National News

India's Resilience Efforts at COP28:

• India has taken a major stride in addressing climate change challenges by joining the United Nations' 'Race to Resilience' global campaign.
• Announced during the recently concluded COP28 event in Dubai, this decision underscores India's commitment to bolstering climate resilience in its urban areas.
• The Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) at NIUA, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, will play a crucial role in spearheading India’s participation in the initiative.
• 'Race to Resilience' aims to unite non-state actors, investors, businesses, cities, regions, and civil society globally to enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities to climate change impacts by 2030.

Security Breach in Indian Parliament:

• A significant security lapse occurred in the Indian Parliament when two unidentified individuals entered the chambers of the lower house, allegedly throwing smoke bombs.
• This incident, happening on the 22nd anniversary of a 2001 terrorist attack on parliament, marked a concerning breach.
• The intruders released smoke canisters during the zero hour, filling the space with yellow smoke. The detained individuals, Neelam (42) and Amol Shinde (25), were protesting outside the Parliament.

International News

India's Stance on Israel-Gaza Conflict:

• India backed an urgent ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict, voting in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution.
• The resolution, introduced by Egypt, garnered 153 votes in favor, with 23 nations abstaining and 10 voting against.
• Sponsored by several nations, it demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing compliance with international law for the protection of civilians and the release of hostages.

Business News

Grihum Housing Finance Emerges:

• Following its acquisition by TPG Capital Asia, Poonawalla Housing Finance has rebranded itself as Grihum Housing Finance.
• TPG Capital Asia acquired a significant 99.02% equity stake in the company from Poonawalla Fincorp.
• The new identity, Grihum, symbolizes 'home' and 'togetherness,' reflecting the company’s commitment to collaboration.
• Grihum Housing Finance focuses on providing dream homes for self-made individuals and micro-entrepreneurs in semi-urban, peri-urban, and rural regions.

Important Days News

National Energy Conservation Day 2023:

• Celebrated on December 14 every year, National Energy Conservation Day in India reflects on the country’s achievements in energy efficiency and conservation.
• The theme for 2023 is yet to be released. The day encourages individuals, communities, businesses, institutions, and governments to embrace energy-efficient practices, raising awareness about global warming and climate change.

Schemes News

Forest Certification Scheme for Sustainable Management:

• The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change has introduced the Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme.
• This voluntary initiative aims to promote sustainable forest management and agroforestry practices in India. The scheme covers forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification, and chain of custody certification.
• The Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, will oversee the scheme's implementation, with the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council acting as a multistakeholder advisory body.
• The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies under the Quality Council of India will accredit certification bodies conducting independent audits to assess adherence to prescribed standards.

Summits & Conferences News

PM Modi Launches AI Summit At Bharat Mandapam In New Delhi

• The annual Global Partnership for Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit kicked off at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on December 12, featuring essential discussions on AI safety and development challenges.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his inaugural address, emphasized the need to address ethical, economic, and social aspects to foster trust in AI.
• Policymakers and industry experts engaged in discussions covering a wide range of topics.

India Postpones Quad Summit Meeting Amidst Strained Relations And Scheduling Issues

• PM Modi raised critical questions about AI’s impact on employment, global education curriculum, and the necessity for standardized AI standards.
• He also expressed concerns about the potential misuse of AI, proposing the idea of watermarking AI products to distinguish generated content.In a significant development, India has decided to postpone the Quad summit meeting initially scheduled for January 2024.
• This decision is attributed to scheduling conflicts among certain Quad partners. The summit, involving India, Australia, the US, and Japan, is a diplomatic partnership aimed at fostering stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad is also viewed as a strategic effort to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the area.

Youth For Unnati And Vikas With AI (YUVAi) At GPAI Summit 2023

• The Youth for Unnati and Vikas with AI (YUVAi) initiative, a collaboration between the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, and Intel India, takes center stage at the GPAI Summit 2023.
• This innovative program, designed to impart essential AI skills to youth, aims to build a future-ready workforce.
• YUVAi focuses on equipping students from class 8 to 12 with essential AI skills, empowering them to become responsible users and designers of artificial intelligence.

Ranks & Reports News

Myanmar Surpasses Afghanistan As World’s Leading Opium Source In 2023: UN Report

• In a surprising turn of events, Myanmar has surpassed Afghanistan as the world’s leading source of opium in 2023, according to a United Nations report.
• This shift is attributed to a third consecutive year of expanding cultivation fueled by Myanmar’s civil war and a significant decline in opium cultivation in Afghanistan.
• Myanmar farmers have experienced a substantial increase in earnings, with opium poppy farming yielding about 75% higher profits.
• The average price of opium poppies has risen to approximately $355 per kilogram, and the cultivation area has expanded by 18% year-on-year.

Appointments News

K.S. Reddy Appointed Hyderabad Commissioner Of Police

• A significant move towards ensuring clean governance, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has appointed seasoned police officials to spearhead the Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissionerates.
• S. Reddy, a distinguished officer, is set to assume the role of Hyderabad Police Commissioner, while Avinash Mohanty, a seasoned officer, is appointed as the Cyberabad Police Commissioner.
• Sudheer Babu, a 2001 IPS officer, is the new Rachakonda Police Commissioner. With a proven record of enhancing policing standards, Sudheer Babu has a track record of effective leadership.

Awards News

Dr. Atul Shah’s Game-Changing Innovation For Leprosy Care Earns Global Recognition

• Atul Shah, a plastic surgeon, has received the 2023 REACH Game Changing Innovator award for his groundbreaking contribution to leprosy care.
• Three decades ago, Shah devised a simple surgery technique, ‘One in Four Lasso,’ to address deformities in leprosy patients.
• His innovative journey continued as he designed a ‘self-care kit’ to empower leprosy patients in managing foot ulcers, a common issue.
• Since 2007, the kit has been part of India’s National Leprosy Eradication Programme, benefiting over 80,000 individuals.

Javed Akhtar To Receive Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award At Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival

• Renowned lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar is poised to receive the prestigious Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the forthcoming Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival.
• This accolade recognizes his outstanding contributions to the Indian film industry, spanning iconic works such as ‘Zanjeer,’ ‘Deewar,’ ‘Sholay,’ ‘Don,’ ‘Kala Patthar,’ and ‘Mr India.’
• The award ceremony is scheduled for January 3, 2024, coinciding with the opening day of the festival.
• The Padmapani Award, comprising a memento, a certificate, and a monetary reward of Rs 2 lakh, will be presented to Javed Akhtar by the Ajantha-Ellora Film Festival Organizing Committee Chairman Nandkishore Kagliwal and Chief Guide Ankushrao Kadam.

Ban Ki-Moon Honored With 2023 Diwali ‘Power Of One’ Award At UN

• Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, alongside three distinguished diplomats, has been honored at the annual ‘Diwali Power of One Awards.’
• Often dubbed the ‘Oscars of Diplomacy,’ this prestigious ceremony acknowledges their selfless efforts in shaping a more perfect, peaceful, and secure world.
• The other esteemed awardees for 2023 include Ambassador Mirsada Colakovic, Ambassador Kim Sook, and Miroslav Lajcak.
• Their invaluable contributions were celebrated at a special ceremony held at the UN Headquarters, emphasizing their commitment to global peace and development.

Science & Technology News

China, Egypt Jointly Launch Satellite MisrSat-2

• In a groundbreaking development, China and Egypt have jointly launched the MisrSat-2 satellite, marking a significant milestone in their collaborative space endeavors.
• Developed and assembled through the partnership of the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) and the China National Space Administration, this satellite project, valued at $72 million, originated from a 2019 agreement.
• The MisrSat-2 satellite, assembled in Egypt with crucial Chinese support, was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, utilizing the Long March-2C carrier rocket.
• Notably, this initiative has positioned Egypt as the first African country with satellite assembly and testing capabilities.