commerce graduate and a member of ICAI.
• He has managed the role of Chairman of Direct Taxation (2021-22) and the Chairman of NIRC (2010-11 and 2013-14).
• Currently, he is the Chief Financial Officer of SML ISUZU Ltd.

About the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of India :

• Founded: 28 May 1959
• Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
• It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs of the Government of India.
• The ICMAI is a professional body for the regulation of the profession of cost and management accountancy in
• The ICMAI Institute is the 2nd largest Cost & Management Accounting body in the world and the largest in Asia.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains gets 6-month extension

• As per the order of the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pension, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains who was set to retire on November 30, 2022, has been given a six-month extension, will continue in the post until May 31, 2023.
• Bains, a 1985-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.
• The extension of Iqbal Singh Bains was recommended by the Chief Minister of MP Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

MoE appoints IAS Sanjay Kumar as Secretary of The Department of School Education & Literacy

• Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer Shri Sanjay Kumar was elected as the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of India in Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.
• He replaced Anita Karwal IAS.

About Sanjay Kumar : 

• Sanjay Kumar, a 1990-batch Bihar cadre IAS officer.
• He was a former Secretary of, the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• He also served as the principal secretary of education in

About MoE : 

• Cabinet Minister: Dharmendra Pradhan
• Minister of State : Subhas Sarkar, Annapurna Devi Yadav, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh

Wearables brand Noise onboards Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador

• Nexxbase Marketing Pvt Ltd-owned Noise, a wearables technology company, has roped in cricketer Virat Kohli as its new brand ambassador for its smartwatch range.
• He joins the cohort of Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu and cricketer Rishabh Pant.
• Kohli was earlier the brand ambassador of Boltt Games Pvt. Ltd owned Fire-Boltt.

About Noise : 

• Noise is currently the market leader in India in the smartwatches segment with a 5% share.
• A recent report by Counterpoint Research showed that Noise ranked third worldwide in the smartwatch segment and regained the top spot in the Indian market.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

Israeli Navy tests long-range anti-cruise missile interceptor from advanced corvette

• The Israeli Navy conducted a successful test of a long-range interceptor missile against an “advanced” cruise missile, LRAD.
• The Sa’ar 6-class corvette INS Magen launched the missile after detecting a “target that resembled an advanced cruise missile” and destroyed it
• The LRAD missile, part of the Barak MX defense system, is developed by the Israeli Aerospace Industries and the Defense Ministry’s research and development division, known by the Hebrew acronym MAFAT.

Key Highlights : 

• The interceptor system, called Barak, includes advanced radar, a weapon system, and a long-range interceptor.
• The missile is capable of foiling a myriad of aerial threats including planes, UAVs, cruise missiles, unguided rockets, and coast-to-sea missiles.
• It is designed to deal with a wide range of aerial threats, including fighters, drones, cruise missiles, surface-to-surface missiles and rockets, and anti-ship missiles.

Indian Army Trains Kites To Prey On Enemy Drones

• Indian Army troops are using trained Kites to prey on enemy drones in a first-of-its-kind usage of these birds along with dogs for military operations during the ongoing joint training exercise Yuddh Abhyas in Auli, Uttarakhand.
• The Indian Army used A kite named “Arjun”.
• During the exercise, the Indian Army created a situation, in which the Indian Army used a kite and a dog to identify the location of enemy drones and destroy them.
• The 18th edition of the Indo-US joint training exercise “Yudh Abhyas 22” commenced in Uttarakhand’s Auli.
• Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and the United States (US) to exchange best practices, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures between the Armies of the two nations.
• The Yudh Abhyas is a 15-day-long exercise that will focus on high altitude and extremely cold climate warfare.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Rudrankksh Patil, a shooter, wins the ISSF President’s Cup in Egypt:

• The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President’s Cup was won by Indian shooter Rudrankksh Patil in Cairo, Egypt.
• In the 10-meter rifle play-off, he outscored Italy’s Danilo Sollazzo 16-8.
• Participants in this competition, which began on November 28, come from 42 different countries and 43 ISSF Member Federations across all continents.
• Rudrankksh Patil, 18, won gold in the men’s 10 m air rifle event at the ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Championships 2022 in Cairo, Egypt, which came to an end in October.
• He is now only the sixth Indian shooting world champion, joining gold medalists Abhinav Bindra, Tejaswini Sawant, Manavjit Singh Sandu, Om Prakash Mitherval, and Ankur Mittal.
• India won five medals in the ISSF President’s Cup in 2021: gold, silver, and bronze. Among the medal winners were Olympians Manu Bhaker, Rahi Sarnobat, Saurabh Chaudhary, and Abhishek Verma.

Daily CA on December 6:

• National Microwave Oven Day 2022 is observed on the 6th of December 2022.
• BR Ambedkar Death Anniversary in 2022 is observed on the 6th of December 2022.
• The first Innovation Lab (SIL) in India, focused on the debt collection sector of the banking sectors in India and the Middle East, was opened with the help of the world’s top full-stack debt assistance and risk mitigation platform.
• NSE Indices, a division of the National Stock Exchange, announced the introduction of a new index in the Nifty Bharat Bond Index series.
• The Best Director Award went to director SS Rajamouli for his work on RRR at the 2022 New York Film Critics Circle.
• The Prince of Wales, Prince William, unveiled the five winners in Boston, Massachusetts, and one of them was India’s Greenhouse-in-a-Box.
• India, according to DGCA officials, has moved up to position 48 in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) evaluation of the world’s aviation safety.
• India is ranked eighth among the nations with the highest danger of mass murder in 2022 and 2023, according to a new analysis by the US think tank Early Warning Project.
• The first edition of the World Meteorological Organization’s State of Global Water Resources Report 2021 has been published.
• The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President’s Cup was won by Indian shooter Rudrankksh Patil in Cairo, Egypt.
• Germany has unveiled a proposal to provide 1 billion euros (Rs 8440 crore) to India for energy transition projects across India under a bilateral partnership for green and sustainable development.
• India and South Korea signed an agreement on an Economic Development Cooperation Fund loan (EDCF) of over 245 billion  (approx. Rs. 1,495.68 crores) Korean won for the establishment of the Intelligent Transport System on Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Project in
• The Comptroller & Auditor General of India and the Comptroller General of the Republic of Chile signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen institutional and professional capacities and learn from each other’s best practices.
• Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched “Foreign Currency Loan against INR Deposits of Indian Companies for their Overseas Subsidiaries/Joint Ventures” at its branch in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• ICICI Bank has launched a STACK for companies in the real estate sector to offer solutions to their banking requirements on one platform.
• Old private sector lender, City Union Bank (CUB), announced that the Goods and Services Tax Network, under the auspices of the GST Council, has included CUB as one of the banks available for paying GST.
• India’s first online foreign exchange marketplace, BookMyForex.com has launched the Interbank Rate Multi-Currency Forex Card, which is India’s first true zero markup travel card. 
• Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved the acquisition of IDFC Asset Management Company Limited (IDFC AMC) by a consortium comprising Bandhan Financial Holdings Limited (BFHL), GIC, and
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed foreign branches/foreign subsidiaries of Indian banks and All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs) to deal in financial products that are not available or are not permitted by it in the domestic market without its prior approval.
• Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reduced the timeline for listing debt securities issued on a private placement basis to 3 days from the current timeline of 4 days.
• Tata Play, a direct-to-home platform, has become the first company to submit confidential papers to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an initial public offering (IPO). 
• Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar who is a Professor Emeritus at the Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) has been appointed as the part-time chairperson of the National Statistical Commission of India for 3 years.
• Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1990 batch, K S Jawahar Reddy, was appointed as the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has appointed Rohit Jain, managing director, of emerging markets Asia, Lionsgate, as the new chairman of their digital entertainment committee for the period of 2 years from 2022 to 2024.
• The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) has elected Vijender Sharma as the President and Rakesh Bhalla as the Vice-President of the Institute for the year 2022-23
• As per the order of the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pension, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains who was set to retire on November 30, 2022, has been given a six-month extension, will continue in the post until May 31, 2023.
• Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer Shri Sanjay Kumar was elected as the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of India in Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The Israeli Navy conducted a successful test of a long-range interceptor missile against an “advanced” cruise missile, LRAD.
• Nexxbase Marketing Pvt Ltd-owned Noise, a wearables technology company, has roped in cricketer Virat Kohli as its new brand ambassador for its smartwatch range.
• Indian Army troops are using trained Kites to prey on enemy drones in a first-of-its-kind usage of these birds along with dogs for military operations during the ongoing joint training exercise Yuddh Abhyas in Auli, Uttarakhand.