Daily Current Affairs December 22 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

National Mathematics Day: 22nd December

• National Mathematics Day 2022 is observed on the 22nd of December 2022.
• The renowned mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, whose works had a widespread impact both in India and around the world, is the driving force behind the establishment of Mathematics Day in that country.
• Ramanujan was born in 1887 to an Iyengar Brahmin family in Erode, Tamil Nadu.
• Despite having little formal schooling, he mastered trigonometry at the age of 12 and created a number of his theorems.
• Ramanujan ran away from home at the age of 14 and joined Pachaiyappa’s College in Madras.
• The aspiring mathematician quickly caught the attention of Chennai’s mathematicians. He was assisted in obtaining a clerk position at the Madras Port Trust in 1912 by Ramaswamy Iyer, the Indian Mathematical Society’s founder. Ramanujan subsequently started submitting his work to British mathematicians.
• In 1913, GH Hardy, a Cambridge-based mathematician, invited Ramanujan to London after being impressed by Ramanujan’s theorems.
• In 1914, Ramanujan travelled to Britain, where Hardy helped him enrol in Trinity College, Cambridge.
• After being elected as a member of the London Mathematical Society in 1917, Ramanujan was well on his path to success.
• In 1918, he also became a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the youngest individuals to hold this prestigious status.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

“AYURSWASTHYA Yojana” Status of Centers of Excellence:

• The status of the “AYURSWASTHYA Yojana” centres of excellence program was reported in a notification from the Ministry of Ayush.
• Under the initiative, money is given to qualified institutions and individual groups to help them set up and improve their facilities and/or conduct AYUSH-related research and development.
• The scheme was created by merging two previous programs of this Ministry, namely i) the Central Sector Scheme of Grant-in-Aid for Promotion of AYUSH Intervention in Public Health Initiatives (PHI) and (ii) the Central Sector Scheme for Assistance to AYUSH Organizations (Government/Non-Government Non-Profit) Engaged in AYUSH Education/Drug Development, primarily consists of two components: I AYUSH and Public (CoE).
• To encourage the development of cutting-edge, highly specialized AYUSH medical health units in reputable AYUSH and Allopathic institutions in both the public and private sectors.
• To promote AYUSH at the national and international levels by promoting creative and innovative proposals for the establishment and improvement of the facilities and services of reputable institutions.
• This will help to improve the skills of AYUSH professionals in areas like education technology, research, and innovation.
• To encourage original ideas and proposals for prestigious organizations with established facilities and infrastructure that want to advance AYUSH systems to the level of a Center of Excellence.

The first green steel brand in the nation, “KALYANI FeRRESTA,” was introduced by Jyotiraditya Scindia:

• The first green steel brand in India, “KALYANI FeRRESTA,” was introduced in New Delhi by Union Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
• The Kalyani Group, a steel manufacturer with headquarters in Pune, created this ground-breaking steel with zero carbon footprints on the environment.
• The Kalyani Group effort will assist in changing the steel industry’s long-standing reputation as a “hard to abate sector” with high carbon emissions into a low-emitting, environmentally friendly steel-producing sector.
• Internationally, the steel sector is responsible for 7% of CO2 emissions, with the Indian steel sector contributing 13% of those emissions.
• Instead of the commonly utilized coking coal, green steel is produced utilizing low-carbon energy sources such as electricity, hydrogen, and coal gasification.
• The company cut water use by 10%, eliminated 76,484 total carbon dioxide (tCO2) emissions, and recycled 99.4% of its garbage.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Quadrilateral agreement inked on Black Sea submarine electric cable

• Romania, Hungary, Azerbaijan, and Georgia signed an agreement on the Black Sea submarine cable for the transport of electricity from the Caspian area to Romania.
• The 500 kV submarine cable between Georgia and Romania would be 1,100 km long and have a capacity of 1 GW. 

About the Agreement : 

• The quadrilateral intergovernmental agreement will provide the financial and technical framework for the implementation of the project according to which Azerbaijan will supply its green electricity through power lines to Georgia, and then by the planned submarine cable to Romania, and from there to Hungary and the rest of Europe, through the European transport system.
• The project also includes a telecommunications cable.
• The feasibility study is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023 and the cable could be built in late 2029.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Tripura : Unakoti Seeks UNESCO World Heritage Tag

• Unakoti of Tripura has applied for a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage tag to preserve lakhs of Shaivite rock carvings, figures, and images of gods and goddesses.
• Unakoti is also known as ‘Angkor Wat of the North-East’.

What is Unakoti?

• Unakoti means ‘one less one crore’ in Hindi and Bengali.
• In the Kokborok language, it is called Subrai Khung and is the central tourist spot of the Unakoti District.
• The site displays almost the same mystical charm as the Angkor Wat temple of Cambodia & hence, it is called the Angkor Wat of North-East.
• Images found at Unakoti are of two types- rock-carved figures and stone images.
• Among rock-cut carvings- the Central Shiva head and gigantic Ganesha figures are noteworthy.
• Central Shiva head is known as ‘Unakotiswara Kal Bhairava’ and is about 30 feet high with an embroidered head-dress that is 10 feet high.
• On each side of the headdress, there are two female figures, one of Durga standing on a lion and another female figure on the other side.
• 3 images of Nandi Bull are found half buried in the ground.

About Tripura :

• Governor : Satyadev Narayan Arya
• Chief Minister : Manik Saha
• Capital : Agartala
• Tribes : Tripuri, Riang, Jamatia
• Festival :kharchi Puja, Garia Puja, Ker Puja, Bizu Festival, Tirtha Mukh Festival

Madhya Pradesh government forms task force to recommend regulation of online gambling and gaming

• The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted a high-level task force, which will make recommendations about regulating online gambling and gaming in the state after examining the technical and legal aspects.
• The task force was constituted under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary of the state home ministry.
• The task force will also comprise other senior officials such as the additional chief secretary of the home department, the principal secretary in the department of law and legislative affairs, and the director of public prosecution.
• It has taken all these steps after the alleged suicide of an 11-year-old boy while playing an online game.

Key Highlights :

• The panel will examine technical and legal aspects related to the online gambling and gaming industry and will, accordingly, suggest new changes.
• The task force will submit the recommendations after examining various judicial precedents, legal situations, and technical aspects to prevent online gambling and online gaming.
• Earlier, the MP High Court directed the state government to work on curbing illegal gambling activities and regulating online gaming.
• The government is also considering forming a regulatory body to control online gaming.

About MP :

• Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel
• Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Capital: Bhopal
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Ghatigaon Wildlife Sanctuary.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

Axis Bank takes over RCom’s enterprise arm, Globalcom

• Reliance Communication’s (RCom) enterprise business, Globalcom IDC Ltd, has been taken over by Axis Bank, due to the non-payment of dues.
• RCom had received notice from Axis Trustee Services Limited seeking to sell 100% equity shares of Globalcom.
• Axis Bank has taken over Globalcom to recover RCom’s direct dues to the bank.
• RCom received another email from Axis Bank stating that it has invoked the pledge over 20,99,994  (100 percent) equity shares of Globalcom.
• According to RCom’s disclosure, RCom and Reliance Infratel owe ₹1,401.03 crores and ₹1,404.03 crores, respectively, to Axis Bank against this loan.
• Recently Reliance Jio acquired Reliance Infratel, for ₹3,500 crores.
• In 2016, RCom and Reliance Infratel Limited availed a loan facility of ₹565 crores and ₹635 crores, respectively from the State Bank of India.

About Axis Bank :

• Founded : 3 December 1993
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
• Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank in India 

About RCOM :

• Founded: 15 July 2004
• Headquarters: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• RCom was an Indian mobile network provider that offered voice and 2G and 3G and 4G data services.
• In February 2019, the company filed for bankruptcy as it was unable to sell assets to repay its debt.

RBI Imposes Rs2.66 Crore Penalty On Bank Of Bahrain & Kuwait BSC

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹66 crores on Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait BSC(India Operations) for non-compliance with regulatory directions on “Cyber Security Framework in Banks”.
• The penalty has been imposed in the exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of section 47 A (1) (c) read with sections 46 (4) (i) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (the Act).

Reason :

• The bank failed to implement systems to detect unusual and unauthorized, internal or external activities in its database.
• The penalty is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.
• RBI has also imposed penalties on 20 cooperative banks, including 17 from Gujarat for contravention of various norms
• The penalty on 17 co-operative banks ranges between Rs 50,000 – Rs 7 lakh

About Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait BSC :

• Founded: 16 March 1971
• Headquarters: Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait BSC
• CEO: A.Rahman Saif

About RBI :

• Established: 1 April 1935
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors: Mahesh Kumar Jain, M. Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra, and T. Rabi Shankar

IDFC FIRST Bank announces zero-fee banking on savings accounts

• On the occasion of its foundation day, IDFC FIRST Bank has announced zero-fee banking on savings accounts.

Key Highlights :

• The bank mentioned that it had waived fees on 25 commonly used banking services related to savings accounts such as cash deposit and withdrawal at branches, third-party cash transactions, demand drafts, immediate payment service (IMPS), National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), cheque book, SMS alerts, interest certificates, insufficient balance for ATM transactions, international ATM usage.

Who can avail of the service? 

• Customers, who are maintaining at least Rs 10,000 average monthly balance in their savings account, will be offered these services free of cost.

About IDFC FIRST Bank :

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : V. Vaidyanathan
• IDFC FIRST Bank was founded by the merger of Erstwhile IDFC Bank and Erstwhile Capital First on December 18, 2018.
• It is the first universal bank to offer monthly interest credit on savings accounts, lifetime free credit cards with dynamic and low annual percentage rates

Paytm & HDFC ERGO launch ‘Payment Protect’ insurance policy to protect mobile transactions

• One97 Communications Limited (OCL), which owns the brand Paytm, in association with HDFC ERGO General Insurance, a leading general insurance company in India launched a group insurance plan called ‘Paytm Payment Protect’.

Aim :

• To insure transactions are made through the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) across all apps and wallets.

About ‘Paytm Payment Protect’ :

• With the new insurance offering, which will come at Rs 30 per annum, users would be able to secure themselves against mobile fraudulent transactions up to Rs 10,000
• This product is aimed to enhance the digital payments experience and increase the adoption of the same in the country.
• Higher cover options for cover up to Rs 1 lakh per annum will soon be added to the product.

About  HDFC ERGO General Insurance :

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD: Ritesh Kumar
• HDFC ERGO is a 51:49 joint venture firm between HDFC and ERGO International AG, one of the insurance entities of the Munich Re Group in Germany 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

LIC raises stake in IRCTC to 7.278%

• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has increased its stake in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) from 5.005% to 7.278%.
• LIC raised its stake in IRCTC after adding 1,81,80,323 IRCTC shares to its portfolio making it 5,82,22,948 IRCTC shares in total.

About IRCTC :

• Founded: 27 September 1999
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Chairman & MD: Smt. Rajni Hasija
• IRCTC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Indian Railways, is the only entity authorized to provide certain services to the Indian Railways, including online ticketing, catering, and selling drinking water on trains and at railway stations.

About LIC :

• Founded: 1 September 1956
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairperson : M R Kumar
• Life Insurance Corporation of India is an Indian central public sector undertaking.
• It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

First-ever “Surety Bond Insurance” for Infrastructure Projects is introduced by Nitin Gadkari:

• Nitin Gadkari, the minister of roads, transport, and highways, introduced the nation’s first-ever surety bond insurance product, reducing the reliance on bank guarantees for infrastructure companies.
• For infrastructure projects, surety bond insurance will serve as a security measure and will protect both the principal and the contractor.
• The item will meet the needs of a variety of contractors, many of whom are engaged in business in today’s increasingly unstable climate.
• If the contractor breaches their contractual commitment, the Surety Bond Insurance protects the principal from potential damages by acting as a risk transfer instrument.
• The product grants the principal a guarantee under which all contracts and other business transactions will be carried out by the terms mutually agreed upon.
• The Principal may file a claim against the surety bond and recoup any losses they have suffered if the contractor fails to uphold the conditions of the contract.
• In contrast to a bank guarantee, the Surety Bond Insurance does not require substantial collateral from the contractor, freeing up significant assets that the contractor can use for the expansion of their firm.
• The item will assist in lowering costs as well.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Dinesh Kumar Shukla appointed as Chairperson of AERB

• Senior nuclear scientist Dinesh Kumar Shukla has been appointed as the chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for 3 years.
• Shukla, who has been the executive director of the AERB, succeeds G Nageswara Rao to the top post.

About Dinesh Kumar Shukla :

• Shukla joined the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in 1981 after completing the 25th batch of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training School.
• He has been associated with the commissioning of the high flux research reactor Dhruva and later held the positions of Reactor Superintendent of Dhruva Research Reactor and Head of Reactor Operations Division (ROD) at BARC.
• He was the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Occupational Health for BARC Facilities and the Unit Level Safety Committee for Medical and Other Facilities.
• He was a member of the Management Committee for the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT) and also of the Radioisotopes, Radiation Technology and Application Committee (RTAC) of the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS).
• He has also served as a consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on matters related to the safety of research reactors.

About AERB :

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• The AERB was constituted on 15 November 1983 by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

INSV Tarini to participate in the 50th edition of Cape Town to Rio Race 2023

• Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini will participate in the 50th edition of the expedition to Cape Town, South Africa for participating in the Cape to Rio Race 2023.
• The ocean sailing race will be flagged off from Cape Town on January 2, 2023, and will culminate at Rio de Janeiro in
• The expedition is being undertaken by an Indian Navy crew of 5 officers including 2 women officers

Aim :

• To train the crew onboard, in essential seamanship skills including Navigation, Communication, Technical, Planning,

Key Highlights :

• It is one of the most prestigious Trans-Atlantic ocean races.
• During this expedition whilst transiting from Goa to Rio de Janeiro via Cape Town and back, INSV Tarini would be covering a distance of almost 17000nm (approx. 30000 km).
• The crew, over 5-6 months in this trans-oceanic voyage is expected to face extreme weather and rough sea conditions in the Indian, Atlantic, and Southern oceans. 
• INSV Tarini is known for circumnavigating the globe with an all-women officer crew in the historic expedition titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’ in 2017. 
• In the present expedition, the vessel is being skippered by Capt Atool Sinha with Lt Cdr Ashutosh Sharma, Lt Cdr Dilna K, Lt Cdr Roopa A, and SLt Aviral Keshav as the crew.

About INSV Tarini :

• INSV Tarini is the second sailboat of the Indian Navy after INSV Mhedi.
• It is a cruising sloop built at the Aquarius Shipyard in Divar, Goa.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

US-France satellite SWOT launched to map the world’s oceans, rivers, lakes                              

• A United States (US).-French satellite that will map almost all of the world’s oceans, lakes, and rivers rocketed into orbit.
• The predawn launch aboard a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California capped a highly successful year for NASA.
• NASA and the French Space Agency collaborated on the USD 1.2 billion projects, with Britain and Canada chipping in.
• The mission is expected to last 3 years.

About the Satellite :

• The Satellite is nicknamed SWOT short for Surface Water and Ocean Topography the satellite is needed more than ever as climate change worsens droughts, flooding, and coastal erosion.
• The satellite will measure the height of water on more than 90% of Earth’s surface, allowing scientists to track the flow and identify potential high-risk areas.
• It will also survey millions of lakes as well as 1.3 million miles (2.1 million kilometers) of rivers, from headwater to mouth.
• The satellite will shoot radar pulses at Earth, with the signals bouncing back to be received by a pair of antennas, one on each end of a 33-foot (10-meter) boom.
• It will reveal the location and speed of rising sea levels and the shift of coastlines, key to saving lives and property.
• It will cover the globe between the Arctic and Antarctica at least once every three weeks, as it orbits more than 550 miles (890 kilometers) high.

North Korea launches test flight for planned 2023 spy satellite

• North Korea fired a test satellite in an important final-stage test for the development of its first spy satellite, a key military capability coveted by its leader Kim Jong Un along with other high-tech weapons systems.
• The rocket carrying the test satellite was launched to assess the satellite’s photography and data transmission systems.

Aim : 

• To evaluate its satellite photography, data transmission and ground-control capabilities had been carried out from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground.

About North Korea :

• Capital: Pyongyang
• Currency: Korean People’s won

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

India’s Smart Cities Mission Wins Platinum Icon at the 2022 Digital India Awards:

• The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs’ initiative “DataSmart Cities: Empowering Cities through Data” earned the Platinum Icon award in the Smart Cities Mission category of the Digital India Awards 2022.
• The prize was presented in the area of “Data Sharing and Use for Socio-Economic Development.”
• A crucial first step in developing a strong data ecosystem that supports evidence-based decision-making in cities is the DataSmart Cities Initiative.
• The Digital India awards, which were established in 2009, are unique in India because they recognize the work made by various government agencies in the digital sphere.
• These are run by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology’s National Informatics Centre (NIC) (MeitY).
• In 2022, the seventh annual Digital India Awards (DIA) will take place.
• The Digital India Awards (DIA) offer a chance to highlight digital projects being used to reshape India into a knowledge economy and society that is enabled by technology.
• These prizes were established by the National Portal of India to promote and recognize cutting-edge digital initiatives by all levels of government.
• DIA 2022 intends to encourage and empower start-ups as well as government organizations to realize the goal of a Digital India.

Jaipur Pink Panthers won the Pro Kabaddi League’s ninth championship:

• Jaipur Pink Panthers defeated a tenacious Puneri Paltan team in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 Final by a score of 33-29 to claim their second PKL title.
• The only other team to have won many championships right now, after Patna, is Jaipur Pink Panthers, the league’s first-ever champions.
• While the playoffs were held in Mumbai, the tournament was held in Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad.
• Sunil Kumar Malik and Sanjeev Baliyan are now in charge of the Jaipur Pink Panthers team. Abhishek Bachchan is the team’s owner.

Winners List:

• Sunil Kumar was the Final’s Ideal Player (Pink Panthers)
• Final Game-Changer: V Ajit Kumar (Pink Panthers)
• Ankush Rathee, Moment of the Final (Pink Panthers)
• V Ajit Kumar made the winning move (Pink Panthers)
• Sunil Kumar’s winning moment in the championship (Pink Panthers)
• WINNERS: Jaipur Pink Panthers
• RUNNERS: Puneri Paltan

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

Retired Air Marshal PV Iyer published his book, “Fit At Any Age.”

• In New Delhi’s India International Centre, Air Marshal PV Iyer (retired) has published his book, “Fit At Any Age.”
• In the book, he chronicled his quest for health and used personal anecdotes to explain how he found the will to exercise every day.
• He also discusses the value of exercise and the need for early beginnings on the road to fitness in the book, which was released by Bloomsbury India.
• In this book, the benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle are discussed.
• The heart and blood arteries are cleaned and strengthened by exercise.
• Fit at Any Age blends personal experiences, science-based reasoning, and straightforward advice to create an educational and funny work.
• Inspiring and motivating, it will demonstrate that no matter your age, anything is possible.
• With enough time for leisure, 92-year-old runner Air Marshal P.V. Iyer explains how we may incorporate fitness into our daily lives at any age.
• When the Indian Air Force’s new strategy was explained to Air Marshal Iyer at the age of 47.

Daily CA on December 22:

• National Mathematics Day 2022 is observed on the 22nd of December 2022.
• The status of the “AYURSWASTHYA Yojana” centers of excellence program was reported in a notification from the Ministry of Ayush.
• The first green steel brand in India, “KALYANI FeRRESTA,” was introduced in New Delhi by Union Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
• Nitin Gadkari, the minister of roads, transport, and highways, introduced the nation’s first-ever surety bond insurance product, reducing the reliance on bank guarantees for infrastructure companies.
• The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs’ initiative “DataSmart Cities: Empowering Cities through Data” earned the Platinum Icon award in the Smart Cities Mission category of the Digital India Awards 2022.
• Jaipur Pink Panthers defeated a tenacious Puneri Paltan team in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 Final by a score of 33-29 to claim their second PKL title.
• In New Delhi’s India International Centre, Air Marshal PV Iyer (retired) has published his book, “Fit At Any Age.”
• Romania, Hungary, Azerbaijan, and Georgia signed an agreement on the Black Sea submarine cable for the transport of electricity from the Caspian area to Romania.
• Unakoti of Tripura has applied for a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage tag to preserve lakhs of Shaivite rock carvings, figures, and images of gods and goddesses.
• The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted a high-level task force, which will make recommendations about regulating online gambling and gaming in the state after examining the technical and legal aspects.
• Reliance Communication’s (RCom) enterprise business, Globalcom IDC Ltd, has been taken over by Axis Bank, due to the non-payment of dues.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹66 crores on Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait BSC(India Operations) for non-compliance with regulatory directions on “Cyber Security Framework in Banks”.
• On the occasion of its foundation day, IDFC FIRST Bank has announced zero-fee banking on savings accounts.
• One97 Communications Limited (OCL), which owns the brand Paytm, in association with HDFC ERGO General Insurance, a leading general insurance company in India launched a group insurance plan called ‘Paytm Payment Protect’.
• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has increased its stake in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) from 5.005% to 7.278%.
• Senior nuclear scientist Dinesh Kumar Shukla has been appointed as the chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for 3 years.
• Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini will participate in the 50th edition of the expedition to Cape Town, South Africa for participating in the Cape to Rio Race 2023.
• A United States (US).-French satellite that will map almost all of the world’s oceans, lakes, and rivers rocketed into orbit.
• North Korea fired a test satellite in an important final-stage test for the development of its first spy satellite, a key military capability coveted by its leader Kim Jong Un along with other high-tech weapons systems.