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GK & Current Affairs March 2013: 22, 23

2013-03-24 19:03:45 GKToday

1. Project Glass is a R&D program by which among the following companies to prototype and build augmented reality glasses or an augmented reality headmounted display (HMD)? [A]Google [B]Microsoft [C]Samsung Electronics [D]Research In Motion Limited Google . Project Glass is part of the Google X Lab. It was first tested in April 2012. The main application would be the hands free displaying of information currently available to most smartphone users, and allowing for interaction with the Internet via natural language voice commands, in a manner similar to the iPhone application Siri. The Project Glass is powered by Google's Android operating system.

Show Answer 2. The famous quote "Finance is the brain of the economy" was given by__: [A]Joseph Stiglitz [B]Nicholas Stern [C]Michael Bruno [D]Kaushik Basu Joseph Stiglitz Joseph Stiglitz recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (2001) and the John Bates Clark Medal (1979). He is a former senior vice president and chief economist of the World Bank, and is a former member, and Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.[

Show Answer 3. Who among the following has recently won the first Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering? [A]Sergey Brin [B]Bill Gates [C]Larry Page [D]Tim Berners-Lee Tim Berners-Lee Sir Tim Berners-Lee is among those who have won the first Queen Elizabeth Prize

for Engineering. The 1m award was made in recognition of his contribution to the development of the world wide web. He shares the prize with other internet pioneers Robert Kahn, Vinton Cerf, Louis Pouzin and Marc Andreessen. The international prize has been described as the "Nobel Prize for Engineering". Its aim is to acknowledge the field's contribution to the economy and society, and act as an inspiration for young people seeking a productive career.

Show Answer 4. Which among the following day is observed as the World Water Day? [A]March 12 [B]March 16 [C]March 21 [D]March 22 March 22 World Water Day has been observed on 22 March since 1993 when the United Nations General Assembly declared 22 March as World Day for Water. At the official ceremony of World Water Day 2013 taking place in The Hague, UN Water has recognized two projects that contribute to the fulfillment of international commitments made on water and water-related issues this year. The UN Water Water for Life Best Practices Award was given to a project implemented in the city of Kumamoto in Japan for the conservation of groundwater resources and to the Safe Water and Sanitation for All initiative in the Republic of Moldova, aimed at improving coverage in rural areas of the country.

Show Answer 5. The RBI has recently issued guidelines for new bank licences. As per these guidelines, what is the minimum paid-up capital for setting up a bank? [A]Rs 500 crore [B]Rs 800 crore [C]Rs 1000 crore [D]Rs 1200 crore Rs 500 crore Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the much-awaited guidelines for new bank licences, allowing corporates and public sector entities with sound credentials and a minimum track record of 10 years to enter the banking business. The final guidelines pave the way for corporate houses like Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Larsen & Toubro, Tatas, Mahindra and Mahindra, Life Insurance Corporation and Aditya Birla Group to enter the banking business. The minimum paid-up capital for setting up a bank has been pegged at Rs 500 crore.The cap on the foreign investment, including FDI/FII and NRI, has been set at 49 per cent. Also, new banks should open at least 25 per cent of branches in unbanked rural centres.

Show Answer 6. Who among the following is considered as the father of African literature? [A]Wole Soyinka [B]Chinua Achebe [C]Pete Edochie [D]Elechi Amadi Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian novelist seen by millions as the father of African literature, has died recently. A novelist, poet and essayist, Achebe was perhaps best known for his first novel Things Fall Apart, which was published in 1958. The story of the Igbo warrior Okonkwo and the colonial era, it has sold more than 10m copies around the world and has been published in 50 languages. Achebe won the Commonwealth poetry prize for his collection Christmas in Biafra, was a finalist for the 1987 Booker prize for his novel Anthills of the Savannah, and in 2007 won the Man Booker international prize.

Show Answer 7. Zillur Rahman, who recently passed away was a president of ____________? [A]Malaysia [B]Indonesia [C]Bangladesh [D]Yemen Bangladesh Bangladesh President, Zillur Rahman has died recently. Mr. Rahman was a top leader of the ruling Awami League party before Parliament elected him President in 2009.

Show Answer 8. Which among the following countries is not a part of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU)? [A]Botswana [B]Angola [C]Namibia [D]Swaziland Angola The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is a customs union among five countries of Southern Africa: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. India and South African nations are expected to conclude a preferential trade agreement by the end of this year, aimed at reducing tariffs on certain items traded between the two sides. The India-SACU Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) would enhance economic ties by reducing tariffs on several key products.

Show Answer 9. Who among the following is the author of the book titled, 'Gandhi before India'? [A]Gurucharan Das [B]Ramchandra Guha [C]Khushwant Singh [D]Arun Shourie Ramchandra Guha After chronicling the past 60 years of Indian history, eminent historian and author Ramchandra Guha is presently exploring lesser known facets of Mahatma Gandhi, especially his days in South Africa in an upcoming multi-volume book. Guha, had looked at the story of modern India in his 2007 book "India after Gandhi: The history of the world's largest democracy" for which it won the Sahitya Akademi award for English in the year 2011. Guha's upcoming book "Gandhi before India", takes into account the life of Mahatma Gandhi from the time he was born in Porbandar in 1869 till his departure to India from South Africa in July 1914.

Show Answer 10. The Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) was launched by the ____________? [A]United Kingdom [B]United States [C]France [D]Russia United States The Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) is a US State Department initiative that addresses major gaps in international peace operations support. The programme aims to build and maintain capability, capacity, and effectiveness of peace operations.

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