Daily Current Affairs and GK | 5 and 6 December 2021

Topic: Important Days

1. India and Bangladesh to observe Maitri Divas on December 6.

• On December 6, India and Bangladesh will jointly observe Maitri Divas or friendship day in Dhaka and New Delhi.
• Maitri Divas will be observed jointly by both countries in Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Russia, Qatar, Singapore, the UK, and Australia.
• Both countries had decided to observe December 6 as Maitri Divas. It is the day on which India recognized Bangladesh as the new country in 1971.
• India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Bangladesh.  This year is the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh independence.
• Maitri Divas is observed to strengthen the ties between India and Bangladesh.

Topic: Sports

2. Ananya Bansal wins Silver medal at Asia Youth Paralympic Games.

• India’s athlete Ananya Bansal wins silver medal at the Asia Youth Paralympic Games.
• She won India’s first silver medal in shotput in the F-20 category at the Asia Youth Paralympic Games in Manama, Bahrain. Ananya Bansal is an athlete with an intellectual impairment.
• Varsha Sannuthi from India has participated in the 2021 Asia Youth Paralympic Games as the first International Paralympic Committee Trainee Classifier for intellectual impairment Athletics.
• Asian Youth Para Games 2021 is the fourth edition. It will be held from 2-6 December in Manama, Bahrain.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Environment and Ecology

3. A New species of butterfly named Chocolate-bordered Flitter found in Sikkim.

• A new species of butterfly named Chocolate-bordered Flitter has been found in Sikkim. Its scientific name Zographetus dzonguensis.
• Its closest relatives are mainly found in southeastern China and Hong Kong.
• The physical appearance of the species differs slightly and the internal structures of the males also differ slightly.
• Scarce Jester (Symbrenthia silana) is legally protected in India under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
• The detail of this species has been published in a paper in Zootaxa on December 1.
• Mr. Wangchuk Lepcha sighted the Chocolate-bordered Flitter. The common Lepcha name for butterflies is thamblyok.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

4. India will have nine nuclear reactors by 2024.

• India will have nine nuclear reactors by the year 2024.
• A nuclear project will be established in 150 kilometers away from Delhi, in Haryana's Gorakhpur.
• Five new sites are also being identified in different parts of the country. Nuclear energy will emerge as one of the most important sources of alternative or clean energy.
• At present, India has 6.8 gigawatts of existing nuclear generation capacity. It accounts for nearly 2 percent of India’s total energy capacity.
• India’s nuclear programme will help in meeting Paris climate commitments to reduce the emissions intensity.
• Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions states that now more reactors will become indigenous.

Topic: Important Days

5. Nation pays tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar on his 65th Mahaparinirvan Diwas or death anniversary on 06 December.

• Nation paid tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar on his 65th Mahaparinirvan Diwas or death anniversary on 06 December.
• Many leaders including President, Vice President, PM, ministers and MPs paid floral tributes to the architect of the Constitution at his statue in the Parliament House complex in New Delhi.
• The followers of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar from across the country will gather at Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai for paying tributes to him.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

6. 11th edition of Exercise EKUVERIN between India and Maldives started at Kadhdhoo Island, Maldives.

• 11th edition of Exercise EKUVERIN between India and Maldives started at Kadhdhoo Island, Maldives from 06 December 2021.
• The exercise will conclude on 19 December 2021. It will enhance synergy and interoperability between the Armed Forces of both nations.
• The joint military exercise will also include cultural and sports activities to enhance defence cooperation and bilateral relations.
• Kadhdhoo Island is an inhabited island of Haddummati Atoll (Laamu). It is located in the south of Male, the capital of Maldives.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. EAM S Jaishankar addresses 5th Indian Ocean Conference in Abu Dhabi.

• External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar addressed the fifth Indian Ocean Conference in Abu Dhabi.
• He stressed upon the importance of respecting and facilitating freedom of navigation and overflight in a globalized world.
• He emphasized upon the number of geopolitical issues including the emergence of China and caution in the US power projection.
• The theme of the Indian Ocean Conference 2021 is “Indian Ocean: Ecology, Economy, Epidemic”.
• He pointed out that the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and the impact of Covid has increased the uncertainties in the region.
• Around 200 delegates and over 50 speakers from 30 countries participated in this Conference.
• Sheikh Mohamed and Jaishankar discussed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between the UAE and India.

Topic: State News/ Himachal Pradesh

8. Himachal Pradesh becomes first state to vaccinate its entire eligible population.

• Himachal Pradesh government has become first state to vaccinate its entire eligible population.
• On this occasion, the Union Health Minister felicitated the health workers for completing the entire vaccination campaign in the state.
• Himachal Pradesh is the first state of India to achieve the 100 percent target of the first dose.
• Jagat Prakash Nadda will also inaugurate OPD at AIIMS Bilaspur. Union Health minister will also review the progress of AIIMS Bilaspur.
• A special function has been organized to honour COVID-19 workers at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bilaspur.

Topic: National News

9. Atal Innovation Mission launched ‘All India EdTech Challenge and Master Class Series’ for EdTech founders.

• Atal Innovation Mission in association with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the Global EdTech Accelerator organized the ‘All India EdTech Challenge and Master Class Series’ for EdTech founders.
• It is an extension of the Statement of Intent (SoI) signed between NITI Aayog and Amazon Internet Services Private Limited (AISPL).
• It aims to nurture EdTech companies and startups who are in pre and post minimum viable product (MVP) stages.
• This initiative will support EdTEch start-ups with the best industry resources and expertise and funding.
• Atal Innovation Mission along with AWS EdStart & UIncept will identify gaps in the EdTech sector and nurture EdTech startups through the expert Master Class series.
• Parag Mankeekar (Neeti Solutions), Jason Leon (Mentor-NITI Aayog, Co-Founder- QtPi), Arijit Bhattacharya (World Leader Summit) will be key mentors for the EdTech Challenge and Master Class series.
• It will be a six-month long challenge and master class series.

Topic: Sports

10. Russian Tennis Federation wins Davis Cup Finals.

• The Russian Tennis Federation has won the Davis Cup Finals title against Croatia in Madrid.
• Daniil Medvedev defeated Marin Cilic by 7-6, 6-2 to seal a 2-0 victory.
• Andrey Rublev had won the first singles match against Borna Gojo 6-4 7-6 (7-5).
• The Russians are the fourth nation to win the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup in the same year. Russia won its first Davis cup title in the last 15 years.

Topic: Personality in news

11. Konijeti Rosaiah, the former CM of Andhra Pradesh, died.

• Konijeti Rosaiah, the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, died in Hyderabad at the age of 89.
• Rosaiah, a senior Congress party leader, has held several positions such as MLA, MLC, and Lok Sabha member in his public career spanning over five decades.
• In the cabinets of Kotla Vijayabhaskhara Reddy, Channa Reddy, and YS Rajasekhara Reddy, he had held various major portfolios, including finance, transportation, and energy.
• Rosaiah was born in Vemuru village in the Guntur region of Andhra Pradesh and graduated from Hindu College in Guntur city.
• Following the death of then-chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a chopper crash in 2009, Rosaiah was chosen as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and designated as chief minister.

Topic: Appointment

12. Govt has appointed Alka Upadhyaya as a chairman of NHAI.

• The Centre has assigned Alka Upadhyaya as chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), as part of a significant bureaucratic reshuffle.
• Upadhyay, a 1990 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, is presently Additional Secretary in the Rural Development Department.
• Additional Secretary of Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sanjay Bandopadhyay, has been appointed as the chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India.
• Shyamal Misra, a Haryana cadre IAS officer from the 1996 batch, has been appointed as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs. He is presently the Department of Commerce's Joint Secretary.
• Other significant reshuffles are:

Topic: Important Days

13. World Soil Day 2021: 5 December

• World Soil Day is celebrated every year on December 5 to promote awareness of the importance of soil to the survival of all living things on the planet.
• To mark the birthday of the King of Thailand, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, this day was chosen as December 5, who formally carried out the event.
• The day is commemorated to draw the attention of the people to the importance of healthy soil.
• “Halt soil salinization, enhance soil production” is the theme of World Soil Day 2021. 
• The General Assembly of the United Nations decided to dedicate a day in 2013, and the first official day was started on December 5, 2014.
• The aim of this day is to reduce soil salinization, increase soil productivity, and promote awareness about the problems of soil management and solving the problem of soil salinization. The campaign also takes place every year to improve soil health.

Topic: Books and Authors

14. The Vice President has released a book 'Public Service Ethics'.

• The Vice President has released the book 'Public Service Ethics', authored by Shri Prabhat Kumar, at the Vice-President's residence.
• Shri Prabhat Kumar is a former Governor of Jharkhand and former Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India.
• Shri Naidu praised the efforts of the book's author, Shri Prabhat Kumar, and the publisher, IC Centre for Governance, in bringing out the book.
• The book deals with governance and public service ethics and recommends a collaborative search for an ethical India or Naitik Bharat.

(Source: PIB)