Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s first minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) after 13 months in office, amidst political turmoil. His leadership faced criticism following the SNP’s failed coalition with the Scottish Greens, leading to upcoming no-confidence motions.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the ‘Inflation Expectations Survey of Households’ and ‘Consumer Confidence Survey’ to inform its bi-monthly monetary policy decisions. The former gathers subjective assessments on price movements from 19 cities, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data on inflation expectations. The latter seeks qualitative responses on economic conditions, employment, prices, income, and spending, also spanning 19 cities. These surveys aim to provide crucial insights for RBI’s policy formulation.

Notes:
The Old Kijabe Dam burst in southern Kenya, causing deadly floods attributed to climate change and El Nino. At least 42 people died in the dam breach near Kenya’s Rift Valley town. The Great Rift Valley, part of the East African Rift System, spans 4,000 miles across multiple countries, including Kenya. It’s a significant geological feature, stretching from Jordan to Mozambique’s coast, impacting regions like Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Notes:
The European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on AMR organized a high-level event in Barcelona, Spain. It aims to unite world leaders and experts across sectors to boost political action on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Established in 2020, the GLG advises on AMR and is supported by the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat involving FAO, UNEP, WHO, and WOAH, to maintain global momentum and leadership on AMR.

Notes:
Recently, an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter collected water from Bhimtal Lake in Nainital, Uttarakhand to help control a nearby forest fire.The Indian Army and the IAF were called in to help control the blaze, with MI-17 choppers lifting water from the lake for firefighting efforts. Bhimtal Lake, Uttarakhand’s largest lake in the Nainital district, is a centerpiece of the Kumaon region, dubbed India’s “lake district.” Named after the Mahabharata’s Bhima, it formed naturally due to Earth’s crust shifts. Constructed in 1883 during the British era, it features a masonry dam.

Notes:
On May 3, 2024, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, with UNFPA, host “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” during CPD57 in New York. Elected women representatives, including Sabhadhipati Supriya Das Datta (Tripura), Sarpanch Kunuku Hema Kumari (Andhra Pradesh), and Sarpanch Neeru Yadav (Rajasthan), led by Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj, will showcase Indian women’s grassroots leadership.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank’s report on Aging well in Asia highlights four vital aspects of older persons’ well-being: health, productive work, economic security, and social engagement. It reveals that developing Asia faces rapid aging, with the older population set to almost double to 25.2% by 2050. India’s challenges include low health insurance coverage (21%) for older individuals and heavy reliance (80%–90%) on private income and assets for retirement.

Notes:
The ICC has banned West Indies cricketer Devon Thomas for five years due to breaching anti-corruption codes of SLC, ECB, and CPL. The ban was imposed by the ICC as the designated Anti-Corruption Official. Thomas accepted the charges, leading to the sanction without a tribunal hearing. The ban includes a suspension of the last 18 months. Thomas admitted to violating several provisions of the codes.

Notes:
Nepal introduced a new Rs 100 currency note featuring disputed Indian territories—Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani—triggering contention from India. Prime Minister Prachanda chaired a meeting where the decision was made. Rekha Sharma, also the communication minister, announced the update following Nepal Rastra Bank’s proposal. The move follows tensions since Nepal’s 2020 political map included these areas. India had included them in its 2019 map, leading to diplomatic strains, notably over a road construction.

Notes:
Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL), India’s top renewable energy firm, secured USD 400 million in funding from five international banks for its 750 MW solar projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat. These projects are scheduled to start operating from November 2024. The Rajasthan project, with 500 MW capacity, has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with SECI, while the Gujarat project, with 250 MW capacity, is a standalone merchant power project in Khavda, the world’s largest RE cluster.