Daily GK Update: 12th December 2023

Honours & Awards

In the United States, former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Power of One Award 2023 ceremony, organised by the Diwali Foundation USA.
The awards are granted to selfless individuals for their help to form a peaceful and secure world for all.
They are hailed as the 'Oscars of diplomacy'.

National Affairs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Aim: Bridge the gap between theory and practice on Artificial Intelligence by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.
Top Artificial Intelligence Gamechangers from across the world will participate in different events.
India is the lead chair of GPAI in 2024.

National & International Appointments

Members of the Polish Parliament backed Donald Tusk to become Poland's Prime Minister after current leader Mateusz Morawiecki lost a confidence vote in the country's Parliament.
According to media reports, the vote was 248 in favour and 201 against.
Tusk returns nearly two months after a coalition of opposition parties led by him secured victory in the national election held in October this year.

National Affairs

The Government has said that 58 Airports in the country have been covered under the Krishi Udan Scheme.
The Scheme was launched in 2020 on international and national routes to assist farmers in transporting agricultural products to help improve their value realization.
Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 was also announced in 2021 focusing on transporting perishable food products from the hilly areas, North Eastern States, and tribal areas.

Honours & Awards

Meghalaya's Lakadong turmeric has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
It is considered to be one of the world's best varieties of turmeric, with a curcumin content of around 6.8 to 7.5%.
It is darker in colour and is grown organically without the use of fertilisers.
It is found in the Lakadong area of Jaintia Hills, and has high curcumin content.

National Affairs

The Government today said that eShram cards have been issued to over 29 crore unorganized workers registered on the eShram portal.
The eShram portal was launched in 2021 for registration of unorganized workers.
The main objective of the eShram portal is to create a national database of unorganized workers and to facilitate the delivery of Social Security and welfare Schemes to such workers.

Honours & Awards

NTPC has been declared as the winner at the Brandon Hall Group’s Excellence in Technology Awards 2023 in an online broadcast held.
The company received the coveted silver awards in two distinct categories: "Best Advance in Corporate Wellbeing Technology" and "Best Advance in Augmented and Virtual Reality."
NTPC stands out as the only PSU in India to secure dual accolades in the Technology Awards category.

Obituaries

A renowned Chinese doctor and activist Gao Yaojie passed at the age of 95 years in New York.
Dr Gao became well-known and beloved across China in the late 1990s for her relentless activism in exposing a man-made AIDS crisis and for her work to remove the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.
She discovered that AIDS was spreading through ramshackle blood transfusion centers set up with official government backing.

Important Dates

The International Day of Neutrality, observed annually on 12th December, holds paramount significance in promoting global peace, sovereignty, and the resolution of conflicts through diplomatic means.
Neutrality, as defined by the United Nations, is a legal status resulting from a nation’s decision to abstain from participating in wars between other states.

Important Dates

The United Nations mission in Mali has officially ended a 10-year deployment in the country.
The mission, known as the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), lowered the UN flag in its headquarters in the capital Bamako.
In June, Mali’s military government, which seized power in 2020, demanded the departure of the decade-old mission.

Banking & Finance

Bank of India has launched Nari Shakti Savings Account, aimed at catering to women aged 18 and above with an independent source of income.
This account offers benefits and features designed to empower women financially and promote their well-being.
The Nari Shakti Savings Account can be opened at all 5132 domestic branches and also through digital platforms.

International Affairs

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released its Southeast Asia Opium Survey 2023.
The report states that Myanmar is the world's biggest opium producer.
Earlier Afghanistan held the infamous title but since the ascent of Taliban to power in 2021, cultivation of opium poppies has seen a decrease of 95 per cent.
Opium is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum.