BIHAR
- No tiger death case reported in Bihar this year
- Year 2017 has proved to be a good year for tigers in Bihar as no case of death of big cat has so far been reported from any part of the state . The number of big cats has also surged in state’s lone tiger reserve – Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran.
- Against two cases of tiger poaching through poisoning reported in Gonoli range in VTR in February-March last year, not a single case of either poaching or natural death of the felines has so far been reported in the state this year.
- As per data available on the website of tigernet, a directory of tigers and other wildlife mortality, the total number of tiger deaths in the country in 2017 stood at 93, a little better than the 100 cases of tiger mortality reported in 2016.
- In Bihar, two cases each of tiger mortality were reported from VTR in 2015 and 2016. While both cases in 2016 related to poaching, one death in 2015 was in infighting and the other in rail accident.
INTERNATIONAL
- Iraq replaces Saudi Arabia as India’s lead oil supplier
- Iraq has overtaken Saudi Arabia for the first time to become India’s top crude oil supplier in the current fiscal.
- Saudi Arabia traditionally has been India’s top oil source but in the April-October period of 2017-18, Iraq dethroned it, supplying 25.8 million tonnes (MT) of oil.
Gk bit- Top Oil exporting countries of world
1. Saudi Arabia
Officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country of Saudi Arabia is the world’s number one oil exporter and the country with the largest amount of oil reserves. Formed in 1932, the country was responsible for 17% of global oil exports in 2015, totaling $133.3 billion in value. The country is located on the Arab peninsula and is comparable in size to Alaska.
2. Russia
The massive, transcontinental country of Russia is the world’s second-largest oil exporter. In 2015, Russia’s oil exports accounted for 11% of global oil exports, exceeding a value of $86 billion. As a size comparison, Russia is twice as large as the entire United States.
3. Iraq
Initially formed in 1932, Iraq is the world’s third-largest exporter of oil. In 2015, Iraq exported $52.2 billion worth of the commodity, which accounts for 6.6% of global exports. Located in the Middle East, Iraq is comparable in size to California.
4. United Arab Emirates
Number four on the list is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located on the Arabian peninsula, the UAE is approximately the size South Carolina. In 2015, the UAE exported 6.5% of the world’s total oil exports, accounting for $51.2 billion.
- Canada
The northernmost nation in North America, Canada is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of oil. In 2015, the country exported $50.2 billion worth of the commodity, or 6.4%. Due to the size of the Athabasca oil sands, it is estimated that Canada has approximately 13% of the world’s oil reserves. These reserve levels are only topped by Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
· International Migrants Day is observed on 18 December
- The International Migrants Day is organized across the world on 18th December.
- The theme for IMD 2017 is ‘Safe Migration in a World on the Move.‘
- On 4 December 2000, the General Assembly proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day.
- On that day, in 1990, the Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
- 21-year-old Shree Saini crowned Miss India USA 2017
- Shree Saini, a resident of Washington state, was crowned Miss India USA 2017.
- At the beauty pageant, cancer surgeon Kavita Malhotra Pattani from Florida was declared Mrs India USA 2017.
- Swapna Mannam, 17, from New Jersey was crowned with Miss Teen India USA 2017.
NATIONAL
· Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Approves Pension for State’s Transgenders
- TheAndhra Pradesh Cabinet approved a scheme to provide a pension of Rs 1500 to transgenders above 18 years of age in the state.
- Under this scheme the transgenders will be provided ration cards, plots and scholarships, also skill development for financial stability.
- After Kerala and Odisha, Andhra Pradesh becomes the next state to sanction pension scheme for the transgender community.
· National Testing Agency Effect: NEET, JEE May Be Conducted Twice A Year
- The Lok Sabhawas informed that the national medical entrance exam, the NEET, and engineering entrance exam JEE might be conducted twice a year to give an opportunity to the students to bring out their best performance.
- The Centre is setting up a National Testing Agency (NTA), an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organisation, to conduct the entrance exams for the higher educational institutions.
- According to a statement from union government, the establishment of NTA will benefit about 40 lakh students appearing in various entrance examinations.
- It will relieve CBSE, AICTE and other agencies from the responsibility of conducting these entrance examinations, and also bring in high reliability, standardized difficulty level for assessing the aptitude, intelligence and problem-solving abilities of the students.
· India Finishes 1st at Junior Boxing Championship in Germany
- Indian junior boxers clinched total 11 Medals (six gold, four silver and a bronze medal) at the fifth International Sven Lange Memorial Tournament to finish as overall champions in the German city of Schwerin.
- Bhavesh Kattamani (52kg) picked up the best boxer trophy along with his gold medal. In the three-day tournament, the other gold-medallists for India were Vijeydeep (63kg), Akshay (60kg), Ish Pannu (70kg), Lakshay Chahar (80kg) and Vinit (75kg). India was named the tournament’s best team.
· Global Innovation Index- India Ranked 60th Most Innovative Country, Switzerland Tops
- India currently ranks 60th out of 127 countries on the Global Innovation Index (GII)2017 as compared to 66th rank on GII 2016.
- The list was topped by Switzerland. NITI Aayog, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) together launched a mega initiative “India Innovation Index”.
- This Index will rank states on Innovations through country’s first online innovation index portal that will capture data on innovation from all Indian states on innovation and regularly update it in real time.
· Goa Celebrates 56th Liberation Day
- Goa celebrated its 56th Liberation Day.
- The state was liberated on 19th December in 1961 from Portuguese control after almost 450 years of colonial rule.
- The main program was organized at the Sports Authority of Goa Ground, Campal in state capital Panaji. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar unfurled the national flag at the Goa Liberation Day celebrations in Panaji
