Monday 14 December 2020

Daily updates 13 December 2020

National News

1. PM Modi delivers inaugural address at FICCI’s 93rd Annual General Meeting

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delivered the inaugural address at FICCI’s 93rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Annual Convention via video conferencing.
  • Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has organised the convention from December 11 to 14, 2020.
  • The theme for the FICCI 93rd AGM is ‘Inspired India’. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the virtual FICCI Annual Expo 2020. It was started from 11 December 2020 and will continue for a period of a whole year.

2. 5th India – Myanmar bilateral meeting on Drug Control Cooperation

  • The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), India and the Central Committee on Drug Abuse Control, Myanmar conducted the 5th edition of the India- Myanmar Bilateral Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation.
  • The Indian delegation was led by the Director-General Narcotics Control Bureau, Shri Rakesh Asthana. The Myanmar delegation was led by Pol. Brig. Gen. Win Naing. the Commander of the Drug Enforcement Division (DED) cum Joint Secretary of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.
  • Both countries agreed on the exchange of intelligence information in a timely manner to conduct follow-up investigations in drug seizure cases, new psychotropic substances and their precursors.

Business News

3. BSE launches e-agricultural spot market platform ‘BEAM’

  • Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Ltd. has launched an electronic spot platform, "BSE E-Agricultural Markets Ltd (BEAM)", for agricultural commodities through its subsidiary BSE Investments Ltd.
  • The platform aims to boost the competitiveness of the Indian agricultural market by enhancing the strength of the BSE in financial markets, market technology and its vibrant ecosystem.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • BSE is Asia’s first & world’s fastest Stock Exchange with a speed of 6 microseconds. It is one of India’s leading exchange groups
  • BSE Established: 1875.
  • BSE Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
  • MD and CEO of BSE: Ashish Kumar Chauhan.

Banking News

4. RBI to set up Automated Banknote Processing Centre in Jaipur

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up an Automated Banknote Processing Centre (ABPC) in Jaipur for the receipt, storage and dispatch of currency notes.
  • The functions of the ABPC will also include processing of banknotes received from currency chests (CCs) and bank branches and destruction of soiled banknotes in an automated manner.
  • The volume of banknotes in circulation has increased three-fold from March 2001 to March 2019 and is expected to rise further in the years to come.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

Agreements News

5. India and Austria ink MoU on Technology Cooperation

  • The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Austria on Technology Cooperation in the Road Infrastructure Sector.
  • The MoU will further strengthen ties, promote long-standing bilateral relations and enhance trade and regional integration between the two countries.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Austria Capital: Vienna.
  • Austria Currency: Euro.
  • Austria President: Alexander Van der Bellen.

6. India and Uzbekistan inks 9 Agreements to strengthen strategic partnership

  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev co-chaired the virtual Summit held between the two countries, to strengthen strategic partnership among them.
  • The Government of India also approved a US $448 million Line of Credit for four developmental projects in Uzbekistan in the fields of road construction, sewerage treatment and information technology.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Capital of Uzbekistan: Tashkent; Currency: Uzbekistani Som.

Awards News

7. Ashraf Patel wins Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award – India 2020

  • Ashraf Patel, the founder member and Board member of Pravah and ComMutiny – The Youth Collective (CYC) has been declared as the winner of the Social Entrepreneur of the Year (SEOY) Award – India 2020.
  • The award was presented by the Union Minister of Women & Child Development & Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani.
  • The SEOY award “recognizes entrepreneurs who implement innovative, sustainable and scalable solutions to solve India’s social problems. It is the 11th edition of the annual award, instituted by the Schwab Foundation and Jubilant Bhartia Foundation in 2010.

8. UNESCO launches Bangabandhu award on the creative economy

  • UNESCO has launched an international award named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman following Bangladesh’s proposal.
  • The UN agency’s executive board unanimously adopted the proposal on UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the "Creative Economy" in its 210th session. This is the first time a UN agency launched an award named after Bangabandhu.

Sports News

9. Max Verstappen wins 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

  • Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) won the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020, held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
  • This was his second victory of the season and 10th victory of his career. The race was the 17th and final round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship.
  • Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-Finland) stood second, followed by world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) at third place.

10. Indian Tennis player Ankita Raina wins ITF doubles title in Dubai

  • Indian Tennis player, Ankita Raina clinched her third doubles title of the season after she won the 2020 Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge jointly with her Georgian partner Ekaterine Gorgodze in Dubai.
  • The unseeded Indo-Georgian pair defeated the pair of Spain’s Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov and Slovakian Kaja Juvan by 6-4 3-6 10-6 to win the final of the USD 1,00,000 event.
  • Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge is a professional female tennis tournament and part of the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour, held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, since 1998.

Science and Technology News

11. ISRO to launch communication satellite CMS-01

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a communication satellite CMS-01, formerly named GSAT-12R, on December 17, using its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket's XL variant numbered as PSLV-C50.
  • The CMS-01 will be a replacement for GSAT-12 that weighed 1,410 kg and was launched on July 11, 2011, with a mission life of eight years.
  • CMS-01 is a communication satellite envisaged for providing services in Extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum, which will include the Indian mainland, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
  • The 42nd communication satellite of India, it will have a mission life of seven years.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan.
  • ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Important Days

12. National Energy Conservation Day: 14 December

  • The National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated every year on 14 December by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under Ministry of Power.
  • The day is celebrated to raise awareness among the general public about the importance of energy conversation and energy efficiency, as well as holistic development for overall effort towards climate change mitigation.
  • Bureau of Energy Efficiency is a constitutional body that comes under the Government of India and helps in the development of policies and strategies in order to reduce energy use.
  • The Energy Conservation Act in India was executed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in the year 2001. 

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Power: Raj Kumar Singh.

Obituaries News

13. 1st man to fly faster than the speed of sound Chuck Yeager passes away

  • US Air Force officer and test pilot Chuck Yeager, who in 1947 became the first pilot in history to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight, has passed away.
  • As a test pilot, on October 14, 1947, Yeager became the first human to officially break the sound barrier, when he flew the experimental Bell X-1 aircraft at Mach 1 (speed of sound) at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 m). Level flight means flying at a constant altitude, not going up and down.

14. Renowned Sanskrit Scholar Vidyavachaspati Govindacharya passes away

  • Renowned Sanskrit scholar, Vidyavachaspati Bannanje Govindacharya has passed away.
  • He was well versed in Veda Bhashya, Upanishad Bhashya, Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas and had written commentaries on Veda Suktas, Upanishads, Shata Rudriya, Brahma Sutra Bhashya, and Gita Bhashya.

Sunday 6 December 2020

Daily updates 5 December 2020

State News

1. Majerhat Bridge named “Jai Hind” to Mark Netaji’s 125th Birth Anniversary

  • West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee named the newly built "Majerhat bridge" in Kolkata as ‘Jai Hind’ bridge to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Subash Chandra Bose.
  • The new bridge has been built in the place of an old one which collapsed in September 2018. It is 650-metres long and connects the Central part of Kolkata to the Southwestern suburbs of Behala and others.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Agreements News

2. Axis Bank launches ‘Axis Bank Rupi Business Credit Card’ for MSMEs

  • Axis Bank Ltd in partnership with Rupifi and Visa launched ‘Axis Bank Rupifi Business Credit Card’ for MSMEs(Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises).
  • This Contactless Co-Branded credit card, powered by Visa is applicable only to the MSMEs businesses that transact on the aggregator platforms partnered with Rupifi PAN (Permanent Account Number) India for their business purchases.
  • The card offers credit solutions to such MSMEs. It is only for domestic transactions.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Axis Bank is 3rd largest private sector bank in India
  • Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
  • Axis Bank MD and CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
  • Axis Bank Tagline: Badhti Ka naam Zindagi
  • Rupifi Co-Founder and CEO: Anubhav Jain
  • Rupifi Headquarters: Bengaluru(Bangalore), Karnataka
  • Rupifi Founded: 2019.

Defence News

3. PASSEX conducted by Indian Navy and Russian Navy

  • The Indian Navy (IN) and the Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) are undertaking Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
  • The exercise will help in enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices between both the friendly navies. It involves advanced surface and anti-submarine warfare exercises, weapon firings, seamanship exercises and helicopter operations.
  • Indian Navy is being represented by indigenously constructed guided-missile frigate Shivalik and anti-submarine corvette Kadmatt along with integral helicopters. Russian Federation Navy includes guided-missile cruiser Varyag, the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev and medium ocean tanker Pechenga. The PASSEX's are conducted regularly by Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies.

Awards News

4. Ranjitsinh Disale becomes 1st Indian to win 2020 Global Teacher Prize

  • Ranjitsinh Disale, a government teacher from Zilla Parishad Primary School, in Paritewadi village, Solapur district of Maharashtra, has won the 2020 Global Teacher Prize.
  • He is the first Indian to win this award, which carries prize money of $1 million (Rs 7.4 crore).
  • The 32-year-old has won the annual Global Teacher Prize 2020 in recognition of his efforts to promote girls’ education in his village and trigger a quick-response (QR) coded textbook revolution in India.
  • He made efforts and added QR codes to textbooks of primary classes to provide links to audio poems, video lectures, stories and assignments.
  • He also worked towards education for girls and teaching people about the ill-effects of teenage marriage and even helped to achieve 100% attendance of girls.
  • The Global Teacher Prize is an annual prize founded by the Varkey Foundation in 2014 to recognise an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession. The award is given in partnership with UNESCO.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France.
  • UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay.
  • UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

5. Gitanjali Rao becomes 1st-ever TIME’s “Kid Of The Year”

  • The Indian-American young scientist and inventor, Gitanjali Rao, has been named as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ by the iconic TIME magazine.
  • This is the first time that the TIME magazine has launched the Kid of The Year” award.
  • The 15-year-old Gitanjali Rao was chosen from among more than 5,000 nominees, for her “astonishing work” using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • TIME magazine Headquarters: United States.
  • TIME magazine Editor: Edward Felsenthal.
  • TIME magazine First issue date: 3 March 1923.

Books and Authors

6. Vice President releases a book on Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

  • The Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu has released the book titled “40 Years with Abdul Kalam- Untold Stories”, a book on the life of the former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
  • The book was authored by Dr A.Sivathanu Pillai. The book is published by Pentagon Press LLP and the foreword was written by Pranab Mukherjee, former president of India.

Important Days

7. International Volunteer Day: 05 December

  • The International Volunteer Day (IVD), also called International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development is observed on 5 December every year. IVD 2020 Theme: “Together We Can Through Volunteering”.
  • The IVD international observance was mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1985.
  • The purpose of the day to celebrate the efforts of volunteers and organizations and offer the opportunity to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.

8. World Soil Day: 05 December

  • 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 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) campaign "Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity" aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Food and Agriculture Organisation Headquarters: Rome, Italy.
  • Food and Agriculture Organisation Head: Qu Dongyu.
  • Food and Agriculture Organisation Founded: 16 October 1945.
  • International Union of Soil Sciences President: Takashi Kosaki (Japan).
  • International Union of Soil Sciences Founded: 1924.
  • International Union of Soil Sciences Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.

Obituaries News

9. Lakshadweep Administrator Dineshwar Sharma passes away

  • Lakshadweep Administrator, Dineshwar Sharma passed away. He was earlier headed the Intelligence Bureau and was also the Interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The 66-year-old retired IPS officer of the Kerala cadre had been appointed administrator of the Lakshadweep Union Territory in October 2019.
  • He was assistant director in the IB in Kashmir between 1994 and 1996 and then went on to serve on the Kashmir desk of the bureau in the national capital.

Miscellaneous News

10. V. Naidu virtually releases postage stamp in former PM IK Gujral's honour

  • Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has virtually released a commemorative Postage Stamp in honour of the late Prime Minister of India & Freedom Fighter, I K Gujral (Inder Kumar Gujral).
  • I K Gujral was the 12th Prime Minister of India, he served as the Prime Minister from April 1997-March 1998. He was born in Jhelum (now in Pakistan) in 1919.
  • During his tenure as India’s External Affairs Minister, I K Gujral laid a set of five principles – ‘Gujral Doctrine’ to guide the conduct of foreign relations with India’s immediate neighbours. He passed away in 2012 due to a lung infection.

All the Best BA’ians for SBI PO Prelims!

Tuesday 1 December 2020

நமது எண்ணங்கள் நன்றாக* *இருந்தால்தான்* *நமது செயல்கள்* *நன்றாக இருக்கும்.*

,ஒரு ஸ்கூல்ல ஒரு குட்டிப் பொண்ணு இருந்தாளாம்.* 

உடம்பு சரியில்லாம நாலு நாளைக்கு ஸ்கூலுக்கே போகலையாம்”

 
 “மறுபடி ஸ்கூலுக்குப் போகும் போது அங்க நிறைய பாடம் நடத்திட்டாங்களாம்”
 
 “ஐயோ நிறைய நடத்திட்டாங்களேன்னு அதையெல்லாம் காப்பி பண்ணி எழுதுறதுக்கு, அவளோட பெஸ்ட் ஃபிரெண்ட் கிட்ட நோட்டு கேக்குறா.

 ஆனா அவ இன்னைக்கு வீட்ல போய் நான் படிக்கனும் அப்படிண்ட்டு சடாருன்னு சொல்லிட்டாளாம். 

நோட்டு கொடுக்கலையாம்”

 “அப்ப அவ நோட்ல காப்பி பண்ணலையா”
 “ஆனா இன்னொரு பொண்ணு அவளே வந்து நோட்டு கொடுத்து ஹெல்ப் பண்ணினாளாம்”

 
 “நாம பெஸ்ட் பிரெண்டா நினைச்சவ நமக்கு உதவி செய்யாம போயிட்டாளேன்னு இந்த பொண்ணுக்கு வருத்தம்.

எத்தன நாள் அவளுக்கு சாக்லேட் கொடுத்திருப்போம். எத்தன நாள் அவளுக்கு கலர் பென்சில் கொடுத்திருப்போம்.”

 “இதுமாதிரி அவ செய்தத எல்லாம் நெனச்சு பாத்தாளாம். மனசுக்கு ரொம்ப கஷ்டமா போச்சாம். அழுகையா வந்துச்சாம்.ஒரே obsession னா இருந்துச்சாம்”

 “obsession ன்னா”
 “ஒரே எண்ணம் திரும்ப திரும்ப வந்துட்டே இருந்தா அதுதான் அப்சசெஷன். அது மாதிரி அவளுக்கு அவ தோழி நோட்டுக் குடுக்காம இருந்தது பத்தியே நினைச்சிட்டு இருந்தாளாம்.

மதியானம் லஞ்ச கூட சரியாவே சாப்பிடலையாம். வீட்டுக்கு வந்து முகத்த உம்முன்னே வெச்சிட்டு இருந்திருக்கா.

அவளால சரியா பேச முடியல, டிவி பாக்க முடியல, சிரிக்க முடியல அன்னைக்கு நைட் முழுசும் அதையே நினைச்சிட்டு சரியா தூங்க முடியல. மறுநாள் ஸ்கூல் லீவு. லீவுன்னா வழக்கமா ஜாலியா இருப்பா?
ஆனா அன்னைக்கு அவளால எதுவும் செய்ய முடியல”
 
 “அன்னைக்கு எல்லோரும் ஒரு பார்க்குக்கு போறாங்க. அந்த பொண்ணோட அப்பா அவள ஊஞ்சல்ல உட்கார வெச்சி தள்ளி விடுறாங்க. ஒரே தள்ளு. ஊஞ்சல் மேலையும் கீழையும் வேகமா ஆடுது. இந்தப் பொண்ணுக்கு ஜாலியா இருக்கு.
ஹோய் ஹோய்ன்னு கத்துறா. ரொம்ப தள்ளாதீங்கப்பான்னு சிரிச்சிகிட்டே சத்தமா சொல்றா. அவ அப்பா கேக்கல. இன்னும் இன்னும் தள்ளி விட்டுகிட்டே இருக்காரு. அரைமணி நேரம் ஊஞ்சல்ல ஆடிட்டு இறங்கி இன்னும் நிறைய விளையாட்டு விளையாடுறா”

 “அவ பிரெண்ட் மேல வருத்தமா கோபமா இருக்கிறத மறந்து போயிர்ரா. நிம்மதியாகிட்டா”

 “அன்னைக்கு நைட்டு அவ தூங்கும் போது இந்த பாயிண்ட்ஸ எல்லாம் யோசிக்கிறா.

பாயிண்ட் நம்பர் 1 : எனக்கு நோட்டுக் கொடுக்காதது அவ தப்பு.அதுக்கு நா ஏன் சாப்பிடாம சிரிக்காம சந்தோஷமா இல்லாம இருக்கனும்.

பாயிண்ட் நம்பர் 2: ஒருவேளை அவளுக்கு உண்மையிலேயே அன்னைக்கு படிக்க 
 இருந்திருக்கும்.அதனால கொடுக்காம இருந்திருக்கலாம்.

பாயிண்ட் நம்பர் 3: என் பிரெண்ட் மேல கோபம்னா அதுக்கு எனக்கு ரொம்ப பிடிச்ச அப்பா அம்மாகிட்ட எல்லாம் உம்முன்னு இருந்தேன்.

பாயிண்ட் நம்பர் 4 : ஒருத்தர் மேல உள்ள எரிச்சல கோபத்த எப்பவும் நினைக்கிறது எவ்வளவு கொடுமையா இருக்கு. வேற வேலையே செய்யமுடியலையே.

பாயிண்ட் நம்பர் 5: அவ மேல உள்ள கோபத்த எரிச்சல அஞ்சு நிமிசம் கூட மறக்கனும்னு நா ஏன் நினைக்கல.
இதோ இன்னைக்கு ஊஞ்சல்ல வேகமா ஆடும் போது அந்த பரபரப்புல அவள மறந்தேன். அப்படியே மறந்துட்டு ஜாலியா இருக்கேன். ஏன் கொஞ்சம் கூட ஒரு பிரச்சனையில இருந்து வெளிய வரணுமுன்னு நான் நினைக்கல.
இப்படி பல பாயிண்ட யோசிச்சி ஒரு முடிவுக்கு வர்றா. என்ன முடிவுக்கு வர்றா?

 “யாருப்பத்தியும் நெகட்டிவ்வா நினைச்சிகிட்டே இருந்தா நிம்மதியா இருக்க முடியாது. அது நம்ம எனர்ஜிய இழுத்துரும்.
அதனால நம்ம லைஃப ஜாலியா அனுபவிக்க முடியாம போயிரும். அதானால இனிமே ரொம்ப பிரெண்ட்லியா இருக்கனும்ன்னு முடிவு பண்ணிட்டு
 பிரிஸ்கா எந்திரிக்கிறா
 பிரிஸ்கா அம்மா அப்பாவுக்கு காலை வணக்கம் சொல்றா
 பிரிஸ்கா குளிச்சி யூனிஃபார்ம் போட்டுக்குறா
 பிரிஸ்கா இட்லியும் வெங்காயச் சட்னியும் வெச்சி சாப்பிடுறா
 பிரிஸ்கா பேக் எடுத்துட்டு
 பிரிஸ்கா கிளம்பும் போது அவ முகத்துல சூரிய ஓளி அடிக்குது.
அவ முகம் இன்னும் தெளிவா அழகா அந்த சூரிய ஒளியில தெரியுது.
*நமது எண்ணங்கள் நன்றாக* *இருந்தால்தான்*
 *நமது செயல்கள்* *நன்றாக இருக்கும்.*

*நமது செயல்கள் நன்றாக இருந்தால்தான்*
 *நமது வாழ்க்கை* *நன்றாக இருக்கும்*.