Current Affairs-December 9, 2021

 

INDIA

– CDS (Chief of Defence Staff) General Bipin Rawat and 13 others die in crash of IAF helicopter Mi 17 V-5 near Coonoor in Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu

– Parliament passes Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2021

– Rajya Sabha passes Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020

– DRDO test fires air version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Sukhoi 30 MK-I aircraft

– NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga) and c-Ganga (Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies) organising India Water Impact Summit from Dec 9 to 14

– Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo wins Jnanpith award for 2022; Assamese writer Nilmani Phookan wins for 2021

MONETARY POLICY HIGHLIGHTS

– The Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das on December 8, 2021 announced that the Monetary Policy Committee had opted to keep the rates unchanged in its latest meet.

– Repo and reverse repo rates currently stand at 4 per cent and 3.35 per cent, respectively.

– MPC retained an accommodative stance to support & sustain growth

– Projection for real GDP growth is retained at 9.5% in FY22

– CPI (consumer price index) inflation projection retained at 5.3% during FY22

– RBI to continue using variable rate reverse repo operations to absorb funds. RBI to conduct a VRRR (variable reverse repo rate) auction of Rs 6.5 lakh crore on December 17 and Rs 7.5 lakh crore on December 31

– RBI proposes to launch UPI-based payment products for feature phone users

– UPI transaction limit to be hiked to Rs 5 lakh from current limit of Rs 2 lakh. UPI transaction limit hike only for retail direct scheme for investment of G-Secs and IPO offering applications

– RBI will soon release discussion paper on charges on digital payments in India

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

– RBI retains three-member Advisory Committee of crisis-ridden Reliance Capital comprising Sanjeev Nautiyal, Srinivasan Varadarajan and Praveen P Kadle

– Cabinet approves continuation of Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) beyond March 2021 till March 2024

– Cabinet approves Rs. 44,605 crores ‘Ken-Betwa Interlinking of Rivers Project’ to benefit Bundelkhand region of MP and UP

– Suresh Jadhav, key executive of SII (Serum Institute of India) & doyen of vaccine industry, dies at 72 in Pune

– Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ranked 37th in list of ‘world’s 100 most powerful women’ by Forbes

– IndiGo signs agreement with Dehradun-based Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) to manufacture and deploy sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) globally

– Indian edtech company Byju’s acquires Austria-headquartered GeoGebra

WORLD

– Germany: Olaf Scholz replaces Angela Merkel as chancellor

– Japan’s Yusaku Maezawa & Yozo Hirano take off for International Space Station on Russian Soyuz rocket; first self-paying space tourists since 2009

– SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Charter Day observed on Dec 8

Want to learn Spanish? Check list of ​​top 5 institutes offering Spanish language courses in India

 

Spanish is considered to be one of the most spoken languages in the world. It is an official or national of more than 20 countries. Check which are the best institutes to learn Spanish language skills in India

As new trends are developing, learning a new language seems to be in the lead. Learning a foreign language might be a difficult task but it opens up new windows of opportunities for the individual. Not just that, but for cognitive brain function as well, people who are bilingual are at an advantage.

Spanish is considered to be one of the most spoken languages in the world. It is an official or national in more than 20 countries. The language is harmonious and it will help you meet new people and will open up new horizons for you. Below are a few institutions in India that offer the Spanish language learning course. 

Henry Harvin Language Academy

Henry Harvin Language Academy offers a diverse range of courses, from skill development to technical growth. They also offer learners a consolidated framework with the completion of many stages, ranging from beginner to advanced.

They offer a 9-in-1 package that includes training, projects, certifications, internships, boot camps, hackathons, and placements, among other things. The course is implemented by trained and experienced professionals, using the European Framework as a baseline, which is very important for the Spanish language. It is simple to use and has 100 per cent hands-on training with lifetime support and access. Fpr the C2 level one has to pay a fee of Rs 15000.

Instituto Cervantes

Instituto Cervantes was founded in 1981 by the Government of Spain for promoting Spanish Language teaching and making the world more aware of the American and Hispanic cultures.

The Instituto Cervantes in New Delhi is located close to Cannaught Place. Their course is dedicated to promoting the use of language and culture and not the technical aspect of it. it is an opportunity to explore and get familiar with a wide range of Spanish-speaking cultures

Students also get access to their library, which has a large collection of Spanish and Hispanic American literature, films, magazines, and newspapers from throughout the world.

Instituto Hispania

Instituto Hispania, Pancsheel Park, was the first private Institution for the Spanish language in the country. It is known for providing classes for students who want to improve their Spanish skills.

School of Spanish

School of Spanish is located in Mukherjee Nagar. They partake in a holistic approach towards language learning and language building.Their services include classroom training, online classes, translation classes and travel guides among other things. They also provide training for the DELE exams. The Spanish embassy administers this exam, which can then be consecutively used to study and work in Spain.

Mundo Latino

Located in Kotla, INPEFA (Embassy of Peru), as well as the embassies of Bolivia, Cuba, and Venezuela, are all linked with Mundo Latino, the Spanish tutoring institution in Delhi. They aim to improve the speaking skills of the students so that they are confident in speaking the language. They offer beginner to advanced level language courses.

Source: Indian Express, 9/12/21

What is ambergris, the floating gold?

 

Ambergris, which means gray amber in French, is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of the protected sperm whales.

The Crime Branch of the Pimpri Chinchwad police has arrested two persons in Pune and seized 550 grams of ambergris, also known as ‘floating gold’. The action comes after six persons were arrested in August by the state forest department in Pune for smuggling three kilograms of the substance, which is sometimes incorrectly called ‘whale vomit’.

What is ambergris?

Ambergris, which means gray amber in French, is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of the protected sperm whales. While it is incorrectly referred to as ‘whale vomit,’ one of the theories about its formation suggests that it is produced in the gastrointestinal tract of some of the sperm whales for the passage of hard, sharp objects that are ingested when the whale eats large quantities of marine animals. The ambergris is said to be passed like feces and has a very strong fecal odour combined with a strong marine odour. The freshly passed ambergris is a light yellowish substance and is fatty but as it ages it turns waxy and gets red brownish, sometimes with shades of gray and black in colour and attains a mild, earthy, sweet smell but still with notes of mild marine odour.

What are the uses of ambergris and why is it so expensive?

Investigating agencies from across India who have seized ambergris in the recent past estimate its value to be somewhere between Rs 1 to 2 crores per kilogram, depending on the purity and quality.Officials sayTraditionally, ambergris is used to produce perfumes which have notes of musk. While there are records of it being used to flavor food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco in some cultures in the past, it is rarely used for these purposes presently.

A forest department official in Pune who was part of investigation into the seizure of ambergris in August said, “Trade and sale of Ambergris is banned in nearly 40 countries. While in our case, it was procured from somewhere in coastal Karnataka, we now know that ambergris is procured mainly from coastal areas of other states too. It is also believed that the key market for ambergris is in the middle eastern countries, select European and South East Asian countries. There are also reports that it is considered as an aphrodisiac and is used in some medicines.”

Legalities and recent cases of seizure in India

While there is a ban on possession and trade of ambergris in countries like the USA, Australia and India, in several other countries it is a tradable commodity, though with limitations in some of them. In the Indian context, the sperm whales are a protected species under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act and possession or trade of any of its by-products, including Ambergris and its byproducts, is illegal under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It has been observed that the gangs smuggling the ambergris procure it from coastal areas and ship it to destination countries via some other countries with whom India has comparatively less stringent sea trade.

The Crime Branch of the Pimpri Chinchwad police has arrested two persons and have seized around 550 grams of ambergris valued by the investigators at Rs 1.1 crore in illegal market. The two arrested persons are from Nashik and one of them was caught when he had brought ambergris to Pune in search of a potential buyer. The cops, working on a tip off, caught the man with the help of a decoy customer. In August this year the Pune Division of the Forest Department had arrested six persons and had seized from them three kilograms of ambergris. Multiple actions have been conducted by investigating agencies across India including Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in which much larger quantities of ambergris have been seized. that being extremely rare contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market.

Written by Sushant Kulkarni

Source: Indian Express, 9/12/21

Quote of the Day December 8, 2021

 

“The man who insists on seeing with perfect clarity before he decides, never decides.”
Henri Frederic Amiel (1821-1881), Swiss poet and philosopher

“सब कुछ स्पष्ट होने पर ही निर्णय लेने का आग्रह जो पालता है, वह कभी निर्णय नहीं ले पाता।”
हेनरी फ़्रेडरिक आम्येल (१८२१-१८८१), स्विस कवि एवं दार्शनिक

Hornbill Festival

 The Hornbill Festival, which is called the ‘Festivals of Festivals’, is a 10-day annual cultural fest of Nagaland that showcases the rich and diverse Naga ethnicity through folk dances, traditional music, local cuisine, handicraft, art workshops etc. The start of this festival (December 1) marks the Nagaland statehood day.

Every year the Hornbill festival is celebrated between December 1 and December 10 in the northeast region and in the state of Nagaland. The festival is named after the Indian Hornbill Bird. It is a large and colourful forest bird. The festival is named after the bird as it is displayed in folklore of most of the the tribals in the state of Nagaland.

Economic potential

The festival has contributed significant tourism revenue to the north eastern part of India. This is mainly because Hornbill festival provides an insight into the different Tribes of Nagaland. It provides a colourful mixture of craft, dancers, sports, religious ceremonies and food fairs. Naga Morungs exhibition is also organised during the festival.

Naga Morungs

The Naga Morungs are also called the Nagas. They are the ethnic groups native to North Western Myanmar and North Eastern India. These groups have similar culture and form the majority of population in Nagaland and Naga self-administered zone. The Naga self-administered zone is located in the Naga Hills of Sagaing region of Myanmar.

Other Naga Festival

Apart from the Hornbill festival, the other popular festival of the Nagas is the Lui Ngai Ni. It is the seed sowing festival that is celebrated by the Naga Tribes of Manipur. It is celebrated in the month of February to mark the beginning of spring season.

Hornbill

Hornbill bird is common in tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa and Melanesia. The festival is named after this bird because, it forms the centre of many local folklore. Also, the tribes in the state consider the bird to be sacred. The IUCN status of hornbill bird is “Near Threatened”.

World Inequality Report 2022- Highlights

 

France-based World Inequality Lab published its report titled “World Inequality Report 2022”.

Highlights

• This report was authored by Lucas Chancel, who is the co-director of World Inequality Lab.
• It was coordinated by famed French economist Thomas Piketty.

Key Findings of the report

• Report notes that, top 1 % of the India’s population owns more than one-fifth of the total national income in 2021.
• The bottom half of the population earns just 13.1 per cent.
• It highlights that, economic reforms and liberalization that India has adopted, have mostly benefited the top 1 percent.
• Report identifies India as a poor and an unequal country, with an affluent elite.
• 1 percent richest people in India hold 22% of the total national income in 2021, while the top 10 % owns 57 per cent of the income.
• Average national income of the Indian adult population is Rs 204,200 in 2021, on the basis of purchasing power parity.
• However, report clarified that average national income of a country masks inequalities.

Income Gap

The income gap between top 10 percent and bottom 50 percent in India is 1 to 22 in 2021. The report noted India as one of the most unequal countries worldwide.

Where does BRICS nations stand?

Among the BRICS nations, South Africa and Brazil have wider income inequalities as compared to India. Income gap between top 10% and bottom 50% stood at 1 to 63 in South Africa and 1 to 29 in Brazil. In China and Russia, the income gap was 1 to 14.

Scenario in world’s richest nation

Ratio in richest nation that is US, is 1 to 17. The richest ten of the global population owns 52 per cent of global income. On the other hand, poorest half of the population earns 8.5 per cent of the global income.

Inequality in British India

Inequality in India has widened as compared to British rule. Report finds that, Indian income inequality was very high under British colonial rule, during 1858-1947. Top ten per cent of the population shared around 50 per cent of the national income.

Current Affairs-December 8, 2021

 

INDIA

– Successful Flight Test of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile conducted by DRDO

– PANEX-21, Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief exercise of BIMSTEC to be held on Dec 20-22 in Pune

– Armed Forces Flag Day celebrated on Dec 7

– National Commission for Women (NCW) launches a Pan-India Capacity Building Programme ‘She is a Changemaker’ for Women in Politics

– Govt plans to amend Notaries Act to restrict the number of terms a person can practice as a notary to allow more young legal practitioners enter the field

– UP: PM inaugurates AIIMS, Regional Medical Research Centre of ICMR and fertiliser plant in Gorakhpur

– Former CEC Sunil Arora joins Board of Advisers for International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)

– Nanda Prusty, centenarian teacher and Padma Shri awardee, dies in Odisha at 104

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

– Ministry of Civil Aviation mandates Air Suvidha Portal to provide hassle-free, queue free, and convenient air travel to all international passengers

– India, ADB sign $125 million loan to improve water supply and sanitation in Uttarakhand

– India, ADB sign $150 million loan to provide affordable housing for urban poor in Tamil Nadu

– Three Indian companies — Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Ordnance Factory Board and Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL). The arms sales of HAL (ranked 42nd) and BEL (ranked 66th) — among top-100 arms sellers in 2020: SIPRI (Stockholm Institute Peace Research Institute)

– India, Russia vow to deepen space collaboration, sign cooperation pact

– NTPC and Russia’s Inter RAO-Export sign MoU for cooperation in power sector

– Collaboration agreements signed between Indiana and Russian companies in petroleum sector

– Memorandums of Cooperation signed between Russian research centre and 3 Indian steel companies

WORLD

– United Arab Emirates becomes first country to transition to 4-and-half day work week

– International Civil Aviation Day celebrated on Dec 7; theme: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”

SPORTS

– US announces diplomatic boycott of 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing; will not send an official US delegation