NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Manipur Initiates “SAANS” Campaign to Counteract
Pneumonia: In Manipur, the State Health and Family Welfare
Minister Sapam Ranjan Singh has
launched the Social Awareness and
Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully (SAANS) Campaign 2023-24 at Imphal.
The Minister also inaugurated the State Newborn Resource Centre at Jawaharlal
Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal. In connection to the
launching of SAANS Campaign 2023-24, the Minister said that Pneumonia is a
common, preventable, treatable disease if precautionary steps are taken up at
the right time. Since the disease is preventable, the Health Department is
emphasizing spreading awareness to the people.
2. Sanjay Singh becomes new president Wrestling
Federation of India: Sanjay Singh has
become the new president of the
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). He beat Anita Sheoran in the
50-vote electoral college 42-7 to claim the post. Associated with the Wrestling
Federation of India (WFI) for the past 12 years as part of the governing
council, Singh, who hails from Varanasi, was promoted to the post of joint
secretary in 2019.
3. Pramod Sharma appointed as Director (Works) of NHSRCL: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the
appointment of Pramod Sharma for
the post of Director (Works) of National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited
(NHSRCL). NHSRCL is an implementation agency for high-speed rail
projects in India. Appointed on a deputation basis, his term extends until he
reaches 60 years or further orders. Sharma is an Institution of Railway Signal
Engineers (IRSE) officer of 1989 batch. Presently, he is serving as Principal
Executive Director (Contract) of NHRSCL. NHSRCL was incorporated in 2016 to
manage the High-Speed Rail Corridor in India. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways. The objective of this body is the
development and implementation of high-speed rail projects in India.
4. Formal Sector Employment Trends:
October Data Analysis: The
latest official data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) has revealed a decline in new additions to formal sector
employment in the month of October. This decline is evident across three key
data sets: Employees’ ..
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. French President Invited to India’s Republic Day 2024:
India has invited France President Emmanuel Macron as chief guest
for the January 26 Republic Day Notably, this is the 6th time a French leader
will be the Chief guest at Republic Day celebrations in the national capital. Prior
to Macron, former French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac was the Chief guest on
India’s Republic Day celebrations in 1976 and 1998, and former Presidents
Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Francois Hollande in the years
1980, 2008, and 2016 respectively. Earlier in July, PM Modi had visited France
to attend the Bastille Day Parade. PM Modi participated in the Bastille Day
celebrations as the Guest of Honour on the invitation of President Macron. PM
Modi had visited France to mark the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership
between the two countries.
2. First In Situ Discovery of Megalodon
Tooth in Deep Sea: A small team of oceanographers, in collaboration with
a zoologist from Germany’s SNSB-Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, has made
a groundbreaking discovery—the first in situ fossilized megalodon tooth in the
deep sea. The findings, published in the journal Historical Biology, ..
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Thakur sets to unveil Khelo India Youth Games logo and
mascot: Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and
Information & Broadcasting, Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur has launched the official logo, jersey, mascot,
torch, and theme song for the Khelo India Youth Games Tamil Nadu in Chennai.
The
6th edition of the Khelo India Youth Games is scheduled from January 19 to 31,
2024. The previous 5 editions of the Youth Games have been held in Delhi, Pune,
Guwahati, Panchkula, and Bhopal. The upcoming edition will take place in four
cities of Tamil Nadu – Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, and Coimbatore.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Display of Polar Stratospheric Clouds
(PSCs) in the Arctic: Over a period of more than three days, the Arctic
skies have been adorned with an extraordinary celestial display—rare “rainbow
clouds,” scientifically known as Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs). This
captivating phenomenon was observed in various locations, including Norway,
Sweden, Finland, ..
2. Serum Institute’s R21/Matrix-M
Malaria Vaccine Granted WHO Prequalification: In a significant milestone in the fight against malaria, the World
Health Organization (WHO) granted prequalification to the R21/Matrix-M malaria
vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by the
biotechnology company Serum Institute of India. The announcement, made
3. What is XPoSat
Mission?: Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to commence the New Year with the anticipated
launch of its pioneering polarimetry mission, XPoSat, slated for January 1.
This mission marks a significant milestone as the country’s third space-based observatory,
joining ..
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBL Bank Introduces Electronic Bank Guarantee on NeSL
Platform: RBL Bank has launched the Electronic
Bank Guarantee (e-BG), signalling a significant step forward in
trade finance digital transformation. The e-BG product builds on the framework
enabled by NeSL, incorporating their expertise in e-Stamping and e-Sign. This
integration eliminates the traditional physical signing and stamping processes,
seamlessly transitioning into a secure and efficient digital format. NeSL’s
e-BG substantially transforms the trade finance space and marks a milestone in
the digitization of banking services. e-BG envisages online and paperless
procurement of stamp duty and thus the e-BG can be issued digitally in a couple
of minutes and is made available to beneficiaries instantly in a secure,
digital, and paperless form.
2. Sandeep Batra reappoints as ED of ICICI Bank: Private sector
lender ICICI Bank has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to re-appoint Sandeep Batra
as the executive director (ED). RBI vide its letter approved the
re-appointment of Sandeep Batra as Executive Director of the bank with effect
from December 23, 2023 to December 22, 2025. The board of directors recorded
that the current tenure of Batra as ED of the Bank as per RBI approval, which
was for three years, ends on December 22, 2023. It unanimously approved the
reappointment of Batra for a further period of two years with effect from
December 23, 2023, to December 22, 2025.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Bengaluru Airport Recognised As One Of World’s Most
Beautiful Airports: The Terminal-2 (T2) of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has
secured recognition as one of the ‘World’s
Most Beautiful Airports’ and has been awarded the ‘World Special Prize for an
Interior 2023’ by the UNESCO’s Prix Versailles. It is the only Indian
airport to receive this recognition. The Prix Versailles, established in 2015,
focuses on “intelligent sustainability” as a cultural driver, acknowledging
innovation, creativity, reflection of local heritage, ecological efficiency,
and values of social interaction. Encompassing 2,55,661 square metres, the
terminal is built upon four foundational pillars: technological leadership, a
terminal in a garden, environmental and ecological stewardship, and a
celebration of Karnataka’s rich heritage and culture. Phase 1 of T2,
inaugurated on November 11, 2022, is designed to accommodate 25 million
passengers per annum.
2. Sai Sudharsan awarded ‘impact fielder of the ODI series: India’s debutant Sai Sudharsan was awarded the ‘Impact Fielder of the Series’ medal by India’s fielding coach Ajay Ratra after the KL Rahul-led side clinched the 3-match ODI series against South Africa 2-1 India defeated South Africa by 87 runs in the series decider as KL Rahul became only the second Indian captain after Virat Kohli to win an ODI series on South African soil. Sudharsan was commended for a brilliant catch during the third ODI match, contributing to India’s 78-run victory.
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