DAILY GK 31 DEC 24
1. YOUNGEST FEMALE TO SCALE HIGHEST
PEAKS IN ALL 7 CONTINENTS
·
Kaamya Karthikeyan, a 17-year old student from
Navy Children School (NCS) in
Mumbai (Maharashtra), scripted history by becoming the world’s youngest female to scale the 7 highest peaks across seven
continents.
·
She
achieved this remarkable significant milestone after she successfully
climbed Mount Vinson Massif (4,892 metres, m) in Antarctica
along with her father Commander S.
Karthikeyan.
·
In
2021, she was conferred with the Pradhan
Mantri Rashtriya Bal Shakti Puraskar, India’s highest national honour for young
achievers.
2. INDIA’S 1ST GLASS
BRIDGE AT KANNIYAKUMARI
·
Chief
Minister (CM) of Tamil Nadu , Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, inaugurated India’s 1st bowstring
arch glass bridge which connects the
133-foot Thiruvalluvar Statue
and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial
in Kanniya kumari, TN.
·
He
further declared that the Thiruvalluvar Statue will now be referred to as
the ‘Statue of Wisdom’.
·
Measuring 77
meters in length and 10 meters in width, the bridge
has been constructed using advanced technology to withstand corrosion and the
force of strong sea winds.
·
The
glass bridge is expected to become a major new attraction in Kanyakumari, which
draws thousands of visitors daily to witness its famous sunrise and sunset.
3.
MISSION
MAUSAM: ENHANCING WEATHER RESILIENCE FOR INDIA
·
Mission
MAUSAM, a
landmark initiative led by the Ministry
of Earth Sciences (MoES), is designed to position India as aworld leader in
the field of weather and climate sciences.
·
It
aimed to make India “Weather Ready” and
“Climate Smart”, complying with the international standards by 2026.
·
It
was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister (PM)
Narendra Modi in September 2024, with a total budget outlay of Rs
2,000 crore for period of 2 years.
4.
‘GREAT
PLACE TO WORK’ CERTIFICATION
·
New
Delhi based Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has been
awarded the ‘Great Place to Work’ certification for the
period January 2025 to January 2026, by the Great Place to Work Institute, India.
·
This
marks the 2nd consecutive year SAIL has
earned this recognition, having previously received it for December 2023 to
December 2024.
5.
SIKKIM
CELEBRATES KAGYAD DANCE FESTIVAL
·
Sikkim celebrated the annual Kagyad Dance
festival at Tsuklakhang Palace in Gangtok,city of Sikkim with
great traditional enthusiasm.
·
Kagyed
Dance, also known as Chaam, is a unique Buddhist festival in Sikkim.
6.
INDIA's FIRST DIABETES BIOBANK
·
India’s
first diabetes biobank has been established
in Chennai, a collaboration between the Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR) and the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).
·
It
Aims to support research on diabetes and related health disorders.
·
It
will Stores samples from the ICMR-INDIAB
study and Registry of Young-Onset
Diabetes.
7.
USA DECLARES ‘BALD EAGLE’ AS NATIONAL BIRD
·
President of the United
States of America (USA), Joseph Robinette Biden signed
a bipartisan bill that officially designates the “Bald Eagle”
as the National bird of the USA.
·
The significant recognition formalizes
the bald eagle’s role as a symbol of American strength and power, a position it
has held informally for over 240 years.
·
The bald
eagle has been a symbol of the USA since 1782, when it was featured on the
Great Seal of the USA.
·
The seal includes the eagle, an olive
branch, arrows, a shield, the motto “E Pluribus Unum (Out
of Many, One)” and a constellation of stars.
·
Haliaee tusleu cocephalus is the scientific name of the
bald eagle, known for its striking white head and yellow beak atop its brown
body.
8.
WORLD’S LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIP FOR FIGHTER JETS
·
China launched the World’s
Largest amphibious assault ship “Sichuan” at a
shipyard in Shanghai, China.
·
It is equipped
with an electromagnetic catapult for fighter jets to enhance naval combat
capabilities in distant seas.
·
China also launched its first icebreaker ship ‘Tan Suo
San Hao’ for scientific and archaeological research.
·
The
only warship in operational service that employs Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System(EMALS) is the United States(US) Navy carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
·
China President – Xi Jinping.
·
Capital – Beijing.
·
Currency – Renminbi (CNY).
9.
‘BALKAN
BLUES’ GAINS UNESCO RECOGNITION
·
Sevdalinka, a melancholic and ancient love
song from Bosnia and Herzegovina,
was added to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO’s) National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
·
The
song, which dates back to the 16th century, is often referred to as
the ‘Balkan blues’ due to its emotional depth and soulful melodies.
·
Bosnia
and Herzegovina - Capital- Sarajevo.
10.
NEW
MEMBERS OF SCHENGEN BORDER-FREE ZONES
·
Romania
and Bulgaria have
officially become full members of the European
Union (EU) led Schengen free-travel zones.
·
This
will now expand the borderless area to
29 European countries whose residents can travel without passport checks,
ending a 13-year long wait for the two eastern European countries.
·
Both
countries, member of the EU since 2007, had partially joined the Schengen zone
on March 31, 2024, opening up travel by air and sea without border checks.
·
Schengen Area
is the world’s largest free travel
area that now includes 25 of the 27 EU
member states, except Ireland and Cyprus, and
includes 4 members states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA):
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
·
It
was formed under Schengen Agreement, international
treaty which was initially approved by 5 countries: Belgium, France, Germany,
Luxembourg and the Netherlands in Schengen, Luxembourg on June 14, 1985.
·
Bulgaria
Capital- Sofia.
·
Romania
Capital- Bucharest.
