Science & Technology
1. NASA launches X-ray space telescope to unlock secrets of black hole
- NASA has launched its new X-ray Mission titled as Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) to unlock the secrets of extreme cosmic objects.
- It was launched through SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida
- It is built to study some of the most energetic objects in the universe like the remnants of exploded stars, powerful particle jets spewing from feeding black holes.
- The mission is a collaboration between NASA and Italian Space Agency.
Important Dates
2. Human Rights Day: 10th December
- Human Rights Day is being observed every year on 10th December to mark the anniversary of the adoption of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
- UDHR is a milestone document, which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being and is available in more than 500 languages
- 2021 Theme: EQUALITY - Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights
Banking & Finance
3. Paytm Payments Bank gets RBI approval to operate as scheduled bank
- Paytm Payments Bank has received RBI’s approval to operate as a scheduled bank, that will help it to expand its financial services operations
- It has been included in the second schedule of RBI Act, 1934
- After this, Paytm’s share price rose 2.62% to close at Rs 1,594.55 apiece
- Apart from Paytm, Fino Payments Bank and India Post Payments Bank have also been included in the second schedule.
- It can now participate in government- and other large corporations-issued requests.
Science & Technology
4. India's maiden space mission ‘Gaganyaan’ to be launched in 2023
- India's maiden space mission, Gaganyaan will be launched in 2023, making the country the fourth nation in the world to launch a human spaceflight mission after US, Russia, China.
- Test vehicle flight for validation of Crew Escape System performance and first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan are scheduled at the beginning of the second half of 2022.
- It will be followed by 2nd uncrewed mission at the end of 2022 carrying ‘Vyommitra’ spacefaring human-robot developed by ISRO
Summits & Conferences
5. US hosted Summit for Democracy virtually
- Summit for Democracy is being hosted by United States to renew democracy at home and confront autocracies abroad
- It is a virtual summit, which is being held on December 9 to 10, 2021.
- Three themes: defending against authoritarianism; addressing and fighting corruption; and advancing respect for human rights.
- A total of 111 nations are participating in the summit across the world
International Affairs
6. UK, Canada, Australia announce diplomatic boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics
- United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have joined US-led diplomatic boycott of 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing over concerns about human rights in China
- The move has been taken due to repeated human rights violations by the Chinese government.
- These announcements came after White House confirmed diplomatic boycotts of Winter Olympics in February to protest Chinese human rights abuses.
- New Zealand has also confirmed that it will not send officials to Beijing.
Agreement
7. BoM ties-up with NPCI to launch RuPay credit card
- Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has tied up with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch its first RuPay credit card titled as ‘BOM Platinum RuPay Contactless Credit Card’
- It offers 100 reward points as a welcome benefit to users on their first retail spending worth ₹1,000 or more and a complimentary annual membership fee for the first year
- It also offers a fuel surcharge waiver of up to ₹200 on fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹4,000
National Affairs
8. NITI Aayog and CSE releases Waste-wise cities report
- NITI Aayog, along with Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has released report on Waste-wise Cities: Best practices in Municipal Solid Waste Management
- It is a comprehensive knowledge repository of how Indian cities are managing their solid waste and documents best practices from 28 cities in 15 states of India.
- Five cities in Maharashtra (Vengurla Municipal Council, Karad, Chandrapur, Pune) have been placed in the list due to their relentless efforts.
Honours & Awards
9. IMO Award for exceptional bravery at sea to Indian Navy, ICG and Master
- IMO council awarded Certificate of Commendation to Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Master along with crew members of tugboat Ocean Bliss for exceptional and courageous efforts towards rescue operation of M/T New Diamond, which caught fire and was drifting towards the coast, laden with inflammable cargo
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) award is conferred for exceptional bravery at sea annually to individuals or groups who, at the risk to their own lives.
Summits & Conferences
10. Nirmala Sitharaman participates in G-20 Seminar virtually
- Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman has participated virtually in the G20 International Seminar from New Delhi
- The seminar is hosted in Bali by the G20 Presidency of Indonesia.
- G20’s theme 2021: Recover Together, Recover Stronger
- During this, FM underlined the importance of Inclusion, Investment, Innovation, and Institutions to support the path of global recovery.
National & International Organizations
11. China is world's biggest captor of journalists: RSF Report
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has published a report titled titled 'The Great Leap Backwards of Journalism in China'.
- As per the report, China is the world's biggest captor of journalists with at least 127 reporters currently detained.
- China has justified the arrests of reporters and citizen journalists by accusing them of provoking trouble.
- RSF ranks China 177th out of 180 in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, just two places above North Korea.
Sports
12. Jhilli Dalabehera won gold at Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships
- Indian weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera has won gold medal in the women's 49kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- Dalabehera lifted total weight of 167kg with 73kg in snatch and 94kg in clean and jerk to win the yellow metal in the 49kg category.
- Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2021 is currently being held concurrently in Tashkent along with World Weightlifting Championships 2021 from December 7 to 17.
Sports
13. Sanket Mahadev Sargar won gold in men’s Weightlifting Championships 2021
- Sanket Mahadev Sargar has won the gold medal in the Men's 55kg snatch category at the ongoing Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2021 in Tashkent.
- For the top-podium finish, Indian lifted the weight of 113kg.
- With this lift, Sargar also created the new snatch national record.
- Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2021 is currently being held concurrently in Tashkent along with World Weightlifting Championships 2021 from December 7 to 17.
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