Maisnam Meiraba Luwang wins Bangladesh Junior International Badminton Series

1.Eight West African nations rename common currency to Eco

Eight West African countries have agreed to change the name of their common currency to Eco and severed their earlier currency CFA Franc’s links to former colonial ruler France.The CFA Franc was initially pegged to the French franc and has been linked to the euro for about two decades.

Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo currently use the currency.

All the countries are former French colonies with the exception of Guinea-Bissau.

The announcement was made during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Ivory Coast.

2.National Mathematics Day: 22 December

The Indian government declared 22 December to be National Mathematics Day.This was announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 26 February 2012.

Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on 22 December, 1887, Erode.

He made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions, including solutions to mathematical problems then considered unsolvable.

3.PM Modi addresses ASSOCHAM Annual Conference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the annual general meeting of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India in New Delhi. The theme of the event was ‘New India Aspiring for a USD 5 trillion economy’.

The event was organised  on the completion of 100 years of ASSOCHAM.

4.Wipro to upskill 10,000 students with Nasscom

Software major Wipro has partnered with the Indian IT industry apex body Nasscom to upskill 10,000 students from 20 engineering colleges across the country.The company’s TalentNext prepares faculty and academic leaders to train students through future skills, a new age platform built to bridge the industry-academia skill gap and help the former keep pace with emerging technologies.

As the IT apex body aims to add nine crore techies to the industry by 2030, partnership with global firms like Wipro will ensure the students are equipped with the right skills to be employed soon after their graduation.

The initiative will also create a talent pool of students, certified by the partners (Wipro and Nasscom).

5.Cuba names Manuel Marrero Cruz as first PM since 1976

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel named Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz as the country’s first prime minister since 1976.Marrero, 56, has been tourism minister for 16 years.

Diaz-Canel cited Marrero’s experience in negotiating with foreign investors as one of his prime qualifications, according to state media.

The position of prime minister was held by Fidel Castro from 1959 to 1976, when a new constitution changed his title to president and eliminated the post of prime minister.

6.Indian-American Dr Monisha Ghosh named 1st woman CTO at FCC in US

Indian-American Dr Monisha Ghosh has been appointed as the first woman Chief Technology Officer at the US government’s powerful Federal Communications Commission (FCC).She will advise Indian-American Chairman of the FCC Ajit Pai and the agency on technology and engineering issues, and work closely with the Office of Engineering and Technology.

Dr Ghosh will take charge on January 13.

The FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US territories.

Ghosh received her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1991, and B.Tech from IIT Kharagpur in 1986.

7.Maisnam Meiraba Luwang wins Bangladesh Junior International Badminton Series

India’s shuttler Maisnam Meiraba Luwang has won the Men’s singles Bangladesh Junior International Badminton Series 2019 in Dhaka.Top-seeded Meiraba, who hails from Manipur, beat Ken Yong Ong 21, 14, 21-18 in the final.

Meiraba had defeated another Malaysian, M Fazriq Mohamad Razif, in the semifinals.

Meiraba had also clinched the boys’ singles U-19 title at the Woncheon Yonex Korea Junior Open International Challenge last month.

In women’s singles, Indian shuttler Treesa Jolly lost to Thailand’s third seed Krittaporn Jiantanet 21-12, 16-21, 21-16 in finals.

8.ICC extends partnership with UNICEF for Women’s World T20

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that it has extended its partnership with UNICEF through to the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 with the focus on empowering women and girls through cricket.During the Men”s 50-over World Cup held in England and Wales earlier this summer, UNICEF raised $180,000 as part of ‘One Day 4 Children’ and this money will go directly to fund a girls’ cricket project in Afghanistan.

The money raised during the Women”s World T20 will go to similar projects in cricket playing nations, including an innovative program to promote girls” participation in cricket in Sri Lanka and build peace in communities.

The ICC and UNICEF partnership commenced in 2015, as part of the ICC”s global community outreach program ”Cricket 4 Good”.

The Women”s World T20 will take place across Australia from February 21-March 8, culminating in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 8.

9.Belgium crowned FIFA Team of the Year

Belgium have been crowned FIFA ‘Team of the Year’ for the second successive time after a record-breaking year for the global ladder.World champions France remains in second place ahead of Brazil in third.

The ranking’s Mover of the Year was Qatar.