1. Which Indian state/UT has formed a dedicated commission to create employment opportunities for the migrant labourers?
[A] Odisha
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
The state government of Madhya Pradesh has formed a dedicated commission to create employment opportunities for the migrant labourers.
Named as the Madhya Pradesh State Migrant Labourer Commission (MPSMLC), it aims to create jobs to those who have returned from other parts of the country during the Covid 19-induced lockdown. The state government will nominate the chairman of the commission, which will suggest measures for the welfare of migrant labourers.
2. How many countries are members of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), which has held its virtual annual summit?
[A] Eight
[B] Ten
[C] Twelve
[D] Fifteen
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ten]
Notes:
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders have met during the recent annual summit held via video conference.
ASEAN is a regional association with 10 member countries including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Brunei, Laos. The Chair of ASEAN in 2020 is Vietnam, which hosted the virtual summit, due to travel restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
3. Where is the Headquarters of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) located?
[A] Geneva
[B] New York
[C] Vienna
[D] Paris
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Vienna]
Notes:
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a United Nations office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, headquartered at Vienna, Austria.
According to the latest UNODC World Drug Report, about 26.9 crore people used drugs in 2018, which was 30% more than the 2009 count. The largest share of drug users comprised of adolescents and young adults. Overall opioid users in India is estimated to have increased five times, as compared to those in 2004.
4. Which is the parent organisation of “Global Forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes”?
[A] Financial Action Task Force
[B] Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
[C] G-20
[D] Common Wealth
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development]
Notes:
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is the parent organisation of Global Forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes.
According to the latest study by the Global Forum, India has been among the top-three jurisdictions to which Switzerland provided information about bank accounts and beneficiary ownership of entities, on request. The other two countries were France and Germany. The report recorded the requests during the period from July 2015 to June 2018.
5. A new type of swine flu that is capable of triggering a pandemic has been discovered in which country?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] United States
[D] Vietnam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
According to a study published in the US science journal PNAS, researchers in China have discovered a new type of swine flu that is capable of triggering a pandemic.
The G4 flu is genetically descended from the H1N1 strain that caused a pandemic in 2009. As per the China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, G4 was observed to be highly infectious, replicating in human cells and causing more serious symptoms. More researches are being carried out on ferrets.
6. Food aggregator company Swiggy has partnered with which bank to launch its own digital wallet?
[A] HDFC Bank
[B] State Bank of India
[C] ICICI Bank
[D] Axis Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [ICICI Bank]
Notes:
Food aggregator platform and unicorn start-up Swiggy has launched its own digital wallet Swiggy Money in partnership with ICICI Bank.
The full-fledged digital wallet enables single-click checkout experience and will let its customers to store money and pay for all food orders on Swiggy. Swiggy has used ICICI Bank’s insta wallet service API, to create its own wallet.
7. Who is the head of the national level committee set up by the Home Ministry, for reform in criminal law?
[A] Ranbir Singh
[B] A K Sikri
[C] C Rangarajan
[D] Thaawar Chand Gehlot
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ranbir Singh]
Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a national level committee for reform in criminal law.
The committee is to be headed by Ranbir Singh, who is the Vice-Chancellor, National Law University-Delhi. The committee has many veteran legal academicians and it has invited opinions online on the possible reforms in the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act.
8. What is the name of the new scheme launched by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to strengthen research ecosystem?
[A] Accelerate Vigyan
[B] Bharat Vigyan
[C] Vigyan Padhe
[D] Vigyan Kendra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Accelerate Vigyan]
Notes:
The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) has launched a new scheme called ‘Accelerate Vigyan’.
It aims to provide a single exclusive platform for research internships and science workshops across the country. It also aims to encourage high-end scientific research and research careers. Several programmes to identify research potential, training programmes are to be carried out across the country.
9. ‘Striped Hairstreak and Elusive Prince’ are the recently discovered species of which creature?
[A] Turtle
[B] Snake
[C] Butterfly
[D] Spider
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Butterfly]
Notes:
Lepidopterists, those who specialises in studying moths and butterflies, have recently discovered two new species of butterflies namely Striped Hairstreak and Elusive Prince in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Striped Hairstreak was first recorded in Japan and the Elusive Prince was discovered in Vietnam. As per the Society for Education and Environmental Development (SEED), the discovery of two new species have increased the number of butterfly species of the country to 1327.
10. Which Technology company has announced a new global skills initiative, to train 25 million people worldwide?
[A] Google
[B] Microsoft
[C] Amazon
[D] Facebook
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Microsoft]
Notes:
Leading Global Technology company, Microsoft has recently announced a new global skills initiative, which aims to train as many as 25 million people worldwide, in digital skills, by the end of the year.
Under this initiative, Microsoft uses the data to identify the jobs in demand and provides free content to develop the skills of people. It also provides certifications and free job-seeking tools. This programme has been launched amidst Covid-19 crisis, where several people are hit by job losses.