Current Affairs 24th June 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Smriti Irani launches FICCI-FLO initiative ‘Empowering the Greater 50%’

• Ms Smriti Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development and Minister of Textiles, Govt of India launched a special campaign ‘Empowering the Greater 50%’, a FICCI and FLO initiative spearheaded by Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI.
• Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi has announced a stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore which will also empower women and provide financial assistance to the women associated with self-help groups, FICCI-FLO can look at this as an opportunity to collaborate.
• With this backdrop, FICCI and FLO has launched the initiative ‘Empowering the Greater 50%‘ which targets to impact the lives of 1,00,000 women in India over the next three years. As a first step, this initiative aims to build a network of visionaries and influencers who could pledge their time and resources to support this campaign.
• The program is designed to enhance entrepreneurial and decision-making skills through engagements such as mentorship programs, access to finance, business accelerators, training women to get into boards, special guidance to marginalized women on a business framework and financial models.
• Recently, Jahnabi Phookan appointed as the National President of FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO)

About MoWCD

• Minister of Women and Child Development and Minister of Textiles: Smriti Irani
• Constituency: Amethi, UP

India pledges USD 10 million to UNRWA over next two years

• India has announced contributing 10 million US dollar to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) over the coming two years.
• Addressing an Extraordinary Virtual Ministerial Pledging Conference for UNRWA, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan stated that capacity enhancement through training and building durable institutions is a major plank of our developmental assistance to Palestine.
• Asserting that UNRWA needs continued support, Mr Muraleedharan stated when certain countries withdrew funding, India had stepped up its annual pledge from  1.25 million US dollar to 5 million US dollar in 2018. He stated, for this year, India has  already disbursed  two million dollar  and will soon be remitting the balance three million dollar.
• He stated, India provides 250 annual scholarships to Palestinian youth and officials, apart from regular customised training programmes, and our current project grant is around 72 million dollar.

About UNRWA:

• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is an UN agency created in December 1949 to support the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA definition of “refugee” covers Palestinian who fled or were expelled from their homes during the 1948 Palestine War.
• Headquarters: Amman, Jordan and Gaza, Palestinian Authority
• Commissioner-General: Christian Saunders (acting)

Rs. 2,000 crore allocated by PM CARES Fund for supply of 50,000 ventilators to govt run COVID hospitals

• The PM-CARES Fund Trust has allocated 2,000 crore for supply of 50,000 ‘Made-in-India’ ventilators to government run COVID hospitals in all States and Union Territories.
• In addition, 1,000 crore have been allocated for the welfare of migrant labourers.
• Out of the 50,000 ventilators, 30,000 ventilators are being manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited.
• 2,923 ventilators have been manufactured so far and out of which, 1,340 ventilators have already been delivered to the States and Union Territories.
• These ventilators have been supplied to Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar, Karnataka and Rajasthan.
• By the end of this month, additional 14,000  ventilators will be delivered to all the States and Union Territories.
• In addition, Rs. 1,000 crore have already been released to States and Union Territories for welfare of the migrant labourers. This assistance will be used for arranging accommodation, food, medical treatment and transportation of the migrants.
• Larger portion of the fund was allocated to Maharashtra followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• 181 crore  were released to Maharashtra, Rs. 103 crore  to Uttar Pradesh and Rs. 83 crores to Tamil Nadu.
• Grants were also realised to Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launches 2nd phase of YUKTI

• Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, launched the second phase of YUKTI (Young India combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation) to help systematically assimilate technologies having commercial potential and information related to incubated startups in country’s higher education institutions.
• Pokhriyal stated that YUKTI 2.0 is a logical extension of earlier version of YUKTI,  as an initiative of the HRD Ministry to identify ideas relevant in COVID pandemic.
• He also informed that all the outcomes of earlier version of ‘YUKTI’ will be released soon.
• The minister appreciated the initiative and stated that Prime Minister Modi has given the mission of making Bharat Atmanirbhar and, YUKTI 2.0 initiative is a very important step in that direction.
• The HRD Minister had earlier launched the YUKTI web portal on 11 April, 2020.The Ministry of HRD prepared the portal in view of Coronavirus which intends to cover different dimensions of COVID-19 challenges.

About Ministry of Human Resource Development:

• Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’: Cabinet Minister
• Constituency :Haridwar , Uttarakhand
• Deputy Minister: Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Minister of State

CURRENT AFFAIRS: WORLD

China To Join UN Arms Trade Treaty To Enhance ‘peace And Stability’

• China has decided to join a global pact on regulations of arms sales showing its willingness to address the poorly regulated international arms trade after the United States pulled out last year. National People’s Congress, China’s top legislative body, voted to join the global treaty to regulate conventional arms sales at a time when the country has been cornered over its handling of pandemic and curbing of Hong Kong’s autonomy.
• During a legislative session on June 20, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress agreed to join the treaty. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) entered into force on December 24, 2014, which regulates the international trade in conventional arms – from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.
• China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters that Beijing is committed to efforts to “enhance peace and stability” across the globe and that joining the treaty was “another important measure for China to support multilateralism”. Zhao stated that China has always attached great importance to the problems caused by the illegal transfer and abuse of conventional arms.

About china:

• Currency: Renminbi
• Capital: Beijing
• President: Xi Jinping

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

Pension fund FDI cap proposed at 49%

• The draft rules propose that total foreign investment covering both direct and indirect investments can go up to 49 per cent in an Indian pension fund and the calculation would be done under regulations to be framed by PFRDA along with the Centre’s Consolidated FDI policy.
• This is the first time the government is directly introducing an FDI limit of 49 per cent in the legislative framework for the pension sector.
• Till date, the PFRDA Act, 2013, stipulated that FDI in pension funds will be capped at 26 per cent or the level specified under the Insurance Act (which now specifies the FDI limit at 49 per cent), whichever is higher.

About PFRDA

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Chairperson: Supratim Bandyopadhyay

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Moody’s projects India GDP to shrink 3.1% in 2020, flags geopolitical risk

• Moody’s Investors Service projected the Indian economy to shrink 3.1 per cent in 2020 and stated clashes with China on the border also suggest rising geopolitical risks in the Asian region where countries are particularly vulnerable to changes in geopolitical dynamics.
• While it pegged India’s annual growth at 0.2 per cent in April, the forecast has been sharply revised after taking into consideration the disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• However, Moody’s expects the economy to register 6.9 per cent growth in 2021.In its June update to Global Macro Outlook (2020-21), Moody’s stated it has revised down its 2020 growth forecast for India as incoming data show the extent of coronavirus-related disruption in January-March and April-June quarters.
• Moody’s expects G-20 economies to contract by 4.6 per cent in 2020 as a whole, followed by 5.2 per cent growth in 2021.
• Earlier this month, Moody’s had cut India’s credit rating by a notch to lowest investment grade ‘Baa3′ citing challenges in implementing policies to boost growth and restrict fiscal slippage.

About Moody’s Investors Service:

• CEO: Raymond W. McDaniel Jr.
• Headquarters: New York, United States

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

Maharashtra government declares 29.53-sq-km area in Konkan a conservation reserve

• The Maharashtra government declared 53 square kilometre (sq km) area, comprising 10 villages in Dodamarg taluka, Sindhudurg district, as the Tillari Conservation Reserve.
• This is the first notified conservation reserve along the Konkan coast and the seventh in the state.
• With this decision, a certain section of the Dodamarg-Sawantwadi corridor, which has been under threat from mining, receives protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Conservation reserves are protected areas that act as buffer zones or migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, reserved and protected forests of India. However, these protected areas do not have surrounding eco-sensitive zones (protected buffers) as sanctuaries or national parks do. Also, any developmental or agricultural activity proposed within the reserve needs approval from the state and central wildlife boards.
• Tillari Conservation Reserve is a source of perennial water bodies, and an integral part of the Sahyadri-Konkan wildlife corridor. With this declaration, development activities are restricted, while mining is prohibited across 29.53 sq km areas, safeguarding the rich biodiversity of the tropical semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests. We will be setting up a committee to look after management and conservation of the reserve, stated Nitin Kakodkar, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), Maharashtra.
• Located in the heart of the biodiversity hotspot, Western Ghats, the protected area falls between Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. This will be the 13th protected area along the Western Ghats in Maharashtra and 62nd across the state (including sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves).
• The reserve will act as a connector through the Western Ghat ridges, connecting the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in north Goa and the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka’s Belgaum district in the south to the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary in Kolhapur district which lies in the north, stated Kakodkar.

About Maharashtra:

• Capital: Mumbai
• Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
• Chief Minister: Uddhav Thackeray

Rajasthan govt to launch Indira Rasoi Yojna: CM Ashok Gehlot

• Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that his government will soon launch the Indira Rasoi Yojna for the poor to ensure that ‘‘no one sleeps hungry’‘ in the state.
• Under this scheme, pure and nutritious food on concessional rates will be provided to the needy twice a day, the chief minister stated.
• He stated the state government will spend Rs 100 crore every year on the Indira Rasoi Yojna (Indira Kitchen Scheme).
• Local NGOs will also be roped in for the successful implementation of the scheme and its effective monitoring will be done with the help of information technology, Gehlot stated.
• The chief minister was addressing a state-level inauguration meeting for the Covid-19 awareness campaign through video conference from his official residence. During the meeting, he launched five different types of posters, audio jingles and video films on the campaign.
• He also flagged-off five mobile vans loaded with publicity material and equipment for the awareness campaign by the National Health Mission and UNFPA.

About Rajasthan:

• Capital: Jaipur
• Governor: Kalraj Mishra
• Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

ASU research and innovation leader Sethuraman Panchanathan confirmed as NSF director

• Arizona State University Executive Vice President and Chief Research and Innovation Officer Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan has been named as 15th director of the National Science Foundation, unanimously confirmed by the S. Senate.
• He will replace France Cordova.

About NSF

• Acting Director: Kelvin Droegemeier
• Headquarters: Virginia, United States

IFTAS Announces the Appointment of Shri. T. Rabi Sankar as Chairman and Dr. N Rajendran as Chief Executive Officer

• IFTAS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reserve Bank ofIndia announces the appointments of Shri. T Rabi Sankar as the Chairman and N Rajendran as the CEO of the organization.
• TRabi Sankar, currently serving as Executive Director, Reserve Bank of India for Payment systems, Information Technology, Risk Management and Fintech has taken over concurrent charge, ex officio, as the Chairman of IFTAS.
• N Rajendran, who has joined IFTAS as the Chief Executive Officer, is a leading expert in the field of Payments & Banking Systems.

About IFTAS

• Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of theReserve Bank of India.  IFTAS is established under Section 8 of Indian Companies Act, 2013

Nikhil Rathi, Indian-origin chief of the London Stock Exchange, appointed as CEO to UK’s financial regulator

• UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak appointed Indian-origin chief of the London Stock Exchange Nikhil Rathi as the new chief executive of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. Describing Rathi as an “outstanding candidate”, Sunak stated he had been chosen after a thorough worldwide search for the important role at the conduct regulator for the UK’s financial markets and over 59,000 financial services firms.
• Rathi, who has worked within the government ranks at the UK Treasury as Director of the Financial Services Group between 2009-2014 before taking on his current private sector role at the London Stock Exchange, stated he was honoured to be appointed to the FCA.
• The FCA also has a purview as the prudential supervisor for nearly 49,000 firms not supervised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), setting specific standards for 19,000 firms of the country. It has an overarching strategic objective of ensuring the relevant markets function well.
• To support this, it has three operational objectives: to secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers; to protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system; and to promote effective competition in the interests of consumers.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

IIT-Bombay develops chip Dhruva to be used in smartphones and navigation devices to find locations

• IIT-Bombay has developed a homegrown receiver chip -Dhruva– that can be used in smartphones and navigation devices to find locations and routes within the country.
• Dhruva will receive signals from India’s NAVIC group of navigation satellites as well as the US Global Positioning System-based satellites to determine these accurately under all weather conditions.
• The radio frequency receiver chip was designed in 18 months by students and researchers at IIT Bombay. It can receive in multiple frequency bands and handle weak signals.
• It can be converted into digital bits and processed by any standard digital signal processor (DSP) to determine one’s location precisely.
• The Dhruva project was funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), with SAMEER (Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research) as the nodal agency. The research team also interfaced with the Space Applications Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
• Dhruva will help receive and clean up the signals received from NAVIC, which are 36,000 km above from the earth’s surface.
• NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India’s geo-positioning system designed by ISRO to provide accurate positioning within the country. NAVIC satellites were sent to orbit a few years ago, but no commercial ‘receiver’ chip was available to receive signals from the satellites.

Young Giant Planet Offers Clues to Formation of Exotic Worlds

• For most of human history our understanding of how planets form and evolve was based on the eight (or nine) planets in our solar system. But over the last 25 years, the discovery of more than 4,000 exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system, changed all that.
• A new study in the Astronomical Journal reports on the detection of the exoplanet HIP 67522 b, which appears to be the youngest hot Jupiter ever found. It orbits a well-studied star that is about 17 million years old, meaning the hot Jupiter is likely only a few million years younger, whereas most known hot Jupiters are more than a billion years old.
• The planet takes about seven days to orbit its star, which has a mass similar to the Sun’s. Located only about 490 light-years from Earth, HIP 67522 b is about 10 times the diameter of Earth, or close to that of Jupiter. Its size strongly indicates that it is a gas-dominated planet.
• HIP 67522 b was identified as a planet candidate by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which detects planets via the transit method: Scientists look for small dips in the brightness of a star, indicating that an orbiting planet has passed between the observer and the star.
• But young stars tend to have a lot of dark splotches on their surfaces — starspots, also called sunspots when they appear on the Sun — that can look similar to transiting planets. So scientists used data from NASA’s recently retired infrared observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope, to confirm that the transit signal was from a planet and not a starspot. (Other methods of exoplanet detection have yielded hints at the presence of even younger hot Jupiters, but none have been confirmed.)
• The discovery offers hope for finding more young hot Jupiters and learning more about how planets form throughout the universe — even right here at home.

Indian Institute of Science develops Nanozymes

• A research team at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru has developed nanozymes that destroy the cell membrane of bacteria by directly targeting its phospholipids. Nanozymes are nanomaterials that can disintegrate the cell membranes of a range of diseases causing bacteria.
• The study conducted by the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry and the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology was published in ACS Applied BioMaterials journal. The nanomaterial developed in IISc is tested on several potentially pathogenic bacteria causing typhoid, gastroenteritis, dysentery, cholera and pneumonia.
• It was found that the nanozyme stopped growth and killed the microbes. Former PhD students Kapudeep Karmakar and Kritika Khulbe who conducted the research say that nanozymes developed by them can replace the antibiotics that have become ineffective as several bacteria have developed resistance to them by producing their own enzymes.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE

NRDC Licenses NavRakshak PPE Suit Manufacturing Know-how to Five MSMEs Developed by Indian Navy

• National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has licensed the manufacturing know-how of a PPE Suit being named as NavRakshak to five MSME clients: M/s Greenfield Vintrade Pvt Ltd (Kolkata), M/s Vaishnavi Global Pvt Ltd (Mumbai), M/s Bharat Silks (Bangalore), M/s Sure Safety (India) Ltd (Vadodara) and M/s Swaps Couture (Mumbai) to meet the ongoing country wide demand of quality PPE kits.
• These five manufacturers put together are planning to mass produce more than 10 million PPEs per year.
• The manufacturing know-how of NavRakshak PPE has been developed at the Innovation Cell of the Institute of Naval Medicine, INHS Asvini Hospital (Mumbai) of the Indian Navy from where the name ‘NavRakshak’ is derived.
• The PPE has been tested and certified at the INMAS, DRDO which is one of the nine NABL accredited labs authorised by Ministry of Textile currently in India for PPE prototype sample testing as per the prevailing ISO standards and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare/Ministry of Textile guidelines and has been found to meet the synthetic blood penetration resistance criteria for both the fabric, suit, and seam.
• NavRakshak has been designed by a Naval doctor incorporating personal experience in using the PPE for the comfort and protection of the doctors.
• A patent application has been filed for the NavRakshak PPE by the inventors through This technology can resolve many issues at one go. It makes manufacturing easy without requiring big capital investment. It does not require coating and taping related equipment. Therefore, foreign import and costly machines are not required. It gives protection as well as comfort to the user. Above all, it gives self-sustainability to the country.

About Indian Navy

• Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS): Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, AVSM, VSM
• Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS): Vice Admiral M. S. Pawar, AVSM, VSM
• Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM, AVSM

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING

India retains position as third largest economy in PPP, global actual Individual consumption, capital formation

• India has retained its position as the third-largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), behind the US and China.
• India accounts for 6.7% or $8,051 billion, out of the world’s total of $119,547 billion of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in terms of PPP compared to 16.4 % in case of China and 16.3 % for the US, World Bank data for reference year 2017 show.
• Globally 176 economies participated in the 2017 cycle of ICP. The next ICP comparison will be conducted for reference year 2021.
• In the Asia-Pacific Region, in 2017, India retained its regional position, as the second largest economy, accounted for 20.83 % in terms of PPPs where China was first at 50.76% and Indonesia at 7.49% was third.
• India, was the third-largest economy, followed by Japan, Germany, and the Russian Federation.

BSE bags spot among world’s 10 most valued exchanges

• BSE figures among the world’s 10 largest exchanges in terms of cumulative market capitalisation of all companies listed on its platform, as per the latest data from the World Federation of Exchanges.
• BSE is at the tenth place in the top-10 list, with a market capitalisation of $1.7 trillion.
• The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) tops the chart with a valuation of $19.3 trillion.
• Nasdaq comes second with a market capitalisation of $13.8 trillion.
• Others ranked in the list include Tokyo Stock Exchange, placed third with a market valuation of $5.7 trillion, followed by Shanghai Stock Exchange ($4.9 trillion).

About BSE

• Location: Mumbai, India
• Founded: 9 July 1877
• Vikramajit Sen; (Chairman); Ashishkumar Chauhan; (MD & CEO)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

IOC joins forces with WHO and the United Nations to fight COVID-19

• The International Olympic Committee and WHO together with the United Nations launch a partnership to encourage individuals and communities around the world to be #HEALTHYTogether. The three partners and Olympic athletes will spotlight the global collaboration needed to stay healthy and reduce the spread and impact of COVID-19.
• Olympic athletes will help deliver important public health information, to inspire people to adopt or continue behaviours that will curtail the pandemic and provide information that promotes physical and mental health. The partnership kicks off with Olympians around the world showcasing various exercises to stay healthy during this time.
• A WHO survey showed that many people who had severe COVID-19 disease were already living with or at risk for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The results emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle including being physically active, having a healthy diet, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol.
• The global partnership will act locally, through the voices of Olympic athletes – voices that symbolize perseverance, dedication and endurance – qualities all individuals need during this public health challenge. WHO will work with athletes to bring tailored health messages to people who are living through various stages of the pandemic through digital platforms.

About International Olympic Committee:

• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• President: Thomas Bach

About WHO:

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director-General: Tedros Adhanom

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Veteran journalist, former MP Vishwa Mohan Gupta passes away

• Former MP and veteran journalist Vishwa Bandhu Gupta passed away. He was 93.
• Gupta was associated with the Congress party during the 1980s and he was a Member of Parliament from April 1984 to 1990, representing the state of Delhi in the Rajya Sabha.
• He was one of the founding members of the Press Club of India and the President of the All India Newspaper Editors Conference.

DAILY CA 23rd JUNE

• International Olympic Day- 23rd june
• United Nations Public Service Day– 23rd june
• International Widows Day- 23rd june
• Centre sanctions Rs 190 cr for augmentation of healthcare facilities in North Eastern States
• NCERT launches Online Yoga Quiz Competition to promote integration of Yoga in school curriculum
• Procurement of MFP by govt touches all time high, giving boost to tribal economy
• KVIC starts reviving ancient glory of Pokhran potteries
• Atal Innovation Mission partners with Coal India Ltd to boost its Innovation & Entrepreneurship initiatives
• Harsimrat Kaur Badal launches Food Processing Edition of Exclusive Investment Forum
• IIM Ahmedabad launches Rs 100-crore endowment fund
• World Bank approves $1.05 billion to Bangladesh for jobs, economic recovery
• Karnataka Bank launches KBL Micro Mitra for micro enterprises
• UCO Bank partners with four insurers to sell their products
• SEBI announces relaxations for listed companies having stressed assets
• Rath Yatra embarks in Puri
• Tripura to start ‘ Play little, Study little’ scheme for school students
• NI-MSME inks pact with Nitte to train MSMEs
• IIT Delhi And UN World Food Programme To Increase Efficiency Of Government’s Food Security Net
• Standard Chartered appoints Gaurav Maheshwari as CFO – India
• Amartya Sen to be awarded the 2020 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade
• Golden Globe awards postponed to February 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic
• The 36th ASEAN Summit being hosted by Vietnam
• S Jaishankar to join Russia-India-China trilateral virtual conference
• Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates India’s one of India’s largest & first Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020
• Union Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar inaugurates Virtual India Pavilion at Cannes Film Market 2020
• Nita Ambani only Indian among top global philanthropists of 2020
• Isro receives patent for protective garment for human spaceflight
• China launches final satellite in GPS-like Beidou system
• Amish Tripathi launches new book ‘Legend of Suheldev: The King Who Saved India
• The Undertaker retires from WWE
• Major General (Retd) Lachhman Singh Lehl passes away
• Former India shooter Pournima Zanane passes away
• KPCC general secretary K Surendran passes away
• Social worker Vidyaben Shah passes away

DAILY CA 24th JUNE

• Smriti Irani launches FICCI-FLO initiative ‘Empowering the Greater 50%’
• India pledges USD 10 million to UNRWA over next two years
• 2,000 crore allocated by PM CARES Fund for supply of 50,000 ventilators to govt run COVID hospitals
• HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launches 2nd phase of YUKTI
• China To Join UN Arms Trade Treaty To Enhance ‘peace And Stability’
• Pension fund FDI cap proposed at 49%
• Moody’s projects India GDP to shrink 3.1% in 2020, flags geopolitical risk
• Maharashtra government declares 29.53-sq-km area in Konkan a conservation reserve
• Rajasthan govt to launch Indira Rasoi Yojna: CM Ashok Gehlot
• ASU research and innovation leader Sethuraman Panchanathan confirmed as NSF director
• IFTAS Announces the Appointment of Shri. T. Rabi Sankar as Chairman and Dr. N Rajendran as Chief Executive Officer
• Nikhil Rathi, Indian-origin chief of the London Stock Exchange, appointed as CEO to UK’s financial regulator
• IIT-Bombay develops chip Dhruva to be used in smartphones and navigation devices to find locations
• Young Giant Planet Offers Clues to Formation of Exotic Worlds
• Indian Institute of Science develops Nanozymes
• NRDC Licenses NavRakshak PPE Suit Manufacturing Know-how to Five MSMEs Developed by Indian Navy
• India retains position as third largest economy in PPP, global actual Individual consumption, capital formation
• BSE bags spot among world’s 10 most valued exchanges
• IOC joins forces with WHO and the United Nations to fight COVID-19
• Veteran journalist, former MP Vishwa Mohan Gupta passes away