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CURRENT AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2020 ( UPSC/HPAS / ALLIED SERVICES / NAIB TEHSILDAR / BANKING / SSC AND ALL OTHER GOVT EXAMS )

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INDEX

1. INTERNATIONAL NEWS 2. NATIONAL NEWS 3. AWARDS AND HONOURS 4. DEFENCE 5. APPOINTMENTS 6. RANKS AND REPORTS 7. SPORTS 8. ECONOMY & BANKING 9. SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES 10. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 11. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 12. HISTORY & CULTURE 13. IMPORTANT COMMITTEES 14. BOOKS AND AUTHORS 15. OBITUARIES 16. IMPORTANT DAYS 17. STATE NEWS 18. SCHEMES

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. New Zealand declares climate emergency  New Zealand has declared a “climate emergency” and promised to make its public sector carbon neutral by 2025. New Zealand now joins 32 other countries that have declared a climate emergency. They include Japan, Canada, France and the United Kingdom.

2. Rohingyas at Isolated Bangladesh Island “Bhasan Char”  Recently, authorities in Bangladesh sent the first group of more than 1,500 Rohingya refugees to an isolated Bhasan Char island in the Bay of Bengal.  The Rohingya people are stateless, Indo-Aryan ethnic group who reside in Rakhine State, Myanmar.  There were an estimated 1 million Rohingya living in Myanmar before the 2016–17 crisis. An estimated 625,000 refugees from Rakhine, Myanmar, had crossed the border into Bangladesh since August 2017. The majority are Muslim while a minority are Hindu.  They are described by the United Nations (UN) as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.  The Rohingya population is denied citizenship under the 1982 Myanmar nationality law. They have denied the Rohingya the possibility of acquiring a nationality.  Although Rohingya history in the region can be traced back to the 8th century, Myanmar law does not recognize the ethnic minority as one of the eight national indigenous races.  The flow of Rohingya from Myanmar intensified in 2017 and the coast near the Bangladeshi city of Cox’s Bazar was taken over by refugee settlements.  In June 2015, the Bangladesh government suggested resettling Rohingya refugees on the Bhasan Char island under its Ashrayan Project. Recent development:  The Bangladesh government is moving these refugees to an isolated island known as Bhasan Char which is located 21 miles (34 kilometers) from the mainland.  Bhasan Char: Bhasan Char (Floating Island) also known as Char Piya or Thengar Char Island, is an island in Hatiya, Bangladesh. It surfaced only 20 years ago and was never inhabited.  Concern: As Bhashan Char falls in an ecologically fragile area prone to floods, erosion and cyclones, it is not considered safe for human settlements.  India’s Stand: India maintains that Rohingyas are a threat to its national security and have links with international terror groups.

3. Bangladesh signs maiden Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)  Bangladesh has signed its first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan, which will allow duty-free access to a range of goods between the two countries and hence boost bilateral trade between them.  Under the PTA, 100 Bangladeshi products will get duty free access to Bhutan, while 34 items from Bhutan will get duty free access into Bangladesh. Further items can be added in the list later on the basis of discussion between the two countries.  This is the first PTA signed by Bangladesh with any country in the world since its independence in 1971.

4. Mt Everest declared 86 cm taller by Nepal and China  The world’s highest mountain peak ‘Mount Everest’ has become taller by 86 cm, as per a survey conducted jointly by Nepal and China.  The Government of Nepal and China jointly conducted an exercise to measure the world’s highest peak.

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 The new height of Mt Everest has been calculated at 8,848.86 metres, which is 0.86m more than the previous measurement done by India in 1954. In feet, the new elevation is about 29,031 ft, or about 3 ft higher than Nepal’s previous claim.  Everest is also known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Mount Qomolangma in China.

5. Countries of Particular Concern: US  Recently, the US State Department has designated Pakistan and China among eight other countries that are of particular concern for violation of religious freedom.  Country of Particular Concern (CPC): Designation of the CPC is the top tier recommendation by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) when it comes to violation of international religious freedom.  Nations on the CPC list : Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.  Nigeria is the first secular democracy that has been named a CPC.

6. SAARC Charter Day – 8th December  This day marks the signing of the SAARC Charter in 1985 by the leaders of SAARC Countries at the First SAARC Summit held in Dhaka (Bangladesh). South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)  Eight Member States: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  Secretariat: Kathmandu (Nepal).  SAARC Summits: These are usually held biennially (once every two years) and hosted by member states in alphabetical order.  The last SAARC Summit in 2014 was held in Kathmandu (Nepal), which was attended by India.

7. Morocco Normalises Relations with Israel . Recently, Morocco and Israel have agreed to normalise relations in a deal brokered by the USA. . It makes Morocco the fourth Arab country, after the UAE, Bahrain (Abraham Accords) and Sudan, to set aside hostilities with Israel in the past four months.

8. Israel-Bhutan Ties  Recently, Israel has established diplomatic ties with Bhutan.  Significance: The establishment of diplomatic relations would create new avenues for cooperation between the two countries in water management, technology, human resource development, agricultural sciences and other areas of mutual benefit.

9. San Isidro Movement (MSI): Cuba  The Movimiento San Isidro started two years ago and has now become a platform for Cuban dissidents both within and outside the nation. Background :  The Movimiento San Isidro, or the San Isidro Movement (MSI), started two years ago (2018) to protest state censorship of artistic work through Decree 349.  Decree 349 is a law that would have given powers to the Cuba’s Government to restrict cultural activity it did not approve of.  To protest against the decree, artists, poets, journalists and activists gathered in San Isidro, a Black-majority locality that is among Havana’s poorest yet most culturally active regions. Current Spark:  A member of the MSI, Afro-Cuban rapper Denis Solís, was arrested by the police. This led to widespread protests and strikes. Global View:  Various National government and International human rights organisations such as Amnesty International have raised concern for human rights in Cuba.

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 Cuban diaspora in many countries continue to hold rallies in support of the movement. The Cuban Government Stand:  The Cuban government alleges that the movement is funded by USA and are being used to subvert the state.

10. Norway signs MoU with Clean Ganga Mission in India  The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) has signed an MoU with cGanga, a think-tank of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for development of sludge management framework in India.  Through this initiative, Norway intends to deepen the relationship with India especially in the prevention of climate change and conservation of the environment.  The MoU was signed during the 5th edition of the India Water Impact 2020, held from 10-15 December 2020.

11. US Puts India on Currency Watchlist  Recently, the US treasury has placed India on its currency manipulator watch list. Vietnam and Switzerland have been labelled as currency manipulators. Currency Manipulators:  This is a label given by the US government to countries it feels are engaging in “unfair currency practices” by deliberately devaluing their currency against the dollar.  The practice would mean that the country in question is artificially lowering the value of its currency to gain an unfair advantage over others. This is because the devaluation would reduce the cost of exports from that country and artificially show a reduction in trade deficits as a result.

12. CAATSA Sanctions on Turkey  The USA administration has recently imposed sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia.  The issue of sanctions under Section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for purchase of Russian arms is of particular interest to India, which is also in the process of buying the S-400 from Russia.  Previously, the United States had made it clear to Turkey that its purchase of the S-400 system would endanger the security of the USA.  Turkey is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally of the USA.

13. Singapore’s ‘Hawker’ Culture gets UNESCO recognition . The Hawker Culture of street food in Singapore has been inducted by UNESCO in its prestigious ‘Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’. . The Hawker Culture is a popular Singaporean style of street dining and culinary practices in a multicultural urban environment. . Hawker centres are naturally-ventilated premises with stalls selling food from various cultures like Chinese, Malay, Indian, among others. . The Hawkers of Singapore are known to master a variety of cuisines which they serve at the ‘community dining rooms’ where people from across all walks of life gather and share their unique experiences.

14. Mission Sagar-III . Recently, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kiltan has arrived at Sihanoukville Port, Cambodia as part of ongoing Mission Sagar-III. The ship will deliver 15 tons of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) stores for the flood-affected people of Cambodia, which will be handed over to Cambodia’s National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC). . Earlier, the ship delivered 15 Tons of HADR Stores for the flood-affected people of Central Vietnam. . Mission Sagar-III is part of India’s HADR assistance to friendly foreign countries during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. . In November 2020, as part of Mission Sagar-II, INS Airavat delivered food aid to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea.

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. Mission Sagar : Launched in May 2020, 'Mission Sagar’ was India’s initiative to deliver Covid-19 related assistance to the countries in the Indian Ocean Littoral states. The countries included were Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles. . This Mission is being undertaken in accordance with the Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision and reiterates India’s position as a dependable partner, and the Indian Navy as the Preferred Security Partner and First Responder.

15. Govt. nod for missions in Estonia, Paraguay and Dominican Republic:  Government of India to open three missions (embassies) in Estonia, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic in 2021. This will help expand India’s diplomatic footprint, deepen political relations, enable growth of bilateral trade, investment and economic engagements.  (imp for exams : find these countries on map).

NATIONAL NEWS

1. National Maritime Domain Awareness Centre  The Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC), the nodal agency for maritime data fusion set up after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, will soon become a National Maritime Domain Awareness (NDMA) Centre.  IMAC is the main center of the Indian Navy for coastal surveillance and monitoring. It is located in Gurugram (Haryana) and became operational in 2014.  Proposed NDMA Centre will be a multi-agency centre and provide information to various stakeholders, from the fisheries department to local policing authorities on development or movements across the coast. This will make sure that any risk, especially transnational can be prevented.

2. “Virtual Aadi Mahotsav-Madhya Pradesh”  The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda has launched the first-ever virtual edition of Aadi Mahotsav – Madhya Pradesh.  The 10-day long festival will begin from December 1, 2020. It is being hosted on the Tribes India website – www.tribesindia.com.  The highlights of the virtual launch included a virtual tour of the artisans’ workplace and glimpses of the tribal dance and music from Madhya Pradesh. The main focus of the first virtual Aadi Mahotsav is on the tribal craft and culture of Madhya Pradesh.  The next focus state of the programme is Gujarat ( from 11th December 2020), followed by West Bengal from the 21st December 2020.

3. Tobacco Ban in Jharkhand  The Jharkhand Government, in a recent order, has banned consumption of any form of tobacco products for all State Government employees.  The decision will be implemented from 1st April, 2021.

4. India invites UK’s Johnson as 2021 Republic Day chief guest  United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris Johnson is expected to be the chief guest at 2021 Republic day with Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inviting him.  Johnson, on his part, has invited PM Modi to the G-7 summit in the United Kingdom next year.  The last British prime minister at the Republic Day parade was John Major in 1993.

5. IOCL launches India’s first indigenously developed ‘100 Octane’ Premium Petrol  Octane ratings are measures of fuel stability that increases engine efficiency.  The high octane premium grade petrol will be marketed under the brand ‘XP-100’.  It has been developed by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) at its Mathura refinery in Uttar Pradesh.

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6. The 9th edition of the International Sand Art Festival & Konark Festival 2020 begins  International Sand Art Festival is being held at the Chandrabhaga Beach of Konark in Puri district of Odisha.  The world-renowned sand artist and Padmashree Awardee, Sudarsan Pattnaik, has been appointed as Chief Curator of the festival.

7. V. Naidu virtually releases postage stamp in former PM IK Gujral’s honour  Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has virtually released a commemorative Postage Stamp in honour of the late Prime Minister of India & Freedom Fighter, I K Gujral (Inder Kumar Gujral).  I K Gujral (Inder Kumar Gujral) was the 12th Prime Minister of India, he served as the Prime Minister from April 1997-March 1998. He was born in Jhelum (now in Pakistan) in 1919.

8. Tharu Tribals  Why In news : The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government is working to connect Tharu villages in the districts of Balrampur, Bahraich, Lakhimpur and Pilibhit bordering Nepal, with the home stay scheme of the UP Forest Department.  The idea is to offer tourists an experience of living in the natural Tharu habitat, in traditional huts made of grass collected mainly from the forests.  This is expected to create jobs and bring economic independence for the tribal population.  Meaning of ‘Tharu’: The word tharu is believed to be derived from sthavir, meaning followers of Theravada Buddhism.  Habitat: The Tharu community belongs to the Terai lowlands, amid the Shivaliks or lower Himalayas.  The Tharus live in both India and Nepal. Tharu is a scheduled tribe living in the Terai region of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.  Occupation: Most of them are forest dwellers, and some practice agriculture.  Tharus worship Lord Shiva as Mahadev, and call their supreme being “Narayan”, who they believe is the provider of sunshine, rain, and harvests.  Tharu women have stronger property rights.

9. Union Cabinet approves historic PM-WANI Scheme  The Union Cabinet has approved a scheme called the Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM- WANI), to improve wireless connectivity and pave the way for free wireless internet in public spaces across the country.  The scheme will allow anyone, from an individual in a residential area to a Kirana shop owner to a tea shop vendor, to set up public Wi-Fi hotspot and deliver wifi services. It aims to promote the growth of public wi-fi networks in the country.

10. Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India  Recently, the NITI Aayog has released a white paper, “Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India” which is envisaged to serve as a vision document to propel Public Health Surveillance (PHS) in India and establish India as a global leader in the area.  A white paper is an informational document, usually issued by a company or not-for-profit organization, to promote or highlight the features of a solution, product, or service.

11. Child Marriage and Pandemic  According to a report published by ChildLine India (NGO), the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have proved to be new drivers of child marriages in rural Madhya Pradesh. Important Findings by ChildLine India:  Madhya Pradesh recorded 46 child marriages between November 2019 and March 2020, a figure that jumped to 117 in just three months of the lockdown from April to June 2020.  Across India 5,214 child marriages were reported in the first four months of lockdown between March to June.

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12. Data Related to Women: NFSH-5  Recently, the first-phase data of the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) 2019-20 has been released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which provided data on various issues related to women in india.  NFHS is a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. The Phase-I provides data for 22 states/UTs and the fieldwork in the remaining 14 (Phase- II) States/UTs is under progress.  All NFHSs have been conducted under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) Mumbai, serving as the nodal agency. Total Fertility Rate (TFR):  Sikkim recorded the lowest TFR, with one woman bearing 1.1 children on average; Bihar recorded the highest TFR of three children per woman.  In 19 of the 22 surveyed states, TFRs were found to be ‘below-replacement level (2.1)’.  TFR indicates the average number of children expected to be born to a woman during her reproductive span of 15-49 years.

13. PM Modi inaugurates world’s largest renewable energy park in Gujarat . Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the 30,000 megawatts (MW) capacity hybrid renewable energy park in Kutch district of Gujarat. . It will be the largest renewable energy park of its kind in the world. It is expected to play a major role in fulfilling India’s vision of generating 450 GW (4,50,000 MW) of power by 2030. . The park is being constructed between Khawda and Vighakhot villages near India-Pakistan border . The renewable park will have two dedicated zones, one each for the wind energy and solar energy.

14. India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) for ‘skill development in the power sector’ inaugurated in Gurugram. . The CoE has been established in the campus of National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurugram, Haryana.

15. PM Modi to launch ‘SEHAT’, Health Insurance Scheme for J&K . Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch ‘SEHAT’ – Health Insurance Scheme for the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on 26th December. . This scheme will cover the remaining One crore population which was not covered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme. Under Ayushman Bharat PM Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), eligible beneficiaries were covered under Health Cover of Rs 5 Lakh. . SEHAT stands for Social Endeavour for Health and Telemedicine. . Note : Manoj Sinha is the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. AB-PMJAY SEHAT Scheme: . The Scheme provides free of cost insurance cover. It provides financial cover upto Rs. 5 lakh per family on a floater basis to all residents of the UT of J&K. Floater basis, means that it can be used by one or all members of the family. The whole family is insured under one plan. . The scheme would work in convergence with Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).

16. Bengal’s 1st oil and gas reserve ‘Bengal Basin’ . Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan has dedicated West Bengal’s first oil and gas reserve, ‘Bengal Basin’, to the nation. The Bengal Basin is explored and owned by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). It is the eight producing basins of India by ONGC. . The others are Krishna-Godavari (KG), Mumbai Offshore, Assam Shelf, Rajasthan, Cauvery, Assam-Arakan Fold Belt and Cambay.

17. India’s 1st Gender Data Hub : The UN Women and Kerala government have collaborated to establish India’s first Gender Data Hub.

18. E-Sampada web portal

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. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri has launched E-Sampada, a new web portal and mobile app on Good Governance Day. . The new application provides a single-window for all the services including an allotment for over one lakh government residential accommodations, office space allotment to government organisations in 45 office complexes in 28 cities and booking of 1,176-holiday homerooms.

19. India’s first Lithium refinery to be set up in Gujarat . India’s first Lithium refinery is soon going to be set up in Gujarat. . Manikaran Power Limited, one of the country’s largest power trading and renewable energy company will invest around Rs 1,000 crore to set up this refinery.

20. India’s first driverless train on Delhi Metro . Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off the country’s first-ever fully-automated driverless train service on the Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro. . Apart from this, PM also launched fully operational National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) on the Airport Express Line of Delhi Metro, to connect DMRC with the NCMC service. NCMC, also known as ‘One Nation One Card’, is an inter-operable transport card that allows the holders all in one service to pay for their travel, toll taxes, parking charges, retail shopping and even withdraw money. . NOTE : The driverless trains will be fully automated, eliminating the possibility of human error. . Currently, 18 cities in India have Metro.

21. 100th ‘Kisan Rail’ . Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off the 100th ‘Kisan Rail’ on 28th December 2020. The 100th run of the Kisan Rail was flagged off from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal virtually. . Kisan Rail is a mobile cold storage to move perishable things like fruits, vegetables, milk, fish, etc., with complete security. . Note : The first Kisan Rail was introduced from Devlali in Maharashtra to Danapur in Bihar on August 7, 2020, which was further extended up to Muzaffarpur.

22. Catch the Rain: National Water Mission . Recently, the National Water Mission (NWM), Ministry of Jal Shakti in collaboration with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have launched the ‘Catch the Rain’ Awareness Generation Campaign. . Tag line: Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls. . Aim : To nudge all stake-holders to create Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) suitable for the climatic conditions and subsoil strata to store rainwater.

23. Digital Ocean . Recently, the Ministry of Earth Sciences inaugurated the web-based application DigitalOcean developed by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in a Virtual Meeting held in New Delhi. About Digital Ocean: . It is the first such platform to provide ocean data related services at one place. It will serve as a one stop- solution for all the data related needs of a wide range of users including research institutions, operational agencies, strategic users, academic community, maritime industry, policy makers and the public.

24. Mega leather park  It is to come up in Ramaipur village of Kanpur with an investment of Rs 5,850 crores.

25. UP Ordinance on Unlawful Conversions  The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has recently passed an ordinance to deal with unlawful religious conversions, which are in opposition of various judgements of the Supreme Court (SC). UP Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Ordinance, 2020:

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 It makes religious conversion for marriage a non-bailable offence and the onus will be on the defendant to prove that conversion was not for marriage. In case of conversion done by a woman for the sole purpose of marriage, the marriage would be declared null and void.

26. Governor’s Role in Calling an Assembly Session  Recently, the Kerala Governor has turned down a request of the state Cabinet to summon a special sitting of the Assembly to debate the new three central farm laws. Key Points Constitutional Provisions Related to Governor’s Role in Calling an Assembly Session:  Article 174: Says that the Governor shall from time to time summon the House or each House of the Legislature of the State to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit.  The provision also puts on the Governor the responsibility of ensuring that the House is summoned at least once every six months.  Article 163: Although it is the Governor’s prerogative to summon the House, according to Article 163, the Governor is required to act on the “aid and advice” of the Cabinet.  So when the Governor summons the House under Article 174, this is not of his or her own will but on the aid and advice of the Cabinet.  The actions of the Governor, when using his discretionary powers can be challenged in court.  The court read the power to summon the House as a “function” of the Governor and not a “power” he enjoys. Consequences in Kerala Case:  If the Kerala government insists on holding the special session, there can be no legal ground to deny a request for summoning the session as:  The Governor’s powers are limited with regard to summoning the House.  If the Governor refuses, the Governor’s refusal can also be challenged in court.

27. Bihar wins Digital India award for transferring money in COVID time  The Chief Minister Secretariat of Bihar, the Disaster Management Department besides the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the state have jointly been chosen as winners in the “pandemic category” Digital India Awards 2020.  Bihar government’s initiative to transfer financial assistance directly to the accounts of beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic has made its departments winners of the Digital India Awards, instituted by the central government, this year for innovative steps in e-governance.

28. India’s first pollinator park  The country’s first pollinator park with over 40 species of butterflies, honeybees, birds and insects has been developed over four acres at Haldwani, Uttarakhand.

29. Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA):  The Ministry of Home Affairs has declared the entire State of Nagaland as a “disturbed area” for six more months under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). What does the AFSPA mean?  In simple terms, AFSPA gives armed forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”. Powers given to armed forces:  They have the authority to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area, can use force or even open fire after giving due warning if they feel a person is in contravention of the law.  If reasonable suspicion exists, the army can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter or search premises without a warrant; and ban the possession of firearms.  Any person arrested or taken into custody may be handed over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station along with a report detailing the circumstances that led to the arrest. Who has the power to declare any area as disturbed under Section 3 of the AFSPA?

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 The Central Government, or the Governor of the State or administrator of the Union Territory can declare the whole or part of the State or Union Territory as a disturbed area.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. Ranjitsinh Disale becomes 1st Indian to win 2020 Global Teacher Prize  Ranjitsinh Disale, a government teacher from Zilla Parishad Primary School, in Paritewadi village, Solapur district of Maharashtra, has won the 2020 Global Teacher Prize.  He is the first Indian to win this award, which carries prize money of $1 million (Rs 7.4 crore).  The 32-year-old has won the annual Global Teacher Prize 2020 in recognition of his efforts to promote girls’ education in his village and trigger a quick-response (QR) coded textbook revolution in India.  He made efforts and added QR codes to textbooks of primary classes to provide links to audio poems, video lectures, stories and assignments.  He also worked towards education for girls and teaching people about the ill-effects of teenage marriage and even helped to achieve 100% attendance of girls.  A QR code is a type of barcode that contains a matrix of dots. It can be scanned using a QR scanner or a smartphone with a built-in camera.  Note : The Global Teacher Prize is an annual prize founded by the Varkey Foundation in 2014 to recognise an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession. The award is given in partnership with UNESCO.

2. Gitanjali Rao becomes 1st-ever TIME’s “Kid Of The Year”  The Indian-American young scientist and inventor, Gitanjali Rao, has been named as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ by the iconic TIME magazine.  This is the first time that the TIME magazine has launched the Kid of The Year” award.  The 15-year-old Gitanjali Rao was chosen from among more than 5,000 nominees, for her “astonishing work” using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying.

3. Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize  Journalist-author, Raj Kamal Jha has won the 3rd Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for his novel, “The City and The Sea” ( based on the December 2012 Nirbhaya rape and murder case).  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the winner of the $5,000 prize was announced online in Copenhagen, Denmark.

4. ICAR wins 2020 King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award  The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has won the prestigious International King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award for 2020.  The award was presented annually by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

5. United Nations Population Award 2020 . Recently, HelpAge India has been presented the UN Population Award for 2020 in the institutional category. . Bhutan’s Queen Mother Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck has been awarded the United Nations Population Award in the individual category for 2020 for her work on sexual health and ending gender violence. 6. Carolina Araujo awarded 2020 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians  Dr Carolina Araujo is a Mathematician from the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Her work area focuses on birational geometry, which aims to classify and describe the structure of algebraic varieties.  The prize is awarded annually to a researcher from a developing country funded by the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India in association with ICTP (International Centre for

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Theoretical Physics), and the International Mathematical Union (IMU) was given for her outstanding work in algebraic geometry.

7. Indian athletes, Bajrang Punia (Freestyle-Wrestling) and Elavenil Valarivan (Shooting), bagged the top honours at the virtually held FICCI India Sports Awards 2020 on the back of the 10th Global Sports Summit.  Best State Promoting Sports Award – Madhya Pradesh.

8. Myanmar’s Paul Sein Twa receives Goldman Environmental Prize 2020  International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Asia Regional Office awarded Paul Sein Twa, for Goldman Environmental Prize 2020 for Asia.  This award is given to him for his efforts in promoting the self-determination of the Karen people (Ethnolinguistic Sino-Tibetan people) in managing their natural resources.  Paul is the co-founder of the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN), established in 2001.

9. SAIL gets the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2020 . Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has been awarded the prestigious Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for the year 2020 in the Steel Sector by the Institute of Directors.

10. American media personality and reality TV star, Kylie Jenner has been crowned the highest-paid celebrity of 2020 by Forbes.

11. Robert Lewandowski and Lucy Bronze win best of 2020 FIFA awards . The Bayern Munich striker, Robert Lewandowski has been named The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2020. . Manchester City full-back, Lucy Bronze won the women’s best player award, becoming the first female English player to take the prize.

12. ‘Young Champions of the Earth’ by UNEP . 29-year-old Indian entrepreneur Vidyut Mohan was one of the “Young Champions of the Earth” winners by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). . The prize is annually awarded to 7 entrepreneurs under age 30.

13. Legion of Merit: USA . Recently, the USA has awarded the ‘Legion of Merit’ (One of the USA’s highest military decorations ) to the Prime Ministers of India, Japan and Australia. . All these four countries were key to reviving the Quadrilateral grouping since 2017, which is part of the Indo- Pacific strategy and is aimed at countering the growing dominance of China in the region. . This honour is awarded to members of the USA armed forces and also members of foreign (i.e. non- USA) armed forces and sometimes heads of state or government. . There have been two Indian recipients of the honour in the past: Field Marshal K M Cariappa in 1950, and Gen S M Srinagesh in 1955.

14. Ratan Tata honoured with “ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award”

15. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Telecom Skill Excellence Awards announced . FIRST prize goes to Sreenivas Karanam (Bengaluru ) for his contribution in developing a cost-effective customized technical solution under the brand ‘C mobile’, for deep-sea communication, operating along the Kerala coast, facilitating communication among fishermen and issue of weather alerts etc. . Second prize goes to Subrat Kar (New Delhi), or his innovative solution on development & deployment of a large scale sensor network and devices to avoid a train-animal collision.

16. ICC Awards of the Decade 2020 announced . The winners of the prestigious ICC Awards of the Decade were announced on 28th December 2020. The ICC Awards of The Decade recognise the best players across Cricket over the past 10 years.

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. ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade: MS Dhoni (India) . Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade: Virat Kohli (India) . ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade: Virat Kohli (India) . ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) . ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade: Steve Smith(Australia) . ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade: Kyle Coetzer (Scotland). . Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named as the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Decade and skipper of the ICC T20I Team of the Decade. . Virat Kohli has been named the captain of the ICC Test Team of the Decade. ICC Women’s Award . Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade: Ellyse Perry (Australia). . ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade: Ellyse Perry(Australia) . ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade: Ellyse Perry (Australia) . ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade: Kathryn Bryce (Scotland)

17. Amar Singh College, Srinagar  It has been recognized with the ‘Award of Merit’ in the 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

18. DRDO’s “Scientist of the Year” award  Senior scientist Hemant Kumar Pandey has been honoured with DRDO’s ”Scientist of the Year Award” for his contribution in developing several herbal medicines, including the popular drug Lukoskin meant for the treatment of leucoderma.  The award comprises a certificate and cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

19. Dr. Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Award  The Dr Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Award for this year has been conferred upon Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani. The award was instituted in the memory of the Maharashtra-based rationalist Dabholkar.

20. Eminent Engineer Award 2020  The chairman & CEO of Railway Board, Vinod Kumar Yadav has been conferred with the prestigious “Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2020’.  This award is given by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for his outstanding contribution towards modernization and reforms over Indian Railways.

21. 96th Tansen Music Festival : Gwalior  Famous santoor player, Pandit Satish Vyas was conferred upon the prestigious Tansen Samman.

DEFENCE NEWS

1. Anti-Ship version of BrahMos missile  India successfully test-fired the anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands territory.

2. Passage Exercise (PASSEX)  The Indian Navy (IN) and the Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) conducted Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

3. National Centre for Divyang Empowerment inaugurated in Telangana  The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy has inaugurated the National Centre for Divyang Empowerment (NCDE) at the CRPF Group Centre in Hakimpet near Hyderabad, Telangana.

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 The NCDE is first of its kind establishment to re-skill and rehabilitates the Divyang Warriors of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) who suffered life-threatening injuries in the line of duty.

4. GRSE Kolkata launches ‘Himgiri’, its 1st Ship of Project 17A  Himgiri, which is the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was launched.  The launch of ‘Himgiri’ has showcased GRSE’s commitment towards the building of three state-of-the-art warships of P17A for Indian Navy.

5. OPV ‘Sujeet’  Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘Sujeet’, which is second in the series of 5 OPVs was commissioned at the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Vasco Town, Goa.

6. The interceptor boat C-454, built by Larsen and Toubro at its Hazira plant, will operate from Gujarat under the control of the Commander Coast Guard Region North-West of the Indian Coast Guard.

7. IND-INDO CORPAT : Recently, the 35th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy has been conducted.

8. Advanced “HWT” test facility in Hyderabad . Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility of the DRDO in Hyderabad, Telangana. . The state-of-the-art HWT Test facility has made India as the only third country in the world, after the US and Russia, to have such a huge facility in size and capability.

9. Rajnath Singh hands over high-tech systems to chiefs of 3 armed forces . The three systems namely, Border Surveillance System (BOSS), Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System (IMSAS) and ASTRA Mk-I Missile, have been handed over by Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh to the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force respectively. . These 3 high-tech systems are indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

10. INS Sindhuvir : The Myanmar Navy has officially inducted the submarine INS Sindhuvir, which was handed over by the Indian Navy to the country in October 2020. This is the first submarine in the Myanmar Navy’s arsenal.

11. PASSEX-2020 : The Indian Navy and Vietnamese Navy undertook the naval passage exercise PASSEX in the South China Sea.

12. Army Variant of MRSAM . Recently, the maiden test of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) for the Indian Army has been conducted. About Army Variant of MRSAM: . It is a surface to air missile developed jointly by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel for use by the Indian Army. . It consists of a command and control post, multi-function radar and mobile launcher system. . Note : Israel has been among the top four arms suppliers to India for almost two decades now notching military sales worth around USD 1 billion every year.

13. Kamov-226T : Utility Helicopters Why in News . The Indian Army is going to approach the Defence Ministry for a waiver to take the Kamov-226T (Ka-226T) utility helicopters with Russia. In 2015, India and Russia concluded an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for 200 Ka-226T helicopters estimated to cost over USD 1 billion.

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. The Kamov-226T is meant to replace the ageing and obsolete (outdated) Cheetah and Chetak fleets of the Indian Army and the Air Force.

th 14. “Shaheen-IX” or Eagle-IX exercise : 9 exercise between the Pakistan Air Force and the People’s Liberation Army Air Force of China..

15. Akash Missile System  The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal to export indigenously-developed Akash Missile System. The export version of Akash will be different from System currently deployed with Indian Armed Forces.  Akash is a short-range Surface to Air Missile with a range of 25 Kms to protect vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from air attacks. It was inducted in IAF in 2014 and in the Indian Army in 2015.

16. ‘SAHAYAK-NG’  Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with the Indian Navy conducted the successful maiden test trial of ‘SAHAYAK-NG’ India’s first indigenously designed and developed Air Dropped Container from IL 38SD aircraft (Indian Navy) off the coast of Goa.  The trial was conducted by the Indian Navy to enhance its operational logistics capabilities and provide critical engineering stores to ships that are deployed more than 2000 kilometres from the coast.  SAHAYAK-NG is an advanced version of SAHAYAK Mk I.  The newly developed GPS aided air dropped container is having the capability to carry a payload that weighs up to 50 kilograms and can be dropped from heavy aircraft.

APPOINTMENT NEWS

1. Utpal Kumar Singh : Secretary-General of Lok Sabha  Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has appointed senior IAS officer Utpal Kumar Singh as Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and Lok Sabha Secretariat.  His appointment will come into effect from December 1, 2020. He will succeed incumbent Snehlata Shrivastava.

2. Varsha Joshi (IAS): Chairperson of NDDB (National Dairy Development Board)

3. Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary : 27th Director General of Border Roads Organisation (BRO). 4. Kuldeep Handoo : “Fit India” movement ambassador

5. Anil Soni (US-based Indian-origin health expert ) : first CEO of the newly-created The WHO Foundation

6. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah : re-appointed as prime minister of Kuwait.

7. Zena Wooldridge (English Lady) : World Squash Federation President

8. Annika Sorenstam : president of International Golf Federation

9. Uday Kotak : re-appointed as Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank for a further period of three years.

10. Shashi Shekhar Vempati (CEO of Prasar Bharati) : elected as the Vice President of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) for a period of three years.

11. Raja Chari : NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have selected Indian-American Raja Chari to be the Commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station. Presently Raja Chari is a colonel in the US Air Force.

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12. Vineet Agarwal : new President of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

13. Satyendra Garg : DGP , Andaman and Nicobar.

14. Harsh Vardhan nominated to the Board of ‘GAVI’, The Vaccine Alliance  Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has been nominated as the board member of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI).

RANKS AND REPORTS

1. Human Development Index: UNDP  India ranked 131 among 189 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) for 2019, slipping two places from the previous year, according to the Human Development Report (HDR) 2020 released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Human Development Index:  About: HDI emphasizes that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.  Based on three Basic Dimensions of Human Development: 1. A long and healthy life, 2. Access to knowledge, and 3. A decent standard of living.  Top Performers for 2019: Norway topped the index, followed by Ireland and Switzerland. Hong Kong and Iceland complete the top five.  PHDI : The 2020 Human Development Report (HDR) has introduced planetary pressures-adjusted Human Development Index, which adjusts the standard Human Development Index (HDI) by a country’s per capita carbon dioxide emissions and material footprint. Ireland tops the list in PHDI. The other indices (other than HDI) that forms the part of the HDR are:

1) Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index:  The IHDI indicates percentage loss in HDI due to inequality.  For India, IHDI value for 2019 is 0.537 (16.8% overall loss).

2) Gender Development Index:  GDI measures disparities on the HDI by gender.  For India, GDI value for 2019 is 0.820 (World: 0.943).

3) Gender Inequality Index:  GII presents a composite measure of gender inequality using three dimensions: o Reproductive health, o Empowerment and o The labour market.  In GII, India is at 123rd rank. Last year, it was ranked 122nd out of 162 countries.

4) Multidimensional Poverty Index:  MPI captures the multiple deprivations that people in developing countries face in their health, education and standard of living. In India, 27.9% of the population (3,77,492 thousand people) are multidimensionally poor,

2. US Air Quality Index (AQI)  Lahore has been ranked as the world’s most polluted city with particulate matter (PM) rating of 423.  New Delhi stood second with a PM of 229, while Kathmandu ranked the third with a PM of 178.

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 The Air Quality Index (AQI) is released by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to give people an idea of whether it’s safe to breathe the air.  AQI is based on the levels of five major pollutants regulated by the EPA: ground-level ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.  AQI measures air quality by placing it on a scale of 0-500, where air quality is regarded as satisfactory if the AQI is under 50.

3. Global Terrorism Index 2020  India has been ranked at 8th spot globally in the list of countries most affected by terrorism in 2019.  The GTI score of India is 7.353 out of 10.  With a score of 9.592, Afghanistan has topped the index as the worst terror impacted nation among the 163 countries. It is followed by Iraq (8.682) and Nigeria (8.314) at second and third place respectively.

4. Fortune India 500 Ranking 2020  Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has topped the list.  The country’s biggest oil firm, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC), bagged the second spot, followed by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) at the third position.

5. Kotak Wealth-Hurun wealthy women list 2020  Chairperson of HCL Technologies, Roshni Nadar Malhotra has topped the list of wealthiest women in India.  Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon and Leena Gandhi Tewari of USV are at the second and third rank respectively.

6. Ministry of Home Affairs has released a list of 10 Best Police station in India  Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district of Manipur has topped the list.  AWPS-Suramangalam police station in Salem City of Tamil Nadu ranks second.  Kharsang police station in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

7. India Ranks 10th in the Climate Change Performance Index 2021  With the score of 63.98, India is ranked at 10th place in the ‘Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2021’, released on 7th December 2020.  India was at 9th spot last year in the index.  Like CCPI 2020, the first three places in 2021 ranking also remains unoccupied, since none of the countries is on the path compatible with the Paris climate targets, to implement strategies to limit global warming below 2 or even 1.5°C.  Sweden (4th) United Kingdom (5th), Denmark (6th), Morocco (7th), Norway (8th), Chile (9th) were among the top 10 rankers in the index.  Only two G20 nations, the United Kingdom and India are among the high rankers in CCPI 2021, which covers the year 2020.  Six other G20 nations including the USA, Canada, South Korea, Russia, Australia and Saudi Arabia are ranked at the bottom of the index.  This is the second time in a row that the USA (ranked last), which is the largest historical polluter, is ranked at the bottom.

8. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at 41 on Forbes 2020 list  In 2019, She was ranked at 34 and now ranked 41st in 2020.  Kiran Mazumdar-shaw, Chairman of Biocon Limited also featured in the list at 68th position.  The list is topped by Angel Merkel followed by Christine Lagarde in 2nd and Kamala Harris at 3rd place.

9. Human Freedom Index 2020 . India was placed at the 111th spot out of 162 countries. In 2019, India ranked 94 on the index. . The first three spots have been bagged by New Zealand, Switzerland and Hong Kong.

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10. Indian actor, Sonu Sood has topped the first-of-its-kind ’50 Asian Celebrities In The World’ 2020 list, published by UK based Eastern Eye newspaper.

11. US President-elect, Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have been jointly named Time magazine’s 2020 “Person of the Year”.

SPORTS NEWS

1. Virat Kohli fastest to 12000 runs in ODI cricket  Virat Kohli became the fastest to reach 12,000 runs in One-day International cricket.  He got to the milestone in his 242nd inning thus bettering the previous record set by Sachin Tendulkar, who got his 12000th run in his 300th inning.  Kohli is the second-highest scorer for India in ODIs behind Tendulkar’s 18,426 from 463 ODIs.

2. New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson retires from all forms of Cricket.

3. First Indian to win F2 race  Jehan Daruvala created history, as he became the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, Bahrain. The 22-year-old Jehan Daruvala is currently a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.

4. Sri Lanka to host Asia Cup (cricket) in 2021  Sri Lanka will host the Asia Cup in June 2021 while Pakistan has earned the rights to host the tournament in 2022.  As per the original schedule, the tournament was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan in 2020, however, it got postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. 2020 World Athletes of the Year  Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis - 2020 Male World Athletes of the Year  Venezuelan triple jumper Yulimar Rojas – 2020 Female World Athletes of the Year.

6. India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

7. Madagascar has replaced the Maldives as the host of the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

8. IOC gives Olympic status to Breakdancing  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has registered ‘Breakdancing’ as the newest entry into Olympics and an official Olympic sport, with the aim to attract a new and younger audience.  Breakdancing will be known as ‘Breaking’ in Olympics event.  Breaking will make its Olympic Games debut at the 2024 Paris Games (2024 Summer Olympics).  It must be remembered that three new sports, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing, will make their Olympic debuts at the Tokyo Games 2021 (earlier 2020 Summer Olympics).

9. 2020 Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge  Indian Tennis player, Ankita Raina clinched her third doubles title of the season after she won the 2020 Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge jointly with her Georgian partner Ekaterine Gorgodze in Dubai.

10. Odisha to host 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup  The International Hockey Federation (FIH) had announced that the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup will be hosted in Odisha, for a second consecutive time.

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 The tournament will be held at two venues, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. The Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 was also hosted by Odisha.  Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has announced that India’s biggest hockey stadium is being set up in Rourkela city of Odisha. The stadium will be constructed in the Biju Patnaik University of Technology campus, Rourkela.

11. The 2030 Asian Games were awarded to Doha, Qatar and the 2034 event went to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

12. Mohammad Amir : Pakistan’s star pacer, Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from international cricket citing ‘mental torture’ by the management as the reason behind his decision.

13. Lewis Hamilton : Formula 1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2020.

14. U-20 and U-17 FIFA World Cup tournaments (football) . As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided to cancel the 2021 editions of the men’s FIFA U-20 World Cup (venue-Indonesia) and FIFA U-17 World Cup (venue-Peru). . So Peru will host the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2023. In the same year, the FIFA U-20 World Cup will be held by Indonesia.

ECONOMY & BANKING 1. Municipal Bonds  Recently, Rs. 200-crore worth Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) bonds have been listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)- the oldest stock exchange in India as well as Asia.  Lucknow becomes ninth city to raise municipal bonds, incentivised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (Mohua) under Mission Amrut.  Municipal Bonds can help the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to garner revenue to complete budgetary projects as property tax is the only major source of municipal revenue.

2. Lottery, Gambling, Betting Taxable under GST Act: SC  Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) has held that lottery, gambling and betting are taxable under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act, 2017.  The SC passed the order in a batch of pleas filed by various lottery dealers who argued that the Central government had wrongfully classified lottery as goods.  Article 246A of the Constitution fully empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to goods and services tax and expansive definition of goods. The Lotteries Regulation Act, 1998 :  Lottery is considered as legal in India. Lottery should be organized by the state government and the place of Draw should be in that particular state.

3. RTGS system to be available on 24×7 basis from December 14  Presently RTGS system is available for customers between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM. RTGS shall continue to be governed by the RTGS System Regulations, 2013.

4. United Nations Investment Promotion Award 2020  The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has declared ‘Invest India’ as winner of the United Nations Investment Promotion Award 2020. Invest India:  It is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India and acts as the first point of reference for investors in India.  It is a non-profit venture set up in 2009 under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

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Government Measures Related to Investment Promotion:  In 2019, it was among the top 10 countries attracting foreign funds ( FDI), receiving billions of dollars in a variety of sectors, including services, technology, IT and telecom, and construction.  Launch of Schemes attracting investments, such as, National technical Textile Mission, Production Linked Incentive Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, etc.  The government has elaborated upon the initiatives under the Atmanirbhar Bharat to encourage investments in different sectors.  As a part of its Make in India initiative to promote domestic manufacturing, India deregulated FDI rules for several sectors over the last few years.  India ranked 63rd out of 190 countries (moved up by 14 spots) in Ease of Doing Business report 2020 released by World Bank.

5. RBI cancels licence of Maharashtra-based Karad Janata Sahakari Bank  The Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the licence of Karad Janata Sahakari Bank Ltd in Maharashtra, as it does not have adequate capital and earning prospects.  As such, it does not comply with the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

6. ‘Status of Leopards in India 2018’ report . The Union environment minister, Prakash Javadekar has released a report titled the ‘Status of Leopard in India 2018’. As per the report, the population of leopard in India has increased by 60 per cent in four years since 2014. India now has 12,852 leopards as per 2018 estimate, compared to the previous estimate of 7910 conducted in 2014. . The States of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra recorded the highest leopard estimates at 3,421, 1,783, and 1,690 respectively.

7. 100% FDI in DTH Services . The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has recently approved revised guidelines for Direct-to- Home (DTH) broadcasting services, allowing 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as well as increasing the licence period to 20 years. . Direct-To-Home (DTH) Broadcasting Service refers to the distribution of multi channel TV programmes in Ku Band by using a satellite system by providing TV signals direct to subscribers' premises. . Ku-band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is best known for its use in satellite broad`cast communications. Ku-band falls in the middle in terms of frequency, utilizing the approximate range of 12-18 GHz of radiofrequency.

8. Main Bhi Digital Drive for Street Vendors . The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is going to launch ‘Main Bhi Digital (me too digital)’ drive for the street vendors to enable them to accept and make payments digitally. . The drive has been encouraged by the success of the Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi) scheme, launched in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown, to provide vendors microcredit. Main Bhi Digital Drive: . As part of the new drive, between 4th January to 22nd January 2021, over 10 lakh street vendors across the country who have availed of the Rs. 10,000 loan will be trained in using digital payments. . The vendors would be able to not just receive payments digitally but also pay for material they procure from sellers using unique QR codes. The mobile phones of the vendors will be equipped with the software needed for the transactions, and training provided to them on safe and secure payments. PMSVANidhi Scheme: . It is a scheme of the MoHUA launched in June 2020 which entitles the street vendors to Rs. 10,000 interest- free loan as working capital to restart their businesses. Data shows that only 20% of the beneficiaries are digitally enabled. . Street Vendors in India: Anyone who doesn’t have a permanent shop is considered a street vendor. There are an estimated 50-60 lakh street vendors in India, with the largest concentrations in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad.

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9. New Rule in GST . Recently, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has made it mandatory for businesses with a monthly turnover of more than Rs. 50 lakh to pay at least 1% of their Goods and Services Tax (GST) liability in cash. It will be effective from 1st January 2021.

10. India to Become Fifth Largest Economy in 2025 . A recent report published by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CBER) has predicted that India will again overtake the UK to become the fifth largest economy in 2025 and race to the third spot by 2030. . Previously, India had overtaken the UK in 2019 to become the fifth largest economy in the world but has been relegated to 6th spot in 2020. . The five economies ahead are the United States, China, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom respectively.

11. Dedicated Freight Corridor . Recently, the Prime Minister of India has inaugurated a 351-km section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and an Operation Control Centre (OCC) between Khurja and Bhaupur in Uttar Pradesh. . EDFC is a 1,839-km project billed as the largest rail infrastructure being built in independent India and has been in the making since 2006. . Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC): It is a high speed and high capacity railway corridor that is exclusively meant for the transportation of freight, or in other words, goods and commodities.

12. The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) along with Department of Posts (DoP) launched a digital payment application called ‘DakPay’

SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

1. SCO Online International Exhibition  Recently, the Vice President of India has launched the first ever SCO Online Exhibition on Shared Buddhist Heritage.  The launch happened during the 19th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of Government (SCO CHG), held in New Delhi.  In this meeting, India highlighted that the cross-border terrorism is the biggest challenge for the SCO countries.  SCO Online International Exhibition was developed developed and curated by the National Museum, New Delhi, in active collaboration with SCO member countries.  Museums from India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated.

2. Criticism of Policies on Kashmir: OIC  India has ‘strongly’ rejected the criticism of its Kashmir policy by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).  The 47th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, held at Niamey (Niger), had made a reference to India over its policies on Jammu and Kashmir.  OIC is the second largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations with a membership of 57 states. India is not a member of the OIC.

3. World Economic Forum 2021 to be held in Singapore  The World Economic Forum (WEF) has decided to host its 2021 annual meeting in Singapore, which earlier was scheduled to take place in Lucerne-Burgenstock, Switzerland from 13-16 May 2021.

4. ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus

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. Recently, India’s defence minister attended the 14th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus organized online at Hanoi, Vietnam. It marked the 10th anniversary of ADMM Plus. . The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional organization which was established to promote political and social stability amid rising tensions among the Asia-Pacific’s post-colonial states. . Membership ( 18 members) : The ADMM-Plus countries include ten ASEAN Member States and eight Plus countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, and the United States.

5. The 9th edition of Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMDS) held in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

6. 20th IORA Council of Ministers Meeting Held in UAE . The 20th edition of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers (COM) Meeting via video conferencing under the Chairmanship of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). . The theme of the meeting was “Promoting a Shared Destiny and Path to Prosperity in the Indian Ocean”. . IORA comprises of 22 member states (including India).

7. Sixth Indo-Japan SAMVAD Conference . Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the sixth edition of the India-Japan SAMVAD conference 2020, via virtual conferencing. . The purpose of this Samvad Conference is to discuss the need to build the future of Asia on the positive influence of traditions of non-violence and democracy in Asia. . During the conference, the PM proposed to create a library of traditional Buddhist literature and scriptures in India.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. The Cancer Genome Atlas 2020 Conference  The Minister of Science and Technology has virtually inaugurated the 2nd TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) 2020 Conference in New Delhi.  The Conference brings together scientists and clinicians from across the globe to build Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA).  TCGA is a landmark cancer genomics program that molecularly characterized over 20,000 primary cancer and matched normal samples spanning 33 cancer types.

2. China becomes second nation to plant flag on the Moon  China has become the second country in the world to unfurl its national flag on the moon surface.  Earlier this feat was achieved only by the USA when it planted its flag on the Moon during the Apollo mission in 1969.  China achieved the historic feat when ‘Chang’e 5‘ probe of China, which was launched to collect soil and rock samples of the lunar surface, took off from the moon to return to earth after planting the national flag on 3rd December 2020.

3. Dust Samples from Hayabusa 2  Recently, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has received a capsule from the unmanned Hayabusa 2, carrying the first extensive samples of dust from the asteroid Ryugu.  Hayabusa 2 was launched from Japan’s Tanegashima space centre in 2014 and took four years to reach the asteroid Ryugu.

4. Pixxel to launch remote-sensing satellite on ISRO rocket  The Bengaluru-based space-technology start-up “Pixxel”, has signed a pact with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch its first remote-sensing satellite on Isro’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket in early 2021.

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5. Robotic Surgery  Recently, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has standardised health policies across all health insurers to even cover robotic and bariatric surgeries.

6. China’s Artificial Sun  China successfully powered up its “artificial sun” nuclear fusion reactor for the first time recently, marking a great advance in the country’s nuclear power research capabilities. The nuclear reactor is expected to provide clean energy. Key Points  The HL-2M Tokamak reactor is China’s largest and most advanced nuclear fusion experimental research device, and scientists hope that the device can potentially unlock a powerful clean energy source.  HL-2M Tokamak device is used in it to replicate the nuclear fusion process that occurs naturally in the sun.  It uses a powerful magnetic field to fuse hot plasma and can reach temperatures of over 150 million degrees Celsius, approximately ten times hotter than the core of the sun.  Located in Sichuan province, the reactor is often called an “artificial sun” on account of the enormous heat and power it produces.

7. Jupiter Saturn Great Conjunction  In a rare celestial event, Jupiter and Saturn will be seen very close to each other (conjunction) on 21st December 2020, appearing like one bright star. Conjunction: If two celestial bodies visually appear close to each other from Earth, it is called a conjunction. Great Conjunction: Astronomers use the term great conjunction to describe meetings of the two biggest worlds in the solar system, Jupiter and Saturn.  It happens about every 20 years.  The conjunction is the result of the orbital paths of Jupiter and Saturn coming into line, as viewed from Earth.

8. Beresheet 2: Israel  Recently, Israel launched the Beresheet 2 project aimed at landing an unmanned craft on the moon in 2024.  Earlierin 2019, Israel’s Beresheet probe crash landed on the Moon.

9. BSNL launches World’s 1st Satellite-based Narrowband-IoT Network  Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has partnered with Skylotech India (Skylo), a global machine connectivity solutions company, to launch satellite-based narrow band-Internet of things (NB-IoT).  This initiative is the world’s first satellite-based NB-IoT network.

10. P Ovale Malaria . Recently a not very common type of malaria, Plasmodium ovale, has been identified in a soldier in Kerala. . The soldier is believed to have contracted it in Sudan, where Plasmodium ovale is endemic. . Plasmodium ovale is one among the five kinds of malarial parasites — Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax (the commonest ones), Plasmodium Malariae, Plasmodium Ovale and Plasmodium Knowlesi. . It is termed ovale as about 20% of the parasitised cells are oval in shape. . Symptoms include fever for 48 hours, headache and nausea, and it rarely causes severe illness.

11. Mucormycosis Fungal Infection  Recently, doctors have witnessed increased cases of Covid-19 triggered Mucormycosis.  The reduced immunity of Covid-19 patients makes them more susceptible to this fungal infection.

12. ISRO’s Satellite Launch: CMS-01  Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a communications satellite, CMS-01, on board its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV - C50) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Andhra Pradesh.

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 Previously in November 2020, ISRO launched India’s Earth Observation Satellite, EOS-01, and nine other customer satellites.

13. Mutated Novel Coronavirus . A mutated variant of the novel Coronavirus has been associated with recent infections in England. . The virus has undergone several mutations since it first infected humans. The New Mutant Coronavirus: . The mutant virus has been identified as N501Y and is likely to be a mutation in the spike protein. . It is the coronavirus spike protein that binds to a human protein to initiate the process of infection. . Changes here could possibly affect how the virus behaves in terms of its ability to infect, or cause severe disease, or escape the immune response made by vaccines. Effect on Infection and Vaccination: . Several coronavirus vaccines are designed to create antibodies targeting the spike protein. . The vaccines target multiple regions (points) on the spike, while a mutation refers to a change in a single point. If there is one mutation, it does not mean vaccines would not work. . Note : SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes Covid-19. It is an Ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus (whose genetic material is RNA).

14. Mystery Illness of Eluru, Andhra Pradesh . Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government has requested the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)- New Delhi and the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) in Hyderabad to conduct a long-term study to determine the causes of the mystery illness in Eluru in West Godavari district. . Over 70% of Eluru town, in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district, has been affected by a mysterious illness. . Symptoms: Convulsions, seizures, dizziness and nausea Possible Causes: . The primary suspicion is on water contamination by heavy metals. . Excessive use of bleaching powder and chlorine in sanitation programmes as part of Covid-19 prevention measures might have caused water contamination. . AIIMS-New Delhi found traces of lead and nickel in blood samples of 25 victims out of the 45 samples sent by the state government. . Scientists suspect that pesticide or insecticide has seeped into drinking water sources.

15. ISRO sets up a dedicated control centre ‘NETRA’ for SSA . The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has set up a dedicated Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Control Centre named “NETRA”, at its ISTRAC campus at Peenya, Bengaluru. . The ISRO SSA Control Centre ‘NETRA’ was formally inaugurated by ISRO Chairman K Sivan. . The “NEtwork for space object TRacking and Analysis (NETRA)” will monitor, track and protect India’s space assets. It will function as a hub of all SSA activities within India.

16. Niti Aayog launches Cloud Storage Service ‘DigiBoxx’ . NITI Aayog has launched indigenously developed India’s first Digital Asset Management and Storage platform, called ‘DigiBoxx’. The initiative will give a boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, as India now has its own cloud storage platform. . This cloud storage and file sharing service will be available for desktop, iOS, and Android users, including both regular users as well as businesses. . Digiboxx offers free 20GB cloud storage space, and 100GB space per month at just Rs 30.

17. Skyroot Aerospace successfully test-fire solid-fueled rocket engine . Indian Space startup, Skyroot Aerospace has successfully test-fired a solid propulsion rocket engine, named Kalam-5. With this, it has become the first private company of India to successfully design, develop and test a full solid-fueled rocket stage.

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18. Nuclear Reactor on Moon . USA’s plan to set up the first nuclear reactor on the moon by the end of 2026.

19. Covid in Antarctica . 36 people at a Chilean research station in Antarctica have been found infected with the novel coronavirus. This is the first instance of the virus Antarctica. . Antarctica is uninhabited except for those manning the nearly 60 permanent stations established by several countries, including India, for carrying out scientific research. Research Stations in the Antarctic : . Dakshin Gangotri : it was the first Indian scientific research base station established in Antarctica, as a part of the Indian Antarctic Program. It has weakened and become just a supply base. . Maitri : It is India’s second permanent research station in Antarctica. It was built and finished in 1989. It Maitri is situated on the rocky mountainous region called Schirmacher Oasis. India also built a freshwater lake around Maitri known as Lake Priyadarshini. . Bharti : It is India’s latest research station operation since 2012. It has been constructed to help researchers work in safety despite the harsh weather. It is India’s first committed research facility and is located about 3000 km east of Maitri. Other Research Facilities: . Sagar Nidhi: In 2008, India commissioned the Sagar Nidhi, for research. An ice-class vessel, it can cut through the thin ice of 40 cm depth and is the first Indian vessel to navigate

20. BBX11 Gene: Greening of Plants . Recently, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) has recognized the BBX11 gene that facilitates the greening of crops. About BBX11 Gene : . The researchers discovered a mechanism where two proteins oppositely regulate the BBX11 gene to maintain optimum ranges of BBX11. BBX11 plays a vital role in regulation of the amount of protochlorophyllide synthesized by the plant. Protochlorophyllide is an intermediate in the synthesis of chlorophyll. If it is less, plants are unable to efficiently green in order to harvest sunlight and if the amount of protochlorophyllide is more, then photobleaching occurs. Photobleaching is loss of colour by a pigment.

21. Data from Chandrayaan-2 Released: ISRO . Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released the first set of data from the country's second mission to the Moon, the Chandrayaan-2, for the general public. . India launched Chandrayaan-2, its second lunar exploration mission after Chandrayaan-1, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on 22nd July 2019. . ISRO is planning mission Chandrayaan-3 in late 2021 or early 2022.

22. Nanotechnology and Health  A team of scientists has created a nanomicelle that can be used for effective drug delivery to treat various cancers including breast, colon and lung cancer.  Nanotechnology or nanotech is the technology that involves the manipulation of matter on atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scales. This includes particles of a scale of 1 to 100 nanometers.

23. Indigenous Vaccine Pneumosil . Recently, India’s first fully indigenously developed pneumococcal conjugate vaccine “Pneumosil” has been launched. . Developed by: Serum Institute of India (SII) Pune, through a collaboration with PATH (USA) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (USA). . The vaccine targets the pneumococcal bacterium (Streptococcus pneumoniae ), which causes pneumonia and other serious life-threatening diseases such as meningitis and sepsis, and is estimated to cause nearly four lakh deaths in children under five years of age each year worldwide. . It was licensed by the Drugs Controller General (India) in July 2020.

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24. TiHAN : Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Systems  Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has virtually laid the foundation stone of “TiHAN- IIT Hyderabad”, India’s first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems (Terrestrial and Aerial) at IIT Hyderabad.  The Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Systems (TiHAN) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Remotely Operated Vehicles at IIT Hyderabad.

25. India’s highest meteorological centre at Leh  Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the meteorological centre (MC) of the India Meteorological Department at Leh in Ladakh via video conferencing.  The centre would provide localised weather forecasts in the region, which would result in strengthening the weather-related early warning system for the region.  The meteorological centre at Leh is the second MC located in the Himalayas. The first such facility is based in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.  The facility is located at a height of 3,500 metres, which makes it the highest meteorological centre in India.  This new MC will provide short-range (three days,) medium-range (12 days) and long-range (one month) forecast for Leh and Kargil districts of the Union Territory. Ethanol production:  The Union Cabinet has approved a modified scheme for interest subvention for ethanol production, expanding the scheme to include grain-based distilleries and not just molasses-based ones. Implications:  The decision would encourage ethanol production from grains like barley, maize, corn and rice.  The scheme would boost production and distillation capacity to 1,000 crore litres and help in meeting the goal of 20% ethanol blending with petrol by 2030. About Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme:  Launched in 2003 on pilot basis.  The aim is to promote the use of alternative and environmental friendly fuels. Ethanol:  Ethanol can be produced from sugarcane, maize, wheat, etc which are having high starch content.  In India, ethanol is mainly produced from sugarcane molasses by fermentation process.  Ethanol can be mixed with gasoline to form different blends.  As the ethanol molecule contains oxygen, it allows the engine to more completely combust the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions and thereby reducing the occurrence of environmental pollution.  Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness the power of the sun, ethanol is also considered as renewable fuel.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY

1. Cyclonic Storm “Burevi” appears over southwest Bay of Bengal

2. Deteriorating Great Barrier Reef  Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has highlighted that Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is in a critical state and deteriorating as climate change warms up the waters in which it lies. Great Barrier Reef :  It is the world’s most extensive and spectacular coral reef ecosystem composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.  The reef is located in the Coral Sea (North-East Coast), off the coast of Queensland, Australia.  It can be seen from outer space and is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms.  This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps.  They are made up of genetically identical organisms called polyps, which are tiny, soft-bodied organisms. At their base is a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a calicle, which forms the structure of coral reefs.

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 These polyps have microscopic algae called zooxanthellae living within their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic (symbiotic) relationship.  It was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. Concern:  When corals face stress by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. This phenomenon is called coral bleaching.

3. Moolamylliang village, Meghalaya : recovery from coal mining Why in News  Moolamylliang, a village in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, is making progress in becoming a greener place amid abandoned pits from the rat-hole mining.  The Jaintia Coal Miners and Dealers’ Association claims there are around 60,000 coal mines across 360 villages in East Jaintia Hills district.  National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned hazardous rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya in April 2014.  Though the NGT ban did not stop illegal mining in the district, it helped Moolamylliang reform.  Rat-hole Mining: It is a term used for a hazardous and arduous mining technique where miners crawl into winding underground tunnels that are just 4-5 feet in diameter to extract coal from the deep seams with a pickaxe.

4. Lakshadweep Declared an Organic Union Territory  Entire Lakshadweep group of islands has been declared as an organic agricultural area under the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) of India.  Lakshadweep is the first Union Territory to become 100% organic as all farming is carried out without the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, providing access to safer food choices and making agriculture a more environmentally-friendly activity.  Earlier in 2016, Sikkim became India’s first “100 percent organic” State. Participatory Guarantee System  PGS is a process of certifying organic products, which ensures that their production takes place in accordance with laid-down quality standards.  The certification is in the form of a documented logo or a statement.  It is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

5. Himalayan Serow  A Himalayan serow has been sighted for the first time in the Himalayan cold desert region (Spiti, Himachal Pradesh). Himalayan serow resembles a cross between a goat, a donkey, a cow, and a pig.

6. E20 Fuel  Recently, the Indian government has invited public comments for introducing adoption of E20 fuel to promote green fuel like ethanol. Composition: E20 fuel is a blend of 20% of ethanol with gasoline.  The current permissible level of blending is 10% of ethanol, though India reached only 5.6% of blending in 2019. Significance:  It will help in reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, etc.  It will help reduce the oil import bill, thereby saving foreign exchange and boosting energy security.

7. Monkey Rehabilitation Centre . A rescue and rehabilitation centre for monkeys(Primate) was opened recently in Telangana. . A primate is any mammal of the group that includes lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans. . It is the second such facility for the primates in the country. The other such facility in the country is in Himachal Pradesh.

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. Previously the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had declared Monkeys (Rhesus Macaque) as ‘vermin’ in Himachal Pradesh which allowed local authorities to kill this animal in certain identified non-forest areas in Shimla for one year.

8. Kilauea volcano . Recently, Kilauea volcano in Hawaii’s Big Island erupted which was followed by an earthquake of magnitude 4.4.

9. Satkosia Tiger Reserve Why in News . Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority has asked Odisha to submit a status report on the adverse impact of tourism on Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Bhubaneswar, Orrisa .

10. Iceberg A68a . Iceberg A68a, which calved from Antarctica in 2017, has been floating off the coast of South Georgia island. . This has prompted fears about the impact the iceberg could have on the island’s abundant wildlife. . The US National Ice Center (USNIC) is the only organisation that names and tracks Antarctic Icebergs.

11. Ladakh’s Tso Kar Wetland Complex: Ramsar Site . Recently, India has added Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh as its 42nd Ramsar site, a conservation status conferred by International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. . Previously, the Lonar lake in Maharashtra and Sur Sarovar (also known as Keetham lake) in Agra were added to the list of Ramsar sites. About Tso Kar Wetland Complex: . The Tso Kar Basin is a high-altitude wetland complex, consisting of two principal waterbodies: Startsapuk Tso : a freshwater lake of about 438 hectares to the south, Tso Kar : a hypersaline lake of 1800 hectares to the north, situated in the Changthang region of Ladakh. . It is called Tso Kar, meaning white lake, because of the white salt efflorescence found on the margins due to the evaporation of highly saline water.

12. India’s 1st hot air balloon wildlife safari launched in Madhya Pradesh  India’s first hot air balloon wildlife safari in a tiger reserve was launched in the world-famous Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve by Madhya Pradesh forest minister Vijay Shah.  Now like Africa’s forests, tourists in India will also enjoy hot air balloon wildlife safari.

13. PONG Dam  More than 750 migratory birds have been found dead under mysterious circumstances at the Pong Dam lake in Kangra.  This reservoir has been constructed on the river Beas in the wet land of Shivalik hills of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, which has been named as Maharana Pratap Sagar.  It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1983 and is now a Ramsar site.

HISTORY & CULTURE

1. Hampi Stone Chariot  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has taken steps to protect the stone chariot inside Vittala Temple complex at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi.  ASI, under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Hampi Chariot :  It is among three famous stone chariots in India, the other two being in Konark (Odisha) and Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu).  It was built in the 16th century by the orders of King Krishnadevaraya, a Vijayanagara ruler.

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 It is a shrine dedicated to Garuda, the official vehicle of Lord Vishnu.

2. 64th Mahaparinirvan Diwas : 6th December  Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed every year on 6th December to commemorate the death anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar.  Parinirvana, regarded as one of the major principles as well as goals of Buddhism, is a Sanskrit term which means release or freedom after death. As per the Buddhist text Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the death of Lord Buddha at the age of 80 is considered as the original Mahaparinirvana.  Owing to Ambedkar’s status as a Buddhist leader, his death anniversary is referred to as Mahaparinirvana Diwas.  Important literary Works of Ambedkar: Newspaper Mooknayak (1920); The Annihilation of Caste (1936); The Untouchables (1948); Buddha Or Karl Marx (1956), The Buddha and His Dhamma (1956), etc.  He founded Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (1923), devoted to spreading education and culture amongst the downtrodden.  He participated in all three round-table conferences.  Chaitya Bhoomi is a memorial to B.R. Ambedkar which is located in Dadar, Mumbai.

3. Indus Valley Diet . As per a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the diet of the people of Indus Valley civilization had a dominance of meat, including extensive eating of beef.

4. Gwalior, Orchha in UNESCO world heritage cities list  The historical fort cities of Gwalior and Orchha in Madhya Pradesh have been included in the list of UNESCO’s world heritage cities under its The World Heritage Cities Programme.  Under the plan, UNESCO will suggest best measures and resources for the development and beautification of these places as per the UNESCO Historic Urban Landscape recommendations.  With this Inclusion, the total number of UNESCO World Heritage Cities of India will increase to 40.

5. International Bharati Festival 2020 . Recently, the Prime Minister has addressed the International Bharati Festival 2020, virtually organised by the Vanavil Cultural Centre (Tamil Nadu). . The event celebrates the 138th birth anniversary (11th December 2020) of Tamil poet and writer Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati. . Scholar Shri Seeni Viswanathan received the Bharathi Award for this year.

6. Indegenous Games & Khelo India . The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recently included Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta and Mallakhamba in Khelo India Youth Games 2021. . Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2021, are scheduled to take place in Haryana. . The 2020 edition of KIYG was held in Guwahati (Assam).

Gatka: Gatka originates from the State of Punjab and this traditional fighting style of the Nihang Sikh Warriors is used both as self-defense as well as a sport. Gatka is believed to have originated when the 6th Sikh Guru Hargobind adopted ‘Kirpan’ for self-defence during the Mughal era. Kalaripayattu: also known simply as Kalari, is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala. Mallakhamb: it is a traditional sport, originating from the Indian subcontinent, in which a gymnast performs aerial yoga or gymnastic postures and wrestling grips with a vertical stationary or hanging wooden pole, cane, or rope. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been the hotspots of this sport. Thang Ta : an Indian martial art from Manipur.

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IMPORTANT COMMITTES IN NEWS

1. Centre constitutes 17 member AIPA committee headed by Environment Secretary  The Central Government has set up an Apex Committee for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement (AIPA) for achieving its goals under the global deal.  The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) secretary R P Gupta will be the head of this committee and the additional secretary, MoEFCC, Ravi Shankar Prasad will be the vice- chairperson.

2. Technical Education in Mother Tongue  Recently, the Union Education Minister has set up a task force for preparing a roadmap on imparting technical education in the mother tongue of students.  It will be set-up under the chairmanship of the secretary, higher education, Amit Khare.

3. Amit Shah panel . The Union Government has decided to constitute a High-Level Committee (HLC) to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The High-Level Committee will be headed by the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. . This HLC will decide on the activities for a one-year-long commemoration beginning 23 January 2021, as a tribute and mark of gratitude to the contribution made by Netaji in India’s freedom struggle.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

1. ‘Future of Regional Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific’: released by Asian Development Bank (ADB) 2. “40 Years with Abdul Kalam- Untold Stories” : Dr A.Sivathanu Pillai. 3. “Dharma: Decoding the Epics for A Meaningful Life”: Amish Tripathi 4. ‘Ayodhya’ : Madhav Bhandari. 5. ‘Oh Mizoram’ : Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai (Governor of Mizoram) 6. ‘Covid-19: Sabhyata ka Sankat Aur Samadhan’ : Kailash Satyarthi’s 7. ‘In Pursuit of Justice’ : Autobiography of Late Justice Rajindar Sachar ( published posthumously)

OBITUARIES NEWS

1. ‘Mahashay’ Dharampal Gulati  2019 Padma Bhushan awardee and the owner of MDH Masala, Dharampal Gulati passed away. He was born in 1923 in Sialkot, Pakistan. He was fondly called ‘dalaji’ and ‘Mahashayji’.

2. Narinder Singh Kapany : Father of Fibre Optics  The India-born American physicist Narinder Singh Kapany was the first to transmit images through fibre optics back in 1954 and laid the foundation for high-speed internet technology.

3. Paolo Rossi of Italy, who scored 6 goals in the 1982 World Cup, passed away.  He is the only male player in history to win the World Cup, the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball and Ballon d’Or in the same year. In 1982 was Italy’s first victory after 1938

4. Sunil Kothari : Padma Shri awardee dance scholar, historian and critic. . He authored 20 books on Indian classical dances and wrote extensively on Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Manipuri dance forms. Note : There are 8 classical dances in India: . Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathak (North India), Kathakali (Kerala), Mohiniyattam (Kerala), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Odisha), Sattriya (Assam), Manipuri (Manipur).

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5. Chuck Yeager : US Air Force office, who in 1947 became the first pilot in history to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight when he flew the experimental Bell X-1 aircraft at Mach 1 (speed of sound) at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 m). Level flight means flying at a constant altitude, not going up and down.

6. Motilal Vora : Veteran Congress leader, who served as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh twice.

7. Rafer Johnson: American decathlete and film actor 8. Zafarullah Jamali : Former PM of Pakistan 9. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing : Former French President 10. Dineshwar Sharma : Lakshadweep Administrator and former chief of Intelligence Bureau. 11. Manu Mukherjee : Veteran Bengali actor 12. Ravi Patwardhan : Veteran Marathi actor 13. Madhukar Gangadhar : All India Radio writer and storyteller 14. Vidyavachaspati Bannanje Govindacharya : Renowned Sanskrit scholar 15. Sripati Khanchanale : Noted Indian wrestler, who had won the prestigious ‘Hind Kesari’ title in 1959. 16. Roddam Narasimha : Eminent aerospace scientist and Padma Vibhushan awardee. 17. Eric Freeman : Former Australia Test all-rounder 18. MG Vaidya : Veteran Journalist and first official RSS Spokesperson. 19. Sugathakumari : Renowned Malayalam poet and activist. 20.John Edrich : Former English first-class batsman 21. Shamsur Rahman Faruqi : Legendary Urdu poet and critic. 22. ‘Luke Harper’ (real name - Jon Huber) : Former WWE Wrestler

IMPORTANT DAYS

DATE DAY 1st Dec 2020  World AIDS Day  Theme for 2020: “Global solidarity, resilient HIV services 1st Dec 2020  BSF Celebrates its 56th Raising Day.  BSF was formed on December 1, 1965, as a unified central agency, after the Indo- Pak war.  BSF has been termed as the ‘First Line of Defence of Indian Territories’. 2nd Dec 2020  International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 2nd Dec 2020  National Pollution Control Day .  The year 2020 marks the 36th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. 2nd Dec 2020 World Computer Literacy Day 3rd Dec 2020 The International Day of Persons with Disabilities  The 2020 theme: ‘Not all Disabilities are Visible’. 4th Dec 2020 Indian Navy Day 4th Dec 2020 International Day of Banks

5th Dec 2020 International Volunteer Day (IVD) 5th Dec 2020 World Soil Day 7th Dec 2020 International Civil Aviation Day 7th Dec 2020 Armed Forces Flag Day 9th Dec 2020 International Anti-Corruption Day  The theme of 2020: ‘RECOVER with INTEGRITY.’ 10th Dec 2020 Human Rights Day . 2020 Theme: Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights. 11th Dec 2020 UNICEF Day 11th Dec 2020 : International Mountain Day.  “Mountain biodiversity” is the theme of this year.

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12th Dec 2020 International Day of Neutrality 12th Dec 2020 International Universal Health Coverage Day  Theme : ‘Health For All: PROTECT EVERYONE’. 14th Dec 2020 National Energy Conservation Day  It is organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) with an aim to showcase India’s achievements in energy efficiency and conservation. 16th Dec 2020 Vijay Diwas (also called Victory Day) - 50 Years of Indo-Pak War  It is observed to commemorate the service, valour, and sacrifices of the gallant men of the Indian Armed Forces’ victory over Pakistan in 1971 war. 18th Dec 2020 World Minorities Rights Day 18th Dec 2020 : International Migrants Day (Theme : ‘Reimagining Human Mobility’.) 19th Dec 2020 Goa Liberation Day . Indian armed forces launched Operation Vijay and freed Daman and Diu and Goa in 1961 from 450 years of Portuguese rule. 20th Dec 2020 International Human Solidarity Day 22nd Dec 2020 National Mathematics Day (133rd birth anniversary of Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan).  The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. This year nation celebrates his 133rd birth anniversary of Ramanujan. 23rd Dec 2020 National Farmer’s Day (Kisan Diwas) - birth anniversary of former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh. 24th Dec 2020 National Consumer Rights Day 25th Dec 2020 National Good Governance Day (Sushasan Divas) .  On this day nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and former- Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee since 2014. The aim is to create awareness of accountability in government among the citizens of India. 25th Dec 2020 159th birth anniversary of Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya. . He was given the title of ‘Mahamana’ by Mahatma Gandhi and the second President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan gave him the status of a ‘Karmayogi’.

STATE NEWS

1. Suryadhar Lake  Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has inaugurated the Suryadhar lake at Doiwala, Dehradun.

2. ‘Duare Sarkar’ outreach campaign  West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has launched a massive campaign titled ‘Duare Sarkar’ (government at doorsteps) to aware people about the 11 state-run welfare schemes and help them avail its benefits.

3. Majerhat Bridge named “Jai Hind” to Mark Netaji’s 125th Birth Anniversary  West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee named the newly built “Majerhat bridge” in Kolkata as ‘Jai Hind’ bridge to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Subash Chandra Bose.

4. Himachal CM unveils 18-feet statue of Vajpayee in Shimla . Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has unveiled an 18-feet tall statue of late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the occasion of his 96th birth anniversary at the historic Ridge in the state capital. The statue has been built at a cost of Rs 1.08 crore. The Ridge Maidan also houses statues of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

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5. Union Home Minister inaugurates Thoubal Multipurpose Project (Thoubal Dam)- Manipur  It is located on river Thoubal, a tributary of Manipur river and will irrigate 35,104 hectares.  Imp fact : Manipur was the first part of India to hold an election based on universal adult franchise.

6. Koilwar bridge : The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated the 1.5 km long Koilwar bridge over Sone river in Bihar through Video Conferencing.

7. Ola to set up world’s largest scooter factory in Tamil Nadu

8. Varasat’ campaign : The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a special campaign ‘Varasat’ (natural succession) to curb property & land-related disputes in rural areas.

9. India’s youngest mayor  The 21-year-old college girl, Arya Rajendran has been elected the new mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, of Kerala.  The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Arya is the youngest person in India to occupy the post of mayor anywhere in the country.

IMPORTANT GOVT SCHEMES

1. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launches “Sahakar Pragya” initiative  The Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar recently unveiled a new initiative called Sahakar Pragya.  Sahakar Pragya is an initiative of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), to help in capacity development of the cooperative sector in India, through the training programme.  Under this initiative, 45 new training modules have been developed for the farmers and would be imparted to primary cooperative societies in rural areas of the country by NCDC.  The training modules aim to impart knowledge and organisational skills and attempt to prepare the primary cooperative societies across the country to be able to play a big role in the government’s AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative.

2. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan: (UBA 1.0. )  It is a flagship program of the Ministry of Education. It was launched in 2014.  It aims to link the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with a set of at least (5) villages, so that these institutions can contribute to the economic and social betterment of these village communities using their knowledge base.  The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT, Delhi) has been designated as the National Coordinating Institute (NCI) for the UBA scheme. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0:  It is the upgraded version of UBA 1.0. It was launched in 2018.  UBA 1.0 or UBA Phase-1 was the Invitation Mode in which Participating Institutions were invited to be a part of UBA.  Whereas UBA 2.0 is the Challenge Mode of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan programme where all HEIs are required to willingly adopt at least 5 villages. Currently, UBA 2.0 Mode is going on.

3. National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme  The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 was notified by the Government of India on September, 2005 and was made effective in February 2006. Under it, the NREGS was introduced.  The Act aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to a rural household whose adult members (at least 18 years of age) volunteer to do unskilled work.  The central government bears the full cost of unskilled labour, and 75% of the cost of material (the rest is borne by the states).

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 It is a demand-driven, social security and labour law that aims to enforce the ‘right to work’.  Ministry of Rural Development in association with state governments, monitors the implementation of the scheme.

4. Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan  It was launched in June 2020 to empower and provide livelihood opportunities to the returnee migrant workers and rural citizens who had returned to their home states due to the lockdowns.  It worked in mission mode for 125 days with an outlay of Rs. 50,000 crore.  A total of 116 districts across six states, namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha were chosen for the campaign.  These districts covered the maximum number (about 2/3) of such migrant workers who had returned.  The chosen districts include 27 Aspirational Districts, districts which are affected by poor socio-economic indicators. These are aspirational in the context, that improvement in these districts can lead to the overall improvement in human development in India. It is a NITI Aayog’s Programme.

5. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi : . Launched in February 2019, it is a Central Sector Scheme, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. . On its first anniversary, the PM-KISAN Mobile App developed and designed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology was launched. . Under the scheme, the Centre transfers an amount of Rs. 6,000 per year, in three equal instalments, directly into the bank accounts of the all landholding farmers irrespective of the size of their landholdings. . The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiary farmer families rests with the State/UT Governments.

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