41. Which country is ranked first for the fourth time in a row, in ‘The World Press Freedom Index 2020’?
[A] Switzerland
[B] Singapore
[C] Norway
[D] Sweden
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Norway]
Notes:
The World Press Freedom Index 2020 has been recently released Paris-based non-profit organisation Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) or Reporters Without Borders.
Norway has been ranked first in the annual index for the fourth time in a row. India has been ranked at 142 out of 180 countries, two ranks below than that of the previous year. The analysis said that though there is no murder of journalists in India in 2019, there were constant violations against press freedom in the country.
42. The recently promulgated ordinance, which seeks to punish the persons committing violence against healthcare professionals fighting Covid-19, amends which act?
[A] Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
[B] Medical Protection Act (MPA)
[C] Indian Medical Council Act, 1956
[D] Protection of Healthcare Workers Act, 1982
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897]
Notes:
The President of India Ramnath Kovind approved the promulgation of the ordinance which seeks to make the violent acts against healthcare personnel fighting COVID-19 pandemic as cognizable and non-bailable offence.
The ordinance amends the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and provides for compensation for injury or for causing damage or loss to property. The acts of violence are punishable with imprisonment for a term of three months to seven years and with a fine of Rs. 50000 to 5,00,000, depending on the act.
43. Which is the first academic institute to get ICMR approval for a real-time diagnostic test?
[A] Indian Institute of Science
[B] IIT Delhi
[C] All India Institute of Medical Science
[D] IIT Ropar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [IIT Delhi]
Notes:
The Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS) of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has developed a COVID-19 test kit and it has been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), thereby becoming the first institute to be approved for a real-time kit.
The test kit, which tests the swab of the suspected patient is also claimed to be more affordable than the other kits available. Commercial production can be easily done as the kit does not require fluorescent probes, as per the researchers.
44. What is the objective of the ‘covid19.odisha.gov.in’ portal launched by Odisha in tackling the crisis faced due to Covid-19?
[A] Provide official data on positive cases
[B] Registration of migrant workers
[C] Registration for Public Distribution System
[D] Provide tele-medicine facility
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Registration of migrant workers]
Notes:
The state of Odisha has launched a portal for registration of migrant workers to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, as over five lakh migrant workers are expected to return to the state after lifting the lock-down.
Forms are available in the portal covid19.odisha.gov.in and in every gram panchayat for registration of names and address of the workers who want to return to Odisha.
45. Which state has launched a scheme to provide loans to the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) of the state at zero per cent interest?
[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Odisha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy recently launched a scheme in Amaravati, which seeks to provide loans to the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) of the state, at zero percent interest.
The Chief Minister released about ₹1,400 crore for the scheme, which is expected to benefit nearly 8.78 lakh SHGs. The interest component of ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 will be borne by the state government. At present, the SHGs borrow from banks at interest rate of 7 to 13 per cent.
46. What is the theme of the World Immunization Week 2020, which is being celebrated from April 24 to 30, this year?
[A]
Vaccines Work for All
[B]
Let’s get vaccinated
[C] Leave no one unvaccinated
[D] Reaching all for vaccination
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [
Vaccines Work for All]
Notes:
The World Immunization Week 2020 is being celebrated from April 24 to 30, this year by the World Health Organisation.
The day is celebrated with an aim to promote the use of vaccines for protecting people across the world from diseases. The theme of this year’s week is Vaccines Work for All. The theme highlights the importance of vaccines and the persons developing them. WHO also announced that about 20 million children in the world today remain unvaccinated.
47. Which country abolished the prevalent corporal punishment of flogging (beating with whips)?
[A] Oman
[B] Saudi Arabia
[C] Iran
[D] Kuwait
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Saudi Arabia]
Notes:
Saudi Arabia has abolished flogging, which means beating with whips, as a punishment, as per the order of the Supreme Court. Hereafter, the judges will pronounce fines, jail sentences or community services as punishments.
Several Human rights activists have been condemning the Court-ordered floggings in Saudi Arabia, which sometimes extend to hundreds of lashes. Recently, a blogger named Raif Badawi was sentenced to 7 years in prison and 600 lashes and then resentenced to 10 years and 1,000 lashes. He later won the European Parliament’s Sakharov human rights prize.
48. What is the name of the former Governor of Bihar and Tripura and veteran Congress leader, who passed away recently?
[A] Devanand Konwar
[B] Bijay Mishra
[C] Uttam Bandu Tupe
[D] Ravi Vallathol
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Devanand Konwar]
Notes:
Veteran Congress leader and former Governor of Bihar and Tripura, Devanand Konwar passed away recently at the age of 86. He served as the governor of Bihar from 2009 to 2013 and the Governor of Tripura from 2013 to 2014.
He had also served as governor (additional charge) of West Bengal from 2009 to 2010. He was the Cabinet Minister in the state of Assam. Prior to that, he was an advocate in the Supreme Court of India and a Government Advocate for many North-Eastern states in the Guwahati High Court.
49. As on February 2020, which country held the maximum value of US government securities, as per the recent data of US Treasury Department?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Japan
[D] United Kingdom
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Japan]
Notes:
As per the latest data from the US Treasury Department, Japan was the largest holder of US securities worth over $1.268 trillion at February end.
It was followed by China with securities worth $1.092 trillion. India is at the 13th position in terms of holding securities. India’s holding of US government securities rose by $13 billion in a month to record high of $177.5 billion at February end. The overall holding of India increased by $33.2 billion in the last year.
50. Which Indian has featured in the top 20 global leaders of ‘Medicine Maker Power List 2020’?
[A] Pankaj Patel
[B] Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
[C] Ajay Piramal
[D] Dilip Shanghvi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw ]
Notes:
Bio-con Founder cum Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has recently been named in the ‘Medicine Maker Power List 2020’.
The list celebrates 60 leaders across the world, who had significantly contributed and innovated in the field of biopharmaceuticals. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has been ranked in the prestigious list for six years in a row, since 2015.Recently, she has received EY’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award.