Focus Merit

Category: All Current Affairs

China becomes the second nation to plant flag on the Moon

December 7, 2020
China
  • China has become the second country in the world to plant its national flag on the moon’s surface.
  • Earlier this feat was done only by the USA when it planted its flag on the Moon during the Apollo mission in 1969.

Veteran Bengali actor Manu Mukherjee passes away

December 6, 2020
Manu Mukherjee
  • Veteran Bengali actor Manu Mukherjee passed away. He began his film career with Mrinal Sen’s Nil Akasher Niche (1958).
  • The actor is best learned for his roles in Satyajit Ray’s Joy Baba Felunath and Ganashatru. He had also been part of the children’s fantasy film Patalghar’.

Father of Fibre Optics Narinder Singh Kapany passes away

December 6, 2020
Narinder Singh Kapany
  • Narinder Singh Kapany, also identified as the father of fibre optics, passed away.
  • The India-born American physicist was identified as one of the seven “Unsung Heroes” by Fortune in their ‘Businessmen of the Century’ issue of November 1999.

New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson took retirement from all forms of Cricket

December 6, 2020
Corey Anderson
  • New Zealand all-rounder, Corey Anderson has declared his retirement from all forms of cricket.
  • Anderson has played 13 Tests, 49 ODIs and 31 T20Is for New Zealand, scoring 2277 runs with two hundred and 10 half-centuries and 90 wickets.

ADB authorizes $190 million loan to upgrade power distribution in Bengaluru

December 6, 2020
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
  • The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned a loan of $190 million (approx Rs 1,400 crore) to modernize and upgrade the power distribution system in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
  • The financial-assistance by ADB will be used for the Bengaluru Smart Energy Efficient Power Distribution Project.

PNB starts loan management solution ‘LenS-The Lending Solution’

December 6, 2020
Punjab National Bank
  • Punjab National Bank (PNB) has initiated a tech-based loan management solution ‘LenS-The Lending Solution’, to speed up and sustain accuracy in online loan processing and sanctioning of credit proposals.

Bangladesh inks maiden Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)

December 6, 2020
Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh has inked its first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan, which will support duty-free access to a range of goods between the two countries and hence boost bilateral trade between them.

V. Naidu virtually issues postage stamp in former PM IK Gujral’s honour

December 5, 2020
V. Naidu virtually issues postage stamp in former PM IK Gujral’s honour
  • Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has virtually released a memorial Postage Stamp in honour of the late Prime Minister of India & Freedom Fighter, I K Gujral (Inder Kumar Gujral).
  • I K Gujral was the 12th Prime Minister of India, he worked as the Prime Minister from April 1997-March 1998. He was born in Jhelum (now in Pakistan) in 1919.

Lakshadweep Administrator Dineshwar Sharma passes away

December 5, 2020
Dineshwar Sharma
  • Lakshadweep Administrator, Dineshwar Sharma passed away. He was earlier led the Intelligence Bureau and was also the Interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The 66-year-old retired IPS officer of the Kerala cadre had been designated administrator of the Lakshadweep Union Territory in October 2019.

World Soil Day: 05 December

December 5, 2020
World Soil Day
  • World Soil Day is commemorated annually on December 5 to spread awareness of the importance of soil quality for human well-being, food security and ecosystems.
  • The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) campaign “Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity” tries to spread awareness of the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being.