1. Which state will provide video-calling facility to COVID-19 patients in hospitals?
a. Madhya Pradesh
b. Andhra Pradesh
c. Punjab
d. Maharashtra
S-a
EXPLANATION-
• To fend off depression as well as boredom among coronavirus patients in hospitals, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to provide them video-calling facility and TV sets.
• The pandemic has affected the Indore district the hardest in Madhya Pradesh. Over 1,100 patients are being treated for virus infection at the moment.
• Private companies will also be roped in to provide these facilities under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.
2. How many countries are a part of the resolution at WHO meet seeking a probe into coronavirus crisis?
a. 61
b. 62
c. 64
d. 65
S-b
EXPLANATION-
• India has backed the 62-nation coalition draft resolution that has been presented to the World Health Assembly (WHA) which will take up the issue of 'Covid-19 Response' during the two-day meet.
• Originally, it was drafted by the EU but was later co-sponsored by other nations totalling to 62, excluding the United States and China.
• While earlier countries like the US had sought an independent inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak and its origins, the EU draft does not mention inquiries and investigations against any state.
• It calls for an "impartial", "independent" and "comprehensive" evaluation to review lessons learnt from the WHO-coordinated response, as well as the "effectiveness" of mechanisms at its disposal -- namely the 2005 International Health Regulations.
3. In which of the following states churches will allow their premises to be used as quarantine facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic?
a. Mizoram
b. Manipur
c. Assam
d. Arunachal Pradesh
S-a
EXPLANATION-
• In Mizoram, churches will allow their premises to be used as quarantine facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state is presently COVID-free. The state government is expecting that another 10,000 people will return by middle of June.
• With a large number of home coming people need huge quarantine facilities, the state government has requested the Church body to provide shelter for the purpose.
• Following the request of the government the Church bodies agreed with providing shelter to the stranded people reaching the state.
• 51 church premises, having big halls have agreed to spare and they will also provide meals to the sheltered people at their premises.
4. Which of the following launched the Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Program?
a. The Central Zoo authority and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
b. the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
c. National Tiger Conservation Authority and and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
d. Indian Forest Service and and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
S-b
EXPLANATION-
• The Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme was launched by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• The programme wishes to engage dynamic and creative students, who are willing to learn about natural resource management and biodiversity conservation and to support the projects of NBA in various State and Union Territories and to technically assist the State Biodiversity Boards/UTs Biodiversity Council in discharge of their mandates an open, transparent, online competitive process
5. Benjamin Netanyahu has been appointed as the Prime Minister of which of the following countries for the fifth time?
a. Italy
b. Germany
c. France
d. Israel
S-d
EXPLANATION-
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on the formation of his coalition government after months of political uncertainty.
• Israel’s new government was sworn under Netanyahu, bringing an end to the longest political deadlock in the country’s history which saw a caretaker government in charge for over 500 days and three back-to-back general elections with no clear verdict.
• Netanyahu, 70, and his rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz joined hands to form a coalition government under a power-sharing agreement that would see the latter taking over the premiership on November 17, 2021.
• The new government, which according to the coalition agreement, will see Gantz replace Netanyahu as the Prime Minister after 18 months.
• Gantz will serve as Defense Minister until he is scheduled to take over as the Prime Minister in November next year. He will till then have the title of ‘Alternate Prime Minister’, something that Netanyahu will take over from him after exchanging the baton.
• Netanyahu surpassed Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion’s record of the longest-serving Premier in the country’s history last year in July.
