Daily GK Updates - 12th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) passed by the Rajya Sabha: The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) passed by the Rajya Sabha. As many as 125 lawmakers voted in the favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and 99 against it. Now, The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will go to the President for his assent. Earlier, the citizenship bill passed by the Lok Sabha with a majority of 311 votes against 80.

Know about Citizenship (Amendment) Bill: The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill proposes to grant citizenship to the non-Muslims Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhist, Jains and Parsis -- from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Earlier, the duration of the immigrants' residency was 11 years. The amended bill has reduced it to five years. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill would not apply to tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura as included in Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the area covered under the Inner Limit notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873

2. Workshop on Bamboo cultivation to be held in Jammu: In Jammu and Kashmir, a first of its kind workshop on Bamboo cultivation will be held on 19th and 20 of this month in Jammu. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the exhibition. The workshop will focus on the promotion of Bamboo cultivation in the potential Kandi areas of Jammu and its value addition as an economic activity and generate entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.

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

3. ASI has identified 138 monuments as “Must See” monuments in country: Archaeological Survey of India has identified 138 numbers of monuments as Must-See Monuments and information thereof is made available on “Must See” portal of Archaeological Survey of India. There are 38 World Heritage Sites in India, out of which 22 Cultural Sites including monuments/ buildings and caves are under the protection of Archaeological Survey of India. The ‘Must See’ list of ASI features first-class Indian monuments and archaeological sites including those that feature on UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)World Heritage List. Such monuments and sites showcase exceptionality in terms of art and architecture, planning and design.

Note: Archaeological Survey of India founder: Alexander Cunningham; Founded: 1871; Headquarters: New Delhi.

4. Salman Khan appointed as the brand ambassador of Pepsi: Food and beverage company PepsiCo has appointed Bollywood actor Salman Khan as brand ambassador for its flagship Pepsi brand in India. The commercial will be launched in 2020 and will take up the “SWAG” themed campaign which was launched in the summer of 2019. Brand Pepsi will base its summer 2020 campaign on Salman Khan’s upcoming movie “Dabangg-3”. Previously Salman Khan was the brand ambassador of Pepsico’s rival company Coca-Cola’s popular ThumsUp and also as the brand ambassador of Parle Agro-backed soft drink Appy Fizz. Previously, He also endorsed PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew drink.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World’s First commercial electric plane takes flight in Canada: The world’s first fully-electric commercial aircraft took its inaugural test flight, taking off from the Canadian city of Vancouver and flying for 15 minutes. A 62-year-old six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane re-fitted with a fully electric 750 horsepower motor was piloted by Greg McDougall, founder and chief executive of Harbour Air, a British Columbia-based charter airline that transport passengers between Vancouver. MagniX designed the motor and worked in partnership with Harbour Air which ferries thousands of people a year between Vancouver, Whistler ski resort and nearby islands.

Note: Canada Capital: Ottawa; Currency: Canadian dollar; Prime Minister: Justin Trudeau.

2. US, Mexico, Canada sign USMCA trade deal: The representatives from the United States, Mexico and Canada inked a revamped version of their regional trade pact after months of negotiations. Now, The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will go to the countries' legislatures for final approval. The accord is meant to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a deal in place since 1994.

3. Switzerland to be the country partner of BioAsia 2020: Switzerland will be the country partner at the 17th edition of BioAsia2020 scheduled to be held from February 17-19, 2020 with the theme “Today For Tomorrow” in Hyderabad, Telangana. Switzerland is making innovations in the world of medical healthcare and that many pharmaceutical companies have emerged as the center of Switzerland. While the city of Hyderabad has become a hub in the field of health tech and will be introduced to the Switzerland Health Tech Ecosystem through the Bio Asia Summit.

Note: Switzerland Capital: Bern; Currency: Swiss franc.

4. International Day of Neutrality: 12 December: International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations observance held on December 12 each year. In international law, a neutral country is a sovereign state that abstains from all participation in a war between other states and maintains an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents. The belligerents, in their turn, recognize this abstention and impartiality. A permanently neutral power is bound to be neutral in all future wars.

Note: It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12 of the same year. The rights and duties of a neutral country are defined in the Hague Convention of 1907.

5. International Universal Health Coverage Day: 12 December: International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) is celebrated globally on 12 December. It aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners. The theme for the 2019 UHC Day is “Keep the promise”. Each year on 12 December, UHC advocates raise their voices to share the stories of the millions of people still waiting for health, champion what we have achieved so far, call on leaders to make bigger and smarter investments in health, and encourage diverse groups to make commitments to help move the world closer to UHC by 2030.

Note: In 2017 the United Nations proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day by resolution 72/138.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. PUMA signs Sunil Chhetri as brand ambassador: German multinational brand PUMA has announced Sunil Chhetri as its new brand ambassador for three -years. With this deal, Chhetri has joined the brand’s roster of global players like Antoine Griezmann, Romelu Lukaku, Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero among others. Sunil Chhetri is the captain of the Indian national football team and Bengaluru Football Club. Currently, Chhetri is the second-highest goal-scorer in international football after Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Sunil Chhetri was also conferred with the Arjuna award in 2011 and Padma Shri in 2019.

2. G S Lakshmi becomes first woman Referee in Men’s ODI match: Former Indian Cricketer Gandikota Sarva Lakshmi (51-years) has become the first woman referee in the Men’s ODI (One Day International) match held in Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She will oversee the third series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. The opening match of the competition will take place between the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Lakshmi was appointed as the first woman in the ICC (International Cricket Council) International Panel of Match Referees in May 2019. Gandikota Sarva Lakshmi has overseen three women’s ODI matches, 16 men’s T20 Internationals and seven women’s T20 Internationals.

Note: A match referee's responsibility is to ensure that the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct is upheld during the game, to assess any breaches of the Code, and to hand out penalties for any breaches.

3. Sports Minister announces cash awards to SAG medalists: Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has announced a cash reward of 1.5 lakh rupees each for the 174 gold medallists of the South Asian Games held in Nepal. The silver winners will receive one lakh rupees and bronze winners 50,000 rupees each. The South Asian Games concluded with India topping the table winning 312 medals (174 gold, 93 silver and 45 bronze) medals. The Union government will have a structured cash reward policy for medallists in South Asian Games, like other multi-sporting events like the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Dhanlaxmi Bank's Board appoints V Viswanathan as additional director: V Viswanathan has been appointed as an Additional Director on the Board of Dhanlaxmi Bank. Viswanathan retired as Chief General Manager of State Bank of Hyderabad in 2017. Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd is an old private sector bank headquartered in Thrissur City, Kerala, India.

2. ADB lowers India’s GDP growth forecast to 5.1% in FY20: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has lowered its forecast for India’s economic growth in fiscal year 2019-20 to 5.1%. ADB has stated that the consumption was affected by slow job growth and rural distress was aggravated by poor harvest.

Note: Asian Development Bank Headquarters: Manila, Philippines; President: Takehiko Nakao.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Dell Technologies, UNESCO tie up to boost quality of education:

Dell Technologies announced a new partnership with UNESCO MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace) to enable school teachers to adopt technology in classrooms by using ICT tools. The information and communication technology (ICT) tools have been developed by Dell Aarambh and FramerSpace platform. The partnership would enable achieving the UN Sustainable Goal 4.7 towards education for building peaceful and sustainable societies and also UNESCO MGIEP in its mission of building social and emotional learning, innovative digital pedagogies and empowering youth.

Note: UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946; Headquarters: Paris, France; Director-General: Audrey Azoulay.

2. Xiaomi launches service “Mi Credit” in India for Android phones: Xiaomi has formally launched its lending platform “Mi Credit” in India for Android phones. According to platform “Mi Credit” individuals can avail up to Rs 1 lakh loan. The company is planning to introduce more financial products in India. The company has been operating Mi Credit platform on a pilot basis. Xiaomi has roped in Aditya Birla Finance Ltd, Money View, EarlySalary, Zestmoney and CreditVidya as the current lending partners for Mi Credit service. Mi Credit app will come pre-loaded on all MIUI phones, and can be downloaded from Google Play Store.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Climate activist ‘Greta Thunberg’ wins Time Person of the Year 2019: Swedish climate crisis activist Greta Thunberg (16-years) has been named Time Magazine's youngest ever Person of the Year. Greta Thunberg is known for her blunt addresses to world leaders. She is the youngest individual ever named Time Person of the Year. Earlier this year, Thunberg had been nominated for a Nobel peace prize 2019, recognised for her mobilisation of students in her "Fridays for Future" weekly school strikes.

Note: Times Person of the Year (called Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1999) is an annual issue of the United States news magazine Time. It features and profiles a person, a group, an idea, or an object that ‘for better or for worse’ has done the most to influence the events of the year".

2. Odisha wins ‘World Habitat Award’ for OLHM- Jaga Mission: Odisha won the ‘World Habitat Award’ for Jaga Mission (Odisha Livable Habitat Mission (OLHM) a slum land titling project executed for the benefit of millions of urban-poor people living in slums. The Jaga is a society under Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), Government of Odisha. The OLHM-JAGA aims at transforming the slums into livable habitats and under which 52,682 urban poor families living in the slums have been granted land rights certificate. The Jaga mission (started on 7th May 2018) is being executed by the State Government in association with Tata Trusts and Norman Foster Foundation.

Note: The award was given by the World Habitat, a UK (United Kingdom) based organization which gives the award annually to recognize innovative housing projects around the world. The award is conferred to any two projects around the world.

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

DEFENCE

1. International Seminar cum Exhibition on Naval weapon Systems ‘NAVARMS-19’: The 4th edition of International Seminar cum Exhibition on Naval Weapon Systems ‘NAVARMS-19’ started at Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, Development Enclave, New Delhi (12-13 Dec 2019). The two-day event will provide an opportunity for the exchange of ideas, create awareness and identify emerging prospects for Indian/International defence industry in the domain of Naval Weapon Systems. The theme of this day is to “Make in India - Fight Category: Opportunities and Imperatives”.

Note: NAVARMS is the only international seminar and exhibition on Naval Weapon Systems conducted in the country to invite all the stakeholders in life cycle management of Naval Weapons.

Chief of the Naval Staff: Karambir Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Former US Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker passes away: The former US Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker passed away. He was appointed as the chief of the US Federal Reserve in 1979. He was popularly known for fighting inflation by raising interest rates. He was a legendary figure in American finance.

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.