UN and partner agencies have launched a $6.7-b global appeal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, more than trebling an earlier appeal made by the UN chief, with special focus on more vulnerable countries & combating food insecurity & gender-based violence.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator- Mark Lowcock.
The United Nations Environment Programme extended environmentalist and actor-producer Dia Mirza's term as its National Goodwill Ambassador for another two years till the end of 2022. She is also a United Nations Sustainability Development Goals Advocate.
UNEP Headquarters- Nairobi, Kenya.
Iranian Parliament authorized the replacement of rial with another basic unit of currency called the Toman. Each Toman will be worth 10,000 rials under the new system. Gheran is another new denomination. 100 Gheran makes a Toman.
Iranian President- Hassan Rouhani, Capital- Tehran.
China has launched a new rocket along with a prototype deep-space spacecraft. Aboard the Long March 5 was a special prototype spacecraft that is somewhat akin to the deep-space Orion capsule NASA has been developing to people to the Moon and beyond.
Long March 5B rocket took off from the Wenchang launch site.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved an additional loan of 500 million dollar to Bangladesh to manage the impact of Corona virus on its economy and public health. 1.5 million workers, mostly women, in export industries will receive salary support.
ADB had approved $100 million concessional loan for Bangladesh.
Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the health ministry has started a clinical trial of traditional medicines like Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Guduchi Pippali, Ayush-64 amid rising number of coronavirus positive cases in the country.
Shripad Yesso Naik- Union Minister of AYUSH.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), designed and produced by Indian Navy, has been tested by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi and has been certified to be mass-produced and used in clinical COVID situations.
INMAS- DRDO organization tasked with certification of PPE.
India saved Rs 89,122 Cr through energy efficiency in 2018-19 and reduced energy intensity by 20% in the fiscal compared to 2005 level, according to PwC report. India has set a target to reduce the energy intensity by 33-35% by 2030 compared to 2005 level.
Union Power Minister- R K Singh.
A ‘Compendium of Indian Technologies for Combating COVID-19 (Tracing, Testing and Treating)’ prepared by NDRC was launched by Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR, and Secretary, DSIR, Govt. of India at CSIR Headquarters, New Delhi.
NRDC- National Research Development Corporation.
A team of astronomers has discovered that the closest known brown dwarf, Luhman 16A, shows signs of cloud bands similar to those seen on Jupiter and Saturn. Brown dwarfs are objects heavier than planets but lighter than stars.
They typically have 13 to 80 times the mass of Jupiter.
PSBs have sanctioned loans worth 5.66 lakh crore rupees for more than 41 lakh 81 thousand accounts during March-April this year. These borrowers are from MSME, Retail, Agriculture & Corporate sectors, waiting for disbursal soon after lockdown lifts.
Over 3.2 crore accounts availed three-month moratorium.
SBI slashed benchmark lending rate by 15 basis points and introduced Special Deposit Scheme for senior citizens with higher interest rate. With that, the marginal cost of funds-based lending rate comes down to 7.25%, from 7.40% with effect from 10th May.
SBI has introduced a new product ‘SBI Wecare Deposit’.
UP government has suspended many labour laws in the state for 3 years with a view to attract investment & to help both existing & new industrial units. It has also decided to establish Japanese help desk to attract the investment from Japanese companies.
Japanese Ambassador to India- Satoshi Suzuki.
In Tamil Nadu, the retirement age of the government staff, teachers and those in public sector units has been raised by a year to 59. The order comes in the wake of reports of loss of revenue due to the pandemic. Tamil Nadu CM- Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Tamil Nadu Governor- Banwarilal Purohit.
A two-day National Webinar on ‘Education and Leadership During A Crisis’, being organised by School of Education, Central University, Jammu, under Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching scheme began in Jammu.
Lieutenant Governor of J&K- Girish Chandra Murmu.
Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in West Bengal is mostly engaged in manufacturing of Railway engines. To deal with the Corona threat CLW has produced an automatic medical trolley which can reach to patients in hospital without human contact.
Medical trolley can provide medicines through remote control.
In Madhya Pradesh, in a first of its kind initiative, a unique vehicle named ‘Sanjeevani’ has been developed at the local level. With the help of this vehicle, health workers can investigate any suspected patients without coming into the contact of him.
Rajnagar administration took the initiative.
In Tripura, CM Biplab Kumar Deb has launched an online portal scholarships.gov.in under ‘Mukhyamantri Yuba Yogayog Yojana’. Government will provide Rs. 5,000 to 14,608 youths who are in final year in colleges or Universities as a grant for Smart Phones.
Submission of online application will continue till 6th June.
World Red Cross day is observed on May 8 to celebrate the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It is the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant, who was the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Red Cross Society is based on 7 principles.
World Thalassemia Day is an annual observance day that occurs on May 8th, to raise awareness about thalassemia and its symptoms. Theme- Begin thalassemia prevention from young age, blood test before marriage will make the future generation safe.
Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder.