What is HAARP?

HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) is a research program funded by the U.S. military and several other organizations. It was established to study the Earth's upper atmosphere and ionosphere, with the goal of understanding their effects on communication and navigation systems. The program used a high-frequency radio transmitter located in Gakona, Alaska, to generate and study powerful radio waves in the upper atmosphere. The facility has since been decommissioned and is no longer in operation.

HAARP has been the subject of various conspiracy theories, which claim that it was used for purposes such as weather control, mind control, and earthquakes. However, these claims are not supported by scientific evidence and have been widely discredited by the scientific community.

Padma Awards 2023

Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

These Awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. For the year 2023, the President has approved conferment of 106 Padma Awards including 3 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises 6 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 91 Padma Shri Awards. 19 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 2 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 7 Posthumous awardees.

Read Complete Winner's List

Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2023

The Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has instituted an annual award known as Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar to recognize and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organizations in India in the field of disaster management. The award is announced every year on 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 51 lahk and a certificate in the case of an institution and Rs. 5 lahk and a certificate in the case of an individual. Under the guidance of the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, the country has significantly improved its disaster management practices, preparedness, mitigation, and response mechanisms resulting in a significant reduction in casualties during natural calamities.

For the award of the year 2023, nominations were solicited from 1st July 2022 onwards. The award scheme for the year 2023 was given wide publicity through print, electronic and social media. In response to the award scheme, 274 valid nominations were received from institutions and individuals.

Following is a summary of the outstanding work of the winners of the 2023 Award in the field of Disaster Management:

• Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), was established in 1999 in the aftermath of the Super Cyclone. OSDMA embarked on multiple initiatives including raising of the Odisha Disaster Response Action Force (ODRAF), Multi-hazard Early Warning Service (MHEWS) framework, and a cutting-edge technology-enabled web/smartphone-based platform called "SATARK" (System for Assessing, Tracking, and Alerting Disaster Risk Information based on Dynamic Risk Knowledge). OSDMA provided effective response during various cyclones, Hudhud (2014), Fani (2019), Amphan (2020) and Odisha floods (2020). OSDMA conducted disaster preparedness initiatives in building community resilience in 381 tsunami-prone villages/wards and 879 multi-purpose cyclone/ flood shelters located within 1.5 km from coastline.
• Lunglei Fire Station, Mizoram, responded efficiently and effectively to a massive forest fire which was reported on 24 April 2021 in the uninhabited forest areas that surrounded Lunglei town and spread to more than 10 village council areas. Lunglei Fire Station personnel assisted by local civilians worked continuously for more than 32 hours during which they motivated and provided on the spot training to residents. Due to the valiant, brazen, and prompt efforts of Fire & Emergency staff in the putting out the flames, there was no loss to life and property and the spread of fire to other parts of the State was prevented.

Mukesh Ambani ranks 2nd on world’s top CEOs list

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has ranked second on Brand Finance’s list of the world’s top CEOs. "Brand Finance's Brand Guardianship Index 2023 saw the rise of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries Ltd to 1st and 2nd position respectively. The Brand Guardianship Index, released annually by brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance, celebrates CEOs who balance the needs of commercial success with long-term brand building and personal reputation management.

Mukesh Ambani has overtaken the likes of Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Google’s Sundar Pichai to rank first among Indian and Indian-origin CEOs on the Brand Guardianship Index 2023.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang topped the list of the world’s best CEOs for overseeing the company’s advancement into the next era of computing through focus on artificial intelligence, digital biology, climate sciences, and autonomous vehicles and robotics.

Both Huang and Ambani have overtaken Satya Nadella, who slipped to third place after ranking first in 2022. The fourth spot on the Brand Guardianship Index 2023 went to Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen, while Google CEO Sundar Pichai ranked fifth.

Golden Globe Awards 2023

The 80th annual Golden Globe Awards have taken place in Los Angeles, with The Banshees of Inisherin leading the winners.

Golden Globe Awards 2023 for Film

Best film, drama: "The Fabelmans"

Best film, musical or comedy: "The Banshees of Inisherin"

Best director: Steven Spielberg, "The Fabelmans"

Best actor, drama: Austin Butler, "Elvis"

Best actress, drama: Cate Blanchett, "Tar"

Best actor, musical or comedy: Colin Farrell, "The Banshees of Inisherin"

Best actress, musical or comedy: Michelle Yeoh, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"

Best supporting actor: Ke Huy Quan, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"

Best supporting actress: Angela Bassett, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"

Best screenplay: Martin McDonagh, "The Banshees of Inisherin"

Best music, original score: Justin Hurwitz, "Babylon"

Best music, original song: "Naatu Naatu" from "RRR"

Best non-English language film: "Argentina, 1985"

Best animated feature: "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio"

Golden Globe Awards 2023 for TV

Best drama series: "House of the Dragon"

Best drama actor: Kevin Costner, "Yellowstone"

Best drama actress: Zendaya, "Euphoria"

Best musical or comedy series: "Abbott Elementary"

Best musical or comedy actor: Jeremy Allen White, "The Bear"

Best musical or comedy actress: Quinta Brunson, "Abbott Elementary"

Best supporting actor, television: Tyler James Williams, "Abbott Elementary"

Best supporting actress, television: Julia Garner, "Ozark"

Best limited series or TV movie: "The White Lotus"

Best limited series or TV movie actor: Evan Peters, "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story"

Best limited series or TV movie actress: Amanda Seyfried, "The Dropout"

Best limited series supporting actor: Paul Walter Hauser, "Black Bird"

Best limited series supporting actress: Jennifer Coolidge, "The White Lotus"

Higest individual scores in One Day International Cricket

Score	Name of the Batsman
264	Rohit Sharma, India vs Srilanka, Eden Garden, November 2014.
237	Martin Guptill, New Zealand vs West Indies, Wellington, March 2015
219	Virender Sehwag, India vs West Indies, Indore, December 2011.
215	Chris Gayle, West Indies vs Zimbabwe, Canberra, February 2015
209	Rohit Sharma, India vs Australia, Bangalore, November 2013.
208*	Rohit Sharma, India vs Sri Lanka, Mohali, December 2017.
208	Shubman Gill, India vs New Zealand, Hyderabad, November 2023.
200 *	Sachin Tendulkar, India vs South Africa, Gwalior, February 2010.
194*	Charles Coventry, Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh, Bulawayo, August 2009
194	Saheed Anwar, Pakistan vs India, Chennai, May 1997
189*	Viv Richards, West Indies vs England, Manchester, May 1984
189	Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka vs India, Sharja, October 2000
188*	Gary Kirsten, South Africa vs UAE, Rawalpindi, February 1996
186*	Sachin Tendulkar, India vs New Zealand, Hyderabad, November 1999
183*	Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India vs Sri Lanka, Jaipur, October 2005
183	Virat Kohli, India vs Pakistan, Dhaka, March 2012
183	Sourav Ganguly, India vs Sri Lanka, Taunton, May 1999
181*	Mathew Hayden, Australia vs New Zealand, Hamilton, February 2007
181	Viv Richards, West Indies vs Sri Lanka, Karachi, October 1987.

* Not Out

FIFA World Cup Football 2022(Qatar)

The World Cup football tournament is organized by the Federation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) once in four years since 1930. It was on July 18, 1930, that the first-ever World Cup match was played between Uruguay and Chile, at the newly built Centenary Stadium in Montevideo(Uruguay). The World Cup now officially designated as the Jules-Rimet Cup, named after the French lawyer who was the President of FIFA from 1921 to 1953, is 12 inches high and made of solid gold.

Venue: Qatar

Winner: Argentina

Runners: France

Golden Boot: Kylian Mbappé (France)

Silver Boot: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Bronze Boot: Olivier Giroud (France)

Golden Ball: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Golden Glove: Emiliano Martinez(Argentina)

Best Young Player Award: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)