Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2019

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement to provide long-term financing of $750 million equivalent in Indian rupees to fund the Railways track electrification project. It is the largest single non-sovereign loan ever committed by ADB to Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) to electrify railway tracks in India. It is part of a broad modernisation programme that will help the railways transition to electric power and move away from dependence on fossil fuels. IRFC will use the loan proceeds to install electric traction equipment along approximately 3,378 km of existing railway lines, which will enable the migration of passenger and freight traffic from diesel to electric traction. The electrification assets will be leased to the Indian Railways under a long-term lease agreement.

Notes:
The World Hypertension Day (WHD) is observed every year on May 17 to spread awareness about the disease that the World Health Organisation (WHO) calls a “silent killer” and “global public health issue”. The 2019 theme “Know your numbers” is meant to raise awareness about high blood pressure in people across the world. The idea is to make sure you check your blood pressure regularly and know your numbers in order to necessary action on time. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which there is long-term high force of blood against artery walls. The force is high enough to cause numerous health problems like heart disease and stroke. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood heart pumps and the amount of resistance blood flow in arteries. The more blood your heart pumps, the narrower your arteries and the higher your blood pressure.

Notes:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized Algeria and Argentina as malaria-free countries, after no new cases of the deadly disease have been reported for at least 3 consecutive years. As per WHO, there were now 38 countries and territories that have been declared free of the disease. Algeria, where the malaria parasite was discovered by French physician Dr. Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran in 1880, is only the second country in Africa to reach this milestone. The other is Mauritius, which was recognized as malaria-free in 1973. Argentina is the 2nd country in 45 years to be officially recognized as malaria-free in the WHO Region of the Americas, after Paraguay in June 2018. Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted through the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes. The disease is both preventable and treatable.

Notes:
On May 21, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended a two-day meeting of the 2019 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Ms. Swaraj took up terror strikes at Pulwama and Sri Lanka and urged member nations of SCO for greater counter-terror cooperation. She said that India is open to strengthen the Regional Anti-Terror Structure (RATS) of SCO to fight terrorism and security challenges in the region. She added that SCO must support the member countries’ candidatures for the non-permanent membership of UNSC for the years 2021-2022 and 2027-2028. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Along with India, Pakistan was also granted the SCO membership in 2017.

Notes:
Saray Khumalo, a Zambia-born Johannesburg resident, has become the first black African women to conquer the summit of Mount Everest, with an elevation of 8,848m, in her fourth attempt. She uses her expeditions to raise funds for libraries and support children’s educational activities in Africa. So far, she has managed to raise about $80,000 for children’s education and libraries. She also supports a foundation that takes care of orphans, providing them with education, shelter and food. Khumalo has also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Aconcagua in Argentina and Mount Elbrus in Russia In 2003, South African park ranger Sibusiso Vilane became the first black person to summit Mount Everest.

Notes:
In Germany, the international competition ‘Elsevier Foundation-ISC3 Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge’ was recently held at the 4th Green and Sustainable Chemistry Conference. In it, a project idea by Dr. Ankur Patwardhan from Pune has bagged the second prize of €25,000. His project named ‘Butterfly attractant for pollination and ecosystem health’ is about the relation between chemistry and ecosystem. Dr. Patwardhan is currently working as head of the ‘Annasaheb Kulkarni Biodiversity Department’ at Abasaheb Garware College, Pune. He developed the project idea with the help of Tejaswini Pachpor and Dattatray Naik. Patwardhan serves as a member of the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board. He is also the president of a high-level committee appointed by the Centre on Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani Eco-Sensitive Zone.

Notes:
Bangladesh-based terror outfit — the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) — was banned by the Government of India (GoI) under the anti-terror law UAPA. The terror out fit is also called as Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan. The Union Home Ministry stated that the outfit has committed acts of terrorism, promoted acts of terrorism and has been engaged in radicalization and recruitment of youths for terrorist activities in India. Therefore, the JMB and all its manifestations have been inserted in the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of 1967. The listing under the First Schedule of the UAPA means the outfit is now a banned organisation in India.

Notes:
Acharya Balkrishna, the Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., has received the ‘UNSDG 10 Most Influential People in Healthcare Award’ on behalf of Patanjali Group of Institutions in Geneva, Switzerland. Balkrishna was among keynote speakers of the UNSDG (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) organisation. The others are Randy Oostra, UNICEF executive director Henrietta H Fore, WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Abe Lee. Patanjali Ayurved produces a range of Ayurvedic medicinal and personal care products, among other consumer items. The company was co-founded by Baba Ramdev and Balkshrina.

Notes:
Veeru Devgan (85), veteran action choreographer and father of Ajay Devgan, has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on May 27, 2019. He choreographed action scenes in more than 80 films such as Hindustan Ki Kasam, Mr. India and Mr. Natwarlal (1993). He also acted in films like Kranti, Saurabh and Singhasan. Recently, he stopped going to film parties, but he was seen at the screening of ‘Total Dhamaal’.

Notes:
Prem Singh Tamang, the president of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) and popularly known as P S Golay, has been sworn-in as the new chief minister of Sikkim. Governor Ganga Prasad administered the oath of office to Mr. Golay in a grand ceremony at the Palzor stadium in Gangtok. Mr. Golay is not a member of the state assembly at present as he did not contest the polls. The SKM won 17 of the 32 legislative Assembly seats in the State in the recently held Assembly polls. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which had ruled the State for 25 years, won 15. Mr. Golay succeeded Pawan Chamling of the SDF who has the record of longest-serving Chief Minister of the country, ruling the State for five consecutive terms for a little over 24 years.