Current Affairs Quiz , 14 Mar 2019

1) The 6th Global Environment Outlook (GEO) was recently released by

a) WWF
b) World Meteorological Organisation
c) UNEP
d) World Bank

Answer: c
• The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is often referred to as UN Environment’s flagship environmental assessment.
• The first publication was in 1997 and was originally requested by Member States.
• It is a flagship report because it fulfils the core functions of the organization, which date back to the UN General Assembly resolution that established the UN Environment Programme in 1972.

2) Project Varshadhare, a cloud-seeding programme to induce rain, is an initiative of the government of

a) West Bengal
b) Rajasthan
c) Karnataka
d) Haryana

Answer: c
• Faced with the prospect of a fourth consecutive drought year, Karnataka has finally begun a project to harness rain-bearing clouds over the next two months.
• Cloud-seeding is a kind of weather modification procedure that attempts to enhance the amount of precipitation from the clouds to generate more rain. Karnataka is resorting to cloud-seeding after 14 years.

3) Al Nagah is a joint military exercise between India and

a) UAE
b) Iran
c) Indonesia
d) Oman

Answer: d
• Indo Oman Joint Exercise Al Nagah III 2019, a joint military exercise between Indian and Royal Army of Oman (RAO), commenced at HQ Jabel Regiment, Nizwa, Oman with a brief but impressive opening ceremony that saw the unfurling of the national flags of both countries with Omani and Indian soldiers standing side by side signifying the growing cooperation, synergy and understanding between both the countries.

4) Arecanut recently received ‘Sirsi supari’ geographical indication tag for the state of

a) Karnataka
b) Telangana
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Odisha

Answer: a
• The Registrar of Geographical Indications, Government of India, accorded a GI tag, ‘Sirsi Supari’, to arecanut grown in Sirsi, Siddpaur and Yellapur taluks of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka.
• The Totagars’ Cooperative Sale Society (TSS) Ltd, a Sirsi-based agri cooperative, is the registered proprietor of the GI ‘Sirsi Supari’.
• The World Intellectual Property Organisation defines GI as a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

5) Which of these countries in West Asia recently became the first to host the Special Olympics World Games 2019?

a) Qatar
b) UAE
c) Israel
d) Iraq

Answer: b
• Special Olympics World Games 2019 began at Abu Dhabi in the UAE
• The event has already made history by welcoming a record-breaking 200 nations at the Games.