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 snooker champiion Peter Ebdon 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).