7 March 2019: The Current Affairs section QuickMySupport to help every competitive exam aspirant to revise the day at ease. The day’s updated questions cover topics such as new currency denominations, Swachh Survekshan 2019 and Bolo reading app among others.
1. Which nation’s lawmakers have approved a new law that will allow them to punish online media outlets for publishing fake news?
ANS: Russia
Russian lawmakers have approved a law under which officials will now be able to fine or block online media outlets for publishing news they deem fake. The law would allow prosecutors to decide what amounts to ‘fake news’ and gives a media watchdog the power to demand an outlet the information.
2. Which technology company has launched an application called ‘bolo’ to tutor children to read in Hindi, English?
ANS: Google
Technology giant Google has unveiled a new app ‘Bolo’ that aims to help children in primary school learn to read in Hindi and English. The free app, which is being launched in India first, uses Google’s speech recognition and text-to-speech technology.
3. The US has reduced visa validity from 5 years to 1 year for citizens belonging to which nation?
ANS: Pakistan
The United States has revised its visa policy for Pakistani citizens by slashing visa validity from five years to one year. Journalists and media persons from Pakistan will not be allowed to stay in the US now for over three months without renewing travel permit.
4. Which city was awarded as the Cleanest Capital in the Swachh Survekshan 2019 survey?
ANS: Bhopal
As per the Swachh Survekshan 2019 survey, Bhopal was named as the ‘Cleanest Capital’ of India. The New Delhi Municipal Council area was given the ”Cleanest Small City” Award, and Uttarakhand’s Gauchar was bestowed as the ”Best Ganga Town” in the cleanliness survey.
5. National space agency ISRO signed agreement with which country to set up a joint maritime surveillance system?
ANS: France
National space agency ISRO and its French counterpart CNES signed an agreement to set up a joint maritime surveillance system in the country. The two nations will explore putting up a constellation of low-Earth orbiting satellites that will identify and track movement of ships globally and particularly those moving in the Indian Ocean region where France has its Reunion Islands.
6. Which nation has extended its anti-smog measures for the 3rd successive winter?
ANS: China
China has decided to extend anti-smog measures for a third successive winter in a bid to reduce pollution levels. The 2019 action plan outlined further steps this year to control coal consumption. The nation’s Environment ministry will help draw up new measures aimed at encouraging the use of cleaner-burning replacement fuels and speed up efforts to eliminate small and inefficient coal-fired heating boilers in smog-prone regions.
7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the new series of “visually impaired friendly circulation” coins. Which denomination coin will be of 12-edged polygon shape?
ANS: Rs 20
The government released the new series of “visually impaired friendly circulation” coins on March 7, 2019 and announced new Rs 20 coin which will be shaped like a 12-edged polygon (dodecagon). The composition of the new coin will be 65 per cent copper, 15 per cent zinc and 20 per cent nickel for the outer ring, while the inner ring (centre piece) will be 75 per cent copper, 20 per cent zinc and five per cent nickel.
8. Which city was adjudged as India’s Cleanest City for the third consecutive year as per Swachh Survekshan 2019?
ANS: Indore
Indore was adjudged as India’s Cleanest City for the third consecutive year in the central government’s Swachh Survekshan 2019 survey. Indore reported a 70 percent drop in vector-borne ailments in 2019, which is being attributed to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
9. The Union Cabinet on March 7, 2019 approved the continuation of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) till which financial year?
ANS: 2019-20
The Union Cabinet approved continuation of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) with expenditure of up to Rs. 1000 crore till 2019-20 for expanding Atal Tinkering Labs to 10,000 schools in view of their huge success at school level.
10. The European Union member states have vetoed the plan to add which nation to its money-laundering list?
ANS: Saudi Arabia
The envoys from 28 EU member states on March 6, 2019 unanimously rejected a proposal by the European Commission to add Saudi Arabia and other nations to the bloc’s money-laundering blacklist. The EU diplomats complained that the way the commission had drawn up the list was unclear and potentially vulnerable to legal challenges. The already blacklisted nations include Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Ethiopia and North Korea.
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