Daily GK Updates - 9th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy launches YSR LAW Nestham: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched 'YSR Law Nestham Scheme' at his camp office at Tadepalli. Under this scheme, a stipend of Rs 5,000 has been credited in the accounts of beneficiary junior lawyers with the click of a button. Lawyers thanked the Chief Minister for granting Rs 100 crore to Lawyers' Welfare Fund and for giving a stipend of Rs 5,000 to junior lawyers.

2. Punjab Cabinet approves an amendment to create rural land banks for industrial development: The Punjab Cabinet headed by Captain Amarinder Singh gave in-principle approval to amend the Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Rules, 1964, to create land banks in rural areas to boost industrial development in the city. It was decided to further fine-tune the amendments to ensure that the Panchayats get their dues, with all decisions to be taken on a case to case basis, keeping their interests in view. The Cabinet cleared the proposal to provide special provision for transfer of Shamlat Lands for development of industrial infrastructure projects, to be implemented by Industry Department and Punjab Small Industries & Export Corporation.

Note: Punjab Capital: Chandigarh; Governor: V.P. Singh Badnore; Chief Minister: Amarinder Singh

3. Haryana CM inaugurates Integrated Command and Control Centre: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has inaugurated Gurgaon's ambitious Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC). The ICCC has been designed to serve as the nodal point for all online data related to the Smart City applications, including CCTV-based public safety and adaptive traffic management system, smart parking system, water supply management system, pollution monitoring, property tax management system and asset management system. It has been developed as the nerve centre to provide multifaceted online smart services to people. The Integrated Command and Control Centre was built at the cost of 38 crore rupees.

Note: Haryana Governor: Satyadeo Narayan Arya; Capital: Chandigarh

4. Human Library event held in Mysuru: Human Library event, a concept which seeks to replace books with humans, will be held in the City of Palaces, Mysuru, Karnataka. The first event of the Human Library aims to break past long-standing prejudices and stereotypes by creating a safe framework for conservation by using a library analogy of lending people rather than books. It intends to generate greater human cohesion across various social, religious and ethnic diversities. The notion of Human Library was initially launched in the year 2000 and currently exists in more than 85 countries, known as The Human Library Organization. In India, Human Library is spread across various metropolitan cities including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru.

Note: Copenhagen, Denmark-headquartered Human Library is a registered international non-profit organization.

5. Odisha Government Reduces Assistance under KALIA Scheme to Rs 4,000 from Rs 10,000: The government of Odisha has reduced the financial assistance given to farmers under the Kalia scheme to Rs 4,000 per annum from Rs 10,000. This decision to reduce the Kalia assistance has been taken since Odisha government has merged the Kalia scheme with the Centres Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). To keep the parity of both the schemes, in the merged scheme, farmers will now get Rs 6,000 from PM-KISAN and Rs 4,000 from KALIA to receive annual assistance of Rs 10,000. Also, since all the eligible farmers will get assistance from PM-KISAN from 2019-20, no assistance for Rabi-2019 will be given under the Kalia scheme to these farmers. The actual cultivators (share croppers) who are landless, if any, will continue to get Rs 10,000 annual assistance from Kalia, since they are not considered under PM-KISAN.

Note: Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar; Governor: Ganeshi Lal; Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik.

6. ISRO to Launch its Latest spy satellite RISAT-2BR1 along with 9 Foreign Satellites from Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch country’s latest spy satellite RISAT-2BR1 and 9 foreign satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on December 11. All the 10 satellites will be sent to space through the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket (PSLV-C48).

RISAT-2BR1 is radar imaging earth observation satellite weighing about 628 kg and will be placed into an orbit of 576 km. It will have a life of five years. The 9 foreign satellites will be from USA, ISRAEL, ITALY and JAPAN which are: 6 satellites of USA including four multi-mission Lemur satellites, one technology demonstration Tyvak-0129, and earth imaging 1HOPSAT;

Remote sensing satellite, Duchifat-3 of Israel; Search and rescue satellite, Tyvak-0092 of Italy and Japan’s QPS-SAR, a radar imaging earth observation satellite.

7. FIA invites Anand Kumar for India’s Republic Day celebrations in New York: The ‘Super 30’ fame mathematician Anand Kumar will be attending the India’s Republic Day celebrations in New York, United States, on January 26. Kumar has been invited by Federation of Indian Association (FIA), the organisation of non-resident Indians, to celebrate the pioneering work he has done in the field of education.

Note: The Federation of Indian Association is the oldest organisation of the non-resident Indians. Year “2020” also marks the 50th anniversary of FIA. Anand Kumar has been invited for his contribution in the field of education through his programme ‘Super 30’.

‘Super 30’ is a programme that prepares 30 students from underprivileged sections of society for the prestigious IIT entrance test every year, without any fees.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Finland’s Sanna Mirella Marin Elected World’s Youngest Sitting Prime Minister: The Social Democratic party of Finland has elected 34-year-old Sanna Marin as the new Prime Minister of the country. She will succeed Antti Rinne (Social Democratic Party) who resigned as Prime Minister recently due to a postal strike and crisis in Finland. Marin, who will assume charge from December 10, will become the world’s youngest currently-serving prime minister. She will also be the youngest-ever prime minister of Finland and also the third female prime minister of the country.

Note: Finland Capital: Helsinki, Currency: Euro.

2. 8th edition of Embassy’s annual film festival inaugurated at Riyadh: The 8th edition of the Embassy’s annual film festival titled “Ambassador’s Choice: Screening of Films” was inaugurated at the auditorium of Embassy of India, Riyadh. Embassy’s annual film festival titled “Ambassador’s Choice: Screening of Films” saw the popular Hindi film ‘Dangal’ screened at Riyadh, which drew a large number of audience.

Note: Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh; Currency: Saudi riyal.

3. International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime: 9 December: The United Nations General Assembly established 9 December as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”). This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Convention. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims.

4. International Anti-Corruption Day: 9 December: International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) is being observed annually on 9th December to raise public awareness of corruption and what people can do to fight it. This year International Anti-Corruption Day theme is “United Against Corruption”. Every year USD 1 trillion is paid in bribes while an estimated USD 2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption.

Note: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) had designated 9th December as International Anti-Corruption Day by passing resolution 58/4 of October 31, 2003.

5. India ranks 129th in 2019 human development index: India has been ranked at 129th spot in the 2019 Human Development Index released by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Last year India was ranked 130th. As per the 2019 Human Development Report (HDR), the 2019 Human Development Index has been topped by Norway. Switzerland is on second while Ireland is on the third. South Asia was the fastest-growing region witnessing 46 percent growth during 1990-2018.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Former World No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki announces retirement from tennis: Danish player Caroline Wozniacki announced her retirement from tennis after next month's Australian Open. The Dane (29-years) won her only Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne last year in her third major final. She has won 30 WTA titles so far in her career, including the 2017 Tour Finals in Singapore.

2. WADA bans Russia from International Sporting Events for 4 years: The World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, has imposed ban on Russia for four years from participation in global sporting events, during WADA’s Executive Committee in Lausanne on December 9, 2019. As per WADA, Russian authorities tampered with Russian Anti-Doping Agency’s (RUSADA) database to hide hundreds of potential doping cases and falsely shift the blame onto whistle-blowers.

The ban means: Russia will now not be able to participate in 2020 Tokyo Olympics and also the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Apart from Russian athletes, government officials will also be barred from attending such events. Russia will also not be eligible to host or even bid to host major events during the same time period.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. NTPC signs pact for Rs. 5,000-crore term loan with SBI: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has signed a term loan agreement for Rs. 5,000 crore with State Bank of India (SBI). The loan facility has been extended at an interest rate linked to 3-Month MCLR of the bank and has a door to door tenure of 15 years. The loan will be utilised to part finance the capital expenditure of NTPC.

Note: NTPC Chairman and Managing Director: Gurdeep Singh.

State Bank of India Chairman: Rajnish Kumar.

2. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi appointed as new Chairman of NSE: Former petroleum secretary Girish Chandra Chaturvedi has been appointed as the Chairman of the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The appointment comes within weeks of him joining the NSE board as a public interest director. The position was vacant since Ashok Chawla resigned as the chairman of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in January this year. Mr. Girish also serves as non-executive chairman of ICICI Bank.

Note: The National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) (established in 1992) is the leading stock exchange of India, located in Mumbai. NSE was the first exchange in the country to provide a modern, fully automated screen-based electronic trading system which offered the easy trading facility to the investors spread across the length and breadth of the country.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi crowned 2019 Miss Universe: Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi (26-years) has been crowned Miss Universe 2019 in a glitzy ceremony held in Atlanta, the capital of the US state of Georgia. Ms Tunzi beat over 90 contestants around the globe in the 68th instalment of Miss Universe. Madison Anderson (Miss Universe Puerto Rico) was the runner-up in this contest. Sofía Aragón (Miss Universe Mexico) is the second runner up. India's Vartika Singh couldn't make it to the top 20. The Philippines’ Catriona Gray (Miss Universe winner in 2018) presented Ms Tunzi the crown.

2. Indian Shooters Elavenil Valarivan, Saurabh Chaudhary and Divyansh Singh Panwar Awarded Golden Target award: Three Indian shooters namely Elavenil Valarivan, Saurabh Chaudhary and Divyansh Singh Panwar have been presented the Golden Target award by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), at its headquarters in Munich, Germany. The federation has for the first time introduced the Golden Target award to recognise and honour the top-ranked shooters from 12 categories, who finished the season as No.1 in their respective events in rifle and pistol. India won three of the 12 awards. China and US won two each. Britain, Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary and Korea were the other countries whose shooters were awarded the Golden Target award.

Daily GK Updates - 8th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Punjab govt launches ESTAC programme for startups: Punjab Government has launched Enable Startup Track Acceleration (ESTAC) programme with an aim to foster entrepreneurship and innovation in the state. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh launched it during the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit-2019. ESTAC is a series of startup acceleration programmes created through a strategic partnership between the state government (Start-up Punjab Cell) and AIC, Indian School of Business, Mohali.

Note: Punjab Capital: Chandigarh; Governor: V.P. Singh Badnore; Chief Minister: Amarinder Singh

2. President Kovind Lays Foundation Stone of Paika Bidroh Memorial in Odisha: President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone of Paika Bidroh Memorial at the foothills of Barunei Hill in Odisha’s Khurda district on December 8 to mark 200 years of the Paika Rebellion. The Paika Memorial is being set up in a 10-acre plot to celebrate the heroic saga and valour of the Paikas in Odisha, who fought against the British East India Company in 1817. The Paika Rebellion is also referred to as the original first war of Indian Independence, since it took place much before the Indian Revolt of 1857 against British rule. A chair in the name of Buxi Jagabandhu who led this revolt has been established with a Rs 5 crore grant and memorial coin and stamp issued to mark the two hundred years of the event.

Note: Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar; Governor: Ganeshi Lal; Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik.

3. 4th India Water Impact Summit 2019 held in Delhi: The 4th India Water Impact Summit 2019 was held in New Delhi. Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the summit. It was organised by Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) and was led by IIT-Kanpur. Theme of the event was: ‘Valuing Water – Transforming Ganga’. Objective of the summit: bringing together global financial investors and institutions to focus on water impact in smart cities.

4. Manipur CM inaugurates Imphal to Dimapur direct flight service: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has inaugurated Imphal to Dimapur direct flight service at Imphal Airport. The flight service which is being operated by Alliance Air would be operational thrice a week. The flight service would further strengthen the friendly relations between Manipur and Nagaland. This better connectivity would build deeper connections among the people of the two states.

Note: Manipur Capital: Imphal; Governor: Najma Heptulla; Chief Minister: N. Biren Singh

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 7th OPEC & non-OPEC Ministerial Meet Held in Vienna: The 7th edition of the biannual OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting was held in Vienna, Austria. OPEC and non-OPEC meet (often referred to as OPEC+) was Co-Chaired by OPEC’s President, HE Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, People’s Minister of Petroleum of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and HE Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation. The OPEC and non-OPEC allies have decided to implement tighter oil production policy by reducing oil production by an additional 500,000 barrels per day (b/d) through to March 2020.

Note: Austria Capital: Vienna; Currency: Euro

2. Hage Geingob Re-Appointed President of Namibia: Hage Geingob, has been re-elected for a second term as the President of Namibia. Mr Geingob won 56.3% of the total votes, well ahead of his nearest rival Panduleni Itula with 29.4%. However, Mr Geingob’s tally was down from the 87% with which he won his first term in 2014.

Note: Namibia Capital: Windhoek

3. SAARC Development Fund (SDF) celebrated the 35th SAARC Charter Day on December 8: 8th December is being celebrated as SAARC Charter Day. On 8th of December in 1985, the leader of the Seven South Asian Countries (means Maldives, India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladeshi and Sri Lanka) had signed the contract (means charter) in order to set up the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). SAARC was joined by the Afghanistan as a Member in the month of April, 2007.

4. India Ranks 73 in UNCTAD B2C E-Commerce Index 2019: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2019, that measures an economy’s preparedness to support online shopping. India has moved seven places up in the list to be ranked 73rd out of 152 countries. The list has been topped by the Netherlands for the second consecutive year. Switzerland, Singapore, Finland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Germany and Australia are the top 10 nations in the list. Comoros, Burundi, Chad and Niger are last in the index.

5. India ranks 5th Most Vulnerable Country in Global Climate Risk Index 2020 by Germanwatch: India has been ranked as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change in the Global Climate Risk Index 2020 by Environment think tank, Germanwatch. India’s rank has worsened from the 14th spot in 2017 to 5th in 2018 in the global vulnerability ladder. Japan is the most vulnerable country in the list. It is followed by the Philippines, Germany and Madagascar. The 15th edition of Global Climate Risk Index, 2020 analyses to what extent countries and regions have been affected by impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heatwaves etc.) and is based on data available for 2018 and from 1999 to 2018.

Note: Germanwatch is based in Bonn and Berlin (Germany). It is an independent development and environmental organisation which works for sustainable global development.

6. China Tops, India 5th worst Country in invasive use of biometric data: Comparitech Report: According to the data by UK-based tech research firm Comparitech, India is the fifth worst country in terms of extensive and invasive use of biometric data. India shares the fifth position with Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines with a score of 19 out of 25. The list has been topped by China (24/25), followed by Malaysia, Pakistan and United States respectively. Ireland, Portugal, Cyprus, the UK and Romania emerged as the five best countries. The report is based on assessment of 50 different countries to find out where biometrics are being taken, what they are being taken for, and how they are being stored.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Indian Junior Women’s Hockey team wins 3-Nations Tournament in Australia: The Indian junior women’s team has won the 3-Nations Tournament held in Australia from 3-8 December 2019. India secured 7 points to be placed at top position in the points table. Hosts Australia stood second while New Zealand finished third.

2. Bangabandhu BPL inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina: Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the special edition of Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BBPL) T20 cricket championship at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. This is a special edition of Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament (BBPL) named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to celebrate his 100th birth anniversary. A total of 7 teams are participating in the BBPL event, play 46 matches including the 4 playoff matches The BBPL final will be held on 17th January 2020. This is the first time that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is organizing the Premier League matches without involving any franchise.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Bangladeshi taka

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SEBI orders LIC, SBI, Bank of Baroda to reduce stake to below 10 pc in UTI AMC by Dec 2020: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has directed three public sector financial institutions — LIC, SBI and Bank of Baroda to dilute their stakes to below 10 percent in UTI Asset Management Company (AMC) by December 2020. In the case of non-compliance with directions, the shareholding and voting rights of these entities in UTI AMC and UTI Trustee in excess of 9.99 percent and corporate benefits will be frozen till the time they comply with the orders. Each of them presently holding 18.24 percent stake in UTI Asset Management Company (AMC). Private equity firm T Rowe Price International holds 26 percent stake in UTI AMC.

2. RBI mulling to amend regulatory guidelines for UCBs: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that it is mulling to amend regulatory guidelines for primary Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs). According to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, the guidelines would primarily relate to exposure norms for single and group/interconnected borrowers, promotion of financial inclusion and priority sector lending. These measures are expected to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of UCBs and protect the interest of depositors. RBI has also decided to bring UCBs with assets of 500 crore rupees and above under the Central Repository of Information on Large Credits - CRILC reporting framework. This will help in strengthening off-site supervision and early recognition of financial distress.

3. RBI releases “Guidelines for ‘on tap’ Licensing of SFB in the Private Sector”: The Reserve Bank of India released guidelines for ‘on tap’ Licensing of Small Finance Banks in the Private Sector. Now payments banks willing to convert themselves into small finance banks (SFBs) can apply for such a licence only after 5 years of operations. Existing payments banks (PBs), which are controlled by residents and have completed five years of operations, are also eligible for conversion into small finance banks after complying with all legal and regulatory requirements of various authorities and if they conform to these guidelines. The licensing window will be open on-tap. The minimum capital for setting up an SFB has been mandated at ₹200 crores, adding for primary (urban) co-operative banks (UCBs), which wish to become SFBs, the initial requirement of net worth will be ₹100 crores, which will have to be increased to ₹200 crores within five years from the date of commencement of business. SFBs will be given scheduled bank status immediately upon commencement of operations.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

4. Bajaj Finserv Launches #LoanFlexibleHai Campaign to Drive Awareness for its Flexi Personal Loan: Bajaj Finance Limited, the lending and investment arm of the Bajaj Finserv Group, launched its latest #LoanFlexibleHai campaign. Providing an instant connect with the customers through an engaging and interactive game, the #LoanFlexibleHai campaign aims to create awareness for the Bajaj Finserv Flexi Personal Loan.

Customers are encouraged to play the game and learn how a single, flexible loan can be of assistance during various life stages, through the campaign's 15-day window, from December 1st - 16th, 2019. Here, customers playing the game must scale the tiles indicating various life stages and, as they progress, encounter both expected and unexpected expenses. Tiles marked green are known expenses such as a wedding and travel whereas those marked red are emergencies, both known and unknown such as loss of employment or repairs. The third type of tile, blue in colour, represent prepayments made either through gains such as investment returns or bonuses. The goal is to get to the top while encountering coloured tiles along the way. These change your loan particulars, indicated by the calculator and highlight how the Flexi Personal Loan can be of assistance through all of life's journeys.

Note: About Bajaj Finserv Flexi Personal Loan: With a Flexi Personal Loan, whatever be the need, customers can pay for it by borrowing from their sanction. Customers can borrow in parts, without making a fresh application each time. Further, one is charged interest only on the amount withdrawn. Customers can also pay interest-only EMIs in the initial repayment phase and reduce their instalments by up to 45%.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Priyanka Chopra Jonas Honoured at Marrakech Film Festival: The past couple of days have been quite exhilarating for actress and producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas. A day after receiving the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award from UNICEF, the actress was honoured at the Marrakech Film Festival for her contribution to cinema. The actress attended the event held at the famous Jemaa el Fna square in Morocco.

2. 8th National Photography Awards: The Photo Division, under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, has invited entries for the 8th National Photography Awards. The Division confers these Awards every year, to promote various facets of the country such as art, culture, development, heritage, history, life, people, society, and tradition through the medium of photography, and to encourage professional and amateur photographers across the country.

The National Photography Awards are conferred under three categories:

(1) Lifetime Achievement Award: It carries a Cash Prize of Rs. 3,00,000.

(2) Award for Professional Photographers: It carries a Cash Prize of Rs. 1,00,000. This year’s theme for Professional Photographers is ‘Life and Water’ and five Special Mention Awards with a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- each.

(3) Award for Amateur Photographers: It carries a cash prize of Rs.75,000. This year’s theme for the Amateur Photographers is ‘Cultural Heritage of India’ and five Special Mention Awards with a cash prize of Rs.30,000/- each.

Daily GK Updates - 7th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. GoI launched National Clean Air Programme: The Central Government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, time-bound, national-level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner. The government is targeting to achieve 20 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in Particulate Matter PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration. Under NCAP, 102 non-attainment cities have been identified based on ambient air quality data for the period 2011 – 2015 and WHO report 2014 – 2018.

Note: Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Prakash Javadekar.

2. Telangana CM releases book on Kaleswaram project: Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao has released a book in Telugu on ‘Kaleswaram Project — Telangana’s chariot of Progress’ authored by Officer on Special Duty, Irrigation to the Chief Minister, Sridhar Rao Deshpande. The author explained in detail the efforts of Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao right from the conception of project and research done by using Google earth software and data of water flow from Central Water Commission in his book.

Note: Telangana CM: K Chandrashekhar Rao; Capital: Hyderabad

3. Assam govt sets up Anti-Depredation squads: The Assam government has set up 15 Anti-Depredation Squads of the Forest department to deal with human-wildlife conflicts in the state. The anti-depredation squads will be stationed in 15 major human-wildlife conflict districts of the state to deal with the problem and ensure the safety of both humans and animals. The Forest Department has engaged specially trained 50 front line staff to handle conflict situations with 100 more staff to be trained in the coming days. The anti-depredation squads will be equipped with all logistics required for mitigating the conflict. The squads will have 12 bore pump action guns and rubber bullet ammunition.

Note: Assam Capital: Dispur, CM: Sarbananda Sonowal, Governor: Jagdish Mukhi.

4. Retired IPS K. Vijay Kumar appointed senior security advisor in MHA: Retired IPS officer K Vijay Kumar has been appointed as a senior security advisor in the Union Home Ministry. He was former Advisor to the governor erstwhile state of Jammu &Kashmir. The 1975 batch officer of Indian Police Service will "advise the ministry on security-related matters of Union Territory of J&K and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected States. Kumar has served as Director-General of CRPF, Director of National Police Academy in Hyderabad and his most talked-about stint was as the chief of the Tamil Nadu police special task force that killed forest brigand Veerappan in 2004. After his retirement from service and as DG, CRPF in 2012, Kumar was appointed as senior security advisor LWE in the Home Ministry then headed by Rajnath Singh.

5. Aberdeen in Andaman and Nicobar Islands adjudged best police station in Country: Union Home Ministry released the list of ten best-performing Police stations in the country. Aberdeen Police station in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ranks first in the list while Balasinor police station in Gujarat secured the second rank while and Ajk Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh got the 3rd position. The ranking of police stations came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the DGPs conference in 2015 in Kutch of Gujarat, had directed that parameters should be laid down for grading police stations and assessing their performance based on feedback. The ranking of the top ten Police Stations out of over 15 thousand 500 Police Stations in the country was done through data analysis, direct observation, and public feedback.

6. Armed Forces Flag Day: 7 December: The Armed Forces Flag Day (Flag Day of India) is being observed annually in India on 7th December (since 1949). The objective of the day honours the martyrs as well as men and women in uniform, who valiantly fight on our borders to safeguard the country’s honour. Over the years, it has become a tradition to commemorate this day as an honour to the soldiers, sailors and airmen of India.

7. J&K govt approves Leave Travel Concession in favour of its employees: Jammu and Kashmir Government has approved the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) in favour of its employees. The move is to benefit more than 3.5 lakh, regular government employees. The rules as per the notification shall be deemed to have come into force from the date of 31st of October 2019 and had been entitled as Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 2019.

Note: Lieutenant (Lt) Governors of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K): Girish Chandra Murmu.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Bangladesh ties transcend strategic partnership: The ties between India and Bangladesh for transcend strategic partnership. The multidimensional relationship between the two countries covers not only traditional areas like trade, commerce, security and border management but also new areas such as IT, space and nuclear science among others. India is a committed development partner of Bangladesh with a credit line worth 8 billion US dollars of which 80% is earmarked for infrastructure and connectivity sector.

Note: India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh: Riva Ganguly Das.

Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Bangladeshi taka; Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina

2. International Civil Aviation Day: 7 December: The United Nations General Assembly officially recognized 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day globally. The theme of this year Civil Aviation Day is “75 Years of Connecting the World”. The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.

Note: International Civil Aviation Day was established in 1994 as part of ICAO’s initiative and with the assistance of the Canadian Government.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. NEFT transactions to be made 24×7 from December 16: The Reserve Bank of India announced round-the-clock transactions will be allowed 24×7 facility under the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system on all days including weekends and holidays from December 16. These transactions after the usual banking hours are set to be automated initiated using ‘Straight Through Processing (STP)’ modes by the banks. The existing discipline for crediting the beneficiary’s account or returning the transaction within 2 hours of settlement to the originating bank will also continue. The RBI had in August announced that all NEFT transfer facility would be made available 24x7 for customers by December. The first settlement would take place after 00:30 hours on December 16, 2019.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das, Headquarters: Mumbai, Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

2. CPPIB to invest $600 mn via National Investment and Infrastructure Fund: The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) have agreed for CPPIB to invest up to $600 million through the NIIF Master Fund. The agreement includes a commitment of $150 million in the NIIF Master Fund and co-investment rights of up to $450 million in future opportunities to invest alongside the NIIF Master Fund. The fund also has co-investment rights of $3 billion from global and domestic investors, which will allow NIIF write larger cheques for single infrastructure deals Post the funding, CPPIB will become a shareholder in NIIF’s investment management company

Note: National Investment and Infrastructure Fund of India MD and CEO: Sujoy Bose.

The NIIF Master Fund invests equity capital in core infrastructure sectors in India, with a focus on transportation, energy and urban infrastructure. NIIF was set up in 2015 along the lines of a sovereign wealth fund with 49% equity held by the Union government and the rest by foreign and domestic investors.

3. IEPFA signs MOU with Bank of Baroda for Investor Awareness: Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bank of Baroda (BoB) to spread customer awareness and investor education and reaching out to investors and stakeholders. As per the agreement, 9,456 BoB branches will exhibit IEPFA posters on investor protection & 3,115 ATMs (Automated Teller Machine) and Cash Recyclers supported by self-service channels will feature digital banners on IEPFA.

Note: Bank of Baroda (BoB) Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat; Non-Executive Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia.

In 2016, the Government of India established the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the provisions of section 125 of the Companies Act, 2013.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. National Florence Nightingale awards 2019: President of India conferred 36 awardees with the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2019 at an event in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The award was given to Late Lini Sajeesh from Kozhikode, Kerala, who died while on duty caring for a Nipah (NiV) virus-infected patient in Kerala. The award was received by her spouse Sajeesh. Other 35 awardees were Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Lady Health Visitors (LHVs), and nurses from different states and Union Territories (UT). The Nurses were awarded for their enthusiasm and compassion towards their work in community health centres and hospitals and also their involvement in national health programmes like eradication of polio, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Note: May 12 is observed as the International Day of Nurses.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the year 2020 as the Year of Nurse and Midwife. The year 2020 also marks the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, after whom the awards have been named. Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and has done exemplary work in the nursing field. The Florence Nightingale award was established in the year 1973 by the Government of India to commemorate the exemplary work done by nurses.

2. Ripu Daman Bevli will be the “Plogging Ambassador of India” on 50th Fit India Plogging Run: Ripu Daman Bevli was appointed as Plogging Ambassador of India by Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) on the 50th Fit India Plogging Run held in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The minister also launched the Plogging Ambassador Mission to nominate Indians who have been running and cleaning their cities, towns or districts as Plogging Ambassadors of their region. Fit India Plogging Run was launched on October 2 which is a unique way of picking up garbage while jogging and was added to the Fit India Movement as a unique way of combining cleanliness and fitness. Bevli, who started plogging in 2017, started the Fit India Plogging Run with the aim to make India litter-free. Belvi and his team have cleaned up 50 cities and covered over 1000km in about 2 months, collecting 2.7 tonnes of garbage.

Daily GK Updates - 6th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s 1st HAM project in “Sewerage Sector” inaugurated in Haridwar: Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated the 14 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) in Sarai village near Haridwar in the presence of Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. The Sarai STP is “the first-ever project in the country on a hybrid annuity PPP model (HAM)”. 34 STPs are being built in Uttarakhand at a cost of Rs 1,144 crore, besides crematoria and ghats on the Ganga. Of these, 23 have been completed. Once all the STPs become operational, there will be “considerable improvement in the water quality of Ganga”.

Note: Capital of Uttarakhand: Dehradun; Governor: Baby Rani Maurya.

2. Goa hosts 2nd edition of Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit 2019: The Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit-2019 (2nd edition) has been started in Goa for Fund Managers and Limited Partners of Top Global Venture Capital Firms. The theme for Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit 2019 ‘India Opportunity: Investing in tomorrow together’. The event will be organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), in partnership with Government of Goa. The key objectives of the Summit are to show India’s opportunity in the sectors of E-Mobility, FinTech, MedTech, Enterprise Software, EdTech, Genomics and Lifesciences.

3. Piyush Goyal inaugurates 3rd edition of National Public Procurement Conclave: Commerce and Industry Minister inaugurated the 3rd edition of National Public Procurement Conclave in New Delhi. The two-day conclave has been organized by Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in association with Confederation of Indian Industry. GeM epitomizes the speed, skill and scale which is essential in an e-marketplace platform. GeM rests on the three pillars of openness, fairness and inclusiveness and is a symbol of a truly transparent e-marketplace. During this conclave, a road map for the future of GeM will be put in place that will unify all government procurement, across all Ministries and Departments.

Note: Union Commerce and Industry Minister: Piyush Goyal.

4. IIT researchers to create ‘Gandhipedia’: The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and IIT (Indian Institutes of Technology) Gandhinagar and Kharagpur, have joined hands to develop Gandhipedia, an online repository of books, letters and speeches written by Mahatma Gandhi, to commemorate his 150th birth anniversary. The entire project will be done with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In the first phase, over 40 books written by Mahatma Gandhi will be digitised and indexed and their portions which are to be completed by March 2020, and the remaining four phases will be worked on till March 2024. The aim of Gandhipedia is to reconstruct and remember the inspiring works of Mahatma Gandhi.

Note: National Council of Science Museums Director-General: A. D. Choudhury; Founded: 4 April 1978; Headquarters: Kolkata, India; Parent Organization: Ministry of Culture.

5. Govt sanctions Rs 100 cr to set up women help desks in police stations: Union Home Ministry has sanctioned a sum 100 crore rupees from Nirbhaya Fund for setting up and strengthening of Women Help Desks in Police Stations of States and Union Territories (UT). The Help Desks would focus on making the Police Stations more women-friendly and approachable. They would be the first and single point of contact for any woman walking into a police station. Essentially, lady police officers would be deployed at these help desks. These help desks would have enlisted panel of experts like lawyers, psychologists and NGOs to facilitate legal aid, counselling, shelter, rehabilitation and training.

Note: Nirbhaya Fund was announced by the Finance Minister (then FM P. Chidambaram) in his 2013 budget speech, with Government contribution of Rs. 1000 Crores for empowerment, safety and security of women and girl children. The Fund is administered by the Department of Economic Affairs of the finance ministry.

6. Country's first aqua lab to be set up in Dehradun: State forest minister Shri Harak Singh Rawat laid the foundation stone of India’s first Ganga centralised aqua lab at Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The aqua labs will be set up under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Tributaries of river Ganga such as Gomti, Betwa, Kosi will be scientifically studied and their biological components will be preserved in the lab.

7. Nation pays homage to Dr BR Ambedkar on his 64th Mahaparinirvan Diwas: The nation is paying homage to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar on his 64th Mahaparinirvan Diwas (death anniversary) on 6 December. He was popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar and everyone knows that he was one of the architects of the Indian Constitution. He was a very well-known political leader, eminent jurist, Buddhist activist, philosopher, anthropologist, historian, orator, writer, economist, scholar and editor, too. He is a leader who dedicated his life to eradicating social inequality in India. Dr Ambedkar (also known as the Father of the Indian Constitution) died on 6th December 1956.

Note: What is Mahaparinirvan? Parinirvan is one of the major principles and goals of Buddhism.

As per the Buddhist text (i.e. Mahaparinibbana Sutta) the death of Lord Buddha at the age of 80 is considered as the original ‘Mahaparinirvan’.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NATO Summit 2019 in Watford, United Kingdom: The United Kingdom(UK) hosted two days organised 2019 NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit in London. The year 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the summit. It was attended by NATO leaders and chaired by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. The purpose of the summit was to make the heads of state and heads of government of NATO member countries to evaluate and provide strategic direction for Alliance activities.

Note: Member countries of NATO: 29; Founded: 4 April 1949; Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.

2. Upender Singh Rawat appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Costa Rica: Senior diplomat Upender Singh Rawat (Indian Foreign Service 1998 batch) has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Costa Rica. Presently Mr Rawat is Ambassador of India to the Republic of Panama. Shri Anjani Kumar (IFS: 2003) has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Mali.

Note: Republic of Mali Capital: Bamako; Currency: West African CFA franc

Republic of Costa Rica Capital: San José; Currency: Costa Rican colón

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. 1st time India’s forex reserves cross $450 billion: The country’s foreign exchange reserves crossed the $450-billion mark for the first time ever on the back of strong inflows which enabled the central bank to buy dollars from the market, thus checking any sharp appreciation of the rupee. India’s foreign exchange reserves were at $451.7 billion on December 3, 2019, an increase of $38.8 billion over end-March 2019. The Reserve Bank has always maintained that it intervenes in the foreign exchange market to curb volatility and does not target a particular level of the exchange rate.

2. HDFC ERGO launches my: health Woman Suraksha policy: HDFC ERGO general insurance company, India’s third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, has launched “my: health Woman Suraksha policy”, a comprehensive medical insurance scheme specially designed for women. The my:health Woman Suraksha policy is specially designed to cover women against numerous illnesses and contingencies they may face during their lifetime, thereby providing financial aid in case of medical contingencies. The benefits include fitness discount at renewals, specially designed preventive health check-ups after every renewal and wellness services like health coaching, nutrition and weight management services, discounts at pharmacies, etc. It also provides counselling on stress management, pregnancy care, work-life balance, etc which is much needed by today’s new age women. This policy is offered to women between 18-65 years of age and offers a sum insured ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to 1 crore.

Note: HDFC ERGO MD & CEO: Ritesh Kumar; Founded: 2002; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

3. BlackBuck partners with IDFC Bank, Yes Bank to offer free FASTags to truckers: The Online trucking platform BlackBuck has partnered with private lenders IDFC Bank and Yes Bank to provide FASTags to truck owners free of cost. Truck owners can order FASTags on BlackBuck’s Boss App, a digital services platform exclusively for truck fleet owners, and it will be delivered at their doorstep free of cost until December 31, 2019. The initiative is expected to help over 3 million trucks in India become FASTag compliant.

Note: IDFC Bank MD & CEO: V. Vaidyanathan; HDFC Tagline: Always You First.

Yes Bank MD & CEO: Ravneet Gill; Yes Bank Tagline: Experience our Expertise.

4. Razorpay recognized as 'Most Innovative Payment Start-Up' At IFTA 2019: Razorpay, the neo-banking platform, successfully added three more accolades to its bouquet at the India FinTech Awards (IFTA) 2019, organised by India Fintech Forum in association with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The company won awards for the 'Most Innovative Payment Start-up' and 'Most Innovative Fintech Product' for its neo-banking product, RazorpayX. The CEO and Co-founder, Harshil Mathur was also honoured at the event as the 'Fintech Leader of the Year'.

Note: IFTA is a platform that celebrates and recognises the leaders and organizations for their contribution to the payments and technology domain.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. UNICEF honours Priyanka Chopra with ‘Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award’: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has been awarded the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award from UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) at the Snowflake Ball in New York. Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg (UNICEF's first Goodwill Ambassador) handed over the award to the actor. Priyanka Chopra is quite active not only in the entertainment and fashion world but also in social work. Priyanka Chopra has been associated with UNICEF for the past 15 years as a Goodwill Ambassador.

2. Shilpa Shetty App” wins in 2019 Google Play Awards: Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty’s fitness and wellness application ‘Shilpa Shetty App’ has been awarded Google Play’s Best Apps of 2019 in the ‘Personal Growth’ category. Google has announced the winners of Google Play's Best of 2019 awards selecting the best across apps, games, ebooks, movies, and audiobooks of the year.

Best App of 2019 - Ablo

Best Game of 2019 - Call of Duty: Mobile

Google Play User's Choice 2019 Awards:

App: Video Editor - Glitch Video Effects

Game: Call of Duty: Mobile

Movie: Marvel Studios' Avengers Endgame

Ebook: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

3. Roger Federer first living Swiss to have a coin minted in his honour: Tennis legend Roger Federer (38-years) is set to become the first living person in Switzerland to have a coin minted in his honour. Swiss mint has announced that it would honour Roger Federer by releasing 20 Swiss francs (USD 20.06) silver commemorative coin in January 2020. This would be for the first time in its history of Swiss mint that it is dedicating a Swiss commemorative coin to a living person. This year's commemorative Swiss coins included the 50th anniversary of the moon landings, the Furka Pass and the roe deer.

DEFENCE

1. Exercise INDRA 2019: Exercise INDRA 2019 a joint, tri-services exercise between India and Russia will be conducted in India from 10-19 December 2019 simultaneously at Babina (near Jhansi), Pune, and Goa. The contingents of both countries will share expertise and their professional experience. The esprit-de-corps and goodwill shall be the key areas during the exercise which will facilitate the further strengthening of bonds between the defence forces of India and Russia.

Note: The INDRA series of exercise began in 2003 and the First joint Tri-Services Exercise was conducted in 2017. It will be a historic occasion for two of the world’s greatest Armed Forces to join hands and successfully conduct an exercise of this magnitude with professionalism, to imbibe the best practices from each other, jointly evolve and drills to defeat the scourge of terror under the United Nation mandate.

Russia President: Vladimir Putin; Capital: Moscow; Currency: Russian ruble

OBITURIES

1. Writer DC Fontana passes away: Dorothy Catherine "DC Fontana’ (80-years) the first female writer for 'Star Trek' passed away after battling with a brief illness. The writer penned numerous stories for the original Star Trek' TV series and developed one of its signature characters, Spock. She wrote 1967's 'Journey to Babel', which introduced Spock's father Sarek and mother, Amanda.

Daily GK Updates - 5th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Fit India School Rating System launched as part of Fit India Campaign: Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Kiren Rijiju has jointly launched the Fit India School Rating System. The “Fit India School Rating System” has been launched as part of the Fit India Campaign. The Fit India school rating system as per certain parameters is expected to enhance the image of the schools. Fit India program is an innovative initiative launched by the Prime Minister to increase the awareness among the masses and to encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyle.

2. Odisha launches ‘Madhu’ app to help school students: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched ‘Madhu’ app. It is an e-learning mobile phone application which will help school students to understand their subjects in a better and most efficient way. The app is named after ‘Utkal Gourab’ Madhusudan Das. The app is developed by Ganjam district administration for school students. Through this app, the students will be able access the video explanation of the topics they were taught in their classroom.

3. VP Naidu launches new Rotavirus vaccine: ROTAVAC-5D: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu launched the new Rotavirus vaccine: ROTAVAC-5D designed and developed by Bharat Biotech in New Delhi. ROTAVAC is an example of a true social innovation that was realized through a partnership between scientists from India and the USA. India is firmly committed to ending morbidity and mortality in children caused due to diarrhoea by 2022. The first generation, Rotavirus vaccine, ROTAVAC developed under a Public-Private Partnership with the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, has put India on the global map for setting new standards in pharmaceutical Research and Development.

4. India’s first maritime museum coming up at Lothal in Gujarat: Government of India (GoI) & Portugal has decided to cooperate in the setting up of an India’s 1st National Maritime Heritage Museum at the ancient Indian site of Lothal in Gujarat with the aim to boost the underwater or marine archaeology. The Museum will showcase salvaged material from shipwreck sites in the Indian Ocean waters.

Note: Gujarat CM: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat; Capital: Gandhinagar.

5. 3-day-long North East Food Show begins in Meghalaya: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has inaugurated the first-ever North East Food Show (three-day-long) at Polo Grounds, Shillong. The food show will provide a strong platform and network to different stakeholders. There are different technologies and products relating to the food industry which people are not aware of, and the show will serve as the bridge to connect with one another. It will also be an opportunity for these majors to source products not available anywhere else and to introduce their products to the region.

6. Avantee mega Food Park inaugurated in MP’s Dewas: Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Union Minister for food processing) has inaugurated Avantee mega Food Park in Dewas. Madhya Pradesh. This first food park of central India is spread over 51 acres and has been constructed at a cost of about 150 crore rupees. About 5 thousand local people will get employment from this Mega Food Park.  Processing of soyabean, gram, wheat and other grains and vegetables will be done in the park. Warehouses will also be opened in Indore, Ujjain, Dhar and Agar in the next phases.

7. Mumbai Central gets first ‘Eat Right Station’ certification from FSSAI: The Mumbai Central station of Railways was conferred with the ‘Eat Right Station’ certification with four stars rating by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The Mumbai Central Railway Station is the country’s first “Eat Right Station.” The focus of the movement is on improving the health and well-being of people by ensuring they eat healthily. Mumbai Central station has been judged on the basis of compliance of food safety and hygiene, availability of healthy diet, food handling at preparation, transhipment and retail/serving point, food waste management, promotion of local and seasonal food and creating awareness on food safety and healthy diet.

‘Eat Right India’ movement is built on two broad pillars of ‘Eat Healthy’ and ‘Eat Safe’.

Note: FSSAI founded: August 2011; FSSAI Act: Food and Standards Act, 2006; Headquarters: New Delhi; Chairperson: Rita Teaotia; Chief Executive Officer: Shri Pawan Kumar Agarwal.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India gifts patrol vessel to the Maldives as the net security provider of the region: India gifted a ‘Made in India’ Patrol Vessel named "KAAMIYAAB” to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). It will be net security provider in the region amid China’s increasing forays in the Indian Ocean Region. Meanwhile, 2500 LED streetlights donated by India were installed in Male recently. These streetlights save 80% energy and will result in cost savings of approx. 8.35 lakh MVR per year for Male city. In 2019, tourist arrivals from India to the Maldives have doubled and India has risen from 5th to the 2nd position in the tourism market of Maldives.

2. World Soil Day: 5 December: World Soil Day is celebrated annually on the 5th of December at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy. This year, by addressing the increasing challenges of soil management, the FAO campaign “Stop soil erosion, Save our future” aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being. By encouraging people around the world to engage in proactively improving soil health, the campaign also aims to raise the profile of healthy soil.

Note: The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), in 2002, adopted a resolution proposing the 5th of December as World Soil Day to celebrate the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contributor to human well-being.

3. International Volunteer Day: 5 December: The International Volunteer Day (IVD) is observed across the world on 5 December every year. The theme of IVD 2019 is ‘Volunteer for an inclusive future". Volunteering provides opportunities for people, particularly those often excluded, to concretely impact their own lives and play a constructive role in their communities by volunteering their time and skills. This year’s theme highlights Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10) and the pursuit of equality including inclusion through volunteerism.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India bag ten Gold medals at 13th South Asian Games in Kathmandu: India dominated the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal by clinching 10 Gold in Athletics, Volleyball, Shooting and Table Tennis. Archana Suseendran in women's 100 metres (track and field events), M. Jashna (women's high jump), Sarvesh Anil Kushare (men's high jump) and Ajay Kumar Saroj (men's 1500 metres) won a gold each to begin India's athletics campaign on an impressive note. In Volleyball, Indian men's and women's team won gold. Indian women's volleyball team defeated host Nepal by 3-2 in the final at Kathmandu. In Shooting, India swept all the medals on offer in the women's 10 metres air rifle event with Mehuli Ghosh winning the gold. The Indians have so far claimed 40 medals (15 gold, 16 silver and nine) bronze.

2. Virat Kohli regains no.1 spot in ICC Test rankings: India captain Virat Kohli regained the top spot in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Test rankings in batting. Kohli, who had struck a fine 136 in the day-night Kolkata Test against Bangladesh last week, reached 928 points. Australian Steve Smith (923 points) slipped a rung in the latest list issued in Dubai. Cheteshwar Pujara has held on to his fourth spot, while Ajinkya Rahane has come down a spot to sixth in the latest batting. Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah is the highest-placed Indian at the fifth position. West Indies captain Jason Holder has consolidated his position at the top of the all-rounders' list.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Reserve Bank keeps repo rate unchanged at 5.15 %: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review of the current financial year 2019-20. The RBI keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 5.15%. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains unchanged at 4.90%. The marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 5.40%. The MPC has also decided to maintain the accommodative stance of monetary policy to revive growth, while ensuring that inflation remains within the target.

Note: Governor of RBI: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

2. Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank signs MoU for bancassurance: Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) and Canara, HSBC, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Life Insurance Company Ltd. signed an MoU for bancassurance (for selling life insurance products through the branches of KVGB). As per the pact, KVGB will market wide range insurance products of the Canara HSBC through its 636 branches in 9 districts of Karnataka.

Note: Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank founded: September 12, 2005; Headquarters: Dharwad, Karnataka; Chairman: Puttaganti Gopi Krishna; Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank Sponsored by: Syndicate Bank.

3. S&P reaffirms India's rating at 'BBB' with a stable outlook: Rating Agency S&P (Standard & Poor's) has reaffirmed the Sovereign Credit Rating of India at BBB with outlook as stable. India’s economy continues to achieve impressive long-term growth rates despite a recent deceleration. India will maintain its sound net external position and fiscal deficit will remain elevated but broadly in line with their forecast. In the report, S&P has maintained a stable outlook for India on the basis of their expectation that over the next two years the growth will remain strong. They expect the economy to continue to outperform their peers on the back of rising domestic demand and strong demographics.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. ET Lifetime of Public Service Award for Former FM (Late) Arun Jaitley: Arun Jaitley former Finance Minister of India was bestowed with the Economic Times (ET) Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service 2019. The award was received by Arun Jaitley’s spouse Sangeeta Jaitley.

Note: Arun Jaitley was the former Finance Minister of India, he was also the Minister of Corporate Affairs from May 2014 to May 2019, Minister of Defence from March 2017 to September 2017, Minister of Information and Broadcasting from November 2014 to July 2016, Minister of Law and Justice from July 2003 to May 2004 and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting from October 1999 to September 2000.

2. ‘Joker’ fame Joaquin Phoenix named 2019 ‘Person of the Year’ by PETA: ‘Joker’ fame Joaquin Rafael Phoenix, American actor from California, United States (US) has been bestowed with the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) ‘Person of the Year’ Award 2019. Joaquin Phoenix has been a vegan since the age of three and has been a supporter of PETA for a long time. He has recently appeared in an advertisement of PETA titled “We are all animals”, which was displayed in the Times Square and Sunset billboards to promote the prohibition of travelling wild-animal circuses.

3. New Zealand wins MCC’s Spirit of Cricket award: The New Zealand cricket team has been awarded the Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket award. The team has been awarded for its exemplary show of sportsmanship during the final match of the ICC World Cup at Lord’s in July 2019, which it lost under controversial circumstances. Martin-Jenkins was the former MCC president and BBC Test Match Special commentator.

DEFENCE

1. Exercise Hand-in-Hand 2019: The 8th India-China joint training exercise ‘HAND-IN-HAND 2019’ with the theme counter-terrorism under United Nations mandate is scheduled to be conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya from 07 to 20 December 2019. The Chinese contingent from the Tibet Military command comprising of 130 personal and the Indian Contingent of similar strength will participate in the 14-day long training exercise. The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter-terrorist operations in semi-urban terrain.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; Currency: Renminbi.

2. Chief of the air Staff participates in Pacific Air Chiefs’ Symposium 2019: Chief of the Air Staff of India is participating in the Pacific Air Chiefs’ Symposium 2019 (PACS 2019) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The theme for this year’s symposium is ‘A Collaborative Approach to Regional Security’. The conference will bring together Air Chiefs from across the Indo-Pacific region who will provide perspectives on common challenges faced and on shared mutual interests while focusing on relevant topics like ‘Regional Security’, ‘Domain Awareness’, ‘Multi-Domain Awareness’, Ínteroperability’ and ‘HADR’. The symposium will also entail discourse and discussions on the combined effort required to maintain peace and security within the region.

Note: Chief of the Air Staff: Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.

Note: Hawaii Capital: Honolulu

OBITUARIES

1. England legend Bob Willis passes away: Former England fast bowler Bob Willis (70 years) passed away after a short illness. Bob Willis took 325 wickets in 90 Tests and 80 wickets in 64 ODIs in his career. He also captained England in 18 Tests and 29 ODIs.