Current Affairs 19th January

1. Lucile Randon, the oldest person in the world, dies at the age of 118.

 

The oldest person in the world Lucile Randon, a French nun, passed away at the age of 118. Sister Andre Randon, who was born in southern France on February 11, 1904, a decade before World War I, became the world’s oldest person last year when Japan’s Kane Tanaka died at 119, making her the oldest person in the world. Jeanne Calment, also from southern France, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 122, holds the record for the oldest age at which a human has been confirmed to have lived. In April 2022, Guinness World Records recognized her as an official record holder.

 

She became a Catholic at the age of 26 and was baptized.  She joined the Daughters of Charity order of nuns at the rather late age of 41 out of a desire to “go further.” After that, Sister Andre was sent to a hospital in Vichy, where she stayed for 31 years. Sister André held the record for the oldest nun currently living because she devoted the majority of her life to religious service. She moved to Toulon on the Mediterranean coast later in life. Her days in the nursing home were interrupted by visits from residents and hospice staff, mealtimes, and prayer. She also received letters frequently, almost all of which she responded to. She was able to avoid contracting Covid-19, which infected 81 nursing home residents, in 2021.

 

How is the oldest person verified by Guinness World Records?

 

In the study of aging, Guinness World Records collaborates with Robert D. Young (USA), the principal gerontology consultant. Since 2015, Young has been in charge of the Gerontology Research Group’s Supercentenarian Research Database Division.

 

2. According to a World Bank report, Pakistan’s economy is weakest in South Asia.

 

The World Bank anticipates that Pakistan’s economic expansion will continue to slow to 2% this year. The World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report indicates that this will represent a decrease of two percentage points from its estimates for June 2022. According to the report, not only was Pakistan’s own economic output declining but so was the regional growth rate. The report stated that “Policy uncertainty further complicates the economic outlook” of Pakistan, predicting that the country’s GDP growth rate would rise to 3.2% in 2024.

 

More Details:

 

Despite the floods in Pakistan and the economic and political crises in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, this pace reflects still robust growth in India, Nepal, and the Maldives. The report predicted a “sharp, long-lasting slowdown” in global growth this year, citing the “deteriorating global environment, however, will weigh on investment in the region.”

 

Devastating Floods, the Main Cause:

 

The World Bank cited Pakistan’s July 2017 floods as the primary cause of the country’s deteriorating economic situation. The country’s precarious economic situation was also blamed on devastating floods in 2022, according to the report. Nearly a third of Pakistan was inundated by floods, affecting roughly 15% of the population. The report stated, “Recovery and reconstruction needs are expected to be 1.6 times the national development budget for FY2022-23.

 

Food prices are skyrocketing:

 

People in Pakistan have been suffering as a result of the skyrocketing costs of essential food items. Wheat, a staple food for Pakistanis, is hard to come by for many of the locals. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, both wheat flour and its prices have increased by 41% and 57%, respectively.

 

Pakistan’s forex reserves fell to an all-time low:

 

Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves have fallen to a new low of USD 4.6 billion, which would barely cover three weeks’ worth of foreign bills. The nation’s need for relief has been estimated by analysts at USD 33 billion. The economy has suffered greatly as a result of the lack of dollars and remittances have been diverted from the legal banking channel to the grey market.

 

3. On January 19, 2023, the 18th National Disaster Response Force Day is celebrated.

 

18th National Disaster Response Force Day The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will observe the 18th National Disaster Response Force Day on January 19, 2023. Since the rescue team’s official formation in 2006, this day has been celebrated. Battalions from the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Assam Rifles make up the specialized, multi-skilled rescue force. During disasters like drowning, building collapses, landslides, devastating floods, earthquakes, and cyclones, the NDRF is the primary organization in charge of carrying out rescue efforts.

 

Day 2023 of the National Disaster Response Force: 

 

Significance In its 17 years of operation, the NDRF has successfully saved 1.44 lakh lives and evacuated more than 7 lakh stranded individuals with 12 battalions and 13,000 NDRF personnel nationwide. In a variety of rescue operations, the NDRF saved 12,000 lives in 2021 alone. The NDRF Raising Day is an important day because it gives the brave members of the rescue force a chance to be honored and recognized for their work. For their extraordinary work in 2021, eight NDRF rescuers received the “Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal” on NDRF Raising Day 2022.

 

Day for the National Disaster Response Force: 

 

History In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a number of natural disasters struck India. These include, among others, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, and the 2005 Mumbai floods. There was a need for a dedicated response force that was focused on rescue operations, even though the Indian Armed Forces were deployed for rescue and recovery missions. As a result, the 2005 Disaster Management Act was enacted. The act established the NDRF as the specialized rescue force under the authority of the NDMA and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) as the highest authority for natural disasters.

 

4. J&K is the first state in India to completely switch to e-government.

 

Jammu & Kashmir leads the way in the digital transformation of governance, becoming the first union territory in India to completely switch to digital administration. At the moment, Jammu and Kashmir only provides digital versions of all governmental and administrative services.

 

During the Committee of Secretaries’ meeting, the declaration was made. During the meeting, Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta told the commissioner of IT to make sure that all government services could only be accessed online.

 

Key Points: 

 

• J&K is the first UT in India to completely switch to e-government. The state administration’s guidelines state that applicants will not need to visit a government office and that no service will be unavailable.

 

• Additionally, Dr. Arun Mehta instructed all secretaries to organize public awareness campaigns in panchayats and educational institutions and to ensure that services could be delivered online without difficulty.

 

• A “Coordination Cell” was established by the UT administration to keep an eye on the development of online services in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

• About Dr. Arun Mehta The Indian government appointed Dr. Arun Mehta as the new Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir on May 27, 2021. He was Jammu and Kashmir’s Finance Commissioner in the past.

 

5. The second phase of Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23 was inaugurated by PM Modi.

 

Through video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the second phase of Saansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23. Harish Dwivedi, a Basti-based Member of Parliament since 2021, organized Saansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23 in Uttar Pradesh.

 

Wrestling, kabaddi, kho kho, basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, handball, chess, carrom, badminton, table tennis, and other indoor and outdoor sports are all part of the Khel Mahakumbh. During the Khel Mahakumbh, a number of other competitions, such as essay writing, painting, and rangoli making, are also held.

 

Key Points

 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that Basti is the pious land of Maharishi Vashist, which is comprised of labor and meditation, asceticism, and renunciation. He has also inaugurated the second phase of Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022–23.

 

• PM Modi has expressed hope that Khel Mahakumbh will give India’s traditional sports expertise a new boost and expressed appreciation for the magnitude of the event.

 

• He mentioned that around 200 members of Parliament have held Khel Mahakumbhs in their respective constituencies.

 

• Shri Modi, who represents Kashi in the Indian Parliament, stated that similar gatherings are also being held in Varanasi.

 

• The Prime Minister also stated that performing athletes are being selected for further training by the Sports Authority of India through these games.

 

• The fact that approximately 40,000 athletes are participating in the Khel Mahakumbh—three times more than the previous year—has pleased the Prime Minister.

 

• The participation of girls in the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh is a highlight of the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed the hope that the daughters of Basti, Purvanchal, Uttar Pradesh, and all over India will demonstrate their talent and skills on a global stage.