Current News and Affairs

Manu Bhaker excels in which one of the following sports ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Badminton” option2=”Lawn Tennis” option3=”Shooting” option4=”Archery” correct=”option3″]

Manu Bhaker is a prominent Indian sportsperson who excels in shooting.

She is an pistol shooter and has represented India in various international competitions.

She has won numerous medals in events like the Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympics, and ISSF World Cups.

According to the 2019 Global Diplomacy Index released by Sydney-based Lowy Institute, which country has the maximum diplomatic posts across the world ?

[amp_mcq option1=”USA” option2=”China” option3=”France” option4=”Japan” correct=”option2″]

According to the 2019 Global Diplomacy Index released by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute, China had the largest diplomatic network in the world, surpassing the United States for the first time. The index counts embassies, consulates, permanent missions, and other diplomatic posts.

The Global Diplomacy Index assesses the diplomatic networks of countries worldwide, providing insight into the reach and scale of their international engagement. A larger network generally indicates greater global presence and influence.

In the 2019 index, China had 276 posts, slightly more than the United States’ 273. France and Japan also ranked highly but were behind China and the US. The increase in China’s diplomatic presence reflects its growing global ambitions and economic power. Subsequent editions of the index continue to track these trends.

The first ever floodlit test cricket match was played between

[amp_mcq option1=”Australia and New Zealand.” option2=”India and Bangladesh.” option3=”Australia and England.” option4=”England and New Zealand.” correct=”option1″]

The first-ever floodlit (Day/Night) Test cricket match was played between Australia and New Zealand. This historic match took place from November 27 to 29, 2015, at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia. The match was played using a pink ball, which is designed to be visible under artificial lights.

Day/Night Test cricket was introduced to make the longer format of the game more accessible and viewer-friendly, allowing matches to extend into the evening. The inaugural match was a significant event in the history of cricket.

While other teams have since played Day/Night Tests, including India and Bangladesh (their first Day/Night Test against each other was played in November 2019, four years after the inaugural one), the very first match was between Australia and New Zealand. The pink ball is used in Day/Night Tests to improve visibility under floodlights compared to the traditional red ball.

‘Hausla-2018’, held in New Delhi in November 2018, is a national festival organized by the

[amp_mcq option1=”Ministry of Rural Development” option2=”Ministry of Women and Child Development” option3=”Ministry of Tourism” option4=”Ministry of Culture” correct=”option2″]

The national festival ‘Hausla-2018’ was organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in New Delhi in November 2018.

‘Hausla-2018’ was specifically a festival for children living in Child Care Institutions (CCIs) under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The festival included events like painting, mud-sculpting, dance, theatre, and football, providing a platform for children from CCIs across India to showcase their talent and participate in various activities. The theme was ‘Child Safety’.

Which one of the following is the theme of the 14th Formation Day of the National Disaster Management Authority?

[amp_mcq option1=”Early Warning for Disasters” option2=”School Safety” option3=”Disaster and Preparations” option4=”Awareness and Disaster” correct=”option1″]

The theme of the 14th Formation Day of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in November 2018 was ‘Early Warning for Disasters’.

– The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in India was established in 2006.
– The 14th Formation Day was observed on November 23, 2018.
– The theme ‘Early Warning for Disasters’ highlighted the crucial role of timely warnings in reducing the impact of various disasters.

Formation Day events typically involve discussions, workshops, and awareness campaigns related to the chosen theme, bringing together stakeholders from government, NGOs, and the community.

Which of the following two districts in India and Pakistan are proposed to be connected by the Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib Corridor?

[amp_mcq option1=”Amritsar-Nankana Sahib” option2=”Amritsar-Narowal” option3=”Gurdaspur-Nankana Sahib” option4=”Gurdaspur-Narowal” correct=”option4″]

The Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib Corridor connects Gurdaspur district in India and Narowal district in Pakistan.

– Dera Baba Nanak is a town in Gurdaspur district, Punjab, India, where the Indian side of the corridor is located.
– Kartarpur Sahib is a Gurudwara situated in Narowal district, Punjab, Pakistan, near the border with India.
– The corridor facilitates visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara.

Nankana Sahib is another significant Sikh pilgrimage site in Pakistan (birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev), located in Nankana Sahib District. Amritsar is a major city in Punjab, India, home to the Golden Temple.

In November 2018, the United Nations Security Council has lifted the arms embargo, travel ban, assets freeze and targeted sanctions previously imposed on which one of the following African countries?

[amp_mcq option1=”Eritrea” option2=”Somalia” option3=”Djibouti” option4=”Ethiopia” correct=”option1″]

In November 2018, the United Nations Security Council lifted sanctions previously imposed on Eritrea.

– Sanctions against Eritrea were imposed in 2009 and 2011 by the UNSC for its alleged support for al-Shabaab militants in Somalia and for failing to withdraw troops from a disputed border territory with Djibouti.
– The decision to lift the sanctions in Resolution 2444 (2018) followed improving ties between Eritrea and its neighbours, including a historic peace agreement with Ethiopia in July 2018 and warming relations with Djibouti and Somalia.

The lifting of sanctions included the arms embargo, travel ban, asset freeze, and targeted sanctions on individuals and entities.

Which one of the following is declared the ‘Word of the Year’ for 2018 by the Oxford Dictionary?

[amp_mcq option1=”Post-truth” option2=”Youthquake” option3=”Vape” option4=”Toxic” correct=”option4″]

‘Toxic’ was declared the ‘Word of the Year’ for 2018 by the Oxford Dictionary.

– Oxford Dictionaries selects a ‘Word of the Year’ that is judged to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the past twelve months, and have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.
– In 2018, ‘toxic’ was chosen due to a significant increase in its usage in relation to a wide range of topics, including ‘toxic environment’, ‘toxic relationship’, ‘toxic culture’, ‘toxic masculinity’, and ‘toxic air’.

‘Post-truth’ was the word of the year for 2016, ‘Youthquake’ for 2017, and ‘Vape’ was a strong contender and had been nominated in previous years.

Heena Sidhu is associated with which one of the following sports ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Badminton” option2=”Wrestling” option3=”Shooting” option4=”Archery” correct=”option3″]

Heena Sidhu is a renowned Indian sport shooter. She has won multiple medals at international events, including Commonwealth Games and ISSF World Cups.

Heena Sidhu specializes in pistol shooting events.

She is the first Indian pistol shooter to be ranked world number one by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). She was also the first Indian pistol shooter to win a gold medal at an ISSF World Cup Finals.

Sri Lanka has recently handed over its southern strategic port Hambantota on a 99-year lease to which one of the following countries ?

[amp_mcq option1=”India” option2=”China” option3=”Pakistan” option4=”USA” correct=”option2″]

Sri Lanka handed over its southern strategic port of Hambantota on a 99-year lease to China.

– The deal was finalized in 2017. Under the agreement, a Chinese state-owned company, China Merchants Port Holdings, took an 85% stake in the port.
– The lease was for a period of 99 years.
– The deal also included handing over 15,000 acres of land around the port for an investment zone.

The deal sparked considerable debate and concern internationally, particularly regarding debt diplomacy and China’s growing strategic influence in the Indian Ocean region. The port is considered strategically important due to its location along key shipping routes.