NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. IndiGo becomes first Indian airline to carry 100 mn
pax in a single year: IndiGo became the first Indian airline to ferry over 100 million passengers
within the span of a calendar year. This milestone represents a 22 per cent
jump in passenger traffic as compared to 2022 when the airline ferried over 78
million passengers. IndiGo operates over 2,000 flights per day, and covers 86
domestic and 32 international destinations. It has introduced over 20
international flights across Central and Southeast Asia, Africa and West Asia
this year.
2. Kuno Forest Festival commences in MP: The five-day Kuno Van Mahotsav was celebrated in Ranipura village on the
outskirts of Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh(17 - 21 December) The event
also aims to advocate cheetah conservation by highlighting the diverse flora
and fauna and the importance of the Kuno Forest It also includes local arts and
crafts, folk music, dance forms and adventure sports 50 specially designed
Swiss tents equipped with modern amenities have been installed in Ranipura for
the festival
3. Quality of Living Index 2023 released by Mercer: Hyderabad (6th time) city attained the 153rd
spot in the Quality of Living Index 2023. Pune (154th) has the second-best
‘quality of living’ in India. Quality of Living Index is based on different
factors like Water Potability, Waste Removal, Sewage, Air Pollution, Water
availability, Traffic Congestion. Vienna (Austria), Zurich (Switzerland) and
Auckland (New Zealand) Copenhegan (Denmark) Geneva (Switzerland) are the top
five cities in the Quality of Living Index 2023.
4. Kerala's Shaikh Hassan Khan Climbs Mount Vinson: Shaikh Hassan Khan, a 36-year-old Kerala
government employee, has climbed Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica. This
is the fifth peak that Shaikh Hasan Khan has conquered. Apart from Mount
Vinson, Shaikh Hassan Khan has climbed four other highest peaks – Mount Everest
(Asia), Mount Denali (North America), Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), and Mount
Elbrus (Europe). The aim of his campaign is to spread awareness about climate
change happening in Antarctica.
5. IIT Madras Developed ‘AMRIT’ Technology: IIT Madras developed ‘AMRIT’ technology for
removing Arsenic and Metal ions from water. ‘AMRIT’ uses nano-scale iron
oxy-hydroxide. It removes arsenic when water is passed through it. This water
purifier technology has been developed for both domestic as well as community
levels. This technology has been recommended by the ‘Standing Committee’ of the
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation for the examination of the best
technologies related to water and sanitation.
6. PM Modi inaugurates second
Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
inaugurated the second Vande
Bharat Express on the Delhi-Varanasi route. The train will depart from
Varanasi at 6 am, reaching New Delhi at 2:05 pm every Wednesday to Monday. For
its return journey to Varanasi, it will start from New Delhi at 3 pm and reach
its destination at 11:05 pm on all days except Tuesday. Enhancing passenger
comfort with innovative features the Vande Bharat Express offers superior
passenger amenities, including onboard Wi-Fi infotainment, a GPS-based
passenger information system, plush interiors, bio-vacuum toilets with
touch-free conveniences, diffused LED lighting, charging points beneath every
seat, individual touch-based reading lights, and concealed roller blinds.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. UN announces 2024 as International Year of Camelids: The United Nations has declared the year 2024 as the International Year
of the Camelids to highlight the importance of camelids in the lives of people
around the world. Aims: To create awareness about the untapped potential of
Camelids and strive to increase investment in the Camelids sector through
research, capacity development and use of innovative practices and
technologies. These camels are found in more than 90 countries of the world.
2. 20 December – International Human
Solidarity Day: International Human
Solidarity Day (IHSD) is observed every year on December 20. Objective – To raise
public awareness regarding the importance of solidarity. It highlights the goal
of the United Nations and its member states to encourage new initiatives for
poverty eradication. It encourages debate on the ways to promote solidarity for
the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the Millennium
Declaration, published on September 18, 2000, ‘solidarity’ is identified as one
of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st century. On December
20, 2002, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established the World
Solidarity Fund intending to eradicate poverty and promote human and social
development in developing nations, especially among the poorest segments of
their populations. It was set up as a trust fund of the United Nations
Development Programme in February 2003.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. IIT Kanpur Signed MoU with Indian Navy: The Indian Navy signed a MoU with IIT Kanpur to promote innovation
at Naval Headquarters in New Delhi. This will be helpful in enhancing the
capacity of both sides and providing solutions to regional issues. This
agreement reflects the commitment of both organizations to promote technology
development, innovative solutions and joint research and development.
SPORTS
1. Starc breaks Cummins' record with monster IPL payday: Australians Pat Cummins and
Mitchell Starc broke all records at the Indian Premier League 2024 auction in
Dubai. Pat Cummins went to Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹20.50 crore. while Mitchell
Starc was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping amount of ₹24.75
crore. A total of 10 franchises may collectively spend 262.95 crore rupees in a
paced bidding war. The highest amount in the purse is with Gujarat Titans (GT)
with 38.15 crore rupees.
2. Sandeep Kumar claimed MRF Formula 2000 crown: Sandeep Kumar won
the MRF Formula 2000 title in the
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Car Racing Championship 2023 at the Madras
International Circuit. While Chetan Surnineni won the MRF Formula 1600
title Also picking up the National titles in their respective categories were
Gurunath Meiyappan (Race Concepts, Indian Touring Cars), Deepak Ravikumar
(Performance Racing, Indian Junior Touring Cars) and T.S. Diljith (DTS Racing,
Super Stock and Formula LGB 1300).
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IMF: India expected to contribute over 16% to global
growth: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said
India’s economic reforms have helped the nation become a star performer,
contributing over 16% to global growth. According to which the South Asian
country, underpinned by prudent macroeconomic policies, is on track to be one of
the fastest-growing major economies in the world this year. India’s economy has
rebounded strongly from the pandemic to become an important driver of global
growth.
2. SBI to Sign 70 Million Euro Loc With Kfw: SBI signed a 70 million euro (approximately
Rs 630 crore) Line of Credit (LoC) with KfW. The LoC with German Development
Bank KfW is for promoting solar project in the country. The agreement has been
signed at the bank’s IFSC Gift City Branch in Ahmedabad. LoC aims to
support Solar Photovoltaics (PV) projects in India. SBI has shown a 9.13%
growth in consolidated net profit for the September quarter.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Reliance Nippon Life Insurance won National Energy Conservation Awards: Reliance Nippon Life Insurance, India’s leading private life insurer, has been recognized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Government of India, Ministry of Power) at the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2023. This prestigious award comes in recognition of the company’s efforts towards institutionalizing climate-friendly operations and driving sustainable business growth. This recognition highlights the company’s investment in environmentally conscious technologies that aid in optimizing resource utilization and energy efficiency. The company’s scale of operations allows it to harness these advantages for benefits at large scale and pass on operating efficiencies to customers through its new line of products.
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