GK & Current Affairs: January 4, 2017

1. Who has been sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of India (CJI)?
[A]J S Khehar
[B]Madan Lokur
[C]Kamlesh Khehar
[D]T S Patil
Answer: J S Khehar
Notes:
Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, who led the five-judge constitution bench in the Supreme Court which had struck down the controversial NJAC Act for appointment of judges, has been sworn-in as the 44th Chief Justice of India (CJI) and will remain on the post till August 27, 2017. He is the first Chief Justice from the Sikh community, who succeeded Justice TS Thakur.
2. Which country has become the first in the world to pay basic income to randomly picked citizens on national level?
[A]Indonesia
[B]Finland
[C]France
[D]Sri Lanka
Answer: Finland
Notes:
Finland has become the first country in the world to pay a basic income to randomly picked citizens on a national level. The aim of 2-year nationwide pilot scheme is to reduce poverty, motivate people to join work force and boost employment. For this, two thousand unemployed participants between the ages of 25 and 58 have been randomly picked from different parts of the country and will receive an unconditional monthly tax-free basic income of €560. The income will replace their existing social benefits and will be paid even if they find work.
3. The World Braille Day (WBD) is observed on which date?
[A]January 3
[B]January 5
[C]January 2
[D]January 4
Answer: January 4
Notes:
The World Braille Day (WBD) is observed every year on January 4 to create importance of braille for those who are blind and to commemorate the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the French educator who invented Braille script or Braille code in 1821.
4. H S Mahadeva Prasad, who passed away recently, was the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of which constituency?
[A]Dharwad constituency
[B]Chikkodi constituency
[C]Bagalkot constituency
[D]Gundlupet constituency
Answer: Gundlupet constituency
Notes:
Halahalli Shreekantha Shetti Mahadeva Prasad (58), who was the incumbent state minister for Cooperation and Sugar in the Government of Karnataka, has recently passed away at Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka. He was the 5-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Gundlupet constituency of the Chamarajanagar district.
5. Who has won the 2016 World Blitz Chess Championship?
[A]Sergey Karjakin
[B]Anna Muzychuk
[C]Magnus Carlsen
[D]Daniil Dubov
Answer: Sergey Karjakin
Notes:
Sergey Karjakin of Russia has recently won gold in the 2016 World Blitz Chess Championship in Doha, Qatar by defeating Norway’s Magnus Carlsen in a tie-break. This was Karjakin’s first world title in blitz chess.
6. K V Pusa, who passed away recently, was the noted politician of which state?
[A]Manipur
[B]Arunachal Pradesh
[C]Tripura
[D]Nagaland
Answer: Nagaland
Notes:
K V Pusa, the former President of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and veteran Congress leader, has recently passed away at Kohima, Nagaland. Other than his political career, Pusa was associated with social activities which include spearheading various students, farmers and sports organizations. He was also the chairman of Mezhür Higher Secondary School Kohima and a founding member of the Nagaland Contractors’ and Suppliers’ Union.
7. What is the India’s rank in offering highest salaries to expats, as per 2016 HSBC Expat Explorer Survey?
[A]11th
[B]31st
[C]23rd
[D]3rd
Answer: 3rd
Notes:
India has been ranked 3rd out of 190 countries to offer the highest average annual salary to expatriates, as per 2016 HSBC Expat Explorer Survey. It is the 9th edition of HSBC in which approx 27,000 expats from 190 countries and territories shared their thoughts and experiences of expat life. The list is topped by Switzerland, which offers an average salary of $188,275 a year to expats i.e. almost twice the global average. Beside this, Hong Kong was listed third in the survey.
8. Who has been appointed as an Adviser (policy & planning) in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)?
[A]Sandip Ray Chaudhury
[B]V Thiruppugazh
[C]P K Mishra
[D]Manoj Kumar Sahoo
Answer: V Thiruppugazh
Notes:
V Thiruppugazh, the IAS officer of 1991 batch Gujarat cadre, has been appointed as an Adviser (policy & planning) in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and will remain on post till September 20, 2020. Thiruppugazh worked on various assignments in Gujarat, including in the State Disaster Management Authority, before he joined the administration at the Centre in 2015. He has also worked with Dr. P.K. Mishra, the Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. Both, Mr.Thirupuggazh and Dr. Mishra have experience in disaster-management fields in Gujarat and at the Centre.
9. “OnChat” a chatbot service has been launched by which bank to allow users to make payments through Facebook Messenger?
[A]State Bank of India
[B]HDFC Bank
[C]ICICI Bank
[D]Axis Bank
Answer: HDFC Bank
Notes:
The HDFC Bank has recently launched a chatbot service “HDFC OnChat” to allow users to make payments through Facebook Messenger.The chatbot will allow users to recharge their phones, pay electricity, water, gas and landline and DTH bills and even a cab from Ola or Uber from the app itself. The service is available to non-HDFC bank users as well.
10. The book “Death Under The Deodars: The Adventures of Miss Ripley-Bean” has been authored by whom?
[A]Vikram Seth
[B]Amitav Ghosh
[C]Jumpa Lahiri
[D]Ruskin Bond
Answer: Ruskin Bond
Notes:
The book “Death Under The Deodars: The Adventures of Miss Ripley-Bean” has been authored by Ruskin Bond, is recently published by Penguin India. The 8-stories in the book are classic Ruskin style – full of wit and memorable characters and will enthrall and delight children as well as adults. .

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