NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Goa Liberation Day 2023:19th December: Goa Liberation Day is very important as it marks the official liberation
and integration of Goa into the Indian Union in 1961. On this unique day, there
is a sense of pride and independence in the air as the golden sun rises over
the beautiful state of Goa. Liberation Day in Goa is a historic event that
resonates with resilience and freedom.
2. Piyush Goyal released Logistics Ease Across Different
State (LEADS) 2023: Union Minister of Commerce & Industry,
Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles, Piyush Goyal has released
the “Logistics Ease Across
Different State (LEADS) 2023” report in New Delhi.
The
5th edition of the LEADS annual exercise – LEADS 2023 report, provides insights
into improvement of logistics performance at State/UT level. This report,
signalling a positive shift in States’ performance across the key pillars –
Logistics Infrastructure, Logistics Services and Operating and Regulatory
Environment, empowers the State/UT Governments by providing region-specific
insights for informed decision-making and comprehensive growth. This report is
based on a pan-India primary survey, conducted between May and July 2023,
covering over 7,300 responses across 36 States/UTs.
3. PM Modi inaugurates Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0 in
Varanasi: Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the second edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at
Namo Ghat in Varanasi. He also flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam
Express between Varanasi and Kanyakumari. The second edition of the Kashi Tamil
Sangamam (KTS) will be held between December 17 to 30, 2023 and is part of the
government’s ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Yuva Sangam programme.’ The
overarching objective of this people-to-people connect programme is to revive
the living bonds between Kashi and Tamil Nadu – two important centres of
learning and culture in ancient India. It aims to bring these two traditions of
knowledge and culture closer together while building an understanding of shared
heritage and strengthening ties between the people of these two regions.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi wins third term as president of
Egypt: Egypt’s election authority announced that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has
secured a third six-year term leading
the North African nation. Sisi won another term with 89.6 percent of the vote, the National
Elections Authority said. Over 39 million Egyptians voted
for the former army chief, who has ruled the nation for over a decade. This
will be Sisi’s final term in
office as the Egyptian constitution only allows a president to sit
for three terms.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Khelo India Games to be Held in Tamil Nadu: Khelo India Games will be held in Tamil Nadu (Chennai,
Coimbatore,Madurai and Trichy) from 19 to 31 January, 2024. More than 5,500
sports persons and over 1,600 coaches are expected to participate in the event.
More than 1000 referees and 1200 volunteers will be part of the sporting event
in which 27 types of sport will be played. For the first time, squash will be
included in Khelo India games.
2. Bangladesh Clinches First U-19 Asia Cup 2023, Beating
UAE: Bangladesh crushed UAE by
195 runs to win the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai on December 17. Opening the
batting, Ashiqur smashed 12 fours and one six in his knock of 129 (149 balls)
as Bangladesh posted 282/8 after hosts UAE opted to field. In reply, UAE
surrendered meekly to fold up for 87 in 24.5 overs as Bangladesh clinched the
eight-nation tournament with five wins from as many games.
3. Haryana Won 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy: Haryana won the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023
title for the first time by defeating Rajasthan by 30 runs. Haryana's Sumit
Kumar was chosen player of the match in the final match. Vijay Hazare Trophy is
known as Ranji One Day Trophy. The most runs in the tournament have been scored
by Arsalan Khan (508) of the Chandigarh team while the most wickets have been
taken by Varun Chakraborty (19) of the Tamil Nadu team.
4. Sourav Kothari clinched maiden Senior National Snooker
title: Sourav Kothari of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) won his maiden Senior National 15-Red snooker title,
beating Paras Gupta of Uttar Pradesh 6-2 in the final. Kothari beat Md
Hussain Khan (RSPB) 5-0 in the semifinals and prevailed over Gupta 58-46,
72-34, 0-64, 59-25, 61-54, 21-57, 64-8, 64-25 in the final. He had defeated his
PSPB colleague Advani in the round of 32. Kothari is a former national billiards
champion, and last month finished runner-up to Advani in the IBSF world
billiards final in Doha.
5. Haryana emerges best as Khelo India Para Games end
with a bang: The first edition of the Khelo India Para Games
concluded at New Delhi. Haryana
bagged top honours with a total of 105 medals including 40 gold, 39
silver and 26 bronze medals. Finishing second was Uttar Pradesh, with a total
of 62 medals, including 25 gold, 23 silver and 14 bronze. Tamil Nadu finished
third with 20 gold, eight silver and 14 bronze medals. Over 1,400 para-athletes
from 32 states and Union Territories participated in the Khelo India Para Games
which saw events in seven disciplines.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IndusInd Bank introduces ‘Indus Solitaire Program’ for
the Diamond Industry: IndusInd Bank has introduced its ‘Indus
Solitaire Program,’ a community banking initiative meticulously
crafted for the diamond industry. This curated banking program will be offered
through the bank’s flagship branches in prime locations across various cities
with a concentration in Mumbai and Surat. It will also provide a range of
exclusive benefits along with distinct features and enriched offerings to
customers in the diamond industry. Through the ‘Indus Solitaire Program’,
IndusInd Bank is all set to offer a whole gamut of tailored banking services
for the diamond industry, that includes 24*7 locker access at specific
branches, add-on family accounts, debit and credit cards that come with
membership benefits at top-tier hotels, concierge services, complimentary golf
lessons and movie tickets, zero cross-currency markup fee on foreign exchange,
complimentary lounge access, along with an appealing rewards structure and
overseas hospitalization coverage on credit cards and customized diamond
industry employee salary account.
2. Kotak Mahindra Bank partners with IIT Kanpur to launch
Kotak School of Sustainability: The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
(IIT-K) has partnered with Kotak Mahindra
Bank Ltd to launch of Kotak School of Sustainability. The collaboration
aims to provide leadership solutions for sustainability and prepare future
generations to champion the cause of sustainable development. The Kotak School
of Sustainability is touted as India’s first full integrated institution
dedicated to sustainability education. Funded by Kotak Mahindra Bank through
its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, the school is poised to play
a crucial role in shaping the future of sustainability initiatives in the
country. It will have dedicated centres of excellence (COEs) covering different
aspects of sustainability such as clean energy, environment, ecology, circular
economy, climate finance, sustainable societies and policy. The total project
cost is around Rs 200 crore. Kotak will be contributing Rs 70 crore in the
first phase.
3. Reliance General Insurance unveils ‘Reliance Health
Global’: Reliance
General Insurance Company (RGICL) has introduced “Reliance Health Global,” a healthcare policy designed
to bring global healthcare within reach for Indians. The policy extends
coverage not only within India but worldwide, providing a seamless experience
for individuals accustomed to a global lifestyle and seeking access to top-notch
healthcare services and infrastructure. Reliance Health Global boasts a range
of unparalleled features, reshaping the health insurance landscape. Beyond its
comprehensive coverage for overseas treatment, including critical illnesses
like Cancer and Bypass Surgery, the policy stands out for its exceptional
domestic coverage. The company further informed that in addition to planned
hospitalization, the policy encompasses travel, accommodation, and end-to-end
Visa and Assistance Services, addressing emergencies such as Lost Passport or
Emergency Cash.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Israeli film ‘Children of Nobody’ won Best film award
at KIFF Festival: Israeli film ‘Children of
Nobody’ directed by Erez Tadmor, has won the Best Film
award under International Competition in Innovation Moving Images at
the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF). The prize distribution and
closing ceremony were held at Rabindra Sadan. 219 films from 39 countries were
screened at 23 locations across Kolkata. The Best Director award was bagged by
Carlos Daniel Malave. Anjan Dutta’s ‘Chalchitro Ekhon’ bagged the Special Jury
Award. Director duo Sharmistha Maity and Rajdeep Paul’s ‘Mon Potongo’ was
awarded best film under Bengali Panorama category. For the best film ‘Royal Bengal
Tiger Trophy’ 51 lakh rupees were given as an award.
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