The Competition Master

RAPID GK SERIES 5

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1. India’s First Newspaper published was 
2. The Indian Prime Minister who served the Country for the longest term was 
3. The Largest Indian State in terms of area is 
4. The First Nuclear Explosion was happened in India in this place 
5. The Oldest School of India is 
6. The group of Two Stars revolving round each other under mutual gravitational attraction is 
7. The abbreviation of NPCI is 
8. The Present Statutory Lending Rate (SLR) is 
9. The National Emblem of France is 
10. The International Mother Language Day is observed on 
 
ANSWERS 
 
1. Bengal Gazette (1780) 
2. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (17 Years) 
3. Rajasthan 
4. Pokhran in Rajasthan (18th May, 1974) 
5. St. Mary’s Chgurch Charity School at Fort St. George’s, Chennai 
6. Binary Stars 
7. National Payments Corporation of India Ltd 
8. 24% 
9. Lily 
10. 21st February</div>

RAPID GK SERIES 5

1. India’s First Newspaper published was 2. The Indian Prime Minister who served the Country for the longest term was 3. The Largest India...

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India to host BRICS Trade Ministers in March 2012

India to host BRICS Trade Ministers in March 2012

India will host the second meeting of the BRICS Trade Ministers in New Delhi in March next year ...

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12th Indo- Russia annual summit begins in Moscow

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Delegation level talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are being held at the Kremlin , where the 12th Indo-Russia Annual Summit began.</li>
<li>The International part of the talk’s agenda includes co-operation under the UN, G-20 and BRICS. International terrorism and the situation in countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East are also on the talks agenda.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </li>
<li><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> India and Russia have very close long standing bilateral ties in defence, science and technology, nuclear and space sectors but have been trying to plug the gap of low bilateral trade.</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> 
</div></div>

12th Indo- Russia annual summit begins in Moscow

Delegation level talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are being held at the Kremlin , whe...

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RBI announces Mid Quarter Review of Monetary Policy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5175" style="display: block;"> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has kept policy rates unchanged in its Mid Quarter Review of Monetary Policy announced today. The repo rate (the rate at which RBI lends money to banks) remains unchanged at 8.5%. The Reverse Repo Rate (rate at which RBI borrows money from banks) also will remain unchanged at 7.5% and the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate at 9.5%. 
</li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The RBI has also kept the Cash Reserve Ratio (the amount of funds that the banks have to keep with RBI) unchanged at 6%.  
 
 </li>
<li> RBI indicated that that it could cut key policy rates from now onwards to arrest falling growth while keeping a close vigil on inflation. According to the mid quarterly review of RBI, the global growth for 2011 - 2012 is now expected to be lower than earlier projected. 
 
 </li>
<li> Expressing concerns over the moderating growth rate, the RBI has stated that based on the projected inflation trajectory, further rate hikes may not be warranted. GDP Growth of the domestic economy has moderated to 6.9% in the second quarter of 2011 - 2012 from 7.7% in the first quarter. The deceleration in economic activity in the second quarter of this financial year has been on account of a sharp moderation in industrial growth.  
 
 </li>
<li> The review stated that promising agricultural prospects on the back of Kharif output and progress on rabi sowing has been a significant contributing factor towards declining inflation rates 
 
 </li>
<li> On account of moderation in food inflation in November - 2011 and expected moderation in aggregate demand, the inflation projection for March 2012 is retained at 7%. The mid quarterly review of the RBI also highlighted that inflation risks still remain high and both inflation and inflation expectations still remain above the comfort level of the Reserve Bank. 
</li>
</ul></div></div>

RBI announces Mid Quarter Review of Monetary Policy

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has kept policy rates unchanged in its Mid Quarter Review of M...

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Palestine is recognized as state overwhelmingly

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5176" style="display: block;"> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> At least 112 countries around the world have formally recognised Palestine as a state, stretching from Africa to Asia, Europe to Latin America. In Latin America, Uruguay and Peru joined the growing ranks of countries which recognized Palestine this year, with 12 out of the region's 13 countries formally recognising it as a state. Only Colombia, a key ally of the United States in the region, has not followed that path. 
 
 </li>
<li> In Central America, the Palestinian state has been recognised by Cuba, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador. Arab countries have also recognised Palestine, including Syria in July of this year. 
 
 </li>
<li> In Europe, Iceland has become the latest country to recognise Palestine, joining the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta and Poland. Around 150 countries maintain diplomatic relations with the Palestinians in one form or another 
</li>
</ul></div></div>

Palestine is recognized as state overwhelmingly

At least 112 countries around the world have formally recognised Palestine as a state, stretchi...

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Vijay Diwas being commemorated

Vijay Diwas being commemorated

Vijay Diwas is being commemorated today to mark the Indian victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war....

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Japan: Fukushima plant is brought to cold shutdown condition

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Japanese engineers have brought the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to a cold shutdown condition, nine months after the earthquake and tsunami. The Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made the announcement at a nuclear task-force meeting. 
 
 </li>
<li> Declaring a cold shutdown condition is seen as a key milestone in efforts to bring the plant under control. But the government says it will take decades to dismantle it completely. 
 
 
 </li>
<li> The six-reactor Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was badly damaged by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami. Blasts occurred at four of the reactors after waves knocked out vital cooling systems. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Japan: Fukushima plant is brought to cold shutdown condition

Japanese engineers have brought the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to a cold shutdown condition, nine months after the earthquake and t...

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Russia calls for UNSC meeting to resolve Syrian crisis

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5179" style="display: block;"> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Russia has called for UN Security Council meeting to resolve the crisis in Syria. It has proposed a draft resolution which condemns the violence by the Syrian Government and opposition groups, but proposes no sanctions. 
 
 </li>
<li> It also raises concern over the illegal supply of weapons to the armed groups in Syria. The resolution comes in the backdrop of mounting international pressure over the crackdown on protesters in Syria. 
 
 </li>
<li> Europe and the United States have welcomed the Russian initiative but said the proposed text was not tough enough on the Damascus government. They have also said there is no firm evidence of arms trafficking to Syria. 
</li>
</ul></div></div>

Russia calls for UNSC meeting to resolve Syrian crisis

Russia has called for UN Security Council meeting to resolve the crisis in Syria. It has propos...

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Last US base handed to Iraq ahead of pullout

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5180" style="display: block;"> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Iraq took control of the last American military base in the country , after US forces marked the end of their mission, bringing a divisive war to a low-key conclusion. 
 
 </li>
<li> The transfer of the sprawling installation on the outskirts of the southern city of Nasiriyah is a final step ahead of a complete US withdrawal from Iraq in the coming days. 
 
 </li>
<li> The Imam Ali Base, known to the US military as Camp Adder, housed 15,000 American troops at its peak and was officially signed over at a ceremony attended by US Colonel Richard Kaiser and Hussein al-Assadi, the Iraqi in charge of base transfers. 
 
 </li>
<li> The base, which will now be used by Iraq's fledgling air force, lies on the edge of the ancient city of Ur, the Biblical birthplace of Abraham. 
 
 </li>
<li> It brings to a close nearly nine years of US military involvement in Iraq that began with a "shock and awe" campaign in 2003 to oust Saddam Hussein 
</li>
</ul></div></div>

Last US base handed to Iraq ahead of pullout

Iraq took control of the last American military base in the country , after US forces marked th...

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US Navy eyes stationing of ships in Singapore

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5181" style="display: block;"> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The US Navy, underscoring the importance of "operating forward" amid tightening budgets and increasing threats to free seas, will station several of its new littoral combat ships in Singapore in coming years and is considering similar arrangements in the Philippines.  
 
 </li>
<li> The Navy will increasingly focus on the strategic "maritime crossroads" of the Asia-Pacific region. 
 
 </li>
<li> Bilateral military ties between the United States and Singapore have continued to grow since the two countries signed a strategic framework agreement in 2005. They have engaged in joint training, military exercises and ship visits. 
</li>
</ul></div></div>

US Navy eyes stationing of ships in Singapore

The US Navy, underscoring the importance of "operating forward" amid tightening budge...

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