International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated to raise global awareness of the role of aviation and international air transport in the social and economic development of the world. The day also recognises the special contribution of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in maintaining the efficiency, safety and cooperation of international aviation. It is observed each year to raise awareness of the value of aviation and its role in global socio-economic development. On this day, special attention is paid to international aviation and how it connects the world. It is celebrated with numerous events, activities, press releases, seminars and lectures on aviation. From history to theme, scroll down to know more about this day.

ARMED FORCES FLAGGED DAY 2023: Every year on December 7, India celebrates Armed Forces Flag Day or Flag Day. The day is observed to honour both soldiers serving in India’s armed forces as well as veterans. Since December 7, 1949, this day has been observed annually. We must not forget that many Armed Forces personnel have martyred in the service of the country.

The Armed Forces Flag Day, also known as India’s Flag Day, is dedicated to raising funds from Indian citizens for the welfare of Indian Armed Forces troops. Flag Day is a time for Indians to thank India’s military forces and remember those who died while serving the country.

After the cyclone pounded Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the first urban flood mitigation project of ₹561.29 crore, under National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), for ‘Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin Project’.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with Tamil Nadu Minister for Finance & Human Resources Management Thangam Thenarasu and Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena also carried out an aerial survey of areas ravaged by cyclone Michuang in-and-around Chennai, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement.

Talking to reporters after the survey, the Defence Minister stated the Central and state governments are together putting up an effective response to mitigate the crisis. “The Prime Minister spoke with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and has assured all possible help from the Central Government. He has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to release in advance the central share of the second instalment of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) of ₹493.60 crore to Andhra Pradesh and ₹450 crore to Tamil Nadu. The Centre had already released its first instalment of the same amount to both the States,” he was quoted by the MoD as having said.

Throughout the season, Djokovic triumphed in three out of the four Grand Slam tournaments, claiming victories at the Australian Open in January, the French Open in June, and the US Open in July. Additionally, he secured his record-breaking 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open in September and finished as the runner-up at Wimbledon.

The 36-year-old Serbian tennis star sealed his dominance by winning the ATP Finals in Turin after a gripping season-long battle with Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic’s historic 400th week at the top of the ATP Rankings commenced the day after his eighth ATP Finals win. Only Roger Federer, with 310 weeks, has surpassed the 300-week mark. Djokovic, with 15 year-end Top 3 finishes, tied Federer for the most such finishes. Remarkably, Djokovic’s reign atop the ATP Rankings totals 402 weeks, and he is set to retain the top spot until the week of January 22.

Former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind launched a book “ Naye Bharat ka Samveda” in New Delhi on Thursday (7th December 2023). The book is a compilation of speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Indian Constitution.

In his keynote address, Mr. Kovind said that, if every citizen of the nation has adequate knowledge about the Constitution then everything will be easy. He further added that the citizens will be able to understand that makers of the constitution were concerned about the last person of the society.

Speaking about the book, Mr. Kovind said that PM Modi repeatedly recalls the Constitution and urges people to know as much as possible about it. He added, Prime Minister refers to the Constitution of India as the only book for code of conduct and guidance for the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Indian Art, Architecture and Design Biennale (IAADB) 2023 to be held at Red Fort on Friday. During the programme, Modi will also inaugurate Atma Nirbhar Bharat Centre for Design at Red Fort and the student Biennale — Samunnati.

It was the Prime Minister’s vision to develop and institutionalise a flagship global cultural initiative in the country like the international biennales at Venice, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Sharjah, among others, said the ministry of culture.

“In line with this vision, a nationwide campaign to reinvent, rebrand, renovate and re-house museums was launched. Further, development of cultural spaces in five cities of India namely Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi was also announced. Indian Art, Architecture & Design Biennale (IAADB) will serve as an introduction to the cultural space at Delhi,” said ministry officials.

Google took its next leap in artificial intelligence Wednesday with the launch of project Gemini, an AI model trained to behave in human-like ways that's likely to intensify the debate about the technology’s potential promise and perils.

The rollout will unfold in phases, with less sophisticated versions of Gemini called “Nano” and “Pro” being immediately incorporated into Google’s AI-powered chatbot Bard and its Pixel 8 Pro smartphone.

With Gemini providing a helping hand, Google promises Bard will become more intuitive and better at tasks that involve planning. On the Pixel 8 Pro, Gemini will be able to quickly summarize recordings made on the device and provide automatic replies on messaging services, starting with WhatsApp, according to Google.

Not just Ayurveda but multiple clinical studies have shown the health benefits of jamun as an excellent source of antioxidants, iron, and vitamin C. Now, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER Bhopal) have completed the first-ever genome sequencing of the jamun tree (Syzygium cumini), popular in India for its medicinal properties, fruit and ornamental value.

This is the first time the plant has been examined and decoded so closely. Dr Vineet K Sharma, professor, department of biological sciences told The Indian Express that this research aimed to gain new functional and evolutionary insights from the jamun genome, which could be responsible for the wide range of pharmacological properties of this species “conferred by the bioactive compounds that act as nutraceutical agents in modern medicine”.

IBM unveils IBM Quantum System Two, its first modular quantum computer, located in Yorktown Heights, New York. This scalable solution operates in a near-perfect vacuum at a temperature colder than deep space. It has begun operations with three IBM Heron processors and supporting control electronics. IBM plans to launch new chips in the next 5 years for upgrades. The company also introduced Heron, a quantum chip with a record-low error rate, five times lower than its previous processor.

There is a lot happening in the chip industry as companies race to one-up competition in the next generation of tech advancements. While there is a lot of focus on AI chips, IBM has unveiled the first quantum computer with more than 1,000 qubits.

NASA operatives are currently seeking signs of ancient life and collecting rock samples on Mars via the Perseverance Rover. And one of the leading team members is Dr Akshata Krishnamurthy — the first Indian citizen to operate the rover. The scientist had travelled to the US 13 years ago for higher studies and faced numerous challenges as she carved out a space for herself.

“I came to the United States a little over 13 years ago with almost nothing but a dream to work at NASA and lead breakthrough science and robotic operations on Earth and Mars. Everyone I met told me that this was impossible as a foreign national on a visa, and that I should either have a plan B or change my field completely," she recalled in a recent Instagram post.