1.Sports
Max Verstappen wins 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Red Bull’s racer Max Verstappen (Netherlands) won the Formula 1 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020 which was hosted in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Max crossed the finish line 15.9 seconds ahead of Mercedes pair Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton securing the third position in overall ranking of F1 2020
The race was Max’s second victory of the Formula 1 season and the 10th victory of his international racing career.
Quick Fact: Max Emilian Verstappen became the youngest driver in history to compete at the age of 17 at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.
2.Miscellaneous
UNESCO to launch an international prize in the field of ‘creative economy’
UNESCO has decided to launch an international prize in the field of ‘creative economy’ in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The prize starting from November 2021 will feature a cash prize of USD 50,000 and would be given once every two years for global economic initiatives of the youth.
UNESCO has declared the year 2021 as ‘International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development’
Quick Fact: UNESCO is headquartered in Paris, France.
3.National Affairs
NITI Aayog releases ‘Vision 2035-Public Health Surveillance in India’
NITI AAyog released a white paper: ‘Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India’ with the vision to make India’s public health surveillance more responsive & predictive.
The white paper was released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar and CEO Amitabh Kant.
The white paper lays out India’s vision 2035 for public health surveillance through integration of a 3-tiered public health system into Ayushman Bharat.
Quick Fact: PM Narendra Modi is the Chairperson of National Institute for Transforming India (NITI Aayog).
4.Summits and Conferences
Climate Ambition Summit 2020 held virtually
The Climate Ambition Summit 2020 held virtually was addressed by UN Secretary-General Anotnio Guterres.
The summit was co-hosted by the United Nations, United Kingdom and France.
The summit marked 5 years of the adoption of the Paris Agreement and is a major step to the next UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26).
Quick fact: The UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26) will be hosted by the United Kingdom in 2021.
5.Government Schemes
Programme of socio-economic profiling of PM SVANidhi beneficiaries launched
Secretary of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MHUA) Durga Shanker Mishra launched the programme of socio-economic profiling of PM SVANidhi beneficiaries and their families.
Under this, benefits of various Central Schemes would be extended to the beneficiaries and their family for holistic socio-economic upliftment,
MHUA implemented PM SVANidhi Scheme from 1st June 2020 with an objective to provide affordable capital loan upto 10,000 to street vendors adversely affected by COVID-19.
Quick Fact: the full form of PM SVANidhi is ‘Prime Minister Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi’.
6.International Affairs
Bangladesh observes ‘Martyred Intellectuals Day’ to mark brutality by Pakistan forces
Bangladesh observed the ‘Martyred Intellectual Day’ to mark the brutality when Pakistan forces killed hundreds of intellectuals in Dhaka in 1971.
Pakistan occupation forces with the help of local collaborators went on a torture & killing spree of the most prominent intellectuals of Bangladesh on 14 December, 1971.
President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid and PM Sheikh Hasina paid tribute to the martyred intellectuals at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Dhaka.
7.India & the World
5th edition of India-Myanmar bilateral meeting on Drug Control Cooperation held
NCB, India and the Central Committee on Drug Abuse Control, Myanmar conducted the 5th edition of the India-Myanmar Bilateral meeting on Drug Control Cooperation.
Director-General of NCB,.Rakesh Asthana and Commander of Drug Enforcement Division (DED), Pol. Brig. Gen. Win Naing led the Indian & Myanmar’s delegation.
India & Myanmar agreed on the exchange of intelligence in a timely manner to conduct follow-up investigations in drug seizure cases.
Quick Fact: The full form of NCB is ‘Narcotics Control Bureau’.
8.Economy
BSE launches e-agricultural spot market platform ‘BEAM’
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Ltd. has launched an e-spot platform ‘BSE E-Agricultural Markets Ltd (BEAM)’ for agricultural commodities.
The platform aims to boost the competitiveness of the Indian agricultural market by enhancing the strength of BSE in financial markets.
The BEAM platform would help farmers in one state to reach out to markets in other states and auction their produce.
Quick Fact: BSE is Asia’s first & world,s fastest Stock Exchange with a speed of 6 microseconds
