December Current Affairs part 3

 Hello friends in this article you are going to read current affairs which can help you in competitive exams.

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1. Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 

•The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is annually observed on November 29. 

• The day is also known as Solidarity Day. 

•On Nov 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II)). 

•On Dec 2, 1977, it was recorded that the assembly called for the annual observance of November 29 as this day. 

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2. Rajasthan BJP MLA Kiran Maheshwari passes away 

•Senior BJP leader and MLA from Rajsamand in Rajasthan, Kiran Maheshwari passed away in Nov 2020, 

•She had tested positive for coronavirus. 

•Kiran Maheshwari was a three-time MLA from Rajsamand. 

•She had served, previously, as a member of parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha where she represented the Udaipur Constituency.

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3. Electric buses to ply on Tirumala Hills 

•Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation will soon introduce electric buses to transport visiting pilgrims to Tirumala Hills. 

• The famous temple of Lord Venkateswara is located at the same place. 

•With an aim to maintain the holy hills a ‘zero carbon emission zone’, the TTD that manages the hill shrine took a decision to introduce electric buses in the place of those operated by diesel. 

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4. China to build a major dam on Brahmaputra 

•China will build a major hydropower project on Brahmaputra river in Tibet and a proposal for this has been clearly put forward in the 14th Five-Year Plan to be implemented from 2021, 

•The project will serve to maintain water resources and domestic security. 

•China has already operationalised the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet in 2015. 

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Kolayat Fair

Introduction

Rajasthan is the perfect blend of tradition and modernity. The world class hotels reflect modern luxury whereas the historical tourist spots symbols of rich history of the place. In any state of India attending a fair is equally a short study tour of the culture of that area. The Kolayat Fair is one of the most famous festivals of Rajasthan. It is held in Kolayat, Dist. Bikaner and a large number of visitors from different parts of the world experience it. This fair is organised on the occasion of Kartik Pournima.

Image Credit: Astrosage

Kolayat

The historical significance of the place lures a large number of tourists. As history says, the place of Kolayat is also regarded as Kapilayatan. Moreover, these names are also found in the holy scriptures of Puranas. Kapil Muni meditated here for redemption of mankind here on shores of Kolayat lake. Kolayat lake never gets dry.

Kolayat is situated in an arid area (area which is being without moisture; extremely dry). There are many banyan trees around the Kolayat lake which is having 52 well constructed bathing areas called ghats. Visiting Kolayat has been considered to be a 'tirtha' or pilgrimage of great importance and it is believed that one day's stay at Kolayat benefits as much as 10 years spent at any other sacred place.

How to reach?

Kolayat is about 50km from Bikaner in the southwest area and well connected to the road. Nearest airports are Jodhpur airport and Sanganer airport, Jaipur respectively at 143km and 296km of distance. Also Kolayat is a having a railway station coded as KLYT which is well connected to the Jaisalmer, Lalgarh and Bikaner.

Beauty of the fair

The Kolayat Fair of Bikaner is also known as ‘Kapil Muni Fair’ and is greatly important for the people of Bikaner. They eagerly wait for this fair throughout the year. It has a great religious significance. A large number of devotees also visit the fair to take a holy dip in the Kolayat Lake. It is believed that a holy dip can provide them respite from all the sins they have done.

During the Kolayat Fair all the 52 ghats (bathing places constructed along banks of a water body) of Kolayat lake are beautifully decorated. Attractive lights impart a great look to these ghats. One ghat known as Kapil Muni ghat is dedicated to Sage Kapil and there is a marble statue of the saint. Some of the ghats are only reserved for women. All the ghats are having temples. On visiting the fair, you will also be able to witness the various rituals performed by the devotees. These devotees also offer prayers along with sweetmeats, milk pudding and sugar drops to the deity. All the devotees gather at a common point and leave oil lamps to float in the calm waters of the lake. It will be a great sight for the tourists to see hundreds of lighted lamps floating in the water of the lake.

August Current Affair part 4

 Hello friends, today we are going to continue our current affair series, so let's start.

1. Indian automobile maker Mahindra and Mahindra is looking for financial or strategic investors for Mahindra Electric, the group's electric vehicle (EV) business. The firm wants to be a key player in mass market EVs, MD Pawan Goenka said. The company is also aiming for the high-end market through it's Europe based Automobili Pininfarina unit which is building Battista, an electric sports car.  

2. China on Monday in post sanctions on 11 US citizens, including 6 American lawmakers, for their egregious behaviour on Hongkong related issues. The targeted lawmakers are senators Ted Cruz, Macro Rubio, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, and Pat Toomey and representative Chris Smith. notably the move comes after the US impost sanctions against 11 Hong Kong and Chinese officials last week.

3. An Indonesian volcano bursted and as cloud 5 km into the sky on Monday in its second eruption in 3 days,a said. Footage of the eruption captured by residents showed the cloud of thick as rising from the peak of the 8071 feet Mount Sinabung. The sound was like thunder it lasted for less than 30 seconds resident said.

4. Apple has filled notice of opposition against meal preparation app 'Prepear' over its cartoon par logo claiming that it is similar to Apple's trademarked logo. Apple claims Prepear's logon would cause a dilution of distinctiveness of apples logo and confuse the users between the two companies. Apple is arguing that it is a violation of lanham act.

5. Ahead of Rajasthan assembly session scheduled to begin on August 14, CM Ashok Gehlot on Sunday, wrotw to all MLAs appealing to them to listen to the people's voice to save democracy and to stand by truth. people's mandate remains over and above everything you should extend full cooperation in filling promises made to the people, write Gehlot.

6. The World Bank expressed its inability to take an independent decision on the appointments of a neutral expert or a coat of arbitration for the settlement of a India-Pakistan water dispute over hydroelectric projects. It's outgoing country director of Pakistan, Patchamuthu Illangoan, said the country should choose one option bilaterally. World Bank is signatory to the Indus water treaty.

7. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance industries has a 15 year vision to build itself as one of the world's leading new energy companies, analysts said. It intends to use proprietary technology, recycle CO2 and create value from plastic waste, analysts at Bank of America securities said. RIL's core oil to chemical business is well placed to generate sustained free cash flow, they added.

8. Baba Ramdev Patanjali is considering building for the Indian Premier League or IPL title sponsorship following the exit of Chinese smartphone maker Vivo, according to a report by The Economic Times. "We are considering the IPL title sponsorship for this year, since we want to give the Patanjali brand a global marketing platform", Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijtawala told The Economic Times.

9. Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said the world's largest crude oil producer is still working on a deal for a 15 billion dollar investment in Reliance industries oil-to-chemicals business. In July, RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani said that deal is not in progressed  and as per original timeline due to " unforeseen" circumstances in energy market and Covid-19 situation. Aramco Was set to acquire a 20% stake.

10. Saudi Aramco's profit plunged by 73.4% in the June quarter, Amid slump in energy demand and oil prices due to the coronavirus crisis. The world's biggest oil exporter posted a quarterly net profit of 6.57 billion dollars, compared to 24.7 billion dollars in the year-ago period. However, the company said it still plans to pay 75 billion dollars in dividends this year. 

11. After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described the daft environment impact assessment (EIA) as a "disaster", environment minister Prakash Javadekar said that those raising objections to the draft (EIA) notifications are the same people who talk with  "big  decisions without consultations" when they were in power. The minister added that Gandhi's call for protest is unnecessary and premature.