Correct Answer :   STOP for Asthma

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The World Asthma Day was observed across the globe on May 7, 2019, the first Tuesday of May 2019. The day is observed across the world to spread awareness about Asthma and its care around the world. The day is organised and sponsored by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) as a partnership between health care groups and asthma educators to raise awareness about asthma. The theme of World Asthma Day 2019 was 'STOP for Asthma'. Here, STOP stands for: Symptom evaluation, Test Response, Observe and assess, Proceed to adjust treatment.

Correct Answer :   Stevo Pendarovski

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Stevo Pendarovski, the 55-year-old former political-science professor won the presidential runoff vote amid promises to push the Balkan state towards NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and European Union membership. Pendarovski had 51.7% of votes whereas Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, his challenger, had 44.7% votes. Siljanovska-Davkova is North Macedonia's first female candidate and a university professor. The main conservative opposition VMRO DPMNE (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity) party (which backed Siljanovska-Davkova) having seen many irregularities in the election procedure, accused the government of "electoral engineering".

Correct Answer :   Israel

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Israel honoured a Jewish Lieutenant General (retired) Jack Farj Rafael (JFR) Jacob honoured with a plaque on the Wall of Honour at the Ammunition Hill. He fought World War II and India Pakistan war of 1965 and also negotiated the historic surrender of Pakistani troops in Dhaka after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war. After retirement, he became the Governor of two states- Goa and Punjab. He died in 2016 at the age of 92.

Correct Answer :   Gujarat

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'Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2019' passed by Gujarat Assembly which came into force from May 1, 2019. The Act will allow the shops and other businesses in the state to operate 24x7. The Act was passed by Gujarat Assembly earlier in February 2019. The Act replaced the Gujarat Shops and Establishments Act, 1948 which prevented shops and other businesses from operating between 12 to 6 a.m. Now shops and other commercial entities which employ more than 10 workers will have to get registered one-time only with no need for renewal and if they employ less than 10 workers then there will be no need of registration. Under this new act, workers will get twice the regular salary for working. Previously, it was one-and-a-half-time.

Correct Answer :   Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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Indian spiritual leader, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was presented with the 'Order of St. George' Award for the year 2019 as part of the Commemorative Feast at the Puthuppally St. George Orthodox Church (462-year-old ) in Kottayam, Kerala. The award was presented by the head of Kandanad East diocese, Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan at the cultural conference held at the church. In 1981, Sri Sri founded the Art of Living Foundation, a volunteer-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) providing social support to the people.

Correct Answer :   Nadi, Fiji

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The Healthy Oceans Action Plan was launched at the 52nd Annual Meeting of ADB's Board of Governors, Nadi, Fiji. ADB President is Mr. Takehiko Nakao. Healthy Oceans Action Plan will expand financing and technical assistance for ocean health and marine economy projects to $5 billion from year 2019 to 2024.The 4 areas that the Action Plan will focus on, are as follows: creating inclusive livelihoods and business opportunities in tourism and fisheries conserving marine ecosystems and major rivers decreasing land-based sources of oceanic pollution, including plastics, wastewater, and agricultural runoff improving sustainability in port and coastal infrastructure development.

Correct Answer :   Dilip Kumar

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Dilip Kumar, a 1995-batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre, has been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the office of Lokpal. He has been appointed for a period of six months on additional charge basis or till a new incumbent joins the post. It is perhaps the first official appointment of a bureaucrat in Lokpal. Prior to this post, he was joint secretary at National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Earlier, on 23rd March 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath of office to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman. According to the rules, there is a provision for a chairperson and a maximum of 8 members in the Lokpal panel. Of these, four need to be judicial members.

Correct Answer :   Australia

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The 11th meeting of the joint working group on counter-terrorism between India and Australia held at Canberra, Australia on May 2, 2019. Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary (Counter-Terrorism) led Indian delegation while Paul Foley, Australia's Ambassador for Counter Terrorism led Australian delegation for the meeting. The objective of this meeting is to discuss the counter-terrorism challenges which both countries are facing such as financing of terrorism, the use of the internet for terror purposes, radicalisation and foreign terrorist fighters. The Joint Working Group also agreed to further deepen counter-terrorism cooperation through mutual capacity building efforts, regular exchange of information, mutual legal assistance, regular exchange of information, sharing of best practices on counter-terrorism and radicalization.

Correct Answer :   Telangana

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Prominent writer and academician, Maramraju Satyanarayana Rao passed away following a cardiac arrest. He was 84. He was born at Jayyaram village in Mahabubabad district in Telangana. He had worked as professor of political science and registrar of Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad. He has also authored several books.

Correct Answer :   Iraq

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For the second year in a row, Iraq has become India's top crude oil supplier in 2018-19 fiscal year and meet more than a fifth of the country's oil needs. According to official data sourced from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Iraq sold 46.61 million tonnes (mt) of crude oil to India during April 2018 and March 2019, which is 2% more than 45.74 mt it had supplied in 2017-18 fiscal. Saudi Arabia also maintained its position as the 2nd-largest crude supplier to India during the year followed by Iran and United Arab Emirates (UAE) which toppled Venezuela to become India's fourth largest crude supplier. Despite US sanctions on Iran, the country's crude oil supply to India increased 6.24% to 24 MT in 2018-19. India managed to import a sizeable amount of Iranian crude last year primarily due to waivers and winding down period provided by US.