Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2019

Notes:
Dr. Virendra Kumar, the 7-time Lok Sabha MP from Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh, has been sworn-in as the pro-tem speaker of Lok Sabha. President Ram Nath Kovind administered oath to Dr Kumar at Rashtrapati Bhavan. As pro-tem speaker, Kumar will preside over the first sitting of the Lok Sabha and administer the oath to the newly elected MPs. He will also oversee the election of the 17th Lok Sabha speaker. The first session of the newly constituted Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26.

Notes:
The armies of India and Myanmar carried out a 3-week-long coordinated operation, named ‘Operation Sunrise 2’, from May 16 in their respective border areas & targeted several militant groups operating in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. As part of the operation, the armies coordinated with each other to bust camps of militant outfits, including the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), the NSCN (Khaplang), the United Liberation Front of Assam (I) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB). As per sources, at least six dozen militants belonging to these groups were nabbed and several of their camps destroyed during the operation. Myanmar is one of the strategic neighbours of India and shares a 1,640-km border with a number of north-eastern states, including the militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur The first phase of this operation was launched in February 2019 in which Indian Army targeted members of the Arakan Army (an insurgent group in Myanmar), who were opposed to the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project. The Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project is viewed as India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.

Notes:
Dr. Rabi N. Mishra has been appointed as the new Executive Director (ED) of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), after the position fell vacant on Rosemary Sebastian’s retirement. As ED, Mishra’s portfolio includes non-banking and Co-op bank supervision as well as the College of Supervisors. Mishra has been serving RBI for about 30 years now. He has been associated with many research papers. He has also authored a book on banking, which is likely to be launched soon.

Notes:
Gary Woodland of the United States has clinched the 2019 US Open Golf Championship by three strokes at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California. It is his first major championship and sixth professional victory. He is known as one of the longest hitters on tour.

Notes:
The World Sustainable Gastronomy Day (WSGS) is observed every year on 18th of June to focus the world’s attention on the role that sustainable gastronomy can play. It also reaffirms that all cultures and civilizations are contributors and crucial enablers of sustainable development.

Notes:
India’s PU Chitra has won gold in women’s 1500m at Folksam Grand Prix 2019 held in Sollentuna, Sweden. Beside her, Asian Games gold medallist Jinson Johnson won the silver in the men’s 1500m clocking 3:39.69s as he finished behind Sweden’s Andreas Almgren (3:39.68s).

Notes:
In Nepal, thousands of people came onto roads in capital Kathmandu against controversial “Guthi Bill” on 19th June 2019. The local residents of Kathmandu valley, especially ethnic Newar community members are protesting against the controversial bill, claiming that the bill had provisions in favour of land mafias and could be a threat to the centuries-old culture and traditions of Nepal. Guthis are socio-economic institutions (trusts), both public and private, that fund their obligations from incomes from cultivated or leased land assets. Depending on their obligations, Guthis fulfil religious, public service or social roles and could either involve members from a common lineage, or several. The Government of Nepal had tabled the Guthi Bill in National Assembly, the Upper House of Parliament in April to amend Guthi Act and nationalise both public and private Guthis or trusts and regulate all religious sites under a powerful commission. Though the Guthi Bill was withdrawn by the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation but protesters are demanding that it should be completely scrapped.

Notes:
Maharashtra bagged the top slot in the second edition of the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) list of India’s top ten states that have maximum number of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified green buildings. LEED is a widely used green building rating system. Maharashtra has 334 LEED-certified green buildings, while Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have 232 and 157 buildings, respectively. The top 10 states for LEED are home to more than 840 million Indians and together include more than 475 million gross square feet of LEED-certified space. LEED is an international symbol of sustainability excellence which signifies a building is lowering carbon emissions, conserving resources and cutting down cost, while prioritizing sustainable practices and creating a healthier environment.

Notes:
Karnataka and Maharashtra have jointly got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Namma Kolhapuri chappal. These leather chappals are hand-crafted and tanned using vegetable dyes. The art of making them is passed down one generation to another. The traditional chappal making will get a modern touch. LIDKAR has in-house fashion designers who will design the footwear. According to LIDKAR officials, there are 5,000 people from villages in Belagavi, Bagalkote and even Dharwad making Kolhapuri chappals at their houses. Their market is restricted to nearest towns. The GI tag approvals implies that the artisans producing Kolhapuris in these districts will now be able to make and market their product in domestic and international markets. This also means the artisans can tie up with leading e-commerce players for higher profits. More importantly, it also prohibit the usage of the term “Kolhapuris” for similar products made in other parts of the country.

Notes:
The book titled “Yoga and Diet for Weight Loss” has been authored by noted integrated yoga therapist Bijoylaxmi Hota. The book seeks to break slimming and weight loss myths and prescribes certain postures of yoga, along with the diet one should take in order to achieve better and faster results. According to author, slimming is not just about what one eats, how much one eats, how much one exercises or what form of exercise one does but more importantly, how fast one’s body utilises food. The key question is how efficient is one’s metabolism. The target should be to hasten the process and make it so fast that without being a clinical problem, it can burn all your calories quickly. The book also has recipes like steamed mustard fish, fish with tomato and celery, baked salmon, chicken teriyaki and beans with fennel.