India’s First Winter Expedition to Arctic Launched by MoES, Minister Kiren RijijuUnion Minister Kiren Rijiju, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has launched ‘1st Indian Winter Expedition to Arctic’  to expand the India’s scientific activities to other critical and core Arctic realms, in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The expedition is facilitated under Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER) scheme of MoES, through the aegis of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa.

Attended Delegates:
The expedition was launched in the presence of Ravichandran (Secretary, MoES), Vijay Kumar (Head of PACER and Scientist/Adviser, MoES), Thamban Meloth (Director of NCPOR) and Manish Tiwari (Scientist and Group Director of the Arctic Operations, NCPOR).
About the Expedition: 
i.The expedition aims to make atmospheric observations in Earth’s North Pole during the winter (November to March) night and carry out auroral studies and changes in sea ice.
ii.It also aims to establish a network of observatories to study ‘land-sea-atmosphere-cryosphere’ interactions.
iii.The scientific observations in the Arctic Ocean will also be made by the scientists to understand the sea-ice loss and its impact on Monsoons among others.
iv.With the launch of  Winter Expedition, India will have a year-long presence at Himadri.
Expedition Team:
The Arctic winter expedition comprised of four scientists from NCPOR, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi (Himachal Pradesh); Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM – Pune, Maharashtra) and Raman Research Institute(RRI – Bengaluru, Karnataka).
Background:
i.Arctic is an area of scientific, climatic, and strategic importance.
ii.India’s Arctic research station ‘Himadri’ is located in Ny Alesund at Spitsbergen, Norway.
iii.The research base hosts scientists only during the summer (April to October).
Additional Info:
i.India began to explore Arctic in 2007 after visiting the International Arctic Research Facilities at Norway.
ii.India has an observer status in the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) since 2011.
iii.India has two operational research stations at Antarctica namely  ‘Maitri’ and ‘Bharati’.
About International Arctic Science Committee (IASC):
President – Henry Burgess
Headquarters – Akureyri, Iceland
Established in – 1990

18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in BotswanaThe 18th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage(ICH) was held from 5th to 8th December 2023 in Kasane, Republic of Botswana.

• The session was chaired by H.E. Mr Mustaq Moorad, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Botswana to UNESCO.

Highlights of the session: 
i.The session inscribed 55 new cultural practices, including India’s Garba Dance, to its Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List, in response to nominations submitted by 72 countries.
ii.The 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was celebrated during the Session.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation(UNESCO):
Director-General– Audrey, Azoulay
Headquarters– Paris, France
Established– 1945

World Bank : India tops Global Remittance Charts at USD 125 Billion in 2023According to World Bank(WB)’s Migration and Development Brief 39 titled ‘Leveraging Diaspora Finances for Private Capital Mobilization’,  India is considered a top remittance recipient with an estimated inward remittance flow of USD 125 Billion. 

• Mexico stands at the second position with an estimated recipient value of USD 67 billion followed by China as third with USD 50 billion.
• This report indicates a continuing growth in remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in 2023.
• The report raises awareness about the potential impact of global economic conditions on remittance flows.

Top Five Remittance Recipients:

WHO Officially Recognized Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognised Noma, also known as cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis, as a neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

• With the inclusion of noma, WHO’s NTD list now has 21 diseases or groups of diseases.

Background:
The efforts to recognise noma as a NTD was led by the Government of Nigeria.
In January 2023, an official request was submitted to WHO on behalf of 32 Member States.
About Noma:
i.Noma is a severe gangrenous (Dead tissue) disease of the mouth and face, primarily affects malnourished young children(between age 2 & 6) in regions of extreme poverty.
ii.It is a fast-spreading bacterial infection starting with gum inflammation. Without prompt antibiotic treatment, it can rapidly destroy facial tissue and bone, often resulting in death or severe disfigurement.
iii.Noma is mostly found in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Asia and other regions.
iv.It is caused by bacteria found in the mouth.
v.Risk factors: poor oral hygiene, malnutrition, weakened immune systems, infections, and extreme poverty.
Key Points:
i.Recognizing noma as an NTD aims to enhance efforts with a comprehensive approach, raising global awareness, and promoting research and funding.
ii.WHO NTDs, affecting tropical regions, primarily impact impoverished communities, disproportionately affecting women and children. These diseases have severe health, social, and economic consequences for over one billion people.Click here for full list of NTD Diseases

GoI & ADB sign 37bn Japanese Yen loan for Delhi-Meerut RRTS CorridorOn December 15, 2023,Government of India (GoI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed an loan agreement for a 37 Billion Japanese Yen (USD 250 million) loan to continue financing the construction of the 82-kilometre Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor.
Signatories: The agreement was signed by the Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, GoI, and Hoe Yun Jeong, Deputy Country Director, ADB India Resident Mission, ADB
About RRTS:
i.Delhi Meerut RRTS is the first of the 3 priority rail corridors planned as a part of the National Capital Region (NCR) Regional Plan 2021, to connect Delhi to neighboring cities.
ii.RRTS is a new, dedicated, high speed, high capacity, comfortable commuter service connecting regional nodes in NCR.
iii.It will have multi-modal hubs to ensure smooth interchange with other transport modes.
Implementing agency: National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture company of GoI and States of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh(UP).
Note:
i.In 2020, ADB approved USD 1,049 million Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) for RRTS project.
ii.The 1st tranche of the ADB loan ammounted to USD 500 million and another USD 500 million co-financed by Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Key Points:
i.This investment will enable RRTS to improve urban mobility. The economic impacts of this project will also benefit women and the differently abled.
ii.The Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor will offer rapid, safe, and high-capacity commuter transit, reducing travel time from 3-4 hours to about 1 hour.

KMBL & IOCL Collaborate to Launch Co-Branded Rupay Credit CardKotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL)  in collaboration with IndianOil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has launched a co-branded credit card called ‘Indian Oil Kotak Credit Card’.

• The fuel card is powered by Rupay contactless technology.

About of Indian Oil Kotak Credit Card:
i.This fuel credit card is specifically designed to benefit customers when used at Fuel Pump Station.
ii.With a fuel credit card, you can use it to purchase petrol, diesel, etc. or other fuels at participating fuel stations.
Benefits:
i.The cardholders will get 4% back as Reward Points(24 points/Rs.150 spent) along with the benefit of 1% Fuel Surcharge waiver on IndianOil fuel transactions.
ii.The customer will also save 2%(12points/Rs.150 spent) when using the card for dining and grocery spending.
Eligibility:
i.Primary Credit Card holders should be in the age limit of 18 years to 65 years.
ii.Add-on cardholders should be above the age of 18 years.
iii.The cardholder should be a resident of India.
Features:
i.The card comes with an annual fee of Rs.499 and a Joining fee of Rs.499.

• However, the annual Fee will be waived on spending more than Rs 50,000 in the previous year.

ii.All the aspects of the card can be controlled from mobile applications.
iii.No pin is required for payments up to Rs.5000.
iv.Personal accident insurance cover of Rs 2,00,000 is available in the IndianOil Kotak Credit Card.
Reward Points:
i.Kotak Rewards is the new point redemption currency of this credit card.

• These points can be redeemed in multiples of 300.

ii.The Kotak Reward Points can be converted to XTRAREWARDS Points which is a loyalty program offered and managed by IndianOil.
iii.Kotak Reward points have a validity of 24 months whereas XTRAREWARDS Points do not expire.
About IndianOil Corporation Limited (IOCL):
IOCL is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)
Chairman- Srikant Madhav Vaidya
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 1964

Max Life introduces the Smart Total Elite Protection Term PlanThe Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. (Max Life) introduced “Max Life Smart Total Elite Protection (STEP) Term Plan”, a non-linked, non-participating, individual pure-risk premium life insurance plan.
Aim:
To enhance financial security in the current dynamic landscape and address the modern consumer’s need for increased protection through higher coverage solutions.
Key Points:
i.The offering provides enhanced coverage of Rs 2 crores, aligning with the growing financial needs.
ii.It also offers flexibility, allowing policyholders to take a premium break every five years as part of the cover continuance benefit.
iii.It offers policyholders multiple enhanced benefits like Instant Payment on Claim Intimation, Cover Continuance Benefit and Special Exit Value.
About Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. (Max Life):
Max life is a joint venture between Max Financial Services Limited, a part of the Max Group, and Axis Bank Limited.
Managing Director & CEO– Prashant Tripathy
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana

IndusInd Bank Launched Industry-First Program For Diamond Industry
IndusInd Bank Limited has launched ‘Indus Solitaire Program’, an industry-first community banking program designed for the diamond industry.
About the Indus Solitaire Program:
i.The program provides a range of exclusive benefits along with distinct features and offerings to customers in the diamond industry.
ii.The program goes beyond traditional banking and offers elite banking services to the diamond community through IndusInd’s flagship branches in Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Surat (Gujarat).
iii.The program also offers a dedicated relationship, service and wealth manager for handholding customers and providing them assistance with their diverse financial needs.

CASHe Repositions the Brand and Launches New Website and Mobile App
CASHe, an Artificial Intelligence(AI) driven financial wellness platform has strategically repositioned the brand, along with the launch of the new website and mobile application(app) with the tagline – ‘Bharat Ka Money App.’
Repositioning:
i.Through repositioning, CASHe established itself as a premier credit-centric financial platform which offers accessible, innovative, and empowering financial solutions.
ii.This repositioning underscores CASHe’s commitment to meeting the diverse financial needs of young working millennials in urban hubs and tier 2, tier 3 cities and small towns across India.
iii.Through the new website and mobile app CASHe provides a comprehensive and tailored financial solutions.
About CASHe:
Chief Executive Officer – Yashoraj Tyagi
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 2016

ICRA Revises India’s FY24 GDP Growth projection to 6.5% from 6.2%On December 18, 2023, ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) has upgraded its Gross Domestic Product(GDP) growth forecast for India for the fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24) to 6.5% from the earlier estimate of 6.2%.

• The revises forecast is still lower than the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s GDP growth forecast of 7% for FY24.

Points to note:
i.ICRA revised the estimates stating that the deflation in commodity prices will be sustained and expects a better growth in the October-December period than previous estimates.
ii.The festive-led increase in volume growth in high-frequency non-agri indicators, as indicated by the ICRA Business Activity Monitor in October-November 2023 (Q3FY24) (11.3% versus 9.5% in Q2FY24) highlights that GDP growth is likely to fare between Q3FY2024 than expected.
Key Points:
i.Global commodity prices are stable in Q3FY24 due to reduced demand from China, sufficient supplies for commodities like crude oil, and the normalization of supply chains.
ii.While October and November have seen higher activity, the early trends for December are mixed, amid moderation in electricity demand growth, a rise in daily vehicle registrations, and a contraction in diesel sales.
iii.The sustenance of deflation in commodity prices in Q3 FY24 is likely to continue to favour margins of some sectors such as manufacturing.

Zepto’s Kaivalya Vohra & Aadit Palicha are the Youngest in Hurun India Top 100 Under 30 List 2023On 13th December 2023, Mumabi (Maharashtra) based Hurun India launched the inaugural edition of Hurun India Top 100 Under 30 List (2023), which features 100 Indian entrepreneurs of age 30 or younger (sorted by age).
i.Kaivalya Vohra(21) and Aadit Palicha(22) the co-founders of Zepto, a grocery delivery platform, were the yougest entrepreneurs on the 2023 list.
ii.Devanshi Kejriwal(27), Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer (CPO) of Skillmatics is the youngest woman entrepreneur on the list.
iii.SaaS (software as a service) emerged as the primary contributor to the List, with 19 entrepreneurs, followed by Fintech and Edtech, with 11 entities each.
About Hurun India:
Founder, MD, and Chief Researcher– Anas Rahman Junaid
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Launched in– 2012

Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional director, Honoured with Bhutan’s National Order of MeritBhutan Government honoured Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh(India), Regional Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia, Bhutan’s National Order of Merit (NOM) Gold Medal for her significant contribution to public healthcare services to Bhutan.

• Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the Druk Gyalpo(dragon king) of Bhutan presented the award during the celebration of 116th National Day of Bhutan(17th December 2023) in Thimphu, Bhutan.

Note:

• As the WHO regional director, she has played a key role in supporting transformative healthcare leadership in Bhutan.
• During her tenure, Bhutan has bceame one of the first countries to eliminate measles(2017) and rubella(2023) ahead of schedule.

About Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh:
Poonam Khetrapal Singh is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of 1975 batch of Punjab cadre.
In 2014, she became the first Indian and the first woman to be elected as the Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia. In 2019, she was re-elected to the post for an other 5 year term.
Carrer highlights:
i.She has served as the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Managing Director of Punjab Financial Corporation and Punjab Industrial development corporations in Punjab.
ii.In 1987, she moved to the Health, Population, and Nutrition Department of The World Bank.
iii.In 1998 she joined WHO headquarters as Executive Director of Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments Cluster and later became a member of the Director-General’s Cabinet.
iv.She has served as the WHO Deputy Regional Director for the Southeast Asia Region (SEAR) from 2000 to 2013.
v.In February 2013, she joined the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare(MoHFW), Government of India, as Advisor for International Health.
National Order of Merit (NOM):
i.It was instituted by the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in 2008.
ii.The Order is awarded for distinguished and meritorious services to Bhutan. iii.It is awarded in 3 classes namely: First Class (Gold); Second Class (Silver) and Third Class (Bronze).

‘Against All Odds’ and ‘Winning Middle India’ jointly Awarded Gaja Capital Business Book Prize 2023
The 5th edition of Gaja Capital Business Book Prize 2023 was jointly awarded to”Against All Odds: The IT Story of India” written by S. ‘Kris’ Gopalakrishnan, N. Dayasindhu, and Krishnan Narayanan; and “Winning Middle India: The Story of India’s New-Age Entrepreneurs” written by T.N. Hari and Bala Srinivasa.

• The books were selected from a shortlist of 5 books, including Capture the Dream: The Many Lives of Captain C.P. Krishnan Nair (by Bachi Karkaria); Essentially Mira: The Extraordinary Journey Behind Forest Essentials(by Mira Kulkarni); and The Tech Phoenix: Satyam’s 100-Day Turnaround(by T.N. Manoharan & V. Pattabhi Ram).
• Gaja Capital Business Book Prize 2023 is an annual award established in 2019, which celebrates non-fiction works on contemporary Indian business.
• The award offers prize money of Rs 15 lakhs, the largest book prize in India.

Note: Journalist and author Harish Damodaran won the 2022 Gaja Capital Business Book Prize for his book Broke to Breakthrough: The Rise of India’s Largest Private Dairy Company.

Egypt Re-electes El-Sisi for 3rd Time in the 2024 Presidential Elections Incumbent Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi secures 3rd term as Egypt’s president, after winning the 2024 Presidential Elections with 89.6% of the vote. He is Egypt’s 8th president, who has been in office since 2014. He was 1st elected as president in mid-2014, then re-elected in 2018 for the 2nd term.

• In 2019, constitutional amendments in Egypt extended the presidential term from 4 years to 6 and also amended the constitution to raise the limit on consecutive terms in office from 2 to 3.
• It added 2 years to El-Sissi’s 2nd term and allowed him to run for the 3rd term with six-years this is also said to be the final term in office according to the constitution, starting from April 2024.

Egypt’s Presidential Election:
Voting in Egypt took place on 10-12 December 2023, 4 candidates ran for the presidency including Sisi, the other 3 were:

• Hazem Omar, head of the Republican People’s Party, came 2nd with 4.5% of the vote; followed by Farid Zahran, head of the opposition Egyptian Social Democratic Party with 4%; and Abdel-Sanad Yamama, chairman of the Al-Wafd Party, received less than 2% of the vote.

Note: The 2024 presidential election is the 5th multi-party presidential election held in Egypt since 2005, and the 3rd since the 2013 revolution.
About Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi:
i.He is an Egyptian general, who served as military attaché in Saudi Arabia, chief-of-staff, and then commander of Egypt’s Northern Military Zone.
ii.In February 2011, shortly after the Egyptian revolution, a military council assumed control of Egypt and appointed el-Sisi as the head of military intelligence.
iii.The then President Mohamed Morsy appointed Sisi as Minister of Defense and Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces in 2012.

• He was subsequently appointed as First Deputy Prime Minister while remaining Minister of Defense.

iv.He became Egypt’s de facto leader in July 2013 after leading a military coup to remove the then President Mohamed Morsi from power, in response to the June 2013 Egyptian protests.
v.In 2013, El-Sisi came to power after the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first popularly elected president.
vi.In January 2014, he was promoted to field marshal, Egypt’s highest army rank before the presidential election.
vii.In 2017, he became the 1st Egyptian leader to visit the White House in the United States of America (USA) since the 2011 revolution and visited again in 2019.
About Egypt:
President– Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi
Capital– Cairo
Currency– Egyptian Pound (EGP)

Khelo India Para Games 2023: Haryana Tops Medal Tally with 105 MedalsHaryana topped the medal tally with 105 medals (40 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronze) in the inaugural edition of the Khelo India Para Games 2023 held in New Delhi, Delhi from 10th – 17th December 2023.

• Uttar Pradesh finished second in the medals table with 62 medals (25 gold, 23 silver, and 14 bronze) while Tamil Nadu finished third with 42 medals (20 gold, 8 silver, and 14 bronze).
• Mascot: ‘Ujjwala’, a sparrow, reminds strength comes in many forms and the human spirit is unbreakable.

About the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS):
Union Minister– Anurag Singh Thakur (Constituency- Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS)– Nisith Pramanik (Constituency- Coochbehar, West Bengal)