Correct Answer :   Smriti Irani

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The Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani will inaugurate the women labourers convention organised by the Kerala unit of BMS in Thiruvananthapuram 22nd May 2023.

Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan would make the keynote address at the event.  

Mrs. Irani will also be visiting the house of Dr. Vandana,had been stabbed to death on duty, by the assailant who was taken to the hospital for medical examination by police.

Dr. Vandana's death sparked massive protest across the State by medical professionals, leading to the State Govt bringing new ordinance ensuring safety of health workers..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   19th May 2023

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Renowned British novelist Martin Amis passed on Friday at his home in Florida. He was 73. His wife Isabel Fonseca confirmed the news stating that Amis died of oesophageal cancer on Friday (19th May 2023). Earlier, one of his close friends journalist Christopher Hitchens also succumbed to the same disease.

* Amis was a prolific writer, having published 15 novels during his career. He is best known for his works "Money: A Suicide Note" and "London Fields." Vintage Books, his publisher, expressed their devastation at the loss, praising Amis as a "novelist, essayist, memoirist, critic, stylist supreme."

* Over the course of 40 years, Amis made a significant impact on the UK publishing scene. He burst onto the literary scene at the age of 24 with his debut novel, establishing himself as a literary prodigy. His writing style influenced a generation of writers, and his novels often encapsulated entire eras, with "Money" being a notable classic.

* Amis was born to well-known novelist Kingsley Amis on August 25, 1949, in Oxford. His father was famous for his book "Lucky Jim." Amis pursued English at Exeter College, Oxford.

* During this period he developed an interest in literature beyond comic books, and because of his stepmother, novelist Elizabeth Jane Howard, he was introduced to the works of Jane Austen. Amis was part of a group of esteemed writers that included Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, Julian Barnes, and his close friend Hitchens.

* Amis's literary achievements were recognized with nominations for the Booker Prize for his novels "Time's Arrow" and "Yellow Dog." He was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his memoir "Experience.".

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   Telangana

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Telangana Home Minister Mohamood Ali launched a SAHAS initiative to make workplaces safer for women.

SAHAS, which means Courage, is a program that aims at strengthening the support ecosystem for women who face workplace sexual harassment.

Under the initiative, the SAHAS Microsite, SAHAS Sathi Chatbot, SAHAS Whatsapp Number, Forum, and online support facilities were launched.

It is the first of its kind initiative in the country..

Source : TelanganaToday

Correct Answer :   Mumbai

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The Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting under India's G20 Presidency began in Mumbai today (21st May 2023).

* The meeting is a critical step in fostering the efforts of the G20 countries, invitee countries, and international organisations towards a sustainable and resilient future.

* Ocean 20 Dialogue, a side event in the ECSWG meeting is currently underway.

* The deliberations are aimed at working towards the well-being of oceans, addressing the need to make conscious efforts towards reversing damage to them and protecting our marine resources.

* Delegates are discussing on various aspects of Blue Economy.

* Earlier in the morning, Governor of Maharashtra Ramesh Bais, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde along with G20 delegates took part in a mega beach clean-up campaign at the Juhu Beach...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Dwaraka

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Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has said the BJP government under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi is according the highest priority to coastal security in the country.
 
The Minister was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of the permanent campus of the National Academy of Coastal Policing at Okha in Dwaraka.

Mr. Shah said the academy will provide training facilities to more than 3 thousand security personnel in a year.

The Minister said the Union government has left no stone unturned to ensure the development of border areas and the well-being of security personnel. Mr. Shah said if the borders are not secure then there is no scope for development in the inland area of the country.
 
The Minister said the government has adopted an integrated approach to ensure a common and well-coordinated response from all security agencies after the Mumbai terror attack. He also shared a series of initiatives taken by the BJP government for coastal security in the country.
 
NACP, the country’s first national academy was established in 2018 to provide intensive training to the marine police of nine coastal states, five Union Territories as well as the Central Police Forces.
 
During the function, the Home Minister also virtually inaugurated five coastal outposts of BSF located at the Jakhau coast of the Kutch district. Later Mr. Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various developmental projects worth 400 crore rupees of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation.
 
Earlier in the day (20th May 2023), the Minister offered prayers at the famous Dwarkadhish temple in Dwarka and also met Jagat Guru Shankaracharya Swami Sadanand Saraswati in Dwarka..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Jitendra Singh

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Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh announced on Saturday (20th May 2023) that 231 stolen antiques have been repatriated to India in the last 9 years.

* He said, this stands in stark contrast to the mere 13 antiques brought back by previous governments in the 70 years since independence.

* The minister also highlighted the government's commitment to preserve India's heritage by setting up Science Museums across the country.

* Dr. Singh noted that several museums have already been established in Aspirational Districts, showcasing traditional knowledge and recent achievements such as India's successful COVID-19 vaccine story.

* During his visit to the first International Museum Expo 2023 in New Delhi, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the role of museums in cultural diplomacy and India's G-20 Presidency. The expo featured star objects from various museums and highlighted technological advancements in the museum sector...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Arun Kumar Mehta

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Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta launched open quiz and photo competitions about “G20 in Kashmir” on the MyGov portal in Srinagar on Saturday (20th May 2023). Both these competitions are available on the Jammu & Kashmir web portal www.jk.mygov.in.
 
* Speaking about the competitions, Dr. Mehta called these initiatives a way of celebrating the prestigious international event happening under the presidency of India.

* He encouraged all the residents of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir especially the students, to participate in these contests to gain knowledge about this big forum and the local customs, traditions and locales.
 
Aim : The competitions are aimed at promoting G20 awareness and its understanding among the citizens. It can also foster critical thinking skills amongst students by asking challenging questions that require them to think deeply about important summits thereby broadening their horizons, igniting their passion for global affairs and providing valuable experiences. After completion of the Quiz, the participants will get a certificate of participation also.

* Regarding the G20 Photo Competition, the participants have to submit photographs capturing G20 landscapes in J&K in a creative way to capture the essence and impact of this important international event.

* The photographs can have specific categories like cultures, traditions, tourism or people and relevance to the G20. Each photo entry should include a maximum of one photograph with caption, location and date inscribed in it. It should be less than 5 MB and downloadable in JPG format only.

* The entry should be original and should not have been previously published in any print or digital media without any copyrighted or trademarked images & logos and need to be submitted on MyGov portal till 22nd June 2023...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Siddaramaiah

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Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah took the oath of office as the 24th Chief Minister of Karnataka, along with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Comittee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar, who was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister.

In a joyous occasion for the Congress party that lasted for over an hour at Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru, eight senior Congress MLAs were sworn in as Cabinet Ministers by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.

The names of G. Parameshwar, K.H. Muniyappa, K.J. George, Priyank Kharge, Satish Jarkiholi, Ramalinga Reddy, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan and M.B. Patil were cleared late night on May 19, 2023.

Mr. Siddaramaiah had sent their names to the Governor’s office on 20 May 2023 morning. The names of the eight leaders were cleared after multiple deliberations by the central leaders of the Congress even as several other senior leaders and Cabinet hopefuls remain on tenterhooks..

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Nepal

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The decade of the 2080s of Bikram Samvat will be marked as 'the Visit Nepal decade' and the year 2025 as the special year for tourism.

* This was announced by the President of Nepal Ram Chandra Paudel while presenting the policies and programmes for the fiscal year, 2080/81 at the joint meeting of the federal parliament. The tourism sector which witnessed a huge dent from the COVID crisis is slowly recovering.
 
* Nearly one lakh tourists have been visiting Nepal monthly since the beginning of 2023. As per the latest statistics maintained by Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal recorded the arrival of over 3.26 lakh foreign tourists in the first four months of 2023.
 
* Similarly, the President announced that timely revisions would be made to tourism-related law. The tourist destinations would be popularized in the international community and necessary infrastructure prepared accordingly.
 
* New tourist destinations would be identified in all seven provinces and each province will be a cultural village. New mountains would be opened for climbing. Security arrangements for climbers and tourists would be made more reliable.
 
* The President further announced that the concept of film tourism would be materialized and expanded and new dimensions added to adventure tourism.
 
* With the collaboration of private sectors, 'Samarmatha Special Honour' will be conferred on foreign nationals considering their role in the promotion of Nepal's art, culture, language and literature in the international arena...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   20th May

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World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20 every year to raise awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinators.

It was first designated by the United Nations in 2017 to acknowledge the critical role bees play in sustaining ecosystems and food production.

Aim : The observance of World Bee Day aims to promote actions that protect bees and their habitats, as well as highlight the significance of pollinators in maintaining biodiversity and ensuring global food security.

Theme of World Bee Day 2023 : The theme for World Bee Day 2023 is "Bee Engaged in Pollinator-Friendly Agricultural Production”. This theme emphasises the urgent need to adopt agricultural practices that are supportive of pollinators, such as bees. It calls for global action to promote evidence-based agricultural production techniques that prioritize the well-being of pollinators. By focusing on pollinator-friendly agricultural practices, we can enhance the health and abundance of bees and other pollinators, ensuring the sustainability of our food systems and the preservation of biodiversity.

History of World Bee Day : World Bee Day was established by the United Nations in 2017 to draw attention to the vital role of bees and other pollinators in our ecosystems. The date, May 20, was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern beekeeping and a renowned expert on bees from Slovenia. By designating this day, the UN aims to promote awareness, action, and collaboration on a global scale to protect bees and ensure their crucial contributions to our environment and food systems.

Significance of World Bee Day : World Bee Day holds significant importance as it highlights the invaluable services provided by bees and other pollinators. Bees play a pivotal role in pollinating flowering plants, which is essential for the reproduction and diversity of plant species. Their pollination efforts contribute to the production of a variety of crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, ultimately sustaining food systems and ensuring global food security. By recognising World Bee Day, we acknowledge the critical role of bees in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and fostering biodiversity..

Source : CNBC