Current Affairs Daily Digest – May 26 & 27 2020
1. NASA’s WFIRST Hubble Telescope renamed after astronomer Nancy Grace Roman
NASA has renamed its next-generation space telescope- Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), after the space agency’s first chief astronomer Nancy Grace Roman. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope or Roman Space Telescope is set for launch in 2025.
NASA’s first Chief Astronomer Nancy Grace Roman had paved the way for space telescopes focused on the broader universe. She is considered as the mother of Hubble Space Telescope, which had launched 30 years ago.
2. Mizoram accords industrial status to sports
Mizoram has become the first Indian state to accord sports an industry status. The move is aimed at further bolstering sports activities by attracting investment. Mizoram Sports Minister Robert Romawia Royte expressed confidence that the move will help generate employment in the state.
3. Indian Navy formed “NavRakshak” breathable PPE kit
Indian Navy has formed “NavRakshak” PPE kit with innovative breathable fabric material. This PPE kit provides comfort to healthcare workers working against COVID-19 pandemic wearing multi-layered coverall PPE treating patients within the hot and humid condition for quite 12 hours.
4. India, Israel To Conduct Joint Research For Rapid COVID-19 Testing
India and Israel will put in joint research and development efforts for rapid testing of coronavirus to enable normalisation of life amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the embassy of Israel said.
5. WHO announced Human Challenge Trials for Vaccine Development
World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it had selected 8 people out of the several people who step forward to participate in human challenge trials to develop new vaccines for COVID-19.
Human challenge trials are trials in which participants are intentionally challenged (whether or not they have been vaccinated) with an infectious disease organism. As per the announcement, the trials will be announced in three phases.
6. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches ‘Shram Siddhi’ to provide job to all workers
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the ‘Shram Siddhi’ campaign in panchayats of Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing on Friday. The campaign guarantees jobs to all workers whether they have a job card or not.
7. Airtel Payments Bank group ties up with Mastercard for farmers, small and medium enterprises
Airtel Payments Bank (APBL) has partnered with Mastercard to develop customized products catering to customers across the underbanked spectrum including farmers, small and medium enterprises and retail customers.
As part of the government’s vision of Digital India and Banking for every Indian, both entities have been working towards driving adoption of formal banking and digital payments in the country.
8. P Kumaran appointed India’s High Commissioner to Singapore
H.E. Periasamy Kumaran has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to The Republic Of Singapore on May 26, 2020.
H.E. Kumaran will replace the current High Commissioner of India to Singapore, H.E. Jawed Ashraf, who took over more than three years ago in November 2016. H.E. Ashraf is to take over as the High Commissioner of India to France.
9. IBM scientist Rajiv Joshi wins NYIPLA Inventor of the year Award 2020
Indian-American IBM scientist, Rajiv Joshi has bagged the prestigious NYIPLA “Inventor of the Year award” for the year 2020. This award is given for his contribution to advancing the electronic industry and improving artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
10. Maruti Suzuki partners ICICI Bank to offer customized EMI financing schemes to customers
The country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said it has joined hands with ICICI Bank to offer retail financing schemes to its customers. As part of the tie up, ICICI Bank is offering flexi EMI scheme which enables customers to pay low EMI initially, in order to help them overcome the liquidity stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the automajor said in a statement.
11. Indian start-up makes world’s first contactless visitor management software
Aa Mumbai based start-up has come up with world’s first contactless Visitor Management Software with temperature scanner and mask detection.
VAMS SafeGuard as is it called scans body temperature, read faces with a mask on while monitoring social distancing on the premise. The software uses ‘AI’ to allow entry of visitors, only who are only complying to all COVID protection measures.
12. Bengaluru Doctor Gets ‘Global Asian of the Year’ Award for Contribution to Women’s Healthcare Ecosystem
Bengaluru-based medical doctor Hema Divakar was honoured with the ‘Global Asian of the Year 2018-19’ award in Dubai recently for her yeomen services and contributions to the women’s healthcare ecosystem, in India, said its organiser ‘Asia One’ magazine’s publisher.
13. Sri Lankan Minister Arumugan Thondaman passes away
Savumiamoorthy Arumugam Ramanathan Thondaman, a prominent Tamil representative in the Sri Lankan cabinet, died of a massive heart attack. He was 56. Thondaman died in Thalangama Base Hospital, where he was rushed to after complaining of a chest pain.
