News Flash (22nd July 2020): Top 10 Stories Of The Day

1. Admission for 2020-21 Undergraduate courses started by Mumbai University

Mumbai University has commenced the admission process for the undergraduate courses for the new academic year of 2020-21. The deadline to register for admission is 4th August, 1pm. The first merit list is to be displayed on 4th August at 7pm, followed by the second merit list on 10 August and third list on 17 August. The application can be processed through the official website of Mumbai University, mum.digitaluniversity.ac.

2. NTA mostly to conduct DU entrance exams from 6-11 September

The National Test Agency is likely to conduct (DUET) Delhi University Entrance Test from 6 to 11 September. The test will be conducted for admissions into UG, PG, PhD and MPhil courses. All aspirants are advised to check the DU website to check their eligibility. The last date of registration has also been extended upto July 31.

3. NASA Astronaut shares clip showing how lightning looks from space

Bob Behnken, an astronaut from NASA shared a stunning video clip of lightning as seen from space on Twitter, leaving netizens amazed. Bob is currently onboard the International Space Station and he also shared pictures of Neowise, a newly discovered comet. Bob is one of the two astronauts who travelled to the International Space Station in SpaceX’s first flight.

4. India’s flight trials of anti-tank guided missile ‘Dhruvastra’ conducted successfully

Anti-tank guided missile ‘Dhruvastra’ completed its flight trials successfully at the Interim Test Range in Orissa. This third-generation missile system has all-weather day and night capability and has conventional and explosive armors to defeat battle tanks. The trial was conducted without a helicopter in both attack and direct mode.

5. 2020 edition of IPL to be held in the UAE confirms IPL Governing Council

IPL Governing Council Chairman confirms that the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League will be shifted to UAE. The BCCI has requested the Government of India for approval. A governing council of the IPL is expected to meet on July 24, following which more clarity can be expected.

6. OnePlus launches Nord smartphone with starting price of Rs 24,999

OnePlus has launched Nord smartphone with Snapdragon 765G 5G processor. The 8GB RAM/128GB storage is priced at Rs 27,999 and the 12GB RAM/256GB RAM is priced at Rs 29,999. The Nord was launched via an AR launch event and will be made available from August 4 through Amazon and the company’s website.

7. Alaskan peninsula experiences a 7.8 magnitude earthquake

According to the US Geological Survey, an earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes hit the south-south eastern coast of the Alaskan peninsula. The US National Tsunami Warning Centre was urged to issue a tsunami warning after the earthquake held epicenter at a depth of 28km. The warning was canceled, later on, reported Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. Tremors from the earthquake were felt hundreds of miles away.

8. Dept. of Telecommunications extends work from home for IT companies till Dec 31

The Department of Telecommunications has further extended rules for employees of IT companies to work from home till December 31 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The initial order for work from home was nearing an end on July 31. The work from home relaxation was first announced in April and extended further in a tweet yesterday late night. Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro thanked the government for the extension.

9. Oxford’s Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’ to be trialed on 5,000 people in India

Serum Institute of India has planned to start Phase 3 trials of Covishield, Oxford University’s vaccine. The trials are to be held in Mumbai and Pune in August on 5000 volunteers inclusive of health workers and elderly people. Serum Institute is also investing $200 million to produce 300 million doses of the candidate before approval to launch the vaccine. 

10. “Apple’s entire business to be carbon neutral by 2030”, announces Tim Cook

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently announced that the entire business of the company will turn carbon neutral by 2030. The company has plans to cut down emissions by 75% by 2030 and to create innovative solutions to eliminate carbon footprint. In 2019, Apple reduced its carbon footprint by 4.3 million metric tons by using recycled innovation in its products.