Daily GK Updates - 20th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Mobile App “National Test Abhyas” launched by Union HRD Ministry: Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has launched the ‘National Test Abhyas' mobile app. It has been developed by National Testing Agency (NTA) to enable candidates for taking mock tests of upcoming exams like JEE Main and NEET under the NTA’s purview. The test will be of high quality, free of cost and can be downloaded easily. The move is taken to ensure exposure of practice mock for all the students.

2. ‘Rail-Bot’ developed by SCR to provide better health care to COVID-19 patients: South Central Railway (SCR) zone has developed a robotic device named as “RAIL-BOT” or R-BOT to assist in the functions of hospital management to provide better health care to the COVID-19 patients. It will be used to supply medicines, medical accessories and to serve food to the patients, without any need for physical contact. The R-BOT holds sensor-based features to read the blood heat of patients and transmit an equivalent for display on Mobile phones. It will raise alarm if abnormal high temperature is detected. It can function for 6 hrs in single charge with 11 kmph speed.

Note: Headquarters of South Central Railway zone: Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad; General-Manager of South Central Railway: Gajanan Mallya.

3. Cyclone Amphan intensifies into Super Cyclone: Cyclone Amphan intensified into a super cyclone with wind speed above 200 kmph and moved further towards North-Northeastwards over West Central Bay. It is the first super cyclone to hit the region in the last two decades since a super cyclone-hit Odisha in 1999 causing widespread damage and loss of life. India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain in Odisha and West Bengal under its impact.

4. LISA technique for lung treatment of newborns launched in Jaipur: Less Invasive surfactant Administration (LISA) technique has been developed to treat lungs problem. It is a protective strategy for respiratory management and mechanical ventilation causing damage to the preterm lungs of infants. Infants who are managed with primary continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and increasing respiratory distress are suitable for LISA. Its regular application would save the lives of premature babies.

5. Indian Railways operationalised its 1st 12,000 hp electric Locomotive- WAG12: Indian Railways has operationalised its first 12000 HP Locomotive manufactured by Madhepura Electric Loco Factory in Bihar. The locomotive is named as WAG12 with Number 60027 and was built indigenously under Make in India programme. The train starts its operation from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Station at 14:08 hrs and was having 118 wagons on broad gauge track. India became the 6th country of the world producing high horse power locomotive indigenously.

Note: Union Minister of Railways: Piyush Goyal; Minister of State of Railways: Angadi Suresh Channabasappa.

6. Ladakh becomes COVID-19 free after recovery of all active cases: The Union Territory, Ladakh has become corona virus free as the region have not reported any fresh case since 3rd May 2020. A total of 43 cases of Coronavirus were reported in Ladakh till now and all the confirmed cases have recovered from the COVID-19.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh: Radha Krishna Mathur.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India donates $2 million to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees Amid COVID-19: India has extended USD 2 million in aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the welfare of Palestinian refugees, amidst the coronavirus crisis. UNRWA provides education, health care, relief and social services to Palestinian refugees in Near East. India’s contribution was handed over by India’s representative to Palestine Sunil Kumar to Chief of Donor Relations of UNRWA Marc Lassouaoui. India increased its annual contribution to the UNRWA from USD 1.25 million in 2016 to USD 5 million in 2019. It pledged another USD 5 million for 2020, opening the way to become a member of the Agency’s Advisory Commission.

Note: United Nations Relief and Works Agency Headquarters headquarter: Amman, Jordan; United Nations Relief and Works Agency Commissioner- General: Christian Saunders

2. WHO will initiate Independent Inquiry in handling of COVID-19: The World Health Organisation will initiate the Independent Inquiry in the handling of COVID-19. To achieve this, WHO will launch “Resolution on COVID-19 response”. The main aim of the review is to put an end to the international blame game in the origin of COVID-19. Around 116 countries backed the resolution of independent review. India backed the resolution. The idea of the resolution was initiated by Australia. However, the resolution was drafted by the European Union.

Notr: Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland; Director-general of WHO: Tedros Adhanom.

3. Thomas Thabane resigns from the post of Lesotho PM: Africa's oldest political leader, Thomas Thabane has stepped down as Prime Minister of Lesotho. Thabane and his current wife are suspected of conspiring to murder his former wife nearly three years ago. He started his career as Principal Secretary for Health in 1986 and then was Foreign Affairs Minister (1990- 91). Thabane was appointed as Prime Minister of Lesotho on 16 June 2017. Lesotho’s Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro has been named by parliament as the interim Prime Minister of the country.

Note: Lesotho is the southern African mountain kingdom; Lesotho Capital: Maseru; Lesotho Currency: Lesotho loti.

4. China announces USD 2 billion help at WHO assembly: China has announced to provide USD 2 billion over two years to fight the coronavirus pandemic at WHO assembly with an aim of supporting COVID-19 response efforts, particularly in developing countries. The decision comes after, when China faced growing global pressure over the lockdowns, the death toll and a huge increase in coronavirus cases that has brought the world to a standstill. WHO announced the coronavirus outbreak to be a worldwide health emergency on January 30 which was further declared as a pandemic on March 11, after the virus had killed thousands globally.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; Currency of China: Renminbi; President of China: Xi Jinping.

5. World Bee Day: 20th May: The World Bee Day is celebrated every year on May 20 to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem. The theme of World Bee Day 2020 is “Bee engaged”. The day also marks the birth anniversary of Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping, who was born on 20 May 1734. The day was proposed by Slovenia and proclaimed by UN Member States in December 2017. About 33% of the world’s food production depends on bees thus they are vital for the preservation of biodiversity, ecological balance in nature and helpful in reducing pollution.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General: QU Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Founded: 16 October 1945.

6. Ruskin Bond’s new book ‘Hop On: My Adventures on Boats, Trains and Planes’ Released: Popular author Ruskin Bond’s new book titled “Hop On: My Adventures on Boats, Trains and Planes”, was released on 19 May 2020 in an e-book format, to celebrate the occasion of his 86th birthday. The book narrates some of his memorable travel adventures on boats, trains and planes from his childhood. It contains illustrations by Samrat Halder and is published by Speaking Tiger’s children’s imprint Talking Cub.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI extends KYC norms to Housing Finance Companies: The Reserve Bank of India has announced that the Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines/norms will now be applicable to Housing Finance Companies also. It must be noted that the Regulation of Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) was transferred from the National Housing Bank to RBI in August 2019. And KYC norms are applicable to all Regulated Entities of the RBI and hence it has now been made applicable on Housing Finance Companies also.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. BSE, NSE cut annual listing fee for SMEs by 25%: Stock exchanges BSE and NSE have announced to reduce the listing fee for their SME platforms by 25 per cent. BSE and NSE had launched their respective SME platforms in 2012 and since then have been facilitating SMEs for raising funds, listing and trading on the exchanges. The rebate in the fee comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s several announcements to rescue the ailing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar wins Alexander Dalrymple Award 2019: Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar, the National Hydrographer to the Government of India, has been honored with the 2019 Alexander Dalrymple Award, by United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO). He has been awarded in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian hydrography and across the wider Indian Ocean region. The award was presented by the UK Ministry of Defence. The recipients of the award are selected by the chief Committee of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) for his or her efforts in raising the standards of hydrography, cartography and navigation around the world. The award is named after the first Hydrographer of the British Admiralty, Alexander Dalrymple and was first presented in 2006. Recipients of the award are selected by the Executive Committee of the UKHO for their efforts in raising the standards of hydrography, cartography, and navigation around the world.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff (CNC): Admiral Karambir Singh.

Director of International Hydrographic Organisations: Abri Kampfer (South Africa) & Mustafa Iptes (Turkey); International Hydrographic Organisations Established: 1921; International Hydrographic Organisations Headquarters: Monaco.

OBITUARIES

1. Spiritual leader Dev Prabhakar Shastri passes away: Noted spiritual leader Dev Prabhakar Shastri passed away at the age of 82 years. He died due to lung and kidney ailments. He was popularly known as ‘Daddaji’. He was from Madhya Pradesh.