Top GKToday’s News Headlines-4 August 2020

August 4, 2020

Here are Top GKToday’s News Headlines for August 4, 2020

India

Sanskrit Day celebrated on August 3

Sanskrit Day was celebrated on August 3, 2020. The day is observed every year on the full moon day of the Hindu calendar month of Shravan. In 2019, it was celebrated on August 15.

Tamil Nadu rejects 3-language formula proposed in New Education Policy 2020

Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said that Tamil Nadu will not allow a three-language formula in the state and continue with two-language policy of Tamil and English. The three-language policy has been proposed in the New Education Policy 2020 released by the Centre.

NIT Trichy to offer MA in English Literature

The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Trichy has started an MA programme in English Literature, as a first step in removing barriers between arts, sciences and Technology, in line with the recently announced National Education Policy (NEP).

Hyderabad with 3 lakh CCTV cameras is India’s Most Surveilled City

Hyderabad has been ranked 16^th among the “Top 20 Most Surveilled Cities globally” according to a report published by a UK-based firm Comparitech. Hyderabad has 3 lakh CCTV cameras while Taiyuan in China was ranked first with 4,65,255 CCTV cameras.

Economy

Serum Institute gets nod for Phase-2 and 3 trials of Oxford’s Covid vaccine

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval to Serum Institute of India, Pune to conduct second and third phase clinical trials of the Oxford University-Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine Covishield, a health ministry statement said.

IndianOil-Total (France) JV to make speciality bitumen derivatives in India

PSU IndianOil announced an equal joint venture (JV) with French energy major Total for manufacturing speciality bitumen derivatives used in road projects.

World

2 U.S. astronauts return to earth from ISS in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon “Endeavor”

U.S. astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who flew to the International Space Station in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon “Endeavor”, splashed down in the capsule in the Gulf of Mexico on August 2, 2020 after a two-month voyage that was NASA’s first crewed mission from home soil in nine years. They had undocked from ISS on August 1.

Covid-19: Australia’s Victoria state declares a ‘state of disaster’

Australia’s second-most populous state of Victoria declared a state of disaster on August 2, 2020 and imposed a nightly curfew for the capital Melbourne as part of its harshest movement restrictions to date to contain a resurgent Covid-19.

Gandhi-King initiative passes U.S. House committee

A Bill that seeks to establish annual scholar and student exchange programme between India and the U.S. to study the work and legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was passed by a committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Among other things, the Bill seeks to establish the Gandhi-King Global Academy, a conflict resolution initiative.

Sports

Cricket: IPL 2020 will be played in UAE from Sept 19 to Nov 10

IPL 2020 will be played from September 19 to November 10 in the UAE. The decision to this effect was taken at a virtual meeting of IPL Governing Council on August 2, 2020. The matches will be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

BCCI to grant amnesty to players who voluntarily declare any age fraud

The BCCI on August 3, 2020 said it will grant amnesty to registered players who voluntarily declare any age fraud. Such players will not be suspended and allowed to participate in the appropriate age group level. If guilty players don’t accept their fraud now and are later found to be guilty of age fraud then they will be banned for two years.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix at Silverstone

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on August 2, 2020. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third.

Football: Italian club Lazio’s Ciro Immobile wins European Golden Shoe

Lazio’s Ciro Immobile scored his 36^th goal of the season in Italian first division football ‘Serie A’ that won him the European Golden Shoe award. The award is given to the top scorer across every European league, with goals weighted by the quality of league.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2020