VINTAGE

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF MAY 24^th, 2019

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF MAY 24^th, 2019

1.     Theresa May today announced that she is going to step down as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on June 7. 

a.      This comes as May faced backlash by her own MPs against her latest Brexit plan. 

b.     Since January, the UK Parliament has rejected the withdrawal agreement that May negotiated with the European Union (EU) three times.

2.     The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced Algeria and Argentina as the latest countries to be recognised as malaria-free. 

a.      Both countries have registered zero cases of malaria in the last three years. 

b.     Other than Algeria and Argentina, there are 36 other countries that are recognised as malaria-free by the WHO. 

c.      Note : While all these nations are moving away from malaria, India is still continuing its fight with around 9.5 million cases of malaria recorded in 2017.

3.     India was among 116 nations to vote in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution that demanded the UK withdraw its “colonial administration” from the Chagos Archipelago unconditionally within 6 months, supporting Mauritius in its quest for the restoration of sovereignty over the island chain in the Indian Ocean.

4.     The BJP-led NDA has returned to power after winning the 17th Lok Sabha elections with 352 seats, bettering its tally of 336 in 2014 elections. 

a.      Important Points to Note : 

i)      It is the highest mandate since the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, which Congress won with 414 seats. 

ii)    PM Narendra Modi has become the first non-Congress Prime Minister to return to power after completing full term.

5.     Longest serving CM of any state Pawan Kumar Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) lost after 25 years to Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) in the state Assembly elections. 

a.      In the 32-member assembly, SKM gained majority by winning 17 seats, while SDF won 15. 

6.     West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 22 out of 42 seats in the Lok Sabha elections whereas BJP and the Congress won 18 and 2 constituencies respectively. 

a.      In 2014, TMC's tally was 34 seats while BJP secured 2. 

b.     For the first time since its formation in 1964, the CPI(M) has won zero seats in general elections in the state.

7.     The BJP won all the 4 seats in Himachal Pradesh, with all its candidates winning by a margin of over 3 lakh votes each. 

8.     The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is going to provide $750 million (over ₹5,200 crore) long-term financing to electrify railway tracks in India. 

a.      This is the largest single non-sovereign loan ever committed by the funding agency. 

b.     The Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) will use the loan to install electric traction equipment along about 3,378 kilometres of existing railway lines.

9.     The Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) will set up its 1st container terminal outside India in Myanmar at an estimated cost of ₹2,000 crore. 

a.      All requisite permissions have been received in the form of Myanmar Investment Commission permit.

b.     Note : APSEZ would be the 1st Indian company to set up a container terminal outside India.

10.                       German scientists have discovered 18 Earth-sized planets beyond solar system, one of which is smallest known so far while the other could offer life-friendly conditions. 

a.      Scientists re-analysed part of NASA's Kepler Telescope data using new method developed by them. 

b.     They estimate the method may lead to over 100 more exoplanet discoveries from entire Kepler dataset.

11. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired an indigenously-developed 500 kg inertially Guided Bomb at the Pokhran test firing range in Rajasthan. 

a.      The bomb hit its target at 30 km with high precision. 

b.     This comes after IAF jets fired Israel-made self-guided Spice-2000 bombs, which hit targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed camps in Pakistan's Balakot, 60 km away from LoC.

12. International researchers have broken the record for superconductivity at the highest temperature recorded to date at around -23°C, about 50 degrees higher than the previous confirmed record. 

a.      They created a new material, called lanthanum superhydrides, to achieve the same. 

13. The Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) has successfully launched and deployed the first 60 satellites of its planned 12,000-satellite network Starlink, aimed to provide high-speed internet globally, to low-Earth orbit. 

a.      The satellites were deployed at an altitude of about 440 km in the third flight of one of its reusable Falcon 9 rockets.

14.                       In Jammu and Kashmir, Zakir Musa, the so-called chief of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district last night.

15.                       Four new judges of the Supreme Court were today administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

a.      Justices BR Gavai, Surya Kant, Aniruddha Bose and AS Bopanna were administered the oath of office in the presence of several other sitting apex court judges.

b.     Important Note : With the swearing-in, the number of judges in the Supreme Court stands at 31, the full sanctioned strength of the top court.

16.                       Laver Cup, an event played between a 'Europe' team and a 'Rest of the World' team, has been made into an official ATP event. 

a.      The competition, the first two editions of which were held in Prague and Chicago respectively, is backed by Roger Federer.