Daily GK Update: 1st December 2015

1. UN chief launched Anticipate, Absorb, Reshape Initiative to build climate resilience

i. The United Nations (UN) Chief Ban Ki-moon along with the agencies of the UN system on 30 November 2015 launched initiative titled Anticipate, Absorb, Reshape to build climate resilience in the world’s most vulnerable countries.

ii. The initiative was launched during the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) in Paris. The initiative was launched in the wake of economic losses that have increased by more than half over the past decade. Ecosystems, and food and water supplies are under increasing pressure.

iii. It will strengthen the ability of countries to anticipate hazards, absorb shocks, and reshape development to reduce climate risks. It is expected to address the needs of the nearly 634 million people, or a tenth of the global population who live in at-risk coastal areas just a few meters above existing sea levels.

iv. It will also help those living in areas at risk of droughts and floods. It will mobilize financing and knowledge; create and operationalize partnerships at scale, help coordinate activities to help reach tangible results, catalyze research, and develop new tools over the next five years.

2. IMF approved China's Yuan as Elite Reserve Currency

i. International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 30 November 2015 included China's Yuan into its elite reserve currency basket. Yuan's entry into the basket takes effect from 1 October 2016.

ii. Yuan also known as the Chinese Renminbi (RMB) was included in the basket after it met the existing criteria for its inclusion. The action was taken after the executive board at IMF completed the regular five-yearly review of the basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right (SDR).

iii. Yuan will be a freely usable currency and will be included in the SDR basket as a fifth currency, along with the US Dollar, Euro, Japanese Yen and British Pound. Launching the new SDR basket on 1 October 2016 will provide sufficient lead time for the Fund, its members and other SDR users to adjust to these changes.

iv. The inclusion of the RMB will enhance the attractiveness of the SDR by diversifying the basket and making it more representative of the world’s major currencies. Inclusion of Yuan in the SDR is considered as a big political victory for China as Yuan’s desirability as a reserve currency for investors will increase and undermine the hegemony of the dollar as a global reserve currency.

v. The SDR basket, upon which the SDR’s value is based, is typically reviewed every five years by the IMF’s executive board. It is reviewed to ensure that it reflects the relative importance of currencies in the global trading and financial systems.

3. World leaders launched Mission Innovation for accelerating clean energy revolution

i. World leaders on 30 November 2015 launched Mission Innovation for accelerating clean energy revolution across the world. The mission was launched by 20 participating countries, including India, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) in Paris-Le Bourget, France.

ii. As part o

 this initiative, the participating countries double their clean energy research and development funding by 2020. And, it was launched alongside Bill Gates led Breakthrough Energy Coalition that aims at reducing demand for fossil fuels.

iii. It aims to reinvigorate and accelerate global clean energy innovation with the objective to make clean energy widely affordable. It will augment the efforts to provide affordable and reliable energy for everyone and to promote economic growth.

iv. Working with existing international institutions, participating countries will cooperate and collaborate to help governments, private investors and technology innovators. The collaboration will cover areas such as- sharing of data, technology expertise and analysis in order to promote commercialization and dissemination of clean energy technologies.

4. Hinduja Brothers received lifetime achievement award at Asian Business Leadership Forum 2015

i. Hinduja Brothers on 29 November 2015 were honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Asian Business Leadership Forum (ABLF) Series in Dubai. The prestigious award recognizes the most powerful and influential business leaders.

ii. ABLF Series' Royal Patron and the UAE's Minister of Culture Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan presented the award to Gopichand P Hinduja, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group of Companies, The Hinduja Group, UK.

iii. The Asian Business Leadership Forum (ABLF) Series is Asia’s most prestigious annual business leadership event series. The ABLF enjoys royal patronage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

iv. The ABLF is headed by the Governors’ Board who are responsible for shaping and projecting the vision, path and broad scope of the ABLF. The ABLF Series has two distinct arms: The ABLForum and the ABLF Awards.

5. Dr Abdul Kalam IGNITE award presented by President Pranab Mukherjee

i. President Pranab Mukharjee on 30 November 2015 presented Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE awards 2015 to a total of 40 school students of 27 districts from 18 states. The awards were given away for 31 grass root innovations at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A). At present, President is on a three day visit to Gujarat.

ii. Besides, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel instructed Gujarat government and IIMA to implement some of its innovations targeted to ease out the work of farmers and hawkers in the state.

iii. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Award is a national competition of original technological ideas and innovations by children up to class 12 or those out of school up to the age of 17 years.

iv. The competition is organized by National Innovation Foundation (NIF) in association with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Honey Bee Network, other State Educational Boards and other partners every year to promote creativity and originality among children.

v. The awards of IGNITE competition are announced every year on 15 October, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's birthday, which is celebrated as the Children's Creativity and Innovation Day by NIF.

6. Robert Lewandowski awarded with four Guinness World Record certificates for scoring five goals in nine minutes

i. Polish professional footballer Robert Lewandowski’s nine-minute, five-goal haul for German Football Club Bayern Munich against Wolfsburg was officially recognised on 30 November 2015 by Guinness World Record.

ii. Lewandowski was presented with four separate official Guinness World Records certificates for his goal scoring spree during a special press conference which took place at Bayern Munich’s ground.

iii. On 22 September 2015, the Polish star scored five goals during the league encounter with Wolfsburg in nine minutes, the fastest in any major European football league since records have been kept.

iv. He broke a series of records including Fastest Bundesliga hat-trick (3 minutes 22 seconds), Fastest Four Goals in a Bundesliga Match (5 minutes 42 seconds), Fastest Five Goals Scored in a Bundesliga Match (8 minutes 59 seconds), Most Goals Scored by a Substitute in a Bundesliga Match (5 goals).

v. Lewandowski started his career at Varsovia, where as a teen he played for seven years. Soon, he moved to Delta Warsaw where he managed to play in the first team, scoring four goals. On 3 January 2015, he signed a five-year contract with Bayern Munich. He was officially presented as a Bayern Munich player on 9 July 2014.

7. Union Government launched IPV injection as part of Global Polio Endgame Strategy

i. The Union Government on 30 November 2015 launched the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) as part of its commitment to the Global Polio Endgame Strategy.

ii. The IPV injection was launched in New Delhi by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda. It is part of next step in India's universal immunization programme to fight against polio in the country.

iii. The first phase this vaccine will be introduced in six states, viz Assam, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. IPV injection will be given to children below one year of age along with the third dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) at the routine immunization sessions free of cost.

iv. New evidences now clearly show that IPV and OPV together will further strengthen the children’s immune system and will provide double protection against polio. The introduction of IPV in routine immunization is as per recommendation made in World Health Assembly in May 2015 and endorsed by Global Polio Endgame Strategy.

v. IPV will roll-out to 126 countries which are only using OPV in the National program and it will be the largest and fastest globally-coordinated vaccine introduction project in history.

8. NMPT holds trade meet in Mysore

i. New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), in association with Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Nanjangud Industries Association, organized a trade meet in Mysore recently.

ii. A press release by NMPT said here on Monday that the exporters of commodities such as textiles, tyres, automobile parts, machinery, agarbathis, pharmaceuticals, etc., and mainline container operators attended the meet.

iii. The purpose of the meet was to interact with importers and exporters of Karnataka, especially from the Mysore-Nanjangud region, where a large volume of container cargo is generated.

iv. PC Parida, Chairman of NMPT, requested the trade and industry to make use of New Mangalore Port, which is close to Mysore, for moving their cargo. He also explained about the infrastructure and ongoing developmental works at the port.

v. Suresh P Shirwadkar, Deputy Chairman of NMPT; AS Satish, President of Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Ram Prasad, Secretary of Nanjangud Industries Association, spoke on the occasion.

9. Russian film-maker Eldar Ryazanov died

i. Eldar Ryazanov, one of the most popular Russian film directors of the Soviet era, died on 30 November 2015 following the prolonged illness. He was 88.

ii. Born in Samara, Russia in November 1927, Ryazanov began his studies at Moscow’s prestigious Gerasimov film school (VGIK). He became an overnight sensation after his first feature comedy film Carnival Night in 1956.

iii. He directed some of the most popular Soviet Era comedies such as Irony of Fate, The Garage and Office Romance. In 1984, he received one of the top Soviet artistry title People's Artist of the USSR and received the USSR State Prize in 1977.