Current Affairs Daily Updates: 01st DEC 2017

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1. Dia Mirza appointed as UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India.
  • Former Miss Asia Pacific, actor, producer, entrepreneur and environmentalist, Dia Mirza, was appointed UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador for India.
  • A long-standing supporter of environmental conservation, Dia will take up the role to add more weight to her work on raising awareness of and seeking solutions to the environmental issue.
  • As a Goodwill Ambassador, Dia will work with the United Nations to further spread the message on priority areas including clean air, clean seas, wildlife protection and climate change.
2. HEFA approves projects of over 2000 crore rupees for six higher education institutions:
  • Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) has given approval for projects worth 2000 crore rupees for improving the research infrastructure of six higher educational institutions.
  • These institutes are- IITs Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Kharagpur, Kanpur and NIT Suratkal.
3. Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik creates world’s longest red ribbon before World AIDS Day:
  • Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik now has another world record to his name.
  • On the eve of World AIDS Day, Pattnaik created the world’s longest red ribbon on the Odisha’s famed Puri beach to generate awareness about the fatal disease.
  • The red ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV-AIDS.
  • The Limca Book of Records took cognizance of Pattnaik’s feat and his name has been registered in the world record for the longest sand art ribbon.
4. MoU between India and Italy in health sector:
  • India an d Italy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for increasing bilateral cooperation in health sector.
  • There will be exchange and training of doctors, officials, healthcare professionals and experts.
  • Mou also provides for short term training of human resources in health to upgrade the material and infrastructural resources involved in the health care, medical education and training.
5. Russia negotiates the deal for its warplanes to use Egypt bases.
  • Russia has approved a draft agreement with Egypt for Russian warplanes to use Egyptian military bases.
  • It is a deal that would allow Moscow to further increase its military footprint in the Mideast.
  • The Russia-Egypt deal, which would allow each country’s warplanes to use air bases of the other, is to last five years and could be extended further if agreed.
6. First Sikh woman elected as Mayor in US:
  • Preet Didbal is the mayor of Yuba city in California, becoming the first Sikh woman to hold the position in the US.
  • Dibal got the appointment by the California city council and she will be sworn in on December 5.
  • Didbal was elected to Yuba city council in 2014 and is currently vice-mayor.
7. PM inaugurates HT Leadership Summit in New Delhi:
  • Prime Minister NarendraModi has inaugurated the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi.
  • Former US President Barack Obama and Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah will also address the 2-day long summit.
8. 1st December: World AIDS Day:
  • With an aim to spread awareness about AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrom), the World Aids Day is celebrated every year on 1st December across the Globe.
  • The theme for this year is- ‘Right to Health’.




9. China hints at maintaining sizable troops presence near Doklam in winter.
  • The Chinese military hinted at maintaining the sizable presence of its troops near the area of Doklam standoff during winter, asserting that the region is in Chinese territory.
  • India and China resolved the 73-day tense standoff on August 28 at Doklam area after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) stopped building a strategic road close to India.
  • According to official accounts, both China and India in the past used to withdraw troops from the advanced regions of that area during the winter.
10. India- Singapore signs Bilateral Agreement for Naval Cooperation:
  • India and Singapore have signed a Bilateral Agreement for Naval Cooperation to provide logistical support to the Indian Navy ships at the Singapore’s Changi Naval Base located near the disputed South China Sea.
  • The agreement will allow the refuellingand restocking of the Indian ships at Singapore’s Naval Base.
11. OP Galhotra is the new chief of Rajasthan police
  • The Rajasthan government appointed 1985-batch IPS officer Om Prakash Galhotraas the new director general of police.
  • Galhotra took charge form Ajit Singh who retired on Thursday.
  • He will occupy the post until October 2019.
  • Galhotra’s first posting in Rajasthan was as assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Kota.
12. Ajeya Warrior 2017: India-UK combined Military Exercise:
  • Indo-UK combined Military Exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior 2017’ was recently started in Rajasthan.
  • It was the third joint military exercise between the two countries.
  • The 14 day long exercise aims to increase the mutual cooperation and coordination between the two countries.
13. North Korea tests Hwasong-15:
  • North Korea has successfully test fired Hwasong-15 which is nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
  • It is North Korea’s most powerful ICBM.
14. India won 3 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze at Asian Archery Championships.
  • Indian archers produced an impressive performance, grabbing three gold, four silver and two bronze medals at the Asian Championships.
  • Two Indian boys and girls also booked quota places for the 2018 Youth Olympics.
15. Former India women’s cricket team coach Sreerupa dead.
  • Former India women’s cricket team coach and batswoman Sreerupa Bose (Mukherjee) passed away on Thursday morning.
  • She represented India in a couple of one-day International matches.
  • She later went on to coach the side during the ICC Women’s World Cup in 1993, 1997 and 2000.