Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2021

Notes:
The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has proposed to permit operations of self-driving cars by end of the year 2021. The automated lane-keeping systems (ALKS) to be operationalised in the UK would be first in the world to be legalised.
The ALKS technology controls the position of driver less cars in a single lane and limits its speed to 60 kmph.

Notes:
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has launched joint military exercise named DEFENDER-Europe 2021 in Albania.
This is the first such large-scale exercise in the Western Balkan region since the World War II. Thousands of military forces from the United States and other countries will participate in the exercise. DEFENDER-Europe is an annual large-scale U.S. Army-led, multinational exercise.

Notes:
The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992, to review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women; recommend remedial legislative measures; facilitate redressal of grievances and advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.
The National Commission for Women has recently launched a WhatsApp helpline number for providing emergency medical assistance to pregnant women.

Notes:
The Global Forest Goals Report 2021 was prepared by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.
The report provides an overview of progress towards achieving the six Global Forest Goals and their 26 associated targets as mentioned in the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2030. The first Global Forest Goal provides for increasing forest area by three per cent by 2030.

Notes:
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter had demonstrated powered, controlled flight on the Red planet. Now, the helicopter is to demonstrate a new activity.
The Ingenuity experiment will function in a demonstration phase, after the helicopter completes its next two flights. It will start exploring how aerial scouting and other aerial functions could benefit future exploration of Mars and other regions.

Notes:
The World Health Organisation, through its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure, allows countries to use their own regulatory approval processes to import and administer the vaccine.
It also enables UNICEF and Health Organizations to procure the vaccine for distribution to needy countries. WHO has recently given the approval for emergency use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Notes:
The Indian Navy has launched the Operation Samudra Setu-II, under which Indian Naval warships would ship liquid oxygen filled cryogenic containers from foreign nations.
As a part of the operation, two naval ships INS Kolkata and INS Talwar have been deployed to bring oxygen from Bahrain to Mumbai.

Notes:
Indian Army inaugurated the First Green Solar Energy harnessing plant of 56 KVA in North Sikkim, at an altitude of 16000 ft.
The project, which uses Vanadium based battery technology, was completed in collaboration with IIT Mumbai. India has fixed a target of producing 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022.

Notes:
As per SEBI, Alternative Investment Fund means any privately pooled investment fund established in India which collects funds from sophisticated investors, (Indian or foreign), for investing as per a defined investment policy for the benefit of its investors.
The Union Labour ministry has notified the changes in the investment pattern of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). It has permitted the body to invest up to 5% of its surplus in alternate investment funds (AIFs) which support infrastructure, MSMEs, venture capital funds and social venture capital funds.

Notes:
Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak has been qualified to participate in the Tokyo Olympics after qualifying through the continental quota.
The 26-year-old from West Bengal had earlier claimed a bronze in vault at the Asian Artistic Gymnastic Championships in 2019.