31. Which eclipse is to be witnessed on 21 June, 2020 in India?
[A] Total solar eclipse
[B] Partial solar eclipse
[C] Annular solar eclipse
[D] Lunar eclipse
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Annular solar eclipse]
Notes:
An annular solar eclipse would occur on 21 June this year. The annular phase is expected to be visible from some places of the country.
It would be seen as partial solar eclipse from the rest part of the country. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth and blocks the light of the sun from reaching the earth. As a result, the shadow of the moon is cast on the earth. Annular eclipse happens when the moon is farthest from the earth and a ring of fire structure is seen.
32. Who has been elected as the President of 75th United Nations General Assembly?
[A] Gita Gopinath
[B] Volkan Bozkir
[C] Masatsugu Asakawa
[D] David Malpass
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Volkan Bozkir]
Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly has recently elected Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir to be its president. He is the first Turkish national to head the General Assembly.
This decision has been taken ahead of the 75th General Assembly in September. Volkan Bozkir is serving as the head of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. He had also served as Turkey’s Minister of European Affairs and Chief Negotiator. He would assume office in September 2020 and hold the post for one year.
33. Which Union Ministry is to conduct a special session titled ‘Bharat: A Cultural Treasure’, to mark International Yoga Day?
[A] Ministry of Culture
[B] Ministry of Tourism
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Tourism]
Notes:
Ministry of Tourism is organising a week-long celebration of International day of Yoga from 15th June, 2020.
It has also launched social media activities focussed on Yoga under the central theme “Yoga @ home & Yoga with family”. The Tourism Ministry will also conduct a special session titled ‘Bharat: A Cultural Treasure’ under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar. Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel will attend the session along with celebrity participants.
34. What is ‘Swift J1818.0-1607’, that was seen in news recently?
[A] Neutron star
[B] Black Hole
[C] White Dwarf
[D] Nebula
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Neutron star]
Notes:
Recently, a team of astronomers at NASA and European Space Agency ESA have discovered a neutron star called ‘Swift J1818.0-1607’.
The neutron star has been estimated to be about 240 years old. It was first discovered in March 2020, when it released a massive burst of X-rays. Neutron stars are the smallest and densest stars. According to NASA, Swift J1818.0-1607 contains twice the mass of our Sun in a volume of more than one trillion times smaller.
35. What is ‘NavRakshak’, that was seen in news recently?
[A] Light Combat Aircraft
[B] Fighter Jet
[C] Personal Protective Equipment
[D] Covid-19 Drug
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Personal Protective Equipment]
Notes:
The manufacturing know-how of a PPE Suit being named ‘NavRakshak’ has been licensed by National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) to 5 five MSMEs.
The manufacturers are expected to mass produce more than 10 million PPEs per year, to meet the demand of quality PPE kits across the country. This know-how has been developed at the Mumbai-based Innovation Cell of the Institute of Naval Medicine. Intellectual property rights are also to be obtained.
36. In which Indian state/UT, the famous Ambubachi festival is celebrated?
[A] Odisha
[B] Assam
[C] West Bengal
[D] Mizoram
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Assam]
Notes:
The annual Ambubachi Mela at the Kamakhya temple in the state of Assam has begun, but without devotees.
The traditional rituals would only be performed in the Kamakhya temple, located atop of Nilachal Hills and is regarded as one of 51 Shakti Peeths. This is the most awaited festival among the devotees usually attracts more than 25 lakh visitors has been cancelled this year. The temple was shut for visitors since March 20, due to the Covid-19 induced restriction.
37. Which country has committed to provide 200 million euros to India, to support the country’s response to tackle COVID-19?
[A] Japan
[B] Australia
[C] Germany
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [France]
Notes:
Under the recently signed agreement, France committed to provide 200 million euros to India, to support the country’s response to tackle COVID-19.
The programme design has been developed by the World Bank in collaboration with the Indian authorities. It seeks to fast track the existing social protection measures of the Indian Government including the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. The programme will provide assistance to low-income families and protect essential frontline workers.
38. What is ‘Dhruva’, that has been developed by researchers and students of IIT-Bombay?
[A] Personal Protective Equipment
[B] COVID-19 Test Kit
[C] Receiver chip for NAVIC
[D] Microprocessor
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Receiver chip for NAVIC]
Notes:
The students and researchers of IIT-Bombay has recently developed a homegrown receiver chip – Dhruva.
The chip can be used in smartphones and navigation devices to find locations and routes within the country. It will receive signals from NAVIC group of navigation satellites of India, as well as the US Global Positioning System-based satellites to determine a person’s location precisely.
39. As per a recent study, the researchers detected an exoplanet named ‘HIP 67522 b’. What is it otherwise called?
[A] Hot Jupiter
[B] Super-Earth
[C] Mini-Neptune
[D] Ice giant
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Hot Jupiter]
Notes:
According to the new study published in the Astronomical Journal, the researchers have detected the exoplanet HIP 67522 b.
The exoplanet appears to be the youngest hot Jupiter ever found. It also orbits around a well-studied star that is about 17 million years old. This means that the hot Jupiter is only a few million years younger probably. As most known hot Jupiters are more than a billion years old, this is likely the youngest hot Jupiter.
40. Which organisation is manufacturing around 30000 ventilators, ordered from the PM Cares Fund?
[A] Defence Research and Development Organisation
[B] Bharat Electronics Limited
[C] Hindustan Aeronautical Limited
[D] Ordnance Factory Board
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bharat Electronics Limited]
Notes:
The PM CARES Fund Trust has allocated Rs 2000 crore for supply of 50000 ‘Made-in-India’ ventilators to government-run COVID hospitals in all States and UTs.
Out of the 50,000 ventilators ordered, 30,000 ventilators are being manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The remaining ventilators are being jointly manufactured by other Indian companies including AgVa Healthcare and AMTZ Basic among others. Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat received maximum out of 1340 ventilators distributed.