11. What is the name of the tropical Cyclone that hit South Pacific island nations Vanuatu islands and Fuji recently?
[A] Harold
[B] Sidr
[C] Diane
[D] Gretel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Harold]
Notes:
The Tropical Cyclone named ‘Harold’ recently hit the South Pacific island nations including Vanuatu islands and Fuji. It started from the south-west Pacific nation Solomon Islands last week, where it claimed 27 lives.
Later, it hit the Vanuatu islands and caused damages especially in the main town Luganville. Though the cyclone was expected to only reach Category Three, it reached the Category Four in Fiji, where the winds are blowing up to 240 kilometres per hour.
12. As per a recent report, about 400 million workers of India will fall into poverty. Which international organisation released the report?
[A] World Bank
[B] World Economic Forum
[C] International Labour Organisation
[D] United Nations
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [International Labour Organisation]
Notes:
According to a recent report form International Labour Organisation (ILO) titled ‘ILO Monitor 2nd edition: COVID-19 and the world of work’, about 400 million workers of India will fall into poverty.
India has nearly 90 per cent of its people working in informal economy. It also revealed that the lockdown measures in India have impacted these workers significantly. The measures are at the high end of University of Oxford’s COVID-19 Government Response Stringency Index.
13. Indian-American Brahm Kanchibotla, who recently passed away after affected by Covid-19 in the United States, was associated with which profession?
[A] Businessperson
[B] Journalist
[C] Writer
[D] Economist
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Journalist]
Notes:
Veteran Indian-American journalist Brahm Kanchibotla has passed away due to Covid-19 at the age of 66, in the United States.
He was serving as one of the correspondents for United News of India. He had settled in the United States after a long experience in Indian publications. He had been in the field of journalism in the United States for nearly 28 years. He was associated with Merger Markets and News India-Times weekly.
14. An initiative of ‘Arogya Setu Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) service’ has been launched by the Centre in association with which state government?
[A] Odisha
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Kerala
[D] Tamil Nadu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
An Interactive Voice Response System initiative called “Aarogya Setu IVRS” has been launched by the Centre in association with Tamil Nadu government and IIT Madras.
The service has been launched for people who do not use smart phones and to assist them in tackling Covid-19. It will be activated by a missed call and the location of the user is identified. Assistance on healthcare and guidance will be available through the voice service. This service will be launched in other states soon.
15. Which e-commerce firm has launched an exclusive insurance policy to cover COVID-19, in association with ICICI Lombard and Go Digit General Insurance?
[A] Amazon
[B] Flipkart
[C] Snapdeal
[D] Paytm
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Flipkart]
Notes:
E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has launched an exclusive insurance policy to cover COVID-19, in association with ICICI Lombard and Go Digit General Insurance. The two health insurance policies, which provide instant claim benefits, do not require any medical tests at the time of purchase.
The COVID-19 Protection Cover by ICICI Lombard provides ₹25,000 benefit, on positive diagnosis of COVID-19, at an annual premium of ₹159. The cover by Digit Insurance provides hospitalization cover up to a sum assured of ₹1 lakh with an annual premium of ₹511.
16. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved the diagnostic machines used for testing which disease, for testing coronavirus samples?
[A] Tuberculosis
[B] Pneumonia
[C] Chronic Bronchitis
[D] Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Tuberculosis]
Notes:
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved using diagnostic machines that are used for testing drug-resistant Tuberculosis for conducting coronavirus tests.
The ICMR has recommended this as a screening test. As per the guidance issued, throat or nasal swabs are to be collected in the viral transport medium with the ‘virus lysis buffer’, which is provided along with the kit. ICMR-NIV, Pune will inform about the effects of the viral RNA after neutralization of this novel coronavirus by the lysis buffer.
17. Which former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India has been named in the external advisory group of the IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva?
[A]
Urjit Patel
[B] Raghuram Rajan
[C] Y V Reddy
[D] D Subbarao
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Raghuram Rajan]
Notes:
The Chief of International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva has recently named former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Raghuram Rajan and 11 other experts in her external advisory group.
The group is expected to provide perspectives on policy issues and responses to the challenges faced by the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. The group has 12 eminent individuals who have expertise in policy-making, global market and private sector. Raghuram Rajan is currently serving as a professor at the University of Chicago.
18. The World Homeopathy Day is celebrated on which day, every year across the world?
[A] April 6
[B] April 8
[C] April 10
[D] April 12
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [April 10]
Notes:
Every year April 10th is observed as World Homeopathy Day. The theme of this year’s World Homeopathy Day is selected as “Enhancing the scope of Homeopathy in Public Health”.
This day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the father of the Homeopathy system of medicines. Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), under the Ministry of AYUSH organized an international webinar on the occasion of World Homoeopathy Day.
19. Which national park in India has set up the country’s first quarantine facility for animals?
[A] Jim Corbett Park
[B] Ranthambore National Park
[C] Kaziranga National Park
[D] Gir Forest National Park
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Jim Corbett Park]
Notes:
Jim Corbett, the oldest National Park of India, has set up the country’s first quarantine facility for animals. The national park is situated in Paurhi Garhwal region in the state of Uttarakhand.
After a Malayan tiger was tested positive for COVID-19 in Bronx zoo in the United States, the Indian park has started to set up about 10 quarantine centres within its premises to isolate animals. The cages built for wild animals are also to be converted into quarantine facility.
20. Apple recently partnered with which company to develop a technology solution for Contact Tracing activity?
[A] Microsoft
[B] IBM
[C] Google
[D] Facebook
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Google]
Notes:
Technology giants Apple and Google recently announced a joint initiative to develop a technology solution for Contact Tracing activity, which will help the governments and health agencies to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The system which will use the Bluetooth technology, will identify people who are in contact with an infected person and provide alert message to the user. The companies also clarified that the system will be developed without compromising the privacy of the user.