Tomorrow is the last day of June, exactly half way through 2018. Perfect time for a quiz on newsmakers from the first half of the year.

First-half newsmakers

1. On February 3, 2018, which cricketer joined Mohammed Kaif, Virat Kohli and Unmukt Chand in the record books and why?

2. This year, which Hindi film grossed an $124 million in China, thereby ending up making over $150 million on an investment of less than three million. The ROI of 6000 per cent is easily the highest in Indian film history.

3. ‘This is America’ is a song by an American rapper that made waves with its brutal indictment of the country’s gun culture. Name the singer.

4. The original list featured more than 238 towns and cities. The current shortlist has 20 names, who are vying to attract the $5 billion investment and 50,000 jobs if their city is chosen. Which company’s new headquarters is the cynosure of all the bidding?

5. Mumbai-based Myna Mahila Foundation is the only Indian charity which was a beneficiary of an event that took place on May 19, 2018. Name the occasion.

6. On March 19 this year, which large mammal became functionally extinct, with the last male dying in a reserve in Kenya?

7. Why did 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg’s death in a traffic accident on March 18 create shock waves in the US tech and auto industry?

8. American sporting history was created on June 9 when the same two teams clashed in the finals of a major sports league for the fourth consecutive year. Name the sport and the two teams in question.

9. In April this year, Miguel Díaz-Canel became the first person sans a certain surname, since 1959, to be chosen to lead a particular country. Name the country he is President of.

10. Who became the first Indian woman to bag an individual table tennis gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in April 2018, beating Yu Mengyu of Singapore in the finals?

Answers

1. Prithvi Shaw; they are all India U-19 captains who led their team to a World Cup triumph — Kaif in 2000, Kohli in 2008 and Unmukt Chand in 2012

2. Secret Superstar , produced by and starring Aamir Khan

3. Donald Glover, better known as Childish Gambino

4. Amazon, who announced plans for their new headquarters last year, and are expected to announce a winner in July

5. The Prince Harry-Meghan Markle wedding. The couple had requested that instead of gifts, guests could make donations to one of seven charitable organisations.

6. The northern white rhinoceros. Two females are still alive

7. She was killed by an Uber self-driving car. The investigation revealed many issues with e self-driving technology, pushing back plans for its adoption

8. NBA basketball. The Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0

9. Cuba; since 1959, the only leaders have been Fidel Castro and his brother Raul

10. Manika Batra

BLINKJOY
 

 

Joy Bhattacharjya is a quizmaster

Twitter: @joybhattacharj

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