National:
Status of Leopard Population Estimates in the Forested Areas of Tiger States, 2018:
- India now has 12,852 leopards as compared to the previous estimate of 7910 conducted 2014. More than 60% increase in population has been recorded.
Leopard population estimates in the forested areas of tiger states, 2018:
The States of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra recorded the highest leopard estimates at 3,421, 1,783 and 1,690 respectively.
Bihar- 98
Shivalik Hills & Gangetic Plains- 1,253
Central India & Eastern Ghats- 8,071
Western Ghats- 3,387
North East Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains- 141
International:
India – Vietnam Virtual Summit 2020:
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a Virtual Summit with H. E. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on 21 December 2020.
During the Summit, the two leaders exchanged views on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and global issues and provide guidance for the future development of India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
India – Vietnam Virtual Summit Outcomes:
- India-Vietnam Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People
- Plan of Action for period 2021-2023 for further implementation of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
- Implementing Arrangement on Defence Industry Cooperation between Dept. of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, India and General Dept. of Defence Industry, Ministry of National Defence, Vietnam
- Agreement for US$ 5 million Indian Grant Assistance for Army Software Park at National Telecommunications University, Nha Trang, Vietnam between Embassy of India, Hanoi and Telecommunications University, Ministry of National Defence, Vietnam
- Implementing Arrangement between Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, India and Vietnam Dept. of Peacekeeping Operations for Cooperation in United Nation Peacekeeping
- MOU between India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS)
- MOU between CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum and Vietnam Petroleum Institute
- MOU between Tata Memorial Centre of India and Vietnam National Cancer Hospital
- MOU between National Solar Federation of India and Vietnam Clean Energy Association
Sports:
- BCCI 89th Annual General Meeting was held in Ahmedabad on December 24, 2020. In the meeting, Former IPL chairman & Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla has been appointed as the vice-president of BCCI.
Others:
- Gastrodia agnicellus, one of 156 plants and fungal species has been crowned “the ugliest orchid in the world” among new species named in 2020. Kew scientists said, in its list of the top 10 discoveries of the year, the 11 mm flowers of this orchid are small, brown and rather ugly.