Daily Current Affairs 11 to 17 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

Daily Current Affairs 11 to 17 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

Paes and Amritraj became First Asian Men in International Tennis Hall of Fame 

• Vijay Amritraj and Leander Paes, became the First Asian Men Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
• This Milestone Achievement marks India as the 28^th Nation to be Recognized in International Tennis Hall of Fame.
• Leander Paes, boasting an impressive tally of 18 Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles, secures his well-deserved place in the Player category.
• Vijay Amritraj is honoured in the Contributor category, subject to evaluation every two years.
• Vijay Amritraj, a highly successful broadcaster and promoter has effectively utilized his platform to popularize tennis in India and throughout Asia.

Indira Gandhi Peace Prize Award 2023

• Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development 2023 has been jointly awarded to the distinguished classical pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim and the Palestinian peace activist Ali Abu Awwad.
• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development is a distinguished award given every year to individuals or organisations that have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of international peace, disarmament, and development.
• This award is named in honour of the late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, the award was instituted in 1986 by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.

Cyclone Jasper Hits Australia

• Tropical Cyclone Jasper hit northeast Australia.
• This is the first tropical cyclone to hit Australia in the current season.
• Emerging from a low-pressure region in the South Pacific Ocean, Jasper initially advanced in a southwest direction within Fiji’s jurisdiction.
• Despite a gradual formation, the system intensified, leading the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) to designate it as a Category 1 tropical cyclone according to the Australian scale.

Mohammed Shami Nominated for Arjuna Award

• Mohammed Shami has received a nomination for the prestigious Arjuna Award.
• He gave an outstanding performance in the World Cup, where he broke several records.
• Arjuna Award is India’s second-highest sports honour.

Satwiksairaj-Chirag for KhelRatna

• SatwiksairajRankireddy and ChiragShetty, the leading men’s doubles duo in India, have been put forward for the Major Dhyan Chand KhelRatna award.
• They won the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games.
• They were the first Indian doubles team to attain the top position in the BWF rankings.
• At present they hold the second position in the rankings.

Ban Ki-Moon Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at The Power of One Award 2023

• Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon received the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Power of One Award 2023 ceremony in the United States.
• The Power of One Award 2023 ceremony in the United States, hosted by the Diwali Foundation USA.
• These awards recognize individuals for their selfless contributions to building a peaceful and secure world.

India Joins UN’s ‘Race to Resilience’ at COP28

• During COP28 event in Dubai, India has officially joined the United Nations ‘Race to Resilience.’
• Race to Resilience’ is a global platform to bring together non-state actors, investors, businesses, cities, regions, and civil society to increase the resilience of the most vulnerable to the climate crisis by 2030.
• It aims at promoting the concept of climate resilience in cities.
• The Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) will take the lead in implementing and driving this initiative across India.
• The Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is located at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

International Day of Neutrality 2023

• The International Day of Neutrality is observed annually on December 12.
• The day promotes awareness about the significance of neutrality in intergovernmental relations, fostering global peace and security.
• Acknowledged by the United Nations, this day emphasizes the need for countries to adopt a neutral position in international affairs, ensuring impartiality and contributing to worldwide stability.

KabirBedi has been Awarded the “Order of Merit of the Italian Republic”

• In a private ceremony held in Mumbai, KabirBedi received the “Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” (MeritodellaRepubblicaItaliana), the highest civilian honour bestowed by Italy.
• This prestigious award, the most esteemed Italian accolade, acknowledges his unwavering affinity and fervent commitment to Italy.

• The “Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” serves as a recognition of Italy’s gratitude for individuals who have made exceptional contributions to society, exemplifying the nation’s principles of merit and excellence.

Hindi Writer PushpaBharati to Receive 33^rd VyasSamman

• The 33^rd VyasSamman will be awarded to the distinguished Hindi writer PushpaBharati for her 2016 memoir titled “Yaadein, YaadeinaurYaadein.”
• The award was instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991.

• It is presented to an exceptional work of Hindi literature created by an Indian citizen and published within the preceding 10 years.

‘NAMO Drone Didi’ Scheme

• Prime Minister NarendraModi’s program, ‘NAMO Drone Didi,’ seeks to empower 15,000 women Self Help Groups (SHGs) by offering drones for agricultural activities.

• This initiative utilizes technology to elevate rural women, placing them at the forefront of the agricultural revolution.

Military Exercise VINBAX-23

• On December 11, the Indian and Vietnamese Armies commenced an 11-day military exercise in Vietnam titled “VINBAX-23.”

• This joint effort underscores the strengthening strategic partnership between the two nations and is a joint response to shared concerns regarding China’s assertive activities in the South China Sea.

First Tribal Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh

• Vishnu DeoSai, who started his political career as a member of the village panchayat.
• He is appointed as the new chief minister of Chhattisgarh.
• He will be the first tribal to head the state.

• He belongs to the Kanwar tribe, from the Kansabel area in Bagiya village.

International Mountain Day 2023

• Every year, December 11, is observed as International Mountain Day.
• Mountains are essential for human lives and livelihoods, providing resources such as freshwater, energy, and food.
• This day is officially designated by the United Nations.

• The theme for International Mountain Day 2023 is “Restoring Mountain Ecosystems.”

First Woman Officer to Deployed to Siachen Glacier

• Captain Fatima Wasim of the Siachen Warriors becomes the first medical officer to be deployed to an operational post on the Siachen Glacier.

• After completing rigorous training at Siachen Battle School, she was appointed to a position at an altitude of 15,200 feet.

INS Sumedha Enters Port Lamu, Kenya

• The Indian Naval Ship Sumedha reached Port Lamu, Kenya, on 9th December, 2023.
• This visit represents the inaugural port call by an Indian Naval Ship at the newly established port in Kenya.
• INS Sumedha is the third of indigenously developed Saryu-class of Indian Navy.
• Indian Naval ships are regularly deployed overseas as part of Indian Navy’s mission of building ‘bridges of friendship’ and strengthening international cooperation with friendly countries.

• The visit is in consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) and seeks to further Indo-African ties.

Capital: Nairobi

Currency: Kenyan Shilling

Official languages: Swahili, English

President: William Ruto

World Human Rights Day 2023

• The world human right day is observed on 10^th December every year.
• Human Rights Day 2023 marks the 75^th anniversary of a monumental global commitment, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). 
• UDHR is adopted by United Nations General Assembly in 1948.

• The theme for Human Rights Day 2023 is “Freedom, Equality, and Justice for All.”

SC Upholds Article 370 Abrogation

• A constitutional bench comprising five judgesconducted hearings to determine the validity of the Union government’s August 2019 decision to revoke Article 370 and partition Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.

• The Supreme Court concluded that the President has the authority to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, thereby eliminating the semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir.

International Anti-Corruption Day 2023

• International Anti-Corruption Day is globally observed on December 9.
• The purpose of this day is to highlight the detrimental effects of corruption on society and promote collaborative initiatives to address this widespread issue.

• The theme for 2023 is UNCAC at 20: Uniting the World Against Corruption.

Indian Oil and EKI Energy Sign MoU to Promote ‘Surya Nutan’

• Indian Oil Corporation and EKI Energy Services had signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) up to promote “Surya Nutan”.
• Surya Nutan, is an inventive indoor solar cooking system created by Indian Oil Corporation.
• This partnership aims to utilize carbon finance and other sustainable methods to boost the production, distribution, and adoption of this environmentally friendly cooking solution.

India’s First Bullet Train Station

• Union Railway Minister AshwiniVaishnaw posted a video of India’s first bullet train railway station located at the Sabarmati, multimodal transport hub in Ahmedabad.
• These visuals show a glimpse of the modern-day architecture clubbed with cultural heritage.
• The first bullet train station is equipped with state-of-the-art features designed to serve passengers with a comfortable travel experience.

IBM Launches First-Ever 1,000-Qubit Chip

• IBM has recently achieved in its quantum computing endeavours with the launch of Condor.
• Condor is a quantum processor featuring an impressive 1,121 qubits.
• This represents a progression in IBM’s quantum roadmap, presenting a quantum machine surpassing the 1,000-qubit threshold for the first time.
• The company is redirecting its emphasis from sheer qubit quantity to giving priority to enhancing error resistance in its quantum machines.

Gujarat’s ‘Garba’ Dance Makes to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List

• The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, has officially announced that the Garba dance has been granted official recognition by UNESCO.
• It has earned a prestigious place on the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”
• The addition of Garba dance to UNESCO’s list occurred during the 18^th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
• This recognition was conferred under the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
• The Garba dance, deeply ingrained in the cultural tapestry of Gujarat, has long served as a symbol of devotion to the Goddess Mother, particularly during the auspicious Navratri festival.

Daily Current Affairs 3 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)Daily Current Affairs 3 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)Daily Current Affairs 3 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)Daily Current Affairs 3 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)Daily Current Affairs 3 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)Daily Current Affairs 3 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)Daily Current Affairs 3 December 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)