Daily GK Update: 7th December 2023

 National & International Appointments

1. Revanth Reddy takes oath as Telangana CM

• Senior Congress leader A Revanth Reddy sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Telangana at Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad.
• Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Revanth Reddy and a few ministers.
• Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu was sworn in as Telangana's Deputy CM.
• Congress won 64 seats by leaving the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi party with 39 seats and forming its first government in the state.

 Important Dates

2. India observes Armed Forces Flag Day to honour martyrs & soldiers in armed

• India observes Armed Forces Flag Day today to honour the martyrs and the soldiers in the armed forces.
• It has been observed on the 7th of December annually since 1949.
• Flag Day is aimed at expressing gratitude and celebrating the selfless contribution the soldiers make towards the nation.

 State Affairs

3. arba of Gujarat inscribed in UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Garba of Gujarat has been inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity by UNESCO.
• This decision was taken at the Botswana convention of UNESCO.
• Garba of Gujarat is the 15th ICH element from India to join this list. 
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Intangible Cultural Heritage is underway in Botswana.

 National Affairs

4. Government decides to implement component of "Nari Adalat" in phased manner

• Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani has informed the Rajya Sabha that the Government has decided to implement the component of "Nari Adalat" in a phased manner under Mission Shakti.
• In the first phase, Assam and the Union  Jammu and  Kashmir have been selected by her Ministry to implement the component of Nari Adalat. 
• The Central government is implementing 'Mission Shakti' as an umbrella scheme for the safety, security and empowerment of women.

 National Affairs

5. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates 59th Fertiliser Association of India Annual S

• Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilisers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates 59th Fertiliser Association of India Annual Seminar 2023 at a glittering function in Delhi.
• The theme of the seminar was “Innovations in Fertiliser and Agriculture Sectors”.
• India is the first nation to introduce Nano fertilisers such as Nano DAP and Nano Urea through the Indian Research ecosystem.

 National & International Appointments

6. Samir Shah Picked as New Chairman of the BBC

• India-born Media Executive Samir Shah named as UK's Preferred Candidate for BBC Chair.
• He will replace Richard Sharp, who had been forced to resign after his communication with former prime minister Boris Johnson came under scrutiny.
• His appointment will almost certainly be ratified by a parliament committee.
• Samir Shah has worked in television for more than 40 years and has held a number of roles at the BBC, including as head of current affairs.

 Important Dates

7. International Civil Aviation Day 2023: 7th December

• International Civil Aviation Day is observed on 7th December  to emphasize the crucial role of innovation in shaping the future of civil aviation worldwide.
• It holds special significance as it marks the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 1944. 
• This year’s theme, “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development,”.

 International Affairs

8. Italy withdraws from China's Belt and Road Initiative

• Italy has withdrawn from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), more than four years after becoming the only Group of Seven (G7) nation to sign up.
• The decision was long-anticipated and signals a strategic shift in Italy’s approach to its relationship with China.
• The Belt and Road Initiative, spearheaded by Chinese President Xi Jinping, aims to enhance China’s influence globally by investing in infrastructure projects across participating countries.

 Banking & Finance

9. SBI Card joins Bharat BillPay in the credit card category

• NPCI Bharat BillPay (NBBL) has integrated SBI Card, one of India’s leading pure-play credit card issuers, into the credit card category of Bharat BillPay.
• This integration marks a significant advancement, streamlining the credit card bill payment process for millions of customers.
• NBBL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• SBI Card has an extensive customer base, totalling around 1.68 crores.

 International Affairs

10. Saudi Arabia introduces 96-hour Umrah stopover visa for Indian

• Saudi Arabia has introduced a 96-hour stopover visa for Indians traveling to the West or the Middle East.
• This initiative, part of the Saudi Vision 2030 to streamline Umrah visits, was announced by Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq bin Fawzan.
• The Umrah Visa, valid for 90 days, enables holders to reside and travel within Saudi Arabia, ensuring an efficient and convenient pilgrimage experience.

 National Affairs

11. Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reservation & Reorganisation (Amendment)

• The Lok Sabha has passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
• The J&K Reservation (Amendment) Bill amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, regarding reservation in jobs and admission in professional institutions to members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other socially and educationally backward classes.

 Honours & Awards

12. Taylor Swift named Time Magazine's person of the year

• Taylor Swift has been named Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2023.
• The star, whose Eras tour broke box office records and provoked an inquiry into Ticketmaster's sales practices, follows the likes of Barack Obama, Greta Thunberg and Volodymyr Zelensky.
• The award goes to an event or person deemed to have had the most influence on global events over the past year.

 National Affairs

13. Rizz Crowned Oxford Word of the Year 2023

• This year, a shortlist of eight words was created, all chosen to reflect the mood, ethos, or preoccupations of the past year, and put them to the public to vote for their favourites.
• Through head-to-head competitions over a four-day voting period, the public narrowed down our shortlist of worthy contenders to four finalists: rizz, Swiftie, prompt, and situationship.
• ‘rizz’ is a colloquial noun, defined as ‘style, charm, or attractiveness.