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13 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

13 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya to be new Chairman of IOC

• Shrikant Madhav Vaidya (56-years) has been appointed as the chairman of the country’s largest commercial enterprise Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) for just over three years.
• Mr. Vaidya will replace Sanjiv Singh who retires as Chairman of the company at the end of June next year.
• Mr. Vaidya is at present the director of Refineries at the IOCL.
• Mr. Vaidya will be first screened by anti-corruption bodies CVC and CBI before his candidature is put before the Cabinet Committee on Appointments headed by Prime Minister for approval.

Note:

• Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is an Indian state government-owned oil and gas company headquartered in New Delhi.
• IOC (including its group companies) is the country's top refiner with a group refining capacity of 80.7 million tonnes per annum or 161.4 million barrels per day.

Source: Times of India

National Affairs

2. National Tribal Dance Festival to be held in Raipur

• A three-day National Tribal Dance Festival will be held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh (from 27 to 29 December 2019).
• Nearly 1,400 artists belonging to 151 art troupes from 23 states and guest artists from six countries including Sri Lanka, Belarus, Uganda and Bangladesh will participate in this tribal folk cultural programme.
• There are 4 different categories of dance for the competition:
  • Marriage and other rituals
  • Traditional Festivals and Rituals
  • Harvesting and Agriculture
  • Other different types of dance performed in Chhattisgarh

Source: Times of India

3. Nation pays tributes to martyrs of 2001 Parliament terror attacks

• Nation pays rich tributes to the martyrs today who laid down their lives in defence of the Parliament of India during the terrorist attack on this day in 2001.
• President, Vice President, Prime Minister several other Ministers and Members of Parliament paid floral tributes to the martyrs at the plaque in Parliament House.
• Blood Donation Camp was also organised in the Parliament premises to commemorate the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs.

Note:

• On this day (13 December 2001), two persons from the Parliament Security Service of the Rajya Sabha, five Delhi Police Personnel and a woman constable of the Central Reserve Police Force, laid down their lives while preventing the entry of terrorists inside the Parliament House Building.
• A gardener of CPWD also lost his life in the attack.

Source: AIR News

4. Inner Line Permit regime extended to Manipur

• The Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime has been extended to Manipur. 
• President Ram Nath Kovind signed an order in this regard.
• Manipur is the fourth state after Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram where the ILP regime has been made applicable.
• To visit the ILP-regime states, outsiders, including people from other states of the country, need to take permission.

Note:

• Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period.
• It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain a permit for entering into the protected state.

5. Puducherry government unveils start-up policy

• The Puducherry government unveiled a start-up policy.
• The objective of the policy to create a corpus fund of Rs. 10 crores to support the setting up of start-up incubators and to develop co-working spaces.
• The department plans to provide a grant of Rs. 3 lakhs to projects recommended by incubators established by the government/private sector/academic institutions as a start-up grant.
• The committee of experts constituted by the government under the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Committee will approve of the projects and monitor their progress.

Note:

• A startup (or startup) is a company or project initiated by an entrepreneur to seek, effectively develop, and validate a scalable business model.

Source: The Hindu

6. 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue, Delhi Dialogue XI started in New Delhi

• External Affairs Ministry is hosting the 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue and Delhi Dialogue XI at the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi.
• For the first time, these two dialogues held consecutively and on similar Indo-Pacific themes.
• The theme of 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue is "Indo-Pacific: Re-imagining the Indian Ocean through an Expanded Geography”.
• Delhi Dialogue XI has been started and run through the next day.
• The theme for this year’s Delhi Dialogue is "Advancing Partnership in Indo-Pacific”.

7. Andhra Pradesh Cabinet clears Disha Act

• Andhra Pradesh Government has approved the creation of fast-track courts in the state to curb crimes against women and children.
• It is proposed to complete the case along with the punishment within 21 days of the registration of the FIR.
• This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held on under the chairmanship of Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
• Now, Andhra Pradesh will become the first state in India to give death sentences in rape cases if this bill is passed in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
• There is no provision in the law of the country to give the death penalty to the rape accused.

Source: Business Line

Honour & Awards

8. Space startup with AI solution to stubble burning wins ‘Space Oscar’

• The application ‘Zuri’ developed by Blue Sky Analytics (A Gurgaon-based startup) won the Copernicus Masters award, under the social entrepreneurship category.
• The award has been given by the Earth observation program managed by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).
• The startup is working in utilizing satellite data to solve environmental problems and using its AI (artificial intelligence)- based tool to measure and monitor farm fires and stubble burning across India.
• It is an AI-enabled platform that uses satellite data for improved monitoring, supply chain and pricing analysis as well as an allocation of crop waste for use in other industries as raw material.

International Affairs

9. Saudi Aramco becomes most valuable listed company in history

• Saudi Aramco has secured its position as the most valuable listed company in history after investor appetite for the world’s biggest fossil fuel producer pushed its market value to USD 1.9tn on its first day of trade.
• The world’s biggest contributor to the climate crisis had been valued at more than Apple and Facebook – previously the world’s most valuable and fifth-most valuable companies respectively – combined.
• It is also twice the size of Amazon and Google's parent company, and bigger than the next five listed oil companies put together.

Source: The guardian

10. Archeological Survey of India Identifies 138 Monuments in India as ‘Must-See’

• The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has identified 138 monuments in the country as ‘must-see’.
• Those interested can see the complete list on the “must-see” portal, 'asimustsee.nic.in' of the ASI.
• The “Must See” list features a number of outstanding Indian monuments and archaeological sites, under the protection of the ASI, including some UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well.
• There are 38 World Heritage Sites in India (out of which 22 cultural sites) including monuments and caves are under ASI protection.

Note:

• The Archaeological Survey of India is an Indian government agency attached to the Ministry of Culture that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country.

11. Trial run on Dhaka-Gangtok, Dhaka-Darjeeling bus routes start

• Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation Chairman Ehsan Elahi has inaugurated the trial run on Dhaka-Gangtok & Dhaka-Darjeeling bus routes.
• Two buses with about 35 passengers including officials of the Road Transport department left Dhaka in the evening.
• Darjeeling and Gangtok are popular tourist destinations for Bangladeshi visitors.
• Currently, travellers to these destinations have to change bus on the India Bangladesh border before proceeding to Gangtok or Darjeeling.
• Darjeeling via Siliguri is around 450km and Gangtok about 500km away from Dhaka.
• Currently, buses operate on five cross-border routes between Bangladesh and India -- Dhaka-Kolkata-Dhaka, Dhaka-Agartala-Dhaka, Dhaka-Sylhet-Shillong-Guwahati-Dhaka, Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata-Agartala and Dhaka-Khulna-Kolkata-Dhaka.
• In 2018, more than 22 lakh Bangladeshi tourists visited India.

Source: DD News

Science & Defence

12. INDRA 2019: India, Russia conduct a joint military exercise

• The bilateral military exercise between India and Russia ‘INDRA 2019’ started at Babina (near Jhansi), Pune and Goa.
• This military exercise is being held under the aegis of the United Nations (UN) aimed at combating terrorism and insurgency.
• The objective of this exercise is to enhance the coordination of the two armies in maintaining peace and security under the aegis of the United Nations.

Source: Indian Express

Obituaries

13. Former US Federal Reserve Chief Paul Volcker passes away

• The former chairman of the US Federal Reserve Paul Volcker (92-years) passed away at his home in New York.
• Paul Volcker is popularly known for his battles against inflation in the late 1970s and early 1980s,
• He was appointed as the chief of the US Federal Reserve in 1979.

Source: BBC

Sports

14. Rani Rampal & Saurabh Chaudhary wins Sports Person of the Year awards

• India's Rani Rampal (women’s hockey team captain) has been awarded the Sportsperson of the Year Award 2019 at the FICCI India Sports Awards 2019.
• In the male category, Asian Games gold medalist shooter Saurabh Chaudhary won the Sportsperson of the Year Award 2019.
• The awards ceremony was held at the FICCI Federation House, in New Delhi. 

Indian Air Force Airmen Group X & Y Recruitment 2020 Notification Out, Check Here

Indian Air Force Airmen Group X & Y Notification 2020 for intake 01/2021 out. Indian Air Force has released the recruitment notification 2020-21 for the post of Airmen. The online applications are invited from the unmarried male (Indian/Nepalese) to join as airmen in group "X" trades (except education instructor trade) and group "Y" trades (Indian air force (police), Indian Air Force (security) and musician trades). The selection will be based on an online test. PFT (Physical Fitness Test) & Medical Exam. Candidates can check the Indian Air Force Group X Y notification 2020 Pdf below:

Indian Air Force Airmen Group X & Y Recruitment 2020 Notification, Download PDF Here

Air Force Group X & Y Notification 2020: Important Dates

Event	Dates
Commencement of Online Registration	2nd Jan 2020
Last date for Registration	20th Jan 2020
Online Exam Date	19 - 23 March 2020

Air Force Airmen Eligibility Criteria 2020

1. Age Limit

Maximum Age: 21 Years

Candidate must have born between 17 Jan 2000 and 30 December 2003 (both days inclusive) will only be eligible to apply. If a candidate clears all the stages of the Selection Process, then the upper age limit of the candidate would be 21 years as on the date of enrollment.

2. Educational Qualification

For Group “X” (Except Education Instructor Trade)

• (i) The candidate must have passed intermediate/10+2/ Equivalent examination with Mathematics, Physics, and English also, with minimum 50% marks in aggregate and 50% marks in English. OR

• (ii) One must have passed three years diploma course in engineering in any stream, as mentioned in the drop-down menu of the apply online section under candidate’s login on the CASB web portal www.airmenselection.cdac.in. Also, the candidate should have completed the course from a Government recognized Polytechnic institute with 50% marks in aggregate and 50 % marks in English in Diploma (or in Intermediate/ Matriculation, if English is not subject in Diploma Course).

For Group “Y” {Except IAF(S) and Musician} Trades

• The candidate must have passed Intermediate / 10+2 / equivalent examination in any stream/subjects approved by Central /State Education Boards with minimum 50% marks in aggregate and 50% marks in English.

For Group “Y” Medical Assistant Trade Only

• The candidate must have passed 10+2/Intermediate/ equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate and 50% marks in English.

Boost your Airmen Preparation with IBTS Institute Chandigarh

Indian Air Force (Airmen) Selection Process 200

The Selection Procedure of Air-force Recruitment 2020 for group X & Y is divided into three stages, where the final selection of the candidate will be made on the basis of these tests and selection will be done exclusively on merit.

• Online Test
• Physical Fitness Test (PFT)
• Medical Examination

Physical Fitness Test (PFT)

Once you have cleared the online test and are shortlisted as per merit which will be displayed on the CASB Web Portal www.airmenselection.cdac.in on a stipulated date will be called for designated Airmen Selection Centre for Physical Fitness Test (PFT) which would consist of

• 1.6 Km run to be completed within 06 minutes and 30 seconds.
• 10 push-ups,
• 10 sit-ups and
• 20 squats within the stipulated time to qualify the Test.

Note: Candidates are advised to bring their own sports shoes and shorts/Track pants.

• Adaptability Test-1 (For both Group ‘X’ & Group ‘Y’ Trades):  All candidates who pass the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) will have to undertake Adaptability Test-1 (objective type written test) which is to assess suitability of a candidate for employment in the IAF which involves deployment in varied geographic terrain, weather and operational conditions.
• Adaptability Test-2 (For both Group ‘X’ & Group ‘Y’ Trades):  All candidates who pass Adaptability Test -1 will have to undertake Adaptability Test-2 as per policy in vogue. Adaptability Test-2 is to select candidates who can adapt to the environment of the Indian Air Force and are able to adjust to the military way of life.

Note: Also, the candidates qualifying both Group X and Y will be allotted the group on the basis of merit as well as by preference filled at the time of application.

Phase – III: Medical Examination

Candidates who qualify both the Adaptability Test will be issued medical appointment letter at respective ASCs. Medical Examination will be conducted by the Air Force Medical Team as per IAF medical standards and policy in vogue.

The medical examination would also include Baseline Investigation of: -

• Blood Haemogram – Hb, TLC, DLC
• X-Ray chest (PA view)
• Biochemistry
• Urine RE/ME
• Blood Sugar Fasting & PP
• Serum Cholesterol
• Urea, Uric acid, Creatinine
• LFT—Serum Bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT
• ECG (R)

Indian Air Force Airmen X & Y Group Exam Pattern 2020

Phase – I: Online Test {For both Group ‘X’ Trades (Except Education Instructor Trade)} & Group Y’ {except Automobile Technician, GTI, IAF(P), IAF(S) and Musician Trades}.

• The online test will be of the objective type where questions will be bilingual (English & Hindi) except for English paper. For both, the Groups X & Y candidates opting for shall be conducted on the same day and on the same system. For Phase – I, candidates have to bring one blue/black pen and original valid ID proof along with them.
• For Group ‘X’ Trades: Duration of the Online test will be 60 minutes and will comprise English, Physics & Mathematics as per 10+2 CBSE syllabus.
• For Group ‘Y’ {Except Automobile Technician, GTI, IAF (P), IAF(S) and Musician} Trades: Duration of the Online test will be 45 minutes and will comprise of English as per 10+2 CBSE syllabus and Reasoning & General Awareness.
• Both Group ‘X&Y’ Trades: Duration of the Online test will be 85 minutes and will comprise English, Physics, and Mathematics as per 10+2 CBSE syllabus and Reasoning & General Awareness.

How to Apply for Air Force Airmen X & Y Group Exam 2020

The Online registration link will be activated on 2nd Jan 2020. The last date to apply online is 20th Jan 2020. If you have any query related to Airmen Selection Procedure, you can read the following Frequently Asked Questions from the PDF given below which may help you in solving your query. Airmen FAQs PDF- Read Now

Air Force Group X & Y 2019: Syllabus & Exam Pattern

Complete knowledge of the exam pattern and syllabus of Air Force Group X & Y exam is very important before starting the preparation for the Indian Airforce exam. So, to have a thorough understanding of the exam pattern of Air Force Group X & Group Y exam 2019 as well as its syllabus, read this article now and prepare for the exam in an efficient manner. Here is the 

Exam pattern of Airmen Group X & Y exam 2019:

Name of the Group	Subject & No. of Questions	Total Marks	Exam Duration
Airmen Group X	English: 20 Questions Physics: 25 Questions Mathematics: 25 Questions	70 marks	60 minutes
Airmen Group Y	English: 20 Questions Reasoning & General Awareness: 30 Questions	50 marks	45 minutes
Airmen Group X & Y	English: 20 marks Physics: 25 Question Mathematics: 25 Questions Reasoning & General Awareness: 30 Questions	100 marks	85 minutes

For answering each question correctly, a candidate will be awarded 1 mark while for each wrong answer 0.25 mark will be deducted.

Air Force Group X & Y Syllabus 2019

Let us now check the detailed syllabus for the exam of Airmen Group X and Group Y exam 2019.

English Syllabus for Airmen Group X & Y exam:

The English paper of Airmen Group X and Y exam will comprise of following topics:

1. Comprehension -
   It will include a passage followed by 4 questions.
2. Grammar
   It will include following sub-topics:

• Word Formation (nouns from verb, adjectives etc.)
• Preposition
• Determiners
• Noun & Pronoun
• Conjunction
• Adverb
• Modals
• Clauses (noun, adverb & relative clauses)
• Subject-verb concord
• Verb formation and error in their use
• Sentence transformation (simple, negative, compound, complex etc.)

3. Vocabulary

This section will include the following topics:

• One-word substitution
• Antonyms
• Synonyms
• Idioms and phrases
• Spelling errors
• Word appropriately fitting the sentence

Mathematics Syllabus for Airmen Group X exam:

Questions in the Mathematics paper will be asked from following topics:

• Trigonometric & Inverse Trigonometric functions
• Linear Equations
• Complex numbers
• Sets, relations, and functions
• Quadratic equations
• Permutation and Combination
• Binomial Theorem
• Mathematical induction
• Cartesian system of rectangular coordinates
• Sequence and series
• Straight lines and family of lines
• Conic sections
• 3-Dimensional geometry
• Circles and family of circles
• Limit and continuity
• Matrices and Determinants
• Application of derivatives
• Differentiation
• Differential equations
• Definite and Indefinite integrals
• Application of integrals
• Linear programming
• Mathematical reasoning
• Statistics
• Probability
• Vector

 Physics Syllabus for Airmen Group X exam:

Questions in the Physics section of Airmen Group X exam will be asked from the following topics:

• Laws of motion
• Kinematics
• Physical world and measurement
• Motion of system of particles and rigid body
• Work, Power, and Energy
• Gravitation
• Thermodynamics
• Bulk matter properties
• Behavior of perfect gases and kinetic theory of gases
• Electrostatics & Current Electricity
• Waves and Oscillations
• Magnetism and Magnetic effects of current
• Electromagnetic induction and Alternating current
• Optics
• Electromagnetic Waves
• Radiation and Dual nature of matter
• Electronic devices
• Atoms and Nuclei
• Communication Systems

Reasoning Syllabus for Airmen Group Y exam:

Following topics of the Reasoning section will be asked in the exam:

• Distance and Direction
• Number Series
• Time sequence, Number and Ranking
• Mathematical Operations
• Inserting correct mathematical sign
• Assigning artificial values to mathematical digit
• Coding and Decoding
• Blood relations
• Odd one out
• Youngest, tallest relation-based questions
• Analogy
• Dictionary words
• Number Puzzle and coding
• Non-verbal reasoning
• Mutual relation problem
• Average
• Ratio & Proportion
• Number Simplification
• Time, Speed and Distance
• Fractions
• Profit and loss
• Percentage
• Simple Trigonometry
• Area of triangle, square and rectangle
• Probability
• Volume & Surface area of cone, cylinder, cuboid, and sphere

General Awareness Syllabus for Airmen Group Y exam:

General Awareness section comprises of following topics:

• History
• Geography
• Civics
• General Science
• Basic Computer Operations
• Current Affairs

Thanks & Stay Connected for more information related for Indian Air Force Airmen Group X & Y Recruitment 2020.

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12 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

12 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

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.

Important Days

3. International Universal Health Coverage Day is being celebrated globally on 12th December.

• The Objective of the day is to raise awareness of the need for strong & resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners
• The theme for the 2019 UHC Day is “Keep the promise”.

Note:

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

Source: UN.Org

4. 12th December: International Day of Neutrality

• International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations observance held on 12^th December every 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.
• It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12 of the same year.

International Affairs

5. 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.

6. World's 1st fully electric commercial aircraft takes an inaugural test flight in Canada

• The world's first fully-electric commercial aircraft took its inaugural test flight, in Vancouver, Canada.
• The technology would mean significant cost savings for airlines, not to mention zero emissions.
• The range is enough to start the revolution, adding that batteries and electric motors will eventually be developed to power longer flights.
• The company designed the plane's motor and worked in partnership with Harbour Air.

7. International Seminar cum Exhibition on Naval weapon Systems ‘ NAVARMS-19’

• The fourth 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.

 Appointment

8. Sugandh Rajaram appointed as India’s next envoy to the Republic of Ghana

• C. Sugandh Rajaram (IFS officer- 2001) has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Ghana.
• He will replace Birender Singh Yadav.
• Presently, Sugandh Rajaram is the Consul General, Consulate General of India to Southern Germany.

9. 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.

10. 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.

Note:

• A brand ambassador is a person who is hired by an organization or company to represent a brand in a positive light and by doing so help to increase brand awareness and sales.

11. 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.
• 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.

12. Indian Actor, Suniel Shetty becomes the Brand ambassador of NADA

• Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
• The appointment took place in the presence of Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State (MoS) for Youth Affairs and Sports.

Note:

• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) is the national organisation responsible for promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the doping control program in sports in all its forms in India.
• NADA includes scientists and representatives from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

National Affairs

13. 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

Sports

14. Sports Minister announces cash awards to SAG medallists

• 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.

15. 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).
• The match is between the UAE and the United States of America (USA).
• 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.

11 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

11 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. PSLV-C48 successfully launches RISAT-2BRI, 9 foreign satellites

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched its radar imaging earth observation satellite, RISAT-2BR1 and nine foreign satellites through Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C48) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
• PSLV-C48 (50th mission of PSLV) carried nine customer satellites of Israel(1), Italy(1), Japan (1) and USA(6)as co-passengers.
• RISAT-2BR1 is a radar imaging earth observation satellite weighing about 628 kg, mission life of 5 years
• These international satellites launched under a commercial arrangement with New Space India Limited.

Source: AIR News

Important Days

2. 11th December: International Mountain Day

• International Mountain Day is being observed every year on 11^th December globally since 2003.
• The theme for  IMD-2019 is “Mountains Matter for Youth”.
• As per the United Nations, mountains are home to 15% of the world's population and a quarter of the world’s animals and plants.
• 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.

Source: UN. Org

Honour & Awards

3. Gulu Mirchandani bags CEAMA Lifetime Achievement Award

• Gulu Mirchandani (Founder chairman of Mirc Electronics Ltd. (Onida) has been conferred with “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association.
• He has been awarded for his extensive contribution to the consumer electronics industry.
• 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.

Source: The Hindu

4. 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.
• 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.
• The Nobel Committee announced in October it was honouring Abiy Ahmed for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring foe Eritrea.

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).

Source: Economics Times

Obituaries

5. ICSSR Chairman Braj Bihari Kumar passes away

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

National Affairs

6. Govt to allow girls’ education in all Sainik School

• According to Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Union Government has allowed girls’ education in all Sainik School in a phased manner.
• Presently entry of girls in five Sainik Schools has been allowed.
• These 5 schools are Kalikiri (Andhra Pradesh), Kodagu (Karnataka), Ghorakhal (Uttarakhand), Chandrapur (Maharashtra) and Bijapur (Karnataka).
• The co-educational policy adopted on a pilot-basis at Sainik School in Mizoram and now is being implemented across the country.

Note:

• The concept of the Sainik School originated in the visionary mind of late V K Krishna Menon, who was our Defence Minister in the early sixties.
• The Chief Executive Body of the Sainik Schools Society is a Board of Governors functioning under the Chairmanship of the Defence Minister.

Source The Times of India

7. 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.

Source: AIR News

8. 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.
• 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.
• However, the first three places of the ranking remain unoccupied, Sweden (4th) and Denmark (5th).

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.

Source: Times of India

Banking & Finance

9. NSE launches interest rate options on 10-yr govt bonds

• National Stock Exchange (NSE) has 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.
• Interest rate options will provide institutional investors with the ability to manage risk through a non-linear product.
• Interest rate options are based on the underlying ten-year government bonds, which are 7.26% 2029 bond and 6.45% 2029 bond.

Source: AIR News

10. Exim Bank provides USD 500 mn credit to Bangladesh for defence procurement

• India is providing USD 500 million (Rs 3,561 crore) line of credit (LoC) to Bangladesh for the purpose of financing defence-related procurement in Bangladesh.
• Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) entered into an agreement with Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division for Government of India-supported line of credit (LoC).
• The agreement under the LoC is effective for a period of 10 years from the date of signing of the agreement.

Source: Economics Times

International Affairs

11. 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.
• In July 2005, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Sports

12. 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 batsman Devendra Bundela (145 matches) and Amol Muzumdar (136 matches).
• Now, Wasim Jaffar is just 853 runs away from completing 20,000 runs in first-class cricket.

Source: The Hindu

13. 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).
• Seven countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) competed in the competition having 27 games.

14. 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.

Source: The Hindu

10 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

10 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. World Human Rights Day being observed today

• 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).
• The theme for 2019 Human Rights Day is ‘Youth Standing Up for Human Rights’.
• This year "Stand Up for Human rights," aim 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.

Source: AIR News

Honour & Award

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.
• This is the seventh time in a row that Abu Dhabi has been selected for this coveted award.
• Abu Dhabi shined as a premium destination once again for sports tourism in 2019 after hosting some 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 Special Olympics World Games 2019,  the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the UFC 242 showdown and the Brazil vs South Korea international friendly match.
• Sports tourism has been labelled by the United Nations World Travel Organisation (UNWTO) as one of the fastest-growing sectors of tourism worldwide.

Note:

• 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.

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.
• Dr. Tiwari has published over eight poetry collections, three travelogues, one diary and several critical essays.
• 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.

Obituaries

4. 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.

Source: AIR News

5. 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.

Source: Odisha News

International Affairs

6. UAE, US joint military exercise 'Iron Union 12'commences

• A joint military exercise between the ground forces of the UAE and the United States 'Iron Union 12' commenced in the UAE's al-Hamra region.
• Spanning a few weeks, '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.

Source: Times of India

7. 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.

Source: DD News

8. 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.

Source: Indian Express

Banking & Finance

9. 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.

Source: AIR News

Appointment

10. News Broadcasters Federation elects Arnab Goswami as governing board president

• The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) has elected Arnab Goswami (editor-in-chief of Republic TV) as the President of its governing board.
• The NBF is the body of over 78 news channels (14 languages) of India, 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.

Sports

11. Russia banned from 2020 Tokyo Olympics & 2022 Football World Cup

• Russia has been handed a four-year ban from all major sporting events by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
• Wada's executive committee made the unanimous decision to impose the ban on Russia in a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• It comes after Russia's Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada) was declared non-compliant for manipulating laboratory data handed over to investigators in January 2019.
• Now, Russia flag and anthem will not be allowed at events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics and football's 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
• Russian athletes can still compete at international events under a ‘neutral banner’ if they are able to prove themselves to be clean.

Source:  BBC.com

12. 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.

Source: AIR News

13. 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.

Source: AIR News