1. US announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics.

• The Biden administration has announced that US officials will not attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing after China pledged unspecified “countermeasures” against any such diplomatic boycott.
• The US cited that “China’s human rights ATROCITIES” is the main reason for its boycott. The US has named the boycott as “Diplomatic Boycott”. It means that the US is not sending any official or diplomatic representation to participate in the Olympics.
• However, the US is allowing American athletes to participate in the Olympics. The US is boycotting for the following human rights atrocities of China: Situations in Taiwan and Tibet, The crackdown in Hong Kong and Abuse of minority Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

2. Olaf Scholz is sworn in as new German chancellor.

• German lawmakers officially elected Social Democrat, Olaf Scholz as the new chancellor, putting an end to 16 years of conservative rule under Angela Merkel.
• He will lead a government composed of his Social Democrat Party, the business-friendly Free Democrats and the Greens, a coalition of parties never tried before at the federal level in Germany.
• The 63-year-old, Scholz previously served as vice-chancellor and finance minister during the Merkel administration, was then sworn in as Germany’s next chancellor. Olaf Scholz has achieved the necessary majority of at least 369 votes. Based on article 63, paragraph 2 of the German Constitution he is elected chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.

3. Canada, Australia and UK join US boycott of Beijing Olympic.

• Canada will join the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns.
• The announcement came after the White House, the Australian government and the UK government confirmed diplomatic boycotts of the Winter Games in February to protest Chinese human rights abuses. China has vowed to react with “firm countermeasures.”
• The diplomatic moves by Canada, the U.S., Britain and Australia do not affect their athletes’ ability to compete in the games. The 2022 Winter Olympics are an upcoming international winter multi-sport event.
• This event is scheduled to take place from February 4 to 20, 2022 in Beijing, China. It will be the first Winter Olympics in China as well as the last of three consecutive Olympics which is to be held in East Asia, after the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.

4. Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to jail.

• Myanmar’s ousted civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years imprisonment after being found guilty on two charges, the first verdicts in a raft of criminal cases that the country’s military has brought against her since seizing power 10 months ago.
• Ms Suu Kyi was convicted of charges of incitement and violating pandemic rules. The 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate is facing a total of 11 charges which can bring in a maximum imprisonment of 102 years.
• Suu Kyi has been found guilty on two charges — of inciting the public against the military and breaching the Covid-19 protocols in the country.
• The incitement charge stems from statements made on Facebook pages of Suu Kyi’s party after she was detained by the military, following a coup that prevented her from starting a second term in office.
• 5. UNGA granted observer status to International Solar Alliance.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to International Solar Alliance (ISA) by adopting resolution 76/123. This decision has been taken based on the UNGA’s Sixth Committee report.
• In November 2015, ISA was jointly launched by India and France during the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change COP-21 in Paris, France to promote solar energy among its Member Countries.
• A total of 108 countries participated in the Assembly, including 74 Member Countries and 34 Observer and Prospective Countries, 23 Partner Organizations and 33 Special Invitee Organisations.
• The launch of the ISA was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and former French President Francois Hollande in November 2015, at the 21st session of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Paris, France.

1. Sunil Arora invited to join top international democracy body IDEA.

• Former chief election commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora has been invited to join the board of advisers at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, also known as International IDEA. IDEA has a 15-member board of advisers, all of whom are eminent personalities from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) was established in 1995. It is an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, Sweden. India is one of the founding members of the institute.
• The key mission of International IDEA is to support sustainable democracy worldwide. It currently has 34 member countries, which include new, old, small and large democracies from all continents.

2. NITI Aayog launches ‘e-Sawaari India e-bus Coalition’.

• The National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog launched the ‘e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition’ in partnership with Convergence Energy Service Ltd (CESL) and World Resources Institute, India (WRI India) and with the support from Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI).
• The objective of the initiative is to share knowledge of various stakeholders – Central & State Govt. agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), on accelerating the process towards seamless adoption of e-bus services in India.
• Through, e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition, the central-, state-, and city-level government agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), financing institutions, and ancillary service providers will be able to share knowledge and their learnings on e-bus adoption in India.

3. Bhasha Sangam mobile app launched with 22 languages.

• Union Minister of State for Education, Dr Subhas Sarkar has informed that the government is all set to launch Bhasha Sangam mobile app. The mobile app is developed to give users familiarity with common expressions of daily conversation in scheduled Indian languages.
• The app has 100+ sentences, designed on different themes that allow people to learn basic conversation in 22 Indian languages, test themselves and generate online certificates. The app aims to foster the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat by enabling people across India to learn the different languages of different states of India and come closer to their culture.

4. Ministry of Power kickstarts celebration of Energy Conservation Week.

• Ministry of Power is celebrating the Energy Conservation Week from 8th to 14th December 2021 under “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”. Celebration by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency will include three major activities i.e.
• National Painting Competition for school children, National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) for Industries and establishments and National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards (NEEIA) to recognize innovative energy efficiency technologies.

5. India assumed the chairmanship of Council of RATS SCO.

• India assumed the Chairmanship of Council of Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (RATS SCO) for 1 year from October 28, 2021.
• The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Government of India, in association with Data Security Council of India (DSCI), as a Knowledge Partner, organized a 2-day Practical Seminar on ‘Securing Cyberspace in the Contemporary Threat Environment’ for delegates from SCO member States.
• The seminar is the 1st event to be hosted by India during its Chairmanship of Council of RATS SCO. This Seminar addressed key areas like Policies and Strategies, Cyber Terrorism, Ransomware, and Digital Forensics amongst others. The representatives from the Executive Committee (EC) of RATS SCO and all SCO member countries attended this Seminar.

1. Kazhuveli Wetland declared as 16th Bird Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu.

• The Kazhuveli wetland situated in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu has been declared as the 16th Bird Sanctuary by Surpiya Sahu, Environment and Forest Secretary, at the Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change.
• The declaration was made under subsection (1) of section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Kazhuveli wetlands is referred to as the 2nd largest Brackish Water Lake in South India, only after Pulicat lake.

2. UP cabinet approves Atma Nirbhar Krishak development scheme.

• Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved the Atma Nirbhar Krishak development scheme for boosting the agriculture sector. Atma Nirbhar Krishak development scheme will be implemented from the current financial year.
• Under this scheme, 1,475 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) will be formed in the next three years in each development block.
• The scheme will provide a long-term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for postharvest management infrastructure and community.
• Rs 1 lakh crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, Marketing Cooperative Societies, Self Help Groups, farmers, and joint liability groups.
• All loans will be provided with an interest subvention of 3 per cent per annum up to a limit of Rs 2 crore. The scheme will be funded through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund(AIF).

3. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami launched ‘Milk Price Incentive Scheme’.

• Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami has launched the ‘Milk Price Incentive Scheme‘ in Dehradun. The scheme is aimed to provide incentives benefiting around 53,000 people of Uttarakhand.
• The state government is targeting to spend INR 444.62 crore to open 500 milk sales centres in Uttarakhand. It is a Direct Bank Transfer (DBT) scheme, the amount under the scheme would go directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries through their linked bank accounts.
• In the Dehradun district, milk production and consumption are completely contradictory. On one hand, the government is making many attempts to enhance milk production, all government claims of promoting products are proving to be fictitious. Despite thousands of hours of labour, milk is not produced in accordance with demand.

1. City Union Bank & NPCI launched ‘On-the-Go’ wearable keychain.

• City Union Bank (CUB), in collaboration with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and its manufacturing partner Seshaasai, has announced the launch of RuPay On-the-Go contactless wearable keychain for its debit card customers.
• This contactless wearable keychain will be part of their daily lifestyle and enable customers to tap and make cashless payments securely.
• This On-the-Go solution allows the bank’s customers to carry payment cards on their keychains, making for fast and convenient payments up to ₹5,000 at all Rupay-enabled point of sale devices (PoS) without entering a PIN.
• This would increase digital payment behavior among customers, especially the younger generation and students, by enabling faster check out and less waiting in queue with features to set the spending limit, enable/disable usage through net banking, and CUB’s All-in-One mobile app.

2. RBI imposed restrictions on Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank.

• The Reserve Bank of India has imposed several restrictions on Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, including restrictions on withdrawals up to Rs. 10,000 for customers.
• RBI has issued the directions in the exercise of powers vested in it under subsection (1) of Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 for six months.
• The bank shall not, without prior approval of RBI, grant or renew any loans and advances, make any investment, incur any liability, disburse any payment, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets. The bank will continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till its financial position improves.

3. Federal Bank and Star Health Insurance tie-up for bancassurance.

• Federal Bank has entered into a Bancassurance partnership with Star Health and Allied Insurance Co Ltd as a corporate agent to provide health insurance products for the Bank’s 8.90 million customers across India.
• The Bank’s customers can avail benefits of Star Health’s retail products and group affinity products through the bank’s various distribution channels which help the customers to address their complete financial needs under one roof.
• It is a partnership between a bank and an insurance company that would enable them to offer insurance products to the bank’s customers.

4. Airtel, Invest India launch ‘Startup Innovation Challenge’.

• Bharti Airtel and Invest India, National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency jointly launched ‘Airtel India Startup Innovation Challenge’ for Startups to develop solutions in 5G, IoT.
• Under the Startup Innovation Challenge, early-stage technology companies are being invited to demonstrate differentiated solutions in areas such as 5G, Cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and digital entertainment.

5. RBI enforces 20-digit LEI for cross-border deals.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) made Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) mandatory for cross-border transactions for capital or current account transactions of Rs 50 crore and above, from October 1 next year.
• The LEI is a 20-digit number used to uniquely identify parties to financial transactions worldwide to improve the quality and accuracy of financial data systems.
• The identifier norm has been introduced in a phased manner for participants in the over the counter (OTC) derivative, non-derivative markets, large corporate borrowers, and large value transactions in centralised payment systems.
• Starting October 1, 2022, banks will have to obtain the `LEI` number from the resident entities (non-individuals) undertaking any capital or current account transactions. For LEI holders, it would be mandatory to furnish the number in all transactions irrespective of the transaction size.

1. RBI Monetary Policy: Repo rate unchanged for the 9th consecutive time.

• The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das kept the repo rate unchanged at 4 per cent for the ninth consecutive time while maintaining an ‘accommodative stance’ as long as necessary.
• The central bank had last revised the policy rate on May 22, 2020, in an off-policy cycle to perk up demand by cutting the interest rate to a historic low. The meeting was held between December (6 to 8). The remaining will take place in February (7 to 9, 2022).
• The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and bank rates remain unchanged:
• Policy Repo Rate: 4.00%
• Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%
• Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 4.25%
• Bank Rate: 4.25%
• CRR: 4%
• SLR: 18.00%
• RBI Monetary Policy Highlights & Key Decisions:
• The projection for real GDP growth is retained at 9.5% in 2021-22, consisting of 6.6% in Q3, & 6% in Q4. Real GDP growth is projected at 17.2% for Q1 of 2022-23 and at 7.8% for Q2 of 2022-23.
• The inflation projection was retained for FY22 at 5.3%, 5.1% for Q3, 5.7% for Q4, and 5% for Q1 FY23.

2. Fitch Ratings cuts India’s FY22 GDP Growth Forecast to 8.4%.

• Fitch Ratings has slashed India’s economic growth forecast in the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) to 8.4 per cent and raised the growth projection to 10.3 per cent for FY23, compared to October 2021 rating projections of 8.7 per cent (FY22) and 10 per cent (FY23).

3. ADB approved a USD 350 million loan to improve India’s urban services.

• Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a Rs 2653.05 crore (USD 350 million) policy-based loan to improve urban services in India.
• This loan supports the policies formulated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to benefit the urban poor, economically weaker sections, and low-income groups.
• ADB will also provide knowledge and advisory support to MoHUA in program implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

1. Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project approved by Cabinet.

• Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project has been approved by the Union Cabinet, which is chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. At 2020-21 price levels, the overall cost of the Ken-Betwa link project has been estimated at Rs. 44,605 crore.
• The Union Cabinet has approved central support for the project in the amount of Rs. 39,317 crore, which includes a grant of Rs. 36,290 crore and a loan of Rs. 3,027 crore.
• The project will be implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as the Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA).”
• The project includes the construction of the Daudhan dam across river Betwa from Ken and the transfer of water through a canal connecting the two rivers, Lower Orr project, Kotha barrage- and Bina complex multipurpose project.
• The project will irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares annually, provide drinking water to a population of 62 lakhs, and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

2. Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project approved by Cabinet.

• Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project has been approved by the Union Cabinet, which is chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. At 2020-21 price levels, the overall cost of the Ken-Betwa link project has been estimated at Rs. 44,605 crore.
• The Union Cabinet has approved central support for the project in the amount of Rs. 39,317 crore, which includes a grant of Rs. 36,290 crore and a loan of Rs. 3,027 crore.
• The project will be implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as the Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA).”
• The project includes the construction of the Daudhan dam across river Betwa from Ken and the transfer of water through a canal connecting the two rivers, Lower Orr project, Kotha barrage- and Bina complex multipurpose project.
• The project will irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares annually, provide drinking water to a population of 62 lakhs, and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

1. FICCI appoints Sanjiv Mehta as its President.

• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) announced that Sanjiv Mehta, the Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), will be appointed as its President.
• Mehta, presently the Senior Vice President of FICCI, will be succeeding media industry veteran Uday Shankar. Mehta is also the President of Unilever South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Nepal), and is a member of the ‘Unilever Leadership Executive’ which is Unilever’s Global Executive Board.

2. Catherine Russell appointed as the new head of UNICEF.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Catherine Russell as the head of UN children’s agency UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children’s Fund.
• Catherine Russell is an assistant to US President Joe Biden. She also heads the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Russell will succeed Henrietta Fore, who resigned in July 2021 because of a family health issue.
• UNICEF is governed by a 36-member executive board. The board establishes policies, oversees administrative & financial plans and approves programs. Board comprises of government representatives, who are elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. They are elected for three-year terms.

1. World’s Oldest Test Cricketer, Eileen Ash passes away.

• World’s oldest Test Cricketer, former English legend, Eileen Ash passed away at the age of 110.
• The right-arm seamer made her debut to the national side in 1937 against Australia and in a career spanning till 1949, she took 10 wickets in the seven matches she played.
• Her career was interrupted by the Second World War – she was seconded to MI6, the UK’s intelligence service – and retired from the sport in 1949.
• Eileen Ash was given the honour of ringing the bell at Lord’s in the Finals of the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup where the host, England have crowned the champions after beating India in a thrilling Finals.

2. Serum Institute of India ED Suresh Jadhav passes away.

• Serum Institute of India’s Executive Director Dr Suresh Jadhav has passed away. He played an important role in the development of the Covishield vaccine. He was part of several national and international bodies and organisations.
• Serum Institute of India is the world’s largest vaccine maker. It is the second company to apply for the approval of a vaccine candidate from the Drugs Controller General of India.

1. International Anti-Corruption Day: 09 December.

• International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually on 9 December to raise public awareness for anti-corruption. The day is observed since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October 2003.
• The 2021 International Anti-Corruption Day seeks to highlight the rights and responsibilities of everyone – including States, Government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, the private sector, civil society, academia, the public and youth – in tackling corruption.
• The theme of International Anti-Corruption Day 2021: “Your right, your role: say no to corruption”.

2. Remember the Victims Prevent Genocide: 9 December.

• The International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime is observed annually on December 9.
• The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims.
• 9 December 2021 marks the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, as well as the 73rd anniversary of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”), the first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly.

3. SAARC Charter Day 2021: 8th December.

• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Charter Day is observed annually on 8th December to commemorate the adoption of the SAARC Charter. This year marks the 37th anniversary of the regional group.
• The charter was signed by the Leaders of SAARC Countries Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the First SAARC Summit held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

4. Human Rights Day: 10 December 2021.

• Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10 December annually across the world. This Day came into existence on December 10, 1948, when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations.
• This day is observed every year across the world, as it empowers us all. The day also acknowledges the advocates and defenders of human rights around the world.
• The theme for Human Rights Day 2021 is “EQUALITY – Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights.” This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to ‘Equality’ and Article 1 of the UDHR – “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

5. International Mountain Day observed on 11 December.

• International Mountain Day is observed globally on December 11 every year. The day is celebrated to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.
• The theme of this year’s International Mountain Day (IMD) on 11 December will be sustainable mountain tourism. Sustainable tourism in mountains can contribute to creating additional and alternative livelihood options and promoting poverty alleviation, social inclusion, as well as landscape and biodiversity conservation.
• The day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2003 to encourage the sustainable development of mountains. United Nations had declared 2002 as the UN International Year of Mountains.

6. Unicef Day 2021: History, significance, theme.

• Every year, UNICEF Day is observed on December 11 to raise awareness about saving children’s lives by defending and helping them to fulfil their wishes. The day provides assistance for the health, nutrition, education, and welfare of children during World War II.
• UNICEF’s name was subsequently changed from United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund to United Nations Children’s Fund though, it continued to be known by the popular acronym based on the previous title.
• The theme for this year is to help children recover from interruptions and learning losses experienced through pandemics in the last two years.

7. International Universal Health Coverage Day :12 December.

• International Universal Health Coverage Day is a United Nations’ recognized international day celebrated every year on December 12. International Universal Health Coverage Day aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.
• Each year on 12 December, UHC advocates raise their voices to share the stories of the millions of people still waiting for health, champion what we have achieved so far, call on leaders to make bigger and smarter investments in health, and encourage diverse groups to make commitments to help move the world closer to UHC by 2030.
• This year theme of International Universal Health Coverage Day is “Leave No One’s Health Behind: Invest in health systems for all.”

8. International Day of Neutrality: 12 December 2021.

• International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations recognized day held on December 12 each year to raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations. It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12, 2017.
• On 2 February 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted without a vote resolution 71/275 — introduced by Turkmenistan, recognized by the UN as a permanently neutral state since 12 December 1995, which noted the link between the preservation of peace and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and declared 12 December as the International Day of Neutrality.

1. Asia Power Index 2021: India Ranked as 4th.

• According to Lowy Institute Asia Power Index 2021, India has ranked 4th most powerful country in the Asia-Pacific region for comprehensive power out of 26 countries, with an overall score of 37.7 out of 100.
• India’s overall score declined by 2 points compared to 2020. India again falls short of the major power threshold in 2021. India is one of 18 countries in Asia to trend downward in its overall score in 2021.
• The top 10 countries for overall power in the Asia-Pacific region are the United States, China, Japan, India, Russian, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

2. World Inequality Report 2022 announced.

• France-based World Inequality Lab published its report titled “World Inequality Report 2022”. This report was authored by Lucas Chancel, who is the co-director of World Inequality Lab. It was coordinated by famed French economist Thomas Piketty.
• In 2021 the top 10 per cent and top 1 per cent of the Indian population holds 57 per cent and 22 per cent of total national income respectively, whereas the share of the bottom 50 per cent has gone down to 13 per cent.
• The report notes that the top 1 % of India’s population owns more than one-fifth of the total national income in 2021.
• The bottom half of the population earns just 13.1 per cent.
• It highlights that economic reforms and liberalization that India has adopted, have mostly benefited the top 1 per cent.

3. India Skills Report 2022: Maharashtra Retains Top Position.

• The 9th edition of India Skills Report (ISR) 2022, released by Wheebox, Maharashtra has retained the top position in the list of states with the highest poll of employable talent followed by Uttar Pradesh and Kerala.
• The theme of ISR 2022 – ‘Rebuilding and Reengineering the Future of Work’. India Skills Report is a full-fledged report about the future of work, education, and skilling to match the talent demand and supply in a growing India.
• Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu are the 3 states that have a higher job demand.
• Pune is the city with the most highly employable resources with 78% of the test takers scoring above 60 per cent.

1. Indian origin Anil Menon is SpaceX’s first flight surgeon.

• Nasa-turned-SpaceX flight surgeon, Anil Menon is among the 10 latest trainee astronauts who will join the 2021 class of the American space agency as it plans for the first human missions to the moon in more than 50 years.
• He is born to Indian and Ukrainian parents and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Menon is a lieutenant colonel in the US air force.
• He was SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, helping to launch the company’s first humans to space during NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission and building a medical organization to support the human system during future missions.

2. Microsoft launched cybersecurity skills training programme in India.

• Microsoft has launched a cybersecurity skilling program with the goal of training over 1 lakh learners by 2022 to address the skills gap and prepare India’s workforce for a career in cybersecurity. The program is meant to give students hands-on experience with security, compliance, and identity fundamentals.
• Courses will be conducted by Microsoft in collaboration with its strategic partners Cloud that, Koenig, RPS, and Synergetics Learning.
• This tie-up is part of Microsoft’s global skilling program, which aims to help 25 million individuals learn new digital skills throughout the world.
• In India, almost 3 million individuals have been trained through this project.

3. ISRO, Oppo collaborate to strengthen R&D of NavIC messaging service.

• The Indian Space Research Organization has signed an agreement with Chinese smart devices maker Oppo’s Indian arm to strengthen the research and development of the NavIC messaging service.
• The messaging service is mainly used for broadcasting safety-of-life alerts in areas with poor or no communication, particularly in the oceans. Oppo India has its manufacturing unit in Noida and an R&D centre in Hyderabad.
• Both ISRO and Oppo India will exchange technical information of NavIC messaging services to build rapid, ready-to-use, end-to-end application-specific solutions. This will enable integrating NavIC messaging service with the mobile handset platform keeping in mind the need of Indian users.

1. Shivalik SFB with indiagold launches loan against digital gold.

Shivalik Small Finance Bank (SSFB) signed a partnership agreement with fintech firm, Indiagold to launch India’s first Loan against Digital Gold.

This agreement will enable customers to use their digital gold balance to avail of instant and digital loans up to Rs. 60,000 and also seamlessly access gold loans starting at a monthly interest of just 1%.

To provide access to secure and affordable credit to the customers looking for quick liquidity against their gold assets.