Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

Notes:
Les Payne (76), a fervid and fearless Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, has passed away in Manhattan, United States on March 18, 2018. He served as an editor and columnist at Newsday and is a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Payne received a Pulitzer Prize for his investigative research ‘Heroin Trail’ in 1974.

Notes:
India’s teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker has bagged Gold in the Women’s 10-metre Air Pistol Individual and Team events at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney, Australia on March 24, 2018. Manu shot 235.9 to finish at the top of the podium. Hirunphoem settled for a Silver, while China’s Kaiman Lu won the Bronze. Manu, Devanshi Rana and Mahima Agrawal also brought India on top of the team podium. China was second, while Thailand took home the bronze. India also tasted success in the Men’s 10 metre Air Pistol event, with Gaurav Rana winning a Silver medal, and Anmol Jain grabbing the Bronze.

Notes:
The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed every year on March 25 to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today. The 2018 theme is “Remember Slavery: Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality”, which celebrates the gains of people of African descent from slavery to present. It also acknowledges the challenges that have been overcome in the movement towards freedom and equality in all professions.

Notes:
The World Theatre Day (WTD) was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI). The first World Theatre Day Message was written by Jean Cocteau in 1962. Ever since, it is celebrated all over the world on 27th March to draw attention to the power of the stage. The day is a celebration for those who can see the value and importance of the art form “theatre”, and acts as a wake-up-call for governments, politicians and institutions which have not yet recognised its value to the people and to the individual and have not yet realised its potential for economic growth. This year, in 2018, Playwright Nina Lee Aquino will deliver the WTD message.

Notes:
The 12th edition of Earth Hour was observed across the world by turning off non-essential electric lights for one hour from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on March 24, 2018. It is the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment where people around the globe unite to take a stand against climate change by turning off non-essential lights for one hour. It is a global initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature India or WWF-India. This year, in 2018, WWF-India has launched the “Give Up to Give Back” initiative to inspire organisations, institutions and individuals to make the choice to curb some habits, practices and lifestyles that burden lives and environment. The campaign includes taking steps like giving up single-use plastics, fossil fuels and e-waste among others.

Notes:
Indian shooter Muskan has clinched the gold medal in women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney, Australia on March 28, 2018. The 16-year-old Muskan bested China’s Qin Sihang and Thailand’s Kanyakorn Hirunphoem. The team gold was won by Muskan, Manu Bhaker and Devanshi Rana, adding to India’s rich medal haul. Muskan’s medal was India’s fourth individual gold in the prestigious tournament. Indian trio of Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Ayush Rudraraju and Gurnilal Singh Garcha bagged the team silver in men’s junior skeet with a total of 348. Beside Muskan, Anish Bhanwala from India bagged gold medal in the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event on March 27. Hence, thus upstaged China with 22 medals, including 9 gold. India have also five silver and eight bronze medals.

Notes:
The 17th Sub-junior National Wushu Championship has started in Jammu on March 29, 2018.The national level sports event is being organised in the winter capital city of Jammu by the the Wushu Association of India in collaboration with J&K State Sports Council at MA Stadium. About 37 teams comprising of over one thousand boys and girls from across the country and 12 boys from Army are participating in the national championship.

Notes:
Win Myint, a loyalist of Aung San Suu Kyi, has been elected as the new President of Myanmar after the resignation of his predecessor ‘Htin Kyaw’. Myint is a stalwart member of National League for Democracy (NLD). He has been a Speaker in the Lower House since 2012 and was widely tipped for the top job. But his role will be essentially ceremonial, with Ms Suu Kyi acting as de facto President.

Notes:
The International Day of Forests is observed every year on March 21 to provide a platform to raise awareness of the importance of all types of woodlands and trees and celebrate the ways in which they sustain and protect us. The 2018 theme “Forests and Sustainable Cities” focuses on how forests and trees in urban areas regulate temperature and water flows, provide nutritious foods and shelter, cleanse the air and foster community cohesion and individual well-being, among other benefits.

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh government has raised the retirement age of state government employees to 62 years from the current age of retirement is 60 years. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The MP Chief Minister cited promotion of general category employees as a reason to raise the age limit of these employees. The state already has bigger retirement age limit in case of teachers and doctors. The retirement age is 65 years for university/ college teachers and doctors (specialists), while for the school teachers it is 62.