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Daily G.K. - Top Stories

19 Dec 2024

DAILY G.K. TEST

Start Test

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Independent TD Verona Murphy is Ireland's First Female Speaker

  • Verona Murphy became the first female speaker of the Irish parliament as part of attempts to form a coalition government.
  • Murphy, an independent TD for Wexford, defeated two Fianna Fáil candidates and one from Sinn Féin.
  • Her election was the first action taken by the new Dáil, which met for the first time.

Shankar Sharma Reappointed as Nepal's Ambassador to India

  • Nepal's President, Ramchandra Paudel, reappointed Shankar Prasad Sharma as the Resident Ambassador of Nepal to India. Alongside this, Netra Prasad Timsina was named as the Resident Ambassador of Nepal to Malaysia. These appointments were made under Article 282 (1) of Nepal's Constitution, following recommendations from the Council of Ministers.
  • Sharma, a distinguished economist and diplomat, previously served as Nepal's Ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2014 and as Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission between 2002 and 2006.
  • His earlier tenure as Ambassador to India lasted from March 2022 to July 2024, marking his return to a pivotal diplomatic role.
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ENVIRONMENT

India Conducts First-ever Ganges River Dolphin Tagging in Assam

  • India marked a historic achievement in wildlife conservation as the first-ever Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) was tagged in Assam. This initiative, conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), was implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, with funding from the National CAMPA Authority.
  • This is the first tagging, not only in India, but also for the species, and this milestone is a significant advancement of Project Dolphin, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
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BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

RBI Lifts Restrictions on Edelweiss Group's ECL Finance and ARC

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lifted the supervisory restrictions on two entities of the Edelweiss Group—ECL Finance Ltd. and Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. (Edelweiss ARC). These restrictions were imposed in May 2024 due to concerns over regulatory compliance. After significant engagement and corrective actions by the companies, the RBI is satisfied with their adherence to regulatory norms and has allowed their normal operations to resume.
  • ECL Finance Ltd: In May 2024, ECL Finance was prohibited from conducting structured transactions involving wholesale exposures, except for closures or repayments.
  • Edelweiss ARC: Edelweiss ARC faced a halt in acquiring financial assets and reorganising security receipts under the SARFAESI Act.

The 22nd Edition of CII Connect 2024

  • Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Tamil Nadu hosted the 22nd edition of CII Connect in Chennai. Based on the theme 'Artificial Intelligence in Action: Real-World Applications in Business,' the summit focused on the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in revolutionising operations, enhancing efficiencies and driving innovation across industries. 
  • The event was chaired by Srivats Ram, Chairman, CII Tamil Nadu State Council & Managing Director Wheels India Ltd. and co-chaired by Rajesh Varrier, EVP, Global Head of Operations and Chairman & Managing Director, Cognizant India.
  • It was inaugurated by IT Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China Breaks US Space Record with 9-Hour Long Spacewalk

  • China broke the US-held record for the world's longest spacewalk after two of its astronauts completed a nine-hour spacewalk. Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, aboard the Tiangong space station, wrapped the nine-hour extravehicular activity (EVA), also known as a spacewalk, at 9.57 pm.
  • The earlier record was held by US astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms, who spent eight hours and 56 minutes outside the space shuttle Discovery during a mission to the International Space Station on March 12, 2001.
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SPORTS

Nat Sciver-Brunt Sets Record for Fastest Test Century

  • England made history at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, South Africa, with Nat Sciver-Brunt and Maia Bouchier setting remarkable records in women's cricket. Sciver-Brunt smashed the fastest Test century by a woman, while Bouchier marked her Test debut with a century.
  • Sciver-Brunt became the first and only woman cricketer to score a Test century in less than 100 balls, reaching her hundred off just 96 balls.
  • This feat broke the previous record held by Sri Lanka's Chamani Seneviratna, who had scored a century off 106 balls in 1998.
  • Sciver-Brunt's record-setting knock ended at 128 runs.

Ravichandran Ashwin Retires from International Cricket

  • India's key spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced retirement from international cricket at the end of the third Test match Border-Gavaskar series against Australia in Brisbane.
  • With 765 wickets in his credit, Ashwin is the second-highest wicket-taker from India after Anil Kumble. Ashwin has taken 537 wickets at an average of 24 in 106 Test matches. He is also 7th on the overall list of wicket-takers.
  • He is the second fastest to take 500 Test wickets, reaching it in 98 matches.
  • Ashwin also has 37 5-wicket-hauls in an innings, the second most behind Sri Lanka's legendary Muttiah Muralitharan.
  • Over 16 IPL seasons, Ashwin has donned the colours of multiple franchises, including CSK, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPSG), Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals. With 180 wickets in 212 matches at a remarkable economy rate of 7.12, he has been one of the most consistent bowlers in IPL history.
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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

India's First Indigenous Anti-Pesticide Bodysuit

  • Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, launched Kisan Kavach, India's first indigenous anti-pesticide bodysuit. Developed by BRIC-inStem, Bangalore, in collaboration with Sepio Health Pvt. Ltd, the suit aims to safeguard farmers from pesticide-induced health risks.
  • The launch aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of leveraging science and technology to empower India's agricultural community.

85th Meeting of Network Planning Group

  • The 85th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) evaluated five projects (2 railways and 3 projects of highway development) for their conformity to principles of PM GatiShakti NMP: integrated development of multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity to economic and social nodes, intermodal connectivity, and synchronised project implementation. These projects are anticipated to play pivotal roles in national development by boosting logistical efficiency, reducing travel times, and delivering substantial socio-economic benefits to the regions they serve.
  • The meeting was chaired by Joint Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Surendra Ahirwar.
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DEFENCE

INS Nirdeshak: Indian Navy's New Survey Ship Commissioned

  • INS Nirdeshak, the second ship of the Survey Vessel (large) project was commissioned into the Indian Navy, in a ceremony presided over by Sanjay Seth, Union Minister of State for Defence, at Naval Dockyard in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam.
  • Built with over 80 per cent indigenous content, the ship is embedded with advanced hydrographic systems such as Multi Beam Echo Sounders, Side Scan Sonars, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) etc. These enable precise mapping for safe navigation and planning in deep-sea operations, expand survey capabilities in hazardous and restricted zones and facilitate faster and safer data collection for wreck identifications and environmental studies.
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DAYS AND EVENTS

Goa Liberation Day

  • Goa Liberation Day is celebrated every year on December 19 to mark the freedom of Goa from Portuguese rule in 1961. This ended the struggle of freedom fighters against the 451 years of colonial rule. Goa gained independence on this day and became an integral part of India.

Good Governance Week to Begin on December 19, 2024

  • Good Governance Week 2024 is taking place from December 19 to December 24, 2024. As part of this national initiative, the Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore campaign is being held across more than 700 districts, states, and union territories of India. The campaign focuses on the redressal of public grievances and enhancing service delivery to rural areas. The campaign is a significant element of the Good Governance Week, which highlights the government's commitment to improving governance and reaching out to citizens, especially in rural areas.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the campaign's transformative approach, stating that it is not just a slogan but a grassroots democracy effort aimed at improving governance and ensuring that development reaches rural communities.
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AWARDS AND HONOURS

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Wins Jamsetji Tata Award for Biosciences Leadership

  • Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon Group, was awarded the prestigious Jamsetji Tata Award by the Indian Society for Quality (ISQ) for her exceptional contributions to the biosciences sector in India. The award recognises her role in leading Biocon to a global position while maintaining an unwavering focus on quality. This recognition highlights her pioneering efforts since 1978 in establishing Biocon as a world leader in the biotechnology industry, and her impact on patients worldwide.
  • The Jamsetji Tata Award, instituted by ISQ in 2004, is named after Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group, and celebrates business leaders who have demonstrated exceptional quality, innovation, and commitment to society.
  • The award was presented during the ISQ Annual Conference 2024, held in Bengaluru.
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GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION

In a First, IIT Madras Introduces 'Fine Arts and Culture Excellence' Quota

  • In a historic move, the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Madras launched the Fine Arts and Culture Excellence (FACE) admission scheme for its undergraduate programmes. This initiative aims to recognise and reward students who have achieved excellence in fine arts and cultural activities.
  • Under the FACE scheme, two additional seats per programme will be created across all B.Tech and BS programmes. Of these, one seat will be reserved for female candidates, while the other will be open to all genders.
  • This provision applies to Indian Nationals and OCI/PIO candidates who opted to be treated as Indian nationals during JEE (Advanced) 2025 registration.

IIT Bombay's Techfest 2024 Showcases 'Sustainnovative Sentience' Theme

  • IIT Bombay held the 28th edition of its popular Techfest, one of Asia's largest science and technology festivals. The 2024 event revolved around the theme of 'Sustainnovative Sentience' and featured a mix of events, exhibitions, lectures, and competitions. The festival is organised each year with the motive of inspiring innovation and participation from attendees worldwide.
  • The three-day festival had an exciting line-up. The opening day included a grand inaugural ceremony and a keynote lecture by Jeet Adani, director of Adani Airport Holdings Limited.
  • Other highlights included the international Robowars competition, the Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot Exhibition, the Techfest Gamers League, and vibrant cultural performances.
  • The festival also features hands-on workshops, technical exhibitions, and opportunities for global collaboration, making it a hub for learning and innovation. Techfest 2024 promises to deliver a unique blend of education and entertainment, inspiring students and professionals alike to push the boundaries of science and technology.

National Institute of Siddha Sets Guinness World Record for Mass Varmam Therapy

  • The National Institute of Siddha set a Guinness World Record for providing Varmam therapy to 567 individuals simultaneously.
  • The event was held at the NIS campus in Tambaram, Chennai to highlight the growing recognition of Siddha medicine and its non-invasive, drug-free therapeutic methods, particularly through the practice of Varmam therapy.
  • Varmam therapy, a unique and traditional healing modality within the Siddha system of medicine, has long been revered for its effectiveness in treating various health conditions.
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ART AND CULTURE

PETA Urges Nepal to Stop Animal Slaughter during Gadhimai Festival

  • People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India called on the neighbouring country's Prime Minister, K. P. Sharma Oli, to take decisive action and halt mass slaughter of animals during the Gadhimai Festival held in December 2024.
  • Celebrated every five years, this year's (2024) edition took place at the Gadhimai Temple in Bara District, Nepal. The festival, famous for animal sacrifice, is one of the largest and most controversial slaughter events. It ranks as one of the world's largest animal sacrifice festivals, drawing thousands of devotees from Nepal, India, and beyond.
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LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Gauhati High Court Bans Buffalo and Bulbul Fights in Assam

  • Animal rights organisation PETA welcomed the Gauhati High Court order banning buffalo and bulbul fights in Assam throughout the year. The High Court struck down a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the state government last year (2023) that permitted these activities during the Bhogali Bihu festival in January.
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