Best PSC / PCS / STATE PCS online Current Affairs

Current Affairs FEB-2021

Showing 1 - 20 of 266 entries

1. Dominic Ongwen, who was convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, is from which country?

A
Sudan

B
Uganda

C
Nigeria

D
Iraq

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Uganda]

Explaination : [The Netherlands-based International Criminal Court (ICC) convicted former Ugandan warlord Dominic Ongwen of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Dominic Ongwen led a brigade of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) from 2002 to 2004. He was accused of 70 counts of crimes and was found guilty of 61 of them. LRA is a rebel group operating in Uganda for more than 20 years.]

2. What is the capital city of Barbados, which recently received Covid-19 vaccines from India?

A
Bridgetown

B
Churchtown

C
Oistins

D
Bathsheba

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Bridgetown]

Explaination : [Barbados is an island country located in the Caribbean region of North America. It is an independent British Commonwealth nation with Bridgetown as its capital. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has thanked the Indian government for donation of COVID-19 vaccine doses. The country has a population of over 2.87 lakhs with 1641 coronavirus cases.]

3. Indian-American Bhavya Lal has been appointed as the acting chief of staff of which organisation?

B
NASA

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [NASA]

Explaination : [Indian-American Bhavya Lal has been appointed as the acting chief of staff of the US space agency, NASA. She was earlier serving as a member of the research staff at the Institute for Defence Analyses- Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI). She had served in several important positions related to space sector.]

4. Which country clinched the ATP Cup tennis tournament?

A
Italy

B
Russia

C
Switzerland

D
France

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Russia]

Explaination : [Russia defeated Italy to clinch the ATP Cup tennis tournament, held recently in Melbourne. World No. 4 Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev won their singles matches in straight sets. With this win, the two Russian players head into the Australian Open. World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty also enters the Australian Open by winning her ninth WTA singles title by wiining the Yarra Valley Classic final.]

5. Which organization has released the Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2021?

A
Germanwatch

B
UNFCCC

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Germanwatch]

Explaination : [The Germany-based think tank Germanwatch has recently released Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2021. The index ranks countries as per their vulnerability to climate risks both in terms of fatalities and economic losses As per the report, India is the 7th worst-hit country on account of extreme weather events in the year 2019.]

6. Which country is to introduce a bill to ban all private cryptocurrencies and create a sovereign digital currency?

A
China

B
India

C
Japan

D
New Zealand

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [India]

Explaination : [The Indian Government is to introduce a bill in Parliament to ban all private cryptocurrencies and create a sovereign digital currency by the Reserve Bank of India. The bill is to allow certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses. A legislative framework on official digital currency is also expected to be created.]

7. In which of India’s neighbouring countries, military has taken control?

A
Pakistan

B
Sri Lanka

C
Myanmar

D
Bangladesh

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Myanmar]

Explaination : [In Myanmar, the military has taken control of the country under a 1-year state of emergency. Major leaders of the country including Aung San Suu Kyi are said to be detained. In a television release, the military has stated that Article 417 of the country’s constitution have been invoked which allows military to take over in times of emergency.]

8. RBI has appointed an external firm to audit HDFC Bank under the provisions of which act?

A
RBI Act

B
Banking Regulation Act

C
Negotiable Instruments Act

D
Information Technology Act

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Banking Regulation Act]

Explaination : [The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed an external professional IT firm to carry out a special audit of the entire IT infrastructure of the bank Earlier, the RBI had penalised the HDFC bank for repeated service failures in internet banking, mobile banking, and payment utilities. This step has been taken by the RBI using the powers conferred under the Banking regulation act, 1949.]

9. What is the name of sector specific webinar series conducted by the Commerce Ministry?

A
Udyami Mitra

B
Udyog Aadhaar

C
Udyog Manthan

D
Web Talks

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Udyog Manthan]

Explaination : [The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industries, has organized a series of sector specific webinar named Udyog Manthan. This is organized in association with Quality Council of India and supported by Bureau of Indian Standards, CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM. The webinar has a focus on quality and productivity in all major sectors of manufacturing and services.]

10. The Environment Ministry recently released a National action plan for conservation of which species?

A
Marine Turtle

B
Great Indian Bustard

C
Brahmaputra Dolphin

D
Black Buck

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Marine Turtle]

Explaination : [The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has recently released ‘Marine Mega Fauna Stranding Guidelines’ and ‘National Marine Turtle Action Plan’. The documents contain framework for handling stranded animals on shore, entangled animals in the sea or boat, management actions for reducing threats to marine species and their habitats, rehabilitation of degraded habitats, among others.]

11. ‘Amrut Mahotsav’, which was seen in the news recently, is the celebration of which event?

A
125th birth anniversary of Netaji

B
75th year of India’s Independence

C
50th year of 1971 War

D
50th year of Kargil War

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [75th year of India’s Independence]

Explaination : [The Budget Session of Parliament recently began with the address of President Ram Nath Kovind to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament. During the address, the President mentioned that the ‘Amrut Mahotsav’ will be observed in the country from this year, to mark commencement of the celebrations towards the 75th year of India’s Independence.]

12. Which construction major has bagged the contract for construction of steel bridges for Mumbai and Ahmedabad bullet train project?

A
Tata Projects

B
Adani Group

C
GMR Infrastructure

D
L&T Construction

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [L&T Construction]

Explaination : [The Indian construction major L&T Construction, has bagged the contract for building 28 steel bridges for Mumbai and Ahmedabad bullet train project. The order costs about Rs.1000 crore to Rs.2500 crore. It involves procurement, fabrication, assembly and erection of bridges at various sites in the line. This project has been bagged as a consortium of L&T and Japan’s IHI Infrastructure Systems.]

13. Which state has recently reduced value-added tax (VAT) rate for petrol and diesel by 2%?

A
Rajasthan

B
Tamil Nadu

C
Kerala

D
Uttar Pradesh

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Rajasthan]

Explaination : [The state government of Rajasthan has recently reduced value-added tax (VAT) by two percent on petrol and diesel. This has relaxed the fuel prices in the state. Recently, the price of premium petrol price crossed Rs.100 in the state. Petrol, Diesel and other fuels in India have been kept outside the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Presently, the state governments determine the VAT on these fuels.]

14. Sandro Botticelli, who was sometimes seen in the news, was a famous painter of which country?

A
Germany

B
Italy

C
Greece

D
Japan

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Italy]

Explaination : [Sandro Botticelli, was an Italian painter, who lived from 1445 to 1510 in Florence, Italy. He is said to be an important artist who have contributed to Florentine painting period. Recently, one of his rare portraits, the “Young Man Holding a Roundel” was sold for USD 92.2 million (equivalent to Rs 6,722 million) at an auction held at Sotheby’s in New York. This also made a world record auction for any work by the Italian artist.]

15. What was ‘IN FAC T-81’, which was seen in the news recently?

A
Covid vaccine candidate

B
Naval Craft

C
Super computer

D
Virtual Intelligence tool

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Naval Craft]

Explaination : [IN FAC T-81 is the Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft of the Super Dvora MK II class, which served the nation successfully for more than 20 years in surveillance and Search & Rescue. It was recently decommissioned at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. It is a 25-meter-long vessel with 60 tonnes displacement and was built at Goa Shipyard Ltd in collaboration with an Israel manufacturer. The INFAC was commissioned into the Navy in 1999.]

16. NaBFID, the new bank which is proposed to be set up, is to finance which sector?

A
Agriculture

B
Infrastructure

C
MSMEs

D
Fishery

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Infrastructure]

Explaination : [The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) Bill 2021 is to be introduced in the Budget session. The government is set up a National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), which will facilitate the infrastructure financing of the country. The developmental financial institution (DFI) will act as a principal financial institution and development bank to support infrastructure projects.]

17. Which tournament would be conducted this year by the BCCI in place of Ranji Trophy?

A
Anna Hazare Trophy

B
Sachin Trophy

C
Vijay Hazare Trophy

D
Seema Roy Trophy

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Vijay Hazare Trophy]

Explaination : [The BCCI has decided to conduct Vijay Hazare Trophy in place of its first-class domestic tournament Ranji Trophy. BCCI has stated that the decision has been made as per the wishes of majority of the state units. Additionally, BCCI would also be hosting U-19 National One Day tournament for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and a Women’s national 50-over tournament.]

18. As per a recent research, by what percentage the number of oceanic sharks and rays have declined in Indian Ocean?

A
15.3%

B
26.4%

C
39.7%

D
84.7%

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [84.7%]

Explaination : [As per a recent research published in the journal “Nature”, the number of shark and ray in Indian ocean have declined by 84.7% and has been falling continuously since 1970. The research noted that oceanic sharks and rays worldwide has fallen by 71% since the last 50 years. Also, 24 out of 31 oceanic shark and ray species are presently classified as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.]

19. Arun Hydropower Project, which was making news recently, is being constructed in which country?

A
India

B
Nepal

C
Bangladesh

D
Bhutan

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Nepal]

Explaination : [The Investment Board Nepal (IBN), chaired by the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has awarded the Arun Hydropower Project to India’s Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam. The project to develop the 679-megawatt Lower Arun Hydropower Project, is awarded to the SJVN under the build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) delivery method. The project cost is estimated at over 100 billion Nepalese rupees.]

20. What does R stand for in the statutory body of India, ‘NCPCR’?

A
Reforms

B
Response

C
Rights

D
Remote

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Rights]

Explaination : [India’s apex rights body NCPCR – National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has identified 50 “religious places” for complete elimination of child labour. These places include Taj Mahal and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. The commission has stated that collaborative intervention would be made with stakeholders including child welfare police officers, anti-human trafficking unit etc in this regard.]