Today's Current Affairs 26th December 2022

INTERNATIONAL

Pushpa Dahal 'Prachanda' Appointed Nepal's Prime Minister For Third Time

• President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday appointed CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda' as the new Prime Minister of Nepal.
• Prachanda has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal as per the Article 76 Clause 2 of the Constitution, according to a statement issued by the President's Office.
• The President had called any member of the House of Representatives, who can garner a majority with support from two or more parties as stipulated in the Article 76 clause 2 of the Constitution to submit a claim for the Prime Minister's post.
• Prachanda, 68, had submitted the claim before the deadline given by the President expired at 5 pm on Sunday. 

International Finance Corporation approves 400 million dollar loan to HDFC

• World Bank’s investment arm, International Finance Corporation (IFC) has proposed to make a $400 million (around ₹3,400 crore) loan to mortgage lender HDFC Ltd, with an aim to drive India’s green housing growth.
• The capital will help HDFC boost its green affordable housing portfolio, with 75% (around $300 million) of the proceeds earmarked for this sector, the company said in a statement.
• “We are keen to increase our footprint in funding affordable and green housing and are committed towards supporting India’s efforts for a sustainable and green, low-carbon economy. This investment will help galvanize HDFC’s efforts to cater to the underserved segments of the population, boosting economic resilience and supporting the government’s vision of housing for all," said Renu Sud Karnad, managing director – HDFC Ltd.

 NATIONAL

Humanising Prisons! Arunachal Pradesh Lays Foundation Of State's First Central Jail; Names It Correctional Centre

• Prison systems have, over time, undergone multiple reforms to ensure that prisoners are treated with dignity and given a second chance at life. Many countries have worked toward improving prison conditions, the effectiveness of their penal systems, implementing alternatives to incarceration, and facilitating rehabilitation. Unsafe and unsanitary prisons grew into being considered a violation of both ethical grounds and constitutional laws.
• One of the biggest challenges posed before the prison system is the rehabilitation of prisoners back into society after they serve their term. Prisoners are denied many opportunities and a decent livelihood even after serving their sentence due to the stigma attached. The system hopes to humanise the prisons through the correctional facilities and ensure that prisoners become integral members of society after their release.

Union minister piyush goyal unveils right to repair portal

• Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday introduced a host of new initiatives, including a right to repair portal and an NTH mobile app and opened new premises of the National Consumer Helpline centre in the national capital.
• On the 'right to repair' portal, manufacturers would share the manual of product details with customers so that they could either repair by self, by third parties, rather than depend on original manufacturers. Initially, mobile phones, electronics, consumer durables, automobile and farming equipments would be covered.

Union Min Jitendra Singh launched revamped probity portal ehrms 2.0

• To mark Good Governance Day, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh will launch the revamped Probity Portal, e-HRMS 2.0 Portal and e-Books on major initiatives and achievements of his Ministry on Sunday in New Delhi. The revamped e-HRMS 2.0 Portal will provide services in a digital mode to the employees including Transfers, Deputation, APAR, Vigilance Status, Deputation Opportunities, Service Book and other basic HR Services like Leave, Tour and Reimbursements.
• The Minister will also launch Mobile Application of iGoTKarmayogi Portal by Karmayogi Bharat to create professional, well-trained and future-ready civil service for India. The iGOTKarmayogi platform is envisaged as a democratised, competency driven solution space that all of the government can access to enhance their execution capabilities. Revamped Probity Portal for Government Employees will demand the right attitude towards public service with ‘integrity’ and ‘probity’.

 SPORTS

Arunachal's Geto Sora wins junior international badminton championship

• Budding badminton sensation Geto Sora once again made Arunachal proud by winning the Top Arena Junior International Badminton Championship title in the below 9 years category, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday, December 23.
• He won the championship title after beating Malaysia’s second seed Jaryl Teh in straight sets 21-5, 21-16.This is Sora’s second international badminton title in two months.
• In November, the 7-year-old Sora had won the multinational BTY-Yonex-Singha Championship, which was held at the Banthongyord Badminton School in Bangkok, Thailand.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

PM Modi to participate in first veer BAL DIWAS programme on 26 Dec

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a historic programme marking Veer Bal Diwas at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi on Monday.
• On the day of the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh on 9th January this year, Prime Minister had announced that 26th December will be observed as Veer Bal Diwas to mark the martyrdom of Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s sons Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh.
• During the programme, Prime Minister will attend a Shabad Kirtan performed by about three hundred Baal Kirtanis.
• On this occasion, Mr Modi will also flag off a march-past by about three thousand children in Delhi.

 AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Nobel Prize 2022 Winners

• The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious and distinguished awards given in six different fields, namely, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Economic Sciences, Physiology or Medicine, and Peace Prize. It was started in 1901 by the Nobel Foundation in memory of Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel. The winners of the Nobel Prize are called Laureates and are given a gold medal, a diploma, and a monetary award. In this article, we are covering the winners’ list of the Nobel Prize 2022 Awards.

Nobel Prize 2022 Winners List
Nobel Prize Category	Nobel Prize Winners	Awarded For
Nobel Prize Winner in Economic Sciences	Ben Bernanke, Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig	“for research on Banks and Financial crises”
Nobel Peace Prize 2022 Winner	Ales Bialiatski, organisation Memorial and organisation Center for Civil Liberties	For promoting the right to criticize power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. For showing outstanding efforts to document war crimes, human rights abuses, and the abuse of power.
Nobel Prize Winner in Literature	Annie Ernaux	“for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory”.
Physiology or Medicine	Svante Paabo	“concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution”
Physics	Alain Aspect, John F Clauser and Anton Zeilinger	“for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities, and pioneering quantum information science”.
Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry	Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal & Barry Sharpless	“click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry”

 

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani to Control Nearly 65% of NDTV

• Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani is to control 64.71% of New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) as the founders have decided to sell most of the shares. The founders of NDTV, Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy have decided to transfer most of the shares in the company giving Gautam Adani his conglomerate control of about 65% of NDTV. The decision comes after four months after Gautam Adani announced his takeover of the news channel.
• Radhika Roy and Prannoy Roy will sell a 27.26% stake of their remaining 32.26% shareholding in NDTV.
• Gautam Adani already holds 37% of shares after an open offer and an acquisition of NDTV.
• Adani Group will become the single largest shareholder in NDTV after first buying out a firm backed by the founders and then acquiring more shares from the open market.
• New Delhi Television Ltd or NDTV is an Indian news media company that was founded in 1984. The founders of NDTV are economists Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy. The husband-and-wife duo is from Kolkata. In August 2022, the Adani Group launched a hostile bid to take over NDTV.