Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2019

Notes:
Bajaj Auto Executive Director Rakesh Sharma has been elected as Vice-President of Geneva-based International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IMMA) at Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Sharma is a representative of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). IMMA represents the manufacturing industry of powered two wheelers at the global level.

Notes:
The World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is observed every year on 11th of May to raise awareness of issues affecting migratory birds and to inspire people and organizations around the world to take measures for their conservation. The 2019 theme − “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution!” − will put the spotlight on the negative impact of plastic pollution on migratory birds and their habitats.

Notes:
Pakistan off-spinner Sana Mir bagged the title of the most successful women ODI’s spinner in the world after she dismissed Sune Luus from South Africa in the third ODI of ICC Women’s Championship on May 12, 2019. It was Sana’s 147th ODI wicket in her 118th appearance. With this, she jumped to top sending West Indies’ player Anisa Mohammed and Australia’s Lisa Sthalekar on No. 3 on the list of all-time successful bowlers. Overall, Sana Mir is the third highest wicket-taker after pacers Jhulan Goswami of India (218) wickets) and Cathryn Fitzpatrick of Australia (180). Prior to this, Mir had also become the first Pakistani bowler to head the ICC rankings in October of 2018.

Notes:
Japan has started testing it’s fastest-ever shinkansen bullet train “Alfa-X”, which is capable of reaching 400 kilometres per hour (249 mph). The train is scheduled to go into service in 2030 and will run at speeds of up to 360 kph (224 mph). With this feat, it will become the world’s fastest bullet train. This bullet train will be even faster than Fuxing train in China, which runs 10 kph slower than Alfa-X. The model’s futuristic design features 10 cars and a long pointed nose. Alfa-X train is packed with the latest technological features like – vibration sensors, temperature sensors – and its distinct 72 ft long aerodynamic nose is dramatically elongated to minimise noise and pressure when passing through tunnels. ALFA-X also features sensors to reduce the impact of possible earthquake tremors.

Notes:
In Madhya Pradesh, women will handle the entire work of counting votes in Harda district of the state. As per reports, the initiative is probably the first of its kind. Harda district is a part of Betul parliamentary seat and the counting of votes of Timarni and Harda assembly segments will take place at Harda district headquarter. At present, 84 women are being trained for counting in Polytechnic College. Apart from the counting of votes, only women will be deployed for the security of the counting centre. Betul was voted on 6 May and the women had taken the responsibilities of voting in 60 all women polling booths in Harda district. Now they are ready to take accountability of counting on 28 tables. More than 75 percent of voting has been recorded in Harda district, so the number of votes is also high.

Notes:
On May 9, the Indian Armed Forces carried out Exercise Bull Strike at Teressa Island in Andaman and Nicobar (A&N). The military drill was conducted to showcase joint operations capability of the armed forces. During the exercise, the army personnel got the chance to display their prowess by undertaking company level airborne operation at Teressa island. Around 170 troops from three services – Army, Navy and the Air force undertook Para drop Ops in a Combat Free Fall & Static Line mode from the C-130 J. There were 149 Indian Army, 12 Indian Air Force and 9 Indian Navy soldiers who participated in several combat drills ahead of the jumps and during jumps.

Notes:
Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, the former judge of Supreme Court of India (SCI), has been appointed as the chairperson of News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) by the News Broadcasters Association (NBA). He will succeed Justice (Retd.) R. V. Raveendran, and will assume the office of Chairperson of NBSA on May 26. This is an honorary post and not a government job. Justice Sikri was retired as senior most puisne judge of Supreme Court of India on 6 March 2019. NBSA is an independent body for self-regulation of 24×7 news channels, who are members of the NBA. Its task is to consider and adjudicate upon complaints about broadcasts.

Notes:
Kadavoor Sivadasan (87), the veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Minister, has passed away in Thiruvananthapuram on May 17, 2019. An active trade union leader, Sivadasan had served as secretary of Kerala Provisional United Trade Union Congress in 1977 and participated in the International Labour Organisation conference in Geneva representing the Central government in 1985. Mr. Sivadasan, a five-time MLA, had served as a Minister in the United Democratic Front governments headed by the late K. Karunakaran and A. K. Antony and had held Power, Health and Forest portfolios. He represented the Kollam and Kundra segments in the Assembly.

Notes:
Joko Widodo has been officially re-elected to a second term as President of Indonesia. His win is a victory for stability and continuity in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest country and a geopolitical anchor for the region. Widodo and his vice-presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin won the election by a 55.5% to 44.5% margin over rival Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno. The two rival election campaigns focused on the economy, infrastructure and corruption. Religion was also a core issue. Though Indonesia has no official state religion and the right to practise other faiths is enshrined in the constitution, some 80% of the country is Muslim.

Notes:
An author from Oman, Jokha Alharthi has won the prestigious 2019 Man Booker International Prize for her novel “Celestial Bodies”, which reveals her Omani homeland’s post-colonial transformation. Her novel tells the story of three sisters of a desert country confronting its slave-owning past and a complex modern world. With this feat, Alharthi has become the first Arabic-language writer to take the prize. The prestigious 50,000-pound (Over 44 lakh rupees) prize, which celebrates translated fiction from around the world, is divided equally between the author and the translator. Alharthi’s translator was U.S. academic Marilyn Booth, who teaches Arabic literature at Oxford University. The prize is a counterpart to the Man Booker Prize for English-language novels and is open to books in any language that has been translated into English. This is the final year of the prize being sponsored by investment firm Man Group, which has backed the prizes for 18 years. From next year, the award will be known as the International Booker Prize.