About:

• The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir is a memoir by John Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor for U.S. President Donald Trump.
  
  
• The room mentioned in the title forms the crux in this memoir of the White House, detailing the workings of the Trump administration.
  
  
• According to Bolton, Trump was only concerned with being re-elected and not the nation. the president tended to side with foes and got suspicious of the government itself. It is these behavioural patterns, Bolton argues, that led Trump on to the path of impeachment.
  
  
• Bolton further adds that for Trump foreign policies are akin to “closing a real estate deal”, concerning his own interests more than anybody else’s.
  
  

About:

• The 600 MW run-of-the-river project is located on the lower course of the Kholongchhu River in Trashiyangtse District in Eastern Bhutan.
  
  
• The Project envisages an underground powerhouse of four 150 MW turbines with water impounded by a concrete gravity dam of 95 meters height.
  
  
• It will be implemented by Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited, a Joint Venture company formed between Druk Green Power Corporation of Bhutan and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited of India.
  
  
• The is the first Joint Venture Hydroelectric Project between India and Bhutan. The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025. 
  
  

About:

• The Plasma bank will be set up at the Delhi government-run Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) and doctors or hospitals will have to approach it for plasma if a COVID-19 patient needs the same.
  
  
• The plasma bank will be first of its kind for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Perhaps, it will be the first plasma bank in the country.
  
  
• In the plasma therapy, antibodies from blood of patients, who have recovered from coronavirus, are used to treat infected patients. It is aimed at assessing the efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications in COVID patients.
  
  
• Like in blood banks, where blood is extracted and stored for those who might be in need, the idea is to extract and store plasma from people who have recovered from Covid-19 and give it to someone suffering from the disease.
  
  

About:

• COVAXIN is an inactivated vaccine, created from a strain of the infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus, that has shown promise in preclinical studies, demonstrating extensive safety and effective immune responses.
  
  
• COVAXIN has been developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV).
  
  
• The SARS-CoV-2 strain was isolated in NIV, Pune and transferred to Bharat Biotech. The indigenous, inactivated vaccine will be developed and manufactured by Bharat Biotech’s BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) High Containment facility located in Genome Valley, Hyderabad, India.
  
  
• Human clinical trials of the experimental COVID-19 are scheduled to start across the country in July 2020. 
  
  

Balochistan:

• The Balochistan region is divided almost evenly between Pakistan (where it's called Balochistan) and Iran. A part of it lies in Afghanistan too. Politically, it comprises the Pakistani province of Balochistan, the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan, and the southern areas of Afghanistan.
  
  
• Formerly under British rule, Balochistan was declared independent on August 11, 1947 and it formed a parliament. But Pakistan illegally occupied (because people were never asked what they wanted) it on March 27, 1948.
  
  
• The land holds significant reserves of gas, gold, copper, oil and uranium, but is mostly untapped by Iran. The Pakistani area continues to be poor too, because the country is accused of allegedly siphoning the area's resources away from its people and towards Punjab.
  
  
• Pakistan is accused of systematically repressing and marginalising Balochs. It's said that over 1,40,000 have been displaced since 2004-2005. Balochs are denied jobs and even basic facilities like water and electricity.
  
  

About:

• The ban has been enforced by The Ministry of Information Technology by invoking it’s power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009.
  
  
• Title of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 is “Power to issue directions for blocking for public access of any information through any computer resource”.
  
  
• According to ministry, these Apps are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.
  
  
• The notification is expected to be followed by instructions to Internet service providers to block these apps. Users are likely to soon see a message saying access to the apps has been restricted on the request of the government.
  
  
• This action could be a warning to bigger Chinese businesses in India, and to China itself. 
  
  

About:

• The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/72/278, recognized the role of parliaments in national plans and strategies and in ensuring greater transparency and accountability at national and global levels.
  
  
• It is also the date, in 1889, on which the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) — the global organization of parliaments — was established. The IPU has permanent observer status at the United Nations General Assembly and is Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
  
  
• This Day celebrates parliaments and the ways in which parliamentary systems of government improve the day-to-day lives of people the world over. 
  
  

About:

• In 2016 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/71/90, declaring 30 June as International Asteroid Day.
  
  
• It is observed each year to mark the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia, Russian Federation, on 30 June 1908, and to raise public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard.
  
  
• The Tunguska asteroid event in Siberia, Russian Federation, on 30 June 1908, was the Earth's largest asteroid impact in recorded history. 
  
  

इसके बारे में:

• सरकार ने 28 मई, 2020 को बैंकिंग व्यवसाय बंद होने से सदस्यता के लिए स्थगित हो चुकी 75 प्रतिशत बचत (कर योग्य) ऋणपत्र, 2018 योजना के स्थान पर नई चल दर बचत ऋणपत्र, 2020 (कर योग्य) योजना को अधिसूचित किया है।
  
  
• सात साल के ऋणपत्र पर ब्याज हर वर्ष पहली जनवरी और पहली जुलाई (अर्ध-वार्षिक) को देय होगा।
  
  
• पहली जनवरी 2021 को 15 प्रतिशत की दर से भुगतान किया जाएगा। अगली छमाही के लिए ब्याज दर को हर छह महीने में पुन: नियोजित किया जाएगा, पहला नियोजन 01 जनवरी 2021 को होगा।
  
  
• ऋणपत्र जारी होने की तिथि से 7 वर्ष की समाप्ति पर प्रतिदेय होंगे। वरिष्ठ नागरिकों की निर्दिष्ट श्रेणियों के लिए समय से पहले भुगतान की अनुमति दी जाएगी।
  
  
• ऋणपत्र पर ब्याज आयकर अधिनियम, 1961 के तहत लागू किया जाएगा।
  
  
• भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक (आरबीआई) सरकार की ओर से ऋणपत्र जारी करेगा।
  
  
• ऋणपत्र भारत के निवासी और एक अविभाजित हिंदू परिवार के पास हो सकता है।
  
  

About:

• Zealandia is an almost entirely submerged mass of continental crust located in the southern Pacific Ocean that subsided after breaking away from Gondwanaland 83–79 million years ago.
  
  
• It has variously been described as a continental fragment, a microcontinent, a submerged continent, and a continent.
  
  
• The land mass may have been completely submerged by about 23 million years ago, and most of it (93%) remains submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean.
  
  
• Political Divisions Under Zealandia Are: New Zealand, New Caledonia, Norfolk island, Lord howe island group and Elizabeth and Middleton reefs.
  
  
• Names: It is also known as Tasmantis due to its proximity to Tasman sea. Te Riu-a-Māui is another name for Zealandia.
  
  
• The name and concept for Zealandia was proposed by Bruce Luyendyk in 1995.
  
  

About:

• Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (1921 –2004) was a politician who served as the 9th Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He also became the Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh in 1971.
  
  
• Father of Economic reforms: He sought to dismantle the License Raj system, reduce red tape and make Indian industries more competitive. He laid the foundation for trade liberalization and re-integration of Indian economy with the global economy, especially East Asian economies.
  
  
• Foreign policy: Among his bold moves in foreign policy were establishing diplomatic relations with Israel and reversing decades of frosty relations between India and the United States by bringing them together. He also launched the Look East policy.
  
  
• Father of Indian nuclear Program: He energised the national nuclear security and ballistic missiles program, which ultimately resulted in the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests by Vajpayee-led NDA government (the tests were planned in 1996 but they were not carried out as government at centre got changed due to 1996 general election).
  
  
• National Security: He was also fairly successful in controlling the separatist movements in Punjab and Kashmir.
  
  
• Local governance: The path-breaking 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments empowering local bodies during Narasimha Rao’s tenure as the Prime Minister are worthy of mentioning.
  
  
• Babri Mosque riots: Rao's term also saw the destruction of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh when BJP's Kalyan Singh was Chief Minister, which triggered one of the worst Hindu-Muslim riots in the country since its independence.
  
  
• He was also referred to as Chanakya for his ability to steer economic and political legislation through the parliament at a time when he headed a minority government.
  
  

Contribution of PC Mahalanonobis to Statistics:

• PC Mahalanonobis (1893 –1972) was an Indian scientist and applied statistician. He is referred to as the chief architect of Indian statistical system as well as father of statistical science in India.
  
  
• He established the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1931 in Kolkata. The institute founded the journal Sankhya, along the lines of Karl Pearson’s Biometrika. In 1959 it was made an autonomous body of Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
  
  
• Post-independence, he helped in the establishment of Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), the National Sample Survey (NSS) and the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI).
  
  
• His most important contributions are related to Large-Scale Sample Surveys. He introduced three key concepts to the theory and practice of sample surveys which are: Pilot surveys, Optimum survey design and Inter Penetrating Network of sub-samples technique (IPNS)
  
  
• He also advocated the usefulness of sampling methods. He was elected Chairman of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Statistical Sampling in 1947, and held this post until 1951.
  
  
• In 1936 he introduced a statistical measure named the Mahalanobis distance. It is widely used in cluster analysis and classification techniques.
  
  
• In 1926, he analysed 60 years’ data related to floods in Orissa, which led to the construction, after three decades, of the Hirakud dam on the Mahanadi.
  
  
• He was one of the members of the first Planning commission of free India. The Mahalanobis model, was employed in the Second Five Year Plan, which worked towards the rapid industrialisation of India.
  
  

About:

• The inaugural State of the Tropics Report was launched on 29 June 2014, as the culmination of a collaboration between twelve leading tropical research institutions.
  
  
• Marking the anniversary of the report’s launch the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2016, which declared that 29 June of each year is to be observed as the International Day of the Tropics.
  
  
• The Day aims to raise awareness to the specific challenges faced by tropical areas and the role that countries in the tropics will play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
  
  

About:

• A single Lightning flash stretched more than 700 kilometres across Brazil on October 31 last year has created a new world record for the longest reported distance of lightning. This was equivalent to the distance between Boston and Washington in the US, or between London and Basel in Switzerland.
  
  
• A lightning flash that developed continuously over northern Argentina on March 4, 2019 lasted a whopping 16.73 seconds creating new world record for the longest reported duration of lightning.
  
  
• The new records for extreme lightning bursts, or 'megaflashes', during 2019, are more than double the size and duration of the previous record flashes.
  
  
• The new record-breaking strikes were released on the occasion of International Lightning Safety Day on June 28.
  
  

About:

• The Governor said he could no longer abstain from constitutional obligations and proposed that under Article 371A (1) (b) of the Constitution, important functions like “transfer and posting of officials” entrusted with the maintenance of law and order of and above the district level will be with the approval of the Governor.
  
  
• Articles 369 through 392 (including some that have been removed) appear in Part XXI of the Constitution, titled ‘Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions’.
  
  
• Article 370 dealt with ‘Temporary Provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir’.
  
  
• Articles 371, 371A, 371B, 371C, 371D, 371E, 371F, 371G, 371H, and 371J define special provisions with regard to another state (or states).
  
  
• Articles 370 and 371 were part of the Constitution at the time of its commencement on January 26, 1950; Articles 371A through 371J were incorporated subsequently.
  
  
• Article 371A (13th Amendment Act, 1962), Nagaland says “Parliament cannot legislate in matters of Naga religion or social practices, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice according to Naga customary law, and ownership and transfer of land without concurrence of the state Assembly.”
  
  

About:

• The DNA sequencing of 863 genomes has showed the first domestication of chicken occurred in southwestern China, northern Thailand and Myanmar.
  
  
• The results contradicted the earlier claim that chickens were domesticated in northern China and the Indus Valley.
  
  
• The study, which involved sequencing of genomes from all four species of the genus Gallus, five sub-species of Red Jungle Fowl and various domestic chicken breeds collected worldwide, revealed single domestication from Red Jungle Fowl sub-species Gallus gallus spadiceus.
  
  
• The study also demonstrated that all five Red Jungle Fowl sub-species were genetically differentiated from each other approximately 50,000 years ago (much earlier than domestication), corresponding to their geographic ranges and taxonomic classifications.
  
  

About:

• Researchers have suggested that the lockdown period, which is also being referred to as the “Great Pause”, be referred to with a more precise term. So they have proposed ‘anthropause’ to refer specifically to a considerable global slowing of modern human activities, notably travel.
  
  
• Reduction in human activity during the coronavirus lockdown on both land and sea has been “unparalleled” in recent history. The unprecedented curbs imposed on millions of people around the world, mainly due to restrictions in travel, led to reports of unusual animal behaviour.
  
  
• For instance, there were pumas sighted in Chile’s Santiago, jackals in the parks of Tel Aviv in Israel, dolphins in the waters of Italy and even a monkey fight on the streets of Thailand.
  
  
• The researchers believe studying this period will provide valuable insights into the relationship between human-wildlife interactions in the 21st century.
  
  

About:

• The Ordinance amends the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as applicable to Cooperative Banks.
  
  
• It seeks to protect the interests of depositors and strengthen cooperative banks by improving governance and oversight by extending powers already available with RBI in respect of other banks to Co-operative Banks.
  
  
• The amendments do not affect existing powers of the State Registrars of Co-operative Societies under state co-operative laws.
  
  
• The amendments do not apply to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) or co-operative societies whose primary object and principal business is long-term finance for agricultural development.
  
  
• The Ordinance also amends Section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act to enable making of a scheme of reconstruction or amalgamation of a banking company for protecting the interest of the public, depositors and the banking system and for securing its proper management, even without making an order of moratorium, so as to avoid disruption of the financial system.
  
  

About:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for planting at least five trees either in Office campus or wherever it is possible, to ensure clean and healthy environment of the country.
  
  
• In this background, Union Ministry of Culture has decided to celebrate Sankalp Parva from 28th June to 12 July 2020, wherein Ministry expects all its Subordinate Offices, Academies, Attached Institutions, Affiliated Institutions to plant trees in its campus or at the surroundings wherever it is possible.
  
  
• Ministry of Culture recommends to plants following five trees which represent the herbal heritage of our country: (i) “Bargad” (ii) “Awla” (iii) “Pepal” (iv) “Ashok” (v) “Bel”. 
  
  

About:

• Parent body: NPC is an autonomous body under Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
  
  
• Objective: NPC is a national level organization to promote productivity culture in India.
  
  
• Established in: 1958. 
  
  
• Status: It is an autonomous, multipartite, non-profit organization and has been registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
  
  
• NPC is a constituent of the Tokyo-based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an Inter-Governmental Body, of which the Government of India is a founder member.
  
  

About:

• The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, also known as the Mar Thoma Church, is one of the ancient, indigenous churches in Kerala.
  
  
• It is traditionally believed that Saint Thomas, a disciple of Jesus Christ came to India in AD 52 and established the Church.
  
  
• The Church is presently headed by their 21st Malankara Metropolitan, Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma, who has headed the Church for the last thirteen years.
  
  
• The Church runs various social welfare institutions, destitute homes, hospitals, colleges, schools and technical institutions. 
  
  

About:

• Mary Jackson (1921 – 2005) was an American mathematician and aerospace engineer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which in 1958 was succeeded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
  
  
• In 2019, Jackson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
  
  
• In 2020 the Washington, D.C. headquarters of NASA was renamed the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters.
  
  
• Her story features in the 2016 non-fiction book “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race” and the Oscar-nominated film “Hidden Figures” that the book inspired. 
  
  

About:

• Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan is focused on generating employment for those migrant workers of Uttar Prdesh who recently returned from other states.
  
  
• The programme is focused towards providing employment, promoting local entrepreneurship and creating partnership with Industrial associations to provide employment opportunities.
  
  
• Under the campaign, around 1.25 crore people will be provided employment in the state in different schemes of central and state government.
  
  
• The campaign is launched in 31 districts of the state. Villages across districts of state will join this program through the Common Service Centers and Krishi Vigyan Kendras. 
  
  

About:

• ‘Maareech’ has been designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and it is capable of detecting, locating and neutralizing incoming torpedo.
  
  
• Bharat Electronics Limited, a defence PSU, would undertake the production of this decoy system.
  
  
• The prototype of this system installed onboard a nominated naval platform had successfully completed all user evaluation trials.
  
  
• Anti-Submarine Warfare capability of the Indian Navy received a major boost with its induction.
  
  

About:

• The Nasha Mukt Bharat Annual Action Plan for 2020-21 would focus on 272 most affected districts and launch a three-pronged attack combining efforts of Narcotics Bureau, Outreach/Awareness by Social Justice and Treatment through the Health Dept.
  
  
• The Action Plan has the following components: Awareness generation programmes; Focus on Higher Educational institutions, University Campuses and Schools; Community outreach and identification of dependent population; Focus on Treatment facilities in Hospital settings; and Capacity Building Programmes for Service Provider.
  
  

About:

• This notification supersedes all earlier notifications issued with regard to classification or registration of MSMEs. Now, the entrepreneurs, enterprises and the MSMEs have to refer to just this notification for matters relating with classification or registration.
  
  
• As per the notification, an MSME will be known as Udyam, as this is more closer to the word Enterprise and accordingly, the registration process will be known as Udyam Registration.
  
  
• It can be filled online based on self-declaration with no requirement to upload documents, papers, certificates or proof. An enterprise can be registered just on the basis of Aadhaar number.
  
  
• Investment in ‘Plant and Machinery or Equipment’ and ‘Turnover’ are the basic criteria for classification of MSMEs now.
  
  
• Exports of goods or services or both shall be excluded while calculating the turnover of any enterprise whether Micro, Small or Medium.
  
  
• In another first, the Ministry of MSME has established a strong facilitation mechanism for the MSMEs. This process is in the form of Single Window Systems at the district level and regional level.
  
  
• Similarly, Ministry’s recent initiative of Champions Control Roomsacross the country have been made legally responsible for facilitating such Entrepreneurs in registration and even thereafter.
  
  

About:

• Background: On 12 December 1997, by resolution 52/149, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
  
  
• Objective of the day: To ensure total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
  
  
• Why do we mark 26 June? On 26 June, 1987, the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into effect. Its implementation by States parties is monitored by a body of independent experts, the Committee against Torture.
  
  

About:

• PADC has been setup by Indian Oil at Paradip, adjacent to its Refinery and Petrochemicals complex.
  
  
• There are 4 laboratories in PADC namely Polymer Processing Lab, Analytical Testing Lab, Chemical Analysis Lab and Characterisation Lab.
  
  
• PADC, Paradip is recognized as a research centre by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt of India.
  
  
• The centre will render assistance to customers and investors in product and application development for polymer finished products such as molded furniture, houseware, wovensacks for packaging cement, fertiliser, healthcare applications like baby diaper, personal protective suit, mask etc.
  
  

Key Findings:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in education systems across the world.
  
  
• About 40% of low- and lower-middle-income countries have not supported learners at risk of exclusion during this crisis, such as the poor, linguistic minorities and learners with disabilities.
  
  
• As substitutes for classroom instruction, while many poorer countries opted for radio and television lessons, 55% of low-income, 73% of lower-middle-income and 93% of upper-middle-income countries adopted for online learning platforms for primary and secondary education.
  
  
• School closures also interrupted support mechanisms from which many disadvantaged learners benefit. For poor students who depend on school for free meals or even free sanitary napkins, closures have been a major blow. Higher drop-out rates are also a concern.
  
  
• In order to combat the situation, 17% of low and middle-income countries are planning to recruit more teachers, 22% to increase class time and 68% to introduce remedial classes when schools reopen.
  
  

About:

• Even as some nations witnessed a jump in 2019, there has been an overall decline in money parked by residents across countries in Swiss banks since the year of the global financial crisis.
  
  
• While overall foreign deposits have fallen 41 per cent since 2007, that for India has declined by 79 per cent since 2007. For India, the total liabilities of Swiss banks stood highest in 2006 at CHF 6.46 billion.
  
  
• It has come down in line with the Centre’s steps over the last few years to curb black money in the economy and following the setting up of new framework in 2016 that allowed exchange of information between Switzerland and India to help check the black money menace.
  
  
• The SNB data comes after the first set of details of bank accounts held by Indian nationals were shared under the new framework for Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) between Switzerland and India to help check the black money menace last September.
  
  

Key findings:

• Illegal wildlife trade is a “global threat”, which also has links with other organised crimes such as modern slavery, drug trafficking and arms trade.
  
  
• The illegal trade is estimated to generate revenues of up to $23 billion a year.
  
  
• During the study, 22 of the 45 respondent countries considered themselves as source for wildlife crime, 18 as transit countries and 14 as destination countries. All but nine reported to be impacted by the risks from financial flows linked to the trade.
  
  
• Criminals are frequently misusing the legitimate wildlife trade, as well as other import-export type businesses, as a front to move and hide illegal proceeds from wildlife crimes.
  
  
• Jurisdictions should consider implementing the good practices. The report noted that in 2012, India amended the Prevention of Money Laundering Act removing a value threshold — of ₹30 lakh and above — that was earlier applicable to the wildlife trade predicates. 
  
  

Preferential Allotment Pricing Norms

• It also amended the settlement proceeding norms to enable a faster disposal of cases while tweaking the Takeover Regulations as well.
  
  
• Companies with frequently traded shares can take into account the average of the weekly high and low over the past 12 weeks or two weeks, whichever is higher, and price the preferential allotment above that mark.
  
  
• While the existing pricing mechanism will continue, the relaxed pricing option will be available for all preferential allotments made between July 1 and December 31, 2020.