The second week of December 2024 has been packed with significant developments across various fields, from national reforms and international achievements to technological advancements and cultural milestones. In this detailed roundup, we cover everything from the latest updates in India’s defense and governance to global events shaping the world. Whether it’s the new RBI Governor’s appointment, advancements in gene therapy, or the announcement of Saudi Arabia hosting the FIFA World Cup 2034, this week’s highlights reflect the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of current affairs. Dive in to stay informed!
- Sanjay Malhotra, 56, officially assumed office as the 26th governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a three-year term. A Princeton-educated revenue secretary and veteran bureaucrat with over three decades of civil service experience, Malhotra succeeds Shaktikanta Das, who served as RBI governor for six years.
- Human Rights Day (HRD) is celebrated annually around the world on 10 December every year.
- The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations. The formal establishment of Human Rights Day occurred at the 317th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on 4 December 1950, when the General Assembly declared resolution 423(V), inviting all member states and any other interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit. The day is normally marked both by high-level political conferences and meetings and by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. Besides, it is traditionally on 10 December that the five-yearly United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights and Nobel Peace Prize are awarded. Many governmental and non-governmental organizations active in the human rights field also schedule special events to commemorate the day, as do many civil and social-cause organizations.
- Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet to be conferred the Indira Gandhi Peace prize.
- The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2024 will be conferred on former Chilean president and prominent human rights voice Michelle Bachelet, a statement issued by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust said on Friday (December 6, 2024).
- President Michelle Bachelet is one of the world’s most prominent voices for human rights, peace, and equality. In her various roles as the founding director of UN Women, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and as President of Chile, she has spoken strongly for gender equality and the rights of the most vulnerable sections of the population at home and across the world.
- International Debt Report 2024: The International Debt Report (IDR) is a longstanding annual publication of the World Bank featuring external debt statistics and analysis for the low- and middle-income countries that report to the World Bank Debtor Reporting System (DRS). For five decades, the IDR, along with the associated International Debt Statistics (IDS) database, has helped shape policies in development finance by sharing timely and comprehensive external debt data and analysis with the international community. Drawing on data collected through the World Bank’s Debtor Reporting System, the IDR has tracked evolving borrowing patterns and new lending instruments over the years, measured the impact of initiatives to relieve debt burdens, and promoted best practices in debt recording and reporting.
- Maharashtra is intensifying efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for Lonar Lake in Buldhana district, officials have confirmed. The state government is preparing to submit a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) with the goal of having the lake recognized globally, to boost tourism, research, and conservation efforts in the region.
- National Hindi Day is celebrated every year on 14 September. The reason for celebrating this day is that on 14 September 1949, the Constituent Assembly declared Hindi as the official language of India. Literary figures like Kaka Kalelkar, Hazariprasad Dwivedi, and Seth Govinddas made tireless efforts to make Hindi the official language.
- Payal Kapadia earns two nominations for the movie All We Imagine as Light for Best Motion Picture in English Language.
- The Lok Sabha passed the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by a voice vote on Wednesday. The bill seeks to repeal the Indian Railway Board Act, 1905, by incorporating the provisions for the constitution and composition of the Railway Board into the Railways Act, 1989.
- Speaking during the debate on the proposed legislation, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the bill will simplify the legal structure for operations of the Indian Railways. He also allayed concerns of privatization and over-centralization of the Indian Railways raised by some members. Vaishnaw said there was no question of privatizing the Indian Railways, adding that the infrastructure being developed was for the nation. He also said the supremacy of Parliament was not being affected by this legislation.
- Aryna Sabalenka was crowned Player of the Year as all the winners of the 2024 WTA Awards were announced on Monday, 9 December. The tennis world number one picked up the top accolade as voted for by the international media, having won the Australian Open and US Open in an outstanding 2024 season on tour.
- Uttar Pradesh (UP) became the first state in India to fully adopt the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform in December 2024. The state’s adoption of GeM aims to improve transparency. GeM’s standardized rules and policies reduce the chances of violations and loopholes. It also aims to eliminate unethical practices and save money—the state government estimates that GeM-based procurement will save over Rs 2,000 crore annually.
- The Syrian civil war is an ongoing multi-sided conflict in Syria involving various state-sponsored and non-state actors. In March 2011, popular discontent with the rule of Bashar al-Assad triggered large-scale protests and pro-democracy rallies across Syria, as part of the wider Arab Spring protests in the region. After months of crackdown by the government’s security apparatus, various armed rebel groups such as the Free Syrian Army began forming across the country, marking the beginning of the Syrian insurgency. By mid-2012, the insurgency had escalated into a full-blown civil war.
- Summary of World Malaria Report 2021.In 2020, 29 of the 85 countries that were malaria-endemic accounted for 96% of malaria cases. India contributed 1.7% of malaria cases and 1.2% deaths globally. Between 2019 and 2020, all high burden to high impact (HBHI) countries except India reported increases in cases and deaths (and in India, the rate of reduction decreased compared with pre-pandemic years). Globally, there were an estimated 241 million malaria cases in 2020 in 85 malaria endemic countries, increasing from 227 million in 2019. Most of this increase came from countries in the WHO Africa Region, which accounted for 95% cases. Malaria deaths increased by 12% globally in 2020 compared with 2019, to an estimated 627 000. The percentage of total malaria deaths in children aged under 5 years reduced from 87% in 2000 to 77% in 2020. There were an estimated 14 million more malaria cases and 47 000 more deaths in 2020 compared to 2019 due to disruptions to services during the pandemic. However, things could have been far worse if not for the efforts of malaria-endemic countries to maintain essential health services. Another is engineering mosquitoes that slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites in the gut thereby preventing transmission of malaria to humans. The other method is using genetically modified mosquitoes that can spread resistance to malaria-causing parasites by thriving and mating with wild mosquitoes.
- India is developing an indigenous nuclear attack submarine program that includes: Arihant-class submarines the first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) built by India. The lead vessel, INS Arihant, was commissioned in August 2016. The second, INS Arighaat, was commissioned in August 2024. The third, INS Aridhaman, is expected to be commissioned in 2025. Project 77-class submarines.A new fleet of nuclear submarines that will include nuclear attack submarines. The submarines will be powered by a miniature pressurized water reactor (PWR). The project is expected to continue until 2025. Nuclear attack submarine program.A program that aims to revolutionize the Indian Navy’s capabilities and boost domestic defense manufacturing. The first submarine is expected to be operational by 2036. The program is estimated to cost around ₹35,000 crore and involves various indigenous stakeholders. The goal is to achieve “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” in defense by 2047.
- Gukesh Dommaraju (born 29 May 2006), also known as Gukesh D, is an Indian chess grandmaster and the reigning World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, Gukesh is the youngest world champion, the youngest player to have surpassed a FIDE rating of 2750, doing so at the age of 17, and the third-youngest to have surpassed 2700 at the age of 16. He earned the grandmaster title at the age of 12 and remains the third-youngest grandmaster in chess history.
- Uttar Pradesh (UP) became the first state in India to fully adopt the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform in December 2024. The state’s adoption of GeM aims to:
- World meditation day – Meditation is an ancient practice that involves focusing one’s attention on the present moment. Rooted in religious, yogic, and secular traditions across cultures, meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Today, it is embraced worldwide, transcending its spiritual origins to become a universal tool for personal well-being and mental health.
- The Lok Sabha passed the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by a voice vote Wednesday. The bill seeks to repeal the Indian Railway Board Act, 1905 by incorporating the provisions for constitution and composition of the Railway Board into the Railways Act, 1989.
- Maharashtra is intensifying efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for Lonar Lake in Buldhana district, officials have confirmed. The state government is preparing to submit a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) with the goal of having the lake recognised globally, to boost tourism, research, and conservation efforts in the region.
- Ayushman Vaya Vandana Yojana is a scheme under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). This scheme is for people aged 70 years and above. Under this scheme, every family gets a health cover of Rs 5 lakh annually. If there are several elderly people living in the same house, then this cover will be divided among them.
- Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet to be conferred the Indira Gandhi Peace prize.
- National Hindi Day is celebrated every year on 14 September. The reason for celebrating this day is that on 14 September 1949, the Constituent Assembly declared Hindi as the official language of India. Literary figures like Kaka Kalelkar, Hazariprasad Dwivedi, and Seth Govinddas made tireless efforts to make Hindi the official language.
- PM Poshan Scheme: The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Scheme, also known as the National Nutrition Mission or Poshan Abhiyan, is a program of the Government of India aimed at addressing malnutrition and related issues among children and mothers. Launched in March 2018, the scheme operates with a multi-sectoral approach, involving various ministries and departments to ensure comprehensive coverage and effective implementation. PM Poshan Scheme.In September 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Government Scheme called Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman, or PM-POSHAN, aiming to provide one hot cooked meal in Government and Government-aided schools. With a financial outlay of Rs 1.31 trillion, this scheme replaced the national Mid-day Meal Scheme. It’s launched for an initial five-year period, from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- Gene therapy for hemophilia is a treatment that aims to improve the blood’s ability to clot by introducing a functional gene into the patient’s cells. Some novel gene therapies for hemophilia include: Roctavian: This adeno-associated viral vector-based gene therapy is for adults with severe hemophilia A. It increases the levels of FVIII in the blood by expressing a gene for FVIII in the liver. Hemgenix: This gene therapy from CSL Behring is for hemophilia B. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in November 2022. Valoctocogene Roxaparvovec and Etranacogene Dezaparavovec: These are novel gene therapies for hemophilia A and B. Gene therapy can be effective for several years, but the exact effect may be unpredictable. Some possible limitations and safety concerns include: Pre-existing neutralizing antibodies toward the vector
- Liver health
- Age
- Inhibitor status
- Infusion reactions
- Liver damage
- Adverse effects from immune suppressants or steroids
- The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) recently secured final forest clearance after a significant government push. While the forest clearance is secured, the project’s wildlife clearance remains under scrutiny at the Supreme Court of India. The project requires two key forest clearance conditions to be met: realigning its canal and shifting proposed powerhouses away from forest land, both with potential environmental implications.
- INS Tushil, latest multi role stealth guided missile frigate, commissioned into Indian Navy in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh in Russia.Raksha Mantri describes the ship as proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and significant milestone in long standing ties with Russia.”SAGAR is a symbol of India’s commitment towards collective security, maritime cooperation and sustainable development in Indian Ocean Region; We have always received Russia’s support in this endeavour”.
- Sanjay Malhotra, 56, officially assumed office as the 26th governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a three-year term. A Princeton-educated revenue secretary and veteran bureaucrat with over three decades of civil service experience, Malhotra succeeds Shaktikanta Das, who served as RBI governor for six years.
- Romania and Bulgaria join the Schengen Area (12 December 2024) France welcomes the agreement reached at the Council of the EU to authorize Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full, effective integration into the Schengen Area on 1 January 2025.
- FIFA World Cup 2034: Saudi Arabia is set to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, following a historic bid process that began on 4 October 2023. The Kingdom’s bid received the highest evaluation score in FIFA history, leading to its selection as the official host nation on 11 December 2024.
- The green steel taxonomy defines the concept of “green steel” by specifying its emission intensity, setting a threshold of 2.2 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of finished steel. Steel with an emission intensity higher than the specified threshold will not be eligible for a green rating.
- Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh is set to become India’s first Integrated Waste Management City-cum-Learning Centre by September 2025. The project will be spread across 40 acres in Suthni village, Sahjanwa. The project’s goals include: Making Gorakhpur garbage-free, Promoting sustainable waste management practices, Creating jobs, Boosting revenue, and Serving as a learning hub for technical expertise.
