Current Affairs Today 4th December 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 4th December 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

  1. In India, December 4 is observed as the National Navy Day every year, to celebrate the achievements and role of the naval force to the country.
  2. The International Day of Banks is observed on 4th December every year in recognition of the vital role of the banking systems in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living
  3. The Reserve Bank of India in its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meet held between December 2-4, 2020
  4. The draft National Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management Policy aims to use drones to fly alongside manned aircrafts (scheduled and non-scheduled aircrafts).
  5. The 9th edition of the International Sand Art Festival and the 31st edition of the Konark Festival, has kicked-off in Odisha.
  6. Swasthya Sathi scheme is a health insurance scheme of the West Bengal government.
  7. The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank have recently signed an agreement under which the bank will provide 50 million USD of loan.
  8. New Zealand has declared a “climate emergency” and promised to make its public sector carbon neutral by 2025.
  9. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies topped the list of wealthiest women in India, according to the second edition of ‘Kotak Wealth Hurun–Leading Wealthy Women’ report
  10. Oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has topped the 2020 Fortune 500 list of Indian companies, released on 2nd December 2020.
  11. The Government of India and United States of America (USA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Intellectual Property Cooperation on 2nd December 2020.
  12. The Indian-American young scientist and inventor, Gitanjali Rao, has been named as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ by the iconic TIME magazine.
  13. Left-handed batsman Dawid Malan of England has attained the highest-ever rating points for batsmen in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, released on 2nd December 2020.
  14. American decathlete and film actor, Rafer Johnson, who was 1960 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon, has passed away. He was 86.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

Indian Navy Day observed on 04 December

  • In India, December 4 is observed as the National Navy Day every year, to celebrate the achievements and role of the naval force to the country.
  • The Theme of 2020 Navy Day is “Indian Navy Combat Ready, Credible & Cohesive”.

International Day of Banks observed on 04 December

  • The International Day of Banks is observed on 4th December every year in recognition of the vital role of the banking systems in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living.
  • It also recognises the significant potential of multilateral development banks and other international development banks in financing sustainable development and providing know-how.
  • The UN General Assembly adopted resolution to designate the day on 19 December 2019.

BANKING & FINANCE 

RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 4%; Predicts GDP for FY21 at -7.5%

  • The Reserve Bank of India in its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meet held between December 2-4, 2020 has kept the policy rates unchanged as under:
  • Policy Repo Rate- 4.00%
  • Reverse Repo Rate- 3.35%
  • Marginal Standing Facility Rate- 4.25%
  • Bank Rate- 4.25%
  • CRR- 3%
  • SLR- 18.00%
  • The MPC continued with the accommodative stance.
  • The MPC has predicted the real GDP growth for FY21 at (-)7.5%.

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Draft National Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management Policy

  • The draft National Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management Policy aims to use drones to fly alongside manned aircrafts (scheduled and non-scheduled aircrafts).
  • The proposed policy comes in the backdrop of several instances shutting down of airports’ operations soon after the sighting of drones.
  • The policy aims to integrate drone operations in current Air Traffic Management System while ensuring maintenance of high levels of aviation safety.

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Ninth edition of International Sand Art Festival & Konark Festival 2020 begins in Odisha

  • The 9th edition of the International Sand Art Festival and the 31st edition of the Konark Festival, has kicked-off in Odisha. The five days event has been organised from 01 December 2020 till 05 December 2020.
  • International Sand Art Festival is being held at the Chandrabhaga Beach of Konark in Puri district of Odisha.
  • About 70 artists from across the country are taking part in the festival.
  • The world-renowned sand artist and Padmashree Awardee, Sudarsan Pattnaik, has been appointed as Chief Curator of the festival.

Swasthya Sathi Scheme of West Bengal

  • Swasthya Sathi scheme is a health insurance scheme of the West Bengal government.
  • It was launched in 2016 and it has now been expanded to cover the state’s entire population. It provides basic health cover for secondary and tertiary care up to 5 lakh INR per annum per family.
  • Both state-run and private hospitals are part of the scheme.
  • The card under the scheme is issued to the female guardians of the families.
  • Every citizen and every family in the state are to be included in the scheme irrespective of their age group.
  • The scheme is to be completely funded by the state government of West Bengal.
  • The scheme will provide a smart card to each and every family of the state to avail the benefits under the scheme.
  • The Smart Cards are to be issued in the names of the women members of the family.

West Bengal Public Finance Management Investment Programme

  • The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank have recently signed an agreement under which the bank will provide 50 million USD of loan.
  • It is a policy-based loan.
  • The loan is to be utilised to improve financial management procedures, promote informed decision making, improve operational efficiencies that aim at achieving more fiscal savings and improve service delivery in the state of West Bengal. Basically, the funding is to be used to implement West Bengal Public Finance Management Investment Programme.

INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

New Zealand declares climate emergency

  • New Zealand has declared a “climate emergency” and promised to make its public sector carbon neutral by 2025.
  • New Zealand now joins 32 other countries that have declared a climate emergency.
  • They include Japan, Canada, France and the United Kingdom.

RANKS AND INDICES

HCL Tech Chairperson Roshni Nadar tops Kotak Wealth-Hurun wealthy women list 2020

  • Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies topped the list of wealthiest women in India, according to the second edition of ‘Kotak Wealth Hurun–Leading Wealthy Women’ report.
  • The report is compiled by Kotak Wealth Management, a division of Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Hurun India.
  • Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon and Leena Gandhi Tewari of USV are at the second and third rank respectively in the Kotak Wealth Hurun wealthy women list 2020.
  • Shaw is also the wealthiest self-made woman on the list.
  • 19 women from this list also feature in the Hurun India Rich List 2020, and 6 women have made it to the Hurun Global Rich List 2020.
  • The ranking is based on the net worth of women as on September 30, 2020 and focuses exclusively on women who play an active role in their family business, entrepreneurs and professionals.

Reliance Industries tops Fortune India 500 Ranking 2020

  • Oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has topped the 2020 Fortune 500 list of Indian companies, released on 2nd December 2020.
  • The revenue of RIL clocked Rs 615,854.00, accounting for 7% of cumulative revenues and 11 percent profit of the companies.
  • The country’s biggest oil firm, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC), bagged the second spot, followed by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) at the third position.
  • The list was published by Fortune India, which is part of the Kolkata-based RP Sanjiv Goenka Group.

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

India & USA signs MoU on Intellectual Property Cooperation

  • The Government of India and United States of America (USA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Intellectual Property Cooperation on 2nd December 2020.
  • The Union Cabinet had approved the signing the MoU for the same on 19 February 2020.
  • The MoU was signed between Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, DPIIT and Mr. Andrei Iancu, who represented the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade(DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Department of Commerce of the United States of America respectively.
  • As a part of this MoU, the two side will develop Biennial Work Plan to implement the MoU which will include the detailed planning for carrying out of the co-operation activities including the scope of action.

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

15-yr-old Indian-American Gitanjali Rao, becomes first-ever TIME’s “Kid Of The Year”

  • The Indian-American young scientist and inventor, Gitanjali Rao, has been named as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ by the iconic TIME magazine.
  • This is the first time that the TIME magazine has launched the Kid of The Year” award.
  • The 15-year-old Gitanjali Rao, was chosen from among more than 5,000 nominees, for her “astonishing work” using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying.
  • She has created applications named ‘Kindly’ to help people, especially kids, fight opioid addiction and cyberbullying.
  • TIME magazine had partnered with Nickelodeon and searched social media and school districts across the country to shortlist the most influential child of 2020.

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

Dawid Malan of England creates history with highest-ever rating points in T20I: ICC T20 Batsmen Ranking

  • Left-handed batsman Dawid Malan of England has attained the highest-ever rating points for batsmen in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, released on 2nd December 2020.
  • The 33-year-old Malan has reached 915 points, and thus became the first player to cross the 900-point mark in the format.
  • Before him, Australia’s Aaron Finch reached exactly 900 points in July 2018.
  • Babar Azam (871) of Pakistan and Aaron Finch (835) of Australia is second and third in the list.
  • India’s Lokesh Rahul is at fourth position, while Virat Kolhi’s rank has dropped to 9th in the list.

OBITUARY

‘World’s greatest athlete-turned actor’, Rafer Johnson, who acted in a James Bond movie passes away at 86