20 December 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. International Human Solidarity Day being observed today
- The United Nation (UN) International Human Solidarity Day is annually held on 20th December to celebrate unity in diversity.
- The Day aims to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity and encourages debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication.
- The United Nations General Assembly established the World Solidarity Fund on 20th December 2002 as a trust fund of the United Nations Development Programme.
Honour & Award
2. Sahitya Akademi announces annual Sahitya Akademi Awards in 23-languages
- Sahitya Akademi has announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards 2019 in 23 languages.
- Seven books of poetry, four of novel, six of short stories, three of essays and one each of non-fiction, autobiography and biography have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2019.
- Seven books of poetry were awarded to Dr. Phukan Ch. Basumatary (Bodo), Dr. Nand Kishore Acharya (Hindi), Sri Nilba A. Khandekar (Konkani), Sri Kumar Manish Arvind (Maithili), Sri V. Madhusoodanan Nair (Malayalam), Smt. Anuradha Patil (Marathi) and Prof. Penna Madhusudan(Sanskrit).
- Four novels were awarded to Dr. JoysreeGoswami Mahanta (Assamese), Sri L. Birmangol Singh (Beryl Thanga) (Manipuri), Sri Cho. Dharman (Tamil) and Sri Bandi Narayana Swamy (Telugu).
- Six books of short stories were awarded to Sri Abdul Ahad Hajini (Kashmiri), Sri Tarun Kanti Mishra(Odia), Sri Kirpal Kazak (Punjabi), Sri Ram sawroop Kisan (Rajasthani), Sri Kali Charan Hembram(Santali) and Sri Ishwar Moorjani (Sindhi).
- Dr. Shashi Tharoor (English), Dr. Vijaya (Kannada) and Prof. Shafey Kidwai (Urdu) have won for each of their works on creative non-fiction, autobiography and biography respectively.
- Three books of essays were awarded to Dr. Chinmoy Guha (Bengali), Sri Om Sharma Jandriari (Dogri) and Sri Ratilal Borisagar (Gujarati).
3. Portugal announces Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize
- Portugal will be launching a Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize, each year inspired by his different thoughts and quotes.
- Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa has announced that in order to help perpetuate Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals.
- The first edition of this prize will be dedicated to animal welfare as Mahatma Gandhi said that the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
National Affairs
4. Afghanistan becomes the first country to recognize Indian Pharmacopoeia
- The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) has been recognised formally by the National Department of Regulation of Medicines and Health Products of the Ministry of Public Health of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
- Now, Afghanistan has become the first country to recognize IP pursuant to the efforts of the Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- IP is an officially recognized book of standards as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 thereunder.
- It specifies the standards of drugs manufactured and marketed in India in terms of their identity, purity and strength.
- The legal and scientific standards are provided by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) in the form of Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).
5. 'OCTOPUS' inducted into Andhra CM's security cover
- The security cover of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been strengthened with the induction of OCTOPUS (Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations), replacing the Greyhounds commandos.
- The Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations (OCTOPUS) is an elite force for counter-terror in the state.
- A team of 32 members divided into five teams would be part of the security.
6. Indian Navy conducts anti-hijacking exercise ‘Apharan’ off Kochi coast
- Indian Navy, in collaboration with Indian Coast Guard, Cochin Port Trust and all other concerned stakeholders, conducted a large-scale anti-hijacking exercise code-named Apharan off the Port of Kochi.
- The first-of-its-kind large-scale exercise saw the participation of multiple agencies, including more than 12 ships and helicopters of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Cochin Port Trust.
- The objective of the exercise was to assess the preparedness of their respective organisations, identify gaps to address them on priority as well as to formulate an integrated crisis management plan for Kochi Port in case of any attempt by anti-national elements to hijack a merchant vessel or attempt forced entry of a rogue/commandeered merchant vessel into the Kochi harbour.
7. Phase-III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana launched
- Narendra Singh Tomar (Rural Development Minister) has launched Phase-III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in New Delhi.
- to further enhance the connectivity of villages with hospitals, schools and agricultural markets.
- The Phase-III of PMGSY aims at consolidation of 1 lakh 25 thousand Kilometers through Routes and Major Rural Links that connect habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets, Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals with an estimated cost of 80 thousand 250 crore rupees for the period 2019-20 to 2024-25.
- The Central Share will be 53 thousand 800 crore rupees.
- The funding pattern for the scheme will be 60:40 between Centre and the States(for North East & Himalayan State 90:10).
8. ‘Uniformed Women in Prison Administration’ held in Bhopal
- The National Conference on ‘Uniformed Women in Prisons Administration’ (second edition) has been organised in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
- The conference is being held in collaboration of Madhya Pradesh Jail Department and BPR& D, New Delhi.
- The uniformed women police and employees from the post of Jail Warden to Inspector General Level of various states, members of non-government organisations, representatives of academic institutions and officers of other government departments are participating in the conference.
- The first conference was held in Delhi in 2017.
Appointment
9. Telangana: Former HC Judge CV Ramulu appointed as Lokayukta
- The Telangana government has appointed Justice C V Ramulu (former High Court judge) and V Niranjan Rao (former Law Secretary) as Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayukta respectively.
- Governor Tamilisai Sounderarajan has issued the orders to this effect.
- The governor also appointed another former judge Justice G Chandraiah as Chairman of the State Human Rights Commission.
- This is the first time that the state government has constituted the Lokayukta and Human Rights Commission since the state was formed in 2014.
- The Lokayukta is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in the Indian states.
- Once appointed, Lokayukta Can't be dismissed nor transferred by the government, and can only be removed by passing an impeachment motion by the state assembly.
International Affairs
10. Donald Trump becomes the third US president in history to be impeached
- Donald Trump has become the third US President in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives, bringing him a step closer to being removed from office.
- The House voted the President on two charges: one that he abused his power and other that he had obstructed Congress.
- The issue will now pass to the US Senate, which will hold a trial on whether to convict and remove Mr Trump from the office next month.
- Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were other two former Presidents who had been impeached.
11. French carmaker PSA and US-Italian rival Fiat Chrysler sign merger
- French carmaker PSA and US-Italian rival Fiat Chrysler have signed an agreement to create the world's fourth-largest automaker.
- The combined group will have a workforce of more than 400,000, total revenues of close to USD 190 million and annual unit sales of some 8.7 million vehicles of the brands Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot and Vauxhall.
- The combined group would be headquartered in the Netherlands, and continue to be listed on the Paris, Milan and New York stock exchanges.
- Fiat Chrysler chief John Elkann will be chairman and PSA's Carlos Tavares chief executive.
Sports
12. Zeena Khitta wins women's national 10m Air Rifle
- Zeena Khitta (from Himachal Pradesh) beat Mehuli Ghosh and Apurvi Chandela to become the national champion in the women's 10m Air Rifle event at the ongoing 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal.
- Mehuli had to settle for the silver while Apurvi won the bronze.
- Among the teams, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and West Bengal won two gold medals each.
13. Cummins joins KKR for Rs 15.50 crore, becomes most expensive foreign buy
- Australian Pat Cummins becomes the most expensive overseas player signing in IPL history.
- Kolkata Knight Riders pick up the top-ranked Test bowler for a whopping Rs 15.50 crore.
- Glenn Maxwell earned himself a big payday as well, the hard-hitting batsmen signed by Kings XI Punjab for Rs. 10.75 crore after a tussle with Delhi Capitals.
- Chris Morris hit the 10-crore rupee mark with Royal Challengers Bangalore outlasting both Punjab and Mumbai Indians to secure the services of the South African all-rounder.
- Robin-Uthappa picked up by Rajasthan Royals for Rs. 3 crores in the IPL Auction.
14. Indian men’s football team ranked 108th in latest FIFA rankings
- The Indian men’s football team remained static at 108th spot in the year-ending FIFA rankings.
- Belgium ended on top for the second successive year and France remained in second place ahead of Brazil.
- In the Asian rankings, Japan (28th) is followed by Iran (33), Korea (40), Australia (42) and continental champions Qatar (55).
| Ranks | Team | Total Points |
| 1st | Belgium | 1765 |
| 2nd | France | 1733 |
| 3rd | Brazil. | 1712 |
| 28th | Japan | 1503 |
| 108th | India | 1187 |
