HIMACHAL PRADESH

• 2,137 smart classrooms set up in state

• To ensure quality education in government schools, as many as 2,137 smart classrooms have been established in various senior secondary and high schools of the state.

• Smart classrooms would ensure that teaching became fun and modern aids were used.   The state government was preparing the youth to meet the challenges of commercialisation, liberalisation and privatisation facing the world today. While vocational education was being expanded, students were also being lent support to prepare for various competitive exams.  As per the Medha Protsahan Yojana of the state government, Rs 5 crore was being spent on the coaching of meritorious students. 

  INTERNATIONAL

   

  ·        China launched first satellite for space-based broadband to rival Google

   

  • The satellite was launched from a Long March 11carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western China.
  • The satellite is the first in the Hongyun projectplanned by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC).
  • The Hongyun project, started in September 2016, aims to build a space-based communications network to provide broadband internet connectivity to users around the world, especially those in the underserved regions.

   

  ·        Italy’s Mount Etna Volcano erupts

   

  • Italy’s Mount Etna volcano erupted on 24th December 2018 resulting in more than 130 earthquakes of up to 4.3 in magnitude. The volcanic lava and ash spewed from a new fracture near its south-eastern crater for the first time in a decade and was visible for miles.

   

  • Mount Etna is Europe’s highest and most active volcano outside the Caucasus. Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. The last major eruption was in 1992.

   

  • The volcano lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Mount Etna is in an almost constant state of activity. United Nations has designated Mount Etna has a Decade Volcano by the United Nations and it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

   

   

   

  NATIONAL

   

  ·        India’s first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru

   

  • The country’s first music museum will be set up with assistance from the Central government in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, the birth place of Saint Tyagaraja, one of the Trinities of Carnatic music.
  • The other two of the Trinity are Muthuswami Dikshitarand Syama Sastri.
  • The Tyagaraja Aaradhana Music Festival which is held annually in January in Thiruvaiyaru attracts musical talents from all over the world.

   

   

  ·        Govt extended ban on import of milk products from China for 4 months will April 23, 2019: DGFT

   

  • The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) announced the extension of the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China for four months till April 23, 2019.
  • The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and later extended due to the suspicion of the presence of melamine in some milk consignments from China.

   

  • Three Andaman islands to get new names now

   

  • The government has decided to announce the change of name for the three islands —Havelock Island, Neil Island and Ross Island — as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and will rename the Havelock Island to Swaraj Dweep, Neil Island to Shaheed Dweep and Ross Island to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island. The three islands are part of the Andamans.

   

  • As part of the action plan, National Resource Centre for MSME Exporters will engage with various international agencies including UN organisations to promote procurement from Indian MSMEs and further enhance their capabilities.

   

  • On 30 December 1943, Bose had hoisted the national flag at the Gymkhana Ground (now Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair and announced that the islands were the first Indian territory to be freed from British rule. The islands at the time were captured by the Japanese during World War II.

   

  ·        Child Care Institutes being run in the state renamed as ‘Jagannath Ashrams’ in Haryana

   

   

  • Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on 25th December 2018 has announced the renaming of Child Care Institutes being run in the state as Jagannath Ashrams.
  • The announcement was made by the chief minister at the during a dance competition organised by women wing of All India Vaish Federation.

   

  Said since all the Child Care Institutions have a similar goal of all-round development of the children, it would be appropriate to give a single name to all.