NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India inaugurated its first all-girls Sainik School in
Vrindavan, UP: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has
inaugurated the inaugural all-girls Sainik School in Vrindavan Uttar
Pradesh, hailing it as a guiding light for young women aspiring to serve in the
armed forces and safeguard the nation. The inauguration of the Samvid Gurukulam
Girls Sainik School marks a significant milestone. It is the inaugural
all-girls Sainik School, hosting approximately 870 students. This establishment
is part of the broader initiative to establish 100 new Sainik Schools through
collaboration with NGOs, private entities, and state government schools across
all states and Union territories.
2. PM Modi inaugurates new terminal building at
Tiruchirappalli airport: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a new terminal building
at Tiruchirappalli International Airport in Tamil Nadu. The new terminal
building has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 1100 crore. The airport’s
design has been inspired by the cultural vibrancy of Tiruchirappalli. It would
depict art forms from Kolam art to colours of Srirangam Temple and other theme
artworks. The two-level new international terminal building has the capacity to
serve more than 44 lakh passengers annually and about 3500 passengers during
peak hours.
3. Udhampur achieved 100% saturation in ‘Viksit Bharat
Sankalp Yatra”: Jitendra Singh
commends Udhampur’s success, nearing full implementation in key schemes
and flagship projects. PMGSY and RDD departments were lauded for excellence in
road connectivity and efficient completion of Area Development Plan. All
the “Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra” schemes as well as all the flagship
schemes of Govt. of India are nearing 100% saturation in Udhampur
district.
4. Surat Hosts 12th Divya Kala Mela 2023: The Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities (Divyangjan), under the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment, Government of India, organized ‘the 12th edition of Divya Kala
Mela’ in Surat, Gujarat. The Mela is co-hosted by the National Divyangjan
Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC). The primary objective of the
‘Divya Kala Mela’ is to contribute to the economic empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities (PwD)/Divyangjan.
5. J&K becomes first UT to implement PM Vishwakarma
Yojana: Jammu and Kashmir has
become the first Union Territory (UT) to implement the PM Vishwakarma
Yojana (PMVY). It is an initiative that aims to empower and enhance the skills
of the craftsman community. The inauguration of the training programme for the
first batch of 30 trainees (Viswakarmas) in ‘darzi craft’ was virtually
conducted by Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, and
Secretary of the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
(MSDE), Atul Kumar Tiwari, at ITI Shopian.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II to step down after 52
years on throne: Denmark’s popular Queen Margrethe
II, Europe’s longest-serving monarch, would abdicate on January
14 and pass the baton to her son Crown Prince Frederik. Margrethe,
83, has reigned for 52 years and has been Europe’s only reigning queen after
the death of Britain’s Elizabeth II. She has been hailed for subtly modernising
Danish royalty in her half-century on the throne. The queen, known for her
artistic talents, has been hugely popular in Denmark. She has managed to be a
queen who has united the Danish nation in a time of large changes:
globalization, the appearance of the multicultural state, economic crises in
the 1970s, 1980s and again in 2008 to 2015, and the pandemic.
2. Kia India names Gwanggu Lee as new MD & CEO: Kia India has appointed Gwanggu Lee
as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer with immediate
effect. He will be the third MD and CEO of Kia India, succeeding Kook Hyun Shim
and Tae Jin Park. Kia currently sells five models, including Seltos, Sonet, and
Carens, in the Indian market. Kia and Kia Motors Corporation is a South Korean multinational
automobile manufacturer. CEO at Kia Global – Ho-Sung Song
3. 2 January – World Introvert Day: World Introvert Day is observed
on January 2 every year. It is a day committed to understanding and
valuing the exceptional characteristics of introverted people. An introvert
person is somebody who is shy, calm and likes to invest energy alone instead of
frequently being with others. World Introvert Day was started from a blog post
by psychologist and author Felicitas Heyne named, “Here’s Why We Need a World
Introvert Day” on her site “iPersonic”. The date January 2 was picked in light
of the fact that it denotes the end of the holiday season beginning from
Christmas to New Year and permits introverts to take a collective full breath.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Vivek Srivastava appoints as DG of Fire Service: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has recently approved
the appointment of Vivek Srivastava as the Director General of Fire
Service, Civil Defence & Home Guards under the Ministry of Home Affairs. He
is a seasoned 1989-batch IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre. This significant
appointment is set to take effect from the date of Srivastava’s joining the
post and will continue until June 30, 2025, or until further orders, whichever
occurs earlier.
2. Dong Jun Named As China’s New Defense Minister: China named former Navy chief Dong
Jun as its new defence minister to replace the last minister, Li
Shangfu, who disappeared from public view four months ago. The appointment by
Chinese lawmakers comes as President Xi Jinping upgrades the military as part
of his push to make China a dominant world power, a goal that has alarmed many
neighbours, especially its assertiveness towards self-ruled Taiwan and in the
disputed South China Sea. The role of China’s defence minister is to be the
public face of the People’s Liberation Army in its engagement with the media
and with other armed forces. Dong Jun, a former navy commander, has been
appointed as China’s new defense minister. At 62 years old, Dong previously
served as the commander of the navy since August 2021.
SPORTS
1. Beatrice Chebet breaks 5 km world record in Barcelona
event: Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet smashed
the women’s world 5km record in Barcelona. The 23-year-old’s time of 14min
13sec improved on the previous women-only world record of 14:29 set by
Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi in September 2021. Her performance also bettered the
women’s world record set in a mixed race of 14:19, achieved by Ethiopia’s
Ejegayehu Taye at the same Barcelona meet in 2021. Taye finished second behind
Chebet on Sunday, clocking 14:21, while Kenya’s Lilian Kasait Rengeruk was
third in 14:26 as the top three dipped under the previous women-only world
record mark.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. UPI ends 2023 with record transactions worth ₹18-lakh crore: Unified Payments Interface (UPI) ended 2023 at a high, recording over 1,200 crore transactions worth more than ₹18-lakh crore in December, a peak for both the transaction count and value. Over 11,765 UPI transactions worth ₹182.2-lakh crore were processed in 2023, up 59 percent in terms of volume and 45 percent in terms of value compared with 2022, as per data by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Transactions worth ₹18.23-lakh crore were processed during December, significantly higher than the previous high of ₹17.40-lakh crore in November. In percentage terms, the value of transactions was 4.8 percent higher on the month and 42 percent on year.
No comments:
Post a Comment