GK Current Affairs Quiz: May 9, 2017

Ans. C

Eminent statistician Dr. Radha Binod Barman, the Chairperson of National Statistical Commission,will head the technical committee constituted by The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI). He is also among the members of Board of Governors (BoG) of IIM Indore. Dr. Barman is well-known for his outstanding contribution in research &development in the field of banking. He has experience in Statistics, Econometrics, Business Information Technology and Payment Systems.

Ans. B

The world’s biggest ever X-ray laser has generated its first beam of light in a 3.4km-long underground facility beneath Hamburg, Germany. The laser’s light is a billion times brighter than the typical light sources normally used in particle accelerators. As X-rays have a wavelength of 0.8 nanometres, almost 500 times shorter than visible light, the laser can be used to make pictures and videos of objects at an atomic level. This is the beginning of a new era in research. The laser will be used to photograph biomolecules, with the help of which researchers will understand the basis of illnesses and develop new therapies.

Ans. A

The Reserve Bank has stated that the foreign exchange reserves rose by USD 1.594 billion to touch a life-time high of USD 372.73 billion in the week to April 28, supported by increase in the foreign currency assets. The reserves had gone up by USD 1.250 billion to USD 371.14 billion in the previous week. Previously, they had touched a high of USD 371.99 billion in the week to September 30, 2016. Foreign currency assets (FCAs), a major component of the overall reserves, surged by USD 1.569 billion to USD 349.055 billion in the reporting week, the RBI said. Expressed in US dollar terms, FCAs include the effects of appreciation/depreciation of non-US currencies, such as the euro, pound and the yen, held in the reserves. Gold reserves remained unchanged at USD 19.869 billion.

Ans. D

At the politically tender age of 39, Emmanuel Macron – the newly-elected president – has shaken up French politics with the skill of a seasoned veteran. After a stint of four years as an investment banker with Rothschild & Cie, where he became an associate partner, Mr. Macron had his first taste of government under Socialist President François Hollande. He became a breath of fresh air for France’s business community, with a list of pro-business policies aimed at boosting economic growth. He championed digital start-ups and prompted a long-distance bus market.

Ans. C

Allies of Syria- Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey signed a memorandum on 4 May 2017, During the fourth round of the Syria peace talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana,a deal on creating safe zones in four areas in northern, central and southern Syria, was signed. Syria’s opposition delegation in Astana said that it could not accept creating safe zones in Syria, because the plan threatened the country’s territorial integrity. Following the signing ceremony, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura was in favour of the safe zones plan as a step in the right direction towards real cessation of hostilities in Syria.