1) PM Modi inaugurated Bina (MP)-Panki (UP) Multiproduct pipeline project
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 356 Km long Bina Refinery (Madhya Pradesh)- POL Terminal at Panki (Kanpur, UP) Multiproduct pipeline project ( capacity of 45 million metric tonnes per annum) with an outlay of Rs 1524 crore (Rs. 1227 crores in UP and Rs. 297 crores in MP). The project has been completed and commissioned one month ahead of the approved completion schedule of December 2021 (3 years from PNGRB authorisation) and within the approved cost. It will provide for safe and efficient evacuation of products from Bina Refinery and also improve the availability of products in Eastern U.P, Central U.P., Northern Bihar and Southern Uttarakhand.
2) India to chair Counter Terrorism Committee of UNSC in January 2022
•India will chair the Counter-Terrorism Committee of UNSC in January 2022 after 10 years. The Counter-Terrorism Committee was established by Security Council resolution 1373 adopted unanimously on 28 September 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. The Committee was tasked with monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373 which requested countries to implement a number of measures aimed at enhancing their legal and institutional ability to counter terrorist activities at home and around the world.
3) Egypt became fourth new member of New Development Bank
•Egypt added as the fourth new member of BRICS New Development Bank. Bangladesh, UAE, and Uruguay joined BRICS New Development Bank in September 2021. Membership expansion enables New Development Bank to position itself as a premier development institution for emerging economies. BRICS New Development Bank is a multilateral bank that was established by Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa to finance sustainable development and infrastructure projects.
4) Indian Army set up Quantum Lab at MCTE in Military Headquarters Of War
•The Indian Army has established the Quantum Lab at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), in Military Headquarters Of War (Mhow), Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Indian Army’s research in the field of Quantum Technology will help in leapfrogging into next-generation communication and transforming the current system of cryptography in Indian Armed Forces to Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC). Key thrust areas include Quantum Computing, Quantum Key Distribution, Quantum Communication, and Post Quantum Cryptography.
5) Russia’s 1st versatile nuclear-powered icebreaker to boost India’s Arctic Plans
•Russia has launched its first in the series Project 22220 versatile nuclear-powered icebreaker known as ‘Sibir’. This icebreaker will support the growing fleet of icebreakers to keep the Northern Sea Route open for year-round shipping through the Arctic and enable a wider presence of India in the arctic region.
6) IIT Madras bagged the first position in ARIIA Rankings 2021
•IIT Madras has bagged the first position in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2021, for the third consecutive year, under the category of CFTIs/ Central Universities/ Institute of National Importance (Technical). The third edition of the ARIIA ranking was dominated by the IITs in the centrally funded institution category. Seven IITs are on the top-10 list. IIT-Madras is followed by IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IT Kanpur, and IIT Roorkee. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru bagged the sixth position in the category.
7) Vijay Raaz & Varun Sharma named as Brand Ambassadors of EaseMyTrip
•Bollywood actors Vijay Raaz & Varun Sharma have been named as brand ambassadors for EaseMyTrip.com (Easy Trip Planners Ltd), an online travel company based in India. EaseMyTrip founded by Nishant Pitti and Rikant Pitti in 2008 was started as the Business-to-Business (B2B) portal and entered into the business-to-consumer (B2C) segment in 2011.
•Raaz and Sharma will be coming together as a duo for the first time for any brand campaign. The actors with their mass appeal and strong connection with the audience will complement the brand’s image. The company added that the actors are admired by fans for their genuine and down-to-earth personalities and their ability to make their acts memorable. They are also known for their impeccable comic timing and both actors have created a niche in the market.
8) Vasudevan PN reappointed as MD & CEO of Equitas Small Finance Bank
•Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan has been reappointed as the Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (ESFBL) for three years (from July 23, 2022, to July 22, 2025), by the Board of Directors (BoD). He is currently serving as the MD and CEO of the bank.
•Earlier he was working as the MD of Equitas Holdings Limited. He holds a bachelor’s degree in science (physics) from the University of Madras. A qualified company secretary from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, he has extensive experience in the financial services sector.
9) Houston COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax gets DCGI approval for use in India
•The Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) announced that Corbevax, a protein subunit Covid vaccine, has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to launch it in India. The initial construct and production process of the vaccine antigen was developed at TCH’s Centre for Vaccine Development.
•As Corbevax has been granted emergency use authorisation in India, Professor Peter Hotez said, “given the urgency, Corbevax will be helpful not only for India but globally as most of the African continent, neighbouring countries around India remain largely unvaccinated.” Emergency use authorisation of Corbevax in India for adults 18 and older will have a great pediatric profile because parents have been giving the same technology (as in vaccine) to their kids for decades.
10) ITBP DG Sanjay Arora to hold SSB additional charge
•ITBP director general Sanjay Arora will hold the additional charge of another border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) as the latter’s chief Kumar Rajesh Chandra is set to retire on December 31. Arora, a 1988-batch officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was appointed the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) DG in August and he took charge of the India-China LAC guarding force on September 1. The SSB is primarily tasked to guard unfenced Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
