National News

India Maritime Heritage Conclave 2024

• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Shri Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled the India Maritime Heritage Conclave at Yashobhoomi Convention Center in New Delhi, to celebrate India’s Maritime Legacy.

16th Annual Convention of CIC

• The 16th Annual Convention of the Central Information Commission (CIC) was inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh.
• The theme of the Convention was “Contribution of RTI in journey towards Viksit Bharat”.

About CIC

MoU between GSI and CNR-IRPI

• The Union Cabinet approved signing of MoU between the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection of the National Research Council (CNR-IRPI), Italy for collaboration in Landslide Forecast and Early Warning.

About GSI

State Special

Mukhyamantri Jan-Kalyan Abhiyan

• In Madhya Pradesh, the Mukhyamantri Jan-Kalyan Abhiyan will be conducted from 11th December till 26th January 2025. During the campaign, the beneficiaries will benefit from the beneficiary-oriented schemes of the Central and State Governments.

About Madhya Pradesh

MoU between Gujarat and Thailand

• An MOU was signed between Gujarat Tourism and Thailand’s Bodh Gaya Vijayalaya-980 Institute to seek Cooperation in the Conservation, Promotion, and Development of Buddhist Tangible and Intangible Heritage in Gujarat.

About Gujarat

4th Edition of the Eaglenest Bird Festival

• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu unveiled the new logo of the 4th Edition of the Eaglenest Bird Festival scheduled to be held from the 17th to 19th January 2025 at Khellong and Thongre village in West Kameng District.

Major Festivals of Arunachal Pradesh

Government Schemes

PM POSHAN

• The Union Education Ministry has enhanced the Material Cost under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) by 13.70%.
• The Central Government will bear the additional cost of over 425 crore rupees in financial year 2024-25 on account of this enhancement.

About PM POSHAN

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin

• The Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) has been extended by five years.
• The government aims to construct an additional two crore houses under the scheme by FY 2028-29, building on the initial target of 2.95 crore houses set for FY 2016-17 to 2023-24.

About PMAY

Science and Tech

AgeXtend

• Researchers at IIIT-Delhi have developed AgeXtend as a tool to efficiently cut down the time taken to identify viable molecules with geroprotectors, or age defying properties, through conventional research.

Well deck trials of the Gaganyaan Missions

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with the Indian Navy successfully carried out the well deck trials of the Gaganyaan missions’ crew module at Eastern Naval Command using a well deck ship off the coast of Visakhapatnam.

About ISRO

AWaDH’s Bluetooth Low Energy Gateway and Node System

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar's iHub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub), under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), with funding of ₹110 Crore has announced the launch of its state-of-the-art AWaDH’s Bluetooth Low Energy Gateway and Node System.

Quantum Computing Chip: Willow

• Google has launched a quantum computing chip called "Willow" that is said to reduce errors exponentially.

About Google

Sports

FIFA World Cup 2034

• Saudi Arabia will become the second nation from the Middle East to host FIFA World Cup 2034, the quadrennial tournament in 2034

Awards and Honours

WTA Player of the Year

• Aryna Sabalenka received the WTA Player of the Year award for the first time after winning two Grand Slam titles and finishing 2024 at No. 1 in the rankings.

Other Winners

Annual Champions of the Earth Award

• The United Nations recognised ecologist Madhav Gadgil with the annual Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour, for his seminal work in the Western Ghats.

Crossword Book Award

• Twinkle Khanna won a Crossword Book Award in the Popular Fiction category for her book “Welcome To Paradise".

Rising Star Women Leaders Of Banking

• Bharati Kolli hailing from Vizianagaram district of Andhra features in the 'Rising Star Women Leaders Of Banking' by Women We Admire for 2024.

Reports and Indexes

India Skills Report 2025

• Kerala ranked 5th as Kerala’s workforce maintains a strong employability rate of 71%, after Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, as indicated by the India Skills Report 2025, published by talent assessment agency Wheebox.

Major Appointments

Mohamed al-Bashir

• In Syria, Mohamed al-Bashir has been appointed the caretaker Prime Minister of the transitional government.

About Syria

Devajit Saikia

• The BCCI has appointed Devajit Saikia as the board’s acting secretary by president Roger Binny.

About BCCI

Rabindra Nath Mahto

• Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Rabindra Nath Mahto has been elected unanimously for the second time as the Speaker of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.

About Jharkhand

Ajay Seth

• Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth has been given additional charge of the post of Secretary of Department of Revenue.

Books and Authors

Rachana Sanchayan

• Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released Vishnukant Shastri’s Rachana Sanchayan published by Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi.

About Sahitya Akademi

Miscellaneous

Mount Kanlaon

• In the Philippines, around 87,000 people were evacuated after Mount Kanlaon on Negros Island erupted, sending an ash plume and hot gas down its slopes.

About Philippines