NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. “National Symposium of Poets 2020” organized
by All India Radio: All India Radio organized the National Symposium
of Poets 2020. Select poets of all 22 languages recognized in the constitution
participated in the symposium. It is being held every year since 1956. The
poets from all corners of the country gave their presentations and captivated
the hearts of the people during the symposium. The symposium will be broadcasted
on the eve of Republic Day and at all the centers of AIR.
Note: Chairman
of Prasar Bharti: A. Surya Prakash.
2. Raksha Mantri launches DefExpo 2020 mobile
app: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the
mobile app of the forthcoming DefExpo 2020 to be held in Lucknow, Uttar
Pradesh. The app has been developed by Department of Defence Production,
Ministry of Defence (MoD). It provides detailed information about the daily
events, participating exhibitors, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs),
guest speakers of seminars/webinars, publications, and directions of the venues
and city weather. The main features of the app constitutes inform, engage and
feedback. According to the senior officials, a record number of over 880
exhibiters (including foreign companies) have registered so far.
3. National Tribal Dance Festival begins in
Raipur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has inaugurated the
National Tribal Dance Festival in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The National Tribal
Dance Festival is being organized in Chhattisgarh for the first time. More than
1300 participants from 25 states & UTs of the country and six countries are
participating in this three-day dance fest. Nearly 1,400 artists belonging to
151 art troupes from 23 states and guest artists from six countries including
Sri Lanka, Belarus, Uganda and Bangladesh will participate in this tribal folk
cultural programme.
4. Ladakhi New Year being celebrated: Newly born Union Territory (UT) Ladakh is celebrating Losar Festival,
to mark the Ladakhi New Year. People of various parts of Ladakh region,
celebrate Losar on the 1st Day of the Eleventh Month of Tibetan Calendar
correlating to a date in the Gregorian calendar. The celebrations continue for
three to nine days in different parts of Ladakh. Losar Festival celebrations
include making symbolic meals and offerings to God and Goddess. Dough Models of
Sun, Moon, Sheep, Goats, Ibex and Antelope are kept in kitchen shelves for a
good omen. This year, it will be joyous Losar festival celebrations in the
newly born Union Territory Ladakh.
5. Dharmendra Pradhan flags off Bhubaneswar-New
Delhi Rajdhani Express showcasing Odisha's heritage: Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express depicting Odisha's Art and
culture flagged off by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The train has been
draped in high-quality designs on vinyl wrapping showcasing dance forms,
archaeological monuments, traditional Pattachitra, and flora and fauna of
Odisha. East Coast Railway (ECoR) and National Aluminium Limited Company
(NALCO) had signed an agreement in this regard. Mr. Pradhan also launched
unreserved train tickets in Odia language, which will be available at 317
stations across the state.
6. India's first university for the transgender
community to come up in UP: The country's
first university for the transgender community will be opened in Uttar
Pradesh's Kushinagar district. It will facilitate its members to study right
from class one to PG and even do research and get a PhD degree. The university
is being built by the Akhil Bhartiya Kinnar Siksha Seva Trust (All-India
transgender education service trust).
7. A book titled “Politics of Opportunism”
released by S Gurumurthy: Noted Economist and
Political Analyst S Gurumurthy released a book titled “Politics of Opportunism:
Regional Parties, Coalitions, Centre-State Relations In India” at a function in
New Delhi. The book was written by R P N Singh which throws light on the
subject related to the rise of regional parties and Centre -States relation. On
the occasion, Mr Gurumurthy shared his views on the politics of opportunism.
RNP Singh is a former officer of the Intelligence Bureau, Government of India.
He has also earned the coveted Presidents Police Medal, Indian Police Medal,
the Sukriti and Kautilya awards for his distinguished services.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. MEA includes Madagascar, Comoros in Indian
Ocean Division: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has included
Madagascar and Comoros in the Indian Ocean Region Division, which looks after
India's maritime neighbours such as Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius and
Seychelles. Earlier these two island nations were looked after by East and
South Africa Division of the MEA. The recent step reflects the growing
strategic importance of the Indian Ocean islands within the framework of Indo-Pacific.
Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros along with Reunion (French
territory) are known as Vanilla Islands and are members of the Indian Ocean
Commission.
2. Pakistan receives second tranche of USD 452 mn
from IMF: Pakistan on received USD 452.4 million as a
second tranche of the USD 6 billion loans from the International Monetary Fund
(IMF). The release of the second tranche amounting to over USD 452 million
showed the IMF's confidence over the government's economic policies. The IMF
had approved the second tranche of the loan for Pakistan under the USD 6
billion Extended Fund Facility in a meeting of its executive board in
Washington on December 20. Pakistan had received the first tranche from IMF
under its loan program in July.
3. China launches its largest carrier rocket
“Long March-5”: China has successfully launched its largest
carrier rocket “Long March-5“. The rocket was launched from Wenchang Space
Launch Center in south China’s Hainan Province. The rocket is also known as
CZ-5. It was China’s third attempt to launch the rocket. The Chinese rocket
carried the Shijian-20 satellite, a communication satellite and placed it into
its designated orbit. The Shijian-20 satellite will lay the foundation for the
development of highly sensitive space probes. It is China’s heaviest and most
advanced communications satellite in geosynchronous orbit.
Note: Capital
of China: Beijing; Currency: Renminbi.
4. Russia deploys its 1st Avangard Hypersonic
missile system: Russia’s 1st missile unit equipped with Avangard
Hypersonic glide vehicle enters into service. Russia’s defence ministry stated
that a new hypersonic weapon with latest strategic missiles of intercontinental
range has became operational. The nuclear-capable missiles can travel more than
20 times the speed of sound. They have a “glide system” that affords great
manoeuvrability and could make them impossible to defend against. The Avangard
can carry a nuclear weapon of up to 2 megatons. Avangard is designed using new composite
materials to withstand temperatures of up to 2,000 Celsius resulting from a
flight through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.
Note:
President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital: Moscow; Currency: Russian Ruble.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Boxer Sumit Sangwan banned for one year for
consuming prohibited substance: Former Asian
Games silver medalist boxer Sumit Sangwan has been banned for one year with
immediate effect by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) for failing a doping
test. Sangwan's sample was collected by the body on October 10 during the Elite
Men Boxing Championship. The governing body for the anti-doping in sports
announced its decision. The boxer who was set to appear for the Tokyo Olympics
2020 and was named in the Olympics Qualifiers list will surely miss the event.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBI directs large UCBs to report exposures
above Rs 5 cr to CRILC: The Reserve Bank of India
has directed large cooperative banks to report all exposures of Rs 5 crore and
more to the Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC). The
move is aimed at early detection of financial distress. The aggregate exposure
will include all fund-based and non-fund based exposures like partial credit
enhancement, including investment exposure on the borrower. As per the new
rules, Urban Cooperatives Banks are required to submit CRILC report on
quarterly basis with effect from December 31, 2019. The CRILC was created by
the Reserve Bank of India. CRILC constitutes commercial banks, all India
financial institutions and certain non-banking financial companies with
multiple objectives, which, among others, include strengthening offsite
supervision and early recognition of financial distress.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Dr. Santosh G Honavar conferred with AAO
Life-Time achievement award: India's
ophthalmologist Dr Santosh G Honavar has conferred with American Academy of
Ophthalmology's (AAO) highest award Life Achievement honour that is given to
its members. Dr Honavar is the first Indian chosen for the honour. Currently,
Dr Honavar heads the Department of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery and Ocular
Oncology and National Retinoblastoma Foundation at Centre for Sight, Hyderabad.
Note: American
Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is the world's largest association of eye
specialists.
DEFENCE
1. IAF bids farewell to the iconic “MiG-27”
fighter aircraft: The Indian Air Force bids farewell to the iconic
“MiG-27” with a decommissioning ceremony at the Jodhpur air base. The Mig 27 is
a soviet origin aircraft that was built under licence by HAL and became a part
of the IAF strike fleet in 1985. The jet contributed significantly in wars and
peace-keeping operations and also emerged as the real hero in the 1999 Kargil
war. Its contribution in the Kargil war earned it the title ‘Bahadur’.
OBITUARIES
1. Veteran Political cartoonist Vikas Sabnis
passes away: Veteran Political cartoonist Vikas Sabnis
(69-years) passed away in Mumbai due to cardiac arrest. Inspired by Bal
Thackeray and RK Laxman, he had started his career in 1968. Since then, for
over 50 years, Sabnis has worked as a staff cartoonist at various newspapers,
including The Times of India and the Mid-day. He made caricatures and political
cartoons on various subjects and issues.
2. Renowned Hindi author Ganga Prasad passes
away: Renowned Hindi author Ganga Prasad Vimal
(80-years) passed away in a road accident in southern Sri Lanka. He was born in
1939 in Uttarkashi, in Uttarakhand. Mr. Vimal wrote more than one dozen poetry
collections, short story collections and novels. His last novel, Manushkhor,
was published in 2013.
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