Current Affairs 20th May 2021| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

ICMR approves CoviSelf kit – a home testing covid kit

• The Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMRhas approved CoviSelf kit for the purpose of home testing.
• It stated that all symptomatic individuals who test negative by Rapid Antigen Testshould get themselves immediately tested by RT-PCR.
• The test kit will be priced at Rs 250 and available in a pack of one.
• Mylab current production capacity is 70 lakh tests per week and plans to increase its capacity to 1 Crore tests per week within 14 days. 
• ICMR also stated, “The home testing mobile app is available in the Google Play Store and Apple store and must be downloaded by all users.
• The mobile app is a comprehensive guide of the testing procedure and will provide ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ results to the patient”.

Indian Navy designs ‘Oxygen Recycling System’ 

• Indian Navyhas designed an Oxygen Recycling System, ORS to mitigate the current oxygen crisis.
• The Diving School of the Southern NavalCommand of the Indian Navy has conceptualized and designed the System to alleviate the existing Oxygen
• The ORS has been designed by Lieutenant Commander Mayank Sharma of the Diving School.
• The system’s design has been patented, and an application to this effect has been filed by the Indian Navy on May 13.
• ORS is designed to extend the life of the existing medical oxygen cylinders two to four times, using the fact that only a small percentage of oxygen inhaled by a patient is actually absorbed by the lungs, the rest being exhaled into the atmosphere along with carbon dioxide produced by the body.

51st virtual Indian Handicrafts & Gift Fair inaugurated in Delhi

• The 51stedition of virtual Indian Handicrafts and Gift Fair, IHGF of Delhi was inaugurated.
• The fairis the India’s largest Virtual Fair in the Home, Fashion, Lifestyle, Textiles and Furniture sector and an exclusive B2B online platform is developed to assist the buyers from all across the globe to source from India.
• During the Fair Webinars on topics such as “Quick Ways to Optimise Forex Operations in Turbulent Times”and “Seven easy ways to grow your Exports” will be organized to provide in depth knowledge to the participants so that they can keep themselves abreast with the international trade requirements.
• Further, craft demonstrations by Artisans on blue pottery, Warli painting, screw pine craft, Kani shawls, Meenakari, artistic Textiles will also form part of the activities that are scheduled during the fair.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

E-Sampark team provides tele-consultation to home isolation patients in Assam 

• In Assam, the tele session service of the well being division is offering good assistance to nearly 60,000 COVID-19 sufferers who’ve opted for dwelling isolation.
• The e-Sampark staff has to date supplied tele-consultation to almost 60 thousand dwelling isolation sufferers.
• The staff chief of the service in Assam Dr. Siddhartha Maurya, knowledgeable that it has arranged a devoted staff to assist individuals.

Noida Traffic Police and Fortis Hospital jointly launch 20 Auto Ambulance in city

• The Noida Traffic Police department has launched auto-rickshaw ambulances to provide additional support for Covid-19 patients in the city.
• The service can be availed by calling the helpline 9971009001.
• The autos have been equipped with oxygen cylinders, pulse-oximeters, regulators, masks, PPE kits, etc.
• While the drivers have been provided with basic patient care training by medical professionals from Fortis hospital. 
• There are 20 such autos that have been converted to ambulances.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

RBI enable mobile wallets can be cash withdrawn from ATM & PoS terminals

• Reserve Bank of India has permitted 35 prepaid payments instruments i.e. PPI.
• It includes Delhi Metro Card, Amazon Pay, Phonepe, Ola Money, Mobikwick wallet etc.
• Money can be loaded in these wallets, it can be transferred to another wallet or bank account or it can be used to make payment during online transactions.
• Now money from these instruments can be withdrawn using an ATM.
• The RBI’s governor made this announcement after a meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee.
• RBI has also proposed to make interoperability mandatory for full KYC PPI.
• Now the balance in these wallets has been increased to 2 lakh from 1 lakh.
• Besides this, RBI also allowed these wallets, credit and prepaid cards to use RTGS and NEFT for money transfer.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING NEWS

SBI New Delhi gets nod to open FCRA accounts 

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has permitted existing Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) account holders, including NGOs and associations, to open their “FCRA Account” in the New Delhi Main Branch (NDMB) of the State Bank of India up to June 30, 2021.
• State Bank of India’s (SBI) New Delhi Main Branch has opened 13,729 Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) accounts till date.
• The bank stated that it has already opened accounts for 78 per cent of the applicants.
• SBI’s New Delhi Main Branch was designated to open FCRA accounts by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in October 2020.

IDBI Bank introduces fully automated loan processing system

• IDBI Bankannounced the launch of its fully digitized loan processing system, offering over 50 products to MSME and agriculture sector.
• The Loan Processing System (LPS) for MSME and agri products seamlessly integrates with data fintechs, bureau validations, document storage, account management and customer notifications among others, IDBIBank said in a release.
• Bank mentioned that these features of the fully digitized and automated loan processing system are further aimed at providing a superior tech-enabled banking experience to bank’s MSME and agri customers.

HSBC India launches digital banking for corporate customers

• HSBC Indiahas launched digital banking solutions for its corporate customers.
• “HSBCSmartServe and HSBC IntelliSign” are first-of-its-kind digital solutions aimed at ensuring a quick, secure and seamless on-boarding process for corporate clients.
• The API (Application Programming Interface) enabled solutions provide an accelerated onboarding experience, replacing the documentation process with a digital platform, including the use of electronic signatures, as well as leveraging existing data assets to complete account opening requirements.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENT AND RESIGNATION NEWS

Martha Koome named as Kenya’s first woman chief justice

• Lady Justice Martha Karambu Koome is a Kenyan advocate and Human Rights Defender, serving as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya since May 19, 2021.
• She is the first woman to serve as Chief Justice in Kenya.
• She has an aggregate 33 years experience in the legal profession.
• She was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta just a few weeks after the 61-year-old came top of 10 candidates interviewed in front of a live television audience by Kenya’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU’s AND AGREEMENTS

BDR Pharmaceuticals signed ink pact with Eli Lilly 

• Drug firm BDR Pharma stated it has inked a licensing pact with Eli Lilly And Company for the manufacturing and distribution of Baricitinib for the treatment of COVID-19 in India.
• The company mentioned it has entered into a royalty-free, limited and non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company.
• Eli Lilly has received the permission for the drug for restricted emergency use from Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, a division of the Ministry of Health.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Reliance Jio Establishing largest international submarine cable system, India as a Centre

• On May 17, 2021, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm will be constructing the largest international submarine cable system centred on India.
• It will consist of the India-Asia-Xpress (IAX) system connecting India eastbound to Singapore and India-Europe-Xpress (IEX) system connecting India westbound to the Middle East and Europe.
• These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200 Tbps of capacity spanning over 16,000 kilometres.

Note :

• It is the first time in the history of fiber optic submarine telecommunications, these systems place India at the centre of the international network map

About Reliance Jio :

• Founder & Chairman : Mukesh Ambani
• Founded: 2007
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• President : Mathew Oommen

JUICE – Europe’s Jupiter spacecraft enters testing phase 

• The European Space Agency developed an interplanetary spacecraft named JUICE ( Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer ) that has entered into a testing phase.
• It can be tested at Esa’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands.
• The tests are scheduled to take 31 days to complete.
• It has been assembled by Airbus Friedrichshafen, Germany.
• Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Lift off by 2022 on an Ariane 5 rocket and it is expected to reach Jupiter in 2029.
• It will begin an extensive investigation of the planet and its oceanic moons: Europa, Ganymede and Callisto will investigate the conditions necessary for habitability.

About European Space Agency :

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Founded: 30 May 1975, Europe
• CEO: Johann-Dietrich Wörner
• Director General : Josef Aschbacher

Atlas V rocket launches SBIRS GEO-5 satellite for US Space Force

• A United Launch Alliance (ULA – American Spacecraft Service Provider)Atlas V rocket has successfully launched the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Flight 5 mission.
• It was launched from Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, US.
• It was the 87th launch of the Atlas V rocket, It is also ULA’s 144th mission.
• The first four SBIRS GEO satellites were launched by Atlas V between 2011 and 2018.

About SBIRS GEO-5 satellite :

• SBIRS GEO-5 is the first military space satellite built on an LM 2100 Combat Bus.
• It is a version of Lockheed Martin’s modernised, modular LM 2100 space vehicle.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ARTS & CULTURE

6 Indian places added  to Tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites 

• On May 18, 2021, Six Indian sites were added to the tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites, the Ministry of Culture.
• The submissions were made by Archaeological Survey of India, which is responsible for the conservation and preservation of Indian monuments.

The six sites are namely :

• Satpura Tiger Reserve
• Iconic riverfront of the historic city of Varanasi
• Megalithic site of Hire Benkal
• Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra
• Bhedaghat-Lameta Ghat in Narmada Valley- Jabalpur,
• Temples of Kanchipuram.
• In Addition to that UNESCO has 48 proposals in the tentative list of India.

About UNESCO :

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom
• Director-General: Audrey Azoulay

CURRENT AFFAIRS : RANKING & INDEX

India Ranked 3rd spot on RECAI index Released by EY

• India has moved a notch higher at the third spot on EY’s Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index.
• It is the 57th Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index released by Ernst & Young.
• The US retains top position on RECAI 57, Followed by China, India, United Kingdom, and France.
• India’s solar sector is expected to grow significantly post the pandemic, with generation from solar PV forecast to exceed coal before 2040.
• India also committed to setting up 450 GW for renewable energy power capacity (installed) by 2030 in the recent climate summit hosted by the US.

Note :

• EY Global Power & Utilities Corporate Finance Leader and RECAI Chief Editor : Ben Warren
• Partner and National Leader, Power & Utilities, EY India :  Somesh Kumar

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ENVIRONMENT

New species of skink – Subdoluseps nilgiriensis found from Nilgiri hills

• A group of herpetologists gathered for the South Asian Reptile Red List Assessment organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) discovered a new species of Asian gracile skink from the dry leeward slopes of the Nilgiri hills (Western Ghats), Tamil Nadu state, India.
• The new species has been named  Subdoluseps nilgiriensis

About Subdoluseps nilgiriensis :

• It has a slender, small-sized body (47-67 mm).
• The new species is sandy brown in colour, with each scale tipped with black.
• The new species is related to Subdoluseps pruthi (Sharma, 1977) which is found in parts of the Eastern Ghats in peninsular India.
• It feed on insects such as termites, crickets and small spiders
• Their skinks are not poisonous, they resemble snakes due to their often inconspicuous limbs and the way they move around land.
• The discovery of this new population raises two novel scenarios.

1. It renders the genus Subdoluseps evolutionarily polyphyletic with respect to the Indian species included in this genus.
2. It falsifies the notion that S. pruthi group skinks are restricted to the Eastern Ghats.

Note :

• Subdoluseps nilgiriensis is currently considered a vulnerable species.
• Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae

About International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) :

• Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
• CEO: Bruno Oberle
• Founder: Julian Huxley
• Founded: 5 October 1948, Fontainebleau, France

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SPORTS NEWS

Arjan Singh Bhullar becomes First India’s MMA world champion

• On May 15, 2021, Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) Arjan Bhullar became the first Indian to win the ONE Heavyweight World Title at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
• The result saw the Indo-Canadian fighter take his MMA record to 11-1.

Note :

• Arjan Singh Bhullar had won the gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Daily CA On May 19 :

• World AIDS Vaccine Day, also known as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, is observed annually on May 18. The theme for World AIDS Day is “Global Solidarity”.
• The Government of India has decided to allocate free-of-cost food grains @ 5 Kg per person per month to nearly 80 Crore beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) over and above NFSA foodgrains for next two months i.e. May and June 2021 on the same pattern as the earlier “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)”.
• 24% more wheat procured during current Rabi Marketing Season 2021-22. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution over51 Lakh tonnes of wheat has been procuredagainst the corresponding purchase of over 300 Lakh tonnes last year.
• US pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson has joined hands with Biological E Limited (Telangana-based Pharma Company) for the manufacturing of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Telangana has issued orders to implement the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the State.
• Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singhannounced a special development grant of Rs 10 lakh to every village that achieves 100 per cent vaccination target under the State Government’s ‘Corona-Mukt Pind Abhiyan’.
• A Punjab-based agency, AgNext Applied sciences, has provided you with a system based mostly on digital know-how and synthetic intelligence (AI) that mixes {hardware}, software programs and algorithms to check agricultural merchandise for high quality.
• The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has picked Arvind Kumar as managing director of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd, a unit of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
• Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has appointed his Special Assistant on National Security Moeed Yusuf as the country’s National Security Adviser (NSA).
• Shakti Theaters Abu Dhabi has announced the Abu Dhabi Shakti Thayat Awards as part of its efforts to find and promote creative Malayalam writers.
• On May 14, 2021, Chief Minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh launched MOMA Market mobile application for home delivery of fresh vegetables. The application can be downloaded from  www.momamarket.com and it will also be available on Google Play Store soon.
• On May 16, 2021, Iran unveiled a new supercomputer named ‘Simorgh. Till date It is 100 times more powerful than the previous supercomputer of the country. It is built domestically by Tehran’s Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT).
• On May 16, 2021, A book titled  “Sikkim: A History of Intrigue and Alliance”, written by Preet Mohan Singh Malik. It is published by HarperCollins India
• On May 15, 2021, Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers legend, was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2020.
• On May 17, 2021, Former President of the Indian Medical Association & Renowned cardiologist Dr KK Aggarwal Passed away.
• On May 17, 2021, Veteran Tamil writer & Folklorist Ki. Rajanarayanan passed away.
• On May 18, 2021, The former Union Minister and Veteran leader of Bharatiya Janata Party Chaman Lal Gupta passed away.

Daily CA On May 20 : 

• The Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMRhas approved CoviSelf kit for the purpose of home testing. It stated that all symptomatic individuals who test negative by Rapid Antigen Test should get themselves immediately tested by RT-PCR.
• Indian Navyhas designed an Oxygen Recycling System, ORS to mitigate the current oxygen crisis. The Diving School of the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy has conceptualized and designed the System to alleviate the existing Oxygen
• The 51stedition of virtual Indian Handicrafts and Gift Fair, IHGF of Delhi was inaugurated. The fair is the India’s largest Virtual Fair in the Home, Fashion, Lifestyle, Textiles and Furniture sector and an exclusive B2B online platform is developed to assist the buyers from all across the globe to source from India.
• In Assam, the tele session service of the well being division is offering good assistance to nearly 60,000 COVID-19 sufferers who’ve opted for dwelling isolation.
• The Noida Traffic Police department has launched auto-rickshaw ambulances to provide additional support for Covid-19 patients in the city. The service can be availed by calling the helpline 9971009001.
• Reserve Bank of India has permitted 35 prepaid payments instruments i.e. PPI.  It includes Delhi Metro Card, Amazon Pay, Phonepe, Ola Money, Mobikwick wallet etc.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has permitted existing Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) account holders, including NGOs and associations, to open their “FCRA Account” in the New Delhi Main Branch (NDMB) of the State Bank of India up to June 30, 2021.
• IDBI Bankannounced the launch of its fully digitized loan processing system, offering over 50 products to MSME and agriculture sector.
• HSBC Indiahas launched digital banking solutions for its corporate customers.“HSBC SmartServe and HSBC IntelliSign” are first-of-its-kind digital solutions aimed at ensuring a quick, secure and seamless on-boarding process for corporate clients.
• Lady Justice Martha Karambu Koome is a Kenyan advocate and Human Rights Defender, serving as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya since May 19, 2021. She is the first woman to serve as Chief Justice in Kenya.
• Drug firm BDR Pharma stated it has inked a licensing pact with Eli Lilly And Company for the manufacturing and distribution of Baricitinib for the treatment of COVID-19 in India.
• On May 17, 2021, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm will be constructing the largest international submarine cable system centred on India.
• The European Space Agency developed an interplanetary spacecraft named JUICE ( Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer ) that has entered into a testing phase. It can be tested at Esa’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands.
• A United Launch Alliance (ULA – American Spacecraft Service Provider)Atlas V rocket has successfully launched the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Flight 5 mission.
• On May 18, 2021, Six Indian sites were added to the tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites, the Ministry of Culture. The submissions were made by Archaeological Survey of India, which is responsible for the conservation and preservation of Indian monuments.
• India has moved a notch higher at the third spot on EY‘s Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index. It is the 57th Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index released by Ernst & Young. The US retains top position on RECAI 57.
• A group of herpetologists gathered for the South Asian Reptile Red List Assessment organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) discovered a new species  Subdoluseps nilgiriensis from the dry leeward slopes of the Nilgiri hills (Western Ghats), Tamil Nadu state, India.
• On May 15, 2021, Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) Arjan Bhullar became the first Indian to win the ONE Heavyweight World Title at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.