BrainBuzz Academy Banking Current Affairs - 4-May-20 TABLE OF CONTENTS A.. IInternatiionall Rellatiions 1.. Researchers iin Canada usiing allgae to produce llow--cost COVIID--19 test kiits B.. Natiionall 1.. 200 new mandiis added to the e--NAM pllatform from 7 States:: Narendra Siingh Tomar 2.. Natiion cellebrates biirth centenary of fiillmmaker Satyajjiit Ray 3.. NMCG & NIIUA organiized IIDEAthon on ‘‘The Future of Riiver Management’’ 4.. NMCG sends proposall to IICMR to test Ganga water for Coviid--19 treatment 5.. Miiniistry of Touriism hosts 13th webiinar tiitlled ‘‘Destiinatiion-- Sariiska Tiiger reserve’’ of ""Dekho Apna Desh"" seriies C.. Enviironment 1.. US Sciientiists diiscover 1st known aquatiic Diinosaur ‘‘Spiinosaurus aegyptiiacus’’ D.. Sciience and Technollogy 1.. IIndiia pllaced 3rd iin sciientiifiic publliicatiion E.. Awards 1.. IIIIT--Madras Professor & Padma Shrii awardee Thallappiill Pradeep named for 25th Niikkeii Asiia Priizes 2020 iin S&T F.. Sports 1.. BWF postpones Worlld Champiionshiip 2020 to November 2021 2.. Former worlld champiion retiires from sport G.. Bankiing 1.. RBII cancells CKP Co--operatiive Bank''s lliicence 2.. HDFC Bank relleases song ““#HumHaarNahiiMaanenge”” H.. Deaths 1.. Lokpall member Justiice Ajjay Kumar Triipathii diies due to coronaviirus II.. IImportant Days 1.. IInternatiionall Fiirefiighters'' Day:: 04 May J.. Other States 1.. Umariia polliice llaunches ''Sankallp Scheme'' to proviide 24--hour hellp to ellderlly 2.. Hiimachall Pradesh govt to llaunch emplloyment scheme for urban areas Internatiionall Rellatiions Researchers in Canada using algae to produce low-cost COVID-19 test kits

• According to the researchers from the University of Western Ontario in Canada that the new method overcomes shortfalls of existing processes while saving money. • The team collaborated with Canadian integrated energy company Suncor to develop algae as a production factory to make necessary proteins to identify COVID-19 antibodies in someone previously production factory to make necessary proteins to identify COVID-19 antibodies in someone previously infected with the disease. • The researchers noted that one of the limiting factors in developing large-scale serological testing is the ability to make significant quantities of the viral proteins on a cost-effective basis. • Algae are cheap to grow and can easily be engineered to produce the viral proteins. About Canada : Capiitall : Ottawa Currency : canadian dollar Priime miiniister : Justin trudeau

Natiionall 200 new mandis added to the e-NAM platform from 7 States: Narendra Singh Tomar

• The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar has added 200 new mandis to the e-National Agriculture Market(e-NAM) platform from 7 States & stated that by May 2020 there will be around 1,000 Mandis joining the e-NAM platform for marketing of Agricultural produce at a function in Krishi Bhawan through video conference. • Live trading between mandis from Kurnool and Hubli in groundnuts and maize took place • The 200 markets integrated with the e-NAM platform are: Andhra Pradesh (11 mandis), Gujarat (25 mandis), Odisha (16 mandis), Rajasthan (94 mandis), Tamil Nadu (27 mandis), Uttar Pradesh (25 mandis) & Karnataka (02 mandis). • Currently there are 585 e-NAM mandis in 16 States and 02 Union Territories on adding the new mandis it will come to the total of 785. • It is the 1st milestone achieved in the path of integrating 415 new markets across the country &is the 1st time Karnataka is added to the list of e-NAM States. • It has gained more strength by reaching out to more farmers & traders of these new mandis, aiming to reach the last mile farmer and change the way they sell agricultural produce. Nation celebrates birth centenary of filmmaker Satyajit Ray

• Nation celebrates the birth centenary of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray on 02 May. • Nation celebrates the birth centenary of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray on 02 May. • Ray was born on this day in 02 May 1921. • He directed 36 films in his lifetime. • Ray got Oscar award in 1991 besides he was recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke , Bharat Ratna and many other international awards. • Satyajit Ray created a separate style in filmmaking in the country. • France Government conferred him the country's highest civilian award Logion of Honour for his outstanding contributions in the field of film at a function in Kolkata. NMCG & NIUA organized IDEAthon on ‘The Future of River Management’

• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) organized an IDEAthon on “The future of River Management’ to explore how the COVID-19 crisis can shape River Management strategies for the future. • The IDEAthon examined how the social angle of rivers can be leveraged on to address other crises. What lessons for river management has the pandemic taught us? And what response mechanisms are needed in the event of a river crisis? • The international webinar conducted brought together close to 500 participants. • National Mission for Clean Ganga had initiated this IDEAthon to garner more attention towards river management and also highlight the interconnectivity of Cities with the River. NMCG sends proposal to ICMR to test Ganga water for Covid-19 treatment

• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), an arm of the Jal Shakti Ministry, has sent a proposal to the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) to perform clinical trial on Ganga water to examine if it can be used to treat patients infected with coronavirus. • The proposition was forwarded to the apex research body after Atulya Ganga, an organisation comprising Army Veterans, knocked on the doors of the Ministry requesting it to conduct clinical trials on the holy water to find the cure for the deadly viral disease. • An official of National Mission for Clean Gangatold IANS, on the condition of anonymity, that the proposal has been forwarded to ICMR. • In a detailed letter to the National Mission for Clean Ganga, the team of Atulya Ganga claimed that • In a detailed letter to the National Mission for Clean Ganga, the team of Atulya Ganga claimed that there are several species of bacteriophages in the upper stretches of the Ganga. • “In Ganges, scientists have discovered bacteriophages, and named it Ninja Virus, popularly known as Gangtva. Phages, as they are also called, are viruses that specifically target bacteria and are also extremely strain specific,” the organisation, devoted to revive Ganga’s pristine nature, stated. • Atulya Ganga founder, Major ManojKeshwar (retd) said that there are scientific references to suggest that these phages have anti-microbial properties and could potentially destroy bacteria. • “India is blessed to have a holy river like Ganga and that people should look up to it to find the cure for coronavirus,” he added. • Keshwar said that receiving a response from the NMCG has brought a ton of hope. “We are happy to see that the government is taking action.” Ministry of Tourism hosts 13th webinar titled ‘Destination- Sariska Tiger reserve’ of "Dekho Apna Desh" series

• The 13th session of Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho ApnaDesh webinar on 1st May 2020, titled, ‘Destination- Sariska Tiger reserve’ was a presentation and virtual tour of wildlife adventure, safari experience for the traveller within the Sariska Tiger Reserve’ in Alwar district, Rajasthan. • Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in the Aravalli Hills, 35 km from Alwar, 250 km SW of Delhi and 110 km NE of Jaipur. • The former hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Alwar, the Sariska valley is home to a variety of flora and fauna. • The park has populations of tigers, leopards, Nilgai, Sambar, chital etc.

Enviironment US Scientists discover 1st known aquatic Dinosaur ‘Spinosaurus aegyptiacus’

• A giant fossil, unearthed in the Sahara desert, has given scientists an unprecedented look at the largest-known carnivorous dinosaur: Spinosaurus. • The 95-million-year-old remains confirm a long-held theory: that this is the first-known swimming dinosaur. • Scientists say the beast had flat, paddle-like feet and nostrils on top of its crocodilian head that • Scientists say the beast had flat, paddle-like feet and nostrils on top of its crocodilian head that would allow it to submerge with ease. • Lead author Nizar Ibrahim, a palaeontologist from the University of Chicago, said: "It is a really bizarre dinosaur - there's no real blueprint for it. • "It has a long neck, a long trunk, a long tail, a 7ft (2m) sail on its back and a snout like a crocodile. • "And when we look at the body proportions, the animal was clearly not as agile on land as other dinosaurs were, so I think it spent a substantial amount of time in the water." • While other ancient creatures, such as the plesiosaur and mosasaur, lived in the water, they are marine reptiles rather than dinosaurs, making Spinosaurus the only-known semi-aquatic dinosaur. • Spinosaurus aegyptiacusremains were first discovered about 100 years ago in Egypt, and were moved to a museum in Munich, Germany. • However, they were destroyed during World War II, when an Allied bomb hit the building. • A few drawings of the fossil survived, but since then only fragments of Spinosaurus bones have been found. • The new fossil, though, which was extracted from the Kem Kem fossil beds in eastern Morocco by a private collector, has provided scientists with a more detailed look at the dinosaur. • "For the very first time, we can piece together the information we have from the drawings of the old skeleton, the fragments of bones, and now this new fossil, and reconstruct this dinosaur

Sciience and Technollogy India placed 3rd in scientific publication

• India’s gross expenditure in R&D has tripled between 2008 & 2018 driven mainly by the Govt sector and scientific publications have risen placing the country internationally among the top few. • This is as per the R&D Statistics and Indicators 2019-20 based on the national S&T survey 2018 brought out by the National Science and Technology Management Information (NSTMIS), Department of Science and Technology (DST). • The report shows that with the rise in publication, the country is globally at the 3rd position on this score as per the NSF database, 3rd in the number of Ph.D. in science & engineering. • India occupies 3rd rank in terms of number of Ph.D.’s awarded in Science and Engineering (S&E) after the USA (39,710 in 2016) and China (34,440 in 2015). • Number of researchers per million population in India has increased to 255 in 2017 from 218 in 2015 and 110 in 2000.

Awards IIT-Madras Professor & Padma Shri awardee Thalappil Pradeep named for 25th Nikkei Asia Prizes 2020 in S&T 25th Nikkei Asia Prizes 2020 in S&T

• A faculty member at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras and Padma Shri awardee Professor Thalappil Pradeep has been conferred with the 25th Nikkei Asia Prizes (2020) in Science and Technology (S&T) category in recognition of his pioneering work in nanotechnology-based water purification. • Prof T. Pradeep is Institute Professor and Deepak Parekh Institute Chair Professor at the Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras and honoured with Padma Shri award in January 2020. • The prize includes a cash component of 3 Million Yen and an award certificate and is scheduled to be awarded in Tokyo, Japan later 2020. • It should be noted that Nikkei Asia Prizes are awarded in three categories. The winners of 2020 of each category are as follows: • Economic and Business Innovation • Science and Technology • Culture and Community • Prof T. Pradeep & his team have developed nanotechnology-enabled water filters which provide clean water at a cost of just 2 paisa per litre in India. • His involvement in the development of affordable technologies for drinking water purification has benefitted more than one crore Indians. About Niikkeii Asiia Priizes First Presented in 1996 by Japan, these annual awards recognize individuals who contribute towards sustainable development and to the creation of a better future in Asia. • Past awardees from India include Dr. Manmohan Singh, Mr. N. R. Narayana Murthy, Prof. C. N. R. Rao, Ms. Kiran Diirector : Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi Locatiion : Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Sports BWF postpones World Championship 2020 to November 2021

• The Badminton World Federation (BWF) postponed Badminton World Championship 2020 to the November 29 to December 5,2021 which is traditionally held in August. The tournament will take place at the Caroline Marin Stadium, Huelva, Spain. place at the Caroline Marin Stadium, Huelva, Spain. • The BWF and Spanish Badminton Federation (Federacion Espanola de Badminton – FESBA) confirms the reschedule of the Badminton World Championship and assures that the Olympic badminton competition and the World Championships will be conducted with equal fairness. • The BWF announced the schedule for the tournaments to take place in May, June and July which were the qualifiers for the Olympic 2020 were all suspended and are now scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021. • Poul-Erik Hoyer the President of BWF declared that the potential procedure for the Olympic and therefore the Paralympic Games and the World Championships will be made in the future. About FESBA: Presiident : David Cabello Marique Generall Secretary : Dolores Moreno Cope Sports Diirector : David Serrano Vilchez Headquarters : Madrid, Spain About BWF: Presiident : Poul-Erik Hoyer Founded : 1934 Headquarters : Malaysia Former world snooker champion Peter Ebdon retires from sport

• The 49-year-old has suffered from pain in his neck, back, shoulders and arms and has called an end to his career rather than undergo risky spinal surgery. • Ebdon won the 2002 World Championship, beating in an 18-17 thriller, and also reached the 1996 and 2006 finals. • Became the 1st to make 4 century breaks in five frames, in the European Open qualifying competition at Blackpool on 6 Sep 1992 & is one of 9 players to win both the World and the UK Championships. • Other ranking titles- 1993 Grand Prix, 1997 Thailand Open, 2000 , 2001 Regal , 2004 Citywest Irish , 2009 Bank of Beijing World Snooker , 2012 Bank of Beijing China Open. Runner-up- in the 1994 Dubai , 1996 European Open, 1999 British Open, 2001 LG Cup, 2012 Australian Open, 2018 Classic. About WPBSA: It is the world governing body for the sports of snooker and billiards Formed : 1968 Headquarters : Bristol, Chaiirman : Jason Ferguson(one of Playing director) Chaiirman : Jason Ferguson(one of Playing director)

Bankiing RBI cancels CKP Co-operative Bank's licence

• The Reserve Bank of India suspended operations of CKP Co-operative Bank and cancelled its licence. • RBI reasoned that the financial position of the bank is highly adverse and unsustainable. • There is no concrete revival plan or proposal for merger with another bank. • With the cancellation of licence and commencement of liquidation proceedings, the process of paying the depositors of The CKP Co-operative Bank LtdMumbai, as per the DICGC Act, 1961 will be set in motion. • On liquidation, every depositor is entitled to repayment of his/her deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5,00,000 from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) as per usual terms and conditions. About Reserve Bank of Indiia (RBI): Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra Formatiion : 1 April 1935 Natiionalliised iin: 1949 1st RBI governor: Mr. Osborne Smith Governor(25th) :Shaktikanta Das Deputy Governors : 4 (BP Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra) HDFC Bank releases song “#HumHaarNahiMaanenge”

• HDFC Bank has released a song titled #HumHaarNahiMaanenge to keep hopes up amidst the ongoing national lockdown and Covid-19 pandemic. • The lyrics of the song has been penned by Prasoon Joshi and music has been composed by AR Rahman. • HDFC Bank has announced that it will contribute Rs 500 each time the song is shared via social media towards the PM-CARES Fund. About HDFC Bank : About HDFC Bank : Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra. Managiing Diirector: Aditya Puri.

Deaths Lokpal member Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi dies due to coronavirus

• Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi who tested positive for Covid-19, died after suffering a cardiac arrest. • Justice AK Tripathi was a judicial member of Lokpal and former Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court. • He tested positive for COVID-19 at AIIMS last month. • He had been in the AIIMS Trauma Centre, which has been converted into a dedicated Covid-19 hospital, since the first week of April.

Important Days International Firefighters' Day: 04 May

●International firefighters day (IFFD) is observed on May 4 in order to honour the work and sacrifice made by firefighters. ●The day also pays respects to those who have lost their lives while performing their duty. ●On this day, people sport a symbolic red and blue ribbon badge. ●These two colours denote the main elements of a firefighters work. ●The red colour symbolises fire while the blue is for water. The combination of red and blue is also globally recognised for representing emergency service. ●The International Firefighters Day came into existence after five firefighters lost their lives while they were trying to control a wildfire in Australia's Victoria's Linton. ●The incident occurred on December 2, 1998, in which Garry Vredeveldt, Chris Evans, Stuart Davidson, Jason Thomas, and Matthew Armstrong lost their lives.

Other States Umaria police launches 'Sankalp Scheme' to provide 24-hour help to Umaria police launches 'Sankalp Scheme' to provide 24-hour help to elderly

• In Madhya Pradesh, along with strict implementation of the lockdown, the humanitarian face of the police is also being praised by one and all. • The Umaria police have launched a Sankalp Scheme to provide 24-hour help to the elderly. • Under the Sankalp Scheme, the Superintendent of Police has instructed all police officers to identify and help one or two elderly families who are living alone and are worried about their everyday needs during the lockdown. • Under the Sankalp Scheme police personnel are connected along with every elderly member of the family. About Madhya Pradesh : Chiief Miiniister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Governor: Lalji Tandon Capiitall: bhopal State aniimall: Barasingha. State biird: Asian paradise flycatcher State tree: India banyan State fllower: white lilly State sport: Mallakhamba Natiionall parks: Bandhavgarh National Park, Pench National Park, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Van Vihar National Park, Sanjay National Park, Satpura Tiger Reserve Himachal Pradesh govt to launch employment scheme for urban areas

• The Himachal Pradesh government decided to launch a programme guaranteeing at least 120 days' employment to those living in urban areas. • The cabinet decided to launch the Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna, under which 120 days' assured employment will be provided to people living in urban areas. • If required, adequate training will be given to them for their skill upgrade. About Hiimachall Pradesh : About Hiimachall Pradesh : Capiitalls: Shimla, Dharamshala (Winter Capital) Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya Chiief Justiice: Lingappa Narayana Swamy Chiief Miiniister: Jai Ram Thakur (BJP) Legiisllature: Unicameral (68 seats) Parlliiamentary constiituency: Rajya Sabha 3, Lok Sabha 4 State Biird of Hiimachall: Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) State Aniimall of Hiimachall: snow-leopard State Fllower of Hiimachall: pink-rhododendron State Tree: Deodar cedar Natiionall Parks: Great Himalayan National Park, Pin Valley National Park, Inderkilla National Park, Khirganga National Park, Simbalbara National Park.