Weekly Current Affairs Update 1
Weekly Current Affairs Update For the Week: December 3 to 9, 2019
HEADLINES
Section A: INDIA
• Centre releases list of 10 best Police Stations, Aberdeen in Andaman and Nicobar tops list • Govt. to introduce Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 • India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile • Indian Coast Guard can now legally search & seize vessels in EEZ • Rs 100 cr sanctioned from Nirbhaya Fund to set up Women Help Desks in Police Stations • Army conducts Exercise Sindhu Sudarshan in Rajasthan • Nationwide vaccination drive launched under Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 • Parliament passes bill amending the Special Protection Group Act, 1988 • Cabinet approves SC/STs reservation in Lok Sabha, state assemblies for another 10 years • Bharatiya Poshan Anthem launched to spread the message of making India malnutrition free • India Rankings Society (IRS) to develop system of ranking higher educational institutions • Armed Forces Flag Day celebrated on December 7 • Navy Day celebrated on December 4 • Sub-lieutenant Shivangi becomes first woman pilot of Indian Navy • Indian Rafale fighter jets to fly with BS-series tail numbers • Lt Gen P. S. Rajeshwar takes over as C-n-C of Andaman & Nicobar Command • Chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) dies • P. Chidambaram granted bail in INX Media money laundering case
Section B: INDIA & THE WORLD
• King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden visit India • Transmitters to be set up in Sashastra Seema Bal premises along the Indo-Nepal border • SAARC Charter Day celebrated on December 8 • PM Modi and President of Maldives jointly inaugurate projects in Maldives via video link • Army Chief General Bipin Rawat meets Japanese counterpart in Tokyo • Conclave of air force chiefs of Indo-Pacific region organised in Hawaii • India-China joint training exercise ‘HAND-IN-HAND 2019’ starts in Meghalaya • Tri-services Exercise Indra between India, Russia to be conducted from Dec 10-19 • Pakistan apprehends 18 Indian fishermen • Pirates kidnap 18 Indian sailors off Nigerian coast • Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth visits India
Section C: WORLD
• International Organisation for Migration releases ‘World Migration Report 2020’ • China imposes ‘reciprocal’ restrictions on U.S. diplomats • Chinese students dominate 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) • Bill passed in Russia allowing govt. to register bloggers, journalists as foreign agents • UNCTAD releases report on Israeli occupation’s cost to Palestinian economy • Saudi Arabian air force trainee kills 3 at US naval base in Pensacola, Florida • Saudi Arabia assumes the G20 presidency • US Congress passes Bill on China’s treatment of its Uyghur communities • 3000-km long pipeline launched to transport natural gas from Russia to China • 2019 NATO Summit organised in Watford, UK on December 3-4 • ‘MED - Mediterranean Dialogues’ held in Rome
November 26 to December 2, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 2
• 2 killed as Typhoon Kammuri slams into Philippines • Malaysia records first polio case in 27 years • International Day for the Abolition of Slavery observed on December 2 • International Volunteer Day observed on December 5 • World Soil Day observed on December 5 • International Civil Aviation Day celebrated on December 7 • International Day of Persons with Disabilities observed on December 3 • Pritivirajsing Roopun appointed as new President of Mauritius by parliament • Finland’s PM Antti Rinne resigns after losing the support of a coalition partner • Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announces resignation • ‘Will & Grace’ actor Shelley Morrison dies at 83 in US
Section D: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
• UNFCCC COP 25 commences in Madrid • Global Climate Risk Index published by environmental think-tank Germanwatch • NASA finds debris of Chandrayaan-2’s lander Vikram • Astronauts attach new pumps to cosmic ray detector outside International Space Station
Section E: AWARDS
• Tony Joseph wins Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize • Manisha Kulshreshtha wins 28th Bihari Puraskar • Rs. 3 crore Sree Ramakrishna Paramhansa Research Grant awarded in Vijayawada (AP) • UP wins National Award of Excellence for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities • ‘The Diwali - Power of One’ awards given in New York • Four artistes jointly awarded Turner Prize in UK • Apple Music Awards announced • Ballon d’Or awards announced • New Zealand win Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket award for 2019 • Hollywood actor Joaquin Phoenix named 2019 PETA Person of the Year • Priyanka Chopra Jonas honoured at Marrakech Film Festival
Section F: BANKING & FINANCE
• RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting keeps repo rate unchanged • NEFT transactions to be available 24x7 from December 16, including holidays • ₹80,893 cr. loans written off by banks in first half of FY20’ • Payment Banks can become SFB after five years under new RBI norms • RBI hikes aggregate lending limit to Rs 50 lakh for P2P (peer to peer) lenders • CCEA approves launch of Bharat Bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) • Mumbai court declares Nirav Modi a ‘fugitive economic offender’
Section G: ECONOMY
• Union Cabinet approves Personal Data Protection Bill • Foreign exchange reserves touch a new high of USD 451.08 billion • Government revises stock limit of onions for retailers, wholesalers • CRISIL cuts GDP growth forecast for 2019-20 to 5.1% from an earlier estimate of 6.3% • Lok Sabha passes Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 • Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019 passed by Parliament • Govt launches independent directors’ databank, to be maintained by IICA • Lok Sabha passes Bill that regulates recycling of ships • GST Stakeholder Feedback Diwas organised by CBIC December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 3
• Civil Aviation Ministry opens bidding process under UDAN 4.0 • National Public Procurement Conclave organised in New Delhi • Rs 24,396.19 crore collected as fee from toll plazas of NHAI in 2018-19 • Ritu Beri appointed as chief design consultant for TRIFED
Section H: CORPORATE
• Tata Power-ICICI Bank JV acquires UP based Prayagraj power project • Hero Group, Birmingham City University to set up school of innovation in Ludhiana • Thomas Cook India to acquire branding rights for India, Sri Lanka & Mauritius • Walmart, HDFC unveil co-branded credit card for ‘Best Price’ members • Xiaomi launches Mi Credit in India, to offer up to Rs 1 lakh personal loan • Bajaj Auto launches Husqvarna motorcycles • MG Motor India unveils electric car model ZS • TTK Prestige launches new range of pressure cookers ‘Svachh’ • Wipro launches its Cyber Defence Centre (CDC) in Melbourne, Australia • Temasek-EQT joint venture to launch India green energy platform • ONGC’s USD 300 million MTN issue listed on India INX • Hindustan Times Leadership Summit organised in New Delhi • Oxford Names ‘Climate Emergency’ Its 2019 Word of the Year • Dictionary.com chooses ‘existential’ as word of the year • Saudi Aramco shares to start trading on December 11 • UNCTAD launches Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2019 • UK-based Comparitech ranks nations on invasive use of biometric data • Guinness World Records title for ‘most nationalities on an aircraft’ created by Emirates • Rare Gauguin fetches €9.5 mn at auction • Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai promoted as CEO of Alphabet, the parent company of Google • NSE appoints Girish Chandra Chaturvedi its new Chairman • Coin minted on tennis legend Roger Federer in Switzerland • French chef who ‘invented’ magret de canard dies aged 84
Section I: STATES
• SC lifts ban on construction, industrial activities in Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) • 43 dead, 16 injured in fire at illegal manufacturing unit in Delhi • Minister flags off ‘Special Plogging Awareness Drive’ at Delhi Cantt • Gurgaon city’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) inaugurated • Delhi govt. releases case study on Mission Buniyaad for school education • Defence India Water Impact Summit organised in New Delhi • Bill to provide ownership rights to residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi passed • Delhi Govt. to set up 11,000 wifi-hotspots in the national capital • Govt. approves construction of five-star hotel at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi • CCTVs, panic buttons, GPS in 5,500 buses within 7 months in Delhi • Avantee Mega Food Park inaugurated in Dewas (MP) • Mahuamilan station is country’s 550th railway station to get free wifi facility • President inaugurates new building of Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur • Odisha to merge its KALIA scheme with Centre’s PM-Kisan Yojana • Odisha gives free laptops to meritorious students under the ‘Biju Sashaktikaran Yojana’ • Odisha govt. launches smart learning mobile app ‘MadhuApp for school children • Mumbai Central railway station certified as country’s first ‘Eat Right Station’ by FSSAI • All India Conference of Director Generals /Inspector Generals of Police held in Pune • Parliament passes Bill to merge UTs Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli • Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit organised in Goa December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 4
• The Kerala Bank inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan • 24th International Film Festival of Kerala started in Thiruvananthapuram • Alliance Air starts Guwahati-Dimapur-Imphal flight • Assam govt. launches Anti Depredation Squads in forests • BJP’s K. C. Ramamurthy elected to the Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka • Ex-IPS officer K. Vijay Kumar appointed Senior Security Adviser in Home Ministry
Section J: SPORTS
• Virat Kohli becomes the leading run-scorer in the T20I cricket • Former England captain Bob Willis dies at the age of 70 • R. Praggnanandhaa wins London Chess Classic tournament • 15th Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Gold Cup All India Hockey tournament held in Mumbai • Britain’s Anthony Joshua wins world heavyweight boxing title • Sweden’s Henrik Stenson win Hero World Challenge golf tournament • Former table tennis head coach Bhawani Mukherji dies at 68
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 5
Section A: INDIA
NEWS ROUND UP
Centre releases list of 10 best Police Stations, Aberdeen in Andaman and Nicobar tops list The Centre on December 6, 2019 released the list of 10 best police stations across the country with Aberdeen Police Station in Andaman district of Andaman and Nicobar being ranked first.
Aberdeen was followed by Balasinor in Mahisagar (Gujarat), Ajk Burhanpu in Burhanpur (Madhya Pradesh), AWPS Theni in Theni (Tamil Nadu), Anini in Dibang Valley (Arunachal Pradesh), Baba Haridas Nagar, Dwarka in South West District (Delhi), Bakani in Jhalawar (Rajasthan), Choppadandi (M) in Karimnagar (Telangana), Bicholim in North Goa (Goa) and Bargawa in Sheopur (Madhya Pradesh) in top ten list.
A statement from the Home Ministry said: “This effort reflects the directions of the Prime Minister while addressing the DsGP during the 2015 conference in Kutch, Gujarat. He had directed that parameters should be laid down for grading Police Stations and assessing their performance based on feedback.”
The statement quoted Home Minister Amit Shah stating that he has noticed that a vast majority of the police stations short- listed from the thousands of police stations in the country are police stations located in small towns and rural areas.
“The objective was to rank the top 10 Police Stations out of 15,579 Police Stations in the country through data analysis, direct observation, and public feedback. The ranking process commenced with shortlisting of the best performing Police Stations, in each State on the basis of addressing -- Property offence, crime against women, crime against weaker sections,” the statement informed.
Govt. to introduce Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on December 4, 2019 paving the way for its introduction in Parliament on December 9.
The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 by seeking to grant citizenship to undocumented members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, till December 31, 2014.
The purpose of the Bill says that it will enable acquisition of Indian citizenship by persons who were forced to seek shelter in India due to persecution or fear of it on grounds of religion and will extend the facility to the class of persons presently facing hardships and difficulties in acquiring citizenship. The earlier form of the Bill cleared by the Lok Sabha in January 2019 did not have these provisions.
The Bill says the six non-Muslim communities “shall not be treated as illegal migrant” for violating provisions under Passport Act, 1920 or the Foreigners Act, 1946 that pertains to foreigners entering and staying in India illegally.
The Bill also proposes to protect the applicants under this category from all pending legal cases. “On and from the date of commencement of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, any proceedings pending against a person under this section in respect of illegal migration or citizenship shall stand abated on conferment of citizenship to him,” the Bill says.
Exemptions The Bill shall not apply to tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura as included in the sixth schedule of the Constitution and States of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland that are protected by the Inner Line Permit (ILP).
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 6
Citizens of other States require ILP to visit the three States as per the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.
The exemption means that Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Parsi, Jain and Sikh communities from the three neighbouring countries will not be able to take up jobs, purchase land or settle down in these areas.
India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile India on December 3, 2019 successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-surface nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile off Odisha coast.
The Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army conducted the user trial of the 350 km range missile from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur at around 7.50 p.m. The trial was a part of regular training exercise by the armed forces which reconfirms the Army’s readiness to fire it at short notice. All parameters within the stipulated time period were achieved.
The missile weighs about 4,600 kg, is capable of carrying 500 to one thousand kilograms of warheads and is thrust by liquid propulsion twin engines.
Inducted into the 333-missile regiment of the Indian Army in 2003, the nine-meter-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is the first missile to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
Developed under the joint collaboration of Defence Research and Development Organization and Bharat Dynamics Limited, the missile was first test-fired on 27 January 1996.
Indian Coast Guard can now legally search & seize vessels in EEZ The Indian Coast Guard has been given powers to board, search any vessel and arrest people for offences within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), according to a government notification issued recently. Before this notification, the Coast Guard used provisions of the Customs Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and other relevant acts to board and seize vessels in the EEZ. However, it did not have the necessary legal backing and many cases would fall flat in the court. There was also a legal loophole using which the vessel companies could sue the Coast Guard for detaining ships without any authorisation.
Rs 100 cr sanctioned from Nirbhaya Fund to set up Women Help Desks in Police Stations Union Home Ministry has sanctioned a sum 100 crore rupees from Nirbhaya Fund for setting up and strengthening of Women Help Desks in Police Stations. This scheme would be implemented by the States and UTs.
Army conducts Exercise Sindhu Sudarshan in Rajasthan Exercise Sindhu Sudarshan was conducted by Indian Army’s Sudarshan Chakra Corps in the deserts of Rajasthan from November 28 to December 4, 2019.
Nationwide vaccination drive launched under Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 Centre launched nationwide vaccination drive to prevent eight diseases under Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 across the country on December 2, 2019. The IMI covers vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B. Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and hemophilus influenza are also being provided in selected areas. Under this campaign, vaccination services will be provided free of cost to the drop out and left out children and pregnant women. The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts spread over 27 States. The IMI 2.0 will be carried out between December 2019 and March 2020.
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 7
Parliament passes bill amending the Special Protection Group Act, 1988 Parliament on December 3, 2019 passed an amendment to the Special Protection Group Act, 1988, that will allow SPG cover to the Prime Minister and former Prime Ministers for a period of five years after leaving office.
Cabinet approves SC/STs reservation in Lok Sabha, state assemblies for another 10 years The Cabinet on December 4, 2019 approved a proposal to extend reservation for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies for another 10 years. The reservation was to expire on 25th of January, 2020.
Bharatiya Poshan Anthem launched to spread the message of making India malnutrition free ‘Bharatiya Poshan Anthem’, written by Prasoon Joshi and sung by Shankar Mahadevan, was launched by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on December 3, 2019 to spread the message of making India malnutrition free. Poshan Abhiyan was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2018 with an objective to make India malnutrition free by 2022.
India Rankings Society (IRS) to develop system of ranking higher educational institutions The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry informed the Lok Sabha on December 2, 2019 that ‘India Rankings Society (IRS)’ was given the accorded approval in August with an objective to develop and evolve methodologies and system for the ranking of higher educational institutions. The India Ranking, 2019 ranked Indian Higher Educational Institutes into nine categories namely university, Engineering, College, Management, Pharmacy, Law, Architecture, Medical and Overall, Rankings help create an environment of excellence.
Armed Forces Flag Day celebrated on December 7 The Armed Forces Flag Day was celebrated on December 7, 2019. The objective to collect the funds from people for the betterment of the Armed Forces staff just by selling Indian flags, batches, stickers and other items. It is observed every year on December 7 since 1949.
Navy Day celebrated on December 4 Navy Day was celebrated on December 4, 2019. The Day is celebrated every year to commemorate the Indian Navy’s attack on Karachi harbour on this very day during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, which contributed to the ultimate victory of the Indian Armed Forces over Pakistan.
Recent Books
FICTION • The Vault of Vishnu by Ashwin Sanghi • Grand Union by Zadie Smith • Feni Daze by Mathew Vincent • So All is Peace by Vandana Singh-Lal • The Yogini by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay (translated by Arunava Sinh) • The Swap by Shuma Raha • The Lacquered Curtain of Burma by Eugene Lawrence NON-FICTION • In Service Of The Republic: The Art And Science of Economic Policy by Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah • The Great Repression by Chitranshul Sinha • Panjab: Journeys Through Fault Lines by Amandeep Sandhu • Rewilding: India’s Experiments in Saving Nature by Bahar Dutt • Running with the Dragon: How India should do Business with China by Saibal Dasgupta • Human Compatible: AI and the Problem of Control by Stuart Russell • Pravda Ha Ha: True Travels to the End of Europe by Rory Maclean December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 8
NEWSMAKERS
Sub-lieutenant Shivangi becomes first woman pilot of Indian Navy Sub-lieutenant Shivangi became the first woman pilot for the Indian Navy on December 2, 2019. She joined operational duties at the Kochi naval base and will be flying the Dornier surveillance aircraft.
Indian Rafale fighter jets to fly with BS-series tail numbers The Indian Rafale fighter jets will fly with the tail sign ‘BS’ after the recently retired Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa. The two-sweater trainer Rafale jets will have the tail number initials of present Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria RB.
Lt Gen P. S. Rajeshwar takes over as C-n-C of Andaman & Nicobar Command Lt Gen Podali Shankar Rajeshwar took over as the 14th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN) on December 1, 2019.
Chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) dies Chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), B. B. Kumar, passed away on December 8, 2019.
P. Chidambaram granted bail in INX Media money laundering case The Supreme Court on December 4, 2019 granted bail to former Finance Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram in a money laundering case related to INX Media and directed that he could not leave the country without its prior permission nor speak to the media. The CBI had registered its case on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram’s tenure as finance minister. The ED lodged a money laundering case after that.
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 9
Section B: INDIA & THE WORLD
NEWS ROUND UP
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden visit India King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden came on a five day visit to India from December 2 to 6, 2019. They met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 2. The bilateral trade volume was USD 3.37 billion in 2018.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on December 2, held wide-ranging talks with his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde in New Delhi and resolved to step up cooperation in international platforms to combat the challenge of terrorism.
India and Sweden on December 3, joined hands to set up a healthcare innovation centre to promote research, broadly in non- communicable diseases (NCDs) and help scale-up Indian start-ups in the sector. The announcement about the cooperation was made earlier in the presence of Swedish royal couple and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
They inaugurated a 14 million litres per day (MLD) Sarai Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Uttarakhand on December 5, in the presence of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The STP has been constructed at a cost of Rs 41.40 crore under the Centre’s Namami Gange programme.
Sweden is not a member of NATO but has signed the body’s Partnership for Peace programme launched in 1994 to develop military cooperation between NATO and non-member countries. Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995, but declined Eurozone membership. Currency is Swedish krona, Parliament is Riksdag and Capital is Stockholm. Stefan Lofven is the Prime Minister.
Transmitters to be set up in Sashastra Seema Bal premises along the Indo-Nepal border The government will set up FM transmitters in Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) premises along the Indo-Nepal border to strengthen FM coverage. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar told Lok Sabha on December 6, 2019 that projects would be in Bathnaha (Araria), Narkatiaganj (West Champaran) and Sitamarhi in Bihar, Gadaniya (Lakhimpur Kheri), Nanpara (Bahraich) and Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh and Champawat, Uttarakhand.
SAARC Charter Day celebrated on December 8 SAARC Charter Day was celebrated on December 8, 2019. On December 8, 1985 at the first SAARC Summit in Dhaka, the leaders of the seven South Asian countries - the Maldives, India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - signed a charter to establish the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Afghanistan became the eight SAARC member in 2007.
PM Modi and President of Maldives jointly inaugurate projects in Maldives via video link Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on December 4, 2019 jointly inaugurated several key development projects in Maldives via video conference. These included gifting of Made in India Coast Guard Ship Kaamiyaab to Maldives, launch of RuPay card and lighting up of Male using LED lights.
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat meets Japanese counterpart in Tokyo Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat interacted with General Goro Yuasa, Chief of Staff of Japan Ground Self Defence Force in Tokyo on December 4, 2019.
Conclave of air force chiefs of Indo-Pacific region organised in Hawaii
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 10
Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria attended the conclave of chiefs of air forces of Indo-Pacific region countries organised in Hawaii (US) from December 4 to 6, 2019. The theme for the Pacific Air Chiefs’ Symposium 2019 (PACS 2019) was ‘A collaborative approach to regional security.’
India-China joint training exercise ‘HAND-IN-HAND 2019’ starts in Meghalaya The 14-day long 8th India-China joint training exercise ‘HAND-IN-HAND 2019’ with the theme counter-terrorism under United Nations mandate started on December 7, 2019 at Joint Training Node (JTN), Umroi in Meghalaya.
Tri-services Exercise Indra between India, Russia to be conducted from Dec 10-19 Exercise Indra 2019, a joint, tri-services exercise between India and Russia will be conducted in India from December 10 to 19 simultaneously at Babina, near Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Pune, and Goa.
Pakistan apprehends 18 Indian fishermen The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) on December 4, 2019 apprehended 18 Indian fishermen and seized three fishing boats off the Gujarat coast, the Porbandar Fishermen Boat Association (PMSA) said on December 5. The PMSA apprehended the fishermen near the international maritime boundary line in the Arabian Sea off Jakhau coast of Kutch district.
Pirates kidnap 18 Indian sailors off Nigerian coast Eighteen Indians on board a Hong Kong-flagged vessel were kidnapped by pirates near the Nigerian coast, said ARX Maritime, a global agency tracking maritime developments in the region. The vessel VLCC, NAVE CONSTELLATION was attacked by pirates during the evening hours of December 3, 2019.
Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth visits India Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth in New Delhi on December 6, 2019.
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 11
Section C: WORLD
NEWS ROUND UP
International Organisation for Migration releases ‘World Migration Report 2020’ India continues to be the largest country of origin of international migrants with a 17.5 million-strong diaspora across the world, and it received the highest remittance of $78.6 billion from Indians living abroad, the U.N. migration agency said.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in its ‘World Migration Report 2020’ that the number of international migrants in 2019 is now estimated at 270 million. The top destination remains the US, at 50.7 million immigrants followed by Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russian Federation and United Kingdom.
The number of international migrants in 2019 remains a very small percentage of the world’s population (at 3.5%), meaning that the vast majority of people globally (96.5%) are estimated to be residing in the country in which they were born.
More than half of all international migrants (141 million) live in Europe and North America. An estimated 52% are male, and nearly two-thirds of all migrants are looking for work; that’s around 164 million people.
India continued to be the largest country of origin of international migrants. It had the largest number of migrants living abroad (17.5 million), followed by Mexico and China, Russian Federation and Syria.
The international remittances increased to $689 billion in 2018. The top three remittance recipients were India ($78.6 billion), China ($67.4 billion) and Mexico ($35.7 billion). The United States remained the top remittance-sending country ($68 billion) followed by the United Arab Emirates ($44.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($36.1 billion).
Highlighting how ongoing conflicts and violence in Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen have led to massive internal displacement in the last two years, IOM’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre said that a total of 41.3 million people were forced to flee their homes at the end of 2018 — a record since monitoring began in 1998.
Syria has the highest internally population of displaced people, at 6.1 million, followed by Colombia (5.8 million) and the Congo (3.1 million).
After nearly nine years of conflict, Syria is also the top refugee-originating country, at well over six million - dwarfing Afghanistan (at around 2.5 million) - out of a total of nearly 26 million.
Finally, turning to the impact of climate and weather disasters, the report notes that Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines contributed to the fact that 3.8 million people were newly displaced there at the end of 2018, the largest number globally.
China imposes ‘reciprocal’ restrictions on U.S. diplomats China on December 6, 2019 said it had taken “reciprocal” measures against U.S. diplomats in the country, ordering them to notify the Foreign Ministry before meeting with local officials. The U.S. diplomats would have to notify the Foreign Ministry five working days in advance.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, the new measures were a “countermeasure” to Washington’s decision in October to restrict Chinese diplomats.
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 12
In October 2019, the U.S. ordered Chinese diplomats to notify the State Department in advance of any official meetings with U.S. diplomats, local or municipal officials, and before any visits to colleges or research institutions.
At the time, Washington called the move “reciprocal”, with a senior State Department official citing the inability of U.S. diplomats to meet with a range of Chinese officials and academics.
Chinese students dominate 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Chinese students dominate results of 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted by the Paris- based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
The PISA survey is carried out every three years by OECD. This time 37 member states of OECD and 42 partner countries and economies participated.
The latest study, which was conducted in 2018 among 600,000 15-year-old students who all took two-hour tests, showed that students in four Chinese regions of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang -- as well as Singapore -- topped the rankings, ahead of their Western counterparts in reading, mathematics and science.
Angel Gurria, the OECD’s secretary-general, said the students from the four Chinese provinces had “outperformed by a large margin their peers from all of the other 78 participating education systems”.
Bill passed in Russia allowing govt. to register bloggers, journalists as foreign agents Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a Bill into law that gives the government the right to register bloggers, journalists and social media users as foreign agents. The Bill extends an existing law involving foreign-funded media outlets. That was adopted in 2017 in response to the decision by the U.S. Justice Department to label the Russian state-funded RT television a foreign agent. The law can apply to anyone who distributes content produced by media outlets registered as foreign agents and receives payments from abroad. Individuals registered as foreign agents will be subject to additional government scrutiny.
UNCTAD releases report on Israeli occupation’s cost to Palestinian economy Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories has cost the economy of the Palestinians more than USD 2.5 billion a year for the past two decades, UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) said in a report released on December 2, 2019.
Saudi Arabian air force trainee kills 3 at US naval base in Pensacola, Florida A member of the Saudi Arabian Air Force, training to be a pilot, opened fire in a classroom building at a US naval Station in Pensacola, Florida with a handgun on December 6, 2019, killing three people and injuring eight others before being shot dead by police.
Saudi Arabia assumes the G20 presidency Saudi Arabia on December 1, 2019 assumed the G20 presidency under the theme of ‘Realising Opportunities of the 21st Century for All’. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that the G20 leaders’ summit will be held in Riyadh on November 21- 22, 2020.
US Congress passes Bill on China’s treatment of its Uyghur communities US Congress has passed a Bill calling for an end to the detaining, torture and harassment of the Uyghur communities in China. The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act was passed by the House of representatives on Decermber 4 and by the Senate earlier. The Bill proposes that America redirects resources to address the mass internment of over 1,000,000 Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities in China.
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 13
3000-km long pipeline launched to transport natural gas from Russia to China Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on December 2, 2019 oversaw the launch of a 3000- km long pipeline that will transport natural gas from Siberia to northeast China. The pipeline has been named ‘Power of Siberia’. Flows via the pipeline are expected to gradually rise to 38 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year in 2025.
2019 NATO Summit organised in Watford, UK on December 3-4 The 2019 Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was organised in Watford, UK on December 3-4, 2019. NATO was founded on 4 April 1949 and its headquarters is at Brussels, Belgium. Jens Stoltenberg is the current Secretary General.
‘MED - Mediterranean Dialogues’ held in Rome The fifth edition of annual ‘MED - Mediterranean Dialogues’ was organised in Rome by Italy’s Foreign Ministry and ISPI (Italian Institute of International Political Studies) from December 5 to 7, 2019. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar represented India.
2 killed as Typhoon Kammuri slams into Philippines 2 persons were killed as Typhoon Kammuri swept through the Philippines on December 3, 2019.
Malaysia records first polio case in 27 years A three-month-old Malaysian boy has been diagnosed with polio, the first case reported in the country in 27 years, the Health Ministry confirmed on December 8, 2019.
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery observed on December 2 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery was observed on December 2, 2019. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) more than 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. Modern slavery includes forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, and human trafficking.
International Volunteer Day observed on December 5 International Volunteer Day was observed by the UN on December 5, 2019 with the theme ‘Volunteer for an inclusive future’.
World Soil Day observed on December 5 The World Soil Day was observed by the UN’s FAO on December 5, 2019 with its focus on ‘Stop Soil Erosion, Save Our Future’. The day is held annually on 5 December to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources. The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of this initiative.
International Civil Aviation Day celebrated on December 7 The International Civil Aviation Day was celebrated on December 7, 2019. The purpose is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of nations.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities observed on December 3 The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed on December 3 2019. This year’s theme was: Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership: taking action on the 2030 Development Agenda.
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December 3 to 9, 2019
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Pritivirajsing Roopun appointed as new President of Mauritius by parliament Lawmakers in Mauritius on December 2, 2019 picked former arts and culture minister Pritivirajsing Roopun as president of the island nation, a largely ceremonial post. His predecessor Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned in March 2018 after being embroiled in a scandal over her use of a credit card to buy luxury personal items. She denied wrongdoing. In Mauritius, the prime minister is head of the government and holds most political power while the president is head of state but has no executive role and is considered the guardian of the constitution.
Finland’s PM Antti Rinne resigns after losing the support of a coalition partner Finland’s Prime Minister Antti Rinne resigned on December 3, 2019 after losing the support of a coalition partner, casting doubt on the future of the governing alliance. Rinne, a Social Democrat who has headed the centre-left government since June, handed his resignation to President Sauli Niinisto. The Social Democrats will now appoint a successor to try to form a new government.
Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announces resignation Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, under fire over his handling of the 2017 murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, said on December 3, 2019 he would step down after his replacement is chosen in January 2020.
‘Will & Grace’ actor Shelley Morrison dies at 83 in US Actor Shelley Morrison, best known for playing Karen Walker’s maid Rosario Salazar on ‘Will & Grace’ died at the age of 83 in US.
December 3 to 9, 2019
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Section D: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
UNFCCC COP 25 commences in Madrid The 25th session of Conference of Parties under the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 25) is being organised in Madrid, Spain from December 2 to 13, 2019. The Conference is taking place under the Presidency of the Government of Chile with logistical support from the Government of Spain. The President for the conference is Carolina Schmidt, Minister of Environment of Chile.
COP 25 holds significance as countries prepare to move from pre-2020 period under Kyoto Protocol to post-2020 period under Paris Agreement of 2016.
The conference is designed to take the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process. Following agreement on the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement at COP 24 in Poland in 2018, a key objective is to complete several matters with respect to the full operationalization of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goal is to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 °C. As of November 2019, 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement, and 187 have become party to it.
India Pavilion, based on the theme ‘150 years of Mahatma Gandhi’, was inaugurated on December 3. The Indian delegation is being led by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. According to the government, India’s approach at the Conference will be guided by principles and provisions of UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, particularly the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC).
Global Climate Risk Index published by environmental think-tank Germanwatch Worsening heatwaves are taking a heavier toll on rich as well as poor countries, according to an annual ranking that measures the damage done by extreme weather to human life and economies.
The Global Climate Risk Index, published on December 4, 2019 by environmental think-tank Germanwatch, rated Japan as the most-affected country in 2018, while Germany was in third position. Both of the industrialised nations were hit hard by heatwaves and drought that year, as was India — in fifth position — which suffered water shortages, crop failures and worst flooding.
In 2018, a severe summer heatwave in Japan killed 138 people and caused more than 70,000 people to be hospitalised with heat stroke and exhaustion. And in Germany, the period from April-July 2018 was the hottest ever recorded in the country, leading to the deaths of over 1,200 people.
Powerful storms also left a trail of destruction in 2018, with the Philippines second in the climate risk index due to large losses when it was battered by top-strength Typhoon Mangkhut.
Madagascar was the fourth most weather-affected country as two cyclones killed about 70 people and forced 70,000 to seek refuge.
NASA finds debris of Chandrayaan-2’s lander Vikram Chandrayaan-2’s lander Vikram, which crashed while attempting to land on the moon on September 7, has been found by NASA, and the US space agency has credited Chennai-based engineer Shanmuga Subramanian for the discovery.
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NASA said it released a mosaic image of the site on September 26 (but taken on September 17), inviting people to compare it with images of the same area before the crash to find signs of the lander. The first person to come up with a positive identification was Shanmuga.
NASA said the “debris first located by Shanmuga Subramanian about 750 meters northwest of the main crash site and was a single bright pixel identification in that first mosaic.”
Astronauts attach new pumps to cosmic ray detector outside International Space Station Spacewalking astronauts -- Italy’s Luca Parmitano and NASA’s Andrew Morgan -- attached new pumps to the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a cosmic ray detector, outside the International Space Station on December 2, 2019 in a bid to extend its scientific life.
December 3 to 9, 2019
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Section E: AWARDS
Tony Joseph wins Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize English author Tony Joseph has won the 12th ‘Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize’ for his 2018 book, ‘Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From’, the Shakti Bhatt Foundation announced on December 2, 2019. Instituted in 2008, the award carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and a trophy. Other shortlisted books for this year’s prize included Priyanka Dubey’s “No Nation for Women”, Roshan Ali’s “Ib’s Endless Search for Satisfaction”, as well as late Bangladeshi writer Numair Atif Choudhury’s “Babu Bangladeshi”, and Pakistani-American novelist Nadia Akbar’s “Goodbye Freddie Mercury”.
Manisha Kulshreshtha wins 28th Bihari Puraskar Noted writer from Rajasthan, Manisha Kulshreshtha, was awarded the 28th Bihari Puraskar for 2018 for her novel ‘Swapnapash’, in Jaipur in November 2019. The award is presented by the KK Birla Foundation and is for writers of Rajasthani origin. It is given annually to an outstanding work in Hindi or Rajasthani published in the past 10 years. Named after famous Hindi poet Bihari, the award carries a cash prize of ~2.5 lakh, a citation, and a plaque.
Rs. 3 crore Sree Ramakrishna Paramhansa Research Grant awarded in Vijayawada (AP) Prof. Vidita Ashok Vaidya from the Biological Sciences Department of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, won the first Sree Ramakrishna Paramhansa Research Grant in Vijayawada (AP) on December 6, 2019. Prof. Vaidya received the grant worth ₹3 crore for pursuing research on the effects of trauma on a person’s lifespan.
UP wins National Award of Excellence for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities Uttar Pradesh given National Award of Excellence for doing a commendable job in the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities (Divyangjan). The state had launched the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan in 2014-15 for providing accessible physical infrastructure and other communication facilities to people with disabilities.
‘The Diwali - Power of One’ awards given in New York Four diplomats were on December 6, 2019 honoured with ‘The Diwali - Power of One’ award in New York in recognition of their work at the United Nations. They are: Kairat Abdrakhmanov (Kazakhstan), Nicholas Emiliou (Cyprus), Frantisek Ruzicka (Slovakia) and Volodymyr Yelchenko (Ukraine). The awards were established by the Diwali Foundation USA, Inc in 2017
Four artistes jointly awarded Turner Prize in UK Four artistes were jointly awarded Turner Prize in UK in December 2019. Worth £40,000, it is the biggest award in British art. It was jointly awarded to Oscar Murillo, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Tai Shani and Helen Cammock in Margate (UK). Murillo is a Colombian painter. Hamdan is an artist who recreates the sounds of crime scenes and human rights abuses. Shani is a feminist artist who creates fantasy worlds “beyond patriarchal limits”. Cammock makes feature-length films about the forgotten role of women in civil rights struggles
Apple Music Awards announced Billie Eilish will be the first recipient of the Apple Music Award for global artist of the year, one of three honours for the pop singer. Apple announced that Eilish’s ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’ has been named album of the year. Eilish and her brother Finneas will also receive songwriter of the year honours.
Ballon d’Or awards announced Winners of the 2019 Ballon d’Or awards were announced by France Football magazine in Paris on December 2, 2019. Ballon d’Or was won by Lionel Messi of Argentina and Barcelona FC for the 6th time. Ballon d’Or Féminin was won by Megan Rapinoe of United States and Regin FC. Kopa Trophy for the best player in the world under the age of 21 was won by Matthijs de Ligt of Netherlands. Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper in the world was won by Alisson Becker of Brazil and Liverpool FC. December 3 to 9, 2019
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New Zealand win Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket award for 2019 The Kane Williamson-led New Zealand cricket team was on December 2, 2019 awarded the Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket award for 2019. The award has been started by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Williamson was presented with the award during the drawn second Test between his team and England.
Hollywood actor Joaquin Phoenix named 2019 PETA Person of the Year Hollywood actor Joaquin Phoenix has been named 2019 Person of the Year by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Priyanka Chopra Jonas honoured at Marrakech Film Festival Priyanka Chopra Jonas was honoured at the 2019 Marrakech Film Festival in Morocco on December 5, 2019 for her outstanding contribution to cinema.
December 3 to 9, 2019
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Section F: BANKING & FINANCE
RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting keeps repo rate unchanged The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of RBI met on December 5, 2019 and decided to keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 5.15%. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains unchanged at 4.90%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 5.40%.
Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks. A repo rate cut allows banks to reduce interest rates for consumers and lowers equal monthly instalments on home loans, car loans and personal loans.
The MPC decided to continue with the accommodative stance
Consumer price index (CPI) inflation revised upwards to 5.1-4.7% for H2:2019-20 and 4.0-3.8% for H1:2020-21.
Real GDP growth forecast for 2019-20 is revised downwards from 6.1% in the October policy to 5.0%, 4.9-5.5% in H2 of 2019- 20 and 5.9-6.3% for H1:2020-21
NEFT transactions to be available 24x7 from December 16, including holidays The RBI on December 6, 2019 said round-the-clock transactions will be allowed under the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system from December 16. The 24X7 NEFT system will be available on all days of the year, including holidays.
From July 1, 2019, RBI had decided not to levy charges on transactions through NEFT and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system in order to promote digital transactions in the country, and asked banks to pass on the benefits to the customers.
NEFT transactions are settled in hourly batches. For weekdays, the batches are from 8 am to 7 pm. On first and third Saturdays, the settlement happens from 8 am to 1 pm.
The first settlement will take place after 00:30 hours on December 16, 2019 (night of December 15, 2019).
Earlier, the RBI used to levy minimum charges on banks for transactions routed through RTGS and NEFT. Banks, in turn, levy charges on their customers.
RTGS is meant for large-value instantaneous fund transfers, while NEFT is used for fund transfers of up to Rs 2 lakh.
₹80,893 cr. loans written off by banks in first half of FY20’ Public and private sector banks have written off ₹80,893 crore worth of loans during the first half of the current financial year, the government informed Parliament on December 3, 2019.
“As per RBI data on global operations, public sector and private sector banks wrote off ₹80,893 crore [provisional data], during the current financial year 2019-20 [till September 30, 2019],” Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur informed the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question.
The gross non-performing assets (NPAs) of both public and private sector banks rose from ₹3,12,706 crore as on March 31, 2015 to ₹10,21,464 crore as of March 31, 2018. This has subsequently fallen by ₹80,790 crore to come to ₹9,40,673 crore as of September 30, 2019.
State Bank of India wrote off the highest amount of loans (₹27,535.31 crore) during the current financial year till September, followed by Bank of Baroda (₹5,439.76 crore) and Axis Bank (₹5,426.14 crore).
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Thakur clarified that the loans written off were not to the benefit of the borrowers. “As borrowers of written-off loans continue to be liable for repayment and the process of recovery of dues from the borrower in written-off loan accounts continues, write-off does not benefit the borrower,” he said in his written answer.
Payment Banks can become SFB after five years under new RBI norms The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI)’s new draft guidelines for on-tap licensing of small finance banks (SFBs) allows payment banks to convert into SFBs after five years of operations. If the promoter of a payments bank desires to set up an SFB separately, both the banks should come under the non-operative financial holding company (NOFHC) structure.
The guidelines have also clarified that SFBs will be given scheduled bank status immediately upon commencement of operations and will have general permission to open banking outlets from the date of commencement of operations.
The branches of the NBFC/MFI/PB should be converted into bank branches within a period of three years from the date of commencement of operations or be merged / closed. The small finance bank and the NBFC/MFI cannot co-exist.
Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs), desirous of voluntarily transiting into SFBs will initially require net worth of Rs 100 crore, which will have to be increased to Rs 200 crore within five years from the date of commencement of business.
The maximum loan size and investment limit exposure to a single and group obligor would be restricted to 10 per cent and 15 per cent of its capital funds, respectively. An SFB will be required to manage robust risk management framework by ensuring that the bank extends loans primarily to small borrowers. Besides, at least 50 per cent of its loan portfolio should constitute loans and advances of up to Rs.25 lakh on an ongoing basis.
The promoters of an SFB must hold a minimum of 40 per cent of the paid-up voting equity capital of the bank, which shall be locked in for five years from the date of commencement of business of the bank.
If an SFB reaches a net worth of Rs 500 crore, it has to mandatorily go for listing within three years. But SFBs that have a net worth of less than Rs 500 crore may also get their shares listed voluntarily, subject to their meeting the market regulator’s criteria.
According to RBI, among the many objectives of setting up an SFB, the primary one would be to undertake acceptance of deposits from, and extending lending activities to the unserved and underserved sections, including small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries and unorganised sector entities.
RBI hikes aggregate lending limit to Rs 50 lakh for P2P (peer to peer) lenders With a view to expand peer to peer (P2P) lending platform business, the Reserve Bank on December 5, 2019 raised aggregate lending limit by five times to Rs 50 lakh for such lenders. Exposure of a single lender to a single borrower is capped at Rs 50,000 across all NBFC-P2P platforms. The aggregate exposure of a lender to all borrowers at any point of time, across all P2P platforms, shall be subject to a cap of Rs 50 lakh.
CCEA approves launch of Bharat Bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for creation and launch of Bharat Bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) to create an additional source of funding for Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), Central Public Financial Institutions (CPFIs) and other Government organizations. Bharat Bond ETF would be the first corporate Bond ETF in the country.
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Mumbai court declares Nirav Modi a ‘fugitive economic offender’ A Mumbai court on December 5, 2019 declared diamond merchant Nirav Modi, key accused in the USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, a ‘fugitive economic offender’ on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The declaration, made under the Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO) Act, paves the way for confiscation of his properties.
December 3 to 9, 2019
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Section G: ECONOMY
Union Cabinet approves Personal Data Protection Bill The Union Cabinet on December 4, 2019 approved the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Bill in Parliament, the government announced.
The draft bill, the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018, was prepared by a high-level expert committee headed by former Supreme Court judge B.N. Srikrishna. The Bill deals with the broad guidelines on the collection, storage, and processing of personal data, the consent of individuals, penalties and compensation, and a code of conduct.
Personal data The draft Bill classifies ‘sensitive personal data’ as including passwords, financial data, health data, sex life, sexual orientation, biometric data, genetic data, transgender status, intersex status, caste or tribe, and religious or political belief or affiliation. The draft Bill says that such sensitive personal data can be processed only with the explicit consent of the person, and this consent needs to be informed, clear, and specific, as defined by the Bill itself.
There is also a provision for the central government to notify categories of personal data as critical personal data, which will then be only processed in a server or data centre located in India. Personal data is to be stored in India, but can be processed outside with the consent of the person.
The draft Bill also specifies penalties for not following its provisions, including a penalty of ₹5 crore or 2% of turnover, whichever is higher, if no action is taken on a data leak.
Right to be forgotten The draft bill also has a provision for the right to be forgotten, where the person “shall have the right to restrict or prevent continuing disclosure of personal data”.
Foreign exchange reserves touch a new high of USD 451.08 billion Foreign exchange reserves gained USD 2.484 billion to touch a new high of USD 451.08 billion in the week to November 29, according to the weekly data released by the Reserve Bank on December 6, 2019.
The rise in reserves was mainly on account of an increase in foreign currency assets, a major component of the overall reserves, which rose by USD 2.642 million to USD 419.367 billion, according to the data. Expressed in dollar terms, the foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound and the yen held in forex reserves.
Gold reserves declined by USD 148 million to USD 26.648 billion.
The special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund also slipped by USD 4 million to USD 1.436 billion during the week.
The country’s reserve position with the International Monetary Fund also came down by USD 6 million to USD 3.629 billion.
Government revises stock limit of onions for retailers, wholesalers The government has revised the stock limit of onions for retailers and wholesalers in view of its rising prices. Now the stock holding limit for retailers has been reduced to five tonnes and for wholesalers to 25 tonnes. The decision has been taken to augment the availability of onions in the open market. Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on December 3, 2019 said
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Weekly Current Affairs Update 23 the revised stock holding limit will not be applicable for imported onions. Earlier, retailers were allowed to hold onion stock up to 10 tonnes and wholesalers up to 50 tonnes.
CRISIL cuts GDP growth forecast for 2019-20 to 5.1% from an earlier estimate of 6.3% Rating agency CRISIL on December 2, 2019 sharply cut its GDP growth forecast for the current financial year to 5.1% from an earlier estimate of 6.3%. “Key short-term indicators like industrial production, merchandise exports, bank credit offtake, tax mop-ups, freight movement, and electricity production, all point to a weakening growth momentum,” CRISIL said. It added that the growth in the second half of 2019-20 will go up to 5.5%, up from the 4.75% in the first half.
Lok Sabha passes Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 The Lok Sabha on December 2, 2019 passed a Bill to replace an Ordinance promulgated in September for effecting reduction of corporate tax rates. Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, will amend the Income Tax Act 1961 and the Finance (No 2) Act 2019. Base corporate tax for existing companies has been reduced to 22% from 30%, and to 15% from 25% for new manufacturing firms incorporated after October 1, 2019, and starting operations before March 31, 2023. The companies opting for lower tax rates, however, will not be entitled to claim any rebate or deductions.
Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019 passed by Parliament Parliament on December 2, 2019 passed a bill which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in the country. The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019, was passed in Rajya Sabha with a voice vote. It was passed in Lok Sabha earlier in December 2019.
Govt launches independent directors’ databank, to be maintained by IICA The government on December 2, 2019 launched a databank of independent directors under the companies’ law, a move aimed at providing a platform for registration of existing as well as those aspiring to be independent directors. The databank portal would be maintained by the Indian Institute for Corporate Affairs (IICA), which comes under the corporate affairs ministry.
Lok Sabha passes Bill that regulates recycling of ships The Lok Sabha on December 3, 2019 passed the Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019 that restricts the use of hazardous materials on ships and regulates their recycling. Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya said that the provisions of the bill were “labour centric” and “environment centric”.
GST Stakeholder Feedback Diwas organised by CBIC The central and state authorities on December 7, 2019 organised GST Stakeholder Feedback Diwas on the new system for filing returns across 125 cities to get on-the-spot response and suggestion. About 7,500 trade associations/stakeholders participated in the programme, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said in a statement. The new return form will be made mandatory from April 1, 2020.
Civil Aviation Ministry opens bidding process under UDAN 4.0 The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) announced the commencement of the bidding process under regional connectivity scheme (RCS) UDAN 4.0 (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik 4.0) on December 3, 2019 with a focus on the NER, Hilly States, J&K, Ladakh, and Islands.
National Public Procurement Conclave organised in New Delhi The 3rd edition of National Public Procurement Conclave was organised in New Delhi on December 5-6, 2019 by Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in association with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal along with Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, Som Parkash, inaugurated the Conference.
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Rs 24,396.19 crore collected as fee from toll plazas of NHAI in 2018-19 Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on December 5, 2019 said that Rs 24,396.19 crore was collected as fees from toll plazas of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) across the country in 2018-19. 570 fee plazas are operational as on October 31, 2019.
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Ritu Beri appointed as chief design consultant for TRIFED Fashion designer Ritu Beri has been appointed as the chief design consultant for TRIFED to promote tribal Arts and Culture. This was announced by Managing Director, TRIFED, Pravir Krishna in New Delhi December 7, 2019 at a function organised to celebrate the achievements of Van Dhan Yojana. A total 799 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra in the 24 states have been opened since the launch of the Yojana. TRIFED: Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited.
December 3 to 9, 2019
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Section H: CORPORATE
Tata Power-ICICI Bank JV acquires UP based Prayagraj power project A joint venture of Tata Power and ICICI Bank on December 4, 2019 acquired real estate baron Manoj Gaur’s biggest power plant at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh by agreeing to takeover Rs 6,000 crore of debt of the company. Renascent Power Ventures Pvt Ltd, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Resurgent Power Ventures Pte, has acquired 75 per cent stake in Prayagraj Power Generation Co Ltd (PPGCL) which owns and operates 1,980 MW coal-based electricity generation unit, Tata Power
Hero Group, Birmingham City University to set up school of innovation in Ludhiana Hero Group and Birmingham City University will collaborate to set up a school of innovation and entrepreneurship in Punjab, Hero Enterprises Ltd Chairman Sunil Kant Munjal said in Mohali on December 5, 2019.
Thomas Cook India to acquire branding rights for India, Sri Lanka & Mauritius Travel services firm Thomas Cook India on December 3, 2019 said it has entered into an agreement to acquire the rights of the Thomas Cook brand in India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius for around Rs 13.9 crore.
Walmart, HDFC unveil co-branded credit card for ‘Best Price’ members Walmart India, in partnership with HDFC Bank, on December 2, 2019 launched a co-branded credit card exclusively for members of its Best Price Modern Wholesale “B2B Cash & Carry” stores
Xiaomi launches Mi Credit in India, to offer up to Rs 1 lakh personal loan Chinese company Xiaomi on December 3, 2019 launched its lending platform Mi Credit in India, wherein individuals can avail up to Rs 1 lakh loan. This is the second financial product being made available by Xiaomi in India, after Mi Pay.
Bajaj Auto launches Husqvarna motorcycles Bajaj Auto on December 6, 2019 introduced the Husqvarna motorcycle brand in India with the launch of Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 models. Husqvarna is part of the KTM AG group, which owns motorcycle brands KTM and Husqvarna, where Bajaj Auto owns a 48 per cent stake.
MG Motor India unveils electric car model ZS MG Motor India on December 5, 2019 unveiled its electric car model ZS in the country. The model would be produced at the company’s manufacturing facility at Halol, Gujarat.
TTK Prestige launches new range of pressure cookers ‘Svachh’ TTK Prestige has launched ‘Svachh’ an innovative range of pressure cookers that is the first ‘no mess’ pressure cooker in India. The lid of the Svachh pressure cooker has been designed to control any spillage and ensures that the froth stays on the lid, whilst retaining flavour and preserving nutrition.
Wipro launches its Cyber Defence Centre (CDC) in Melbourne, Australia Wipro Limited, an information technology, consulting and business process services company, on December 4, 2019 announced the launch of its Cyber Defence Centre (CDC) in Melbourne, Australia.
Temasek-EQT joint venture to launch India green energy platform Singapore’s Temasek is teaming up with Swedish private equity group EQT to launch a new renewable energy platform for India that will build wind and solar farms ground up and acquire assets to bulk up.
ONGC’s USD 300 million MTN issue listed on India INX December 3 to 9, 2019
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ONGC’s USD 300 million medium-term note (MTN) issue has been listed on the debt listing platform of BSE’s India International Exchange (India INX). The notes under the programme have been issued at a coupon rate of 3.375 per cent due in 2029.
Hindustan Times Leadership Summit organised in New Delhi The Hindustan Times Leadership Summit was organised in New Delhi on December 6-7, 2019 with its theme as: ‘Conversations for a Better Tomorrow’. Oxford Names ‘Climate Emergency’ Its 2019 Word of the Year Oxford Dictionaries has named “climate emergency” as its 2019 Word of the Year, choosing it from an all-environmental shortlist that also included “climate action,” “climate denial,” “eco-anxiety,” “extinction” and “flight shame.” The Word of the Year citation is intended to highlight “a word or expression shown through usage evidence to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the passing year, and have a lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.”
Dictionary.com chooses ‘existential’ as word of the year Dictionary.com has selected ‘existential’ as word of the year 2019. Dictionary.com crunches lookup and other data to decide which word to anoint each year. The site has been picking a word of the year since 2010. The word dates to 1685, deriving from Late Latin’s “existentialis”. Dictionary.com defines existential as “of or relating to existence” and “of, relating to, or characteristic of philosophical existentialism; concerned with the nature of human existence as determined by the individual’s freely made choices.”
Saudi Aramco shares to start trading on December 11 Saudi Aramco shares will start trading on December 11, the Saudi securities exchange Tadawul said in a statement on December 6, 2019.Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant priced its initial public offering at 32 riyals ($8.53) per share on December 5, raising $25.6 billion and beating Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s record $25 billion listing in 2014. The Aramco IPO was launched to raise funds to help diversify the kingdom away from reliance on oil and create jobs for a growing population.
UNCTAD launches Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2019 Netherlands has topped UNCTAD’s Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2019 while India has been ranked 73rd among 153 countries. The index that measures an economy’s preparedness to support online shopping. Countries are scored on the access to secure internet servers, the reliability of postal services and infrastructure, and the portion of their population that uses the internet and has an account with a financial institution or mobile-money-service provider.
UK-based Comparitech ranks nations on invasive use of biometric data India is the fifth worst country after China, Malaysia, Pakistan and the US in terms of extensive and invasive use of biometric data, Britain-based tech research firm Comparitech said in a research report released on December 4, 2019. Despite many countries recognising biometric data as sensitive, increased biometric use is widely accepted, said the study. Countries in the European Union scored better overall than non-EU countries due to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulations protecting the use of biometrics at the workplace to some extent. Ireland, Portugal, Cyprus, the UK and Romania emerged as the five best countries in terms of collection, storage and use of biometric data.
Guinness World Records title for ‘most nationalities on an aircraft’ created by Emirates Emirates Airlines have achieved a Guinness World Records title for the most nationalities on an aircraft with 145 individuals from 145 nationalities in Dubai, UAE. The flight took off and landed in Dubai on December 2, 2019, the 48th UAE National Day. On December 2, 1971, six of the seven emirates—Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain—became one under Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan with Abu Dhabi serving as the capital.
Rare Gauguin fetches €9.5 mn at auction
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 27
A rare canvas by French artist Paul Gauguin from his time in Tahiti fetched €9.5 million in on December 3, 2019. It is one of the few paintings from the post-impressionist’s Tahiti period that are still in private hands. The 1897 painting, “Te Bourao II” or “tree” in the local Tahitian language, was bought by an unnamed “international collector”.
NEWSMAKERS
Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai promoted as CEO of Alphabet, the parent company of Google Google’s India-born Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai will assume the leadership role at its parent firm Alphabet after the internet giant’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin stepped down from its active management, the company announced on December 3, 2019.
NSE appoints Girish Chandra Chaturvedi its new Chairman The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has appointed retired IAS Officer Girish Chandra Chaturvedi as its new Chairman. The position was vacant since Ashok Chawla resigned as the chairman of the NSE in January 2019.
Coin minted on tennis legend Roger Federer in Switzerland Tennis legend Roger Federer will become the first living person in Switzerland to have a coin minted in his honour. The Federal Mint, Swissmint, has created a 20-franc silver coin bearing Federer’s image. It’s the first time in its history that Swissmint has created a commemorative coin to honour a living person.
French chef who ‘invented’ magret de canard dies aged 84 French chef Andre Daguin, credited with inventing the magret de canard dish emblematic of southwestern France and making the rich duck delicacy famous worldwide, died at the age of 84 in Toulouse on December 3, 2019. He took over the Hotel de France restaurant in Auch from his father, receiving his first Michelin star in 1960 and another a decade later.
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 28
Section I: STATES
SC lifts ban on construction, industrial activities in Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) Supreme Court on December 6, 2019 lifted its earlier interim order imposing a complete ban on construction, industrial activities and cutting of trees in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ). A Bench headed by Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde said non-polluting industries with proper clearances and those complying with the rules can be allowed. It said ban on heavy industry will continue. The apex court allowed Uttar Pradesh government to consider application for environmental clearance based on environment impact assessment.
43 dead, 16 injured in fire at illegal manufacturing unit in Delhi At least 43 people, including minors, died and over 16 were injured after a major fire broke out in a residential building being used as a manufacturing unit in the Anaj Mandi area on Rani Jhansi Road of Central Delhi on the morning of December 8, 2019. The building did not have a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Fire Department, and no fire safety equipment was found to have been installed. The building was notified as residential. Workers used to prepare school bags, purses and hand- held plastic mirrors.
Minister flags off ‘Special Plogging Awareness Drive’ at Delhi Cantt Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the ‘Plastic Se Raksha - Swachhta Hi Suraksha - Special Plogging Awareness Drive’, at Delhi Cantt, in New Delhi on December 7, 2019. He also attended the Passing Out Parade - Autumn Term 2019 of Indian Military Academy, in Dehradun on December 7, 2019.
Gurgaon city’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) inaugurated Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on December 7, 2019 inaugurated Gurgaon city’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC). Built at the cost of Rs 38 crore, the ICCC has been designed to serve as the nodal point for all online data related to the Smart City applications, including CCTV-based public safety and adaptive traffic management system.
Delhi govt. releases case study on Mission Buniyaad for school education The Delhi Commission For Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), in a report, has recommended that schools run by the national capital’s civic bodies should focus on strengthening foundational learning skills among children. The case study on Mission Buniyaad -- the Delhi government’s initiative, launched in 2018, for improving learning skills among students of schools run by it and municipal corporations -- was carried out in the northeast district of the national capital and 30 schools were selected for sampling purpose.
Defence India Water Impact Summit organised in New Delhi Jal Shakti Ministry and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) led by IIT-Kanpur organised the fourth India Water Impact Summit in New Delhi from December 5 to 7, 2019. The summit focused on improving management of water resources in rural and urban areas, and experts from various fields discussed various water-related issues. Reports on ‘Ambassadors’ Meet’, ‘River Restoration and Conservation - A Concise Manual and Guide’, as well as documents on ‘Ganga Hubs’ developed so far were released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Bill to provide ownership rights to residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi passed The Rajya Sabha on December 4, 2019 passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019. The Bill grants ownership rights to residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi and had been passed in the Lok Sabha on November 28.
Delhi Govt. to set up 11,000 wifi-hotspots in the national capital
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 29
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on December 4, 2019 announced that the state government plans to set up 11,000 wifi- hotspots in the national capital within the next six months and the first 100 hotspots will be inaugurated on December 16.
Govt. approves construction of five-star hotel at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi The government on December 4, 2019 approved transfer of 3.7 acres of land at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi to ITDC and ITPO on a 99-year lease for Rs 611 crore to set up a five-star hotel.
CCTVs, panic buttons, GPS in 5,500 buses within 7 months in Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on December 5, 2019 said three CCTVs, 10 panic buttons and an automatic vehicle location system will be installed in each of the existing 5,500 Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses. The project is estimated to cost ₹150 crore and is expected to be completed in seven months.
Avantee Mega Food Park inaugurated in Dewas (MP) Union Minister for food processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Avantee Mega Food Park in Dewas (MP) on December 5, 2019. This is the first food park of central India.
Mahuamilan station is country’s 550th railway station to get free wifi facility Jharkhand’s Mahuamilan station, which comes under the East Central Railway zone, became the country’s 5500th station to get free wifi facility; RailTel announced on December 6, 2019. The Railways began the service of providing free WiFi at its stations from January 2016 from Mumbai Central station.
President inaugurates new building of Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the new building of Rajasthan High Court, at Jodhpur on December 7, 2019.
Odisha to merge its KALIA scheme with Centre’s PM-Kisan Yojana The Odisha government has decided to merge its flagship KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme to provide assistance to farmers with the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) Yojana. According to the provisions of the ‘Kalia’ scheme, farmers, mostly small and marginal cultivators, are entitled to get Rs 10,000 in two instalments for two crops in a year. The landless agricultural farmers are also eligible to get Rs 12,000 per annum for three years. Under PM-Kisan scheme, the central government is providing annually Rs 6,000 in three equal instalments to about 14 crore farmers. According to the new guidelines, the farmers will get Rs 10,000 per annum as provided under the ‘Kalia’ scheme. They would not be able to avail the central’s assistance of Rs 6,000 annually after the merger.
Odisha gives free laptops to meritorious students under the ‘Biju Sashaktikaran Yojana’ Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on December 6, 2019 distributed free laptops to Plus Two (+2) meritorious students under the ‘Biju Sashaktikaran Yojana’ as part of their government’s youth policy in Odisha.
Odisha govt. launches smart learning mobile app ‘MadhuApp for school children Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on December 3, 2019 launched a smart learning mobile app ‘MadhuApp for school children. The app is named after ‘Utkal Gourab’ Madhusudan Das.
Mumbai Central railway station certified as country’s first ‘Eat Right Station’ by FSSAI The Mumbai Central station of Railways was conferred with the ‘Eat Right Station’ certification by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on December 3, 2019. It is the country’s first ‘Eat Right Station.’ The certification was given on the basis of compliance of food safety and hygiene and availability of healthy diet.
All India Conference of Director Generals /Inspector Generals of Police held in Pune
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 30
The All India Conference of Director Generals /Inspector Generals of Police-2019 was organised at IISER (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research), Pune from December 6 to 8, 2019.
Parliament passes Bill to merge UTs Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli The Parliament has passed a bill to merge two Union territories Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli into one unit. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on December 3 while the Lok Sabha had passed it on November 27. The merged Union Territory will be named as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The Bombay High Court will continue its jurisdiction over the merged UTs.
Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit organised in Goa The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), in partnership with Government of Goa, organised the 2nd edition of the Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit, on December 6-7, 2019. The theme was ‘India Opportunity – Investing in tomorrow together’.
The Kerala Bank inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan The Kerala Bank, an amalgamation of district co-operative banks in the state, was formally launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 6, 2019. 13 district co-operative banks (DCBs) are being merged with the Kerala State Co- operative Bank for forming the Kerala Bank.
24th International Film Festival of Kerala started in Thiruvananthapuram The 24th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala was inaugurated by CM Pinarayi Vijayan at the Nishagandhi stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on December 6, 2019. The festival will conclude on December 14.
Alliance Air starts Guwahati-Dimapur-Imphal flight Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India Limited, on December 7, 2019 started its flight operation connecting Guwahati-Dimapur-Imphal under regional connectivity scheme (RCS) Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN).
Assam govt. launches Anti Depredation Squads in forests Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on December 5, 2019 launched Anti Depredation Squads of Forest Department which will be stationed in 15 major human-wildlife conflict districts in order to ensure the safety of both humans and wildlife.
NEWSMAKERS
BJP’s K. C. Ramamurthy elected to the Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka BJP candidate K. C. Ramamurthy was on December 5, 2019 declared elected unopposed to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka. The bypoll was necessitated following his resignation as member of Congress.
Ex-IPS officer K. Vijay Kumar appointed Senior Security Adviser in Home Ministry Retired IPS officer K. Vijay Kumar has been appointed Senior Security Adviser to the Union Home Ministry on security related matters of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected States.
December 3 to 9, 2019
Weekly Current Affairs Update 31
Section J: SPORTS
Virat Kohli becomes the leading run-scorer in the T20I cricket Indian captain Virat Kohli surpassed Rohit Sharma as a leading run-scorer in the T20I format during India’s match against West Indies at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on December 8, 2019. Kohli now has 2,563 runs in 69 innings while Rohit scored 2,562 runs in 95 innings.
Former England captain Bob Willis dies at the age of 70 Former England fast bowler Bob Willis, who took 325 wickets in 90 Test matched, died at the age of 70 on Decermber 4, 2019. Willis also captained the England team in 18 Tests and 28 ODI matches.
R. Praggnanandhaa wins London Chess Classic tournament India’s R. Praggnanandhaa won the FIDE Open category of the London Chess Classic on December 6, 2019 with a tally of 7.5 from nine rounds.
15th Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Gold Cup All India Hockey tournament held in Mumbai Indian Oil Corporation, New Delhi defeated CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India), New Delhi 3-1 in the final to win the 15th Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Gold Cup All India Hockey tournament in Mumbai on December 7, 2019. Talwinder Singh scored the three goals for the winners while CAG’s only goal came from Govind Singh Rawat.
Britain’s Anthony Joshua wins world heavyweight boxing title Britain’s Anthony Joshua reclaimed his world heavyweight boxing crown from Andy Ruiz of US by defeating the latter in Saudi Arabia on December 7, 2019. Regaining his IBF, WBA and WBO titles Joshua won by margins of 118-110 on two scorecards with the third judge making it 119-109.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson win Hero World Challenge golf tournament Henrik Stenson of Sweden won the Hero World Challenge tournament at the Albany Golf Club in Nassau, Bahamas on December 7, 2019.
Former table tennis head coach Bhawani Mukherji dies at 68 Former India Table tennis head coach Bhawani Mukherji passed away in Chandigarh at the age of 68 on December 6, 2019. He won the Dronacharya Award in 2012.
December 3 to 9, 2019