Articles from General Knowledge Today

GK & Current Affairs 2013: February 18, 19

2013-02-19 15:02:01 GKToday

1. The Railways recently said that it plans to complete the world's highest rail bridge by 2016. On which among the following rivers, this arch-shaped bridge is coming up? [A]Volga river [B]Don river [C]Chenab river [D]Brahmaputra river Chenab river Arguably one of the toughest engineering challenges in hand, Railways plans to complete the Chenab bridge in Jammu and Kashmir by 2016, making it the worlds highest rail bridge. The arch-shaped bridge across the Chenab river-bed in Reasi district, which will be five times the height of the Qutab Minar at 359 m above river bed, will connect Baramulla and Srinagar to Jammu via Udhampur-Katra-Qazigund covering the entire route in about seven hours.

Show Answer 2. The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) was recently making news for launching a "Green Fishing Systems for Tropical Seas" project. Which among the following is the correct location of Central Institute of Fisheries Technology? [A]Chennai [B]Kolkata [C]Visakhapatanam [D]Cochin Cochin The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) is located at Cochin. Recently, the CIFT has launched, Green Fishing Systems for Tropical Seas, a research project funded by National Fund for Basic, Strategic and Frontier Application Research in Agriculture. The project assumes significance in the backdrop of increasing energy use in the fishery sector and resultant carbon emissions. A total saving of 470 million litres of fuel is expected if the technology envisaged is adopted in trawling and there will be resultant reduction of 1.23 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Show Answer 3. India's first social venture fund has been recently launched by which among the following?

[A]VentureEast India [B]Trident Capital [C]Incube Ventures Pvt. Ltd. [D]Artiman Ventures Ltd. Incube Ventures Pvt. Ltd. Ahmedabad-based Incube Ventures Pvt. Ltd.'s newly launched 'Incube Connect Fund' has received the distinction of being the first social venture funding the country to be accorded registration by SEBI under SEBI (AIF), Regulations, 2012. Having recently received SEBI approval as country's first 'social venture fund company', the city-based company has launched its first sector agnostic fund worth Rs 200 crore. The fund will look to invest and incubate ventures that will have social relevance across various sectors.

Show Answer 4. As per the CBREs latest Prime Office Occupancy Costs survey, which among the following is remains the worlds most expensive prime office market? [A]Beijing CBD [B]New Delhi CBD [C]Hong Kong Central [D]Londons West End Hong Kong Central Hong Kong Central remains the worlds most expensive prime office market, followed by Londons West End and Marunouchi Otemachi, Tokyo. According to CBREs latest Prime Office Occupancy Costs survey, six of the top 10 most expensive office markets globally are located in the Asia Pacific. Led by Hong Kong Central and Tokyos Marunouchi Otemachi in third position, Beijing CBD, New Delhi CBD, Beijings Finance Street and Hong Kong-West Kowloon, also cracked the top 10.

Show Answer 5. World's first women cricketer to score 5000 runs in One-Day International cricket is __: [A]Charlotte Edwards [B]Claire Taylor [C]Katherine Brunt [D]Mithali Raj Charlotte Edwards Charlotte Edwards of England became the first player to score 5,000 runs in womens One-Day International cricket.

Show Answer 6. The Advanced Knowledge and Rural Technology Implementation Initiative (AKRUTI), has been launched by __: [A]National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) [B]Reserve Bank of India [C]Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) [D]Ministry of Rural Development Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) The programme AKRUTI-KRUTIK-FORCE aims to create structured and scalable network of technology nodes in rural areas providing easy access to modern technologies to all villagers in their own villages. AKRUTI is an acronym for Advance Knowledge and Rural Technology Implementation programme. Through this programme, the technology centre called AKRUTI node is set up in a village. This is done under the guidance of BARC, through technically oriented NGOs working in that village. AKRUTI node will park number of BARC developed technologies for use by villagers. These technologies are demonstrated and taken to different villages around the AKRUTI node via working centres established in different villages around AKRUTI. These working centres are called KRUTI Kendra viz. KRUTIK. KRUTIK stands for Knowledge and Rural Technology Implementation Kendra, which works with villagers and farmers groups and deploy these technologies in their own villages and in the fields.

Show Answer 7. Recently, in which among the following countries, a new type of rice called 'Slim Rice' is introduced? [A]Thailand [B]United Kingdom [C]United States [D]Japan United Kingdom A new variety of rice from the UK is surprisingly low on calories - only 7.7 per 100 grams as compared to 350 for white basmati. Named Slim Rice, it is made from a water soluble vegetable fibre called Moyu (konjac), which has been consumed in Asia for many centuries for its health benefits. The vegetable fibre is unique as it expands stomach to give you a sense of fullness. Slim rice doesn't have the same texture as regular rice, since it is not made from the same ingredient that contains the high amounts of calories, carbohydrates and sugar.

Show Answer 8. Rafael Correa, recently re-elected as the President of the ___________? [A]Brazil [B]Chile

[C]Ecuador [D]Peru Ecuador Rafael Correa looks set to replace ailing Hugo Chavez as Latin America's main antiUS voice after a crushing general election win. With Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez battling life-threatening cancer, Mr Correa's new four-year term could see him become Latin America's most outspoken critic of Washington. First elected in 2007, the 49-year-old has won broad support with ambitious social spending programmes. Mr Correa has consistently spoken out against the free-market reforms promoted by the United States, instead backing state-driven economies and expanding ties with China.

Show Answer 9. Who among the following has been conferred with the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2011? [A]Hamid Karzai [B]Ela Ramesh Bhatt [C]Sheikh Hasina [D]Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ela Ramesh Bhatt The President of India Pranab Mukherjee conferred 2011 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2011 on Ela Ramesh Bhatt.

Show Answer 10. It was recently in the news that India's first wildlife skywalk will come up in Maenam wildlife sanctuary. In which among the following states is located the Maenam wildlife sanctuary? [A]Assam [B]Sikkim [C]Himachal Pradesh [D]Madhya Pradesh Sikkim India's first wildlife skywalk will come up in Maenam wildlife sanctuary in Sikkim. The state government had proposed to build a 22 kilometer rope-way from Maenam sanctuary to the skywalk to be built beyond on the edge of Bhalleydhunga steep face with rain shelter and public conveniences. The sanctuary, about 65 kms south from the capital city of Gangtok, is a popular tourist destination. The environment ministry has approved the Sikkim government proposal for Rs.500 crore skywalk similar to one in Grand Canyon in north America, which attracts over 3,00,000 visitors a year despite opposition from wild-lifers.

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