Correct Answer : Option (A) :   Reserve Bank of India

Explanation : Fitch Ratings has recently said in its APAC sovereign credit overview report that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the first Asia-Pacific (APAC) central bank to begin interest rate easing cycle by cutting the policy rate back-to-back in the last two monetary policy reviews in 2019. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), headed by RBI Govenor Shaktikanta Das, cut rates in February and April, citing prospects of benign inflation. In the four months of 2019, the RBI has cut policy interest rates twice twice by 0.25% each to one-year low of 6%. Earlier in April 2019, Fitch Ratings kept India's rating unchanged for the 13th time in a row at BBB- , which is the lowest investment grade, along with a stable outlook. The agency cited various challenges faced by the country such as high public debt, weak financial sector and lagging structural reforms.

Correct Answer : Option (A) :   Narasimham Committee-II

Explanation : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has divested its entire stake in National Housing Bank (NHB) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) for Rs 1,450 crore and Rs 20 crore, respectively. The move is part of ending the cross-holding in regulatory institutions and follows the recommendation of second Narasimham committee report of October 2001 and the RBI's own discussion paper on the same entitled 'Harmonizing the role and operations of development financial institutions and banks. The current change in the capital structure of both these financial institutions was brought in by the government through amendments to the Nabard Act of 1981 and the NHB Act of 1987 which were notified on January 19, 2018 and March 29, 2018, respectively. With this, the Government of India (GoI) now holds 100% stake in both these financial institutions.

Correct Answer : Option (B) :   2030

Explanation : The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the 'Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA)' India which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control in order to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.India has made impressive progress in malaria control over the past two decades. The disease has declined by over 80 percent, 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90 percent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018.The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has developed a comprehensive framework to achieve the target of "Malaria free India by 2030" and for this reason the Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India established.

Correct Answer : Option (C) :   Eliud Kipchoge

Explanation : Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge clinched his fourth London Marathon 2019 crown on 28th April at London, UK. Kipchoge strode clear of the field to win with the second fastest-ever time of 2:02:37. He set the world record time of 2:01.39s at Berlin in 2018.

Correct Answer : Option (B) :   UNSC

Explanation : The German-sponsored resolution 2467 (2019), on sexual violence, was adopted by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) condemning rape as a weapon of war after 13 out of 15 members have voted in favour of the resolution while Russia and China abstain from voting. The resolution was adopted only after language on a woman's right to "reproductive health" was removed from the draft to avert a veto by the anti-abortion US administration.

Correct Answer : Option (B) :   Kerala

Explanation : Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Trivandrum, Kerala has awarded Intellectual Property Award 2019 on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day. The award was given under the category of "Top Indian R&D Institution and Organisation for Patents & Commercialisation". The award carries a citation, a memento and a cash award of Rs 1 lakh. The SCTIMST has transferred 54 technologies to different companies for the purpose of commercialisation. It has 97 Indian patent and another 127 patent applications are waiting for approval. It is also the applicant or co-applicant in 21 foreign patent applications. The institute also has 25 design registrations and one trademark as the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The institute promotes research and technology development of medical technologies and also provides high quality care to patients in cardiac and neuroscience.

Correct Answer : Option (D) :   Manu Bhaker

Explanation : The pair of Indian shooters Saurabh Chaudhary, 16-year-old, and Manu Bhaker, 17-year-old, clinched the 10m Air Pistol Mixed gold by beating Jiang Ranxin and Pang Wei of China 16-6 in the final at the International Shooting Sport Federation(ISSF) World Cup 2019 in Beijing, China. Prior to this, Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker had already won a gold in the same category in the New Delhi edition of the shooting World Cup in February 2019. The two teammates scored 482 points at the fifth spot. Anjum Moudgil and Divyansh Singh Panwar bagged a gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event by defeating China in the same tournament.

Correct Answer : Option (A) :   HCL Technologies

Explanation : IT services HCL Technologies has set up a CyberSecurity Fusion Centre (CSFC) in Frisco, Texas, US. The main objective of the setting up of the CSFC by HCL Technologies' is to boost business growth by providing customers with a single point of contact for the business security lifecycle - from detection to repairment. HCL would also enhance university-to-industry collaboration under which the firm will conduct on-campus hackathons. The top participants in the hackathons from the winning teams from each individual school will be offered full-time jobs and advanced training at HCL Technologies.

Correct Answer : Option (C) :   Cyril Almeida

Explanation : Dawn editor and Columnist Cyril Almeida from Pakistan has won the IPI's (International Press Institute) World Press Freedom Hero award in 2019 for his "critical" and "tenacious coverage" of the civil-military relations in Pakistan. And also MadaMasr, an Egyptian news site, has won Free Media Pioneer Award 2019 of the IPI and International Media Support (IMS). Both awards will be presented in IPI's annual World Congress and General Assembly function to be held in Geneva, Switzerland on 5th June, World Intellectual Property Day 2019. In 2016, after publishing an exclusive story regarding a top-level meeting of civil-military leaders in Dawn, Pakistan Government had imposed a travel ban on Almeida. In 2018, he was again temporarily placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) after publishing an interview with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Correct Answer : Option (C) :   Protected Together: Vaccines Work

Explanation : The World Immunisation Week 2019 celebrates 'Vaccine Heroes' worldwide ranging from parents and community members to health workers and innovators who help to ensure that we are protected via the power of vaccines. The theme for 2019 is 'Protected Together: Vaccines Work'. The last week of April (24th-30th) every year is observed as World Immunisation Week in order to promote the use of vaccines for the protection of people of all age-groups against disease. The WHO (World Health Organization) notified that there are still 20 million unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children worldwide; so this initiative brings to limelight the necessity to bring on immunization progress through increased investment. Immunization Week was observed for the very first time in 2012 when more than 180 countries and territories worldwide participated in it.