November Spotlight Flashcards
Where is the Mansar lake located?
[a] Jammu and Kashmir [b] Delhi [c] Odisha [d] Uttarakhand [e] Himachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
L-G Manoj Sinha inaugurated the Mansar Lake Development plan for rejuvenation of the lake, situated 62 kms from Jammu.
- generate Rs 800 crore of income every year and employment of about 1.15 crore man days.
- Wular and Dal are the other two major lakes of J&K.
World’s Strongest Storm has hit Philippines. What is the name of the storm?
[a] Sonamu [b] Utor [c] Fitow [d] Haiyan [e] Goni
World’s Strongest Storm - Typhoon Goni has hit Philippines
With which company has Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd signed a contract worth ₹400 crore for implementation of HAL’s ‘Project Parivartan’?
[a] IBM [b] Intel [c] Tech Mahindra [d] Qualcomm [e] Alphabet Inc
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and Tech Mahindra signed a contract worth ₹400 crore for implementation of HAL’s ‘Project Parivartan’.
• ‘Project Parivartan’ would enable HAL to streamline and standardise its business processes across the organization.
What is the theme of World Press Freedom Conference 2020?
[a] Protect Journalists, Protect the Truth [b] Journalists - A mirror to society [c] Stop Impunity against convicts [d] Journalism without Fear or Favour [e] Journalism in the era of Covid-19
International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is observed on November 2 by UN.
- Theme - Protect Journalists, Protect the Truth
- World Press Freedom Conference 2020 will be conducted digitally on the theme of ‘Journalism without Fear or Favour.’ It is hosted by UNESCO and The Netherlands.
Recently, British-Scottish actor Sean Connery passed away. He was immensely popular for playing __ character onscreen?
[a] James Bond [b] Charlie Chaplin [c] Indiana Jones [d] Archie Andrews [e] Luke Skywalker
[a] James Bond
Which bank has launched Visa Direct facility to provide instant, real-time and secure fund settlement on debit and credit cards?
[a] Axis Bank [b] HDFC Bank [c] RBL Bank [d] IndusInd Bank [e] Karur Vyasa Bank
[c] RBL Bank
When is the World Thrift Day observed?
[a] November 2 [b] October 31 [c] August 12 [d] July 19 [e] June 16
World Thrift Day is celebrated every year on 31st October worldwide to promote savings and financial security of individual and nation as a whole.
In India due to death of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on the same day in 1984 this day is being celebrated on 30th October.
The first International Thrift Congress which was held in Milan, Italy in 1924 had declared October 31 as the World Thrift day.
Which country will host the global observation of the Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week 2020?
[a] Netherlands [b] Republic of Korea [c] Germany [d] Finland [e] Japan
Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week was observed from 24 to 31 October 2020 by UNESCO.
- Theme - “Resisting Disinfodemic: Media and Information Literacy for everyone and, by everyone”
- This year, hosted by Republic of Korea.
- 10th MIL and Intercultural Dialogue Conference and the Youth Agenda Forum, will be held online, from 26 to 30 October 2020.
Who among the following has won gold medal in the Alexis Vastine International Boxing Tournament?
[a] Ashish Kumar [b] Vijender Singh [c] Shiv Thapa [d] Manish Kaushik [e] Gaurav Bidhuri
1st edition of Alexis Vastine International Boxing Tournament was organized in Nantes, France by- International Boxing Association (AIBA),
European Boxing Confederation (EUBC),
and Ffboxe (French Boxing Federation).
- The tournament was organized in the memory of Late French Boxer -Alexis Vastine.
- Total 9 Indians (5 men and 4 women) have got an entry into the Tokyo Olympics 2021 after winning in this tournament.
- Gold winners - Amit Panghal, Sanjeet, and Ashish Kumar
Who has created the world’s 1st coronavirus computer game called “Can You Save the World” to teach children about social distancing?
[a] Kyle Giersdorf [b] Sumail Hassan [c] Saahil Arora [d] Richard Wiseman [e] John Marshall
IIT-Madras developed ‘IITM Covid Game’ for awareness about Covid-19 virus
• Richard Wiseman created the world’s 1st coronavirus computer game called “Can You
Save the World?” to teach children about social distancing.
Where is the India’s first solar powered miniature train has been established?
[a] Diskit Village [b] Malana Village [c] Nako Village [d] Kasol Village [e] Veli Village
India’s first solar powered miniature train
2.5 km; 45 passenger capacity
established at Veli Tourist Village in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• An “Urban Park” and a swimming pool will be established at Veli, which is located on the
outskirts of the state capital where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea.
How many cities in India are at water risk, according to the WWF (World-Wide Fund For Nature) Water Risk Filter?
[a] 30 [b] 40 [c] 50 [d] 10 [e] 20
According to a WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature) Water Risk Filter, 100 cities are expected to suffer the biggest rise in water risk by 2050.
Nearly 50 cities in China, and
30 are in India.
Jaipur topped the list of Indian cities, followed by Indore and Thane.
• Globally, populations in areas of high-water risk could rise from 17% in 2020 to 51% by 2050.
Which country is at the top in Nation Brand Index 2020?
[a] UK [b] Canada [c] Japan [d] Germany [e] France
Nation Brand Index 2020
released by Ipsos (market research firm)
and
Simon Anholt (an authority on national image).
- Total – 50 countries
- Parameters – exports, governance, culture, people, tourism, immigration & investment
- Top – Germany
- India’s rank – 34th
- US – 10th in 2020; down from 6th rank in 2019
- China – 35th in 2020; down from 23th in 2019
- France - 5th in 2020; down from 2nd in 2019
About India – Positive: strong cultural heritage, exports, contribution to science and
technology. Negative: governance and people; friendliness of Indians and the way Indians
feel about the environment.
Which company has acquired Bharti AXA General Insurance Company Limited?
[a] Acko General Insurance [b] ICICI Lombard [c] Bajaj Allianz [d] Edelweiss General Insurance [e] Future Generali India
Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved acquisition of Bharti AXA General Insurance Company Limited by ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited.
• The entire general insurance business of Bharti AXA would be transferred to ICICI Lombard in consideration of issuance of shares by ICICI Lombard to Bharti AXA.
• The consolidated market share => 8.7% in the non-life insurance business.
Who has become New Zealand’s firstever Indian-origin Minister?
[a] Arpita Ghosh [b] Agatha Sangma [c] Priyanca Radhakrishnan [d] Alka Lamba [e] Bharati Gosh
Priyanca Radhakrishnan became New Zealand’s first-ever Indian-origin Minister after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern inducted five new Ministers into her executive.
• Now, Radhakrishnan is the -
Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities,
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment.
• Nanaia Mahuta has been appointed as New Zealand’s first indigenous female foreign minister.
Which bank has become the first corporate partner of edX from India to offer MOOC?
[a] SBI [b] Axis Bank [c] HDFC Bank [d] PNB [e] Canara Bank
State Bank of India (SBI) has entered into a strategic partnership with edX (global non-profit education platform) in order to offer the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
• SBI will initially offer three courses -
Unleashing Creativity at the Workplace,
Relationship Marketing Strategy for Financial Services, and Conflict Resolution.
• SBI has become the first corporate partner of edX from India to offer MOOC
Who has been elected as the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union?
[a] Katalin Annamária Bogyay [b] Collen Vixen Kelapile [c] Duarte Pacheco [d] Agustín Santos Maraver [e] Milenko Esteban Skoknic
Mr. Duarte Pacheco (Portuguese MP) has been elected as the 30th President of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU).
• IPU is a body consisting of representatives from the National Parliaments.
• HQ – Geneva, Switzerland
• Member - 179 countries (incl. India) and 13 Associate Members.
• Establishment - 1889
Where has India’s first ever e-resource centre and virtual court for traffic and transport been launched?
[a] Nagpur [b] Aurangabad [c] Pune [d] Delhi [e] Kolkata
CJI SA Bobde has inaugurated India’s first ever e-resource centre and virtual court for traffic and transport at Katol in Nagpur called Nyay Kaushal.
• Traffic challan cases of Maharashtra, e-filling of cases in supreme court, any high court and taluka courts across the country – will be facilitated by Nyay Kaushal.
Sharad Arvind Bobde is an Indian judge serving as the 47th and current Chief Justice of India. He is a former Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Office: Chief Justice of India until 23 Apr 2021
Which of the following country is/are not covered in the Phase 2 of Mission Sagar?
[a] Sudan [b] Eritrea [c] South Sudan [d] Djibouti [e] Seychelles
INS Airavat has reached Port Sudan as a part of Mission Sagar-II.
- Mission Sagar – to provide food and aid to friendly neighbouring countries to overcome natural calamities and COVID-19 pandemic.
- Mission Sagar Phase 1 – food and medicines were provided to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros by INS Kesari in May-June 2020.
- Mission Sagar Phase 2 – to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea.
As per the NCAER’s “Estimating the economic benefits of Investment in Monsoon Mission and High Performance Computing Facilities” Report, India generated ___ worth of economic benefits by investing in the National Monsoon Mission and High Performance Computing Facilities?
[a] Rs 35,000 crores [b] Rs 25,000 crores [c] Rs 50,000 crores [d] Rs 10,000 crores [e] Rs 90,000 crores
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has released the “Estimating the economic benefits of Investment in Monsoon Mission and High Performance Computing Facilities” Report to evaluate the economic benefits of National Monsoon Mission (NMM).
- NMM was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2012 to provide accurate forecasts about monsoon.
- Investments of nearly Rs 1,000 crore in the mission has generated economic benefits worth Rs 50,000 crore over 5 years.
- 98% farmers and 76% livestock owners made modifications based on the weather advisories and enjoyed income gains.
- 82% of fishermen used Ocean State Forecast (OSF) advisories before entering into sea and 95% of them avoided empty trips, which helped them save Rs 18.25 crores of operational cost by avoiding entering into the sea.
Which ministry launched the National Monsoon Mission?
[a] Ministry of Science and Technology [b] Ministry of Jal Shakti [c] Ministry of Environment, forest and Climate Change [d] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare [e] Ministry of Earth Sciences
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has released the “Estimating the economic benefits of Investment in Monsoon Mission and High Performance Computing Facilities” Report to evaluate the economic benefits of National Monsoon Mission (NMM).
- NMM was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2012 to provide accurate forecasts about monsoon.
- Investments of nearly Rs 1,000 crore in the mission has generated economic benefits worth Rs 50,000 crore over 5 years.
- 98% farmers and 76% livestock owners made modifications based on the weather advisories and enjoyed income gains.
- 82% of fishermen used Ocean State Forecast (OSF) advisories before entering into sea and 95% of them avoided empty trips, which helped them save Rs 18.25 crores of operational cost by avoiding entering into the sea.
How many countries are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council?
[a] Six [b] Twelve [c] Seven [d] Ten [e] Fifteen
India and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Troika held an annual Political Dialogue.
• India urged GCC to allow easy return of Indian
professionals in the Gulf countries.
• Established in 1981, GCC is a political and economic union of Arab states bordering the Gulf. It has 6 members – UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
On which river is the Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project being built?
[a] Indus [b] Godavari [c] Satluj [d] Narmada [e] Mahanadi
Union Cabinet approved the investment of over Rs 1,810 crore for 210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project on river Satluj which is situated in Shimla & Kullu districts of
Himachal Pradesh.
• Implementing agency - Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) on Build-Own-OperateMaintain (BOOM) basis.
Which Indian institute has signed an MoU with Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) and the GRANTECAN, S.A. (GTC), Spain for cooperation in the field of
astronomy?
[a] Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics
[b] Astronomical Society of India
[c] Indian Institute of Space Science and
Technology
[d] Indian Institute of Astrophysics
[e] National Centre for Radio Astrophysics
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru and the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) and the GRANTECAN, S.A. (GTC), Spain have signed an MoU for
cooperation in the field of astronomy.
With which country has India signed an MoU for cooperation in the field of medical Product Regulation?
[a] Finland [b] USA [c] Canada [d] UK [e] Singapore
Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (UKMHRA) signed MoU for
cooperation in the field of medical Product Regulation.
• Union Cabinet has approved the signing of this MoU.
Prasar Bharati and Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics under the MeitY signed an MoU for launching ___ direct-to-home (DTH) education TV channels?
[a] 51 [b] 60 [c] 14 [d] 20 [e] 38
Prasar Bharati signed an MoU with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to launch 51 direct-to-home (DTH) education TV channels.
- Parties to the MoU - Prasar Bharati and Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics under the MeitY.
- These are DD co-branded channels, available to all DD FreeDish viewers.
51 channels bifurcated as: Swaymprabha e-Vidya Vande Gujarat DigiShala
Prasar Bharati is India's largest public broadcasting agency, headquarters in New Delhi, India. It is a statutory autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament and comprises the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. CEO: Shashi Shekhar Vempati (2017–) Founded: 23 November 1997, New Delhi Dr. A. Surya Prakash, Chairman; Shri. Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO
Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG) is a State level agency by Government of Gujarat to facilitate to provide services and solutions in implementing map-based GeoSpatial Information Systems.
When was the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health – world’s largest alliance for women’s,
children’s and adolescents’ health and wellbeing – launched?
[a] 2005 [b] 2019 [c] 2016 [d] 2003 [e] 2014
Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH – launched in 2005 by WHO) has released its strategy for 2021-25.
• PMNCH is the world’s largest alliance for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and well-being. India is also a partner in this alliance.
• The report highlighted the inequities among the health services, which has been increased manifold by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Facts:
ª Approximately 80 million babies risk missing routine immunizations.
ª Over 90% of students worldwide have been affected by school closures > INDICATES the reversal of progress achieved towards health-related and other SDGs.
ª Global maternal mortality ratio is estimated to have fallen by 38% between 2000 and 2017.
o MMR in the least-developed countries is more than 40 times higher than in Europe.
ª According to the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission, contraception for 214 million women in developing regions would avert 67 million unintended pregnancies annually.
ª Depressive disorders are the leading non-fatal health issue among females aged 15-19 years (2016) and suicide is a key public health concern for all adolescents.
UNGA adopted two resolutions - Convention on the Prohibition of the use of Nuclear Weapons and Reducing Nuclear Danger. Which country had sponsored the resolutions?
[a] Japan [b] China [c] UK [d] USA [e] India
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted two nuclear resolutions sponsored by India.
• ‘‘Convention on the Prohibition of the use of Nuclear Weapons’’ – tabled in 1982 to prohibit the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
• ‘‘Reducing Nuclear Danger’’ – tabled in 1998 to reduce the risks arising out of the unintentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons and underscores the need for a review of nuclear doctrines.
United Nations
Secretary general: António Guterres
The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, serving as the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organ of the UN.
President: Volkan Bozkır
The 6 main organs of the UN are - The General Assembly, The Security Council, The Economic and Social Council, The Trusteeship Council, The International Court of Justice, The UN Secretariat.
Which company has set up a ₹400 crore India Growth Fund under its ‘vGROW’ programme to promote localized manufacturing and sourcing of FMCG goods?
[a] Hindustan Uniliver Limited [b] ITC Limited [c] Nestlé India [d] Britannia Industries [e] P&G India
P&G India has set up a ₹400 crore India Growth Fund under its ‘vGROW’ programme.
• The fund aims to promote localized manufacturing and sourcing of FMCG goods.
• The program aims to identify and collaborate with startups, small businesses, individuals or
large organizations and offer solutions for the fast-moving consumer goods industry
Procter & Gamble
CEO: David S. Taylor
Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Which of the following private equity funds has launched Virescent Infrastructure, a platform to acquire green energy assets in India?
[a] KKR & Co [b] Blackstone Group [c] Neuberger Berman Group [d] Carlyle Group [e] Bain Capital
KKR (Private equity firm based in US) launched Virescent Infrastructure, a platform to acquire green energy assets in India.
• KKR already has 317 megawatt (MW) solar projects in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
MIC Redwood has become the first foreign sovereign wealth fund that has been granted 100% income tax exemption for longterm investments in India. Which country does this SWF belong to?
[a] Netherlands [b] Singapore [c] UAE [d] Philippines [e] Canada
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has exempted sovereign wealth fund - MIC Redwood 1 RSC Limited, Abu Dhabi, UAE in India from paying dividend, interest and long term capital gains.
- The exemption has been given under the section 10 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
- Exemption will be allowed on investments made by the fund till March 31, 2024.
- MIC Redwood has become the first foreign SWF that has been granted 100% income tax exemption for long-term investments.
Which organization has launched the MSME Credit Health Index, in partnership with Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation?
[a] Indian Statistical Institute [b] Central Statistics Office [c] TransUnion CIBIL [d] National Statistical Commission [e] NCAER
TransUnion CIBIL, in partnership with Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, (MoSPI) has launched MSME Credit Health Index to provide a measure of the growth and strength of the MSME sector in India.
• Parameters:
o Growth – measured by increase in exposure value (outstanding balances) over time.
o Strength – measured by decrease/ increase in credit risk in terms of non-performing assets (NPA).
• The first version of the MSME Credit Health Index is based on data from March 2018 to June 2020
Which of the following organization has organized India’s first Global Vegan Business Expo 2020?
[a] Outlook India Magazine [b] VOGUE India Magazine [c] SheThePeople Magazine [d] Mint Business Forum [e] Compassion India
World Vegan Day is celebrated on November 1 every year.
• Compassion India magazine is organizing India’s first Global Vegan Business Expo 2020, a 3-day virtual conference from 30 October – 1 November 2020.
• The vison of the Expo 2020 is “Sustaining Eco-Economic Growth.”
• Compassion India (India’s first vegan print publication) is celebrating the 1st anniversary of its establishment on November 1.
Who among the following has won the best original music award for “Gully Boy” movie at the 14th Annual Asian Film Awards?
[a] Pritam Chakraborty [b] Anu Malik [c] Amaal Mallik [d] Karsh Kale [e] Mithoon
14th Annual Asian Film Awards were announced.
• Musician Karsh Kale and the Salvage Audio Collective won the best original music award for “Gully Boy” movie (directed by Zoya Akhtar).
• “Parasite” (South Korean director Bong Joon-ho) won Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Production Design awards.
Which bank has been voted as the ‘Most Outstanding Company - Financial Sector’ in India by the Asiamoney?
[a] SBI [b] HDFC Bank [c] Axis Bank [d] PNB [e] Canara Bank
HDFC Bank has been voted ‘Most Outstanding Company - Financial Sector’ in India, in a poll conducted by the well-known publication Asiamoney.
• Overall winners by market - Bharti Airtel
• Over 824 fund managers, buy-side analysts, bankers and research analysts voted across
12 markets in Asia
Who has won the Emmett Leahy Award 2020?
[a] B Madan Mohan Das [b] Agam Mittal [c] Arun Kumar [d] Dinesh Katre [e] Kalpesh Sharma
Dinesh Katre (of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) has won the Emmett Leahy Award 2020.
• Established in the US in 1967, Emmett Leahy Award honours a pioneer in the field of
records and information management.
• Katre is the first Indian to bag this award.
Which company has been voted as India’s best in the overall winner by market category of Asiamoney’s survey?
[a] Bharti Airtel [b] Tata Motors [c] ICICI Bank [d] Tata Consultancy Services [e] Coal India
HDFC Bank has been voted ‘Most Outstanding Company - Financial Sector’ in India, in a poll conducted by the well-known publication Asiamoney.
• Overall winners by market - Bharti Airtel
• Over 824 fund managers, buy-side analysts, bankers and research analysts voted across
12 markets in Asia
Who is the author of “Till We Win” book?
[a] Randeep Guleria [b] Chandrakant Lahariya [c] Gagandeep Kang [d] Indu Basu [e] Only A, B and C
“Till We Win” book has been written by Randeep Guleria (Director of AIIMS), Chandrakant Lahariya (health systems expert), and Gagandeep Kang (vaccine researcher and virologist).
• A new book details about India’s fight against COVID-19 and how to deal with the pandemic
in the days to come.
Who is the author of “Pandemonium: The Great Indian Banking Tragedy” book?
[a] Tamal Bandyopadhyay [b] Lamar Odom [c] Kamlesh Patel Alias Daaji [d] Neeraj Jha [e] Ruchir Sharma
“Pandemonium: The Great Indian Banking Tragedy” book has been written by Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
