6th December, 2021 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
Nation pays homage to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar on his MahaparinirvanDiwas

The Nation is paying tributes to Bharat Ratna Dr B R Ambedkar on his 65th MahaparinirvanDiwas or death anniversary.
A number of functions are being organised all over the country to highlight the contribution of Dr.Ambedkarin nation-building.
Buddhist monks are reciting Dhamma Puja, and special songs dedicated to Dr.Ambedkarare being performed in the Parliament by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's Song and Drama Division.

National Blockchain Strategy announced.

The National Blockchain Strategy was recently proposed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
The strategy has adopted multi – institutional approach. It involves NIC (National Informatics Centre), C – DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) and NICSI (National Informatics Centre services Inc) for offering blockchain as service.
It aims to provide trusted digital platform for providing e – governance services using blockchain technology.
It involves human resource development, collaboration, regulatory framework, technology stack, standards development.
It seeks the union government to develop state – specific block chain applications.
The National Blockchain Strategy has kept crypto currency out of the ambit of its framework. However, the Government of India had listed a bill called “The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021”. The bill provides a framework for thecreation of official digital currency. Also, the RBI is to create digital money.

Key Features

The strategy will explore the possibility of use of technology for medical supplies and vaccines.
It will improve transparency and efficiency in governance.
NITI Aayog has recognised Blockchain technology as a promising technology. According to NITI Aayog, the technology has notable features such as accountability and decentralisation.

INTERNATIONAL

Joint military exercise between India and Maldives to begin today at Kadhdhoo Island

The 11th edition of Exercise EKUVERIN between India and Maldives will be conducted at Kadhdhoo Island, Maldives.
It will conclude on 19th of this month. The exercise will enhance synergy and inter-operability between Armed Forces of both the nations in terms of understanding transnational terrorism both on land and at sea, conducting Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Operations and sharing best military practices and experiences.
Besides rigorous training, the joint military exercise will also include cultural and sports activities to enhance defence cooperation and bilateral relations.
Defence Ministry said, the exercise will go a long way in strengthening India’s relations with Maldives amidst emerging security dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region.

UAE buys record 80 Rafale jets

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed 14 billion Euros of agreement with France for 80 Rafale warplanes. This is the biggest international order ever made for the Rafale jets.
UAE and France recently inked a 17 billion Euros deal. Under the deal, UAE is to buy 80 Rafale jets and 12 Caracal military transport helicopters.
The deal will support 7,000 jobs in France. Also, it will guarantee the supply chain of Dassault Aviation – made aircraft till 2031.
For observation: The UAE rival Qatar had recently bought 36 Rafale jets from France.
The Rafale jets are to replace the Mirage 2000 fleet of UAE. However, the US F-35 jets are to remain deployed. France and USA are the two major defence suppliers of UAE.

India – UAE CEPA Negotiations

India and UAE launched the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in September 2021. The countries are to hold the third round of negotiations.
CEPA is an economic deal signed between India and UAE in 2017.
It is a free trade pact.
It covers negotiation on trade and services, investment and other economic partnerships.
It also includes competition, cooperation and Intellectual Property Rights.
It also looks in to the regulatory aspects of trade between the countries.
As of March 2021, UAE is the third largest investor in India. The Indian companies have invested 85 billion USD in UAE. The major imports to India from UAE are petroleum products, stones, jewellery, gems. The major exports are minerals, precious metals, gems. With CEPA, the bilateral trade is to increase to 100 billion USD within 5 years.
PTA: Preferential Trade Agreement: This focuses on reducing the import or export duties of specific goods.
CECA: Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement: It covers negotiation on Tariff Rate Quotas and trade tariff.
BIT: Bilateral Investment Treaty: Under this agreement, the countries decide on the conditions for private investment
TIFA: Trade and Investment Framework Agreement: It establishes a framework to expand the trade.

US, EU express concern over China's growing military aggression in South China Sea and East China Sea

United States and European Union have expressed concern over China's growing military aggression in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
The two sides said China's actions in the South China Sea, East China Seas and Taiwan Strait undermine peace and security in the region and have a direct impact on the security and prosperity of both the United States and European Union.
The first US-EU high-level consultations on the Indo-Pacific in Washington during which they reviewed their respective Indo-Pacific engagement and strategies.
They reconfirmed their interest in stability and the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, and both sides noted a shared interest in deepening cooperation with Taiwan consistent with their respective one-China policies.
This comes as Beijing has aggressively pushed its nine-dash line claims in the Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea. The other claimants to the SCS islands are Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

French President Macron says, European countries working to open joint mission in Afghanistan

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that several European countries are working on opening up a joint diplomatic mission in Afghanistan that would enable their ambassadors to return to the country.
Western countries have been struggling with how to engage with the Taliban after they took over Afghanistan in August when United States led forces were completing their pullout.
They are thinking of an organization between several European countries. He said, it may be a common location in Afghanistan for several Europeans, which would allow ambassadors of European countries to be present.
The United States and other Western countries shut their embassies and withdrew their diplomats as the Taliban seized Kabul. Later the militants declared an interim government in Afghanistan whose top members are under U.S. and U.N. sanctions.
The United States, European countries, and others are reluctant to formally recognize the Pashtun-dominated Taliban, accusing them of backtracking on pledges of political and ethnic inclusivity and upholding the rights of women and minorities.

Indonesian volcano: Residents flee in panic as Mt Semeru volcano erupts, spews huge ash cloud

Residents on the Indonesian island of Java have been fleeing a vast plume of ash as an active volcano erupted for the second time in the last few months.
Witnesses said a thick rain of volcanic ash from Mt Semeru was blotting out the Sun in two local districts. No casualties have yet been reported and evacuations are underway, officials said.
Meanwhile, a monitoring body issued a warning to airlines of an ash cloud rising up to 50,000 ft.
ThoriqulHaq, a local official, told media agencies, that a road and bridge from the area to the nearby city of Malang had been severed.
The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) in Darwin, Australia said the ash appeared to have detached from the summit and was drifting southwest over the Indian Ocean. The VAAC provides advice to the aviation industry about the location and movement of potentially hazardous volcanic ash.
Mt Semeru was quite an active volcano that regularly spewed ash up to about1500 ft, so Saturday's eruption was a pretty significant increase in intensity.

Gambia elections: Polls opens for first election since EX- President YahyaJammeh fled the country

Polls have opened in The Gambia for the first election since former President YahyaJammeh left office and fled the country in 2017.
Six presidential candidates, including the incumbentAdama Barrow, are running. The election is seen as a litmus test for the West African nation's democratic transition. Some nine lakh sixty thousand voters, almost half of the country's population, are eligible to cast ballots.
Unemployment, economic recovery from the impact of the Covid pandemic, and whether Mr. Jammeh should return from exile have been the central issues in the campaign.

China hits back WTA decision, protests 'politicizing the case' after suspension

China responded to the Women’s Tennis Association’s decision to suspend all its events in China over the case of former Tennis player Peng Shuai, who accused the country’s former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of pressurizing her into a sexual relationship.
The organization had been left with no choice and demanded verifiable proof that the former French Open and Wimbledon doubles champion was safe. He also called on Beijing to fully investigate her accusations. WTA has asserted that Peng has not been allowed to communicate freely and has been pressured to contradict her allegation of sexual assault.

SPORTS

Argentina beat Germany, 4-2 to lift Men's Junior Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar

Argentina lifted the coveted trophy of the Junior Men's Hockey World Cup after defeating Germany, 4-2 in the Summit Clash in Bhubaneswar last night. Argentina's forward LautaroDomene made all the difference in the match with his hat-trick and then in the last minute Agostini sealed the championship trophy with his brilliant goal.
For Germany, Hayner and Phandt scored a goal each, but that was not enough to stop Argentina to win the final.
Earlier in the day, India suffered a 1-3 defeat against France in the bronze medal match.

Published date : 06 Dec 2021 06:21PM