Daily Current Affairs for app_20201213 - T.I.M.E. 4 Education

Daily Current Affairs
                              forIsrael
Around 3,000 rockets fired towards  app_20201213
                                        from Gaza: Israel Army

The Israel army has said that the country has seen the highest ever concentration of rocket attacks
on its territory during the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Major General Ori Gordin has said
that Hamas had fired about 3,000 rockets towards Israel since Monday. He claimed that the rocket
launches this time has surpassed previous attacks from Gaza and also from the 2006 war with
Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue to respond
forcefully to the rocket attacks by Hamas.

Delay child COVID-19 vaccinations and share jabs with low-income countries, says WHO to
wealthier nations

The head of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Wealthier
nations should postpone plans to give COVID-19 vaccines to children and teenagers and instead
donate supplies to low-income countries. Speaking at a virtual conference in Geneva, Dr Tedros
urged countries to supply more vaccines to the global fair-access scheme Covax. The international
distribution of COVID vaccines remains vastly uneven. Since the first vaccines were approved in
December, wealthier countries have bought up most of the supply.
 The WHO head added that in low and lower-middle income countries, Covid-19 vaccine supply has
not been enough to even immunise healthcare workers, and hospitals are being inundated with
people that need lifesaving care urgently. Last week, US President Joe Biden laid out plans to begin
coronavirus vaccine shots for 12- to 15-year-olds as soon as possible.

Daily Current Affairs
                              for Meza
Miss Universe 2021: Mexico's Andrea app_20201213
                                       Wins the Crown

Miss Mexico Andrea Meza has been crowned the 69th Miss Universe during a three-hour televised
competition held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood in Florida. Former Miss
Universe Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa crowned the Mexican beauty at the event. Miss India Adline
Castelino was declared the third runer-up.

Boeing must inspect older 737 jets after Indonesia crash: US aviation regulator

The US aviation regulator is ordering Boeing to inspect older generation 737 jets, after the January
crash of an aircraft off Indonesia that killed 62 people. All Boeing 737-300, -400 and -500 planes will
need to be examined, a total of 143 aircraft, according to a document from the Federal Aviation
Administration. A failure of the "flap synchro wire" missed by the auto throttle computer -- which
manages the plane's thrust "could result in loss of control of the airplane," the document said.

Daily Current Affairs
                                 for onapp_20201213
Karen guerillas inflict heavy casualties Myanmar troops

Karen guerillas have inflicted heavy casualties on Myanmar troops. More than 250 Myanmarese
troops have been killed in a week of fighting with the Karen ethnic rebels. The fighting has
intensified this month after the Myanmar army launched an offensive against the bases of the Karen
National Union (KNU).

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin effective against Coronavirus strains found in India and UK

Indigenously developed Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine - COVAXIN, has been found effective
against Coronavirus strains found in India and the UK. A study published in medical journal Clinical
Infectious Diseases said that Covaxin has been found to successfully neutralise all key emerging
variants tested including- the double mutant strain B.1.617 and B.1.1.7. The study was conducted by
National Institute of Virology and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). COVAXIN is one of the
three COVID-19 vaccines that are currently available in India.

Daily Current Affairs
                             for
Govt plans to ramp up production     app_20201213
                                 of Covaxin to 10 crore doses per month

Centre has said that it plans to ramp up the production of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin from 1.5 crore
doses to about 10 crore doses every month. NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul said, total production of
Covaxin doses will be further scaled up to 13 crore doses a month when three public sector
undertakings start manufacturing the vaccine. Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals in Mumbai, Indian
Immunologicals in Hyderabad and Bulandshahr-based Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals are the
three public sector units that will manufacture Covaxin vaccine.

Dr Paul said, Bharat Biotech’s vaccine technology is being shared with the three PSUs with a
provision of 150-crore rupees funding to scale up production.

Union Education Minister Receives 'International Invincible Gold Medal'

The "International Invincible Gold Medal" of this year has been conferred on Union Education
Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. Dr Tony Nader, president of Maharshi Organisation
worldwide, said that Nishank has been recognised for his extraordinary commitment and
outstanding service to humanity through his writings, social and illustrious public life.

Daily Current Affairs
Centre directs States to preventfor   app_20201213
                                 dumping of dead bodies in Ganga river and ensure dignified
cremation

Centre has directed states to prevent dumping of dead bodies in Ganga and focus on their safe
disposal and providing support for ensuring dignified cremation. Secretary, Jal Shakti Ministry,
Pankaj Kumar said, stopping dumping of bodies as well as their safe disposal and protection of water
quality has to be attended to on war footing.

Railways commissions Wi-Fi at 6,000 Railway stations in five years

With the commissioning of Wi-Fi at Hazaribagh Railway station in Jharkhand , Indian Railways
commissioned Wi-Fi at six thousand Railway stations in five years. Railway Ministry said, Indian
Railways continues to contribute to Digital India initiative and connect different parts of the country
with high speed Wi-Fi facility. This will bridge the digital divide between the rural and urban citizens
thereby increasing the digital footprint in the rural villages and also enhance the user experience.

This facility was provided with the help of RailTel, a Public Sector Undertakings under Ministry of
Railways.

Daily Current Affairs
NCMC reviews preparedness offor
                            Central,app_20201213
                                     State Ministries & Agencies to deal with Cyclonic Storm
‘Tauktae’

The National Crisis Management Committee, NCMC under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary
Rajiv Gauba reviewed the preparedness of Central and State Ministries and Agencies to deal with
Cyclonic Storm ‘Tauktae’ in the Arabian Sea. NDRF has deployed 79 teams in these states and 22
additional teams are also kept in readiness. Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy and Coast
Guard along with ships and aircrafts have also been deployed.

Congress leader Rajeev Satav dead

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Satav died on Sunday following post-COVID-
19 complications after 24 days of hospitalisation.He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in March last
year, for what was his first term in the Upper House. He served as a Lok Sabha member from 2014 to
2019 from the Hingoli Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra and had been a legislator in the
Maharashtra Assembly.

Daily Current Affairs
                              for
CBIC launches Special GST Refund     app_20201213
                                 Disposal Drive from 15th to 31st May

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has launched a Special GST Refund Disposal Drive
from 15th May to 31st May for processing and disposal of all pending GST refund claims on priority.
CBIC said that it is expected that all Central Tax formations will take up all the pending GST refund
claims for processing and endeavour to dispose them much earlier than the statutory time limits,
preferably before a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of the refund application.

PNB raises ₹ 1,800 crore via QIP offering

Punjab National Bank (PNB), the country‘s second largest public sector bank, has raised ₹ 1,799.99
crore through its latest Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) offering that saw the bank issue 53.33
crore shares at ₹ 33.75 per share, which is about 5 percent discount to the floor price of ₹ 35.51 per
share, to institutional investors.

Daily Current Affairs
                               formonth
SBI to sell three NPA accounts next app_20201213
                                        for recovery of over Rs 235 cr

The State Bank of India (SBI) will sell three bad accounts to asset reconstruction companies or other
financial institutions next month to recover dues of over Rs 235 crore. SBI said it has placed Heavy
Metal and Tubes Ltd, Khare and Tarkunde Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Elize International Ltd for sale
to recover a total of Rs 235.32 crore. Heavy Metal has outstanding dues of Rs 116.91 crore to the
bank, Khare and Tarkunde owes Rs 99.84 crore and Elize International Rs 18.57 crore.

Sitaram and Sarkar to take charge as CFO and Internal Auditor of IDBI Bank

The Board of Directors of IDBI Bank has approved the appointment of P Sitaram, Executive Director
(ED), as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Key Managerial Personnel with effect from June 1,
2021. Sitaram will take charge from incumbent ED & CFO Ajay Sharma. Meanwhile, IDBI Bank’s
board also approved the appointment of Sunit Sarkar, ED (In-Situ) as Internal Auditor of the Bank
with effect from June 1, 2021 in place of MV Phadke, ED & Internal Auditor.

Daily Current Affairs
                              for app_20201213
Covid Kills Over 1,000 Bank Employees as Virus Ravages India

Indian banks have lost more than a thousand employees and many more are infected, according to
an industry body, underscoring the heavy toll that the virus has taken in the Asian country battling
the world’s worst coronavirus crisis. C.H. Venkatachalam, general secretary of the All India Bank
Employees Association -- the largest body of bank workers -- told that 1,200 employees had died due
to the virus.

Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic to win Italian Open title

Rafael Nadal beat world number one Novak Djokovic to win a 10th Italian Open title. Second seed
Spaniard Nadal won through 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 against the defending champion. Nadal also equalled
Djokovic’s record of 36 ATP Masters 1000 titles in his 12th Rome final.

Daily Current Affairs
Balachandran Nair passes awayfor app_20201213

Former India badminton coach S. Balachandran Nair (69) passed away on Sunday due to COVID-19.
In a coaching career spanning more than three decades, Balachandran trained prominent players
like U. Vimal Kumar, Sanave Thomas, V. Diju, Thomas Kurien, Fatima Nazreen, and Ayyappan
Krishnan. He was also the coach of the Indian team for more than a decade and had accompanied
squads to various tournaments around the world.

Tejaswini Shankar bags men's high jump titles in Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships

India's Tejaswini Shankar has bagged men's high jump titles in the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field
Championships in Manhattan, USA. The 22 year old athlete cleared the bar at 2.28 meter to win high
jump gold . However, despite the spectacular performance, Shankar fell short of the Tokyo Olympic
Games qualification standard of 2.33 m.