Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2020

Notes:
During the 40th session of General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2019, it was proclaimed to celebrate April 15 as World Art Day every year.
The day is celebrated to create awareness about the diversity of artistic freedom and highlight the contribution of artists to sustainable development of the world. April 15 is also the birth anniversary of the legendary artist Leonardo da Vinci.

Notes:
The Chairmanship of the ASEAN group is held annually by the member countries based on the alphabetical order of their English names.
In the year 2020, Vietnam holds the Chairmanship of the ASEAN group. The country assuming Chairmanship chairs the ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN Coordinating Council and related summits. Thailand was the Chair of ASEAN for 2019. Recently Vietnam chaired the virtual ASEAN Special Summit and ASEAN+3 Special Summit on Covid-19 response.

Notes:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has recently released the first stage of Long Range Forecast (LRF) for south-west monsoon season.
As per its forecast, the southwest monsoon from June to September over India may be normal across the country. It also forecasted that the intensity of monsoon rainfall would be between 96 and 104 per cent of the long period average (LPA) of the country, which is 880 mm during 1961-2010.

Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently released a set of revised guidelines after the extension of lockdown till May 3 has been announced.
Spitting has been made punishable across the country with a fine under Section 51 (b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Refusal to follow the orders may result in imprisonment up to one year or a fine, or both. Several states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana have ordered for banning smokeless tobacco products and spitting in public places. Sale of liquor, gutka and tobacco has also been totally banned

Notes:
In India, the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test has been used for testing the SARS-CoV-2 virus or Corona virus. It is an expensive test as it is performed using imported machines and it takes over 5 hours to provide result after sample has been taken.
Recently, Scientists from the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram has developed a diagnostic kit Chitra Gene LAMP-N, which uses RT-LAMP technique. It is less expensive and can give results in less than two hours.

Notes:
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland recently directed the Government of India to carry out effective measures to ensure a minimum adequate standard of living to the migrant workers, who are largely affected by the Covid-19 lockdown.
India has imposed a nation-wide lockdown from March 25 to April 14 earlier and has been extended to May 3 to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The organisation also highlighted that due to the massive internal displacement 22 internal migrant workers and their family members have died.

Notes:
World Haemophilia Day is observed every year on 17 April across the world, to increase awareness of haemophilia, von Willebrand disease and inherited bleeding disorders.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the Haemophilia day. The theme of this year’s observance is “Get+involved”. The international organisation, World Federation of Haemophilia was established by a businessman Frank Schnabel in 1963.

Notes:
Veteran freedom fighter R V Bhuskute recently passed away at the age of 94 due to age related ailments. He had participated in the Quit India Movement and various other national events.
The veteran fighter has also written several books on land laws. He strived hard towards the release and rehabilitation of bonded labourers in tribal areas of his state, Maharashtra.

Notes:
Researchers have recently discovered a creature, which is claimed to be the world’s longest animal, in the underwater canyons of Western Australia.
About 30 new marine species have also been discovered in the marine region off the Australian coast. Though the exact length of the siphonophore has not yet been measured, it is estimated that the unidentified flying object (UFO)-shaped creature would be more than 120m long.

Notes:
Global ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has recently released its forecast of the growth estimate of India for FY21 (2020-21).
As per the release, S&P has slashed the GDP growth estimate for India to 1.8% from its previous estimate of 3.5%. The agency also expressed its concern that the peak point of the Covid-19 outbreak has not yet reached and it is expected to occur a little later than many other countries.