Current Affairs Daily Digest – January 02 2020
1. Andhra Pradesh Government plans to deliver sand at door steps
The Andhra Pradesh Government announced that it will deliver sand at customers’ door steps. As a pilot project, the government is to begin the initiative on experimental basis.
Under the new initiative, the government will collect transportation charges from the customers and deliver sand at door steps. In order to make the initiative successful, the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation will stock 15 lakh tons of sand per month for the next four months.
2. Election Commission launches PPRTMS-an online system
The Election Commission of India launched an online system that will allow political parties to track their applications. The system is called Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System (PPRTMS).
The system will track applications registered by political parties. The status of the application shall be obtained through SMS or e-mail. The system works on a real time basis.
3. PM Modi to inaugurate 107th Indian Science Congress in Bengaluru tomorrow
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 107th Indian Science Congress in Bengaluru.
The theme of the congress this year is “Science and Technology: Rural Development”. The five-day event will bring together science fraternity across the world to discuss scientific innovation and research.
4. 5th IHAI National Ice Hockey Championship-2020 begins in Leh
The 5th Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) National Ice Hockey Championship -2020 has begun in Leh. In the inaugural match in Under-20 Boys category between Chandigarh and Haryana, the contest ended in a draw with 4 goals each.
5. Assam state zoo first to breed endangered Hargila
The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden and Aaranyak has jointly attained a landmark achievement by successfully hatching a pair of Greater Adjutant chicks in an artificial platform within the zoo enclosure, in the first ever experiment of its kind.
6. Senior NCP leader D P Tripathi passes away after prolonged illness
Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and former MP, D P Tripathi passed away in Delhi after a prolonged illness. He was 67. Born in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh Tripathi was active in students’ movement during his college days.
7. India first time ranks among top ten in Climate Change Performance Index
India for the first time ranks among the top ten in the Climate Change Performance Index, CCPI, which goes further to prove that all efforts and activities being currently undertaken by the government are setting a tone of vast improvements.
Government aims to increase the share of non-fossil fuels to 175 GigaWatt by 2022 and further take it to 450 GW. AIR correspondent takes a look at the major initiatives taken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
8. Four Men from Indian Air Force Selected to Undergo Training in Russia for Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO Chief
Four men from the Indian Air Force have been selected to undergo training for India’s first human spaceflight mission, ISRO chief K Sivan said as he declared 2020 as the year of Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan-3.
Addressing a press conference at the ISRO headquarters here, Sivan said the four astronauts will undergo training in Russia from the third week of January, but did not reveal their names.
9. At 67,385, India records highest number of babies born globally on New Year’s Day: UNICEF
Nearly 4,00,000 babies were born around the world on New Year’s Day with India recording the highest number of these births worldwide at 67,385, the UN children’s agency said.
An estimated 3,92,078 babies were born around the world on New Year’s Day, according to UNICEF. Of this, an estimated 67,385 babies were born in India, the most globally. China comes in second with 46,299 births.
10. 14 scientists awarded Swarna Jayanti Fellowships
The Union Ministry of Science and Technology have awarded Swarna Jayanti Fellowships to 14 scientists to pursue basic research in frontier areas of science and technology.
The fellowship covers all the requirements for performing the research and includes a fellowship of 25 thousand rupees per month. A research grant of five lakh rupees for five years is also being provided in addition to their salary.
11. Guinea-Bissau: Former PM Embalo wins presidential election
Former Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister Umaro Cissoko Embalo has been elected president after winning a run-off vote against another ex-prime minister. The 47-year-old beat rival Domingos Simoes Pereira by about 54% to 46%, the electoral commission announced.
12. Delhi AIIMS’ Professor Suresh Chandra Sharma appointed chairman of NMC
The head of Delhi AIIMS’ ENT head-neck surgery department, Professor Suresh Chandra Sharma, was appointed as the chairman of National Medical Commission (NMC), according to a Personnel Ministry order.
The NMC has been mandated with framing policies for regulating medical institutions and medical professionals in the country.
13. Palau is first country to ban ‘reef toxic’ sun cream
The Pacific nation of Palau has become the first country to ban sun cream that is harmful to corals and sea life. Sun cream that includes common ingredients, including oxybenzone, is not allowed to be worn or sold in the country.
Palau’s President Tommy Remengesau said: “We have to live and respect the environment because the environment is the nest of life.”
14. India to host 36th International Geological Congress in March
The theme of the programme is ‘Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future’
India will host the 36th International Geological Congress, aimed at the development of Earth Sciences, in the National Capital Region (NCR) from March 2-8, the organisers said on January 2.
Described as the “Olympics of Geosciences,” the event will witness debates and discussions on a wide range of issues affecting the world, such as sustainable development, climate change, water and mineral resources.
15. UNICEF terms past decade as ‘Deadly’ with 1,70,000 grave violations against children
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released its year-end report on December 31, 2019, which termed the past decade as a ‘Deadly Decade’ for children in conflict with more than 1,70,000 grave violations against children since 2010.
The report revealed the number of grave violations against children increased almost three-fold since the beginning of the decade, amounting to almost 45 violations every single day. The report stated that since 1989, the number of countries experiencing conflicts increased and as a result the violations against children also increased.
16. Reliance JioMart launched
The Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) launched JioMart, a new online grocery platform on December 31, 2019.
JioMart brings Reliance industries in direct competition with other major e-commerce players such as Flipkart and Amazon. The new e-commerce platform has been initially launched for customers in Navi Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan.
