NATIONAL NEWS

Ministry of Railways Launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

· The Ministry of Railways has launched the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for the development of stations on Indian Railways.

· So far, 1309 Stations as appended have been identified for development under this scheme.

· The Ministry of Railways also envisages exploration of various models for the development and maintenance of railway stations including Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), non-EPC modes and a minuscule number of stations under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

· Further, the development and upgradation of Railway Stations is complex in nature involving safety of passengers and trains.

· It requires various statutory clearances such as fire clearance, heritage, tree cutting, airport clearance etc.

Ministry of Textiles to host ‘One Bharat Sari Walkathon’ in Mumbai

· The Ministry of Textiles will organize the country's largest ever ‘One Bharat Sari Walkathon’ in India's financial capital, Mumbai.

· The event aims to promote the handloom sari culture in India by inviting participation of women across the country to showcase their ways of wearing saris and thus present India as a country of “Unity in Diversity”.

· It will also promote the spirit of traditional textile and support the idea of “Vocal for Local” and will raise awareness about fitness among women and to encourage them lead healthier lives.

· In this celebration of cultural diversity and empowerment, enthusiastic participation of more than 5000 women including leading professionals, women from the music industry and many more are set to join the event adorned in their distinctive traditional attire.

· Previously, the Sari Walkathon was organized in Surat.

The Hump WWII Museum

· Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Pema Khandu and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti inaugurated ‘The Hump WWII Museum’, the 2nd museum in Asia dedicated to the fallen airmen of the Allied Forces during the WWII at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.

· The pilots of the Allied Forces nicknamed the air-route from airfields in Assam to those in Yunnan in China ‘The Hump’ because their aircraft had to navigate deep gorges and then quickly fly over mountains rising beyond 10,000 feet.

· In 2016-17, the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) had deployed a team for 30 days in search of remains of unaccounted-for US airmen.

· There are approximately 400 US airmen missing in India, most of whose remains are believed to be located in the Himalayan mountains in the North East, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Sri Lanka Secures Debt Treatment Agreement

· Sri Lanka has achieved an “agreement in principle” with India and the Paris Club group of creditors on a debt treatment plan.

· The Agreement facilitates Sri Lanka's access to the next installment of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) nearly $3 billion recovery package.

· Sri Lanka and the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) reached an agreement on the main parameters of debt treatment.

· These parameters are consistent with those of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement between Sri Lanka and the IMF.

· The OCC was formed by major lenders in May 2023 in response to Sri Lanka’s request for debt treatment.

· It is co-chaired by India, Japan and France as chairs of the Paris Club.

UNICEF In Collaboration With India to Launch the "Green Rising"

· UNICEF's Generation Unlimited, in collaboration with India's Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change will unveil the "Green Rising" initiative at COP28 in Dubai.

· The global "Green Rising" initiative and the "Green Rising India Alliance" marks a collaborative effort involving UNICEF, Generation Unlimited, and a diverse network of public, private, and youth partners.

· The main goal is to mobilize millions of young people worldwide, encouraging their active participation in green initiatives addressing and adapting to the severe impacts of climate change on their communities.

· The "Green Rising" initiative focuses on engaging youth for impactful environmental actions at the grassroots level, aligning with the global effort to address the severe impacts of climate change.

 

BANKING

Government of Madhya Pradesh and Asian Development Bank

· The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $175 million loan to improve connectivity and resilience of roads in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

· The loan agreement was signed by Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, in the Ministry of Finance, for the Government of India, and Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, for ADB.

· This project will enhance connectivity in the state road network in 14 districts to enable balanced economic development in Madhya Pradesh.

· In Madhya Pradesh, the ADB has supported the road development program since 2002 by upgrading more than 9,000 kilometres of state highways and major district roads.

· The project will convert about 500 km of state highways and major district roads into standard two-lane roads.

· These roads will include climate and disaster-resilient designs, innovative road safety elements, and features that cater to the needs of the elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities.

· ADB will build the capacity of Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation Limited (MPRDC) on climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster resilience, and road safety in road network planning and management.

ADB Grants $98 Million Loan to Horticulture Crop Farmers

· The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $98 million loan to improve horticulture crop farmers’ access to certified disease-free planting materials, which will boost their crops’ yield, quality, and resilience to climate impacts.

· This project supports India’s agricultural transformation.

· ADB’s financing will support the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Program (CPP), which was announced in February 2023 to establish clean plant centers and a certification scheme that will ensure farmers can purchase disease-free planting materials from private nurseries.

· The project will establish at least 6 clean plant centers dedicated to maintaining disease-free foundation materials.

· These centers will feature laboratories equipped with cutting-edge diagnostic testing methods and will be staffed with experts who are trained in clean plant operating procedures and diagnostic testing protocols.

· The project will also develop regulatory frameworks for the CPP, in partnership with private nurseries and researchers.

· It will roll out a clean plant certification scheme, accrediting private nurseries, and testing and certifying their planting materials.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Time’s ‘Person of the Year’

· Taylor Swift the pop superstar was named Time magazine’s 2023 “Person of the Year,” beating out Barbie and King Charles III.

· Time announced that Swift was selected because she found a way to give people around the world hope in some seriously dark times.

· Taylor Swift was named TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year—making her the first woman to appear twice on a Person of the Year cover since the franchise began in 1927.

· Swift was also named Person of the Year in 2017, when she was recognized as one of the Silence Breakers who inspired women to speak out about sexual misconduct.

· She’s the first person to be selected because of her achievement in the arts, and is only the fourth individual selection who was born in the last 50 years.

· Sam Altman was named as the CEO of the Year 2023.

· Alex Newell was named BREAKTHROUGH of the Year 2023.

‘Global Anti-Corruption Champion’ By US

· Nikhil Dey was honored with the 'International Anti-Corruption Champion' award by the United States of America in the first week of December 2023.

· The United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has acknowledged Nikhil Dey's work against social movements and corruption in government welfare schemes in India.

· Nikhil Dey  is an RTI activist from Rajasthan.

· Nikhil Dey is the co-founder of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan in India.

· Nikhil works for Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Right to Information and Employment Campaign and National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI).

Most Popular Global Leaders

· Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again topped the list of the world's most popular leaders.

· PM Modi is named the most liked leader globally with a 76% approval rating in a survey conducted by the US firm 'Morning Consult.

· The data collected by this research firm is based on a survey of a total of 22 global leaders.

· PM Modi has consistently been on top in this survey, his approval rating has mostly remained above 70.

· This survey was conducted after the conclusion of the G-20 Summit (New Delhi), in which PM Modi got the highest rating.

· ‘Morning Consult’ is an American consultancy firm.

· It surveys thousands of people around the world every day, combining that specialised, forward-looking survey data with analytical applications to provide a distinct, competitive advantage to users.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Immunologicals Launches Measles and Rubella Vaccine

· The measles and rubella vaccine "Mabella" was launched by Vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals (IIL) for children.

· The vaccine, Mabella, was developed through an exclusive partnership with the Polyvac Institute of Vietnam.

· Mabella was launched as part of the 25th celebrations of the IIL division Human Biologicals Institute (HBI) in Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Tamil Nadu (TN).

· The vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective through extensive human clinical trials.

· It will address the urgent need to control the deadly measles and rubella that kill nearly a million children globally.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Anti Corruption Day

· International Anti Corruption Day 2023 is observed every year on 09 December.

· As an annual celebration, the day serves as a platform to raise awareness, promote transparency and encourage action against corruption.

· The theme of IACD 2023 is “UNCAC at 20: Uniting the World Against Corruption”.

· The theme celebrates the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

· It also underlines the importance of global cooperation in combating corruption.

· . It started on 31 October 2003, when the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) was adopted.

· The United Nations passed the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

· It was a treaty signed by the member states of the United Nations, who came together to fight against corruption and enforce law and order.