1. Which country has terminated its relationship with World Health Organization over its handling of the Corona virus pandemic?
[A] China
[B] United States
[C] Brazil
[D] United Kingdom
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United States]
Notes:
The President of the United States Donald Trump has recently announced that US is terminating its relationship with World Health Organization over its handling of the Corona virus.
The President has been blaming WHO and China for the deaths and damages caused by the pandemic across the world. The President also said that the funds provided by the US to WHO will be redirected to other global public health needs. He also issued directions to deny entry to certain Chinese nationals and tightened regulations against Chinese investments in America.
2. Which is the first private space company to send astronauts into space?
[A] Blue Origin
[B] Tesla
[C] SpaceX
[D] Orbital
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [SpaceX]
Notes:
California-based American aerospace manufacturing and space transportation services firm SpaceX has become the first private company to send astronauts into space.
The firm is owned by the tech-billionaire Elon Musk. The Crew Dragon spacecraft of SpaceX carried two astronauts of NASA Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station (ISS). Earlier, this feat has been achieved by the governments of the United States, Russia and China. The US halted to use its own shuttles nine years ago.
3. In which scheme, three states-Odisha, Sikkim and Mizoram have joined, to bring the total number of implementing states to 20?
[A] PM KISAN
[B] One Nation-One Ration Card
[C] PM Fasal Bima Yojana
[D] PM Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [One Nation-One Ration Card]
Notes:
As per the recent announcement from the Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry, three more States namely Odisha, Sikkim and Mizoram have recently joined the ‘One Nation-One Ration Card’ scheme.
This addition has taken the total number of states and union territories that have joined the scheme to 20. In the three states, the necessary infrastructure work for joining the scheme including upgradation of electronic Point of Sale (e-PoS) software have been completed.
4. Which consumer electronics company has partnered with Indian start-up incubator T-Hub to support start-up ecosystem in India?
[A] Realme
[B] OPPO
[C] Xiaomi
[D] Huawei
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [OPPO]
Notes:
Chinese mobile communication cum consumer electronics company OPPO has recently partnered with Indian start-up incubator T-Hub to support start-up ecosystem in India.
Under the partnership, the start-ups specialising in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Battery, Camera and Image Processing will be scaled up. The selected start-up firms will receive incubation support and market access from OPPO as well as mentorship from T-Hub.
5. Which state-owned organisation has developed a multi-purpose disinfection unit named Ultra Swachh?
[A] DRDO
[B] CSIR
[C] HAL
[D] BARC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [DRDO]
Notes:
Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), the Delhi based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a disinfection unit named Ultra Swachh.
It is a multi-purpose unit, which can be used to disinfect a wide range of objects and materials including Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), fabrics among others. The system is compliant with international standards of personal and environmental safety. The system will be available in two variants namely Ozonated Space and Trinetra Technology
6. Which global organisation launched a new initiative called COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP)?
[A] World Health Organisation
[B] World Trade Organisation
[C] UNICEF
[D] World Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [World Health Organisation]
Notes:
World Health Organisation has launched a new initiative called COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), along with Costa Rica.
The pool was initially proposed in the month of March by the President of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado. As of now, thirty countries and several global partners have joined the initiative. The pool seeks to make all vaccines, tests, treatments and other health technologies developed to fight COVID-19, accessible to all.
7. Google’s former Chief financial officer Patrick Pichette has been appointed as the board chairman of which major technology company?
[A] Amazon
[B] Apple
[C] Twitter
[D] Facebook
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Twitter]
Notes:
Social networking giant Twitter has recently appointed Patrick Pichette, a former chief financial officer at Google as the next chairman of its board.
This is the first time in the history of Twitter that an outsider is presiding over the board. Patrick Pichette served as the lead independent director of Twitter since the end of 2018. He is to replace Omid Kordestani in leading the directors as Chairman. Investors have been urging for appointing outsiders to preside over boards.
8. What is the rank of India in the StartupBlink’s Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020?
[A] 17
[B] 23
[C] 24
[D] 29
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [23]
Notes:
The global innovation mapping and research company StartupBlink has recently released its annual Ecosystem Rankings Report.
As per this year’s report, India has been ranked at 23rd place out of 100 countries. In the last year’s report, India was placed at 17th rank. The report collects local data of every country to rank their start-up ecosystem based on the quality of start-ups and business environment. The United States was placed at the top spot. Only four Indian cities were ranked in the top 100 start-up cities list.
9. Which space firm has recently launched 60 new internet satellites into orbit using Falcon 9 rocket?
[A] Blue Origin
[B] Tesla
[C] SpaceX
[D] Orbital
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [SpaceX]
Notes:
American private space company SpaceX has recently launched 60 new internet satellites into orbit using Falcon 9 rocket.
Only before some days, billionaire Elon Musk owned SpaceX has sent two NASA astronauts to International Space Station, thereby becoming the first private firm to send astronauts to space on Falcon-9 rocket. This is the 8th batch of satellites and the total number of Starlink constellation of satellites is 482, as of now.
10. ‘The Great Reset’ is the proposed theme of the summit of which international organisation?
[A] Food and Agricultural Organisation
[B] United Nations Children’s Fund
[C] World Economic Forum
[D] World Health Organisation
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [World Economic Forum]
Notes:
As per the latest announcement from the World Economic Forum (WEF), it will adopt a new twin-summit format for its next annual summit.
The flagship annual Davos summit is proposed to be held in January 2021 with a theme of ‘The Great Reset’. The 51st summit is to bring together leaders from across the globe either in person or for virtual dialogues. This year, the 50th WEF Annual Meeting was held from January 21-24, 2020.