Current Affairs 14 December 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

AIIA inks agreements with International Institutions for the Promotion of Ayurveda

The All India Institute of Ayurveda(AIIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Medical Sciences, Cuba and extended agreement with Rosenberg European Academy of Ayurveda (REAA), Germany, for 5 more years, to promote Ayurveda across continents.
The agreements were signed on the sidelines of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress and the Arogya Expo in Panjim, Goa.

• The MoU with the Havana-based University of Medical Sciences was signed between Alejandro Simancas Marin, Cuban Ambassador to India and Dr Tanuja M Nesari, the director of AIIA.
• AIIA, a Delhi-based autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), has 15 international partners and 35 national partners as part of its collaborative operations.
• The AIIA and REAA signed an MoU in September 2017 with a 5-year term that has been extended to 2027.

Kerala CM declares Seed Farm in Aluva as India’s 1st Carbon Neutral Farm

On 10th December 2022, Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister (CM) of Kerala, declared Kerala Seed Farm in Aluva, Ernakulam district, Kerala, as the 1st Carbon Neutral Farm in India.

• The farm, located near Thuruthu, Aluva, produced 43 tonnes of carbon in 2021, although its total procurement was 213 tonnes.
• Kerala Government aims to achieve 40% of its energy need from renewable energy sources by 2025.
• Carbon-neutral farms will be established in all 140 Assembly constituencies. Efforts have already begun to make 13 Kerala farms carbon-neutral.
• Compared to the emission rate, the farm obtained up to 170 tonnes more carbon, allowing it to be designated as India’s 1st carbon-neutral seed farm.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

WHO World Malaria Report 2022: COVID-19 Disruptions Led to 63,000 More Malaria DeathsAccording to the World Malaria Report 2022 published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted attempts to control malaria, resulting in 63,000 more deaths and 13 million more infections globally over the last two years.
Key Observations from The Report:
i.In 2021, Africa accounted for 95% of the world’s 247 million malaria infections and 6,19,000 deaths.

• More than half of all malaria deaths occurred in just four nations: Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Niger.

What is Malaria?
i.Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted to humans by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
ii.Malaria is caused by five parasite species, the most dangerous of which are P. falciparum and P. vivax.

About the World Health Organization (WHO):
Director-General – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
>> Read Full News

G7 Nations Establish an International Climate Club to Fight Global WarmingThe Group of Seven (G7) major economies have established an open, international ‘Climate Club’ for countries that want to work together to combat global warming.

• Germany has held the G-7 presidency since January 1, 2022, when it took over from the United Kingdom (UK), and it will be passed on to Japan in 2023.

About Group of Seven (G7):
i.The G7 consists of Germany, France, the United Kingdom (UK), Italy, Japan, Canada and the United States (US).

• The European Union (EU) is also represented at all G7 meetings.

ii.In June 2022, Germany hosted the “G7 Summit 2022,” the annual summit of the G7 heads of state and government, at Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps.

• It was also Germany’s seventh G7 Summit; the first time the G7 heads of state and government gathered under a German Presidency was in Bonn (Germany) in 1978.

iii.The Presidency is rotated between members on an annual basis.
Key Points:
i.The new International Climate Club will be a global endeavour rather than a G-7 initiative.
ii.The Paris Agreement (2015), which aims to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), will be swiftly and intensely implemented with assistance from the climate club.

• December 12, 2022, marked the 7th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement.

iii.The club will aim to expedite the industrial shift to cleaner energy sources and to create more emission-reduction initiatives.
iv.The club will provide assistance to committed developing and emerging countries so they may move forward with the transformation of their industries.
v.The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will construct a “climate change secretariat” in Berlin (Germany) now that the forum has been established.
Renewable Energy Production in Germany in 2022
i.While Germany boosted its solar capacity by 10% by 2022, it only added roughly 3% more wind power capacity on land and at sea.
ii.The German government wants to raise offshore wind power capacity from roughly 8 gigawatts (GW) to 20 GW by 2030, although just 0.2 GW was added in 2022.
About Germany:
President – Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Federal Chancellor – Olaf Scholz
Capital – Berlin
Currency – Euro

Indian Embassy in Nepal & Govt. of Nepal sign MoUs for development projects in NepalThe Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration of the Government of Nepal and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu (Nepal) have signed 3 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for the implementation of three High-Impact Development Projects (HICDPs).

• The development projects, one each in education, healthcare, and drinking water facilities for Nepalese people, are being undertaken with funding assistance from the Indian government, with a total projected cost of 101.79 million Nepalese rupees (NRs).

The Three High Impact Development Projects (HICDPs)

•  The construction of Shree Janata Belaka Secondary School building in the Udayapur district, Nepal
• The construction of Ngonga Thenchowk Chholing meditation centre in the Soulukhumbu district, Nepal
• The construction of Lisnekhola Tikasung Dangchet Jharlang water supply project in Dhading district, Nepal

Key Points:
i.India and Nepal share extensive and multi-sectoral cooperation.
ii.Since 2003, India has undertaken 532 High-Impact Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal, of which 476 have been completed.

• The projects that have been finished at the grassroots in all seven provinces of Nepal cover the areas of health, education, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation, and the development of other public utilities.

WMO Releases Global Water Resources Report 2021   The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has published its first ‘State of Global Water Resources Report 2021’, which examines the effects of climate, environmental, and societal change on the Earth’s water resources.

• The purpose of this annual report is to aid in the oversight and management of the world’s freshwater resources in a time of rising demand and limited supplies.

Key Points:
i.The first edition of the report focuses on 3 key areas:

• Streamflow – the volume of water flowing through a river channel at any given time
• Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) — all water on the land surface and in the sub-surface
• The Cryosphere (frozen water)

ii.Currently, 3.6 billion people have insufficient access to water at least once a month per year, and this figure is anticipated to rise to more than 5 billion by 2050.
iii.According to UN-Water, 74% of all natural catastrophes between 2001 and 2018 were water-related.
iv.There is a scarcity of easily accessible, verifiable hydrological data.
v.In 2021, a year in which a La Nia event and climate change affected precipitation patterns, many portions of the world had drier than average conditions.

• ‘La Nina’ is a climatic pattern that depicts the cooling of the surface-ocean water along the tropical west coast of South America.
• La Nina is considered the opposite of ‘El Nino’, which is characterised by extremely warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean.
• Together, La Niña and El Niño are the “cold” (La Niña) and “warm” (El Niño) phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

vi.The data and maps are mostly based on remotely sensed data from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) mission for TWS of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and modelled data (to ensure maximum geographic coverage).

BANKING & FINANCE

Canara HSBC Life Insurance Launches Non-Participating ‘Guaranteed Fortune Plan’On 12th December 2022, Canara HSBC Life Insurance launched a new ‘Guaranteed Fortune Plan’, a non-linked, non-participating individual savings life insurance plan that offers life cover and a lump sum amount after the policy term.

• The product offers two plan options including Guaranteed Savings Option and Guaranteed Cash Back Option.

About Guaranteed Fortune Plan: 
i.The Guaranteed Savings Option provides a lump sum on outliving the policy term and the Guaranteed Cash Back Option offers customers with guaranteed cash back at the end of every 5th policy year, with an opportunity to defer the amount till maturity or withdraw it earlier.
ii.In addition to cashback, the Guaranteed Cash Back Option also provides policyholders a lump sum payment at the end of the policy term.
iii.The product provides a unique feature called CARE (Claims Accelerated for Relief & Ease) Pay Benefit with in-built benefit which pays 100 percent of total premiums paid (excluding underwriting extra premiums and taxes) on intimation of death immediately.
iv.Additionally, it also provides guaranteed yearly additions to boost maturity benefit payout, flexible premium payment terms, and policy term options.
About Canara HSBC Life Insurance:
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Anuj Mathur
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana
Establishment – 2008

Universal Sompo Partners with Zooper to Roll-out Special Integrated Offering

Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited partnered with Zooper, India’s largest insurance infrastructure Application Programming Interface (API) platform to launch a special integrated offering for customers.
Key highlights:
i.Through this partnership, Universal Sompo General Insurance will provide tailor-made and affordable insurance cover to its customers.
ii.The customers will have access to  buy insurance along with an option to purchase a protection plan.
iii.It covers 1 million assets by offering users with personalised insurance solutions and good customer experience starting from policy generation to claim management.
About Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited:
Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture (JV) of Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank, Karnataka Bank and Dabur Investment Corporation and Japanese general insurer Sompo Japan Insurance Inc,,
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Sharad Mathur
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

RVNL forms JV with Kyrgyzindustry to develop Rail Infrastructure in Kyrgyz RepublicRail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) of India has established a joint venture (JV) company, Kyrgyzindustry-RVNL,  with Kyrgyzindustry – Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC) to construct a railroad and other infrastructure projects in the Kyrgyz Republic.

• Kyrgyzindustry-RVNL is a Closed Joint Stock Company (CJSC).

Note: RVNL is a Category-I MiniRatna Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India.
Key Highlights:
i. RVNL would own 50% of the share and the remaining 50% would be held by Kyrgyzindustry-OJSC.
ii. RVNL’s mandate includes the mobilisation of extra-budgetary resources from banks, financial institutions, multilateral agencies such as the Asian Development Bank, and bilateral agencies through the development of project-specific Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for Port and Hinterland connectivity.
iii. RVNL may enter into and conduct business connected to developing and expanding rail infrastructure capacity on the fast track.
About the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL):
RVNL was incorporated as per the then Companies Act of 1956 and it was incorporated as Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) on 24th January 2003

• The Government of India owns 78.20% of the corporation as of 30th September 2022.

Chairman and Managing Director (MD)- Pradeep Gaur
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS   

WTA Awards 2022: Iga Swiatek named 2022 WTA Player of the Year for the 1st timePolish tennis player Iga Swiatek, currently ranked World No.1 by the Women’s Tennis Association(WTA) has been honoured with the 2022 WTA Player of the Year Award for the first time for her achievements in 2022.  She has won a total of 67 matches in the 2022 season.

• WTA has announced the 2022 WTA Player Award winners including 5 Players Awards, 3 Player Service Awards and the Coach of the Year Award.

List of 2022 WTA Awards:

Winners of 2022 WTA Player Service Awards

The winners of the 2022 WTA Player Service Awards, as voted for by WTA players, are:

About Women’s Tennis Association(WTA):
Chairman & CEO– Steve Simon
President– Micky Lawler
Founded in 1973
Headquarters– Florida, United States of America(USA)
>> Read Full News

Overview of Asian Academy Creative Awards 2022: Basil Joseph wins the Best Director for ‘Minnal Murali’ The Asian Academy Creative Awards 2022 (AAA), Asia-Pac’s (Asia-Pacific) Most Prestigious Awards For Creative Excellence, is presented over two nights on 7th and 8th December 2022 at Chijmes Hall, in Singapore.

• Netflix was the big winner on Night Two of the Asian Academy Creative Awards, which took place in Singapore alongside the Asia Television Forum and Market.
• It secured 5 wins including Best Feature Film (Japan’s “Akakusa Kid”) and Best Actor (Korea’s Jung Hae-in for his role in “D.P.”).

Host: 
Bobby Tonelli, an American Actor, hosted the event.
List of Indian Award Winners:

Asian Academy Creative Awards Final Winners 2022 List 1 & 2
Click here for the National Winners 2022
Basil Joseph wins the Best Director for ‘Minnal Murali’:
i. Basil Joseph, an Indian film director and actor who works in the Malayalam film industry, has won the Best Director (Fiction)for his Netflix superhero film “Minnal Murali”, starring Tovino Thomas.

• He is an actor and director, known for Minnal Murali (2021), Kunjiramayanam (2015) and Godha (2017).

Shreya Dev Dube won Best Cinematographer 2022 for Thar:
ii. Shreya Dev Dube won the award for Best Cinematographer 2022 for her work in “Thar”, produced by Anil Kapoor and Netflix.

• Her 1st feature film was a Bengali black & white film called “Catsticks” directed by Ronny Sen.

iii. Singapore received the most wins by a nation or territory with 8 awards. Followed by India, which has won 7 awards.
About the Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA):
The best of the best from 16 nations representing the region’s content sector meet in Singapore each December for the Asian Academy Creative Awards, hosted by the Lion City, Bishan, Singapore.

• It is an annual event organised by Singapore.

Chairpersons- Saurabh Doshi & Robot Gibly
Inaugural Award- 2018     

K.R. Palaniswamy Chennai-based Gastroenterologist receives 2022 Masters of the WGO Award

The World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) has presented the 2022 Masters of the WGO Award to Chennai-based gastroenterologist K. R. Palaniswamy for his contributions to the field of Gastroenterology.
He received the award at the World Congress of Gastroenterology which was held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• The Masters of the WGO Award was the highest honour WGO can confer on those individuals who have provided outstanding dedication to the mission of WGO.
• It also recognises those who have achieved distinction in areas such as scholarly research, teaching, and service to WGO and the community at large.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS   

Shaji K V Assumes Charge as Chairman of NABARD Shaji K V has taken the charge as Chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) with effect from 7th December 2022.

• He succeeded Suchindra Misra, Additional Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance (MoF), who was holding additional charge.
• Prior to this, Shaji K V has been serving as the Deputy Managing Director of NABARD since 21st May 2020.

About Shaji K V:
i.He is a certified associate of the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance and a NSE Certified Market Professional (NCMP) and has worked in Canara Bank in various capacities for almost 26 years.

• He conceptualised the ambitious scheme of computerising Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS).

Other positions:
i.He serves as the  Chairman of expert Committees like , Committee on Recruitment, Promotion and Outsourcing in RRBs, appointment of other Chairman and Officers of Sponsor Banks on deputation to RRBs; Working Group for bifurcation of assets and liabilities of Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas bank (APGVB) between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; Committee for study on relevance, applicability and retention of three -tier Short Term Cooperative Credit Structure.
Experience:
i.He has also worked with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited and Canara Bank Securities Limited.
ii.He served as the Chairman of Kerala Gramin Bank, the then largest Regional Rural Bank (RRB) and NABKISAN Finance Limited, a subsidiary of NABARD.
iii.He also served as a member of National Level Expert Committees/working groups like Working Group on Agriculture Value Chain Finance, Expert Committee to suggest future roadmap for RRBs, Technical Group on Social Stock Exchange, Committee for drafting guidelines for IPO by RRBs and Committee on Cost sharing of ATMs.
About National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD):
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment – 1982

WHO Appoints Dr Jeremy Farrar as Chief Scientist; Replacing Soumya SwaminathanOn 13th December 2022, World Health Organization (WHO) has appointed Dr Jeremy Farrar as its new Chief Scientist with effect from the 2nd quarter of 2023. He will be replacing Soumya Swaminathan, who resigned from the post after a 5-year stint.
Role of Chief Scientist: 
As the Chief Scientist, he will oversee the Science Division of WHO and put together the best brains in science and innovation from around the world to develop and deliver high-quality health services to the people who need them most, no matter who they are and where they live.
About Dr Jeremy Farrar:
i.Dr Jeremy Farrar is a clinician scientist who is currently serving as the Director of Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation that supports science to solve urgent health challenges.
ii.Previously he served as Director of the Clinical Research Unit at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Viet Nam.
iii.He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences UK, the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO), the National Academies USA and Fellow of The Royal Society.
Note: 
Dr Amelia Latu Afuhaamango Tuipulotu former Minister for Health of the Kingdom of Tonga is set to join the WHO as Chief Nursing Officer in the first quarter of 2023.
WHO’s Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan Resigned:
On 30th November 2022, Soumya Swaminathan(63 years old), who has been serving as the Chief Scientist at WHO  from 2019 to 2022 resigned her post.
She is 2 years short of WHO’s mandatory retirement age.

• Previously she served as the Deputy Director-General Programmes (DDP), one of the 3 DDGs assisting WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

About Dr Soumya Swaminathan:
i.Dr Soumya Swaminathan is a paediatrician from India who is globally known for her research on tuberculosis and HIV(Human Immunodeficiency Virus).
ii.After her return to India, She plans to build on her father(Dr M S Swaminathan, an eminent scientist known as the father of India’s Green Revolution)’s vision.
iii.She will be on the board of trustees of the M S Swaminathan Foundation, which mandates to work on rural livelihoods, sustainable agriculture and the use of science to have an impact on society.
About World Health Organization (WHO):
Director General– Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Established in 1948

GoI Appoints Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar as Part-Time Chairperson of NSC

Government of India (GoI) appointed Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Professor Emeritus at Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI), as the part-time chairperson of the National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India for a period of three years.
About Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar:
i.Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar will hold the part-time chairperson role as an additional responsibility while continuing as Professor Emeritus at CMI.
ii.He joined CMI as a visiting professor in 2010, and was appointed as the Director of CMI from January 2011 to April 2021.
iii.He was a member of the committee constituted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to advise the Election Commission (EC) on the sampling scheme for EVM-VVPAT verification.

• He was also a member of the expert committee constituted by the Supreme Court in 2019 to suggest steps to deal with frauds in online examinations.

His works:
i.He has designed, supervised and analysed nationwide opinion polls for the Indian parliamentary elections as well State assemblies since 1998. He is known for developing a new model and methodology for seat prediction, which has been quite successful for over the last 20 years.
ii.He is widely known for his work on probability theory and applications of mathematics and statistics to real world questions.
About National Statistical Commission (NSC):
i.NSC is an autonomous body which was established in June 2005 under the recommendation of the Dr. C Rangarajan commission with an objective to reduce the problems faced by statistical agencies in India with respect to the collection of data.
ii.The Commission has a part-time Chairperson, four part-time Members and an ex-officio Member.
iii.The chairperson of the NSC enjoys the status of a Minister of State, Government of India.         

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

MTAR Technologies & IN-SPACe signs MoU for Design-Development of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle
On December 12, 2022, MTAR Technologies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) for 3 years to design and develop a two-stage to low-earth orbit all-liquid small satellite launch vehicle.

• This launch vehicle will be based upon semi cryogenic technology, and will have a payload capacity of 500 kilograms.

Key Points:
i.The MoU include a framework for various requirements, including avionics, sub systems testing, facilitation of launch etc, and any other requirements that might emerge during the course of design, development and launch phase
ii.MTAR Technologies caters to the Indian civilian nuclear power programme, Indian space programme, Indian defence, global defence, and global clean energy sectors.
iii.IN-SPACe is a facilitator, and also a regulator. It acts as an interface between ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) and private parties, and best utilizes India’s space resources and increases space-based activities.
Small satellites launched by Indian Startups:
i.Hyderabad (Telangana) space tech startups, Skyroot Aerospace launched Vikram-S, India’s first privately-developed rocket launched in November 2022.
ii.Dhruva Space, Hyderabad-based space tech, launched Thybolt 1 and Thybolt 2 two amateur radio communication nanosatellites as part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s PSLV C54 mission in November 2022.
About MTAR Technologies Ltd:
Managing Director– Parvat Srinivas Reddy
Establishment– 1970
Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana
About Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe):
IN-SPACe functions as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS).
Chairman– Dr. Pawan Goenka
Headquarters– Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Godi India Begins Production of India’s 1st 5.2 Ah 21700 Cylindrical Lithium-ion CellsGodi India Private Limited (Godi India) has begun the production of India’s first-ever 5.2 amp-hour (Ah) 21700 cylindrical lithium-ion cells with an energy density of 275 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg), based on silicon anode technology, in its Hyderabad facility, Telangana.

• Godi India is the first Indian Company to get Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification to sell homegrown lithium-ion cells.

Electrode composition: 
i.The electrode composition of the cell is indigenously developed according to the market requirement.
ii.The cell uses silicon in the anode instead of the traditional graphite anode.  Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on the earth’s crest.
Advantages: 
i.By using silicon in anode an electric vehicle can achieve a greater range, up to 15 to 20% compared to graphite, on a single charge due to its increased energy density.
ii.The silicon-based cells can store nearly ten times the energy when compared to graphite anode.

• During the charge and discharge process, silicon comes with close to 400% of volume expansion, which makes it difficult to stabilise.
• Godi India has established an eco-friendly water-based electrode manufacturing process to stabilise the silicon, which has been successfully utilised in the manufacturing of the 5.2 Ah lithium-ion cells.

Key points:
i.Godi India has delivered 5.0Ah cells to the top 6 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in India and it is planning to deliver 5.2Ah cells to them in future.
ii.The company also plans to establish a 100 MWh pilot production facility for 5.0-5.2Ah cells followed by a GWh plant to provide the requirements of the demanding electric 2-wheeler needs.
iii.The demand for the electric 2-wheeler battery segment is set to reach 50MWh by 2030.
iv.Godi India will also export its lithium-ion cells made using its technology to major international markets like Norway, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom(UK), and the United States of America(USA).

SPORTS

HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2022: Viktor Axelsen, Akane Yamaguchi win Singles TitlesViktor Axelsen of Denmark won the Men’s Singles title defeating Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia at the HSBC Badminton World Federation(BWF) World Tour Finals 2022 held at Nimibutr Arena in Bangkok, Thailand from December 7-11, 2022.

• Akane Yamaguchi of Japan won the Women’s Singles by defeating Tai Tzu-Ying of Chinese Taipei by 21-18, 22-20 in the finals. 
• HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2022 was the final tournament of the 2022 BWF World Tour, the 5th edition of the season of the BWF World Tour of badminton. 

About Thailand:
Prime Minister– Prayut Chan-o-cha
Capital– Bangkok
Currency– Thai Baht
>> Read Full News

OBITUARY

Marathi Actress & Lavani Singer, Padma Shri Awardee Sulochana Chavan Passed AwayOn 10th December 2022, Marathi actress and renowned Lavani singer, Padma Shri Awardee Sulochana Kadam, well-known as Sulochana Chavan, passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She was born on 13th March 1933 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Note: ‘Lavani’ is a genre of music popular in Maharashtra.
About Sulochana Chavan:
i. Sulochana Chavan started her artistic career at the age of 6. She was part of local drama, theatre and Garba groups.
ii. She acted in Gujarati, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil films. She was married to S. Chavan, the director of the film Kalgitura.
iii. Sulochana Chavan learnt music from V Shantaram, the legendary filmmaker. Later, she started singing Lavani and excelled in it.
iv. Later, she began singing Lavani, a Marathi folk dance and music style, and came to be known as the “Queen of Lavani“.

• “Mala Ho Mhantat Lavangi Mirchi” from the film Rangalya Raatri Asha was her debut Lavani song (1962).

Awards and Recognition: 
i. Sulochana Chavan was conferred with the title of “Lavanisamradhni” (Queen of Lavani) for her singing contribution to the art genre. It was conferred by the notable Marathi littérateur Pralhad Keshav Atre.
ii. In March 2022, Sulochana Chavan received the Padma Shri award for Art.
iii. In 2012, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award was conferred to her.
iv. She was honoured with the Lata Mangeshkar Award for the year 2010 instituted by the Government of Maharashtra.

Oscar-Winning American Documentary filmmaker  Julia Reichert Passed Away

American documentary filmmaker Julia Bell Reichert, who won an Oscar in 2020 for her documentary “American Factory”, passed away at the age of 76 in Ohio, United States (US).
About Julia Bell Reichert:
i. Julia Bell Reichert was born on 16th June 1946 in New Jersey, United States.
ii. Julia Reichert has been called a ‘godmother’ of the US independent film movement.
iii. Her debut film, “Growing Up Female,” was a 49-minute student film made for USD 2,000 with then-partner Jim Klein that examined the lives and socialisation of 6 women ages 4 through 35.

• It was added to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry and is considered the 1st feature documentary of the modern women’s liberation movement.

iv. She and Steve Bognar worked for 8 years to make the 225-minute-long  documentary “A Lion in the House,” which looked at 5 families dealing with childhood cancer in Ohio.

Awards:
i. Julia Reichert along with Steven Bognar and Jeff Reichert won Best Documentary Feature for ‘American Factory’ at the 92nd Oscars (2020).
ii. She has won 2 Primetime Emmy Awards:

• Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program for “American Factory” in 2020.
• Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking for “A Lion in the House” in 2007.

STATE NEWS

Airbnb Signs MoU with DoT, Government of Goa to Promote Inclusive TourismAirbnb signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Tourism (DoT), Government of Goa, to jointly promote Goa as one of the high potential tourism destinations in India and around the world.

• The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the official launch of ‘Rediscover Goa’, a week-long celebration of Goa’s vast cultural diversity beyond its beaches and dazzling nightlife.
• The MoU was signed a day after the inauguration of a new international airport at Mopa in north Goa in the presence of Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism, Government of Goa, and Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager, Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

About the partnership:
i.This partnership aims at encouraging travel to unique and lesser known destinations and enabling economically regenerative community-led tourism.
ii.This also scales up homestay capacity across Goa, enables capacity building of hospitality entrepreneurs and promotes the local homestay ecosystem through targeted domestic and international destination promotion campaigns.
iii.The partnership will enhance the potential of tourism by hosting knowledge sharing and training workshops for homestay hosts to create jobs and sustainable livelihood opportunities for the local communities.
Highlights:
i.Airbnb will support the DoT’s vision by conducting workshops and seminars to train homestay hosts and B&B owners on the importance of responsible tourism, build host capacity and create awareness on the local laws and encourage host registration.
ii.It will also share global best practices, periodic travel trends and insights related to home stays, from time to time, for driving responsible tourism in Goa.
Note – Tourism industry is the major contributor to Goa’s revenue, accounting for about 16.43 percent of Goa’s GSDP besides providing employment opportunities to 35 percent of its population.
About Airbnb:
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Brian Chesky
Headquarters – San Francisco, California
Establishment – 2007

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List of Current Governors in India – AUGUST 2022

List of Current Chief Ministers in India – AUGUST 2022

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