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CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
International Universal Health Coverage Day 2020: Dec 12
- International Universal Health Coverage Day is a United Nations’ recognized international day celebrated every year on December 12.
- Aim: To raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.
- 2020 Theme – 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.
- On 12 Dec 2017 United Nations Proclaimed , December 12 as International Universal Health Coverage day.
International Day of Neutrality: 12 December
- It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12, 2017.
- International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations recognized day held on December 12.
- Aim :To raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.
About Neutrality
- Neutrality, the legal status arising from the abstention of a state from all participation in a war between other states, the maintenance of an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents, and the recognition by the belligerents of this abstention and impartiality.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Lakshadweep declared first UT to become 100% organic
- The Ministry of Agriculture has declared Lakshadweep as India’s first Union Territory to become 100% organic.
- Earlier in 2016, Sikkim was declared as the first organic farming state in India.
- The success of acquiring a certification of being 100% organic was achieved with the help of the central government’sParamparagatKrishiVikasYojana and the financial assistance earmarked for the UT under the scheme.
About ParamparagatKrishiVikasYojana
- ParamparagatKrishiVikasYojana” is an elaborated component of Soil Health Management (SHM) of major project National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
- Launched in 2015.
- Aim : To support and Promote Organic Farming, in turn resulting in improvement of soil health.
5th India Water Impact Summit begins
- The 5th India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) began on 10th December 2020 virtually. The five day programme will conclude on 15 December 2020.
- Theme – Arth Ganga – river conservation synchronised development.
- Objective of IWIS 2020 is Comprehensive Analysis and Holistic Management of Rivers and Water Bodies.
- The conference will have 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.
- It is being organised virtually by the NMCG and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga).
- RatanLalKataria, Minister of State in the Jal Shakti Ministry, inaugurated this summit.
About National Mission for Clean Ganga
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is the implementation wing of National Ganga Council which was set up in October 2016 under the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities order 2016. The aim is to clean the Ganges and its tributaries in a comprehensive manner.
PM to deliver inaugural address at FICCI’s 93rd Annual General Meeting and Annual Convention
- Prime Minister NarendraModi will deliver the inaugural address at FICCI’s 93rd Annual General Meeting and Annual Convention via video conferencing and also inaugurate the virtual FICCI Annual Expo 2020.
- FICCI’s Annual Convention is being held virtually on 11th, 12th and 14th December.
- The virtual expo will provide an opportunity to exhibitors from across the globe to showcase their products and advance their business prospects.
- The theme of this year’s Annual Convention is “Inspired India”
- The convention will witness various stakeholders deliberating on the implications of Covid-19 on the economy, reforms being undertaken by the government and the way forward for the Indian economy.
Karnataka Assembly adopts Bill against cow slaughter
- The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill-2020.
- The Bill was moved by Animal Husbandry Minister PrabhuChavan, which calls for a blanket ban on cattle slaughter and stringent punishment to those indulging in these activities.
- The new act defines “cattle” as including cows, calves, bulls, bullocks, and male and female buffalos below 13 years. “Beef” is defined as the flesh of cattle in any form.
- Slaughter of cattle as per the new Bill will be a cognisable offence and will attract three to seven years imprisonment and a fine that shall not be less than 50,000 extendable to 5 lakh.
- The minister stated the new Bill will repeal the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964 (Karnataka Act 35 of 1964) to prohibit the slaughter of cattle and for the preservation of improvement of the breeds of cattle and to endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry in terms of Article 48 of the Constitution of India, by enacting a comprehensive legislation.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
ADB launches $9 billion Covid-19 vaccine scheme
- The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched an initiative called the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX),it will offer “rapid and equitable support” for its developing member countries.
- The $9billion coronavirus scheme, structured as a credit facility, will support Asian developing countries’ efforts to procure vaccines against the deadly virus rapidly as well as their investments in vaccine production and distribution systems.
- ADB President MasatsuguAsakawa stated APVAX will play a critical role in helping our developing members meet these challenges, overcome the pandemic, and focus on economic recovery.
About ADB
- Headquarters – Mandaluyong, Philippines
- President – MasatsuguAsakawa
- Founded – 19 Dec 1966
CURRENT AFFAIRS:STATES
Ladakh LG virtually inaugurates second edition of Ladakh Literature Festival 2020
- Ladakh Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur virtually inaugurated the second edition of Ladakh Literature Festival, 2020, in Leh on Dec 10.
- It is a 3 day festival that will host a series of talks, importance of the region, ancient knowledge of Ladakh, Folk music, cultural Dance, geology and wildlife of Himalayas
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY
ADB expects Indian economy to contract at a slower pace of 8%
- The Asian Development Bank expects the Indian economy will contract at a slower pace of 8% against its earlier estimate of 9% in FY21 on the back of a faster recovery in Asia’s third-largest economy following the easing of covid restrictions.
- The earlier South Asia forecast for 6.8% contraction is upgraded to 6.1% in 2020 with growth recovery of 7.2% in 2021.
About ADB
- Headquarters – Manila, Philippines
- President – MasatsuguAsakawa
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS
USFDA nod for AurobindoPharma’s generic sedative
- AurobindoPharma has received final approval from the US health regulator for the generic of Precedex injection, used for sedation of patients.
- The company has received final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture and market Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride in9% sodium chloride injection, 200 µg/50 mL and 400 µg/100 mL single dose flexible containers.
- The company stated the product will be launched in January 2021.
- Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride in 0.9% sodium chloride injection is indicated for sedation of initially intubated and mechanically ventilated patients during treatment in an intensive care setting and sedation of non-intubated patients prior to and/or during surgical and other procedures.
About US Food and Drug Administration
- The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services.The FDA is led by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
- Commissioner – Stephen Hahn
- Headquarters – Maryland, United States
- Founded – 30 June 1906
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, addresses ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus online
- Raksha mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, attended the 14th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus organized online at Hanoi, Vietnam on 10 December 2020 that marked the 10th anniversary of ADMM Plus.
- Members : 10 ASEAN Countries and eight partner countries, Australia, China, Japan, India, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, United States.
- It is a Platform for ASEAN and its eight Dialogue Partners to Strengthen security and defence cooperation for peace, stability, and development in the region
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONORS
Brazil’s Carolina AraujoTo Win Ramanujan Prize For Young Mathematicians
- The Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians 2020 has been awarded to Carolina Araujo, Mathematician from the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in a virtual ceremony on December 9, 2020.
- Araujo is the Vice President of the Committee for Women in Mathematics at the International Mathematical Union, the first non-Indian women mathematician to receive this prize.
- MsAraujo work area focuses on birational geometry, which aims to classify and describe the structure of algebraic varieties.
- Prior to herRamdoraiSujatha, from India became the first woman to receive the award in 2006.
About Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians
- The prize is named after the mathematician SrinivasaRamanujan. It was founded in 2004,and was first awarded in 2005.
- The prize is awarded to a researcher from a developing country less than 45 years of age who has conducted outstanding research in a developing country.
- The prize is supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (India) and Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters through the Abel Fund, with the cooperation of the International Mathematical Union.
Bajrang Punia, ElavenilValarivan bag top honours at FICCI India Sports Awards
- The Federation of Indian Commerce and Industry (FICCI) presented the India Sports Awards 2020 on the back of the 10th Global Sports Summit. , virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Tokyo Olympics-bound athletes wrestler Bajrang Punia and shooter Elavenil Valarivan have won the 2020 Male and Female Sportsperson of the Year award .
About the Award
- The sports awards are an attempt by industry body, FICCI to acknowledge and recognise the contribution of sportspersons and various stakeholders who deliver excellent results throughout the year.
CURRENT AFFAIRS:SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
BSNL ties-up with Skylotech India for Satellite based network
- Global machine connectivity solutions company SkylotechIndia has partnered with BSNL to launch a satellite-based narrowband IoT network in India.
- That will enable it to provide connectivity for millions of unconnected machines, sensors and industrial IoT devices across the country.
- This solution, developed by Skylo, will connect with BSNL’s satellite ground infrastructure and provide pan India coverage, including indian seas.
- This is the World’s first satellite based NB-IoT network.
- Skylo User Terminal interfaces with sensors transmits data to Network.
About Skylo
- CEO and Co-founder – ParthsarathiParthTrivedi
About BSNL
- CEO – Pravin Kumar Purwar
- Headquarters – New Delhi
- Founder – GoI
DRDO Conducts Joint Venture Protective Carbine trials
- DRDO designed56×30 mm Protective Carbine has successfully undergone the final phase of User trials on 7th December 2020 meeting all the GSQR parameters.
- JVPC has successfully met the stringent performance criteria of reliability and accuracy in addition to quality trials conducted by DGQA.
- JVPC is a Gas Operated Semi Bull-pup automatic weapon having more than 700 rpm rate of fire.
- Its effective range of the carbine is more than 100 m and weighs about 3.0 kg with key features like high reliability, low recoil, retractable Butt, ergonomic design, single hand firing capability, and multiple Picatinny rails.
- The carbine has been designed as per Indian Army’s GSQR,by Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), a Pune based laboratory of DRDO.
About DRDO
- DRDO – Defence Research and Development Organisation
- Founded – 1958
- Headquarters – New Delhi
- Chairman DRDO – Dr.Satheesh Reddy
Daily CA on Dec 11th
- The International Mountain Day is observed on December 11 every year. Theme of 2020 is Mountain biodiversity
- Every year, UNICEF Day is observed on December 11 by the United Nations.
- The Central government’s scheme is called the Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) on 9th December 2020, and is being seen as an attempt by the government to elevate wireless internet connectivity in the country.
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by NarendraModi, has given its approval for Atmanirbhar Bharat RojgarYojana (ABRY). and the Aim is To incentivise the creation of new employment opportunities.
- Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy inaugurated National Centre for Divyang Empowerment (NCDE) at the CRPF Group Centre in Hakimpet near Hyderabad in Telangana on 10th December 2020.
- The Ministry of AYUSH and AIIMS have decided to initiate work on setting up a Department of Integrative Medicine at AIIMS.
- Road Transport and Highways Minister NitinGadkari inaugurated the three lane 1.5 km long Koilwarbridge over Sone river in Bihar through Video Conferencing on 10 Dec 2020.
- S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were jointly named Time magazine’s 2020.
- The International Olympic Committee has registered Breakdancing as the newest entry into Olympics, with the aim to attract a new and younger audience.
- Zena Wooldridge has been elected as the new World Squash Federation (WSF) President following the WSF’s 2020 Annual General Meeting.
- Annika Sorenstam was elected president of the International Golf Federation replacing the outgoing Peter Dawson.
- Madagascar has replaced the Maldives as the host of the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman at 41 on Forbes 2020 list of 100 most powerful women
- Indian actor SonuSood has been named the number 1 Asian celebrity on the planet for 2020, which is published by UK based Eastern Eye newspaper.
- HAL-IISc Skill Development Centre in Challakere of Chitradurga district in Karnataka launched its first training programme offering five courses in virtual mode.
- Prime Minister NarendraModi and President of Uzbekistan ShavkatMirziyoyev held a virtual summit
Daily CA on Dec 12th
- Global machine connectivity solutions company SkylotechIndia has partnered with BSNL to launch a satellite-based narrowband IoT network in India. This is the World’s first satellite based NB-IoT network.
- DRDO designed56×30 mm Protective Carbine has successfully undergone the final phase of User trials on 7th December 2020 meeting all the GSQR parameters.
- International Universal Health Coverage Day is a United Nations’ recognized international day celebrated every year on December 12. And2020 Theme – Health For All:PROTECT EVERYONE
- International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations recognized day held on December 12.
- ADB launches $9 billion Covid-19 vaccine scheme to procure, deliver vaccines
- The Ministry of Agriculture has declared Lakshadweep as India’s first Union Territory to become 100% organic under the scheme of ParamparagatKrishiVikasYojana
- The 5th India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) began on 10th December 2020 virtually. The five day programme will conclude on 15 December 2020 and the theme is Arth Ganga – river conservation synchronised development.
- Prime Minister NarendraModi will deliver the inaugural address at FICCI’s 93rd Annual General Meeting and Annual Convention via video conferencing and also inaugurate the virtual FICCI Annual Expo 2020.
- The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill-2020.
- Ladakh Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur virtually inaugurated the second edition of Ladakh Literature Festival, 2020, in Leh on Dec 10.
- AurobindoPharma has received final approval from the US health regulator for the generic of Precedex injection, used for sedation of patients.
- AurobindoPharmahas received final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture and market Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride in9% sodium chloride injection
- The Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians 2020 has been awarded to Carolina Araujo, Mathematician from the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in a virtual ceremony on December 9, 2020.
- WrestlerBajrangPunia has won the 2020 Male Sportsperson of the Year award.
- Shooter ElavenilValarivan has bagged the 2020 FeMale Sportsperson of the Year award.
- RakshamantriShriRajnathSingh, attended the 14th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus organized online at Hanoi, Vietnam on 10 December 2020 that marked the 10th anniversary of ADMM Plus.
- Asian Development Bank expects Indian economy to contract at a slower pace of 8%.