Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 and 27 April 2020

1. Sanjay Kothari sworn in as Chief Vigilance Commissioner

• Recently, Sanjay Kothari has been sworn in as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner.
• President of India Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath to him.
• Sanjay Kothari is a former 1978 batch Indian Administrative Service officer from Haryana.
• Central Vigilance Commission:
  • It is an independent, apex vigilance institute.
  • Advises various officers in central government organizations to plan, implement, review and improve their vigilance work.
  • It was established in February 1964 by the recommendation of K Santhanam committee.
  •  In 2003, it was granted statutory status by the Parliament.

2. Senior Congress leader Badruddin Sheikh passed away

• Recently, senior Congress leader Badruddin Sheikh has passed away.
• He was 68.
• He died after a COVID-19 infection.
• He was a counselor in Amdavad Municipal Corporation, Ahmedabad.
• He was active in politics and public life.

3. Central government appointed new secretaries in various ministries and departments

• Recently, the central government appointed new secretaries, special secretaries and additional secretaries in various ministries and departments.
• Information and Broadcasting Secretary Ravi Mittal has been appointed as Sports Secretary.
• Amit Khare, Secretary, Higher Education, has been given the additional charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal has been appointed as Secretary of School Education and Literacy.
• Tarun Kapoor has been appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• Tarun Bajaj became the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance.

4. National Thermal Power Corporation Limited invited Global Expression of Interest (GEI)

• Recently the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has invited Global Expression of Interest.
• It aims to provide 10 hydrogen cell based electric buses and an equal number of hydrogen fuel cell based electric cars in Leh and Delhi.
• This is the first project of its kind in the country, in which a complete solution ranging from green energy to fuel cell vehicles will be developed.
• This initiative has been done in collaboration with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• The purpose of launching hydrogen-powered vehicles is to make the vehicle and automobile sector carbon-free.
• National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC):
  • It is an Indian public sector undertaking engaged in the business of power generation and allied activities.
  •  It is a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956.
  • NTPC is a Maharatna company.
  • It was founded in 1975.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

5. India supplied Bangladesh with 1 lakh hydroxychloroquine tablets and other emergency medical supplies

• Recently India has supplied 1 lakh hydroxychloroquine tablets and other emergency medical supplies including 50,000 surgical gloves to Bangladesh.
• This material was handed over to Rewa Ganguly Das, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh.
• Earlier, India provided 30 thousand surgical masks and 15,000 head-covers to Bangladesh on 25 March in the first installment of assistance under the COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
• Bangladesh:
  • Located in the east of India on the Bay of Bengal, is a South Asian country.
  • Its capital is Dhaka and the currency is Bangladeshi Taka.

6. Chemicals and petrochemicals sector is the country's top exporter for the first time

• The chemicals and petrochemicals sector has become the country's top exporter for the first time.
• The export of chemicals during April 2019 to January 2020 increased by 7.43% over the same period of the previous financial year.
• Total exports of chemicals reached Rs 2.68 lakh crore during this period, which is 14.35% of the total exports.
• The sustained efforts by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals have enabled the industry to become the most exported segment for the first time.

7. COVID-19 can affect the central nervous system due to loss of smell and taste

• A recent study has shown that COVID-19 can affect the central nervous system due to loss of smell and taste.
• This study has been done by scientists of IIT, Jodhpur.
• According to this study, scientists have been tracing the neuroinvasive nature of the COVID-19 virus, stating that the loss of smell and taste of infected patients has a devastating effect on their entire central nervous system and the underlying structures in the brain.
• For this reason, the person is also at greater risk of viral infection in future.
• The loss of smell or taste is attributed to this fact as the virus enters the body mainly through nose and mouth.

8. Separationists declared self-rule in southern Yemen

• Recently, separatists in southern Yemen have declared self-rule.
• This announcement broke the peace agreement that was signed in November with an internationally recognized government.
• The Southern Transitional Council in Aden announced the state of emergency, saying it would rule the port city and other southern provinces.
• The Southern Transitional Council alleged that the government had failed to perform its duties.
• It is known that the Houthi rebels hold most of the north.
• Yemen:
  • It is a country located at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia.
  • Its capital is Sana and the currency is Yemeni riyal.

9. Replay of dolphins in the Bosphorus Strait

• Recently, dolphin recreation has been observed in the Bosphorus Strait.
• More than 2700 people have died in Turkey due to the Corona Virus infection. Therefore, Turkey had declared a lockdown in the country from 23 April.
• For this reason, due to the reduced movement of ships in the sea, the fish of this region has got the opportunity to travel again uninterruptedly.
• The Bosphorus Strait, which lies between Europe and Asia, is a major habitat of the marine mammal dolphin.
• Turkey:
  • Turkey is a nation bordering Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
  • Its capital is Ankara and the currency is Turkish Lira.

10. 26 April: World Intellectual Property Day

• World Intellectual Property Day is observed every year on 26 April.
• The day encourages intellectual innovation and creativity.
• The theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2020 is "Innovation for a Green Future".
• In the year 2000, WIPO member countries declared 26 April as World Intellectual Property Day, as the World Intellectual Property Convention came into force in 1970 on this day.