National
• The Union Government has launched inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) injection as part of the global polio endgame strategy in New Delhi.
• President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to Maharashtra Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2015 of Maharashtra government to allow women to work in factories in night shifts.
• Indian Railways has signed 40,000 crore rupees contracts with General Electrics (GE) and Alstom to set up two locomotive plants in Bihar.
• India launched an International Solar Alliance (ISA) at the CoP21 Climate Conference, with an announcement by Prime Minister Modi that the revolution in the field would bring power to all citizens, and create unlimited economic opportunity.
• Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has launched Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) Scheme to boost the quality of higher education in India.
• Jharkhand government has declared the entire state as drought hit in view of less rainfall in 2015 monsoon season and loss of crops.
• India has been ranked 131 out of 167 nations on ICT Development Index (IDI) that measures the level of information and communication technology access.
• Maharashtra is the biggest economy within India at Rs 16.87 lakh crore in terms of gross state domestic product (GSDP), according to the latest report by credit rating agency Brickwork Ratings.
The Union Cabinet has approved proposal of setting up of 6 new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country. The 6 new IITs would be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Karnataka.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2015.
• Tactile books with maps and diagrams for visually challenged students will become a reality soon with the National Council of Educational Research and Training introducing them in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. So far, books in Braille had no maps and diagrams.
• Goa Government has launched the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 to benefit more than one third of the state’s population.
• Union Government has released a commemorative postage stamp to mark the Centenary year of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
• Lok Sabha has passed The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 by a voice vote to establish Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
• Uttar Pradesh Government has launched International festival on Birds in a bid to promote state as an international bird-watching destination.
• Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to start Rotavirus vaccination project under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
• The Arvind Kejriwal government decided to allow private vehicles with even and odd registration numbers on alternate days from January 1 next year.
• Allahabad High Court in its judgment has made married daughters of deceased government employees eligible for appointments on compassionate grounds in government jobs.
• 44th Navy Day was observed on 4 December 2015. On this occasion, Chief of Naval staff Robin K Dhowan along with Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag paid tributes to martyrs at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in New Delhi.
• The Unesco Asia Pacific Award of Excellence was presented to Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple.
• The Delhi Assembly has unanimously passed the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill, 2015 for establishment of statutory anti-corruption ombudsman.
• The Delhi Assembly approved a 400 per cent pay hike for MLAs and ministers, by passing the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Government of NCT of Delhi (Salaries, Allowances, Pension) Amendment Bill 2015.
• The South Western Railways (SWR) Zone with headquarters in Hubli, Karnataka has introduced biodiesel for trains, operating under its zone.
• According to the recently released India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2015, India’s forest and tree cover has been increased by 5081 Square kilometre.
• State-run energy major GAIL (India) Limited has launched geo-portal called ‘Bhuvan-GAIL Portal’ system for utilising space technology for its pipeline monitoring to address pipeline safety concerns.
International:
• China has taken the initiative for creating an alternative media platform for the emerging economies by hosting the first media summit of countries belonging to the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) grouping.
• Every year on 1st December World Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Day is being observed to raise awareness of the pandemic caused by the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
• The Union Cabinet has approved an agreement with Germany to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of solar energy between both countries.
• Union Cabinet has approved signing and ratification of a protocol between India and Japan for amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC).
• The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing MoU between India and Israel in the field of water resources management and development cooperation.
• The first India International Science Festival (IISF) has begun at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi campus.
• Paris Pact on Water and Climate Change Adaptation has been announced by a broad coalition of nations, river basin organizations, business and civil societies from across the globe.
• A British astronaut will attempt to become the first man to run a marathon in space, as part of his 173-day mission to the International Space Station.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced a 60 billion dollars package to African nations during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Australia’s Federal Parliament has passed Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill, 2015 to strip citizenship of convicted persons on terrorism charges.
• China has granted a license for production of first manned two seater electric aircraft RX1E known as RX1E by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Business
• The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund decided to include the Chinese currency, the renminbi (yuan), into its basket of currencies that make up the IMF’s Special Drawing Right (SDR).
• Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan left the benchmark interest rate, the repo rate, unchanged at 6.75 per cent as expected, and stressed the RBI’s policy stance remained “accommodative”.
• Chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg and his wife said they will give away 99 per cent of their Facebook shares, currently worth about $45 billion, to a new charity in a letter addressed to their daughter, Max, who was born.
• Air India’s first non-stop flight from New Delhi to San Francisco has landed, amid rousing welcome, becoming the first Indian airline to provide a direct air connection to the West Coast in the United States.
• Tata Sons and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC) have entered into a long-term partnership, under which ICBC will become a strategic banking partner to the Tata group for its businesses in several countries across continents, according to a statement from Tata Sons.
• Chief Economic Advisor Dr Arvind Subramanian led Committee has recommended standard rate for Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 17 to 18 per cent. The Committee has submitted its report to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.
Sports:
• Former Indian Test Captain and ace spinner Anil Kumble has resigned as the Chief Mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians with an immediate effect.
• Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and seamer Mohammed Shami were the only Indians to feature in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test and One-Day International (ODI) teams of the year 2015, respectively.
• Megastar Amitabh Bachchan became a co-owner of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) team OUE Singapore Slammers.
Death:
• Russian legendary film Director and screenwriter Eldar Ryazanov passed away in Moscow, Russia. He was 88.
• Veteran industrialist, former parliamentarian and the last King of Chettinad, MAM Ramaswamy died at Chennai’s Fortis Malar Hospital. He was ailing for a while and on treatment at the hospital from November 7. He was 84.
New Appointment:
• Former Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) MP and cricketer from Punjab, Navjot Singh Siddhu, is all set to be appointed as a member of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).
• Senior Janta Dal United (JDU) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary has been elected as new Speaker of Bihar legislative assembly.
• Justice Tirath Singh Thakur was sworn in as 43rd Chief Justice of India (CJI). He was administered oath to the office by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
Science:
• A novel mechanism of a protein secreted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), inhibiting the infected host’s immune response by modulating certain genes has been discovered, giving rise to hopes of a targeted drug therapy.
Current Affairs: 7th December, 2015 Current Affairs: 6th December, 2015 Current Affairs Round up November, 2015.
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