May 1st Week 2021 Current Affairs Online Test English

Explanation

• The Census Bureau of the United States announced that the population of the US is 331,449,281. This is a 7.4% increase over the last decade. The population figures will be used by state legislatures or independent commissions to redraw the country’s political maps.

Explanation

• Chad’s new military rulers have recently named Albert Pahimi Padacke, who was runner–up in the country’s recent presidential election, as Prime minister of a transitional government. This move comes a week after President Idriss Deby’s death during his visit to the troops fighting rebels. Subsequently, a military council seized power and have selected the Interim Prime Minister.

Explanation

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to conduct a customer satisfaction survey to find out the impact of the recent mergers of public sector banks. The ‘Bank Customers’ Satisfaction Survey’ will cover a total of 20,000 respondents from 21 states.
• As many as 22 questions would be asked to assess if the merger was positive from the point of customer services.

Explanation

• Football star and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham is serving as the Vaccine Ambassador, to create awareness and confidence in the process of vaccination. He recently featured in a video released ahead of World Immunization Week.
• He has also founded ‘7 Fund for UNICEF’ to encourage parents to vaccinate themselves and their children and protect them against diseases such as diphtheria, measles, and polio.

Explanation

• A massive forest fire has been raging in the hills near Lunglei town, which is situated in the state of Mizoram. The fire is reported to have spread to towns and villages of in and around Lunglei and Lawngtlai districts of the state. The state has deployed the firefighting team, who have taken assistance from the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force and IAF personnel to put off the fire.

Explanation

• Workers’ Memorial Day, takes place annually around the world on April 28, an international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured, or made unwell by their work. This year (2021) theme for the day is, “Health and Safety is a fundamental workers’ right”.

Explanation

• During the era of industrialisation, the labourers of the United States revolted together against the unjust labour system and the exploitative industrialists. They demanded for fair wages, breaks between the work and paid leaves. The revolt on May 1 1886 led to the celebration of May Day.
• May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day is celebrated across the world on May 1. In India, the 1st May Day was celebrated on May 1, 1923, by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan in Chennai.

Explanation

• The ‘Responding to the COVID–19 Pandemic: Leaving no Country Behind’ is a report jointly released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) along with UNDP and UNESCAP.
• As per the report, the richer countries in the Asia–Pacific region would recover quickly from the impact of the pandemic than the poorer countries. This difference is because of variation in degree of immunity, healthcare system and vaccine roll–out.

Explanation

• The country’s apex financial regulator the Reserve Bank of India has recently released the ‘State of the Economy’ report. In the report, RBI has stated that of COVID infections are not brought under immediate control, it would severely affect the supply chain and hence lead to inflationary pressures.

Explanation

• India has been ranked at 49th position in Chandler Good Government Index. Finland has topped the index. The index ranks 104 countries, under which each country is measured across over 50 open data points. It is based in seven pillars which are leadership and foresight; robust laws and policies; strong institutions; financial stewardship; attractive marketplace; global influence and reputation; and helping people rise.

Explanation

• India’s lead Archery champions – Deepika Kumari and her husband Atanu Das have won Gold medals in at the recurve event of Archery World Cup Stage 1 women’s and men’s event. This is the first World Cup gold medal for the women’s recurve team in the last seven years.
• Also, India’s mixed team consisting of Atanu Das and Ankita have secure Bronze medal in the same tournament.

Explanation

• The Chernobyl nuclear disaster took place in the year 1986. Every year the United Nations observes April 26 as the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the nuclear disaster.
• This day is dedicated to raise awareness of regarding the risks of nuclear energy and the consequences of Chernobyl disaster.

Explanation

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed single crystal blade technology. This has been developed for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to be used for their helicopter development programme. 60 blades under the newly developed technology have been supplied to HAL.

Explanation

• Project DANTAK was established on April 24, 1961 under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. It is one of the oldest projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which was tasked to construct motorable roads in Bhutan.
• Recently, the Diamond Jubilee of the Project was commemorated in Bhutan, at the DANTAK Memorial.

Explanation

• The World Day for Safety and Health at Work was first practised in the year 2003 by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), as a part of its ‘Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health’. Every year, April 28 is observed as the ‘World Day for Safety and Health at Work’, to focus on the importance and prevention of accidents and diseases at workplaces.

Explanation

• Indo–German project ‘Pyrasol’ was launched to transform urban organic waste into biochar and energy in smart cities. It was awarded to CSIR–CLRI by the Indo–German Science & Technology Centre.
• It aims for joint processing of Fibrous Organic Waste and Sewage Sludge of Indian smart cities into Biochar. The foundation stone of the Integrated Solar Dryer and Pyrolysis pilot was recently laid at CSIR–CLRI, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Explanation

• Ayushman Bharat Diwas is to be celebrated across the country on April 30. The Ayushman Bharat programme seeks to provide easily available and affordable medical facilities in the remote parts of the country. The Scheme has the benefits cover of 5 lakh rupees per family per year.

Explanation

• The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 has come into force in the national capital. According to the amended legislation, the “government” in Delhi means the ” Lieutenant Governor “.
• The elected representatives of the UT will have to seek the opinion of the Lieutenant Governor before taking any executive decision.

Explanation

• Researchers in India have discovered two new species of damselflies, named Euphaea thosegharensis and Euphaea pseudodispar in Satara district of Maharashtra. These damsels are commonly called as Torrent Darts and are endemic to the Western Ghats. These are large insects which belong to the genus Euphaea.

Explanation

• The Asian Development Bank has recently released a report titled Developing Asia’s Economic Outlook. As per the report, Asia’s economy shrank by 0.2% in 2020. Although recovery has commenced in Asia, the recovery is registered at different speeds. Also, average inflation in the region is forecast to fall from 2.8% in 2020 to 2.3% in 2021.

Explanation

• Yanbu is a port city on the Red Sea coast of western part of the Saudi Arabia. Recently, a remotely piloted boat packed with explosives has been found by the kingdom near the port of Yanbu in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia claimed to have intercepted and destroyed the attack boat, which caused a blast.

Explanation

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the signing of an agreement between India and the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, for sharing information and preventing Customs offences.
• The proposed agreement is expected to facilitate trade and ensure faster customs clearance between the three countries.

Explanation

• ‘World Tuna Day’ is observed on May 3, 2020 across the world. Tuna 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.

Explanation

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) and its partners namely UN children’s agency and the vaccine alliance Gavi, have set a new global vaccination strategy– Immunisation Agenda 2030 (IA2030). It aims to save 50 million lives within the year 2030, with 75% of the children in poor countries. This strategy calls for boost in vaccination drives against measles and other diseases prevailing worldwide.

Explanation

• The Indian Navy has launched the Operation Samudra Setu–II, under which Indian Naval warships would ship liquid oxygen filled cryogenic containers from foreign nations. As a part of the operation, two naval ships INS Kolkata and INS Talwar have been deployed to bring oxygen from Bahrain to Mumbai.

Explanation

• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has appointed Vaishali S Hiwase as the first woman officer to command a Road Construction Company (RCC). The officer would command the company, to provide connectivity in a high–altitude area along the India–China border. She is a M Tech graduate and has already carried out a demanding tenure in Kargil.

Explanation

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 states “Ensure healthy lives and promote well–being for all at all ages”. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yoajna is a key component of Ayushman Bharat Yojna and was launched in 2018.
• Being the largest health scheme in the world, it aims to provide a health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families. April 30 is celebrated as Ayushman Bharat Diwas.

Explanation

• Indian Institute of Technology–Bombay (IIT–B), has set up a demonstration unit to convert nitrogen generators, into oxygen generators by modifying the existing nitrogen plant set up. The oxygen generated by this plant at IIT–B lab was tested and found to be 93–96% pure and at 3.5 atmospheric pressure.

Explanation

• The Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute, Budni is a premier institute under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Recently, the first–ever electric tractor in the country has been tested at the institute. This new electric tractor will be more environmentally friendly than other types of tractors.

Explanation

• Shivalik Mercantile Co–operative Bank Ltd. was granted an in–principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India, for transition into a small finance bank in 2020. It is the first cooperative bank to be converted into a small finance bank, under the transition scheme. Shivalik Small Finance Bank Ltd. has commenced operations as a small finance bank with effect from April 26.

Explanation

• The state government of Andhra Pradesh is set to launch CLAP (Clean Andhra Pradesh) Jagananna Swachha Sankalpam programme. The scheme is expected to be launched in the month of July. 100 days sanitation drive to keep the villages clean will start from May 1.
• The state has also planning for better sewage water treatment and solid waste management.

Explanation

• The Chota Char Dham is an important Hindu pilgrimage circuit located in the Indian Himalayas, in the Garhwal region of the state of Uttarakhand. The circuit consists of four sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The Uttarakhand government has suspended the Char Dham Yatra, which was scheduled to begin in May. Only priests will perform the rituals inside the shrines.

Explanation

• A seabed mining robot, which was being tested on the Pacific Ocean floor at a depth of more than 4 km has become detached. Patania II is a 25–tonne mining robot prototype, which was being tested by Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR), the deep–sea exploratory division of the famous dredging company DEME Group. The robot was meant to collect the nodules rich in cobalt and other battery metals found on the seabed.

Explanation

• The Civil Aviation Ministry has permitted the Telangana government to use drones for experimental delivery of vaccines. This exemption will be valid for a period of one year or until further orders.
• In the month of April, the Ministry had permitted the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to conduct a feasibility study on using drones to deliver COVID–19 vaccine.

Explanation

• TRIFED is the nodal agency working for the empowerment of tribal people, under the aegis of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. TRIFED has entered into a collaborative project titled “Sustainable Livelihoods for Tribal Households in India”. The LINK Fund, a foundation which aims to eradicate poverty and mitigate the effects of climate change, is also joining hands with TRIFED for this project.

Explanation

• Indian Institute of Technology–Bombay (IIT–B), has set up a demonstration unit to convert nitrogen generators, into oxygen generators by modifying the existing nitrogen plant set up. The oxygen generated by this plant at IIT–B lab was tested and found to be 93–96% pure and at 3.5 atmospheric pressure.

Explanation

• Every year, 3rd May is observed as World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared this day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and to lay emphasis on the right to freedom of expression. A resolution in this regard was passed by the UN in the year 1993. The theme for the year 2021 is “Information as a Public Good”.

Explanation

• The Finance Ministry has recently released in advance the first instalment worth Rs 8,873.6 crore of the state disaster response fund (SDRF) for the current fiscal, to the states.
• SDRF contribution is released in two equal instalments to the states, as per the recommendation of the Finance Commission. Normally, the first instalment of SDRF is released in the month of June. Around half of the amount released, can be used by the states for COVID–19 containment measures.

Explanation

• Indian Army inaugurated the First Green Solar Energy harnessing plant of 56 KVA in North Sikkim, at an altitude of 16000 ft. The project, which uses Vanadium based battery technology, was completed in collaboration with IIT Mumbai. India has fixed a target of producing 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022.

Explanation

• The Litani River is an important water resource located in Lebanon. It rises Beqaa Valley and gets into the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, tonnes of dead fish have washed up on the banks of the Qaraoun lake on Lebanon’s Litani river.
• Environmental Activists have been warning of water pollution caused by sewage and waste, near the lake for several years.

Explanation

• Scientists of Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune in collaboration with Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) have developed a new high–yielding and pest–resistant variety of soybean named MACS 1407. This seed is suited for cultivation in North Eastern states and in states like West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

Explanation

• The Rushikulya river mouth, located in the state of Odisha is considered as the second–biggest rookery of Olive Ridley Turtles in India after Gahirmatha. This year, the annual mass nesting of millions of Olive Ridley sea turtles near the Rushikulya river mouth is likely to be missed, as the time for nesting process is set to be over. In March 2020, over 3 lakh turtles nested in the same place.

Explanation

• Tuna and tuna–like species is a significant source of food, due to their nutritional properties, in both developed and developing countries. Their meat is rich in Omega–3 and it also contains minerals, proteins, and vitamin B12. In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly declared to officially observe World Tuna Day on May 2 every year.
• Sustainable Development Goal 14 aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources – applies to the global tuna market.

Explanation

• The USA Government has approved a major solar energy project in the California desert that would be capable of powering nearly 90,000 homes. The USD–550 million Crimson Solar Project will be set up on 2,000 acres of federal land at California. It is being developed by Canadian Solar unit Recurrent Energy. This step aims to fight climate change, create jobs and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Explanation

• The Democratic Republic of Congo declared the end of Ebola outbreak, which infected 12 people in the eastern province and killed six of them. The country contained the outbreak using Merck’s (MRK.N) Ebola vaccine. The virus can remain in certain body fluids, including semen, of a patient who has recovered from the disease.

Explanation

• Dhruv Mk – III MR is an Advanced Light Helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bengaluru.
• The helicopter has been tested and it has successfully demonstrated deck operations on board an Indian Coast Guard Ship, off the coast of Chennai. The helicopter has been developed to be deployed by the Indian Coast Guard.

Explanation

• The Government of India has brought down the IGST for import of Oxygen Concentrators for personal use from the present 28% slab to 12%. This would be applicable till 30th June 2021. This rare reduction comes in the wake of a sudden surge in the demand for oxygen, used for COVID infected patients.

Explanation

• The Article 164 of the Indian constitution deals with the Provisions of the Minister of a state.
• It stated that the Chief Minister of a state shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers of the state shall be appointed by the Governor in consultation with the Chief Minister. It also states that a Minister, who is not an MLA for six consecutive months, ceases to be a Minster, after the expiry of 6 months.

Explanation

• Justice (retired) Prafulla Chandra Pant, who is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has been appointed its Acting Chairperson with effect from April 25 2021. Prior to his appointment as NHRC member, he was a Judge of the Supreme Court from 2014 to 2017. He had also held the position of Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya from 2013 to 2014.

Explanation

• Padma river is main distributary of the Ganges, which forms the western boundary between India and Bangladesh before it enters Bangladesh. Recently, a ferryboat with over 30 passengers overturned after hitting a sand–laden cargo vessel in the Padma River. At least 26 people dead in the accident occurred at the old Kanthalbari ferry terminal of Bangladesh.