1. Who will lead the Indian delegation in the 7th Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS – 2018)?
[A] Narendra Modi
[B] Sushma Swaraj
[C] Nirmala Sitharaman
[D] Ajit Doval
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Nirmala Sitharaman]
Notes:
The 7th Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS – 2018) will be held in Moscow, Russia from April 4. The 2-day conference will be focused on the defeat of terrorists in Syria. The Indian delegation will be led by Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This will be her first visit to Russia in her capacity as the Defence Minister. During her 3-day tour, she will meet her Russian counterpart Army General Sergei Shoigu and other senior leaders. The visit will provide an opportunity to reinforce the traditional warm and friendly relations that exist between the two countries with particular reference to military technical cooperation.
2. Which state government has rolled out ‘Rupashree Scheme’ for marriage of poor girls?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Odisha
[C] West Bengal
[D] Assam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [West Bengal]
Notes:
The West Bengal government has rolled out a new scheme ‘Rupashree’ from April 1, 2018 in order to provide marriage assistance to girls coming from economically weaker families with a budgetary allocation of Rs 1500 crore. The scheme proposes to extend one-time financial assistance worth Rs 25,000 to the family of the girl whose annual income is up to Rs 1.5 lakh. Under the scheme, the woman will have to submit the application before marriage to the Local Bodies or Block Development Officer (BDO) office. The State Government will deposit Rs 25,000 to the beneficiary of the said scheme before his marriage to his bank account.
3. What is the theme of the 2018 World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD)?
[A] Empowering Women and Girls with Autism
[B] Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination
[C] Opening Doors to Inclusive Education
[D] Employment: The Autism Advantage
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Empowering Women and Girls with Autism]
Notes:
The World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is observed every year on April 2 to recognize and support all children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The day is to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of those with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society. The 2018 theme is “Empowering women and girls with autism”.
4. Rosemary DiCarlo, who has become the first woman to head UN political affairs, is belong to which country?
[A] United Kingdom
[B] Germany
[C] United States
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [United States]
Notes:
Rosemary DiCarlo, the US diplomat, has been appointed as the head of UN political affairs, one of the most high-profile positions at the United Nations (UN). With this, DiCarlo has become the first woman to head this position. She succeeded Jeffrey Feltman. DiCarlo also served as deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and director for United Nations affairs at the national security council in Washington.
5. Who is the newly elected president of Badminton Association of India (BAI)?
[A] Devender Singh
[B] Ajay Singhania
[C] Himanta Biswa Sarma
[D] Anbumani Ramadoss
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Himanta Biswa Sarma]
Notes:
Himanta Biswa Sarma, a cabinet ranked minister and convener of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), has been elected as the new president of Badminton Association of India (BAI) unopposed during the federation’s annual general body meeting and election in Goa on April 3, 2018. He will serve as the president for a term of four years. Sarma took over as the interim president of BAI last year after the demise of former president Akhilesh Das Gupta.
6. Who has become the youngest Indian weightlifter to win medal at Commonwealth Games (CWG)?
[A] Aleena Reji
[B] Saraswati Rout
[C] Deepak Lather
[D] P Gururaja
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Deepak Lather]
Notes:
Teenager Deepak Lather from Haryana has become the youngest Indian weightlifter to claim a Commonwealth Games medal by clinching a bronze in the men’s 69kg weightlifting category at the 21st Commonwealth Games (CWG-2018) in Gold Coast, Australia on April 6. He lifted a total of 295kg (136kg+159kg). The youngster, competing in his first Commonwealth Games, holds the distinction of being the youngest to hold the national record as well. He held the 62kg category national record at 15. Lather trained at the Army Sports Institute as a diver before being pushed into weightlifting by the coaches there. Earlier, Mirabai Chanu (48kg) and Sanjita Chanu (53kg) won gold medals in the women’s competition and P Gururaja claimed a silver in the men’s 56kg category. The Indian weightlifters have so far claimed four medals in the event.
7. Who is the newly elected President of Sierra Leone?
[A] Ernest Bai Koroma
[B] Samura Kamara
[C] Julus Bai Kamara
[D] Julius Maada Bio
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Julius Maada Bio]
Notes:
Julius Maada Bio has recently taken oath as the new President of Sierra Leone in the capital Freetown on April 4, 2017. Mr Bio is a former soldier who briefly ruled Sierra Leone in 1996. He defeated ruling party candidate Samura Kamara, an economist by training. President Ernest Bai Koroma has stepped down after serving two five-year terms. Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, on the Atlantic Ocean. It’s known for the white-sand beaches lining the Freetown Peninsula.
8. The Union Government has constituted a committee to frame regulations for online news portals. Who is the head of the committee?
[A] Cabinet Secretary
[B] Secretary of Information and Broadcasting
[C] Secretary of Electronics and Information Technology
[D] Secretary of Corporate Affairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Secretary of Information and Broadcasting ]
Notes:
The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has constituted the 10-member committee to frame rules to regulate the functioning of news portals and media websites, including platforms like YouTube. The committee will be headed by Narendra Kumar Sinha, the I&B Secretary. The committee has been mandated to frame and suggest a regulatory framework for online media, news portals, digital broadcasting and entertainment and infotainment (information and entertainment) sites and for media aggregators. Apart from I&B Secretary, the panel will have secretaries of Ministry of Electronics and IT and Home Ministry, and CEO of government’s citizen engagement platform MyGov. It will also have representatives of the Press Council of India, News Broadcasters Association and Indian Broadcasters Federation, and the head of government outreach portal MyGov.
9. Who has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia?
[A] Neel Reddy
[B] Y S Khan
[C] Subrata Bhattacharjee
[D] Ankita Mehra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Subrata Bhattacharjee]
Notes:
Subrata Bhattacharjee, an IFS officer of 1989 batch, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia. Currently, he is Joint Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
10. Sanjita Chanu has clinched India’s second gold at which weightlifting category in the 21st Commonwealth Games (CWG-2018)?
[A] 45 kg
[B] 53 kg
[C] 55 kg
[D] 69 kg
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [53 kg]
Notes:
Weightlifter Sanjita Chanu from Manipur has clinched the India’s second gold at the 21st Commonwealth Games (CWG-2018) in the women’s 53 kg weightlifting category in Gold Coast, Australia on April 6. She lifted a total of 192kg (84 kg in Snatch + 108 kg in Clean and Jerk).Beside her, Deepak Lather became the youngest Indian weightlifter to claim a Commonwealth Games medal by clinching a bronze in the men’s 69 kg category. With this, India has won 2 Gold, a silver and a gold. India is placed at third place in the Medal’s tally now. Earlier, on April 5, P Gururaja bagged India’s first (silver) medal in the men’s 56 kg weightlifting category and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu clinched the first gold for India in the women’s 48 kg weightlifting category.