TODAY’S TOP NEWS: 18 SEPTEMBER, 2020 (GPN):

NATIONAL NEWS:

1. Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Thursday expressed hope that *COVID-19 vaccine would be available in the country by early next year.*

2. *President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu have greeted PM Modi on his birthday. who turned 70 yesterday.* BJP has organised a week-long Seva Saptah to celebrate PM’s birthday. Several programmes related to cleanliness, distribution of sanitary pads and wheel chairs and social service are being organized from 14th to 20th of this month across the country.

3. *Delhi international airport* on Thursday *opened an exclusive terminal* to handle the flight operations of *private jets.*

4. On Thursday, *PM Modi hailed the passage of the “historic” agrarian reform bills* , describing it as an important moment in the agriculture sector. He stated that these *bills will free the farmers from middlemen and other barriers.* According to him, the farmers will get new opportunities for selling their produce, thereby increasing their income.

5. *Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigns from Modi cabinet opposing three Farm Bills* : BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday, opposed the three Farm bills in the Lok Sabha. The three bills aimed at massive agricultural reforms were introduced on the first day of the ongoing monsoon session by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

6. *What are the three Farm bills?*
Amending the Essential Commodities act, the Centre aimed to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments – making agriculture sector competitive. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato to be deregulated while stock limits were to imposed under extreme conditions.

7. Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws.

8. The ordinance which was promulgated on June 5, 2020, will enable farmers for engaging with processors and aggregators, large retailers, exporters in a transparent way.

9. *Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General MM Naravane arrived in Srinagar on Thursday for a two-day visit to Kashmir* . The Army Chief will be reviewing the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir amid the continuous ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army.

10. *Centre to increase Janaushadi kendras to 10,5000 by March 2024*: Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers announced the government’s intension to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,500 by the end of March 2024. The PMBJKs are being established by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India under Pharmaceuticals department.

11. *In view of rising cases of coronavirus COVID-19, the Mumbai Police have extended prohibitory orders restricting the movement of people in the city till September 30.* However, no new restrictions have been imposed,

12. *The Indian army is exploring and drilling for water at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO)* , one of the strategic outposts along the LAC. There is also the hope for the possibility of reconstructing a paleo lake that existed at DBO 10,000 years ago. At the altitude of 17,000 feet in eastern Ladakh.

13. *Time to end DRDO’s monopoly on defence research:* Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a welcome move, has banned imports of several defence items in order to move decidedly in the direction of self-reliance in defence.Major steps are also in the pipeline to re-organise the Defence Research and Development Organisation and make it more efficient.

14. *Military Intelligence, Lucknow, have arrested a man in Jaipur from Dharuhera in Rewari for allegedly passing classified information* to Pakistani Military Intelligence unit after allegedly getting honey-trapped on Facebook.

15. *School reopening cancelled in Uttarakhand* from September 21 amid rising COVID-19 cases.

16. *UPSC NDA, NA (II) final results declared,* check full merit list at *upsc.gov.in.* Total of 662 candidates have qualified in the NDA and NA examinations.

17. The written examination for NDA and NA examinations were held on November 17 and the merit list was prepared after the interview round. “The following is the list, in order of merit of 662 candidates, who have qualified on the basis of the results of the Written Examination held by the Union Public Service Commission on 17th November, 2019

18. PM Modi responded to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt’s birthday wish for him on Thursday and said that he prays for his good health. *Sanjay Dutt is battling cancer and is currently in Dubai.*

19. *Newly elected Rajya Sabha member Ashok Gasti, who was admitted to a private hospital after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, died* on Thursday night. He strengthen the Party in Karnataka.

20. *Union Home Minister Amit Shah discharged from AIIMS* , who recently recovered from COVID-19 and was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for a complete medical checkup, was discharged on Thursday evening

21. Government on Thursday said that the country’s *recovery rate* among *the COVID-19 patients has reached to 78.64* *per cent* .

22. *COVID-19 IN INDIA*
TOTAL CASES 5118253
TOTAL ACTIVE 1009976
RECOVERED 4025079
TOTAL DEATHS 83198

*✈INTERNATIONAL NEWS*

1. *PM Modi will be inaugurating Kosi Rail Mahasetu (mega-bridge) along with 12 other rail projects in Bihar* . The government sanctioned the Kosi Mega Bridge line project on 2003-04. *It is of strategic significance along the India-Nepal border.*

2. *10th Meeting of the BRICS High Representatives on National Security was held yesterday,* September 17, 2020. The virtual meeting was chaired by Russia.

3. *The National Security Advisors of the BRICS nations discussed the issues related to strengthening of the political security and cooperation among the BRICS nations.*
Countries also exchanged their views on international security, biosafety, cooperation on counter-terrorism and cybersecurity.

4. BRICS is an association of five economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. This was formed in 2009.

5. *Environment Ministerial Meeting of G20 countries held virtually* : The video conference was under the Presidency of Saudi Arabia. Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar, while representing India, commended the group’s launch of Global Initiative to reduce Land Degradation and Coral Reef Programme and two climate change-related documents this year.

6. *World Bank’s Human* *Capital Index released*
*Among the 174 countries, India holds 116th position in the 2020 Human Capital Index* , with its score increasing to 0.49 from 0.44 in 2018. The updated index includes latest data of health and education of all 174 countries, encompassing 98% of the global population.

7. *The Bangladesh Government granted permission to India so as to export Hilsa fish.* in the view of. Earlier, in 2012, the Government of Bangladesh imposed a ban on export of Hilsa fish to. However, India continues to export fish during the Durga Puja with the government’s permission. Around 500 tonnes were imported from Bangladesh during 2019 Durga puja.

8. *India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) recently exited from Sudan oilfields.* This step was taken by ONGC after the African nation refused to pay for oil it lifted from the fields.

9. *Pakistan violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.* The Pakistani troops continued shelling for two hours in Balakot and Mendhar sectors in the district. The Indian Army gave a befitting reply.

*WORLD NEWS*

1. *Nations need to come together to provide vital treatment to suppress Covid-19 transmission:* UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said .

2. *UNICEF: 1.2 billion children living in multidimensional poverty due to COVID-19 pandemic* . This is a 15% increase in the number of children living in deprivation in low and middle income countries

3. *NASA considers sending probe to Venus*
After an international research team discovered evidence of potential microbes residing in the harshly acidic Venusian clouds, a NASA panel is reviewing missions to send robotic probes to Venus. The approval is expected to be given by next April.

4. *Thousands of firefighters battle US West Coast blazes amid ‘overwhelming’ ruin* : The Oregon Department of Forestry said 6,500 firefighters from the state and elsewhere in the United States and Canada were working to stop the blazes,

5. *WORLD COVID CASES* CONFIRMED 2,32,60,775
DEATHS 8,05,765

* SPORTS:*

1. *IPL 13 is scheduled* to be the thirteenth season of the IPL, a professional Twenty20 cricket (T20) league established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2007. The tournament would be played between *19 September and 10 November 2020 in the United Arab Emirates.*

2. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has three grounds to conduct the IPL matches, namely;

A. Sheikh Zayed Stadium,

B. Dubai International Stadium and

C. Sharjah cricket stadium.

3. As per the IPL New Schedule 2020, the fianl match will take place on November 10. IPL 2020 *1st match will be played between the Mumbai Indians (MI) Vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on 19 September 2020.*

September 20, Sunday
Delhi Capitals vs Kings XI Punjab: 7:30 P Dubai

September 21, Monday
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: 7:30 PM Dubai

4. *Australia wins ODI series vs England :* Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey struck centuries in a 212-run stand to help Australia reach its target of 303 with two balls remaining and secure a one-day international series win over England.

*USD 74.93 GBP 94.16*
_In Patna_(Bihar)
*Gold ₹51,200@10 gm 24 (Krt)*
*Silver ₹67,800@ Kg*
⛽ *Petrol ₹ 83.96*
⛽ *Diesel ₹ 77.70*

* FACTS ABOUT INDIA*

National Disaster Management Authority, (NDMA) is an apex Body of Government of India, with a mandate to lay down policies & Guidelines for disaster management like Earthquakes, cyclones, now COVID19 etc. NDMA exercise of powers under Section 6 (2) (i) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Decisions on quarantine, lockdown etc will taken by NDMA.

National Executive Committee (NEC) assist and is responsible for the preparation of the National Disaster Management Plan for the whole country. Decisions on restrictions will be taken by NEC under Home ministry.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY *

Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in your own way adsorb it; do not become others

JOKES OF THE DAY:

1)Friend: tumhaari wife kyu hamesha gussa rahti hai?
*Pappu* : maine galti se use bola tha ki “tum gusse main bhi bahut khoob lagti ho

2) Chap goes in to a bar and orders a vodka and coke. Barman serves him. Man drinks it orders another. This goes on for a while, until the chap begins to slow down.

Barman asks, “Is there anything the matter, sir?”

Chap replies, “I had an enormous argument with my wife. She says whenever I open my ugly mouth we have a fight. She said she won’t speak to me for a month. I have to sleep in the hall on the clumsy sofa and she takes the Bed.”

Barman says, “Best bet is to stop drinking, go home, and don’t let this argument carry on past the first night. Nip it in the bud.” Take my advice.

Chap says, “You don’t understand. This is the last night.”

3) Jack and Alec are walking to services and Jack asks, “I wonder whether it would be all right to smoke while praying?”

“Why don’t you ask the rabbi?” says Alec.

Jack sees Rabbi Golden and asks, “Rabbi, is it permissible for me to smoke while I pray?”
“No, you may not. That’s utter disrespect to our religion and traditions!” quickly answers the rabbi.

Jack goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Rabbi told him.

“I’m not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try.”

Alec goes over to the rabbi and asks, “Rabbi, will it be ok if I pray while I smoke?”

To which Rabbi Golden eagerly replies, “By all means, my good man. By all means.”

This is when the words Jackass and Smart Alec were added to dictionary.

4) It was in headlines that a famous Hypnotist does only one show bimonthly. At the second show at the Orpheum People came from miles around to see the famed hypnotist in second of his live performance.

As Claude took to the stage, he declared, “Unlike ordinary hypnotists who invite two or three people onstage, I will hypnotize each and every member of tonight’s audience!”

Claude withdrew from his pocket the beautiful antique pocket watch that had been in his family for generations. As the watch swung gently back and forth, Claude chanted, “Watch the watch. Watch the watch. Watch the watch.”

The spotlight tightened on just his hands, the mesmerized crowd stared, the light gleamed off its polished surfaces, back and forth, back and forth, until it slipped from Claudes fingers, fell to the floor, and broke into smithereens.
“SHIT!” said the hypnotist, under his breath. It took Eight weeks to clean up the theater!

Again will have to starve for two months and bear the burnt to bring everyone out of the trance by making new watch…

5) Engineering Students Santa Banta are waiting to give their oral viva test. First Santa’s turn comes, and he goes inside.

External: Suppose you are travelling by a train, and suddenly it gets hot, what will you do?

Santa: I will open the window.

External: Great, now suppose that the area of the window is1.5 sq.m and the volume of the compartment is 12 m3, the train is travelling at 80 km/hr in a Westerly direction and the speed of the wind is 5 m/s from the South, then how much time will it take for the compartment to cool down?

Santa can’t answer, so he is marked fail and he comes out. After coming out he tells that question to Banta the second student.

The second student goes in and his viva starts.

External: Suppose you are travelling by a train, and suddenly it gets hot, what will you do?

Banta: I will remove my coat.

External: It still is hot, then what?

Banta: I will remove my shirt.

External (angrily): If it still is hot, then what will you do?

Banta: I will remove my pant.

External (Fuming): And what if you die due to the heat?

Banta: Mar jaunga par window nhi kholunga.

6) A funny example of how big WhatsApp groups work, where most people don’t know each other personally. A thing to learn.

One day someone greeted a friend on a WhatsApp group with ‘Happy Birthday Chetan’. Then the others in the group realized that ‘today is Chetan’s birthday’. Immediately the group flooded with birthday greetings.

Each one fulfilled his / her duty immediately. Some started sending greetings in Marathi, some in Hindi, some in English, some in Sanskrit and some with stickers, GIFs, etc. Within a few minutes the group had a festive atmosphere. Many of them did not even know who Chetan was and how he looked.

In the afternoon, the same group reported that ‘Sadanand’s father has passed away tragically. Immediately there was a flood of sadness on the group. From RIP, messages to ‘how we are all with Sadanand in such a sorrowful time’ started coming.

Now at this time, some members were confused how to wish Chetan happy birthday. But they found a way.
A smart race began to greet Chetan on his birthday and a tribute to Sadanand’s father.

Now It was evening, and it was time for many to ‘light the lamp’. So one great personality of those, wrongly wished Happy Birthday to Sadananda and paid tribute to Chetan’s (surviving) father.

Later, those who had just opened the WhatsApp group (without reading the previous message) consoled Chetan (of his ‘surviving’ father’s death), while wishing Sadanand ‘Enjoy such joyous moments in your life every year ‘ (to whom his father had died today).

One went to extreme and sent a two-minute audio recording consoling Chetan and requested other members to observe two minutes of silence.

Some even demanded from Sadanand: “brother .. we want a party today.”

Many people have not yet understood why both Chetan and Sadanand suddenly left the group that evening, even after so much efforts by the

*TELL ME WHY ❓❓*

*why we get dreams while sleeping*

Dreams are hallucinations that occur during certain stages of sleep. They’re strongest during REM sleep, or the rapid eye movement stage, when you may be less likely to recall your dream. Much is known about the role of sleep in regulating our metabolism, blood pressure, brain function, and other aspects of health. A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

Adults and babies alike dream for around two hours per night. During a typical lifetime, people spend an average of six years dreaming. The average person has three to five dreams per night, and some may have up to seven.

People who are blind from birth do not have visual dreams. Their dream contents are related to other senses like hearing, touch, smell and taste, whichever are present since birth

*LEARN SANSKRIT*
*आसिन* {Asin} : बैठना

*HOW IT WORKS* ⁉

*How a spider makes web* ️️

spider has ability to transform liquid silk inside its special glands into solid threads. The spider does this by physically pulling the spider silk through its spinnnerets silk-secreting organs on its abdomen. Once the thread is started, the spider lifts its spinnerets into the breeze. It’s the breeze that is the secret to the spider’s ability to spin a web from tree to another.

Spider silk is very lightweight. Any slight breeze – even convection currents from a patch of ground warming in the sun – can carry the thread from tree to tree. Although the thread isn’t sticky or gluey, it can still stick to the tree. Most likely it just gets tangled on small protuberances. Or it adheres due to static electrical forces, like balloons sticking to a TV screen.At this point, the spider can use the thread to “tightrope walk” from one tree to another. Usually, the spider is hanging underneath the thread on its journey from tree to tree

And spiders recycle – some eat their old webs and use the digested silk to produce new ones. The breeze is the key to a spider’s ability to spin a web between two trees.

‍♂️ *GK TODAY*

*Few famous books written by Gandhiji.*

1. Hind Swaraj
2. Satyagraha in South Africa
3. The Story of my Experiments with Truth
4. An Autobiography
5. Trusteeship
6. Truth is God

*VEDIK GYAN*

In Ramayana, *Mandavi* is the daughter of King Kushadhwaja and Queen Chandrabhaga. She was wife of Bharata, a brother of Rama. She was cousin of Sita.

Taksha and Pushkal are the two sons of Mandavi and Bharata. Kushadhwaja married his daughter Mandavi to Bharata and Shruthakeerthi to Shathrughna.

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

*Castor oil* is a multi-purpose vegetable oil that people have used for thousands of years. It’s made by extracting oil from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant.

It’s commonly used as an additive in foods, medications and skin care products, as well as an industrial lubricant and biodiesel fuel component.

Castor oil helps heal wounds by stimulating the growth of new tissue, reducing dryness and preventing the buildup of dead skin cells.

Castor oil helps fight inflammation, reduce bacteria and soothe irritated skin

The moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties of castor oil make it an excellent option to keep hair soft and hydrated and help reduce dandruff symptoms. ( *Note* : First try applying a small amount to a tiny patch of skin to see how your body reacts)

*Note* While castor oil is considered safe in small doses, larger amounts can cause abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

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