Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2019

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Barcelona FC has successfully defended its Spanish La Liga crown after beating Levante UD in the final at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 27, 2019. The club’s Argentine superstar and team captain Lionel Messi decided the game and scored the winning goal in the 61st minute in a 1–0 home win over Levante, which allowed Spanish club Barcelona to clinch the league title. This was Barcelona’s 26th La Liga league title and 8th in last 11 seasons.

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The former Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara has become the first non-British President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). He will begin his one-year tenure in October 2019 and will succeed Anthony Wreford. His tenure will include two England test matches against West Indies and Pakistan and the launch of The Hundred competition – the England and Wales Cricket Board’s new 100-ball cricket format. MCC, which owns Lord’s and acts as the guardian of the laws of the game, was founded in 1787 and lists 168 presidents in its history.

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In Meghalaya, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) North Eastern Region (NER) has recently installed two geological display boards at two important geological sites in the State with geo-scientific information which will help in creating awareness among visiting tourists, students and the general public. The boards are unvieled at two important geological sites in the State namely Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat, Sobhar in East Khasi Hill District. The stalagmite in the Mawmluh cave has been tagged a Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP). It makes it first formally ratified marker of a geological time period in India. The Um-Sohryngkew (Wahrew) river section at Therriaghat is known for having the most complete records of Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K-Pg) boundary transition in India. There is also a high level of iridium metal from the boundary which marks catastrophic event when a giant meteorite hit earth. The Meghalayan Age period began about 4200 years ago experienced an abrupt mega-drought and cooling around the world.

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On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD-2019), Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) said in its latest report that as many as 55 journalists have been killed since May 2018. Press freedom globally is under intense and growing pressure, as illiberal-minded governments seek to shut down critical voices and, in many cases, deliberately erode the credibility of independent media. According to a global network of journalists, Governments across the world are increasingly clamping down on press freedom as new laws are being enacted to curtail media independence. around the world. While on the one hand governments are attempting to curtail press freedom, on the other journalists around the world are being killed with impunity.

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The World Tuna Day (WTD) is observed every year on May 2 to highlight the importance of sustainably managed fish stocks in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Tuna and tuna-like species are very important economically — to both developed and developing countries — and a significant source of food. They include approximately 40 species occurring in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea. They are remarkable fish. Tuna can jump high out of the water; they travel in huge schools; they are warm-blooded. They have been known to team up with dolphins for protection from sharks. As a result of the amazing qualities of tuna, the fish are threatened by an overwhelming demand. Hence, WTD highlights the importance of reversing the decline in the health of the Ocean to ensure sustainable management of marine life, such as tuna, which we are so dependent on. It is an important step in recognizing the critical role of tuna to sustainable development, food security, economic opportunity, and livelihoods of people around the world.

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The International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) is observed every year on May 4 to recognize and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that our communities and environment are as safe as possible. It was instituted after a proposal was emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999 due to the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia. The day is dedicated to thanks all firefighters for their extraordinary commitment, exceptional courage and for their selfless service.

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In chess, the TePe Sigeman & Co International tournament has started in Malmo, Sweden on May 3. According to the World Chess Federation(FIDE), the tournament will have 8 players with an average rating of 2663, making it a Category 17 tournament. The field is led by the India No. 2 Grand Master Pentala Harikrishna. Harikrishna will open his campaign against Persson while Nihal Sarin is set to meet Saric in the opener. In it, 14-year old Indian Grandmaster Nihal is training his sight to become the youngest Indian to break the 2600 rating barrier from this event. Nihal goes into the tournament with a live rating of 2598. He hopes to break the Indian record set by Parimarjan Negi almost a decade back in 2009.

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Duti Krushna Panda (97), the veteran CPI leader and former Lok Sabha member, has passed away in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on May 5, 2019. Panda was elected to Lok Sabha from Bhanjanagara Parliamentary Constituency (presently Aska) in 1971. He was also elected to the state assembly from Aska seat in 1990. He was actively associated with several trade unions and was the founder president of Odisha Anganwardi Workers’ Association. Panda was state secretary and president of CPI and AITUC, respectively. He was also the president of Ganjam district sugar growers’ association.

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According to the latest data from US space agency NASA, the giant asteroid named 99942 Apophis is expected to approach dangerously close to the Earth on April 13, 2029. However, there is no need to worry as it will be about 31,000km away from the surface of the Earth. This is going to be a great opportunity for asteroid scientists as it’s relatively rare for such a large object to pass so close to the Earth. The colossal asteroid is named after the Egyptian god of chaos and destruction. Apophis was discovered in 2004 by U.S. astronomers. Since then, optical and radar telescopes have tracked Apophis as it continues on its orbit around the sun, so scientists know well its future trajectory. Current calculations shows that Apophis still has a small chance of impacting earth.

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Journalist Nileena MS, a reporting fellow with The Caravan, has won the prestigious ACJ Award for Investigative Journalism in print/online category for the year 2018. She won the award for her story titled “Coalgate 2.0: The Adani Group reaps benefits worth thousands of crores of rupees as the coal scam continues under the Modi government”. Her investigative piece revealed how a joint venture between Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited and Adani Enterprises Limited continues to function on the basis of agreements that pre-date a landmark Supreme Court judgement from September 2014. The ACJ award comprises a trophy, citation and a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh. The award is given by the Asian College of Journalism with the support of the Media Development Foundation to recognise and encourage the best works of investigative journalism produced for Indian readers, viewers and audiences in order to promote journalism in the public interest.