NOVEMBER 2019 Flashcards
Global Pension Index
Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index (MMGPI) 2019, India has marginally improved its ranking to 32nd position in terms of providing pension and retirement benefits to citizens compared to last year.
India stood at 32nd position in 2019 out of 37 countries, while it was ranked at 33rd place in 2018 out of 34 countries in the list.
Operation Kayla Muller
The stealth operation that claimed the life of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was named after 26-year-old Kayla Mueller.She was an American who was kidnapped and killed by the extremist group in 2015.
The Barisha raid was a United States military operation in Barisha, Idlib Governorate, in northwestern Syria targeting Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leadership, notably its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, on October 26-27, 2019.
Gilt Oxygen Limitation Theory
biological reasons why fish species will shift towards the poles due to impact of climate change. Scientists have described this with the Gill-Oxygen Limitation Theory (GOLT).
Gill-Oxygen Limitation Theory (GOLT), warming waters have less oxygen. Therefore, fish have difficulties breathing in such environments. Additionally, such warming, low-oxygen waters also increase fish’s oxygen demands because their metabolism speeds up.This is because, as fish grow, their demand for oxygen increases. However, the surface area of the gills (two-dimensional) does not grow at the same pace as the rest of the body (three-dimensional). The larger the fish, the smaller its surface area relative to the volume of its body.
SEED Awards
The SEED was founded by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), UNDP (United Nations Development Program) and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) at the World Summit on SDG, Johannesburg. It works in Asian and African countries
Fourteen start-ups selected for 2019 SEED Awards.The awards, an annual affair, are granted to organisations working on sustainable development.The award highlights the contribution of green and social enterprises to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Supporting Entrepreneurs for. Environment and development
IATA
SpiceJet has announced its membership of global airlines’ grouping ‘International Air Transport Association’ (IATA). SpiceJet is the first Indian low-budget carrier to join the IATA.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 280 airlines or 83% of total air traffic. Formed in April 1945, it is the successor to the International Air Traffic Association, which was formed in 1919.What it does? IATA supports airline activity and helps formulate industry policy and standard
It is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with Executive Offices in Geneva, Switzerland.
Sentinel World Fire Atlas
Sentinel-3 World Fires Atlas Prototype product has been developed by the European Space Agency.It uses a method that enables it to identify all active fires at night.The sensors on satellites measure thermal infrared radiation to take the temperature of Earth’s land surfaces.
This information is used to detect and monitor the heat emitted by the fires.The Atlas uses the satellite data to plot the number of fires occurring monthly.
Cyclone Maha
A depression that developed in the Comorin Sea (near the southernmost end of India) has intensified into a cyclonic storm, named ‘Maha’.The name has been given by Oman.It lies centered over Lakshadweep and the adjoining southeast Arabian Sea and the Maldives area.
Cyclone storm ‘Maha’ is the second in the 2019 northeast monsoon season, following close on the heels of super cyclone Kyarr which took its way towards the Arabian peninsula.
Cyclone MahaCyclone Maha, the fourth cyclone this year in the Arabian Sea, is set to intensify further into a ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’The depression that had developed in the Comorin Sea, gained strength and turned into a cyclonic storm.
Cyclone kyarr
Cyclone Kyarr, the first super cyclonic storm in Arabian Sea in last 12 years, gradually weakens, stated IMD.·The cyclone is very likely to weaken into a “Deep Depression”
Kyarr is a tropical cyclone that has intensified west of India in the Northern Indian Ocean’s Arabian Sea as a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Kyarr is the first Super Cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea in the last 12 years.
Named by Myanmar
Cyclone Vayu
Cyclone Vayu, named by India, is only a deep depression and is still to develop into a strong cyclone.
Arabian Sea cyclones are also relatively weak compared to those emerging in the Bay of Bengal.Gujarat coastline, where most of the cyclones emerging in the Arabian Sea are headed
Bay of Bengal is warmer than the Arabian sea, Bay of Bengal receives higher rainfall and constant inflow of fresh water from the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. making it impossible for the warm water to mix making it ideal for depression. Arabian Sea receives stronger winds that help dissipate the heat, and the lack of constant fresh water supply
Cyclone
next cyclone that forms over the Indian Ocean will be named Hikka (Maldives), followed by Kyarr (Myanmar), Maha (Oman), Bulbul (Pakistan), Pawan (Sri Lanka) and Amphan (Thailand)
Cyclone Amphan
Cyclone Amphan (pronounced as UM-PUN) is a tropical cyclone formed over Bay of Bengal that has intensified and likely to turn into a “super cyclonic storm (maximum wind speed is 120 knots)”. According to the India Meteorological Department forecast, it will make landfall as a very severe cyclone between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh.It has been named by Thailand.
Cyclone Fani
Cyclone FaniIt is categorized as an extremely severe cyclone (ESC).The name of the cyclone fani (pronounced as Foni) was suggested by Bangladesh. It means ‘snake’ or ‘hood of snake’.
Before Fani hit the Odisha coast, Chilika lake had only two active mouths - the point where it meets the sea. But, now four new mouths have opened due to wave energy with high tidal prism.With the opening of new mouths, a lot of sea water is entering Chilika Lake and, thereby increasing salinity of Chilika lagoon.
cyclones are classified as severe (MSW of 48-63 knots), very severe (MSW of 64-89 knots), extremely severe (MSW of 90-119 knots) and super cyclonic storm (MSW of 120 knots or more).
Future Innovation Index
The Future Investment Initiative (FII) is an annual investment forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Future Investment Initiative (FII) is an annual investment forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
UNESCO Creative cities Network
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has included Mumbai and Hyderabad in its network of ‘Creative Cities’ among the 66 cities selected on the occasion of World Cities Day 2019 (31st October).
Mumbai has been designated as Creative City of Films and Hyderabad as a Creative City of Gastronomy.Earlier, Indian cities like Chennai and Varanasi have been included in UNESCO Cities of Music while Jaipur has been included in the City of Crafts and Folk Arts.
PISA
India and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has signed an agreement to enable India’s participation in Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) to be held in 2021.India stayed away from PISA in 2012 and 2015 on account of its dismal performance in 2009, when it was placed 72nd among the 74 participating countries.India criticized the method saying that questions were “out of context”. Thus, India chose not to participate in the 2012 and 2015 cycle of PISA
PISA is an international survey held every three years, coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).First conducted in 2000, the major domain of study rotates between reading, mathematics, and science in each cycle.It is a competency-based test designed to assess the ability of the 15-year-old candidates
Gottiprolu
Excavation by Archaeological Survey of India at Gottiprolu near Nellore (now renamed as Sri Potti Sriramulu) district, Andhra Pradesh has discovered the remains of a huge settlement.
site lies on the right bank of a distributary of river Swarnamukhi.The proximity of the site (at southern coastal location) to the seacoast suggests that the site could have served as a strategic settlement involved in maritime trade.
Excavation by Archaeological Survey of India in Gottiprolu, Andhra Pradesh indicate it as a Trade Centre of Early Historic Period.
Global Micros Report On Financial Inclusion
The Economist Intelligence Unit has released the 2019 edition of Global Microscope on Financial Inclusion report.
SCOJTEX
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search & Rescue. Hosted by NDRF.
The participants of all 08 member countries namely China, India, Kazakhastan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan shall be participating in this exercise. Main focus shall be to test the region’s preparedness and resilience towards effective activation of Inter- governmental interaction for immediate response.
IISF
Fifth India International Science Festival (IISF) on 5th November, 2019.Host City: The four-day science festival is being organized in Kolkata
DUSTLIK
Defence Minister is in Uzbekistan on a three-day visit since Saturday.This is the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Uzbekistan in about 15 years.The joint military exercise focused on counter-terrorism has commenced in Tashkent
14th East Asia Summit
The 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) was held in Bangkok, Thailand
The East Asia Summit is the premier forum in the Asia-Pacific region to deal with issues relating to security and defence. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia.
Apart from the 10 ASEAN member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Russia.
Skills Build Platform
Skills Build is a digital platform developed by IBM enabling holistic learning and aligning it with Skills India initiative by Government of India. India is the 4th country where this Skills Build platform has been launched on 4th Nov’19, in alliance with the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), after being launched in UK, Germany and France.
ICEDASH and ATHITHI
Ministry of Finance has launched two Information Technology (IT) initiatives - ICEDASH and ATITHI.ICEDASH- For improved monitoring of customs clearance of imported goods.ATITHI - For facilitating arriving international passengers.Both the initiatives have been developed by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
ICEDASHIt is an Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) monitoring dashboard of the Indian Customs that will help public see the daily customs clearance times of import cargo at various ports and airports.Collab with NIC
ATITHIIt is an easy to use mobile app for international travelers to file the Customs declaration in advance.
Wasteland Atls
Ministry of Rural Development has released the fifth edition of Wastelands Atlas (2019).It has been prepared by the Department of Land Resources (Ministry of Rural Development) in collaboration with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Department of Space.Significance of Wasteland AtlasUnprecedented pressure on the land beyond its carrying capacity is resulting in the degradation of lands in the country.
