Daily updates 11 December 2020

International News

1. Joe Biden, Kamala Harris jointly named Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ 2020

• US President-elect, Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have been jointly named Time magazine’s 2020 “Person of the Year”.
• The TIME magazine releases the annual list since 1927, to recognise a person or organisation who affected the news or impacted the country and world the most, for better or worse, during the calendar year.
• Apart from this, Time magazine has named the Korean pop group BTS as its Entertainer of the Year, and basketball star LeBron James as Athlete of the Year.
• Zoom founder Eric Yuan was aptly named Businessperson Of The Year, as the video communications company has come to define the way millions have connected with each other during the pandemic.

2. ADB launches $9 bn "APVAX" for Developing Countries

• The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched an initiative called, the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX), for its developing member countries. The bank has allocated USD 9 billion for APVAX.
• APVAX will play a critical role in helping our developing members meet these challenges, overcome the pandemic, and focus on economic recovery.
• Through APVAX, the ADB will offer rapid and equitable support to its developing members, who need financing to procure vaccines as well as offer appropriate plans and knowledge to be able to safely, equitably and efficiently manage and deliver the COVID-19 vaccine.

Business News

3. RBL Bank, ICICI Prudential join hands for Bancassurance partnership

• RBL Bank and ICICI Prudential have joined hands under a bancassurance partnership. 398 RBL Bank branches across 28 states will distribute ICICI Prudential Life's protection and savings products.
• The protection products of ICICI Prudential Life will help the bank’s customers to develop a strong financial plan and its long-term savings products will help the customers of the bank to achieve their financial goals.
• This partnership will allow more than 8.7 million customers of RBL Bank to access and purchase ICICI Prudential Life’s customer-centric protection and long-term savings products.
• It provides financial security to the customers and their families through life insurance cover.
• It will deepen and strengthen the multi-channel distribution network of ICICI Prudential Life.
• It will also accelerate the value creation for the bank and ICICI Prudential Life.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• RBL Bank Ltd Incorporated: 1943, under the Indian Companies Act, 1913
• RBL Bank Ltd MD and CEO: Vishwavir Ahuja.
• RBL Bank Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• RBL Bank Ltd Tagline: Apno Ka Bank.
• The bank’s name was changed from ‘The Ratnakar Bank Limited’ to ‘RBL Bank Limited’ in August 2014.
• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd Commenced Operations: 2001.
• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd HeadOffice: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd MD & CEO: N S Kannan.

Summits and Conferences News

4. 5th India Water Impact Summit begins

• The 5th India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) kicked off on 10th December 2020 virtually. The event was inaugurated by Ratan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti. The objective of IWIS 2020 is Comprehensive Analysis and Holistic Management of Rivers and Water Bodies.
• IWIS 2020 has been organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) to discuss water-related issues and steps taken to save the planet’s most precious resource.
• The theme of IWIS 2020 is Arth Ganga: River Conservation Synchronised Development.
• The conference will have a comprehensive analysis and review of river rejuvenation and local river. It will also have deliberation about Arth Ganga, i.e. how river conservation synchronised development can take place.

5. PM Narendra Modi addresses International Bharati Festival 2020 virtually

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the International Bharathi Festival 2020 through video conferencing.
• The festival was organised by Vanavil Cultural Centre in Chennai to celebrate the 138th birth anniversary of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi, an eminent writer, poet and journalist from Tamil Nadu.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conferred the 2020 Bharathi Award to the noted writer Seeni Viswanathan, who is credited with compiling the voluminous works of Bharathi in chronological order.
• The Bharathi Award is conferred every year since 1994, to eminent persons who have done laudable service in any field of social relevance.

Science and Technology News

6. BSNL launches World’s 1st Satellite-based Narrowband-IoT Network

• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has partnered with Skylotech India (Skylo), a global machine connectivity solutions company, to launch satellite-based narrow band-Internet of things (NB-IoT).
• This initiative is the world’s first satellite-based NB-IoT network.
• The new indigenous IoT solution has been developed by Skylo and will connect with BSNLs satellite- ground infrastructure to provide PAN-India coverage, including Indian seas. To begin with, the solution will be extended to fishermen, farmers, construction, mining and logistics enterprises.
• The solution is in line with BSNL’s vision to leverage technology to provide affordable and innovative telecom services and products across India’s core sectors.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Chairman & MD: Pravin Kumar Purwar.
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Headquarters: New Delhi.

Important News

7. International Day of Neutrality: 12 December

• International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations recognized day held on December 12 each year to raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.
• It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12, 2017.

8. International Universal Health Coverage Day: 12 December

• International Universal Health Coverage Day is a United Nations’ recognized international day celebrated every year on December 12.
• The Day aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.
• This year theme of International Universal Health Coverage Day is ‘Health For All: PROTECT EVERYONE’. The theme reflects that to end this crisis (COVID-19) and build a safer and healthier future, we must invest in health systems that protect us all—now.

Obituaries

9. Italy’s 1982 World Cup hero Paolo Rossi passes away

• Paolo Rossi of Italy, who scored 6 goals in the 1982 World Cup, passed away.
• He is the only male player in history to win the World Cup, the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball and Ballon d'Or in the same year. In 1982 was Italy's first victory after 1938.

Miscellaneous News

10. Lakshadweep becomes India’s 1st UT to be declared 100% Organic

• The Ministry of Agriculture has declared Lakshadweep as India’s first Union Territory to become 100 per cent organic.
• All farming activity in the UT is carried out without the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, which provides access to safer food choices and making agriculture a more environment-friendly activity.
• Lakshadweep is second only to Sikkim, which was India’s first state to be declared completely organic. This comes after the UT received proper certifications and declarations under the Centre’s Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (organic farming improvement programme).

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Lakshadweep Capital: Kavaratti.
• Lakshadweep Administrator: Praful Khoda Patel.

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.

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!