Daily Current Affairs: October 22 , 2020

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Important Days

World Iodine Deficiency Day- October 21:

• World Iodine Deficiency Day is also known as Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) Prevention Day, is observed on 21 October every year to spread awareness about that essential micronutrient everyone needs for proper thyroid function, brain development and overall growth – iodine.

International Stuttering Awareness Day- October 22:

• International Stuttering Awareness Day is observed on October 22 every year Since 1998. The day is intended to raise public awareness of the millions of people who have a speech disorder of stuttering or stammering.
• Theme: “Journey of Words – Resilience and Bouncing Back”.

International Stuttering Awareness Day- October 22:

• International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) observed on October 22. The day is observed to raise awareness about the issue of stuttering faced by millions of people. ISAD conducts online events from October 1 to 22 for people who stutter.
• Theme: “Journey of Words – Resilience and Bouncing Back”

National News

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan Launches CuRED, CSIR Partnered Clinical Trials Website:

• Union Health and Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan launched CuRED (CSIR Ushered Repurposed Drugs) a website that gives comprehensive info about the numerous COVID-19 clinical trials that the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is engaged in partnership with industry, other government departments and ministries.
• CuRED provides information about the drugs, diagnostics and devices including the current stage of the trials, partnering institutions and their role in the trials and other details, as per a release by Science & Technology Ministry.

Surat’s BRTS becomes Longest BRTS Network in country with a coverage of 108 kms:

• Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani inaugurated the newly expanded Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) route from Kumbhariya to Kadodara, Surat virtually from Gandhinagar. With the opening of this BRTS corridor, Surat became the only city in the country to have Longest BRTS network with 108 kms.

Gujarat:                   

• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• National Park: Blackbuck NP, Vansda NP, Gir Forest NP, Marine NP, Gulf of Kutch.

International News

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta participates in 18th meeting of Prosecutors General of SCO:

• India was represented by the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in 18th meeting of Prosecutors General of SCO. Prosecutors agreed to strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating corruption, mutual legal assistance and exchange of regulatory legal acts.
• India to host the SCO Prosecutors General Meeting in 2021. India will host the SCO Council of Heads of Government 2020 on November 30th.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):

• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Secretary General: Vladimir Norov
• Founded: 15 June 2001
• SCO Countries: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

India and Kazakhstan explores co-production and co-development of defence products:

• India and Central Asia’s biggest state Kazakhstan are exploring widening defence partnership including joint production as well as opening a new chapter in the heavy engineering sector.
• A two-day virtual expo jointly organized by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) and Ministry of Defence with Kazakhstan defence industries for co-production and co-development in defence production.

5th Joint Working Group on Coal between India and Indonesia to be held in November 2020:

• India will host 5th Joint Working Group (JWG) on coal with Indonesia and the meeting will be on November 5 through video conference.
• The meeting will be co-chaired from the Indian side by Vinod Kumar Tiwari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal and by Dr Ir. Ridwan Djamaluddin, Director General of Mineral and Coal Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources from the Indonesian side.

6th India International Science Festival to be held in Virtual format from December 2020:

• The 6th edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2020 will be held from 22nd to 25th December, 2020. The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan announced this at a review meeting in New Delhi.
• CSIR will spearhead the IISF 2020 with support of all other concerned ministries and departments.

India recorded highest infant deaths due to air pollution in 2019:

• India recorded the highest annual average PM 2.5 concentration exposure in the world last year, according to the State of Global Air 2020 (SOGA 2020) report. India was followed by Nepal, Niger, Qatar and Nigeria in high PM 2.5 exposures.
• More than 1,16,000 infants in India did not survive their first month due to air pollution in 2019, according to the State of Global Air 2020 report.

UNDP and EIF partner to develop initiatives for implementation of SDGs and sustainable finance:

• United Nations Development Programme and European Investment Fund signed an MOU to develop joint initiatives for sustainable finance and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, risk management, socio-economic and environmental impact assessments.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):

• Headquarters: New York.
• Administrator: Achim Steiner

European Investment Bank (EIB):

• President: Werner Hoyer
• Headquarters: Luxembourg.

Banking and Economy

Indian Bank partners with IIT Madras to launch credit scheme “IND Spring Board” for start-ups:

• Indian Bank has collaborated with IIT Madras Incubation cell to launch ‘IND Spring Board’, an initiative for funding start-ups. The Bank will extend loans of up to Rs 50 crore to these start-ups for their working capital requirements or purchase of machinery and equipment.
• IND Spring is the new model for financing start-ups, will be a game-changer in the banking industry.

Indian Bank:

• Headquarter: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• MD and CEO: Padmaja Chunduru
• Tagline: “Your Own Bank”
• Allahabad Bank amalgamated with Indian Bank from April 1, 2020.

Acquisitions and Mergers:

Bank of Baroda Partners with Toyota Kirloskar Motor for easy auto finance:

• State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) announced a tie up with Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) to enable finance options for the automaker’s customers and dealers. BoB will be one of the preferred financiers for the entire range of vehicles sold by TKM.
• The new service facilitates customers to avail customised solutions such as high on-road funding of 90 per cent, long repayment period of 84 months, no prepayment or foreclosure charges.

Bank of Baroda (BOB):

• Headquarters: Baroda (Vadodara), Gujarat
• MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha.
• Chairman:  Hasmukh Adhia
• Tagline: “India’s International Bank”

SpaceX tie up with Microsoft to woo space customers:

• Microsoft Corp is partnering with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk-led SpaceX and others as it expands its cloud-computing platform into space, the software giant.
• The partnership would allow Microsoft to connect its Azure cloud computing platform to SpaceX’s network of Low-Earth orbiting satellites, offering the software company an edge in its battle with the rival cloud platform from Jeff Bezos’ Amazon.com Inc.

RBL Bank Join Hands with Zenpay to Digitalize Salary Accounts for SMEs and MSMEs:

• Zenpay Solutions is one of the fastest growing Fintech company in the digital banking industry announced partnership with RBL bank and YAP to drive financial inclusion to issue salary cards to its customers across India.
• The corporate expense and salary payment solution will help blue collared employees working with SMEs and MSME to receive digital payments via a salary account. Zenpay will also offer customers with a digital salary card and mobile application will help them manage their finance efficiently with the help of the interactive dashboard.

RBL bank:

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• MD & CEO: Mr Vishwavir Ahuja

Science and Technology:

IIT Kharagpur’s Covid-19 Test Kit ‘COVIRAP’ Gets ICMR Certification to Cost Less Than Rs 500:

• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has validated the efficacy of ‘COVIRAP’, a diagnostic machine developed by IIT Kharagpur researchers to detect coronavirus within one hour. With ICMR’s approval, several business houses have approached the institute for technology licensing.
• This test technology is comparable to the celebrated RT-PCR tests, and will just cost the common people with a testing cost of around Rs 500.

Nokia Selected by NASA to Build 4G LTE Mobile Network on the Moon:

• Nokia has been selected by NASA to build the first cellular network on the moon. US space agency plans for a future where humans return there and establish lunar settlements.
• NASA aims to return humans to the moon by 2024 and dig in for a long-term presence there under its Artemis programme. Nokia said the first wireless broadband communications system in space would be built on the lunar surface in late 2022, before humans make it back there.

Indian Navy’s indigenously built ASW stealth corvette INS Kavaratti commissioned:

• Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane commissioned the Anti-Submarine Warfare stealth corvette INS Kavaratti into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard. INS Kavaratti is the last of the four indigenously- built ASW stealth corvettes under Project 28 (Kamorta class) and has been designed by the Directorate of Naval Design, the Indian Navy’s in-house wing.

Appointments

Indian diplomat Dr Neena Malhotra appointed as next Ambassador to Republic of San Marino:

• Indian diplomat Dr Neena Malhotra has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of San Marino.
• According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Dr Malhotra, 1992-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, will have the residence in Rome. Presently, she is serving as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Italy.

IRDAI Sets Up Panel to Examine Need for Standard Cyber Insurance Product headed by P Umesh:

• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has set up 9-member panel headed by P Umesh to explore possibility of a basic standard product structure to provide insurance cover for individuals and establishments to manage cyber risks.
• The general liability policies do not cover cyber risks and cyber insurance policies currently available are highly customised for clients in a new and quickly growing market.

Ghanshyam Jha appointed Chairman of Jammu & Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority:

• Government of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory has appointed Ghanshyam Jha as Chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority. Jha has formerly been the Chairman of Central Water Commission and Ganga Flood Control Committee.

Awards and Recognitions

Uttar Pradesh emerged as top destination in 2019 attracting over 53 crore tourists:

• Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top destination for attracting the highest number of Domestic Tourists in 2019. The Indian Tourism Statistics has announced that as many as 6 crore domestic tourists visited Uttar Pradesh (23.1%) in 2019. Tamil Nadu (21.3%) came second followed by Andhra Pradesh (10.2%).
• In terms of Foreign tourists, Tamil Nadu has topped the list with nearly 68 lakh foreigners visiting the state in 2019. Uttar Pradesh secured the third position with a record footfall of nearly 47 lakh foreigners visiting last year.

Uttar Pradesh:                 

• Capital: Lucknow
• Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
• Governor: Anandiben Patel
• National Park: Dudhwa National Park (Tiger Reserve)
• Zoological park: Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan Prani Udyan (Gorakhpur), Kanpur Zoological Park, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden.

Tamil Nadu:                     

• Capital: Chennai
• Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
• Governor: Banwarilal Purohit.
• National Park: Mukurthi NP, Guindy NP,Gulf of Mannar Marine NP, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP, Mudumalai NP.

Rakayet Ul Karim Rakim of Bangladesh wins the Greenstorm International Nature Photography Contest:

• Rakayet Ul Karim Rakim native of Chittagong, Bangladesh, has won the 12th edition of the Greenstorm International Nature Photography Contest conducted in association with UNEP in connection with the World Environment Day.
• Mohamed Noufal from Sharjah, UAE, and Kartikeya Grover from Ghaziabad, India bagged the second and third prizes respectively. The photographs of Vladlena Lapshina from Russia, Abdul Momin from Bangladesh and Sreedharan Wadakkanchery from Kerala have bagged the consolation prizes.

Managing Director of TRIFED Pravir Krishna bags CEO of the year and visionary leadership award:

• Pravir Krishna (IAS) Managing Director of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has been awarded CEO of the Year and Visionary Leadership Award in National Awards for Excellence in PSU for Investment in Start-UPS.
• The team of TRIFED Warriors led by Krishna has won three awards. One of the award is a collective award in the Investment in Start-Ups Category. He was included in the list of the 50 most influential Indians in May 2020, for his contribution towards changing the lives of the tribals.

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