December 4, 2017 - Current Affairs Quiz - Current Affairs MCQ

Department of Biotechnology under Union Ministry of Science and Technology has implemented Biodesign Programme with an objective to develop innovative and affordable medical devices as per unmet clinical needs of India. Under this programme, 11th Annual MedTech Summit was organised in New Delhi on December 2, 2017. The summit was inaugurated by Union Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan. During the event, Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched ‘Noxeno’, a nasal foreign body removal device.‘Noxeno’ has been developed by Bengaluru-based start-up, InnAccel Technologies Private Limited.

The first meeting of Fifteenth Finance Commission was held at North Block in New Delhi. The Meeting was held under the Chairmanship of N.K. Singh and was attended by all the other Members of the Commission – Shaktikanta Das and Dr. Anoop Singh, and the part time Members Dr. Ashok Lahiri and Dr. Ramesh Chand. The Fifteenth Finance Commission was constituted on 27th of November 2017. The Commission felt that wide-ranging consultations with all stake holders needed to be initiated. It was keen to seek academic inputs and inter-actions with leading Think Tanks and domain knowledge experts. It approved the setting-up of its office atJawahar Vyapar Bhawan on Janpath in New Delhi.

Telangana State Government announced that it would set up the world’s first Information Technology (IT) Campus for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Hyderabad. In order to set up IT campus for Persons with Disabilities in Hyderabad, Telangana State Government has entered into an agreement with Vindhya EInfomedia Private Limited. Vindhya E-Infomedia Private Limited is considered as a pioneer in creating inclusive workspace. Majority of its 1600 employee workforce comprises Physically Challenged, Visually Impaired and Hearing Impaired individuals. The IT Campus for PWDs in Hyderabad will focus on creating employment opportunities for Persons With Disabilities.

First International exhibition and Conference on AYUSH and Wellness sector, ‘AROGYA 2017’ begun in New Delhi on December 4, 2017. Abbreviation AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. These are the medicine systems practised in India. This event was inaugurated by Union AYUSH Minister, Shripad Yesso Naik. Theme of this conference is ‘Enhancing the global potential of Ayush’. This exhibition and Conference is being held to showcase the strength and scientific validation of these Indian System of Medicine (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) in the global context. Besides, it will also boost awareness and popularity of AYUSH Products in International market.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a unique world-class hospital at the Swaminarayan Gurukul Vidyapeeth Pratisthanam in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This 200- bed hospital offers best possible care for any ailment via three systems of medicine viz. Yoga, Ayurveda and Allopathy. The treatment process at this hospital combines best of traditional and modern medicine and offers world-class holistic care to patients at subsidised rates. PM Narendra Modi is on a visit to Gujarat for State Assembly election campaign. Gujarat State Assembly elections will be held on 9th and 14th December, 2017.

India and Germany signed several agreements including a loan agreement for the project ‘Climate Friendly Urban Mobility III’. Government to Government Umbrella Agreement between Indian and German Government pertaining to Financial Cooperation in 2016 (II) under the Indo-German Development Cooperation was signed in New Delhi on December 4, 2017 wherein amount of Euro 200 million for the Financial Cooperation in form of loan for the project ‘Climate Friendly Urban Mobility III’ has been formalised. The agreement was signed by German Ambassaor, Dr. Martin Neyand and S. Selvakumar, Joint Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs under Union Ministry of Finance. Agreement also included grants worth Euro 11 million for other four projects – Community based sustainable Forest Management – Component I Manipur, Madhya Pradesh Urban Sanitation and Environment Programme, Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Development Odisha – Phase II and Green Energy Corridor – Intra-State Transmission System in Maharashtra.

India submits Formal Document Opposing Ecommerce Talks at WTO. World Trade Organisation (WTO). India has taken such stand for the first time. India has stated that it would continue the work under the Work Programme on electronic commerce based on the existing mandate and guidelines stipulated in programme on e-commerce adopted by the WTO countries in 1998. India has refused to negotiate on these matters as it believes that it could have negative implications for domestic manufacturers. Moreover, it could also result in loss of revenue as more products and services get delivered through electronic transmissions

The four-day International conference on climate change began in Kathmandu, Nepal. The International Conference on climate change is held to draw attention on climate change and its adverse effects on people in the Hindu Kush mountain range. The conference is attended by more than 300 experts from different countries of Asia including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Myanmar. V K Saraswat, member of India’s Neeti foundation is leading the Indian delegation in the conference. The conference ‘Resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya: Developing Solutions towards a Sustainable Future for Asia’ is being organised by Nepal’s Ministry for Environment in collaboration with International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

US Government under President Donald Trump has announced to withdraw from the United Nations (UN) Migrant and Refugee Pact. Announcement in this regard came hours before the opening of a UN global conference on Migration in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. In September 2016, 193 UN member countries unanimously adopted ‘New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants’, a non-binding political declaration, pledging to uphold the rights of refugees, to help them resettle and providing them access to education and jobs. This declaration was strongly supported by the then US President Barack Obama. However, Donald Trump administration has pulled out from this pact citing the reasons that it interferes with American sovereignty and is not aligned to the current US immigration policies.

Paytm Payments Bank has rolled out Paytm FASTag to make payment of tolls at highway booths smoother. The FASTag would enable electronic toll-fee collection on highways across India. Paytm is working with Maruti, Hyundai, Tata, Mercedes, Renault, BMW, Volkswagen and Volvo etc. to make Paytm FASTag available for new vehicles purchased across India. Paytm said that old vehicle owners can also buy FASTag online on the Paytm app. Customers using Paytm FASTag will get 7.5 % cashback on every toll transaction.This project is run in partnership with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Each tag is linked to a registered Paytm account to facilitate instant automatic deduction of toll charges.

British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding has been appointed a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN Environment. Ellie Goulding took up her new role as Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN Environment in United Nations Environment Programme headquarters, at Nairobi, Kenya. She is 30 years old. She will attend the UN Environment Assembly on December 4, 2017 in Nairobi. Over 2,000 heads of state, ministers, business leaders, UN officials and civil society representatives are gathering at the meeting to find new ways to deal with pollution. Ellie is also backing UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign.

On 4th December 2017, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Manjula Chellur, retired from service. Manjula Chellur was the second woman judge to be appointed as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Justice VK Tahilramani will now take over as the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Manjula Chellur was born on December 5, 1955, at Bellary in Karnataka. She became the first woman advocate in Bellary, and then, the first woman judge of the Karnataka High Court. She was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court in 2012, and thereafter, transferred to Calcutta High Court. She took charge of the Bombay High Court as its Chief justice in August 2016.

Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second five-year term as president of Kenya. Uhuru Kenyatta won a presidential election with 98 percent of the vote, held on 26 October 2017, which was boycotted by the opposition party. He took the oath at Nairobi’s Kasarani stadium. The ceremony was attended by heads of state from across east Africa. Uhuru Kenyatta is 55 years old. He is the son of the Kenya’s founding President and a member of Kenya’s largest community, the Kikuyu

National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) announced that Rahul Singh has taken over as its new president. The appointment of Rahul Singh as President was made unanimously following the resignation of Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality CEO and MD Riyaaz Amlani. Rahul Singh was associated as the Joint Secretary with the NRAI since 2014. NRAI is the voice of the Indian restaurant industry. It was founded in 1982. NRAI has its presence all over India. It consists of members from restaurants, suppliers and educational institutes associated with it.

Deepika Kumari won a bronze medal at the Indoor Archery World Cup at Bangkok, Thailand. India’s Deepika Kumari defeated Sayana Tsyrempilova of Russia 7-3 in the women’s recurve bronze play-off. But, Korean Kim Surin defeated Deepika Kumari 6- 5 and Deepika had to settle for third place. Deepika won the bronze medal. This is the only medal India won at the Indoor Archery World Cup 2017. None of Indian male archers could make the quarterfinals.

India finished seventh overall in the WSF (World Squash Federation) Men’s World Team Squash Championships 2017 in Marseille, France. India defeated Scotland 2-1 in the 7th-8th place match, on 3rd December 2017. India finished seventh in the WSF Men’s World Team Squash Championships 2017. The Egyptian team won the championship beating the English team in the final. England finished as runner-up. Australia finished in the third place and Hong Kong secured the fourth position in the WSF Men’s World Team Squash Championships 2017.

On 4th December 2017, Indian Navy Day was celebrated all over India. Indian Navy Day is celebrated annually on December 4 to celebrate the Indian Navy’s achievements and commemorate the sacrifices made by the personnel. On 4th December 2017, award-winning innovations by the Indian Navy were put on display at the “Innovation Pavilion” at the Navy House in New Delhi.The innovations by Indian Naval Ships ‘Kuthar’ and ‘Vikramaditya’, have been selected as the winner and runner-up respectively in the ‘Operational Units’ category. The innovations by the Weapons Electronic Systems Engineering Establishment (WESEE) and Naval Aircraft Yard, Kochi were selected as the winnerand runner-up respectively in the ‘Shore Establishments’ category.