Current Affairs Quiz- September, 2019

Notes:
Freedom fighter Heeralal Sharma has passed away  at the age of 95 in Bikaner, Rajasthan. He took active part in freedom struggle and was also jailed for two years.

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The 28th cycle of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the navies of the two countries has started in Bangkok, Thailand from September 5 to 15  to increase bilateral ties and maritime cooperation. The objectives of the Indo-Thai CORPAT are to ensure effective implementation of United Nations Conventions on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS).

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The Union government has constituted a  task force for drawing up National Infrastructure Pipeline of Rs 100 lakh crore from the fiscal year 2019-20 to  2024-25. The Task Force headed by Rajiv Kumar (Economic Affairs Secretary) will identify technically feasible and economically viable infrastructure projects that can be initiated in the current fiscal.  The National Infrastructure Pipeline would include greenfield and brownfield projects costing above  100 crore rupees. It  also enables robust marketing of the pipeline of projects requiring private investment through the India Investment Grid and  National Investment & Infrastructure Fund.

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The member-countries of the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region have resolved to eliminate highly infectious childhood killer diseases measles and rubella by 2023. The resolution was adopted at the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in New Delhi. Till date, 5 countries have eliminated measles – Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste. Six countries have controlled rubella – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste. Measles is dangerous for the poor, as it attacks malnourished children and those with reduced immunity. It can cause serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infection and pneumonia, while rubella/ Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) causes irreversible birth defects.

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Germany has decided to phase out the controversial weedkiller glyphosate by the end of 2023 to protect insect populations that play a pivotal role in ecosystems and pollination of food crops. The chemical is also suspected to cause cancer in humans. The ban is a major blow to German agrochemical manufacturer Bayer CropScience. Glyphosate is popular in India too where farmers use the chemical as an alternative to expensive manual weeding. Earlier, Austria became the first EU member to ban glyphosate use in July 2019.

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The 24th World Energy Congress (WEC-2019) has started in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aim of the  WEC is to bring together international energy stakeholders, including governments, private and state corporations, academia and media.  The theme of this Congress is ‘Energy for Prosperity’, which also represents the ambitious and dynamic energy transition of the country.

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The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team  of 347 scientists  has won the 2020 ‘Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics’ for the first image of a super-massive black hole. The $3 million prize is also known as the ‘Oscars of Science’. The team produced the world’s first-ever image of a black hole circled by a flame-orange halo of white-hot plasma on the Messier 87 (M87) galaxy on 10th April 2019. EHT is a large telescope array consisting of a global network of radio telescopes.

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Veeru Krishnan, Bollywood actor and renowned Kathak dancer , has passed away in Mumbai on 7th September 2019. He is best remembered for his roles in films like Raja Hindustani, Dulhe Raja and Akele Hum Akele Tum among others.

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On 9th September 2019, Lasith Malinga from Sri Lanka became the first bowler to claim 100 wickets in Twenty20 International cricket as he struck 4 times with four balls in the third match against New Zealand. He surpassed Pakistan spinner Shahid Afridi’s tally of 97 scalps to become the leading T20I wicket-taker. Malinga is known for bowling yorkers with his slinging action.

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Gaurvi Singhvi (16) from Udaipur has made India proud by becoming the world’s youngest open water swimmer to cross the English Channel in 13 hours and 26 minutes in August 2019. The Channel is a water body that separates southern England from northern France and links southern part of North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.