DAILY GK 4, 5 OCT 2020

 DAILY GK 4, 5 OCT 2020

1. FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION (REGULATION) AMENDMENT ACT, 2020

•  Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has redefined guidelines on how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can accept, transfer and utilise foreign donations and contributions by amending the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) with Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020 which has come into force w.e.f. September 29, 2020.

•  The decision regarding its commencement was taken by the Centre in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020 (33 of 2020) to maintain transparency in NGOs.

 

2.  ‘ATAL TUNNEL’- WORLD’S LONGEST HIGHWAY TUNNEL

•  PM  Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Atal Tunnel’ – World’s Longest Highway Tunnel in Manali, Himachal Pradesh.  The 9.02 Kilometre Long Tunnel has been constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of INR 3, 300 crores.

•  It connects Manali and Lahaul-Spiti Valley.

•  The Tunnel is built in the PirPanjal Range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 Meters (10, 000 Feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL).

•  The Tunnel is 9.02 Kilometres Long and connects Manali and Lahaul-Spiti Valley all over the year.

 

3. VIRTUAL VAISHVIK BHARTIYA VAIGYANIK (VAIBHAV )

•  PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian Researchers and Academicians namely “VaishvikBharatiyaVaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit 2020” via video conferencing which will continue till October 31, 2020 i.e.Sardar Patel Jayanti.

•  During the summit he encouraged indigenous vaccine production.

•  To bring Indian origin experts in academic institutes and R&D organizations across the world on a single platform to debate upon collaboration mechanisms to strengthen academic and S&T (science &  technology) base in India for global development.

 

4.  ‘TRIBES INDIA E-MARKETPLACE’

•  Arjun Munda virtually launched ‘Tribes India E-Marketplace’ (market.tribesindia.com).

•  It is India’s largest handicraft and organic products marketplace.

•  It is an initiative of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).

 

5. GIC, TPG TO INVEST ABOUT $1 BILLION IN RELIANCE RETAIL

•  The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), and United States based Texas Pacific Group (TPG) will invest a combined USD 1 Billion (INR 7, 350 Crores) in Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL).

•  GIC will invest INR 5, 512 Crore for 1.22% stake while TPG Capital Management will invest INR 1, 838 Crore to own 0.41% equity stake in RRVL.The investments value the company at a pre-money equity value of INR 4.285 trillion (USD 58.47 Billion).

 

6. PURIFIED EQUINE ANTISERUM TO TREAT COVID-19

•  The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Hyderabad based Biological E Limited have developed highly purified ‘equine antisera’ for prophylaxis and treatment of the COVID-19.

•  It was isolated by the ICMR-led National Institute of Virology, Pune (Maharashtra). Antisera are blood serum high in antibodies against specific antigens and are injected in humans to help the immune system in fighting specific infections.

•  Antibodies from horses, known as equine antisera.

 

7. SS KALPANA CHAWLA CARGO SPACECRAFT

•  NASA launched the Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft named “SS Kalpana Chawla” after its astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born woman to enter space and was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle in Columbia disaster when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2003.

•  The spacecraft was launched on an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, United States (US) to deliver nearly 8,000 pounds (approximately 3,630 kilograms) of scientific investigations, technology demonstrations, commercial products, and other cargo to the International Space Station (ISS).

 

8. COFFEE-TABLE BOOK “BAPU – THE UNFORGETTABLE”

•  on the occasion of the 151st Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief minister of Delhi launched the coffee-table book titled “Babu – The Unforgettable” over a virtual event organised by the Delhi Archives & Department of Art, Culture and Language, Government of Delhi.

•  Hindustan Times also partnered with these organization to organize the event.