Current Affairs - September 11, 2020 Current Affairs

India and Angola on Monday held the first Joint Commission Meeting during which the two sides agreed to diversify their trade relationship and discussed cooperation in health, pharmaceuticals, defence, agriculture, food processing, digitization and telecom. The meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Angola counterpart Tete Antonio.

India's child mortality rate has declined substantially between 1990 and 2019 but the country, along with Nigeria, still accounted for almost a third of all under-five deaths last year, according to a new report which warned that COVID-19 pandemic threatens to undo decades of progress in eliminating preventable child deaths globally. The 'Levels & Trends in Child Mortality' Report 2020 said that the number of global under-five deaths dropped to its lowest point on record in 2019 - down to 5.2 million from 12.5 million in 1990.

WE HUB, India's first state-led incubator to foster and promote women entrepreneurship to start-up, scale-up and accelerate with global market access, today announced its partnership with NutriHub, first of its kind incubator to cater start-ups needs in the Agricultural sector. The MoU was inked between Dr. Vilas A Tonapi, Director Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) with Ms. Deepthi Ravula, CEO, WE HUB, A Government of Telangana initiative.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) observes World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) on 10 September every year. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented. The theme for the 2020 World Suicide Prevention Day is 'Working Together to Prevent Suicide'.

As per the EASE Banking Reforms Index 2.0, Bank of Baroda has been placed at the first spot. State Bank of India and Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) got the 2nd and 3rd place respectively. The Indian Banking Association (IBA) makes EASE (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) reform index. The aim of this index is to bring fruitful change in the PSBs by brining in healthy competition among these PSBs and by encouraging them to learn from each other.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched an online system for filing complaints in consumer courts and said it will prove to be a milestone especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said consumers will now be able to file complaints from their homes any time and make payments online.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) will organize the first-ever World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. The summit will bring together key stakeholders - leading academic scientists, technology developers, researchers, and innovators on one platform. ISA aims to discuss the recent developments in solar technologies both in terms of cost and technology, along with technology transfers, challenges, and concerns in the field.

Karnataka Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa inaugurated the 'Veer Savarkar' flyover in Bengaluru. The inauguration of the 400-metre long flyover built on Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road in the city. The Bengaluru's civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) built the flyover at the cost of Rs 34 crore. The project of constructing the flyover began in September 2017.

UNICEF to lead global procurement, supply of COVID vaccines. "U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) will be leading procurement and supply of COVID-19 vaccinations to ensure that all countries have safe, fast, and equitable access to initial doses when they are available, the agency has announced. The vaccine procurement and distribution effort, involving over 170 economies, has the potential to become the world's largest and fastest ever operation of its kind."

Telugu actor Jaya Prakash Reddy passed away. He was working as a sub-inspector of police when he got an opportunity to act in Venkatesh's 1988 film Brahma Puthrudu. He was last seen in Mahesh Babu starrer Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020).

The Karnataka Chief Minister on September 8 unveiled the country's first integrated air ambulance service jointly launched by the International Critical Air Transfer Team (ICATT) and the Kyathi in the city.

Take-Home ration will now be manufactured and supplied through women self-help groups (SHGs) in Uttar Pradesh. The state rural livelihood mission (SRLM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UN World Food Programme for this. Around 200 women SHG enterprises are expected to gain business with Rs 1,200 crore annual turnover through this collaboration.

he UK India Business Council (UKIBC) renewed its' Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Industries and Commerce Department, Government of Telangana. This collaborative partnership between the UKIBC and the Government of Telangana is well-established and has already led to two UK business delegations to the State and a further delegation of leading UK universities.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, has launched the Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenges. The programme will spur applied research and innovation in Indian MSMEs and startups. The initiative will help identify and promote innovations necessary for boosting the MSME sector.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched two nutrition schemes 'YSR Sampoorna Poshana' and 'YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus' to provide nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children in the state.

India has signed a $500 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank for funding the 82-km-long Delhi-Meerut highway. With a design speed of 180 km/hour and high-frequency operations of every 5-10 minutes, the 82-km corridor connecting Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, is expected to reduce the journey time to about one hour.

Sir David Attenborough was conferred with the prestigious Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2019. He is an English broadcaster and a historian. He is popular for writing and presenting the BBC Natural History Unit. He worked to make aware to preserve and protect the biodiversity of the planet.

India and Japan signed an agreement concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Armed Forces of India and The Self-Defense Forces of Japan. This agreement forms the enabling framework for closer cooperation between the Armed Forces of India and Japan in reciprocal provision of supplies and services while engaged in bilateral training activities, United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, Humanitarian International Relief and other mutually agreed activities.

The country's second and South India's first "Kisan Train" was flagged off from Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh to Adarsh Nagar Railway Station in Delhi. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy & Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar flagged off the train, via a video link from New Delhi and Amaravati. This train, loaded with 14 parcel vans, will cover a distance of 2,150 km in 40 hours.

State Bank of India is planning to launch a loan product named "SAFAL" for organic cotton growers. The product Safe and Fast Agriculture Loan (SAFAL) is primarily focussed on organic cotton growers who don't have any credit history. SBI will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for this purpose.