Current News and Affairs

Which one of the following teams was defeated by India to win the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup title, 2017?

[amp_mcq option1=”Japan” option2=”China” option3=”South Korea” option4=”Pakistan” correct=”option2″]

India defeated China in the final match of the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup 2017 to clinch the title. The match was held in Kakamigahara, Japan.

– India won the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup title in 2017.
– The victory secured India a spot in the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup.

This was India’s second title win in the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup, the first being in 2004. The final match against China was decided by a penalty shootout after the match was tied 1-1 in regulation time.

Which one of the following temples of India has won the ‘UNESCO Asia Pacific Award of Merit, 2017’ for cultural heritage conservation?

[amp_mcq option1=”Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati” option2=”Sri Ranganathaswami Temple, Srirangam” option3=”Meenakshi Temple, Madurai” option4=”Kedarnath Temple, Kedarnath” correct=”option2″]

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award of Merit for cultural heritage conservation in 2017. The award recognized the temple’s comprehensive and community-led conservation efforts.

– The award recognizes outstanding achievement in heritage conservation in the Asia-Pacific region.
– The conservation project at the Srirangam temple involved extensive restoration work following traditional methods.
– It was lauded for its community participation and sustainable approach.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a major Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Lord Vishnu. It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in India and has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (part of the Great Living Chola Temples, though Srirangam itself was included later in the expanded listing criteria). Winning the Award of Merit is a significant recognition of the conservation work undertaken at the site.

The Ministry of Communication has recently launched a Pan India scholarship programme for school-children called ‘Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana’. The objective of the scheme is to increase the reach of

[amp_mcq option1=”sports” option2=”philately” option3=”music” option4=”web designing” correct=”option2″]

The ‘Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana’ launched by the Ministry of Communication is a scholarship program aimed at increasing the reach of philately among school children. SPARSH stands for “Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby”.

– The scheme promotes philately among school children.
– It provides annual scholarships to students of class VI to IX who have a good academic record and pursue philately as a hobby.
– The scholarship amount is ₹500 per month.

The scheme was launched in 2017 to encourage the younger generation to take up stamp collecting. Philately is considered a hobby that helps develop knowledge, patience, attention to detail, and research skills. The selection process involves a written quiz on philately.

Which one of the following States will host the Nobel Prize Series—India 2018 (Science Impacts Life) Exhibition?

[amp_mcq option1=”Gujarat” option2=”Rajasthan” option3=”Goa” option4=”Madhya Pradesh” correct=”option3″]

Goa hosted the Nobel Prize Series—India exhibition titled ‘Science Impacts Life’ in February 2018.

– The Nobel Prize Series is a program that brings Nobel laureates and experts together with the public, focusing on topics relevant to the Nobel Prizes.
– The 2018 event in India focused on science’s impact on life.

This was the second edition of the Nobel Prize Series in India. The first edition was held in Gujarat in January 2017, focusing on “Nobel Prize Series India 2017—Ideas for India”. The event included exhibitions, lectures, and panel discussions featuring Nobel laureates.

Which one of the following was a focus country of the ‘World Food India’, a mega food event held in November 2017 in New Delhi?

[amp_mcq option1=”Germany” option2=”Japan” option3=”Denmark” option4=”Italy” correct=”option2″]

Germany was the focus country for the ‘World Food India’ mega food event held in November 2017 in New Delhi.

– ‘World Food India 2017’ was a major international event in the food processing sector.
– It was organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
– The event aimed to provide a platform for global investors and businesses to connect with India’s food processing sector.

World Food India is a biennial event. The 2017 edition saw participation from numerous countries and hosted exhibitions, seminars, and B2B meetings. Germany’s participation as the partner country highlighted the growing ties and potential for collaboration in the food sector between the two nations.

In October 2017, India sent its first shipment of wheat to Afghanistan as a part of commitment made by the Government of India to supply 1.1 million tonnes of wheat to that country on grant basis. The shipment was sent through

[amp_mcq option1=”Iran” option2=”Pakistan” option3=”Tajikistan” option4=”China” correct=”option1″]

In October 2017, India began sending its first shipment of 1.1 million tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan as humanitarian aid. The shipment was routed through the Chabahar Port in Iran, marking a new transit route that bypassed Pakistan.

The Chabahar Port, being developed by India in Iran, is a strategically important port that provides India with direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, circumventing transit through Pakistan. This shipment demonstrated the operational viability of the Chabahar route for commercial and humanitarian purposes.

The aid was part of India’s commitment to help Afghanistan with its food security needs. Using the Chabahar port was a significant step in operationalizing the trilateral agreement between India, Iran, and Afghanistan on establishing an International Transport and Transit Corridor.

Who among the following is the President of Republic of the Union of Myanmar?

[amp_mcq option1=”Aung San Suu Kyi” option2=”Htin Kyaw” option3=”Myint Swe” option4=”Henry Van Thio” correct=”option2″]

Htin Kyaw was the President of Myanmar from March 2016 to March 2018. He was the first civilian president since the military coup of 1962 and a close confidante of Aung San Suu Kyi. Given the likely timeframe of the question (related to 2016 events and the 2020 Olympics), Htin Kyaw was the President of Myanmar during that period. Aung San Suu Kyi held the position of State Counsellor and was the de facto leader. Myint Swe and Henry Van Thio were Vice Presidents.

Htin Kyaw served as the President of Myanmar from March 2016 to March 2018.

Following Htin Kyaw’s resignation, Win Myint became President in March 2018. The military later seized power in a coup in February 2021, detaining the civilian leaders including Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi, and Myint Swe became the acting President.

In which one of the following cities are the Summer Olympics, 2020 going to be held?

[amp_mcq option1=”London” option2=”Paris” option3=”Tokyo” option4=”Moscow” correct=”option3″]

The Games of the XXXII Olympiad, commonly known as the 2020 Summer Olympics, were awarded to Tokyo, Japan. Although originally scheduled for 2020, they were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and were held from July 23 to August 8, 2021, while retaining the “Tokyo 2020” branding.

Tokyo was the host city for the 2020 (held in 2021) Summer Olympics.

Other recent or upcoming Summer Olympics host cities include Rio de Janeiro (2016), Paris (2024), and Los Angeles (2028). London previously hosted in 2012, and Moscow hosted the Summer Olympics in 1980.

Which country signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India for promoting the production of Pigeon peas/Tur and other pulses in July 2016?

[amp_mcq option1=”South Africa” option2=”Syria” option3=”Egypt” option4=”Mozambique” correct=”option4″]

Mozambique signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India for promoting the production of Pigeon peas/Tur and other pulses in July 2016.

In July 2016, India and Mozambique signed an MoU during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the African nation.

The MoU aimed at increasing the production of pulses, especially Pigeon peas (Tur), in Mozambique and securing long-term supply to India, which faces deficits in pulse production. This was part of India’s strategy to ensure food security by sourcing pulses from other countries.

BRICS Summit, 2016 was held in

[amp_mcq option1=”Brazil” option2=”China” option3=”India” option4=”South Africa” correct=”option3″]

The BRICS Summit in 2016 was held in India.

The 8th BRICS Summit was hosted by India in 2016.

The 8th BRICS Summit took place in Goa, India, on 15–16 October 2016. The theme of the Summit was “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions.”