Daily GK Updates - 11th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Delhi will host 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue and Delhi Dialogue XI: The external affairs ministry is organising the 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue and Delhi Dialogue XI in New Delhi during December 13-14. For the first time, these two events will be held consecutively. The theme for the Indian Ocean Dialogue is “Indo-Pacific: Re-imagining the Indian Ocean through an Expanded Geography”, while the theme for the Delhi Dialogue is “Advancing Partnership in Indo-Pacific”. The themes are intended to build on the ‘growing recognition of the Indo-Pacific concept in strategic and academic circles within the region and beyond.

2. Odisha to set up 45 new fast track courts: 45 new fast track courts will be set up in Odisha. The 21 courts would be dedicated to cases of rape and sexual harassment of women. The remaining 24 fast track courts will specifically deal with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases. The State government’s action comes after Centre’s decision to formulate a scheme for setting up 1,023 fast track special courts for expeditious trial and disposal of rape cases.

Note: Odisha CM: Naveen Patnaik; Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

3. Multi Cell Box Type Load Class 70 bridge inaugurated in Rajouri: Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Girish Chandra Murmu inaugurated the 72-metre long Multi Cell Box Type Load Class 70 Bridge in Rajouri. The bridge spans over Draj nallah and connects Draj Area to Tehsil Kotranka area under District Rajouri. The bridge has been built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The Draj bridge is an important bridge for military as well as for socio-economic development of the Rajouri District as a whole. This bridge will facilitate all weather and speedy movement of Army troops as well as locals.

4. West Bengal govt organizing two-day Business Conclave: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has inaugurated the two-day Business Conclave at Digha in East Midnapore District to attract more industrial investments in the State. Leading industrialists from the country and 35 foreign nations are likely to be present at the meet. This time conclave is being organized at Sea Town Digha to facilitate investment in Tourism besides promoting the industry in the region. Number of MoUs are likely to be signed between the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation and Multinational companies for spreading industrial growth in the State.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. C. Sugandh Rajaram appointed as India’s next envoy to the Republic of Ghana: C. Sugandh Rajaram has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Ghana. He will replace Birender Singh Yadav as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Ghana. C. Sugandh Rajaram is presently the Consul General, Consulate General of India to Southern Germany.

2. India among top 10 in 2019 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI): The 2019 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) has been presented at the ongoing COP25 climate summit in Madrid, Spain. The index is jointly presented by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network. For the first time, India has emerged among the top 10 countries with higher climate performance. India has been ranked at 9th spot in the index for its Climate Policy performance among 57 countries and the European Union. The authors of the report noted that as none of the countries assessed is already on a path compatible with the Paris climate targets, the first three places of the ranking remain unoccupied. While some EU countries such as Sweden (4th) and Denmark (5th), one of the best climbers, achieve overall high or very high ratings, the performance of EU countries varies largely. While only two G20 countries, the UK (7th) and India (9th), are ranked in the high category, eight G20 countries are remaining in the worst category of the index.

Note: None of the countries is on a path compatible with the Paris climate targets, to implement strategies to limit global warming below 2 or even 1.5°C.

3. International Mountain Day: 11 December: International Mountain Day is being observed every year on 11th December globally. This day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2003 to encourage sustainable development in mountains. The theme for 2019 IMD is “Mountains Matter for Youth”. International Mountain Day is a chance to highlight that for rural youth, living in the mountains can be hard. This year, youth will take the lead and demand that mountains and mountain peoples become central in the national and international development agendas; receive more attention, investments and tailored research.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India’s R. Praggnanandhaa wins London Chess Classic: India’s R. Praggnanandhaa (14-year) has won the FIDE Open category of the London Chess Classic held in London. He won the tournament with a tally of 7.5 points out of nine rounds. R. Praggnanandhaa finished joint first with Anton Smirnov of Australia both scoring 7.5 points.

Note: The London Chess Classic is a chess festival held at the Olympia Conference Centre, West Kensington, London.

2. Wasim Jaffer becomes first Indian to play 150 Ranji matches: Veteran opener Wasim Jaffer (41 years) has become the first player in Indian cricket to feature in 150 Ranji matches. Overall, Jaffer has played 253 first-class games, scoring 19,147 runs at an average of 51.19. He has scored 57 hundred and 88 fifties with 314 being his highest score. Jaffer is followed by Madhya Pradesh batsman Devendra Bundela (145 matches) and Amol Muzumdar (136 matches), who have played for Mumbai and Assam. Now, Wasim Jaffar is just 853 runs away from completing 20,000 runs in first-class cricket.

3. Suniel Shetty signed as anti-doping brand ambassador NADA: Actor Suniel Shetty has been selected as the brand ambassador of National Anti-Doping Agency NADA. The country’s anti-doping body is hoping that his celebrity status helps its efforts to clean up sports in the country from the menace. More than 150 athletes have failed dope tests this year though bodybuilders make up more than one-third of these offenders. This is not a welcome sign with less than eight months to go for the Tokyo Olympic Games. The suspension of National Anti-Doping Laboratory by the WADA earlier this year is another issue facing the country now that dope samples collected by the National Anti-Doping Agency from the athletes will have to be tested outside India.

4. India finishes top with 312 Medals at 2019 South Asian games in Nepal: The 2019 South Asian Games, (officially, XIII South Asian Games) was held in Nepal (Kathmandu, Pokhara and Janakpur). Thousands of sports lovers witnessed gala closing ceremony held at historic Dasaratha Rangshala in Kathmandu. India finished the 13th edition of the tournament way ahead of other teams in the tally with 312 medals (174 Gold, 93 Silver, 45 Bronze). Host Nepal remained second and Sri Lanka got third place. During the 10 days long biggest sporting event of South Asia, over 2700 athletes from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives competed for 1119 medals.

Note: Nepal Prime Minister: K P Sharma Oli; Capital: Kathmandu; President of Nepal: Bidhya Devi Bhandari; Currency of Nepal: Nepalese rupee.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Gulu Mirchandani bags CEAMA Lifetime Achievement Award: Gulu Mirchandani has been conferred with “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association. Gulu Mirchandani is the founder chairman of Mirc Electronics Ltd. (Onida). He has been awarded for his extensive contribution to the consumer electronics industry. He has been associated with consumer electronics industry for more than 3 decades.

Note: Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) is an all-India organisation in the consumer electronics and durables sector. It has been in existence for over three decades.

2. Ethiopia's PM receives Nobel Peace Prize 2019: Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has received the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize (100th) for his efforts to achieve international peace and co-operation. The Nobel Committee announced in October it was honouring Abiy Ahmed for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring foe Eritrea. On July 9, 2018, following a historic meeting in Eritrea's capital Asmara, Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki formally ended a 20-year-old stalemate between their countries in the wake of the 1998-2000 border conflict.

Note: The Nobel Peace Prize consists of a diploma, a gold medal and a cheque for nine million Swedish kronor (850,000 euros). The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee presents the Nobel Peace Prize in the presence of the King of Norway on 10 December each year (the anniversary of Nobel's death).

Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa; Currency: Ethiopian birr.

OBITUARIES

1. ICSSR Chairman Braj Bihari Kumar passes away: Braj Bihari Kumar, the Chairman of Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) passed away. He was appointed as the chairman of the ICSSR in May 2017. Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) was established in the year of 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country. It provides grants for projects, fellowships, international collaboration, capacity building, survey, publications etc. to promote research in social sciences in India.

Daily GK Updates - 10th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Walmart to train 50,000 MSME entrepreneurs: US retail major Walmart will train 50,000 entrepreneurs from the micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME) sector. The objective will be fulfilled by opening 25 institute hubs in India in next five years which would train the MSME entrepreneurs. The institutes will be opened under the ‘Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programe‘ across the nation. These institutes would be strategically located near the manufacturing clusters and will be the part of Walmart’s “long-term commitment to India”. For the development of these institutes, Walmart has partnered with a local NGO Swasti which would also have academic support from the local universities.

2. KVIC distributes 500 Bee Boxes, 500 Pottery Wheels and 200 Leather Kits: Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) distributed 500 Bee Boxes, 500 Electric Pottery Wheels and 200 Leather Tool Kits in an event organised by KVIC in Boondi District, Rajasthan. Event was organised to support the weaker section of the society as well as to commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. KVIC has been running a mass campaign for the revival of bee keeping, pottery and leather industry under the Honey Mission, Kumhar Sashaktikaran Mission and Leather Mission respectively.

3. Nilgiri Mountain Railway conducts special service for foreign tourists: The UNESCO-recognized Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) conducted a special service for foreign tourists. 71 tourists from several countries, including the USA, the UK and France travelled by a special steam engine service from Coonoor to Ooty. They were presented with special mementoes and gift hampers as well as served with the replica of the original Edmonton type cardboard ticket. The NMR is one of the few railways in the world that uses the unique rack and pinion system, with its special third rail to negotiate gradients en route from Mettupalayam in the foothills of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu to Ooty, the Queen of Western Ghats.

Note: UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France; Director-General; Audrey Azoulay.

4. News Broadcasters Federation elects Arnab Goswami as governing board president: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), the country’s largest association of over 78 news channels, has elected editor-in-chief of Republic TV Arnab Goswami as the President of its governing board. The body of 78 news channels in 14 languages, representing broadcasters from 25 states. The new self-regulatory organization in order to bring in transparent self-regulation on content will be announced by the end of January 2020.

Note: News Broadcasters Federation formation: July 2019.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Incredible India Road Show held in Singapore: The Incredible India Road Show held in Singapore, positioning the country as a preferred destination for tourists. The roadshow by Indian delegation will provide a platform to the stakeholders of India's tourism industry to interact with their Singaporean counterparts. Indian delegation comprises 25 tour operators and destination management companies along with representations from the state governments of Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. A total of 1,75,852 tourists from Singapore visited India in 2017, a growth of 7.4 per cent on the year, said the India Tourism Singapore office.

2. Driverless vehicles being tested on 5G technology in UAE: Driverless vehicles are being tested on 5G technology ahead of a planned deployment of such vehicles on roads in the United Arab Emirates. The Director-General of the UAE’s TRA (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority) said they will expand 5G network to important sectors such as transport, health and education. According to industry reports, 5G-enabled driverless vehicles will be able to have more efficient and quick communication with each other and traffic infrastructure, which will help to minimize traffic jams and bottlenecks. 5G technology can also enable these vehicles to identify traffics conditions and potential dangers quickly. The TRA is coordinating with authorities in transport, health and education sectors, and private sector entities to implement this strategy for better utilization of 5G network.

3. Human Rights Day: 10 December: The World Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December to honour the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This day is observed every year across the world, as it empowers us all. The day also acknowledges the advocates and defenders of human rights around the world. This year it will be the 71st anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. With the theme “Youth Standing Up for Human Rights”, the aim is to celebrate the potential of youth as constructive agents of change, amplify their voices and engage a broad range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights.

Note: Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on this day by the United Nation's General Assembly in 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris.

4. UAE, US joint military exercise ‘Iron Union 12’commences: ‘Iron Union 12’, a joint military exercise between the ground forces of the UAE and the United States, commenced. ‘Iron Union 12’ will see the two sides take part in joint military cooperation to enhance combat and tactical capabilities. The joint military exercises of the UAE Armed Forces with fraternal and friendly countries takes place in a manner consistent with latest developments and reflects the UAE Armed Forces’ determination to stand firmly against all threats and challenges facing the region.

5. Exim Bank provides USD 500 mn credit to Bangladesh for defence procurement: India’s Exim Bank (Export-Import Bank of India) has provided $500 million (Rs 3561 crore) Line of Credit (LoC) to Bangladesh for defence-related procurement in the neighbouring country. The Exim bank entered into an agreement with Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division (AFD) in this regard on April 11, 2019. The agreement became effective from November 7, 2019, and the utilisation period of the loan is 10 years from the date of signing the agreement. Under the loan agreement, financing of export of eligible goods and services from India would be allowed subject to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). Out of total credit, 75% of the contract price will be applied by the seller and the remaining 25% will be procured by the seller for the purpose of the eligible contract from outside India, including Bangladesh. The contract price may be reduced from 75% to 65% based on the nature of procurement.

Note: Exim bank Founded: 1 January 1982; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Chief Executive Officer (CEO): David Rasquinha.

6. Worldwide arms sales rise by nearly 5% in 2018: Worldwide arms sales rose by nearly 5 per cent in 2018. According to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the market is dominated by the United States. The turnover of the 100 biggest arms manufacturers came to 420 billion dollars. US manufacturers alone accounted for 59 per cent of the market, or a turnover of 246 billion dollars, up 7.2 per cent on the previous year. Russia was second in the rankings for arms production, with 8.6 per cent of the market, just ahead of the United Kingdom on 8.4 per cent and France on 5.5 per cent. The study did not include China, for lack of sufficient data. The world’s largest arms maker remains the US firm Lockheed Martin, as it has been since 2009. Its turnover last year was 47.3 billion dollars. Its sales alone account for 11 per cent of the world market.

Note: Chairman, President & CEO of Lockheed Martin: Marillyn A. Hewson.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. All India Sports competition of ERMS to start at Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has inaugurated 2nd Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) All India Sports Competition at TT Nagar Stadium, Bhopal. Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) scheme is one of the flagship interventions of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs introduced in 1997-98 to ensure tribal students get access to quality education in the remote tribal areas. Tribal Folk artists from Madhya Pradesh and other states will perform cultural programmes during the event. As many as 4500 players of 284 Eklavya Schools of 20 states will exhibit their skills in 16 sports disciplines during the competition.

2. Boxing: Joshua reclaims his world heavyweight crown from Andy Ruiz: Britain's Anthony Joshua reclaimed his world heavyweight crown from Andy Ruiz, outclassing the Mexican-American to score a unanimous points victory. Joshua produced a masterclass performance to regain his IBF, WBA and WBO titles in emphatic fashion at Ad Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. Dominating from the outset, Joshua won by margins of 118-110 on two scorecards with the third judge making it 119-109.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI announces a reduction in one-year MCLR by 10 basis points: Country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the reduction in its marginal cost of fund-based lending rate (MCLR) by 10 basis points across all one-year products (effective from today). This is the eighth consecutive cut in MCLR by the lender this fiscal. The new one-year MCLR has been cut to 7.90 per cent from 8 per cent.

2. Loans worth over Rs10 lakh cr sanctioned under PMMY: Union Government informed that loans worth over 10 lakh crore rupees have been sanctioned till 1st November this year under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, PMMY. As per the findings of the PMMY survey, around five crore persons were working in the establishments for which MUDRA loans were availed between April 2015 to March 2018. The survey reveals that these loans enabled beneficiaries to sustain the economic activities they were engaged in.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. NSE launches interest rate options on 10-yr govt bonds: National Stock Exchange launched interest rate options on ten-year Government bonds. The exchange recorded a turnover of 5,926 contracts on the first day of its launch. The exchange has added one more instrument to the fixed income derivatives asset class. interest rate options will provide institutional investors with the ability to manage risk through a non-linear product. These interest rate options are based on 10-year government bonds maturing in 2029 with a coupon rate of 7.26 per cent and 6.45 per cent. Presently, interest rate futures are available on seven government bonds for residual maturity ranging from 4 years to 15 years.

Note: NSE’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer: Vikram Limaye.

2. MOU signed Between NSIC & ARAMCO Asia for development in Oil & Gas Sectors: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and Suadi Aramco (Asia) for the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Ecosystem in India in Oil & Gas Sector. The MoU will pave a way for accredited Indian MSMEs to carve out space as vendors in Global space.

Note: National Small Industries Corporation established in 1955. National Small Industries Corporation is the flagship Mini Ratna public sector undertaking (PSU).

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 4 eminent diplomats honoured with 2019 ‘Diwali – Power of One Award’: The 4 prominent diplomats have been honoured with ‘The Diwali – Power of One’ award 2019 in recognition and celebration of their work, especially at the United Nations, for a secure and peaceful world.

The diplomats who were honoured are: (1) Former foreign minister and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UN: Kairat Abdrakhmanov; (2) Former Permanent Representative of Cyprus to UN: Nicholas Emiliou; (3) Former Chef de Cabinet to President of 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and Permanent Representative of Slovakia to UN: Frantisek Ruzicka; (4) Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN: Volodymyr Yelchenko.

Note: The awards which have now come to be known as ‘Oscars of Diplomacy’ were established by Diwali Foundation USA, Inc in 2017. The awards seek to promote a peaceful and consensus-based process to achieve societal good, as befitting high hopes and ideals of humanity enshrined in the UN Charter.

2. Abu Dhabi selected as the world’s leading sports tourism destination: Abu Dhabi has been selected as the world’s leading Sports tourism Destination at the 26th edition of the World Travel Awards (WTA) held in Muscat, Oman. This is the 7th time in a row that Abu Dhabi has been selected for this coveted award. The award is the latest in several prestigious accolades gained by Abu Dhabi this year, including being selected as the West Asia’s Leading Business Tourism Destination at the West Asia edition of WTA and Best City Break at the UK’s Selling Travel Agents’ Choice Awards. Abu Dhabi shined as a premium destination once again for sports tourism in 2019 after hosting so Abu Dhabi me of the world’s top sporting events, such as the FIFA Club World Cup 2017 and 2018, the first edition of the UAE Tour, the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the Special Olympics World Games 2019, the UFC 242 showdown and the Brazil vs South Korea international friendly match.

Note: World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.

UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi; Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham; President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

3. Dr Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari elected for Moortidevi Award for the year 2019: Noted poet-critic & Former President of Sahitya Akademi Dr Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari has been selected for the prestigious 33rd Moortidevi Award for the year 2019 for his work 'Asti Aur Bhavati'.  ‘ASTI AUR BHAVTI’ is an autobiographical journey of Dr Tiwari which captures the historical, philosophical and cultural aspects at different temporal settings thus igniting life in subjects like changing values and changes in societal and cultural landscapes. He is the recipient of many distinguished awards that include Vyas Samman, Hindi Gaurav Samman, Pushkin Samman and many more.

Note: Moortidevi Award is presented every year for a contemplative and perceptive work which expresses, underlines and illumines human values written in any Indian languages or English. The award consists of a Saraswati Statue, a Citation Plaque and Cash Award of Rupees Four lacs.

DEFENCE

1. Rafale jet tail numbers to feature former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa’s: The Indian Rafale fighter jets will fly with the tail sign ‘BS’ after the recently retired Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa. The Indian Air Force has decided to put tail numbers in 30 Rafale jets with ”BS” initials. Six Rafale trainer aircraft will carry RB series tail numbers which stand for Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, the current Chief of Air Staff who played a key role as lead negotiator for the mega-deal.

OBITUARIES

1. Bar code inventor ‘George Laurer’ passes away: George J. Laurer (94-years) passed away at his home in Wendell, North Carolina in the US. Mr. Laurer was an electrical engineer with IBM in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park in the early 1970s when he spearheaded the development of the UPC (Universal Product Code), or bar code. The now-ubiquitous marking, composed of unique black bars and a 12-digit number, allowed retailers to identify products and their prices as they are scanned, usually at checkout.

2. Former Odisha minister Bhagabat Mohanty passes away: Former Odisha Minister Bhagabat Prasad Mohanty (92-years) passed away at his residence in Bhubaneswar. Mohanty was elected to the state Assembly in 1971 as Praja Socialist Party (PSP) candidate and in 1985 and 1995 as a Congress nominee, said sources. He had served as the Higher Education Minister of the state.

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.