NATIONAL NEWS
PM Modi releases stamp, coin to commemorate Odisha's Paika rebellion
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a stamp and a coin to commemorate the Paika rebellion of 1817 in Odisha. He also inaugurated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar, built at a cost of Rs 1,660 crore, and launched a slew of projects worth Rs 14,523 crore for the state.
- The Paika Rebellion, many claim, was the first war of Independence against the British.
Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan among others were present on the occasion.
PM opens Buddhist site museum at Lalitgiri in Odisha
One of the earliest Buddhist settlements in Odisha, Lalitgiri, where excavations have yielded ancient seals and inscriptions, has been converted into a museum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the museum through video conference from Bhubaneswar.
- Located in Cuttack district, it became the third site museum of the Bhubaneswar circle of the Archaeological Survey of India after Ratnagiri and Konrak.
India's first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu
The country’s first music museum will be set up with assistance from the Central government in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamilnadu, the birth place of Saint Tyagaraja, one of the Trinities of Carnatic music. This was announced by the State Minister for Culture and Tamil Development Shri K Pandiarajan in Madurai.
- The Tyagaraja Aaradhana Music Festival which is held annually in January in Thiruvaiyaru attracts musical talents from all over the world.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
US researchers made world's smallest tic-tac-toe game board with DNA
Scientists have created the world's smallest tic-tac-toe board using dynamic DNA origami tiles microscopic organic structures that can be programmed to transform into predesigned patterns.
- The team from California Institute of Technology in the US had earlier used DNA origami to create tiles that could be designed to self-assemble into larger nanostructures that carry predesigned patterns.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
RBI shortlists Wipro, TCS, 4 others for PCR
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has shortlisted six major IT companies, including TCS, Wipro and IBM India, to set up a digital public credit registry (PCR) for capturing details of all borrowers and wilful defaulters.
- The proposed PCR will also include data from entities such as markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Corporate Affairs Ministry, Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), to enable banks and financial institutions to get a 360-degree profile of existing as well as prospective borrowers on a real-time basis.
- The other three shortlisted vendors are Capgemini Technology Services India, Dun & Bradstreet Information Services India and Mindtree Ltd.
- Extra info.:
In June, the RBI had announced the setting up of a PCR to address information asymmetry, foster access to credit and strengthen the credit culture in the economy. The PCR would be the single point of mandatory reporting for all material events for each loan.
SPORTS
India's Vedangi Kulkarni becomes the fastest Asian to cycle the globe
Indian woman Vedangi Kulkarni has become the fastest Asian to cycle the globe. Hailing from a suburb of Pune, 20-year old Vedangi cycled into Kolkata completing the 29,000 kilometers' distance required to qualify as bicycling across the globe.
- She spent 159 days peddling up to 300 kilometers a day in 14 countries. Starting off from Perth in July, she will now be flying back to the Australian city to complete the record by cycling a 15 kilometer distance to reach the same place from where she started.
- Thirty-eight year old British adventurer Jenny Graham is the fastest woman to have cycled the globe in 124 days this year.
Bala Rafique Shaikh Wins Maharashtra Kesari 2018
Bala Rafique Shaikh clinched the Maharashtra Kesari title by defeating Abhijeet Katke of Pune in the wrestling duel held at Azad ground in Jalna, Maharashtra. Shaikh was honoured with a silver mace and cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
- Maharashtra Kesari is an Indian-style prestigious wrestling championship, established in 1961.
APPOINTMENTS
Trump names Patrick Shanahan acting defence secretary
US President Donald Trump announced that deputy secretary of defense Patrick Shanahan will take charge as Acting Secretary of Defense from January 1, 2019. The post had been vacant as former Secreatary of Defense Jim Mattis resigned recently.
- Patrick Shanahan is a former senior executive in Boeing, world's largest aerospace company.
AWARDS
Railways bags 17 awards at the 'National Energy Conservation awards 2018'
The Railways has won 17 awards at the 'National Energy Conservation awards 2018', held in New Delhi. This is the highest number of awards bagged by a single organisation.
- Under 'transport' category, Indian Railways obtained 10 awards for the subsector railway station. Under 'building' category, Indian Railways got three awards for subsector Railway hospitals. Under 'institution' category, Indian Railways bagged four awards for subsector state Public Works Department (PWD), Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and Public Health Engineering Department (PHED).
- These awards were given by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) of the ministry of power Government of India to various Institutions for adopting Energy Efficiency measures for reducing energy consumption and the cost.
IMPORTANT DAYS
National Consumer Day
The National Consumer Day was observed across India on 24 December with the theme “Timely Disposal of Consumer Complaints”.
- On this day, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the president. The enactment of the Act is considered as a historic milestone in the consumer movement in the country.
- The day provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of the consumer movement and the need to make every consumer more aware of their rights and responsibilities.
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