Current Affairs Quiz -5th September, 2018 - Current Affairs MCQ

The major Indian ocean-wide tsunami mock exercise (drill) "IOWave18" has started from September 4, which is being organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The purpose of the 2-day exercise is to increase tsunami preparedness, evaluate response capabilities in each state and improve coordination throughout the region. It will also enhance tsunami preparedness at the community level. The IOWave18 exercise will simulate Indian Ocean countries being put in a tsunami warning situation and require the National Tsunami Warning Centre (NTWC), i.e., INCOIS in case of India, and the National and Local Disaster Management Offices (NDMO/LDMO) to implement their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). India along with 23 other nations is participating in the tsunami mock exercise that would involve evacuation of thousands of people from coastal areas in over half a dozen states.

World's richest man Jeff Bezos-led e-commerce major Amazon became the 2nd publicly traded US company to hit $1 trillion in market capitalisation after iPhone maker Apple. Amazon stock has more than doubled in the last 12 months and has gained more than 70% in 2018.

HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company announced the launch of 'E@Secure', a Cyber Insurance Policy for individuals. E@Secure policy offers comprehensive protection to individuals and their families including children, against cyber-attacks, cyber frauds or digital threats that might cause financial loss or reputational loss. This policy offers protection against cyber risks and frauds performed from any device and from any location of the world. Cyber risks like unauthorized online transactions, phishing and email spoofing, e-extortion, identity theft, damage to e-reputation and cyber-bullying are covered.

The Health ministry notified that the online e-pharmacies will have to adhere to the set of new draft rules regarding selling of drugs through the internet. It includes online pharmacies should be registered with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), The grant of registration to the Central Licensing Authorityof Central Government for a sum of Rs 50,000. It also banned sale of narcotics, psychotropic drugs and tranquillizers.

On the sidelines of the first edition of ITI's two-day 'ICT & IoT Startup Tech Expo' in Bengaluru, ITI Limited signed agreements equipment manufacturers and startups. To manufacture a wide range of ICT-IOT based solutions. The agreements signed include; civil and military advanced radar systems, advanced edge router systems, next generation 5G technology products. This would help in testing of imported and indigenous telecom equipment in India.

The Canara bank opened a portal to claim education loan interest subsidy for the financial year 2017-18. The Portal will be opened till 28, 2018. This is under the Central sector interest subsidy (CSIS) scheme implemented by the Union Ministry of HRD which was started in 2009. Full interest subsidy is provided to the eligible students for the course period plus one year for loans up to Rs.7.5 lakh and This is applicable to students from an Economically Weaker section having parental income upto Rs.4.5lakhper annum.

Nepal is hosting the International Women Entrepreneurs Summit (IWES) 2018 in Kathmandu with theme "Equality begins with Economic Empowerment" from September 3. The main purpose of the 3-day summit is to bring together achievers, women business leaders, professionals, international service providers, resource organizations, experts, government representatives and other stakeholders with a focus on innovative economic transformation through discussions and collaborations. The delegates from the SAARC, ASEAN, EU, Africa, Arab countries and China participating in the summit. The event is organised by the South Asian Women Development Forum (SAWDF).

Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (I/C) Col Rajyavardhan Rathore has approved the participation of Kho Kho team from India at the First International Kho Kho Championship in England from 1st to 4th September, 2018, with financial support from the Government of India (GoI). Financial support for participation of the Kho Kho team in an International event has been approved for the first time in relaxation of extant guidelines of the Ministry which, inter-alia, lay down that sports disciplines like Kho Kho, which are categorised as "Others", will not be eligible for financial support for participation in International sporting events. The decision to provide financial support to the Kho Kho Federation of India has been taken with a view not only to give fillip to this traditional Indian sports and sportspersons but also to pave the way for its future mainstreaming at the International level and its possible inclusion in multi-disciplinary sporting events like the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympics, etc.

Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela became the first set of Indian shooters to secure quota places for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Moudgil finished 2nd on the podium and won a silver in the women's 10m air rifle event of the ISSF's World Championship 2018 in Changwon, South Korea on September 3. Chandela finished 4th in the same event. This is the premier tournament of the ISSF and assumes added significance as it is the first Olympic quota event for the Tokyo Games, offering as many as 60 berths across 15 events. Though the two shooters have secured quotas, as per the stated policy, the National Rifle Association of India(NRAI) will take the final call on selection. This will be based on the aggregate scores of shooters leading up to the Olympic Games.

Centre released Rs 399.44 crore for 10 states along the international bordersfor developing forward areas as a part of Border Area Development Programme (BADP) for 2018-19. This is a part of Rs 1,100 crore released in 2017-18 for development of villages along the international borders in 17 states. Rs 399.44 crore has been released to the following states of: Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and West Bengal.

Arif Alvi is elected as the President of Pakistan. He is a close ally of Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of the founding members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The 69-year-old former dentist defeated Pakistan Peoples (PPP) Party's Aitzaz Ahsan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Maulana Fazlur Rehman to become the 13th President. Arif Alvi will take the oath of the office on September 9 as the outgoing President Mamnoon Hussain's five-year tenure ends on September 8. Dr.Alvi served as the Secretary-general of PTI party from 2006 to 2013. In 2013 he was elected as a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from Constituency of Karachi and was re-elected in July 2018.

India will host its first-ever official FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters 2018 in Hyderabad, which is scheduled to be held from September 22. It is one of the most prestigious basketball tournaments in the world. The Hyderabad Masters will see participation from the leading international 3x3 teams and top two Indian 3BL teams - Delhi 3BL & Bangalore 3BL. The qualification for the Indian teams was decided on the basis of the results of the inaugural season of 3x3 Pro Basketball League (3BL) which was held from June 9 to August 26 across six cities in India. Hyderabad Masters is the 7th stage of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour and is the first time an international 3x3 basketball tournament is being played in India. The participating teams will compete for a chance to qualify for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Bloomage Beijing Final on October 27-28.

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 335 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) to West Bengal. The fund was allotted in August 2018. It will be used for 158 minor irrigation projects and 23 flood protection projects. The minor irrigation projects will benefit 20,506 hectares, with 3.09 lakh population in 699 villages of 22 districts. The 23 flood protection projects will help to solve rapid bank erosion caused by rivers. These willl save nearly 5,080 hectares of fertile agricultural and home stead lands of farmers of 64 villages, which are under erosion.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs approved the Jharkhand government's proposal to rename a railway station and a town in Garhwa district after Lord Krishna. The town Nagar Untari and the railway station would be renamed as Banshidhar Nagar, after Banshidhar Temple. It would be remodeled on the lines of Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh to make it a part of the Lord Krishna religious circuit.

Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu launched India coffee field force app named "Coffee Connect" and digital mobile extension services for coffee stakeholders named "Coffee KrishiTharanga". This app will simplify the work of field functionaries and enhance work efficiency. It will also improve transparency in the activities of the extension officers and officials, subsidy disbursement and real time report generation. It uses latest technology to ease field activities like digitization of Coffee Growers & Estates with Geo Tagging, collecting the Plantation details etc.