Daily GK Update- 20th, May 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Manipur CM launches ‘MOMA Market’ for vegetable: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has launched a smartphone application “Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) Market” for home delivery of fresh vegetables to ensure that people get fresh vegetables at their doorsteps during the COVID-19 induced curfew. MOMA a unit of the state horticulture and soil conservation department launched the app under the CM’s supervision to make fresh vegetables available for day-to-day consumption and to reduce the distress sales of farm produce during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

MOMA has been assigned to work in the area and channel farm produces to consumers via home delivery in order to prevent vegetable losses and COVID-19 spread. Farmers Producer Companies (FPCs) working with MOMA will harvest vegetables from various farms. It will then be transported to cold storage and warehouses at the department’s complex in Sanjenthong and other locations. Finally, the consumer’s MOMA Market order will be shipped to their doorstep.

Note: Chief Minister of Manipur: N. Biren Singh; Governor: Najma Heptulla.

 

2. Haryana Declares Black Fungus A Notified Disease: Black Fungus has been categorised as a notified disease in Haryana, making it imperative that government authorities be informed about each case. This will allow in the tracking and management of an outbreak. The COVID-19 pandemic in India has catalysed the spread of black fungus or mucormycosis, which can disfigure people even when it is not fatal. Declaring a disease notifiable helps collate information and lets authorities monitor the disease and set off early warnings.

About the Black fungus: “Black fungus” mainly affects people on medication for other health problems that reduce their ability to fight environmental pathogens, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research. The COVID-19 pandemic in India has catalysed the fungal infection into a dangerous disease disfiguring scores and even killing some.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya; Haryana Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

3. IIT Ropar developed portable eco-friendly mobile cremation system: IIT Ropar has developed a portable eco-friendly electric cremation system. It is one of its kind of technology that produces no smoke despite using wood for cremation. It is based on wick-stove technology. The cart has been developed in collaboration with the company Cheema Boilers Limited. The cart-shaped mobile cremation system has stainless steel insulation on both sides of the cart for reducing heat loss and wood consumption. It takes less time to dispose of the body entirely as compared to normal wood-based cremation. It uses half wood than normal wood-based cremation, so it is an eco-friendly technology.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India loses ONGC-discovered Farzad-B gas field in Iran: India lost the ONGC Videsh Ltd-discovered Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf after Iran awarded a contract for developing the giant gas field to a local company. The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has signed a contract worth USD 1.78 billion with Petropars Group for the development of Farzad B Gas Field in the Persian Gulf. The field holds 23 trillion cubic feet of in-place gas reserves, of which about 60 per cent is recoverable. It also holds gas condensates of about 5,000 barrels per billion cubic feet of gas. ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas investment arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), had in 2008 discovered a giant gas field in the Farsi offshore exploration block. OVL and its partners had offered to invest up to USD 11 billion for the development of the discovery, which was later named Farzad-B.

Note: Iran Capital: Tehran; Iran Currency: Iranian rial; Iran President: Hassan Rouhani.

 

2. Google Cloud partnered with SpaceX for providing satellite internet service: Google Cloud and SpaceX signed a deal for providing internet service through Starlink satellite. Google will provide the Cloud infrastructure for this connectivity Project, while Space X will install ground terminals in Google’s cloud data centres for connecting Starlink satellites. It will help in providing fast internet service to the rural areas. This service will be available to customers before the end of 2021. The first Starlink terminal will be established in a Google data centre in Ohio, United States. Earlier, Microsoft has also signed a similar agreement with SpaceX to connect its Azure cloud to Starlink. Starlink is a project under which SpaceX aims to send 12,000 satellites to provide space-based internet.

Note: SpaceX founder & CEO: Elon Musk; SpaceX Founded: 2002; SpaceX Headquarters: California, United States of America.

Google CEO: SundarPichai; Google Founded: 4 September 1998, California, United States; Google Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin.

 

3. World Bee Day: 20th May: World Bee Day is observed globally on 20th May every year. On this date, 20 May, the pioneer of beekeeping Anton Janša was born in 1734 in Slovenia. The purpose of the bee day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators in the ecosystem. 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. The theme of World Bee Day 2021 is “Bee engaged: Build Back Better for Bees”..

History of World Bee Day: The UN Member States approved Slovenia’s proposal to proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day in December 2017. The resolution called for the adoption of specific conservation measures and highlighted the importance of the preservation of bees and their significance for humanity. The first World Bee Day was observed in 2018.

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

 

4. World Metrology Day: 20th May: World Metrology Day is observed globally on 20th May every year. Many nations on this day, internationally collaborate to create awareness about metrology and its advancement in the respective field. The theme for World Metrology Day 2021 is Measurement for Health. This theme was chosen to create awareness of the important role measurement plays in health, and thus in the wellbeing of every one of us.

History of the World Metrology Day: World Metrology Day is an annual celebration of the signature of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 in Paris, France by representatives of seventeen nations. The World Metrology Day project is realized jointly by the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) and Bureau International des PoidsetMesures (BIPM).

Note: International Organization of Legal Metrology Headquarters: Paris, France; International Organization of Legal Metrology Founded: 1955.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India’s Tejaswini Shankar Wins Consecutive High Jump Titles In USA: Representing Kansas State University, India’s Tejaswini Shankar won back-to-back men’s high jump titles in the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Manhattan, USA. He is the third Indian to compete in the highly competitive USA circuit, the breeding ground for many US track and field Olympians. Shankar had also won the men’s high jump title in the 2019 edition of the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships while the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. IDRBT building National Digital Financial Infrastructure (NADI): The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) is building a next-generation Digital Financial Infrastructure named National Digital Financial Infrastructure (NADI). NADI would provide a roadmap and framework for future digital financial services growth in India.

About the NADI: NADI will consist of modern network infrastructure which includes 5G/Edge Cloud with SDNs (software-defined networking) for connecting to the critical data centre infrastructure at the back-end. IDRBT is an arm of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It will also have the middleware infrastructure for supporting both digital identity verification, digital identity assessment and digital asset management with the support of efficient digital ledger technologies and AI/ML technologies.”

Note: IDRBT Headquarters location: Hyderabad; IDRBT Founded: 1996.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Satoshi Uchida appointed as Suzuki Motorcycle India’s new Company Head: Suzuki Motorcycle India has appointed Satoshi Uchida as the new Company Head. He has replaced KoichiroHirao as part of Suzuki Motor Corporation’s global revamp. Suzuki Motorcycle India registered its highest-ever monthly sales in April 2021, dispatching as many as 77,849 units during the month. Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation based in Minami-Ku.

Note: Suzuki Motor Corporation Founder: Michio Suzuki; Suzuki Motor Corporation Founded: October 1909; Suzuki Motor Corporation CEO: Osamu Suzuki.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Ramesh PokhriyalNishank receives ‘International Invincible Gold Medal’: International Invincible Gold Medal of this year has been conferred on Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh PokhriyalNishank. He has been recognised for his extraordinary commitment and outstanding service to humanity through his writings, social and illustrious public life. The decision was made after due deliberations by a high-powered committee duly constituted under the leadership of Dr Tony Nader who is the global head of the Maharshiorganisation. This honour will be given by the worldwide Maharishi Organization & its universities.

 

2. Kobe Bryant Inducted Posthumously Into Basketball Hall Of Fame: Los Angeles Lakers legend, Kobe Bryant has been posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was presented at the ceremony in Connecticut by NBA great Michael Jordan and his widow, Vanessa, accepted his induction on his behalf. Los Angeles Lakers great Bryant retired in 2016; he was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008. The five-time NBA champion died, aged 41, in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. BCCI referee RajendrasinhJadeja passes away: Former Saurashtra pacer and BCCI referee, RajendrasinhJadeja has died due to COVID-19. He was one of the finest right-arm medium pacers and a remarkable all-rounder. He played 50 first-class matches and 11 List A games, taking 134 and 14 wickets respectively. He had scored 1,536 runs in first-class matches and 104 runs in List A cricket.

 

2. Congress MP Rajeev Satav Passes Away: The senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Rajeev Satav has passed away, days after recovering from a coronavirus infection. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra and the in-charge of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) affairs in Gujarat. Formerly, he was the Member of Parliament in the 16th Lok Sabha from Hingoli in Maharashtra.