Today's Current Affairs 11th January 2024

INTERNATIONAL

South Korea Bans Trade of Dog Meat in New Law

• South Korea’s parliament made history by passing a groundbreaking bill that bans the eating and selling of dog meat.
• Eating dog meat in South Korea was once considered a way to improve stamina, particularly during the humid Korean summer.
• Support for the ban has grown significantly under the leadership of President Yoon Suk Yeol. 

NATIONAL

Indian Navy gets first India-made long endurance Drishti 10 Starliner drone

• The Indian Navy has recently acquired its first indigenous medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone, the Drishti 10 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is actively involved in developing a MALE UAV called Tapas. 

New Republic Day Pact Allows States One Tableau Every Three Years

• Defence Ministry has proposed a rollover plan to give every State and Union Territory (UT) an opportunity to showcase their tableaux within a three-year cycle.
• A three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been proposed to facilitate the implementation of the rollover plan. As of now, 28 States have signed the draft agreement.
• States and UTs were approached in advance for their willingness to participate in the Republic Day Parade for the next three years (2024, 2025, and 2026).

 SPORTS

Divyakriti Singh Becomes 1st Indian Woman Arjuna Awardee for Equestrian Sports

• Divyakriti Singh, has been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award, making her the first woman from Rajasthan to achieve this honour. The award was presented in a grand ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.

 APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Tshering Tobgay Re-Elected as Bhutan’s Prime Minister

• Bhutanese voters re-elected Tshering Tobgay for a second term as Prime Minister.
• Tshering Tobgay, a former Prime Minister who previously held office from 2013 to 2018, has promised to strengthen ties with India.
• Tobgay, head of the People’s Democratic Party, served as the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly from March 2008 to April 2013. He co-founded the party, the first registered political party in Bhutan.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day 2024: Date, History and Significance

• National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, observed annually on January 11.
• In 2007, the United States Senate declared January 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. President Barack Obama further dedicated the entire month of January 2010. 

DPIIT organises Startup India Innovation Week 2024 from 10th-18th January 2024

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is set to orchestrate the Startup India Innovation Week 2024, spanning from January 10th to January 18th.
• January 11th, 2024, at the Tenth Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Speaker: Secretary, DPIIT, Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh.
• Theme: ‘Startups Unlocking Infinite Potential’. 

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

PM Modi to Ignite Youth Potential at 27th National Youth Festival in Nashik

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 27th National Youth Festival in Nashik, Maharashtra, on January 12th, 2024.
• This year’s theme, “MYBharat-ViksitBharat@2047 – By the Youth, For the Youth”. 

Maldives and China Sign 20 Agreements for Diverse Cooperation

• Chinese President Xi Jinping and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu recently held significant talks, culminating in the signing of 20 key agreements.

RANKING

Six Nations Top Global Passport Ranking, With Access to 194 Destinations

• France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain share the top spot in the quarterly ranking of the world’s most powerful passports. Enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to an impressive 194 destinations, this marks a historic high since the inception of the Henley Passport Index 19 years ago.
• Japan and Singapore, holding the top position for the past five years, now see a triumphant rise for Europe. Finland and Sweden, tied with South Korea, secure the second spot.