Daily Current Affairs and GK | 28 and 29 June 2020

1. International Day of the Tropics: 29 June.

• International Day of the Tropics is celebrated every year on 29 June.
• The purpose of celebrating this day is to raise awareness of the specific challenges faced by tropical regions and the role of countries in tropical development to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
• It is known that as a result of cooperation between twelve major tropical research institutes, State of the Tropics Report was launched on 29 June 2014.
• Marking the anniversary of the launch of this report, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2016, to celebrate 29 June as International Day of the Tropics.
• Tropics is the area of ​​the Earth that lies mainly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

2. Government of India has once again extended the bidding deadline for Air India.

• Government of India has again extended the bidding deadline for Air India till 31 August.
• This is the third time the government has extended the deadline.
• The process for disinvestment for Air India was started on 27 January 2020.
• When the government released Expressions of Interest in January, the deadline for bids was 17 March, which was first extended to 30 April and later to 30 June 2020.
• The government has invited bids to sell 100 % equity in the state-owned airline, including a 100 % stake in AI Express Ltd of Air India and a 50 % stake in Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited.
• In 2018, the government offered to sell a 76 % stake in the airline.
• Air India:
  • It is the flag carrier airline of India and is government owned.
  • It is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • It flew its first flight as Tata Airlines on 15 October 1932.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. The fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission will start from July 3.

• The fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission will be launched by the Government of India from July 3.
• In this phase Air India will operate 170 flights, under which Indians from 17 countries will be brought home.
• The Vande Bharat Mission is the largest repatriation program in the world, since its inception the Central Government has brought home about 1.5 lakh Indians.
• The first phase of this mission was started on 7 May.
• This mission is an initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, under which the mission has been undertaken to repatriate Indians trapped abroad due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Source: News on AIR)

4. The TRIFED digital platform was launched by the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda.

• Recently, the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda has launched the TRIFED digital platform.
• TRIFED has launched a massive digitization campaign to connect tribals with the mainstream.
• This digital platform aims to help tribal artisans to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Also, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has encouraged economic activities to continue the livelihood of the artisans.
• Under this, the team of TRIFED Warriors will take forest produce, handlooms and handicrafts to new heights, which will change the life and livelihood of tribal society.
• Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED):
  • It is a national level apex organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  • It came into existence in 1987.
  • Its head office is located in New Delhi, in addition 13 new regional offices are located in different regions of the country.

(Source: News on AIR)

5. President Ram Nath Kovind announced the implementation of the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

• Recently President Ram Nath Kovind has promulgated the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.
• This ordinance amends the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which applies to co-operative banks.
• This ordinance also amends section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act, in order to protect the interests of the public, depositors and the banking system without disrupting the financial system and to secure its proper management, the reconstruction or amalgamation of a banking company to be planned.
• The goal of this ordinance is -
  • To protect the interests of depositors.
  • To strengthen cooperative banks by improving surveillance.
  • To inspect the co-operative banks' powers already available with RBI in relation to other banks.
• The ordinance will not bring any change in the existing powers of the State Registrars of Cooperative Societies under state cooperative laws.
• Also, these amendments do not apply to such primary agricultural credit societies or cooperatives whose primary purpose and major business is long-term finance for agricultural development.
• Ordinance:
  • When the Parliament and the State Legislature are not in session and an urgent matter is required to be dealt with, the President in Centre and Governor in State can issue an ordinance.
  • According to Article 123 and Article 213 of the Indian Constitution, the President and the Governor can issue ordinances.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. The Reserve Bank of India raised the borrowing limit under the Marginal Standing Facility till 30 September.

• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has decided to increase the borrowing limit to 30 September under the marginal standing facility (MSF).
• In addition, the RBI has also extended the exemption of keeping the minimum daily maintenance of cash reserve ratio (CRR) up to 80 percent till 25 September 2020.
• In view of the economic crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India raised the borrowing limit for scheduled banks from 2% to 3%  of its Net Demand and Time Liability under Marginal Standing Facility Scheme with effect from March 27, 2020. 
• Marginal Standing Facility (MSF):
  • It is a very short term lending scheme for scheduled commercial banks.
  • Banks can borrow money from the central bank through the MSF based on the statutory liquidity ratio during severe cash shortages.
  • The marginal standing facility rate is currently 4.25%.

(Source: News on AIR)

7. The IMF approved emergency financial assistance of $ 356.5 million to Myanmar.

• The IMF recently approved emergency financial assistance of $ 356.5 million to Myanmar to deal with the challenges posed by the covid-19.
• This assistance has been approved under the Rapid Credit Facility and Rapid Financing Instrument to meet the immediate balance of payments and fiscal needs of Myanmar.
• It will be spent on government schemes to promote spending, especially on the health and social safety net.
• Myanmar:
  • It was formerly known as Burma, a Southeast Asian nation.
  • Its capital is Naypyidaw and the currency is Burmese Kyat.

• International Monetary Fund (IMF):
  • It aims to promote global economic growth and financial stability, encourage international trade, and reduce poverty.
  • Established: 1945
  • Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S
  • Members: 189
  • Managing Director‎: ‎Kristalina Georgieva

(Source: News on AIR)

8.  White tiger died of tumor in Nehru Zoological Park.

• Recently, the white tiger, Kiran, has died of a tumor at Nehru Zoological Park.
• He is the third tiger in the lineage to have died of a tumor in the last eight years. He was eight years old.
• Kiran's father Badri nearly a year ago and in 2012, Badri's father and Kiran's grandfather Rudra also died at the age of 14 due to the same type of tumor.
• Veterinarians are holding recessive genes responsible for this.
• Recessive gene- It is a gene that is masked due to the presence of dominant gene.
• Only male tigers are affected by this gene, and that too only one tiger of each tiger's offspring. This causes one member to die in each generation.
• Nehru zoological park-
  • It is a zoo located in Hyderabad, Telangana.
  • It is one of the most visited places in Hyderabad.
  • It was opened in October 1963.

(Source: The Hindu)

9. LSC detected an unusual compact object.

• The LIGO Scientific Collaboration LSC and the Virgo Collaboration have detected an unusual compact object.
• Its mass lies between a typical black hole and a neutron star. That is, it can be the lightest black hole or the heaviest neutron star.
• This mysterious incident was witnessed by LIGO and Virgo detectors on August 14, 2019.
• The article was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters about this discovery.
• This can help in future to solve many mysteries of astrophysics.
• It can currently be a very active topic of discussion in the astrophysics community in the coming days.
• LIGO Scientific Collaboration:
  • It is a scientific collaboration of international physics institutes and research groups dedicated to the discovery of gravitational waves.
  • It includes 1200 more scientists.
  • It was founded in 1997.

• The Virgo Collaboration, organized by the European Gravitational Observatory in Cascina, is an organization working on gravity wave detectors and operations.

(Source: The Hindu)

10. According to a new research, the MMR vaccine may be helpful in fighting sepsis in patients with Covid-19.

• According to a recent new research, the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine may prove helpful in fighting sepsis in patients with covid-19.
• This vaccine makes the leukocyte more active, so that it can be a more effective defense against related infections.
• This research was recently published in the Journal mBio.
• The MMR vaccine does not directly protect against covid-19, but provides an immune preventive measure against its severe symptoms.
• Sepsis is a type of blood poisoning caused by a combination of fungi and bacteria.

(Source: Indian Express)

11. Sankalp Parva being celebrated by the Ministry of Culture.

• Recently, on the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Culture has decided to celebrate Sankalp Parva.
• Its purpose is to plant trees to do the herbal heritage of the country.
• Under this, mainly Bargad, Awla, Pepal, Ashok and Bel trees will be planted.
• This festival will be celebrated from 28 June 2020 to 12 July 2020.

(Source: News on AIR)