Current Affairs Today 12th December 2019-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 12th December 2019

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

International Day of Neutrality observed on 12 December

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

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United Nations: It is an International Organization. Its Objective of UN is to not only maintain International Peace and Security but also to develop Friendly relations among nations.

• Founded – 24th October, 1945
• Headquarter- New York,United States
• Secretary General- Antonio Guterres (9th SG OF UN)
• He is from PORTUGAL
• Portugal (Capital/Currency) – Lisbon/ Euro
• United States (Capital/Currency) – Washington, D.C/ US Dollar

International Universal Health Coverage Day: 12 December

• International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) is celebrated globally on 12 December.
• International Universal Health Coverage Day aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.
• The theme for the 2019 UHC Day is “Keep the promise”

FINANCE AND ECONOMY

ADB lowers India’s GDP growth forecast to 5.1% in FY20

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has lowered its forecast for India’s economic growth in fiscal year 2019-20 to 5.1%.
• ADB has stated that the consumption was affected by slow job growth and rural distress was aggravated by poor harvest.

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ADB: The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The company also maintains 31 field offices around the world to promote social and economic development in Asia.

• Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
• President: Currently Vacant
• Founded: 19 December 1966
• Membership: 68 countries
• Purpose: Economic development

Xiaomi launches service “Mi Credit” in India for Android phones

• Xiaomi has formally launched its lending platform “Mi Credit” in India for Android phones. According to platform “Mi Credit” individuals can avail up to Rs 1 lakh loan.
• The company is planning to introduce more financial products in India.
• The company has been operating Mi Credit platform on a pilot basis.
• Xiaomi has roped in Aditya Birla Finance Ltd, Money View, EarlySalary, Zestmoney and CreditVidya as the current lending partners for Mi Credit service.
• Mi Credit app will come pre-loaded on all MIUI phones, and can be downloaded from Google Play Store.

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Xiaomi: Xiaomi Corporation is a Chinese electronics company founded by Lei Jun in 2010 and headquartered in Beijing. Xiaomi makes and invests in smartphones, mobile apps, laptops, bags, trimmers, earphones, MI Television, Shoes, fitness bands, and many other products.

• CEO: Lei Jun
• Founded: 6 April 2010, Yingu Mansion, Beijing, China
• Headquarters: Haidian District, Beijing, China
• Parent organization: Xiaomi Corp
• Founders: Lei Jun, Li Wanqiang, Lin Bin, Wang Chuan, Zhou Guangping, Hong Feng, Wong Jiangji, Liu De

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Department of Social Justice started a scheme

• Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has started the scheme of National award for outstanding service in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug abuse.
• The scheme is applicable to institutions and individuals working in the field of prevention of alcoholism and drug abuse.
• The national award will be presented to the awardees on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26th of June 2020.

Workshop on Bamboo cultivation to be held in Jammu

• In Jammu and Kashmir, a first of its kind workshop on Bamboo cultivation will be held on 19th and 20 of this month in Jammu.
• Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the exhibition.
• The workshop will focus on the promotion of Bamboo cultivation in the potential Kandi areas of Jammu and its value addition as an economic activity and generate entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.

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Jammu & Kashmir:

• Capitals- Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
• Lt Governor- Girish Chandra Murmu
• National Parks: City Forest (Salim Ali) National Park, Dachigam National Park, Hemis National Park, Kishtwar National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Baltal-Thajwas WLS, Changthang Cold Desert WLS, Gulmarg WLS, Jasrota WLS, Karakoram (Nubra Shyok) WLS etc

ASI has identified 138 monuments as “Must See” monuments in country

• Archaeological Survey of India has identified 138 numbers of monuments as Must-See Monuments and information thereof is made available on “Must See” portal of Archaeological Survey of India.
• There are 38 World Heritage Sites in India, out of which 22 Cultural Sites including monuments/ buildings and caves are under the protection of Archaeological Survey of India.
• The ‘Must See’ list of ASI features first-class Indian monuments and archaeological sites including those that feature on UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)World Heritage List.
• Such monuments and sites showcase exceptionality in terms of art and architecture, planning and design.

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ASI: The Archaeological Survey of India is an Indian government agency attached to the Ministry of Culture that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its first Director-General.

• Founder: Alexander Cunningham
• Founded: 1871
• Headquarters location: New Delhi
• Parent organisation: Ministry of Culture, Government of India
• Motto: प्रत्नकीर्तिमपावृणु

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Odisha wins ‘World Habitat Award’ for OLHM- Jaga Mission

• Odisha won the bronze in ‘World Habitat Award’ for Jaga Mission also called Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission (OLHM), a slum land titling project executed for the benefit of millions of urban-poor people living in slums.
• The award was given by the World Habitat, a UK (United Kingdom) based organization which gives the award annually to recognize innovative housing projects around the world.
• The Jaga is a society under Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), Government of Odisha.
• The OLHM-JAGA aims at transforming the slums into livable habitats
• The mission works under the Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Act passed in September 2017.

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Odisha:

• Capital: Bhubaneswar
• Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
• Governor: Ganeshi Lal
• National Park: Bhitarkanika NP, Simlipal NP

Andhra Pradesh is to set up a virtual police station

• Andhra Pradesh is to set up a virtual police station (VPS) in the Andhra University (AU). It will be the first of its kind.
• It will help the students to report violence or any other crime online.
• The plan to establish VPS was initially proposed by AU vice-chancellor Prasad Reddy in August 2019.

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Andhra Pradesh:

• Capital: Amravati
• Chief Minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy
• Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan

INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

World’s First commercial electric plane takes flight in Canada

• The world’s first fully-electric commercial aircraft took its inaugural test flight, taking off from the Canadian city of Vancouver and flying for 15 minutes.
• A 62-year-old six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane re-fitted with a fully electric 750 horsepower motor was piloted by Greg McDougall, founder and chief executive of Harbour Air, a British Columbia-based charter airline that transport passengers between Vancouver.
• MagniX designed the motor and worked in partnership with Harbour Air which ferries thousands of people a year between Vancouver, Whistler ski resort and nearby islands.

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Canada (Capital/Currency): Ottawa/ Canadian dollar

• Prime Minister: Justin Trudeau

US became Indias sixth oil supplier by replacing Kuwait

• Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that the United States has surpassed Kuwait to become India’s sixth-largest oil supplier.
• The US has supplied 5.4 million tonnes of crude oil during the first six months of 2019-20. Overall, the US supplied 70% more crude to India during April-September.

Iraq India’s top oil supplier:

♦ Iraq remains as India’s top crude oil supplier. It meets almost one-fourth of India’s oil needs.

♦ Iraq sold 26 million tonnes of crude oil to India from April to September.

Saudi Arabia, the second:

♦ Saudi Arabia was dethroned by Iraq as India’s top oil source for the first time in the 2017-18 fiscal year. Saudi Arabia has stayed in the second spot ever since.

♦ It exported 20.7 million tonnes of crude oil in the first six months.

Nigeria in third:

♦ India ceased to import crude oil from Iran after the reimposition of economic sanctions in May 2019 by the US. It supplied 23.9 million tonnes of oil in 2018-19 fiscal.

Extra Shots:

USA (Capital/Currency): Washington, D.C./ United States Dollar

• President: Donald Trump

Saudi Arabia (Capital/Currency): Riyadh/ Saudi riyal

• President: Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Iraq (Capital/Currency): Baghdad/ Iraqi dinar

• Prime Minister: Adil Abdul-Mahdi

Nigeria (Capital/Currency): Abuja/ Nigerian naira

• President: Muhammadu Buhari

SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

The 37th National Symposium of Heads of Police Training Institutions was held in New Delhi

• The 37th National Symposium of Heads of Police Training Institutions is being held at BPR&D Headquarters, New Delhi.
• The two-day symposium is held from 12-13 December 2019.
• The symposium is organized by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The theme of the two-day Symposium is Optimal Utilization of Resources – Through Sharing and Networking.

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BPRD: The Bureau of Police Research and Development, was set up on 28 August 1970 in furtherance of the objective of the Government of India for the modernisation of police forces. It has evolved as a multifaceted, consultancy organisation.

• Headquarters location: New Delhi
• General nature: Federal law enforcement
• Governing body: Government of India
• Director General: Mr. V.S.K.Kaumudi
• Founded: 28 August 1970
• Parent agency: Ministry of Home Affairs

CPWD organized a National level Business meet in New Delhi

• The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) organized a Business Meet with the Clients and stakeholders on 11 December 2019.
• It aimed to share and familiarize the important activities and achievements of the Department. The meeting was a part of Confidence Building Measure
• The national-level meeting was held to get the views from the Clients and stakeholders about the Services provided by CPWD.

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CPWD: The Central Public Works Department of India, commonly referred to as the CPWD, is a premier Central Government authority in charge of public sector works.

• Founder: James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie
• Founded: July 1854
• Headquarters location: New Delhi

India organizes an International Seminar on Climate Smart Farming Systems

• The International Seminar on Climate Smart Farming Systems for BIMSTEC countries began on 11 December 2019.
• It will be held from 11-13 December in New Delhi.
• The seminar was inaugurated by Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary DARE.
• It is organized by the Department of Agricultural Research & Education, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

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ICAR: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is an autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India. It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture. The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president.

• Founded: 16 July 1929

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

Dell Technologies, UNESCO tie up to boost quality of education

• Dell Technologies announced a new partnership with UNESCO MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace) to enable school teachers to adopt technology in classrooms by using ICT tools.
• The information and communication technology (ICT) tools have been developed by Dell Aarambh and FramerSpace platform.

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UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Paris, France.

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Head: Audrey Azoulay
• Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom
• Formation: 4 November 1946; 73 years ago
• Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council

APPOINTMENT

PUMA signs Sunil Chhetri as brand ambassador

• Indian men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri has signed a 3-year deal with PUMA.
• The Bengaluru FC skipper is currently the second-highest goal-scorer in international football after Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
• He is the most-capped Indian player and is also the all-time top goal scorer for the Indian team. He has been named as the AIFF Player of the Year six times.
• He was also conferred with the Arjuna award in 2011 and Padma Shri in 2019.

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Puma SE, branded as Puma, is a German multinational company that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel and accessories, which is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. Puma is the third largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. The company was founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler.

• Founder: Rudolf Dassler
• Founded: 1948, Herzogenaurach, Germany
• Parent organization: Kering

Pepsico appoints Salman Khan as Pepsi’s new brand ambassador

• PepsiCo has appointed actor Salman Khan as the new brand ambassador of its flagship Pepsi brand of carbonated beverage in India. Brand Pepsi will base its summer 2020 campaign on Salman Khan’s upcoming movie “Dabangg-3”.
• PepsiCo India will launch a 360 degree campaign to leverage the new association.
• Salman Khan has also represented the Pepsico’s product “Thums Up” three years ago.

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PepsiCo, Inc. is an American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation headquartered in Harrison, New York, in the hamlet of Purchase. PepsiCo has interests in the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products.

• CEO: Ramon Laguarta

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

GS Lakshmi to become 1st Woman Match Referee to officiate men’s ODI match

• Indian match referee GS Lakshmi is set to become the first woman match referee to officiate a men’s ODI match.
• She will oversee the third series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.
• The opening match of the competition will take place between the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

ISRO launched RISAT-2BR1 with nine commercial satellites

• ISRO launched the RISAT-2BR1 satellite on 11 December 2019. India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) launched RISAT-2BR1, the fiftieth flight (PSLV-C48), along with nine commercial satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.
• RISAT-2BR1 was injected successfully into an orbit of 576 km.

RISAT-2BR1:

♦ RISAT-2BR1 is a radar imaging satellite.

♦ It is dubbed as a spy satellite.

♦ The mission life span of RISAT-2BR1 is 5 years.

♦ The satellite weighs about 628 kg

♦ It can take pictures of the earth during day and night even under cloudy conditions.

♦ The satellites will help monitor the border 24/7 along with checking infiltration

♦ It will keep an eye on terror or anti-national activities across the borders

♦ The satellite aims to provide services in the field of Forestry, Agriculture, and Disaster Management.

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ISRO: The Indian Space Research Organisation is the space agency of the Government of India.

• Founded: 15 August 1969
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
• Director: Kailasavadivoo Sivan
• Subsidiary: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

AWARDS

Priyanka Chopra honoured at Marrakech Film Festival

• Indian actress Priyanka Chopra was honoured at the Marrakech Film Festival held at the famous Jemaa el Fna square.
• Priyanka Chopra was honoured for her 20 years of work and contribution in cinema.
• Hollywood actor Robert Redford, Moroccan actress Mouna Fettou and filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier were among other people who were honoured at the festival.

Peter Handke received the Nobel Literature Prize

• Author Peter Handke was conferred the Nobel Literature Prize.
• He received the 9 million-kronor ($948,000) award from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony in Stockholm.
• Peter Handke, 76, is an Austrian author and playwright.

OBITUARIES

Former US Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker passes away

• The former US Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker passed away.
• He was appointed as the chief of the US Federal Reserve in 1979.
• He was popularly known for fighting inflation by raising interest rates.
• He was a legendary figure in American finance.

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