Daily Current Affairs

for app_20201213
Russia orders troops out of Kherson

Russia ordered its troops to withdraw from the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine in a further major
blow to its campaign amid a Ukrainian counter-offensive. Kherson city was the first urban hub
captured by Russia during its "special military operation" and the only regional capital controlled by
Moscow's forces since the offensive began on February 24.

Ukraine's troops have for weeks been capturing villages en route to the city near the Black Sea and
Kremlin-installed leaders in Kherson have been pulling out civilians.

U.K. court rejects Nirav Modi’s appeal against extradition

The UK high court dismissed fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi’s appeal against his extradition, a
development which brings Indian agencies one step closer to bringing him to India to face fraud and
money laundering charges. Lord Justice Jeremy Stuart-Smith and Justice Robert Jay at the high court
of justice, London, said the February 2021 decision to extradite Nirav Modi was sound. The 51-year-
old billionaire who is accused of cheating Punjab National Bank of ₹6,498 crore alone (both Modi and
his uncle Mehul Choksi allegedly cheated the bank of ₹13,578 crore), sought relief on ‘mental health’
grounds saying he was prone to suicide and Indian prisons are not suitable for somebody like him with
suicidal tendencies.
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Indonesia: Licences of firms that made app_20201213
syrups linked to child deaths revoked

Indonesia's food and drug agency revoked the licences of two firms to distribute materials used in
syrup medicines linked to a wave of child deaths caused by kidney failure or damage. Two potentially
harmful chemicals —diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol were found in the companys’ supplies of
propylene glycol. The move comes as the Southeast Asian country suffers a spike in cases of acute
kidney injury that has killed nearly 200 children since the end of August, prompting an investigation
and ban on the sale of some syrup medicines.

PT Mega Setia Agung Kimia and PT Tirta Buana Kemindo were barred from distributing raw
pharmaceutical materials after two potentially harmful chemicals were found in their supplies of
propylene glycol.

D.Y. Chandrachud takes charge as the 50th Chief Justice of India

Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud was sworn in as the 50th Chief Justice of India (CJI) by
President Droupadi Murmu at a brief ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The new CJI
has been part of several Constitution Benches and landmark verdicts of the top court and describes
dissent as the ‘safety valve of democracy’. He will have a term of two years and will head the judiciary
until November 10, 2024
 Daily Current Affairs
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Tushar Mehta to lead Indian delegation to UNHRC

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will lead the official Indian delegation to the Human Rights Council
where the Fourth Universal Periodic Review will take place on November 10, the Ministry of External
Affairs has announced. The announcement came hours before the session where countries like the
United States, U.K., Belgium, Germany and Spain are expected to raise issues like the Citizenship
Amendment Act and incidents of “hate speech” and the hijab issue of Karnataka.

Bharat Forge Awarded $155.50mn export order for artillery guns

Pune-based Bharat Forge Limited has won a $155.50mn export order for a 155mm artillery gun
platform to be executed in three years. Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Company, has been awarded an export order for a 155mm Artillery Gun platform to be executed
over a 3-year time frame. Bharat Forge which has diversified heavily into defence manufacturing in
the last few years, has developed a range of products including a range of artillery guns.
 Daily Current Affairs
Level of groundwater extractionfor
lowestapp_20201213
in 18 years, finds study

Groundwater extraction in India saw an 18-year decline, according to an assessment by the Central
Ground Water Board (CGWB) made public on Wednesday. Total groundwater recharge was 437.6
billion cubic metres, as opposed to extraction of 239.16 bcm. The total annual groundwater recharge
for the entire country is 437.60 billion cubic metres (bcm) and annual groundwater extraction for the
entire country is 239.16 bcm, according to the 2022 assessment report. Further, out of the total 7,089
assessment units in the country, 1,006 units have been categorised as “over-exploited” in the report.

IMF agrees $4.5 billion aid package for Bangladesh to battle inflation

The IMF reached a preliminary agreement to provide Bangladesh with a $4.5 billion support package
to help it cope with soaring energy and food prices. Bangladesh plans to use the IMF loan to prop up
its foreign exchange reserves, which have nosedived from $46 billion to $34 billion. Bangladesh's
$416-billion economy has been one of the world's fastest growing for years. But rising energy and
food prices, sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, along with shrinking foreign exchange reserves,
have swelled its import bill and current account deficit.
 Daily Current Affairs
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Meta to cut more than 11,000 jobs in one of biggest U.S. layoffs this year

Meta Platforms Inc. said it would let go of 13% of its workforce, or more than 11,000 employees, in
one of the biggest tech lay-offs this year as the Facebook parent battles soaring costs and a weak
advertising market. The reductions, part of the first major budget cut since the founding of Facebook
in 2004, reflect a sharp slowdown in digital advertising revenue, an economy wobbling on the brink of
recession and Zuckerberg’s heavy investment in a speculative virtual-reality push called the
metaverse.

Centre approves Sovereign Green Bond framework

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman approved the final Sovereign
Green Bonds framework of India. This approval will further strengthen India's commitment towards
its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) targets, adopted under the Paris Agreement, and help
in attracting global and domestic investments in eligible green projects. The proceeds generated from
issuance of such bonds will be deployed in Public Sector projects which help in reducing carbon
intensity of the economy. Green bonds are financial instruments that generate proceeds for
investment in environmentally sustainable and climate-suitable projects.
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IOB raises interest rates on retail term app_20201213
deposits by 60 bps

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has raised interest rates on retail term deposits by up to 60 basis points
(bps). With the revision in interest rates, domestic/NRO/NRE depositors would get an interest rate of
up to 7.15% on a term deposit for tenors of 444 days, and three years and above.The revision would
take effect from Thursday. Interest rates have been increased by 60 bps for term-deposit tenors of
270 days to one year and one to three years.

Over 82% executives see rise in cybersecurity budgets in ’23

More than 82% of business executives in India foresee an increase in cybersecurity budgets in 2023,
with 77% of them viewing cybercriminal activity as the biggest organisational threat, according to a
PwC survey. According to the ‘2023 Global Digital Trust Insights-India edition,’ one in four companies
(27%) globally has suffered a data breach that cost $1–20 million or more in the past three years. The
survey includes 3,522 respondents across 65 countries.

According to the survey, 89% of Indian business executives say their organisation’s cybersecurity team
detected a significant cyberthreat to business and prevented it from affecting their operations, as
against 70% globally.
 Daily Current Affairs
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Pakistan Thrash New Zealand by app_20201213
7 Wickets to Storm into the Final

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam slammed half-centuries as Pakistan powered past New Zealand
by seven wickets and into the Twenty20 World Cup final. They will meet either England or India who
play on Thursday in Adelaide in the November 13 decider at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pakistan
disciplined bowling restricted New Zealand to just 152-4.

New Delhi to host women’s World championship next year

New Delhi in India has been announced as the host of the 2023 International Boxing Association (IBA)
Women's World Championships. A Host City Agreement was signed by IBA President Umar Kremlev
and Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh to confirm the development. This will be the
third time India will be hosting the Women’s World Championships after 2006 and 2018.
 Daily Current Affairs
Mahendra Kumar Sharma, one for app_20201213
of the pioneers of women's cricket in India, dies

Mahendra Kumar Sharma, one of the pioneers of women's cricket in India, died in Pune. Sharma leaves
behind a rich sporting legacy that he set in stone in 1973, when he registered the Women's Cricket
Association of India (WCAI) under the Societies Act in Lucknow.

Sharma was a founding secretary of the WCAI for its first five years and was in charge of India's hosting
of their first-ever Women's World Cup in 1978 at a time when the governing body largely relied on
donations from individuals and the government. During its existence, the WCAI hosted two Women's
World Cups, including a successful 1997 edition.

Uttar Pradesh to host 2023 Khelo India University Games

Uttar Pradesh will host the 2023 Khelo India University Games, the third edition of the event. Lucknow
will be the main host city for the multi-discipline event in which almost 6000 athletes from all over the
country are expected to participate. The event will comprise nearly 20 disciplines. Varanasi and
Gautam Buddh Nagar could be used as additional venues in case the number increases.