Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2018

Notes:
India has signed a loan agreement of $200-million with the World Bank for the National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan) to achieve its goal of reducing stunting in children aged 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022. The loan will support the first phase of scaling up of interventions in 315 districts across all states and union territories. A large component of POSHAN Abhiyaan involves gradual scaling-up of the interventions supported by the ongoing World Bank assisted Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) to all districts in the country over a 3-year period. The project will ensure convergence of all nutrition-related schemes and provide performance-based incentives to states and community nutrition and health workers, facilitating a focus on results. The POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8 in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.

Notes:
Journalist Carlos Alvarado has been sworn-in as the new President of Costa Rica on May 8, 2018. In April 2018, he won the presidential election (second round) with 61% votes. Alvarado swept to victory against conservative Protestant singer Fabricio Alvarado Munoz. At 39, Alvarado is the country’s youngest president in modern history. He has spoken out in support of marriage equality, building a green transport network for the nation and for spurring economic growth to fight against insecurity.

Notes:
The Gokak falls is a waterfall located on the Ghataprabha River, a tributary of the Krishna river, in Belagavi district of Karnataka. The waterfall is horse shoe shaped at the crest, with a flood breadth of 177 metres. There is a hanging bridge across the river which stands 14m above the rock bed. The bridge was built during British rule. One of the interesting features of this place is the monuments from the Chalukya era that are found on either bank of the rocky gorge. are the monuments from the Chalukya era that are present on either banks of the rocky gorge. Another attraction of this place is the very old river-front temple dedicated to Lord Mahalingeshwara, built in the Later Chalukya style of architecture. There is also an old electricity generation station and electricity was generated here for the first time in 1887.

Notes:
The 2018 World Robot Conference (WRC) will be held in Beijing, China from August 15-19 under the theme of creating new intelligent power and sharing the new opening-up era. It will offer a venue where academic thoughts can be exchanged at high levels and the latest achievements demonstrated. The event will see over 12,000 competing teams and 50,000 participants from more than 10 countries and regions. A robot competition will be held during the conference where participants will compete in five categories viz. robots, artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and control systems.

Notes:
The 15th Finance Commission has constituted an advisory council to advise and assist the commission. The 6-member council will be headed by the President of Forum for Strategic Initiatives, Arvind Virmani. The role and functions of the council will be to advise the commission on any issue or subject related to the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Commission. Besides, the council will also assist the commission in the preparation of any paper or research study which will enhance the Commission’s understanding on the issues containing in its ToR. The advisory council will help in broadening the commission’s ambit and understanding to seek best national and international practices on matters pertaining to fiscal devolution and improving the quality and reach and enforcement of its recommendations.

Notes:
On May 11, the parliamentary panel headed by veteran BJP MP Murali Manohar Joshi has decided to study the recovery of black money and performance of public sector banks among a host of subjects. The 30-member Estimates Committee has decided to study a host of subjects related to various ministries in the year 2018-19. As per the memorandum of the committee, the panel will look into the import of uranium for nuclear plants, mining activities and environment, upgrading of India Post offices and the drought situation in the country among other matters. The panel on estimates, which is also called the continuous economy committee, suggests changes in policy or administrative framework to bring efficiency in expenditure. Besides the panel on estimates, the Public Accounts Committee has been looking into the issue of black money after the implementation of demonetisation.

Notes:
Scientists have discovered the world’s second oldest grain of magnetic zircon from the Singhbhum rock at the Champua in Kendujhar district of Odisha. The zircon is a mineral that contains traces of radioactive isotopes. It is an estimated that the magnetic zircon in the rock is 4, 240 million years old that will offer fresh clues about the earth’s origins. It must be noted that this rock sample was recovered nearly 8 years ago from Champua that has put India at the forefront of geological research in the world. The geologists from the University of Calcutta and Curtin University, Malaysia, along with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (Beijing) made the discovery, which was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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The book ‘Across the Bench – Insight into the Indian Military Judicial System’ has been authored by Lt Gen Gyan Bhushan, former Army Commander and Member ‘A’, Armed Forces Tribunal of Lucknow Bench. The book deals with military judicial system vis-a-vis command and management issues within the military establishments besides the whole gamut of issues relating to veterans, their families and dependents. It was released by Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army the Staff on May 11, 2018.

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Prof. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate and noted economist, has been conferred with the 11th KISS Humanitarian Award 2018 on May 11 for his unwavering commitment to eradicate global poverty and foster economic and social development. He is the founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and is widely known as the Father of Microfinance. The KISS Humanitarian Award is a prestigious international award given to someone who has made exceptional contribution to the society in various fields relating to social issues and who has distinguished himself or herself as a true humanitarian. It was instituted in 2008 by Dr Achyuta Samanta, the founder of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Bhubaneswar.

Notes:
The International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated every year across the world on May 12 to mark the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The day is also mark to recognize the strong commitment, compassion and dedication that nurses display in the practice of their profession. The 2018 theme is – Nurses A Voice to Lead – Health is a Human right.