TODAY’S TOP NEWS: 12 SEPTEMBER, 2020 (GPN):

NATIONAL NEWS:

1. *Election Commission issued revised guidelines for publishing details of criminal antecedents by candidates and the political parties* regarding candidates nominated by them. As per the revised guidelines, the candidates as well as the political parties, regarding candidates nominated by them, will publish the details of criminal antecedents, if any, in newspapers and television.

2. *The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said that it would be running trains at regular timings (6 am to 11 pm) from 12 September* .

3. *Social activist and reformer Swami Agnivesh, who spent a lifetime opposing slavery and bonded labour, died* on Friday just ten days short of his 81st birthday on September 21.

4. *Ahead of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament beginning from Monday, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu underwent COVID-19 test.* According to an advisory issued to all Rajya Sabha Members, it is mandatory for each Member to undergo the RT-PCR test before attending the session.

5. *Congress on Friday reconstituted the party`s working committee and dropped senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni as general secretaries.* Several other leaders Motilal Vora, Mallikarjun Kharge and Luizinho Falerio were also dropped from their posts. In the reshuffle, Randeep Surjewala gained big as he has been inducted in the high-power six-member panel that advises the Congress president. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will continue to be in charge of Uttar Pradesh.

6. *Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri had virtually launched a roadmap for cities to inculcate a climate-sensitive approach to urban planning and development.* The ‘Streets for People Challenge’ aims to inspire cities to create walking-friendly streets amid COVID-19.

7. Centre releases Rs.6,195 crore to 14 states as post devolution revenue deficit grant.

8. *India slips to 105th position on Global Economic Freedom Index, 2020*
Last year, India held the 79th spot in this ranking

9. *The result for JEE-Mains was announced on Friday with 24 students scoring 100 percentile in the engineering entrance exam* which was postponed twice in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Telangana has maximum 100 percentile scorers at 8, Delhi is at the second spot with 5 hundred percentile scorers followed by Rajasthan (4), Andhra Pradesh (3), Haryana (2 ) and one candidate each from Gujarat and Maharashtra.

10. *No curfew in Punjab this Sunday to facilitate free movement of students appearing for NEET* . But Non-essential shops will remain closed

11. *A Mumbai court on Friday, dismissed the bail applications of Rhea Chakraborty* , brother Showik and four others in drugs scandal related to Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case, filed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

12. *The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked IndiGo to take “appropriate action” after the regulator found alleged violation of safety and social distancing protocols* by mediapersons in the airline’s Chandigarh-Mumbai flight that had actor Kangana Ranaut as a passenger. A viral video of the Wednesday’s incident showed that reporters and camerapersons of various TV channels were jostling and bunching up near the front rows to get a comment from Ranaut after the plane landed at the Mumbai airport.

13. Indian Army issues alert along LoC after ISI drone spotted.

14. *Retired Navy officer beaten up for sharing Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s satirical picture on social media* was attacked and beaten up by nearly a dozen men allegedly . The veteran Madan Sharma, (65 yrs) living in Kandivali East Thakur Complex, was grievously injured and the entire incident was recorded on CCTV camera. The thrashing has caused a serious injury to Sharma’s eye. He said that he received threatening calls for the message that he had forwarded on a WhatsApp group.

15. *Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat on Friday appeared before a parliamentary panel on defence amid the standoff between India and China along the LAC in Ladakh.* The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence is chaired by BJP leader Jual Oram. Members who attended the meeting on Friday, included NCP leader Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

16. *The CBI has sought sanction to prosecute former defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma* , who later became Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore Agusta Westland VVIP helicopter deal,

17. *AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to hand over the investigati-on into the blaze that destroyed the chariot of the Antarvedi Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple to the CBI,* in keeping with the policy of transparency in governance. The century old chariot gutted as miscreants set fire to it in the early hours of September 6, 2020, at Lakshmi Narasimhaseami temple at Antarvedi in East Godavari district.

18. *COVID 19 STATUS*
CONFIRMED 45,62,414
DEATHS 76,271

*✈INTERNATIONAL NEWS*

1. *The five Indian hunters who went missing from Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district and was found by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will finally be handed over to India on September 12 (Saturday),* confirmed Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday. This comes three days after PLA confirmed that they were found on the Chinese side and almost 10 days after they went missing.

2. *India-US hold 2+2 intersessional meeting* : The Intersessional Meeting of the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held on Friday where the two sides discussed a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues.

3. The virtual meeting discussed issues such as combating COVID-19, counter terrorism, India’s membership on the UN Security Council, efforts to counteract recent destabilizing actions in South Asia, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Both sides also agreed to further strengthen consultation through United States-India-Australia-Japan Quadrilateral consultations.

4. *Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono has called for increased cooperation in the India-Pacific region to counter Chinese expansion* . Indo Pacific region is largely viewed as an area comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

5. *US joins India, asks Pakistan to not let its soil be used for terrorist attacks* :During the Seventeenth meeting of the U.S.-India Counter-Terrorism Joint Working Group and the third session of the U.S.-India Designations Dialogue, the U.S. reiterated its support to India in the fight against terrorism.

6. Pakistan’s continued denial has once again failed to hold ground. In a joint statement on measures on countering terrorism, the USA has joined India in underlining the “urgent need for Pakistan to take immediate, sustained, and irreversible action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorist attacks”. The two sides have also asked Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai Attack and Pathankot Attack.

7. *French Defence Minister Florence Parly said France supports Indian candidature for permanent seat at the UN security council.* “India’s election as a member in 2020-21 and 2022 represents an opportunity to promote together a common vision of international peace and security.

8. *Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military brass on Friday deliberated on the five-point agreement reached between India and China* on de-escalating tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh

*WORLD NEWS*

1. *Northrop Grumman, an American global aerospace and defence technology company, announced that its next Cygnus capsule will be named the “S.S. Kalpana Chawla”,* in memory of the mission specialist who died with her six crewmates aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 2003.

2. *The Brazilian state of Bahia has signed an agreement to conduct Phase III clinical trials of Russia`s Sputnik V vaccine* against COVID-19 and plans to buy 50 million doses to market in Brazil.

3. *The North Korean regime led by Kim Jong-un has issued shoot-to-kill orders to prevent the deadly coronavirus infection from entering the country from China* , a commander of US forces in the South has claimed so. North had reportedly sealed its border with China in January in order to prevent contamination, and in July, its state media said it had raised its state of emergency to the maximum level.

4. *United States President Donald Trump announced the normalisation of ties between Israel and Bahrain* , weeks after it brokered the peace deal between United Arab Emirates and Israel.
For decades, most Arab states have boycotted Israel, insisting they would only establish ties after the Palestinian dispute was settled. Bahrain follows the lead of its neighbour, the United Arab Emirates, which reached the peace deal with Israel last month.

5. *Asteroid size of London Eye to fly past Earth on September 14*
NASA has said that an asteroid at the size of London Eye is to fly past Earth on September 14. Named 2020 QL2, it is over 120 meters in diameter, making it one of the largest rocks in NEO Earth Close Approaches list.

6. *Chinese military jets penetrates Taiwanese airspace : Chinese military jets penetrated Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone for two consecutive days this week during a military exercise* . These include SU-30 fighter, J-10 fighter and Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft. This manoeuvre was condemned by the Taiwanese government.

7. *WORLD COVID 19*
CONFIRMED 2,32,60,775
DEATHS 8,05,765

* SPORTS:*

1. *The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the state associations that due to coronavirus pandemic, the board will not be able to hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM)* by September 30.

2. *US Open Tennis* : Victoria Azarenka sets up final clash with Naomi Osaka in Women’s Singles. In the semifinal, Azarenka defeated Serena Williams 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 and ended Serena’s 24th Grand Slam singles title. In another semi final, Naomi Osaka of Japan beat American Jennifer Brady 7-6, 3-6, 6-3.

3. In Men’s Singles semifinals later tonight, while Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain will face Germany’s Alexander Zverev, Russian Daniil Medvedev will take on Dominic Thiem of Austria. The winners will meet in the final on Sunday.

4. *Sports Authority of India sanctioned a camp for shuttlers participating in the Thomas and Uber Cup* at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad after a meeting with the Chief National Badminton Coach and the Badminton Association of India.

*USD 73.48 GBP 94.02*
_In Ahmedabad _(Guj)
*Gold ₹52,390@10 gm 24 (Krt)*
*Silver ₹67,980@ Kg*
⛽ *Petrol ₹ 79.39*
⛽ *Diesel ₹ 78.56*

* FACTS ABOUT INDIA*

*The First Battle of Panipat, on 21 April 1526, was fought between the invading forces of Babur and the Lodi Kingdom* . It took place in north India and marked the beginning of the Mughal Empire. This was one of the earliest battles involving gunpowder firearms and field artillery in the Indian subcontinent which were introduced by Mughals in this battle

* THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.

JOKES OF THE DAY:

1)heavily bandaged man was sitting up in bed at the hospital when his friend came to visit. “What happened to you?” the friend asked.

“Well, we went to the amusement park and decided to ride the roller coaster. As we came to the top of the highest loop, I noticed a sign by the side of the track. I tried to read it, but it was very small and I couldn’t make it out. I was so curious that I went around again, but we went by so quickly that I still couldn’t see what the sign said. By now I was determined, so I went around a third time. As we reached the top I stood up in the car to get a better view.”

“And did you manage to see what the sign said this time?” asked his friend.

“Yeah… The sign said ‘Remain seated at all times!'”

2) A man finds his dog with a dead rabbit in its mouth. He realizes that the rabbit is a pet of his next-door neighbor. In a panic he cleans the rabbit up and sneaks it into its cage, hoping his neighbor will think their pet died of natural causes.

Next day he spots his neighbor digging a hole in the flower beds and goes over to investigate.

“What are you doing?” asks the man.

“Burying my rabbit again,” replies the neighbor. `There sure are some sick people around here. The rabbit dropped dead on Monday, I buried it on Tuesday, and on Wednesday some Rascal dug it up, gave it a wash, and stuck it back in its cage.”

3) little boy asks his dad, “Where does poo come from?”

His father is taken aback by the question but decides to give his son the facts straight up.

“Well son,” he says, “food passes down the esophagus by peristalsis. It enters the stomach, where digestive enzymes induce a probiotic reaction in the alimentary canal. This contracts the protein before waste enters the colon. Water is absorbed, whereupon it enters the rectum finally to emerge as poo.”

“Wow,” says the boy. “So where does Tigger come from?” (This joke is about the cartoon  Winnie the Pooh and Tigger)

4) During Sermon on a Sunday service, the Pastor said, “If I had all the Beer in the world, I’d take it and throw it into the river.”

And the congregation cried, “Amen! ”

“And if I had all the Wine in the world, I’d take it and throw it in the river.”

And the congregation cried: “Amen!”

“And if I had all the Whiskey and Rum in the world, I’d take it all and throw it in the river.”

Again the congregation cried, “Amen!…”

The Pastor sat down.

The Junior Pastor then stood up and said, “For our closing Hymn, let’s turn to page 126 of our Hymn books and sing, “We shall drink from the river.”

The whole Congregation SCREAMED *HALLELUJAH!*

5) Rahul and Sonia in American Ascent

Rahul : I’m Hungary.

Sonia : Why don’t you Czech the fridge?

Rahul : Okay, I’m Russian to the kitchen.

Mum : Hmm… maybe you’ll find some Turkey.

Rahul : Yeah, but its all covered in Greece. Yucks!

Mum : There is Norway you can eat that.

Rahul : I know, I guess I’ll just have a can of Chile.

Mum : Denmark your name on the can.

Rahul : Kenya do it for me?

Mum : Okay, I’m Ghana do it.

Rahul : Thanks, I’m so tired – Iran for an hour today.

Mum : It Tokyo long enough.

Rahul : Yeah, Israelly hard sometimes!

Sonia says sometimes I have to do this to Rahul so he can remember Geography and Places.

6) A guy ordered a drink in an airport cocktail lounge and suddenly realized that sitting across from him was Bill Gates.

Barely concealing his enthusiasm, he introduced himself, “Hello, Mr. Gates. My name is Larry. You don’t know me, but I’d like to ask you for a small favor.”

A wary Gates asked, “And what might that be?”

“I’m meeting with a potential client here in a few minutes and if I can sign this deal, it could change my whole life. All I ask is that you walk over and greet me like an old friend. Perhaps my client will be impressed enough to swing the deal.”

Relieved, Gates said, “Sure. I can do that for you.”

A few minutes later, as the man sat talking with his client, Gates finished his drink, walked over to them, and said, “Hey, Larry! I thought that was you. How’ve you been?”

And the guy replied, “F*¢k off, Gates! I’m in a meeting here!”

7) Rahul was told to complete some English proverbs by his teacher …This is what Rahul did-

Better to be safe than…………………. punch a 5th grader.

Strike while the………………… bug is close.

It’s always darkest before………………… Daylight Saving Time.

Never underestimate the power of………………… termites.

You can lead a horse to water but…………………. how?

Don’t bite the hand that…………………. looks dirty.

No news is………………… impossible.

A miss is as good as a………………… Mr.

You can’t teach an old dog new………………… math.

If you lie down with dogs, you’ll………………… stink in the morning.

Love all, trust………………… me.

The pen is mightier than the………………… pigs.

An idle mind is………………… the best way to relax.

Where there’s smoke there’s………………… pollution.

Happy the bride who………………… gets all the presents.

A penny saved is………………… not much.

Two’s company, three’s………………… the Musketeers.

Don’t put off till tomorrow what………………… you put on to go to bed.

Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and………………… you have to blow your nose.

There are none so blind as………………… Stevie Wonder.

Children should be seen and not………………… spanked or grounded.

If at first you don’t succeed………………… get new batteries.

You get out of something only what you………………… see in the picture on the box.

When the blind leadeth the blind………………… get out of the way.

And the favorite:
Better late than…………………Idle.

Teacher predicted Rahul will be extraordinary in future.Teacher Shocked Rahul Rocked.

*TELL ME WHY❓❓*

*Why does distilled water not conduct electricity where as rain water does?*

Distilled water is the pure form of water. It is neutral in nature and also it doesn’t dissociate into ions and it has negligible ionization.

Electricity needs ions to move in an electrolyte, which is not provided by water.

Rain water on the other hand, contains dissolved salts, acids and even few basic particles. These particles dissociate in water into ions which help in conduction of electricity.
So, Rain water conduct electricity.

*LEARN SANSKRIT*

*भविष्यत्कालम्* :
future

*HOW IT WORKS* ⁉

*How does whales and Dolphins breathe ⁉️*

Whales and dolphins are mammals and breathe air into their lungs, just like we do. They cannot breathe underwater like fish can as they do not have gills. They breathe through nostrils, called a blowhole, located right on top of their heads.

This allows them to take breaths by exposing just the top of their heads to the air while they are swimming or resting under the water. After each breath, the blowhole is sealed tightly by strong muscles that surround it, so that water cannot get into the whale or dolphin’s lungs. When a dolphin surfaces for air, he breathes out (exhales) first and then breathes in (inhales) fresh air; it only takes a fraction of a second for the dolphin to do this.

They have high amounts of haemoglobin and myoglobin to store oxygen in their blood and muscles, can reduce their heart rate and even shut down some organs when they dive to help them survive in the deep

‍♂️ *GK TODAY*

*Who was MOSES*

One of Judaism’s great figures is the man called Moshe Rabbenu (‘Moses our teacher’) in Hebrew. The first five books of the Bible are traditionally ascribed to him. Moses is the channel between God and the Hebrews, through whom the Hebrews received a basic charter for living as God’s people. Moses is the most important Jewish prophet. He’s traditionally credited with writing the Torah and with leading the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.

According to both Jewish and Christian Dogma, the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (the first five books of the Bible and the entirety of the Torah) were all written by Moses in about 1,300 B.C. There are a few issues with this, however, such as the lack of evidence that Moses ever existed.

Word *Christ* comes from the Greek word χριστός (chrīstós), meaning ” *anointed one* “.

*VEDIK GYAN*

*Mahabharata is one of the greatest written Hindu epic of all times* . The story spans over 100000 shlokas, or over 200000 verses, as each shloka is a couplet. It is written by Veda Vyasa, in Sanskrit. Consisting of about 1.8 million words, the Mahabharata is almost 4 times longer than the Ramayana. The Mahabharata, meaning the great battle, narrates the epic Kurukshetra war and the fates of Pandava and Kaurava princes. It is centered around the central theme of Dharma, and contains devotional and philosophical content. The Mahabharata has been written in eighteen books, called parvas. The eighteen parvas are:

1. Adi Parva
2. Sabha Parva
3. Vana Parva
4. Virata Parva
5. Udyoga Parva
6. Bhishma Parva
7. Drona Parva
8. Karna Parva
9. Shalya Parva
10. Sauptika Parva
11. Stri Parva
12. Shanti Parva
13. Anushasana Parva
14. Ashvamedika Parva
15. Ashramavasika Parva
16. Mausala Parva
17. Mahaprasthanika Parva
18. Svargarohana Parva

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

*Radish* is known to control damage to our red blood cells, and in the process also increases oxygen supply to the blood.

*High on Fiber* : If you eat it as part of your daily salad intake, without going overboard of course, radish also provides your system with ample roughage and fibers, therefore improving your digestion. It also regulates bile production, safeguards your liver and the gall bladder, and is great for taking care of water retention.

*PLZ FOLLOW GOVT. NORMS, MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCE, KEEP YOURSELF & YOUR FAMILY SAFE* ENDS