Nepal Becomes First South Asian Country to Officially Register Same-sex Marriage
Five months after the Supreme Court legalised it, Nepal formally registered the first case of same-sex marriage, making it the first South Asian country to do so.
Way back in 2007, Nepal's Supreme Court had allowed same-sex marriage. Even the Constitution of Nepal, adopted in 2015, explicitly states that there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
In June 2023, the Supreme Court issued an interim order to legalise same-sex marriage in Nepal in a writ petition filed by multiple people, including Gurung.
Virgin Atlantic Flies World's 1st 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel Flight from London to US
A Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 787s made the world's first 100 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) flight from London's Heathrow to New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport.
UK's Transport Secretary travelled on the flight alongside Virgin Atlantic's Chief Executive Shai Weiss and Virgin's founder, Sir Richard Branson, making the carrier the first commercial airline to fly across the pond without the use of any fossil-based jet fuel.
According to the UK government, the flight marked a major milestone towards making air travel more environment-friendly as the world moves towards its goal of net zero by 2050.
The historic trip was powered by fuel made from waste fats that cannot enter the food chain. Repurposing waste products into jet fuel to cut emissions provides the most immediate solution to help decarbonise skies.
Odisha CM Launches 'AMA Bank' for Gram Panchayat Banking
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the 'AMA Bank' scheme, a historic initiative aimed at providing banking services through CSP Plus banking outlets in all unbanked Gram Panchayats (GPs) of Odisha. This visionary project, unveiled in the first phase, marks Odisha as the pioneer state in India to conceptualise and implement such a comprehensive scheme for financial inclusion.
In the first phase, 750 CSP Plus outlets, strategically spread across all 30 districts, were dedicated to the people of Odisha.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed confidence that the innovative CSP Plus model would serve as a blueprint for the entire nation.
This model aims to bridge the gap in financial services accessibility, particularly in rural areas where the geographical penetration of traditional banks has been a longstanding challenge.
Competition Commission Names Sanjay Pandey as Interim Investigations Head
India's antitrust body appointed Sanjay Kumar Pandey as interim head of its investigations unit at a time when the watchdog is probing big foreign companies.
Pandey has worked at the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for almost 14 years and is also an adviser in its advocacy and international cooperation division.
He now took on additional responsibilities as the Director General of the investigations unit.
The CCI is currently (as in 2023) investigating several high-profile global companies for alleged antitrust violations, including Amazon, Walmart's Flipkart, Google and liquor giant Pernod Ricard.
Pandey took over from Atul Verma, whose tenure ended in November.
The 4th edition of the annual ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation Forum (AIGIF) took place in Langkawi, Malaysia, showcasing the collaborative efforts of India and the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) in the fields of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). With the participation of 200 representatives, this year's (2023) AIGIF aimed to strengthen the relationship between the nations and promote social innovations at the grassroots level.
The AIGIF is an annual program designed to foster cooperation in STI between India and AMS. It not only provides a platform for showcasing social innovations but also contributes to strengthening governance in grassroots innovation ecosystems.
Y. B. Chang Lih Kang, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Government of Malaysia, inaugurated the AIGIF 2023.
Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK) is all set to enthral audiences with its grand second edition, scheduled to commence on December 24, 2023 and conclude on January 13, 2024. The Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha, will play host to this high-octane sporting event.
Inspired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's vision of 'sports for youth, youth for the future,' the Odisha government has emerged as a hub for major global sports events.
The upcoming season will feature India's top 145 players, showcasing the best talent in the country. Notably, 33 young talents aged between 16 to 18 will add a youthful vigour to the competition. Six franchises, including defending champions Odisha Juggernauts, Chennai Quick Guns, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Khiladis, Rajasthan Warriors and Telugu Yoddhas, will compete for the coveted crown.
Cabinet Approves 'Terms of Reference' for 16th Finance Commission
The government approved the 'Terms of Reference' for the 16 Finance Commission, which makes recommendations on sharing of tax revenues between the Centre and states.
The recommendations would cover a five-year period commencing April 1, 2026, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said.
The commission would submit its report by October 31, 2025, Thakur said.
The 15th Finance Commission was constituted on November 27, 2017. It made recommendations covering a six-year period commencing April 1, 2020 through its interim and final reports.
The recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission are valid up to financial year 2025-26.
Centre and Manipur Sign Peace Agreement with UNLF
The Union and Manipur Governments signed a peace agreement with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), a banned Meitei extremist organisation which is also the oldest armed group based in the Manipur valley.
The UNLF was formed in 1964 and has been operating both within and outside Indian territory.
It is one of the eight Meitei extremist organisations that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had declared to be unlawful associations under the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The peace agreement signed with the UNLF by the Government of India and the Government of Manipur marked the end of a six-decade-long armed movement.
Senior IAS officer Atal Dulloo is New Chief Secretary of J-K
Senior IAS officer Atal Dulloo was appointed as Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, replacing Arun Kumar Mehta who superannuated.
Dulloo is a 1988-batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre IAS officer.
Dulloo has served in various capacities in Jammu and Kashmir, including additional chief secretary and financial commissioner, before he was shifted out from the erstwhile state.
Defence Ministry Inks Contract with BHEL to Procure 16 Super Rapid Gun Mount for Navy
The defence ministry sealed a Rs. 2,956 crore deal with state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd to procure 16 upgraded super rapid gun mount (SRGM) and accessories for Indian Navy. The SRGM is a medium caliber anti-missile and anti-aircraft defence weapon system that provides a sustained rate of fire and high accuracy.
The upgraded SRGMs will be installed onboard Indian Navy's in-service and newly built ships.
The weapon system is capable of multiple engagements in multi-threat scenarios and has a proven record of very good performance against missiles and highly maneuverable fast attack crafts.
Henry Kissinger, US Diplomat Who Shaped Cold War Diplomacy, Dies
Henry Kissinger, a controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner and diplomatic powerhouse whose service under two Presidents left an indelible mark on U.S. foreign policy, died.
Kissinger had been active past his centenary, attending meetings in the White House, publishing a book on leadership styles, and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. In July 2023 he made a surprise visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
His 1973 Peace Prize - awarded jointly to North Vietnam's Le Duc Tho, who would decline it - was one of the most controversial ever. Two members of the Nobel committee resigned over the selection and questions arose about the U.S. secret bombing of Cambodia.
Saint Andrew's Day, alternatively referred to as the Feast of Saint Andrew or Andermas, is observed on November 30 in accordance with the Gregorian calendar and on December 13 as per the Julian calendar. This day commemorates the feast day of the Apostle Andrew. It honours the Christian disciple of the New Testament and is Scotland's official national holiday.
St. Andrew's Day has been celebrated in Scotland for centuries and is deeply rooted in the country's history and traditions. Saint Andrew is believed to have been an early Christian disciple and martyr, and his connection to Scotland dates back to the 9th century. Over time, he became the patron saint of the nation.
ISRO Scientist V. R. Lalithambika Awarded France's Highest Civilian Award
V. R. Lalithambika, former Director, Directorate of the Human Spaceflight Programme, ISRO, was conferred the top French civilian honour of Légion d'Honneur for her engagement in space cooperation between France and India.
The award was given to her by Ambassador of France to India, Thierry Mathou, on behalf of the French government.
Created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Légion d'Honneur (the Legion of Honour) is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients.
A specialist in advanced launch vehicle technology, Lalithambika, a distinguished scientist of ISRO, has worked extensively on various ISRO rockets, particularly the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
In 2018, while serving as the Director of the Human Spaceflight Programme, she collaborated closely with the French National Space Agency (Centre national d'études spatiales - CNES) for India's Gaganyaan project.
'Drift' By Anthony Chen Bags Prestigious ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at IFFI 54
The collaborative effort of French, British and Greek filmmakers, 'Drift', directed by Anthony Chen, was honoured with the esteemed ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). This emotionally charged film delves into the life of an immigrant woman, Jacqueline, brilliantly portrayed by Cynthia Erivo, as she navigates the harsh realities of human madness. The award was announced during the grand closing ceremony of the festival held in Goa.
Cabinet Extends Free Food Grain Scheme for Five Years
Amid polls in five states and with general elections just around the corner, the Union Cabinet cleared the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which aims to provide free food grains to 81.35 crore people under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), for five years beginning January 2024.
The scheme is estimated to cost the government Rs. 11.80 lakh in subsidies in five years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the extension of the scheme, which was to end this December 2023, during election rallies in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in November.
The Union government had launched the PMGKAY in April 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. Under the PMGKAY, an additional quantity of 5 kg of free food grains was provided to every person on top of their NFSA entitlement of subsidised food grains.
Union Cabinet Approves Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan
The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) to focus on 11 critical interventions through various ministries.
The scheme, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a total outlay of Rs. 24,104 crore. The Central share will be Rs. 15,336 crore and states will contribute Rs. 8,768 crore.
Seventy-five communities located in 18 states and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands were categorised as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
IGNOU Launches Channel-based Counselling in Manipuri Language
IGNOU launched a channel-based counselling initiative titled 'Swayam Prabha' in the Manipuri language. The program, organised by IGNOU in Imphal, was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh who was the chief guest.
The event was attended by more than 700 students, educationists, media persons, and the general public.
As per reports, the newly developed studios of IGNOU in Regional Centre Imphal for live transmission of Swayam Prabha transmission were also inaugurated.
The initiative is aimed at opening up doors of education for aspirants living in far-flung areas where conventional educational facilities are limited and people prefer to be taught in their own mother tongue.
Odisha Government Signs MoU for Establishment of NMIMS University
The Odisha government and SVKM trust signed a Rs. 300 crore MoU to establish NMIMS University in Bhubaneswar with an aim to enhance higher education, signalling a significant stride towards educational development in the state.
The formalisation of the MoU took place in a ceremony held at the Lok Seva Bhawan. It was attended by Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, the Minister of Higher Education, along with other guests.
Supreme Court Quashes Re-appointment of Gopinath Raveendran as Vice Chancellor of Kannur University
Supreme Court quashed re-appointment of Gopinath Raveendran as Vice Chancellor of Kannur University
The Supreme Court quashed the re-appointment of Dr. Gopinath Raveendran as the Vice Chancellor of Kannur University on the grounds that the appointment was vitiated by undue interference from the Government of Kerala.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud, Justice J. B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra observed that though the notification of appointment was issued by the Chancellor in November 2021, the same was vitiated by 'unwarranted interference' by the state government.
India paid tribute to the hundreds of US servicemen killed during World War II with the opening of a museum near its strategic border with China honouring the dramatic Himalayan airlift dubbed 'The Hump'.
Telling the story of how Allied pilots flew the perilous route to supply Chinese forces, it includes 80-year-old rusting wreckage and machine guns of some of the 590 planes that crashed into the jungle hills and jagged mountains of Arunachal Pradesh.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that it showcased the remnants of aircraft that went missing, as he inaugurated 'The Hump WWII Museum' alongside the US ambassador, Eric Garcetti in the town of Pasighat.
Book 'India's Moment: Changing Power Equations Around the World' Launched in London
The High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, Vikram K. Doraiswami launched the book titled 'India's Moment: Changing Power Equations around the World', by Professor (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, Dean, Strategic & International Initiatives, O.P. Jindal Global University. This book dwells on some of those fundamental factors and traces how India's positions in international negotiations have evolved over time.
Ministry of Tourism Organises Prequel Event of Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in association with Ministry of Culture, Sangeet Natak Academy and State Government of Andhra Pradesh successfully organised the prequel event of Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam, a first of its kind festival to celebrate the rich heritage of classical music and promote lesser-known tourist attractions.
The prequel events organised at six locations on November 27, 2023 across the state were a resounding success and offered a glimpse of the main event to be organised in December 2023.
The Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam will be organised from December 10 to 12, 2023 in Vijayawada.
The event will also feature spectacular display and sale of regional cuisine, local handicrafts and handlooms. The festival also aims to promote the hidden gems of the region including spiritual, heritage and eco destinations.
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