Current Affairs – 01 Dec 2021

World AIDS Day 2021 Celebrates on 01st December

World AIDS Day is observed across the globe on 1st December every year since 1988. The day provides an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. This year the theme of World AIDS Day is End inequalities. End AIDS and End Pandemics. With a special focus on reaching people left behind, WHO and its partners are highlighting the growing inequalities in access to essential HIV services.

History of the day:

The day was first marked in 1988 and was also the first-ever international day for global health. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic disease that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The immune system of the person who is suffering from the disease gets damaged and also reduces the disease-fighting ability of the body.

There are various reasons through which a person can be affected by AIDS.

• It can be contracted through body fluids like blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal and rectal fluids, and breast milk of an infected woman.
• Unprotected sex with a person who is infected can also pass on the deadly disease to another person.
• Sharing injection needles, razor blades, knives among other things with an infected person can also be a reason for contraction of the disease.

Centre appoints Committee to revisit criteria for determining EWS

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formed a three-member committee to review the criteria for reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category in terms of the provisions of the explanation to Article 15 of the Constitution. The committee has been asked to complete its work within three weeks. Former Finance Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey will head the committee.

The announcement to appoint a committee and revisit the EWS reservation criteria has come after the Supreme Court intervention. The SC is hearing petitions challenging the government notice issued in July which provides for a 10 per cent EWS quota in NEET admissions.

The members of the committee are former:

• Ajay Bhushan Pandey – former finance secretary, GOI (Chairman)
• Prof. V K Malhotra – Member secretary of Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)
• Shri Sanjay Sanyal – Principal economic advisor to GOI (Member Convenor)

Nagaland Police launches ‘Call Your Cop’ mobile app

Nagaland DGP T. John Longkumer officially launched the ‘Call your Cop’ mobile App at Police Headquarters in Kohima. The App was developed by Excellogics Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. The App will enable all citizens of the state especially those in distress to get in touch directly with the police as easily available with just one click away.

The features in the App include a directory, alerts, tourist tips, SOS, nearest police station and search. Citizens can download the app from the google store on any android phone. One can download the app from the google store. With this app, you can also receive notifications like news, updates, advisory, etc.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: Jagdish Mukhi.

Lionel Messi Wins A Seventh Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for a seventh time after being named as the best player in 2021 by France Football. Messi scored 41 goals and registered 17 assists in 56 appearances in all competitions for club and country and led Argentina to a long-awaited Copa America win in the summer. Messi also won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and in 2015. The 34-year-old scored 38 goals in 48 games last season for Barcelona and won the Copa del Rey before captaining Argentina to Copa America glory in July.

Ballon d’Or 2021 Winners:

• Ballon d’Or (Men): Lionel Messi (PSG/Argentina)
• Club of the year: Chelsea Football Club
• Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
• Ballon d’Or (Women): Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/Spain)
• Striker of the year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland)
• Kopa Trophy for best young male player: Pedri (Barcelona/Spain)

Varanasi became 1st Indian city to start Ropeway Service

Varanasi, a city in Uttar Pradesh is all set to become the first Indian city to start ropeway service as a mode of public transport in order to ease the traffic congestion. The proposed ropeway will be constructed between Cantt Railway Station (Varanasi Junction) to Church Square (Godauliya) covering an aerial distance of 3.45 km. Its outlay is over Rs 400 crore which is divided between Central Government and State Government at 80:20. India will be the third country in the world after Bolivia and Mexico to use a ropeway for public transport.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• UP Capital: Lucknow;
• UP Governor: Anandiben Patel;
• UP Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.

Kerala Tourism launched STREET project for experiential tourism

Kerala Tourism launched the ‘STREET’ project to promote and take tourism deep into the interiors and rural hinterland of Kerala. The project would help visitors experience the diversity of offerings in these locales. The STREET is an acronym for Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, Tourism hubs.

Aim of the project:

• The STREET project aims to present the unique identity of the state of Kerala before to travellers. It also offers a huge potential for growth in the tourism sector and would bring in significant changes.
• The project will foster mutually beneficial organic relationships between tourism development and the ordinary lives of people in the state of Kerala.
• The project, conceived by the Responsible Tourism Mission, is inspired by the ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’ slogan of The United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram;
• Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan;
• Kerala Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.

White-label ATMs : India1 Payments installed 10,000 white-label ATMs

India1 Payments has crossed a milestone on deploying 10000 white-label ATMs, which was called as “India1ATMs”. India1 Payments is IPO-bound and is promoted by the Banktech Group of Australia. It was formerly known as BTI Payments. India1 ATM has become the second-largest white label ATM brand on semi-urban and rural areas. With the deployment of 10000 ATMs, India1 Payments has become the largest player in this segment.

White-Label ATMs:

The Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) which are set up, owned and operated by non-bank entities are known as “White Label ATMs” (WLAs). Non-bank entities which are incorporated in India, under the Companies Act 1956, are allowed to run WLAs. Non-bank entities are allowed to set up WLAs across India, after getting authorisation from the apex bank, under the Payment & Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

1st Indian Young Water Professionals Programme launched

The First Edition of the Indian Young Water Professionals Programme was launched virtually. The programme was launched in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra; Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’ Farrell and Additional Secretary of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Debashree Mukherjee. The program was taken up under National Hydrology Project.

About the Indian Young Water Professionals Programme

• The India Young Water Professional Programme is unique and different from typical capacity building and training programs. It focuses on the engaged Training and Learning Model.
• 70% of this program is focused on project-based learning by means of Situation Understanding and Improvement Projects (SUIP).
• It also focuses on gender equality and diversity, since sustainable water management can only benefit from the skills and views of all members of society.
• For the first edition of the programme, about 20 participants have been selected, comprising of 10 men and 10 women, from central & state implementing agencies of the National Hydrology Project.

Barbados becomes the World’s newest republic

Barbados has become the World’s newest republic, around 400 years after it became a British colony. Barbados is said to have been made a ‘slave society by the British. It first became an English colony in 1625. It gained its independence in 1966.  Barbados, the Caribbean Island nation, removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state.

Dame Sandra Prunella Mason took over as the President of Barbados. He was selected to become the first president of Barbados in October 2021. He was selected as President of Barbados, at a joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament of Barbados. His name was announced by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Arthur Holder.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

All India Radio launches youth programme AIRNxt

All India Radio has decided to begin a new programme called AIRNxt to offer youth a platform to air their voices as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. AIR stations will allow youngsters from local colleges, universities to take part in programming, allowing them to discuss and curate youth-centric shows.

About the show:

• It added that about 20,000 youth from 1,000 educational institutions will be participating during the next year from every nook and corner of India through 167 AIR stations.
• These shows would encourage the youth to speak about the achievements of the country during the last 75 years of independence and where do they expect the country to reach in various fields.
• This way, the youth can air their big dreams and define the future of India. It is the biggest single theme show on All India Radio involving thousands of youth and hundreds of Educational Institutions across the country. This talent hunt show #AIRNxt will be broadcast in all major Indian languages and dialects.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Lt Gen Manoj Kuma Mago appoints to head National Defence College

Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Mago has taken over as the Commandant of National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi. He hails from Ludhiana, was commanding the 10 Corps at Bathinda before being given the assignment at NDC that entails evolving a strategic culture among the country’s senior-most officials of the military, the civilian bureaucracy and the Indian Police Service. Lt Gen Mago, who passed out of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of the Brigade of Guards in 1984. He later commanded 16 Guards.

National Award-winning Choreographer Shiva Shankar Master passes away

The renowned National Award-winning choreographer and actor, Shiva Shankar Master passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born on 7 December 1948 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was an Indian dance choreographer, worked in South Indian movies. He received the National Award for ‘Best Choreographer’ for the movie ‘Magadheera’.

Venkaiah Naidu released a Book “‘Democracy, Politics and Governance’

Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu on the 72nd anniversary of the adoption of the ‘Constitution of India’ released a book titled “Democracy, Politics and Governance” in English and ‘Loktantr, Rajniti and Dharm’ in Hindi at an event in the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi. The book was authored by Dr A. Surya Prakash.

This book is a collection of articles about the social, political, and economic issues that impacted India’s politics and governance. Dr A. Surya Prakash is a Vice Chairman, Executive Council of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, and also a veteran journalist.