India has successfully tested the Agni-5 ballistic missile capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometers and carrying long-range nuclear bombs from the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
The missile can accurately fire at targets as far north as China’s border and as far as parts of Europe.
Modernization of Post Offices
Minister of State for Communications, Shri Devusinh Chauhan said that the Department of Posts Information Technology Modernization Project 2.0 has been approved by the Government with an outlay of ₹ 5785 Crore for a period of eight years.
The Information Technology Modernization Project 2.0 combines applications, intelligent platforms, and interconnected ecosystems so as to provide an inclusive, integrated single window view of postal and financial services to its stakeholders through multiple delivery channels.
Publication of list of best performing states in India
India Today news agency has listed the activities and achievements of the states in the name of State of States published in the rankings. According to the list, Tamil Nadu has been ranked first for the 5th year in a row in the list of states published in 2022.
India Today ranked the largest and smallest states in the categories of economy, infrastructure, medicine, agriculture, education, law and order, governance, inclusive growth, entrepreneurship, tourism, environment and health.
Himachal Pradesh at 2nd position with 1,312 points,
Kerala is also 3rd with 1,263 points.
Karnataka ranks 8th with 1,161 points.
Madhya Pradesh ranked 13th,
Uttar Pradesh is also ranked 18th.
Paradip Port achieves milestone by handling highest number of goods
Paradip Port achieved another milestone by handling the highest ever cargo traffic of 6, 49,730 Metric Tons in a single day on 14th December 2022.
This is to be noted that after dredging of northern dock, recently, Paradip Port had successfully berthed MV Golden Barnet, a Cape vessel of 16.20 mtr draft carrying 1,46,554 Tonnes of Coking Coal at KICT Berth.
“DIVYAKALSHAKTI” -2022
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) (Divyangjan), Government of India, is going to organize “DIVYAKALSHAKTI” -2022 at GMCH Auditorium, Guwahati on 17.12.2022.
In this regional “Divya Kala Shakti ” event Divyangjan across the North Eastern region are going to perform and showcase their talents in the field of dance, song, fine arts etc. In fact almost 25 items will be presented by 102 numbers of divyangjan artists.
NHIDCL signs MoU with NIT Manipur
National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), a CPSE under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Govt. of India, is seeking and promoting innovative technologies to find pragmatic solutions to the challenges posed in the construction of highways facing extreme climatic conditions.
In that process NHIDCL has signed Memorandum of Understandings with prestigious institutes like, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kanpur, CSIR-CRRI, and the latest MoU has been signed with NIT Manipur through Video Conference on 14th December 2022.
MoU signed between IGNCA and CSIR-TKDL
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (CSIR-TKDL) Unit signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on 16th Dec 2022.
India is home to over two crore manuscripts containing valuable information on Indian heritage and traditional knowledge (TK). Our traditional cultural expressions (TCE) are still passed on from one generation to the next through words.
The main aim of the Mou is cooperation related to digitization and inclusion of information on traditional knowledge of India from manuscripts and traditional cultural expressions.
International news
US Senate passes National Defense Authorization Act
The U.S. The Senate passed legislation authorizing a record 858 billion US dollars in annual defense spending. It includes 10 billion dollars in security aid for Taiwan and 800 million dollars for Ukraine.
Senators supported the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) setting policy for the Pentagon, by an overwhelming 83-11 bipartisan majority.
The NDAA also includes a number of other measures, including repealing the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, raising military pay, and imposing restrictions on engagement with Russia.
State news
Chaudhamini Bethe became the first deaf lawyer to register with the Delhi Bar Council
Saudamini Pethe — the first deaf advocate enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi, and she wants to work for the rights of the hearing impaired and help them gain access to education, healthcare and justice.
The 45-year-old woman lawyer would be arguing her matters in courts through the medium of an Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpreter and seeks to be an inspiration for the deaf youth to join the legal profession and contribute to the cause of their community.
Economic news
Bank of England raises its key interest rate to 3.5% from 3%
The key interest rate of the Bank of England rose to 3.5 % from 3 percent. And this is the ninth rate rise in a row as the Bank tries to speed inflation’s return to target after price growth hit a 41-year high in October.
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3 in favor of the move and further increases in Bank Rate may be required to tackle the domestic inflation pressures from prices and wages.
Sri Lanka’s GDP reduced by 11.8% in the third quarter of 2022
Sri Lanka’s gross domestic product contracted by 11.8 percent in the third quarter of 2022. The quarterly performance has been the worst so far this year as the GDP has contracted 7.1 percent over the period from January till September.
Sri Lanka has been facing its poor economic crisis in two years due to the money printing and a currency collapse.
The biggest decline was seen in industries at 21.2 percent while services contracted by 2.6 percent. Agriculture was estimated to have declined by 8.7 percent.
Appointments
Tamil Nadu Government Examination Board Controller was appointed
Ajay Yadav has taken charge as the Examination Control Officer of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC), who was previously the managing director of Elcot.
Kiran Kurala, who was earlier the Examination Control Officer, has now been posted as the Director of Municipalities.
Science and Technology
Mysterious Circles of Radio Emission Detected in Space
A new research offers plausible explanations for mysterious hazy circles of radio emission deep in celestial space called Odd Radio Circles (ORCs) detected recently using some of the most sensitive international radio telescopes.
Amitesh Omar, Scientist at Aryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciences (ARIES), Nainital (an autonomous institute of DST, Govt. of India) in his research has proved that some of these ORCs could be remnants of thermonuclear supernovae triggered by the explosion of a white dwarf star in a binary system heavier than 1.4 times the mass of the Sun.
Sports news
World Champions List -2022 was published
Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal have been announced as the World Champions 2022 by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Meanwhile, Swiatek was crowned world champion for the first time, and Rafael Nadal won the title for the 5th time.
In women’s doubles, Barbara-Kathrina and in men’s doubles, Rajeev Ram-Joe Salisbury have been declared world champions.
