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Current Affairs [PDF] - May 16-31, 2021

Current Affairs [PDF] - May 16-31, 2021
Contents
......................... ......... ... ... ....... ......... ...............................................
News Headlines ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
May 16, 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
May 17, 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
May 18, 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
May 19, 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
May 20, 2021 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
May 21, 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
May 22, 2021 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
May 24, 2021 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
May 25, 2021 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
May 26, 2021 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
May 28, 2021 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
May 29, 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
May 31, 2021 ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
May 16, 2021 .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
What is DSR (Direct Seeding of Rice) Technique? ....................................................................................................................... 11
Rural Infrastructure Development Fund .......................................................................................................................................... 12
Utopia Planitia of Mars ........................................................................................................................................................................ 13
JUICE: Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer of European Space Agency .................................................................................................. 13
Talkative Dinosaur found in Mexico ................................................................................................................................................ 14
What is Doomsday Surfing or Doomsday Scrolling? ................................................................................................................... 15
What are Zeolites used in Oxygen Production? ............................................................................................................................. 15
Sikkim Statehood Day: May 16 ......................................................................................................................................................... 16
What is Winchcombe Meteorite? ...................................................................................................................................................... 16
COVID-19 and Prisons ........................................................................................................................................................................ 17
Cyclone Tauktae: Strongest in West Coast in Two Decade ....................................................................................................... 17
Rafael Nadal wins Italian Open, 2021 .............................................................................................................................................. 18
May 17, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
US Global Task Force on COVID-19 .............................................................................................................................................. 19
Cranes return to Ireland after 300 years ....................................................................................................................................... 20
Elephant Seal: Recent Study ............................................................................................................................................................... 20
NHRC on Ganga river and Dead Bodies ......................................................................................................................................... 21
30 Death Sentenced in Democratic Republic of Congo .............................................................................................................. 21
US Gas Shortage 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 22
International Day of Light: May 16 .................................................................................................................................................. 22
International Day of Living Together in Peace: May 16 .............................................................................................................. 23
India's anti-dumping probe against China, Thailand and Vietnam ........................................................................................... 24
Okeanos Explorer: US's Robotic Navigation tech to explore Ocean Floor ............................................................................. 24
Miss Universe 2020 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 25
What are synthetic cannabinoids, that China banned recently? ................................................................................................. 25
2DG- DRDO's Anti-Covid Drug ...................................................................................................................................................... 26
Narada Bribery Case: Ministers arrested in West Bengal ........................................................................................................... 27
Govt revises norms on imports of pulses ....................................................................................................................................... 27
May 18, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 28
World AIDS Vaccine Day: May 18 ................................................................................................................................................... 28
Centre issues guidelines to set up health infra in rural areas ..................................................................................................... 28
26th Meeting of Group of Ministers on COVID-19 .................................................................................................................... 29
Jal Jeevan Mission: Rs 5,968 crores released by the Centre ...................................................................................................... 29
India-Microsoft MoU on Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools ........................................................................................ 30
What is SAMVEDNA? ......................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Wholesale Price Index, WPI of April 2021 ....................................................................................................................................... 31
Sunflower sea star breeding to increase kelp forest ..................................................................................................................... 32
Simorgh Supercomputer .................................................................................................................................................................... 33
WHO-ILO Study: Long working hours increases deaths from heart disease and stroke .................................................... 33
What is Breakthrough Infection? ...................................................................................................................................................... 34
UN Global Road Safety Week (UNGRSW) 2021 ......................................................................................................................... 34
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Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 Treatment dropped ................................................................................................................... 35
India’s first Agriculture Export Facilitation Centre set up at Pune ............................................................................................ 35
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia: May 17 ...................................................................... 36
May 19, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
Atlas V Rocket carrying SBRIS Geo-5 Missile Warning Satellite launched for US Space Force ....................................... 37
Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules, 2021: IGCR, 2017 Customs Rules
changed .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Antarctica heads towards Climate Tipping Point by 2060 ........................................................................................................ 38
Biological E will manufacture Johnson and Johnson COVID Vaccine in India ...................................................................... 38
SPOT (Scalable and Portable Testing)-New COVID-19 Saliva Test invented using RT-LAMP Technology ................ 39
WWF on Snow Leopard: More than 70% of habitat unexplored ............................................................................................ 39
May 20, 2021 ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
GoI increases Fertilizer Subsidy by 140% ...................................................................................................................................... 40
Six Heritage Sites added to India’s UNESCO World Heritage sites Tentative List ............................................................... 40
A-76: World's largest iceberg breaks off of Antarctica ............................................................................................................... 41
China-Russia to begin the biggest Nuclear Power Project .......................................................................................................... 41
May 21, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42
International Tea Day ......................................................................................................................................................................... 42
World Bee Day ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
May 22, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
What is Dipcovan? ............................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Jagrut Tripura ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Decommissioning of INS Rajput ...................................................................................................................................................... 44
May 23, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 45
Migrant crisis between Morocco and Spain .................................................................................................................................. 45
India to host 2022 FIFA under-17 Women’s World Cup ........................................................................................................... 45
NMMS App & Area Officer Monitoring App Launched ............................................................................................................ 46
IMF Proposes USD 50 Billion Global Vaccination Plan .............................................................................................................. 46
Cyclonic Storm Yaas to form in Bay of Bengal ............................................................................................................................ 47
Draft norms for 4-Wheeler Tyres to Raise Fuel Efficiency ........................................................................................................ 48
Invasive species cost African Economy $3.66 trillion a year ..................................................................................................... 48
VIPER Rover to Search Resources on Moon ................................................................................................................................. 49
What is Vaccine Tourism? ................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Air India Cyber-Attack ....................................................................................................................................................................... 49
China Observatory Detects Sources of Gamma Rays ................................................................................................................. 50
Why Nepal President Dissolved Parliament? .................................................................................................................................. 50
Italy hosts the Global G 20 Health Summit .................................................................................................................................... 51
Gujarat Governor gives assent to Bill Penalising Fraudulent Conversion by Marriage ......................................................... 51
Pfizer-BioNTech to provide 2 billion Covid-19 vaccine to Poor Nations ................................................................................ 52
May 24, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 52
CSIR-CSIO transfer UV Disinfection Technology Indigenous Manufacturers ....................................................................... 52
Commonwealth seek equal access to Covid-19 Vaccines ........................................................................................................... 53
G-7 Nations pledge to accelerate efforts against Global Warming .......................................................................................... 53
World Turtle Day 2021 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Mount Nyiragongo erupts in Eastern DR Congo ......................................................................................................................... 54
Cheetah to be re-introduced in India ............................................................................................................................................... 55
Haryana to launch ‘Sanjeevani Pariyojana’ ...................................................................................................................................... 55
What is Kyasanur Forest Disease? .................................................................................................................................................... 56
CCoV-HuPn-2018 Coronavirus ........................................................................................................................................................ 56
Delhi records 8 new Species of Snakes .......................................................................................................................................... 56
Ana- First named Atlantic storm of 2021 ....................................................................................................................................... 57
US announces restrictions on Ethiopia and Eritrea ....................................................................................................................... 57
Nuclear Scientist Srikumar Banerjee Passed Away ...................................................................................................................... 58
Maharashtra seeks World Heritage Site Tag for 14 Forts .......................................................................................................... 58
Singapore approves Covid Breath Test ........................................................................................................................................... 59
May 25, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 59
India Biodiversity Awards 2021 ........................................................................................................................................................ 59
Gharial Hatchlings seen in Odisha ................................................................................................................................................... 60

Rare Super Blood Moon to be observed on May 26 .................................................................................................................. 60
Version 3.0 of MCA21 Launched ...................................................................................................................................................... 61
NHA sign MoU with Telangana to implement Ayushman Bharat Scheme ............................................................................ 61
India-Israel signs 3-year program for Cooperation in Agriculture ........................................................................................... 62
WHO sets new targets for Vaccinating Poorest Nations ............................................................................................................ 62
Bihar's Shahi Litchi exported to UK by Air Route ........................................................................................................................ 63
Sniffer Dogs 88% accurate in detecting Covid- Study ............................................................................................................... 63
Merger of DCCBs with StCBs ......................................................................................................................................................... 64
China defends CPEC ........................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Internet Explorer to retire in June 2022 ......................................................................................................................................... 65
Govt to set up National Mission on use of Biomass .................................................................................................................... 65
Union Health Minister chairs 74th World Health Assembly ..................................................................................................... 66
Panel set up on Mekedatu Dam Construction .............................................................................................................................. 66
May 26, 2021 ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 67
UK launches process to start Free trade talks with India ........................................................................................................... 67
Endangered African Violet plant discovered in Mizoram ........................................................................................................... 67
Guillermo Lasso: Ecuador's first right-wing President in 14 years ........................................................................................... 68
NASA's New Earth System Observatory ....................................................................................................................................... 68
'One Health' panel set up to advise on Animal Disease Risks ................................................................................................... 68
WCD Ministry to set up One-Stop Centres .................................................................................................................................. 69
Why WhatsApp sue Indian Government? ...................................................................................................................................... 69
SEBI to appoint Forensic Auditors for Listed Firms .................................................................................................................... 70
IMF warns for 'Ricochet Impact' ..................................................................................................................................................... 70
International Week of Solidarity with Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories ............................................................... 71
Railway orders suspension of wrestler Sushil Kumar ................................................................................................................... 71
Virtual Vesak Global Celebrations on Buddha Purnima .............................................................................................................. 72
Argentine Ant- Key Facts ................................................................................................................................................................... 72
May 27, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 72
IIT Guwahati developed Smart Window Material ........................................................................................................................ 72
AI-based Pest Management ............................................................................................................................................................... 73
Tigray at risk of Famine- warns UN ............................................................................................................................................... 73
Van Gujjars Nomadic Tribe .............................................................................................................................................................. 74
Prevention of Anti-Social Activity (PASA) Act in Lakshadweep .............................................................................................. 74
Sacrificial pits found in Chinese city of Sanxingdui ...................................................................................................................... 75
Increase in number of smokers in India ......................................................................................................................................... 75
Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property Act .......................................................................................................................... 76
Ayush Clinical Case Repository Portal to be Launched .............................................................................................................. 76
Assam CM appoints 'Guardian Ministers' ...................................................................................................................................... 77
Veteran Children author Eric Carle dies ......................................................................................................................................... 77
Amartya Sen conferred Spain's Top Award in Social Science .................................................................................................. 78
Defence Minister launches SeHAT OPD Portal ........................................................................................................................... 78
Kerala's new Smart Kitchen Scheme .............................................................................................................................................. 79
What is 'Citizenship by Investment programme'? ........................................................................................................................ 79
May 28, 2021 ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 79
RBI Annual Report-2021 .................................................................................................................................................................... 80
SpaceX launches 60 Starlink Broadband Satellites ...................................................................................................................... 80
Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update .................................................................................................................................... 80
MIT's Smart Clothes measure movements and poses ................................................................................................................. 81
Panel to examine Valuation of Services by Online Gaming companies .................................................................................... 81
NHAI's Guidelines for Toll centres to reduce waiting time ....................................................................................................... 82
Bashar Al-Assad Re-Elected for 4th term ...................................................................................................................................... 82
IIT Mandi reveals Key Protein Structure in Covid-19 Virus ...................................................................................................... 83
Centre to launch Unified Health Interface ...................................................................................................................................... 83
DNA Vaccines Effective in Hamsters .............................................................................................................................................. 84
Hong Kong woman breaks record for fastest ascent of Everest .............................................................................................. 84
Menstrual Hygiene Day 2021 ............................................................................................................................................................ 85
DBT approved for Mid-Day-Meal Scheme ................................................................................................................................... 85
‘Dharavi Model’ of COVID-19 Management ................................................................................................................................ 85

May 29, 2021 ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Govt to support Public Sector Companies for Vaccine Production ......................................................................................... 86
What is Kaleidoscope Effect? ............................................................................................................................................................ 87
Permanent Commission for Israel and Palestine .......................................................................................................................... 87
US- Russia Open Skies Treaty .......................................................................................................................................................... 87
Centre invites applications for Citizenship ..................................................................................................................................... 88
India supports calls on probe into Covid Origin ........................................................................................................................... 89
DG NCC Mobile Training App 2.0 Launched ............................................................................................................................. 89
IBF to be renamed as IBDF ............................................................................................................................................................... 90
Steadfast Defender 21 war Games .................................................................................................................................................. 90
India- US discuss Vaccine Partnership ............................................................................................................................................ 90
Second BRICS Sherpas' meeting convened .................................................................................................................................... 91
Government to discontinue Central Allocation of Remdesivir ................................................................................................... 91
YUVA - Prime Minister’s Scheme for mentoring young authors ............................................................................................. 92
May 31, 2021 ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 92
Additional benefits under ESIC & EPFO schemes for dependents of workers ...................................................................... 92
NSA commissioned Vessel Sajag ...................................................................................................................................................... 93
Indian Navy installed medical ICU on Advanced Light Helicopter ........................................................................................... 93
Public Sector Banks announce new loans ...................................................................................................................................... 93
IFFCO to launch Nano Urea ............................................................................................................................................................. 94
Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 4.0 ......................................................................................................... 94
Four new National Helpline Number launched ............................................................................................................................ 95
China to send Three Astronauts to Space Station ....................................................................................................................... 95
Aspergillosis Fungal Infection ........................................................................................................................................................... 96
PM-CARES for Children Scheme .................................................................................................................................................... 96
Goa launches solar-based electrification programme .................................................................................................................. 97
World No Tobacco Day ..................................................................................................................................................................... 97
China's Feat in Maternal and Child Survival Rates ...................................................................................................................... 98
Hubble Captures Striking New Image of NGC 691 ................................................................................................................... 98
Curiosity rover spots colourful clouds on Mars ............................................................................................................................ 99
120 Multiple Choice Questions ................................................................................................................................................................. 99
Notice ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 135

News Headlines
May 16, 2021
Here are Today’s News Headlines by GK Today for May 16, 2021:
India
National Gallery of Modern Art to organise online summer workshop- NAIMISHA 2021 from May 17 to
June 13
Delhi govt. to give Rs 5,000 to auto, taxi drivers facing financial hardships due to Covid-19
Cylinder imports
Govt relaxes rules to fast track approvals for imported cylinders and pressure vessels for storage and
transportation of medical oxygen
Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO) will not carry out physical inspection of global
manufacturers’ production facilities before grant of such approval.
Economy & corporate
Air India launches cargo flights for importing zeolite for use in medical oxygen plants
World
Israeli airstrike destroys Gaza building that housed media outlets such as Associated Press and Al-
Jazeera
China successfully lands its rover Zhu Rong on Mars
Twelve killed in tornado strikes in two Chinese cities of Wuhan and Suzhou
International Day of Families celebrated on May 15, theme: ‘Families and New Technologies’
May 17, 2021
India
Cyclone Tauktae hits coastal belt of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa leaving four people dead
Mathematician Professor MS Narasimhan dies at 88; known for the Narasimhan-Seshadri theorem
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Satav dies at 46 in Pune after recovering from Covid-19
Raghunandan Lal Bhatia, six-time Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar, dies at 100; was Minister of State for
External Affairs in 1992
Economy & corporate
Covid-19: Centre asks states to keep ration shops open on all days
Financial Express managing editor Sunil Jain passes away
World
International Day of Light celebrated by UNESCO on May 16, anniversary of first successful operation
of the laser in 1960 by physicist Theodore Maiman
International Day of Living Together in Peace observed by UN on May 16
Sports
Athletics: High jumper Tejaswin Shankar clinches gold at Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field
Championships in Manhattan, USA by clearing 2.28 metres
Leicester City win FA Cup football tournament by beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final at Wembley stadium
in London
Spain’s Rafael Nadal, Poland’s Iga Swiatek wins singles titles at Italian Open tennis in Rome
Former national badminton coach S. Balachandran Nair passes away in Thiruvananthapuram at 69
May 18, 2021

India
MyGov launches innovation challenge for creating Indian Language Learning App
CoWIN portal reconfigured: Beneficiaries advised to reschedule appointment for 2nd dose of vaccine
Indian Navy deploys 3 ships to rescue people onboard 2 barges adrift off the Mumbai coast because
of cyclone Tauktae
Virologist Shahid Jameel resigns as the chairman of scientific advisory group of Indian SARS-CoV-2
Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a forum set up by union government in December 2020
Industrialist and former chairman of Usha International Siddharth Shriram dies at 76 from COVID-19
Economy & corporate
releases DRDO’s COVID therapy drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) for emergency use; developed by
DRDO and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad
Shilpa Medicare arm inks pact with Dr Reddy’s to manufacture Russian Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in
Dharwad, Karnataka
Wholesale inflation soars to 10.49% in April on higher fuel prices
World
World Hypertension Day observed on May 17; theme: ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately,
Control It, Live Longer’
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day celebrated on May 17; theme: ‘Accelerating
Digital Transformation in challenging times’
6th UN Global Road Safety Week being held from May 17 to 23, theme: ‘Streets for Life #Love30’
calling for 30 km/h default speed limits
India at Security Council calls for ‘immediate de-escalation’ of Israel-Palestine hostilities
China bars foreign curriculum and foreign ownership in private schools
May 19, 2021
India
Veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta dies in Jammu at 87
Renowned Tamil writer Ki Rajanarayanan dies at 98 in Puducherry, won Sahitya Akademi award in
1991
K.K. Aggarwal, former IMA (Indian Medical Association) President & Padma Shri awardee, dies of
COVID-19 at 62
Madhya Pradesh: Rs 5 lakh aid to kin of government employees who died of COVID-19
Delhi CM announces free education for kids who lost parents to Covid-19
National Gallery of Modern Art launches Audio-Visual Guide App on the occasion of International
Museum Day (May 18)
Cyclone Tauktae: Navy, Coast Guard rescue 314 people from two barges that went adrift in the
Arabian Sea near Mumbai
Economy & corporate
Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves sale of YES Bank’s mutual fund subsidiaries to GPL
Finance and Investments Ltd
World
International Museum Day celebrated on May 18, theme: ‘The Future of Museums: Recover and
Reimagine’
Andrea Meza of Mexico crowned 69th Miss Universe in US
US to share 20 million more COVID-19 vaccine doses with other countries, taking the total number of

such shots to 80 million: President Joe Biden
May 20, 2021
India
Defer vaccination for 3 months after recovery from Covid: Health Ministry
Govt launches six-month programme CBID (Community Based Inclusive Development) on
rehabilitation of persons with disabilities
Former NSG (National Security Guard) director general J.K. Dutt dies at 72
Economy & corporate
PSU Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) posts all-time high profit in FY21 of Rs 21,638 crore
Centre sets up Committee to enquire into sequence of events leading to stranding of ONGC vessels in
cyclone Tauktae
India unveils equipment to mark, fence minefields quicker & with minimal human intervention
CBI registers case against MD of IFFCO US Awasthi and former MD of Indian Potash Ltd. on charges
of importing fertilizers and raw materials at highly inflated rates to claim higher subsidy from the
government
K Dutta, first Managing Director of Numaligarh Refinery Limited, dies at 75
World
US Congress passes anti-Asian hate crimes bill to counter rise in incidents
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin witness launch of biggest
nuclear energy project in China
China successfully launches new ocean observation satellite Haiyang-2D
May 21, 2021
Unesco heritage list
Six sites added to India’s tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites
Maratha military architecture in Maharashtra
Hire Bengal megalithic site in Karnataka
Bhedaghat-Lametaghat of Narmada Valley in MP
Ganga Ghats in Varanasi, UP
Temples of Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu
Satpura Tiger Reserve in MP
India
CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan sworn in CM of Kerala for the second time by Governor Arif
Mohammed Khan in Thiruvananthapuram
Former Rajasthan Congress CM Jagannath Pahadia passes away due to Covid-19 at 89
ICMR approves Covid-19 home testing kit CoviSelf, manufactured by Mylab Discovery Solutions Ltd,
Pune
Centre urges States and UTs to make Mucormycosis, a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases
Act, 1897
India second to US in asking Facebook for user data in second half of 2020
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan chairs opening session of 33rd meeting of Health Ministers
of Commonwealth countries
INS Rajput to be decommissioned on May 21 after 41 years of service
India invited to join G7 Health Ministers’ Summit virtually on June 3-4: UK Government

Economy & corporate
Khadi is not a generic name and KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) is the legitimate
owner of the trademarks “Khadi” and “Khadi India”: Tribunal
Income Tax Department to launch new e-filing portal incometax.gov.inon June 7
Govt extends due date of furnishing of I-T Return for Assessment Year 2021-22 to 30th September,
2021
Govt hikes subsidy on DAP (diammonium phosphate) fertiliser by 140%; farmers to get DAP at old
rates
Govt appoints inquiry committee to probe drifting of vessels due to cyclone
World
Antarctica gives birth to world’s largest iceberg; surface area spans 4,320 square km and measures
175 km long by 25 km wide
Martha Koome appointed Kenya’s first woman chief justice
World Bee Day celebrated on May 20; theme: ‘Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees’
World Metrology Day celebrated on May 20; theme: ‘Measurements for global trade’
May 22, 2021

India
Coronavirus: DRDO lab develops antibody detection-based kit Dipcovan
Haryana makes Covid-19 treatment free for BPL patients in private hospitals
INS Rajput decommissioned at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam after 41 years of service
, UNICEF and its partner organisation YuWaah launch pan-India campaign called #YoungWarrior to
engage young people to address the ongoing COVID-19 crisis
Environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna dies of Covid in Rishikesh at the age of 94; awarded Padma Shri
(1981) and Padma Vibhushan (2009) for environment conservation
Former union minister Babagouda Patil dies in Karnataka at 76; served as Minister of State for Rural
Development (independent charge) in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government
IIT professor and renowned road safety expert Dinesh Mohan dies of Covid at 75
Punjab: Indian Air Force’s MiG-21 aircraft crashes near Moga; pilot dies
13 Naxals killed in encounter with police in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district
Twitter labels BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra’s tweet on Congress “toolkit” as “manipulated media”
India and Oman renew MoU on military cooperation along with its annexure as well as on maritime
issues
India hosts seventh meeting of BRICS Astronomy Working Group (BAWG) in online mode on May
19-20
Economy & Corporate
RBI to transfer Rs 99,122 cr as dividend to govt for the accounting period of nine months ended
March 31, 2021
Foreign exchange reserves jump $563 million to $590.028 billion in the week ended May 14
SC upholds Centre’s notification permitting banks to proceed against personal guarantors under IBC
(Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code)
World
US President Joe Biden signs anti-hate crime legislation to protect Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders

Israel- Hamas ceasefire comes into force in Gaza Strip
Sri Lankan parliament passes controversial Bill on China-backed $1.4 billion-Colombo Port City
European Parliament votes to ‘freeze’ investment deal with China
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue & Development observed by UN on May 21
International Tea Day observed by the UN on May 21
Sports
Indian boxing’s first Dronacharya awardee coach O. P. Bhardwaj dies at 82
May 24, 2021
Here are Today’s News Headlines by GK Today for May 23-24, 2021:
INDIA Current Affairs
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat gives assent to Bill that penalises fraudulent conversion by
marriage
Journalist Rajkumar Keswani, who warned of Bhopal gas tragedy (December 2-3, 1984), dies at 72 of
post COVID-19 complications
Noted Sanskrit scholar Pandit Rewa Prasad Dwivedi dies
Telugu film producer and veteran journalist B. A. Raju passes away at 62
Cheetah to be re-introduced in India from Africa in November at the Kuno National Park: MP govt
Country’s last spotted cheetah died in Chhattisgarh in 1947 and it was declared extinct in the country
in 1952.
Chhattisgarh: CM Bhupesh Baghel suspends Surajpur Collector Ranbir Sharma for slapping youth for
violating Covd-19 rules
Haryana to launch anti-Covid ‘Sanjeevani Pariyojana’ for quick medicare access at home
Cyclone Yaas to intensify into a “very severe cyclonic storm” and cross the Odisha and the West
Bengal coasts on May 26: India Meteorological Department (IMD)
Operation Samudra Setu II: INS Jalashwa reaches Visakhapatnam with 300 metric tonne oxygen
Former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Srikumar Banerjee dies in Mumbai; won Padma Shri in
2005 and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1989
Kerala’s Shaji N.M. wins India Biodiversity Award 2021 in the individual category of ‘Conservation of
domesticated species’
ECONOMY & CORPORATE Current Affairs
CSIR-CSIO (Central Scientific Instruments Organisation) transfer UV Disinfection technology to
combat SARS-CoV-2 to indigenous manufacturers
India challenges $1.2 bn Cairn award, says never agreed on tax arbitration
WORLD Current Affairs
Nepal: President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolves House of Representatives and announces mid-term
polls in November
Pfizer-BioNTech pledge 2 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to middle and low-income countries over the
next 18 months
Commonwealth health ministers seek equal access to Covid-19 vaccines
Environment ministers from G-7 nations pledge to accelerate efforts to slow global warming
0 magnitude earthquake rattles China’s Qinghai province, one dead
International Day for Biological Diversity celebrated on May 22; theme: “We’re part of the solution”
Yuan Longping, China’s “father of hybrid rice”, who revolutionised agriculture, dies at 91’ awarded
World Food Prize in 2004
Nigeria’s army chief, Lt-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, dies in plane crash at the age of 54

Volcano Mount Nyiragongo erupts in Democratic Republic of the Congo, 15 killed
Ana, first named Atlantic storm of 2021, forms near Bermuda
World Turtle Day celebrated on May 23
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula observed on May 23, theme: “Women’s rights are human
rights! End fistula now!”
Obstetric fistula is an injury that can occur during childbirth
SPORTS Current Affairs
Incumbent Narinder Batra of India re-elected as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) President
for a second term till 2024
Atletico Madrid clinches La Liga football title in Spain
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece wins men’s singles title at Lyon Open tennis in France
Norway’s Casper Ruud wins men’s singles title at Geneva Open Tennis
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins Formula One Monaco Grand Prix
Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar arrested in May 4 murder case in Delhi
Hockey India wins Etienne Glichitch Award of FIH (International Hockey Federation) for growth and
development of the sport in the country
Odisha bureaucrat V. Karthikeya Pandian wins FIH (International Hockey Federation) President’s
Award at the FIH Congress
Norway’s Casper Ruud wins men’s singles title at Geneva Open Tennis
May 25, 2021
India
Deloitte, Haryana government join hands to launch ‘Sanjeevani Pariyojana’ initiative against COVID-19
India, Israel sign 3-year work programme for cooperation in agriculture: Agriculture Minister Narendra
Singh Tomar
FDI In 2020-21
FDI (foreign direct investments) equity inflows into the country grew 19% to USD 59.64 billion during
2020-21
Total FDI, including equity, re-invested earnings and capital, rose 10% to the “highest ever” of USD
81.72 billion during 2020-21
In terms of top investor countries, Singapore is at the top with 29% share
The computer software and hardware sector attracted the highest inflows with around 44% share of
the total FDI equity inflows
Gujarat is the top recipient state during 2020-21 with 37% share of the total FDI equity inflows
Economy & Corporate
RBI issues guidelines for merging District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs) with State Cooperative
Banks (StCBs)
World
China defends CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), calls it an economic initiative; says it won’t
affect its stand on Kashmir
CPEC, which traverses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), is the flagship project of China’s
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
President Bidya Devi Bhandari issues ordinance to amend Nepali Citizenship Act
Belarus scrambles jet to force Ryanair plane on Athens-Lithuania fight to land and arrests detained
journalist Roman Protasevich

Iran agrees to extend deal with UN’s nuclear watchdog on cameras at its nuclear sites says IAEA
Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi
Sports
50-year old Phil Mickelson of US wins P.G.A. Championship; becomes the oldest golfer to win a major
championship
May 26, 2021
India
Cabinet approves creation of post of director at NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) Academy,
Nagpur
Cabinet approves opening of new Consulate General of India in Addu City of Maldives
Railway orders suspension of wrestler Sushil Kumar
Economy & Corporate
India’s foodgrain output to rise 2.66% to record 305.43 million tonnes in 2020-21: Govt
Power ministry to set up a National Mission on use of biomass in coal-based thermal power plants
India’s GDP to grow at 1.3% in March quarter, full year contraction for FY21 at 7.3%: SBI report
World
Military detain Mali’s president, Prime Minister and Defence Minister
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan chairs 74th World Health Assembly
EU to cut air links with Belarus after Ryanair flight diversion incident
Israel appoints former operative David Barnea as new head of spy agency Mossad
UN observing International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories on
25-31 May
May 28, 2021
TWITTER
– Twitter alleges ‘intimidation tactics’ by Delhi police, dismissed as baseless by the government
– An anti-terrorism squad of the Delhi Police went to the offices of Twitter India in Delhi and
Gurgaon on May 24 as part of an investigation into “toolkit” allegedly made by Congress
INDIA
– Centre extends Covid norms till June-end, calls for intensive and local containment measures by
States/UTs in districts with a high number of cases
– Centre gives digital media, OTTs 15 days to furnish details on compliance with new guidelines
– Adverse effect unlikely if 2nd dose of different covid vaccine (Covaxin or Covishield) taken: V. K.
Paul, Niti Aayog
– SeHAT (Services e-Health Assistance and Tele-consultation) portal launched for providing tele-
medicine services to serving military personnel, veterans and their families
– One-year extension for RAW chief Samant Kumar Goel and Intelligence Bureau head Arvind Kumar
– Frontline Journalist Memorial Fund created to help family of frontline journalists who succumbed
to COVID
– Centre approves proposal to provide Rs 5 lakh each for families of 26 journalists who died due to
Covid
– India faced 117 cyclones from 1970-2019, over 40,000 lives lost: Study
– Bharat Ratna Professor C.N.R. Rao wins Italy’s International Eni Award 2020 for research into
renewable energy sources and energy storage
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Size of RBI’s balance sheet up 6.99 per cent for nine months to March 2021
– Value and volume of banknotes in circulation increased by 16.8% and 7.2% respectively in
2020-21: RBI
– Frauds reported by banks fell by 25% in value terms to Rs 1.38 lakh crore in 2020-21 RBI
– Govt approves appointment of B V R Subrahmanyam as Commerce Secretary from July
WORLD
– Mali’s military releases transitional President and PM from detention after they resigned
– Penpa Tsering sworn-in as president of Tibetan government-in-exile at Dharamshala (Himachal
Pradesh)
– Hong Kong changes electoral law, 40 out of 90 seats in Hong Kong’s legislature to be elected by a
largely pro-Beijing election committee.
– President Joe Biden orders US intelligence agencies to report to him in 3 months on whether the
COVID-19 virus first emerged in China from an animal source or from a laboratory accident
– Eric Carle, author and illustrator of children’s classic ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, dies aged 91
in US
May 29, 2021
INDIA
– India supports renewed global calls for a comprehensive investigation by the WHO into the origins
of COVID-19
– Centre to transfer Mid-Day Meal (MDM) cooking cost directly to students’ accounts
– Mobile training app version 2.0 launched to assist in online training of NCC (National Cadet Corps)
cadets
– Actor Randeep Hooda removed as ambassador of Convention for the Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals (CMS), United Nation’s environmental treaty
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– RBI imposes Rs 10 crore penalty on HDFC Bank for irregularities in auto loan book
– DGCA extends suspension of scheduled international passenger flights till 30th June in view of
COVID pandemic
– Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the apex body of broadcasters, to cover streaming platforms
– Raytheon hands over 4 oxygen refilling trucks to Indian Red Cross Society for further distribution
WORLD
– Tamil filmmaker Thamizh’s debut film ‘Seththumaan’ win Grand Jury Award for Best Feature film
at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA)
– Delegates approve 16% increase to WHO budget for the next two years, setting it at about $6.1
billion.
– NATO organising Steadfast Defender 21 war games in Europe
– UNHRC (UN Human Rights Council) votes to investigate violence in recent conflict between Israel
& Hamas; India among 14 countries that abstained from voting
– Germany acknowledges it committed genocide during its colonial-era occupation of Namibia in the
early 20th century
– International Day of UN Peacekeepers observed on May 27
– UN honours 124 fallen peacekeepers from 44 nations with the ‘Dag Hammarskjold Medal’
– Amnesty International Day observed on May 28; Amnesty International founded in London by
lawyer Peter Benenson on May 28, 1961
– Bashar Al-Assad to continue to serve as President of Syria after winning election for 4th time
May 31, 2021
INDIA
– Ministry of Information & Broadcasting asks private TV channels to promote four national level
COVID-19 helpline numbers
— NSA Ajit Doval commissions Indian Coast Guard’s offshore patrol vessel Sajag built by Goa
Shipyard Limited
– The Maharaja of Kutch, Maharrao Pragmalji III, dies at 85 in Bhuj, Gujarat
– Goa Statehood Day observed on May 30, Union Territory became state on 30 May 1987
– CPI(M) leader Mythily Sivaraman passes away in Chennai at 81
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Dependents of ESIC subscribers dying of Covid-19 to receive the same benefits as received by the
dependents of those dying from employment injury
– Maximum insurance benefit under EPFO’s scheme increased for dependents of Covid-19 victims
from 6 lakhs to 7 lakhs
– Benefits under ECLGS (Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme) extended to civil aviation
sector
– ECLGS (Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme) to cover loans up to ₹ 2 crore for setting up
on-site oxygen generation plants at healthcare facilities
– FDI in computer software, hardware jumps threefold to $26.14 billion in 2020-21: DPIIT data
WORLD
– China: Cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-2 docks with core module of space station Tianhe to deliver
supplies, equipment and propellant
SPORTS
– Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 in Champions League football final at Porto
– Pooja Rani Bohra (75 kg) wins gold at Asian boxing championships in Dubai; Mary Kom (51 kg),
Lalbuatsaihi (64 kg), Anupama (+81kg) win silver
May 16, 2021
What is DSR (Direct Seeding of Rice) Technique?
DSR Technique is Direct Seeding of Rice Technique. This year Punjab Government has decided to bring one
hectare of land under DSR technique. This is being done as the Government is expecting shortage of
migrant labour.
What is DSR Technique?
DSR technique is direct seeding of rice. Here the seeds are sown in the field directly rather than
transplanting the seedlings. A tractor powered machine is used to drill the seeds in to the soil.
There is no nursery preparation in DSR technique.
Transplanting Paddy
In the traditional method, where the paddy is transplanted, the farmer first prepare nurseries. The seeds are
sown in these nurseries and raised to young plants. After 25-35 days, these seedlings are uprooted and
sown in the field.
Benefits of DSR Technique
The technique reduces cost by Rs 6000 per acre
It uses 30% less water. This is because, during transplantation, the field has to be kept irrigated almost daily
maintaining a water depth of 4-5 centimetres.
Misconceptions about DSR Technique
The Transplanting method yields 35 quintals per acre. The productivity of DSR technique might be less.
According to farmers, it might only give 25 quintals per hectare. However, the Punjab Agricultural University
has been stressing on the fact that this is a misconception.
What are issues?
In 2020, the Punjab Government sanctioned 4,000 DSR machines and 800 paddy transplanters with 40% to
50% subsidy.
Around July 2020, farmers complained rodent attacks. Usually in normal transplanting method, the crops
are not vulnerable to rodent attacks. This is because, they cannot survive in flooded fields. However, the

rodent attack in Punjab is common and every crop faces this issue. Around 2% to 15% damages are caused
by rodent attacks in the state every year.
Limitations
It requires timely sowing needs for the crops to come out properly before monsoon rains.
Seed requirement is high. In transplanting, it is 4-5 kg per acre and in DSR, it is 8-10 kg per acre.
Rural Infrastructure Development Fund
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) recently announced that it provided Rs
1,236 crores to Assam in 2020-21 from its Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).
What is RIDF?
It was created in 1995-96 with an initial corpus of Rs 2,000 crores.
In 2020-21, Rs 29,848 crores was allocated to RIDF. With this the cumulative allocation has reached Rs
18,500 crores.
Eligible Activities
The fund shall be used for 37 eligible activities as approved by the GoI. These eligible activities are
classified under the three broad categories. They are social sector, agriculture and related sector and rural
connectivity.
Agriculture and Related Sectors
Mechanisation of farm operations
Dedicated Rural Industry estates
Separate Feeder lines
Solar Photovoltaic power plants
Infrastructure works related to solar energy, energy conservation, wind energy.
Desalination plants in coastal areas
Infrastructure for Information Technology in rural areas
Village Knowledge Centres
Mini Hydel Projects up to 25MW
Medium Irrigation Projects
Major Irrigation Projects
Modern Abattoir
Riverine Fisheries
Community irrigation well
Fishing harbour
Grading
Plantation and Horticulture
Seed/ Agriculture/ Horticulture Farms
Market Yard, Godown, Mandi, Rural Haat, Marketing Infrastructure
Cold storage, Public/ Joint sector cold storage at various exit points
Drainage
Flood Protection
Forest Development
Watershed Development
Soil Conservation
Minor Irrigation Projects
Social Sectors
Solid Waste Management

Construction of Anganwadis
Setting of KVIC centres
Pay and Use toilets
Infrastructure for Rural Education Institutions
Drinking water
Public Health Institutions
Rural Connectivity
Rural bridges and Rural Roads
Eligible Institutions
State Governments and Union Territories
State Government sponsored and supported organisations
State owned corporations and state government undertakings
Panchayat Raj institutions and Self-Help Groups
Utopia Planitia of Mars
The Chinese Mission to Mars Tianwen 1 recently landed in the Utopia Planitia. It is the place where the
Viking 2 lander touched down.
Utopia Planitia
It is an Impact basin of Mars. Impact Crater is a circular depression in the surface of planets formed
due to hypervelocity impact of smaller bodies. It may be due to meteors.
The diameter of the basin is 3,300 kilometres.
The rocks in Utopia Planitia look perched, that is, removed by wind at their bases.
Some areas in the region exhibit Scalloped Topography. Scalloped Topography is common in the
latitudes of 45 degrees to 60 degrees north and south. They consist of shallow rimless depression.
Other Features in Utopia Planitia
Holes and Hollows were found under the HiWish Programme. It was a programme created by NASA.
Under the programme anyone can suggest a place for the HiRISE camera to take photograph of the
Martian surface. HiRISE was placed in Mars Reconnaissance orbiter.
The HiWish Programme also located Glacier in crater floor.
Layered Mesa has been detected. Mesa is a flat lying soft sedimentary rock capped by more resistant
layers of harder rock.
Streamlined forms indicating water flowed on the surface.
Polygonal patterned ground has been detected. These regions are created by the sublimation of ice
from the ground. Sublimation is the transition of the substance from solid to gaseous state.
Pedestral Craters have been found. They are craters with the ejecta sitting above the surrounding
terrain.
NASA
In 2016, NASA reported large amount of underground ice in the Utopia Planitia region.
JUICE: Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer of European Space Agency
The Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer of the European Space Agency recently entered into a critical sequence of
tests.
About Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer
It is called JUICE.
It is an interplanetary spacecraft developed by European Space Agency. It is under its development
phase.
The main contractor of the mission is Airbus Defence and Space.

The JUICE Mission will study three Galilean Moon of Jupiter. They are Europa, Ganymede and
Callisto.
All these three moons have significant amount of water beneath their surfaces.
The spacecraft is to be launched in June 2022.
It will reach Jupiter in October 2029.
It will reach Jupiter after five gravity assists. Gravity Assists is the use of the gravity of other planet
or astronomical object to increase speed of a spacecraft or to alter its path. This is done to save the
propellant and reduce expenses.
Objectives
Detailed investigation of Ganymede and evaluate its potential to support life.
Characterisation of ocean layers
Detection of putative subsurface water reservoirs
Geological and Topographical compositional mapping of the surface
Study of physical properties of the icy crusts
Investigation of Ganymede’s atmosphere. Study about its magnetic field.
Science Instruments
It will carry the following science instruments:
JANUS: Jovis, Amorum ac Natorum Undique Scrutator
MAJIS: Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer
UVS: UV Imaging Spectrograph
GALA: Ganymede Laser Altimeter
RIME: Radar for Icy Moons Exploraiton
JUICE Magnetometer
PEP: Particle Environment Package
RPWI: Radio and Plasma Wave Investigation
PRIDE: Planetary Radio Inferometer and Doppler Experiment
Targets
The Mission will encounter three planets and the moon before arriving Jupiter. They are the Venus, Earth
and its moon, Mars, Jupiter, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa.
Talkative Dinosaur found in Mexico
The Palaeontologists recently identified a new species of dinosaur called the Talkative Dinosaur. It was
identified in the northern Mexico. The research is being conducted by the National Institute of Anthropology
and History of Mexico.
About the fossil
The fossil was discovered 10 years ago. However, the species was discovered now.
The fossil dates back to 70 million years ago.
The new species was identified after 80% of its head was recovered. The palaeontologists first
uncovered its tail. So far the crest of the dinosaur, its upper jaws, neurocranium and lower jaws have
been uncovered. Neurocranium is the part where the brain is housed.
The research began in 2013 when the tail of a dinosaur was discovered.
The dinosaur must have died in a water body full of sediments. That is why its body has been
preserved through ages.
About Talkative Dinosaur
It is called “Tlatolophus galorum”.
It was a crested dinosaur. The crest of Talkative Dinosaur was 1.32 metres tall.

The shape of the crest of the dinosaur is similar to that of a symbol used by the Meso American
people. The Meso Americans lived in North America around thousand years ago. In the sixteenth
century diseases such as measles and smallpox wiped off 90% of indigenous people in the region.
It is a herbivore dinosaur.
The Talkative Dinosaurs had ears that could hear low frequency sounds.
These dinosaurs emitted strong sounds for reproductive purposes and also to scare away predators.
Crested Dinosaurs
The Crested Dinosaurs were first discovered in 2005 in Mexico.
They are usually twelve metres in length.
What is Doomsday Surfing or Doomsday Scrolling?
People are continuously reading about the pandemic and news related to it. They are even sacrificing their
working hours or crucial sleep time in the process. This is being done compulsively. This scenario is called
Doomsday Scrolling.
What is Doomsday Surfing?
It is the tendency to scroll through bad news even though the news is saddening or depressing. The term
Doomsday Surfing is one of the new lexicon of words the COVID-19 has introduced into the daily lives of
man.
Who is performing Doomsday surfing?
This is done by almost every human being on the earth. People in the age group of 15 years to 30 years are
surfing to seek help. On the other hand, the people in the age group of 30 years to 45 years are blaming
others on social media. On the brighter side, the senior age people are trying to spread positivity and
spirituality.
Why did Doomsday Surfing arise?
It has become a behavioural addiction. As people become more and more addictive, the social media
algorithms designed to feed to the addictions serve up fulfilling the interests. This becomes a vicious cycle.
Dopamine and Doomsday Surfing
Both positive and negative news gives dopamine high. Thus, Doomsday Surfing increases dopamine levels.
Dopamine is a chemical compound found naturally in human body. It is a neuro transmitter. It controls the
movements of the person. The right balance of dopamine is important for both physical and mental
wellbeing.
High Dopamine levels lead to difficulty in sleeping, increased energy levels, anxiety, stress. On the other
hand, it also gives improved ability to focus and learn.
What are Zeolites used in Oxygen Production?
The Air India recently airlifted 35 tonnes of Zeolite used in Oxygen Production plants from Rome to
Bengaluru.
What are Zeolites?
Zeolites are aluminosilicate minerals. They are microporous material that is used as adsorbents and
catalysts.
They can accommodate cations such as K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+. When the zeolite minerals come in
contact with a solution, they exchange these cations for other ions in the solution. The most common
zeolite minerals are stilbite, phillipsite, natrolite, heulandite, chabzite, analcime.
Natural Zeolites
The Zeolites are naturally formed when the volcanic rocks react with alkaline ground water.
They also crystallize in marine basins for thousands to millions of years.
The naturally occurring zeolites are contaminated with other minerals like quartz. They are rarely

pure. For this reason, the naturally occurring Zeolites are excluded from commercial applications
where purity is essential.
The Zeolites transform into other minerals under hydrothermal alteration, weathering and
metamorphic conditions. Weathering is breaking down of rocks through contact with water,
atmospheric gases and biological organisms.
Artificial Zeolite
The zeolites are also produced by the process of slow crystallisation of silica-alumina gel.
Application
They are mainly used in commercial water purification. Also, they are used as sorbents and catalysts.
Zeolites in Oxygen Production
Zeolites are used as adsorbent material in Pressure Swing Adsorption.
An oxygen concentrator uses Zeolites to adsorb atmospheric nitrogen and then vents out the
nitrogen. This leaves oxygen gas remaining to be used for patients.
In high pressure, the surface area of zeolites increases and thus is capable of adsorbing large
quantities of nitrogen.
Sikkim Statehood Day: May 16
Sikkim joined the Union of India on May 16, 1975. Since then, every year the Sikkim Statehood Day is
celebrated on May 16.
History
In 1950, the Indo-Sikkimese treaty was signed. With this, Sikkim became a protectorate of India. The
Namgyal dynasty ruled Sikkim till 1975.
About Sikkim
Sikkim is the first state in the country to become 100% organic. Today all farming activities in Sikkim are
carried out without the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
Kanchenjunga National Park, a World Heritage Site is located in Sikkim.
River Teesta is the major river flowing in the state. The tributaries of Teesta are Lhonak, Lachung and
Talung. Teesta river is a tributary of Brahmaputra.
Annexation and Statehood
In 1975. the Sikkim Prime Minister appealed to India for Sikkim to join Union of India. Following this, the
Indian Army took over the city of Gangtok and the palace guards of Chogyal palace were disarmed. A
referendum was held in which 97.5% supported to join India abolishing the monarchy.
The Indian Parliament laid down conditions in its 35th amendment that made Sikkim an “Associate State”.
Sikkim is the only state to get this designation. The 36th amendment repealed the 35th amendment and made
Sikkim a full state.
Ethnicity of Sikkim
The residents of Sikkim are of Nepali origin. The native Sikkimese consist of Bhutias. They migrated from
Tibet in the 14th century. The Lepchas lived before the Bhutias.
The Tibetans resided mostly in the northern and eastern parts of the state.
What is Winchcombe Meteorite?
The National History Museum located in London is to display a piece of the meteorite that touched down
the town of Winchcombe in Gloucestershire in the UK. The meteorite touched the UK soil in February 2021.
About the Meteorite
The Winchcombe meteorite is 103 grams in weight. It is a fragment of black rock resembling coal. It
was founded by a team from University of Glasgow.
On February 28, 2021, around hundreds of people spotted a fireball blazing across the sky. The flash

of light lasted for six seconds.
Significance
The meteorite is 4.5 billion years old. Thus, the meteorite is believed to give clues about the
beginning of the solar system.
This meteorite is rare as it is a carbonaceous meteorite. Out of the 65,000 meteorite types known to
mankind, only thousand are of this type.
The Winchcombe meteorite is similar to that retrieved by the Hayabusa 2 mission.
Carbonaceous meteorites
They contain high proportion of carbon which is up to 3%. The Allende meteorite is the largest
carbonaceous meteorite found on the earth.
They contain silicates, sulphides, oxides and 3% to 22% of water. The presence of organic
compounds in these meteorites say that they have not undergone heating since they were formed.
Their compositions are close to the solar nebula. The solar system condensed from Solar Nebula.
Meteorites, Meteors and Meteoroid
The Meteoroids are objects that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. When these meteoroids
enter the earth atmosphere, they are called meteors. When the meteors hit the ground, they are called
meteorites.
COVID-19 and Prisons
After COVID-19 struck in 2020, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in prisons have become a cause of
worry. With the prison occupancy rates at 118% social distancing is impossible.
Background
The prisons are overcrowded with more than 70% under trial prisoners. According to the “Prison Statistics
India Report, 2019”, there were 4.78 lakh inmates in more than 1,300 prisons in the country. Most of these
prisoners were from economically poor backgrounds. Of these 85% were from Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled
Castes, Most Backward Classes and Muslim communities.
Supreme Court
In March 2020, the Supreme Court took a suo mottu notice on the conditions that prevailed in prisons
due to COVID-19. This led to the constitution of High-Power Committees at State level. The
committees categorised the prisoners. Based on the categories, the prisoners were released on
temporary bail and parole. This was mainly done to reduce overcrowding of prisons.
Later, to reduce the new admissions, the SC provided new instructions to the police. According to the
instruction, the police shall arrest only offenders, whose offence will bring more than seven years of
imprisonment as punishment. However, it was applied to the current prisoners as well. Under this
order, another 60,000 prisoners were sent home on temporary bail. In all this reduced the prison
population by 15% to 20%.
In February 2021, as the COVOD-19 cases were subsiding, the courts passed order asking the
prisoners to return to their prisons where they were imprisoned. Many prisoners returned.
Again, in May 2021, after the double mutant COVID-19 surge, the court began steps towards
decongestion of prisons.
Recently, the Supreme Court has advised house arrest of the prisoners as solution.
Cyclone Tauktae: Strongest in West Coast in Two Decade
Tauktae is the first cyclone of 2021. The IMD has predicted that Tauktae cyclone will intensify into a severe
cyclonic storm and then later into a Very Severe Cyclonic storm. It is expected to be the strongest in the
west coast in two decades.

Background
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently reviewed the impacts of climate change on
tropical cyclones. This includes all typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes. They have concluded that Cyclone
Tauktae will be the strongest of all cyclones that hit the West Coast of India in two decades.
The wind speed of cyclone Tauktae is expected to reach till 160 kilometres per hour. With this and the
data on other tropical cyclones, NOAA predicts that the wind speeds of the cyclones are to increase by 5%
as the world warms by two degrees Celsius in 2100.
Extremely severe cyclones such as Amphan and Fani intensified from a weak to severe status in less than
twenty-four hours. Similar rapid intensification is expected with Tauktae cyclone. It will help making the
cyclone the strongest of all the previous cyclones in two decades. The warm ocean waters act as fuel to the
rapid intensification of cyclones.
Why is Cyclone Tauktae stronger than the previous ones?
The following factors are in favour of the cyclone to grow in strength:
High Tropical cyclone Heat Potential,
Madden Julian Oscillation Index,
Favourable high Sea Surface Temperature
Good poleward outflow
The Tropical Cyclone heat potential is the measure of the integrated vertical temperature from the sea
surface to a depth of twenty-six degrees isotherm. Isotherm is a line that connects points with same
temperature. If this is high, it aids in more and more air getting heated up aiding cyclone formation.
Eventually, low pressure increases and more high-pressure winds gushes in leading to further intensification
of the cyclone.
Madden Julian Oscillation Index speaks about the fluctuation in tropical weather.
Rafael Nadal wins Italian Open, 2021
Italian Open, 2021 was won by Rafael Nadal. This is his tenth title of the Rome Masters. The Italian Open,
2021 was held on May 16, 2021 in Rome. The Finals was held between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. It
is also known as Rome Masters.
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is a Spanish Tennis player. He is ranked third in the world by the Association of Tennis
Professionals.
He has won twenty Grand Slams, thirteen French Open titles so far. His record of winning has been
maximum in clay courts.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian tennis player. He is currently ranked number one by the Association of
Tennis Professionals. He has won eighteen Grand Slams.
He is the only player to win all the “Big Titles” on the ATP tour. The Big Title is a trophy at the Nitto
ATP Finals, Grand Slam Championship, ATP Masters 1000 tournament or Olympics Singles gold
medals.
About Italian Open
It is originally called the Italian International Championship. It is a tennis tournament held in Rome,
Italy.
It is a clay tennis tournament. There are four different types of tennis court surfaces. They are clay
courts, carpet courts, hard courts and grass courts.
It is an ATP Tours Masters 100 event.

ATP Tours Masters 1000
It is a series of nine tennis tournaments featuring top ranked players. Meaning not every tennis player can
participate in the tournament.
Currently the following are the nine tournaments of ATP Tours Masters 1000:
Paris Masters
Shanghai Masters
Cincinnati Masters
Madrid Open
Monte-Carlo Masters
Miami Open
Indian Wells Masters
Italian Open
Canadian Open
These are different from Grand Slam.
Grand Slam
The Itinerary of Grand Slam consists of French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
May 17, 2021
US Global Task Force on COVID-19
The External Affairs Minister of India recently held a discussion with the US Global Task Force on Pandemic
Response. He discussed about the priorities of India in vaccines, pharmaceuticals and oxygen.
The Global Task Force on Pandemic earlier announced that it is closely working with US-India Strategic
Partnership Forum and US-India Business Council to make three immediate actions.
What are the actions?
To source, ship and deliver thousand ventilators.
To deliver 25,000 oxygen concentrators.
To create Chief Human Resources Officer India Action Group. The group will provide practical
information and ideas to help Indian People.
About Global Task Force on Pandemic Response
Around forty top American companies join hands to form the Global Task Force on Pandemic
Response. The force is to provide massive COVID-19 emergency relief material to India.
It was formed to provide uniform businesses to mobilize and deliver resources
The Global Task Force on Pandemic Response is a new public-private partnership. It is organised by
US Chamber of Commerce and is supported by the Business Roundtable.
Recently three Indian Americans joined the force. They were:
Sunder Pichai from Google
Punit Renjen from Deloitte
Shantanu Narayen from Adobe
More than sixteen businesses have joined the Task Force Ventilator initiative.
All the businesses will provide 30 million USD of support to the healthcare of India.
Contributions by US Corporate Sector
The Corporate sector of the US has so far sent 25,000 Oxygen concentrators.
US COVID help to India
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recently announced that it is to send 100
million USD of aid to India. This includes 440 oxygen cylinders, 960,000 Rapid Diagnostic tests. Also, the US
has redirected 20 million COVID-19 doses of AstraZeneca manufacturing supplies to India. Also, the US will

provide 20,000 treatment courses of anti-viral drug Remdesivir.
Cranes return to Ireland after 300 years
The Cranes that have been a part of Irish folklore (traditional stories and beliefs) were recently spotted in
Ireland. The birds were spotted in the country during their breeding season after three hundred years.
About the Cranes
The Cranes were extinct in Ireland in 1700. This was mainly due to the destruction of their habitats.
They construct platform nests in shallow water.
They lay only two eggs at a time.
They are the world tallest flying birds. They are four feet tall and their wingspan is of seven feet.
East Asia and South America have the highest crane diversity with eight different species. Australia,
Europe and North America have two regularly occurring crane species.
With the conservation efforts of UK, the region of Gloucestershire, Suffolk, English Fens, Scotland and
Wales now have two hundred cranes
The Cranes are dependent on wetlands and grasslands.
Why is the sighting important?
A common crane is seen in Ireland during winter. However, it is not seen during the breeding season.
When they were spotted in 2020, they did not lay eggs. This is common among cranes as they take
two years for successful breeding.
The cranes take several years to fledge successfully. Fledge is to develop wing feathers that are large
enough for a fight.
For these reasons, spotting is significant.
Cranes in Irish Culture
The Cranes are deeply connected to the history and culture of Ireland. These birds are central to the popular
Ireland folklore such as Book of Kells, Fionn MacCumhaill and St Colmcille.
Why did the cranes become extinct in Ireland?
Cranes usually live in Bogs in Ireland. Bogs are spongy wetlands that accumulate peat. Peat is fossil
gasoline used for heating the companies and houses in Ireland. These wetlands take hundreds of years to
develop. Also, they act as carbon sinks.
For hundreds of years, these wetlands were drained to extract peat. This resulted in the destruction of the
habitat.
Elephant Seal: Recent Study
The scientists of Scotland have conducted a detailed study on the Elephant Seals in the northeastern
Pacific Ocean.
Key Findings of the Study
The seals migrate to north eastern pacific ocean post breeding season mainly to feed their young ones. It
has been found that the female seals spend more than twenty to twenty four hours every day in hunting. The
study has found that they choose their hunt very carefully unlike the other deep diving marine animals. They
select multitudes (large number) of small fishes to gain the essential body fat. The fat is highly important
for the seals to survive in greater depths.
The study has also found that they feed thousand to two thousand times every day.
About the research
The researchers tracked forty eight female seals in the Ano Nuevo State Park in California.
The researchers attached small removable devices under the jaw to count the number of times the
seals fed.
Also, the device was used to measure the depth of their hunt.

A satellite tracker was used to provide location information.
Also, the seals were attached with motion tracker, infrared LED light flash and a depth sensor on top
of their heads.
About the seals
They migrate around 6,000 kilo metres.
There are two types of elephant seals. They are northern elephant seal and southern elephant seal.
They are the two world biggest seals and the largest marine animals apart from whales.
The northern elephant seals reach four metres in length and weigh up to two thousand kilo grams.
The females are three metres in length and weighing up to 590 kilograms.
The males feed only on coastal waters.
They continuously dive for twenty to hundred minutes at a depth of 500 to 1500 metres with only
breathing for a few minutes in the surface.
The Elephant seals generally breed and give birth in California between December and March. In due
course, they lose a third of their body weight.
NHRC on Ganga river and Dead Bodies
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently came up with eleven recommendations to stop
mass disposal of COVID-19 victims in the Ganges. More than fifty bodies washed up on the Ganges river
bank recently.
Legislation
The River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities order say that no person shall
carry a project or process that causes pollution in river Ganga.
What is the issue?
The holy river Ganges is increasingly polluted with the dumping of COVID-19 patients after their death. This
is seriously affecting the persons dependent on the river for their day-to-day activities. This is mainly
happening for two reasons. One, the river is considered to be holy and the other is that there is shortage of
spaces in crematories and grave yards. GoI has launched mobile crematories in some places to solve the
issue.
Recommendations made by NHRC
Temporary arrangements to avoid undue delay in cremations.
The Burial ground and the crematory staffs should be sensitized about proper handling of the dead
bodies. They should be provided with essential safety equipment and facilities to perform their day to
day duties.
Only those religious rituals that so not require touching the dead bodies should be allowed.
The state or local administration may perform the last rites if the family members are not there or are
not willing to perform the last rites out of fear.
Use of electric crematoriums should be encouraged.
Piling of dead bodies during transportation shall not be allowed.
Mass burial or cremation shall not be allowed.
The prices of ambulance services should be regulated
The staffs of burial grounds, crematoriums should be paid fair wages to compensate their hard work.
30 Death Sentenced in Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo recently handed death sentence to thirty people after clashes between
two rival Muslim factions.
What happened?
On the Islamic holiday of Eid, that mark the end of Ramadan month, two Muslim groups clashed in front of

the Martyrs stadium in the city of Kinshasa. The fight was over the right to hold Eid celebrations in the
stadium.
Kinshasa sees massive celebrations during Eid. The Democratic Republic of Congo holds 10% of Muslim
population.
Death Sentence
During the conflict, a policeman was beaten to death. Several others were wounded. The participants were
charged of criminal conspiracy and attempted murder. The trial of the rioters began on May 14, 2021 and
went till May 15, 2021 continuously. After this, around 30 rioters were sentenced to death.
Current Political Situation in Congo
Congo has been facing humanitarian and health crisis lately. Two eastern provinces were put under the
state of emergency recently due to the presence of armed groups. Since the beginning of 2021, armed
militia have killed at least 300 people in Congo.
Reasons behind the clashes
It is believed that the extremists group in Congo are behind the clashes as they do not want the groups to
pray together. There are armed extremists in the country mainly because Congo is poor and underpopulated
in spite of the fact that it is the riches t country in the world.
Congo is poor due to instability from years of wars. This has led to poverty and unemployment. This is the
main reason for frequent clashes and fights in the country.
US Gas Shortage 2021
The gasoline shortages in the US East Coast recently began to ease since the Colonial Pipeline Cyber
Attack. Ships and trucks were deployed to fill up the storage tanks after the Colonial Pipeline shutdown. It
was the most disruptive cyberattack on record.
US Gas Shortage in 2021
There are 121,000 stores in the US that sell 5,300 gallons of gasoline per day. They accounted to 80%
of fuel sales. The demand in these stores increased two to five times.
The National average price of One Gallon of Gasoline increased by 3 USD for the first time since
2016.
Around 75% of gas stations in Washington DC were without fuel after the cyberattack.
More than half of North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia were out of fuel.
Several gas stations were lined up with more than five to six trucks.
The American Airlines had to change flight schedules due to fuel shortages.
The US agencies coordinated to relax the rules to increase the trucks, ships and trains that shipped
fuel. However, these changes brought only minimal impacts.
The President US Biden declared state of emergency to handle the fuel shortages amidst COVID-19
crisis.
What caused the Gas Shortage 2021?
The largest fuel pipeline of the US was forced to shut down after a gang of hackers attacked the pipeline.
They locked the pipeline and demanded for ransom to release them. This disrupted the gas flows in the
colonial pipelines located in the Southeast.
Colonial Pipeline
The Colonial Pipeline delivers 45% of fuel to the East Coast of the US. It runs from the Gulf coast to New
York metropolitan region. Only the south east region of the US is more dependent on this line. The rest of
the country has different sources.
International Day of Light: May 16
Every year, the International Day of Light is celebrated on May 16 by UNESCO and several other international

organisations. The day celebrates the role of light in science, art, culture, education and sustainable
development. This year, in 2021, the International Day of Light is celebrated under the following theme:
Theme: Trust Science
Why is International Day of Light celebrated on May 16?
Because the first successful operation of LASER was conducted on May 16, 1960 by physicist Theodore
Maiman.
Goals of International Day of Light
To improve public understanding in the importance of light-based technologies in day-to-day life
To build activities that targets science for young people
To highlight the link between light, art and culture
To promote the importance of lighting technologies
Light Technologies
The radio waves and gamma rays provides insights into origin of universe. Also, the researches such
as nano photonics and quantum optics inspire new fundamental discoveries.
The photonics enabled industries are the major drivers of the economy.
The photonics play a major role from providing improved vision to power of smart phones.
Impact on Economy
The photonic technologies have major impacts on world economy. This includes 600 billion Euros of
market. The growth in photonics doubled between 2005 and 2011.
Light Pollution
On one hand, the light technologies are growing at faster rate. On the other hand, they are of great
disturbances especially to birds. Thus, the light technologies should be used very carefully making
sustainable development. The light pollution has increased mainly due to urbanization.
The common light pollution are light trespass, over illumination, glare, light clutter. Light Clutter is excessive
grouping of lights. Light trespass is unwanted light entering one’s property.
International Day of Living Together in Peace: May 16
Every year, the International Day of Living Together in Peace is celebrated by United Nations and several
other organisations in different parts of the world.
About International Day of Living Together in Peace
The day is celebrated to achieve international cooperation, promoting respect for human rights and
freedom for all irrespective of their race, sex, religion and language.
The United Nations proclaimed the decade 2001 to 2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of
Peace and Non-violence for children of the world.
History
The International Day of Living Together in Peace was established to protect the succeeding
generations from war.
In 1997, the United Nations passed a resolution to celebrate the year 2000 as the International Year
for Culture of Peace.
In 1999, the United Nations adopted a resolution called the “Declaration and Programme of Action on
a Culture of Peace”. It serves as the universal mandate to promote culture of peace and non-violence.
International Day of Peace
The International Day of Peace is different from the International Day of Living Together in Peace. The
International Day of peace is also celebrated by the United Nation. It is clebrated on September 16.
United Nations Peacekeeping Force
It was established in 1945. There are 90,905 active uniformed personnel working under the UN

Peacekeeping force. It focuses on peacemaking, peace building, and peace enforcement. They are also
referred to as Blue Berets or Blue helmets for their blue-coloured helmets and berets. Beret is a soft round
cap.
UN Peacekeeping Funds
It is compulsory for the members of the United Nations to pay their respective share towards United Nations
peace keeping. The United Nations approved budget of 6.58 billion USD for peacekeeping operations.
India's anti-dumping probe against China, Thailand and Vietnam
The Ministry of Commerce has recently initiated the anti-dumping investigation against China, Vietnam and
Thailand. The investigation is against the import of solar cells from these countries. The investigation has
been started by the Ministry following the application submitted by the Indian Solar Manufacturer
Association.
What is the issue?
The solar cells are the basic ingredients in the manufacturing of solar modules. The solar cells that are
being imported from China are 15% to 20% less expensive as compared to that of the solar cells produced
in India. This is affecting the business of solar modules produced using locally available raw materials.
Ultimately it is increasing the price of domestic solar modules.
Earlier Actions of GoI
The Government of India in 2018 had imposed 25% of safeguard duty on solar imports from Malaysia and
China. This was later extended to July 2021 at a rate of 15%. After the imposition of this safeguard duty, the
imports from Thailand and Vietnam have increased. Between 2018 and 2020, the import of solar cells from
Thailand and Vietnam grew at 5,750% and 800% respectively!
Also, an anti-dumping investigation against the import of solar cells from Malaysia, Taiwan and China was
initiated by the Government in 2017. However, it was eventually called off on 2018.
The GoI has introduced Rs 4,500 Production Linked Incentive Scheme for solar module manufacturing.
What is worrying ISMA?
The solar cell and solar module imports will attract a customs duty of 25% and 40% respectively from 2023.
With the safeguard duty against Chinese imports of solar cells ending in July 2021, there will be no import
barriers.
Current Scenario
As of today, the module making capacity if 10 GW and domestic cell manufacturing capacity is around 3
GW.
Okeanos Explorer: US's Robotic Navigation tech to explore Ocean Floor
The Okeanos Explorer is a ship built by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It
departed from the Port Canaveral in Florida on May 14, 2021.
Okeanos Explorer
The Okeanos Explorer is on a two-week expedition of ocean exploration.
It is to build 3D maps of vast regions of unexplored ocean floors in Hadal Zone.
It is to conduct a technology demonstration of autonomous under water vehicle called Orpheus.
The Orpheus robot is a new class of submersible robot that will help in identifying the scientific
features on the sea floor.
Orpheus
Usually, a large high power location finding equipment such as Sonar will be required to navigate in
the dark sea bed. Unlike such equipment, Orpheus uses low power system of cameras and lights,
along with advanced software. It is lighter than the deep-sea submersibles.
It weighs around 250 kilograms.

It is designed to nimble (quick and light movement), move easily in a rugged (broken or uneven rocky
surface) environment. This kind of environment is usually inaccessible to most of the deep-sea
vehicles.
Orpheus was designed by JPL and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). The JPL also
designed the Perseverance river and the Ingenuity helicopter of Mars Mission 2020. The WHOI is
conducting the HADEX Programme. HADEX is Hadal Exploration Programme.
Hadal Zone
The Hadal Zone is the deepest region of ocean that lies within the oceanic trenches.
The Hadal zones are usually found in the depth of 6,000 metres to 11,000 metres.
Recently, the Five Deeps Expedition was launched to explore the deepest points of five oceans of the
earth.
Navigation used by Orpheus: Visual Inertial Odometry
This system works by using system of advanced cameras and pattern matching software. Also, it
uses instruments that can measure the orientation and motion precisely.
The Visual Inertial Odometry will help Orpheus identify shells, corals and rocks.
The Visual Inertial Odometry is also called xVIO. The xVIO will construct 3D maps to navigate.
Miss Universe 2020
Andrea Meza of Mexico was crowned the Miss Universe, 2020. The 69th edition of Miss Universe was held
on May 16, 2021 in Florida, United States. It was cancelled for the first time in 2020 due to COVID-19
pandemic.
Miss Universe, 2020
Andrea Meza beat seventy four contestants from all over the world. Julia Gama of Brazil was the runner up
and Janick Maceta of Peru finished third.
Miss India
Miss India Adline Castelino made it to the top four.
Political Statements at the Pageant
Miss Myanmar, Thuzar Wint Lwin grabbed attention when she used her time in the spotlight to draw
attention towards the coup in Myanmar. She won the award for best National Costume during that particular
competition segment. She wore traditional Burmese patterns and held a sign “Pray for Myanmar”. She was
also one of the top twenty one contestants. More than 796 people are dead and four thousand are in prison
in Myanmar due to the military coup. There has been huge uproar in the country since February 1, 2021,
when the Myanmar Army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi.
Apart from Miss Myanmar, Miss Singapore (Bernadette Belle Ong) also made political statements. Her long
dress said “Stop Asian Hate”. The United States of all the other countries has seen violence against Asians
lately.
About the Beauty Pageant
The Miss Universe is an international beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organisation based in United
States. It is one of the Big Four International Beauty Pageants. The other three are Miss World, Miss
International and Miss Earth.
What are synthetic cannabinoids, that China banned recently?
The Chinese Government recently announced that it is to add the Synthetic Cannabinoids to the list of
banned drugs in the country. This is being done to curb the trafficking and manufacturing of the drug.
In simple term, the Synthetic Cannabinoid is an artificially produced Cannabinoid. Cannabinoid is a
compound found on Cannabis plant.

What are Synthetic Cannabinoids?
They are human made chemicals. They act on the same brain receptors as that of Marijuana. However, the
US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says that their side effects are more severe than that of
Marijuana.
Definition
They are a class of molecules that bind to the same receptors as that of the Cannabinoids of the Cannabis
plant does.
They are designer drugs. A designer drug is a functional and structural analog of a controlled substance
that is designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug. They are usually smoked or
ingested as concentrated liquid in UK and US since 2016.
They are sold under common names such as Spice, K2, Synthetic Marijuana. They are sold under the label
“Not for Human Consumption”.
Cannabinoid
It is the primary psychoactive compound of Cannabis. There are 113 different cannabinoids that exhibit
varied effects.
Psychoactive Substances in China
The Psychoactive Substances are those that change the functions of nervous system and results in
alterations in mood, perception, consciousness, behaviour and cognition.
The Chinese Government is to ban another eighteen new psychoactive substances.
According to the Chinese government, there are 1,047 different and new psychoactive substances that had
appeared in 2020. Out of these, 450 were found in the last five years.
2DG- DRDO's Anti-Covid Drug
On May 17, 2021, the DRDO released the first batch of 2-DG drugs. The 2-DG was developed by the Defence
Research Development Organisation for Emergency Use. 2-DG is 2-Deoxy – D – Glucose. It is to be provided
as a supplementary. Around 10,000 doses are to be launched first.
It was developed in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.
The Dr Reddy’s Laboratories had partnered with Russian Direct Investment Fund to conduct clinical trials of
Sputnik vaccine in India. It will soon distribute the Russian vaccine in the country.
About 2-DG drug
The drug ensures faster recovery of hospitalised patients and will reduce supplemental oxygen
dependence during clinical trials.
It accumulates in infected cells and stops viral synthesis. This accumulation makes the drug unique.
The drug comes in a powdered form in sachets. It is consumed orally after dissolving in water.
It was developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS). INMAS is a laboratory
operating under DRDO.
The DGCI has granted permission for emergency use of the drug in moderate to severe COVID-19
patients.
2-DG is a generic molecule and thus can be easily produced and made available in plenty in the
country.
How are 2-DG accumulated in the cells?
The 2-DG is a glucose molecule. It cannot undergo further glycolysis. Glycolysis is the process in which free
energy is released. The 2-DG molecules are up taken by the glucose transporters of the cell. The glucose
transporters are membrane proteins that facilitate the transport of glucose across plasma membrane. This
is how the drug reaches the cells. As it cannot undergo glycolysis it simply stays in the cells. Continuous
intake of the drug thus leads to accumulation in the cell.

2-DG as Tumour therapeutic
The cancer cells have higher glucose uptake. Thus, when 2-DG is injected into cancer patients, it acts as a
good marker for cancer cells.
Narada Bribery Case: Ministers arrested in West Bengal
On May 17, 2021, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested the Ministers of West Bengal, Subrata
Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and Sovan Chattopadhyay (former Kolkata Mayor).
Background
The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe against the sting operation in Narada Bribery case in
March 2017.
The Narada Bribery case in short
In short, in Narada Bribery Case the state ministers were shown taking money in a video footage. These
tapes about the ministers were released ahead of 2016 State Assembly polls.
In detail
The Narada Sting Operation was conducted by the Narada News Founder Mathew Samuel in West
Bengal.
This operation was published on a private news website called Narada News.
It is to be noted that Samuel is the former Managing Director of Tehelka.
Under the operation, Samuel formed a fake company called Impex Consultancy Solutions.
He then approached MPs and TMC ministers asking them favours in return for money.
The ministers accepted the bribe. This was recorded and was released in the news site as a 52 hour
footage.
The MLAs and ministers in the video footage were Aparupa Poddar, Suvendu Adhikari, Prasum
Bannerjee, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sougata Roy, Mukul Roy.
Is CBI allowed to investigate a crime in a state?
CBI can investigate a crime in the state only after the consent from the State Government.
In November 2020, some of the State Governments including West Bengal revoked the general
consent to the CBI.
Later the SC pronounced a judgement on this issue that general consent must for a CBI probe.
However, the Supreme Court or the High court shall order CBI to conduct investigation anywhere in
the country.
Govt revises norms on imports of pulses
The Government of India recently allowed free import of tur, moong and urad dal. All the three pulses have
been put under non-restricted list. This is because their retail prices increased in the last few weeks due to
low stock levels with the traders. Also, the GoI has announced that the import consignments should be
cleared strictly before November 30, 2021.
Why the deadline for the norms?
Consignments means a batch goods destined to be delivered to someone. By November 2021, the Kharif
harvests of these three pulses will start arriving in the market. If the import is made free during that time, it
will affect the farmers income. Only if the free imports are stopped farmers will get reasonable rates above
the Minimum Support Price.
Also, this Kharif season, GoI has increased the area of cultivation of pulses. This is to be done under the
Special Kharif Strategy, 2021. This means more pulses will be arriving in the markets by November to
December 2021. Kharif Season crops predominantly depend on South West Monsoon. They are sown in
June and harvested in October.

Current Scenario
The Tur prices in the retail markets have reached Rs 7,000 per quintal. One Quintal is 100 kilograms.
This is Rs 1000 more than its 2021 MSP, which was Rs 6000 per quintal.
Similarly, the price of Urad Dal is Rs 8,000 per quintal. Its 2020-21 MSP was Rs 6,000 per quintal.
The price of moong dhal is almost equal to its 2020-21 MSP and is Rs 7,196 per quintal.
Imports of Pulses
India primarily imports these three pulses from Myanmar and African countries.
May 18, 2021
World AIDS Vaccine Day: May 18
Every year, the World AIDS Vaccine Day is celebrated on May 18. The day is also called the HIV (Human
Immunodeficiency Virus) Vaccine Awareness Day. This year, in 2021, the World AIDS Vaccine Day is
celebrated under the following theme:
Theme: Global Solidarity
About World AIDS Vaccine Day
The day is commemorated to honour thousands of volunteers, health professional, community leaders and
scientists who workers together to develop AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) vaccine.
Why is AIDS Vaccine Day celebrated on May 18?
The concept of AIDS Vaccine was rooted by the then US President Bill Clinton in his speech at the Morgan
State University on May 18, 1997.
HIV Vaccine
Currently there are no licensed HIV vaccine in the market. However, medical treatments exist. Highly Active
Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is recommended to control HIV infection. However, HAART must be taken
life long. HIV virus mainly attacks the immune system of human body.
World AIDS Day
The World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 every year.
Organisations involved in AIDS Vaccine
HIV Vaccine Trials Network: A Non-Profit Organisation that connects physicians and scientists to
conduct clinical trials of HIV Vaccine
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative: Non-Profit Organisation. Works to accelerate development of
HIV vaccine.
South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative: Established by the South African Government
HIV in India
The total number of HIV patients in India as of 2017 is 21.4 lakhs. However, the number of HIV cases have
been declining in India. Between 1995 and 2017, the number of HIV cases in India declined by 85%.
Centre issues guidelines to set up health infra in rural areas
The Government of India recently issued guidelines to contain COVID-19 in rural areas.
What are the guidelines?
COVID-19 Care Centre for asymptomatic cases should be established in peri urban and rural areas.
These centres should have a minimum of thirty beds. This should be set up mainly in areas where
home isolation is not possible.
The Rapid Antigen Test kits should be made available in all public health facilities. This includes
primary health centres and health and wellness centres as well.
The COVID Care Centres shall admit suspect or confirmed case. However, it should have separate
areas for confirmed and suspected cases.
Besides urban areas, a large number of cases have increased in tribal areas, rural areas and peri urban
areas. Thus, the ministry has released “SOP on COVID-19 Containment and Management in Peri-Urban, Rural
and Tribal Areas”.
Standard Operating Procedure
An active surveillance should be done for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections and Influenza like
illness. This should be done periodically by ASHA with the help of Village Health Sanitation and
Nutrition Committee.
Symptomatic cases shall be treated at village level by tele-consultation with the Community Health
Officer (CHO). However, cases with low oxygen saturation should be sent to higher centres.
The CHO and the ANMs should be trained to perform Rapid Antigen Tests.
Contact tracing should be done according to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme
Guidelines.
Each village should have adequate number of thermometers and pulse oximeters.
The COVID Care Centre shall be set up in marriage halls, schools, panchayat buildings.
The COVID Care Centres should be mapped with one or more dedicated COVID Health Care Centres.
26th Meeting of Group of Ministers on COVID-19
On May 17, 20121, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare chaired the 26th meeting of Group of
Ministers on COVID-19.
Key Outcomes of the meet
CoWIN portal is to be made available in Hindi. Also, it will be made available in fourteen regional
languages.
Around seventeen more laboratories will be added to the INSACOG (Indian SARS CoV-2 Genomics
Consortium) network. These laboratories are being added to monitor COVID-19 variants. Currently
there are ten laboratories in the network.
The manufacturing of Amphotericin-B is to be increased to treat COVID-19 black fungal infections
called Mucormycosis.
Key Highlights
The following were highlighted during the meet:
The Variants of Concern such as B.1.617 and B.1.1.7 were predominant in the samples collected
from Punjab and Chandigarh.
More RT-PCR mobile testing was deployed and the RAT (Rapid Antigen Tests) were amplified.
Production and allocation of drugs
It was informed at the meet that the manufacturers have been advised to increase the production of drugs.
Three pronged strategies were undertaken to solve the issues in the production and allocation of drugs.
They were as follows:
To identify new suppliers and address operative issues faced by suppliers
Rational distribution of drugs to states and Union Territories. And to monitor the supply chain
constantly.
Enforcement against black marketing was initiated.
COVID-19 Drugs
The GoI stressed on the procurement and allocation of Tocilizumab, Remdesivir and Amphotericin-B.
It was notified at the meet that the demand for Favipiravir increased though it was not recommended
in COVID-19 medical guidelines.
Jal Jeevan Mission: Rs 5,968 crores released by the Centre
On May 17, 2021, the Union Government released Rs 5,968 crores of rupees to implement the Jal Jeevan
Mission. The funds were released to fifteen states. This is the first instalment of the four to be released in

2021-22.
Fund Allocation
Out of the total funds allocated under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 93% are to be utilized for developing
water supply infrastructure, 2% in water quality monitoring and surveillance activities and 5% on
support activities.
The central funds were released based on the output of the scheme in the states. For this, the states
were assessed in terms of tap water connections.
In 2021, the GoI allocated Rs 50,011 crores to Jal Jeevan Mission in its budget.
The Fifteenth Finance Commission had recommended Rs 26,940 crores for water and sanitation
services.
Thus, in all Rs 1 lakh crore will be invested in providing tap water supply to rural homes in 2021-22.
How will the funds help current condition?
The funds allocated will help increase employment generation.
It will also increase grey water treatment.
It will improve drinking water infrastructure
It will increase the demand for pipes, taps, faucets and motors. Thereby it will give a push to the
manufacturing sector.
It will help to maintain the in-village water supply.
Current Scenario
So far 4.17 crores of households have been provided with tap water supply in the country under the
scheme.
Around 7.41 crores of rural households are getting potable water.
The states and union teritores such as Telangana, Goa, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar
Islands have become “Har Ghar Jal” state.
India-Microsoft MoU on Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools
On May 17, 2021, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
joint initiative for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools. This includes introduction of Ashram Schools
and Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in tribal areas.
What is the plan?
Microsoft will make an Artificial Intelligence curriculum available for the tribal students in Hindi and
English.
In the first phase of the programme, 250 EMRS are to be established. Out of these 250 schools, 50
schools will be given intensive training. And five hundred master trainers will be trained in the first
phase.
The teachers are to be trained in a phased manner to use Artificial Intelligence application and
productive technologies such as Office 365. This will introduce the teachers to the world of
collaboration and help them understand how teaching shall be increased with virtual field trips.
The teachers will also be provided with E-Certificates and E-badges from the Microsoft Education
centres at the end of the programme.
How will the programme benefit students?
The programme will make sure the students get an opportunity to change their village, environment
and overall community.
It will help to create talent pool. This will act as an asset to the country.
It aims to create a continuous process creating repository of knowledge. The programme will work in
such a way that the knowledge earned is passed on from one generation to the other.

The students will be mentored on Artificial Intelligence applications and UN Sustainable Development
Goals.
They will be exposed to gamified environments such as Minecraft. This is done to increase their
thinking skills.
What is SAMVEDNA?
SAMVEDNA is Sensitizing Action on Mental Health Vulnerability through Emotional Development and
Necessary Acceptance. It a toll-free helpline through which children affected during COVID-19 pandemic are
provided counselling.
About SAMVEDNA
The main objective of SAMVEDNA is to provide psychological first aid and emotional support to the
COVID-19 affected children
The tele-counselling is provided by the National Commission of Child Rights working under Ministry
of Women and Child Development.
Psychologists, counselors and experts from NIMHANS, National Institute of Mental Health and
Neurosciences.
The Toll-Free Number is 1800-121-2830
It is available from Monday to Saturday, from 10 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 8 PM.
The service is only to children.
The service under this initiative is provided under various regional languages such as Telugu, Tamil,
Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, etc.
What is the plan?
The tele-counselling is to be provided to children in three categories. They are as follows:
Children who have lost their parents due to COVID-19
Children who are in quarantine in COVID care centres
Children who have COVID-19 positive parents or family members.
Other similar initiatives
The SAMVAD at NIMHANS is releasing a four-part special series to address the anxiety faced by abandoned
and orphaned children following the loss of family members due to COVID-19. This will equip the mental
health professionals, child protection functionaries and all other concerned citizens. It will provide concrete
methods to the service providers and caregivers to break the bad news to children and help them process
experience of loss and grief.
What will these initiatives focus on?
Both the above initiatives will provide ways to respond to the illness of children and anxiety.
Wholesale Price Index, WPI of April 2021
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade recently released Wholesale Price in India for
the month of April 2021. The WPI for the month of April 2021 stood at 128.1. The base year in calculating
WPI is fixed as 2011-12.
WPI of April 2021
The annual rate of inflation for the month of April 2021 was 10.49%
The inflation rate is high in the month mainly because of price rise in crude petroleum which in turn
increased the prices of petrol and diesel in the country. Also, the price rise is due to increase in cost
of manufactured foods.
Groups of commodities
There are three major groups of commodities that are used in calculating the rate of inflation. They are
primary articles, manufactured products and fuel and power.

Primary Articles
The weight of primary articles in WPI is 22.62%.
The index of this group increased by 3.83%.
The prices of minerals increased by 6.6%
The prices of Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas increased by 4.8%
The prices of food articles increased by 3.84%
The price of non-food articles increased by 2.65%
The above increases are in comparison with the month of March.
Fuel and Power
The weight of fuel and power is 13.15%
The index of this group decreased by 1%
The prices of coals decreased by 0.32%
The prices of Mineral oil decreased by 0.29%
The prices of electricity decreased by 4.96%
Manufactured products
The weight of manufactured goods is 64.23%
The index of this group increased by 1.65%.
The increase in this category was mainly contributed by food products, basic metals, chemicals,
textiles, plastic and rubber products.
WPI Food Index
The WPI Food index consists of food products from manufactured products group and food articles from
primary articles group. The WPI Food Index increased from 153.4 in March 2021 to 158.9 in April 2021. The
increase rate in April is 7.58% and that of March is 5.28%
Sunflower sea star breeding to increase kelp forest
The scientists in the United States are breeding the Sunflower sea stars off coast of Washington State.
Background
Between 2013 and 2017, warming of oceans killed 5.75 billion sunflower sea stars.
Around 91% of the world sunflower sea stars are found between the sea waters of Mexico and
Alaska.
The scientists believe that reviving the Sunflower sea star will help in reviving kelp forests.
What happened to the Kelp Forests?
The Sunflower sea stars were once found in the ocean floor in the north east Pacific. They mainly fed on
purple urchins. The Sunflower sea stars are extinct in California and are near extinction in other parts of the
ocean. Thus, the purple urchins increased in number. The purple urchins mainly fed on sea weeds. As their
population increased, they started consuming more and more sea weeds. This was disastrous to the other
marine species such as Abalone that depend on sea weeds.
Bottomline, the kelp forest cover fell by more than 95% since 2014.
Inference
The near extinction of just one species has such huge impact on the ecosystem. It is simply wiping out the
eco system.
Thus, the plan of repopulating the sunflower sea star has been adopted. This plan is being referred to as the
“Jurassic Plan Approach”.
About sunflower Sea Star
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has listed the Sunflower sea star as Critically Endangered
It is one of the largest sea stars in the world.

They have twenty-four limbs.
Kelp Forest
The Kelp forest are under water areas with high density of kelp. It covers large part of the world coastline.
Also, they are considered as the most productive and dynamic ecosystem on the earth.
Simorgh Supercomputer
Iran recently launched its supercomputer called Simorgh. This supercomputer is hundred times more
powerful than the previous Iranian supercomputers.
About the Simorgh Supercomputer
The Supercomputer has been named after the phoenix like bird called the Simurgh.
The Simorgh Supercomputer was developed by the Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran, the
capital of Iran.
It is located at the Iranian High Performance Computing Research Centre.
Capacity
The performance capacity of the simorgh Supercomputer is 0.56 petaflops. It is to reach 1 petaflops
in two months. In its subsequent levels it is to reach to speed of 10 petaflops.
It comprises of 42 racks in an area of 250 square metres. In future this is to be upgraded to 400
square metres.
The total budget of the supercomputer is expected to be 9 million USD.
Applications
The Supercomputer is to be used for image processing, artificial intelligence work load, traffic and
weather data.
It will also be used for cloud hosting local private firms.
What is the spotlight?
The US had imposed sanctions on Iran and the doors of business is completely closed to the country. The
US had imposed anti terrorism trade sanctions and has been trying to slow down its nuclear programme for
decades. Thus, Iran should have got the US chips used in supercomputers illegally.
Iran never discloses its hardware specifications.
In 2001, the Amirkabir university developed a 32-node PC based on Intel Pentium processors. Again in 2007,
the country had its hands on 216 AMD cores which in turn led to the most powerful supercomputer of all
time.
Iran is using bitcoin mining facilities to buy required raw materials from US and other countries. Most of
these are illegal under the sanctions imposed against the country.
WHO-ILO Study: Long working hours increases deaths from heart disease and stroke
A study conducted by the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation recently
found that the long working hours kills hundreds of people every year.
Key findings of the study
Around 745,00 people died of stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016. This is 29% higher than that
of 2000.
Around 347,000 people died of heart disease and 398,000 people died of stroke in 2016. The
diseases killed these people mainly because they worked at least 55 hours a week.
Between 2000 and 2016, the number of heart diseases due to long working hours increased by 42%.
Also, the number of strokes increased by 19%.
Working 55 hours a week increased risks of strokes by 35% and increased the risk of ischemic heart
disease by 35%.
In 2016, around 488 million people were exposed to long working hours, that is, working 55 hours a

week.
Disease Burden
The work-related disease burden was high in men as compared to that of women. Around 72% of the work-
related disease and eventual death occurred in men.
Also, such disease burden was high in people living in the Western Pacific, that is, those in South Korea,
China, Japan and Australia and also other South East Asian countries.
Background
The study has included 22 studies on stokes and 37 studies on ischemic heart diseases. Also, it collected
data from more than 2,300 surveys in 154 countries.
What is worrying?
The study did not include COVID-19 period. It comes at a time when the number of working hours is
increasing. Currently, the number of people working long hours stands at 9% of the total population. This
will increase if COVID-19 impacts are added.
What is Breakthrough Infection?
The public health experts recently announced that the increase in “breakthrough infections” in the country
may be due to the mutant varieties.
What are Breakthrough infections?
The Breakthrough infections are those where the COVID-19 virus (or any other virus) is detected in a
person who has received two (or prescribed number) doses of vaccines. The person gets infected
with the COVID-19 virus after the second dose.
According to Indian Council of Medical Research, around two to three breakthrough infections occur
per 10,000 infections.
In the US, 5,814 COVID-19 breakthrough infections were found out of 75 million vaccinated people.
Causes of Breakthrough infection
Age: As the age of the person increases, the immune system of the body undergoes a series of
changes. The count of naïve B cells and naïve T cells decreases. These naïve cells are the ones that
respond to the new pathogens that the immune system has not yet encountered.
Antibody interference: The maternal antibodies in the infants limits the efficacy of the infant immune
system. In an infant, the immune system is not completely activated and it produces less antibodies.
Virus Evolution: The virus mutations blocks the immune responses generated by the vaccines.
Poor Quality vaccine: Maintaining vaccine temperatures are highly important. If the vaccine is kept
after expiration date or is stored in incorrect temperature, the vaccine loses its potency.
Appropriate vaccine dosages are essential. The vaccine dosages are fixed based on age and weight.
If patients receive lower dose than the recommended then there will be no adequate immune
response.
Vaccines with weaker strains that is of poor quality will fail to ensure future immunity.
UN Global Road Safety Week (UNGRSW) 2021
In 2021, the United Nations is celebrating its sixth United Nations Global Road Safety Week between 17th
May, 2021 and 23rd May, 2021. This year, in 2021, the Global Road Safety Week is celebrated under the
following theme:
Theme: Streets for Life
The tagline of the theme if #Love30.
About the Week
It is a biennial global road safety campaign hosted by the World Health Organisation.
The first Global Road Safety Week was celebrated in 2007.

The week is celebrated to create awareness of road safety and reduce road deaths.
Global Plan on Road Safety launched
As a part of 2021 Global Road Safety Week, the Decade Plan of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 was
launched by the United Nations. It is a global plan on road safety. The plan is in line with the Stockholm
Declaration. The plan calls for improving laws, designing rods and vehicles and law enforcement on
behavioural risks such as alcohol, speeding and driving.
Global Goals
The 2021 Global Road safety celebrations say that in order to make cities safe and healthy, a speed limit of
30 kilometre per hour should be facilitated. This will help attain a number of Sustainable Development
Goals.
How? For instance, the minority communities and the disadvantaged people are more exposed to the high-
speed traffic and accidents.
Road Safety in India
India ranks first in terms of number of road accidents. It accounts to only 1% of vehicles in the world.
However, 11% of road accidents happens in India. The major reasons for high number of accidents in the
country are road environment, human error, post accidental care-related issues and vehicular conditions.
Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 Treatment dropped
The Indian Council of Medical Research recently dropped the plasma therapy from COVID-19 treatment. The
decision was taken as the procedure was found to be ineffective.
Plasma Therapy
In the therapy, the blood component called plasma from a COVID-19 recovered patient is injected into
the COVID-19 infected patient. Plasma is a rich source of antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that
fight against the invading virus.
It involves normal blood collection practices. Later plasma is extracted from the blood using blood
fractionation process. Also, a machine called Aphaeresis is used to extract plasma from the donor.
Earlier it was used during H1N1 Influenza outbreak and Ebola outbreaks.
PLACID Trials
In September 2020, the ICMR conducted PLACID trials. According to the trials, the therapy neither reduced
the number of deaths nor prevent its progression.
Other countries
China and Netherlands have also reported that Plasma Therapy is not effective for COVID-19 treatment.
Why is Plasma Therapy ineffective?
The artificial supply of antibodies makes the infection worse. This is because of a phenomenon called
Antibody-Dependent Enhancement. In plasma therapy, the antibodies that are supplied artificially binds to
the virus. These antibodies might then be taken up by the cell. In this way, the virus enters the human cells
in spite of the fact that the patient is treated for COVID-19.
On the other hand, during vaccination the immune system produces its own antibodies. Thus, vaccination
provides lifelong immunity.
Also, another major drawback is that these artificially injected antibodies stay only for three to four days in
the patient’s body.
India’s first Agriculture Export Facilitation Centre set up at Pune
The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture and NABARD (National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development) recently launched the first Agricultural Export Facilitation Centre.
About the Centre
The Centre will aid in boosting the agricultural and food exports of the state of Maharashtra.

The centre will act as a one-stop shop to export agricultural food productions.
The centre is open to anyone who is involved in agricultural exports.
It will provide guidance in areas such as Minimum residue level, orchard management, branding and
marketing, country-wise protocols, special export treatments and government export schemes.
Also, the centre will organise awareness programmes, workshops and training programmes.
Why is the Agricultural Export Facilitation Centre important?
In 2018, India launched Agri Export Policy. The policy aims to double the agricultural exports, that is, to
increase the agricultural exports to 60 billion USD by 2022. The Agricultura Export Facilitation Centre will
help India achieve this target.
Why is the centre established in Maharashtra?
Maharashtra is one of the leading states in Agriculture. It is one of the largest producer of onions.
Today, it is emerging as it is an important horticultural state in the country.
The soil and agro climatic conditions are diverse in the state. This allows the state to produce variety
of crops such as rice, wheat, tur, gram, bajra, jowar; fruits such as banana, mango, grapes, orange,
cashew nut.
The state is the leading producer in pulses.
It is the second largest coarse cereals producer.
It is also the second largest producer of soya bean, sugarcane and cotton.
It is the third largest produce of sunflower.
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia: May 17
The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, IDAHOTB is observed on May 17
every year. The day is marked to increase awareness about LGBT rights violations. Also, it aims to stimulate
interest in LGBT rights work world-wide.
What is Transphobia, Homophobia and Biphobia?
Homophobia: It is dislike against gay people
Transphobia: It is the dislike against the transgender people
Biphobia: It is the dislike against the bisexual people
IDAHOTB
It was originally called the International Day against Homophobia.
It was first observed in 2005.
Louis-Georges Tin is the founder of International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and
Biphobia.
The Declaration of Montreal was adopted in 2006. It demanded the United Nations to recognise
IDAHOTB.
Why was May 17 chosen?
It was on May 17, 1990, homosexuality was removed from the International Classification of Diseases of
World Health Organisation. International Classification of Diseases is a classification of health care system.
It provides diagnostic codes to classify a disease. This includes symptoms, signs, abnormal findings,
external causes.
Goals
The day aims to increase awareness against discrimination, violence and repression of LGBT communities
worldwide.
Around the world
Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legally recognise same-sex marriage.
IDAHOTB has been recognised in very few countries such as Spain, European Union Parliament,

Portugal, Belgium, Mexico, UK, Netherlands, Venezuela, Luxembourg, Croatia, Costa Rica.
Current Scenario
Around sixty-nine countries criminalise bisexual individuals, gay, lesbians.
In more than twenty-six countries, the transgender individuals are subjected to punishments. Also,
they are at the risk of violence.
May 19, 2021
Atlas V Rocket carrying SBRIS Geo-5 Missile Warning Satellite launched for US Space Force
On May 19, 2021, the United Launch Alliance launched the Atlas V Rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force
Station, Florida. The Atlas V rocket carried SBRIS Geo-5 Missile Warning Satellite.
SBRIS Geo-5 Missile Warning Satellite
The satellite will provide key capabilities in missile warning, battle space, missile defence. It weighs 4,850
kilograms. As of 2018, ten SBRIS satellites were launched.
Atlas V
Atlas V is a two-stage rocket. It is fueled with rocket grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first stage and
hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the second stage. The rocket put SBRIS at a height of 35,753 kilo metres.
SBRIS
The full form of SBRIS is Space Based Infrared System. It is designed for missile warning, missile
battlespace and defence characterization. SBRIS is basically a Space Tracking and Surveillance System.
SBRIS was designed to meet the Infrared Space Surveillance of United States Space Force System. In 2020
alone, the SBRIS satellites detected more than thousand missiles.
United States Space Force
It is a branch of US Armed Forces. It is first independent space force. Also, it is the only space force in the
world. It is operated by Department of Air Force which is one of the three civilian led military departments in
Department of Defence.
United Launch Alliance
It is an American Spacecraft company that manufactures and operates number of rocket vehicles. It also
provides launch services. The Atlas V rockets are operated by the company. Vulcan Centaur is the
successor to Atlas V and is under design.
In future, ULA is to launch Boeing Starliner Crew Capsule to the International Space Station. The mission is
called OFT-2, that is, Orbital Flight Test. In 2019, it failed to reach the space station due to software issue.
Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules, 2021: IGCR, 2017
Customs Rules changed
The Government of India recently brought changes to the Customs (Imports of Goods at Concessional Rate
of Duty) rules, IGCR 2017 to boost trade facilitation. This was done through the Customs (Import of Goods
at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules, 2021.
What are the major rules changed?
The absence of the newly rules had constrained Indian industries, especially, the MSMEs. It mainly affected
those that did not have in-house manufacturing facility. Earlier, the concessional customs duty on imports
was not provided to those who did not have an in-house manufacturing facility. Now, under the new rules
they can now import goods at concessional rates, get the job done in other manufacturing units. However,
this has still not been extended to certain sectors such as gold, diamond, precious metals.
The new rules will now allow import of capital goods at concessional customs duty. Capital goods are
physical assets used by a company to manufacture products and services for later use. They are not
finished goods. But are used to make finished goods. Tools, machinery, building, equipment are capital
goods.
The new rules basically lay down procedure and manner in which an importer can avail benefit of
concessional customs duty on import of goods for domestic production.
IGCR rules, 2017
These rules are for the importers who can avail the benefit of exemption notification issued under Section
25 of Customs Act, 1962. The act empowers the Union Government of India to grant exemptions from
payment of customs duties.
Antarctica heads towards Climate Tipping Point by 2060
A new study states that Antarctica ices sheets are headed towards Climate Tipping Points by 2060.
Climate Tipping in Antarctica
There are several ice shelves in Antarctica. As these ice shelves break up, the towering ice cliffs may not be
able to stand on their own. The study found that these ice shelves are breaking at a faster rate. How? The
ice sheets and shelves of Antarctica are grounded on the bed rocks that slope inwards towards the centre
of the continent. The warming of ocean waters is melting their lower edges. This might destabilize them
creating open fractures. Open fractures speed up the melting process as more ice areas are exposed to
warmer temperatures. Thus, it is concluded that Antarctica is moving towards irreversible climate changes,
that is, it is moving toward its Climate Tipping Points.
Climate Tipping Point
Climate Tipping Point is the threshold that leads to large changes in the state of the system.
The fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defined Climate
Tipping Point as the irreversible change in the climate system. It is often referred to as runaway Climate
Change. However, it is not same as that of the Runaway Greenhouse Effect.
Runaway Greenhouse Effect
It occurs when the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the planet prevents the planet from cooling. It is
an extreme Green House Effect. It creates irreversible climate state. The Runway Greenhouse effect is so
extreme that the oceans boil away and renders the planet uninhabitable. It is an irreversible climate state.
This happened in Venus.
Biological E will manufacture Johnson and Johnson COVID Vaccine in India
Biological E is to produce Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine along with its own vaccine. This is to
boost the overall vaccine production of the country.
Background
A new Vaccine partnership was unveiled at the first Quad Summit. The four Quad countries namely India,
Australia, US and Japan decided to pool their resources. They also decided to roll out 1 billion COVID-19
vaccines by 2022. According to the plan, the United States International Development Finance Corporation
is to assist the Biological E.
What is the plan?
The Biological E of India is to produce 600 million Johnson and Johnson Vaccine doses annually. It is to
produce the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine along with its own vaccine. However, the manufacturing units of
the vaccines will be different. Also, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine production is to be funded by the US.
Biological E has plans to produce 75 million to 80 million doses of its own vaccine in Hyderabad. The drug
was developed by Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Johnson and Johnson Vaccine
It has been approved by United States Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organisation. In
India, Johnson and Johnson has sought for permission to conduct clinical trials.
It is an adeno virus vector based COVID-19 vaccine. It is a single dose vaccine. The other adeno virus based
vaccines such as Moderna and Pfizer are two dose vaccines.

Current Scenario
According to COVAX, India is unlikely to resume its major exports of COVID-19 vaccines till October, 2021.
This is because it is diverting its shots for domestic use.
SPOT (Scalable and Portable Testing)-New COVID-19 Saliva Test invented using RT-LAMP
Technology
The US scientists has invented a new COVID-19 Saliva Testing method called SPOT. SPOT is Scalable and
Portable Testing.
About SPOT
SPOT was invented by a research team from the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. The SPOT gives
COVID-19 test results in thirty minutes. The cost of the device is 78 USD. Apart from these the reagents and
other testing devices are estimated to cost 6 to 7 USD. The device can be operated by anyone with minimal
training.
The test is very much similar to that of the RT-PCR. But it uses Reverse Transcriptase Loop Mediated
Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP). However, it does not need complex machinery or expertise. It can be
completed quickly and is more accurate.
RT-Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification
RT-LAMP is a one step nucleic acid amplification method. It is used to multiply specific sequences of RNA.
This technology is considered as an alternate to RT-PCR as it is much cheaper and easier. RT-LAMP test
first makes DNA from the RNA samples. This conversion is made by reverse transcriptase enzyme. This
DNA is called cDNA. Now this cDNA will be amplified for virus detection.
The only difference between RT-PCR and RT-LAMP is that RT-LAMP uses four LAMP Primers. Primers are
short fragments of nucleic acids.
Outcome
The researchers tested 104 clinical samples using SPOT. Of these it accurately identified twenty eight of
thirty COVID-19 positive samples and 73 out of 74 COVID-19 negative samples.
About new COVID-19 tests
Every day ten to fifteen new COVID-19 tests are launched in the market. These tests claim to be quick.
However, none of these quick antigen tests are reliable as that of RT-PCR.
WWF on Snow Leopard: More than 70% of habitat unexplored
The World Wildlife Fund recently claimed that more than 70% of snow Leopard habitats are unexplored. The
organisation recently released its report “A spatially explicit review of the state of knowledge in the snow
leopard range”.
Key Findings of the report
Most of the snow leopard researches have been conducted by Nepal, India and China followed by Mongolia
and Pakistan. There could be only four thousand snow leopards left in the world. They are facing
continuous threats due to increased habitat loss and degradation, conflict with communities and poaching.
Why only 70%? Why is 100% Exploration not possible?
As snow leopards live in rugged terrain, it is highly difficult to conduct researches on snow leopard and their
habitat. That is why, till date their entire habitat remains unexplored.
First Snow Leopard Survey
On the International Snow Leopard Day (October 24), India launched the Snow Leopard Population
Assessment in 2019. However, the survey is yet to be launched. Several state governments have launched
local surveys such as Uttarkhand.
Snow Leopard conservation
IUCN: Vulnerable

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
CITES: Appendix I
Conservation of Snow Leopard
GSLEP: GSLEP is Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme. It was launched by twelve
snow leopard range countries such as India, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan,
Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Russia.
SECURE Himalaya: It is a Global Environment Facility-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
funded project.
Snow Leopards in India
In India, snow leopards are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu
and Kashmir. These regions contribute to 5% of global snow leopard range. Government is running Project
Snow Leopard since 2009.
May 20, 2021
GoI increases Fertilizer Subsidy by 140%
On May 19, 2021, the Government of India increased fertilizer subsidies to Rs 1,200 per bag. Earlier, it was
Rs 500 per bag. Thus, the subsidies have been increased by 140%.
Why the subsidy?
The prices of fertilizers in the country are increasing at a faster rate. This is because prices of ammonia,
phosphoric acid, etc are increasing internationally. They have increased by 60% to 70% internationally.
How will this benefit the farmers?
The actual price of fertilizer bag is now Rs 2,400. With the earlier subsidies, the farmer would have got the
fertilizer bag at Rs 1,900. With the increased subsidy, the farmer will now get the bag at Rs 1,200. This is the
rate at which he was getting the fertilizer bag earlier.
Budget to the increased Fertilizer subsidy
The GoI was spending Rs 80,000 crores for chemical subsidies earlier. Now, with the increase in subsidy,
the Government of India will spend an additional Rs 14,775 crores.
This is the second major step in the interest of the farmers after the GoI recently transferred Rs 20,667
crores to the farmers account under PM-KISAN.
Background
The Government of India was following “No Denial” policy. Under this policy, anyone shall purchase the
subsidised fertilizers through Point-of-Sale machines. In August 2020, the GoI restricted the limit to hundred
bags. Later in January 2020, the restriction was further increased to fifty gags per month per person. This
was done as the GoI was left with no headroom to revise the prices.
Six Heritage Sites added to India’s UNESCO World Heritage sites Tentative List
The Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel recently announced that around six cultural heritage sites
have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
What are the six sites?
The following six places have successfully entered the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Ganga Ghats of Varanasi
Temples of Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu
Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra Military Architecture
Hire Benkal Megalithic site
Bhedaghat Lametaghat of Narmada Valley in Madhya Pradesh
With this, the total number of sites in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tentative list has increased to 48.
Background
The Archaeological Survey of India sent nine entries. Out of this, six have entered the tentative list. These
proposed sites will remain in the tentative list for a year.
Ganga Ghats of Varanasi
The Ghats of Varanasi are the riverfront steps that lead to the banks of river Ganges. There are 88 ghats.
Most of these ghats were built in the 18th century when the city was under the rule of Marathas.
Satpura Tiger Reserve
It is located in Madhya Pradesh. The other major attractions of Satpura Tiger Reserve are Pandav Caves,
Bee falls, Dhoopgarh Peak, Denwa Backwaters and rock paintings. The Denwa backwaters is the reservoir
formed by the dam built on Denwa river.
Maharashtra Military Architecture
There are more than five hundred forts of various hybrid eras making Maharashtra one of the richest places
in military architecture in the world. They were built between 1500 and 1800. During this period, the
architecture conceived were largely military defensive architecture.
Hire Benkal Megalithic Site
It is located in Karnataka. Megalithic site is a large pre-historic stone that is used to construct a monument
or structure. There are more than four hundred megalithic funerary monuments in Hire Benkal Megalithic
site.
Bhedaghat Lametaghat of Narmada Valley
They are referred to Grand Canyon of India. One can experience the outstanding beauty of marble rocks and
their glittering forms on the other side of Narmada river. Several dinosaur fossil fuels have been found here.
Here the Narmada river flows into a thirty-metre-deep gorge and flows between marble rocks. These marble
rocks are formed by the metamorphic mechanism of limestone.
A-76: World's largest iceberg breaks off of Antarctica
An Iceberg recently calved off from the continent of Antarctica. This iceberg is now the largest iceberg in
the world. It has been named as A-76.
About the Ice Berg
The Ice Berg is 170 kilometres long and 25 kilometres wide. The ice berg was spotted by a European Space
Agency satellite called Copernicus Sentinel. It is a two-satellite constellation that orbits the earth’s poles.
The Ice Berg is now floating on the Weddell Sea. Weddell Sea is a large bay in the Western Antarctic.
Satellites confirmed the calving of Ice Berg
The satellites confirmed the observations made by British Antarctic Survey. The British Antarctic Survey
was the first to notice the breakaway.
Impact of the ice berg on sea level
Every time an ice berg calves out from Antarctica, it adds up to the rising sea levels. However, in this case,
the ice shelf from which this berg carved out was already floating on water.
The Ice Shelf from which A-76 calved out is called Ronne Ice Shelf.
Predecessor of A-76
Prior to A-76, A-74 ice berg calved out from Antarctica. Both these calving were natural. The ice calving and
regrowth occurs naturally in Antarctica at defined intervals. This process helps to maintain the ice levels in
the region. However, influxes of warm water in the region are affecting this natural process and increasing
the rate at which ice bergs calve out. The time taken by the ice bergs to calve out is now lesser than the
time taken for the same amount of ice to regrow.
China-Russia to begin the biggest Nuclear Power Project
On May 19, 2021, China and Russia began the biggest Nuclear Power Project. The Russian President

Vladimir Putin and the Chinese President Xi Jing Ping attended the ceremony that began the construction of
the project on May 19, 2021.
Background
In 2018, Russia and China signed an agreement on Nuclear Energy Cooperation Project. Under the
agreement, the countries agreed to build Unit three and Unit Four of the Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant and
Unit 7 and Unit 8 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant.
About the Project
The construction of the above four units is the major cooperation outcome of science and technology
innovation and high-end equipment manufacturing between the countries. The contract value of the project
is twenty billion USD. The nuclear reactors to be used in the project are third generation VVER-1200
reactors. After completion, the reactors will generate 37.6 billion kilo watt hours of electricity. Also, they will
reduce 30.68 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and will also reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Background
The project is a standing evidence that Russia and China are increasing their close ties after facing huge
pressure from European Union and United States on several issues including human rights violations. China
has been speeding up its nuclear development to reduce its reliance on coal fired plants. This is being done
to achieve its target of becoming carbon neutral by 2060.
China’s Nuclear Power
As of April 2021, there are forty-nine nuclear power plants in China. This puts the country in the third
position amongst the nuclear powers. On the other hand, China is also pushing its third-generation nuclear
technology Hualong Two. The Chinese have set a target of achieving 200 GW of Nuclear capacity by 2035.
May 21, 2021
International Tea Day
Every year, on May 21, the United Nations observes International Tea Day. The resolution to celebrate
International Tea Day was adopted in 2019 by the United Nations food and Agriculture Organization.
History
The International Tea Day is being celebrated since 2005 in major tea producing countries of the world
namely Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kenya, Malaysia, Malawi, Uganda and
Tanzania. It aims to draw the attention of citizens, governments about the impact of global tea trade.
Objective
The main goal of the day is to promote sustainable production of tea and increase awareness in fighting
poverty and hunger.
Intergovernmental Group on Tea
The Intergovernmental Group of Tea operating under Food and Agriculture Organization proposed the
concept of International Tea Day in 2015.
Sustainable Development Goals
The tea production helps to achieve the following goals
Goal 1: Reduce Poverty
Goal 2: Fight Hunger
Goal 5: Empowerment of Women
Goal 15: Sustainable use of Terrestrial Ecosystems
Significance
Tea Production is sensitive to climate changes. Tea can be produced only in agro-ecological conditions.
There are very limited countries that produce tea.
Therefore, the tea producing countries must integrate the climate challenges along with their tea

production. This is the main objective of celebrating International Tea Day.
India
India is the second largest tea producing country after China. Also, India is the largest consumer of tea in
the world. India consumes around 30% of global tea output.
Motto
The International Tea Day is celebrated on the motto, “Harnessing Benefits for all From Field to Cup”. This is
not the theme of the day. This is the motto under which the day is celebrated every year.
World Bee Day
th
World Bee Day is observed annually by the United Nations on 20 May. This day is observed to create
awareness about the importance of bees for this planet and nature. Also, World Bee Day is observed on 20th
May to commemorate Anton Janša.
Q1. Who was Anton Janša?
Anton Janša, born in Slovenia is said to be the pioneer of modern day beekeeping techniques. Her birthday
also coincides with the World Bee Day. (20th May)
Q2. Why is Bee conservation necessary?
Bee conservation is necessary as these little creatures are said to be one of the most important creatures in
this planet. They act as pollinators and helps in improving the biodiversity of this planet by pollinating
thousands of plants.
Q3. Is the Bee population under threat?
According to the United Nations and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the bee population is under
constant threat due to various human activities such as usage of pesticides, development encroaching into
the natural habitats of the bees, etc.
Q4. What is Beekeeping also known as?
Beekeeping is also known as Apiculture. Also, Apiary or bee yard is the name of the location where bees are
kept.
Q5. What is theme of World Bee Day 2021?
Bee engaged: Let’s Build Back Better for Bees is the theme for the World bee Day 2021.
Q6. What is United Nations?
The United Nations is an organization whose main aim is to maintain world peace and security. The
headquarters of the United Nations is situated in New York, USA and it was established on 24th October,
1945 after World War 2. UN has 193 member countries
May 22, 2021
What is Dipcovan?
Dipcovan is a Covid-19 antibody detection kit announced by DRDO on May 21, 2021. Here are most
important questions & answers about same:
What is Dipcovan?
Dipcovan or DIPAS-VDx COVID 19 IgG Antibody Microwell ELISA is an antibody detection-based kit that be
used for sero-surveillance for detecting the presence of Covid antibodies amongst the population.
Which DRDO Lab has developed Dipcovan?
Dipcovan has been developed by the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), New Delhi
in association with Vanguard Diagnostics Pvt Ltd. It was approved by the Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) in April 2021. It will be commercially launched soon. The kit has a shelf life of 18 months.
How Dipcovan is different?
The Dipcovan kit offers significantly faster turn-around-time because it needs only 75 minutes to conduct
antibody test without any cross-reactivity with other diseases. It is capable to detect both spike as well as

nucleocapsid (S&N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 virus with high sensitivity of 97 % and specificity of 99%.
What are different tests for Covid-19?
There are three main different types of tests for Covid-19. The RT PCR test (reverse transcriptase
polymerase chain reaction) is a molecular test that detects the presence of viral RNA. For RT PCR tests,
nasal or throat swab samples are used. It is the most accurate of tests. Antigen tests show result by
detecting the viral antigen in the body. Antigens are foreign matters that elicit an immune response in the
body. It is a rapid test but it requires confirmation using a molecular test. Antibody tests or serology test
screens the body for antibodies produced by the body against the pathogen. This test makes use of blood
samples. It can also show whether the test subject was previously infected.
Jagrut Tripura
Recently, the Tripura Government has launched an online portal named Jagrut Tripura to help the people of
the state avail benefits from the various schemes that has been launched by the State as well as the Central
Government.
Q1. How many schemes have been made available on this portal?
At least 109 schemes from various departments have been made available through this platform.
Q2. Who has launched the Jagrut Tripura online portal?
This digital platform has been launched by the Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb.
Q3. What are the schemes available on this portal?
Through this platform business owners whose business was impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic can
also be supported. The 109 schemes are divided into several categories and they are
Education- 43 schemes.
Small Business- 16 schemes
Agriculture- 14 schemes.
Pension – 12 schemes.
Health and Medical- 10 schemes.
Housing- 7 schemes.
Social Services- 6 schemes.
Fisheries- 1 schemes.
Q4. The Jagrut Tripura portal has been developed by whom?
The online portal has been developed by a company of the Jio Group named EasyGov.
Q5. Jagrut Tripura online portal falls under which initiative of the Tripura government?
This digital platform falls under one of the many initiatives that have been undertaken by the state
government of Tripura under its Atmanirbhar Tripura initiative.
Decommissioning of INS Rajput
INS Rajput was the first destroyer as well as the lead ship of the Rajput class of the Indian Navy. Recently,
on 21 May, 2021 INS Rajput has been decommissioned after 41 years of service by the Indian Navy.
Q1. What is Rajput class of ships of the Indian Navy?
Rajput class ships of the Indian Navy are guided missiles destroyers that were built by the former Soviet
Union (USSR). Soviet Kashin class destroyers of the USSR were modified to meet the needs of the Indian
Navy. Indian Navy commissioned 5 such ships in the 1980s and they are all attached to the Easter Naval
Command of the Indian Navy.
Q2. When was INS Rajput commissioned?
INS Rajput was commissioned on 4th May, 1980 by the then Indian Ambassador to USSR, I K Gujral. Captain
Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani was appointed as the first commanding officer of INS Rajput.

Q3. What are some major operations that INS Rajput was part of?
INS Rajput took part in various operations during her period of service. Some of them are: Operation Aman
to assist the Indian Peace Keeping Force during the Sri Lankan Civil War, Operation Cactus which was
undertaken to resolve the Maldives hostage crisis situation, etc.
Q4. What are some of the equipment’s found equipped on INS Rajput?
INS Rajput was equipped with a variety of sensors and weapons. She was fitted with the BrahMos missile
and Prithvi-III missile was also test fired from INS Rajput. INS Rajput is equipped to attack various land, anti-
aircraft and anti-submarine targets.
Q5. Who is the current Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy?
Admiral Karambir Singh.
Q6. Where is the headquarters of the Eastern Command of Indian Navy located?
The headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Navy is located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh. On 21st May, 2021 INS Rajput was decommissioned in Naval Dockyard located in Visakhapatnam.
May 23, 2021
Migrant crisis between Morocco and Spain
Recently, City of Ceuta witnessed an unprecedented influx of about 8,000 people from Morocco by
swimming around breakwaters, separating both the countries, to reach city of Ceuta. Influx has tensed
relations between Spain and Morocco.
Highlights
Influx of Migrants in Spain from Morocco is a regular business but in small numbers. This time, the scale of
crossings has increased exceptionally. In an answer, Spain has deployed troops and armoured vehicles
across the border to round up migrants and sending them back to Morocco through the border gate.
Why influx has increased?
Influx of people from Morocco to Spain is increasing even since, Morocco has relaxed the border controls
for unknown reasons. However, experts say, it was done in retaliation against Spain after it allowed leader
of militant group named Brahim Ghali to receive medical treatment in a hospital of Spain.
Who is Brahim Ghali?
Brahim Ghali is the head of Polisario Front. This front is fighting to establish an independent Western
Sahara, which happens to be an ex-Spanish colony which Morocco had annexed in 1970s.
Bone of contention between Spain and Morocco
Developments in the city of Ceuta is one of biggest crisis affecting the relation between both the countries
since 2002. In the year 2002, a territorial dispute occurred over an uninhabited island on Moroccan coast.
About Ceuta
It a coastal city of North Africa. It belonged to Spain since 16th century. The city is a Spanish possession on
Moroccan coast. It has become a flashpoint, in recent years, for migrants from Morocco and sub-Saharan
Africa who wants to enter Europe.
India to host 2022 FIFA under-17 Women’s World Cup
India is all set to host “2022 FIFA under-17 Women’s World Cup” from October 11 to 30, 2022. It will be the
second FIFA tournament to be hosted by India.
Highlights
Earlier, India had to organise 2021 Under-17 Women’s World Cup but it was cancelled due to Covid-19
pandemic. India had also hosted FIFA under-17 World Cup in 2017. The 2017 event has set a record for
being most attended youth World Cup in the history.
FIFA Women’s World Cup- Background
FIFA Women’s World Cup is a soccer competition which is contested Internationally by senior women’s
national teams of members of International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). The competition
was started in 1991 and it is held every four years since then. The 1991 tournament was held in China.
How teams are selected?
As per the current format of the tournament, national teams contest for 23 slots for three-year qualification
phase while the team of host nation is automatically entered as 24th slot. The tournament proper is
contested at venues in about one month.
Champion Countries
Till date, eight FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments have been organised and four national teams have
won it. United States have won the tournament four times. France is the current champions after winning in
2019
Host Countries
Women’s World Cup has been hosted by six countries. China and United States have hosted twice. On the
other hand, Canada, France, Germany, and Sweden have hosted it once.
About FIFA
It is a non-profit organization and a highest international governing body of association football, futsal and
beach soccer. It was founded in 1904 to organise and look after the international competition among
national associations of Belgium, France, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland.
It is Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and currently, 211 national associations are its member.
NMMS App & Area Officer Monitoring App Launched
National Mobile Monitoring Software (NMMS) app and Area officer monitoring App was launched by Rural
Development Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar on May 22, 2021. These apps are a big step towards bringing
the transparency and proper monitoring of the schemes.
About NMMA App
NMMS App has been launched to take real time attendance of workers at Mahatma Gandhi NREGA
worksites. It will also take their geotagged photograph. Thus, the app will help in increasing citizen
oversight of the programme and potentially enable processing of payments in a faster manner.
About Area Officer Monitoring App
This app was launched in a bid to facilitate the authorities to record their findings online. It will also help in
recording time stamped and go-coordinate tagged photograph for all the schemes launched by Department
of Rural Development. Thus, the app will enable a better record keeping of inspections by field and
supervisory officials and it will also facilitate analysis of findings which in turn help in implementation of
programme in a better manner.
Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act 2005
This act was renamed as “Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. It is an Indian labour
law and social security measure. It was enacted with the aim of ensuring the ‘right to work’. It was passed in
September 2005 by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. The act provides at least 100 days of wage
employment to every household. This, it enhances the livelihood security in rural areas. World bank calls
the act a ‘stellar example of rural development’.
IMF Proposes USD 50 Billion Global Vaccination Plan
The IMF (International Monetary Fund) proposed a USD 50 billion global vaccination plan which will cover
about 40 percent of global population by the end of 2021. It also seeks to cover at least 60 percent of the
population by first half of 2022.
Key Points
This plan was proposed on the line of work of the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank, Gavi and
African Union. IMF have proposed targets, and has estimated the financing requirements. It has laid down

the three broad elements under its action plan:
1. As a first element, it has planned to vaccinate at least 40 percent of global population by end of 2021
and at least 60 percent by first half of 2022. In order to complete the target, IMF put forward
additional grants to COVAX apart from donation of surplus doses and free cross-border flow of raw
materials & finished vaccines.
2. As a second element, it lists to ensure against downside risks such as new variants which may
require booster shots. For that matter, it proposes to invest in additional vaccine production of one
billion doses and scaling up of genomic surveillance. It also plans for supply-chain surveillance and
contingency plans in a bid to handle virus mutations or supply shocks.
3. Management of interim period in which vaccine supply is limited along with widespread testing &
tracing, therapeutic and public health measures is the third element of the plan.
How the plan will be funded?
IMF has estimated that, this plan will cost around USD 50 billion apart from combination of grants, national
government resources and other concessional financing. IMF estimates to get a grant financing of about
USD 35 billion. G20 members will also help in addressing the USD 22 billion grant funding gap.
What is COVAX?
COVAX stands for COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access. It is a worldwide initiative which was launched with
the aim of equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. It is directed by Vaccine Alliance, GAVI; Coalition for
Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and World Health Organization. It is a pillar of Access to COVID-19
Tools Accelerator initiative. COVAX initiative helps in enabling the low-to-middle-income countries to get
equitable access to COVID-19 tests, therapies, and vaccines.
Cyclonic Storm Yaas to form in Bay of Bengal
India Meteorological Department has informed that, Cyclone Yaas is likely to intensify into a very severe
cyclonic storm, week after cyclone Tauktae had its landfall on the western coast of India. Cyclone Yaas is
likely to affect the coastal parts of Odisha and West Bengal on May 26, 2021.
Why IMD warns about cyclonic storm?
IMD has issued waning in the aftermath of a low-pressure area forming over the east-central Bay of Bengal
and adjoining north Andaman Sea. Formation of low area is the first stage of formation of cyclone. Thus,
IMD also informed, it is not necessary that all low-pressure areas will intensify into cyclonic storms. The
cyclone is likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm.
What are the Favourable Conditions?
The Andaman Sea, Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of east-central is experiencing favourable
Atmospheric and oceanic conditions such as conducive environment for convection and sea surface
temperatures. This is result into persistent cloudiness over these areas. IMD has informed, the surface
temperature of Bay of Bengal has increased and it could thus provide favourable weather system to turn the
storm into a cyclone. If the cyclone is formed, it will be named as “Yaas”. This name has been given by
Oman.
Why Bay of Bengal experience frequent cyclones?
Bay of Bengal is warmer than the Arabian Sea. This provides sufficient and continuous heat energy which is
required to create and sustain a low-pressure system. Higher sea surface temperatures and humidity is
directly related with the chances of formation of cyclone. Apart from that, Bay of Bengal receives higher
rainfall and experience constant influx of fresh water from Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. As a result,
surface water keeps on getting refreshed. Thus, it is almost impossible for warm water to mix with cooler
water beneath. It is an ideal situation for the formation of depression.

Draft norms for 4-Wheeler Tyres to Raise Fuel Efficiency
Union Ministry of road and transport has recently notified about the draft rules for 4-wheeler tyres to raise
the fuel efficiency. Norms for new model tyres will come in effect from October 1, 2021 while for the
existing model, from October 1, 2022. Norms have been prepared on the line of norms followed in Europe.
Key Facts
As per the draft norms, tyres of cars, buses and trucks should meet requirement like wet grip, rolling
resistance and rolling sound emissions. New norms have been proposed with the aim of ensuring quality
and reliability of tyres. New norms were proposed in accordance with the rules specified in Stage-II of
Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) 142:2019.
Significance of the move
As per the standards, rolling resistance of tyres has its influence on fuel efficiency. Wet grip helps in better
braking performance of the tyres under wet conditions. While, the Rolling sound emission standards will
reduce the sound emitted from contact between tyres in motion and road surface. It will also help user to
take informed decision.
Automotive Industry Standards (AIS)
AIS are automotive technical specifications followed in India and are drafted based on UNECE (United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe) norms.
Invasive species cost African Economy $3.66 trillion a year
Recent study shows that, Invasive species are costing African agriculture about $3.66 trillion per year. It
equals to 1.5 times of the combined gross domestic product of all African countries.
Key Findings
Researchers from Kenya, Britain, Ghana and Switzerland were estimating the annual economic hit
because of invasive species to African agriculture.
They studied open source and peer-reviewed literature on species which were not native to African
continent.
Researchers surveyed about 1,000 stakeholders including farmers, researchers and government
officials regarding the financial implications of invasive species.
Stakeholders were asked to estimate crop losses because of invasive alien species.
Non-native species of weed, insect or worm can have catastrophic effects on farming as they are
capable of reducing the yields of staple crops.
Most affected Nations
The researchers also found that, there were variation among countries. Worst affected nation was Nigeria
with the estimate lose of around $1 trillion annually due to invasive species. While, Democratic Republic of
Congo incur the loss of $317 billion per year.
Which Species caused most losses?
It was found that, a moth known as Phthorimaea absoluta caused most of the losses. This moth affects
tomato plants and incur an estimated cost of $11.4 billion each year. Other insects inflict about $21.5
billion worth of crop losses per year to mango, maize, cassava and citrus crops.
Invasive species
It is an introduced organism which negatively affects the new environment. Their spread can have
beneficial aspects but they can adversely affect invaded habitats and bioregions. They cause ecological,
environmental or economic damage. They are become serious economic, social, and environmental threat
in the 21st century. kudzu vine, English ivy, Andean pampas grass, Japanese knotweed etc are some of the
examples of invasive plant species.

VIPER Rover to Search Resources on Moon
Recently, US space agency NASA has announced to send its first mobile robot to the Moon in 2023. Mobile
robot will search ice and other resources on and below the surface of moon. This mission is an example
showing “robotic science mission” and “human exploration” go hand in hand.
Key facts
Mobile robot is a part of Artemis programme. It will collect data from Volatiles Investigating Polar
Exploration Rover (VIPER) and help scientists in mapping the resources at South Pole of the lunar which
have the potential to be harvested for long-term human exploration. Data obtained from VIPER can aid the
scientists to determine precise locations and concentrations of ice on the lunar surface. They can also
evaluate environment and potential resources at south pole.
About VIPER
VIPER stands for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover. It is a lunar rover which NASA has
developed to explore south pole of the moon. It will be delivered to surface of Moon in November 2023. The
rover will explore the lunar resources in permanently shadowed areas of south pole region of Moon. It will
help in mapping water ice distribution and concentration. This mission is based on previous cancelled
NASA rover concept called Resource Prospector. The rover will be carried through Griffin lander of
Astrobotic under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative of NASA.
Significance of Lunar South Pole
South Pole of Moon attracts most of the scientists because of occurrence of water ice in permanently
shadowed areas. The region features unique craters because near-constant sunlight does not reach to their
interior. These craters are cold traps comprising of fossil record of hydrogen, water ice, and other such
volatiles.
What is Vaccine Tourism?
Amid the second wave of Covid-19 and mass vaccination programme across the world a term “Vaccine
Tourism” is gaining momentum. Vaccine Tourism has come to limelight after draft of a vaccine tour
package by Dubai-based travel agency called ‘Arabian Nights Tours’ for Delhi-Moscow.
About Vaccine Tourism
Vaccine Tourism can be defined as “travelling to different country for sightseeing with an additional benefit
of getting the jab there”. The Vaccine tourism package is gaining popularity because many countries have
banned travel from India and for Indians because of rising corona cases. Russia is one of few countries
which is currently allowing entry to Indians with a negative PCR report.
About the Vaccine Tourism Package
The vaccine tourism package comprises of 20 days accommodation in a hotel, all meals, flights and a few
days of sightseeing. Total cost of the package is Rs 1.3 lakh. Countries like Maldives and US are also
working on similar programme so as to allow people abroad to get vaccinated during their visit.
Is it illegal to get Covid Vaccine abroad?
Government of India is making all its efforts to ensures that no one has to go abroad to take the jab. It is
estimated that, everyone will get their jab by end of 2021. But, there is shortage of vaccines in India
currently. As a result, many Indians are wondering if they can go abroad to get the jab. Few countries like US
& Russia are allowing vaccination for other residents as well. So, if the air travel is allowed, it will not be
illegal to get vaccine aboard.
Air India Cyber-Attack
Air India has recently announced that, ten years’ worth of Air India customer data such as credit cards,
passports and phone numbers were leaked in a cyber-attack on its data processor in February 2021. Cyber-
attack has affected about 45 lakh customers who got registered between August 26, 2011 to February 3,

2021.
Highlights
Cyber-attack has also compromised names, date of birth, contact information and ticket information of the
customers. This was a ‘highly sophisticated’ attack which targeted Geneva-based passenger system
operator called SITA. SITA served the Air India apart from Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore
Airlines and Lufthansa.
What is cyber-attack?
Cyber-attack is an online attack, launched by cybercriminals using one or more computers against single or
multiple computers or networks and other such information systems. It maliciously disables computers and
steal data. It also uses a breached computer as a launch point for other such attacks. Methods like
malware, ransomware, phishing, denial of service are used to attack the computers or networks.
Cyber-Attack in India
Frequent causes of cyber-attacks include- Spear Phishing, Phishing and Social Engineering, Malware, Out of
Date Software, Denial of Service and Ransomware. Most recent attack was witnessed by Microsoft which
reported that, cyber crooks are using Covid-19 situation in 2020 to defraud people using the methods of
phishing and ransomware in India and other countries.
China Observatory Detects Sources of Gamma Rays
Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) of China has recently detected dozen sources of
ultra-high-energy gamma rays.
Key Facts
LHAASO cosmic ray observatory has discovered 12 sources of ultrahigh-energy photons. It has also
detected a photon with energy level of 1.4 peta-electron volt. All these sources are located at positions in
milky way galaxy and it can be measured with an accuracy of greater than 0.3°. They are the brightest Milky
Way gamma ray sources discovered till date.
Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO)
LHAASO is a gamma-ray and cosmic-ray observatory located at Daocheng in Sichuan province of China. The
observatory has been designed to observe air showers that are triggered by gamma rays and cosmic rays. It
has been set at the altitude of 4,410 metres above sea level. It started observation in April 2019 over an
area of 145 hectares.
Observation Pool
The observatory comprises of three underground observing pools. One of the pools is designed to comprise
100,000 tonnes of water. All the pools comprise of 12 telescopes which helps in capturing high-energy
photons.
About Sichuan province
It is a landlocked province located in Southwest China. It occupies most of Sichuan Basin and easternmost
part of Tibetan Plateau. Capital city of Sichuan is Chengdu. Sichuan has the population of about 81 million
Why Nepal President Dissolved Parliament?
President of Nepal, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, dissolved the House of Representatives on May 22, 2021. The
decision was taken on the recommendations of cabinet headed by caretaker Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Fresh elections will be held in November 2021.
How President gets power to dissolve the Parliament?
President gets power to dissolve House of Representatives or Parliament from Article 76 (7) of the
Constitution of Nepal.
About Article 76 (7)
Article 76 (7) of the Constitution of Nepal states, Prime Minister can dissolve the house of representatives

and announce a new date to conduct election within six months when the Prime Minister appointed under
Clause (5) fails to own vote of confidence or when no member can be appointed as Prime Minister.
Why Parliament was dissolved?
Bidhya Devi Bhandari dissolved the parliament after considering the claims of support by both the sides. KP
Sharma Oli had claimed of having support of 153 lawmakers including members of Janata Samajbadi Party.
On the other hand, Nepali Congress President Deuba claimed to have the support of 149 parliamentarians.
Both the claims did not comply because, Nepal’s house of representatives is constituted of 275 members.
Political crisis in Nepal
The political crisis in Nepal started in May 2018 when KP Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML & National Communist
Party got merged and decided to serve as joint chairmen of ruling party. CPN-UML was the largest party in
House of Representatives but increasing disputes within the ruling part resulted in split again. Following
the split, in December 2020, Prachanda-led party expelled Prime Minister Oli as co-Chair and Prachanda was
made the first Chairman. After that, house of representatives was dissolved in 2020 which was reinstated
again following the order of supreme court in 2021. But, recently on May 10, Prime Minister Oli has lost the
vote of confidence and the house stands dissolved.
Italy hosts the Global G 20 Health Summit
The Global G20 Health Summit was co-hosted by European Commission along with Italy as part of its G20
presidency amid the surge and spread of the coronavirus cases.
Agenda of the Summit
The summit adopted the agenda to overcome Covid-19 pandemic. It also decided to develop and endorse a
Rome Declaration of principles.
Highlights
Summit noted, risk of more transmissible variants has increased with nine people losing their lives to
Covid-19 per minute. As per WHO officials, future of pandemic is in hands of G20 leaders. G20 has also
contributed in the launch of ACT-Accelerator as it was launched after G20 called for a global mechanism to
accelerate development of tests, treatments and vaccines.
What is ACT-Accelerator?
ACT-Accelerator is used for “Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator”. It is also called as Global
Collaboration to Accelerate Development, Production and Equitable Access to COVID-19 diagnostics,
therapeutics and vaccines. This initiative was announced and started by G20 grouping in April 2020. ACT
Accelerator acts as a cross-discipline support structure which enable the partners to share resources and
knowledge.
Four Pillars of ACT-Accelerator
ACT-Accelerator has four pillars which is managed by collaborating partners. Four pillars are Vaccines,
Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Health Systems Connector.
Gujarat Governor gives assent to Bill Penalising Fraudulent Conversion by Marriage
Governor of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, has given his assent to Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment)
Bill, 2021 along with 7 other bills. These bills were passed in March 2021 during the budget session of the
state assembly.
Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2021
This bill is being also called as “anti-love jihad” Bill. It provides for punishment of 3-10 years in jail for
forcible and fraudulent religious conversions by marrying the person. It amends the 2003 Act.
Why this bill was passed?
This bill was passed considering the fact that, there are increasing instances of religious conversions
promising a better lifestyles, divine blessings and impersonation. There is an increasing trend where women

are lured to marriage for religious conversions.
What is Love Jihad?
Love Jihad is also known as Romeo Jihad. It is a conspiracy theory which was developed by proponents of
Hindutva. The theory is used to invoke prejudice against Muslims. The theory maintains that, Muslim men
target Hindu women for conversion to Islam by means of feigning love and marriage.
Other State with such legislation
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh has enacted the “Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion
Ordinance, 2020” which is unofficially called as ‘love jihad law’. This law makes conversion a non-bailable
offence with up to 10 years of jail time if it is undertaken unlawfully or forcefully.
Pfizer-BioNTech to provide 2 billion Covid-19 vaccine to Poor Nations
In a bid to fulfil the international calls for vaccine solidarity, American pharmaceutical company, Pfizer and
German company, BioNTech have pledged to provide 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine to poor countries
in middle-income and low-income countries in next 18 months. This announcement was made at the global
health summit hosted by Italy.
Highlights
Both the companies developed first vaccine which was authorised for use in United States and Europe.
Pfizer announced that, it is expecting to provide a billion of doses in 2021 and another billion in 2022.
However, it was not clear whether the companies would deliver vaccines through COVAX program or not.
About Pfizer Inc.
It is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation established in New York City. It has been named
after its co-founder, Charles Pfizer. Company develops and produces medicines and vaccines for
immunology, cardiology, oncology, neurology and endocrinology. It is ranked at 64th position on Fortune 500
and at 49th place on Forbes Global 2000.
BioNTech SE
It is a German biotechnology company based in Mainz. It develops and manufactures active
immunotherapies for patient-specific approaches. It also develops pharmaceutical candidates on the basis
of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for use as vaccines against infectious diseases & as protein
replacement therapies for rare diseases.
Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
The vaccine is sold under brand name Comirnaty. It is an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. It is authorized
for use on people over 12 years to protect against SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19.
May 24, 2021
CSIR-CSIO transfer UV Disinfection Technology Indigenous Manufacturers
CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIR-CSIO) has transferred the UV Disinfection
technology to 28 indigenous manufacturers. UV Disinfection technology was developed by CSIR-CSIO to
combat SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Background
UV Disinfection technology-V1.06 was developed by CSIR-CSIO, Chandigarh in a bid to prevent spread of
coronavirus at public places across India.
What is UV-C Air Duct Disinfection System -V1.06?
This system can be retrofit into existing air ducts. It comprises of a slide mechanism, sensors and regulated
UV light source. System can be fit to ducts with some modifications. This UV ducts can kill the virus in air
along with air sampling. System comprises of viral load testing techniques which checks viral load in air.
Why UV-C light is used?
UV-C Light source emits light with high energy photons. This energy has potential to kill virus & bacteria.
How this system works?
This system is calibrated to flow air at specified rates using specially designed filter. To give this device a
versatile design, variable flow control unit has been installed. It works by sucking air at specified flow rates
and trapping particles, virus or bacteria inside filter. Devise comprises of a gelatin tube in which foreign
particles gets trapped.
Significance of the System
This technology was developed as per requirements to deactivate SARS COV-2 virus contained in an
aerosol. System comes with necessary user guidelines, ventilation measures, necessary safety and tested
Bio-safety standards. UV-C has the capacity to deactivate over 99 percent of viruses, bacteria, fungus etc. It
can be used as retrofit solution in Air Handling Units of buildings, malls, airports, transport vehicles and
spin off applications. Use of UV-C can also help in ameliorating fungal infections which is spreading in
country amid the second wave of the pandemic. This system is energy efficient and it improves airflow
through coils. Thus, it enhances indoor air quality. Apart from that, it requires lesser maintenance and
installation cost is also at lesser end.
Commonwealth seek equal access to Covid-19 Vaccines
Commonwealth health ministers, led by India, are seeking swift and equal access to Covid-19 vaccines for
all across the world. On the behalf of 54 commonwealth member, they were concerned over gaps in access
and delivery of vaccines. They also called for fair and transparent pricing of vaccine.
What is the concern?
Vaccine is not equally distributed among the nations, especially poor nations. Currently, just 0.3 per cent of
life-saving vaccine doses have been administered to people in 29 poor countries. On the other hand, high
and upper-middle-income countries have administered about 84 percent of shots.
About commonwealth countries
Commonwealth countries or ‘Commonwealth of Nations’ is a political association comprising of 54 member
states. Almost all the members are former territories of British Empire. Commonwealth Secretariat is the
chief institutions of organisation. Secretariat focuses intergovernmental aspects, and Commonwealth
Foundation. Queen Elizabeth II is currently the head of commonwealth.
Background
History of Commonwealth dates back to first half of the 20th century with the decolonisation of the British
Empire and increased self-governance across its territories. Commonwealth was first created as “British
Commonwealth of Nations” by Balfour Declaration in 1926. In the year 1931, it was formalised by United
Kingdom through Statute of Westminster. Commonwealth of Nations in its present form was formally
constituted in 1949 by London Declaration.
G-7 Nations pledge to accelerate efforts against Global Warming
Environment ministers from seven industrialised nations or G7 grouping agreed to accelerate efforts
against global warming during a two-day virtual meeting hosted by United Kingdom, holding presidency of
G7 currently.
Highlights
They also committed to stop government support for new coal-fired power plants by the end of 2021.
Extended support to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels as
compared to earlier goal of 2 degrees.
They also promised to take necessary measures to curb deforestation, curb overfishing, to promote
biodiversity and to tackle issue of ocean plastic.
They also extended commitment towards preventing future outbreaks of COVID-19 like diseases
spreading from animals to humans.

Background
G7 countries released statement after International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report and stated
governments needed to ramp up efforts towards reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases in order to reach their goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. IEA in its recommended to
immediately end investment in new fossil fuel supply projects and stop sale of gasoline- and diesel-powered
cars by 2035.
G7 members
It includes U.S., Canada, Britain, Italy, France, Germany and Japan. China is not the member despite being
world’s biggest source of carbon emissions.
International Energy Agency (IEA)
IEA is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation which was established under the
framework of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It was established in 1974
in the aftermath of 1973 oil crisis. It produces World Energy Outlook, annually.
World Turtle Day 2021
World Turtle Day was celebrated on May 23, 2021. It is observed to raise awareness among people about
turtle & tortoise and their habitats. Celebration of the day is sponsored by a non-profit organisation
“American Tortoise Rescue (ATR)” since 2000. Theme for 2021 is- ‘Turtle Rocks!’.
Aim of World Turtle Day
World Turtle Day is celebrated every year on May 23 with the aim of bringing attention to turtles and tortoise
besides increasing knowledge and respect for them. This day also encourages human action to help the
turtles and tortoise survive and thrive. The day is considered among most effective of species awareness
days which increases search for information on turtles online.
Background
American Tortoise Rescue which was founded in 1990 is the founding sponsor of World Turtle Day.
However, “WORLD TURTLE DAY” term was trademarked by Susan Tellem.
About Turtles
They are reptiles, characterized by a bony or cartilaginous shell or a carapace that developed from their
ribs. Shell acts as a shield. Earliest known members of turtle dates back to Middle Jurassic. Thus, they are
the oldest reptile groups even older than snakes or crocodiles. They are land-dwellers as well as
amphibians. Largest sea turtle is “Leatherback turtle”.
About Tortoises
They are reptile species from family Testudinidae. They are distinguished from turtles as they are
exclusively land-dwelling. They also have a shell for protection from predation and other threats.
Mount Nyiragongo erupts in Eastern DR Congo
Government of Democratic Republic of Congo has launched an evacuation plan for “eastern city of Goma”
after volcano Mount Nyiragongo erupted.
Highlights
Mount Nyiragongo volcano is located 10 km from Goma. After eruption, it has led to thousands of residents
very frightened. So, they are now fleeing towards Rwanda in east.
Background
This volcano was last erupted in 2002 and killed 250 people. It had left 1.2 lakh people homeless.
About Mount Nyiragongo
It is one of the world’s most active and dangerous volcanoes. It has an elevation of 3,470 m in Virunga
Mountains which are associated with Albertine Rift. Volcano is located inside Virunga National Park, in
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Main crater of volcano is about two kilometres wide and is comprises of

lava lake. The crater presently has two distinct cooled lava benches within the crater walls – one at about
3,175 m (10,417 ft) and a lower one at about 2,975 m (9,760 ft). Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira are together
responsible for 40 percent of historical volcanic eruptions in Africa.
Virunga National Park
This National park is located in Albertine Rift Valley in eastern part of Democratic Republic of the Congo. It
was opened in 1925. This is the first protected areas in Africa. It has been listed in List of World Heritage in
Danger since 1994.
Cheetah to be re-introduced in India
World’s fastest land animal, Cheetah is expected to be reintroduced in India. Cheetah will be introduced at
Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in November 2021.
Why it is being reintroduced?
India had spotted its last Cheetah in Chhattisgarh in 1947. After the death of last Cheetah, it was
declared extinct in 1952.
Supreme Court of India had also given its approval in January 2020 to introduce African cheetahs in a
suitable habitat in India as an experiment to see if they can adapt to the environment.
Thus, Cheetah Reintroduction Project was prepared by Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
How it will be reintroduced?
Madhya Pradesh had started the process of creating an enclosure for around 10 cheetahs. It includes five
females as well. They will be brought from South Africa.
Why Kuno National Park was selected?
Kuno is located in Chambal region. It is spread across an area of 750 sq km. Park has a conducive
environment for cheetah. It is a protected area which is having considerable population of four-horned
antelopes, nilgai, chinkara, spotted deer and wild boar. Thus, the park has a good prey base for cheetahs.
About Cheetah
The fastest land animal is native to Africa and central Iran. It can attain running speed of 80 to 128 km/h.
Cheetah is listed in “vulnerable category” of International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list
of threatened species. This is because, its population has declined to 7100 (as of 2016) and are found
primarily in African savannas.
Haryana to launch ‘Sanjeevani Pariyojana’
Haryana will launch an anti-Covid “Sanjeevani Pariyojana” on March 24, 2021. It will provide a supervised
and quick medical care at home for people, with mild to moderate symptoms of covid-19, residing in rural
areas
About Sanjeevani Pariyojana
“Sanjeevani Pariyojana” will be launched to extend medical care in rural areas where awareness regarding
the second wave of COVID-19 and related treatment remains low. It is an important step of bringing medical
care for the people who need it most and when they need it most. Under it, scope of medical advice will be
expanded beyond qualified doctors as it will mobilize 200 final year & pre-final year medical students and
interns by connecting them to consultants and experts.
Components of the initiative
This initiative comprises of an Integrated Command and Control Centre to manage critical resources such
as ambulance tracking, oxygen supply, hospital beds availability besides, door-to-door awareness
campaign. Thus, it will help the district administration in keeping a bird’s eye view of entire healthcare
system.
Covid Hotline
Under the initiative, a Covid hotline will be set up to augment existing call centre capabilities that will

support basic triaging and guidance for patients suspected or clinically diagnosed with COVID-19
symptoms.
What is Kyasanur Forest Disease?
Recently, researchers found a new point-of-care test to be highly sensitive for rapid diagnosis of Kyasanur
forest disease (KFD) which is emerging as a new public health problem & challenge in India.
Point-of-care tests
The point-of-care tests has been developed by ICMR-National Institute of Virology. It will be beneficial to
diagnose KFD which is also called as monkey fever. This fever usually outbreaks in remote areas which
lacks in well-equipped sample handling and laboratory testing facilities. Thus, point-of-care test will quickly
manage the patient and control further spread of virus.
What is Kyasanur Forest Disease?
The disease is tick-borne viral haemorrhagic fever which is endemic to South-western part of India. It is
caused by a virus from family Flaviviridae. Virus is transmitted to humans through bite of infected hard
ticks, acting as a reservoir of KFD Virus.
KFD virus (KFDV)
It is a typical flavivirus having diameter of 40-60 nm. Genome of KFDV comprises of 10,774 nucleotides of
single-stranded & positive-sense RNA which encodes a single polyprotein. Genome of KFDV is similar to
that of Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, found in Saudi Arabia.
How virus is transmitted?
Monkeys are the main hosts for KFD virus. Humans contract infection after the bite of nymphs of tick.
CCoV-HuPn-2018 Coronavirus
CCoV-HuPn-2018 coronavirus, with its origin in dogs, was detected among patients hospitalised with
pneumonia in 2017-2018 in Malaysia. As per study, it may be the eighth unique coronavirus known cause
disease in humans, once confirmed as pathogen. However, it does not poses pandemic risks currently.
What is the issue?
Researchers had tested nasal swab samples of 301 pneumonia patients at a hospital in east Malaysian
state of Sarawak. Eight of the samples including samples of children under 5 years old, were tested positive
for canine coronavirus. Its genomic sequencing a new strain, named CCoV-HuPn-2018, was found which
had similar characteristics like coronaviruses causing infections in cats and pigs. However, it resembles
mostly to one that infected dogs.
Genetic Mutation
Virus also comprised a genetic deletion, or mutation which was not found in any canine coronaviruses
however, it was present in human strains like SARS-COV and SARS-COV-2.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2)
This virus causes COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and other respiratory illness. It is a positive-sense
single-stranded RNA virus. It is contagious in humans. Its successor in SATS-CoV-1, which had caused
2002–2004 SARS outbreak. It has zoonotic origins and is genetically similar to bat coronaviruses.
2002–2004 SARS outbreak
It was an epidemic that involved severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused due to severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1). This outbreak was first witnessed in China in November
2002.
Delhi records 8 new Species of Snakes
After an extensive five-year study by researchers from Delhi University, eight more species were added to
the list of snakes in Delhi.

Highlights
With the addition of eight species, number of snake species recorded in Delhi is increased to 23.
It has updated 1997 list mentioned in ”Fauna of Delhi” book. This book is widely used to track native
species in Delhi.
Study was conducted by Gaurav Barhadiya, researcher from Department of Environmental Studies in
Delhi University.
As per study, there are 329 snakes in 23 species and 9 families.
What are the new additions?
Common bronzeback tree snake, common cat snake, common trinket snake, common kukri, common sand
boa, barred wolf snake, streaked kukri, and saw-scaled viper are the new additions in species of snakes.
How Data was collected?
Techniques such as pitfall traps, opportunistic encounters, road kills encounters and nocturnal road
cruising were used to collect data. Secondary information on snake rescue were also taken from NGOs like
Wildlife Trust of India and Fauna Foundation of India.
Concerns over population
Rapid urbanization is the main cause of concerns for reptilian population, including snakes in cities. Green
spaces are reducing with increasing urbanisation. Thus, future planning should include plans for
preservation of green spaces and wildlife.
How Delhi is an important site for conservation?
Delhi is an important site for conservation because it is a part of ancient Aravalli mountains. Though, it has
now fragmented either in the form of urban forests or urban parks. Despite that, it experiences regular
snake occurrences across houses, gardens and industrial areas. Thus, Delhi still has good potential and
provides an opportunity to conserve native flora, fauna and biodiversity.
Ana- First named Atlantic storm of 2021
According to National Hurricane Centre, Miami, subtropical storm Ana is drifting northeast across the
Atlantic Ocean after causing rain to Bermuda. Thus, first named Atlantic storm will cause no damage to
land and will dissipate soon.
Highlights
Ana storm was located about 435 kilometres northeast of Bermuda. It had a maximum sustained wind of 75
kilometres per hour. Ana was the first named storm in Atlantic in 2021, even though hurricane season is not
started yet. Hurricane season usually start on June 1.
Atlantic hurricane
Atlantic hurricane, also called as tropical storm, is a tropical cyclone forming in Atlantic Ocean. It forms
usually in months of June and November. Hurricane is different from cyclone or typhoon based on their
location, only. Hurricane storm occurs in Atlantic Ocean and north-eastern Pacific Ocean, typhoon in north-
western Pacific Ocean while cyclone in South Pacific Ocean or Indian Ocean.
Where is Bermuda?
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory located in North Atlantic Ocean. It has an area of 1,035 km
spreading east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina Bermuda has 181 islands. Hamilton is its capital
city. The Island is internally self-governing and it has its constitution and cabinet of ministers. Largest
industries of Bermuda are offshore insurance, reinsurance, and tourism. In the 20th century, it had one of the
world’s highest GDP per capita.
US announces restrictions on Ethiopia and Eritrea
United States has put visa restrictions on officials of Ethiopia and Eritrea, who are accused of increasing
six-month-old war in Tigray region of Ethiopia.

Why restriction was put?
US accused them as they had not taken meaningful steps to end hostilities in Tigray region. According to US
Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, curbs on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia was also
imposed. However, it will continue providing humanitarian aid for health, food and education.
Ethiopia-Eritrea War
Conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea started in May 1998 and ended in June 2000. While final peace treaty
was agreed twenty years after initial confrontations in 2018.
Consequences of war
Eritrea and Ethiopia have spent huge dollars on war and have suffered many casualties as a direct
consequence. But it resulted in only minor border changes.
How war was started?
As per the ruling of international commission in The Hague, Eritrea triggered the war against Ethiopia by
breaking international law. After the war, Ethiopia held all the disputed territory and advanced to Eritrea.
Eritrea–Ethiopia Boundary Commission
This body was founded by United Nation. It established, disputed territory of Badme belongs to Eritrea. But,
as of 2019, Ethiopia still occupies Badme and territory near it.
Tigray Region
It is the northernmost regional state of Ethiopia. Region is homeland of Tigrayan, Irob and Kunama people.
In the federal constitution, it is also called as “Region 1”. Largest city, Mekelle is the capital of Tigray
Region.
Nuclear Scientist Srikumar Banerjee Passed Away
Nuclear Scientist and former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, SriKumar Banerjee passed away at
75 on May 23, 2021 due to heart attack after he recovered from COVID-19.
Who was Srikumar Banerjee?
He was a veteran nuclear scientist who led nuclear establishment when India and USA signed their nuclear
deal and legislated Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill.
Background
The leading global expert in nuclear processes, joined Metallurgy department of Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre (BARC) in 1968 after completing B. Tech in metallurgy from IIT, Kharagpur. In 1974, he was awarded
his Ph. D for his work at BARC. He was the director of BARC from 2004 to 2010. He had wide knowledge of
usage of specialized alloys in nuclear processes.
His contributions in Atomic energy
Srikumar had headed establishment of atomic energy in India, when political and expert fraternity was in
doubt that India will lose its nuclear autonomy if it signed 123 Pact or the US – India Civil Nuclear
Agreement, with US. But he was convinced that India would gain.
Awards
He was conferred “Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for science and technology” in 1989 and in 2005 he was
conferred Padma Shri award.
Maharashtra seeks World Heritage Site Tag for 14 Forts
Maharashtra Government has prepared and submitted a tentative serial nomination for 14 forts of the state,
to get World Heritage Site tag.
What are those forts?
Maharashtra has listed 14 sites including Shivneri fort, Raigad Fort, Torna fort, Rajgad Fort, Lohagad, Mulher
fort, Ankai Tankai forts, Salher Fort, Rangana Fort, Ankai Tankai Forts, Kasa Fort, Sindhudurg Fort, Alibag
Fort, Suvarnadurg and Khanderi Fort. All the sites are historically important. They belong to either Peshwa

rule or battle between Marathas & Mughals. Some forts also served as naval or army bases for Maratha
fighters.
How forts were nominated?
UNESCO accepted the tentative nomination list of forts forwarded by Archaeology Survey of India through
ministry of culture. Now, state government have to submit a detailed final nomination list to UNESCO
enlisting the outstanding value of the sites.
What are World Heritage Sites?
World Heritage Sites are landmark or area with legal protection given by an international convention. These
sites are administered by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
How these sites are designated?
Such sites are designated by UNESCO for its cultural, historical or scientific significance. To get world
heritage site tag, sites must have unique landmark which can be identified geographically and historically.
As of June 2020, there exists 1,121 World Heritage Sites across 167 countries. China and Italy are the
countries having most number (55 each) of heritage sites.
Singapore approves Covid Breath Test
Singapore has approved a covid breath test which detect to covid-19 and show the accurate results in less
than a minute.
Who developed the test?
The test has been developed by a start-up Breathonix.
About the test kit
The test kit works in a manner similar to standard breathalyzer test which is used by police to check for
erratic drunken drivers. To test, person first blows into a one-way valve mouthpiece. Then, compounds in
person’s breath are compared through machine learning software. It compares against sort of breath
signature which is a symptom of person who is Covid-positive.
How Singapore test currently?
Before this test kit was approved Singapore was screening the incoming travellers with antigen rapid tests.
Now, breath test will be used to screen incoming travellers from Malaysia.
Significance of the test
Breath test provided accurate tests within a minute. This, it will help in opening the travel sector which has
slowed amid the covid-19 pandemic. It will help in opening up the international borders.
Efficacy of the test
Breathonix test has undergone three clinical trials. Two in Singapore and one in Dubai. It resulted into the
sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 95% on about 180 patients.
May 25, 2021
India Biodiversity Awards 2021
Recently, India Biodiversity Awards 2021 were presented on the occasion of International Day for Biological
Diversity on May 22.
Who are the winners?
Krishi Avam Paristhitiki Vikas Sansthan (KRAPAVIS) won the award under the category ‘Sustainable
Use of Biological Resources.’
Shaji N.M., who is also called as ‘Tuber Man’ of Kerala has won in individual category of
‘Conservation of domesticated species.
Khonoma Nature Conservation & Tragopan Sanctuary (KNCTS) in Nagaland won the award under
‘Sustainable Use of Biological Resources’ category.

What are India Biodiversity Awards?
The India Biodiversity Awards initiative was started jointly by ministry of environment, forest & climate
change; National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2012.
It recognizes and honour outstanding models from grassroot level for biodiversity conservation, sustainable
use of biological resources and governance.
Why KRAPAVIS Won?
KRAPAVIS won the prestigious award for its support to communities in restoring water harvesting
structures, recharge wells & water tables. It also helped to plant million trees of local varieties in Orans.
Contribution of Shaji
Mr. Shaji was conferred the award as he conserves about 200 tuber crops such as greater yam, elephant
foot yam, lesser yam, arrowroot, sweet potato, Chinese potato and colocasia, in his farm. He has received
State awards seven times for his contribution.
Why was KNCTS honoured?
KNCTS was established on December 11, 1998. Sanctuary was awarded as it helps in maintaining
biodiversity in Khonoma area which is inhabited by several endemic plants and animals.
Gharial Hatchlings seen in Odisha
Forest Department of Odisha has witnessed an adult Gharial surrounded by 28 hatchlings at Satkosia gorge
in Mahanadi river which is considered as southernmost limit of gharials’ home range in India.
How is it significant?
Forest department has been trying for 15 years to increase the population of gharials in their natural habitat
in Odisha. For long, the State Forest Department has been trying to increase the population of gharials in
their natural habitat in Odisha. However, it yielded desired result. Thus, sight of mated gharials and their
hatchlings becomes significant.
The Gharial
Gharial, also called as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a crocodilian of family Gavialidae. It is one among
longest of all living crocodilians. Mature females are 2.6–4.5 m long while and males are 3–6 m long. They
are called as Gharial because they have a distinct boss at the end of snout, resembling an earthenware pot
or ghara. They are well adapted to catching fish.
Background
It is believed that gharial evolved in northern Indian subcontinent. Because, Fossil gharial remains were
collected from Pliocene deposits in Shivalik Hills and Narmada River valley.
Natural Habitat
Currently, Gharials inhabit rivers in northern plains of Indian subcontinent. They are most thoroughly aquatic
crocodilian. They leave water only for basking and building nests on moist sandbanks.
Concerns
Population of gharial is declining dramatically since 1930s. they are limited to only 2% of its historical range
now. Loss of habitat is occurring because of sand mining and conversion of agriculture, decreasing fish
resources etc. Though, India and Nepal started conservation programmes with focused on reintroducing
captive-bred gharials. But they are listed as ‘critically endangered’ in IUCN Red List since 2007.
Rare Super Blood Moon to be observed on May 26
First lunar eclipse of 2021 will take place on May 26, 2021. It will be a super lunar event because
supermoon, lunar eclipse and blood moon, all will occur at once.
Highlights
Eclipse will visible partially in India, at a few places in eastern part. It can be well observed in Australia,
United States, western South America, Pacific and South-East Asia. As per NASA, this lunar eclipse will

happen because of a series of celestial event.
What is a supermoon?
When full or new moon coincides with perigee of Moon to the Earth, super moon event occurs. It is called as
super moon, because close proximity of moon makes it bigger and brighter in appearance than usual.
Though, difference between super and normal moon is hard to notice.
What is lunar eclipse?
When Earth’s shadow covers all or part of moon, lunar eclipse event happens. This event only happens
during full moon. Lunar eclipse happens twice a year during which, moon comes in same horizontal plane
as the Earth and Sun.
What is a full moon?
When Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth, full moon happens. This makes it possible to observe
entire lit-up side of the moon.
What is a red moon?
When moon gets completely covered by Earth’s shadow, it appears dark. It does not get completely black
but appears red. Because of this red colour, total lunar eclipses are called as red or blood moons.
Version 3.0 of MCA21 Launched
First phase of India’s first mission mode e-governance project, MCA21 was launched on May 24, 2021 by
Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Anurag Thakur. This version of MCA21 is data analytics
driven.
About MCA21 Version 3.0
MCA21 version 3.0 was highlighted during budget 2021-2022. This project makes use of new technologies
to streamline corporate compliance and experiences of stakeholders. It will be implemented in two phases
for which second and third phase will be launched in October 2021. First phase of the project consists of
new email services for MCA officers, revamped website, eBook and eConsultation.
Aim of the Project
Version 3.0 of MCA 21 was launched to:
Promote Ease of Doing Business,
Strengthen the enforcement,
Facilitate seamless integration and
Exchange data among regulators and
Enhance user experience.
What is MCA21?
It is an online portal of corporate affairs ministry. Launched in 2006, the portal has made all the information
related to company, accessible to stakeholders and general public.
MCA21 Mission Mode Project
This e-governance initiative was launched in 2002 by Ministry of Corporate Affairs, after facing the
challenge of providing service to about 7.5 lakh corporate entities. It is one among 31Mision Mode Projects
of National e-Governance Plan. Project is being implemented by Tata Consultancy Services under Build Own
Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model.
National e-Governance Plan (NeGP)
NeGP initiative was launched by government to make all government services available to citizens using
electronic media. It was formulated by DeitY (Department of Electronics and Information Technology) in
collaboration with DARPG (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances).
NHA sign MoU with Telangana to implement Ayushman Bharat Scheme
National Health Authority (NHA) has inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telangana

government to implement Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana across the state
immediately.
Highlights
Government has also linked the Ayushman Bharat Scheme with the state scheme “Aarogyasri’.
Together, they are being called Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY Aarogyasri. NHA and State Health Agency
(SHA) ensures that all eligible beneficiaries are provided free healthcare services under the
converged scheme.
Thus, Ayushman Bharat scheme now encompasses 33 states and Union Territories.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme
This scheme was launched with the aim of providing free access to healthcare to 50 crore people in India
who can access primary care services from a family doctor. Under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme,
beneficiaries get free healthcare coverage of up to Rs 5 lakhs per family per year. Coverage is provided for
secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. Beneficiaries can avail these Health services in any of 22,000
empanelled public and private hospitals across India as scheme is portable.
National Health Authority (NHA)
NHA is responsible for implementing public health insurance scheme called Ayushman Bharat Pradhan
Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). NHA was set up to implement PM-JAY at national level. On similar
line, State Health Agencies work in form of a society the trust and has been set up with full operational
autonomy to implement this scheme.
India-Israel signs 3-year program for Cooperation in Agriculture
India and Israel have inked a three-year joint work programme which will continue till 2023. Joint work
programme was initiated with the aim of enhancing cooperation in agriculture.
Background
India and Israel have completed four similar joint work programmes successfully.
About New Work Programme
Under new work programme, 13 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) were set up to make Indian farmers
aware of Israeli farm and water technologies.
A model ecosystem in agriculture called Villages of Excellence (VoE) will also be created across eight
states within 75 villages.
New programme will promote increase of net income and enhance livelihood of individual farmer.
It will also transform traditional farms into modern-intensive farms on the basis of IIAP standards.
It will also strengthen the bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between both the countries in
agriculture to benefit farming community.
India Israel Agricultural relation
“India and Israel started the bilateral relations in agriculture sector in 1993. So, new programme is 5th Indo-
Israel Agriculture Action Plan (IIAP).
Significance of Indo-Israel Agriculture Action Plan
These action plans are playing a significant role in doubling farmers’ income. It has improved productivity
and quality of horticulture which boost farmer’s income.
Centres of Excellence (CoEs)
29 CoEs are operational in 12 states of India. They produce about 25 million vegetable seedlings, about
3,87,000 quality fruit plants. CoE also providing training to about 1.2 lakh farmers about latest technology
which can be used in horticulture.
WHO sets new targets for Vaccinating Poorest Nations
According to director of World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, covid-19

pandemic is being sustained by a “scandalous inequity” in vaccine distribution. Thus, he has set new targets
to protect people in poorest nations.
Vaccine Inequality
Many countries are burdened with second wave of covid-19. More cases have been reported in 2021 so far,
than they were reported in whole 2020. Number of deaths is soon going to overtake last year’s total. In the
midst, vaccine is not being distributed equally. According to WHO chief, 75% of all vaccines has been
administered in just 10 countries.
How WHO is distributing vaccines?
WHO and GAVI Vaccine alliance are running COVAX facility. Under this initiative, 72 million vaccine doses
have been delivered to 125 countries and economies since February 2021. It just covered 1% of their
population.
What are new targets?
WHO has asked the developed countries to donate vaccine doses to COVAX so that, it can cover
vaccination for 10% of populations by September 2021 and 30% by December 2021. Thus, it has set a target
of vaccinating 250 million more people in four months. He also asked vaccine manufacturers to provide
COVAX the first right of refusal on new stock of vaccines, or to provide 50% of their volumes to COVAX in
2021.
Bihar's Shahi Litchi exported to UK by Air Route
India has exported first consignment of GI-certified Shahi Litchi from Bihar to United Kingdom by air route
on May 24, 2021.
What is GI Tag?
Geographical indication (GI) tag is given to an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product such as
handicraft and industrial goods which are originating from definite geographical territory. The tag provides
an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially linked to place of its origin. It also helps
growers to get premium price of product as no other producer can misuse name to sale similar goods.
Registered GIs
Darjeeling tea, Kangra paintings, Tirupati laddu, Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are some of the
examples of registered GIs in India.
About Shahi Litchi
Shahi litchi is an agricultural product from Bihar which got the GI Tag in 2018. It was the fourth agricultural
product to get GI certification from Bihar in 2018. Other 3 products from Bihar with GI Tag are Magahi Paan,
Jardalu mango and Katarni rice. GI registration for Shahi Litchi registered with Muzaffarpur-based Litchi
Growers Association of Bihar.
Litchi Production in India
Bihar tops in production of litchi because it has a favourable climate. Litchi is produced in districts of
Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Champaran, Samastipur, Begusarai and other adjoining areas. India is second largest
producer of litchi in the world while China is first.
Sniffer Dogs 88% accurate in detecting Covid- Study
As per a study, Sniffer dogs can help in prevent spread of Coronavirus by detecting SARS-CoV2. Study
found; they can be 88 percent accurate in detecting the virus.
Highlights
Study was conducted by scientists of London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Durham
University.
They believe, dog screening and swab testing can pick up 91 percent of infections.
They report, dogs can detect virus in seconds. Traditional COVID tests requires 15 minutes to give

result. Thus, in half an hour, dogs can screen 300 people together.
Thus, sniff test can be a suitable method for mass screening.
How dogs identified virus?
Canine screening trial over specialist medical sniffer dogs detecting coronavirus in humans started in 2020.
During the trial, six dogs were trained to recognise smell produced by people with COVID-19 which were
undetectable to human nose. Dogs were given worn socks, face masks and t-shirts to recognise the smell.
Are dogs reliable biosensors?
People in negative group, who had common cold viruses, were also made part of the trial to ensure, dogs
were able to distinguish COVID from other respiratory infections. The dogs easily detected the disease even
when it was caused by different variants.
Merger of DCCBs with StCBs
Reserve Bank of India will consider merger of District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs) with State
Cooperative Banks (StCBs) if the concerned state government will make any proposal.
Highlights
RBI has notified the guidelines for merging DCCBs with StCBs as two-tier Short-term Co-operative Credit
Structure (STCCS). Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020 has also been notified in effect from April 1,
2021 for these banks. Merger of such banks will be finally be sanctioned by Reserve Bank of India.
What are the guidelines?
As per the guidelines, RBI will consider proposals of merger “when state government will make it”
after studying detailed legal framework.
Guideline mention, there should be an additional capital infusion strategy and assurance with respect
to financial support.
Business model should be projected with clear profitability.
It also proposed governance model for merging bank.
Who will approve the merger?
Scheme of amalgamation will be approved by requisite majority of shareholders. NABARD in association
with RBI will also examine and recommend proposals made by state government.
Stages of approval
Approval will be given in two-stages:
1. First Stage: ‘In-principle’ approval will be given after completing certain conditions. Later, processes
for amalgamation will be initiated.
2. Second Stage: NABARD and RBI will be approached for final approval along with compliance report.
China defends CPEC
China has again defended its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, by terming it an economic
initiative.
What is the issue?
CPEC is USD 60 billion project of China with Pakistan. While, India do not support the project as it passes
through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) region of India. China again has disregarded India’s protests
stating that project has not affected its principled stand on Kashmir issue.
What is CPEC?
China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, launched in 2013, comprises of several infrastructure
projects which are under construction throughout Pakistan. CPEC projects is worth $62 billion project as of
2020. Project was launched to rapidly upgrade required infrastructure in Pakistan and strengthen its
economy by constructing modern transportation networks, energy projects, and special economic zones.

Why India opposes this project?
India opposes CPEC project because of upgradation works to Karakoram Highway are happening in Gilgit-
Baltistan which is contested between India and Pakistan.
When did India start objecting CPEC?
In the past instances, India did not object to Chinese construction of Karakoram Highway during 1959 and
1979. It also not objected to major upgradation works to Karakoram Highway by China after 2010
earthquake. India started objecting Chinese construction works in Gilgit-Baltistan in 2011 after China
complaint about Indian-Vietnamese oil exploration project in disputed South China Sea.
Internet Explorer to retire in June 2022
Microsoft recently announced that Internet Explorer 11 desktop browser will be retired on June 15, 2022, for
some versions of Windows 10. However, Internet Explorer-based websites and applications will continue to
work on new Microsoft Edge (Internet Explorer) mode till 2029.
Why explorer is retiring?
Microsoft is retiring Internet Explorer (IE) because it has been working over “Microsoft Edge with IE mode”
to replace Internet Explorer 11 desktop application. Microsoft edge will help in providing more secure, faster
and modern browsing experience. Compatibility issues related with Internet Explorer based websites and
applications will also be resolved.
Which system will be affected by retirement of IE?
According to Microsoft; MSHTML (Trident) engine, Windows 10 LTSC and Server Internet Explorer 11
desktop applications will not be affected by retirement of IE. Windows 7 Extended Security Updates,
Windows 8.1, Windows 10 Server- both SAC & LTSC etc will continue having IE 11 desktop application.
Significance of Microsoft Edge with IE mode
1. It is more secure, faster, and modern.
2. It is built on Chromium project.
3. It provides dual-engine support for modern as well as legacy Internet Explorer-based websites.
4. It extends supports to ActiveX controls.
Why Microsoft Edge is being preferred?
1. It enables users to enjoy modern features such as browser tab management including Sleeping tabs
feature, Vertical tabs, Edge Collections for favourites etc.
2. It enhances browser security against malware or phishing attacks by issuing security patches.
About Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer was launched in 1995 by Microsoft. It is a web browsers operating on Windows.
Govt to set up National Mission on use of Biomass
Union Ministry of Power has announced to set up a ‘National Mission on use of Biomass’ in coal based
thermal power plants. This decision was taken to address issue of air pollution caused due to farm stubble-
burning.
National Mission on use of Biomass
Mission will reduce carbon footprints of thermal power generation.
It will also help in energy transition across the country and help in fulfilling the aim of establishing
cleaner energy sources.
Level of co-firing from present five percent to higher levels will also be increased in order to get
higher carbon-neutral power generation from thermal power plants.
Mission will facilitate platform to overcome constraints in supply chain of biomass pellets and agro-
residue including its transportation to power plants.
It will consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing.

Mission will also contribute in National Clean Air Programme
Steering Committee
Mission will be administered by Steering Committee which is headed by Power Secretary consisting of all
stakeholders, representatives from Petroleum and New & Renewable Energy Ministries.
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
NCAP was launched by government to tackle air pollution problem across India in a comprehensive manner.
It seeks to achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024. It has kept 2017 as
base year to compare concentration.
Union Health Minister chairs 74th World Health Assembly
Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chairman of WHO Executive Board, Dr Harsh Vardhan, chaired 74th
World Health Assembly in virtual mode on May 24, 2021.
Highlights
Director-General of World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros, also participated in the event.
According to Dr Harsh Vardhan, executive board has asked for further efforts which can ensure fair
and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines under COVAX Facility.
Board recommended 74th World Health Assembly to consider report on mental health preparedness
and response for Covid-19 pandemic.
It further recommended to endorse updated comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan for 2013 to
2030 and encouraged WHO to work in collaboration with World Organisation for Animal Health and
Food & Agriculture Organisation so that source of zoonotic virus can be identified.
It asked members to take action on addressing diabetes as a public health problem and
recommended 74th World Health Assembly to present a road map related to “global action plan for
prevention & control of non-communicable diseases” by end of 2030.
About World Health Assembly
World Health assembly is key decision-making body of WHO. Assembly is attended by delegations from
Member States of WHO. It focuses on specific health agenda, prepared by Executive Board. Primary
functions of the assembly include- determining policies of Organization, appointing Director-General,
supervising financial policies, and reviewing & approving proposed programme budget. Health Assembly is
held in Geneva, Switzerland annually.
Panel set up on Mekedatu Dam Construction
A committee was set up by National Green Tribunal (NGT) to submit report on alleged violation of norms in
construction of a reservoir across Cauvery river at Mekedatu in Karnataka.
Highlights
NGT bench consisting of Justice K Ramakrishnan took suo motu cognizance of newspaper report regarding
the dam. Report states Karnataka proposes to construct a dam across Cauvery river even though proposal
was deferred by Cauvery Water Management Authority twice in past because of opposition from Tamil Nadu
government.
About Committee
Senior members of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited; Integrated Regional Office of MoEF, Bangalore and
Cauvery Water Management Authority are members of the committee. NGT has directed the committee to
ask whether construction activity as alleged in newspaper report has been started before obtaining
necessary clearance from Forest Department and MoEF under Forest Conservation Act and EIA Notification,
2006.
Mekedatu Project
The project was approved by Karnataka in 2017. Rs 9,000 crore worth project started was with the aim of

storing and supplying drinking water for Bengaluru city. It will also generate 400 megawatts of power. It is
undertaken at deep gorge situated at the confluence of river Cauvery and its tributary Arkavathi.
Why Tamil Nadu is opposing the project?
Tamil Nadu opposes any proposed project in upper riparian unless it is approved by Supreme Court. Further,
Karnataka started the project without the consent and clearance which goes against the final order of
Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT). In the order, SC held- “no state can claim exclusive ownership to
deprive other states of waters of inter-state rivers”.
May 26, 2021
UK launches process to start Free trade talks with India
United Kingdom launched the process to start free trade talks with India followed by launch of a 14-week
consultation process with business representatives to get their views on prospective Free trade deal.
Highlights
Free Trade talks is expected to formally start in September-October, 2021.
This “Enhanced Trade Partnership (EYP)” will bring up new opportunities for iconic industries such as
whisky.
It will also boost trade in science & services besides creating jobs across the country.
Trade deal is expected to conclude by 2022.
Background
India and the UK had announced to start talks on enhanced trade partnership following a summit between
Prime minister Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of UK on May 4, 2021. The trade deal will
be worth 1 billion pounds and is expected to create about 6,500 job opportunities in UK.
What is Free Trade Agreement?
It is an agreement between two or more countries through which countries agree on certain obligations
affecting trade in goods & services, intellectual property rights and protections for investors. It reduces the
trade barriers and protects interests competing abroad.
Significance of FTA
1. It reduces or eliminate tariffs on products originating in countries following FTA norms.
2. It protects and enforce intellectual property rights among FTA partner country.
3. It helps in maintaining Product Standards among partners.
Endangered African Violet plant discovered in Mizoram
A new species of plant, called African violet, was discovered by Indian Institute of Science education and
research (IISER), Bhopal.
Key Points
African violet is found in parts of Mizoram and adjoining areas in Myanmar.
This discovery has given a platform for northeast in biodiversity which is still understudied and
undiscovered.
Discovery was done under Tropical Ecology and Evolution Lab, a unit of IISER.
IISER Bhopal described new species as “Didymocarpus Vickifunkiae”.
This species is found in only three locations currently in Mizoram.
They are considered as an endangered species.
About African violet plants
They are the flowering plants in genus Saintpaulia of family Gesneriaceae. These plants are native to higher
elevations in tropical eastern Africa. They are widely grown horticulturally and are characterised by small
perennial herbs having thick, hairy, ovate leaves. Leaves are dark green and have long stems. These plants
are bilaterally symmetric comprising of five petals. They can be white, violet or pink in colour.
Background
Genus Saintpaulia was named to honour Walter, Freiherr (baron) von Saint Paul-Illaire who was a German
colonial official and discovered the genus in 1892 in German East Africa (now Tanzania).
About IISER Bhopal
It was established by Ministry of Human Resource & Development (now, Ministry of Education) in 2008.
Institute has been ranked 26 in Times Higher Education 2021 Rankings.
Guillermo Lasso: Ecuador's first right-wing President in 14 years
Guillermo Lasso, a conservative, assumed presidency of Ecuador on May 24, 2021 and has become first
right-wing leader in 14 years in Ecuador.
Highlights
Rejuvenation of an economy that has contracted by 7.8 percent in 2020 and the overall debt stands at 63
percent of GDP is the major challenge before the new President. Apart from that, Ecuador is battling
economic and health crises as covid-19 has infected about 420,000 people and killed more than 20,000.
Where is Ecuador located?
Ecuador is a country in northwestern South America. It is not a landlocked country and is surrounded by
Colombia to the north, Peru to the east & south, and Pacific Ocean to the west. Galapagos Islands in Pacific
is also a part of Ecuador. Quito is the capital city of Ecuador. Spanish is the official language. It is a
founding member of United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement and Organization of American States. It is the
first country in world to recognise rights of nature or ecosystem rights through Constitution of Ecuador in
2008.
Guillermo Alberto Santiago Lasso Mendoza
He is a banker, businessman, writer and politician who recently became 47th president of Ecuador. He is
the first center-right president in two decades.
NASA's New Earth System Observatory
NASA has set up a new Earth System Observatory which will help in mitigating climate change, forest fires
and hurricanes. It will also support real-time agriculture.
Purpose of New Earth System Observatory
Each satellite in the observatory will be designed uniquely and will complement the others. Each will work in
tandem to produce holistic 3-dimensional view of Earth, from bedrock to atmosphere. Observatory will study
clouds & weather, aerosols, water supply, and surface & ecosystems of Earth.
Status of the observatory
Currently, NASA has initiated formulation phase for First integrated part of the observatory. In first
integrated parts, two different radar systems will be bought by NASA in collaboration with Indian Space
Research Organization (ISRO). Radar systems can measure changes in surface of Earth, less than a half-
inch.
What is Earth System Observatory?
It is a program by US Space Agency, NASA consisting of series of artificial satellite missions and scientific
instruments in Earth orbit. It is designed for long-term global observations biosphere, land surface,
atmosphere, and oceans. Satellite component of this program was launched in 1997.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
It is an independent agency of U.S. federal government, running civilian space program, aeronautics and
space research. It was established in 1958 and succeeded National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA).
'One Health' panel set up to advise on Animal Disease Risks
World Health Organization along with three other international bodies have set up a team of experts who

will help in developing a global plan on preventing the spread of diseases from animals to humans.
One Health High-Level Expert Panel
This initiative was launched by France and Germany in 2020, but held its first meeting in May 2021. The
panel will advise WHO, World Organization for Animal Health, Food & Agriculture Organization, and United
Nations Environment Programme on developing “risk assessment & surveillance frameworks” and help in
establishing a “good practices to prevent and prepare for zoonotic outbreaks like Covid-19”.
Functions of the Panel
Panel will look after the potential transmission risks in food production & distribution, urbanisation &
construction of infrastructure, international travel & trade and activities leading to biodiversity loss &
climate change.
Why this panel was set up?
Panel was set up in the backdrop of outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. It is believed that, coronavirus or
SARS-CoV-2 virus was originated in wildlife trading networks in China and southeast Asia. Closest genetic
match of coronavirus has been found in bats.
What are Zoonotic Outbreaks?
Zoonotic disease or Outbreak is an infectious disease, transmitted between species from animals to
humans or from humans to animals.
WCD Ministry to set up One-Stop Centres
Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, is to set up One-Stop Centres
(OSCs) in 10 missions across 9 countries. It will be set to curb the cases of violence against women.
In which countries OSCs will be set up?
One OSC will be set up each in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Singapore. TWO
OSCs will be set up in Saudi Arabia. Apart from that, 300 OSCs will be set up across India.
Who will operate the OSCs?
All OSCs will be supported by Women and Child Development Ministry while, Ministry of External Affairs will
operate it.
Existing OSCs
Currently, about 701 One Stop Centres are operating in country since 2015 across 35 states & Union
Territories. Through these centres, three lakh women have been provided assistance since in 2015.
What is One Stop Centre Scheme?
This centrally sponsored scheme, funded through Nirbhaya Fund, launched in 2015 by Ministry of Women
and Child Development (MWCD) to address the problem of violence against women. Scheme was launched
under umbrella scheme “National Mission for Empowerment of Women” and “Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog
Yojana”. These centres help in providing an integrated support and assistance to women affected by
violence in private as well as public spaces.
Why WhatsApp sue Indian Government?
As the New IT (Digital Media) Rules of India came into force, WhatsApp has sued the Indian government in
Delhi Court and asked to block regulations.
Why WhatsApp sued?
WhatsApp sued the government because, it is believed, law will compel social media units to break privacy
protections. Thus, the lawsuit has asked Delhi High Court to declare “one of the new rules” is a violation of
privacy rights as per Indian constitution because it requires social media companies to identify “first
originator of information” if the authorities ask. Further, if WhatsApp starts identifying the wrongdoers it will
break encryption policy of the app.

Background
Indian government has implemented the “new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital
Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021”. New guidelines were released in February and provided three months’ time
to social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Koo, Instagram and Twitter to comply with it.
New IT Rules 2021 for digital media platforms
According to new rules, now resident grievance officer will be appointed under larger grievance redressal
mechanism. There will be active monitoring of content on social media platforms and monthly compliance
reports will be made for Indian users. Now, authorities in India can also ask these platforms to identify the
origin of any message.
SEBI to appoint Forensic Auditors for Listed Firms
Security and Exchange Board of India is considering to appoint auditors in a bid to conduct forensic audits
of financial statements of listed companies to strengthen its efforts towards curbing frauds.
Highlights
In recent times, SEBI has already conducted forensic audit of several companies. To initiate the process,
SEBI has invited applications from eligible chartered accountant firms to take up assignments on forensic
audit of financial statements of listed companies.
Background
In October 2020, SEBI had asked several listed firms to disclose information about initiation of forensic
audit in October 2020, because gaps were there in the availability of information.
What is forensic auditing?
Forensic auditing investigates if the concerned firms are engaged in financial reporting misconduct. The
process applies different skills and methods to determine if there is financial fraud of not. It looks for
Economic damage calculations, Bankruptcy, insolvency, Money laundering, Tax Fraud, Securities fraud,
Business valuation and Computer forensics.
Does RBI allow Forensic Auditing?
Yes, Reserve Bank of India has also made forensic audits compulsory for large advances and accounts
restructuring.
Who can be Forensic Auditor?
Forensic auditors or accountants is not different than financial accountants. But they have some special
skills to detect fraud & document it. Thus; any graduate candidate, with at least one year experience in
banking & financial sector; will have to clear Certified Banking Forensic Accountant exam to become
forensic auditor.
IMF warns for 'Ricochet Impact'
According to International Monetary Fund (IMF), Emerging-market nations’ struggle to move out of covid-19
pandemic-induced economic crisis can hurt developed nations. It said, crisis has “Ricochet impact” on the
developed and advanced economies.
Highlights
IMF suggests that, developed nations should doing all to ensure better & equitable access to vaccines and
equitable recovery. Poorer nations are facing the risk of increasing interest rates even though, their
economies aren’t growing.
What is Ricochet Impact?
Ricochet means rebound, bounce, or skip off from surface, particularly in projectile cases.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
This international financial institution is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It comprises of 190 countries.
They work together to boost global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, promote high

employment, facilitate international trade, and sustainable economic growth. It also takes measures to
reduce poverty across the world. It was set up in 1944 but started functioning in 1945 at Bretton Woods
Conference. IMF pays an important role in management of balance of payments issues and international
financial crises.
International Week of Solidarity with Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
United Nations is observing “International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing
Territories” from May 25 to 31, 2021.
What is Non-Self-Governing Territories?
According to the UN Charter, a Non-Self-Governing Territory is a Territory “where people have not attained a
full measure of self-government.”
Who Identify these territories?
UN Member States had identified a number of non-self-governing-territories under their administration and
enlisted them on UN list in 1946. Countries who administer Non-Self-Governing Territories are known as
administering Powers. However, because of decolonization process, several territories were removed from
the list.
Which UN charter gives the power?
Chapter XI of the UN Charter provides for “Declaration regarding Non-Self-Governing Territories”. The
charter provides that, member states who are administering non-self-governing Territories, shall recognize
the interests of inhabitants of these Territories are paramount. They should also accept as “sacred trust”
and promote their well-being. It also asks member countries to take measures to safeguard and guarantee
inalienable rights of peoples in Non-Self-Governing Territories to their natural resources.
Background
Eight UN Member States namely, Belgium, Australia, France, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands, United
Kingdom and United States had listed 72 non-self-governing Territories under their administration in 1946.
Eight of them became independent before 1959. In 1963, UN approved the revised list of 64 Territories on
which 1960 Declaration on Decolonization was applicable. Between 1960 to 2002, 54 Territories acquired
self-government. Presently, there remains 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories.
Railway orders suspension of wrestler Sushil Kumar
Northern Railway has ordered suspension of wrestler Sushil Kumar after he was arrested by Delhi Police in a
murder case.
Why he was arrested?
Winner of Olympic medal, Sushil Kumar, was arrested on May 23 for his involvement in death of a 23 years
old wrestler, Sagar Dhankhar, at Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi. Apart from him, his associate and co-accused
Ajay was also arrested.
Where he was posted?
Sushil Kumar was appointed as senior commercial manager in Northern Railway and he was on deputation
with Delhi government since 2015. He was posted as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Chhatrasal
Stadium to look after development of sports at school level. His deputation was extended in 2020 and he
had applied for an extension for 2021. But extension was rejected and Kumar was sent back to his parent
cadre, Northern Railway.
About Sushil Kumar
He is an Indian wrestler who carried Indian flag at the opening ceremony of 2012 London Olympics. He won
2008 Olympic medal, which happens to be second medal for India in wrestling. He also received India’s
highest honour for sportsperson, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, in 2009. In 2012 London Olympics, he won a
silver medal after losing final to Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu.

Virtual Vesak Global Celebrations on Buddha Purnima
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Virtual Vesak Global Celebrations on Buddha Purnima on May 26,
2021. Over 50 most prominent Buddhist religious leaders from across the world also addressed the virtual
congregation.
About the event
Virtual Vesak Global Celebration on Buddha Purnima event was organised by Culture Ministry in
collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
About Vesak
It is also celebrated as Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima. It is a holiday observed by Buddhists and
Hindus across South and Southeast Asia including Tibet and Mongolia. This festival commemorates birth,
enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha in Theravada Tibetan Buddhism and Navayana.
Who was Gautama Buddha?
Gautama Buddha was the founder of world religion of Buddhism. He is revered by most Buddhist schools as
a savior. He rediscovered an ancient path to release clinging & craving and to escape cycle of birth &
rebirth. His teaching is based on insight into- arising of duḥkha and ending of duhkha. Once the duhkha
ends, that stage is called Nirvana.
Background
As per Buddhist tradition, Gautama Buddha was born in Lumbini (Now in Nepal) and raised in Kapilavastu.
He obtained his enlightenment in Bodh Gaya under the Peepal Tree and delivered his first sermon in
Sarnath. He died in Kushinagar.
Argentine Ant- Key Facts
Environmental DNA (eDNA) of Argentine Ant was successfully detected by researchers. It was detected in
surface soil samples collected from Kobe Port Island and Kyoto’s Fushimi District.
What are the concerns?
Both the areas have faced huge destruction caused by this invasive species called Argentine Ant.
Invasive ant species causing severe damage across the world. So, its early detection and rapid
elimination is essential to control their populations.
However, current pest control methods in inefficient. Methods includes direct detection techniques
like visual observation, classification, capture, elimination, observation and evaluation which requires
special knowledge, labour and time.
What researchers suggests?
Researchers suggests, issue of Argentine ant cannot be eradicated by focusing on one species. They found,
eDNA analysis effective in providing a useful tool to observe and evaluate invasion, establishment and
proliferation of these ant species.
Argentine ant
The ant is native to northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and southern Brazil. It is an invasive
species, established across many Mediterranean climate areas. It has been introduced by humans to places
like Japan, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Easter Island, Hawaii, Europe and United States. Worker
ants are 1.6–2.8 millimetres long. Thus, can squeeze through cracks and holes of 1 millimetre easily. This
ant species is counted among 100 worst animal invaders of the world.
May 27, 2021
IIT Guwahati developed Smart Window Material
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have developed a smart window material which can
automatically control climate of buildings.

How will it control climate?
Researchers working on the window highlighted, smart window material can effectively control the amount
of heat and light passing through it when voltage is applied to it. Thus, it will help to develop efficient
automatic climate control.
Why this window was developed?
Demand and attention have increased to get a sustainable architectural design for better light and heat
management in buildings over the year. Thus, these smart window materials can be installed to get
sustainable design.
Characteristics of Smart Windows
1. Design of smart windows are suitable for all-weather conditions.
2. Smart window glasses have been designed using noble metals which can dynamically control the
solar radiations.
3. They are inexpensive as they make use of materials like copper and indium tin oxide.
4. It can maintain the ambient indoor temperature and lighting in buildings or vehicles.
How is it different than conventional windows?
Conventional window designs are static. They are designed for specific climatic conditions. On the other
hand, newly developed window can dynamically adjust amount of light and heat radiation entering through
it. Thus, it will help in conserving the energy of building.
AI-based Pest Management
Recently, professor Jayashankar from Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) inked a
memorandum with Mumbai based Wadhwani Institute of Artificial Learning to provide an AI-Based Pest
Management system to the farmers.
Objective of the memorandum
Memorandum was signed in a bid to provide information regarding any possible infestation of pink
bollworm in cotton field which in turn empower the farmers with advance information.
How this system will work?
AI-based pest or insect management system, developed by Wadhwani Institute, will help in identify
possibility of pink bollworm and other insect or pest infestation on cotton in advance. It will then share this
information to farmers in that areas who have been identified for programme. Advanced information will
help farmers to take suitable measures to save their crops.
Which areas would benefit?
This system will be implemented in Khammam, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda and
Mahabubnagar districts of Telangana. These districts were selected because, during 2020 kharif season,
these districts accounted for Cotton production on 20.88 lakh acres out of 60.54 lakh acres cultivated in
entire Telangana.
Who will collaborate for the project?
Agriculture Department, Krishi Vigyan Kendras of agriculture university, Information Technology department
and Wadhwani Institute would collaborate for the project.
Tigray at risk of Famine- warns UN
United Nations has warned, “there is a risk of famine in Tigray region, if assistance is not provided urgently”.
According to officials of UN, measures need to be taken to avoid famine in Ethiopia Tigray region.
What is the issue?
Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, had ordered ground and air military operation in Tigray in November
2020. Operations were launched after accusing then-ruling party of northern region, that is Tigray People’s
Liberation Front (TPLF), of attacking on federal army camps. This operation is in seventh month now.

Conflict has killed about thousands of people and left about five million in need of aid.
Current situation in Tigray
About 20 percent of population in war-torn area is facing emergency food insecurity. Destruction and
violence against civilians are still continuing. In about seven months, about two million people have been
displaced. Civilians are being killed and injured. Rape and similar forms of abhorrent sexual violence are
widespread. Public and private infrastructure like hospitals and agricultural lands have been destroyed. As a
result of which, 90 percent of the harvest was lost and 80 percent of livestock were looted or slaughtered.
Tigray People’s Liberation Front
It is a militia-turned-party. The party was part of coalition which brought an end to military dictatorship in
1991.
Van Gujjars Nomadic Tribe
Recently, Uttarakhand high court has criticized state government for neglecting and forcing families of Van
Gujjars nomadic tribe to survive in conditions below animal’s existence.
HC’s Order
Court has ordered Uttarakhand government to provide them accommodation, food, water and medicines. It
also ordered to get their Covid-19 testing done before they enter Govind Pashu Vihar National Park in
Uttarkashi.
State’s View
State government were of the view that; if tribes will enter national park, they will endanger the wildlife
because, coronavirus may spread from humans to animals.
Background
HC was responding on a PIL filed by Delhi based NGO called Think Act Rise Foundation in 2019 to highlight
situation of Van Gujjars, who continue to occupy certain areas of forests in Uttarakhand. PIL has asked the
count to make community a beneficiary under Forest Right Act, to give land rights and to cases against
them.
About Van Gujjars nomadic tribes
Van Gujjars are nomadic tribes inhabiting in foothills of Himalayas and in states of Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. They are buffalo-herders. They are among the tribes who are living or
have lived in deep dependence on wild habitats.
Origin of Van Gujjars
It is believed, Gujjars belonged to Gurjara kingdom and they migrated tostates of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in Indian Subcontinent. On the other hand, Muslim Gujjars including Van
Gujjars migrated to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indian Himalayan states of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand
and Himachal Pradesh. It is also believed that, ancestors of van Gujjars migrated from Kashmir to
Uttarakhand some 1500 years ago.
Prevention of Anti-Social Activity (PASA) Act in Lakshadweep
Administrator of Lakshadweep, Praful Khoda Patel, is being opposed by people of the union territory and
politicians over policies he drafted in recent time.
What are those policies?
1. Draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 (LDAR)
Lakshadweep Development Authority (LDA) was recently created with extensive powers such as eviction of
land owners. This is being criticised as they think LDA was pushed by real estate lobby against the will of
islanders. The legislation, LDAR, provides extensive powers to authority to prepare comprehensive
development plans for any area and to remove or relocate people living in Lakshadweep from their property
for the purpose of town planning or any developmental activity.

2. Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA)
This act was introduced in January 2021. According to it, person can be detained without any public
disclosure for a period of up to one year.
3. Draft Panchayat notification
According to the notification, a member with more than two children stands disqualified from being a
member.
About Praful Khoda Patel
Praful Khoda Patel, an Indian politician, is currently holding the post as Administrator of Union Territory of
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep. He is the 1st administrator of Dadra & Nagar
Haveli and Daman & Diu. He was made administrator of Lakshadweep in December 2020 by unfollowing the
earlier practice of appointing only IAS officers as administrator.
Who appoints administrator?
Administrator is appointed by the President of India. This is an important post for any union territory
because person is charged to do all functions in area. Administrator acts on behalf of the President.
Sacrificial pits found in Chinese city of Sanxingdui
A sacrificial pit was recently discovered at Sanxingdui Ruins Site in China, highlighting the greatness of
Chinese civilization.
Highlights
According to National Cultural Heritage Administration, Chinese archaeologists found six new sacrificial
pits and about 500 items dating back to 3,000 years at Sanxingdui Ruins in Sichuan Province.
Archaeologists have found gold masks, gold foil, miniature ivory sculptures, bronze trees, bronze masks,
carbonized rice and seeds in four of the six pits.
Where are Sanxingdui ruins located?
Sanxingdui ruins are located in Guanghan city which is about 60 km from provincial capital of Sichuan,
Chengdu. These ruins belonged to Shu Kingdom existed some 4,800 years ago and lasted at least 2000
years ago.
About Sanxingdui
It is an archaeological site and a major Bronze Age culture of China. It was discovered in 1986 after
preliminary finding in 1927. Remarkable artifacts were excavated by archaeologists which radiocarbon
dating placed in 12th–11th centuries BC. These artifacts are similar to artifacts of ancient kingdom of Shu
and are currently displayed in Sanxingdui Museum located near Guanghan.
Significance of the excavation
Excavation at Sanxingdui including the discoveries like Xingan tombs in Jiangxi, challenges traditional
narrative of spread of Chinese civilization from central plain of Yellow River.
Increase in number of smokers in India
just before the celebration of “World No Tobacco Day on May 31”, Global Burden of Disease collaboration
has published studies on number of smokers worldwide.
Smokers in India
As per study, India had about 2 crores smokers aged 15-24 in 2019. It is the second highest number of
tobacco smokers worldwide. India also witnessed highest increase of male smokers since 1990 in age
group 15-24.
Global Scenario
As per study, number of smokers surged to 1.1 billion in 2019.
Tobacco smoking caused 7.7 million deaths.
1 in 5 deaths were of males worldwide.

While, among new smokers, 89% got addicted by age 25.
155 million smokers worldwide belong to age group 15-24.
Countries with largest number of smokers
10 countries with highest number of tobacco smokers accounts for two-thirds of global tobacco smoking
population. Top 10 countries (In that order) are- China, India, Indonesia, USA, Russia, Bangladesh, Japan,
Turkey, Vietnam, and Philippines.
World no Tobacco Day
The day is observed on May 31, every year across the globe. It is celebrated to make people aware of the
dangers of using tobacco and business practices of tobacco companies. It further informs the public; what
World Health Organization (WHO) is doing to curb use of tobacco. It also seeks to draw attention on
negative health effects.
Background
World No Tobacco Day was created in 1987 by WHO to get global attention on tobacco epidemic and
preventable death & disease it causes.
Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property Act
Governor of Haryana, S N Arya, approved the Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property Bill. According to
the bill (now act), any damage created to people’s shops, houses, vendor carts, government offices, buses,
vehicles and other such public property will be recovered from protestors.
Background
“Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property During Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021” was passed in
March 2021, a move similar to Uttar Pradesh government which had passed the “Uttar Pradesh Recovery of
Damages to Public and Private Property Act, 2020.
Key provisions of the act
Recovery of damages to properties will be made by the person causing disturbances to public order
by any assembly, lawful or unlawful such as riots and violent disorder.
Act also ensures compensation to victims.
Recovery will also be made from people, leaders, organisers etc leading the protest and involved in its
planning.
It will establish a Claims Tribunal to determine liability and to assess damages caused award.
Any person aggrieved by award passed by Claims Tribunal can go to High Court of Punjab and
Haryana. No civil court will have jurisdiction to entertain question related to claim compensation
Government’s stand
Government of Haryana approved the act stating, it is responsibility of state government to protect any
government or private property in state.
Ayush Clinical Case Repository Portal to be Launched
Ayush Clinical Case Repository portal will be launched by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on May 27, 2021. Along
with the portal, third version of Ayush Sanjivani App will also be launched.
Ayush Clinical Repository portal
This portal will act as a platform providing support both to Ayush practitioners and general public. It will be
launched with the aim to provide aggregate information regarding clinical outcomes achieved by Ayush
practitioners on a large scale. It will also help to widen solid scientific base of all streams of Ayush.
Third Version of Ayush Sanjivani App
This app will facilitate a significant study and documentation regarding the efficacy of selected Ayush
interventions such as Ayush-64 and Kabasura Kudineer medicines in managing asymptomatic and mild to
moderate patients of COVID-19.

About Ayush Sanjivani App
It was developed by Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY). It
seeks to reach out to 50 lakh people in India. The app generate data on usage of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga &
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-rigpa and Homoeopathy) advocacies. It also measures the impact of
AYUSH in prevention of Covid-19.
Assam CM appoints 'Guardian Ministers'
Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, appointed “Guardian Ministers” in state.
Functions of Guardian Ministers
Guardian Ministers will look after balanced, speedy and sustainable developments in all 34 districts
of state.
They will be responsible to implement and resolve issues (if any) related to schemes by state and
Central government in districts.
They will also supervise government’s policy decisions, administrative reforms and welfare schemes
for public.
They will see how quickly people can get benefit of government’s schemes and projects.
They will frequently visit assigned districts in normal as well as in during emergency situations.
They can also suggest policy decisions for the welfare and development of district to the
government. Later, this matter will be considered by state cabinet.
They will recommend awards for best practices in districts and prepare a ‘Vision Document’
consultation with district administration.
They can also plan for infrastructural development and study resources available in district.
Look after plan to provide employment to unemployed youths.
Lastly, they will recommend district specific matters where Budget provision is required.
Allocation of districts
Out of the 13 ministers, eight ministers were allocated three districts each and five ministers were allocated
two districts each.
Who is a Guardian Minister?
He/she is an ex-officio chairperson of the District Planning Committee (DPC), which is constituted in every
district as per law. However, rule does not mention who should head the DPC. It can be headed by
administration as well as by elected representatives.
Veteran Children author Eric Carle dies
Beloved Children’s author and illustrator, Eric Carle, died at age 91. He was famous among children for his
classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other such works.
About Eric Carle
He was an American designer, illustrator, and children’s author. He wrote a famous picture book “The Very
Hungry Caterpillar” that has been translated into about 66 languages. About 50 million copies have been
sold. His career as an illustrator and children’s author gained pace when he collaborated on “Brown Bear,
Brown Bear, What Do You See?”. He had illustrated more than 70 books.
His awards
He has been awarded with American Library Association called “biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal” which
is now called as Children’s Literature Legacy Award. This prize is conferred on writers or illustrators of
children’s books published in U.S. Eric Carle was also a U.S. nominee for international Hans Christian
Andersen Award in 2010.
Early Life
He was born to German immigrant parents in Syracuse, New York. However, they had returned to Nazi

Germany (then), when Eric was 6. Under the Nazis, modern, expressionistic and abstract art works were
banned. They only allowed realistic and naturalistic arts.
Amartya Sen conferred Spain's Top Award in Social Science
Indian economist and Nobel Laureate, Amartya Kumar Sen, was conferred with “Princess of Asturias Award”
in social sciences category which is Spain’s top prize. He was selected out of 41 candidates from 20
countries.
Why he was selected?
Amartya Sen was selected for his best-known work- “Poverty and Famines”.
About the Award
Sen has been conferred which Spain’s highest prize in social science category for called “Princess of
Asturias Award”. It comprises of a Joan Miro sculpture as a symbol, an insignia, a diploma, and a cash prize
of 50,000 Euros. His candidature was forwarded by Director General of Casa Asia (Barcelona), Javier
Parrondo.
Sen’s views on Poverty and famines
In this work, Sen has demonstrated, “hunger is not a result of lack of food, but is result of inequalities in its
mechanisms of distribution.
About Amartya Kumar Sen
He is an Indian economist and philosopher. He has taught and worked in United Kingdom and United States
since 1972. He has made contributions to welfare economics, economic and social justice, social choice
theory, economic theories of famines, development economics, decision theory, public health etc. Currently,
he is a professor in Thomas W. Lamont University and Professor of Economics & Philosophy at Harvard
University.
His achievement
In 1998, he has been awarded with Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and Bharat Ratna in 1999 in
category of welfare economics. 2020 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade was conferred on him by
German Publishers and Booksellers Association for his scholarship on ïssues of global justice and
combating social inequality in education & healthcare”.
Defence Minister launches SeHAT OPD Portal
Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, has launched ‘Services e-Health Assistance & Tele-consultation (SeHAT)
OPD Portal.
Highlights
Service Will be provided by defence services doctors who are on regular duties. Persons aged 75 and above
can consult without waiting. Similar portal called “e-sanjivani platform’ have provided facility of
telecommunication to about 5 lakh people in recent months.
About SeHAT Portal
Portal has been launched to provide telemedicine services in Armed Forces, further strengthening the
commitment governments towards e-governance and digital India. Through this OPD, serving defence
personnel from Army, Airforce, Navy and ex- service personal can get tele consultations from specialists’
doctors in Armed forces. OPD will provide benefits to around four crore people and family members of
defence personnel.
What is e-sanjeevani platform?
eSanjeevani is the first component of telemedicine service, implemented under Ayushman Bharat health
initiative, providing doctor-to-doctor interaction. It connects all the 1.5 lakh health and wellness centre
established under Ayushman Bharat. Service is restricted to Android users currently and has been
implemented in 23 States.

About eSanjeevaniOPD
It is second component of tele-consultation service which enables patient-to-doctor interaction. It was
launched amid COVID-19 pandemic to ensure health services reaches to doorstep following the norms of
social distancing.
Kerala's new Smart Kitchen Scheme
Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, announced a secretary level committee will formulate guidelines
and recommendations on implementation of “Smart Kitchen Scheme” in state to fulfil commitments of LDF.
About the scheme
Smart Kitchen Scheme will be launched by July 10, 2021.
Under the scheme, women of state will be given loan to refurbish their kitchen.
Loan will be provided with a low-interest rate in instalment schemes.
Scheme seeks to reduce workload of women’s domestic labour.
Left Democratic Front (LDF)
LDF is an alliance of left-wing political parties of Kerala which has again come power after winning
elections in 2021. The party is in power since 2016. It is major political alliances in Kerala along with
Congress-led UDF. LDF has been in power in State Legislature of Kerala under E. K. Nayanar, who is the
longest serving Chief Minister of Kerala and has served for 11 years during 1980-1981, 1987-1991,
1996-2001.
2021 Assembly election
LDF led by Pinarayi Vijayan returned to power in 2016 Assembly Election in which it won 91 out of 140
seats. This number again increased to 99 seats in 2021 Assembly Election. Pinarayi Vijayan has become
the first Chief minister of Kerala who was re-elected after a full term five years in office in 2021 election.
This election was historic because, incumbent government won again for first time in 40 years.
What is 'Citizenship by Investment programme'?
Recently; Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, asked neighbouring Dominica to handover
India’s fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to India directly.
Highlights
As per Prime Minister, Choksi was living in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 after taking citizenship in 2017
under the ‘Citizenship by Investment Programme’. He will not be having same rights in Dominica as he was
having in Antigua and Barbuda.
What is Citizenship by Investment Programme?
It is a program allowing individuals to get residence or citizenship of a country in return of making qualifying
investments. These programs offer-
1. Citizenship by investment in which the person gets “golden passport” or “cash-for-passports”
2. Residence by investment in which person gets a “golden visa” or
3. Hybrid with immediate residence followed by accelerated citizenship.
Applicants of Program must fulfil multiple qualification criteria. Investment by them can be done in various
forms including contribution to government funds, purchase of qualifying real estate, investment in
qualifying business or creation of specific number of jobs.
Which countries run this programme?
As of now, five countries in Caribbean – Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis and
Saint Lucia); Egypt; Cambodia, Malta; Jordan, Montenegro, Vanuatu and North Macedonia are running the
citizenship by investment programme.
May 28, 2021

RBI Annual Report-2021
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) published its annual report and highlights “asset quality of banks and their
preparedness requires close monitoring for higher provisioning for upcoming quarters.
Background
RBI in its semi-annual financial stability report earlier highlighted, bad loan ratio of banks could rise to
13.5% under baseline stress scenario by September 2021.
Key findings of report
In its report, RBI cautioned “banks being lenders will have to provide true picture of bad loans after
Supreme Court lifted interim stay on classifying non-performing assets (NPA) in March 2021.
According to it, waiver of compound interest on all loan accounts opted for moratorium during March-
August 2020 would put stress on financial health of banks.
Gross NPA ratio of banks decreased from 8.2% in March 2020 to 6.8% in December 2020.
Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) of banks improved from 66.6% in March 2020 to 75.5 % by December
2020, because of prudent provisioning by banks above regulatory prescriptions on accounts availing
moratorium and undergoing restructuring.
Capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR) of banks increased to 15.9% by December 2020, in March
it was 14.8%.
Gross NPA ratio for non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs) increased from 6.8% in march to 5.7%
in December 2020.
Capital adequacy ratio of NBFCs increased from 24.8% in December 2020 from 23.7% in March.
SpaceX launches 60 Starlink Broadband Satellites
Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, launched 60 Starlink Broadband Satellites with Falcon 9 first
stage booster into the orbit. Satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida.
Background
This two-stage-to-orbit had also launched Sentinel-6A mission earlier.
Highlights
It was 13th Starlink launch in 2021 for SpaceX. 70 meters tall, Falcon 9 rocket was successfully lift-off
marking the fourth time SpaceX launched a batch of Starlink satellites in a bid to expand flourishing
broadband constellation. SpaceX will launch its next mission dubbed as “space station resupply mission”
on June 3, 2021.
SpaceX’s reusable Space vehicles
It was 85th landing by SpaceX’s reusable launch system development program. SpaceX has been
developing technologies since several years to provide a system of rapid reusable launch of space vehicles.
Usually, first stage of Vehicle does not return after a launch but SpaceX has developed a technology through
which vehicle returns, few hours after mission is launched, for reuse.
Starlink Satellites
Starlinks are satellite internet constellation, constructed by SpaceX, providing satellite Internet access.
Constellation comprise of thousands of mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). These
satellites communicate with designated ground transceivers. Development of starlink started in 2015 and
its Two prototype test-flight satellites were launched in 2018. In May 2019, it deployed 60 operational
satellites.
Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update
Global Annual to Decadal 10-year Climate Update was released by United Kingdom’s Met Office led by World
Meteorological Organisation.

Key Findings
According to the release, world will temporarily breach 1.5-Celsius warming mark within 2021-2025.
It highlights, there is 40 percent chance of annual average global temperature will surpass 1.5C above
pre-industrial temperatures, the warming limit of Paris climate accord.
There is a 90 percent chance of one year in period of 2021-2025 being hottest on record.
Annual average global temperature will be at least 1C warmer than pre-industrial levels between
2021-2025.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
WMO, a specialized agency of United Nations, promote international cooperation on atmospheric science,
hydrology, climatology and geophysics. WMO was originated from International Meteorological
Organization to exchange weather data and research. During the World Meteorological Convention of 1947,
proposals to reform status and structure IMO was proposed. This Convention came into force in 1950 after
which WMO started its operations as an intergovernmental organization within United Nations.
International Meteorological Organization (IMO)
IMO was the first organization established with the objective of exchanging weather information among
countries. It was formed after realizing that weather systems move across country boundaries. IMO was
superseded the World Meteorological Organization in 1951.
MIT's Smart Clothes measure movements and poses
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has designed clothing which use special fibres to sense
movement of person via touch.
Highlights
Researchers from MIT also showed their clothes determined things such as if the person is sitting, walking,
or doing any particular pose. Group from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL)
highlighted, their clothes can be used for athletic training and rehabilitation. These clothes can even help in
monitoring health of residents in assisted-care facilities, with the permission of patients, and can determine
things like- if the person has fallen or is unconscious.
What researchers have developed?
Researchers have developed prototypes ranging from socks and gloves to a full vest. It uses a mix of more
typical textile fibres and a small amount of custom-made functional fibers which can sense pressure from
person wearing the cloth. Socks predict motion by examining different sequences of tactile footprints
related to different poses when user transitions from one to another pose. Similarly, full-sized vest can
determine wearers’ pose, activity and texture of contracted surfaces.
Significance of development
Unlike existing wearable electronics, smart cloth can be incorporated into traditional large-scale clothing
production. These machine-knitted tactile textiles are soft, breathable, stretchable and can any forms.
Panel to examine Valuation of Services by Online Gaming companies
Government has constituted a panel of state ministers to examine valuation of services by online gaming to
levy goods and services tax (GST). They will also examine services by casinos and race courses.
About Panel
Panel comprises of seven-members, was convened by Gujarat Deputy Chief, Minister Nitin Patel. Other
members include- Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister
Chowna Mein, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister P Thiagarajan, Goa
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho, and Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Function of the Panel
Panel will examine “valuation of services” as well as examine if any alternate legal provision is required to

provide a better means of valuation for these services. It will also examine impact of such valuation on
other services like lottery.
Whom to submit report?
Panel will submit its report, in six months, to GST Council headed by Union Finance Minister and comprising
state Finance Ministers.
What was the need of panel?
In India, Online gaming is currently in nascent stages which thus leads to issues revolving around taxation
and valuation. Thus, the panel has been set up to understand, examine and resolve uncertainty on valuation
of services by these companies.
GST on Services
Presently, 18 percent GST is levied on services like casinos, horse racing and online gaming. Now, panel will
decide method of valuing these services.
NHAI's Guidelines for Toll centres to reduce waiting time
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued guidelines for Toll centres to reduce waiting time to 10
seconds per vehicle at any point of time.
What is yellow line?
According to the guidelines, yellow lines at toll plazas will reduce the waiting queue of vehicles to 100
metres even during peak hours. If queue is beyond 100 metres, vehicles at the front will pass without paying
toll.
Background
NHAI highlights, it has successfully transitioned to 100 per cent cashless tolling from February 2021.
Overall FASTag penetration has reached to 96 per cent to 99 per cent penetration. As the Electronic Toll
Collection (ETC) penetration is increasing in India, NHAI is emphasising to have a new design and construct
upcoming toll plazas based on traffic projections for next 10 years.
What is electronic toll collection?
It is a wireless system that automatically collect usage fee or toll charged to vehicles using toll roads, toll
bridges, HOV lanes and toll tunnels. It is a faster alternative unlike toll booths, where vehicles stop and
driver manually pays toll with cash or card. FASTag is one such example.
About FASTag
This electronic toll collection system in India is operated by NHAI. It uses Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) technology to make toll payments directly from prepaid or savings account linked to it. The tag is
affixed on windscreen of vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas without stopping for transactions.
State-run oil marketing companies like IOC, BPCL and HPCL signed MoUs in 2019 to enable use of FASTag
to do purchases at petrol pumps.
Bashar Al-Assad Re-Elected for 4th term
Bashar al-Assad was re-elected as President for a fourth term in war-ravaged Syria, amid accusations that
polls were “neither free nor fair”.
Highlights
Parliamentary speaker announced, Assad got 95.1 percent of votes cast. In last multi-candidate poll of
2014, he had won 88 percent of vote.
Who is Bashar al-Assad?
A Syrian politician, who is the 19th president of Syria since 2000, succeeding his father who served from
1971 to 2000. He also served as commander-in-chief of Syrian Armed Forces and regional secretary of Arab
Socialist Ba’ath Party in Syria. He started to work as doctor in Syrian Army.

Where is Syria located?
Syria is located in Western Asia. It shares border with Mediterranean Sea in west, Turkey in north, Iraq in
east, Jordan in south, and Israel & Lebanon in southwest. Known for fertile plains, high mountains, and
deserts, Country is home to ethnic & religious groups such as Kurds, Syrian Arabs, Turkmens, Armenians,
Assyrians, Circassians, Mandeans and Greeks. Major religious groups include Sunnis, Christians, Salafis,
and Yazidis. Arabs are largest ethnic group while Sunnis are largest religious group on the Syrian land.
Polity of Syria
Syria is a unitary republic comprising of 14 governorates. It is the only country which politically espouses
Ba’athism. It is a member of United Nations and Non-Aligned Movement. Arab League and Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation had suspended Syria in November 2011.
IIT Mandi reveals Key Protein Structure in Covid-19 Virus
Part of structure of a key protein in COVID-19 virus was revealed by researchers from Indian Institute of
Technology, Mandi.
How this study is significant?
Covid-19 protein structure will help in understanding mode of action & its role in spread and severity
of covid-19 disease. It will also help in development of antiviral therapeutics.
Further, current COVID-19 treatments only manage symptoms while body fights infection with its
immune defence system. It is not yet confirmed whether antiviral drugs can stop virus from
replicating. One way to neutralise virus is to attack its proteins. Thus, this study will help in
developing neutralising agents.
Structure of virus
This virus comprises of 16 non-structural proteins (NSP1-NSP16). Out of them, NSP1 plays a significant role
in pathogenicity, that is, ability of virus to cause disease. NSP1 disrupts proteins of host cell and
suppresses immune functions. NSP1 is also called as ‘host shutoff factor’.
Which Virus causes Covid-19?
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS‑CoV‑2 virus causes COVID-19. It is also called as
coronavirus. Covid-19 was declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern by World Health
Organisation in January 2020 later in March 2020 it was declared pandemic. Virus causing covid-19,
SARS‑CoV‑2, is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. It is the successor to SARS-CoV-1, that caused
2002–2004 SARS outbreak. It has zoonotic origin and it is genetically similar to bat coronavirus.
Centre to launch Unified Health Interface
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, chaired a high-level meeting and reviewed the progress of National Digital
Health Mission (NDHM). It was highlighted, a Unified Health Interface (UHI) will be rolled soon.
Background
Prime Minister announced the launch of NDHM on 74th Independence Day. Mission is a part of three digital
announcements including a new cyber security policy and optical fibre connectivity to six lakh villages in
India
National Digital Health Mission (NDHM)
NDHM is a complete digital health ecosystem having four key features — health ID, Digi Doctor, personal
health records and health facility registry. Later it will also include e-pharmacy & telemedicine services. It
will be implemented National Health Authority (NHA) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. App
version as well as website version of NDHM platform will be available.
Digi Doctor
It will allow doctors to enrol and their details, as per their consent, will be made available. Doctors will also
be assigned a digital signature for free for writing prescriptions.

Unique Health ID
This ID will be a repository of all health-related information of citizens. Various healthcare providers
including hospitals, laboratories, online pharmacies, telemedicine firms etc will participate in health ID
system. Patient who wants their health records available digitally will require to create unique Health ID
using their basic details, mobile or Aadhaar card.
DNA Vaccines Effective in Hamsters
Researchers from Taiwan developed a vaccine using DNA of coronavirus spike protein and tested its
efficacy on Mice and Hamsters. This technique is different than mRNA vaccines.
Highlights
DNA vaccines are usually hard to deliver into cells. But, researchers from National Health Research
Institutes, Taiwan, coupled electroporation while delivering DNA vaccination.
According to research, mice and hamsters immunised with new DNA vaccine developed long-lasting
antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
Antibodies peaked at eight weeks after immunisation but levels were relatively high at week 20.
What is DNA Vaccine?
DNA vaccine is thermally stable and no cold chain-needed in such vaccines. It can induce high levels of
long-lasting neutralising antibody against SARS-CoV-2. It can be produced quickly at lower cost. Several
clinical trials have indicated the efficacy of DNA vaccines in treating infections like Zika, HIV-1, Ebola and
influenza viruses.
What is mRNA-based vaccines?
Most of the available Covid-19 vaccines is based on mRNA strands. Such vaccines teach human immune
system to recognize SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Similarity between both vaccines
Both DNA based and mRNA-based vaccines use genetic material encoding part of virus to draw out an
immune response.
Hong Kong woman breaks record for fastest ascent of Everest
Hong Kong mountaineer, Tsang Yin-hung, recorded “world’s fastest ascent of Everest by a woman” in just
26 hours.
Highlights
Tsang climbed 8,848.86-metre mountain in a record time of 25 hours and 50 minutes in her third
attempt.
Earlier in 2017, Tsang became first Hong Kong woman to climbed the top.
She broke the earlier record of Nepali women Phunjo Jhangmu Lama completed the climb in 39 hours
6 minutes.
Mount Everest
The highest mountain above sea level, in world, is located in Mahalangur Himal sub-range of Himalayas.
China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its snow height is of 8,848.86 m recorded recently in
2020 by Nepali and Chinese authorities.
Climbing on Mount Everest
Mount Everest is a famous climbing spot which attracts experienced mountaineers. It has two main
climbing routes. One is from southeast in Nepal called as “standard route” while other is from north in
Tibet. Mountain presents dangers including weather, winds, altitude sickness and significant hazards from
avalanches and Khumbu Icefall. About 300 people have died on Everest, as of 2019, many of whose bodies
remain on mountain.

Mahalangur Himal
It is a subsection of Himalayas on northeast Nepal and south-central Tibet of China. It extends from Nangpa
La pass between Rolwaling Himal and Cho Oyu. This range includes Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and
Cho Oyu which are four among six highest peaks on Earth.
Menstrual Hygiene Day 2021
World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed every year on May 28. The day is marked across the globe to
address societal stigma and to raise awareness on maintaining menstrual hygiene.
Who launched the day?
Menstrual Hygiene Day is a global movement which seeks to normalise menstruation. It was initiated by
German non-profit organisation “WASH United” which is also a global coordinator for this day. It was first
launched in 2014.
Significance of the day
Menstrual Hygiene Day is a global advocacy platform which brings together voices and actions of
individuals, government agencies, non-profits, private sector and media on promotion of good menstrual
health and hygiene menstrufor women and girls across the world.
Why this date was chosen?
28 May (28/5) was chosen as the date because it highlights average menstrual cycle. Women start
menstruating after every 28 days and it lasts for 5 days on average.
Aim of the day
The day aims to shed taboos associated menstruation, to break the silence and to change negative social
norms.
Theme of year 2021
This year, day is being observed under the theme- “Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health”.
DBT approved for Mid-Day-Meal Scheme
Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, has approved proposal to provide monetary
assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to students under Mid-Day meal scheme.
Who will benefit?
Direct benefit Transfer of cooking cost component if Mid-Day-Meal scheme will benefit 11.8 crore eligible
students. This will provide a boost to Midday Meal programme. Monetary assistance will help to safeguard
nutritional levels of children and aid in protecting their immunity.
Allocated Funds
Central government will provide additional funds of Rs 1200 crore to State Governments and UT
Administrations to implement the monetary assistance programme. It will be a one-time special welfare
measure to benefit children studying in class I to VIII across 11.20 lakh Government and Government aided
schools in India.
Midday Meal Scheme
It is school meal programme designed to ensure a better nutritional standing of school-age children in India.
Under the initiative, free lunches are supplied on working days for children studying in primary and upper
primary classes of local body, government, government aided, Education Guarantee Scheme, alternate
innovative education centres, Maktab and Madrasa. This scheme is in line with Convention on the Rights of
the Child, to which India is a party. Under the convention, India has committed to yield “adequate nutritious
food” for children. The scheme is a covered by National Food Security Act, 2013.
‘Dharavi Model’ of COVID-19 Management
Dharavi is a slum in Mumbai that reported some 99 COVID-19 cases every day in April 2021. But, in last
some days, number of cases is declining gradually. According to officials, ‘Dharavi model’

of COVID-19 management and vaccination drive have helped in containing second wave in the slum.
Cases in Dharavi
According to ‘Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’, slum cluster which spread across 2.5
square kilometres and located on border of island city, reported three and four cases in last two days,
even though, Mumbai is witnessing coronavirus cases in four digits daily.
There were total of 6,802 COVID-19 patients out of which 6,398 have recovered, while 354 have died.
What is Dharavi Model?
Rise in initial phase of second covid wave pushed civic authorities to once again to initiate the “Dharavi
model”. The model involves 4Ts which stands for “tracing, tracking, testing and treating”. This strategy was
also praised by World Health Organisation (WHO) during first wave of COVID-19. This model was activated
in February 2021 again as the second wave started. Under the model, Door-to-door screening of people is
conducted with symptoms, aggressive testing and regular screening.
About Dharavi
Dharavi is a slum cluster with a population of 6.5 lakh. Thus, about 2,27,136 people living per sq km. As a
result, social distancing was not impossible in Dharavi as families of 8 to 10 people live in 10×10 hutments.
Apart from congested pockets, area is home to small-scale leather, pottery and textile manufacturing units.
It has 5,000 GST-registered enterprises and 15,000 single-room factories. It is also a hub of international
exports with an annual turnover of $1 billion.
May 29, 2021
Govt to support Public Sector Companies for Vaccine Production
Union Government has decided to support some public sector companies with grants under the Mission
COVID Suraksha to boost covid-19 vaccine production.
Key Points
Among the companies, one is Hyderabad based Indian Immunological limited (IIL), a facility under PSU
named “National Dairy Development Board”. IIL and Bharat Biotech have signed a technical agreement for
IIL to supply drug substance to Bharat Biotech, required to produce COVAXIN Vaccine.
Mission COVID Suraksha
Mission COVID Suraksha was launched under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 and is targeted effort which enable
development of indigenous, affordable and accessible vaccines in India. Mission focuses on preclinical
development through clinical trials and manufacturing & regulatory facilitation to consolidate all available
and funded resources to accelerate development of product
How it was funded?
Phase-I of COVID Suraksha Mission was allotted rs 900 Crore for 12 months. Grant was provided by
Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to conduct Research and Development on Indian Covid-19 vaccines.
Who led the mission?
COVID Mission is led by DBT while a “Mission Implementation Unit” at Biotechnology Industry Research
Assistance Council (BIRAC) implemented it.
Objectives of mission
1. To accelerate pre-clinical and clinical development.
2. To provide license to Covid-19 vaccine candidates which were in clinical stages.
3. To establish clinical trial sites.
4. To strengthen existing central laboratories and suitable facilities for animal studies, production
facilities etc.
5. To support development of common harmonized protocols, training and data management systems
etc.

What is Kaleidoscope Effect?
Recently, people of Bangalore observed a bright rainbow ring around sun for a few seconds. This is a rare
optical and atmospheric phenomenon known as Kaleidoscopic Effect which is also known as “22-degree
circular halo”.
What is 22-degree circular Halo?
22-degree circular halo is observed around sun and occasionally around Moon. So, it is also called a moon
ring or winter halo. This phenomenon occurs when rays from sun or moon get refracted through hexagonal
ice crystals present in cirrus clouds.
Why is it called 22-degree circular halo?
Because, halo or ring forming around sun or moon has an apparent radius of 22 degrees.
Which cloud produce Circular Halos?
Circular halos are produced by cirrus clouds.
Cirrus Clouds
These clouds are thin, detached, hair-like clouds formed in atmosphere, at a height of 20,000 feet.
What is halo?
It is the brightest part, present at inner edge of circular disk, where there is no light inside the disk because,
no light is refracted through smaller angles.
How halo can be visualized?
Halo is visible when it is viewed from 90-degree angle, just like a rainbow. It sometimes appears just white
but often with colors of the spectrum.
Permanent Commission for Israel and Palestine
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have called United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to
establish a permanent commission; who can report on human rights violations across Israel, Gaza and West
Bank; following the latest violence in Israel-Palestine Conflict.
What is Permanent Commission?
The proposed Permanent Commission is an independent, international commission of inquiry. It will be
appointed by president of UNHRC. Commission will investigate violations of humanitarian and human rights
law in Israel and Palestine. Commission will authorize “commission of inquiry (COI)” which is the highest
level of scrutiny. Proposed commission can also investigate all underlying causes of tensions and
instability in the region often.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OCI)
OCI, comprising of 57 states, is second-largest intergovernmental organization after United Nations. It acts
as “collective voice of Muslim countries”. It is involved in protection of interests of Muslims in order to
promote international peace and harmony across world. It was established in 1969 following a summit in
Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco. It is headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Is India member of OIC?
India is not a member of OIC. But recently, India was invited as a guest of honor to attend 46th Session of
Council of Foreign Ministers in 2019.
United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR)
UNHCR is an inter-governmental body of United Nations (UN), comprising 47 member states of UN, involved
in strengthening promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. It was established by United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA) in 2006, replacing United Nations Commission on Human Rights. It is
headquartered in Geneva Switzerland. In 2019, India was elected to Council for a period of three years.
US- Russia Open Skies Treaty
US administration led by Biden, does not seek to re-join Open Skies Treaty with Russia.

Highlights
The treaty is a key arms control agreement, that allowed US and Russia to fly surveillance aircraft
over their military facilities
According to US administration, US does not seek to renter the pact because of Russia’s failure to
comply with it.
Now, “New START treaty” is the only major arms control pact between both the countries which was
extended for five years recently by US.
What is Open Skies Treaty?
The Open Skies Treaty was signed by United States on March 24, 1992. It came into effect in 2002. The
Treaty allows both member countries to fly surveillance aircraft over military facilities. The treaty was
signed to promote transparency among member countries.
Members of Open Skies Treaty
34 member states had participated in treaty.
When did Russia and US withdrew from treaty?
Former President of US, Donald Trump, announced its withdrawal in November 2020 while, Russia
announced to withdraw in January 2021.
Background
Proposal for aerial surveillance was first proposed by Former US President Dwight Eisenhower in July 1995.
However, Russia then rejected proposal on ground of spying. In 1989, the proposal was again introduced by
former President US, George Bush, following a conference between NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization) and Warsaw Pact countries. Finally, in 1992, treaty was signed and came into force in 2002.
Centre invites applications for Citizenship
Central Government has invited Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan,
Bangladesh and Pakistan to apply for citizenship in India under the controversial Citizenship (Amendment)
Act, 2019.
Highlights
Several migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan have been residing in 13 districts of Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Chhattisgarh. In this regard, Union Home Ministry has issued notification to
implement order under Citizenship Act 1955.
What is Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019
The act, passed on December 11, 2019, amended “Citizenship Act, 1955”. It provided ways for persecuted
religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan belonging to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists,
Jains, Parsis or Christians; to get Indian Citizenship. This is the first law which used religion as criteria for
citizenship in India. It has also relaxed “residence requirement” for naturalization for these migrants to 6
years from 12.
Who can apply for citizenship?
Persecuted minorities from three countries who have arrived in India before 31st December 2014. According
to data from Intelligence Bureau records, there will be some 30000 immediate beneficiaries.
Why Muslims are not included?
The act does not allow Muslims, belonging to three countries, to take citizenship because, all of them are
Muslim-majority countries.
Why this law is being criticized?
It is being criticized for being discriminatory on the ground of religion, for excluding Muslims. Office of
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also called it “fundamentally
discriminatory”. There is also a concern that act will be used along with National Register of Citizens (NRC)

which will render Muslims stateless. Further, Government has neglected that, certain Muslim groups like
Hazaras, have historically been persecuted there.
Government’s Stand
Indian government is of the view, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh have Islam as their state religion,
therefore it is unlikely that Muslims will “face religious persecution” in those countries.
India supports calls on probe into Covid Origin
India extends its support to renewed global calls for comprehensive investigation into origins of Covid-19 by
World Health Organisation.
Background
India extended support after US President asked US intelligence agencies to find how coronavirus emerged
in China. Demands were raised by countries including US and Australia to investigate whether coronavirus
originated in Wuhan City of China in late 2019 from an animal source or from laboratory accident in
December 2019. Earlier, In March 2021, WHO reported on origins of virus but US and other countries were
not satisfied with it.
WHO’s Stand
According to WHO, global study on origin of Covid-19 is an important first step. Now, next phase studies will
help in generating further data and studies to reach robust conclusions.
Controversy surrounding origin of coronavirus
A study on origin of SARS-CoV-2 conducted in 2020 by scientists at Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, concluded that coronavirus may have originated in a laboratory in China. However, Z Division
report concluded, both lab-origin theory and zoonotic theory were possible.
Lab leak theory of coronavirus
Wuhan Institute of Virology has come to spotlight when a media report in US claimed, three researchers
from Wuhan Institute of Virology sought hospital care in November 2019 some weeks before China
disclosed covid-19 cases in Wuhan.
China’s Stand
China denied the report stating, there were zero Covid-19 infections at the institute.
DG NCC Mobile Training App 2.0 Launched
Defence Secretary, Dr Ajay Kumar, launched the “DG NCC Mobile Training App 2.0” to provide basis
information and training material to NCC Cadet.
About DG NCC Mobile Training App
App will assist in conducting online training to NCC cadets amid COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to provide
basic information related to NCC and entire training material including, Syllabus, Training Videos etc on
single platform. Cadets can attend online training and appear in certificate exams through this app which in
turn help to prevent their academic year. App was developed in line with ‘Digital India’ vision.
National Cadet Corps
It is the youth wing of Indian Armed Forces, headquartered in New Delhi. School and college students can
join on voluntary basis. It is a Tri-Services Organization comprising of Army, Navy and Air Wing. NCC groom
the youth of country into disciplined and patriotic citizens.
Who recruits the cadets?
Cadets are recruited by “soldier youth foundation” from high schools, higher secondary, colleges and
universities of India. They are given basic military training in small arms and drill. Officers and cadets have
no liability for active military service after the course is completed.
Why NCC was created?
NCC was created by the Act of 1950. It was established on the line of ‘University Corps’ created under

Indian Defence Act 1917, to fill the shortage in Army.
IBF to be renamed as IBDF
Apex body of broadcasters, Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has extended its purview to cover digital
streaming platforms. Also, it will be renamed as Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF).
Significance of the move
Extended coverage will bring broadcasters and OTT (over-the-top) platforms, under one roof. Decision was
taken in the view of substantial jump in their viewership base during covid-19 pandemic.
How platforms will be regulated?
To regulate them, IBDF is considering to form a new wholly-owned subsidiary which will handle all matters
of digital media. A self-regulatory body called ‘Digital Medic Content Regulatory Council (DMCTC)’ will also
be established for digital OTT platforms.
Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF)
IBF is a unified representative body of television broadcasters, established in 1999. About 250 Indian
television channels are associated with it. IBF act as spokesman of India Broadcasting Industry. It is the
parent organisation of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), established in up 2011, to
examines content-related complaints. IBF will now be renamed as “Indian Broadcasting and Digital
Foundation” to bring digital OTT platforms under its purview.
Steadfast Defender 21 war Games
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is organising “Steadfast Defender 21 war games” military
exercises in Europe as tensions with Russia increases.
Highlights
In the war names, NATO troops, warships and dozens of aircrafts are taking part. Military exercises are
taking place across Atlantic, through Europe and into Black Sea region.
Steadfast Defender 21
This war games are being organised with the aim of simulating response of 30-nation military organisation
for attack on any one of its members. It seeks to test ability of NATO to deploy troops from America.
Why this war games were launched?
These war games were launched in the aftermath of Russia’s decision to send thousands of troops across
border area with Ukraine. It has raised concern at military alliance that launched biggest ever defense
spending initiatives after Russian troops acquired Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine in 2014.
Do these military exercises aim at Russia?
According to NATO, military exercises do not aim at Russia specifically. But focus on Black Sea region,
where Russia blocks free navigation of ships.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
It is an intergovernmental military alliance of 30 European and North American countries. NATO implements
North Atlantic Treaty which was signed in 1949. NATO comprises a system of collective defence in which
independent member states provides for mutual defence if any member is attacked by external party.
Organisation is headquartered in Belgium.
India- US discuss Vaccine Partnership
External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a meeting in
Washington on May 28, 2021.
Highlights
Both of them held a productive discussion on various aspects of bilateral cooperation and regional & global
issues. They discussed Indo Pacific and Quad, Myanmar matter, Afghanistan matter and UNSC matters.
Meeting also focused on “Indo-US vaccine partnership”.

Indo-US Vaccine Partnership
The partnership aims to expand access and ensure supply of the vaccines. Following the meeting,
Government of United States redirected orders of critical vaccine manufacturing supplies. This now allow
India to make over 20 million additional doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
India- US cooperation on Covid-19
USA had also announced to send 60 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to other nations, from June 2021,
fighting pandemic. US government also provided over USD 500 million as relief supplies to India to
strengthen its fight against pandemic.
AstraZeneca plc
The British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company has developed the Oxford-
Astrazeneca covid-19 vaccine. It is headquartered at Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge,
England. Its portfolio includes products for major diseases in fields of oncology, cardiovascular, infection,
gastrointestinal, neuroscience and respiratory.
Second BRICS Sherpas' meeting convened
The second BRICS Sherpas’ and Sous Sherpas’ meeting was conducted to discuss preparations for
scheduled meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers on 1st June.
Highlights
The BRICS Sherpas’ and Sous Sherpas meeting was convened under India’s Chair-ship from 25th to 28th of
May. During the meeting BRICS partners negotiated key deliverables for India’s char-ship at BRICS 2021.
They also negotiated including outcome documents for Foreign Ministers’ meeting.
What are Sherpas’?
Sherpa is personal representative of head of state or government, preparing an international summit like G7
and G20 summits. Sherpa usually refers to “Sherpas for G7 summit” but this designation can be extended to
different regular conferences which requires participation of head of state. For instance, BRICS Sherpas’
denotes representatives of BRICS Nation. Sherpa is generally quite influential even though they do not have
authority to make a final decision over any agreement.
Why is it called Sherpas?
Name Sherpas is derived from “Sherpa people” who are Nepalese ethnic group. They serve as guides and
porters across Himalayas. Thus, designating grouping as Sherpa refers to the fact that, Sherpa clears way
for head of state at major summit.
First BRICS Sherpa
First BRICS Sherpa meeting was held in 2019 under Presidency of Brazil in Curitiba, Brazil.
Government to discontinue Central Allocation of Remdesivir
According to Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, government has
decided to discontinue Central Allocation of Remdesivir to States and directed National Pharmaceuticals
Pricing Agency to monitor availability of Remdesivir in India.
Highlights
Minister highlights, production of Remdesivir has increased ten times from 33,000 vials per day in April
2021 to 3,50,000 vials per day in May. According to him, Government has also increased number of plants
producing Remdesivir from to 60 from 20 within a month. Thus, India has enough Remdesivir because
supply is more than demand. Apart from that, 50 lakh vials of Remdesivir will be procured by central
government to maintain it as strategic stock for emergency requirement.
Remdesivir
Remdesivir, an antiviral medication, sold under brand name Veklury. It was developed by biopharmaceutical
company Gilead Sciences to administer it via injection. It was authorized for emergency use to treat

COVID-19 across 50 countries. However, World Health Organization made a conditional recommendation in
November 2020 for use of remdesivir to treat covid-19.
Background
Remdesivir was developed to treat hepatitis C. Subsequently, it was investigated for Ebola virus disease,
Marburg virus infections and coronavirus.
Side effects of Remdesivir
Common side effect in healthy volunteers includes, raised blood levels of liver enzymes, liver inflammation,
Low blood pressure, infusion-related reaction with nausea, and sweating.
YUVA - Prime Minister’s Scheme for mentoring young authors
Ministry of Education has launched “YUVA- Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors”.
Highlights
YUVA is an Author Mentorship programme which will train young and budding authors aged below 30 years
to in order to promote reading, writing and book culture in India. It will also project India and Indian writings
worldwide.
About YUVA
YUVA stands for “Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors”. The scheme is in line with PM’s vision of
encouraging young writers to write about India’s freedom struggle. Call on young generation to write about
freedom fighters was taken in PM’s Mann ki Baat in January 2021. YUVA is a part of India@75 Project which
seeks to bring perspectives of young generation of writers on themes including Freedom Fighter, Unsung
Heroes, Unknown and Forgotten Places etc.
Who will implement the scheme?
Scheme will be implemented by “National Book Trust of India” under Ministry of Education. Books written
under this scheme will be published by National Book Trust. Books will be translated into different
languages to exchange culture and literature.
Numbers of Authors
Under the YUVA scheme, total of 75 authors will be selected by an All-India Contest. Winners will be
announced on August 15, 2021. Young winning authors will be trained by eminent authors to prepare
manuscripts. Published books will be launched on in January 2022 on the occasion of National Youth Day.
May 31, 2021
Additional benefits under ESIC & EPFO schemes for dependents of workers
Ministry of Labour and Employment has announced additional benefits for workers under ESIC and EPFO
schemes for the dependents of workers passing away due to Covid-19 disease.
Highlights
Additional benefits will help in reducing fear and anxiety of workers about well-being of their family
members because of increasing incidences of death.
What was existing norm?
As per current norms, if an Insured Person dies or gets disabled while discharging duties, lifelong pension
equal to 90 percent of average daily wage of worker is given to spouse, widowed mother and to children
they are 25 years of age. If there is female child, benefit is provided till her marriage. Scheme will be
retrospectively be effective from March 24, 2021.
How additional benefits will be provided?
All dependent family members of Insured persons, registered in online portal of ESIC prior before COVID-19
disease and death due to it, will be given same benefits and in same scale as received by dependents of
insured persons.

What are the conditions?
Insured Person must have been registered on ESIC online portal three months before getting
diagnosed of COVID-19, resulting in death.
He must have been employed for wages and contributions for a minimum of 78 days.
Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI)
Under this scheme, all surviving dependent family members of members of this scheme can avail benefits
of EDLI in case worker die.
NSA commissioned Vessel Sajag
National Security Advisor (NSA), Ajit Doval, has commissioned Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel
Sajag. It was dedicated nation to safeguard maritime interests.
Highlights
Offshore Patrol Vessel, Sajag has been constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited, which was commended by
NSA for indigenously developing ships for Maritime Armed forces with state-of-the-art machinery, latest
technology sensors and equipment.
Patrol boat
It is a small naval vessel designed for coastal defence, immigration law-enforcement, border protection,
search and rescue duties. They can be operated by navy, coast guard, police force or customs and can be
commissioned for marine or estuarine or river environments. They are commonly used in border protection
roles such as ant-piracy, anti-smuggling, fisheries patrols, and immigration law enforcement.
Classification of Patrol Boat
Patrol Boat are classified as inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). They are
warships of smaller size and include fast attack craft, missile boats and torpedo boats. Offshore patrol
vessels are smallest ship in Navy. However, they are large and seaworthy enough to patrol off-shore.
Indian Navy installed medical ICU on Advanced Light Helicopter
Indian Navy has installed a medical ICU (MICU) on Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) at INS Hansa. It will
help in boosting its capacity to evacuate critical patients even in unfavourable weather conditions.
Highlights
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) installed on-board ALH Mk-III from INAS 323 at INS Hans. ALH Mk-III
is an all-weather aircraft which will help Indian Navy to undertake medical evacuation of critical patients by
air even during unfavourable weather conditions. Equipment can be installed in two-three hours to convert
aircraft into an air ambulance. HAL will eight such MICU to Indian Navy.
INS Hansa
It is an Indian naval air station in Dabolim in Goa. India’s biggest naval airbase comprise of a civil enclave
which operates as Dabolim Airport. It was commissioned in September 1961 in Tamil Nadu.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
HAL, headquartered in Bangalore, is state-owned aerospace and defence company. It was established on
December, 23 1940. It is the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers across the world. It
started aircraft manufacturing in 1942 with licensed production of Harlow PC-5, Curtiss P-36 Hawk etc for
Royal Indian Air Force. HAL has 11 dedicated Research and development (R&D) centres and 21
manufacturing divisions working under 4 production units in India. Company is managed by a Board of
Directors appointed by President of India on the recommendation of Ministry of Defence Government.
Public Sector Banks announce new loans
Public sector banks (PSBs) have announced support measures and launch of new loan products to mitigate
economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic.

What are those announcements?
PSBs would provide unsecured loans of up to 5 lakh rupees to individuals. Loan can be utilized to
meet their and family members’ treatment cost.
Indian Banks Association and State Bank of India announced three new loan products in Mumbai.
Loans in Mumbai were announced by the basis of measures taken by RBI and Government of India.
It will provide fresh lending support to vaccine manufacturers, hospitals or dispensaries,
manufacturers & suppliers of oxygen, pathology labs, Ventilators, importers of vaccines, Covid drugs
logistics firms and patients for treatment.
Two other loans include are- Healthcare Business Loan of up to 2 crore rupees and Business loans
for Healthcare Facilities of up to 100 Crore rupees.
Healthcare business loan will be provided to set up oxygen plants under Emergency Credit Line
Guarantee Scheme (ECGLS).
Loan for Healthcare Facilities will be provided to set up or expand healthcare infrastructure and to
healthcare products manufacturers.
Repayment of Loan
IBA and SBI announced, all the salaried, non-salaried and pensioners individuals can get an unsecured
personal loan from ₹ 25,000 to ₹ 5 lakh to look after COVID-19 treatment. Repayment tenure is 5 years. SBI
will charge interest of 8.5% per annum and other banks can also decide their interest rate.
IFFCO to launch Nano Urea
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) will launch Nitrogen fertilizer-based Nano Urea in market in
June 2021.
Highlights
A 500-ml Nano Urea is equivalent to 45kg of normal urea. 500 ml urea costs around 240 rupees. Apart from
that, it will reduce input cost of farmers by 15% and cultivation will increase the yield by about 20%.
What is Nano Urea?
Urea produced from nano-technology to improve the nutrients efficiency of the crops are called as nano
urea. Nano urea is produced in two ways:
1. First, quinhydrone mixed liquor is prepared.
2. Then, this mixture is spread onto calcium cyanamide granules to form nano urea.
When it was allowed in India?
Commercial use of nano urea was allowed in India in November 2020.
Significance of nano urea
India uses 350 lakhs metric tonnes of urea per year. Use of nano-urea will reduce the consumption by half in
turn saving about 600 crore rupees subsidy provided by government. Also, it will reduce India’s dependence
on import of urea.
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)
IFFCO is multi-state cooperative society involved in manufacturing and marketing of fertilisers. It is
established in 1967 and headquartered in New Delhi. It comprises of 57 member cooperatives. Thus, it is
the biggest co-op in world by turnover on GDP per capita. It has 19% market share in Urea and 29% market
share in complex fertilisers, which makes it largest fertiliser manufacturer of India.
Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 4.0
Government has increased the scope of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for three more
months overviewing the disruptions caused by second wave of COVID 19 pandemic. Extension will help
businesses across several sectors of economy.

About ECLGS 4.0
100% guarantee cover to be provided on loans, in hospitals/nursing clinics/medical colleges/homes,
up to Rs.2 crore. Loan can be utilized up to set up on-site oxygen generation plants. Interest rate on
load was capped at 7.5%.
Additional ECLGS assistance of up to 10% of outstanding by February 2020 to borrowers who are
covered under ECLGS 1.0.
Ceiling of Rs. 500 Cr. of loan outstanding for eligibility under ECLGS 3.0 will be removed. It is subject
to maximum additional ECLGS assistance provided to each borrower which is limited to 40% or
Rs.200 crore, whichever is lower.
Civil Aviation sector will be eligible under ECLGS 3.0
Validity of ECLGS extended to 30.09.2021.
Significance
Modifications in ECLGS will enhance utility and impact of ECLGS by providing additional support to MSMEs.
It will safeguard livelihoods and help in resumption of business activity. It will facilitate flow of institutional
credit at reasonable terms.
Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)
ECLGS was launched under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package in May 2020. It was launched to overcome
the distress caused on economy due to lockdown. It helped different sectors by providing credit to them.
Credit is provided to them for four years besides one year moratorium period on principled repayment.
Four new National Helpline Number launched
Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched four new helpline numbers to help people
amid the second wave of covid-19. To promote these numbers advisory was issued to private television
channels to government in spreading awareness regarding covid-19 pandemic.
What are those numbers?
1075 is the National Helpline no. of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
1098 is the Child Helpline no. of Ministry of Women & Child Development
14566 is the Senior Citizens Helpline of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. It will work in
states like – Karnataka, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and
Uttarakhand.
08046110007 is Helpline number of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
(NIMHANS) that will provide psychological support.
Apart from that, a community support helpline number 14443 was operationalised by Ministry of AYUSH to
provide approaches and solutions for challenges raised by COVID-19. 1075 covid helpline number is now
open for rural India to book vaccination slots. 1075 covid helpline number is now open for rural India to
book vaccination slots. This information was given by National Health Authority (NHA), headed by RS
Sharma.
China to send Three Astronauts to Space Station

According to space official of China, a three-man crew of astronauts will be sent for three-month mission on
new space station of China in June 2021.
Highlights
Plans for station’s first crew were confirmed to state after an automated spacecraft was launched with fuel
and supplies for Tianhe station.
What is Tianhe station?
Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony is third and largest space station launched by China. Core module of the

station was launched on April 29, 2021 into the orbit highlighting increasingly ambitious space program of
China.
How crew will be sent to space station?
Shenzhou 12 capsule will carry the crew. Capsule will be launched from Jiuquan base in northwest China.
Why they will be sent?
Space Crew will be sent to station to practice spacewalks and conduct repairs, maintenance and conduct
scientific operations.
Tianzhou-2 spacecraft
This spacecraft was lift-off from China carrying 6.8 tons of cargo such as space suits, food and equipment
for astronauts and fuel for station.
China’s manned missions
In 2003, China had sent 11 astronauts which included two women, into space beginning. First female
astronaut was Liu Yang in 2012.
About Tianzhou
It is a Chinese automated cargo spacecraft which was developed by China’s first space station Tiangong-1.
It is used to resupply modular space station. Spacecraft was launched on Long March 7 rocket from
Wenchang in 2017. This was the first version of spacecraft and has a mass of 12,910 kg.
Aspergillosis Fungal Infection
Amid the country’s battle against covid-19 pandemic and increasing cases of mucormycosis, Doctors in
Ghaziabad, Mumbai and Gujarat have reported cases of new disease called ‘aspergillosis’.
What is Aspergillosis?
Aspergillosis is a fungal infection, fungal growth or allergic reaction caused due to Aspergillus fungus. The
fungus is found indoors as well as outdoors. It lives on decaying vegetation or dead leaves. This fungal
infection is not as deadly as black fungus but it can turn fatal too.
How people contract to this infection?
People can come in contact with the fungus by breathing in microscopic “aspergillus spores” from
environment. Though people come in contact with the fungus daily but never contracts illness. Because,
aspergillosis infects people suffering from lung disease or weak immune system. It causes infections in
organs and other allergic reactions.
Types of Aspergillosis
There are 5 types of aspergillosis namely, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, aspergilloma (fungus
ball), allergic Aspergillus sinusitis, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and invasive aspergillosis. But,
COVID-19 patients are being diagnosed with rare sinus pulmonary aspergillosis.
What are the symptoms of pulmonary aspergillosis?
Weight loss, cough, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, and fatigue are some of its symptom.
PM-CARES for Children Scheme
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, launched a PM-CARES for Children scheme for children orphaned due to
COVID-19. As per data, about 577 children have lost their parents till date.
Highlights
Measures under the scheme include free education, creation of Rs 10 lakh corpus for each child- to be given
to them at the age of 23. Prime Minister emphasized, children represent future of the country and India will
do everything to support and protect them.
About PM-CARES for Children scheme
1. Children who lost either parents or surviving parents or legal guardians or adoptive parents due to
COVID-19 disease, will be supported through PM-CARES fund.

2. Under the PM-CARES scheme, contribution will be made through PM CARES Fund till they attain age
of 18 years. Contribution will help in creating a corpus of Rs 10 lakh for them
3. They will be given a monthly stipend for five years starting from 18 years till 23 years to fulfil their
personal requirements.
4. After they will attain 23 years of age, they will be given full amount of Rs 10 lakh to use it
professionally or personally.
5. Scheme will ensure free education for such kids by giving them admissions in nearest Kendriya
Vidyalayas or private schools fees for which will be given from PM CARES fund.
6. Provisions are there for educating kids between 11 to 18 years in residential schools like Sainik
Schools and Navodaya Vidyalayas.
7. All expenditure concerned with child’s education such as expenditure on notebooks, textbooks and
uniform will be made through PM CARES Fund.
8. Students going for higher education will be given education loans for which PM CARES will pay
interest and scholarships.
9. They will also be enrolled under Ayushman Bharat Scheme to provide them health insurance cover of
Rs 5 lakh till 18 years. Premium will be made by PM CARES Fund
Goa launches solar-based electrification programme
Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, launched solar-based electrification programme for rural households
of state, on the occasion of Goa statehood Day (May 30).
About Solar-Based Electrification Programme
This programme will bring electricity using renewable energy to rural areas in Goa where grid connectivity is
not feasible. It was launched with focus on delivering clean, reliable and affordable energy to all. Solar PV-
based home lighting systems was inaugurated two days after agreement was signed between Convergence
Energy Services Ltd (CESL) and Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA).
How this project is different?
Electrification project is first off-grid electricity engagement by CESL which will install and maintain the
solar PV systems for five years under Remote Village Electrification (RVE) programme. CESL will undertake
programme across villages and hamlets in coordination with Gram panchayats.
About CESL
CESL is a 100 percent owned subsidiary of EESL. It is a new energy company which focuses on delivering
clean, affordable, and reliable energy. It focuses on energy solutions which can be generated with the
confluence of renewable energy, electric mobility, and climate change.
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)
EESL, world’s largest public energy service company (ESCO), is owned 100 percent by of Government of
India. It is a joint venture of state-owned NTPC Limited, Power Finance Corporation and POWERGRID. It was
established under Ministry of Power to facilitate energy efficiency projects.
World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day is being observed on May 31, 2021 under the theme “Commit to Quit”. It is observed
since 1987 after member states of World Health Organisation created “World No Tobacco Day” to bring
global attention towards tobacco epidemic and associated preventable death.
Why this day is significant?
As per lancet study, in some three decades, about 200 million deaths were caused by smoking
tobacco use while the annual economic costs because of smoking tobacco use is more than US $1
trillion.
Further, one in six non-communicable disease-related deaths is due to smoking tobacco.

Lancet has identified Tobacco control as a crucial and necessary” part to reach WHO’s global goals
of 25 percent reduction in ”premature mortality” from non-communicable diseases by 2025 to comply
with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Thus, this day becomes important to raise awareness among people of harmful effects of smoking
Tobacco.
Top Smoking countries
10 countries with largest number of tobacco smokers as of 2019 are- China, India, Indonesia, USA, Russia,
Bangladesh, Japan, Turkey, Vietnam, and Philippines.
What are the concerns?
According to World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 70 percent of 1.3 billion tobacco users across the
world lack access to tools required for quitting Tobacco. This access gap has further exacerbated in 2020
because health workforce are being mobilized to handle covid-19 pandemic’.
China's Feat in Maternal and Child Survival Rates
Lancet report along with China’s health research institutions and international colleagues from US, UK and
Australia have reported on country’s progress with respect to maternal, new-born, child and adolescent
health and nutrition since 1949.
Highlights
According to Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), in 70 years China had made a significant
transition from “where survival of women & children was priority” to “where children & adolescents
now have similar health profiles to young Australians”.
China has progressed by rapid socioeconomic development and reducing poverty. Its capacity for
top-down leadership including reorganisation of social health insurance and systematic public health
planning has also contributed.
How Population Policy has contributed?
China population policy as well its earlier “one-child policy” has affected its age structure. However, its
focus has increased on health of children and young people, which reflects a need to invest in next
generation. This scenario was being followed even in Australia.
Key Findings
As per study, there was rapid reductions in maternal death ratio 1500 cases per 100,000 births in
1949 to 17.8 cases / 100,000 births in 2019.
Infant death rate has decreased from 200 cases / 1000 births in 1949 to 5.6 cases per 1000 births in
2019.
What were the elements of China’s Success?
Elements such as quality antenatal and postnatal care, higher childhood vaccination and good health
education in schools have contributed in China’s success.
Concerns
As per the report, China has neglected several conditions such as infertility, advanced maternal age, child
protection, stillbirth, mental health, sexual and gender-based violence. It also neglected emerging infectious
diseases like COVID-19.
Hubble Captures Striking New Image of NGC 691
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured beautiful photo of spiral galaxy called “NGC 691”.
What is NGC 691?
It is an unbarred spiral galaxy located about 125 million light-years away in Aries constellation. It was
discovered by German-born British astronomer William Herschel in November, 1786. Spiral galaxy is the
foremost member of NGC 691 group which is the collection of nine galaxies with different shapes and

colours. It is referred as “LEDA 6793, UGC 1305 and TC 448”. The Spiral galaxy has a diameter of 130,000
light-years.
Features of Galaxy
Galaxy comprises of multiple ring structure. Out of them, three rings are recognized in infrared light.
New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars (NGC)
NGC is an astronomical catalogue comprising of deep-sky objects. It was compiled by John Louis Emil
Dreyer in 1888. NGC comprises of 7,840 objects, such as star clusters, galaxies, emission & absorption
nebulae.
Hubble Space Telescope
This space telescope was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990. It still in operation. It is the largest and
most versatile telescope which is renowned as vital research tool as well as public relations boon for
astronomy. It has been named after astronomer Edwin Hubble.
Curiosity rover spots colourful clouds on Mars
Curiosity Rover, developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has captured images
of “shining clouds” on Mars. This will help the scientists know more about MARS (or the Red Planet).
Highlights
Researchers are now studying clouds which arrived earlier and formed higher than expected.
According to NASA, “cloudy days are rare” in thin and dry atmosphere of Red Planet.
Clouds are formed usually at equator of planet, at coldest time of any year on it. That means, clouds
are formed when planet is farthest from Sun in its oval-shaped orbit.
Curiosity
Curiosity is a car-sized Mars rover, developed to explore Gale crater on Mars, is a part of NASA’s Mars
Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. This rover was launched from Cape Canaveral (CCAFS) in November
2011 and it landed on Aeolis Palus in Gale crater on Mars in August 2012.
Purpose of Curiosity
Curiosity rover was launched into Mars’s crater to study the climate and geology of the red plant. It is also
doing assessment on whether selected field site inside Gale crater has ever supported environmental
conditions and favourable conditions for microbial life. Its primary task is to investigate role of water and
conduct habitability studies.
120 Multiple Choice Questions
The below MCQs are select 120 questions sourced from GKToday’s Current Affairs 2021 Daily 20 MCQ
Series in GKToday Academy Android Application.
1. ‘The Christchurch Call’ was an initiative of which country?

[A] France
[B] New Zealand
[C] Australia
[D] Germany
Answer: New Zealand
The Christchurch Call to Action Summit or the Christchurch Call, was a political summit initiated by New
Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, in 2019 in France. It was conducted after the Christchurch mosque
shootings. Global leaders and tech companies pledged to eliminate social media usage to end online
terrorism. Recently, PM Ardern was speaking at a virtual summit to mark the second anniversary of the
global initiative to end online hate.
2. Kundoli Proposed Reserve Forest, where 18 elephants have recent died, is situated in which

state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] Assam
[D] Kerala
Answer: Assam
On the night of May 12, as many as 18 elephants died in the Bamuni hillock in the Kundoli Proposed
Reserve Forest under the Kathiatoli range, Assam. Initial findings from the post mortem indicate that the
reason for the death was a lightning strike. The samples have been sent to laboratories for further
microbiological and toxicological examination.
3. What is the theme of the International Day of Families 2021?
[A] Families during Covid
[B] Families and New Technologies
[C] Family during Quarantine
[D] Social Distancing for Families
Answer: Families and New Technologies
In 1993, the UN General Assembly declared that 15 May of every year should be observed as The
International Day of Families. The theme of this year’s observance is ‘Families and New Technologies’. It
focuses on the impacts of new technologies on the well-being of families.
4. Malerkotla has been announced as the new district of which state?
[A] Punjab
[B] Karnataka
[C] Rajasthan
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Answer: Punjab
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced Malerkotla as the state's new district. After a long-
pending demand of the people, Malerkotla is named as the 23rd district of the state. Malerkotla is a
Muslim majority town and it was a part of Sangrur district. At the time of the country's Independence
Punjab had 13 districts.
5. KP Sharma Oli, has been reappointed as the Prime Minister of which country?
[A] Bangladesh
[B] Myanmar
[C] Nepal
[D] Bhutan
Answer: Nepal
Nepal's Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli has formed a minority government after opposition parties failed
to form a coalition. He has become the Prime Minister for the third time. The 43rd PM had earlier lost a
vote of confidence in Parliament. President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed Mr Oli as Prime Minister, as
he is the leader of the largest party in Parliament. He is the Parliamentary leader of Communist Party of
Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML).
6. “Tianwen-1”, which has successfully landed on Mars, was launched by which country?
[A] USA
[B] UAE
[C] North Korea
[D] China

Answer: China
The Chinese spacecraft named Tianwen-1 has successfully landed on the Mars planet. This makes
China the second country after the USA to land its rover on the red planet. The landing has been
confirmed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and has stated that the spacecraft has
landed on Utopia Planitia which is a large plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars.
7. Which Government scheme aims to improve the income of farming households, by providing them
with Rs.6000 per year, directly to their bank accounts?
[A] PM FBY
[B] PM KISAN
[C] PM JJBY
[D] PM JDY
Answer: PM KISAN
The Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) was launched to augment income of farming
households in India, by providing them with an amount of Rs.6000/- per year in three instalments of
Rs.2000/- each. Recently, the Government of India has released the 8th instalment of ₹2,000 to each
farmer since the launch of the scheme, which were directed to the farmers of West Bengal.
8. Who is the fund manager for SWAMIH Fund?
[A] Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC
[B] SBICap Ventures
[C] Canara Robeco AMC
[D] Edelweiss AMC
Answer: SBICap Ventures
SWAMIH Fund is an Alternative Investment Fund, which has been formed by the Government of India, to
provide Debt financing to complete the stalled housing projects in India. SBICap Ventures Ltd has been
appointed as the fund manager. Recently, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman handed over the
possession to 640 homebuyers of the first stalled project completed with funding by SWAMIH Fund. The
project is located in Mumbai.
9. Which of the following cyclones have formed in the Arabian Sea, in the past?
[A] Vardah
[B] Fani
[C] Gaja
[D] Nilofar
Answer: Nilofar
Nilofar is a very severe and intensified cyclone, which was formed in the year 2014 in Arabian Sea.
Winds reached a maximum speed of close to 250 kmph, during the formation of the cyclone. Recently,
Cyclone Tauktae has formed in the Arabian sea, which is expected to become a very severe storm and is
expected to cross the coast of Gujarat.
10. As per the research by Aalto University, which condition would lead to fall in global food
production by 1/3rd of the present levels?
[A] Greenhouse gas emission
[B] US / EU Protectionism
[C] USA – China Trade war
[D] El Niño
Answer: Greenhouse gas emission
As per a recent research by Aalto University, the global food production would fall by more than /3rd of

the present production levels in future, if there exists out-of-control growth of greenhouse gas emissions
in the world. The research report has been published in the prestigious journal “One Earth” and presents
a detailed analysis on the relationship between food production and greenhouse gases.
11. Which state in India becomes the first to join the COVAX alliance?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Punjab
[D] Odisha
Answer: Punjab
The Government of Punjab becomes the first state in India to join the COVAX alliance, which will enable
the state to source vaccines at best prices. COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) is an initiative
aimed at providing equitable access to anti-Covid vaccines and is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi and the World Health Organization (WHO).
12. Mucormycosis is also known as?
[A] Kala Azar
[B] Swine Flu
[C] Dengue
[D] Black Fungus
Answer: Black Fungus
Mucormycosis or "Black fungus" is an infection, which mainly affects people on medication. It reduces
their ability to fight environmental pathogens. This has been categorised as a notified disease in
Haryana and the state has started to track the outbreak of this infection.
13. Oxycare system has been developed by which organisation?
[A] AIIMS
[B] DRDO
[C] ISRO
[D] SII
Answer: DRDO
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Oxycare system, which
regulates oxygen being administered to the patients. The system optimises consumption of oxygen
based on oxygen saturation in the body and works primarily based on Low Pressure Regulator and an
Electronic Control System. It reduces the workload of hospital staff eliminating the need of routine
measurement
14. The tendency to continue to surf or scroll through bad news, even though that news is saddening
or depressing, is called?
[A] Bad Surfing
[B] Doomsday Scrolling
[C] Internet addiction
[D] Extrovertism
Answer: Doomsday Scrolling
The tendency to continue to surf or scroll through bad news, even though that news is saddening or
depressing, is termed by behavioural experts as “doom-scrolling” or “doomsday scrolling”. This
tendency may keep us updated and also help us mobilise resources at the same time it also nudges us
towards an exaggerated sense of gloom and doom.
15. Which tennis player has clinched the Italian Open tennis tournament?
[A] Roger Federer
[B] Rafael Nadal
[C] Novak Djokovic
[D] Andy Murray
Answer: Rafael Nadal
Spanish Tennis veteran Rafael Nadal beat ace player Novak Djokovic to clinch the Italian Open title, for a
record 10th time. In the women’s final, reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek defeated Karolina
Pliskova 6-0 6-0, to clinch the title.
16. With the commissioning of Wi-Fi at Hazaribagh Railway station,Jharkhand, Indian Railways
successfully established Wi-Fi at _____ stations.
[A] 500
[B] 1000
[C] 6000
[D] 10000
Answer: 6000
With the commissioning of Wi-Fi at Hazaribagh Town, Jharkhand in Dhanbad Division of East Central
Railway, Indian Railways commissioned Wi-Fi at 6,000 Railway stations, as on May 15. Indian Railways
extended Wi-Fi facility for the first time in Mumbai Railway station in January 2016. Thereafter, it
reached 5,000th Railway station, at Midanpore, West Bengal and reached 6,000th Railway station in
Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
17. When is the ‘International Day of Living Together in Peace’ observed by UN?
[A] May 10
[B] May 12
[C] May 16
[D] May 18
Answer: May 16
‘International Day of Living Together in Peace’ is observed by the United Nations on May 16, every year.
It is aimed to serve as a means of mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote
peace, tolerance and solidarity. The 2021 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Recovering better
for an equitable and sustainable world”.
18. Lake Van, the largest soda or alkaline lake on Earth, is located in which country?
[A] Turkey
[B] Lebanon
[C] Egypt
[D] France
Answer: Turkey
The photograph of Lake Van located in Turkey won the Tournament Earth 2021 challenge of NASA. It is
the largest soda or alkaline lake on Earth. The photograph was shot by astronaut Kate Rubins in
September 2016, showing a part of one of the largest alkaline lakes in the world, with a pH of 10 and
high salinity levels. Lake Van is an endorheic lake and since it has no outlet, its water disappears by
evaporation.
19. India has initiated anti-dumping investigation against the import of which good from China,
Thailand and Vietnam?
[A] Plastic Toys
[B] Surgical Masks

[C] Solar Cells
[D] Air Conditioners
Answer: Solar Cells
The Union Commerce Ministry has initiated an anti-dumping investigation against the import of solar
cells from China, Thailand and Vietnam. To boost domestic manufacturing, the Centre had imposed 25%
safeguard duty on solar imports from China and Malaysia. Solar cells are the basic ingredient used in
the manufacturing of solar modules and Chinese products are sold cheaper than Indian counterparts.
20. New species of skink was found from Western Ghats. What is a skink?
[A] Fish
[B] Reptile
[C] Insect
[D] Bird
Answer: Reptile
During the South Asian Reptile Red List Assessment organised by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a team of researchers have discovered a new species, the Asian gracile
skink. Named Subdoluseps nilgiriensis, after the Nilgiris region, the reptile has a tiny body of just about
7 cm and it is sandy brown in colour. This is only the third skink species discovered from India in the last
millennium.
21. Okeanos Explorer, which is set for Deep-sea Exploration, is a part of the mission of which
country?
[A] Israel
[B] USA
[C] Russia
[D] Japan
Answer: USA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship Okeanos Explorer departed for a
two-week expedition led by NOAA Ocean Exploration. NOAA is an American scientific agency within the
United States Department of Commerce. The new class of submersible robot called Orpheus, will
showcase a system to identify scientific features on the seafloor. This Terrain-relative navigation was
used in NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Mars rover, for the precision touch down on the Mars.
22. Andrea Meza, who was crowned Miss Universe, was from which country?
[A] Mexico
[B] Russia
[C] Italy
[D] Sweden
Answer: Mexico
The 26-year-old Miss Mexico Andrea Meza was crowned Miss Universe in Florida. The event returned to
television this year, after it was cancelled in 2020 for the first time, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Andrea Meza finished first ahead of the Brazilian and Peruvian finalists. Another contestant Miss
Myanmar used the stage time to draw attention to the military coup in her country.
23. Which state has launched "Mission Hausla" to help Covid-19 patients get oxygen, beds and
plasma?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Haryana
[C] Uttarakhand

[D] Punjab
Answer: Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand Police has launched a drive called "Mission Hausla" to help people get oxygen, beds
and plasma for COVID-19 patients. The Police department also informed about two toll-free numbers in
all the districts for emergency contact. The Police personnel also engage in providing ration, medicines
and getting ambulances to the needy and the elderly.
24. Which state, the first organic state in the country, celebrates its statehood day on May 16?
[A] Assam
[B] Sikkim
[C] Manipur
[D] Meghalaya
Answer: Sikkim
Sikkim celebrates its statehood day on May 16. It marks the day in 1975 when Sikkim was made the
22nd state of India from being a monarchy earlier. Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest
among the Indian states. It also became the first state in India to achieve complete organic agriculture
production.
25. Which multilateral bank has committed a record USD 3.92 billion loans for projects in India, in
2020?
[A] AIIB
[B] ADB
[C] IMF
[D] NDB
Answer: ADB
The Asian Development Bank has committed a record USD 3.92 billion in sovereign loans for 13 projects
to India in 2020. The loans include USD 1.8 billion in COVID-19 related projects to support the
government's response. ADB also granted funds to support the West Bengal government's fiscal
consolidation programme.
26. Zeolite, which was making news recently, is a key component in producing which product?
[A] Masks
[B] PPEs
[C] Oxygen
[D] Alcohol-based Sanitiser
Answer: Oxygen
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has chartered the Air India (AI) to import
'Zeolite' from different countries. Zeolite is a key component in mass-production of Oxygen. Zeolite-
based oxygen concentrator systems are used to produce medical-grade oxygen, as it filters impurities to
create purified oxygen.
27. SpaceX announced a new partnership with which technology company, to strengthen use of its
satellite Internet connectivity?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Google
[C] Amazon
[D] Apple
Answer: Google
Elon Musk-owned SpaceX has announced a new partnership with Google to strengthen the use of its

satellite Internet connectivity. Under the partnership, Google Cloud would deliver data, cloud services,
and applications to its enterprise customers, by using Starlink’s high-speed broadband Internet. SpaceX
will locate Starlink ground stations and will enable secure delivery of data through Google cloud.
28. Under which section, USA authorizes the President to take tariff-based and non-tariff-based
retaliation on a foreign government?
[A] U.S. Trade Act of 1974
[B] WTO Act
[C] World Bank Act
[D] US Customs Act
Answer: U.S. Trade Act of 1974
As per the Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974, the US Government can authorize the President to
take all appropriate action, which includes tariff-based and non-tariff-based retaliation on a foreign
government, to remove any unjustified, unreasonable, or discriminatory legislation of the foreign
government. USA has proposed a strong tariff action against Indian exporters, especially against
Basmati rice, gems and jewellery.
29. In order to curtail the price rise in pulses, which of the following steps has been recently
initiated by the Government of India?
[A] Decrease local production of pulses
[B] Impose stock holding limits on pulses
[C] Permit free import of pulses
[D] Incentivize pulse export
Answer: Permit free import of pulses
In order to curb the price of pulses from further moving up, the Government of India has permitted for
free import of tur, urad and moong pulses. These pulses have been placed in the non-restricted list of
imports, since their prices were on the higher side in the recent past.
30. Which state has proposed to control microfinance, by way of a state legislation?
[A] Assam
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Kerala
Answer: Assam
The state Government of Assam has enacted “The Assam Microfinance Institutions (Regulation of
Moneylending) Act, 2020”, through which it proposes to control microfinance and related institutions.
Under this act, micro finance institutions require separate registrations for working in a selected village
or city. In this regard, the Reserve Bank of India has expressed firm reservations and has stated that
implementation of the Act would lead to dual regulation of the microfinance market.
31. Which organizations have stated that “Long working hours” have resulted in 7.45 lakh deaths
per year around the globe?
[A] WB and IMF
[B] WHO and ILO
[C] UNICEF and UNESCO
[D] UN and UNCTAD
Answer: WHO and ILO
In a joint research publication by the World Health Organization and the International Labour
Organization, published in the Environment International journal, it is stated that Long working hours

have killed close to 7.45 lakh people across the globe. Of them 3.98 lakh people died from stroke and
3.47 lakh died from heart disease. Also, it is found that work related disease burden is found to be more
prominent in men.
32. Which animal has recently resurfaced in India, in Mizoram’s Pualreng sanctuary, after a gap of
108 years?
[A] Snow leopard
[B] Hyena
[C] Yamuna Dolphins
[D] Doria’s foam-nesting treefrog
Answer: Doria’s foam-nesting treefrog
A team of zoologists belonging to Mizoram University have spotted Doria’s foam-nesting treefrog in the
buffer area of Mizoram’s Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary. This discovery was made by them in June 2020,
which has now been published in a leading journal - Reptiles & Amphibians. This species has characters
like changing skin shade and whipping up foam to protect eggs. It is believed that this frog has
reappeared in India after 108 years.
33. Which state has targeted to bring one million hectares under the Direct Seeding of Rice, due to
anticipated shortage of migrant labour?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Punjab
[D] Assam
Answer: Punjab
The Government of Punjab has targeted to bring one million hectares of farm land under Direct Seeding
of Rice (DSR) technique, during this cropping year. Under this method, seeds are directly drilled into the
field by a tractor-powered machine. This target has been envisioned, in anticipation of a huge shortfall in
migrant labour due to COVID 19 second wave pandemic in the nation.
34. Which organization is developing the JUICE spacecraft?
[A] ISRO
[B] NASA
[C] ESA
[D] CASA
Answer: ESA
The European Space Agency (ESA), in association with Airbus Defence and Space is developing the “The
Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE)”. It is an interplanetary spacecraft which has a mission to study
three of Jupiter's moons, namely - Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. The mission is set to be launched in
June 2022. After an 88-month journey, the spacecraft would reach Jupiter in October 2029.
35. Cranes have been observed to return to which country, after a period of 300 years?
[A] India
[B] Ireland
[C] USA
[D] Australia
Answer: Ireland
Wildlife experts have observed that common cranes have returned to Ireland for shelter and breeding,
after a period of 300 years. This is believed to be a sign that our environment is improving. The breeding
location is kept confidential to protect the cranes from unlawful hands.

36. Mongolian Kanjur is an important religious text of which religion?
[A] Sikhism
[B] Buddhism
[C] Jainism
[D] Islam
Answer: Buddhism
Mongolian Kanjur, the Buddhist text in 108 volumes is considered to be the most important religious text
in Mongolia. A meeting of the Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (IC) Prahlad Singh Patel with the
Mongolian Minister of Culture was held in virtual mode. Ministry of Culture is to complete reprinting of
100 sets of sacred Mongolian Kanjur by next year to distribute in the main Buddhist centers in Mongolia.
37. India’s first Agriculture export facilitation centre has been set up in which city?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Pune
[C] Guwahati
[D] Cochin
Answer: Pune
The Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (MCCIA) has partnered with NABARD to
launch India's first Agriculture export facilitation centre (AEFC) in Pune. It aims to boost agricultural
exports from the region and adhere to global standards. It will also serve as the capacity-building
platform for agri-food exports.
38. Which state has launched the wellness programme 'AYUSH Ghar Dwar' for COVID-19 patients?
[A] Uttarakhand
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Answer: Himachal Pradesh
In Himachal Pradesh, AYUSH Department launched a state-wide wellness programme 'AYUSH Ghar
Dwar' for COVID-19 patients. The initiative aims to provide a holistic healthcare through AYUSH. It is
expected to reach around 30,000 COVID patients who are currently on home isolation and hospitalized in
institutions.
39. Moctar Ouane, who is sometimes seen in the news, is the Prime Minister of which country?
[A] Maldives
[B] Mali
[C] Mauritius
[D] Myanmar
Answer: Mali
After the Mali Prime Minister Moctar Ouane resigned, he was immediately reappointed as the Prime
Minister, according to the office of the interim president. Ouane was named prime minister after military
officers ousted the elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August. Under the threat of international
sanctions, the military handed power to a caretaker government.
40. When is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB)
observed?
[A] May 12
[B] May 14
[C] May 17

[D] May 19
Answer: May 17
May 17 marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). This
year’s global theme: “Together: Resisting, Supporting, Healing.” The World Bank Group, IMF, European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inter-American Development Bank, and ADB held virtual
programs to commemorate IDAHOTB 2021.
41. Winchcombe meteorite, which was seen in the news recently, is to be displayed in the Museum
of which country?
[A] Japan
[B] UK
[C] Germany
[D] France
Answer: UK
A piece of the Winchcombe meteorite that touched down in the town of Winchcombe, UK in February
2021 will be displayed at the National History Museum. In February, a fireball was spotted blazing
across the sky in western UK for about six seconds. A 103-gram fragment of black rock was then found
by a team of Glasgow University. The meteorite dates back to the birth of the solar system nearly 4.5
billion years ago.
42. SPOT, which was making news recently, is a technology developed for which purpose?
[A] Auto- Parking
[B] Testing Coronavirus
[C] Checking Nutrition values
[D] Robotic Navigation
Answer: Testing Coronavirus
Researchers from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new technology called
Scalable and Portable Testing- SPOT. It can be used as a coronavirus test to get accurate results from a
saliva sample in less than 30 minutes. It does not require the complicated process of heating and
cooling each sample to get results. SPOT also can detect multiple genes per sample and it can detect as
little as one viral particle per 1-microliter drop of fluid.
43. Farzad-B giant gas field, which was making news recently, is situated in which country?
[A] Afghanistan
[B] Iran
[C] Israel
[D] UAE
Answer: Iran
The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has signed a contract worth USA 1.78 billion with Petropars
Group for the development of Farzad-B Gas Field located in Iran. ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) owns 40 per
cent participating interest (PI) in the block, in which gas discovery was first made by a consortium led by
ONGC. It has now lost development rights for the gas field in Iran to Iranian Petropars Group.
44. Which institution releases the ‘State of the Economy’ report?
[A] Niti Aayog
[B] Reserve Bank of India
[C] Department of Economic Affairs
[D] Asian Development Bank
Answer: Reserve Bank of India

India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India releases the ‘State of the Economy’ report along with its
monthly bulletin. As per the recent report for the month of April, it said that the impact of the second
wave on the real economy appears limited so far in comparison with the first wave. It also highlighted
the highest collection of GST in April 2021.
45. Which country has approved sale of $735 million in precision-guided weapons to Israel?
[A] Russia
[B] China
[C] USA
[D] France
Answer: USA
US President Joe Biden's administration approved the sale of $735 million in precision-guided weapons
to Israel. The sale of Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, made by Boeing Co comes at the time of
the fierce violence between Israel and Palestinian militants.
46. Who is Shahid Jameel, who has been in news recently?
[A] Virologist
[B] Politician
[C] Sportsperson
[D] Agriculturalist
Answer: Virologist
Mr. Shahid Jameel, the eminent virologist who was the head of “Indian SARS-COV-2 Genomics Consortia
(INSACOG)” – an advisory group to the Indian Government, has stepped down from the post and has
tendered his resignation. He has not stated any reason for this decision. INSACOG is a group of 10
laboratories in India which has been tasked with combating evolving variants of the coronavirus.
47. Which Indian entity has launched an innovation challenge, for developing language learning
application?
[A] NITI Aayog
[B] Culture Ministry
[C] Atal Innovation Mission
[D] MyGov
Answer: MyGov
The Government of India’s citizen engagement platform – MyGov has launched an innovation challenge,
for developing an application on “Indian Language Learning”. The challenge has been launched in
association with the Department of Higher Education. The app is to be developed for an individual to
learn simple sentences of any Indian language and acquire knowledge in a language.
48. Which treatment has been dropped from the list of COVID-19 treatments in India?
[A] Convalescent Plasma therapy
[B] Vaccination
[C] Oxygen Therapy
[D] Hydrodilatation
Answer: Convalescent Plasma therapy
Convalescent plasma therapy has been dropped from the list of COVID-19 treatments by the Government
of India. This decision has been made by the national Covid task force, since the experiments with the
treatment have been found to be ineffective in treating COVID infection.
49. What is the name of the tele counselling service provided by the Government for psychological
support to children to address Covid related issues?

[A] SWAMITVA
[B] SURAKSHA
[C] SAMVEDNA
[D] SAMASTHA
Answer: SAMVEDNA
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has been providing Tele Counselling to
children through the SAMVEDNA service, through a network of qualified medical professionals /
Doctors. SAMVEDNA stands for “Sensitizing Action on Mental Health Vulnerability through Emotional
Development and Necessary Acceptance”. It is a tele counselling service for psychological support to
children to address their stress and fear regarding COVID.
50. Where is Raman Research Institute located?
[A] Hyderabad
[B] Chennai
[C] Bengaluru
[D] Mumbai
Answer: Bengaluru
Researchers of Raman Research Institute (RRI) - Bengaluru have developed a more efficient, faster, and
low-cost digital receiver system (DRS). This is capable of making precise measurements of magnetic
fields. The study by RRI, which is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology,
Government of India has been supported by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
51. Which organisation has proposed to establish a gold exchange, wherein gold would be traded in
the form of Electronic gold receipts?
[A] RBI
[B] SEBI
[C] NCDEX
[D] MCX
Answer: SEBI
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed setting up a gold exchange. Under the
proposed framework, gold would be traded in the form of electronic gold receipts and would have a
domestic spot price discovery mechanism, which is transparent. Under the proposed framework, gold
would be denominated in 1 kilogram, 100 grams, 50 grams. Under special cases, they may even be
denominated in 5 and 10 grams.
52. Which basketball legend has been inducted posthumously into the Basketball Hall of Fame?
[A] Wilt Chamberlain
[B] Tom Heinsohn
[C] Kobe Bryant
[D] John Havlicek
Answer: Kobe Bryant
Basketball Legend Kobe Bryant was inducted posthumously into the Basketball Hall of Fame in a
ceremony that was delayed around nine months due to the coronavirus pandemic. There was an exhibit,
called Kobe: Basketball Life, a video tribute, iconic pictures, vintage jerseys, shoes and basketballs, the
playing of Bryant’s Oscar award-winning film, Dear Basketball. In 2020, Bryant, along with his daughter
Gianna and seven others, died in a helicopter crash in California.
53. United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture between which two aerospace companies?
[A] Boeing and SpaceX

[B] Blue Origin and Boeing
[C] SpaceX and Lockheed Martin
[D] Lockheed Martin and Boeing
Answer: Lockheed Martin and Boeing
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Atlas V, an
expendable launch system, which was originally designed by Lockheed Martin, now being operated by
ULA. Recently, ULA Atlas V rocket lifted off with the fifth Space-Based Infrared System satellite for the
United States Space Force. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
54. Ki Rajanarayanan, who recently passed away, was an award-winning writer of which language?
[A] Tamil
[B] Malayalam
[C] Telugu
[D] Kannada
Answer: Tamil
Veteran Tamil writer and Sahitya Akademi winner Ki Rajanarayanan popularly known as Ki Ra, passed
away due to age related illness at the age of 98. Since his first short story was published in 1958, the
writer had an expansive literary career. Known as the pioneer of ‘Karisal Literature’, he won the Sakitya
Akademi award in 1991 for the novel ‘Gopallapurathu Makkal’. ‘Karisal bhoomi’ is the hot and dry land of
southern Tamil Nadu.
55. ……… Ministry, on the recommendation of the ……. Ministry, released Rs 8,923.8 crore to 25
states for providing grant to rural local bodies.
[A] Panchayati Raj, Finance
[B] Finance, Panchayati Raj
[C] Home Affairs, Rural Development
[D] Finance, Rural Development
Answer: Finance, Panchayati Raj
The Union Finance Ministry, on the recommendation of the Panchayati Raj Ministry, released Rs 8,923.8
crore to 25 states for providing grant to rural local bodies. The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of
Finance released the first installment of the Basic (Untied) Grants. It may be utilized among other things
for various prevention and mitigation measures needed to combat the Covid pandemic
56. The Darwin Arch, which was seen in the news recently, is located in which country?
[A] Ecuador
[B] Spain
[C] Italy
[D] UK
Answer: Ecuador
Darwin’s Arch is a rock formation south-east of Darwin Island in the Galápagos archipelago, Ecuador.
The structure has recently collapsed due to natural erosion. At present, only two rocky pillars are left at
the northernmost island of the Pacific Ocean archipelago. Darwin’s Arch is made of natural stone that
would have been part of Darwin Island. This site is considered one of the best places to dive and
observe sharks and other aquatic species.
57. Which country hosted the Paris Summit, which agreed on a plan to help Africa to tackle Covid
pandemic?
[A] UK
[B] Australia

[C] France
[D] Russia
Answer: France
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the Paris summit for African, European and financial
leaders. They agreed on a plan to help Africa overcome the economic effects of the coronavirus
pandemic, called the 'New Deal for Africa and by Africa'. French president calls for waiving of COVID
vaccine patents so that Africa could begin to produce its own vaccines. The leaders have also urged
WHO, WTP and Medicines Patent Pool to remove all constraints in terms of intellectual property.
58. Which country passed the ‘COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act’?
[A] USA
[B] China
[C] North Korea
[D] New Zealand
Answer: USA
The US House passed the legislation to counter a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes amid the coronavirus
pandemic. The legislation, known as the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, it would create a new position at the
Justice Department to fast-track review of potential Covid-19-related hate crimes.
59. Which state has been ranked first in setting up Health and Wellness Centres under Ayushman
Bharat Program in 2020-21?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Karnataka
[C] Kerala
[D] Odisha
Answer: Karnataka
Karnataka has been ranked first in establishing Health and Wellness Centres under Ayushman Bharat
Program in 2020-21. While the Centre had set a target of establishing 2,263 centres, the State has
upgraded 3,300 centres till March 31, to provide comprehensive primary health care in rural areas.
60. Which state has launched ‘Amrit Vahini’ App and ‘Chatboat’ App, to provide information about
Covid pandemic in the state?
[A] Bihar
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Chhattisgarh
Answer: Jharkhand
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren recently launched the ‘Amrit Vahini’ App and a ‘Chatboat’ App.
Though ‘Amrit Vahini’ App or website one can get all information about the availability of hospital beds
and book bed online. Through Chatboat, one may get all information related to coronavirus, like the
medicines prescribed for it, recommended diet, or free consultation with doctors.
61. Haiyang 2D is the new earth observation satellite launched by which country?
[A] South Korea
[B] Iran
[C] China
[D] Israel
Answer: China
China successfully sent a new ocean-monitoring satellite Haiyang-2D (HY-2D) into orbit, on board the

Long March-4B rocket. This satellite will form a constellation with the HY-2B and HY-2C satellites to
build an all-weather and round-the-clock dynamic ocean environment monitoring system. China is
creating such a system which would provide early warning on marine disasters.
62. LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) is an AI-driven technique being introduced
by which company?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Amazon
[C] Google
[D] Apple
Answer: Google
Google has recently introduced its latest AI-driven technique, that will allow people to have
conversations on various topics, open-endedly. Named as LaMDA (“Language Model for Dialogue
Applications”), it is a machine learning technique that enables a conversational interaction between
itself and users. This is said to be the next step to chatbots which are limited to pre-fixed responses.
63. Which is the first state to reimburse GST on Covid-related donations?
[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Haryana
[C] Rajasthan
[D] Punjab
Answer: Haryana
Haryana became the first state in the country to reimburse Goods and services tax (GST) paid on Covid-
related donations made to the state and state-run organisations. Haryana will reimburse GST already
paid on such Covid-19 related items, subject to conditions. This move, which will be applicable till June
30, is aimed at encouraging efforts by corporations, NGOs and individuals and facilitate donations of
oxygen concentrators, Covid-19 vaccines, Remdesivir injections, etc.
64. “Thromboembolic events” which is often seen in news recently has been associated with what?
[A] COVID Vaccination
[B] Energy conservation
[C] Global Warming
[D] Space Science
Answer: COVID Vaccination
A panel on AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) has informed the Union Health Ministry that
bleeding and clotting events (called Thromboembolic events) which follows Covid vaccine injection to
individuals in India are miniscule. This conclusion has been made by the panel based on a study on 498
cases, of which that 26 had been reported as potential thromboembolic events.
65. The AIM-ICDK Water innovation challenge, which was making news recently, was conducted in
partnership with which country?
[A] Sweden
[B] Denmark
[C] Switzerland
[D] Australia
Answer: Denmark
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog in partnership with Innovation Center Denmark (ICDK)
concluded the AIM-ICDK Water innovation challenge. ICDK is unit under Embassy of Denmark and
Denmark Technical University (DTU). This Next Generation Water Action (NGWA) Water Innovation

Challenge was organised as a part of Indo-Danish bilateral Green strategic partnership.
66. With reference to Environmental Science, what is A-76, which was seen in news recently?
[A] Frog
[B] Iceberg
[C] Moss
[D] Fungus
Answer: Iceberg
As per the recent data from the European Space Agency, the Iceberg A-76 broke from the western side
of the Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica is now floating on the Weddell Sea. This is said to be the largest
iceberg in the world as it measures around 170 kilometers long and 25 kilometers wide. The Antarctica
ice sheet is warming faster than the rest of the planet, causing melting of snow, ice covers and the
retreat of glaciers, around the Weddell Sea
67. Government raises subsidy on DAP fertiliser by 140%. What does DAP stand for?
[A] Diammonium Phosphate
[B] Dialuminium Phosphate
[C] Dichloride Pottasium
[D] Dihydroxyacetone phosphate
Answer: Diammonium Phosphate
The Central Government announced to hike the fertiliser subsidy to Rs 1,200 per bag of Diammonium
Phosphate (DAP). This decision has been taken in a high-level meeting on the issue of fertiliser prices
after taking into account of the rising prices of phosphoric acid, ammonia etc internationally. The
subsidy was increased from Rs 500 per bag to Rs 1,200 per bag, at an increase of 140%.
68. Satpura Tiger Reserve, which has been added to the tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage
sites, is located in which Indian state?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Odisha
[D] West Bengal
Answer: Madhya Pradesh
The Archaeological Survey of India have submitted six Indian sites to the tentative list of UNESCO’s
world heritage sites, as per the recent announcement of Culture Ministry. The six sites are namely
Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Iconic riverfront of the historic city of Varanasi, Megalithic
site of Hire Benkal in Karnataka, Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra, Bhedaghat-Lametaghat in
Narmada Valley- Jabalpur, and temples of Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu).
69. Zhurong rover, which sent back its first photographs of Mars, was launched by which country?
[A] USA
[B] China
[C] Israel
[D] UAE
Answer: China
The Zhurong rover was carried to Mars on the uncrewed spacecraft of China Tianwen-1. It is the first
successful probe landing by any country on its first mission to the planet. Recently, the Zhurong rover
has sent back its first photographs of the Red Planet. Solar panels against an alien landscape, ramps
and rods are seen in the images. The rover will study the planet’s soil and atmosphere as well as look
for signs of ancient life.

70. Hive-to-tongue traceability project is a part of which scheme?
[A] National Beekeeping and Honey Mission
[B] National Bamboo Mission
[C] National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.
[D] National Solar Mission
Answer: National Beekeeping and Honey Mission
Government approved the Central Sector Scheme entitled “National Beekeeping & Honey Mission
(NBHM)” for overall promotion and development of scientific beekeeping to achieve the goal of “Sweet
Revolution” in the country. NBHM estimates ₹500 crore for 2020-21 to 2022-23 for the development of
beekeeping in the country. Nearly 10,000 bee-keepers in the country have registered under Hive-to-
tongue traceability project of NBHM.
71. Anti-Terrorism Day is observed on May 21 in India every year, to commemorate the anniversary
of which leader?
[A] Mahatma Gandhi
[B] Syama Prasad Mukherjee
[C] Indira Gandhi
[D] Rajiv Gandhi
Answer: Rajiv Gandhi
Anti-Terrorism Day is observed on May 21 in India every year. It was on this day in the year 1991 that
former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. The objective behind the observance of
this day is to stop the youth from terrorism and violence by highlighting the suffering of common people.
This year commemorates Rajiv Gandhi’s 30th death anniversary.
72. Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman, who were in the news recently, are the
recipients of which award?
[A] Booker Prize
[B] Millennium Technology Prize
[C] Pritzker Architecture Prize
[D] Stirling Prize
Answer: Millennium Technology Prize
Cambridge University chemists Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman were declared the
winners of the 2020 Millennium Technology Prize. It is a prestigious global science and technology prize
awarded by Technology Academy Finland (TAF) at two-year intervals since 2004. The two chemists co-
invented the Solexa-Illumina Next Generation DNA Sequencing (NGS), which enables fast, accurate, low-
cost and large-scale genome sequencing.
73. As of May 2021, how many countries are members of the Open Skies Treaty?
[A] 4
[B] 14
[C] 24
[D] 34
Answer: 34
Under the terms of the Open Skies Treaty, 34 members can conduct unarmed observation flights over
each other's territories to collect data. Russia's parliament has recently voted to withdraw from the Open
Skies Treaty, which was signed in 1992 and came into force in 2002. Last year, US former President
Trump administration said the U.S. would leave the accord.
74. Amphotericin B, which was making news recently, is a drug used to treat which disease?

[A] Dengue
[B] Pneumonia
[C] Covid-19
[D] Mucormycosis
Answer: Mucormycosis
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has cleared applications from five pharmaceutical
companies to manufacture Amphotericin B. It is an anti-fungal drug, used to treat Mucormycosis or
black fungus. The central government has declared mucormycosis as a notifiable disease under the
provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act. Several states are also witnessing increasing cases affected
by Black fungus.
75. Which state leads in sweet potato production across India?
[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Odisha
[D] Karnataka
Answer: Odisha
Odisha state leads in production of Sweet potatoes across the country. Recently a group of farmers has
successfully grown purple sweet potatoes in summer, which is a winter crop harvested in September
and March. According to the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), purple sweet potatoes
have a high anthocyanin content of 90 milligrams per hundred grams.
76. Which country has proposed global minimum corporate tax rate of 15%?
[A] Germany
[B] China
[C] Russia
[D] USA
Answer: USA
The United States Treasury Department recently announced that the international corporations should
pay at least 15 percent tax on their earnings. The Department announced that 15 percent is a minimum
rate and it will continue discussions to push the rate higher. American companies currently pay a 21
percent tax rate that was brought down by ex-President Donald Trump from 35 percent. President Joe
Biden had proposed to raise the tax rate to 28 percent.
77. What is the quantum of surplus that the RBI transferred to the Central Government for the
period ended March 31?
[A] Rs 13122 crore
[B] Rs 32122 crore
[C] Rs 46122 crore
[D] Rs 99,122 crore
Answer: Rs 99,122 crore
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to transfer Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the central government
for the nine months ended March 31 (July 2020-March 2021). This is higher than what the government
itself had budgeted for, as the Finance Minister earmarked a transfer of Rs 53,511 crore. Bimal Jalan
Committee had that the RBI maintain a minimum contingency risk buffer of 5.5 per cent of its balance
sheet, at all times.
78. Which institution has developed a semi-quantitative electrochemical ELISA test for Covid-19?
[A] AIIMS

[B] IISc
[C] NIV
[D] BEL
Answer: IISc
The researchers at the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a new Covid-19
antibody test machine. The semi-quantitative electrochemical ELISA test for Covid-19, can determine
levels of Covid-induced IgM and IgG antibodies. A start-up incubated at Indian Institute of Science (IISc),
has made this significant development.
79. 14443 is a Toll-free number recently operationalised nation-wide for which objective?
[A] Covid Vaccination
[B] Oxygen Availability
[C] AYUSH-based solutions
[D] Psychological support
Answer: AYUSH-based solutions
Union Ministry of Ayush has operationalised a dedicated helpline to provide AYUSH-based solutions for
the challenges of Covid-19. The community support toll-free number is 14443. The helpline is
operational across the country from 6 am to 12 midnight-all days of a week.Through the helpline,
experts from different streams of Ayush, would be available to address queries of the general public.
80. As per the recent RBI notification, all prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) or wallets fully KYC-
compliant be made interoperable by ………..
[A] 30-09-2021
[B] 31-12-2021
[C] 31-03-2022
[D] 31-12-2022
Answer: 31-03-2022
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed that all prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) or wallets that
are fully KYC-compliant should be made interoperable by March 31, 2022. The PPI issuers must provide
interoperability through authorised card networks (for PPIs in the form of cards) and UPI (for PPIs in the
form of electronic wallets).
81. Which institution has launched the world’s first satellite-based global coral reef bleaching
monitoring system?
[A] SpaceX
[B] Allen Coral Atlas
[C] Oxford University
[D] Blue Origin
Answer: Allen Coral Atlas
The Allen Coral Atlas is led by Asner Lab to map and monitor the world’s coral reefs using satellites and
field programs. It has recently released the world’s first real-time, satellite-based global coral reef
bleaching monitoring system. The System provides a comprehensive picture of changes to coral reefs
over time. This information would be used for conservation of coral reefs.
82. India has cut export subsidies of which good by 31.4 % to Rs 4000 a tonne?
[A] Wheat
[B] Sugar
[C] Jute
[D] Cotton

Answer: Sugar
The Government of India has cut sugar export subsidies by 31.4%, which is applicable up to September
30th 2021. The subsidy stands at Rs 4,000 a tonne from the earlier Rs 6,000 a tonne. This decision has
been made by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Last year, the Union
Government had provided sugar export subsidies at the rate of Rs.5,833 per tonne, which was aimed to
encourage the export by sugar mills, which were facing financial strain.
83. What is the new infection diagnosed in India, which is caused due to low immunity and is more
adverse than black fungus?
[A] Dark Fungus
[B] Grey Fungus
[C] Pro Fungus
[D] White Fungus
Answer: White Fungus
India has reported cases of White Fungus infections, which is caused due to low immunity or if people
come in contact with bodies containing these fungi. Affected patients are diagnosed Covid negative, but
the fungal infection can be detected only by a CT scan. The fungus affects lungs, nails, skin, stomach,
kidney etc.
84. What is the theme for World Bee Day 2021?
[A] Bee Hives Matter
[B] Bees and Nature
[C] Conserve the Bee Habitat
[D] Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees
Answer: Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees
Every year, the World Bee Day is celebrated across the world on 20th May, by the United Nations. This
day aims to raise awareness among the people on the role played by the pollinator. This year’s theme for
the World Bee Day is “Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees”.
85. Where is the 2021 G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be held?
[A] IIT Madras
[B] MIT
[C] Oxford University
[D] NUS
Answer: Oxford University
The 2021 G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be held at Oxford University on June 3 and 4. It
aims to bring the world leaders on a common platform to agree on life-saving actions. Issues like global
health security, clinical trials of vaccines etc are expected to be discussed in this forum. India has been
invited as a guest, to join virtually in the event.
86. Which Ship of the Indian Navy, has been decommissioned after 41 years into service?
[A] INS Chennai
[B] INS Kolkata
[C] INS Rajput
[D] INS Kalvari
Answer: INS Rajput
The Indian Navy’s first destroyer – INS Rajput has been decommissioned from the service after guarding
the nation for a term of 41 years. This ship was built by the erstwhile USSR and was commissioned into
the Navy on May 4 1980. The decommissioning event is to be held in Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard.

87. In 2020, India has made 40,300 requests to which social media giant to provide user data?
[A] Orkut
[B] Facebook
[C] Twitter
[D] Tik Tok
Answer: Facebook
In the year 2020, India had made 40,300 requests to the social media giant Facebook, to provide user
data. India has ranked second after the USA in making the most data request from Facebook. Also, in
response to the directions from the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Facebook
has restricted the access to 878 items in the year 2020, since these were violating Section 69A of the
Information Technology Act, 2000.
88. What is the clinical name of Black Fungus?
[A] Tinea corporis
[B] Mucormycosis
[C] Cutaneous candidiasis
[D] Onychomycosis
Answer: Mucormycosis
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has urged all the State and UT Governments to notify
lack Fungus, also known as Mucormycosis as a notified disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.
This infection is a serious fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes and affects
people who have health problems.
89. CoviSelf – a self-use kit for testing COVID 19 infection, is developed by which company?
[A] SII
[B] Johnson & Johnson
[C] Mylab
[D] Bharat Biotech
Answer: Mylab
Pune based company Mylab has developed the country’s first self-use kit for testing COVID 19 infection.
The rapid antigen test (RAT) kit is named CoviSelf, and has been approved by the Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR) for commercial production. The company has proposed to manufacture 40-60
million kits per month in the next few weeks.
90. Which country played host to the meeting of BRICS Astronomy Working Group (BAWG), held in
May 2021?
[A] India
[B] Russia
[C] South Africa
[D] Brazil
Answer: India
India hosted the seventh meeting of BRICS Astronomy Working Group (BAWG) on online mode from May
19 and 20. In the BAWG meeting, the participants agreed to develop a flagship project in this area The
Working Group also recommended networking of telescopes in member countries and creating a
regional data network.
91. When is the ‘World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development’ observed every
year?
[A] May 18

[B] May 20
[C] May 21
[D] May 23
Answer: May 21
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is observed on May 21 every year. In
2001, UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and in December 2002, the UN
General Assembly declared May 21 as the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and
Development.
92. SITA, the passenger service system provider of which Indian airlines, faced a massive
cyberattack recently?
[A] IndiGo
[B] GoFirst
[C] Spice Jet
[D] Air India
Answer: Air India
Air India’s passenger service system provider SITA faced a massive cyberattack recently, leading to leak
of the personal data of a certain number of passengers. SITA is based at Geneva, Switzerland. Data of
4.5 million passengers across the world has been was registered between August 11, 2011, and
February 3, 2021, has been affected due to the cyberattack on SITA.
93. Global Health Summit has been co-hosted by which country and the European Commission?
[A] Italy
[B] Germany
[C] UK
[D] France
Answer: Italy
The Global Health Summit was co-hosted by the European Commission and Italy as part of its G20
presidency. The Rome Declaration was released at the end of the Summit, which reaffirmed leaders’
support for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. The World Leaders highlighted the
necessity to share the financial burden and close the funding gap in vaccination.
94. Ceuta, which is a coastal city in North Africa, belongs to which country?
[A] Germany
[B] USA
[C] Spain
[D] Egypt
Answer: Spain
Ceuta is a coastal city in North Africa, and has belonged to Spain since the 16th century. Although it is
away from the Spanish mainland, the country has deployed its military establishments to prevent illegal
/ migrant entry into the territory. The city is in news because nearly 8,000 people, including women and
children have tried to migrate into Ceuta from Morocco by swimming or using boats along the
backwaters. These migrants have been sent back to Morocco by the Spanish authorities.
95. Which Ministry has launched the NMMS app and Area officer monitoring App?
[A] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
[B] Ministry of Rural Development
[C] Ministry of Finance
[D] Ministry of Skill Development

Answer: Ministry of Rural Development
The Union Ministry of Rural Development, headed by Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has launched the
National Mobile Monitoring Software, NMMS app and the Area officer monitoring. NMMS app enables to
mark real time attendance of workers at MGNREGA worksites and also enables them to take geotagged
photographs. Area Officer Monitoring App is used to record the findings, along with geotagged
photographs.
96. Which international organisation has proposed a $50 billion global vaccination plan?
[A] World Bank
[B] New Development Bank
[C] Asian Development Bank
[D] International Monetary Fund
Answer: International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund has proposed a $50 billion global vaccination plan for the world, which
aims to vaccinate at least 40% of the global population by the end of the year 2021. The proposal for
$50 billion is expected to be in the form of grants, Governmental resources and concessional financing.
97. AIS 142:2019, which was seen in the news recently, is associated with which field?
[A] Artificial Intelligence
[B] Automotive Industry
[C] Greenhouse Gas emission
[D] Gold Purification
Answer: Automotive Industry
The Union Transport Ministry has issued a draft norm for tyres of four-wheelers, which is aimed to
increase the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. The norms have been laid down with regard to sound emission,
rolling resistance, adhesion performance in wet roads etc, as per the Stage 2 of the Automotive Industry
Standard (AIS) 142:2019.
98. 90% of the world's rhino population is found in which country?
[A] South Africa
[B] USA
[C] Australia
[D] China
Answer: South Africa
90% of the world's rhino population is found in South Africa. The University of Witwatersrand (WITs),
South Africa has initiated the "Rhisotope Project,". It is an ambitious anti-poaching initiative, carried out
in partnership with scientists and researchers of several countries. The project works by injecting
radioactive isotopes into the horns of rhinos, which can be used eventually to detect the horns while
reaching international borders.
99. What is the expansion of ECMO, used in the Covid-19 treatment?
[A] Echocardiogram Output
[B] Extracorporeal membrane oxygen
[C] Electrophysiology Output
[D] Endocrine membrane Oxygen
Answer: Extracorporeal membrane oxygen
In extreme cases of Covid19, doctors choose to apply ECMO or Extracorporeal membrane oxygen for
critically ill patients. When oxygen support fails and when patients are not able to respond to
interventions like mechanical ventilation, doctors may choose to apply ECMO, which acts as an artificial
heart and pair of artificial lungs outside the body.
100. Where is Kuno National Park situated in India?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Kerala
Answer: Madhya Pradesh
Cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal which was declared extinct in India in 1952, after the country’s
last spotted cheetah died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. The animal is expected to be re-introduced into the
country in November this year at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The Wildlife Institute of
India (WII) prepared a cheetah re-introduction project a few year ago.
101. What is the theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2021?
[A] We’re part of the solution
[B] Conservation First
[C] Conserving amidst Covid
[D] Pandemic Management
Answer: We’re part of the solution
May 22 is marked every year as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) globally, to celebrate
natural diversity and spread awareness on conservation. Earlier, December 29 was designated as the
International Day for Biological Diversity but after 2000, the UN General Assembly chose May 22 to mark
the day. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) announced the theme of this
year as "We're part of the solution".
102. Yuan Longping, regarded as the “father of hybrid rice”, was a famous agricultural scientist
from which country?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] South Korea
[D] Vietnam
Answer: China
Yuan Longping, the Chinese agricultural scientist, regarded as the “father of hybrid rice”, has recently
passed away at the age of 91. He was known for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s. In
2004, he was honoured with the World Food Prize for his achievement in developing the genetic
materials and technologies essential for breeding high-yielding hybrid rice varieties.
103. Which country has announced to launch the “International Pathogen Surveillance Network”, to
identify Covid-19 variants?
[A] USA
[B] UK
[C] India
[D] Germany
Answer: UK
The Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson has announced that the UK would form an “International
Pathogen Surveillance Network” in association with the World Health Organisation and other leaders
across the globe. The network is aimed to identify the new COVID 19 variants and provide real time data
on the same.
104. Rosalind Franklin rover, is being built by ESA to be launched to which planet?

[A] Moon
[B] Venus
[C] Mars
[D] Jupiter
Answer: Mars
The Rosalind Franklin rover, which is being built by the European Space Agency (ESA) to be launched to
Mars has demonstrated successful operations during its trails. The rover is a part of ESA’s ExoMars
mission which is scheduled to be launched in 2023. Earlier, the mission was planned to be launched in
2020, but has been delayed due to the ongoing COVID pandemic.
105. Which organization has launched the 'School of Hope and Empowerment'?
[A] UN
[B] World Bank
[C] TATA Communications
[D] State Bank of India
Answer: TATA Communications
Tata Communications has announced the launch of 'School of Hope and Empowerment' (S.H.E.). This is
a multi-media and multi-stakeholder initiative which is launched in collaboration with The Better India,
which is a digital media platform. This initiative aims to support and educate women from small towns
in India and help them to become better entrepreneurs
106. When is the World Turtle Day observed every year?
[A] May 23
[B] May 25
[C] May 30
[D] May 31
Answer: May 23
Every Year, 23rd May is observed as World Turtle Day, which is aimed to make people aware of turtles -
tortoises and their habitats. The theme for this year’s turtle day is “Turtles Rock!”. This day has been
celebrated widely since 2000 by a non profit organization named American Tortoise Rescue (ATR).
107. Which among the following is not a G7 member?
[A] Britain
[B] Canada
[C] Italy
[D] India
Answer: India
The G7 is an intergovernmental group of 7 countries namely the U.S., Britain, Canada, France, Germany,
Italy and Japan. Recently at the G7 Environment ministers virtual meeting, the member countries have
agreed and pledged to accelerate efforts for slowing global warming. This includes an end to
government support for new coal-fired power plants by the members.
108. How many members does the Commonwealth association have?
[A] 10 10
[B] 20
[C] 54
[D] 101
Answer: 54
The Commonwealth of Nations is a political association of 54 member states most of which were
erstwhile colonies of British. Recently, the Health Ministers of the Commonwealth nations have called
for equal access to Covid-19 vaccines to everyone around the globe and have urged for immediate
action for fair & transparent pricing. This was emphasized in a joint statement by the member countries.
109. Where is the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) located?
[A] Chandigarh
[B] Chennai
[C] Hyderabad
[D] Varanasi
Answer: Chandigarh
The CSIR Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) has developed an UV-C air duct disinfection
system, which can be used to disinfect Air Conditioning systems of auditoriums, large conference
rooms, classrooms, malls etc thus providing a safer indoor environment. This technology has been
transferred to indigenous manufacturers for making the disinfection system commercially available in
India.
110. India has signed a 3-year work programme with which country for cooperation in agriculture?
[A] UAE
[B] Israel
[C] France
[D] USA
Answer: Israel
India and Israel have signed a 3-year work program agreement for development in Agriculture
cooperation. India and Israel are already implementing the ‘INDO-ISRAEL Agricultural Project Centres of
Excellence’ and ‘INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence’.
111. Which Indian state is the top recipient of FDI equity inflows during 2020-21?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Gujarat
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Tamil Nadu
Answer: Gujarat
India attracted the highest ever total FDI inflow of US$ 81.72 billion during the financial year 2020-21.
This is 10% higher as compared to the last financial year 2019-20. Gujarat is the top recipient state of
FDI during the F.Y. 2020-21 with 37% share of the total FDI Equity inflows. It is followed by Maharashtra
(27%) and Karnataka (13%).
112. Which country tops the list of Investor Countries of India in 2020-21?
[A] USA
[B] China
[C] Singapore
[D] UAE
Answer: Singapore
As per the recent data released on India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow during 2020-21,
Singapore’ is at the top with 29%, followed by the U.S.A (23%) and Mauritius (9%). In terms of sector,
‘Computer Software & Hardware’ is at the top with around 44% share of the total FDI Equity inflow
followed by Construction Activities (13%) and Services Sector (8%).
113. Which institution can sanction the amalgamation of District Central Co-operative Banks
(DCCBs) with State Cooperative Banks (StCBs)?
[A] RBI
[B] NABARD
[C] Finance Ministry
[D] State Government
Answer: RBI
The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020 has been notified for the District Central Co-operative
Banks (DCCBs) with State Cooperative Banks (StCBs). The Reserve Bank is required to sanction the
amalgamation these banks. Recently, the RBI said that it will consider amalgamation of StCBs and
DCCBs, subject to many conditions, including that a proposal should be made by the state government
concerned, NABARD’s recommendation, additional capital infusion strategy, assurance regarding
financial support etc.
114. Which country has recently agreed to extend IAEA nuclear monitoring deal?
[A] UAE
[B] Israel
[C] Iran
[D] USA
Answer: Iran
Iran has agreed to extend an agreement allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to keep
surveillance cameras at nuclear sites, by one month. As per the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, the deal would
end on 24 June. In February, Iran reduced its co-operation with IAEA in retaliation for sanctions imposed
by the US when it abandoned a nuclear deal in 2018.
115. Who has been appointed as the Chief executive officer of Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH)?
[A] R Gandhi
[B] Rajesh Bansal
[C] Nandan Nilekani
[D] Urjit Patel
Answer: Rajesh Bansal
The Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) has appointed Rajesh Bansal, a member of the founding team
of Aadhaar, as its Chief executive officer. He has previously served at the RBI in various fields of
technology, financial inclusion and payments systems. He also served a key role in designing India's
Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) at UIDAI.
116. Guillermo Lasso, who was in news recently, was sworn in as the President of which country?
[A] Ecuador
[B] Zimbabwe
[C] South Africa
[D] Australia
Answer: Ecuador
Conservative businessman Guillermo Lasso was sworn in as Ecuador’s new President. The 65-year-old
leader has sworn in at the time when the country is facing huge economic and social challenges. After
being sworn in, the President appointed Simón Cueva, a 53-year-old economist, as his Finance Minister.
Ecuador is a country located near the equator on the western coast of South America.
117. Mekadatu Dam, which was making news recently, is located in which state?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Karnataka
[D] Telangana
Answer: Karnataka
The National Green Tribunal has set up a committee to submit a report on alleged violation of norms in
the construction of a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu, in Karnataka. Karnataka earlier
proposed to construct the dam in the area and the proposal was deferred by the Cauvery Water
Management Authority twice. Tamil Nadu Government had expressed its strong opposition citing the
pendency of case before the Supreme Court.
118. What is the name of the application used to know the case status and case details of High
Courts and District Courts?
[A] E-Justice
[B] E-Courts Services
[C] E- Nyay
[D] E- Netra
Answer: E-Courts Services
The E-Committee of the Supreme Court of India has released a manual for the "e-Courts Services Mobile
app" in 14 languages which includes English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Khasi,
Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu This app aims to benefit litigants, citizens,
lawyers, police and other governmental agencies.
119. As per the SBI’s Ecowrap report released in May 2021, India’s GDP for FY 2020-21 would have
contracted by ……..%?
[A] 10.5
[B] 9.2
[C] 7.3
[D] 6.5
Answer: 7.3
As per the recent release by State Bank of India’s ‘Ecowrap’, India’s GDP would have grown at 1.3% in the
fourth quarter of 2020-21. The report further stated that the country’s GDP would have contracted by
7.3% for the entire financial year 2020-21. These estimates have been made by the State Bank, based on
its now casting model and the figures have been estimated just ahead of the NSO’s official data release
on India’s GDP.
120. Which Ministry is associated with the new Social Media Rules notified in 2021?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Answer: Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeiTY) has asked the compliance details over the
new 'the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Ethics Code) Rules, 2021', from all
social media intermediaries. The three-month window provided to social media platforms to comply with
the new social media rules ended on May 26. The rules impose a code of ethics and mandating a three-
tier grievance redressal framework.
121. What quantum of frauds have been reported in Banking operations as on March 31, 2021?
[A] Rs. 100 million
[B] Rs. 1 billion
[C] Rs. 4.92 trillion

[D] Rs. 10.92 billion
Answer: Rs. 4.92 trillion
As per a data release by the Reserve Bank of India, banks operating in India have reported banking
frauds amounting Rs.4.92 trillion, as on March 31, 2021. This quantum is equal to 4.5% of the total bank
credit in India by all the Banks together. The highest number of banking frauds has been reported in
State Bank of India followed by Punjab National Bank.
122. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is being implemented by which Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Power
[B] Ministry of Petroleum
[C] Ministry of Rural Development
[D] Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Answer: Ministry of Petroleum
The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has finalised the guidelines for the next round of
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme and it is expected that the government would disburse
10 million fresh LPG connections under the scheme. The scheme aims to provide LPG gas connections
to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, free of cost.
123. Which ministry has formulated a policy paper on “Circular Economy in Electronics and
Electrical Sector”?
[A] Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
[B] Ministry of Electronics and IT
[C] Ministry of Science and Technology
[D] Ministry of Finance
Answer: Ministry of Electronics and IT
The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has formulated a policy paper on
“Circular Economy in Electronics and Electrical Sector”, which aims to deal with e-waste management.
The paper focuses on 11 recyclable products, which pose considerable challenges in electrical and
electronics manufacturing. A circular economy is a system which is aimed at eliminating waste and the
continual use of resources.
124. Cabinet has approved the opening of a new Consulate General of India in Addu City in which
country?
[A] Mauritius
[B] Maldives
[C] Myanmar
[D] Madagascar
Answer: Maldives
The Union Cabinet has approved the opening of a new Consulate General of India in Addu City, Maldives
in 2021. Maldives has an important place in the Neighbourhood First Policy and the SAGAR- Security and
Growth for All in the Region- initiative of the Government of India. This opening of a Consulate General in
Addu City will help promote India's diplomatic presence in Maldives.
125. What is the estimated food-grain production in the current crop year 2020-21, as per third
advance estimates ?
[A] 257.5 million tonnes
[B] 287.5 million tonnes
[C] 305.43 million tonnes
[D] 345.43 million tonnes

Answer: 305.43 million tonnes
The Union Agriculture Ministry has released the third advance estimates for the 2020-21 crop year. The
food-grain production is projected at a record 305.43 million tonnes. India's food-grain production is
estimated to rise 2.66% more than the last year’s output of 297.5 million tonnes. As per the data, rice
production is estimated at a record 121.46 million tonne in the 2020-21 crop year.
126. As of May 2021, how many Non-Self-Governing Territories are present across the world?
[A] 5
[B] 17
[C] 31
[D] 45
Answer: 17
As per the UN Charter, a Non-Self-Governing Territory is defined as a Territory ‘whose people have not
yet attained a full measure of self-government’. In 1963, the UNGA approved a revised list of 64
Territories and 54 Territories attained self-government from 1960 to 2002. At present, there are 17 Non-
Self-Governing Territories across the world. The Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-
Governing Territories is observed from May 25-31.
127. Which Indian economist has been conferred with Spain's top Princess of Asturias Award?
[A] Amartya Sen
[B] Urjit Patel
[C] Manmohan Singh
[D] Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Answer: Amartya Sen
Indian economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has been conferred with Spain's top Princess of
Asturias Award in the social sciences category. The 87-year-old veteran was selected out of the 41
candidatures from 20 countries nominated for the Social Sciences Award. His research on famines and
his theory of human development, welfare economics and the underlying mechanisms of poverty was
recognised by the institute.
128. Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA), which was in the news recently, is set to be
introduced in which Indian UT?
[A] Andaman & Nicobar Islands
[B] Lakshadweep
[C] Chandigarh
[D] Puducherry
Answer: Lakshadweep
The Lakshadweep administration has announced to introduce Lakshadweep Development Authority
Regulation 2021 (LDAR) and the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) in the islands. It has
drawn criticism from across the country as LDAR gives powers to the administration to remove the small
holding for property owned by the islanders belonging to the Scheduled Tribes. PASA gives powers to
the administration to detain a person without any public disclosure for a period of up to one year.
129. Six sacrificial pits have been discovered in Sanxingdui city, is located in which country?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] Vietnam
[D] North Korea
Answer: China

Archaeologists have recently discovered six sacrificial pits in Sanxingdui. The pits are said to contain
about 500 artifacts, including gold and bronze masks. Sanxingdui is an ancient Chinese city, located
about 1,500 kilometers southwest of Beijing. The artifacts date back around 3,000 years, to a time when
this part of China was ruled by the ancient kingdom of Shu.
130. Which state has implemented the Recovery of Damages to Property Act?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Jharkhand
[C] Haryana
[D] Punjab
Answer: Haryana
The Governor of Haryana S N Arya has given his assent to the state Government’s Recovery of Damages
to Property Act. This act aims to recover the damages caused by protestors to people’s shops, vendor
carts, houses, government offices, vehicles, buses and other public property during any rally or
movement.
131. Which Ministry has launched the Clinical Case Repository portal?
[A] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
[B] Ministry of AYUSH
[C] Ministry of Labour and Employment
[D] Ministry of External Affairs
Answer: Ministry of AYUSH
The Union Minister of State (IC) for Ayush - Kiren Rijiju has recently launched a portal named “Ayush
Clinical Case Repository portal”. This portal aims to support Ayush medical professionals and the
public. It would provide information about the clinical outcomes achieved by Ayush medicine. In addition
to this portal, the Minister has also launched the third version of Ayush Sanjivani mobile App.
132. Which state has introduced the system of Guardian Ministers?
[A] Assam
[B] Bihar
[C] West Bengal
[D] Gujarat
Answer: Assam
The Government of Assam has introduced the system of Guardian Minister. Each Minister would be
assigned two to three districts in the state and the responsibility to implement various schemes of the
Union and the state governments would be vested with the Minister. The Minister would also over see
the grievance redressal and resolve any other issues in the allotted districts.
133. Which state is to implement 'Smart kitchen scheme'?
[A] Goa
[B] Karnataka
[C] Kerala
[D] Odisha
Answer: Kerala
The Government of Kerala has established a 3 membered Secretary level committee, to draft the
operational guidelines for the Smart Kitchen scheme. The scheme aims to reduce the work load of
women in kitchen, by providing them financial assistance in the form of loans to modernize and
refurbish their kitchens.
134. The Annual Report of the Reserve Bank of India for 2020-21 covers how many months of RBI’s
operations?
[A] 6 months
[B] 9 months
[C] 11 months
[D] 12 months
Answer: 9 months
The Reserve Bank of India has released its Annual Report for the financial year 2020-21, which ended on
31st March 2021. Previously the financial year adopted by RBI was from July to June. But RBI has
amended its financial year to April – March from FY 2020-21. Hence, the annual report for FY 2020-21
covers the functions of RBI for 9 months period from July 2020 to March 2021.
135. In which state is the Banni grassland Reserve located?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Odisha
[D] Gujarat
Answer: Gujarat
The Banni Grasslands Reserve is a arid grassland ecosystem located in the Kutch District of Gujarat.
Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered that all encroachments in this region should be
removed within a period of six months. The NGT has also ordered that a joint committee should form an
action plan for the same.
136. Where is the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture located?
[A] Chennai
[B] Kochi
[C] Mumbai
[D] Kolkata
Answer: Chennai
The Central Institute of Brackish-water Aquaculture – Chennai is one of the establishments under the
ICAR and is the nodal agency for serving the needs of brackish-water aquaculture research in the
country. Recently, this research institution has successfully developed brood-stock and seed production
technology of Mangrove Red Snapper, which is a commercially valuable fish species.
137. Which Indian personality has been conferred with the Eni Award 2020?
[A] CNR Rao
[B] Narendra Modi
[C] Raghuram Rajan
[D] Virat Kohli
Answer: CNR Rao
Professor C.N.R. Rao, who is a Bharat Ratna recipient has been conferred with International Eni Award
2020. This has been awarded for his dedicated research in renewable energy sources and energy
storage. This award is also known as the Energy Frontier award and is considered to be the Noble Prize
in Energy Research.
138. Which Ministry has launched the SeHAT OPD portal?
[A] Health Ministry
[B] Defence Ministry
[C] Finance Ministry
[D] Commerce Ministry

Answer: Defence Ministry
The Union Defence Ministry has launched the SeHAT OPD portal, which aims to provide telemedicine
services to the armed force personnel, veterans and their family members. SeHAT stands for ‘Services e-
Health Assistance & Tele-consultation, whose service can be availed by registering in the Defence
Ministry’s website - https://sehatopd.in/.
139. Which social media has moved Delhi HC against the new data protection rules of the
Government of India?
[A] Google
[B] Twitter
[C] WhatsApp
[D] Telegram
Answer: WhatsApp
Social media giant WhatsApp has moved the Delhi High Court, against the new data protection rules
brought in by the Government of India which requires the breaking of end-to-end data encryption. The
Government of India has stated that it respects the Right to Privacy, but at the same time is necessary to
identify the first originator of messages leading to crimes.
140. Which molecule is the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus?
[A] DNA
[B] RNA
[C] Both the above
[D] None of the above
Answer: RNA
Viruses have either RNA or DNA as their genetic material. The nucleic acid may be single- or double-
stranded. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has RNA as its genetic material. Recently, Scientists in Taiwan have
developed a new DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine that successfully induced antibodies against novel
coronavirus in mice and hamsters. Currently available COVID-19 vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA)
to teach human immune system to recognise the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
141. Which country has officially recognised the Namibia Genocide and offered a financial support?
[A] UK
[B] Germany
[C] USA
[D] Australia
Answer: Germany
For the first time in the history, Germany has recognised that it committed genocide against the people
in present-day Namibia during its colonial rule over a century ago. Between 1904 and 1908, German
colonial settlers killed people from the Herero and Nama tribes after they rebelled against colonial rule.
After five years of negotiations between the two countries, Germany promised financial support of over
a billion euros to help the community projects in Namibia.
142. “Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health” is the theme of which special day
celebrated on May 28?
[A] World Menstrual Hygiene Day
[B] World Women Health Day
[C] World Personal Health Day
[D] World Hygiene Day
Answer: World Menstrual Hygiene Day

World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed on May 28 across the world. The theme for this year is:
“Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health.” The day aims to change the social stigma
associated with menstruation. The date May 28 was chosen to represent the menstrual cycle of 28 days
and the menstruation period of 5 days. The day was initiated by the German non-profit WASH United in
2013.
143. Who chairs the Goods and services tax (GST) council meeting?
[A] Prime Minister
[B] Finance Minister
[C] Finance Secretary
[D] NITI Aayog CEO
Answer: Finance Minister
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the Goods and services tax (GST) council meeting.
Recently, the 43rd GST Council meeting was conducted through video conferencing. The decision over
tax rates on COVID vaccines was referred to a group of ministers (GOM). Quarterly returns for small
traders will continue and has provided relaxation of the late fee penalty for payment of GST.
144. What is the objective of the YUVA programme, launched by the Prime Minister recently?
[A] Women Empowerment
[B] Author Mentorship
[C] Climate Change Control
[D] Protection of Children
Answer: Author Mentorship
The Ministry of Education has recently launched YUVA- (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) Prime
Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors. It is an Author Mentorship programme to train young
authors below 30 years. The launch of YUVA (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) is a part of
India@75 Project to highlight the perspectives of young writers on themes like Unsung Heroes, Freedom
Fighters and Forgotten Places.
145. What is the sharing pattern between the Centre and the non-North eastern states in the Mid-
Day Meal (MDM) scheme?
[A] 90: 10
[B] 70: 30
[C] 60: 40
[D] 50: 50
Answer: 60: 40
Under the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme, both the Centre and State government share the cooking cost
for daily meals in the ratio of 60:40 for non-North eastern states and UTs with legislatures except J&K
and in the ratio of 90:10 for all others. Recently, the Centre has decided to transfer its share of the
cooking cost component in the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme for students of classes 1 to 8, into their
bank accounts as a one-time Covid relief.
146. Where is the headquarters of the National Cadet Corps located?
[A] Mumbai
[B] New Delhi
[C] Cochin
[D] Vishakhapatnam
Answer: New Delhi
National Cadet Corps is the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces with its headquarters located in New
Delhi. Defence Secretary has recently launched Directorate General National Cadet Corps (NCC) Mobile
Training App Version 2.0. This app will assist in conducting countrywide online training to NCC cadets
during the COVID-19 pandemic conditions.
147. The Reserve Bank of India fined which leading Bank for irregularities found in its auto loan
book?
[A] ICICI Bank
[B] HDFC Bank
[C] Axis Bank
[D] Yes Bank
Answer: HDFC Bank
The Reserve Bank of India imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 10 crore on HDFC Bank for irregularities
found in its auto loan book. RBI found that the bank was in contravention of regulatory directions as
mandated in the Banking Regulation Act. This decision has been taken after receiving a complaint from
a whistle blower and examining the sale of third-party non-financial products to the bank’s auto loan
customers.
148. Which international alliance recently conducted the ‘Steadfast Defender 21’ wargame?
[A] RSII Coalition
[B] BRICS
[C] NATO
[D] CARICOM
Answer: NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops are taking part in military exercises stretching
across the Atlantic. Named as ‘Steadfast Defender 21’, the war games aim to simulate the response to
an attack on its members. Last month, Russia decided to send thousands of troops to the border area
with Ukraine, which is the main reason for this exercise.
149. ‘Dag Hammarskjold Medal’, is related to which field?
[A] Photography
[B] Architecture
[C] Peace Keeping
[D] Sports
Answer: Peace Keeping
The United Nations has designated 29 May as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. It aims to
celebrate the contributions of civilian and uniformed personnel performing the task of peacekeeping for
the organisation. The UN awarded 124 peacekeepers from 44 nations posthumously with the ‘Dag
Hammarskjold Medal’, for laying down their lives during peacekeeping operations in 2020.
150. Bashar Al-Assad, who was seen in the news recently, is the President of which country?
[A] Iraq
[B] Syria
[C] South Africa
[D] Republic of Congo
Answer: Syria
Syrian President Bashar Assad was re-elected in a landslide victory, to lead the country in a fourth
seven-year term in the war-torn country. Syria has been witnessing 10-year-old conflict and the areas
controlled by Kurdish-led troops did not hold the vote. As per the officials, 18 million were eligible to
vote for the elections. Several countries have questioned the legitimacy of the election.

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