1. India has become the first country to make the entire process for pilgrims going on Haj completely digital. In this regard, India signed a bilateral agreement – the Annual Haj 2020 Agreement – with Saudi Arabia for next year’s pilgrimage with the Saudi Haj Minister in Jeddah. An online application, e-visa, Haj mobile app, e-MASIHA health facility, e-luggage pre-tagging providing all information in India itself regarding accommodation and transportation in Mecca and Madina will be provided to 2 lakh Indian Muslims going for Haj in 2020.
2. The 13th South Asian Games (SAG), formerly known as the South Asian Federation Games, are being conducted in Kathmandu, Nepal from 1st December to 10th December, 2019. During the event, 2715 athletes compete for 1119 medals including 319 Gold in 26 game categories. India is represented by 487 athletes. The SAG is a biennial multi-sports event held among the athletes from South Asia.  The first South Asian Games were hosted by Kathmandu, Nepal in 1984. 
3. Exercise MITRA SHAKTI-VII, a joint military exercise between India and Sri Lanka, commenced on 1st December, 2019 at the Aundh Military Station in Pune. It aims to enhance interoperability and operational efficiency amongst the armies of both countries. The MITRA SHAKTI is an annual training programme that has been conducted between both countries since the year 2012.
4. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its Emissions Gap Report 2019 on 26th November, 2019. As per it, global greenhouse gas emissions have grown by 1.5% every year over the last decade and to stay within relatively safe limits, emissions must decline sharply, by 7.6% every year, between 2020 and 2030. The Earth’s average temperature may rise by 3.2 degrees Celsius. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have reached an all-time high figure of 55.3 gigatons.
5. Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboodri has been chosen for the Jnanpith Award for literature for the year 2019. He is the 6th Malayalam Poet to receive the Jnanpith Award. Born in Kumaranellur in Kerala, he is a recipient of the Padma Shri in 2017. Some of his famous books are “Khand Kavya”, “Katha Kavya” and “Charitra Kavya”. First awarded in 1965, the Jnanpith Award is presented to literary works in any of the 22 languages included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The first recipient was Malayalam writer G. Shankar Kurup.
6. As per the India Corruption Survey 2019 conducted by the Transparency International India and Local Circles, a social media firm, Rajasthan and Bihar are the most corrupted states in India with 78% and 75% of the respondents admitting to paying bribes, while Telangana topped the list in South India with 67%. The survey was carried out between October 2018 and November 2019. As compared to 2018, India’s overall ranking in the Corruption Perception Index has risen 3 places to 78 out of 180 countries. On an average, the number of respondents admitted to paying bribes has come down from 56% in 2018 to 51% in 2019.
7. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) organised the 47th All India Police Science Congress (AIPSC) on 28th November and 29th November, 2019 at the Police Headquarters in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow last hosted the AIPSC in 1997. The Congress focused on challenges in policing and five other related topics, which are need of the hour. More than 120 teams participated from all states and Union Territories (UTs). 
8. Aditya Birla Finance Ltd (ABFL), the non-banking finance company (NBFC) of Aditya Birla Capital, on 28th November, 2019, became the first company to list its commercial papers on the stock exchanges. The move comes after the exchanges – the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) – came out with a framework for listing of commercial papers (CPs), in a bid to broaden investors’ participation in such securities. 

Participate in Blue Book Contest and win exciting prizes. Leave your answers in comments column.

Today’s Quiz:

Q1. When was the first South Asian Games conducted?

1. 1972
2. 1984
3. 1987
4. 1995

Q2. MITRA SHAKTI is a joint military exercise between India and ___

1. Bangladesh
2. Myanmar
3. Sri Lanka
4. US

Q3. Global greenhouse gas emissions have grown by ______% every year over the last decade

1. 0.8
2. 1.5
3. 2
4. 3.2

Q4. When was the first Jnanpith Award for literature awarded?

1. 1965
2. 1972
3. 1977
4. 1984

Q5. Which is the most corrupt state in India as per the India Corruption Survey 2019?

1. Bihar
2. Uttar Pradesh
3. Rajasthan
4. Telangana 

Q6. Where was the 47th All India Police Science Congress (AIPSC) held?

1. New Delhi
2. Kolkata
3. Benguluru
4. Lucknow

Q7. Which is the first company to list its commercial papers on the stock exchanges?

1. Bajaj Finance Limited
2. Aditya Birla Finance Ltd
3. Muthoot Finance Ltd
4. Tata Capital Financial Services Ltd

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