Current Affairs Quiz - 18th May, 2018 - Current Affairs MCQ

The Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu launched the Intellectual Property (IP) mascot - IP Nani - at the conference on National Intellectual Property Rights Policy in New Delhi on May 16, 2018. An anti-piracy video featuring Mr. Amitabh Bachchan was also launched by the Minister at the event. Mascot IP Nani is a tech-savvy grandmother who helps the government and enforcement agencies in combating IP crimes with the help of her grandson "Chhotu" aka Aditya. The IP mascot will spread awareness about the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) among people, especially children, in an interesting manner. This character is also in line with the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) campaign for the World IP Day which celebrates the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity and courage of the women who are driving change in our world and shaping our common future. It also highlighted that how a strong IP system can support innovative and creative women and indeed everyone in their quest to bring their amazing ideas to the market.

Karnataka Bank will sell 8.26 % stake in Universal Sompo General Insurance to Dabur Investment Corporation and Sompo Japan. This transaction is waiting for approval from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). After this transaction, Karnataka Bank's stake in the general insurance company will reduce to 6 percent from the current 14.26 percent. Sompo Japan's stake will increase to 34.61 percent from 28.42 percent and Dabur Investment Corporation's stake will increase to 12.81 percent from 10.74 percent.

Gujarat Governor Om Prakash Kohli was given the additional charge of Madhya Pradesh as the incumbent Governor, Anandiben Patel is on leave. In the past, Mr. Kohli held the additional charge of the office of Governor of Madhya Pradesh from 8th September 2016 to 19th January 2018. In January 2018, Anandiben, became the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.

Objective behind publishing this list is to address the problem of people's inability to access diagnostic services. WHO outlined that an estimated 46 percent of adults with Type 2 diabetes worldwide were undiagnosed, thereby facing serious health risks and complications. WHO's essential diagnostics list concentrates on in-vitro tests like tests of blood and urine. tests have been enlisted for detection and diagnosis of a wide range of common conditions while 55 tests are designed for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of 'priority' diseases such as HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, human papillomavirus and syphilis.

The first-ever International Rail Coach Expo (IRCE) will be held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu from 17th to 19th May 2018 to focus on Rail Coaches and train sets. The expo is being hosted by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai, under the Ministry of Railways, in coordination with CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) and RITES Ltd. It will be a unique platform to bring different suppliers under one roof and create synergy for "Make in India". The expo will be of interest for train enthusiasts, railway suppliers, designers, developers, and general public. 100+ exhibitors from 10+ countries will participate in this expo. Key brands from rail coach and train sets will be displaying products and exclusive Rail Coach and train sets for the first time in India.

The Union government has selected Mangaluru as "India's best city in solid waste management". It was selected under the categories of cities having a population between three lakh and 10 lakh under Swachhata Survekshan 2018. The survey by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs assessed 4,203 urban local bodies under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).

With a view to strengthen security of women passengers in trains, North Eastern Railway plans to deploy women police personnel on trains during night hours as well as install 'panic buttons' in coaches. Currently, women passengers have to depend on either on helpline numbers. Among the other measures proposed to ensure women safety are having a different colour on the women coaches.

The US-India Business Council (USIBC), a premier business advocacy organisation, named Ambika Sharma as its India head. Ms. Sharma was Director General for International at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Formed in 1975, USIBC is the premier business advocacy organization, comprised of top-tier US and Indian companies advancing US-India commercial ties.

BSNL has signed a MoU with SAP to jointly offer innovative GST solutions to enterprises across India. The MoU aims to ensure that every business in the nation successfully adopts GST through BSNL's country-wide reach & SAP's expertise in providing robust technology offerings. The collaboration leverages the capabilities of BSNL as GST Suvidha Provider & SAP as Application Service Provider.

The UN General-Assembly declared 16 May the International Day of Living Together in Peace. The Day aims to uphold the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony. The Day invites countries to further promote reconciliation to help to ensure peace and sustainable development.

Tata Steel, whose bid for debt-ridden Bhushan Steel was approved by NCLT, would implement the resolution plan through its step-down subsidiary Bamnipal Steel Ltd. Bamnipal Steel would invest in the debt-ridden company and acquire control on the closing date. As per the terms of approved Resolution Plan, Bamnipal Steel Limited (BNPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, will initially subscribe to 72.65% equity share capital of BSL at face value i.e. at Rs 2 per share, for an aggregate amount of Rs 158.89 crore.

The IceCube spacecraft was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) in 2017. It is testing instruments for their ability to make space-based measurements of the small, frozen crystals that create ice clouds. Ice clouds start as tiny particles high in the atmosphere. They absorb moisture, and become heavier. This make them to fall to lower altitudes. The ice clouds affect Earth's energy budget by reflecting or absorbing the Sun's energy and by affecting the emission of heat from Earth into space. Ice clouds are major variables in weather and climate models. IceCube was equipped with a sub-millimetre radiometer that links the missing sensitivity between infrared and microwave wavelengths.

Susheela Jayapal, who is the sister of Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, has become the first South Asian to be elected as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Multnomah County in Oregon in the western US State on May 16, 2018. She won the District 2 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners with 57% of the vote. She will represent North and Northeast Portland commissioner's seat. Susheela, a former corporate lawyer and longtime community volunteer, defeated construction contractor Sharon Maxwell and two others.

Union Cabinet has approved signing and ratification of the agreement between India and Brunei Darussalam for the exchange of information and assistance in the collection with respect to taxes. The agreement will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance. It will also enable assistance in the collection of tax revenue claims between both countries.

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the 4th Global Exhibition on Services and launched a portal on 12 Champion Sectors in Services in Mumbai on 15th May 2018. Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Maharashtra Government, Confederation of Indian Industry & Services Export Promotion Council took this initiative. The President also launched a portal on 12 Champion Sectors in Services.