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Friday, October 16, 2020

Daily GK Updates - 16th Oct, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Gujarat govt announces to set up the world’s biggest Zinc Smelter project: Gujarat government has signed a pact with Vedanta Group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) to set up a greenfield zinc smelter in the state. This facility will entail an investment of Rs 5000- 10,000 crore in phases, creating more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs and will be operational by 2022. The proposed 300 (kilo tonnes per annum) production capacity project would provide big employment opportunities to the local youths in this tribal area.

About the Project: The first phase of the proposed plant will be operational in 36 months. The project will satisfy the domestic as well as global needs through exports. The new facility – the first for Hindustan Zinc in Gujarat, will be set up with zero discharge technology and will be among the lowest-cost smelters in the world. This is one of the largest MoUs signed by the state under the State’s new industrial policy, which gives extra benefits to the companies investing in backward tribal districts. Hindustan Zinc is one of the world’s largest and India’s only integrated producer of Zinc-Lead and Silver.

Note: Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani; Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.

 

2. Government sets up a panel of secretaries headed by Rajiv Gauba to streamline telecom spectrum allocation: The Government of India has constituted a panel of secretaries to streamline the spectrum allocation process and also make the auction of spectrum an annual calendar event. The panel will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba. Other members of the panel would include the secretaries of home, defence, railways, telecom, I&B and department of space. The panel will also look into the possibility of identifying spectrum which is likely to be released for commercial purposes in future and convey that to the telcos. This step has been taken to help the telecom companies to get a clear road map of the quantum as well as the frequency of spectrum on offer for commercial use, following which they can then plan their strategies more efficiently

 

3. Arunachal Pradesh to feature on country’s aviation map with Greenfield airport at Hollongi: Arunachal Pradesh is poised to feature on country’s aviation map with a greenfield airport at Hollongi. With estimated cost of 650 crore rupees, the project includes the development work, construction of airport pavements, air side work, terminal Building and city side works. The new domestic airport, with an area of 4,100 square metres, the Hollongi Airport will be able to handle 200 passengers during peak hours. The terminal will be an energy efficient building provisioned with Rain Water Harvesting system and sustainable landscape. The tentative date for completion of the project is November, 2022.

 

4. UP Govt to dedicate Navratra Festival to ‘Women’s Safety’ by launching ‘Mission Shakti’: The Uttar Pradesh government will dedicate the coming Navratra festival to women’s safety, dignity and empowerment by launching “Mission Shakti”. Various programmes will be organised from gram panchayats to industrial units, school campuses to government offices, from Durga Puja pandals to Ramlilas to reaffirm the faith and resolve towards women power.

 

5. Microsoft & AICTE collaborate to empower students and educators: Microsoft and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have partnered to empower students and educators in new-age technologies. This technology includes artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), data science and cloud computing.

Under the partnership: Over 1,500-course modules from Microsoft will be made available to students and educators free of cost through AICTE’s e-learning portal Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS). For this, Microsoft has integrated its learning resource centre Microsoft Learn with the ELIS platform to provide access to personalised learning paths and resources for students and educators.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft: Satya Nadella; Microsoft Founded: April 4, 1975; Headquarters of Microsoft: Washington, United States.

 

6. PM Modi to release commemorative coin to mark 75th Anniversary of FAO: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination on the occasion of 75th Anniversary of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on 16 October 2020. PM Modi also dedicates to the Nation 17 recently developed biofortified varieties of 8 crops. The event marks the highest priority accorded by the government to agriculture and nutrition and is a testament of the resolve to completely eliminate hunger, undernourishment and malnutrition. Anganwadi centres, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, organic and horticulture missions across the country will be part of the event. India’s proposals for declaring 2016 as the International Year of Pulses and 2023 as the International Year of Millets have also been endorsed by the FAO.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organisation Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organisation Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organisation Founded: 16 October 1945.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Exim Bank extends USD 400 million soft loan to Maldives: The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) on behalf of the Government of India has extended a Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 400 million (about Rs 2,932 crore) to the Maldives. The soft loan will be used for financing the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) in the Maldives, which is the single-largest connectivity and infrastructure project in the island nation. LoCs or soft loans are concessional loans that are offered at cheap rates. The soft loans to the Maldives have funded connectivity, water, sewerage projects, Addu Development Project, an international cricket stadium, Gulhifalhu port, Hanimaadhoo airport and road construction work.

Note: Export-Import Bank of India CEO: David Rasquinha; Export-Import Bank of India Founded: 1 January 1982; Export-Import Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

2. US FDA approved first treatment for Ebola: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first drug for the treatment of Ebola on October 14, 2020. The United States approved a lab-made antibody treatment against the Ebola virus developed by the biotech firm Regeneron after it was shown to significantly reduce the mortality rate in a clinical trial.

The US regulator approved the drug developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for treating adults and children. It was tested during an outbreak in Congo that killed nearly 2,300 people before it ended in June. The drug, named Inmazeb (IN’-meh-zehb), dramatically increased survival, when compared to three other treatments. The study was ended ahead of schedule last year so patients could get Inmazeb or a second drug that was nearly as effective. Earlier, FDA approved its first vaccine for Ebola in last December.

 

3. International E-Waste Day: 14th October: The International E-Waste Day (IEWD) is celebrated on 14 October every year since 2018, to promote the correct disposal of e-waste throughout the world with the aim to increase re-use, recovery and recycling rates. 2020 is the third edition of the International E-Waste Day. The day was developed in 2018 by the WEEE Forum, an international association of e-waste collection schemes, with the support of its members. The theme for 2020 IEWD is ‘Education’.

 

4. Global Handwashing Day: 15th October: The Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is observed on 15 October every year. It is an international handwashing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilize people around the world to improve their handwashing habits. The day was established by the Global Handwashing Partnership (GHP) (formerly called “Public Private Partnership for Handwashing” (PPPHW)) in 2008. Theme of GHD 2020 is ‘Hand Hygiene for All’.

 

5. World Food Day: 16th October: World Food Day (WFD) is observed globally on 16 October every year. The day is celebrated to eradicate worldwide hunger from our lifetime. This day generates awareness globally for those who suffer from hunger and to ensure the need for food security and nutritious diets for all. Theme 2020: “Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together”. The main focus of this day is that food is a basic and fundamental human right. WFD commemorates the day in 1945 when the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Established: 16 October 1945.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Constantina Dita named ambassador for Half Marathon C’ships Gdynia 2020: Romania’s 2008 Olympic champion, Constantina Dita has been named an ambassador for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020. The 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships, originally scheduled for 29 March 2020 in Gdynia, Poland, was postponed until 17 October 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dita competed at eight editions of the World Half Marathon Championships and earned seven medals in the process, making her one of the most successful athletes in the history of the event. Her double victory in Edmonton in 2005, taking individual and team gold medals, remains one of the highlights of her career. She won the marathon gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC Bank to launch ‘The HealthyLife Programme’ for its customers: India’s leading private sector bank, HDFC Bank and Apollo Hospitals have collaborated to launch the “HealthyLife Programme”, a holistic healthcare solution. This programme will be launched for HDFC Bank customers, to make healthy living accessible and affordable while making the process convenient and easy for the customers.

Benefits of the programme: Customers will get round the clock access to emergency Apollo Doctor at No Cost on Apollo’s digital platform, Apollo 24/7. It will also come with various other benefits such as choice of payment options and ease of finance for treatments at all Apollo Hospitals. Customers can avail unsecured loans of up to Rs. 40 lakh to pay for medical expenses incurred at the healthcare chain.

Note: HDFC Bank CEO: Aditya Puri; The tagline of HDFC Bank: We Understand Your World; HDFC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India will be 3rd-largest economy by 2050: Lancet: India is likely to overtake Japan as the third largest economy in the world by 2050 and continue in that position till 2100, according to a study published in the medical journal Lancet. The study constructed scenarios for GDP using the working age population of countries. The study based 2017 as the reference when India was the seventh largest economy in the world, and forecast that India will emerge as the fourth largest economy by 2030 behind USA, China, Japan and by 2050 it will go onto the third spot. By 2100, India was forecasted to still have the largest working-age population in the world, followed by Nigeria, China, and the USA. Other countries bolstered by immigration that rose up in the global rankings by GDP were Australia and Israel. Despite huge declines in population forecasted this century, Japan remained the fourth-largest economy in 2100, according to the study on fertility, mortality, migration and population scenarios for 195 countries from 2017 to 2100.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. “Bank of Ghana” wins Central bank of the year award 2020: “Bank of Ghana” has won the Central bank of the year award 2020. Apart from this, Mark Carney (Governor of the Bank of England) has won the Governor of the year at the Central bank of the year award 2020. Central Banking Awards is held annually to recognize excellence in the central banking community. This was the 7th edition of the award and the ceremony was held virtually on.

Note: Governor of Bank of Ghana: Ernest Kwamina Yedu Addison; Bank of Ghana Headquarters: Accra, Ghana; Bank of Ghana Founded: 1957.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Renowned Indian-origin South African Human Rights Lawyer Priscilla Jana Passes Away: Renowned Indian-origin South African human rights lawyer Priscilla Jana who represented many anti-apartheid political leaders, including Nelson Mandela, has passed away. He was 76. Jana, who had played a significant role against apartheid, was the Deputy Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Jana was also a member of the South African Law Commission and served as a member of the Advisory Committee to the President. After a period as a Member of Parliament in the democratic government following the election of Mandela in 1994, Jana served as South African Ambassador in the Netherlands and in Ireland.

 

2. Renowned Kuchipudi dancer Shoba Naidu passes away: Renowned Kuchipudi dancer, Shobha Naidu passed away. Her major achievements include choreography and presentation of Ballets Vipranarayana, Kalyana Srinivasam and many others, in which she was the main protagonist and portrayed various roles like Satyabhama, Devadevaki, Padmavathi, Mohini, Sai Baba, and Goddess Parvati which won her great appreciation. Some of the famous awards won by her include, Padma Shri in 2001, Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1991. 

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