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Daily G.K. - Top Stories

24 Nov 2020

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

China lashes out at United States withdrawal from "Open Skies Treaty" with Russia

  • China lashed out at Washington over its withdrawal from the "Open Skies Treaty" with Russia, saying the move undermined military trust and transparency and imperiled future attempts at arms control.
  • The treaty, to which China is not a signatory, had allowed each country overflight rights to inspect military facilities.
  • That leaves only one arms-control pact still in force between the former Cold War foes, the New START treaty, which limits the number of nuclear warheads each may have. That treaty will expire in February and the Trump administration had said it was not interested in extending it unless China also joined something Beijing says it will not do.

India and the EU Hold Consultations on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Matters

  • India and the European Union held the sixth round of consultations on disarmament and non-proliferation matters.
  • According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India and the EU exchanged developments in the area of nuclear, chemical, biological disarmament and non-proliferation.
  • The consultations involved exchanges on developments in the area of nuclear, chemical, biological disarmament and non-proliferation, conventional weapons, outer space security issues, export control regimes, strategic stability environment and other developments of mutual interest.
  • The consultations aim at enhancing mutual understanding and appreciation between India and the EU on international security issues. These are part of the broad dialogue architecture with the EU as a key strategic partner of India.
  • These are part of the broad dialogue architecture with the EU as a key strategic partner of India.

Biden Picks Blinken as Secretary of State

  • President-elect Joe Biden is moving forward on his campaign pledge to restore America as a leader on the global stage and lean on experts, tapping veteran diplomats for key posts even as President Donald Trump continues to refuse to concede.
  • Biden will name Antony Blinken as Secretary of State and Linda Thomas-Greenfield as ambassador to the UN, bringing deep foreign-policy backgrounds to the nascent administration while providing a sharp contrast with Trump, who distrusted such experience and embraced an "America First" policy that strained longstanding US relationships.
  • Thomas-Greenfield, a Black woman who served as the assistant Secretary of State for Africa under Obama, was intended to restore morale and help fulfil Biden's pledge to choose a diverse cabinet.
View Month Wise

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

India Subjecting FDI Proposals from Hong Kong

  • As per reports, India is subjecting foreign investment proposals from Hong Kong at par with China as part of a new policy that makes approval mandatory for plans from countries that share a land border.
  • Nearly 140 investment proposals valued at over $1.75 billion, mostly from China and Hong Kong have been put on hold pending scrutiny.
  • Amid a border standoff with China, the Indian government tightened rules for foreign direct investment from all nations sharing a land border, making scrutiny mandatory for such investments, a restriction that was earlier applicable only to Pakistan and Bangladesh.
  • The delays may complicate deal-making and impact the flow of capital from private equity firms and hedge funds, which often include investors domiciled in China or Hong Kong. This may starve Indian companies of investment in the midst of the pandemic-induced economic contraction.

EbixCash Acquires AssureEdge Global

  • Cross-border remittance and financial services player EbixCash has acquired 70% stake in AssureEdge Global Services, a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firm — eyeing sales synergies amid growing demand for insurance in India.
  • The company said that AssureEdge CEO and founder Bhupesh Tambe will continue to lead the firm with a 30% stake.
  • The BPO, which currently has 1,800 employees, will be rebranded as EbixCash Global BPO Services.
  • AssureEdge can serve to handle fulfillment, collections and last-mile delivery for EbixCash, as we converge it with our EbixCash financial and insurance technology platforms. 

Alpha Bank Picks Davidson Kempner as Preferred Bidder for $12 Billion Bad Loans

  • Greek lender Alpha Bank has selected U.S. investment fund Davidson Kempner as its preferred bidder to buy a $12 billion portfolio of non-performing loans in what will be Greece's largest-ever sale of bad debt.
  • The portfolio, known as Galaxy Project and worth 10.8 billion euros ($12.81 billion), also includes the disposal of Alpha's bad loan servicing unit, Cepal.
  • Davidson Kempner has valued the assets at about 290 million euros, trumping a rival offer by U.S. investment giant Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO).
  • The sale, which is expected to be finalised by the end of 2020, is the most significant attempt by a Greek bank to clean up its balance sheet amid fears that the proportion of soured loans to businesses and individuals will surge as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO's Venus Mission Attracts International Payload Proposals

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has short-listed 20 space-based experiment proposals, including from France, for its proposed Venus orbiter mission 'Shukrayaan' to study the planet for more than four years.
  • These include collaborative contributions from Russia, France, Sweden and Germany.
  • ISRO was earlier eyeing June 2023 for the country's first mission to Venus.
  • But now ISRO is currently reviewing this mission timeline due to delays arising from the pandemic situation.
  • Future launch opportunity is either in 2024 or 2026.

China Successfully Launches its First Spacecraft to Moon to Collect Samples

  • China successfully launched its first unmanned space mission to collect samples from the moon's surface and return to earth, the country's maiden attempt to retrieve materials from an extra-terrestrial body.
  • China has successfully launched the Chang'e-5 lunar probe from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern province of Hainan. The spacecraft was launched by a Long March-5 rocket.
  • Chang'e-5 is one of the most complicated and challenging missions in China's aerospace history, as well as the world's first moon-sample mission in more than 40 years.
  • China chose a complicated technological approach including unmanned rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit, which could bring back more samples and lay a technological foundation for manned lunar missions.
View Month Wise

SPORTS

The Undertaker Bids Final Farewell to WWE Universe

  • Legendary wrestler Mark William Calaway, popularly known as by his ring name The Undertaker, called curtains to his illustrious career spanning three decades at WWE's Survivor Series.
  • Interestingly, the 55-year-old made his WWE debut exactly 30 years ago at Survivor Series in November 1990.
  • The Undertaker began his professional career in 1987, working as various gimmicks for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and other affiliate promotions.
  • After making his WWE debut in the 1990's Survivor Series event, he went on to become one of the most iconic stars of the WWE.
  • Widely regarded as the greatest wrestler of all-time, The Undertaker is a seven-time world heavyweight champion. He bagged a total of six tag team titles and is also a one-time champion of Royal Rumble (2007) and a 12-time Slammy Award winner. 

Russia's Daniil Medvedev Wins ATP Tour Final

  • Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev has won the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Final in London.
  • In the final match, Medvedev snatched a 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 victory over Austria's Dominic Thiem, who ranks number three in the world. On the road to the finals, both tennis players prevailed over Serbian player Novak Djokovic and Spanish national Rafael Nadal, ranked first and second in the world by the ATP. Medvedev faced Djokovic at the group stage and Nadal in the semifinals. The Russian player faced Thiem in five matches, with the Austrian player winning three of them, while Medvedev snatched a victory in two games.
  • This is the first win for 24-year-old Medvedev in the ATP Finals on his second time playing in the tournament. Last year, he lost all his three games, placing last in his group. This season, the Russian national won all three matches within his group. Medvedev is currently fourth in the ATP's world ranking, boasting nine ATP titles. 
View Month Wise

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Key Bengal Leader from Owaisi's AIMIM, Many Functionaries Join TMC

  • AIMIM's West Bengal unit leader Anwar Pasha along with some of his colleagues joined the Trinamool Congress, claiming that the Asaduddin Owaisi-led party was only acting as a polariser of votes to help the BJP.
  • Alleging that a section of people is trying to take the country towards destruction using religion, Pasha said that those who are eyeing Bengal at present, whether "wearing saffron or green", should know that there is no place for such division in this state.
  • AIMIM has played a hand in the polarisation of votes in Bihar and thus helped the BJP in forming the government there, but this will not happen in Bengal.
  • Owaisi had said that the party is deliberating with the West Bengal unit over contesting the assembly elections, likely in April-May, and will take a decision after getting feedback from them.

RJD offers CM Nitish Kumar to Join Mahagathbandhan in Bihar

  • In a suprising turn of events in Bihar politics, main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has offered Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal- United chief Nitish Kumar to join the RJD-led 'Mahagathbandhan'. It is to be noted that the other constituents of 'Mahagathbandhan' are the Congress and Left parties.
  • The offer to CM Nitish Kumar was given by senior RJD leader Amarnath Gami. According to Gami, CM Nitish should join the 'Mahagathbandhan' and lead the third front at the Centre against the BJP. Gami said that the NDA government will not last for long in Bihar.

Vijayashanti Likely to Join BJP

  • Congress leader and actress Vijayashanti is likely to join the BJP soon.
  • The former MP was not active in Congress party's activities and programmes in the state for the past few months.
  • Once it happens, Vijayashanti would be the second popular star in South to join the BJP after Khushbu in Tamil Nadu. Khushbu too had quit Congress and embraced BJP.
  • Her entry into the BJP, a sort of homecoming, will give a shot in the arm to the saffron party which is going all out to capture the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the elections to be held on December 1.
  • Vijayashanti, who began her political career with the BJP, joined the TRS Party and switched loyalties to the Congress in 2014 before the formation of Telangana state.
View Month Wise

DEFENCE

The US Provides Missiles, Renews Pledge to Defend Philippines

  • President Donald Trump's administration provided precision-guided missiles and other weapons to help the Philippines battle Islamic State group-aligned militants and renewed a pledge to defend its treaty ally if it comes under attack in the disputed South China Sea.
  • National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien represented Trump in a ceremony at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, where he announced the delivery of the cache of missiles and bombs to the Philippine military. Trump pledged to provide the $18 million worth of missiles in a phone conversation with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in April.

Thales, Kanpur's MKU to Jointly Make Night Vision Devices for Armed Forces

  • Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Sidharth Nath Singh said that French multinational company Thales Group will collaborate with Kanpur-based MKU to make night vision devices in the state for armed forces.
  • The project will take place as part of UP Defence Industrial Corridor. 
  • The Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME), Export Promotion, Investment Promotion, among others, while inaugurating the corporate office of the India unit of Thales Group in Noida.
  • The minister also requested Thales Group to invest in UP to make parts of fighter jets and assured of support of the state government.
  • Thales is working alongside HAL, BHEL, L&T in India in the technology sector. This makes it clear that the opening of Thales' office in UP will be a boost to the state's aspiration for becoming ''aatmanirbhar'' (self-reliant) in the defence sector.
View Month Wise

PERSONS IN NEWS

Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Passes Away

  • Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi died from post-COVID complications. 
  • Gogoi was the Chief Minister for terms. He became Chief Minister for the first time in 2001.
  • Gogoi was the MLA from the Titabor assembly constituency since 2001. He was also a six-time parliamentarian and a Union minister twice.
  • Gogoi, an active leader of the Assam unit of Bharat Yuvak Samaj, joined the Congress in 1963 and since then had been a party loyalist, pledging his support to Indira Gandhi, her son Rajiv Gandhi and then Sonia Gandhi. He also served the party as AICC general secretary and joint secretary in the 1980s, and headed the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee twice from 1986-90 and again from 1996 to 2001.

Prof. Imran Ali Joins Global List of Highly Cited Researchers 2020

  • Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) Professor Imran Ali of the Department of Chemistry has secured the coveted title of Highly Cited Researchers (HCR) 2020 released by the USA's Web of Science, Clarivate Plc. Moreover, previously he received the number one position among scientists in India and 24th in the World in the field of Analytical Chemistry by a group of scientists from the University of Stanford, USA.
  • HCR 2020 identifies researchers who "demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field or fields through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade." Their names are drawn from the publications that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and publication year on the Web of Science citation index.
  • The HCR 2020 'who's who' list includes 6,167 researchers from 60 different countries. The list includes 26 Nobel laureates.
View Month Wise

DAYS AND EVENTS

India International Cherry Blossom Festival Cancelled

  • Every year the Cherry Blossom Festival is hosted by Meghalaya in the starting of November. This year the festival has been cancelled due to COVID-19. It is the only Cherry festival being conducted in India.
  • The India International Cherry Blossom Festival is organised by the Government of Meghalaya every year. The festival hosts live music, stalls showcasing the cuisine, beauty pageants, etc.
  • Cherry Blossom Festival is a national festival of Michigan. It is celebrated in Japan as well.
  • India is the 26th largest producer of cherry in the world. The top three producers of cherry are Turkey, USA and Iran. Cherry in India was introduced from Europe before India's independence. On the other hand, the commercial sour cherry was introduced from the United States of America.  The other varieties of cherry were introduced from British Columbia.
View Month Wise

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES

Kerala Police Act Amendment Put on Hold

  • Faced with mounting criticism, the CPI(M) and the CPI leaderships prevailed on their Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala to put on hold implementation of the controversial Kerala Police Law Amendment Ordinance.
  • As per Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a detailed discussion will be held in the Assembly regarding this, and the future course will be decided upon after duly considering the opinions coming upfront from all quarters.
  • The amendment vide the Ordinance was to give more powers to police to tackle cyber crimes.
View Month Wise

GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION

Airtel Partners with Vedantu to Provide Classes via DTH Channels

  • Airtel Digital TV, the DTH arm of Bharti Airtel and Vedantu, the pioneer in LIVE online learning, announced an innovative partnership to make quality education accessible to students across India by leveraging the deep reach of Airtel.
  • Under the partnership, two dedicated DTH channels -Vedantu Materclasses — will be available exclusively to the 17 Mn Airtel Digital TV customers at the highly affordable price of Rs. 4 per day. The channels will cater to students from Classes 6 to 10 and Classes 11 to 12 respectively, and will cover Maths and Science.
  • The learning will be delivered by best-in-class faculty including graduates from IIT and AIIMS with proven track records in teaching. The medium of teaching will be a mix of English and Hindi with plans underway to add regional language content, where possible.

IIT Guwahati Develops Error Free Data Transmission System

  • A research team led by IIT Guwahati faculty, Dr. Bosanta Ranjan Boruah, Department of Physics, IIT Guwahati, and Dr. Santanu Konwar, presently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics, Abhayapuri College, Assam, has developed a novel free-space optical communication system for information transfer.
  • In free-space communication, data in the form of voice, text or image is transmitted using light wirelessly rather than through optical fibres and it represents the next generation of communications technology.

PM Modi to Address 100th Foundation Day of University of Lucknow

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the celebration of the centennial foundation day of the University of Lucknow on November 25. The PM will address the students via a video conference. The university was established in 1920 and is celebrating its 100th year.
  • Prime Minister will unveil the university's centennial commemorative coin. He will also release a special commemorative postal stamp issued by India Post and its special cover during the event.
  • The varsity is dedicating an entire week to the celebrations which started from November 19 and will conclude on November 25.
View Month Wise

ART AND CULTURE

BAFTA Ventures into India with Breakthrough Initiative to Support New Talent

  • The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced its 'Breakthrough Initiative' which will identify, celebrate, and support up to five talents working in film, games, or TV in India.
  • The flagship new talent initiative is part of BAFTA's year-round work to support new talent, operating alongside their awards ceremonies worldwide.
  • BAFTA Breakthrough India will help facilitate the development of relationships between British talent and India's homegrown creatives. The initiative is supported by Netflix.
  • BAFTA aims to work closely with local cultural bodies and industry in the country to reach each sub-region's unique landscape and identify individuals who have shown creative promise in film, games, and TV.
  • Participants will be selected by a jury and will be offered a year-long support programme from BAFTA and be showcased across India and the UK.
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