Current Affairs Quiz-December, 2019

Notes:
India is to host the 36th International Geological Congress (IGC) in New Delhi during the first week of March 2020. It is popularly described as the Olympics of Geosciences. The theme of the event is Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Development. The IGCs are global geoscientific events held once in four years.The event aims to provide a platform for international cooperation in all major fields of geosciences including the provision of investment opportunities in mining, launching of collaborative programs, mineral exploration and environmental management and related enterprises

Notes:
The Union Territory Puducherry unveiled a startup policy of the Industries Department. It was announced by Puducherry Industries Minister Shajahan. The policy lays emphasis to provide financial grants, monthly stipend, fiscal incentives to interested entrepreneurs and bring new business ventures to the Union Territory.The policy creates a corpus fund of Rs.10 crore to support the setting up of startup incubators and to develop co-working spaces. It will provide a grant of Rs.3 lakh to the projects recommended by incubators that are established by the government or private sector as a startup grant.

Notes:
State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a loan agreement with KfW, the German development bank, worth $277 million on 16 December 2019. The arrangement of the loan and the grant facilities was facilitated by SBI’s investment banking subsidiary SBI Capital Markets Ltd. The aim of the agreement was to establish an energy-efficient housing programme in India. The facility was signed after an agreement on financial cooperation between the two governments in October 2019. The programme will be a part of Indo-German Development Cooperation which is guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Notes:
The recently released Global gender Gap report listed India at the 112^th position. This is lower than last year’s ranking at the 108^th position. The worst performance was by Yemen at the 153^rd position. Iraq and Pakistan took the 152^nd and the 151^st spots respectively.

Notes:
The Cuba government is to get the office of Prime Minister after more than 40 years. The last Prime Minister of the Central American country was Fidel Castro who abolished the post after becoming the president. The Cuban Prime Minister is to be the head of the government with a 5 year term.

Notes:
The state government of Andhra Pradesh is in talks to develop 3 decentralised capitals instead of one. The state is in talks to develop Amaravati as the legislative capital, Visakhapatnam as the executive capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital.

Notes:
The operation ‘Joint Dolphin’s Nose’ was launched by the Andhra Pradesh intelligence unit in collaboration with the naval intelligence and the CIA. Several persons including a hawala operators and navy personnel were arrested under this operation for having espionage links with Pakistan.

Notes:
While addressing the second meeting of the National Committee for Commemoration of the 150^th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Portuguese Prime Minister had announced that his country will be launching a Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize annually based on Gandhi’s different thoughts and quotes. The first edition will be dedicated to animal welfare.

Notes:
United States Space Force (USSF), launched on 20 December 2019, is the space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services. Its headquarters are Pentagon and commander-in-chief is US President. Its main function will be to protect US assets – such as the hundreds of satellites used for communication and surveillance.

Notes:
The Caesar Syria Civilian protect Act of USA provides for sanctions against Syria. The act was signed into federal law by President Donald Trump in December, 2019. It is in reaction to the ‘war crimes against the Syrian population’ by the country’s regime.