GK & Current Affairs: December 24, 2016

1. Which of the following islands in India was once named “New Denmark”?
[A]Salsatte Island
[B]Elephanta Island
[C]Lakshadweep
[D]Andaman & Nicobar Island
Answer: Andaman & Nicobar Island
Notes:
In 1759, the Nicobar Islands were made a Danish colony, first named New Denmark and later as Frederick’s Islands.
2. Which of the following communities has become the first Scheduled Tribe of Puducherry?
[A]Eravallan
[B]Kammara
[C]Irular
[D]Kattunayakan
Answer: Irular
Notes:
On 23 December 2016, the president has given his assent to declaration of Irular community (including Villi and Vettaikaran) in the Scheduled Tribes list. With this decision, Puducherry has got its first Scheduled Tribes.
3. “National Index for Performance on Health Outcomes” has been launched recently by NITI Aayog to __?
[A]Map the incremental improvement in health by states of India
[B]Map and index the outcomes of schemes run by Ministry of Health
[C]Rank the states as per public expenditure on health
[D]Provide inputs to finance commission for including health as a criterion for grants-in-aid
Answer: Map the incremental improvement in health by states of India
Notes:
The ‘Performance on Health Outcomes’ index has been launched by NITI Aayog to capture the annual incremental improvements by States, rather than focus on historical achievements.
4. With which of the following, the BliSS scheme is related to __?
[A]Travel & Tourism Promotion
[B]Mother and Child Health
[C]Biotechnology Education
[D]Business & Economy Transactions
Answer: Biotechnology Education
Notes:
Biotech Labs in Senior Secondary Schools (BliSS) is a scheme to encourage students to consider careers in biotechnology. This scheme envisages to establish labs in North-Eastern States viz. Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Sikkim and Manipur.
5. Vittiya Saksharata Abhiyan (VISAKA) is an initiative of which of the following ministries?
[A]Ministry of Finance
[B]Ministry of Human Resource Development
[C]Ministry of Commerce
[D]Ministry of Textiles
Answer: Ministry of Human Resource Development
Notes:
Vittiya Saksharata Abhiyan (VISAKA) was launched by the Union Ministry for Human Resource Development (HRD) to make people aware about cashless economic system.
6. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) links the Pakistani port of Gwadar with Kashgar in China. In which of the following provinces, Kashgar is located in China?
[A]Xinjiang
[B]Qinghai
[C]Shaanxi
[D]Ningxia
Answer: Xinjiang
Notes:
CPEC is an important part of China’s Belt and Road initiative and links the Pakistani port of Gwadar with Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang province.
7. The agreement to “buy or sell a debt instrument at a specified future date at a pre-determined price” is called?
[A]Interest Rate Future
[B]Hedge
[C]Option
[D]Interest Rate Derivative
Answer: Interest Rate Future
Notes:
An IRF contract is an agreement to buy or sell a debt instrument at a specified future date at a pre-determined price. The cash-settled IRFs provide market participants an option to hedge risks arising from fluctuations in interest rates, which depend on various factors, including RBI policy, demand for liquidity and flow of overseas funds.
8. Which country recently won the Asian Cricket Council Under-19 Asia Cup title?
[A]India
[B]Sri Lanka
[C]West Indies
[D]Bangladesh
Answer: India
Notes:
India dished out a clinical performance to beat hosts Sri Lanka by 34 runs and lift the Asian Cricket Council Under-19 Asia Cup title on December 23, 2016.
9. Which is the first country in the world to use drones for national mail service?
[A]UK
[B]France
[C]Sweden
[D]China
Answer: France
Notes:
France became the first country in the world to use drones for national mail service. French postal service announced a drone delivery program to deliver parcels on a 14-kilometre route once a week to reach mountainous regions. These mail drones will have a range of 19 km and a top speed of 30.5 kmph. They also have parachutes for safe emergency landing.
10. Which of the following is an OPEC country?
[A]Russia
[B]Kazakhstan
[C]Brazil
[D]Nigeria
Answer: Nigeria
Notes:
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an intergovernmental organization of twelve oil-producing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. .

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