GK & Current Affairs: January 13-14, 2014 – GKToday

GK & Current Affairs: January 13-14, 2014

1. Who among the following has won The Hindu Prize for Best Fiction 2013?
[A]Manu Joseph
[B]Anees Slim
[C]Sonora Jha
[D]Manjul Bajaj

Anees Slim
Kerala-based writer Anees Slim won The Hindu Prize for Best Fiction 2013 for his novel, Vanity Bagh for consistent writing and humour and imagination. The book is a very comic account of a young man from minority group from a place called Vanity Bagh, also called little Pakistan. The Hindu Prize for Best Fiction recognises the contribution of Indian writers to literary culture. It comprises a cash component of Rs. 5 lakh and a plaque.


2. As per the Index of Economic Freedom 2014, which among the following is the country / territory with highest economic freedom?
[A]Hong Kong
[B]Switzerland
[C]Singapore
[D]Australia

Hong Kong
The Index of Economic Freedom is an annual index and ranking created by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal in 1995 to measure the degree of economic freedom in the world’s nation. The Index of Economic Freedom rates 186 countries in 10 categories of economic performance such as rule of law, regulatory efficiency, limited government and open markets. Hong Kong and Singapore finished first and second in the ranking for the 20th straight year. The Index ranks India 120th globally and 25th among 43 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.


3. Namdeo Dhasal who passed away recently, was a famous poet in which language?
[A]Kannada
[B]Marathi
[C]Tamil
[D]Konkani

Marathi
Namdeo Dhasal was a Marathi poet, writer and Human right activists. His first collection of poems “Golpitha” was published in 1973. He along with others formed a radical organisation called Dalit Panthers on July 9, 1972 inspired by the American Black Panther.


4. The FARC is one of the world’s richest guerrilla armies active in which country?
[A]Egypt
[B]Columbia
[C]China
[D]Spain

Columbia
The FARC is the oldest and largest group among Colombia’s left-wing rebels and is one of the world’s richest guerrilla armies.


5. Which among the following countries has conducted “Island defence” drill in the controversial Senkaku islands, recently?
[A]China
[B]Japan
[C]Vietnam
[D]South Korea

Japan
The Japanese Self Defence Force held a public drill with the theme of “Island defence” to simulate recapturing an island from an enemy nation for the second year in a row, as Chinese government vessels sail near islands disputed with Japan for the first time this year.


6. In which among the following cities, India’s first Climate Change Theatre opened, recently?
[A]Kapurthala
[B]Bangalore
[C]Chennai
[D]Kolkata

Kapurthala
India’s first climate change theatre was opened at Pushpa Gujaral science city in Kapurthala to educate people on one of the pressing developmental issue in the world. This theatre is India’s first, it is second in the world, with the other in Canada.


7. Recently, which among the following has announced the launch of “Academia Accelerator” programme which is aimed at building a deep and long-term association between industry and academia?
[A]IBM
[B]Infosys
[C]Microsoft
[D]TCS

Microsoft
Microsoft has announced the launch of the Microsoft Academic Accelerator, a new programme aimed at building a deep and long-term association between industry and academia. Under this programme Microsoft in collaboration with the faculty at 10 leading Indian engineering colleges, will aim to enhance the Computer Science curriculum in selective areas and foster even greater student-driven innovation and entrepreneurship.


8. Currently, which among the following nations holding the number one position in the FIFA ranking?
[A]Spain
[B]Portugal
[C]Brazil
[D]Egypt

Spain
Spain remains the best team in the world according to the latest world rankings. Spain has 1507 ranking points which gives them a comfortable lead over Germany (1,318) and Argentina (1,251).


9. India’s only and first hospital for fish will come up in which of the following states?
[A]Andhra Pradesh
[B]Kerala
[C]Karnataka
[D]Goa

Kerala
The country’s first hospital for fish has been coming up in Kochi, Kerala. The hospital will be set up with Rs 5.6 millions assistance from the central government. The hospital will act as a one-stop place for technical assistance, help and guidance for people who are interested in aquaculture and also it will address pollution-related problem faced by the fisheries sector.


10. Name the India-American, who has been elected a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, recently?
[A]Subra Suresh
[B]Mahesh Nair
[C]Aravind Singh
[D]Amith Mishra

Subra Suresh
Subra Suresh, Chennai-born Indian-American president of Carnegie Mellon University has been elected a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Science, a rare and highly coveted distinction within the academic fraternity. He was chosen for his scientific contribution in materials science and engineering.

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