Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2021

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched an Asia Pacific Tax Hub. This will create an open platform to improve knowledge sharing, and strengthen coordination on tax policy among ADB, its members, and development partners.
The hub will mobilise regional and international resources to strengthen domestic resource mobilization (DRM) and international tax cooperation (ITC) in ADB’s developing member countries.

Notes:
NASA’s Perseverance rover has recently started to study the floor structure of the ancient crater- Jezero Crater.
The rover has started focusing its science instruments on rocks laying on the floor of the crater. A camera named ‘WATSON’ at the end of the rover’s robotic arm has taken detailed shots of the rocks. The rover is also documenting the historic flights of the rotorcraft of Ingenuity.

Notes:
Dr Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, a global nutrition expert of Indian descent has won the prestigious 2021 World Food Prize.
The veteran’s research on small native fish species in Bangladesh led to the development of nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquaculture and food systems.

Notes:
Nuklu Phom, a Church worker from Nagaland has been conferred with the Whitley Award 2021, which is also called as the “Green Oscar Award”.
He is the only India to be conferred with this award, which is given annually by Whitley Fund for Nature, in recognition of people who conserve nature at the grassroot level.

Notes:
On the night of May 12, as many as 18 elephants died in the Bamuni hillock in the Kundoli Proposed Reserve Forest under the Kathiatoli range, Assam.
Initial findings from the post mortem indicate that the reason for the death was a lightning strike. The samples have been sent to laboratories for further microbiological and toxicological examination.

Notes:
Nilofar is a very severe and intensified cyclone, which was formed in the year 2014 in Arabian Sea. Winds reached a maximum speed of close to 250 kmph, during the formation of the cyclone.
Recently, Cyclone Tauktae has formed in the Arabian sea, which is expected to become a very severe storm and is expected to cross the coast of Gujarat.

Notes:
The Government of Punjab becomes the first state in India to join the COVAX alliance, which will enable the state to source vaccines at best prices.
COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) is an initiative aimed at providing equitable access to anti-Covid vaccines and is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Oxycare system, which regulates oxygen being administered to the patients.
The system optimises consumption of oxygen based on oxygen saturation in the body and works primarily based on Low Pressure Regulator and an Electronic Control System. It reduces the workload of hospital staff eliminating the need of routine measurement

Notes:
Indian high jumper Tejaswin Shankar has claimed a gold medal at the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Manhattan, USA.
This is a centimetre short of his personal best and the current national record of 2.29m which he created in 2018. This was also Tejaswin’s second successive gold at the event.

Notes:
The Government of Punjab has targeted to bring one million hectares of farm land under Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique, during this cropping year. Under this method, seeds are directly drilled into the field by a tractor-powered machine.
This target has been envisioned, in anticipation of a huge shortfall in migrant labour due to COVID 19 second wave pandemic in the nation.