NATIONAL:
1. Smart India Hackathon 2023
Why in news - PM Narendra Modi addresses the participants of Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon 2023.
Key Points -
• Smart India Hackathon is a nationwide initiative to provide students with a platform to solve some of the pressing problems we face in our daily lives, and thus inculcate a culture of product innovation and a mindset of problem-solving.
• Srinidhi Institute of Science and Technology (SNIST) will be the nodal centre in Telangana for the Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon 2023 (Software Edition) being organised by the Ministry of Education.
• This year, the Grand Finale of the Smart India Hackathon is being held from the 19th to the 23rd of this month.
• This year, more than 50 thousand ideas were received from 44 thousand teams, which is almost a sevenfold increase compared to the first edition of the Smart India Hackathon.
2. Telecommunications Bill, 2023
Why in news - Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced Telecommunications Bill, 2023 in LokSabha.
Key Points -
• The Telecommunications Bill, 2023 was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 18, 2023.
• The Bill seeks to amend and consolidate the law relating to the development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks.
• It repeals the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950. It also amends the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Act, 1997.
• The Bill amends the TRAI Act to also allow individuals with: (i) at least 30 years of professional experience to serve as the chairperson, and (ii) at least 25 years of professional experience to serve as members.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Egypt Election
Why in news - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi wins Egypt’s presidential election with 89.6 percent of the vote, secures third term in office.
Key Points -
• El-Sissi was first elected as president in mid-2014, then re-elected in 2018. A year later, constitutional amendments, passed in a general referendum, added two years to el-Sissi's second term, and allowed him to run for a third, six-year term.
About Egypt:
• Location: Egypt is a transcontinental country situated in northeastern Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in Western Asia (Middle East).
• Capital: Cairo
• Independence: Modern Egypt became independent in 1922.
Boundaries:
• The country borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea to the east.
• It is bordered by Libya in the west, the Palestinian territory (Gaza Strip) and Israel in the northeast and Sudan in the south.
• It shares maritime borders with Cyprus, Turkey and Greece in the Mediterranean Sea, and with Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
SPORTS:
1. Khelo India Games-2024
Why in news - Khelo India Games to be held in Tamil Nadu in January, 2024.
Key Points -
• Khelo India Games will be held in Tamil Nadu in January next year.
• The State Government said that the games will be held in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Trichy from 19th to 31st January, 2024.
• Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), are the annual national level multidisciplinary grassroot games in India held in January or February for two categories, namely under-17 years school students and under-21 college students.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. Camelids
Why in news - The United Nations recently declared 2024 the International Year of Camelids.
About Camelid:
A Camelid refers to any of the even-toed ungulates of the family Camelidae. g. camels, llamas,alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas.
• They are known for their remarkable adaptations to arid and high-altitude environments.
• These ungulates can be classified into two major groups: the Old World and the New World.
• The Old-World Camelids, found in northern Africa and central Asia are the true camels, such as the dromedary camels (one-humped camel) and the Bactrian camels (two-humped camel.
• The South American Camelids (New World Camelids) include the modern llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. GOA Liberation Day (19-December)
Why in news - Goa Liberation Day is celebrated every year on 19 December.
Key Points -
• The day marks the occasion when the Indian Armed Forces liberated Goa from 450 years of Portuguese rule in the year 1961.
• The Portuguese colonized many parts of India in the year 1510, but by the end of the 19th century, Portuguese colonies in India were confined to Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Anjediva Island (Goa).
• On 30 May 1987, this region was divided and Goa was formed and Daman and Diu was made a union territory.
• May 30 is celebrated as the Statehood Day of Goa.
About GOA:
• Location: Goa is located on the south-west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan and is geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats.
• Capital: Panaji
• Official language: Konkani
• Konkani is one of the 22 languages included in the Eighth Schedule.
• It was added to the Eighth Schedule along with Manipuri and Nepali language by the 71st Amendment Act of 1992.
BIHAR:
1. Bhikhari Thakur
Why in news - Folk singer Bhikhari Thakur remembered on his birth anniversary.
About Bhikhari Thakur:
• He was born in a barber family on 18 December 1887 in Kutubpur or Qutubpur diyara village of Chhapra.
• Bhikhari Thakur got immense appreciation for his play who used to reveal the reality of the society. People called him with the titles like Raibahadur and Shakespeare of Bhojpuri.
• Rahul Sankrityayan who gave him the title of Shakespeare.
• He died on 10 July 1971.
Work:
• Bhikharinama is a musical play written on the life of Bhikhari Thakur.
• A 72 minutes long Documentary film on Launda Naach is named after him i.e. "Naach Bhikhari Naach".
• The Hindi novel Sutradhar (The Narrator), written by the author Sanjeev is based on Thakur's life.
• Movie- Bidesiya , Book- Ganga Asnan
POINTERS:
• Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2023 Report released by -Ministry of Commerce & Industry
• Vijay Diwas or Victory Day is commemorated on -December 16
• Recently, which professor awarded Royal Society of Chemistry’s Nyholm prize- Professor Savita Ladage
• Recently, India ranked 7th on the climate change performance index 2023
• Recently, Anand Marriage Act has come into force in Which Indian State /UT’s- Jammu and Kashmir
• Which Country has announced the termination of the hydrographic survey agreement with India – Maldives
• Recently, the which team has won the 'Admiral's Cup' organized by the Indian Navy – Italian
• Minorities Rights Day is observed every year on -18 December
• Which state governments have agreed on Parvati-Kali Sindh river linking project- Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
• Recently the Central Government has declared which Airport as an International Airport- Surat Airport
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