Current Affairs: January 2023 | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

Kerala’s Wayanad becomes first district in country to provide basic documents to all tribal people

Wayanad becomes the first district in the country to provide basic documents and facilities such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, birth/death certificates, election ID cards, bank accounts and health insurance to all tribespeople.

• The Wayanad district administration has attained the meritorious achievement by providing 1,42,563 services to as many as 64,670 tribal beneficiaries as part of the Akshaya Big Campaign for Document Digitisation (ABCD) campaign. 
• This includes ration cards to 15,796 families, Aadhar cards to 31,252, birth certificates to 11,300, voters’ identity cards to 22,488 and digital locker facilities to 22,888 persons through the ABCD campaign. The drive was launched in November 2021 at Thondarnadu grama panchayat.

Chris Hipkins set to replace Jacinda Ardern as New Zealand’s PM

Chris Hipkins is set to replace Jacinda Ardern as leader of the Labour party and New Zealand’s prime minister after being the only candidate to be nominated for the role, the Labour Party said. 

• First elected to parliament for the Labour Party in 2008, the 44-year-old Hipkins became a household name fronting the government’s response to the pandemic after being appointed minister for COVID-19 in November 2020.
• Hipkins is currently minister for police, education and public service, as well as leader of the House.

Asteria Aerospace receives DGCA type certification for its A200-XT drone

Asteria Aerospace, a full stack drone technology company, said it has received type certification for its indigenously designed and manufactured A200-XT drone from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).  

• With this achievement, Asteria said it has become the first company to have two DGCA-certified drones that it can offer to its customers for a variety of applications including law enforcement, industrial security, infrastructure inspections, and agriculture and land surveys.

Laxman Rawat Won National Sports Club Of India Snooker Open Crown 2023

Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB’s) Laxman Rawat ‘Boulkline’ emerged winner at the NSCI All India Snooker Open, defeating fellow PSPB challenger Aditya Mehta 9-6 in a best-of-17-frame final. 

• Previously, Laxman Rawat won the runner-up in the last edition of the All India Snooker Open losing to Sourav Kothari in the finals. This win marks Laxman Rawat’s first major title after 2 to 3 years. 

Ex-SC judge AK Sikri appointed Administrator of Shooting World Cup 2023

Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, a retired judge from the Supreme Court, has been appointed by the Delhi High Court as Administrator to manage the use of funds for the next ISSF Shooting World Cup in 2023. The ISSF World Cup (Rifle/Pistol) will take place in March in Bhopal. 

• The Administrator can also take the assistance of any sportsperson of his choice, who has been a national or international shooter, to assist him in the matter.
• The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) through the present plea stated that India is hosting World Cup for the shooting sport in March 2023 and the stoppage of funds would affect the hosting of the World Cup. 

IAF to carry out mega air exercise in NE region

The Indian Air Force will carry out a mega exercise covering the Northeastern region early next month to check its combat readiness, amid a fresh spike in tension with China along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh.

• The exercise ‘Poorvi Aakash’ is expected to involve the IAF’s frontline fighter jets, including the Rafale and the Su-30MKI aircraft, and other assets deployed in the region. 
• The exercise will involve the activation of the command’s fighter, helicopter and transport assets towards routine practice of aerial drills, including joint exercises

World’s longest calligraphic mural on road to Makkah’s Grand Mosque

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has installed the longest calligraphic mural in the world on King Abdul Aziz Street, the road that leads to Makkah’s Grand Mosque. 

• To enhance the beauty of Makkah, the administration has installed an Arabic calligraphy mural on the path.
• The 75-meter-long mural, designed by artist Amal Felemban, joins an array of sculptures and installations.

Brazil declares medical emergency in Yanomami territory following reports of children deaths from malnutrition

In Brazil, the government has declared a medical emergency in the Yanomami territory following reports of children dying of malnutrition and other diseases caused by illegal gold mining. 

• A decree published by the government said, the aim of the declaration was to restore health services to the Yanomami people that had been dismantled by the previous government.
• Yanomami territory is the country’s largest indigenous reservation bordering Venezuela. The government announced food packages that will be flown to the territory where some 26,000 Yanomamis live in a region of rainforest and tropical savanna the size of Portugal. Yanomami has been invaded by illegal gold miners for decades.

Thai shuttler Kunlavut Vitidsarn wins India Open Badminton title

Thai shuttler Kunlavut Vitidsarn won the India Open title. He defeated World No.1 Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in the men’s singles final of the India Open Badminton Championship 22-20, 10-21 and 21-12 at K. D. Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.  

• Earlier, Korean sensation An Seyoung won the Women’s singles final. She beat World No.1 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi 15-21, 21-16, 21-12. 

Indian Navy’s “TROPEX 2023” maritime exercise held in the Indian Ocean

The theatre level naval exercise TROPEX 2023 is being conducted for a period of three months from January to March, 2023 in the Indian Ocean Region. During the exercise, all surface combatants of the Indian Navy are taking part in complex maritime operational deployments. 

• The Navy assets include Destroyers, Frigates, Corvettes as well as submarines and aircraft. The participation of key assets of the Navy would validate and refine the Navy’s concept of operations including operational logistics and interoperability with other services.
• The biennial maritime exercise is being undertaken in several phases, both on harbour and at sea, and it includes live weapon firing as well as numerous aspects of military operations. 

Canada to commercialise world’s first photonic-based quantum computer

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a new federal investment to build and commercialise the world’s first photonic-based, fault-tolerant quantum computer.

• The Prime Minster’s website, the investment of 40 million Canadian dollars ($32 million) will enable Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc., a Toronto-based Canadian quantum computing company, to develop the quantum computer which will have the potential to provide world leading capabilities to help solve complex data problems and could be used in a variety of sectors such as finance, transportation, environmental modelling, and health. 

First ever India Stack developer conference held in Delhi

The first India Stack Developer Conference will be held in New Delhi.. The conference will dwell on ways and means to ensure wider adoption of India’s digital goods all over the world.

• The conference will be attended by over 100 digital leaders from the Industry, Government, start-ups and unicorns and academia. Delegates from G20 countries and G20 Secretariat have also been invited to the Conference.
• India Stack will be one of the focus areas at the World Government Summit 2023 which will be held at Abu Dhabi next month.

Adani slips from world’s 3rd richest to 7th in Forbes list 

In the recently released Forbes Real Time Billionaire list, India’s richest businessman Gautam Adani has slipped from the fourth position to the seventh position. His wealth has reached $ 96.6 billion with a decline of $ 22.6 billion.

• Bernard Arnault (France)continues to lead the list with a net worth of $215 billion.At the same time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is at number two with $ 170.1 billion in assets.Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos is third on the list with a net worth of $122.4 billion., 
• India’s second richest industrialist Mukesh Ambani is at number 10 in this list with a net worth of $83.6 billion.

Annual list of highest-paid female athletes in the world

• The list is topped by tennis player Naomi Osaka (Japan)with a net worth of $51.1 million.
• PV Sindhu (12th rank) is the only Indian in the top 25 of the annual list of female athletes.

Annual list of the 100 most powerful women in the world

• The list istopped by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
• In which six women of Indiahave been included. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (36th), Roshni Nadar Malhotra (53rd), Madhavi Puri Buch (54th), Soma Mandal (67th), Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (72nd), Falguni Sanjay Nair (89th).

Highest-Paid Athletes 2022

• Football starLionel Messi topped the list with total earnings of $130 million (Rs 1007 crore).

List of richest actors in the world

• In this list, Jerry Seinfeld (American) is at number one with assets of Rs 8200 crores.
• Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has become the fourth richest actor in this list with a net worth of Rs 6,300 crore.

European Space Mission JUICE to be Launched in April 2023

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) has been confirmed for launch from the agency’s spaceport in French Guiana in April 2023.

• JUICE is set to embark on an eight-year cruise to Jupiter starting in April 2023. 
• The mission will investigate the emergence of habitable worlds around gas giants and the Jupiter system as an archetype for the numerous giant planets now known to orbit other stars.

Novak Djokovic wins his 10th Australian Open title, equaling Rafael Nadal’s record 22 Grand Slam

In  Tennis,  Novak Djokovic beats Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) to win his 10th Australian Open. 

• Djokovic equals Rafael Nadal’s men’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles and the  Serb will now be world number one in ranking. Tsitsipas is still waiting for first major title.
• In Australian Open 2023, fifth seed Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka came from a set down to beat the Twenty-second seed Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in the final of the Australian Open women’s singles. Sabalenka defeated Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to claim her maiden singles Grand Slam

Complete winner list:

• Men’s Singles:N. Djokovic (Serbia) defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
• Women’s Singles: A. Sabalenka (Belarus)defeated E. Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
• Men’s Doubles: J. Kubler & R. Hijikata (Australia) defeated H. Nys (Monaco) & J. Zieliński (Poland)
• Women’s Doubles: B. Krejčíková & K. Siniaková (Czechia)    defeated S. Aoyama & E. Shibahara (Japan)
• Mixed Doubles: L. Stefani & R. Matos (Brazil) defeated R. Bopanna & S. Mirza (India)

Ace Tennis player Sania Mirza bids adieu to her Grand Slam career after finishing runners-up in the Mixed Doubles final of the Australian Open

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza announced her retirement from her illustrious Grand Slam career at the Australian Open 2023. 

• Indian duo Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna came second to Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos of Brazil in the Australian Open mixed doubles final at Melbourne Park as the Brazillian pair clinched their maiden Grand Slam. 
• Sania Mirza won two Grand Slam tournaments at the Australian Open. She won the Australian Open women’s doubles title with Martina Hingis in 2016 and the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi in 2009.

India’s first mission to study the Sun will be launched by June-July: ISRO chairman 

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 mission by June or July this year. Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona.

• The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched by ISRO to the L1 orbit (which is the first Lagrangian point of the Sun-Earth system). L1 orbit allows Aditya-L1 to look at the Sun continuously.

India becomes first country to extend assurance to Sri Lanka for its debt restructuring

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka as part of his three-day visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka.  

• External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has said India will stand by Sri Lanka in its hour of need to overcome the challenges it currently faces. He added that India has taken proactive steps and extended financial assurances to the IMF without waiting for the other creditors. 
• Dr Jaishankar added that India is a reliable neighbour and a trustworthy partner who is prepared to go to the extra mile. He said this during his official visit to Sri Lanka. With this announcement India has become the first creditor nation to extend assurance towards restructuring the debt of Sri Lanka as the island nation makes efforts to unlock a bridge financing package from IMF.

Amazon overtakes Apple as world’s most valuable brand

Amazon has reclaimed the top spot as the world’s most valuable brand despite its brand value falling 15 per cent this year from $350.3 billion to $299.3 billion, said a new report.

• According to brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance’s report, “Global 500 2023”, while Amazon is back at No 1, its brand value has fallen by over $50 billion this year, with its rating slipping from AAA+ to AAA. This is as consumers evaluate it more harshly in the post-pandemic world. 
• Apple (brand value down 16 per cent to $297.5 billion from $355.1 billion) has, meanwhile, slipped to second slot to be ranked the world’s second most valuable brand. This year’s fall in brand value relates to a fall in forecast revenue with supply chain disruptions and a constrained labour market expected to limit the supply of its marquee hardware products.
• In all 48 tech brands featured in the ranking, two down from the 50 rated in 2022. This is after Snapchat and Twitter dropped out.
• The other tech-focused brands to lose value include Samsung Group (brand value down 7 per cent to $99.7 billion), Alibaba.com (down 56 per cent to $10.0 billion), Facebook (down 42 per cent to $59.0 billion) and WeChat (down 19 per cent to $50.2 billion).

First G20 Health Working Group meeting under India’s G20 presidency begun in Thiruvananthapuram

The three-day meeting of the first Health Working Group under India’s G20 presidency began in Thiruvananthapuram. Union Minister of State for Health, Bharti Praveen Pawar and Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muralidharan addressed the meeting. Ms. Pawar making the inaugural address said that G-20 countries are committed to ensure Universal health care.

• On the first day of G20 Health Working Group meeting, discussions on ways to tackle the urgent challenges in the health sector mainly by microbial resistance were held.
• The meeting also discussed on cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector and provision of safe and low-cost healthcare systems. An exhibition showcasing the achievements of India’s health programmes was also organized.

21st edition of Naval Exercise VARUNA between India and France begins

The 21st Edition of the Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France– Exercise VARUNA commenced on the Western Seaboard. 

• The exercise will be conducted till the 20th of this month and will witness advanced air defence exercises, tactical manoeuvres, surface firings, underway replenishment and other maritime operations. 
• The exercise facilitates operational-level interaction between the two navies to foster mutual cooperation for good order at sea, underscoring the shared commitment of both nations to security, safety and freedom of the global maritime commons.

Rajasthan becomes first State to implement blindness control policy

In a first in the country, the Rajasthan government has implemented a policy for blindness control with the objective of ‘Right to Sight’.

• The policy has been introduced with an aim to bring light in the lives of more than three lakh people suffering from visual impairment in the state. The prevalence rate of blindness in the country was 1.1 per cent in 2020 and work would be done to bring it down to 0.3 per cent through the blindness control policy.
• Under the policy, the Rajasthan government will mandatorily run Keratoplasty Centres and Eye Banks at all the government medical colleges. Also, cornea collected by private organisations and NGOs getting financial help from the government will have to be provided to the government institutions on priority.

OECD appoints Clare Lombardelli as Chief Economist

Chief Economic Adviser to the Treasury, Clare Lombardelli, has been appointed as the new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Chief Economist. She will lead the OECD’s economic work, replacing France’s Laurence Boone, who has held the post since 2018. 

• A British national, Clare holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science and Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University

ISRO ‘Shukrayaan’ mission to planet Venus shifted to 2031

Sreekumar, the Satish Dhawan Professor at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and advisor to its space science programme, stated that the organisation has not yet received approval from the Indian government for the Venus mission and that, as a result, the mission may be delayed until 2031 

• The ISRO Venus mission, Shukrayaan I, was slated to take off in December 2024. The concept was conceived in 2012; five years later, after the Department of Space got a 23% increase in the 2017–2018 budget, ISRO started preliminary investigations. The organisation asked for payload suggestions from research institutions in April 2017.

Govt launches MAARG portal for startup mentorship 

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has launched the MAARG platform (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth), to facilitate mentorship between startups and entrepreneurs across sectors, stages, and functions.

• The matchmaking phase of the portal will allow startups to connect with mentors and discuss their mentorship needs. 
• The minister will also announce the results of National Startup Awards 2022. The winning startups will be given a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh each. One exceptional Incubator and one Accelerator each will also get a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

ICG ship ‘Kamla Devi’, last vessel of FPV series, commissioned

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship ‘Kamla Devi’ the Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) which is designed, built, and delivered by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd to Indian Coast Guard was commissioned in Kolkata, West Bengal. 

• Indian Coast Guard ship Kamla Devi is officially the fifth and last vessel of the series of FPVs designed and built by GRSE as per the specifications of the Indian Coast Guard. 
• Indian Coast Guard ship (ICGS) Kamla Devi is 48.8 meters long and 7.5 meters wide with a displacement of 308 tonnes.There are three engines and water jets in ICGS Kamla Devi. 

India, Japan to hold joint air exercise Veer Guardian 2023

Furthering air defence cooperation, India and Japan are commenced the maiden joint air exercise Veer Guardian 2023. Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) hold the first bilateral air exercise at Hyakuri Air Base in Japan from 12 January 2023 to 26 January 2023.

• This maiden air exercise also be the first time when an Indian Air Force woman fighter pilot would be part of the Indian contingent for aerial wargames in a foreign land.
• During the joint air exercise Veer Guardian 2023, the participating IAF contingent will include four Su-30 MKI, two C-17 & one IL-78 aircraft. On the other hand, the JASDF contingent will consist of four F-2 & four F-15 aircraft.

PayRup, India’s Fastest Payment app is launched

India’s fastest payment app PayRup was launched in India. PayRup is built with the finest technology of web 3.0. PayRup provides an advanced digital payment experience with an outstanding user experience. 

• PayRup users can pay utility bills and landline bills, recharge their mobile, broadband, DTH, and purchase gift cards. 
• PayRup services are planned to expand across various financial instruments.These instruments include multiple payment services such as school fees, pay rent, and other payment collection services.

India, Panama sign MoU to enhance cooperation in training of diplomats

India and Panama have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the training of diplomats. 

• The agreement was signed during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Panama to participate in the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conference.
• During the consultations, both sides comprehensively reviewed their bilateral relations covering issues such as trade and investment, pharmaceuticals, capacity building, space cooperation and consular.Both countries also discussed cooperation in multilateral fora.

Sania Mirza announces her retirement from professional Tennis

Sania Mirza has confirmed her retirement from professional Tennis. The former doubles World No. 1 champion has announced that she will retire at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai in February.

• Mirza, regarded as her country’s greatest women’s tennis player, has won six Grand Slam doubles titles and will compete in her final major this month at the Australian Open, where she bagged the women’s doubles crown in 2016.
• Mirza became the first Indian to win a WTA singles title, when she won her hometown Hyderabad event in 2005. She broke into the top 30 by 2007 and reached her career-high ranking of world number 27.