Daily Current Affairs:-11thMay

Current Affairs:-11th May

Central Panel recommends to ban use of TB drugs on crop:-

 The Registration Committee that was set up under the Central Insecticides Boardand Registration Committee (CIBRC) has recommended that TB drugs such as Streptomycin and Tetracycline should be completely banned on crop.The Registration Committee held its 114th meet on May 1, 2020. According to the report submitted by its subcommittee, 9% of Streptomycin sulphate and1% of tetracycline hydrochloride is used on crops. According to the report generated, the drugs were used at its highest in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab.

May 12: International Nurse Day:- Every year, May 12 is commemorated as International Nurse Day. The birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale is celebrated as the International Nurse This year the day is celebrated under the themeTheme: Nurses: A Voice to lead-Nursing the World to Health the International Council of Nurses lead the celebration of the International Nurse Day

Pranavayu Programme launched in Karanataka:- The Bengaluru City Corporation recently launched “Pranavayu Programme” to create awareness about the respiratory health of Bengaloreans. The initiative aims to help people in increasing oxygen level of the people by themselves. This will help them to keep track about their health before their ailments become fatal. Significance There are several deaths reported in the country due to Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI). Especially COVID-19 causes Hypoxia (deficiency of oxygen in tissues). This is like starving the body of oxygen.

 National Technology Day being observed today:-National Technology Day is being observed on 11^th May every year to signify the glorious achievements of Indian science and technology.On this day in 1998, India successfully carried out nuclear tests in Rajasthan's Pokhran.Main Theme: Use of technology to reboot the national economy.'RESTART’ program will be organised by Technology Development Board (TDB).Also, NIT Tiruchirappalli has been sanctioned a cutting edge Supercomputer under PMRF scheme on this occasion

·         ICMR-NIV develops COVID KAVACH ELISA test kit:-

• ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune has developed first indigenous antibody-based ELISA test kit - COVID KAVACH for diagnosis of Coronavirus.
• TThe kit has displayed high sensitivity and accuracy in the validation tests at different sites.
• It can test around 90 samples in approximately two and half hours.
• ICMR has partnered with Zydus Cadila for mass scale production of the ELISA test kits under “Make in India” in record time.

·         Eminent historian Hari Shankar Vasudevan passes away:-

• Eminent historian Hari Shankar Vasudevan (68 years) passed away due to COVID-19.
• Vasudevan was the author of Shadows of Substance: Indo-Russian Trade and Military Technical Cooperation (2010), and Footsteps of Afanasii Nikitin: Travels through Eurasia and India in the Early 21st Century (2015).
• His most recent publication was the chapter “India and the October Revolution: Nationalist Revolutionaries, Bolshevik Power and Lord Curzon’s Nightmare”

·         ICMR, Bharat Biotech tie up to develop indigenous COVID-19 vaccine:-

• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech International Limited, Bengaluru have partnered to develop a fully indigenous vaccine for COVID-19.
• The vaccine will be developed using the virus strain which has been isolated at ICMR's National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
• ICMR and Bharat Biotech will seek fast-track approval to expedite vaccine development, subsequent animal studies and clinical evaluation of the vaccine.

·          Stringency Index by Oxford University released:-

• A Stringency Index has been released by Oxford University to show the level of strictness and measures of countries during the ongoing pandemic spread.
• As per the index, India imposed its strictest measures much earlier than others.
• The Stringency Index is a number from 0 to 100 that reflects these indicators. A higher index score indicates a higher level of stringency.
• It is among the metrics being used by the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker.

·         DRDO develops DRUVS to sanitize electronic gadgets, papers & currency notes:-

• Hyderabad based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) lab has developed automated Ultraviolet device to sanitize electronic gadgets, papers, and currency notes.
• Device is named as Defence Research Ultraviolet Sanitiser (DRUVS) will sanitize mobile phones, iPads, laptops, currency notes, cheque leafs, challans, passbooks, paper, and envelopes. 
• It provides 360-degree exposure of Ultraviolet to the objects placed inside the cabinet.

·         CII organises virtual townhall on 'Health and the Economy' topic:-

• Confederation of Indian Industries organized a virtual town hall on the topic 'Health and the Economy.'
• Eminent personalities from the Industry and health sector participated in the program.
• The discussion was moderated by Director General CII Chandrajit Banerjee.
• The virtual townhall focuses on post-covid world that will need to address the dichotomy between formal and informal labour.

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·         ‘Startup India-Animal Husbandry Grand Challenge’ winners announced:-

• The government awarded startups for finding innovative solutions to address problems of the animal husbandry and dairy sector announcing 'Startup India-Animal Husbandry Grand Challenge'
• The ministry in partnership with Startup India had launched the 'Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge' to scout for innovative-commercially viable solutions to address the problems faced by the sector.
• The 12 startups will be given cash grants worth Rs 1,02,00,000. 

·          Saudi Arabia to increase VAT from 1 July:-

• Saudi Arabia has decided to raise value added tax (VAT) from 5% to 15% starting from 1st July and has taken a decision to suspend cost of living allowance from 1st June.
• It has also decided to cancel, or postpone some operational and capital expenditures for government agencies.
• It will reduce several Vision Realization Programs and projects for the fiscal year 2020.
• The measure is taken to protect and overcome the financial-economic ramification of the nation.

·         UK announces once in a generation transport sector investment:-

• UK government has announced 'once in a generation' transport sector investment of around 2 billion pounds for country's green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
• The new investment in transport is to ensure the public is supported to use more greener travel options and avoid overcrowding in public transport as travel restrictions are gradually eased in the coming weeks.
• The major chunk ear-marked for emergency improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure

·         indu Shekhar took charge as secretary of New & Renewable Energy Ministry:-

• Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.
• Shri Chaturvedi (1987 Batch IAS officer) succeeded Anand Kumar in the Ministry who earlier took charge Secretary, Ministry of Culture.
• Prior to this appointment, he was serving as Additional Chief Secretary and Additional Secretary (Climate Change Department) of the Ministry of Climate Change Department, Environment & Forest, Government of Jharkhand.

·         US approved antigen test for coronavirus detection:-

• US Food and Drug Administration announced emergency authorization for antigen tests developed by Quidel Corporation of San Diego.
• The test can rapidly detect earliest toxic traces-fragments of virus proteins in samples collected from swabs swiped inside the nasal cavity within 15 minutes.
• The antigen test is the third type of test to be authorized by the FDA.

·         FM launches INR-USD futures and options contraction at GIFT, IFSC:-

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched INR-USD (Rupee-Dollar) Futures and Options contracts on the two International Exchanges, BSE’s India INX and NSE’s NSE-IFSC at GIFT International Financial Services Centre in Gandhinagar through video conference.
• This will be available 22 hours across all time zones for all global participants.
• This would be beneficial for economic activity, employment gains, and larger global participation connecting India’s IFSC’S globally.

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