Current Affairs, December 2023

29th December, Current Affairs:

• A historic tripartite peace accord was signed between the Centre, Assam Government and the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in New Delhi today. The Memorandum of Settlement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• L'Oréal heir Francoise Bettencourt Meyers has become the first woman in the world with a net worth of $100 billion. She is currently positioned 12th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
• The Centre on Thursday appointed Nina Singh as the first woman Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She will hold the top post till July 31, 2024.
• Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder Vijayakant who was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai for pneumonia, passed away on December 28, 2023.

25th December, Current Affairs:

• Christmas is being celebrated across the globe today.
• In Badminton, Anmol Kharb has won the women’s singles title at the National Badminton Championships 2023 in Guwahati.
• Kuwait’s new emir, Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, formally assumed leadership in a swearing-in ceremony before parliament following the passing of his half-brother, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

21st December, Current Affairs:

• Parliament has passed the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha(Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023, with the Rajya Sabha approving them today.
• The Parliament has passed the 'Telecommunications Bill, 2023' with the approval of Rajya Sabha today with amendments. It has been brought to transform and reform telecommunications sector, services, and its networks.
• India's dynamic badminton duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour in the country for athletes, the sports ministry confirmed on Wednesday while announcing the annual National Sports Awards for 2023. Based on the recommendations of a government-appointed panel, the ministry also gave its nod to confer the Arjuna Award to 26 sportspersons.

20th December, Current Affairs:

• Three crucial bills to replace current criminal laws were passed in the Lok Sabha today. The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023, will replace the Indian Penal Code of 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973 and Indian Evidence Act, of 1872.
• Colorado's Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump cannot run for US President next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause.

18th December, Current Affairs:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the world's largest office, a "one-stop destination" for over 65,000 diamond traders in Gujarat's Surat. The 15-storey building spread across 35 acres of land is bigger than the Pentagon, a large five-sided building in Virginia that serves as the headquarters of the US Department of Defence.
• The Tourism Ministry today said that till the 31st of October this year, the Country has registered a footfall of 70 lakh 24 thousand Foreign Tourists.
• The Telecommunications Bill, 2023 was today introduced in Lok Sabha.

16th December, Current Affairs:

• Vijay Diwas is being commemorated across the country today. Every year 16th December is celebrated as Vijay Diwas, to mark India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war and to pay tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country.
• Indian wrestler Antim Panghal has been named the Rising Star of the Year among women by the United World Wrestling (UWW), the sport's global governing body.
• Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to retire the iconic No.7 jersey worn by former captain MS Dhoni.

15th December, Current Affairs:

• In Dubai, nations reached for a landmark agreement, the 'UAE Consensus' that calls for a transition away from fossil fuels to achieve net zero by 2050.
• Bhajan Lal Sharma was today sworn in as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, with Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa as Deputy Chief Ministers. Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Sharma.

13th December, Current Affairs:

• BJP leader Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. At the swearing-in ceremony, BJP leader Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma also took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh.
• Senior BJP leader Mohan Yadav was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in Bhopal today. Governor Mangubhai Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Yadav, along with Deputy Chief Minister-designates Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda.
• India voted in favour of the ceasefire resolution in the UNGA's Emergency Session on the West Asia yesterday.
• The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 was today introduced in the Lok Sabha.

12th December, Current Affairs:

• Bhajanlal Sharma named as the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Mr Sharma will have two deputies -- Diya Kumari and senior leader Prem Chand Bairwa.
• Donald Tusk elected as Polish Prime Minister.
• China began commercial operations of the world's first next-generation, gas-cooled nuclear reactor power plant. The Shidao Bay plant in eastern Shandong province is powered by two high-temperature reactors cooled by gas rather than pressurised water, according to state news.

11th December, Current Affairs:

• The Supreme Court today backed the Centre's move to scrap special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and ordered elections next year. The Centre in 2019 scrapped the Article 370 and split the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The verdict from a five-judge Constitution bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
• Mohan Yadav, the BJP MLA from Ujjain South, was elected as the BJP’s Legislature Party leader in Madhya Pradesh and is set to become the 19th Chief Minister of the State.

10th December, Current Affairs:

• Tribal leader and former Union Minister Vishnu Deo Sai is elected as the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.
• The first-ever Khelo India Para Games kicked off today in New Delhi. More than 1,400 participants from across 32 states and Union Territories including Services Sports Control Board are participating in the 8-day event.

9th December, Current Affairs:

• India has been placed 7th in this year's Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI). The country improved one rank from the previous one, and also remained among the highest performers. Published annually since 2005, the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) tracks countries’ efforts to combat climate change.
• Captain Geetika Koul becomes first Woman Medical Officer deployed at Siachen.

8th December, Current Affairs:

• In Mizoram, veteran politician and ZPM leader Lalduhoma was sworn-in as Chief Minister of the hill state today. He was administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati at Raj Bhawan in Aizawl.
• Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra has been expelled from the Lok Sabha following an Ethics Committee report into the 'cash for query' charges against her.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent in its monetary review meeting.

7th December, Current Affairs:

• Congress Legislature Party Leader, A Revanth Reddy has been sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Telangana. Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has administered the oath of office and secrecy to him.
• India-born media executive, Dr Samir Shah, has been announced as the UK government's preferred candidate to take over as the new BBC chairman.

6th December, Current Affairs:

• Business magazine Forbes has released its annual list of the World's Most Powerful Women for 2023, and it features four Indians. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, tops the list, followed by Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank. US Vice President Kamala Harris secured the third position. India's Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has been ranked 32nd on Forbes' annual list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women. Other notable Indian women on the list include Roshni Nadar Malhotra, CEO of HCL Corporation (ranked 60), Soma Mondal, Chairperson of Steel Authority of India (ranked 70), and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of Biocon (ranked 76).
• The Congress central leadership has named Telangana party chief A. Revanth Reddy as its choice of Chief Minister of Telangana.
• The nation pays homage to Bharat Ratna Dr B R Ambedkar on his 68th Mahaparinirvan Diwas today.
• Italy has officially informed China that it is quitting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

4th December, Current Affairs:

• Winter Session of Parliament starts from today.
• The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was today introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009 for the establishment of a Central University namely Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University in Telangana.
• The counting of votes for assembly elections in Mizoram is underway. The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) is racing towards power in the state, having already won 14 seats and leading in 13 others.
• At least five people were killed in several rain-related incidents in Chennai following heavy rainfall and gusty winds in the city triggered by Cyclone Michaung.

3rd December, Current Affairs:

• Counting of votes for Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana is underway. BJP has taken a clear lead in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhatisgarh. The Congress is ahead in Telangana.
• Union minister for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying Parshottam Rupala released the basic animal husbandry statistics for 2022-23. The milk production in the country increased by 22.81% in the past five years with Uttar Pradesh, which accounted for 15.72% of the total. Uttar Pradesh was followed by Rajasthan (14.44 %), Madhya Pradesh (8.73 %), Gujarat (7.49 %), and Andhra Pradesh (6.70 %) as leading milk producing states in the country. Total egg production in the country is estimated at 138.38 billion during 2022-23 and registered a growth of 33.31% growth over the past 5 years as compared to the estimates of 103.80 billion during 2018-19.
• Kemei Elias Caprono of Kenya emerged as the winner of the full marathon in the 37th Pune International Marathon organized in Pune today.

1st December, Current Affairs:

• Indian Navy recently appointed its first woman commanding officer in a naval ship in line with its commitment to 'all roles-all ranks' for female personnel in the service, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said today.
• World leaders arrived in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today for the United Nations 'Conference of the Parties on climate, known as COP28. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also in the city to attend the COP28's World Climate Action Summit today.
• World AIDS day is being observed today. The theme for World AIDS day this year is - Let communities lead.

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