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Learning Aid Name : Prelims Current Affairs Learning Card Learning Aid Type : Digital Document Volume : December 2018 Length : 100 Cards | 30 Minute Revision Read Prepared by : Team CAP, NEO IAS What is Prelims Current Affairs Learning Cards? It is a Learning Aid brought out by NEO IAS as part of its’ Premium Learning Aid Series to help every aspirant to revise current affairs easily.

What is Premium Learning Aid Series? It is a series of high quality, well-reviewed and innovative documents by NEO IAS. These materials attempts to redefine civil service exam learning aids through it’s learning friendly presentation and by it’s compact and relevant content. Premium Monthly Digest is the latest addition to it.

How can I use the learning cards effectively? Learning cards will help you to cover the most important Prelims Current Affairs quickly. Content presented in it are crisp and sharp, helping your comprehension. Pictures will help you in recollection. You could use these cards after reading our current affairs digests for more effectiveness.

[email protected] December, 2018 It is a certification scheme established in 2003 by a United Nations resolution when Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa.

It is to remove conflict diamonds from the global supply chain. Kimberely process It is a global initiative of different International Relations nations, civil societies and industries to eliminate the trade in December 2018 so-called conflict diamonds.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the European Union.

The G20 was born out of a meeting of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in 1999.

Japan will host the summit in 2019 G20 and Saudi Arabia in 2020. International Relations The 1st summit was held in United States in 2008. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is a permanent intergovernmental organization of 15 oil-exporting developing nations that coordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of its Member Countries.

It was founded in 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, OPEC Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela). International Relations

It is headquartered since 1965 in December 2018 Vienna, Austria.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Democracy in Europe Movement 2025, or DiEM25, is a pan-European cross-border political movement of democrats launched in 2015.

It was launched by former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and Croatian philosopher Srećko Horvat. DiEM25

The movement aims to reform the International Relations European Union's existing institutions to create a "Full-fledged December 2018 democracy with a sovereign Parliament

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is given by Germanwatch, an international organization based in Bonn, Germany.

Number of deaths Number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants Sum of losses (in USD) in Global Climate Risk Index purchasing power parity International Relations Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA TARP scenario is named after the 2008 battle to get the U.S.’s Troubled Assets Relief Programme through the House of Representatives.

The House initially rejected the programme that bailed out the banking sector but passed it after markets failed completely. ‘TARP scenario’

It is being suggested in the context of International Relations Brexit, where the parliamentarians could first defeat the deal and delay Brexit or December 2018 even conduct a second referendum.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The yellow vests movement is a protest movement that began with demonstrations in France on 17 November 2018.

The yellow vest was chosen as a symbol because all motorists had been required by law—since 2008—to have high-visibility vests Yellow Vests Movement in their vehicles when driving. International Relations The movement was against rising fuel prices, the high cost of living December 2018 among many other things.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Millets are coarse grains and a repository of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Their high-fibre content helps in bowel movement and manages diabetes and obesity.

Their high magnesium level is good Millets for lowering blood pressure, while the potassium content keeps hypertension International Relations at bay. December 2018 2023 - International Year of Millets

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide.

It is delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience assisting 80 World Food Programme million people in around 80 countries each year. International Relations

It was established in 1961 and is December 2018 headquartered in Rome (Italy).

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.

It was established in 1945. FAO

Its motto is “Let there be bread”. International Relations

December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries.

They are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.

The purpose of the GCC is to achieve unity among its members based on their GCC common objectives and their similar political and cultural identities, which International Relations are rooted in Islamic beliefs. December 2018 The GCC was established in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, in May 1981.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA SAARC was established in the year 1985, hitherto avoided including core economic issues in its program.

The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry was formed in 1992 from local chambers of commerce from all nine members of SAARC including FICCI. SCCI

Pakistan is the Permanent Secretariat International Relations of SAARC. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a mega regional free trade agreement being negotiated amongst 16 countries. It comprises

10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, RCEP Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) International Relations Six ASEAN FTA partners, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, December 2018 Korea and New Zealand.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Avangard is a hypersonic glider, developed by Russia.

The Avangard missile system combines a powerful ballistic missile with a “hypersonic glider.”

The system is capable of speeds exceeding Mach 5 and can perform evasive maneuvers to avoid modern Avangard Hypersonic Missile missile defense systems. International Relations

It uses a scramjet engine and is December 2018 capable of delivering both nuclear and conventional payloads.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the global body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling.

The IWC currently has 89 member governments from countries all over the world.

All members are signatories to the International Whaling Commission International Convention for the International Relations Regulation of Whaling. December 2018 This Convention is the legal framework which established the IWC in 1946.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Waziristan is a mountainous region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.

It consists of North Waziristan, South Waziristan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

The area is mostly populated by Waziristan ethnic Pashtuns. International Relations It is named after the Wazir tribe. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is a valley located at the border of Nagaland and Manipur, behind the Japfü Peak located in Nagaland.

This valley is well known for its natural environment, seasonal flowers and flora and fauna. Dzukou Valley

The valley is famous for its wide Geography range of flower, especially Dzukou Lily which is only found in this December 2018 valley.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Teesta originates from Kangse Glacier, Charamu Lake in Sikkim, most of its catchment area lies in India.

It is a 414 km long river flowing through the Indian states of West Bengal, Sikkim before going to the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh. Teesta river Geography After Brahmapurta, Ganges and Meghna, Teesta is the 4th largest December 2018 river in Bangladesh.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Munroe Island or Mundro thuruthu is an inland island located at the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River, in Kollam district, Kerala.

It is a string of 8 islets, named after Colonel John Munroe, the British Resident of erstwhile Travancore Munroe Island State. Geography

Kambatti thickets is a variety of December 2018 mangrove found near the island.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is a project of the Karnataka government to develop a 'Balancing Reservoir' at Mekedatu, across the Cauvery River.

It is for supplying potable water to Bengaluru and parts of Mysore region. Mekedatu Multi-Purpose Project

The project also involves power Geography generation plan apart from drinking water plan. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Pangong Lake, is a salt water lake in the Himalayas situated that extends from India to China.

During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water. Pangong Tso (lake) It is not a part of Indus river basin area and geographically a separate Geography land locked river basin. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA A tsunami is a series of waves caused by earthquakes or undersea volcanic eruptions.

Out in the depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height.

But as the waves travel inland, they Tsunami build up to higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases. Geography

The speed of tsunami waves depends December 2018 on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is an ambitious and visionary species conservation goal that was set by the governments of the 13 tiger range countries to double the number of wild tigers by 2022.

The year 2022 is the next Chinese year of the tiger. TX2

It was launched by World Wildlife Environment Foundation (WWF) at the 2010 St Petersburg Tiger Summit held in December 2018 Russia.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Future Earth is a new 10-year global research platform providing the knowledge and support to accelerate our transformation to a sustainable world.

It will bring together three global environmental change programmes: Future Earth The International Geosphere- Environment Biosphere Programme (IGBP) The International Human December 2018 Dimensions Programme (IHDP) DIVERSITAS

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA PARIVESH is a Single-Window Integrated Environmental Management System.

It stands for Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and Environmental Single- window Hub. PARIVESH The system has been designed, developed and hosted by the Ministry Environment of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with technical support from December 2018 National Informatics Centre, (NIC).

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Bioplastics are plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, food waste, etc.

It can be made from agricultural by- products and also from used plastic bottles and other containers using microorganisms. Bioplastics Environment Not all bioplastics are biodegradable nor biodegrade more readily than December 2018 commodity fossil-fuel derived plastics.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Timberlines are the uppermost limit of canopy forests.

They gradually gives way to the treeline beyond which trees do not grow.

This is because they are limited by climate factors including low Timberline and treeline temperatures and high winds on mountain tops prevent woody tree Environment growth higher up. December 2018 Timberlines, therefore, serve as indicators of climate change.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is considered one of the world’s smallest breeds of cattle.

Punganur is a dwarf dual purpose cattle breed and mainly confined to Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

This breed was developed by Rulers Punganur Cow of Punganur area and hence named after the area. Environment December 2018 It is known for draught resistance.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA This bird is among the heaviest of the flying birds.

The biggest threat to this species is hunting.

Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Great Indian Bustard Environment Listed in the CMS Convention and in Appendix I of CITES. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Indian Owl Festival, the country’s first owl fest, held at Pune. It is a two-day festival organised by Ela Foundation, an NGO. Hangul Owl is protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, Environment 1972. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Germanwatch, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, which actively promote North- South equity and the preservation of livelihoods.

It is based in Bonn, Germany. Germanwatch The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an Environment annual publication by Germanwatch and Climate December 2018 Action Network Europe.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is an organization of governments that are members of the United Nations or WMO, which provides regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. IPCC

It was created in 1988 by the Environment World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and UNEP. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Marsupials are distinct by the fact that its young are carried in a pouch.

They give live birth, but they do not have long gestation times like placental mammals.

All extant marsupials are endemic to Australasia and the Americas. Marsupials

Well-known marsupials include Environment kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, possums, opossums, wombats, and December 2018 Tasmanian devils.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Pangolins have large, protective keratin scales covering their skin.

They are the only known mammals with this feature. Pangolins They were also protected under the Schedule II of the Wildlife Environment (Protection) Act, 1972. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The largest floating island in India is in the Hebbagodi Lake in Bengaluru.

It is an artificially made island and comprises of rafts built with reused PVC pipes that allow Hebbagodi Lake plants to grow hydroponically (without soil, and through mineral Geography nutrient solutions). December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Ross Sea, the southernmost sea on Earth is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land and within the Ross Embayment.

Ross Sea is sometimes called the "Last Ocean" because it is largely untouched by humans. Ross Sea

It is the Serengeti of Antarctica, a Geography wild place full of wildlife such as December 2018 emperor penguins, leopard seals, minke whales, and killer whales.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between the United Kingdom (particularly England and Scotland), Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Markermeer Lake

It connects to the ocean through Geography the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea December 2018 in the north.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Galapagos Island is a World Heritage Site that belongs to Ecuador. Fireworks have been banned on the Galapagos Islands to protect the archipelago’s Galapagos Island unique fauna. Geography

December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Tijuana is located on the Gold Coast of the Mexican state of Baja California and on the Baja California Peninsula.

It is the largest city of the Baja California state. Tijuana

Tijuana exerts a strong Geography influence on local economics, education, culture, art, and December 2018 politics.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Exercise Hand-in-Hand is conducted annually as part of military diplomacy and interaction between armies of India and China.

The exercise will involve tactical level operations in an International Counter Insurgency/ Counter Hand-in-Hand Exercise Terrorist environment under UN mandate. World Affairs

The joint exercise for the year December 2018 2018 will be conducted at Chengdu, China.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman)

The GCC was established in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, in May 1981. Gulf Cooperation Council

The highest decision-making entity World Affairs of the GCC is the Supreme Council, which meets on an annual basis December 2018 and consists of GCC heads of state.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA INTERPOL is global police co-operation agency and a non-governmental organization (NGO).

It was established as the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC) in 1923.

Its headquarters is located at Lyon, France. INTERPOL

It is the 2nd-largest international World Affairs organization after the United Nations in terms of December 2018 international representation with 190 member countries.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.

It represents the U.S. healthcare PPACA system's most significant regulatory overhaul and World Affairs expansion of coverage since the passage of Medicare and December 2018 Medicaid in 1965.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Antigua an island in the West Indies, one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region.

It is one of the 2 major Antigua islands that make up the World Affairs Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Tigris river is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia.

The river flows south after originating in Lake Hazar from the Taurus Mountains of southeastern Turkey through Tigris River Iraq and empties itself into the Persian Gulf as Shatt al-Arab. Geography

It flows through Turkey, Syria December 2018 (as a border with Turkey) and Iraq

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Global Tiger Forum (GTF) is the only inter- governmental international body formed in 1993 on recommendations from an international symposium on Tiger Conservation at New Delhi, India.

The first meeting of the Tiger Range countries to setup the forum was held in 1994, in which India was elected to the Chair and was asked to form an GTF interim secretariat. Environment The GTF has a General Assembly meeting every 3 years and Standing December 2018 committee meetings at least once a year

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is a two-day festival organised by Ela Foundation, an NGO.

It is a first-of-its-kind festival in the country (held at Pune) that is being organised with the Owl Festival intention of creating awareness about owl as a bird and Environment debunking numerous superstitions associated with it. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA It is a 288 megawatt wind park in Norway.

It is to be built in an area on Norway’s northwest coast used as pastures during winter months. Storheia Wind Park It is part of Europe’s largest onshore wind power project Geography being developed by the Fosen December 2018 Vind consortium.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The sambar deer is the largest Oriental deer, it hairy coat generally consistent in colour, vary from yellowish-brown to almost dark grey.

Only the male sambar deer has The Sambar Deer antlers - These antlers have Environment three points, or tines. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve was constituted under the project tiger by joining three protected areas- Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary & Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

It is Located in the Lakhimpur- Kheri district, on the Indo-Nepal border, in the Terai region of Uttar The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Pradesh. Environment

It represents the best natural December 2018 forests and grasslands, and the last viable home of the Royal Bengal Tiger left in Uttar Pradesh.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabits tropical warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

The coast of Odisha in India is the largest mass nesting site for the The Olive Ridly Turtles Olive-ridley turtles. Environment The species is recognized as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red list. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Javan Rhino is the rarest of the rhino species with 63-67 animals surviving only in Indonesia.

Javan rhinos are now found only in Indonesia’s Ujung Kulon National Park. The Javan Rhino

The population appears to have Environment stabilized because they are December 2018 guarded by Rhino Protection Units.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Hangul is a subspecies of elk native to India (also called as Kashmir Stag), found in the Dachigam National Park

The animal was classified as ‘critically endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Hangul

The state of Jammu & Kashmir, Environment along with the IUCN and the WWF prepared a project for the December 2018 protection of hanguls known as Project Hangul.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Dermophis Donaldtrumpi is a newly discovered blind and burrowing amphibian, a small legless creature was found in Panama.

It is to be officially named Dermophis donaldtrumpi, in Dermophis Donaldtrumpi recognition of the US president’s climate change Environment denial which is matched to its December 2018 ability to bury its head in the ground.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA ‘GAJAH’ was a report by the Elephant Task Force for securing a future for the elephant in India.

It was in news in connection ‘GAJAH’ with illegal construction in Environment the Nilgiri Elephant Corridor. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Singapore city-state prepares to unveil an Underground Master Plan in 2019 as the island nation is fast running out of space.

The focus is on using underground space for utility, Underground Master plan transport, storage and industrial facilities to free up surface land World Affairs for housing, offices, community December 2018 uses and greenery, to enhance liveability.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Project 1135.6 frigate is a class of guided-missile frigates designed and built by Russia for the Indian Navy.

It is a modified form of Krivak III- class frigates.

The deal for the Grigorovich-class Project 1135.6 ‘Project 1135.6’ frigates is between Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) Security and the Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport to be December 2018 built at Yantar shipyard, Kaliningrad in Russia.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Sahariya Tribe is the only primitive tribe of the Rajasthan state and also found in Madhya Pradesh.

Sahariyas generally reside in separate basti in the village which is called ‘Saharana’.

They follow Hindu religious practices and speak a dialect influenced by Sahariya Tribe ‘Hadoti’. Culture The main business is collecting minor forest produce, gathering and selling December 2018 of forest wood, gum, Tendu leaf, honey, fruits and vegetables.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Mandana painting is an oldest form of tribal art in India done in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh by one of the oldest tribal communities.

It is drawn on floor and walls as a mark of celebration and to protect home and hearth. Mandana painting Each mandana painting was Culture accompanied by a different song, which had been catalogued and December 2018 recorded.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was founded in 1984 with the vision to spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India.

It is a non-profit charitable organisation registered under the Societies' Registration Act, 1860. INTACH In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special consultative status with Culture United Nations Economic and Social Council. December 2018

INTACH is recognized as one of the world’s largest heritage organizations.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations for development and beautification of the identified pilgrimage destinations. PRASAD Scheme The scheme aimed at infrastructure development such as entry points Culture (road, rail and water transport), last mile connectivity, basic tourism December 2018 facilities.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Buddhist triangle of Odisha refers to three Buddhist sites which are hills filled with ancient Buddhist archaeological sites excavated recently,Ratnagiri ( the hill of precious gems), Lalitagiri (the red hill) and Udayagiri (the hill of the rising sun). The Buddhist Triangle Hiuen Tsang in his chronicles referred to the Diamond Triangle of Culture Odisha as ‘Pusipokili’, a place of learning perhaps referring to ancient December 2018 Pushpagiri University.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Bhasha Sangam initiative under the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ aims to make the students aware about the unique cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity of our country.

It provides an opportunity to schools and educational institution to provide multilingual exposure to students in Bhasha Sangam Indian Languages. Culture The objective is to familiarize every child with simple dialogues in all the December 2018 22 languages under Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Bhitargaon Temple is a brick temple built in the 5th century during the Gupta period.

It is the oldest remaining brick/terracotta Hindu shrine with a roof and a high Shikhara. Bhitargaon Temple The village Bhitargaon had been part of an ancient city called Phulpur. Culture

The temple was simply known as December 2018 Dewal.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Jnanpith Award is India’s highest literary honour presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature".

Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian writers writing in Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and English, Jnanpith Award with no posthumous conferral. Culture The award carries cash prize of 11 lakh rupees, a citation plaque and a bronze December 2018 replica of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Lingayatism, a Shaivite religious tradition found mainly in Karnataka, was founded, or revived, by the 12th- century philosopher and statesman Basava.

Lingayat scholars who they emphasize qualified monism and concept of bhakti (devotion) of God, thrived in northern Karnataka during the Vijayanagara Lingayatism Empire. Culture The followers, both the men and the women, wear small representations of a December 2018 lingam hanging by a cord around their necks (Ishtalinga necklace).

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2014-15 to develop theme based tourist circuits in the country.

Under this scheme, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development.

It is 100% centrally funded scheme for project components undertaken for public Swadesh Darpan Scheme funding. Culture It also has provision for leveraging voluntary funding under Corporate Social December 2018 Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Central Public Sector Undertakings and corporate sector.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah is the mausoleum of one of the Sufi saints, Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, situated in the Nizamuddin West area of Delhi, is known for its evening qawwali devotionnal music sessions.

It was constructed by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq of the Tughlaq Dynasty, who was his avid follower. Nizamuddin Dargah

Inside the dargah complex, the tombs of Culture poet Amir Khusro, Mughal princess Jehan Ara Begum, and Inayat Khan are found. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Kamsale is a folk dance form named after a jalra-like instrument also called Kamsale.

This form is popular mainly in the Kannada-speaking areas ofMysuru, Mandya, Kollegal, Chamarajanagara, Nanjangudu and outskirts of Bengaluru. Kamsale

This dance form incorporates both the Culture elements of dance and martial arts, is performed by the Haalu Kuruba / December 2018 Kuruba Gowda community, who are devotees of Lord Mahadeshwara.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Roshni Act envisaged the transfer of ownershiprights of state land to its occupants, subject to the payment of a cost, as determined by the government.

It set the year 1990 as the cutoff for encroachment on state land but the cutoff year was later Roshni Act relaxed to 2004. Polity And Governance The revenue generated to be used on commissioning December 2018 hydroelectric power projects, and hence the name “Roshni”.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is planning to come up with a ‘sandbox’ policy to support development of financial technologies for the capital market. Sandbox Policy A sandbox approach denotes the trial of a concept before final Economics adaptation, thus minimising the impact of any failure. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA India and the UAE signed currency swap agreement.

Currency Swap is such a pact between two countries that allows trading in their own currency and payments to import and export Currency Swap trade at pre-determined exchange rate without bringing in a third Economics benchmark currency like the US dollars. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Angel Tax is a 30% tax that is levied on the funding received by startups from an external investor.

If a company has issued shares to an angel investor at a price that's higher than its fair market value, the extra amount received by the company will be taxed. Angel Tax Economics Angel tax was introduced in 2012, with the purpose of keeping money December 2018 laundering in check and is counted as income to the company and is taxed.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Northeast Frontier Railway Construction Organisation has put in place the pier near Manipur’s Noney for the tallest railway bridge in the world.

The bridge, across the valley of river Ijai, is part of the 111-km Noney Bridge Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal project and Geography once completed will have a pier height of 141 metres. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Gold dore is a semi-pure alloy of gold and silver.

India is the world's second- biggest gold consumer after China.

The government put the imports Gold dore of gold dore in restricted category Economics and an importer needs a license to import this commodity. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Bhatat Kosh Portal is a Non-Tax Receipt Portal (NTRP) to provide one stop services to deposit any fees/fine/other money into the Government Account.

It is an initiative of Ministry of Finance and it converges all the Civil Ministries/Departments of Bharat Kosh Portal Government of India. Economics It aims to provide 24X7 year round electronic services to deposit the December 2018 money using internet based payment technologies.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA “Digi Yatra” is an initiative by ministry of civil aviation to make boarding pass and security check- ins digital at airports.

This would be done using facial recognition based passenger processing (biometrics). Digi Yatra

Under this initiative, a digital mode Economics for airport entry and verification of December 2018 passengers would be used.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA "Heart Attack Rewind" campaign aiming to do away with the 'bad cholesterol' from the food supply by 2022, a year ahead of the global target.

The current permitted level of industrially-produced trans fat is 5 per cent in India. “Heart Attack rewind”

FSSAI will be reducing the Economics industrially produced trans fatty acids to less than 2 per cent by the December 2018 year 2022 in a phased manner.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) is an annual event which discuss, debate and develop model solutions for some of the biggest water related problems in the country.

The discussions this year will be on rejuvenation of the Ganga River Basin. IWIS

There will be multi-country dialogue Economics on the subject, with showcasing of technological innovations, research, December 2018 policy frameworks and funding models from India and abroad.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban is an initiative of the central government to provide affordable housing to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million houses by 31 March 2022.

It is being implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. PMAY-U This scheme is converged with other schemes to ensure houses have a toilet, Economics Saubhagya Yojana electricity connection, Ujjwala Yojana LPG gas December 2018 connection, access to drinking water and Jan Dhan banking facilities, etc.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Colistin is called ‘holy water’ in the practice of medicine as the last resort for very sick patients.

The main cause of contamination in fruits and vegetables is a spillover from Colistin the poultry industry, where Colistin is used as a growth Science & Technology factor and poultry litter is used as manure in agricultural fields. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Farout is a newly discovered object which is the most-distant body ever observed in the solar system.

It is the first object ever found orbiting at more than 100 times the Farout distance from Earth to the sun. Science & Technology

December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Athena is the internet beaming satellite being developed by Facebook.

The new device is designed to “efficiently provide broadband Athena access to unserved and underserved areas throughout Science & Technology the world.” December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Finder Of Rare Entities (FIRE) is an algorithm developed by Delhi researchers to detect rare cells like circulating tumour cells, cancer stem cells, antigen-specific T cells, circulating endothelial cells.

Rare cell populations can shed light FIRE on the process of cancer metastasis Science & Technology (spreading of cancer to other parts of the body) thus providing information December 2018 for early detection and clinical management of the disease.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA PhotoDNA is a technology that aids in finding and removing known images of child exploitation.

It was developed by Microsoft partnering with Dartmouth College in 2009.

PhotoDNA is not a facial recognition software and cannot be used to identify PhotoDNA a person or object in an image and Science & Technology cannot be used to recreate an image. December 2018 Microsoft donated PhotoDNA to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), Mumbai actively engaged in basic and applied research in Geomagnetism and allied areas of Geophysics, Atmospheric & Space Physics and Plasma Physics.

It started out as a successor to the Colaba Magnetic Observatory set up in 1826. IIG It is where the first regular magnetic observatory in the country was Science & Technology established in 1841. December 2018 In 1971 IIG became autonomous and is now under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Kuiper Belt (also known as the Edgeworth–Kuiper belt) is a region of the Solar System that exists beyond the eight major planets.

It extends from the orbit of Neptune (at 30 AU) to approximately 50 AU from the Sun. Kuiper Belt

It is similar to the asteroid belt, in that it Science & Technology contains many small bodies, all remnants from the Solar System’s December 2018 formation.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The AKARI (ASTRO-F) is Japan’s first infrared-ray astronomical satellite to perform "survey observations," an all-sky surveys of infrared sources, including stars and galaxies.

AKARI was developed by JAXA/ISAS and collaborators. AKARI Sattelite The main purpose of the AKARI project was to understand How galaxies were formed Science & Technology and evolved into what we now see, How stars were born & How planet systems were December 2018 formed.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA E-Drishti software includes an interface which provides summary information on punctuality of trains for the previous day.

It also provides information on current train running on the Indian Railway network. E-Drishti It provides details of freight earning, freight loading and passenger earnings Science & Technology for the previous day & month and cumulative for the year, in comparison December 2018 to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA HiRISE is a powerful camera onboard another NASA spacecraft, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

HiRISE stands for High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment. HiRISE It consists of a 0.5 m aperture reflecting telescope, the largest so Science & Technology far of any deep space mission, which allows it to take pictures of December 2018 Mars with high resolutions.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) will launch the 2250 kg operational communication satellite, GSAT-7A from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota in it’s 13th flight.

GSLV-F11 (ISRO’s fourth generation launch vehicle) will inject GSAT-7A into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSLV-F11

The satellite will be placed in its final Science & Technology Geostationary Orbit (GEO) about 36,000 km from Earth using the onboard December 2018 propulsion system.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA GSAT-7A is the 35th Indian Communication satellite built by ISRO.

GSAT-7A Spacecraft is configured on ISRO’s standard I-2000 Kg (I- 2K) Bus. GSAT-7A

The Satellite is built to provide Science & Technology communication capability to the users in Ku-band over the Indian December 2018 region.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Marburg is a hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus.

The virus is considered to be extremely dangerous that The World Health Organization (WHO) Marburg rates it as a Risk Group 4 Science & Technology Pathogen. December 2018

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Chang’e-4 is humanity’s first probe to land on and explore the far side of the moon.

The Chang’e-4 lunar probe mission is launched on a Long March 3B rocket from the southwestern Xichang launch centre, China. Chang’e-4

Unlike the near side of the moon that Science & Technology is “tidally locked” and always faces the earth, the far side is mountainous December 2018 and rugged.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The Very Large Telescope (VLT) is located on Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile is operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

The VLT consists of four individual telescopes, Antu, Kueyen, Melipal and Yepun, each with a primary mirror 8.2 m across. VLT Telescope

The VLT is the most productive ground- Science & Technology based facility for astronomy, with only the Hubble Space Telescope generating December 2018 more scientific papers among facilities operating at visible wavelengths.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart“ (CAPTCHA ) is a type of challenge–response test used in computing to determine whether or not the user is human.

The most common type of CAPTCHA (Version 1.0) was first invented in 1997, This form of CAPTCHA requires that the user type the letters of a distorted image, sometimes with CAPTCHA the addition of an obscured sequence of letters or digits that appears on the screen. Science & Technology

A CAPTCHA is sometimes described as a December 2018 reverse Turing test, because the test is administered by a computer.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Soyuz is a series of spacecraft designed for the Soviet space program in the 1960s.

The Soyuz succeeded the Voskhod spacecraft and was originally built as part of the Soviet manned lunar programs.

The Soyuz program is currently the only operational astronaut-transportation system in the world. Soyuz

American astronauts began flying on the Science & Technology Soyuz in 2003, when the U.S. space- shuttle program was put on hold after the December 2018 Columbia disaster.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Baikonur Cosmodrome is a space port of Russia in Kazakhstan.

It has been the launch site for Soviet and Russian space missions since the beginning of space exploration in 1957. Baikonur Cosmodrome Baikonur, although it is located in Kazakhstan, is an enclave of Science & Technology Russian territory. December 2018 The first satellite and the first human flew into space from here.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA The GenBank sequence database is an open access, annotated collection of all publicly available nucleotide sequences and their protein translations.

This database is produced and maintained by the US’s National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) as part of the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration GenBank (INSDC). Science & Technology It can show how quickly the virus is December 2018 spreading and help us understand from where the virus came to India and for how long it had been circulating.

Powered by Current Affairs Plus Prelims Exclusive Classes – Taking you beyond CA Measles (also known as rubeola or morbilli) is a highly contagious viral disease is caused by a single stranded RNA virus called Measles virus.

Being an airborne disease, Measles is an endemic disease, meaning it is continually present in a community, and many people develop resistance. Measles Science & Technology It is an unpleasant condition that normally passes without treatment December 2018 within 7 to 10 days.

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