Important Current Affairs 5th December 2019
India ranks 5th in Global Climate Risk Index
• The Global Climate Risk Index 2020 released by environmental think tank Germanwatch ranked India the fifth most vulnerable nation to climate change.
• The report suggested that the 2018 monsoon led to India fall from the fourteenth position in 2017 to fifth in 2018.
• As per the study, the monsoon had forced over 220,000 people in Kerala to leave their homes.
Top ten most affected countries in 2018:
1. Japan
2. Philippines
3. Germany
4. Madagascar
5. India
6. Sri Lanka
7. Kenya
8. Rwanda
9. Canada
10. Fiji
Pritivirajsing Roopun elected as new President of Mauritius by parliament
• Pritivirajsing Roopun (also known as Pradeep Roopun) has been sworn in as the new and 7th President of the island nation Mauritius on December 2, 2019.
• The 61-year-old succeeds Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, who resigned in March 2018.
• Roopan was the former arts and culture minister of the country.
RBI 5th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Review, 2019-20: Repo Rate unchanged at 5.15%
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy statement for 2019-20 in which the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), led by Governor Shaktikanta Das, decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.15%.
• In 2019, the RBI has cut repo rate by 135 basis points so far to a nine-year low of 5.15%.
• Analysts were expecting another 25 basis points cut.
• RBI has also lowered its GDP growth forecast to 5%
• Key Policy Rates & Reserve Ratios
Repo Rate 5.15%
Reverse Repo Rate 4.90%
Marginal Standing Facility Rate 5.40%
Bank Rate 5.40%
CRR 4%
SLR 18.5%
Joaquin Phoenix Named PETA’s 2019 Person of the Year
• ‘Joker’ star Joaquin Phoenix has been named 2019 Person of the Year by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
• Phoenix is vegan since the age of three and has been a longtime supporter of the animal rights organisation.
• He recently appeared in PETA’s “We Are All Animals” billboards in Times Square and on Sunset Billboard as he promoted legislation to ban travelling wild-animal circuses.
• Past recipients of the award have been Oprah Winfrey, Anjelica Huston and Pope Francis.
Former England captain Bob Willis dies aged 70
• Former England captain Bob Willis has died at the age of 70 after battle with cancer.
• The former fast bowler played in 90 Tests and 64 ODIs for England after his 1971 debut and retired in 1984.
• Finishing his Test career with 325 wickets, Willis stands at fourth on the all-time list of England wicket-takers.
World Soil Day: December 5
• The World Soil Day is celebrated every year on December 5 to raise awareness of the importance of soil quality for human well-being, food security and ecosystems
• The 2019 theme – ‘Stop Soil Erosion, Save our Future’!
• The day was first considered by the International Union of Soil Sciences in 2002.
India Ranks 73 in UNCTAD B2C E-Commerce Index 2019; Netherlands Tops
• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2019, that measures an economy’s preparedness to support online shopping.
• India has moved seven places up in the list to be ranked 73rd out of 152 countries.
• The list has been topped by the Netherlands for the second consecutive year.
Mobile app namd Madhu App for e-learning launched in Odisha
• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched Madhu App, an e-learning mobile phone app, for making classroom learning easier for students.
• Madhu App is named after noted freedom fighter and social reformer Madhusudan Das.
• Using the App, students will be able to download video lectures and exercises by qualified teachers in Odia language.