Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2020

Notes:
‘World Tuna Day’ is observed on May 3, 2020 across the world. Tune belongs to the species of fish, which is rich in Omega-3. As the fish contains high nutritional values including minerals, proteins and vitamin B12, it is threatened by an overwhelming demand.
In December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly voted to officially observe the World Tuna Day on May 3, 2020. This supports the efforts towards attaining SDG 14, to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources from the SDG.

Notes:
The Think tank of the country NITI Aayog in coloration with Mumbai-based Piramal Foundation has launched a campaign ‘Surakshit Dada-Dadi & Nana-Nani Abhiyan’.
The campaign focusses on ensuring well-being of senior citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is expected to cover as many as 29 lakh senior citizens in 25 aspirational districts named by NITI Aayog. This project is currently piloted in seven states and will create awareness about the health and lifestyle of elder people.

Notes:
The State government of Andhra Pradesh has launched a scheme called YSR Matsyakara Bharosa amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Under the scheme, the government will provide a financial assistance of ₹10,000 to each fisherman family. This would help the fishermen community during the lock-down period and during the marine ban period. The monetary relief of fishermen venturing into the sea has also been raised from ₹4,000 to ₹10,000 per head.

Notes:
The National Anti-Doping Agency, a national organisation under the Ministry of Sports announced that it would conduct its disciplinary hearings online. It is responsible for promoting and monitoring the doping control programs in all forms of sports in India.
Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) and Anti-Doping Appeals Panel (ADAP) will start hearing cases online, due to the lockdown imposed. NADA will also launch an application to create awareness about anti-doping.

Notes:
When a polymer plant in Vishakhapatnam resumed its operations after lock down, there was a leakage of styrene gas, that has killed about 11 people. Thousands of people were evacuated from around the plant and many of them were hospitalised.
The styrene gas is a poisonous, inflammable gas used in plastic engineering industry, which caused nausea and dizziness. As per the experts, the gas could have triggered a series of explosions from the LG Polymers plant, which manufactures polystyrene.

Notes:
Recently, the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed and produced by the Indian Navy has been certified for mass production and clinical usage.
The PPE has been developed by the team of Innovation Cell, Institute of Naval Medicine, Mumbai and the Naval Dockyard Mumbai. INMAS (Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences) Delhi, an authorised DRDO organization has tested and certified the PPE. The benchmarks of testing are set by the ICMR and the Health Ministry.

Notes:
The World Thalassaemia Day is observed every year across the world on May 8. It is observed with an aim of creating awareness about a blood disorder called Thalassaemia.
Thalassaemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects the production of haemoglobin. Lesser red blood cells and low haemoglobin are the effects of this disorder. This year the theme is “The dawning of a new era for thalassaemia: Time for a global effort to make novel therapies accessible and affordable to patients”.

Notes:
The United Nations along with its partner agencies has launched a USD 6.7 billion global appeal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UN also updated a global plan to fight the COVID-19 in fragile and more vulnerable countries. The plan includes nine more vulnerable countries including the Philippines, Togo and Zimbabwe, beyond the 54 countries covered in the original appeal-the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan.

Notes:
Moody’s Investors Service has recently projected India’s growth at zero per cent for the current fiscal 2020-21.
It had estimated a growth of 4.8 per cent for the last fiscal year. Last month the ratings agency estimated that the Indian economy would grow at 0.2 per cent. It had also provided a ‘Baa2’ rating for India, which represents moderate credit risk. It also said that India would regain its growth rate at 6.6 per cent in the 2021-22 fiscal.

Notes:
West Bengal supplies about 95 per cent of the jute bags used across the country, mainly in packaging of food-grains. As the lock-down has stopped the production of jute bags in the state, the Food Corporation of India faces a shortage of bags.
Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan announced that the government has allowed packaging of food-grains in used gunny sacks and plastic bags during the ongoing procurement season. A task force has been constituted by the Ministry to assess the shortage of jute bags for packaging amid the lock-down.