41. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled an updated manual DPP-2020. What does DPP stand for?
[A] Direct Procurement Procedure
[B] Direct Promotion Proposal
[C] Defence Procurement Procedure
[D] Defence Promotion Proposal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Defence Procurement Procedure]
Notes:
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled an updated manual DPP-2020 (Defence Procurement Procedure-2020).
For the last 18 years, this DPP is the procurement manual that has been used for governing the purchase of weapons and equipment from the defence capital budget. The 2020 draft version aims to promote more indigenous content in defence equipment which are manufactured in India. It also introduced ‘leasing’ as another category to make defence equipment affordable.
42. ‘RAISE 2020’, which was seen in news, is the first global Artificial Intelligence Summit of which country?
[A] France
[B] United States
[C] India
[D] United Arab Emirates
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [India]
Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is to organise the first Global AI Summit in India (RAISE 2020).
This was in news recently, as the AI summit was postponed to October 5-6, 2020 due to the rising number of cases of Covid-19. It was initially scheduled to be held in the month of April. The summit is to be attended by academics, AI start-ups and big tech firms.
43. What is the theme of the ‘International Day of Forests 2020’?
[A] Forests and Biodiversity
[B] Forests and Humans
[C] Sustainable Forests
[D] Forests save us
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Forests and Biodiversity]
Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly declared 21 March as the International Day of Forests in 2012. United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization are the main organisers of the Forest Day.
The Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of all types of forests. The theme for each International Day of Forests is selected by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. The theme for 2020 is Forests and Biodiversity.
44. What is the theme of the ‘World Down Syndrome Day 2020’?
[A] Leaving no one behind
[B] We decide
[C] We and You
[D] Together we can
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [We decide]
Notes:
World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on March 21 every year, across the world. The United Nations General Assembly declared the day in the year 2011.
Down syndrome occurs when a person has an extra partial or whole copy of chromosome 21. The day is celebrated to raise public awareness of Down syndrome. On World Down Syndrome Day 2020, the forum-Down Syndrome International focuses on the theme “We Decide”.
45. Which is the first country to withdraw from Tokyo Olympics over coronavirus fears?
[A] Italy
[B] Canada
[C] Germany
[D] United States
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Canada]
Notes:
Canada became the first major country to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics over coronavirus fears. Australia has also directed its athletes to prepare for the 2021 games, as it could not be held this year.
Earlier, the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe has announced for the first time that the Olympic Games might get postponed. The International Olympic Committee is expected to decide about the schedule of the games soon, which had been planned to commence from July 24 this year.
46. What is the rank of India in the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom 2020?
[A] 87
[B] 95
[C] 103
[D] 120
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [120]
Notes:
America-based Heritage Foundation released its Index of Economic Freedom last week. Singapore emerged as the top nation in the index and overtook Hong Kong as the world’s most independent and free economy.
Singapore achieved this feat for the first time since 1995, the report was first published. Hong Kong has ever been placed at the top since then. India is ranked in 120th position in the report and It improved its score by 1.3 points from 2019 to score 56.5 in 2020
47. Which Indian author won the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award of PEN America?
[A] Ruchika Tomar
[B] Madhuri Vijay
[C] Arundhati Roy
[D] Jhumpa Lahiri
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ruchika Tomar]
Notes:
Debut novelist Ruchika Tomar has been selected as the winner of the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel ‘A Prayer for Travelers’.
PEN America was founded in 1922, in New York City. The prize is backed by the Hemingway family and the Ernest Hemingway Foundation. The PEN/Hemingway Award includes a $25,000 prize, which is proposed to allow significant time and resources to pursue a subsequent work of fiction.
48. As per the recent announcement from the Ministry of Finance to support economy, what is the deadline of filing income-tax return for the year 2018-19?
[A] April 30, 2020
[B] May 31, 2020
[C] June 30, 2020
[D] August 31, 2020
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [June 30, 2020]
Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently announced various relief measures amid lock-down of the country due to coronavirus scare.
As per the measures, the deadline for filing belated income tax return (ITR) for the financial year 2018-19 and for filing goods and services tax (GST) returns for March, April and May has been extended to June 30, 2020. She also announced waiver of minimum balance maintenance charge and ATM withdrawal charge for next 3 months. Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme has been extended from April 1 to June 30.
49. Nemai Ghosh, who passed away recently, is a veteran personality associated with which profession?
[A] Actor
[B] Photographer
[C]
Businessperson
[D] Politician
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Photographer]
Notes:
Renowned photographer Nemai Ghosh passed away recently at Kolkata at the age of 86. He was known for his long and close association with the legendary film-maker Satyajit Ray.
He worked in several movies of Satyajit Ray as a still photographer. Associated in the photography field for nearly 50 years, he was also the recipient of the Padma Shri award in 2010. He was the author of several books including ‘Satyajit Ray at 70’, ‘Satyajit Ray: A Vision of Cinema’ and ‘Manik-Da: Memories of Satyajit Ray’.
50. In the G-20’s first virtual summit, what is the stimulus package the member countries pledged to infuse into the global economy?
[A] $1 trillion
[B] $2 trillion
[C] $5 trillion
[D] $10 trillion
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [$5 trillion]
Notes:
The G-20’s first ever virtual summit, chaired by Saudi Arabia, was recently held through video conferencing. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi also attended the virtual meeting.
Leaders of the G20 major economies pledged to restore global growth and infuse over $5 trillion into the global economy. The countries also vowed to take necessary steps to minimize the economic and social impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.