News Flash (13th July 2020): Top 12 Stories Of The Day

1.CBSE declares results for Class 12 board examinations

The Central Board of Secondary Education has declared the results for class 12 today morning. Around 10.5 lakh students cleared the examination with a pass percentage of 88.78%. The pass percentage of class 12 students improved from last year’s 83.40%. Many students complained of the CBSE websites being down. 

2. Google to invest Rs 75,000 crore in India to support Digital India vision

Sundar Pichai, CEO Google and Alphabet, announced a $10 billion GoogleForIndia Digitisation Fund. Google will invest around Rs 75000 crore in India over the next 5-7 years under this fund. The investment will be done through a mix of equity investments, partnerships and operational infrastructure in ecosystem investments, Pichai tweeted. 

3. Rare pictures of golden tiger surface after being spotted at Kaziranga National Park

A picture of a Golden Tiger spotted in Kaziranga, Assam left netizens amazed as it went viral on social media. It’s the only Golden Tiger presently known to be alive in India. The picture was shared by Indian Forest Officer Parveen Kaswan, clicked by wildlife photographer Mayuresh Hendre. The Golden Tiger is also called as ‘Tabby Tiger’ or ‘Strawberry Tiger’

4. Reliance Industries, 1st Indian firm to hit Rs 12 lakh crore market cap

Shares of RIL, Reliance Industries Limited hit highest at Rs 1908 on the BSE, up 1.6% from Friday’s close, pushing the market capitalization to Rs 12.09 trillion, a record for an Indian company. The stock has risen over 120% since mid-March. Stocks have been on a rise ever since RIL announced its plan to cut its net debt to zero by March 2021.

5. Russia first nation to complete human trials for Covid-19 vaccine on volunteers

Russia’s Sechenov University claims to be the first to complete human trials for the Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccine trials began in June on the first group of volunteers. The researchers added that they were happy with the results of the trial and have been able to study the working of the vaccine on human health. Phase two trials are supposed to start Monday. 

6. SC pronounces verdict on dispute over Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is to be managed by the ex-Royal family of Travancore. The Supreme Court overturned the 2011 judgment of Kerala high court stating that the state government should have control of the temple from a trust headed by the former Royal Family, thus settling the long dispute. Many devotees and the Kerala state government welcomed the verdict. 

7. Snapchat launches new feature to promote mental well-being of Indian users

Snapchat brings ‘Here For You’ feature to address mental health issues faced by users in India such as eating disorders, anxiety and depression. The new feature is available for Android and ioS users in India and is inclusive of mental health resources provided by Mariwala Health Initiative and the Manas Foundation. 

8. Sudan scraps apostasy law and public flogging and alcohol ban for non-Muslims

After more than 30 years of Islamist rule, Sudan has scrapped laws violating human rights. Until now, if anyone convicted of renouncing Islam or apostasy could face the death penalty. The new law also bans female genital mutilation and also states that women no longer need permission from a male family member to travel with children. Non-Muslims are allowed to consume alcohol in private. The reforms come after a long time ruler Omar Al-Bashir was overthrown last year. 

9. Biocon shares surge after drug Itolizumab gets DCGI approval for coronavirus treatment

On Monday shares in Biocon saw a surge after DCGI approval to market its novel drug Itolizumab. It also plans to carry out a clinical trial in the US which could lead to a huge spike in demand for the drug. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said, This position India amongst the leading global innovators in their efforts to overcome the pandemic. 

10. Rural unemployment rate fell to 6.34% last week

India’s rural unemployment rate fell to a four-month low from 7.78% to 6.34% due to good monsoon, better sowing of summer crops and return of migrants to workplaces. Economists say that the drop in the unemployment rate is aided by expanding farming activities, aggressive MGNREGA push in rural India. 

11. RBI Governor calls for setting resolution corporations to revive banks

Shaktikanta Das, RBI Governor India called for the setting up of a resolution corporation to revive failed financial houses. The idea is to ensure that banks get resolved rather than liquidated. He further highlighted RBI’s role to issue warning signs and flag emerging risks. In the case of NBFCs and HFCs, RBI is empowered to take over the administration of privately held financial services firms. He added that the economic stress by the pandemic needs capital to be raised by these finance houses. 

12. TRAI blocks Airtel, Vodafone’s premium plans for faster data speeds.

Premium plans of Bharti Airtel’s platinum and Vodafone Idea RedX has been blocked by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The operators have been questioned if the premium plans came at the cost of poor quality service for other subscribers. They have also been asked for guidelines to protect interests of regular subscribers.