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Read This Current Affairs May 19-22, 2017
International Affairs
1. What is the name, In tribute to Kalam, NASA names new species after him?
- Solibacillus kalamii
- Salibacillus kalamii
- Solibacteria kalamii
- Sulibacillus kalamii
Answer: A
Explanation: NASA Scientists have named a new organism discovered by them after former president and scientist APJ Abdul Kalam. Till date, the new organism, a form of a bacteria has been found only on the International Space Station (ISS) and has not been found on earth. Researchers at the NASA for work on inter-planetary travel, discovered the new bacteria on the filters of the International Space Station (ISS) and named it "Solibacillus kalamii" to honour the late president.
2. 2017 bilateral maritime exercise “SIMBEX-17” started between India and which country?
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- South Africa
- Singapore
Answer: D
Explanation: The 24th edition of bilateral maritime exercise “SIMBEX-17” has started between Navies of the Republic of Singapore and India in the South China Sea from May 18 and will continue to May 21, 2017. The purpose of the exercise is to increase interoperability between the two navies as well as to develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations. SIMBEX is an acronym for “Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises”.
3. Which country host the 2017 Arctic Energy Summit?
- England
- Germany
- France
- Finland
Answer: D
Explanation: Finland has agreed to host the 2017 Arctic Energy Summit as the first major event of their Arctic Council Chairmanship, which runs 2017 to 2019. The Arctic Energy Summit was last held in Fairbanks in 2015. In Finland, the Summit will build on past work, highlight the Finnish Chairmanship and 100th Anniversary. The Summit will take place at Finlandia Hall, 18-20 September 2017.
4. Which city to host the 2017 annual convention of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group?
- Gandhigram
- Gandhinagar
- Lisbon
- Shanghai
Answer: B
Explanation: The 52nd annual meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB) Group will be held at the Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar , Gujarat from May 22 to 26, 2017 with theme “Transforming Agriculture for Wealth Creation in Africa”. It’s the first-ever AfDB meeting in India, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 23, 2017. It will provide a forum for representatives of government, business, civil society, think-tanks, academia and the media to debate key issues in Africa.
5. What is the India's position of 2017 Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) released by Ernst and Young (EY)?
- First
- Second
- Third
- Fourth
Answer: B
Explanation: China has been ranked first among 40 nations in the 2017 Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) released by Ernst and Young (EY). India has been ranked 2nd, followed by United States, Germany, Australia, Chile, Japan and France. The RECAI ranks 40 markets on the attractiveness of their renewable energy investment and deployment opportunities, based on a number of macro, energy market and technology-specific indicators.
National Affairs
6. Which company is the most valuable brand in India, according to the 2017 Brand Finance India 100 report?
- Airtel
- HCL
- Tata Group
- Reliance
Answer: C
Explanation: As per recently released 2017 Brand Finance India 100 report, Tata Group is the most valuable brand in India with an estimated brand value of $13.1 billion. Airtel has acquired 2nd position followed by LIC, Infosys, SBI and Reliance Industries Ltd. The Brand Finance is a global brand valuation and strategy consultancy firm.
7. India’s first Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) goint to set up in which city?
- Vishakhapatnam
- Chennai
- Kochi
- Mumbai
Answer: B
Explanation: India’s first Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) will be set up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The park will have an ultra-modern exclusive facility for ornamental fish equipped with multi-species hatchery and live feed culture units. The facility is being developed by Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI), Ponneri in Tamil Nadu.
8. What is the India’s rank in the latest Lancet 2017 Healthcare Access and Quality Index (HAQI)?
- 154th
- 164th
- 144th
- 134th
Answer: A
Explanation: According to the latest Lancet report titled ‘Global Burden of Disease (GBD)’, India has been ranked 154th among 195 countries in the 2017 Healthcare Access and Quality Index (HAQI). The list is topped by Switzerland, followed by Sweden and Norway. The index is based on death rates for 32 diseases that can be avoided or effectively treated with proper medical care, also tracked progress in each nation compared to the benchmark year of 1990.
9. Which committee recommended several measures for De-Siltation of River Ganga?
- K S S Banerjee committee
- Madhav Chitale committee
- Mukesh Sinha committee
- J P Nadda committee
Answer: B
Explanation: The Madhav Chitale committee on de-siltation of River Ganga has recommended a slew of measures which includes study to guide de-silting activities, sand registry for de-silting and a technical institute to conduct the sediment budget, flood routing studies and confirm the necessity of the de-silting of section of the river. This committee suggested good agricultural practices, river bank anti-erosion works and avoiding encroachment of flood plain and reclamation of adjoining lakes along the river.
10. Who has been appointed as new Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations)?
- Satish Dube
- Subhash Bhamre
- PN Pradhan
- N S Rathore
Answer: C
Explanation: Air Marshal PN Pradhan has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), a key platform to ensure a high degree of synergy between the Armed forces. The Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) was created on October 1, 2001 based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers which was set up after Kargil war to review India’s defence management.
11. 2017 Jaipur Literature Festival started in which city?
- Jaipur
- London
- Jaisalmer
- Jagarta
Answer: B
Explanation: The Jaipur Literature Festival was inaugurated in London to present a sumptuous showcase of South Asias literary heritage, oral and performing arts, books and ideas, dialogue and debate. The British Library, the second largest library in the world by number of items catalogued, played host to the annual festival as part of the wider UK-India Year of Culture celebrations. Indian High Commissioner to the UK Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha opened the two-day events proceedings at the world- famous library.
12. Which First Private Airline to get UDAN licence?
- Indian Airlines
- Turbo Megha Airways
- Spicejet
- Airasia
Answer: B
Explanation: Turbo Megha Airways has become the first private airline to get a licence to fly under UDAN, the government scheme for subsidized regional flights. Turbo Megha Airways which is also called TruJet, is one of the five operators who have been awarded a total of 128 routes under the UDAN scheme. The airline will use three ATR-72 aircraft, and will add more planes later.
13. Who wins second term as Iran president?
- Hassan Rouhani
- Ahmed Aljagathi
- Hussian Rubbani
- Muhamed Karim
Answer: A
Explanation: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has been re-elected with an emphatic victory, official results show. Out of more than 40 million votes cast, he received 57%, defeating his main rival, a conservative cleric. Mr Rouhani, a moderate who agreed a deal with world powers to limit Iran's nuclear programme, pledged to remain true to his promises.
Awards and Prizes
14. Who is the following Indian Peacekeepers honored posthumously with UN Dag Hammarskjold Medal?
- Ravi Shankar and Brijesh Chandra
- Ravi Kumar and Brijesh Thapa
- Virendar Thapa and Krishnakanth
- Brirendar Thapa Ravikumar
Answer: B
Explanation: Two Indian peacekeepers, Rifleman Brijesh Thapa and Private Ravi Kumar will be honored posthumously with a prestigious United Nation (UN)’s Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their courage and sacrifice in the line of duty. They are among 117 military, police and civilian personnel who will be awarded with the UN Medal on the 2017 International Day of UN Peacekeepers to be observed on May 29.
15. Which Indian Student has won the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)?
- Suganthi Sathyanarayanan
- Pratik Nandu
- Sahit Agarwal
- Prashant Ranganathan
Answer: D
Explanation: Indian teenager Prashant Ranganathan from Jamshedpurhas won the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) award worth $5,000 in the environmental engineering category for his innovation for fighting against pesticide and getting rid of its side effects through biodegradable use at the Los Angeles in California. Beside this, the topmost Gordon E Moore Award of $75,000 went to Ivo Zell of Germany for designing and constructing a remote-control prototype of a new flying wing.
16. Which Indian scientist wins Dan David Prize 2017?
- Subrata Kulkarni
- Siddarth Srinivas
- Siddarth Kulkarni
- Shrinivas Kulkarni
Answer: D
Explanation: Indian scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni has won the prestigious Dan David prize for his contribution in the field of astronomy. He is a professor of astrophysics and planetary science at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. The $1 million prize is a joint international enterprise endowed by the Dan David Foundation headquartered at Tel Aviv University.
17. Who won the David Letterman Wins Mark Twain Prize 2017?
- David Letterman
- David Leharmann
- David Longermann
- David Longer
Answer: A
Explanation: David Letterman was named 2017 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the award granted annually by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He will officially receive the prize in a ceremony that will be held on October 22. Previous winners of the Mark Twain Prize include Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett and Ellen DeGeneres.
18. Which two Indians won the Whitley Award for wildlife conservation?
- Sanjay Gaundar & Purnima Balram
- Sanjay Gubbi & Purnima Barman
- Sanjay Govind & Purnima Ranganathan
- Sanjay Bajrang & Purnima Bangla
Answer: B
Explanation: Sanjay Gubbi of Karnataka and Purnima Barman of Assam have won the prestigious Whitley Award, popularly known as Green Oscars, for their efforts in wildlife conservation. The awards are instituted by the U.K.-registered charity Whitley Fund for Nature, which supports nature conservationists in their endeavour to conserve wildlife and nature. While Mr. Gubbi has been awarded for his work to protect tiger corridors in Karnataka, Ms. Barman has won the award for her work in conservation of Assam’s Greater Adjutant Stork and its habitat.
Important Days
19. Which day being observed International Day for Biodiversity (IDB)?
- May 23
- May 24
- May 25
- May 22
Answer: D
Explanation: The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) is observed every year on May 22 to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The 2017 theme “Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism” provides an opportunity to raise awareness and action towards the important contribution of sustainable tourism both to economic growth and to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
20. 2017 World Metrology Day (WMD) being observed on which day?
- May 18
- May 19
- May 20
- May 21
Answer: C
Explanation: The World Metrology Day (WMD) is observed every year on May 20 to mark the signing of the Metre Convention on May 20, 1875. The Convention set the framework for global collaboration in the science of measurement and in its industrial, commercial and societal application. The 2017 theme is “Measurements for transport”.
21. International Museum Day observed on which day?
- May 17
- May 18
- May 16
- May 19
Answer: B
Explanation: International Museum Day (IMD) is an international day a celebration that held every year on 18 May, coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The theme of International Museum Day 2017 is “Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums”.
22. World Metrology Day being observed on which day?
- May21
- May 22
- May 23
- May 24
Answer: B
Explanation: World Metrology Day has become an annual celebration since the Meter Convention was signed by representatives of seventeen countries on May 20, 1875.The convention set the framework for international collaboration in the science of measurement including its industrial, commercial and societal applications.The theme for World Metrology Day 2017 is “Measurements for transport”.
23. 2017 International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (IDAHOT) observed on which day?
- May 15
- May 16
- May 17
- May 18
Answer: C
Explanation: The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (IDAHOT) is observed every year on May 17 to raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide. The 2017 theme “families” focuses on the role of families in the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and respect of the rights of LGBTI families.
Sports
24. Which Indian Women won the Gold in 2017 Asian Continental Blitz Chess Championship?
- Padmini Gopal
- Vinita Gujjar
- Vaishali R
- Soumya Subbrayan
Answer: C
Explanation: R. Vaishali from India has won the 2017 Asian Continental Women Blitz Chess Championship with 8 points from nine rounds in Chengdu, China. She was at her best in the Blitz event and won seven games and posted two draws in the nine-round event.
25. Which Indian player won the 2017 Men’s Makati Open Squash tournament?
- Harinder Pal Sandhu
- Mohd Syafiq Kamal
- Arvind Pandian
- Sarath Kamal
Answer: A
Explanation: Indian squash player Harinder Pal Sandhu has won the 2017 Men’s Makati Open Squash tournament by defeating Mohd. Syafiq Kamal of Malaysia in the final by 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City, Phillipines. In the women’s final, Japan’s Satomi Watanabe bagged her first career title by beating Wales’ Deon Saffery.
26. Which Indian football team won the 38th edition of Indian Federation Cup Football tournament 2017?
- Bengaluru FC
- Churchill Brothers
- Mohun Bagan
- East Bengal
Explanation: Bengaluru FC has won the 38th edition of Indian Federation Cup Football tournament on May 21, 2017 by defeating defending champions and 14-time winners Mohun Bagan at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.