India ranked 9th in the Climate Change Performance Index released at the COP25 climate summit in Madrid. As none of the countries assessed is already on a path compatible with the Paris climate targets, the first 3 places of the ranking remain unoccupied.
Rankings: Sweden-4th, Denmark-5th, UK-7th and India-9th.
World's 1st fully electric commercial aircraft took its inaugural test flight in Canada. Manufacturer, magniX designed the plane's motor and worked in partnership with Harbour Air. DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane was retrofitted with the electric motor.
The technology would mean significant cost savings for airlines.
Switzerland will be the country partner at the 17th edition of BioAsia2020, to be held from 2020 February 17th-19th in Hyderabad, Telangana. Switzerland has placed itself as one of the most important stock exchanges for life science companies in Europe.
BioAsia2020 Theme- “Today for tomorrow”.
Reliance Industries Ltd has signed an agreement with state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to explore a joint venture for building an ethylene dichloride (EDC) facility in Ruwais, UAE. EDC is a basic building-block for manufacture of PVC.
ADNOC would supply ethylene to the potential joint venture.
13th South Asian Games concluded in Nepal on 10th December. India finished on top with 312 medals comprising 174 gold, 93 silver & 45 bronze. Nepal secured 2nd rank with a total of 206 medals while Sri Lanka is at the third rank with a total of 251 medals.
Nepal & Sri Lanka bagged 51 & 40 gold medals respectively.
ADB trimmed India's GDP growth in 2019-20 to 5.1% saying consumption was affected by slow job growth & rural distress aggravated by poor harvest. In September, ADB forecast India's GDP to grow 6.5 per cent in 2019-20 & 7.2 per cent in the year thereafter.
ADB is headquartered at Manila, Philippines.
ISRO will launch its earth observation satellite, RISAT-2BR1 on PSLV-C48 from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. It is a Radar imaging earth observation satellite weighing about 628 kg & will be placed into an orbit of 576 km.
PSLV-Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.
External Affairs Ministry will host 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue & Delhi Dialogue XI in New Delhi on 13th & 14th of December on similar Indo-Pacific themes. Indian Ocean Dialogue theme-Indo-Pacific: Re-imagining the Indian Ocean through an Expanded Geography.
Delhi Dialogue XI theme- Advancing Partnership in Indo-Pacific.
Sterlite Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology Madras, for sponsoring a Chair Professorship in 5G technology. Both will partner for research and advancements in the 5G communications technology.
Sterlite Technologies is a global data networks innovator.
The increasing attention to the importance of mountains led the UN to declare 2002 as the UN International Year of Mountains. The first international Mountain Day was celebrated in 2003.From then on 11th of December is dedicated as the day for mountains.
2019 Theme: Mountains Matter for Youth.
Food Corporation of India (FCI) raised ₹8,000 crore through issue of bonds on private placement basis on BSE's electronic book mechanism platform. In total, 247 bids for ₹20,071.2 crore were received on BSE BOND Platform.
BSE CEO and MD -Ashishkumar Chauhan
Piramal Group & IIFL Wealth Management has floated co-investment Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) platform to fund select advance stage & last-mile real estate projects across Tier 1 cities in India. Proposed AIF will have a target size of Rs 2,000 cr.
Karan Bhagat, Founder, MD & CEO, IIFL Wealth Management
Actor Suniel Shetty has been appointed as the brand ambassador of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in New Delhi and the country’s anti-doping body is hoping his celebrity status helps its efforts to clean up sports in the country from the menace.
NADA director general Navin Agarwal