1. Which is the first Indian state/UT to launch a dedicated Plasma Bank to treat COVID-19 patients?
[A] Kerala
[B] Maharashtra
[C] New Delhi
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [New Delhi]
Notes:
The government of New Delhi has recently announced the launch of the country’s first dedicated plasma bank for treating Covid-19 patients.
The facility would be set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), and it will be made available to all government and private hospitals of the UT. The therapy involves drawing blood from patients who have recovered from covid-19 and using the plasma and antibodies to treat active patients.
2. Who has been re-appointed as the Attorney General (AG) of India?
[A] Ranjit Kumar
[B] K.K. Venugopal
[C] Tushar Mehta
[D] Maninder Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [K.K. Venugopal]
Notes:
The President of India has re-appointed K.K. Venugopal as the Attorney General (AG) of India for one more year. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister approved the extension in term of Tushar Mehta as the Solicitor General (SG) for three years.
Six new Additional Solicitors General (ASGs) were appointed and tenure of five existing Additional Solicitors General (ASGs) was extended. Venugopal took over as the AG in 2017, succeeding Mukul Rohatgi.
3. 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.
4. Indian Oil and NTPC Ltd partnered to develop a Waste to Energy plant at which Indian state/UT?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] New Delhi
[C] Odisha
[D] Chhattisgarh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [New Delhi]
Notes:
A MoU was recently signed between Indian Oil, NTPC Ltd and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), to develop a demonstration Waste-to-energy Plant at Okhla landfill site in Delhi.
The plant is to be developed using Gasification technology and it shall process 17500 tons per annum of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) from combustible components of Municipal Waste. Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R K Singh were present during the virtual event.
5. World Trade Organisation (WTO) has set up a dispute panel on which country’s tariffs on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods?
[A] United States
[B] India
[C] Japan
[D] China
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [India]
Notes:
World Trade Organisation (WTO) has set up a dispute panel on India’s tariffs on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods such as mobile phones, cameras, headphones.
WTO has agreed to the second request from the European Union for establishing the panel. The requests for dispute panels against India’s tariffs on ICT products were examined by the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the WTO.
6. Which global organisation released the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report?
[A] UNICEF
[B] UNESCO
[C] IMF
[D] World Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [UNESCO]
Notes:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has released the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report.
As per the report, 40% of poorest countries failed to support learners at risk during COVID-19 crisis. It also revealed that fewer than 10% of countries have laws that help ensure inclusion in education. UNESCO urged all countries to focus on people who are left behind and improve inclusion.
7. Which Indian institution has launched the world’s first online Bachelor of Science Degree in Data Science and programming?
[A] Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras
[B] Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
[C] Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
[D] Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras]
Notes:
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has launched the world’s first online Diploma and Bachelor of Science Degree in Data Science and programming.
The course has no age limit and students who have passed class 12 can enrol. The course will be conducted online and its exams will be conducted in an offline mode. The course has three levels including the foundation, diploma and degree and it is divided into six semesters.
8. 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.
9. A new Sanskrit school building, that was funded by India, has been inaugurated in which country?
[A] Sri Lanka
[B] Nepal
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Myanmar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Nepal]
Notes:
As per the recent announcement from the Indian embassy, a new school building built with Indian assistance of Rs 1.94 crore has been inaugurated in Nepal.
The new four-storey building has been built in the premises of the Shri Saptmai Gurukul Sanskrit Vidyalaya school, which was constructed in the year 2009. It is a prestigious institution which teaches both Vedic and Modern education.
10. Which chess player has won the ‘Chessable Masters’ online tournament?
[A] Magnus Carlsen
[B] Viswanathan Anand
[C] Anish Giri
[D] Praggnanandhaa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Magnus Carlsen]
Notes:
World Chess champion, Norwegian Grand Master Magnus Carlsen has won the Chessable Masters online tournament.
This tournament is the third event of the Magnus Carlsen Tour. Carlsen has won by scoring a straight-set victory in the final. He has faced Dutch chess player Anish Giri in the final. This is also the second time, Carlsen is winning the tournament, out of the three events of the tour.