Current Affairs Quiz , 01 Dec 2018

1) REPLACE, a comprehensive plan to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fat from the global food supply by 2023, was recently launched by?

a) World Health Organisation
b) Global Health Council
c) International Food Policy Research Institute
d) None of the above

Answer: a
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI launched a new mass media campaign calling for the elimination of industrially produced trans fat in the food supply.
• Called “Heart Attack Rewind”, the 30-second public service announcement (PSA) – the first mass media campaign of its kind – will support FSSAI’s global target of eliminating trans fat in India by the year 2022.
• Globally, trans fat intake leads to more than 500,000 deaths of people from cardiovascular disease every year.
• Heart Attack Rewind” warns citizens about the health hazards of consuming trans-fat and offers strategies to avoid them through healthier alternatives.
• WHO: REPLACE Comprehensive plan:
o WHO launched a comprehensive plan to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fat from the global food supply by 2023.
o REPLACE provides a roadmap about how countries can remove and replace all trans-fat from their food supplies with the intention to eradicate it from the globe.
• Heart Attack Rewind” will be broadcast in 17 languages for a period of four weeks on major digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Hotstar, and Voot.
• Additionally, the campaign will also be placed on radio channels and outdoor hoardings in Delhi/NCR.
Trans-Fats :
• Trans fat, also called unsaturated fatty acids or trans fatty acids, are a type of unsaturated fat that occur in small amounts in nature.
• Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid, and to increase the shelf life of foods.
• It became widely produced industrially from vegetable fats starting in 1950’s or use in margarine, snack food, packaged baked foods, and for frying fast food.
• Trans fat has been shown to be associated consistently, in an intake-dependent way, with increased risk of coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death in Western nations.

2) The Digital Sky Platform is an initiative of which of the following organisations?

a) International Civil Aviation Organisations
b) Ministry of Civil Aviation
c) Airport Authority of India
d) NITI Aayog

Answer: b
Digital Sky Platform:
• Digital sky platform is first of its kind that implements ‘no permission, no take off’ (NPT), a novel system of software-based self-enforcement to minimize deviations from the Civil Aviation Regulations.
• From now onwards the drones falling under micro and above categories. Operators and pilots are required to register on the Digital Sky Portal.
• The Digital Sky platform has begun accepting registration of users.
• Payments for Unmanned Aerial Operator’s Permit (UAOP) and Unique Identification Numbers (UIN) will be accepted through the Bharat Kosh (bharatkosh.gov.in) portal.
• To get permissions to fly, RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems) operators or remote pilots will have to file a flight plan.
• Flying in the ‘green zones’ will require only intimation of the time and location of the flights via the portal or the app.
• Permissions will be required for flying in ‘yellow zones’ and flights will not be allowed in the ‘red zones’.
• The location of these zones will be announced soon. Permission, if granted, will be available digitally on the portal.
• If an RPAS does not have permission to fly, it will not be allowed to take-off under the policy of No Permission-No-Takeoff (NPNT).
• The Digital Sky Platform is built to evolve with the evolving needs of this rapidly changing industry.
• Significance of drones
o Drones are an industry of the future.
o Drone industry has a large potential for Make in India and also to export drones and services from India.
o Drones are a frontier technology which has the potential to leapfrog India’s economic growth.
o The technology can greatly benefit our farmers, infrastructure entities like railways, roads, ports, mines and factories, sectors like insurance, photography, entertainment, etc.

3) G20 Summit, 2018 was recently held in which of the following city

a. Buenos Aires
b. Shanghai
c. Katowice
d. Beijing

Answer: a
• India has presented a nine-point agenda to G-2o countries calling for “strong and active cooperation” among them to comprehensively deal with fugitive economic offenders.
• Cooperation in the legal process such as effective freezing of the proceeds of crime, early return of the offenders and efficient repatriation of the proceeds of crime should be enhanced and stream lined, the agenda said.
• India also called for joint efforts by g-2o countries to form a mechanism that denies an entry and safe havens to fugitive economic offenders.
• India suggested that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) should be called upon to assign priority and focus to establishing international cooperation that leads to timely and comprehensive exchange of information.
• India also advocated setting up of a common platform for sharing experiences and best practices including successful cases of extradition, gaps in existing systems of extradition and legal assistance, etc.
• Key features of the 9 point agenda:
o Strong and active cooperation across G-20 countries to deal comprehensively and efficiently with the menace fugitive economic offenders.
o Cooperation in the legal process such as :
• Freezing of the proceeds of the crime.
• Early return of the offenders and efficient repatriation of the proceeds of crime.
o Joint effort by G-20 countries to form a mechanism that denies entry and safe havens to all fugitive economic offenders.
o Principles of United Nations Convention Against Corruption, United Nations convention Against Transnational Organized crime (UNOTC) especially related to “international cooperation” should be fully and effectively implemented.
o FATF should be called upon to assign priority and focus to establishing international cooperation that leads to timely and comprehensive exchange of information between the competent authorities.
o FATF should be tasked to formulate a standard definition of fugitive economic offenders.
o FATF should also develop a set of commonly agreed and standardized procedures related to identification, extradition and judicial proceedings for dealing with fugitive economic offenders.
o Common platform should be set for sharing experiences and best practices including successful cases of extradition, gaps in existing systems etc.
o G20 forum should consider initiating work on locating properties of economic offenders.
Financial Action Task Force:
• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions.
• The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
• The FATF is therefore a “policy-making body” which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.

4) Who is the head of Defence Acquisition Council?

a. Prime Minister
b. Defence Minister
c. External Affairs Minister
d. National Security Adviser

Answer: b
Defence Acquisition Council:
• On the backdrop of recommendations of Group of Minister in reforming the National security system, Ministry of Defence has constituted the Defence Acquisition council. It is chaired by the Minister for Defence.
• An Overarching structure, the Defence Acquisition Council constituted under the Ministry of Defence was constituted for overall guidance of the defence equipment procurement planning process.
• The objective of the Defence Acquisition Council is to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the Armed Forces in terms of capabilities sought and time frame prescribed by optimally utilizing the allocated budgetary resources.
• The functions of the DAC include:
o In principal approval of 15 years long terms Integrated Perspective Plan for Defence forces.
o Accord of Acceptance of Necessity to acquisition proposals.
o Categorisation of the acquisition proposals relating to Buy’, ‘Buy & Make’ and ‘Make’.
o Issues relating to Single vendor clearance.
o Decision regarding ‘offset’ provisions in respect of acquisition proposals above Rs. 300 crores.
o Decisions regarding Transfer of Technology under ‘Buy & Make’ category of acquisition proposals and Field Trial evaluation.

5) Hornbill Festival is celebrated in which of the following states?

a. Nagaland
b. Kerala
c. Kashmir
d. Gujarat

Answer: a
• Hornbill festival is one of the most cherished festivals of Nagaland.
• The festival is named after Hornbill, one of the most venerated bird species in the states whose importance is reflected in a number of tribal cultural expression, songs and dances.
• The Hornbill festival is one of the largest celebrations of the indigenous warrior tribes of Nagaland.
• It is also known as festival of festivals.
• The great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) also known as the great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. It is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
• It is evaluated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (uplisted from near threatened in 2018).