Business and Economy- Current Affairs
Amazon India claims to add 1.5 lakh sellers, 70000 exporters in 2020
Amazon India has declared that it has enabled digitisation of more than 1 million small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India. More than 1.5 lakh new sellers have joined Amazon and over 70,000 Indian exporters in Amazon Global Selling have crossed $2 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports. About 4,152 sellers surpassed Rs 1 crore in sales while the number of millionaire sellers grew 29 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
World Bank released its ‘corrected’ list of Ease of Doing Business rankings
The World Bank recently updated the Ease of Doing Business report after internal audit and declared correction of data of some countries in the previous Doing Business report. The World Bank has also declared that China’s rank would have been downgraded by seven notches from 78 to 85 in the Doing Business index of 2018. Apart from China, the World Bank readjusted the ranks of other countries: Azerbaijan improved to 28 from 34; Saudi Arabia lowered to 63 from 62; UAE’s ranking remains unchanged at 16.
Nation and Politics- Current Affairs
BHU student made world’s largest spice painting
A student of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) entered into Guinness Book for her record of world’s largest spice painting using natural colours. Neha Singh, a student of Vedic Science at BHU made a painting measuring 62.72 m2 (675.12 ft2) with natural colours. Moreover, she named her paining Moksh Ka Vriksh (Tree of Salvation). Hailing from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, Neha created this painting using wasted spices.
India’s first Hypersonic Wind Tunnel Facility launched in Hyderabad
India became only the third country to have an advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) Test Facility after Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated this facility in Hyderabad on 19th December, 2020. This is an indigenous development which makes India only the third nation after US and Russia to have such a large facility in terms of size and operating capacity. Moreover, the superior facility is capable of simulating hypersonic flow over a wide spectrum. It is also going to play an important role in the realization of highly complex futuristic aerospace and defense systems in future.
Science and Technology- Current Affairs
Jupiter and Saturn to appear like one bright star tonight
On 21st December, 2020 we can see a great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in sky tonight . Jupiter and Saturn will be align in the night sky on December 21, appearing to the naked eye as a double planet. It will be a rare celestial event when Jupiter and Saturn will be this close to each other after 400 years. It will mark the first conjunction of the two planets, forming what some are branding a ‘Christmas star’, for several centuries. The physical distance between the two planets will be around 735 million km tonight. Begley cited the Mayan calendar and the alignment of two planets and the end of the world but he did not have any proof to claim this theory. However, scientists do not believe in this theory and considered December 21 as winter solicits.
Sports, Arts, and Books- Current Affairs
Daniil Medvedev wins ATP Finals
Daniil Medvedev, a Russian tennis player, defeated Dominic Thiem to win the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tournament, held in London on November 22, 2020. After the Grand Slam, ATP tournament is the second highest tier of men’s Tennis Tournament. A player’s ranking determines his participation in the ATP tournament.
Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD)
Union Government has included few cities under Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD). Moreover, Union Government includes cities like Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttarakhand, Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh, and Parasnath in Jharkhand to develop pilgrimage and heritage destinations. With the latest inclusion, the number of sites under PRASAD has now reached to 41 in 25 states of the country.
Union Ministry of Tourism also launched PRASAD Scheme in 2014-15 by. It aims at integrated development of pilgrimage destinations in planned and sustainable manner to have complete religious tourism experience. It focuses primarily on the development and beautification of the identified pilgrimage destinations.
‘Till We Win’: a book on coronavirus disease by AIIMS Director
AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria and two other physicians will going to launch a new book titled ‘Till We Win’. This book will give a definitive description of India’s fight against Covid-19. Moreover book also tells us how to deal effectively with the worldwide pandemic in the forthcoming days. The book has been co-written by many doctors and health experts. These experts are Chandrakant Lahariya, leading public policy and health systems expert, and Gagandeep Kang, eminent vaccine researcher and virologist.
Yogasana formally recognised as a competitive sport in India
The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports along with the Ayush Ministry announced the formal recognition Yogasana as a competitive sport in India. This will enable the ancient practice to seek government funding. This announcement helps to spread awareness about Yoga and its advantages. This sport also helps to improve physical and mental wellbeing of the people.
An International Yogasana Sports Federation was created under the presidentship of yoga guru Baba Ramdev. He created this federation with Dr HR Nagendra as secretary general in November last year.
World- Current Affairs
Half of Belgium’s Covid-19 deaths in rest homes
A federal prisoner Dustin John Higgs tested positive for coronavirus. The Bureau of Prisons notified Higgs’s attorneys about this on Thursday. Dustin John is scheduled to be executed just days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. The information comes amid concern about an exploding number of coronavirus cases in the federal prison system. Higgs is the last one to be executed in a series offederal executions that began in July.
Biden appoints Indian American Vedant Patel to the role of White House Assistant press secretary
Newly elect Joe Biden appoints India-born Vedant Patel for the role of Assistant Press Secretary on Friday. Vedant Patel formerly serves as a key member of the Biden-Harris campaign. He is currently also a senior spokesperson for the Biden-Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee. He has also worked as Communications Director for Indian American congresswoman
Israeli PM Joins World Leaders Getting Covid Vaccine
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu get vaccinated on live television at the Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv against the coronavirus. He became the first Israeli and one of the world’s leaders to be vaccinated. Before getting the dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine he said that he believed in this vaccine. This initiation taken by Benjamin Netanyahu has motivated the citizen of Israel to take the vaccine. He called it an “exciting moment” that put Israel on the path to returning to its normal routines.
9 people killed, 20 Others Wounded in Car Bomb explosion in Afghanistan
A bomb blast that shake Afghanistan’s capital (Kabul) on Sunday morning killed at least nine people. The Afghan Interior Ministry stated 20 others peoples were wounded in the blast, including a member of Parliament. However, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
UK informs WHO that new coronavirus strain spreads more quickly
England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty confirmed that a new coronavirus strain which raised in the country could spread faster. The country had already informed the World Health Organization about this new strain of the virus. Chris Whitty also called for greater public vigilance to reduce transmission. In the south of England, scientists had identified a new variant of the virus that could spread the infection at a fast rate.
People Over 75, Essential Workers Are Next in Line for Covid Vaccine in the US
An expert committee put people over 75 of age next in line for COVID-19 shots. The essential workers like firefighters, teachers, etc. workers are also the next ones who will receive dose of vaccine. To bring the coronavirus pandemic under control a second vaccine began rolling to hospitals. The developments occurred as the nation seeks to ramp up a vaccination program that only began in the last week.
