11th December
National & International Organizations
1. UN General Assembly grants Observer Status to International Solar Alliance
- United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to International Solar Alliance (ISA) for positive global climate action through partnerships to benefit global energy growth and development.
- Total of 108 countries participated in ISA Assembly, including 74 Member Countries and 34 Observer and Prospective Countries, 23 Partner Organizations and 33 Special Invitee Organizations.
- ISA Founded: November 2015.
- Headquarters of ISA: Gurugram.
Honours & Awards
2. Balkrishna Doshi honoured with Royal Gold Medal 2022
- Balkrishna Doshi has been selected for Royal Gold Medal 2022 by Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
- Royal Gold Medal is world’s highest honour for architecture.
- Balkrishna Doshi is an important figure of Indian architecture and his more noteworthy designs include IIM Bangalore, IIM Udaipur, NIFT Delhi, Amdavad ni Gufa, CEPT University, and Aranya Low Cost Housing development in Indore which was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
Science & Technology
3. DRDO successfully test fired Pinaka-ER, ADM & New Indigenous Fuzes
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test fired Pinaka Extended Range (Pinaka-ER), Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuzes
- Pinaka-ER: It is the upgraded version of the earlier version of Pinaka which has been in service with Indian Army. It has been designed in the light of emerging requirements with advanced technologies
- ARDE, Pune has developed different fuzes for Pinaka rocket for different types of applications
Honours & Awards
4. Neena Gupta receives 2021 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians
- Indian Mathematician Neena Gupta has received 2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from Developing Countries for her outstanding work in affine algebraic geometry and commutative algebra.
- She is the third woman to receive Ramanujan Prize, which was first awarded in 2005 and is administered by Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics jointly with Dept Science and Technology and International Mathematical Union.
National Affairs
5. NCW launches Online Resource Center on Cyber Safety
- National Commission for Women (NCW) launches Online Resource Center on Cyber Safety Under ‘We Think Digital’ Programme to ensure women safety in cyberspace
- The programme is run collaboratively by the Commission, Facebook and Cyber Peace Foundation
- The centre can be accessed at www.digitalshakti.org and will act as a source of information and support for online presence.
- It will also help in fighting Cyber violence against women, preventing tech abuse against them
Important Dates
6. International Mountain Day: 11th December
- International Mountain Day (IMD) is celebrated annually on 11th December to promote awareness for mountain communities around the globe.
- December 11th was officially declared as IMD by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/245 in December 2002.
- Theme 2021: Sustainable mountain tourism.
- International Mountain Day is a national holiday in Japan as of 2016.
National & International Appointments
7. Gautam Raghavan elevated to Head of White House personnel office
- Indian-origin Gautam Raghavan has been elevated to Head of the White House personnel office.
- He succeeded Catherine Russel, who has been appointed Executive Director of UNICEF.
- Gautam Raghavan was Russel's Deputy at the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.
- He is the editor of the book 'West Wingers: Stories from the Dream Chasers, Change Makers, and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House'.
National Affairs
8. BEE launches Certification Course on Home Energy Audit (HEA)
- Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has launched ‘Certification Course on Home Energy Audit (HEA)’, during National Energy Conservation Week: 8th–14th December 2021.
- HEA enables appropriate accounting, quantification, verification, monitoring, and analysis of energy use of various energy-consuming equipment and appliances in a house
- Certification Course will facilitate creation of a pool of professionals to perform home energy audits based on the needs.
National Affairs
9. PM Modi inaugurates Saryu Canal National project in UP's Balrampur
- PM Modi has inaugurated Saryu Canal National Project which will provide assured water for irrigation to over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers in UP
- The project has been completed at a cost of over Rs 9,800 crore, out of which more than Rs 4,600 crore was provisioned in the last 4 years
- Saryu canal project involves interlinking of five rivers Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region
National Affairs
10. Lok Sabha discusses on Climate Change under House Rule 193
- Lok Sabha discussed on Climate Change under House Rule 193, which does not involve a formal motion before the House.
- House Rule 193:
- no voting can take place after discussion on matters under this rule.
- Member who gives notice may make short statement and have previously intimated to Speaker, may be permitted to take part in discussion
- Member who raises the discussion has no right of reply.
- At the end of the discussion, the Minister concerned gives a brief reply.
Schemes
11. NEDFi announces Atmanirbhar Hastshilpkar Scheme
- North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) has announced Atmanirbhar Hastshilpkar Scheme for the grass root Artisans of the region under Ministry of Development of North East Region (DONER)
- Total of 17 artisans have been provided with credit assistance of Rs.1 lakh per artisan
- Credit facility is collateral free and carries subsidized interest rate of 6% p.a., which is repayable in 24 months
- For regular repayment, incentive of 1% on interest rate
12th December
National & International Appointments
1. Catherine Russell appointed as new Executive Director of UNICEF
- Senior White House official Catherine Russell of the United States will become the next Executive Director of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
- She will succeed Henrietta Fore, who resigned in July 2021
- She is currently serving as the Assistant to the President, and Director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.
- Headquarters: New York, USA.
- President of UNICEF: Tore Hattrem.
Sports
2. Magnus Carlsen claims 5th FIDE World Chess Championship
- Norway’s Magnus Carlsen (31 years) claimed his fifth world chess crown in Dubai with FIDE World Chess Championship and a crushing 7.5-3.5 victory
- He defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi, who faded badly after going toe-to-toe in the early games.
- Carlsen wins 60% of the 2 million-euro prize offered by the championship.
- FIDE World Chess Championship 2021 was played during Expo 2020 at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Dubai, UAE, between 24 November and 12 December 2021.
National & International Organizations
3. India ranks 66th at Global Health Security (GHS) Index 2021
- India has been ranked 66th at Global Health Security (GHS) Index 2021, across 195 countries with a score of 42.8 (out of 100).
- GHS Index has been developed in partnership of Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and Johns Hopkins Center.
- It assesses countries’ health security and capabilities across six categories and 37 indicators
- Top performers: US, Australia, Finland, Canada, Thailand
- Worst Performer: Somalia (195), Yemen (194), North Korea (193)
National & International Organizations
4. India re-elected to International Maritime Organization Council
- India has been re-elected to International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council after elections, held in London for the 2022-23 biennium.
- India’s election falls under Category of 10 states with the largest interest in international seaborne trade, alongside Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UAE.
- The newly elected council will meet at the conclusion of 32nd Assembly formally for the IMO’s 126th session
National Affairs
5. Centre to organize ‘Innovation week’ to encourage Startup ecosystem
- Dept for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will organize week-long event, titled Celebrating Innovation Ecosystem in January 2022.
- The event will mark 6th anniversary of Startup India initiative.
- Aim: to bring together the country’s key Startups, entrepreneurs, investors, policy makers and other national/ international stakeholders
- Tentative themes: International Engagements, market access and incubation support, funding support to Start-ups etc
Science & Technology
6. DRDO test-fired Helicopter-launched Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force has successfully flight-tested indigenously designed and developed Helicopter-launched Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile from Pokhran range
- It is equipped with state-of-the-art Millimetre Wave Seeker which provides high precision strike capability from safe distance
- It can neutralise targets in a range up to 10 km
- SANT missile has been designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad
Obituaries
7. Gothic novel author Anne Rice passes away
- Famous American writer, Anne Rice (80 years) passed away in Rancho Mirage, California, due to complications resulting from a stroke
- She widely known for her bestselling gothic novel, Interview with the Vampire, published in 1976 and was later adapted into a movie starring Tom Cruise in 1994.
- She went on to wrote sequels to the book, forming series called The Vampire Chronicles, Queen of the Damned
- Other works: Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, The Feast of All Saints
Sports
8. Chandeep Singh bags Silver medal at Para World Taekwondo Championships
- Para-Athlete Chandeep Singh has bagged Silver medal in the Men's 80 kg event at 9th Para World Taekwondo Championships at Istanbul in Turkey.
- This is India's first ever medal in the history of Para Taekwondo World Championship.
- He is also the first Para Athlete from Jammu and Kashmir to achieve a feat at World level.
- He was trained under Taekwondo Coach in J&K Atul Pangotra.
- 9th Para World Taekwondo Championships held at Istanbul, Turkey from 9th to 12th Dec 2021.
State Affairs
9. Sonowal inaugurates River Cruise Service at Mormugao Port Trust Goa
- Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated River Cruise Services at the Marmugao Port in Goa.
- Services will immediately begin on all the proposed routes with its FRP double deck boats to give the tourists a complete experience of Goan culture and history.
- This will be a common user's facility and any entrepreneur can venture into and start a new and similar type of Service from this berthing facility, available in the Port.
National Affairs
10. M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat in Hyderabad
- Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat exhibition at Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University Campus, Nampally, Hyderabad.
- The Exhibition is being organised by Regional Outreach Bureau, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- It will highlight interesting aspects of the paired states of Haryana and Telangana like art forms, cuisine, festivals, monuments and tourism spots.
- It is a unique initiative to promote national integration
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