National News

India Maritime Heritage Conclave 2024 Concludes in New Delhi.

• The India Maritime Heritage Conclave 2024 concluded successfully in New Delhi.
• The two-day event highlighted India's rich maritime heritage, tracing its history back to the Harappan period.
• The Conclave also focused on strategies to develop the maritime sector in India, with an emphasis on creating employment opportunities and positioning India as a global maritime hub. Four state governments – Gujarat, Goa, Bihar, and Arunachal Pradesh – participated in the event.
• The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways organized the Conclave, with collaboration from various other ministries, including Labour, Youth Affairs, Education, Tourism, and Culture.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Inaugurates 10th World Ayurveda Congress 2024.

• The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, inaugurated the 10th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2024 in Dehradun.
• The event, held from December 12 to 15, 2024, focused on the theme “Digital Health – An Ayurveda Perspective.”
• This biennial congress, first organized in 2002, aims to promote Ayurveda as a global healthcare system.
• The Union Ministry of Ayush and the World Ayurveda Foundation are the key organizers of the event, which brings together professionals from around the world to showcase research and advancements in Ayurveda and allied sciences.

Himachal Pradesh Government Launches Welfare Schemes and ‘Him Bhog Atta’.

• The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, launched six new welfare schemes to mark the completion of two years of his government.
• One of the key initiatives is ‘Him Bhog Atta’, a special atta (flour) made from maize grown by Uttarakhand farmers using natural farming methods.
• This initiative aims to promote sustainable farming practices.

 Additionally, the government introduced several welfare schemes, including:

• Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojna: This scheme provides financial assistance of Rs 1000 per month to vulnerable children, especially those from widows, destitute women, and disabled parents, benefiting over 23,000 children.
• HP Shiva Project: The Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project will cover 6,000 hectares, focusing on the cultivation of fruits like oranges, guavas, litchis, and plums in nine districts, benefiting 15,000 farming families.
• Electric Taxi Scheme: Under the Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Start-up Scheme, 16 electric taxis were handed over to owners, with a 50% subsidy on vehicle purchases.
• Cow Dung Purchase Scheme: The government will directly buy organic and vermicompost from farmers at Rs 300 per quintal, transferring the payment directly to their accounts.
• Mobile Ayush Healthcare Units: Five mobile units were launched to provide Ayurvedic, Unani, and Homeopathy treatments to remote tribal areas of the state.

Uber Launches Women-Only Bike Taxi Service ‘Moto Women’ in Bengaluru.

• Uber India has launched ‘Uber Moto Women’, its first-ever women-only bike taxi service globally, in Bengaluru.
• This new service connects female riders with female drivers, providing a safer and more comfortable transportation option for women.
• The service is expected to expand to other major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
• To enhance safety, Uber has introduced several features such as real-time trip sharing with up to five trusted contacts, phone number anonymisation, and RideCheck, a system that monitors route deviations and unexpected stops. Additionally, a dedicated 24/7 safety helpline offers priority support for women users.
• Uber Moto Women drivers have the option to accept only female passengers or all riders, ensuring flexibility and choice.

Prasar Bharati Signs MoU with Hockey India for Live Broadcast of Hockey India League.

• Prasar Bharati has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hockey India to provide live broadcast coverage of the upcoming Hockey India League 2024-25.
• As part of this agreement, Doordarshan will be the official broadcast partner for the event, ensuring wide reach across the country.
• The MoU was signed by members of the Hockey India League (HIL) governing committee and Prasar Bharati Chairman Navneet Sehgal.
• This collaboration aims to promote the sport of hockey in India and increase its visibility, bringing live coverage of the exciting league to a national audience.
• Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO of Prasar Bharati, also expressed support for the partnership, which is expected to boost the popularity of hockey in India.

                      Banking & Financial

Asian Development Bank Approves $788 Million Loan for Amaravati Development.

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $788 million loan for the development of Amaravati, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh.
• The loan, totaling approximately Rs 6,600 crore, is aimed at transforming Amaravati into a green and smart capital with world-class infrastructure.
• The Amaravati Inclusive and Sustainable Capital City Development Programme will focus on enhancing economic opportunities, improving living conditions for residents, and fostering job creation in the region.
• The loan will help in building a sustainable and vibrant capital city, supported by global expertise and technical assistance from ADB and other multilateral development banks.
• The development is expected to strengthen Amaravati as a growth hub for the state and enhance its regional importance.

HSBC and IFC Launch $1 Billion Trade Finance Program for Emerging Markets.

• HSBC and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have jointly launched a $1 billion trade finance program aimed at supporting trade transactions in emerging markets.
• The initiative seeks to address the financing gap in cross-border trade and provide essential funding for transactions across 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
• This program will help boost exports in critical industries by enabling emerging-market banks to access funding for trade-related assets.
• By sharing the risks equally, HSBC and IFC aim to support global supply chains and facilitate economic growth in regions facing geopolitical tensions and trade barriers.

                           Appointments

Bhavesh Jain Appointed MD & CEO of TransUnion CIBIL.

• Bhavesh Jain has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TransUnion CIBIL, replacing Rajesh Kumar, who stepped down after a distinguished tenure of five years.
• Jain, who previously served as the Chief Revenue Officer at TransUnion CIBIL for five years, will now lead the company in its next phase of growth.
• With a career spanning over three decades in the financial services sector, Jain brings extensive experience to the role, furthering TransUnion CIBIL's commitment to credit information and risk management solutions.

                                Awards

2024 Nobel Prize Winners Honored in Stockholm and Oslo.

• The 2024 Nobel Prize winners were celebrated in ceremonies held in Stockholm and Oslo on December 10, 2024, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death.
• The prestigious prizes were awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economics.
• The laureates received their awards for groundbreaking achievements in science, literature, peace, and economics.
• Physiology or Medicine: Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun (USA) for the discovery of microRNA and its role in gene regulation.
• Physics: John J. Hopfield (USA) and Geoffrey E. Hinton (British-Canadian) for their foundational contributions to machine learning with artificial neural networks.
• Chemistry: David Baker (USA), Demis Hassabis (British), and John M. Jumper (USA) for advances in computational protein design and protein structure prediction.
• Literature: Han Kang (South Korea) for her intense poetic prose addressing historical traumas and the fragility of human life.
• Peace: Nihon Hidankyo (Hibakusha, Japan) for their efforts towards achieving a world free of nuclear weapons and their testimony on the devastating impact of nuclear weapons.
• Economics: Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson (USA) for their studies on the formation of institutions and their impact on prosperity.

                            Sports News

D. Gukesh Becomes Youngest World Chess Champion.

• Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh has made history by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion.
• At just 18 years old, Gukesh clinched the title by defeating Ding Liren of China in the 14th and final match of the FIDE World Chess Championship held in Singapore.
• The intense match saw Gukesh triumph with 7.5 points, while Ding secured 6.5 points. Gukesh won three matches, Ding won two, and the remaining nine were drawn.
• The final match was a tense battle that lasted over five hours, with Ding making a critical blunder on the 55th move, which cost him the title.
• With this victory, Gukesh surpassed the previous record held by Garry Kasparov, who won the title at the age of 22.
• Gukesh is now only the second World Chess Champion from India, after Viswanathan Anand, who won the title four times.

Mumbai Indians Appoint Carl Hopkinson as Fielding Coach.

• Mumbai Indians have appointed Carl Hopkinson as their new fielding coach ahead of the IPL 2025 season.
• Hopkinson replaces James Pamment, who served as the team's fielding coach for seven years.
• Hopkinson, who recently concluded his tenure as England's fielding coach, has a wealth of experience, having been part of England's victorious 2019 ODI World Cup and their 2022 T20 World Cup triumph.
• He also coached the England U19 team during the 2022 ICC U19 World Cup.
• His expertise and leadership in the fielding department are expected to strengthen Mumbai Indians' preparations for the upcoming IPL season.