National
India, Pakistan NSAs meet in Bangkok
In a joint press release announcing the meeting between Pakistan NSA Lt. Gen (Retd.) Nasir Khan Janjua and Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretaries Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhury and S. Jaishankar, and other officials.
The discussions covered peace and security, terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir, and other issues, including tranquillity along the LoC.
India-Pakistan dialogue process back on track
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Islamabad this week, leading the Indian delegation to the ‘Heart of Asia’ donor conference on Afghanistan.
The meeting of NSAs in Bangkok and Ms. Swaraj’s Islamabad visit are part of the government’s decision to reset the engagement with Pakistan that has suffered after the cancellation of Foreign Secretary talks in 2014 and NSA talks earlier this year, and will ensure that the governments meet at four levels: of PM, EAM, NSA and Foreign Secretaries within a span of 10 days.
Union Government releases commemorative coins on Dr B R Ambedkar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released 2 commemorative coins on Dr B R Ambedkar as part of the 125th birth anniversary year celebrations of the architecture of Indian Constitution.
The coins are of 10 rupee and 125 rupee denomination and were issued on the 60th Mahaparinirvan Divas of Babasaheb Ambedkar.
The Union government is celebrating 125th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar in the year 2015.
The objective of yearlong celebrations is to make the world aware about the life and the work of legendary social reformer who is often considered as a champion of the underprivileged.
Earlier in July 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chaired the first meeting of the National Committee on Nationwide Celebration of 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
In September 2015, Union Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had released a commemorative postal stamp on Dr. Ambedkar.
Indian Railways flags off first double decker Goa-Mumbai train
Indian Railways has flagged off the first inaugural service of the Goa to Mumbai double-decker air-conditioned Shatabdi train.
The fully air-conditioned double-decker train was the first of its kind in the country and was flagged off from Panaji by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
It would play important role in boosting tourism in Goa by bringing the tourists over to the coastal state during the peak tourist season. The train will run thrice a week between Margao Railway Station and the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) in Mumbai.
It would cover the distance between two states in around 12 hours and has total eight compartments with a seating capacity of 120 in each compartment.
Gangotri glacier getting less snowfall, higher temperatures
A research shows that the health of the majestic Gangotri glacier that feeds the river Ganges has been affected, as the maximum temperature in the region has shot up by 0.9 degree Celsius and snowfall reduced by 37 cm annually.
A team of climate scientists recorded and analysed snow and meteorological parameters for a period of 13 years from 2000 to 2012 and found a warming trend.
Scientists from the institute, part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Ministry of Defence, were based at ‘Bhojbasa’ observation station, nearly 5 km south from the Gangotri glacier snout named ‘Gaumukh’, to record the findings.
Situated in Uttarakhand district, the 30.2 km-long Gangotri glacier is the second largest in India.
One of the primary sources of fresh water supply to the river Ganges, Gangotri has been found to have retreated more than 1,500 metres in the last 70 years.
International:
Canada sends first consignment of Uranium to India
Canada has successfully sent the first consignment of 250 tonnes of uranium to India as part of bilateral civil nuclear cooperation between both countries.
It was shipped by Canada’s Cameco Inc, as part of contract with Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) that was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s offical visit to Canada in April 2015.
With this the 41-year-long hiatus in the bilateral nuclear cooperation between both countries finally came to an end. Canada had completely banned exports of uranium and nuclear hardware to India after it had conducted first nuclear test on 18 May 1974.
It was alleged that India had used Canadian technology to develop a nuclear bomb for this test. It should be noted that Canada is the second-largest producer of Uranium globally and is the third country to supply uranium to India after Russia and Kazakhstan.
Background
The India-Canada civil nuclear contract was signed in line with the Canada-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement that took effect in 2013.
The agreement was signed after the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) had granted its waiver for use of atomic power for civilian purposes in 2008 ending India’s 3 decade long isolation from international nuclear trade. As per the supply agreement, Canada’s Cameco Corporation is going to supply 3,000 metric tonnes of uranium to India for next five years starting from year 2015. These supplies will be under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
Business
World Bank launches $500 million Transformative Carbon Asset Facility
The World Bank has launched a $500 million dollars Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF) to help developing countries pay for emission reductions and combat climate change.
It is market-based scheme specially designed to help developing countries and would establish the world’s first programmatic carbon market.
Fact Punch
The scheme will reward countries for reducing emissions by paying a fee for each tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) reduced.
The facility will help countries implement their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Of the total 500 million dollars, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland have jointly pledged an initial 250 million dollars investment.
The scheme would support renewable energy, energy efficiency and waste management projects as well to cut emissions in cities and from the transport sector.
Singapore replaces Mauritius as top source of FDI into India
Singapore has replaced Mauritius as the top source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India during the first half of the current fiscal year 2015-16.
It was unveiled by the data during April to September 2015 period released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
Fact Punch
India has attracted 6.69 billion dollars FDI from Singapore while it received 3.66 billion dollars from Mauritius.
Highest foreign investment sector wise : Computer software and hardware (3.05 billion dollars), trading (2.30 billion dollars), services and automobile (1.46 billion dollars each) and telecommunications (659 million dollars).
Foreign investment from Singapore has more than doubled from 2.41 billion dollars in the same period in FY year 2014-15.
Overall, Singapore accounts for 15 per cent of the total inbound FDI received by India during April 2000 and September 2015. However, Mauritius accounted for 34 per cent of FDI during the same period.
Sports:
Australia wins Hockey World League Final by defeating Belgium
Australia has won the 2014-15 Men’s Hockey World League Final by defeating Belgium.
In the final match played at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Stadium, Raipur Australian team defeated Belgium by 2-1 goals.
India was placed at third place in this league after defeating world number two and defending champions Netherlands by 3-2 goals in the penalty shoot-out.
In this edition of Men’s Hockey World League Final total 8 teams had participated. They were Australia, India (Host), Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Argentina, Netherlands and Canada.
Runner dies during China marathon
A male runner, 33, died while participating in a marathon event in China’s Shenzhen city.
The runner surnamed Yao collapsed just 400 metres from the finish line in the 13.1-mile half marathon race.
Yao had a time of two and half hours when the accident happened, which seemed not to be challenging for him.
Current Affairs bullet points Round up 1st to 6th December, 2015 Current Affairs: 6th December, 2015 Current Affairs: 5th December, 2015 Current Affairs Round up November, 2015.
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