Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2019

Notes:
Raheem Sterling, the Manchester City and England forward, has been named the 2019 footballer of the year by the Football Writers’ Association (FWA). He topped the poll of the 400-strong FWA membership as a clear winner, with 62% of the votes.

Notes:
Dr. Negasso Gidada (75), the former President of Ethiopia, has passed away in Frankfurt, Germany on April 27, 2019. He was president between 1995 and 2001 and was the first head of state after Ethiopia adopted a new constitution transforming the country into a federal state, with increased autonomy given to the different regions. The role of president in Ethiopia is largely ceremonial, with the prime minister holding most of the power.

Notes:
According to latest data released by global think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the total world military expenditure rose by 2.6% to $1,822 billion in 2018. As per new data, the United States is the world’s largest spender on defence in 2018, with a military expenditure almost equal to the next eight countries combined. China ($250 billion) has acquired 2nd position followed by Saudi Arabia ($67.6 billion), India ($66.5 billion) and France ($63.8 billion). The study found that the United States increased its military expenditure for the first time since 2010. China’s military spending rose for the 24th consecutive year.

Notes:
Archaeologists in Telangana have recently unearthed a rare life-sized stucco sculpture from a Buddhist site at Phanigiri in Suryapet. It is considered to be the biggest stucco sculpture found in the excavations in the country till date. The sculpture is about 1.73 metres in height and 35 cm in width. According to officials of department of heritage, the sculpture represents one of the Bodhisattvas belonging to the Jathaka Chakra. It is believed that a life size stucco Bodhisattva was created nearly 1,700 years ago by craftsmen at Phanigiri at the peak of Ikshavaku dynasty rule. Apart from the life-sized stucco, these excavations brought to light a Mahastupa, apsidal chaitya grihas, votive stupas, pillared congregation halls, viharas, platforms with staircases at various levels, sculptural panels with Brahmi inscriptions, belonging to Satavahana period from first century BC, continued with Mahayana till the end of Ikshuvaka period and others in 3rd – 4th century AD.

Notes:
The World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) is observed every year on 3rd May as an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the state of press freedom throughout the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence, and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The 2019 theme “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”, discusses current challenges faced by media in elections and its potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes. The 26th celebration of World Press Freedom Day (WPED-2019) is jointly organized by UNESCO, African Union Commission and the Government of Ethiopia. The main event is being held at the African Union Headquarters at Addis Ababa.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
World No. 1 Bajrang Punia won the gold at the 2019 Ali Aliyev wrestling tournament. In the final of men’s 65kg freestyle, he defeated Viktor Rassadin inin Kaspiisk, Russia on May 2. Bajrang got the better of the local favourite 13-8 in his final bout after being down 0-5 at one stage. The 25-year-old Indian grappler had won a gold medal last week at the Asian Championships in Xi’an, China.

Notes:
M Jayshree Vyas, a professionally-qualified chartered accountant, has been appointed as the first independent woman director of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Though still late by at least a few weeks from the deadline of April 1 given to all top 500 listed companies based on their market capitalisation for appointing an independent woman director on their board. The delay happened as BSE was awaiting market regulator SEBI’s approval on the appointment. As of April 6, 51 of the top 500 NSE-listed companies by market capitalisation (including BSE) did not have independent woman director, according to nseinfobase.com run by Prime Database. In March alone, about 50 companies made a beeline to appoint an independent woman director. BSE already has two non-executive women directors namely Usha Sangwan and Rajeshree Sabnavis on its Board. The Companies Act of 2013 mandates a certain class of companies to have at least one woman director on board. SEBIs, in compliance with the Companies Act 2013, made it compulsory to have at least one woman on a board from October 2014.

Notes:
To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India and IIT Delhi have signed an MoU to set up a Centre of Excellence for Waste to Wealth Technologies for implementation of sustainable, scientific and technological solutions for waste management, through validation and deployment of available technologies for transformation of waste to wealth. The waste to wealth mission project has been approved under the recently constituted Prime Minister’s Science Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). The partnership will provide an effective platform for stakeholders to bring together integrated approaches for effective recycle, reuse and resource recovery of waste.

Notes:
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.