TODAY’S TOP NEWS: 20 JULY, 2020 (GPN):

NATIONAL NEWS:

1. *Heavy rains lash Delhi* , waterlogging at several places

2. Central *Government allows contributions* from any person or institution *in NDRF* (National Disaster Response Fund)

3. In *Ayodhy Ram Mandir* Bhoomi Puja on 3rd or 5th of August, *PM Modi* can *perform Bhoomi Pujan*

4. Covid-19: *AIIMS to start* human trial of desi vaccine *Covaxin* in Delhi

5. *CBDT* to start 11-day e-campaign on *Voluntary Compliance of Income Tax* for FY 2018-19 from July 2020. especially for the assessees for 2018-19 so that they do not need to get into notice and scrutiny process.

CBDT said that this e-campaign is being run for the benefit of the taxpayers. Under this e-campaign the Income Tax Department will send email and SMS to identified taxpayers to verify their financial transactions related information received by the I-T department from various sources such as Statement of Financial Transactions, Tax Deduction at Source, Tax Collection at Source and Foreign Remittances

6. *Income Tax* Department rolls out new *Form 26AS* with an aim to *assist Tax payers* in filing quick and correct Income Tax Return (ITR)

7. Congress leader *Rahul* *Gandhi* mounted fresh *attack* on the BJP-led government at the *Centre* over the Ladakh border *issue with China* , saying India is going to pay a huge price because of the government’s “cowardly” actions.

8. An *Indigo flight* with 75 passengers and crew members onboard had a last minute *escape from accident* when the pilot spotted a fire engine overturned on the runway *at the Tirupati* International airport and diverted the flight to Bangalore Airport

9. The fire engine was on its way to a general inspection as part of its regular routine when the accident took place. The vehicle met with an accident on the runway at the time when the Hyderabad-Tirupati-Bangalore flight of Indigo Airlines was supposed to land at Tirupati for 41 passengers bound for Tirupati.

10. Chennai-based *Arudra Engineering claims ownership of* trademark ‘ *Coronil* ’ – also the name of Covid-19 medicine from Patanjali Ayurved

11. The *Navy is expected* to start receiving new *twin-engine aircraft* carrier-based fighter aircraft being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) *by* *2032* and it will be a replacement for the Russian MiG-29K carrier jets in service

12. The *Congress* on Sunday *demanded* the *resignation* *of Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat* for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan

13. Bahujan Samaj Party *(BSP) supremo Mayawati* said on that Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra should take cognisance of the instability in the state and *recommend President’s Rule in Rajasthan.*

14. *BJP* President JP Nadda *appointed* Om *Prakash Dhankar* as the *head* of party *Haryana unit* .

16. *Kerala announces* 10 days total *lockdown* in coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram

17. *Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi* , who recovered from COVID-19 recently *donated blood plasma* at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj

18. NCP chief *Sharad Pawar said* some *people think* *building a temple* will help *eradicating the COVID-19* pandemic, a day after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust suggested two dates in the next month for laying the foundation stone for a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

19. The *flood situation in* *Bihar* remains critical in eight most affected districts as many major rivers are still above the danger mark at many places. A highest of 12 centimeter rainfall occurred at Gaunaha in West Champaran.

19. *India’s* coronavirus *COVID* -19 case *fatality* rate *falls* below *2.5%,* lowest in world

✈INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

1. Amid the ongoing tensions with China, top *air force commanders will meet* this week to discuss the situation on the Line of Actual Control *with China in Eastern Ladakh* and rapid operational station of the Rafale combat aircraft arriving later this month.

2. The *Indian Navy* is *conducting* a major *exercise* off the *Andaman* and Nicobar archipelago, in a clear display of strategic *intent against China* amid the ongoing military confrontation along the border in eastern Ladakh.

3. Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs *Nirmala Sitharaman attends* 3rd *meeting of G20* Finance Ministers, discusses global economic outlook amid COVID-19 crisis. Meeting under the Saudi Arabian Presidency *through video conferencing.*

4. *Railways terminate contract of a Chinese firm* for signalling and telecommunication work on 417-km section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor between Kanpur and Mughalsarai (UP)

5. *Nepal security forces open fire at 3 Indian civilians in Bihar border* , Kishanganj. one critically hurt. According to locals, the three men had gone to the farm outside the village near Mafia Tola on the Indo-Nepal border in search of their cattle at around 7:30 pm

6. *Relations* between New *Delhi* and *Kathmandu* have been *strained* ever *since* Nepal government *released a new political* *map* that incorporates Indian territories to increasing Chinese influence in the bilateral relationship. This was followed by PM KP Oli *claiming* that the birthplace of Lord Ram – *Ayodhya is in Nepal* . According to him, Lord Ram is Nepali and India had encroached upon the country’s cultural heritage by setting up a “fake Ayodhya”. The Nepalese Prime Minister received severe backlash for his remarks after which he had issued a clarification.

7. *ceasefire violation, Pakistan Army* resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing with small arms and heavy mortar shelling along the LoC in Sunderbani sector of district *Rajouri*

WORLD NEWS:

1. *John Lewis* , pioneer of civil rights movement and longtime U.S. Congressman, *dies at 80*

2. World COVID Cases

CONFIRMED. 14,414,659
ACTIVE. 5,409,534
RECOVERED. 8,400,882
DEATHS. 604,243

SPORTS:

1. *Eng vs WI 2nd Test* : 3rd day *abandoned* as rain washes out play

2. Former India wicket-keeper *Saba Karim quits* as *BCCI* cricket operations *general manager post* after being asked to resign. He was appointed BCCI Cricket Operations GM in December 2017.

3. *Former Australian wicketkeeper Barry Jarman dies* aged 84; played in 19 tests in 1959-69

*USD 74.93 GBP 94.16*
_In Surat_(Guj)
*Gold ₹49,350@10 gm 24 (Krt)*
*Silver ₹52,910@ Kg*
⛽ *Petrol ₹ 77.87*
⛽ *Diesel ₹ 78.76*

FACTS ABOUT INDIA:

Rani Lashmi Bhai : (19 Nov 1828-18 Jun 1858) first name was Manikarnika, marrie,d to Gangadhar Rao,the prince of Jhansi, fought against British after her husband death. Along with Tatya Tape joined took help of Maharaja Gwalior to overpower the British rule, died in second day of fight at Gwalior. She was also called Jhansi Laxmibhai

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

Anger comes alone but takes away all the good qualities from us. Patience too comes alone but brings all good qualities to us. Choice is our’s.

JOKE OF THE DAY:

*पप्पू* – मां और बीवी में सबसे बड़ा फर्क क्या है?

*गप्पू* – पता नहीं, तुम बताओ।

*पप्पू* – मां बोलना सिखाती है और बीवी चुप रहना

________________________________________

❓❓❓TELL ME WHY:

*Science behind Throwing Coins into the River/water*

scientifically, in the ancient times, most of the currency used was made of copper unlike the stainless steel coins of today. Copper is a vital metal very useful to the human body. Throwing coins in the river was one way our fore-fathers ensured we intake sufficient copper as part of the water as rivers were the only source of drinking water. This water also keeps our body healthy and free from disease’s, Making it a custom ensured that all of us follow the practice.

But now a days people throw coins made by steel in water, not knowing why they are doing it‍♂️

LEARN SANSKRIT:

*विस्मरण* : Oblivion
भूल जाना

HOW IT WORKS⁉:

*Honeycombs* are made from beeswax, a substance created by worker bees. When the temperature is right, worker bees secrete wax scales from special glands in their body. Then they chew the wax with a bit of honey and pollen to produce the beeswax.

*Why do honeybees use hexagonal shapes to construct their honeycombs?*

Hexagons are useful shapes. They can hold the queen bee’s eggs and store the pollen and honey the worker bees bring to the hive. When you think about it, making circles wouldn’t work too well. It would leave gaps in the honeycomb

Honey provides bees with the energy they need to survive and reproduce, as well as to build their homes. In order to make enough wax, worker bees need a lot of energy, and must therefore consume a lot of honey.

On average, each bee can produce about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. If a bee were to provide one pound of honey, it would need to visit about 2 million flowers. A whole colony may travel about 55,000 miles in its lifetime!

Honey include ascorbic acid, pantothenic acid, niacin and riboflavin; along with minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.

‍♂️ GK TODAY

*Nobel Prize* : Sweden issues the Nobel prize on the name of Alfred Nobel, started in 1900. 1st receiptent was Wihelm Conrad Rontgen for X-ray discovery (Physics). In Indian
*Ravindranath Tagore* received first – Literature – 1913

CURRENT AFFAIRS:

Q.1. When is Nelson Mandela International Day celebrated?
Ans. 18 July

Q.2. Who has been appointed the new MD & CEO of SBI Cards & Payment Services?
Ans. Ashwini Kumar Tiwari

Q.3. India has tied up with which country to deal with cyber threats?
Ans. Israel

Q.4. In which state ‘Smriti Van’ has been inaugurated?
Ans. Uttarakhand

Q.5. Which IIT has developed a portable hospital called MediCAB?
Ans. IIT Madras

Q.6. With whom has India entered into a strategic petroleum reserve?
Ans. America

Q.7. In which state has the first online NISHTHA program been started?
Ans. Andra Pradesh

Q.8. Ossouka Raponda became the first woman Prime Minister of which country?
Ans. Gabon

Q.9. With whom has CBSE tied up for artificial intelligence in the curriculum?
Ans. IBM

Q.10. With whom has Pakistan signed a 700-mile Azad Pattan hydroelectric project?
Ans. China

general competition

VEDIK GYAN:

*Why is half round (Pradakshina) made around the Shiva linga?*

According to Shivpuran, only a half-parikrama of Shivalinga should be carried out. This is because Shiva is Anadi and Anant himself. It’s said that Shiva’s Shakti is so fierce that none could ever interfere or come in the line of it. Nirmili is a sacred part of the Shivling and must never be over-stepped. Therefore, it is advised to only perform half-parikrama of Shivlinga to avoid stepping over the Nirmili.

By Somasutra is meant the Half Moon like curve that is traced out in the process.

HEALTH CARE: HOME REMEDIES:
( *Note* : These home tips followed in villages/ancient traditions, it is up to you to use it or not)

*Burns* . Honey has been used as a salve to heal burns

*Memory* : honey can improve both short- and long-term memory

*Diabetes* : Honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, which means it won’t spike your blood sugar levels the way sugar will.

*Hemorrhoids* cause itching and pain in the anus, as well as blood in the stool. They are never fun. If you’re looking for a home remedy, honey might fit the bill. A pilot study using a mixture of honey, olive oil, and beeswax as a topical treatment found that the mixture significantly reduced pain and itching, as well as bleeding.

PLZ FOLLOW GOVT. NORMS, MAINT SOCIAL DISTANCE, KEEP YOURSELF & YOUR FAMILY SAFE: