Daily Current Affairs : 08-11-2020

Table of Content :

1. PSLV-C49/EOS-01

2. Tigray

3. Pu la deshpande

4. Sarnath5. Fastags

 

6. AIM–sirius innovation programme 3.0

1. PSLV-C49/EOS-01

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its fifty first flight (PSLV-C49), successfully launched EOS-01 along with nine international customer satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota on November 07, 2020.

About:

• PSLV-C49 is the 2nd flight of PSLV in 'DL' configuration (with 2 solid strap-on motors).
• EOS-01 is an earth observation satellite, intended for applications in agriculture, forestry and disaster management support.
• The nine customer satellites from Lithuania (1), Luxembourg (4) and USA (4) were launched under a commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
• This is the first launch in the last ten months with the previous launch from Sriharikota was on December 11, 2019, when ISRO launched the 50th PSLV and its 75th launch from the spaceport.

Source: The Hindu

2.TIGRAY

Ethiopia is on the brink of a civil war after Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that he had ordered troops to counter an allegedly violent attack by armed forces in the country’s northern Tigray region.

About:

• The Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine regions (kililat) of Ethiopia.
• Tigray is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob and Kunama peoples.
• Tigray is also known as Region 1 according to the federal constitution.
• Its capital and largest city is Mekelle.
• Tigray is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, the Amhara Region to the south and the Afar Region to the east and south east.

Source: Indian Express

3. PU LA DESHPANDE

The 101st birth anniversary of Purushottam Laxman Deshpande — better known as Pu La Deshpande — has been marked with a Google Doodle.

About:

• Purushottam Laxman Deshpande (1919 –2000), popularly known by his initials ("Pu. La.") or as P. L. Deshpande, was a Marathi writer and humorist.
• He was also an accomplished film and stage actor, script writer, author, composer, musician (he played the harmonium), singer and orator.
• He was often referred to as "Maharashtra's beloved personality".
• He was a recipient of Padma Bhushan (1990), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1967) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (1979).

Source: First Post

4. SARNATH

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate various development projects in Varanasi including Sarnath Light and Sound show.

About:

• Sarnath is a place located 10 kilometres north-east of Varanasi city near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India.
• The Deer Park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna.
• Also referred to as Isipatana, this city is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage to which his devout followers should visit.
• It was also the site of the Buddha's Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, which was his first teaching after attaining enlightenment, in which he taught the four noble truths and the teachings associated with it.

Additional Information :

Singhpur, a village approximately one kilometer away from the site, was the birthplace of Shreyansanath, the Eleventh Tirthankara of Jainism.

Source: All India Radio

5. FASTags

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification making FASTags mandatory for all four wheel vehicles from 1st January 2021. This will apply to old vehicles as well as M and N category of motor vehicles sold before 1st December, 2017.

About:

• As per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the FASTag had been made mandatory for all registration of new four wheeled Vehicles since 1st December 2017 and is being supplied by the Vehicle Manufacturer or their dealers.
• It had further been mandated that the renewal of fitness certificate will be done only after the fitment of FASTag for the Transport Vehicles. For National Permit Vehicles the fitment of FASTag has been mandated since 1st of October, 2019.
• The Ministry said that a valid FASTag is also mandatory while getting a new third Party Insurance through an amendment in certificate of Insurance, wherein the details of FASTag ID will be captured. This will be applicable with effect from 1st of April 2021.
• This notification would be a major step for ensuring that the payment of fees be 100 per cent at Toll Plazas through the Electronic Means only and that the vehicles pass seamlessly through the Fee Plazas.

Additional Information :

• FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India.
• It employs Radio Frequency Identification technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner.

Source: All India Radio

6. AIM–SIRIUS INNOVATION PROGRAMME 3.0

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Sirius, Russia launched ‘AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0’– a 14-day virtual programme for Indian and Russian schoolchildren.

About:

• The first Indo-Russian bilateral youth innovation initiative, the AIM–Sirius programme seeks to develop technological solutions (both web- and mobile-based) for the two countries.
• Over a two-week programme, from 7–21 November 2020, 48 students and 16 educators and mentors will create 8 virtual products and mobile applications addressing global challenges in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
• Innovations developed by the student teams will leverage 21st-century technologies such as app development, artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning etc.

Source: PIB