Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2019

Notes:
Dr. Romila Thapar, the well-known historian and writer, has been elected as a member of the American Philosophical Society (APS), the oldest learned society in United States (US). Dr. Thapar, a Professor Emerita of history at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, was among 1,013 members elected to the society at its Annual Spring Meeting.

Notes:
India is planning to conduct its first-ever simulated space warfare exercise titled ‘IndSpaceEx’ in the last week of July under the aegis of the Integrated Defence Staff of the defence ministry. All military stakeholders, including those from the scientific community, will participate in it. The purpose of the exercise is to understand the possible challenges in space warfare and to counter China’s growing influence in this domain, which poses a major threat to India’s national security interest.

Notes:
The researchers from Ohio State University in United States have created high-resolution maps of points around the globe where groundwater meets the oceans — the first such analysis of its kind that may help protect both drinking water and the seas. The study showed that nearly one-half of fresh submarine groundwater discharge flows into the ocean near the tropics. They also found that regions near active fault lines send greater volumes of groundwater into the ocean than regions that are tectonically stable. The findings may help coastal communities better protect and manage their drinking water. The research work is the first near-global and spatially distributed high-resolution map of fresh groundwater flow to the coast. It could give scientists better clues about where to monitor groundwater discharge.

Notes:
Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan will be the chief guest at the 10th edition of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which is scheduled to be held between 8th to 17th August 2019. Every year, one of the leading film celebrities head to Australia to attend the fest held during the month of August. During their visit, the celebrities hoist the Indian National Flag in the presence of many Indians and other dignitaries as a part of the festival. The IIFM is a Victorian Government initiative that aims to strengthen ties between the Indian film industry and Victoria.

Notes:
The International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) is observed every year on June 13 to celebrate the human rights of persons with albinism worldwide. The 2019 theme is “Still Standing Strong”. This is a call to recognize, celebrate and stand in solidarity with persons with albinism around the world, and to support their cause – from their accomplishments and positive practices to the promotion and protection of their human rights. Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized in humans by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. It is associated with a number of vision defects such as photophobia, nystagmus, and amblyopia. Albinism sufferers face social stigma, obstacles in access to areas of health and education and ignorance in social and political arenas.

Notes:
Pazhavila Ramesan (83), a popular lyricist & Poet, has passed away in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on June 13, 2019. He is a recipient of the 2019 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for overall contribution, and had also penned songs for many Malayalam movies including ‘Malooty’, ‘Uncle Bun’ and ‘Vasudha.’ He had also served as the director of Kerala Bhasha Institute for a long time. Ramesan brought out poetry collections such as Mazhayude Jalakam, Njan Ente Kadukalelikku, and Pazhavila Ramesante Kavithakal, besides collections of his writings such as Ormayude Varthamanam, Mayatha Varakal, and Nervara.

Notes:
India is one of the founder members of Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) and is the Chair of Kimberley Process for the year 2019 with Russian Federation as Vice Chair. The Inter-sessional meeting of Kimberley Process (KP) is being hosted by India from 17th to 21st June, 2019 in Mumbai. Besides meetings of different Working Groups and Committees of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), two special forums regarding Diamond Terminology and Artisanal Mining – Small Steps to Larger Outcomes, will be held during the Intersessional. Around 300 delegates from the Government of India (GoI) and other participating countries, industry and civil society will be attending the 5-day Meeting. At present, KPCS has 55 members representing 82 countries including EU with 28 members.

Notes:
As per a report released by the Australian think tank Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), India’s ranking in 2019 Global Peace Index (GPI) has slipped five places to 141st among 163 countries. In 2018, India ranked at 136th among 163 countries. IEP ranks countries according to their level of peacefulness based on three thematic domains — the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict and the degree of militarization. The report covers 99.7 per cent of the world’s population and uses 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources to compile the index. As per index, Iceland remains the most peaceful country and Afghanistan the least peaceful nation. In South Asian countries, Bhutan topped the index with 15th rank, followed by Sri Lanka 72nd, Nepal 76th and Bangladesh 101st. Terror-ridden Pakistan has been ranked 153rd on the index. The GPI was founded by Steve Killelea, an Australian technology entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Notes:
Bengaluru-based NGO Akshaya Patra has been awarded the 2019 BBC World Service Global Champion Award for its school meal project programme at the BBC Food and Farming Awards in Bristol, United Kingdom. The award recognizes a person or project that is changing the way the world produces, processes, consumes or thinks about food for the better. NGO Akshay Patra is a non-profit organisation running one of the world’s largest school meals project in India.

Notes:
The Hyderabad-based defence public sector undertaking, Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) has recently signed a contract worth Rs 1,187.82 crores for supply of heavy weight torpedoes – Varunastra – to the Indian Navy. The execution of the contract will be in the next 42 months. The weapon will be manufactured at BDL Visakhapatnam Unit under collaboration with DRDO. The Heavy Weight Torpedo (or the Varunastra) is a ship launched, electrically propelled underwater weapon equipped with one of the most advanced automatic and remote-controlled guidance systems. The weapon system uses its own intelligence in tracing the target. The BDL is the main producer of the country’s range of missiles and missile defence systems.