Current Affairs Daily Digest – July 02 2020
1. RMRC lab, Assam becomes 4th to isolate COVID-19 virus strain in India
Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) located in Lahowal in Dibrugarh district of Assam has successfully isolated the SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, virus becoming the fourth such facility in the country to achieve the feat.
The other 3 hospitals that isolated the virus were: National Institute of Virology, Pune Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad
2. Siddhartha Mukherjee and Raj Chetty honoured as ‘2020 Great Immigrants’
2011 Pulitzer Prize winner Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee and Harvard University Economics Professor Raj Chetty were listed among the 38 immigrants to be honoured as the ‘2020 Great Immigrants’ by the Carnegie Corporation.
Recipient of Padma Shri award in 2014, Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee has served at New York-Presbyterian Hospital as a physician and as the Associate Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University.
He was chosen as the recipient for the award for his efforts in launching a real-time economic impact monitor of COVID-19.
3. Indra Mani Pandey appointed India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UN in Geneva
To the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, the 1990 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Indra Mani Pandey was appointed as the next Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India. In the Ministry of External Affairs, Indra Mani Pandey is currently serving as the Additional Secretary.
4. Accelerate Vigyan Scheme launched by SERB
Department of Science and Technology’s (DST’s) Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) has launched a scheme named ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ on 1st July 2020.
The scheme was launched with the objective to provide a single platform that will encourage high-end scientific research in the country by providing a common forum for conducting workshops. Internships and capacity building programs for research scholars and students.
5. ‘Hamara Ghar Hamara Vidyalaya’ campaign in Madhya Pradesh from 6th July
To take care of the academic regularity of the school students in the state, the School Education Department of Madhya Pradesh has prepared a digital campaign named ‘Hamara Ghar Hamara Vidyalaya’ meaning My Home My School for providing a school-like environment to the students of classes 1 to 8 in the state during the corona crisis. The campaign will begin on 6th July 2020.
18. Ravindra Jadeja rated India’s most valuable Test player in 21st century by Wisden
Flamboyant all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been named as India’s most valuable Test player in the 21st century by the Wisden magazine. With an MVP rating of 97.3, the 31-year-old Jadeja was also rated as the second-most valuable Test player worldwide, behind Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan.
7. Former speaker of Mizoram legislative assembly Upa Rokamlova dies at 79
In Mizoram, former speaker of the state legislative assembly Upa Rokamlova died at a hospital in Aizawl last night. He was 79. Family sources said that he was suffering from prolonged illness of kidney disorder. Rokamlova is survived by his wife and two children.
8. India-Bangladesh form 50:50 Joint Venture Company for LPG business in Bangladesh
India and Bangladesh signed an agreement for the formation of a 50:50 Joint Venture Company (JVC) for LPG business in Bangladesh.
The agreement was signed between the IOC Middle East FZE, Dubai, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and RR Holdings Ltd., Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, the holding company of Beximco LPG of Bangladesh.
9. Parminder Chopra takes charge as director (finance) at Power Finance Corporation
Power Finance Corporation (PFC) announced Parminder Chopra as Director (Finance) of the company, succeeding NB Gupta, who superannuated on June 30 2020.
Chopra was working as Executive Director (Finance) at Power Finance Corporation (PFC) before assuming charge as Director (Finance), PFC.
10. Anandiben Patel takes oath as caretaker Governor of Madhya Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel took oath as the caretaker Governor of Madhya Pradesh on July 01. She was given additional charge as MP Governor following the illness of incumbent Governor Lalji Tandon. She will serve as Governor until incumbent MP Governor Tandon’s health improves. The oath ceremony was at Raj Bhavan in Bhopal
11. World UFO day is observed on July 02
Aliens, UFOs, extraterrestrial objects have always attracted astronauts as well as commoners. On several occasions, various stories of UFO sighting has buzzed social media in the past. It was 1st celebrated in 2001 by World UFO day Organisation (WUFODO) founder Haktan Akdogan on July 02 1947.
On July 2nd, the world celebrates World UFO Day to create awareness about Unidentified Flying Objects and alien life forms.
12. World Sports Journalists Day
World Sports Journalists Day is celebrated on July 2, to mark the services of sports journalists for the promotion of sports. This day has been earmarked as the official day of celebration because of its significance as the date when the International Sports Press Association was established at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
13. Oxford topper Baisali Mohanty appointed United Nations Policy Officer
Odia girl Baisali Mohanty who brought laurel to the state winning the prestigious High Profile Achievement Award as best graduate student at Oxford University, England, has again done Odisha proud being appointed as United Nations Policy Officer. She took charge of her new assignment on 1st July 2020.
14. Ravinder Bhakar becomes new CEO of CBFC
Ravinder Bhakar took charge as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Central Board of Films Certification (CBFC). He is a 1999 batch officer of Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS). He will replace Anurag Srivastava.
15. Kerala announces ‘Dream Kerala Project’ aimed at aiding returning expats
The Kerala government has announced “Dream Kerala Project” to tap the potential and experience of those returning from abroad and other states after losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project aims at the rehabilitation of returning expatriates and the state’s overall development.
16. Uganda becomes the first African country to submit REDD+ results to the UNFCCC
Uganda has become the first African country to submit REDD+ results to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), paving the way to potential results-based payments.
In its recent submission of the REDD+ Technical Annex to the biennial update report (BUR), a reporting requirement for results-based payments, Uganda submitted Emission Reductions of 8 million tCO2 for 2016-2017.
17. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya takes charge as IOC Chairman, succeeds Sanjiv Singh
Shrikant Madhav Vaidya took charge as the new chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). Prior to his elevation, Vaidya was the Director (Refineries) on the IOC Board, since October 2019. He succeeds Sanjiv Singh, who has superannuated from the services of the Corporation on June 30.
Concurrently, Vaidya will also be Chairman of Chennai Petroleum Corporation, a stand-alone refining subsidiary of IOC and Indian Oiltanking Ltd. Vaidya who is on the board of Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd will be taking over as its Chairman and will also be Director on the Board of Petronet LNG.
