Today’s top News

  1. CPI(M) veteran Pinarayi Vijayan, who led the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to an unprecedented consecutive victory in the April 6 assembly polls, on Thursday took oath as Chief Minister of Kerala for the second time along with 20 ministers.
  2. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office to 77-year-old Vijayan and ministers in a low-key function at the Central Stadium here, which was held completely in accordance with the Covid protocol.
  3. 150 GPS based ventilator beds from PM Cares Trust Fund established at Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre (SPCCC), New Delhi started functioning. This will be in addition to the 500 oxygen beds which are already functional at the centre. The ventilators will be used for providing critical care to the Covid19 patients.
  4. The centre is serving as an important centre with the support of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Delhi Government and is providing much needed medical care to patients who need oxygen support. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had mandated the Force to provide the Doctors and paramedical staff for the SPCCC, Radha Soami Beas, Chhatarpur, New Delhi.
  5. PM Modi interacted with the state and district officials on the COVID-19 situation through video conference: During the interaction, the officials thanked the Prime Minister for his leadership in the battle against Covid-19. The officials briefed the Prime Minister about the improving covid situation in their respective districts.
  6. The due date of furnishing of Return of Income for the Assessment Year 2021-22 , which is 31st July 2021 under sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, is extended to 30th September 2021.
  7. Assam govt announces free power supply to oxygen plants : The state also announced the revival of the closed ones to avert any shortage of the live-saving gas amid the coronavirus pandemic
  8. Uttarakhand allows ration shops, grocery stores to open for 5 hours from May 21
  9. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said that over 300 doctors have died due to COVID-19 during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic while most deaths have been reported from Bihar.
  10. WB CM Mamata Banerjee described the Prime minister’ meeting with chief ministers on the Covid situation on Thursday as “a super flop” and said that they felt “humiliated” and “insulted” for not being allowed to speak.
  11. Questions remain over why ONGC personnel ignored Tauktae warning: The Union government has ordered an inquiry into the incident at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC’s) Western Offshore site, off the Mumbai shore that led to at least 26 confirmed deaths. Fifty-five persons went missing and scores of others were stranded.
  12. Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has urged the States and Union Territories to make fungal infection Mucormycosis known as black fungus, a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. The Ministry has asked all the government and private health facilities, medical colleges to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of Mucormycosis issued by the Union Health Ministry and Indian Council of Medical Research.
  13. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that mucormycosis or black fungus, which has claimed 90 lives in the state so far, is a matter of prime concern for it at present, and the state government needs more supply of the medicine used in its treatment.
  14. Now Money kept in various online wallets like Amazon pay, Ola money, Mobikwik, Phone pe, Delhi Metro Card etc. can be withdrawn using an ATM or Point of Sale Terminal. Reserve bank of India permitted cash withdrawal of Rs. 2,000 per transaction with maximum limit of Rs. 10,000 per month. All non-bank Payment prepaid instruments can provide this service. But, for such transaction using card or wallet PIN or other additional authentication will be mandatory.
  15. On the occasion of World Bee Day and in the context of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar today launched the project of setting up of a honey testing laboratory at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi.
  16. The Punjab government on Thursday decided to provide Rs 1,500 per month as social security pension and free education up to graduation to all those children orphaned in the Covid pandemic , as well as families that have lost their breadwinning member, beginning July 1.
  17. Singer Arijit Singh’s mother dies of cerebral stroke after testing COVID negative
    Arijit Singh’s mother died Aditi Singh, 52, had tested negative for the viral disease on Monday but succumbed to a cerebral stroke late on Thursday.
  18. Amid growing clamour to cancel the CBSE Class 12 Board Exam 2021 due to rising coronavirus COVID-19 cases across the country, schools affiliated to CBSE are planning to hold another set of online practice tests for Class 12 students .
  19. Indian Navy’s first destroyer INS Rajput will be decommissioned on May 21 after serving the nation for 41 years. The erstwhile Russian-built ship was commissioned on May 4, 1980. Due to the pandemic, the decommissioning process in Visakhapatnam will be a low-key affair. On May 21, a glorious era will come to an end with the decommissioning of the first destroyer of the Indian Navy — INS Rajput.
  20. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauds efforts of Armed Forces and Indian Coast Guard in rescue operations following Cyclone Tauktae : He commended the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for saving the lives of people stranded at sea. He also hailed Indian Army for deploying its columns in affected areas and the Indian Air Force for transporting personnel of the National Disaster Response Force.

✈INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  1. RT PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) negative report with QR code made mandatory for all passengers flying out on International flights. W.e.f 22nd May 2021 .

RT PCR reports without QR codes wont be accepted. This has been necessitated bcos many hv been found carrying fake reports issued by Doctors on Letter heads etc. This QR code will be cross verifiable on the ICMR portal / data base.

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction is a laboratory technique combining reverse transcription of RNA into DNA and amplification of specific DNA targets using polymerase chain reaction. It is primarily used to measure the amount of a specific RNA.

  1. Weather Forecast: Hint of storm, warning for Bengal If the cyclone takes shape, it will be called Yaas , a name given by Oman. A low-pressure area expected to form over the North Andaman Sea by this weekend is tipped to turn into a cyclone and move towards the Bengal-Odisha coast, making landfall sometime in the middle of next week.
  2. Separatists in PoK call for bandh in Kashmir on Friday : The death anniversary of both the leaders falls on Friday.
  3. Mirwaiz Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone were killed by terrorists of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen in 1990 and 2002 for opposing growing gun culture in the Kashmir Valley. Mirwaiz Farooq was shot dead by three terrorists on May 21, 1990, and it was conspired by then so-called commander of banned Hizbul Mujahideen Abdualla Bangroo. Abdul Gani Lone was shot dead on the same day in 2002 at an Eidgah when he was on his way to pay homage to Farooq Mirwaiz. What these two killings had in common was that both these leaders wanted Pakistan to stop aiding terror groups in the Valley.
  4. Sri Lanka to close its borders for 10 days beginning Friday, May 21, for arriving passengers : The decision was announced after the island nation reported a record single-day high of 3,051 COVID-19 cases. The country’s borders will remain closed from midnight of May 21st till May 31st.
  5. Akal Takht has asked the Australian government to revoke its decision of banning the ‘kirpan’ in government schools at New South Wales in Australia. The ban on wearing ‘kirpan’ in public schools was to come into effect from today. The ban was imposed following an incident at a Sydney school on May 6 when a 14-year-old Sikh student, who had been bullied in the school, used his kirpan in defence and injured another student.

🌎WORLD NEWS🌍

  1. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin witness launch of biggest nuclear energy project in China .
  2. Despite ceasefire moves, Gaza conflict rages for 11th day- Diplomatic efforts towards a ceasefire in the Gaza war gathered pace on Thursday amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, but Israeli air strikes again pulverised the enclave and Hamas rockets targetted towns in Israel.
  3. China successfully launches new ocean observation satellite Haiyang-2D.
  4. Earthquake of 5.8 magnitude rattles Nepal, flattens dozens of houses : The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 5.42am (05.27IST on Wednesday), was located at Marshyangdi Rural Municipality of the district, 200km west of Kathmandu.
  5. US Prez. Joe Biden expresses support for ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
  6. Bangladesh has approached several countries to procure COVID 19 vaccine for the country . Addressing media in Dhaka on Thursday, Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh is making efforts to get vaccines from the US, China, Canada, Russia and UK apart from its request to India to meet Bangladesh’s urgent need for the vaccine.
  7. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave away the highest civilian award of Bangladesh ‘Swadhinta Puraskar 2021 ’ also known as Independence Award to nine individuals and a research organisation on Thursday.
  8. US warship’s passage near disputed Paracel Islands illegal, says China A United States Navy warship USS Curtis Wilbur sailed near disputed : Beijing-controlled islands in the South China Sea on Thursday. Beijing, which claims almost all the South China Sea as its territory, said the movement of the US warship violated its sovereignty. However, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet said the vessel “asserted navigational rights and freedoms” near the Paracel islands, over which China, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim sovereignty.
  9. World’s Largest Iceberg Breaks Off In Antarctica As Glaciers Retreat : The iceberg measures around 170 kilometers long and 25 kilometers wide, making it larger than New York’s Long Island and half the size of Puerto Rico. Iceberg A-76 calved from the western side of the Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica and is now floating on the Weddell Sea.

Sports:

  1. Rahul Dravid to coach Indian team on Lanka tour : Former India skipper and current National Cricket Academy (NCA) head Rahul Dravid will coach the Indian limited-overs team that will play a six-game series against Sri Lanka in July. This will be his second stint with the Indian team after working with the boys as batting consultant during the England tour in 2014.
  2. Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh tests positive for COVID-19 : 91-year-old Milkha Singh is also known as The Flying Sikh. He still is the only Indian sprinter to win gold in the 400m at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.
  3. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s overseas training till first week of July : Asian champion Vinesh Phogat will continue to train overseas till the Olympic Games in July this year. The Mission Olympic Cell yesterday approved her proposal to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, routed through the Wrestling Federation of India, to train in Hungary and Poland after she finishes her high-altitude stint in Bulgaria.
  4. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has invited nominations/applications of eligible athletes, coaches, universities and entities for the National Sports Awards 2021
  5. The Sports Authority of India will extend medical and accident insurance cover to more than 13,000 athletes, coaches and support staff from this year.

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Facts about India

On this day (21 May) in the year 1991, former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated by Thenmozhi Rajaratnam aka Dhanu, a suicide bomber, in Sriperumbudur near Chennai.

In the year 1994, Sushmita Sen became the first Indian to be crowned as Miss Universe.

Thought of the day

Have faith in yourself – all power is in you. Even the poison of a snake is powerless, if you can firmly deny it.”

Joke of the day

In a classroom Teacher asks a student to count from 0 to 10.
Student : 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Teacher : Where is 5?
Student : Yesterday I heard in the news
that 5 died in a car accident…..🤥😱😷

Why❓❓❓

What is the reason for The Ancient Practice Of Sprinkling Water Around Food Meant!

This ancient practise is believed to have started by sages in olden times, who spent most of their lives living in forest areas or in raw houses, where the floors weren’t concrete on which they sat and ate food. Moreover, the food was mostly served on banana plantains. The food was prone to be exposed to the muddy floor making it unhealthy; which is why water was sprinkled around the plates to settle the mud or dust particles down. Dirt contains bacteria that may contribute to allergic reactions and other health problems.

Another reason may be that sprinkling water was also a great way to keep insects and pests at bay, especially at night when there is barely any light. It is said that ants or any insect cannot cross or tread upon water.

LEARN Sanskrit🙏🏻

आगच्छथः To come

💁🏻‍♂️ GK TODAY

First Vice President – Sarvapalli Radha Krishna

First Deputy Prime Minister – Sardar Vallabhai Patil

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is a large arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent that covers an area of 200,000 km 2(77,000 sq mi) and forms a natural boundary between  India  and Pakistan. It is the world’s 18th largest desert, and the world’s 9th largest subtropical desert.

🛕 VEDIK GNAN

Vishwamitra : Sage or rishi, who used Rama to kill troubling demons. Initially he was a Lodh king in ancient India. he is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including Gayatri Mantra. His daughter was Shakuntala (from Menaka) from where Mahabharat story begins and also father of Sushruta (father of plastic surgery)

🤔 How it works ⁉

What happens when you inhale carbon dioxide?

When CO2 is breathed into the lungs, it dissolves in the water there, diffuses across the alveolar-capillary membrane, and enters the bloodstream. As it combines with water, it forms carbonic acid, making the blood acidic. So CO2 in the bloodstream lowers the blood pH.

Normally, humans breathe in air that is approximately 20.95% oxygen, 78.09% nitrogen, 0.93% argon, and
0.04% (400 ppm) of carbon dioxide. Like CO2, oxygen also dissolves in the lungs and is transported to the
blood via diffusion across the lung tissue (alveoli). Once in the blood, oxygen is carried throughout the body
by the arteries, and is used in cell metabolism throughout the body.
Carbon dioxide is given off as a by-product of cell metabolism and is carried by the blood through the venous
system (veins) to the lungs. Here it is exhaled. The concentration of CO2 in each breath is ~3.8%, and the
“average” person produces approximately two pounds of carbon dioxide each day. More CO2 is given off by
strenuous activity.

When CO2 levels become excessive, a condition known as acidosis occurs. This is defined as the pH of the
blood becoming less than 7.35. The body maintains the balance mainly by using bicarbonate ions in the
blood. As the body responds to neutralize this condition, an electrolyte imbalance – an increase of plasma
chloride, potassium, calcium and sodium, can occur. In the blood stream, CO2 concentration is also controlled by reversible reactions with two major blood components, plasma proteins and hemoglobin.

🧬 HEALTH CARE: HOME REMEDIES🩺

(Note : These home tips followed in villages/ancient traditions, it is up to you to use it or not🙏🏻)

Vitamin C found in lemons may help reduce skin wrinkling, dry skin from aging, and damage from the sun.

Drinking warm or hot lemon water when you wake up may help get your digestive system moving. It supports weight loss.

The citric acid in lemons may help prevent kidney stones.

Regards©
CH. Naveen Kumar

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