Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2020

Notes:
In a recent move, the Centre hiked the duties on petrol and diesel steeply and raised it to Rs 10 and Rs 13 per litre, respectively. It was also announced that there will be no change in the retail prices as the hike will be absorbed by the Oil Marketing companies.
Among the total hike, the Road and infrastructure cess will go the revenue of the Centre only whereas the special additional excise duty will be passed on to all states through devolution at 42%. This decision has been taken at the backdrop of falling crude oil prices in the global market and lower demand during the lock-down.

Notes:
When a polymer plant in Vishakhapatnam resumed its operations after lock down, there was a leakage of styrene gas, that has killed about 11 people. Thousands of people were evacuated from around the plant and many of them were hospitalised.
The styrene gas is a poisonous, inflammable gas used in plastic engineering industry, which caused nausea and dizziness. As per the experts, the gas could have triggered a series of explosions from the LG Polymers plant, which manufactures polystyrene.

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recently extended the term of Bollywood star and environmentalist Dia Mirza, as its National Goodwill Ambassador for another two years.
Dia Mirza is also an advocate of United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. She was famous for her #BeatPlasticPollution campaign when she was the UNEP Goodwill ambassador for the first time.

Notes:
The richest online chess tournament in history held so far was recently organised by the World Chess champion Magnus Carlsen after live tournaments could not be held amidst the Covid-19 crisis.
Named the Magnus Carlsen Invitational, the 16-day contest comprised of a total prize fund of 250,000. Magnus Carlsen won the final match and bagged the winner prize of 70,000 after defeating his American counterpart Hikaru Nakamura 2.5:1.5. Live feeds were offered during the matches with live commentary from chess grandmasters.

Notes:
The World Migratory Bird Day is celebrated on May 9 every year, across the world. The theme of the World Migratory Bird Day 2020 is ‘Birds Connect Our World’.
The day is celebrated to raise awareness about conservation and ecological importance of migratory birds in the global ecosystem. The day was first introduced in the year 2006 and since then several awareness events and bird watching events for bird enthusiasts will be conducted on the day.

Notes:
World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN’s postal agency have released a commemorative postage stamp on the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox.
The 33rd World Health Assembly issued its official declaration that the world has successfully eradicate small pox, in May 1980. The smallpox eradication campaign of WHO was launched in 1967, to fast-track the global effort in eradicating the disease. The stamp commemorates the roles of world leaders, organisations, rural doctors and community health workers.

Notes:
Several states in India including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Goa have relaxed the provision of the Factories Act, 1948 and increased the working hours of labourers, after facing a shortage of workers following the lock-down.
Recently, Odisha and Maharashtra labour departments exempted their industries from four sections of the Factories Act, 1948, related to working hours of the staff, till June 30. Uttar Pradesh suspended key labour laws for three years through an ordinance. With the approved exemption, employers can allow labourers to work in two shifts of 12 hours each.

Notes:
India launched an outreach initiative named ‘Mission Sagar’, to assist Island nations in the Indian Ocean in tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Indian Naval Ship Kesari has departed for the five island nations: Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, to deliver Food, Medicines including HCQ Tablets and Special Ayurvedic Medicines, related to Covid-19. A team of select medical personnel was also sent earlier to Maldives to help increase their preparedness.

Notes:
Veteran Indian scholar and historian Hari Shankar Vasudevan passed away recently after contracting Covid-19. He had tested positive for novel coronavirus on May 6.
Professor Hari Vasudevan was working as a UGC Emeritus Professor in the Department of History and China Centre of Calcutta University after his superannuation. He was an important personality in the field of Russian and Central Asian history. He also served as the Director of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, institution under Ministry of Culture Govt of India.

Notes:
India’s first and only woman Paralympics silver medallist, Deepa Malik is set to take charge as the President of the Paralympic Committee of India.
She had earlier announced her retirement from active sports. She is the only woman para-athlete to have been given the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. She is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award. Deepa Malik won her silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Paralympics in shot put. She has won 58 national and 23 international medals.