Current Affairs Daily Digest – July 24 2020
1. National Broadcasting Day is observed on 23 June
National Broadcasting Day was observed on 23 July. The first-ever radio broadcast in India went on air from the Bombay Station on 23 July 1927. The broadcasting was done under the then private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC).
2. Amazon Pay ties up with Acko to sell auto insurance
Digital payments major, Amazon Pay has launched vehicle insurance in partnership with Bengaluru-based startup Acko General Insurance. Amazon Pay, which is the payments unit of Amazon India, will help customers purchase insurance effortlessly and Amazon Prime members will get extra benefits including additional discounts.
3. Eminent danseuse & choreographer Amala Shankar passes away
Eminent danseuse and choreographer Amala Shankar passed away. She was honored with the West Bengal government’s Banga Bibhusan award in 2011 for her contributions to art.
First performance of Amala Shankar was in Kaliya Daman which was staged in Belgium in 1931. She also acted in the film “Kalpana” which was released in 1948. She gave her last performance at the age of 92, in the dance drama Sita Swayamvar, where she played the role of King Janaka.
4. Legendary Jazz Singer Annie Ross passes away
Legendary Jazz Singer, Annie Ross passed away. She was born Annabelle McCauley Allan Short in Surrey, England, on July 25, 1930. She was a popular jazz singer in the 1950s before crossing over into a successful film career.
5. Nicaragua becomes the 87th Country to sign ISA agreement
The Central American country, Republic of Nicaragua became the 87th country to sign the International Solar Alliance(ISA) Framework Agreement. The agreement was signed by the Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the United Nations Jaime Hermida Castillo at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York.
6. Sonu Sood launches ‘Pravasi Rojgar’ app to help migrants
Bollywood actor, Sonu Sood has launched ‘Pravasi Rojgar’ app to help migrants to find job opportunities across India. The initiative will be supported by community outreach in the villages to find the right employment opportunities for migrant workers in different parts of the country.
7. India to have 60% renewable energy by 2030, says power minister
India will have around 60 per cent of its installed electricity generation capacity from clean sources by 2030, Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh said. The minister also exuded confidence that the renewable energy capacity would touch 510 GW by 2030, including 60 GW of hydro power.
In September last year at the United Nations Climate Action Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced increasing the renewable energy target to 450 GW by 2030 from 175 GW by 2022.
8. Riva Ganguly Das appointed as Secretary East in MEA
India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Riva Ganguly Das is appointed by the Government as the Secretary East, in the Ministry of External Affairs. Ms. Das who is an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1986 batch will succeed Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh after her retirement on 30th September this year.
9. Bank of Baroda launches paperless ‘Insta Click Savings Account’
Bank of Baroda has launched ‘Insta Click Savings Account’, a digital self-assisted online savings account, for all its customers. The bank’s Insta Click Savings Account will offer innovative digital offerings for customers, from the comfort of their homes.
10. Celebrated Urdu Writer and Translator Nusrat Zaheer Passes Away
Renowned Urdu writer and translator Nusrat Zaheer passed away in Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh at the age of 69. Zaheer had been ill for the last few months. He is survived by his wife and four daughters.
Best known for his satirical writings, he wrote regular columns for various publications. Until recently, he used to write a regular weekly column titled, ‘Nami Danam’ (‘I don’t know’) for the Urdu daily Inquilab.
