India successfully test-fires indigenously developed nuke-capable Prithvi-II missile

1. NATO leaders meet to mark the 70th birthday of alliance

The leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, met to mark the 70th birthday of the organization in London.The two-day summit includes receptions at Buckingham Palace and Downing Street plus a working session at a golf resort in outer London.

The 29 member alliance is the world’s biggest military alliance.

NATO was founded in 1949 for the collective defence of its members, linking the security of the United States with its European allies against the Soviet Union.

2. Exercise ‘Hand-in-Hand-2019’

The 8th India-China joint training exercise ‘HAND-IN-HAND 2019’ with the theme counter-terrorism under United Nations mandate is scheduled to be conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya from 07 to 20 December 2019.The Chinese contingent from the Tibet Military command comprising of 130 personal and the Indian Contingent of similar strength will participate in the 14-day long training exercise.

The exercise is planned at the company level with respective Battalion Headquarters controlling the training.

The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter-terrorist operations in semi-urban terrain.

3. Indian Navy Day: 04 December

Navy Day in India is celebrated on 4 December every year to recognize the achievements and role of the Indian Navy to the country.The day is celebrated in honour of the maritime force’s role during the war with Pakistan in 1971 when Indian warships attacked Karachi port and successfully thwarted Pakistani operations in the western coast.

The Day is also celebrated to highlight the achievements and role the Navy plays in securing the country’s marine borders.

4. Election Commission of India to implement “Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System” (PPRTMS)

The Election Commission of India has reviewed the system and process of registration of political parties.The new guidelines will be effective from 1 January 2020. 

Accordingly, the “Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System” (PPRTMS) will be implemented through an online portal, to facilitate tracking of the status of the application by applicants.

The salient feature in the Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System is that the applicant (who is applying for party registration from 1st January 2020 onwards) will be able to track the progress of his / her application and will get the status update through SMS and email.

The applicant is required to provide contact mobile number and email address of the party / applicant in his application if he/she wishes to track the progress of the application.

5. Govt launches 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN

Government has launched the 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme – UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country.The focus in this round will be North East Region, Hilly States, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Islands.

The scheme was launched in October 2016, which seeks to provide connectivity to un-served and under-served regions through the revival of existing airstrips and airports.

In the last three years the government has successfully completed three rounds of bidding under the Scheme and awarded about 700 routes.

6. India successfully test-fires indigenously developed nuke-capable Prithvi-II missile

India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-surface nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile off Odisha coast.The Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army conducted the user trial of the 350 km range missile from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur at around 7.50 p.m.

The missile weighs about 4,600 kg, is capable of carrying 500kg to one thousand kilograms of warheads and is thrust by liquid propulsion twin engines.

This trial was a part of regular training exercise by the armed forces which reconfirms the Army’s readiness to fire it at short notice. 

Developed under the joint collaboration of Defence Research and Development Organization and Bharat Dynamics Limited, the missile was first test-fired on 27 January 1996.

7. INDIA and ADB sign $206 million loans to strengthen urban services in 5 Tamil Nadu cities

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $206 million loan to develop water supply and sewerage infrastructure in 5 cities of Tamil Nadu and strengthen capacities of urban local bodies (ULBs) for improved service delivery.This is the second project loan for the ADB-supported $500 million multi-tranche financing for Tamil Nadu Urban Flagship Investment Programme, approved in September 2018, that will overall develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in 10 cities of Tamil Nadu.

The first project under the Programme with $169 million financings is currently under implementation.

8. UP govt announces 25% subsidy & full stamp duty waiver for the defence industry

Uttar Pradesh government has decided to provide 25 per cent subsidy and 100 per cent stamp duty waiver for setting up the defence industry in the state.The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The state will also provide all facilities including power, road and fencing of land to the companies that will set up defence industries.

Builders will only get this exemption if they pass on this benefit to the home buyers.

9. Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or for the sixth time

Lionel Messi won a record sixth men’s Ballon d’Or award at a ceremony in Paris, beating Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to take the honours.Now aged 32, it is Messi’s first Ballon d’Or since 2015 and his sixth overall as he moves one ahead of his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished third in the voting.

The Barcelona number 10 previously won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011 and in 2012 before claiming his fifth Ballon d’Or in 2015.

10. India bag ten Gold medals at 13th South Asian Games in Kathmandu

India dominated the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal by clinching 10 Gold in Athletics, Volleyball, Shooting and Table Tennis.In track and field events Archana Suseendran in women’s 100 metres, M. Jashna in women’s high jump, Sarvesh Anil Kushare in men’s high jump and Ajay Kumar Saroj in men’s 1500 metres won a gold each to begin India’s athletics campaign on an impressive note.

In Volleyball, Indian men’s and women’s team won gold. Men’s team defeated Pakistan 3-1.

Indian women’s volleyball team defeated host Nepal by 3-2 in the final at Kathmandu.

In Shooting, India swept all the medals on offer in the women’s 10 metres air rifle event with Mehuli Ghosh winning the gold.

The Indians have so far claimed 40 medals, including 15 gold, 16 silver and nine bronze. The country is currently second in the medals tally behind hosts Nepal with 44 medals.