Daily GK Updates - 1st December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 launched across the country: The Union Government has launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 across the country. The government's flagship scheme is aimed at immunizing children under the age of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine-preventable diseases. The Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) covers vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B. Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and Hemophilus influenzal are also being provided in selected areas. The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts spread over 27 States between December 2019 and March 2020.

Note: In October 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the IMI. The IMI was built on Mission Indradhanush, using additional strategies to reach populations at high risk, by involving sectors other than health. It was an effort to shift routine immunization into a peoples movement.

2. MMTC to import 11000 MT of Onions from Turkey: Public sector trading firm MMTC has ordered import of 11,000 metric tonnes of onions from Turkey. This has been done on the directions of the Department of Consumer Affairs. The decision has been taken to moderate the rising prices of onion across the nation.

3: Nagaland celebrates 57th formation Day: 1st December: Nagaland state celebrated its 57th formation day. On 1st December 1963, Nagaland became the 16th state of India.

Note: The Nagaland state shares its borders with the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh to the North, Manipur to the South and Burma to the east. The key economic activity of the state is agriculture and the main crops include – rice, corn, millets, pulses, oilseeds, etc.

Governor: RN Ravi; Chief Minister: Neiphiu Rio; Capital: Kohima

4. 20th Edition of Hornbill Festival begins in Nagaland on December 1: The annual Hornbill Festival, also known as the Festival of Festivals, began at Naga Heritage Kisama in Nagaland on December 1, 2019. The 2019 marks the 20th Edition of the 10-days Hornbill Festival. Nagaland’s Governor R N Ravi was the chief host and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was the host at the openeing ceremony of the feastival. Cultural troupes from Thailand and Hungary will also perform at the festival.

5. Soma Roy Burman takes charge as new Controller General of Accounts: Soma Roy Burman (1986-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service officer) took charge as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure with effect from December 1, 2019. She is the 24th CGA and the 7th woman to hold this coveted position. She took over from J P S Chawla. Earlier, Burman served as Additional Controller General of Accounts in the office of the CGA.

Note: The Controller General of Accounts (CGA), is the Principal Accounting Adviser to Government of India and is responsible for establishing and maintaining a technically sound Management Accounting System.

6. Shri Hari Mohan Appointed as Chairman of Ordnance Factory Board: Shri Hari Mohan, a 1982-batch Indian Ordnance Factories’ Service (I.O.F.S.) officer, has taken over the charge as Chairman of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) on December 01, 2019. He succeeds Shri Saurabh Kumar who superannuated from the services.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Iraq Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi Resigns: Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has submitted his resignation to Parliament amid ongoing anti-government protests across the country. The formal resignation came after an emergency cabinet session in which ministers approved the document and the resignation of key staffers, including Abdul Mahdi’s chief of staff. The Iraqi protesters demand the overhaul of a political system which they say is corrupt and keeps them in poverty and without opportunity.

Note: Iraq Capital: Baghdad; Currency: Iraqi dinar; President: Barham Salih

2. India’s Pavilion inaugurated at International Book Fair in Mexico: Minister of State for Human Resource Development Sanjay Dhotre inaugurated the India Pavilion at International Book Fair in Guadaljara, Mexico. India is the ‘Guest of Honour Country’ in book fair and becomes the first Asian country to participate as ‘Guest of Honour’ in the Fair. This fair is the biggest book fair in the Spanish-speaking world.

3. Mukesh Ambani becomes 9th richest person in the world: As per the Forbes ‘The Real-Time Billionaires List’, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has become the 9th richest person across the globe, having net worth of $60.6 billion. He was ranked at 13th position with $50 billion wealth in March 2019 and made a gain of over $10 billion in just eight months to be placed at 9th position. This progress comes as Reliance Industries, the country’s most valued firm, became the first Indian company to touch Rs 10 lakh crore market capitalisation (m-cap). Ambani has overtaken Google’s Larry Page ($59.6 bn), Michael Bloomberg ($54.7 bn), Charles Koch ($42.8 bn) and David Koch ($42.8 bn).

Top 5 wealthiest person in the list are:

Jeff Bezos – Amazon ($112 billion)

Bernard Arnault & family – LVMH ($107.2 billion)

Bill Gates – Microsoft ($107.1 bn)

Warren Buffett –  Berkshire Hathaway ($86.9 billion)

Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook ($74.9 billion)

4. World AIDS Day: 1 December: World Aids Day is being celebrated every year on 1st December since 1988 to raise public awareness about Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This year, the theme is "Communities Make the Difference". It is a pandemic disease caused due to the infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The Union Government has developed a seven-year National Strategic Plan from 2017 to 2024 to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju Launch 3rd Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati: The launching ceremony of the Composite Logo, Mascot, Jersey and Theme song of the third edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2020 took place at Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium, Sarusajai, Guwahti, Assam on November 30, 2019. The event was jointly inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal in the presence of Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports. The 2020 Games will be held from 10 January 2020 to 22 January 2020. It will be conducted in partnership with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), School Games Federation of India (SGFI), and Assam as the host State. The event will be held in 20 disciplines with the participation of 37 States and Union Territories. Cycling and Lawn Bowls are the new games that have been added to the list of competing sport events this year.

Note: The inaugural edition of the event was held in New Delhi in 2018, while Pune hosted the 2nd edition in 2019.

2. Sourabh Verma loses to Wang Tzu Wei in men’s singles final of 2019 Syed Modi International Badminton Championships: In badminton, India’s Sourabh Verma lost to Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei in the men’s singles final, 21-15, 21-17, to settle for silver at 2019 Syed Modi International Badminton Championships in Lucknow. The 26-year-old World No. 36 Verma was the only Indian shuttler to reach the finals of the competition.

List of Winners

Men’s Singles – Wang Tzu-wei

Women’s Single – Carolina Marín

Men’s Double – He Jiting and Tan Qiang

Women’s Double – Baek Ha-na and Jung Kyung-eun

Mixed Doubles – Rodion Alimov and Alina Davletova

3. Lewis Hamilton wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: The Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has won the 2019 Formula 1 season finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, held on December 1, 2019. He has claimed his 84th career victory and 11th in 21 races of this year. With this Lewis Hamilton successfully defended the World Drivers’ Championship title for the second year running and sixth world drivers’ title overall. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished runner-up while Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc came third.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Government to Merge 3 UP RRBs to form Baroda UP Bank: The Ministry of Finance has decided to amalgamate three regional rural public sector banks  of Uttar Pradesh namely Baroda Uttar Pradesh Grameen Bank, Kashi Gomti Samyut Gramin Bank and Purvanchal Bank into a single regional rural bank. These banks will be amalgamated on April 1, 2020 and will be called Baroda UP Bank. The Bank of Baroda will sponsor the new Baroda UP Bank and will be headquartered at Gorakhpur. Currently, Bank of Baroda is the sponsor of Baroda Uttar Pradesh Grameen Bank, Union Bank of India is the sponsor of Kashi Gomti Samyut Gramin Bank and State Bank of India is the sponsor of Purvanchal Bank.

DEFENCE

1. Border Security Force celebrates its 55th raising day: 1 December: The Border Security Force (BSF) celebrated its 55th formation day on 1st December 2019. The ceremony was attended by Union Minister of State Affairs Nityanand Rai at BSF headquarters in New Delhi. India's Border Security Force (First Line of Defence of Indian Territories) was formed on 1st December 1965, after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars. With 186 battalions and over 2.57 lakhs military personnel, the BSF is the largest border security unit in the world.

Note: BSF Jawans have lived up to their motto of Duty Unto Death; Director-General of BSF: V K Johri; Headquarter: New Delhi.

2. Joint Military Training (JMT) between India and Singapore held in West Bengal: The 10th edition of joint military training (JMT) between Indian Air Force (IAF) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is being held at Kalaikunda Air Force Station, West Bengal from Oct 31 to Dec 12. Sea training component has been introduced for the first time in the joint military training (JMT). The Training aims to improve the operational skills of the two Forces and enhance interoperability through drills such as air combat and mission-oriented training.

3. Joint military exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV’ between India and Nepal will be conducted in Nepal: Joint military exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV’ between India and Nepal will be conducted at Salijhandi, Rupendehi district of Nepal from 03 to 16 December 2019. The exercise will comprise of 300 soldiers from both Indian and Nepal Army who would be sharing their experience in conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations as also various humanitarian assistance missions by both the Armies. Exercise SURYA KIRAN - XIV is an annual event which is conducted alternatively in Nepal and India.