1 India’s Gukesh became the youngest chess world champion
18-year-old Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh created history on Thursday by winning the World Chess Championship in Singapore . He defeated China ‘s current champion Ding Liren by a margin of 7.5-6.5 and with this Gukesh became the world’s youngest chess champion . Earlier in 1985, Russia’s Garry Kasparov won this title at the age of 22. Gukesh won the title by winning the 14th and decisive game. In the final that started on November 25, both the players played 13 games, in which the score was tied at 6.5-6.5. In the 14th game, Gukesh played brilliantly and won with a lead of 1 point. He has become India’s second World Chess Champion . Before him, Vishwanathan Anand won this title in 2012. At the age of 17, Gukesh also won the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament, which gave him a place in this championship. It is worth noting that this was the first time in the 138-year history of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) that two Asian players were face to face in the final of the World Championship. Gukesh will get a prize of Rs 20.86 crore (2.5 million US dollars) for winning the title. Chennai resident Gukesh D’s full name is Dommaraju Gukesh. He was born on 7 May 2006. Gukesh started playing chess at the age of 7. His first coach was Bhaskar Nagaiya, who himself is an international chess player. Later Vishwanathan Anand also coached him. Gukesh’s father is a doctor and mother is a microbiologist.
2 President Murmu conferred honorary rank of General of the Indian Army to Nepal Army Chief
President Draupadi Murmu on Thursday conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army to Suprabal Janasev Shri General Ashok Raj Sigdel at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Ashok Raj Sigdel is the Chief of the Nepal Army. Ashok Raj Sigdel was honoured at a special investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan for his commendable military prowess and his incomparable contribution in further promoting Nepal’s long-standing and friendly relations with India.
3 ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill gets Cabinet approval
The Union Cabinet has approved the One Country, One Election Bill on 12 December . This bill can be introduced in Parliament during this winter session next week. A panel was formed on 2 September 2023 under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind to consider ‘One Nation, One Election’. This panel submitted its report to President Draupadi Murmu on 14 March after discussions with all parties and experts and 191 days of research . In September, the central government approved the recommendations of the high-level committee formed for ‘One Nation, One Election’, which proposed to conduct Lok Sabha, state assembly and local body elections simultaneously in a phased manner . According to the recommendations, the first bill will amend Article 82A of the Constitution , so that the term of the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies can end simultaneously. There will be no need for consent from the states to implement this bill, but to conduct local body elections along with Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections, it will need to be approved by at least 50% of the state assemblies. According to the committee’s report, to implement ‘One Nation, One Election’, the tenure of many state assemblies will be reduced. The tenure of the states where assembly elections were held at the end of 2023 can be extended. If all the parties agree on the Law Commission’s proposal, then it will be implemented from 2029 itself. For this, assembly elections will have to be held in 25 states by December 2026.
4 United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution for ceasefire in Gaza, India supported it
India has supported the resolution in the United Nations General Assembly which demands an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip . The General Assembly approved two resolutions with an overwhelming majority on Wednesday. The first resolution appeals for a ceasefire in Gaza, while the second resolution is related to supporting UNRWA, the United Nations agency working for Palestine refugees . The UNRWA resolution criticizes a new law of Israel which limits the activities of the agency in the Palestinian territories. Israel alleges that some of the agency’s employees are associated with Hamas. The ceasefire proposal was supported by 158 countries, while the US, Israel and seven other countries opposed it. 13 countries were absent from the voting. At the same time, the UNRWA proposal was supported by 159 countries, while nine countries opposed it and 11 countries were absent. India, supporting this resolution, condemned the October 7 attacks, called it a terrorist act and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. India also stressed the importance of peace, humanitarian assistance and diplomacy in Gaza.
5 Musk became the first person to have a net worth of $400 billion
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index released on December 11 , SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reached a net worth of $400 billion . He is the first person in history to do so. Shares worth $1.25 billion have been purchased from employees and insiders in the share sale. This transaction has increased his net worth by about $50 billion. At the same time, the total valuation of SpaceX has increased to about $350 billion. With this valuation, SpaceX remains the most valuable private company in the world. Musk’s wealth is not limited to SpaceX and Tesla. His artificial intelligence company, xAI, has also seen a surge in its valuation. The company’s valuation has doubled to $50 billion since its last funding round in May. Elon Musk owns many companies other than electric car company Tesla and space company SpaceX. Musk also has stakes in Neuralink, The Boring Company and Starlink. Musk’s human computer interface company – Neuralink has been working on a plan for a long time, with the help of which a neural chip is implanted in people’s brain. Musk formed The Boring Company on 17 December 2016. This company works to build tunnels to deal with traffic jams, rain and storms. At the same time, Musk’s another company Starlink Satellite Communication i.e. Satcom provides high speed internet. This internet service reaches your home directly from the satellite.
6 In the year 2024, 54 journalists were killed across the world
In the year 2024, 54 journalists were killed worldwide during their work or because of their profession . The Israeli army is responsible for the murder of one-third of these journalists. The organization ‘ Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ‘ , which monitors freedom of the press, gave this information in its annual report published on 12 December. According to Reporters Without Borders, the Israeli armed forces were responsible for the death of 18 journalists in the year 2024. Of these, 16 journalists died in Gaza and two in Lebanon. RSF has stated in its annual report, ‘Palestine is the most dangerous country for journalists. There have been more deaths of journalists here than in any other country in the last 5 years.’ The organization has filed 4 complaints with the International Criminal Court (ICC) for “war crimes committed against journalists by the Israeli army”. A total of “more than 145” journalists have been killed by the Israeli army in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, 35 of whom were engaged in journalism at the time of their death. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is a non-governmental NGO headquartered in Paris.
7 Donald Trump chosen as TIME’s ‘Person of the Year’
The prestigious Time magazine has once again chosen America’s newly elected President Donald Trump as the ‘Person of the Year ‘. Earlier, he had also become the ‘Person of the Year’ in 2016 during his presidential tenure . Trump will come to Wall Street and start the stock market by ringing the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). During this time, he will be formally declared the ‘Person of the Year’. Trump has been a reputed businessman of America and has been doing business for decades. However, despite living in New York, he has not had the privilege of ringing the opening bell of the NYSE. Ringing the opening bell of the NYSE is considered a powerful symbol of American capitalism. In 1985, Ronald Reagan was the first US President to ring the opening bell of the NYSE. During Trump’s first term, his wife Melania rang the opening bell under the B-Best initiative. When Trump became Time magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ in 2016, he did not ring the opening bell.
8 India crosses historic $1 trillion FDI mark
India has achieved a historic milestone in its foreign investment journey by receiving FDI inflows of $1 trillion since April 2000. In the first half of the current financial year, the country received foreign investment of $42.1 billion , which is 26 percent more than last year. This achievement shows India’s growing global credibility and its better position for investors. It is worth noting that the Central Government’s initiatives like “Make in India” and policy reforms have played an important role in this success. The government has allowed 100% FDI in many sectors and simplified tax laws. As part of the steps taken to make business easier, India has improved its ranking in the “Doing Business Report” from 142nd position in 2014 to 63rd position in 2020.
9. MoU signed between Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to empower financial literacy across India
The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India , has signed a transformational Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to advance financial literacy, investor education and investor protection . The MoU, which was signed in New Delhi, is a significant milestone in the shared commitment to enhance financial education in both urban and rural areas across the country. This ensures a secure financial future for generations to come. It was a major step in the organizations’ efforts to increase financial literacy among Indian school children. This significant achievement highlights the shared goal of both organizations to educate the youth about fundamental financial concepts and promote a society that is financially strong.
10 Joint War Studies Centre signs MoU with National Disaster Management Authority to strengthen research and innovation in disaster management
In a significant step towards strengthening India’s disaster management capabilities , the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) , the only tri-service think tank under Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff , Ministry of Defence , signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The MoU was signed by Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), Member, NDMA and Major General (Dr) Ashok Kumar (Retd), Director General, CENJOWS. The signing ceremony marked the beginning of a strategic partnership to develop a ‘whole of nation’ approach to address critical challenges in disaster mitigation, preparedness and response. The MoU underlines the role of CENJOWS as a key think tank promoting synergy between the armed forces and civil agencies. It also reaffirms NDMA’s commitment to a holistic, technology-driven approach to disaster management.
11 Famous Gujarati singer Purushottam Upadhyay passes away
Renowned Gujarati singer and composer Purushottam Upadhyaya passed away on December 11 at the age of 90. Purushottam Upadhyaya immortalised many songs such as ‘ Hey Ranglo Jamyo ‘, ‘ Divaso Judaina Jai Che ‘, ‘ E Jashe Zaroor Milan Sudhi ‘ and ‘ Kaahu Chu Jawanin ‘ through his timeless compositions and voice. He composed music for over 20 films and over 30 plays. Born on August 15, 1934 in Kheda, Gujarat, Upadhyaya’s passion for music was evident from an early age, earning him several accolades during his school years.