Today's Current Affairs 19th December 2023

INTERNATIONAL

NSDC and Saudi Arabia govt Join Hands to Safeguard Indian Laborers’ Rights

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Saudi Arabia.
• According to NSDC CEO Ved Mani Tiwari, skilled labourers in India can register themselves at NSDC free of cost.
• Ahmed Al Yamani, Vice Chairman of the Global Labour Market Conference (GLMC), revealed that a wage protection system has been implemented in Saudi Arabia.
• The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), founded on July 31, 2008.

Bhutan Plans 1,000-sq. km. Green City on Assam Border, Linking South To Southeast Asia

• King Jigme Wangchuck positioned the Gelephu project as an “economic corridor connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia via India’s northeastern States.”
• Gelephu Smartcity Project is a massive international city planned by Bhutan on its border with Assam, spanning over 1,000 sq. km.

 NATIONAL

NHAI Launched ERS Mobile App for Swift Emergency Response

• The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, shape traffic norms in India, evolving through amendments to enhance road safety.
• Computer Aided Dispatch System, NHAI has unveiled the NHAI ERS (Emergency Response System) Mobile Application.

Parliament Passes Post Office Bill, 2023, Replacing 125-Year-Old Indian Post Office Act, 1898

• The Post Office Bill, 2023, replaces the outdated Indian Post Office Act, 1898, marking a crucial modernization of regulations governing postal services in India.

 SPORTS

Djokovic and Sabalenka Clinch 2023 ITF World Champion Titles with Stellar Performances

• Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka have been named the 2023 ITF World Champions by the International Tennis Federation.
• Djokovic, in particular, set a new record with his eighth ITF World Champion award.
• Aryna Sabalenka, in her breakthrough season, earned her first ITF World Champion honor.

 APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Reuven Azar Appointed as Israel’s New Ambassador to India

• The Israeli government, on December 17, gave its nod to the appointment of Reuven Azar as the new Ambassador to India.
• Azar, currently serving as the Ambassador of Israel to Romania, will also take on the role of the non-resident Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Bhutan.

About Israel:

President: Isaac Herzog

Capital: Jerusalem

 India’s Uma Sekhar Elected to Governing Council of UNIDROIT

• Uma Sekhar achieved a remarkable victory by securing 45 out of 59 votes in the initial round of elections for the Governing Council of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) held in Rome, Italy.
• UNIDROIT, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, operates as an independent intergovernmental organization headquartered in Rome, Italy.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

Goa Liberation Day 2023: 19^th December

• Goa Liberated Day 2023 is celebrated on December 19, 2023.
• It marks the liberation of Goa from Portuguese colonial rule after 451 years.
• The 2023 edition of Goa Liberation Day commemorates the 62nd anniversary.

 SUMMIT'S & MOU's

IIT Kanpur Collaborated with Indian Navy to Promote Technology Development

• Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) and the Indian Navy have joined hands in a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the Naval Headquarters.
• Rear Admiral K Srinivas, Asst. Chief of Material (Dockyard & Refits) and Prof. S. Ganesh, Director of IIT Kanpur, formalized this partnership.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

India and ADB Ink $250M Loan for Industrial Corridor Development

• The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently solidified their collaboration with the signing of a $250 million policy-based loan on December 15, 2023.
• Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, represented the Government of India, while Mr. Hoe Yun Jeong, Deputy Country Director, and Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s India Resident Mission, signed on behalf of ADB.
• The NICDP, initiated in 2016 and updated in 2020, focuses on effective industrial corridor development.