News Flash (3rd July 2020): Top 11 Stories Of The Day

1. Online classes for Std 11th and 12th to be held by government schools of Delhi

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister, Manish Sisodia said on July 2 that although the government schools are closed till the end of the month, online classes will be conducted for Delhi students of grade 11 and 12. The teachers need to follow up with the students through Whatsapp and phone calls (in case the students do not have WhatsApp on their phones) for clearing their doubts. No live classes will be conducted for students from kindergarten to grade 10 but they’ll be given exercises and feedback will be given on their tasks through WhatsApp or phone calls.

2. India’s ban on 59 mostly Chinese apps is a boon for Indian researchers: IIT Kharagpur Director

IIT Kharagpur Director, Virender Kumar is of the opinion that India’s ban on 59 Chinese apps should be considered a boon for the researchers. He said, “We’re contemplating on calling for submission of app development projects by students…With the talent at institutes like IITs…this is not the only certainty, but not achieving this goal should come as a surprise.”

3. PM Modi gives a surprise visit to Ladakh amidst tensions with China

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a surprise visit to Ladakh and told the soldiers that their bravery is being talked about all over the world, after the June 15 incident took place at Galway Valley in Ladakh between India and China. He paid tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives on 15th June. He said that this is an era of development and not expansion. India has always strived for peace but those who’re weak can never initiate steps for peace. “We are the same people who pray to the flute playing Lord Krishna but we are also the same people who idolize and follow the same Lord Krishna who carries the ‘Sudarshana Chakra,” the Prime Minister said.

4. India world’s third largest contributor to e-waste

UN report ranks China, the US, and India as the first three largest contributors to e-waste in the world. Across the river from Delhi’s Red Fort, the grim neighborhood of Seelampur is one of the largest markets for e-waste. Global warming was cited as one of the adverse outcomes due to the release of carbon dioxide due to the inadequate recycling of “undocumented” refrigerators and air conditioners. The report stated,  “The way in which we produce, consume, and dispose of e-waste is unsustainable.”

5. Fair & Lovely gets a new name – Glow & Lovely. Emami threatens legal action against HUL

Emami has threatened Hindustan Unilever Limited on account of similarity in product names. It said that it has already changed the name of its men fairness cream to ‘Emami Glow & Handsome’ followed by HUL doing the same. “Although shocked, we are not surprised to note HUL’s unfair business practice,” Emami said.

6. Huge loss for Bollywood: Veteran Choreographer Saroj Khan passes away.

Bollywood’s ‘masterji’, aged 71, passed away due to cardiac arrest.She was admitted to the Guru Nanak Hospital last Saturday as she complained of breathing issues, she was tested negative for coronavirus. She was a three-time National Award winner. Born as Nirmala Nagpal, she choreographed around 2000 songs in her career span of 40 years, some of the iconic songs being- ‘Choli ke peeche kya hai’, ‘Ek do teen’, ‘Tamma Tamma’, ‘Dhak Dhak Karne Laga’. 

7. US hires Anduril, a tech startup, for building a ‘virtual wall’ along the US-Mexico border

A major security contract has been made by the Trump Administration with the Oculus founder Palmer Luckey’s military-contracting firm Anduril Technologies to use Artificial Intelligence to the unprecedented level to build a ‘virtual border’ between US and Mexico to prevent illegal crossings from Mexico.

8. Indigo to give 25% discount as a way of gratitude to doctors and patients till 2020.

Indigo states that it will give 25% discount on domestic flight bookings till year-end to the medical staff who have been the real heroes in these difficult times. “As a token of gratitude for the selfless support offered by our medical professionals, we are offering up to 25% Tough Cookie discount on flights bookings,” Indigo said in a statement, adding that a valid medical ID proof is mandatory for availing the discount.

9. Second COVID-19 vaccine candidate receives nod for human trials.

After Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Coronavirus vaccine by Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila gets DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) nod for human clinical trials. The approval to carry out human trials was granted after the company submitted data of clinical trial on animals to the DCGI, in which the vaccine candidate was found to be successful with respect to safety.

10. Power Minister says India will not import power supply equipment from China and Pakistan

Power Minister R K Singh on Friday said that India will not import power equipment from China, amid border standoff with China. He also asserted that the equipment import from China and Pakistan would not be permitted especially on the basis of inspection. He said: “This (huge import of power equipment) is something we cannot tolerate that a country will transgress into our territory. We will not take anything from China and Pakistan.” He further said, “we will not give permission for import from Prior Reference countries. We are affected. There could be malware or trojan horse in those (imports from China) which they can activate remotely (to cripple our power systems).”

11. Reliance Industries announced Intel Capital’s plan of investing Rs 1,895 crore in Jio Platforms for 0.39% stake

American International company Intel has decided to invest Rs 1895 crore (through Intel Capital) in the technology arm, Jio platforms, and purchase a stake of 0.39% in the company. This is the twelfth high-profile investment in the company in less than 3 months. Intel is quite well- known in the technology world for its innovation.