Gujarat's iconic dance form Garba has found a place in Unesco’s prestigious intangible cultural heritage list of humanity. Union culture minister G Kishan Reddy has  made the announcement on micro-blogging site ‘X’ and stated that it was a proud moment for the country.  

The intergovernmental committee of UNESCO’s 2003 convention on Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed ‘Garba of Gujarat’ on the list during its 18th session being held in Botswana.

Garba is performed on the occasion of Navaratri, which is dedicated to the worship of the feminine energy or ‘Shakti’. The dance takes place around a perforated earthenware pot lit with an oil lamp, or an image of the mother goddess Amba, stated the Unesco portal.

Earlier, Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021), Kumbh Mela (2017) and Yoga (2016) were added to the prestigious list.

India is a signatory of the 2003 UNESCO convention which aims for the safeguarding of intangible heritage along with traditions and living expression. 

UN chief Antonio Guterres has invoked a rarely-used article in the United Nations Charter to appeal to the Security Council for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and to avert a "humanitarian catastrophe", which he said has "potentially irreversible implications" for Palestinians and peace in the region.

Secretary-General Guterres issued a letter on Dec 5 to the President of the Security Council for the month of December, Ambassador Jose Javier De La Gasca Lopez Dominguez, the Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the UN, writing under Article 99 of the UN Charter.

Article 99 was last specifically mentioned in a report on December 3, 1971, by then Secretary-General U Thant on the situation in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

India had emerged victorious against Pakistan in the 1971 war, which led to the creation of Bangladesh.

This is the first time that Guterres has invoked Article 99 of the Charter since he became UN Secretary-General in 2017.

Article 99 states that the Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.

Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with "All in the Family," “The Jeffersons” and “Maude,” propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of TV sitcoms, has died. He was 101.

A liberal activist with an eye for mainstream entertainment, Lear fashioned bold and controversial comedies that were embraced by viewers who had to watch the evening news to find out what was going on in the world. His shows helped define prime time comedy in the 1970s, launched the careers of Rob Reiner and Valerie Bertinelli and made middle-aged superstars of Carroll O'Connor, Bea Arthur and Redd Foxx.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the UPI transaction limit for medical and educational services from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The Central bank, which also kept interest rates flat, announced various regulatory measures in the UPI and fintech ecosystem and financial markets.

e-Mandates limit: RBI has exempted e-mandates additional factor authentication (AFA) for transactions up to Rs 1 lakh for subscription to mutual funds, payment of insurance premium and payments of credit card bills.

The other existing requirements such as pre- and post-transaction notifications, opt-out facility for users will continue, it said. A revised circular in this regard will be issued shortly.

Currently, e-Mandates for making payments of recurring transactions exceeding Rs 15,000 will require additional factor of authentication. RBI said this measure will further accelerate the usage of e-mandates.

The number of e-mandates registered currently stands at 8.5 crore, processing nearly ₹2800 crores of transactions per month.

Setting up of Fintech Repository: RBI has announced its decision to set-up a Fintech Repository for better understanding of developments in the fintech ecosystem.

This will be operationalised by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub in April 2024 or earlier. FinTechs would be encouraged to provide relevant information voluntarily to this Repository.

This comes amid increasing partnerships of financial entities like banks and NBFCs with Fintechs.

Establishment of Cloud Facility for the Financial Sector: The Reserve Bank in a statement said it is working on establishing a cloud facility for the financial sector in India, which would enhance data security, integrity and privacy. It would also facilitate better scalability and business continuity. The cloud facility is intended to be rolled out in a calibrated fashion over the medium term.

RBI noted that banks and financial entities are utilising various public and private cloud facilities.

Framework for Connected Lending: The Reserve Bank of India has decided to come out with a unified regulatory framework on connected lending for all regulated entities. The bank said this will further strengthen the pricing and management of credit by regulated entities.

Web-Aggregation of Loan Products: RBI has decided to lay down a regulatory framework for web-aggregation of loan products. This move is expected to result in enhanced customer centricity and transparency in digital lending.

RBI also noted that several concerns relating to such web-aggregation of loan products harming consumers’ interest have come to our notice.

Hedging of Foreign Exchange Risks: RBI said, based on market developments and feedback received from market participants, the extant regulatory framework for forex derivative transactions has been refined and consolidated under a single master direction. This will further deepen the

forex derivatives market by enhancing operational efficiency and ease of access for users.

Lionel Messi has been named Time magazine's "Athlete of the Year" for 2023 after a trailblazing season marked by an eighth Ballon d'Or award and his ground-breaking move to Major League Soccer's Inter Miami.

Time said the Argentine superstar had already had a transformative impact on the American sporting landscape, which has been historically slow to embrace football.

The 36-year-old Messi made his debut for Miami in July following an acrimonious departure from Paris Saint-Germain.

The World Cup-winner also rebuffed a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in favor of a new chapter in MLS.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner made an instant impact on Miami's fortunes, playing a pivotal role in helping the team win the expanded Leagues Cup, a cross-border competition for teams from MLS and Mexico's top flight.

Messi finished the campaign with 11 goals in 14 appearances across all competitions, but an injury towards the end of the season meant he was unable to help Miami force their way into the playoffs.

Q1) Name   the UN chief  who  has invoked a rarely-used article in the United Nations Charter to appeal to the Security Council for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and to avert a "humanitarian catastrophe" ?

1. Antonio Guterres
2. Kristalina Georgieva
3. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
4. Catherine M. Russell
5. None of these

Q2) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the UPI transaction limit for medical and educational services from Rs 1 lakh to

1. Rs 3 lakh
2. Rs 5 lakh
3. Rs  7 lakh
4. Rs 10  lakh
5. None of these

Q3) Name the person who has been named Time magazine's "Athlete of the Year" for 2023 after a trailblazing season marked by an eighth Ballon d'Or award and his ground-breaking move to Major League Soccer's Inter Miami ?

1. Kylian Mbappé
2. Lionel Messi
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
4. Paul Pogba
5. None of these

Q4) The India on Dec 7 has  confirmed that the Indian ambassador obtained consular access to meet the eight Indians sentenced to death on December 3 in

1. Oman
2. Saudi Arab
3. Iran
4. Qatar
5. None of these

Q5) Name the state whose iconic dance form Garba has found a place in Unesco’s prestigious intangible cultural heritage list of humanity ?

1. Rajasthan
2. Madhya  Pradesh
3. Gujarat
4. Maharashtra
5. None of these

Answers

1-----------------------1   Antonio Guterres

2----------------------2 Rs 5 lakh

3-----------------------2  Lionel Messi

4----------------------4   Qatar

5---------------------3   Gujarat

Chennai Airport has resumed operations after being temporarily shut down due to heavy rains that caused flooding and waterlogging on the runways.

According to a statement released by the airport authorities, the rains have stopped, and the water has receded. However, there is a lot of slush and filth on the runways and taxiways, which is being cleared by four Civilian Firearms Teams (CFTs) and additional manpower.

Meanwhile, 8 people have lost their lives while multiple roads and subways are closed due to waterlogging in the wake of the Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Michaung', which is expected to make landfall on the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh between Nellore and Machilipatnam  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on  Dec 4  said that Indian Navy’s ranks will be renamed in line with Indian traditions and its epaulettes will also be changed similar to the naval ensign. Inspired by the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Prime Minister said, the India of today is moving forward abandoning the “slavery mentality”.

He expressed happiness that the new epaulettes donned by naval officers will now highlight the heritage and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as they will be similar to the naval ensign. The PM also recalled unveiling the new naval ensign last year which was inspired by the maritime prowess of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and contains the octagonal seal of the Maratha kingdom.

Emphasizing the strengthening of Nari Shakti in the armed forces, Modi congratulated the Indian Navy on the appointment of the country’s first woman commanding officer in a naval ship. The PM attended the programme marking Navy Day celebrations at Sindhudurg in Maharashtra on Monday. He also witnessed the operational demonstrations by Indian Navy’s ships, submarines, aircraft and special forces from Tarkarli beach, Sindhudurg.

Reflecting on India’s history, the PM emphasized that it is not about slavery, defeats and disappointments alone, but also comprises the glorious chapters of India’s victories, courage, knowledge and science, art and creative skills, and maritime capabilities.

The event saw participation of more than 15 major and minor warships (mostly indigenous) along with over 40 aircraft comprising MIG 29 K, indigenous LCA Navy and Advanced Light Helicopter, as well as the newly inducted multi-mission helicopter MH 60 R.

The event also included the unveiling of a spectacular 43 feet high statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Rajkot Fort by the PM. The statue was conceived and conceptualised by the Indian Navy and funded by the government of Maharashtra. The Indian Navy celebrates December 4 as Navy Day every year to acknowledge the role of the force and commemorate its achievements in ‘Operation Trident’ during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.