1. Shanti Lal Jain has been appointed as the MD & CEO of which public sector bank?
[A] Punjab National Bank
[B] Indian Bank
[C] Union Bank of India
[D] State Bank of India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Indian Bank]
Notes:
- Shanti Lal Jain has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Indian Bank.
- He was earlier serving as the Executive Director of the Bank of Baroda.
- Jain will replace Padmaja Chunduru, whose term ends on August 31, 2021.
- His tenure of three years would start from September 1, and will be extendable for another two years or until attaining the age of superannuation, whichever is earlier.
2. When is the ‘International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances’ observed?
[A] August 30
[B] September 1
[C] September 2
[D] September 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [August 30]
Notes:
- ‘International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances’ is marked every year on August 30, across the world.
- The day is observed to honour and pay tribute to people who have faced enforced disappearances.
- On December 21, 2010, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed August 30 as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
- The Assembly also welcomed the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
3. What is the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India?
[A] 18
[B] 25
[C] 34
[D] 45
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [34]
Notes:
- Nine new judges, including three women, were administered oath of office as judges of the Supreme Court.
- This appointment has taken its strength to 33, including the Chief Justice of India, out of the sanctioned strength of 34.
- This is the first time in the history of the Supreme Court that nine judges took oath of office, all at the same time.
- Justice Nagarathna, one among the nine judges, is in line to become the first woman Chief Justice of India in September 2027.
4. “e-Source” is an online platform being developed by which institution?
[A] BITS
[B] IIM – A
[C] IIT – M
[D] ISRO
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [IIT – M]
Notes:
- The Indian Institution of Technology Madras (IIT-M) is developing an online platform named e-Source.
- This platform aims to tackle e-waste by linking various participants in formal and informal sector.
- It would act as a market place between buyers and generators of e waste, in electrical and electronic equipment segment.
- This is expected to pave a great way for recycle and reuse of electronic wastes, thus achieve the objectives of circular economy.
5. Fintech services provider PayU is set to acquire which Indian fintech company for $4.7 bn?
[A] Razorpay
[B] BillDesk
[C] Mobikwik
[D] Pine Labs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [BillDesk]
Notes:
- Fintech services provider PayU is set to acquire Indian digital payments provider- BillDesk for $4.7 billion.
- This is set to be one of the largest deals in the Indian fintech sector.
- After this, PayU, the payments and fintech business of Prosus which operates in more than 20 high-growth markets, will become one of the leading online payment providers globally
6. Supertech twin tower case, which was seen in the news recently, is associated with which state?
[A] Kerala
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Karnataka
[D] Maharashtra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
- The Supreme Court ordered the demolition of the twin towers that had come up in violation of building bye-laws in Supertech’s Emerald Court housing project in Noida.
- The Court also ordered that the towers be razed within three months for violation of building norms in agreement with district officials.
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has called for an inquiry and strict action against guilty officers in Noida in the illegal twin tower case.
- The Chief Minister also directed officers to register a criminal case against guilty persons.
7. Mariyappan Thangavelu and Sharad Kumar, who won medals in the Tokyo Paralympics, are associated with which sports?
[A] Weight Lifting
[B] Shooting
[C] High Jump
[D] Javelin Throw
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [High Jump]
Notes:
- Mariyappan Thangavelu and Sharad Kumar won the silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the high jump event in the Tokyo Paralympics.
- Mariyappan Thangavelu had also won a gold medal at the Rio Paralympics.
- With this performance, the tally of India in the event touched 10.
- It is the first time the country has touched double digits at the Paralympics Games.
- India had won a total of 12 medals from the 1968 edition until 2016.
8. Which state has launched ‘Innovation Mission’, a public-private partnership, to boost start-up sector?
[A] Telangana
[B] Punjab
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Tamil Nadu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Punjab]
Notes:
- Chief Minister Amarinder Singh launched ‘Innovation Mission Punjab’ (IMPunjab), a public-private partnership, to boost start-up sector.
- The Mission aims to bring in global investors and experts to promote start-ups.
- The mission will be accelerated by the private sector with strong government backing.
- As partners, the Department of Agriculture, Industries and Commerce, Mandi Board and Startup Punjab are providing around Rs. 30 crores in cash and kind.
9. R9X Hellfire missile, also called as the ‘Ninja’ bomb, is associated with which country?
[A] USA
[B] China
[C] UAE
[D] India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [USA]
Notes:
- The United States used a special missile in its drone strikes in Afghanistan that does not explode but releases knife-like blades.
- The US drone strikes were carried out using the Hellfire missile. There are various variants of the Hellfire missile. The R9-X is also called the ‘Ninja’ bomb.
- It weighs about 45 kg and the missile can also be launched from helicopters, aircraft and Humvees. The range of these missiles varies from 500 metres to 11 km.
- The US forces have carried out two back-to-back drone strikes. The US has said they targeted the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) — ISIS-Khorasan.
10. Which institution released ‘Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes’?
[A] FAO
[B] WMO
[C] WTO
[D] IMF
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [WMO]
Notes:
- The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes (1970–2019).
- As per the report, every third death (35 per cent) from extreme weather, climate or water stress in half a century was in Africa.
- The African continent accounts for only 17 per cent of global population.
- Four droughts (1973 and 1983 in Ethiopia, 1981 in Mozambique and 1983 in Sudan) were responsible for 89 per cent of the total deaths in Africa from weather, climate and water extremes in the last 50 years.
- Almost 99 per cent of all reported deaths occurred in low-to-lower-middle-income countries in Africa.
