1.Person in News
India’s Freya Thakral wins Diana Award 2020
Diana award is an accolade a young person aged 9-25 receives for their social action or humanitarian work.
Freya Thakral, a 13 year old student, has won it for her Recycler App
The app connect users with waste-handlers as a measure to help the ragpickers of Delhi and improve their lives
2.Environment
Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary to be upgraded into a National Park
Dehing Patkai was declared as an Elephant Reserve in 1992 as part of Project Elephant
In 2004, it was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary
This decision comes in the backdrop of a controversial decision made by the National Board for Wild Life’s (NBWL) to give mining rights in the nearby Eco-sensitive zone Saleki Proposed Reserved Forest, which have now been suspended
Quick Fact: The safety bestowed upon a National Park is stricter and larger in scope as compared to a Wildlife Sanctuary
3.Person in News
Overdraft: Saving the Indian Saver: Book written by Urjit Patel
Urjit Patel has written a book titled ‘Overdraft: Saving the Indian Saver’.
The book focuses on the non-performing assets (NPAs) issue that the Indian banking sector has been facing lately
Quick Fact: Urjit Patel was 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from September 2016 to December 2018.
4.Sports
Akash becomes India’s 66th Grandmaster
Tamil Nadu’s G Akash became India’s 66th chess Grandmaster
His title was confirmed at second council meet of International Chess Federation (FIDE)
The electronics and communications engineer is trained by K Visweswaran
5.International Affairs
Jean Castex: New French prime minister
Public servant Jean Castex has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of France
He is known as Mr Deconnement of French Media
He has worked as an advisor to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and has years of experience in the French Health Ministry
Quick Fact: Emmanuel Macron is the president of France
6.Person in News
Former IAS officer Injeti Srinivas appointed as the first Chairman of IFSCA
Injeti Srinivas has been appointed as the first Chairman of the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) for a period of three years
IFSCA is a unified authority that will be regulating the financial activities across all the International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in India
IFSCA will consist of:
- One chairperson
- One member each nominated by regulators like RBI, SEBI,etc.
- Two members of the Central Government
Quick Fact: IFSCA will be headquartered in Gandhinagar, home of India’s first IFSC GIFT City
7.Sports
New Branding and Visual Identity for IOA on 100th anniversary of Indian participation at Olympic Games
India sent its first Olympic team at the 1920 Summer Olympics at Belgium’s Antwerp
The new logos will:
- Celebrate the tricolor
- Signify the value of unity, friendship, and merit
- Celebrate contributions of Indian sportspeople at Olympics over the last 100 years
Quick Fact: The new institutional and commercial logo has been approved by the International Olympic Committee
8.Science and Technology
Israel launches its Intelligence Satellite Ofek-16 into LEO
Israel has successfully launched its intelligence satellite ‘Ofek-16’ into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) from Central Israel’s Palmachim Airbase
This is the 12th Ofek family satellite launched by Israel
Ofek-16 is an optoelectronic reconnaissance (intelligence) satellite and serves the purpose of monitoring the developments by Iran’s Armed Forces and its nuclear program
