IMPORTANT DAYS

International Migrants Day 2024 observed on December 18.

• International Migrants Day is observed every year on 18 December to raise awareness about the challenges faced by migrants worldwide.

• The theme for 2024 is ‘Honouring the Contributions of Migrants and Respecting Their Rights’.

• The day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Their Families by the UN General Assembly in 1990.

• UNGA declared 18 December as International Migration Day in 2000.

• The day emphasizes the need for strengthening international cooperation and migration policies at bilateral, regional, and global levels.

• The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), founded in 1951, leads UN efforts in assisting millions of migrants every year.

• In 2020, over 281 million people were international migrants, while 59 million were internally displaced by 2021.

• India has the largest diaspora, with around 18 million of its citizens living abroad, according to the UN World Migration Report 2024.

LEGAL NEWS

'One Nation, One Election' Bill has been sent to JPC.

• The 'One Nation, One Election' Bill has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

• The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were presented in the Lok Sabha.

• These bills propose conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

• A total of 269 Lok Sabha members voted in favor of the bills, while 196 voted against .

• The Union Law Minister Meghwal also introduced a bill to amend several laws related to Union Territories.

• The proposed amendments include changes to the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, NCT Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

• The bills aim to synchronize the assembly elections in Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, and Puducherry with simultaneous elections.

• These amendments are intended to bring alignment between state and national election schedules.

NATIONAL NEWS

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated India’s first Geo Science Museum in Gwalior.

• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated India’s first Geo Science Museum in Gwalior.

• The Vice President unveiled the plaque and cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the ultramodern Geo Science Museum.

• The museum was developed by the National Science Museum Council in collaboration with the Gwalior Municipal Corporation.

• The museum aims to answer geology-related queries and educate visitors about Earth sciences.

• It features two galleries, showcasing geology with impressive light effects.

• One gallery highlights the development of human civilization, while the second focuses on the origin and extinction of dinosaurs.

• The museum displays a wide range of pictures, artifacts, and information related to geology.

• The Geo Science Museum offers an engaging and informative experience for visitors interested in Earth sciences.

India has become the third-largest smartphone exporter in the world.

• India has risen to become the third-largest smartphone exporter globally.

• The country was ranked 23rd in smartphone exports in 2019.

• In November 2024, smartphone exports crossed Rs 20,000 crore in a single month.

• Exports in November reached Rs 20,395 crore, a 92% rise from Rs 10,634 crore in November 2023.

• This surge exceeds the targets set by the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for FY 2024-25.

• Apple led the export chart in November, with exports valued at Rs 14,000 crore.

• November 2024 marked the highest-ever smartphone exports for Apple in India.

• The growth reflects India's strong position in the global smartphone market.

STATE NEWS

Giving alms to beggars will be a crime in Indore from January 1, 2025.

• Giving alms to beggars will become a punishable offense in Indore starting January 1, 2025.

• The Indore District Administration has announced that FIRs will be filed against those caught giving alms.

• Initially applied to child beggars, the rule now extends to include elderly beggars as well.

• The initiative is part of the city's goal to become beggar-free.

• A public awareness campaign will be launched this month to highlight the negative impact of giving alms.

• From January 1, strict action will be taken against individuals continuing to give donations.

• Officials believe that stopping donations will help break the cycle of begging.

• The city is working on identifying beggars and finding alternative support solutions for them.

• Ongoing efforts include rescuing child beggars and placing them in government shelters.

• Since July, over 35 children have been rescued from begging and given shelter.

AWARDS

Ayodhya’s Ram Temple won the ‘Sword of Honour’ award for safety excellence.

• The Ram Temple in Ayodhya has received the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’ from the British Safety Council.

• This award recognizes the temple project’s commitment to top-tier safety standards during construction.

• The construction includes the first and second floors, as well as the temple's Shikhar (spire).

• The temple is being built with 15 lakh cubic feet of Bansi Paharpur stone from Rajasthan.

• The British Safety Council carried out a detailed audit of the project’s safety processes.

• The ‘Sword of Honour’ is one of the highest honors in safety management.

• The Ram Temple project had previously earned the National Safety Council's ‘Golden Trophy’ for safety excellence.

• The award highlights the exceptional safety measures implemented throughout the temple's construction.

2023 National Tansen Samman awarded to renowned Tabla Maestro Pt. Swapan Choudhary.

• The 2023 National Tansen Samman was awarded to renowned tabla maestro Pt. Swapan Choudhary from Kolkata.

• The award ceremony took place on 18 December during the prestigious Tansen Festival in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

• Pt. Swapan Choudhary was honored for his significant contributions to Indian classical music.

• The award included a Rs. 5 lakh honorarium, citation, and a shawl-shriphal.

• The National Tansen Award is the highest national recognition in Indian classical music, established by the Madhya Pradesh government.

• The 2023 Raja Mansingh Tomar Samman was presented to Sanand Nyas, a cultural institution from Indore.

• Sanand Nyas has been active in promoting classical music, drama, and cultural festivals in Indore for 35 years.

• Both awards were part of the ongoing celebration of India's rich cultural heritage at the Tansen Festival.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior and Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati won top honors at The Best Awards 2024 in Doha, Qatar.

• Vinicius Jr. won FIFA Men's Player of the Year after scoring 24 goals in 39 matches, helping Real Madrid secure La Liga and the Champions League.

• Aitana Bonmati retained her FIFA Women's Player of the Year title for the second consecutive year.

• Bonmati also claimed her second Women's Ballon d'Or in October 2024.

• Carlo Ancelotti was named The Best Men's Coach after guiding Real Madrid to major successes.

• Emma Hayes received Best Female Coach for leading the US Women's National Team to Olympic gold.

• Alejandro Garnacho won the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2024.

• Marta was honored with the inaugural Marta Award, recognizing the best goal in women's football.

• Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) was named Best Female Goalkeeper, while Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) took home Best Male Goalkeeper.

APPOINTMENTS

Preeti Lobana was named Google's new vice president and country manager for India.

• Preeti Lobana has been appointed as Google’s new Vice President and Country Manager for India.

• She succeeds Sanjay Gupta, who has been promoted to President of Google’s Asia Pacific division.

• Lobana will play a key role in shaping Google’s strategy for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for users.

• Roma Datta Chobey, who was serving as interim country manager, will work closely with Lobana.

• Chobey will continue in her role as Managing Director of Digital Native Industries at Google India.

• Lobana is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

• She is known for driving successful transformations in large organizations.

• Lobana’s leadership will be crucial for Google’s continued growth and innovation in India.