12 SEP 2020

 

US cancels over 1,000 visas for Chinese nationals citing security

The United States has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a May 29 presidential proclamation to suspend entry from China of students and researchers deemed security risks.

• This year, the relation between the US and China have witnessed major drops from.
• The visa action was being taken under a proclamation President Donald Trump made on May 29 as part of the US response to China's plans to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong.
• It says that China is involved in a wide-ranging and heavily resourced campaign to acquire sensitive United States technologies and intellectual property to boost and modernize its own military capabilities.

Iran’s military begins annual exercise ‘Zolfaghar-99’ amid tensions with US

The Iranian navy began a three-day exercise Zolfaghar-99 in the Sea of Oman near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, deploying an array of warships, drones and missiles.

• One of the exercise's objectives is to devise "tactical offensive and defensive strategies for safeguarding the country's territorial waters and shipping lanes,".
• The navy will test-fire surface-to-surface and shore-to-sea cruise missiles and torpedoes, and rocket-launching systems fitted on warships, submarines, aircraft and drones.
• The exercise will be held over two million square kilometres (772,000 square miles) of sea stretching from the northern part of the Indian Ocean to the eastern end of the Strait of Hormuz, the sensitive shipping lane from the Gulf through which a fifth of world oil output passes.
• Tensions between Iran and the United States have soared since President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement with Tehran in 2018 and unilaterally reimposed crippling economic sanctions.

PM Modi participates in ‘Griha Pravesh’ ceremony virtually

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in ‘Griha Pravesh’ ceremony and virtually inaugurated 1.75 lakh houses in Madhya Pradesh.

• Mr Modi also talked to some of the beneficiaries.
• Beneficiaries had received one and a half lakh rupees from the government to build a house.
• State government transferred Rs 102 crore in the accounts of 68,000 beneficiaries of the state under the PMAY.
• This is the fourth instalment under Yojna.

Govt constitutes EGoM to guide corporatisation process of OFB

Consequent to the decision of the Government to convert Ordnance Factory Board, OFB, a subordinate office of Ministry of Defence into one or more than one 100 per cent Government owned corporate entities, the Government has constituted an Empowered Group of Ministers, EGoM, under the Chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

• The EGoM will oversee and guide the entire process, including transition support and redeployment plan of employees while safeguarding their wages and retirement benefits.
• Other ministers in the EGoM are Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Minister for Personnel Dr Jitendra Singh.
• Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) consisting of the Indian Ordnance Factories is an Government agency under the control of department of defence production (DDP) Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India.
• Headquarters: Kolkata

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembers Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Swami Vivekananda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Acharya Vinoba Bhave and Swami Vivekananda as he said, 11th September marks two important milestones.

• The day marks the 125th Jayanti of Acharya Vinoba Bhave and 127th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address.
• Swami Vivekananda was a chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna.
• Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission.
• He introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893.
• Vinoba" Bhave is best known for the Bhoodan Movement.
• He is considered as a National Teacher of India and the spiritual successor of Mohandas Gandhi.
• The Gita has also been translated into Marathi language by him with the name Geetai means mother Geeta.

Conclave on “School Education in 21st Century”

A two-day conclave on ‘School Education in the 21st Century’ commenced virtually.

• The conclave has been organised by the Ministry of Education as part of Shikshak Parv 2020.
• Shikshak Parv is being celebrated from 8th-25th September, 2020 to felicitate the teachers and to take New Education Policy 2020 forward.
• The conclave was addressed by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi under the National Education Policy- 2020 (NEP-2020).

Gujarat & Andaman and Nicobar Islands named best performers in State StartUp Rankings 2019

State of Gujarat and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been named the best performers in the State StartUp Rankings 2019.

• They have been recognized for their outstanding performance in simplifying commerce, enhancing productivity and leveraging technology.
• Karnataka and Kerala are the top performing states in the State StartUp Rankings for fostering innovative entrepreneurship to attract business and finance.
• The idea behind the exercise is to build capacities at the state level to support innovation and entrepreneurship.
• 22 states and 3 Union Territories participated in the exercise.
• Along with the rankings, the government also released a report on how the states can further work on improving innovation in the region.

Gujarat government announces state's first Heritage Tourism Policy

Gujarat Government has announced the state's first Heritage Tourism Policy.

• The policy has provisions to permit use of pre-1950 historical buildings such as heritage palaces and forts, as heritage hotels, heritage museums, heritage banquet halls and heritage restaurants, provided that basic heritage structure is not disturbed.
• This decision paves a way for creating tourism attraction in unused historical buildings.
• Under this policy, the State Government will provide an aid of five to ten crore rupees to new or existing heritage hotels for renovation and expansion.

NSDC, LinkedIn partner to provide digital skills training for youth

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and LinkedIn have announced a partnership to provide access to free learning resources for digital skills.

• A total of 10 learning paths consisting of 140 courses will be made available for free on e-Skill India digital platform until March 31, 2021.
• LinkedIn will provide periodic labour market insights based on its economic graph of more than 69 million members in India.
• This will include in-demand skills, emerging jobs, and global hiring rates to NSDC to better understand the skilling ecosystem.

Police Officer Poonam Khatri crowned Wushu World Champion

Indian Police Officer, Poonam Khatri has claimed World Championship status after her silver medal at the Wushu World Championship last year was upgraded to a Gold medal. Poonam hails from Haryana’s Jhajjar district.

• Poonam had lost the final to Iranian opponent Mariyam in the Women’s 75 kg category but after Mariyam recently failed the dope test, the gold medal was awarded to Poonam Khatri.
• The information was clarified by Secretary-General of the Indian Wushu Association, Suhel Ahmed.

'Game of Thrones' & Bond star Diana Rigg passes away at 82

English actor Diana Rigg has died at the age of 82.

• Diana Rigg, known to the young generation for playing the role of Olenna Tyrell in HBO’s Game of Thrones.
• She went on to star in the James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”.
• Rigg won numerous Emmy, Tony and Bafta awards during her long and prestigious career, equally at home in classical theatre roles as those in popular TV shows.

Arya Samaj leader, Social activist Swami Agnivesh passes away

Arya Samaj leader and social activist Swami Agnivesh passed away at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, ILBS in New Delhi.

• Agnivesh was elected to Haryana Legislative Assembly in 1977 and served as a Cabinet Minister for Education in the state in 1979.
• He founded the Bonded Labour Liberation Front in 1981 and worked against bonded labour.
• He also led numerous movements against alcoholism.
• Swami Agnivesh also served as president of the Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, World Council of Arya Samaj.