Daily Current Affairs for app_20201213 - T.I.M.E. 4 Education

Daily Current Affairs
                              forafterapp_20201213
344 Nigerian schoolboys freed days     being abducted, official says

Hundreds of schoolboys who were abducted by gunmen in northwestern Nigeria last week have
been freed, officials said. After being released to Nigerian security forces in the forests of Zamfara
state, 344 boys were sent safely home to neighboring Katsina state, where they will undergo medical
examinations before being reunited with their families.

WHO team expected to visit China in January 2021 to probe COVID-19 origins

The much-awaited international mission led by the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to
go to China in the first week of January to investigate the origins of the novel Coronavirus (SARS-
CoV-2) that triggered the COVID-19 pandemic. A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, now a team of
12-15 international experts is expected to go to China to examine evidence, including human and
animal samples collected by Chinese researchers, and to build on their initial studies.

Daily Current Affairs
                               for
India’s COVID-19 cases per million    app_20201213
                                   among lowest in world

The Ministry of Health has said that India's active COVID-19 cases per million population is among
the lowest in the world. The Ministry said that while active cases of COVID-19 per million population
in India stand at 226, it is 2 thousand 557 in Turkey and 3 thousand 501 in Russia. It said, while in
Brazil, the active cases per million population is 3 thousand 512, it is 10 thousand 515 in Italy and
21 thousand 144 in the USA.

Indian entrepreneur named among ‘Young Champions of the Earth’ winners by UN environment
agency

A 29-year-old Indian entrepreneur named Vidyut Mohan is among the seven winners of the
prestigious “Young Champions of the Earth” 2020 prize given by the UN environment agency to
global change-makers using innovative ideas and ambitious action to help solve some of the world’s
most pressing environmental challenges.

He is the co-founder of “Takachar”, a social enterprise enabling farmers to prevent open burning of
their waste farm residues and earn extra income by converting them into value-added chemicals like
activated carbon on-site.

Daily Current Affairs
                              for
International Migrants Day 2020      app_20201213
                                observed in Dec 18

International Migrants Day is a global event observed on December 18 every year. The day
recognises the importance of protecting the rights and dignity of migrants around the world. It was
on December 18, 1990, that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution for the
protection of the rights of migrant workers and their families. Ever since it has become an annual
event.
This year, the theme of the International Organization for Migration is “Reimagining Human
Mobility”.

COVID19 Vaccination will be voluntary: Health Ministry

Vaccination against Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as part of national vaccination drive is voluntary,
reiterated Union ministry of health and family welfare in its recently released document to answer
public queries in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs). The Ministry, however, said that it is
advisable to receive a complete schedule of anti-coronavirus vaccine irrespective of past history of
infection with Covid 19 as this will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease.

Daily Current Affairs
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Webinar and expo between India     app_20201213
                               and Maldives held

A webinar and expo between India and Maldives was held recently. The theme of the webinar was
‘Joint Indo Maldives High Level Defence Engagement’. It was organised under the aegis of
Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence through Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry. This webinar is the part of Aero India 21 series of webinars which is being
organised to boost defence cooperation and engagements with friendly foreign countries.

Indian Railways develops National Rail Plan to increase modal share of Railways

In an endeavour to address the inadequacies of capacity constraints and improve its modal share in
the total freight ecosystem of the country, Indian Railways has come up with a Draft National Rail
Plan. A long term strategic plan called the National Rail Plan has been developed to plan
infrastructural capacity enhancement along with strategies to increase modal share of the Railways.
It will be a common platform for all future infrastructural, business and financial planning of the
Railways. This plan is being circulated among various Ministries for their views now. Railways aims to
finalise the final plan by January 2021

Daily Current Affairs
                                  for
Skill India establishes first Centre      app_20201213
                                     of Excellence for Skill Development in Power Sector

Skill India has established first Centre of Excellence for Skill Development in Power Sector in the
campus of National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurugram Haryana. Inaugurating the Centre, Minister
of State for Skill Development Raj Kumar Singh said that India is taking rapid strides to move towards
renewable energy to accelerate economic development, improve energy security and energy access
while mitigating climate change challenges too.

India, ADB sign 4.21 million dollar PRF facility for preparation of infrastructure development
projects

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a 4.21 million dollar
project readiness financing (PRF) facility for the preparation of infrastructure development projects
to improve urban amenities and develop tourism infrastructure in Tripura. This is ADB’s first PRF
facility for a state in the northeastern region of India. The facility will support Tripura Government’s
priorities of improving urban services and tourism infrastructure that will help boost economic
development.

Daily Current Affairs
                                foremissions
India mulls E20 fuel to cut vehicular app_20201213

The Union government had proposed the adoption of E20 fuel — a blend of 20% of ethanol and
gasoline — as an automobile fuel in order to reduce vehicular emissions as well as the country’s oil
import bill. The move assumes significance in the wake of Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stressing
on promoting green fuel like ethanol to reduce huge Rs 8 lakh crore crude import dependence. The
notification facilitates the development of E20 compliant vehicles. It will also help in reducing
emissions of carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, etc.

RIL, BP start production at Asia’s deepest gas field

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) and BP plc have announced the start of production from R-Cluster, the
ultra-deepwater gas field in the KG basin’s D6 block. The two partners are developing three
deepwater gas projects in KG-D6 — R-Cluster, Satellites Cluster and MJ — which together are
expected to meet 15% of India’s gas demand by 2023. R-Cluster is the first of the three projects to
come on stream. The field is located about 60 km from the existing KG-D6 Control & Riser Platform
(CRP) off the Kakinada coast and comprises a subsea production system tied back to CRP via a
subsea pipeline.

Daily Current Affairs
                              for byapp_20201213
Bank credit grows by 5.73%, deposits 11.34%

Bank credit grew by 5.73 per cent to Rs 105.04 lakh crore while deposits increased by 11.34 per cent
to Rs 145.92 lakh crore in the fortnight ended December 4, the RBI data showed. In the fortnight
ended December 6, 2019, bank credit had stood at Rs 99.35 lakh crore and deposits at Rs 131.06
lakh crore
 Growth in loans to agriculture and allied activities accelerated to 7.4 percent in the month from a
growth rate of 7.1 percent last year. Credit to industry contracted by 1.7 percent in October 2020 as
compared with 3.4 percent growth in October 2019. Growth in loans to the services sector
accelerated to 9.5 percent in October 2020 from 6.5 percent in the same month of the previous
year. During the month, personal loans registered a decelerated growth of 9.3 percent as compared
with 17.2 percent growth in October 2019.

RBI extends curbs as PMC draws 4 EoIs

The Reserve Bank of India has extended the current curbs on the Punjab and Maharashtra
Cooperative Bank Ltd. till March 31, 2021, after the cash-strapped lender received four proposals
from potential investors. As per the RBI, the PMC Bank, which has been under direction since
September 23, 2019, has received four investment proposals from eligible investors for its
reconstruction. Last date for submission of EoIs was December 15, 2020.

PMC Bank was placed under directions by the RBI on September 29, 2019, after a money laundering
scam came to light. The central bank discovered that the lender allegedly created fictitious accounts
to hide over Rs 6,700 crore in loans extended to the almost-bankrupt Housing Development
Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL)

Daily Current Affairs
UK, US among top 5 employers for     app_20201213
                             for Indian tech contractors: Survey

The United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States and South Africa are among the top
countries attracting and retaining high-skilled Indian workers in the contracting market place, says a
survey. The survey titled ''Global Demand for Indian IT Contractors'' has been done by contractor
hiring platform Techfynder that a majority of companies from these regions on the platform have
shown an interest in hiring for core domains that include cloud, cyber and digitisation.

Robert Lewandowski, Lucy Bronze Win FIFA Player Of The Year Awards

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski was named men's player of the year at FIFA's 'The Best'
awards ceremony in Zurich. He was the top scorer in Europe and winner of the Champions League
with Bayern, came out ahead of the other two nominees, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
England defender Lucy Bronze took the women's award, seeing off the challenge of Wendie Renard
and Pernille Harder.

Daily Current Affairs
                              forwinapp_20201213
New Zealand cruised to a five-wicket over Pakistan in the first Twenty20 International at Eden
Park

New Zealand cruised to a five-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Twenty20 International at
Auckland's Eden Park. The Black Caps ended on 156 for five with seven balls to spare after losing the
toss and being set a target of 154 by Pakistan.

Mohammad Amir retires from international cricket

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has retired from international cricket. Amir represented
Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 50 T20Is, and recently played in the inaugural Lanka Premier
League for runners-up Galle Gladiators.

Daily Current Affairs
                                forWorld
Simranjeet in final of Cologne boxing app_20201213
                                         Cup

World championship bronze-medallist Simranjeet Kaur (60kg) beat Ukraine’s Marianna Basanets to
storm into the final of boxing’s Cologne World Cup. She prevailed 4-1 to assure herself of a place in
the summit bouts to be held on Saturday.
 Earlier, two-time world medallist Sonia Lather (57kg) set up a clash against compatriot Manisha in
the semifinals by beating Ukraine's Snizhana Kholodkova 3-2.