Daily Current Affairs 28th December, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 28 December 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi flags off Country’s First-Ever Driverless Train of Delhi Metro
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the country’s first ever driverless train on the Magenta Line of Delhi Metro along with the fully operational National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) service on Airport Express Line virtually.

• These trains will be completely automatic, thus, eliminating the possibility of human error. Following the unveiling of driverless train on the Magenta line (Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden), the Pink (Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar) line is expected to become driverless by mid-2021. 
• PM Modi also launched the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) services on the Airport Express Line. Named ‘One Nation One Card’, the inter-operable transport card will allow users to pay for bus travels, toll taxes, parking charges, retail shopping and even withdraw money besides utilizing metro services across India.

PM Modi flags off 100th Kisan Rail from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the 100th “Kisan Rail” from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal via video-conferencing.

• The multi-commodity train service will carry vegetables such as cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage, drumstick, chilli and onion as well as fruits like grape, orange, pomegranate, banana and custard apple.
• Loading and unloading of perishable commodities will be permitted at all stoppages en route with no bar on the size of consignment, adding that the Centre has extended a 50% subsidy on the transportation of fruits and vegetables.

Andhra CM Jagan launches housing programme ‘Pedalandariki Illu’
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the flagship programme of Navaratnalu ‘Pedalandariki Illu,’ (housing for poor) at Komaragiri layout of Pithapuram Assembly constituency in East Godavari district.

• The scheme is expected to provide low-cost housing for an estimated 30.6 lakh people in Andhra Pradesh.
• Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy hoped the housing project will help generate jobs in the construction sector and will be a boost for the state economy.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Indian Naval Ship Conducts ‘Passage Exercise’ with Vietnamese Navy in South China Sea
An Indian Navy warship undertook a “passage exercise” with the Vietnamese Navy in the South China Sea as part of efforts to boost maritime cooperation between the two countries.

• Indian naval ship INS Kiltan was sent to deliver relief material for flood-affected people in central Vietnam and it participated in the exercise on its return journey.
• The exercise has been conducted at a time when China has been expanding its military assertiveness in the South China Sea notwithstanding mounting global concerns and criticism.

SPORTS

FIFA cancels men’s 2021 U-20, U-17 World Cups due to COVID-19
The Bureau of the FIFA Council canceled the 2021 editions of men’s U-20 and U-17 World Cup due to the ongoing pandemic and decided to give the hosting rights to Indonesia and Peru for the 2023 editions.

• The two host countries, Australia and New Zealand will automatically qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, and their slots have been taken directly from the quotas allocated to their confederations, namely the AFC and the OFC respectively.

APPOINTMENTS

21-Year Old Arya Rajendran Set to Become Country’s Youngest Mayor from Kerala’s Capital Thiruvananthapuram
Twenty one-year-old Arya Rajendran will be the next Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, making her the youngest ever to occupy the post in the country.

• The party district committee has decided to field S Arya Rajendran as the mayor candidate on behalf of the LDF and Suresh Kumar as the District panchayat president of Thiruvananthapuram.
• In the recent civic polls, the LDF has won 51 wards in the 100-member prestigious corporation of the Kerala capital.
• Rajendran is a state committee member of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and also the state president of Balasangam, the children’s wing of the Left party.

AWARDS

Bihar Wins Award For Transferring Money To Beneficiaries’ Accounts In COVID Time
The Bihar government’s initiative to transfer financial assistance directly to the accounts of beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic has made its departments winners of the Digital India Awards, instituted by the central government, this year for innovative steps in e- governance.

• More than 21 lakh stranded workers outside Bihar were provided financial assistance through the “Bihar Sahayata Mobile App”.
• The Chief Minister Secretariat, the Disaster Management Department besides the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the state have jointly been chosen as winners in the “pandemic category” Digital India Awards 2020. 
• The Digital India Awards, instituted under the aegis of the National Portal of India, serve the purpose of bringing to the fore innovative digital solutions and thereby inspiring emulation by all government entities.

Djokovic, Federer, Nadal win ATP awards for 2020 
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Frances Tiafoe were among the winners of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) top awards for 2020. 

• Serbian ace Djokovic had a prolific 2020 season and ended No. 1 for a record-equaling sixth time after winning four titles including a record eighth Australian Open.
• US Open winners Mate Pavic and Bruno Soares are the doubles No. 1s.
• Swiss tennis player Roger Federer played only six singles all year, was the singles fans’ favourite for a record-extending 18th straight year.
• Spaniard Nadal won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the third year straight and fourth time overall after winning a 13th Roland Garros crown.
• Russia’s Andrey Rublev was the most improved in rising after witnessing a jump from rank 23 to career-best 8 after winning five titles, more than anyone else on the tour.
• Newcomer of the year went to 17-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who won three Challengers.
• Vasek Pospisil is the comeback player of the year after undergoing back surgery in 2019.
• Tiafoe was given the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award for his social activity.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China Launches Remote Sensing Satellite ‘Yoagan-33’
China has successfully launched a new remote sensing satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.

• The satellite, Yaogan-33, was launched aboard a Long March-4C rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully. It was the 357th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series, the report said.
• The mission also sent a micro and nano technology experiment satellite into orbit. The two satellites will be used for scientific experiments, land resources survey, crop yield estimation and disaster prevention and reduction.

OBITUARIES

Former England cricketer Robin Jackman passes away
Former England and Surrey bowler Robin Jackman has died at the age of 75.

• Jackman played in four Tests and 15 one-day internationals for his country, while he took 1,402 wickets in a 399-game first-class career between 1966 and 1982.
• Following his retirement he became a successful commentator in South Africa.

Veteran Cinematographer Ishwar Bidri passes away 
Veteran cinematographer Ishwar Bidri, best known for his work in popular 1990s films like Andaz Apna Apna and Border, died due to multiple health issues. He was 87.

• Ishwar Bidri is best known for his longstanding collaboration with filmmaker JP Dutta for whom he shot action dramas like Yateem, Hathyar, Batwara in the late 1980s and the 1998 war epic Border.
• Bidri also has movies such as Rajkumar Santoshi’s cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and action thriller Ghatak (1996), and Andaaz, the 2003 romance musical directed by Raj Kanwar, to his credit.

BOOKS & AUTHORS 

Autobiography ‘In Pursuit Of Justice’ By Justice Rajindar Sachar 
Late Justice Rajindar Sachar, most remembered for the Sachar Committee report of 2006 which documented the social and economic condition of Muslims in India, fought to preserve the secular fabric of the country till his demise, jurist Soli Sorabjee notes in the former’s autobiography.

• Sorabjee makes the remark is the Foreward to Sachar’s “In Pursuit of Justice: An Autobiography”, which was launched posthumously by Sachar’s family in association with The Indian Society of International Law and The Indian Law Institute in a virtual event, marking his birth anniversary.
• The launch followed a discussion on “Personal Freedom and Judiciary” with panelists including Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur, senior lawyers Mukul Rohatgi and Kapil Sibal and social activist Medha Patkar.

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