1) White paper revolution: Cities across China have been witnessing waves of protests against the country’s tough zero-Covid policy in recent weeks.
- The movement, which is no longer limited to China alone, is widely being dubbed the ‘white paper revolution’. This is because of the blank sheets of white A4-sized paper many of the demonstrators have been seen holding during these protests.
- Over the weeks, the humble white sheet of paper became a symbol of the protests. It has come to symbolise the lack of free speech in the country.
2) Commodity Markets: A commodity broker is a firm or an individual who executes orders to buy or sell commodity contracts on behalf of clients.
- A commodity market is a marketplace for buying, selling, and trading raw materials or primary products. Commodity contracts include futures, options, and similar financial derivatives.
- After the merger of the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) with SEBI, SEBI has been regulating the commodity market.
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was established as a statutory body in 1992, to protect the interests of investors and to promote and regulate the securities market.
3) Kanger Valley National Park: The name of Kanger Ghati National Park is derived from the Kangar river. Located in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.
- It is a typical mixed humid deciduous type of forest.
- The landscape of Kanger Valley can potentially host species found in the Himalayas, the Northeast, the Eastern and Western Ghats.
- The most popular species in this area is Bastar Maina(State bird of Chhattisgarh), which enchant everyone with its human voice.
4) PM Daksh Program: PM-DAKSH (Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi) Yojana was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E) in 2020-21.
- It is a National Action Plan for skilling marginalized persons covering SCs, OBCs, EBCs, DNTs, Sanitation workers including waste pickers.
- The main objective of the PM-DAKSH Yojana is to increase the skill levels of the target youth by providing them short term and long term skills, followed by assistance in wage/self-employment.
- Candidates of age group 18-45 years belonging to any of the following categories can apply for the training programme under PM-DAKSH: Scheduled Caste, OBCs having annual family income below Rs. 3 lakh, EWS having annual family income below Rs. 1 lakh, De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribe (DNT), Safai Karamcharis and their dependants.
5) Navy Day: It aims to acknowledge the role of the Indian Navy and commemorate its achievements in ‘Operation Trident’ during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Celebrated on 4th December.
- This year, for the first time, Navy Day Celebrations are being conducted outside the National Capital. the Indian Navy is all set to demonstrate India’s combat prowess and capability through an ‘Operational Demonstration’ at Visakhapatnam.
