Former Denver Post crime reporter Kirk Mitchell — who contributed to Pulitzer Prize-winning breaking news coverage of two mass shootings in Colorado — has died of prostate cancer at 64 at his home in Lititz, Pennsylvania.

Pope Francis has said he has “already prepared” his tomb in a Rome basilica in a further sign of the pontiff’s quest to break from longstanding Vatican tradition, The Guardian reports.

Francis, who turns 87 on 17 December, told the Mexican broadcaster N+ that he would be laid to rest in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in the Esquilino neighbourhood in Rome, where he goes to pray before and after trips overseas.

Francis cancelled a trip to the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai after a bout of acute bronchitis in late November, The Guardian said.

He has made more than 100 visits to the fifth-century basilica, where he prays in front of a venerated image of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.

The COP28 climate summit in Dubai has adjourned. The result is “The UAE consensus” on fossil fuels.

This text, agreed upon by delegates from nearly 200 countries, calls for the world to move “away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner.”

Stronger demands to “phase out” fossil fuels were ultimately unsuccessful.

The agreement also acknowledges the need to phase down “unabated” coal burning and transition towards energy systems consistent with net zero emissions by 2050, while accelerating action in “the critical decade” of the 2020s.

The combustion of coal, oil and gas accounts for 75% of all global warming to date – and 90% of CO₂ emissions.

Fintech major PhonePe's talent head Subeer Bakshi has resigned and joined audio entertainment startup Pocket FM.

Bakshi will head the "People & Culture" wing of Pocket FM, a statement from Pocket FM said.

"Subeer's extensive background in the people function, building culture and his track record in building strong, collaborative teams make him a valuable addition to our leadership team," said Rohan Nayak, Co-founder and CEO, of Pocket FM.

Before joining Pocket FM, Bakshi served as the talent strategy head at Walmart group firm PhonePe between February 2022 to December 2023.

Adani Group on  Dec 14  announced to invest Rs. 8,700 crore in Bihar across various sectors, including logistics and agro-industry. Pranav Adani, the Director of Adani Enterprises, while speaking at Bihar Global Investors' Summit said that the investment intended to invest in three additional sectors, creating direct or indirect employment for approximately ten thousand people.

The Gautam Adani-led Adani Group is already present in Bihar, and it has invested Rs. 850 crore in the state.

In the warehouse or godown sector, the company plans to invest Rs. 1200 crore, generating employment for 2000 people. Additionally, in six locations—Purnia, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Kishanganj, and Araria—the silo storage capacity will increase from 1.5 lakh metric tonnes to 2.75 lakh metric tonnes. Adani Agro Private Limited has already commenced work on this project with an investment of Rs. 900 crore.

The company will allocate Rs. 200 crore to enhance its city gas distribution network in Gaya and Nalanda. Adani Group is also contemplating bringing Adani Wilmar to Bihar. In another venture, the company plans to enter the cement manufacturing sector, establishing manufacturing units in Warsaliganj and Mahawal with a cost of Rs. 2500 crore. The goal is to produce ten million metric tonnes annually from these plants, employing around 3000 people directly or indirectly.

The company is also eyeing the smart meter manufacturing sector, intending to invest Rs. 3100 crore in cities like Siwan , Saran, Gopalganj, and Vaishali to install smart meters. Adani Group announced plans to install 28,000 smart meters, creating 2000 job opportunities in the state.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav produced a hundred of rare brilliance and Kuldeep Yadav worked his inimitable sorcery with a fifer as India registered a comprehensive 106-run series-levelling win over South Africa in the third and final T20I in Johannesburg on Dec 14

Q1.  Name the former doubles world No.1 and broadcaster and promoter of India who  have become the first Asian men to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame ?

1. Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj
2. Zeeshan Ali and Anand Amritraj
3. Sania Mirza and Ramanathan Krishnan
4. Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi
5. None of These

Q2. Hindalco Industries, a metal company, is set to establish a Rs 800 crore battery foil manufacturing facility in

1. Rajasthan
2. Madhya Pradesh
3. Uttar Pradesh
4. Odisha
5. None of These

Q3. Name the UN agency which has  that Sudan faces a "hunger catastrophe" if it cannot deliver regular food aid there, eight months after fighting erupted between rival generals ?

1. International Fund for Agricultural Development
2.  International Labour Organization
3. World Food Programme
4. World Health Organization
5. None of These

Q4. National Consumer Rights Day is  celebrated on

1. 20th December
2. 24th December
3. 25th December
4. 28th December
5. None of These

Q5. Who among the following served as India’s first Test Captain?

1. Nawab of Pataudi Senior,
2. Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan
3. C. K. Nayudu
4. Lala Amarnath
5. None of These

Answers

1----------------------1   Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj

2----------------------4     Odisha

3-----------------------3  World Food Programme

4-----------------------2 24th December

5----------------------3    C. K. Nayudu

Reviving memories of the horrific 2001 Parliament attack, the Lok Sabha on  Dec 13  witnessed a major security breach when two persons jumped from the visitors’ gallery to the chamber around 1 pm during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from the smoke canisters they had slipped in, and shouted slogans.

The two men — D Manoranjan from Mysuru, Karnataka and Sagar Sharma from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh — were overpowered by the MPs present in the House and handed over to security officials. Around the same time, outside Parliament, two others — a man and a woman — were protesting with similar cans that emitted colour smoke. Police said the woman was identified as Neelam (42) of Haryana’s Hisar and the man as Amol Shinde (25) of Maharasthra’s Latur. The duo also raised some slogans — tanashahi nahi chalegi (won’t allow dictatorship), Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Jai Bheem.

The accused reportedly claimed they didn’t know each other and that they were not affiliated to any organisation. However, sources said they were connected through social media. All of them were connected through ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club page’ on Facebook”. 

Police conducted searches at the houses of the accused in Mysuru, Lucknow and Hisar. Sources said that as many as six people were involved in the conspiracy and five of them have been detained. The fifth accused, Vikram, was nabbed from his Gurugram flat while the sixth person, Lalit Jha from Bihar, is on the run.

Police said all of them met at Vikram’s residence in Gurugram before coming to Parliament. They all wanted to enter Parliament but only two got passes. Both passes were issued by BJP MP Pratap Simha from Mysuru.

Meanwhile, Opposition MPs targeted the government over the issue, seeking suspension of the BJP MP who issued passes to the intruders. The Union home ministry has ordered a probe into the incident,  a panel headed by CRPF DG Anish Dayal Singh, with members from other security agencies, has been set up.