Current Affairs Digest: December 23, 2019

• India celebrated National Mathematics Day on December 22, 2019 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1916).
• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on December 21, 2019 launched Nethanna Nestham scheme for handloom weavers at Dharmavaram of Anantapur district. The scheme aims to extending an aid of ₹24,000 every year for each handloom weaver family for five years.
• In Jammu & Kashmir, the 40-day period of extreme cold, known as ‘Chilai-Kalan’, began on December 21, 2019.
• In what can be termed as a major relief to exporters, the State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to withdraw charges levied on the issuance of Bank Realisation Certificate (e-BRC) for the export of shipments. Banks charge Rs 1000 as e-BRC fee for every shipment exported from the country.
• India and Iran on December 22, 2019 agreed to accelerate work on the strategic Chabahar port project as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held wide-ranging talks with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif in Tehran on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
• Eight West African countries on December 21, 2019 agreed to change the name of their common currency to Eco and severed the CFA franc’s links to former colonial ruler France. Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo currently use CFA France as their currency.
• A girls’ hostel building for the Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) School in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, which has been built with Indian assistance, was inaugurated on December 22, 2019.
• Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, 56, on December 21, 2019 named Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz as the country’s first Prime Minister since 1976, under a new Constitution. His nomination was ratified by the National Assembly.
• President Donald Trump on December 20, 2019 signed off on U.S. sanctions against companies building a Russian natural gas pipeline to Germany. The sanctions target companies building the nearly $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline under the Baltic Sea with the aim of doubling deliveries of Russian natural gas to Germany.
• Owners handed in more than 50,000 guns in New Zealand during a buyback programme following a ban on assault weapons. The deadline was December 21, 2019.
• India (316/6 in 48.4) beat West Indies (315/5 in 50) by four wickets in the third and final One-day International to win the series 2-1 at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack on December 22, 2019. West Indies scored 315 for five in the allotted 50 overs. India chased down the target with eight balls to spare.
• England’s Liverpool defeated Brazil’s Flamengo 1-0 in final played at Doha, Qatar to lift Club World Cup on December 21, 2019. Roberto Firmino scored the only goal of the match.
• England’s 1966 FIFA World Cup final goal scorer, Martin Peters died at the age of 76 in London on December 21, 2019. England had beaten West Germany 4-2 in final played at Wembley, London.
• India’s Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (men’s) and Hana Ramadan (women’s) of Egypt won singles titles in the third leg of the HCL-SRFI India Tour Squash Tournament in Mumbai on December 21, 2019.