16,December, 2018 Current Affairs - Daily Current Affairs
16,December, 2018 Current Affairs -
Daily Current Affairs
1. Who will be the head of the
7-member panel constituted by the government to select managing directors of
public sector insurance companies?
A. Bhargava T
B. Vinod Rai
C. B P Sharma
D. G N Agarwal
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
The government has
constituted a seven-member panel to select managing directors of public sector
insurance companies. The panel would be headed by Banks Board Bureau (BBB)
chairman B P Sharma. The other members of the panel are Financial Services
Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises Secretary and Chairman of Insurance
Regulatory and Development Authority of India. Three insurance sector experts G
N Bajpai, Mathew Varghese and T Bhargava have also been appointed on the
selection panel. In 2014 the Modi government had constituted BBB to select
managing directors and chairman for public sectors banks after the post of CMDs
was bifurcated into two separate positions as non-executive chairman and
managing director.
2. The new human protein discovered
by researchers to fight the Ebola virus.
A. ERPT7
B. ZAUN4
C. THUL9
D. RBBP6
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Researchers have discovered
a human protein that helps fight the Ebola virus, and could one day lead to an
effective therapy against the deadly disease. The newly discovered ability of
the human protein RBBP6 to interfere with Ebola virus replication suggests new
ways to fight the infection, according to the study published in the journal
Cell.
3. Which state has emerged as the
largest beneficiary of Ayushman Bharat scheme, till November 2018?
A. West Bengal
B. Bihar
C. Chhattisgarh
D. Rajasthan
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
The minister of state for
health and family welfare Anupriya Patel announced that West Bengal, Bihar and
Chhattisgarh emerged the largest beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat. Till
November 2018, the government had spent Rs 798.34 crore on the scheme, of which
West Bengal was allotted a total of Rs 193.34 crore, Bihar got an allocation of
Rs 188.27 crore, and Chhattisgarh Rs 114.43 crore.
4. Who was named the first woman CEO
of the French unit of Air France-KLM Group?
A. Edie Regan
B. Lynette Scavo
C. Anne Rigail
D. Susan Mayer
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
The French unit of Air
France-KLM Group named Anne Rigail as its new CEO, making her the first woman
to lead the airline. The 49-year-old, who is currently Executive Vice President
(Customer) at Air France, will replace acting CEO Benjamin Smith.
5. Which company signed an MoU with
FISME to empower MSME sector?
A. Amazon India
B. Flipkart
C. IndiaMart
D. Myntra
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Amazon India partnered with
the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) to
encourage MSMEs to sell products online through e-commerce. Amazon.in will
collaborate with FISME to conduct various events and workshops across the country
to educate MSMEs about Online selling domestically, B2C exports to enable them
to sell across multiple international locations. Areas such as logistics,
cataloguing, imaging, taxation, Brand building, documentation, listing
methodology and services such as Fulfilment by Amazon & Sponsored Ads.
6. Who launched an Operation Oliva as part of its annual mission to ensure
the safe mid-sea sojourn of breeding Olive Ridley sea turtles in Gahirmatha
marine sanctuary area in Odisha?
A. National Security Guard
B. Indian Navy
C. Indian Air Force
D. Indian Coast Guard
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
The Indian Coast Guard has
launched 'Operation Oliva' as part of its annual mission to ensure the safe
mid-sea sojourn of breeding Olive Ridley sea turtles in Gahirmatha marine
sanctuary area, Devi river mouth, and Rushikulya beach of Odisha. The turtle
conservation programme is executed in a joint coordination with the forest
department of Odisha to keep watch and vigil on illegal fishing along the
turtle concentration zone. As a part of the operation, a fleet of ships and a
service aircraft has been pressed into service besides the coast guard has also
organised interactive sessions with fishermen communities to sensitise them on
the legal embargo on fishing during ridleys' nesting season.
7. Which coutry will organise the
2019 Gita festival?
A. Sri Lanka
B. Nepal
C. Mauritius
D. Maldives
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Mauritius Acting President
Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory announced that Mauritius would organise a Gita
festival in February 2019. A delegation from India has also been invited for
the event. He made this announcement at the inauguration of a three-day international
seminar organised as part of the international Gita festival in Kurukshetra,
Haryana.
8. The government of this country bans the Indian currency notes above Rs
100.
A. Bangladesh
B. Nepal
C. Thailand
D. Afghanistan
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
The Nepal government banned
Indian currency above Rs 100. New Indian note of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 200
denominations were banned as the Nepal government has not yet legalised them in
the market. The announcement was made by Nepal's Minister for Information and
Communications Gokul Prasad Baskota. The move can affect the Indian tourist and
Nepali people working in India, who carry the currency in Nepal for
transaction.
9. Who of the following has been
appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Guinea?
A. Manoj Kumar
B. T.C. Barupal
C. Ashutosh Sharma
D. Manish Chandan
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
T.C. Barupal was appointed
the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Guinea. He is presently Consul
General of India, Zanzibar.
10. Who won the Lifetime Achievement
Award at the 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala?
A. Dariush Mehrjui
B. Majid Majidi
C. Malavika Mohanan
D. Asghar Farhadi
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
The Chief Minister of Kerala
Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the closing ceremony of the 23rd International
Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) at Nisagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala. Around 160 films from around the world were screened at the week-long
festival that commenced on December 7, 2018. The winners of the IFFK 2018
awards are Lifetime Achievement Award: Filmmaker Majid Majidi (Iran). Suvarna
Chakoram for Best Film: The Dark Room. Rajata Chakoram for Best Director: Lijo
Jose Pellissery for Ee.Maa.Yove.
11. Who was re-designated from
Advisor to Principal Advisor in NITI Aayog?
A. Anil Srivastava
B. Jitendra Singh
C. Suresh Mathur
D. Roopan Mehta
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Appointments Committee of
the Cabinet (ACC) approved the re-designation of Shri Anil Srivastava from
Advisor to Principal Advisor in NITI Aayog. He is a 1985 IAS from the Madhya
Pradesh care who is currently an Advisor, NITI Aayog.
12. Which two countries signed a
bilateral annual Haj agreement 2019?
A. Russia and Morocco
B. Turkey and Iran
C. India and Saudi Arabia
D. India and Iran
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
A bilateral annual Haj
agreement 2019 was signed between India and Saudi Arabia by Union Minister for
Minority Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and Umrah Minister of Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, Dr Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This
year more than 2,100 women have already applied to go to Haj without 'Mehram'
(male companion) after the Modi Government had lifted ban on women going to Haj
without Mehram last year and they had also been exempted from the lottery
system. The Haj Committee of India has received more than 2.47 lakh
applications next year's pilgrimage which includes about 47 per cent women.
13. How many Indian companies placed
in the ranking list of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's?
A. 4
B. 6
C. 8
D. 10
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
As per the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) latest rankings, four Indian
companies figure among the world's top 100 arms producers in 2017. The four
companies are Indian Ordnance Factories (Rank 37), Hindustan Aeronautics (Rank
38), Bharat Electronics (Rank 64), and Bharat Dynamics (Rank 94). Lockheed
Martin of the United States got the 1st rank.
14. The 21st Usha National Athletics
Sports Championship for the Blind held in __________.
A. Mumbai
B. New Delhi
C. Patna
D. Lucknow
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
The 21st Usha National
Athletics Sports Championship for the Blind held in New Delhi in the presence
of champion boxer Vijender Singh. The championship witnessed six new national
records in javelin, long jump, discuss, 100m race and shotput and three new meet
records in 100 meet race, javelin and shotput. Radhika Bharat Ram is
chairperson of India Blind Sports Association.
15. This company won the Prime
Minister's Trophy for the 'Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant' in India for
the year 2016-17.
A. JSW Steel Ltd
B. Bhushan Steel
C. Jindal Steel
D. Tata Steel
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Tata Steel Limited had been
declared as the winner of the Prime Minister's Trophy for the 'Best Performing
Integrated Steel Plant' in the country for the performance year 2016-17 making
it the fourth consecutive year for Tata Steel being honoured with this coveted
award. Along with the trophy a cash award of Rs. 2 crore was also given to the
company. Having won the PM's Trophy 11 times and receiving the Certificate for
Excellence twice, Tata Steel has been recognized as the best integrated steel
plant 13 times, since the inception of this award in 1992-93. The performance
of the plants is judged by a Panel of Judges headed by Secretary (Steel) and
with members from eminent technologists, management experts, trade union
leaders, economists, consumers of iron & steel according to a scheme drawn
up by an expert committee.
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