- Irrfan Khan receives Honorary Award at Dubai Int’l Film Fest
Indian actor Irrfan Khan will be awarded the DIFF Honorary Award celebrating his 30-year career during the opening ceremony of the 14th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) which will commence from December 7 to December 14.
The award is meant to celebrate his acting career of over thirty years, in which he has risen to international fame and acclaim. He is also well known for acting in many Indian films and international productions including the 2008 blockbuster hit “Slumdog Millionaire”.
- Prime Minister inaugurates Dr. Ambedkar International Centre
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the “Dr. Ambedkar International Centre” at 15, Janpath, New Delhi.
Dr. Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC) has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 195 crores. Scheduled for completion in January, 2018, the project has been completed well in advance of the scheduled date of completion. The foundation stone of DAIC was laid by the Prime Minister of India on 20 April, 2015.
- UP becomes 1st state to endorse Triple Talaq draft bill
Uttar Pradesh regime has become the first state government to endorse the Modi government’s draft bill that makes instant triple talaq a cognisable and non-bailable offence.
The draft law, which provides for three years in prison and a fine for a Muslim man trying to divorce his wife by uttering “talaq” three times, got the UP government’s approval.
- Airports Authority of India organises art exhibition
Airports Authority of India Women Welfare Association (AAIWWA), recently organised an art exhibition titled ‘Prerna’. The camp was organised by AAIWWA in collaboration with the AAI Artist Forum and Forum of Indian photographers.
Artists were focussed on the theme called “Different Seasons in India”.
- Center Enhances Monetary Allowances for Gallantry Award Winners
The Government has enhanced the monetary allowances for the Gallantry Award winners vide notification dated 04 December 2017. This will come into effect from the 01 August 2017.
The enhancement is for the recipients of post-independence Gallantry Award, pre-independence Gallantry Award and the monetary allowance attached to ‘Jangi Inam’, a pre-independence Gallantry Award. The allowances have been doubled in most of the cases and in a few cases have been increased by more than 100%.
- APSSDC inks MOU with Udacity to skill engineering students
Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Udacity to upskill engineering students in the state.
The tie up covers five Udacity Nanodegrees for Andhra Pradesh students to help equip them for better opportunities in the future.
Udacity’s Nanodegree programs will immensely benefit the students by making them job ready. Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) is encouraging the students to pursue these programmes by providing mentors in the colleges to guide the students and also bearing part of the course fee.
- Kumbh Mela in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list
India’s Kumbh Mela joined UNESCO’s list of “intangible heritage”
, securing the coveted status alongside a host of cultural treasures including Naples’ pizza twirling.
Kumbh Mela was given the nod by the UN cultural body’s World Heritage Committee, which met on the South Korean island of Jeju.
The event has its origins in Hindu mythology which tells how a few drops from a pitcher containing the nectar of immortality are said to have fallen during a fight between gods and demons on the four locations across India which host the festival–Allahabad, Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar–every four years.
- 07 December 2017: Armed Forces Flag Day
Armed Forces Flag Day or Flag Day of India has been celebrated since 1949 and is dedicated towards commemorating the valour of servicemen as well as collecting welfare funds from the citizens of India to assist the rehabilitation of ex-servicemen in need as well as aid the widows and dependents of martyrs.
After India attained independence, the government felt the need to constitute a welfare fund to take care of the defence personnel. Hence, a committee was set up on August 28, 1949 that decided a Flag Day shall be celebrated annually on December 7.
- India, Japan to form working group on civil nuke deal
India and Japan will soon form a joint working group (JWG) that will identify the location, create joint ventures and establish a roadmap for building nuclear reactors in the country.
The JWG will comprise representatives from both private and public sectors of both countries. It will have representatives from Toshiba, Hitachi and Mitsubishi, among others, that are interested in building nuclear reactors in India.
- Russia to support India’s entry into Nuclear Suppliers’ Group
Russia has said it continues to support India’s entry into the exclusive Nuclear Suppliers’ Group even as it has assured it will raise the issue with China during the upcoming 15th RIC (Russia, India, China) foreign ministerial meeting.
The RIC meet will be held on December 11 here that will see participation from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi.
- Australian Government Passes Marriage Equality Law
The Australian Parliament voted to allow same-sex marriage across the nation, following a bitter and divisive debate settled by the government polling voters in a much-criticised ballot survey that strongly endorsed change.
The public gallery of the House of Representatives erupted with applause when the bill passed to change the definition of marriage from solely between a man and a woman to “a union of two people” excluding all others.
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