1) Japan launches Inmarsat-6 F1 Communications Satellite
•Japan has launched Inmarsat-6 F1, a communication satellite, through a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H-IIA204 rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center that will enter geostationary orbit, about 22,240 miles (35,790 kilometres) above the earth. It is developed by the London-based company Inmarsat as a part of its next-generation satellite broadband service. The satellite is 12,060-pound (5,470 kilograms) and is the first of two ‘I-6’ spacecraft.
2) Tamil Nadu CM launched ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme
•Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has launched the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme to promote the use of cloth bags by the public and discourage the use of plastic bags. This awareness campaign on using ‘yellow’ cloth bag or ‘manjapai’ as it is called in Tamil, is aimed at encouraging the people to return to the use of this eco-friendly bag and discard the plastic bags. The state government had enforced a ban on the production, use, storage, distribution, transportation or sale of 14 types of plastics with effect from January 1, 2019.
A government committee has identified the single-use plastic (SUP) items to be banned based on an index of their utility and environmental impact. It has proposed a three-stage ban:
•The first category of SUP items proposed to be phased out are plastic sticks used in balloons, flags, candy, ice cream and earbuds, and thermocol that is used in decorations.
•The second category proposed to be banned from July 1, 2022, includes items such as plates, cups, glasses and cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays; wrapping and packing films used in sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette packets; stirrers and plastic banners that are less than 100 microns in thickness.
•The third category of prohibition is for non-woven bags below 240 microns in thickness. This is proposed to start from September next year.
3) Rajnath Singh inaugurates Brahmos missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow
•Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has laid the foundation stone of the BrahMos Aerospace cruise missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow. He also laid the foundation of DRDO Defence Technology and Test Centre in Lucknow. BrahMos Project will help in creating 5,500 fresh job opportunities.
4) Good Governance Index 2021: Gujarat topped the ranking
•Good Governance Index 2021 was launched by Union Minister Amit Shah on the occasion of the Good Governance Day on 25 December 2021. GGI 2021 was prepared by the Department of Administration Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). The GGI 2021 framework covered 10 sectors and 58 indicators. The aim of the Good Governance Index is to create a tool that can be used uniformly across the states for assessing the impact of various interventions that are taken up by Central and State Governments.
5) A new book titled “The Modi Gambit: Decoding Modi 2.0” by Sanju Verma
•Sanju Verma, an economist and the BJP National Spokesperson, has authored a new book titled “The Modi Gambit: Decoding Modi 2.0”. The book features the various achievement in the last 2 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2nd term as PM of India. The foreword of the book is written by Padma Shri Mohandas Pai and the Afterword is written by ace journalist, Anand Narasimhan, Managing Editor at CNN News 18.
6) Eishin Chihana named as new chairman of Yamaha Motor India Group
•India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt Ltd. has announced that Eishin Chihana has taken charge of the Group’s India operations as its new Chairman. He has replaced Motofumi Shitara. Chihana has been associated with Yamaha Motor Company and its group companies across the globe since 1991.
•Eishin Chihana holds strong expertise across different verticals like Sales, Marketing and Business Management, with a major focus on Motorcycle Business Operations in European, North American, African, Middle Eastern and ASEAN markets. His experience also includes managing overseas sales of a wide variety of Yamaha Motor’s product ranges, not only Motorcycles but also ATVs, Marine Engines, Personal Watercrafts and Generators.
7) Indian-origin judge appointed to South Africa’s highest judicial bench
•Indian origin, Narandran ‘Jody’ Kollapen has been appointed to South Africa’s highest judicial bench, the Constitutional Court. The appointment of 64-year-old Kollapen & Rammaka Steven Mathopo as the latest additions to the Constitutional Court after a lengthy process of public interviews. Both will take office from January 1, 2022. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment of Rammaka Steven Mathopo and Kollapen to the Constitutional Court after lengthy public interviews.
8) SEBI named Aarati Krishnan as a member of MF advisory panel
•Aarati Krishnan, Editorial Consultant with BusinessLine, has been inducted as a member of the Securities & Exchange Board of India’s Advisory Committee on Mutual Funds. The committee, chaired by Usha Thorat, former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India, advises SEBI on matters related to mutual fund regulation to ensure investor protection, development of the industry and disclosure requirements. It suggests measures required to be taken to render the legal framework for mutual funds transparent and simple for investors and constituents.
•The committee has 24 members comprising CEOs of leading mutual fund houses as well as representatives from academia, exchanges, consumer interest groups, fund trustees, rating agencies, distribution firms and media.
9) CEBR: India to become 3rd largest economy in 2031
•The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) from the United Kingdom has predicted that the Indian economy will become the world’s third-largest by the year 2031. In the year 2022, India is set to regain its sixth position in World Economic League Table (WELT) from France, as per CEBR.
•In the year 2020, India’s GDP had witnessed a contraction of 7.3% due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown leading to constraints on economic activity. India has witnessed a large scale spread of infections and has the third-highest death toll worldwide, behind US and Brazil. However, with the help of emergency aid and prompt measures taken by the Indian government, the country has recovered from the second wave of COVID-19.
10) Viral Desai bagged “Global Environment And Climate Action Citizen Award 2021”
•Viral Sudhirbhai Desai, an industrialist from Surat, who is popularly known as the Greenman or green man of Gujarat has been honoured with the Global Environment and Climate Action Citizen Award 2021. Among the 28 personalities from 11 countries (which includes the United Kingdom(UK), the United States(US), New Zealand, France, and Malaysia,) who were honoured with this award, Viral Desai was the only Indian to win the honour for climate change.
11) Pankaj Advani won National Billiards Title 2021
•Pankaj Advani has defended his National Billiards Title by winning his 11th tournament, after defeating his PSPB teammate Dhruv Sitwala in a 5-2 game final that was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He represented the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) team in the National Billiards Championship. The 88th National Billiards and Snooker Championships 2021, organised by Cue Sports India at Bhopal, MP.
