Beijing 2022 Launches Official Slogan: “Together for a Shared Future”
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics unveiled its official motto, “Together for a Shared Future”, during a ceremony at the city’s Capital Museum. The motto was chosen after a lengthy process that included a total of 79 different proposals. This motto embodies the Olympic spirit, the Chinese way of revealing the Olympic spirit.
That’s because ‘together’ embodies a type of unity, cohesion and a way of overcoming difficulties. The Games will be held from February 4-20, with Beijing set to become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
UN chief appoints Kailash Satyarthi as SDG Advocate
Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi has been appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocate in the 76th UN General Assembly. Guterres appointed Satyarthi, STEM activist Valentina Munoz Rabanal, Microsoft President Brad Smith and K-pop superstars BLACKPINK as new SDG Advocates. With this, the UN now has total of 16 SDG Advocates.
About the SDG Advocates:
- The SDG Advocates use their considerable spheres of influence to reach new constituencies to act now and keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals for people and for the planet.
- The UN said climate action, bridging the digital divide, gender equality and the promotion of the rights of children are key issues to be championed by the new SDG Advocates.
- The SDG Advocates are prominent leaders in the world who work to mobilise action to deliver the 17 SDGs by 2030, using their considerable spheres of influence.
Zee Entertainment & Sony Pictures signs merger deal
The Board of Directors of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has unanimously approved the merger of the company with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). As a part of the merger, shareholders of SPNI will also infuse growth capital into SPNI, which will make them the majority stakeholder in the merged entity. The merged entity will be listed on the Indian stock exchanges.
About the deal:
- Zee Entertainment will hold 47.07 per cent stake, while Sony India will hold a 52.93 per cent stake in the combined company.
- Following the merger, Sony India will have the right to appoint the majority of directors to the merged company.
- Puneet Goenka, the CEO of Zee Entertainment, will be the MD and CEO of the merged entity for a period of 5 years.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Sony Pictures Networks India Headquarters: Mumbai;
- Sony Pictures Networks India Founded: 30 September 1995.
ADB cuts India’s GDP forecast for FY22 to 10%
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised downwards India’s economic growth forecast for the current fiscal, 2021-22 (FY22) to 10 per cent. Earlier this was projected at 11 per cent. The Manila-based multilateral funding agency ADB has predicted the GDP growth for fiscal 2022-23 (FY23) to 7.5 per cent.
The growth forecast for India in the fiscal year 2021 (ending in March 2022) was revised down, as the spike in COVID-19 cases during May dented the recovery, the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa; Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal Launches National Single Window System
The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal has launched the ‘National Single Window System (NSWS)’, for investors and businesses. NSWS is a single-window portal that will act as a one-stop shop for investors or entrepreneurs, to get approvals and clearances needed from Government. It shall give freedom from the legacy of running to government offices for approvals and registrations needed by investors, entrepreneurs, and businesses in India.
Significance:
- The new system aims to bring transparency, accountability and responsiveness in the ecosystem.
- Currently, the portal hosts approvals across 18 Central Departments and 9 States. The remaining 14 Central depts and five states will be added by December 2021.
- The portal has been developed jointly by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) along with Invest India.
Bangladesh’s PM Hasina receives SDG Progress award
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been conferred with the SDG Progress award for Bangladesh’s steady progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the UN-sponsored Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). Prime Minister Hasina is currently visiting the US to attend the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
About the SDSN:
The SDSN was set up in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. Led by development economist Jeffery Sachs, the SDSN seeks to mobilize global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka.
- President of Bangladesh: Abdul Hamid.
Vanijya Saptah being celebrated from 20-26 September
The Commerce Ministry has decided to celebrate ‘Vanijya Saptah’ from 20 to 26 September. In this Saptah, many programmes and events will be organized to showcase India’s rising economic force across the country. Five national seminars will be organized by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in five regions of the country.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) also launch the Industrial Park Rating System. Industrial Park Rating System will recognize the performance of the Industrial park. It will also assess the performance of private industrial parks and SEZs.
PM Modi departs for 3-day visit to US
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a three-day visit to the United States. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation consisting of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior officials including Harsh Vardhan Shringla. This is Prime Minister Modi’s first visit abroad beyond the neighbourhood since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
PM Modi, Joe Biden meeting at White House:
- Biden will host PM Modi at the White House on September 24.
- This is going to be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after Biden took over as the US President on January 20.
- PM Modi and President Biden are expected to discuss ways to stem radicalisation and combat terrorism. They are also expected to discuss ways to bolster defence, trade ties, security collaborations and clean energy partnerships among others.
- PM Modi and Biden will discuss the current regional security situation following the recent developments in Afghanistan. PM Modi will also hold business interactions during his US visit from September 22-25.
PM Modi will address the UN General Assembly:
- PM Modi will address the General Debate of the High-Level Segment of 76th Session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25 in New York.
- The theme for this year’s general debate is building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainability, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people and revitalise the United Nations.
Bilateral meetings:
- Prime Minister’s visit would be bilateral meetings with our close partners Japan and Australia where he will hold several bilateral meetings including with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Bangladeshi Fairooz Faizah Beether gets 2021 Changemaker Award
Fairooz Faizah Beether of Bangladesh has been chosen for the 2021 Changemaker Award for her work promoting good health and well-being by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The award celebrates an individual who has inspired change using personal experience or from a position of leadership.
About the Fairooz Faizah:
Fairooz Faizah is co-founder of Moner School which is an anonymous online platform active in the field of mental health. It works with youth to educate them about the importance of mental health care through training, workshops, and a 24/7 online mental health first aid service in Bangladesh.
About the award:
The Changemaker Award is part of the Goalkeepers Global Goals award instituted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate progress towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.
Pankaj Advani wins his 24th world title in Doha
Star Indian cueist Pankaj Advani has grabbed his 24th World title when he triumphed at the IBSF 6-Red Snooker World Cup with a victory over Pakistan’s Babar Masih in the final. Advani, who won his 11th Asian title last week, started the final with a comfortable 42-13 win in the opening frame.
The 36-year-old won the third and fourth in quick succession to go 3-1 up. The Pakistani cueist, in no mood to play second fiddle to his worthy opponent, crafted a wonderful 56 break to bridge the gap.
Yes bank tie-up with VISA to offer credit cards
Yes Bank has partnered with Visa to offer credit cards to its customers, following the regulatory ban on Mastercard by RBI. The Visa co-branded cards come with nine credit card variants covering all segments, consumer cards, business cards, and corporate cards across YES First, YES Premia and YES Prosperity.
YES Bank earlier had an exclusive tie-up with Mastercard. However, its credit card issuances had been impacted after the Reserve Bank of India barred Mastercard from onboarding new customers on its domestic card network.
Yes Bank has achieved the transition to Visa as a payment network within a record time of fewer than 60 days, post the bank imposed on Mastercard from July 22, 2021. The private sector lender is also in the process of completing technology integration with NPCI and plans to issue Rupay branded credit cards in due course.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- YES bank HQ: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- YES bank MD & CEO: Prashant Kumar.
Federal Bank partners OneCard for mobile-first credit card
Federal Bank has announced a tie-up with OneCard for a mobile-first credit card that targets the country’s young, tech-savvy population. The launch comes ahead of the festive season as Federal Bank aims to cash in on consumer credit demand, which is expected to peak around the festive season on the back of economic revival.
About the credit card:
- The credit card will be issued through the OneCard app in under three minutes, as per the company, and can be activated and used instantly in virtual format until the physical card gets delivered.
- Users can control their cards through the app—from tracking spends and rewards to setting transaction limit on the card and more.
- Federal Bank’s target user base for this offering is young working professionals aged between 23 and 35 years, as per the bank.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Federal Bank MD and CEO: Shyam Srinivasan;
- Federal Bank Headquarters: Aluva, Kerala;
- Federal Bank Founder: K.P Hormis;
- Federal Bank Founded: 23 April 1931.
