Current Affairs Daily Updates: 05th Dec 2017

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Current Affairs Daily Updates: 05th Dec 2017
1. Modi to address India Inc for the first time since GST.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a gathering of top industry leaders at the Ficci annual general meeting with India Inc since the launch of GST five months ago.
  • Modi’s address will also help Ficci go one up on arch-rival CII, which in the 1990s was one of the favourite destination for most government ministers.
2. AROGYA 2017
  • AYUSH Minister ShripadNaik has inaugurated the first International Exhibition and Conference on AYUSH and Wellness sector- AROGYA 2017 in New Delhi.
  • The theme was-‘Enhancing the global potential of AYUSH’.
  • It was jointly organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Union Ministry of AYUSH, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council.
3. ADB funds $580 million for Reliance’s Bangladesh power plant project
  • The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors has approved debt financing and partial risk guarantees totalling $583 million to develop the Reliance Bangladesh Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Power Project. 
  • The Project, which includes a power generation facility to be located in Meghnaghat, near Dhaka, and an LNG Terminal, near Kutubdia Island south of Chitagong, will significantly increase power generation and improve energy infrastructure in Bangladesh.
  • The financing package of ADB includes loans and partial risk guarantees for the power generation facility, as well as for the LNG terminal and the power project, being set up for $1 billion. 
  • ADB’s support will help Reliance Power Limited to develop an initial approximately 750 megawatts (MW) of gross power generation capacity and terminal facilities for LNG import.
4. Nasal foreign body removal device ‘Noxeno’ launched
  • Union Government has launched a nasal foreign body removal device ‘Noxeno’.
  • The device has been developed by start-up InnAccel Technologies Pvt. Ltd. under BiodesignProgramme.
  • The indigenously designed device allows the user to slip behind nasal foreign body and remove it instantly by simply squeezing the trigger and pulling the device.
5. Sixth International Tourism Mart 2017 begins in Assam
  • In Assam, the 6th International Tourism Mart 2017 began in Guwahati.
  • Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal and Union Tourism minister K L Alphons will attend the inaugural program this evening.
  • The three-day program has been organized by Ministry of Tourism in association with all North Eastern states. Panel discussions, workshops, business to business meetings, cultural programs are being organized.
  • The Senior officials from Railway, Civil Aviation, DoNER, Road Transport ministry will share their views for the betterment of the tourism sector of North East including Assam.
6. UAE, UK, US and French Armies Hold Joint Exercises in Abu Dhabi
  • UAE Armed Forces along with the UK, US and French armies are participating in joint exercises in Abu Dhabi.
  • The drill code is named as “Flag4”.
  • The two-week long joint exercise aims to increase combat efficiency, gain more field expertise, and work to unify military concepts among participating parties.
7. Indian-American Senator Harris Tops Global Thinkers List
  • Indian-American California senator Kamala Harris topped the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine's 2017 list of '50 Leading Global Thinkers' which also features US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.
  • Besides Harris and Haley, Indian-origin stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj has also made it to the list. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is ranked second in the list for trying to rebuild decent democratic leadership in South Korea.
  • Popular comedian Minhaj is placed third in the ranking for defining the narrative of a "New Brown America".
8. Ellie Goulding Honored as UN Environment Global Goodwill Ambassador
  • British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding signed as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN Environment, joining the fight to save the lives and habitats of people and animals by cleaning up our air and seas, fighting climate change and protecting species.
  • Ellie is also backing UN Environment’s #CleanSeas campaign.


9. Vigilant Ace: South Korea, US joint exercise:
  • United States and South Korea have launched their largest ever joint aerial exercise-Vigilant Ace.
  • The exercise aims to ensure peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
10. Venezuela launches new virtual currency ‘Petro’
  • Venezuela has launched its own crypto-currency ‘Petro’ to circumvent US-led financial sanctions.
  • The currency is expected to help the country to advance in issue of monetary sovereignity.
11. 6th International Tourism Mart held in Assam
  • The 6th International Tourism Mart was recently held in Guwahati, Assam.
  • The three day programme was organized by Union Ministry of Tourism with cooperation from all the North Eastern states.
  • The International Tourism Mart is an annual event organized in North Eastern states to showcase the tourism potential of the region in order to enhance business opportunities.
12. Indias Largest Floating Solar Power Plant Opens in Kerala
  • The largest-ever floating solar power plant in India inaugurated by state power minister MM Man at the Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad.
  • The solar power plant that floats on the surface of the water has a capacity of 500 kilowatts (kW).
  • The solar plant consists of 1,938 solar panels with a capacity of 260 watts, a 500-kilo volt ampere (KVA) transformer and 17 inverters. The total cost of the project is Rs. 9.25 crore.
13. Paytm Payments Bank Unveils Paytm FASTag Across India
  • Paytm Payments Bank rolled out Paytm FASTag to enable electronic toll fee collection on highways across the country, in line with the government's move to make FASTag mandatory on every new vehicle sold from December 1.
  • The Paytm FASTag - which is a simple and reusable tag based on radio-frequency identification technology (RFID) that can be placed on a vehicle's windscreen - will allow commuters to pass through 380 toll plazas across India covering 55,000 km without having to stop.
14. 5th December: World Soil Day
  • The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations celebrates World Soil Day every year on 5th of December every year.
  • The day aims to highlight the importance of soil quality for food security and healthy ecosystem.
  • The theme for this year is-‘Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground’.
15. December 4: Navy Day
  • The Indian Navy Day is observed every year on 4th December to acknowledge the valour, maritime achievements and technological progress of Indian Navy.
  • This was the 46thNavy Day.
16. Prithvi Shaw Named India's Captain for 2018 U-19 World Cup
  • Mumbai's 18-year-old batsman Prithvi Shaw has been named the captain of the Indian Under-19 team for the 2018 U-19 World Cup
  • The tournament is scheduled to be held in New Zealand starting January 13, 2018. This comes after Shaw slammed three tons and two fifties in five Ranji Trophy matches this season.
  • Punjab's Shubman Gill has been named as Shaw's deputy.