The Competition Master

RAPID GK SERIES 43

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1. The Capital of Lakshadweep Islands is 
2. The First Home Minister of India is 
3. The abbreviation of UNHCR is 
4. This Financial Expert has coined the Phrase of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India & China) nations in 2001 
5. The Older Name of State Bank of India is 
6. The Code Name of the œMicrosoft Windows Vista Operating System is 
7. This year was observed in India as the ‘Year of Russia’. 
8. The Hussain Sagar Lake is situated in this city 
9. This œNumber is said as Ratio of speed of the body to the speed of sound under similar conditions. 
10. This element has the highest boiling point 
 
ANSWERS 
 
1. Kavaratti 
2. Sardar Vallabhai Patel 
3. United Nations High Commission for Refugees 
4. Mr Jim O’Neill 
5. Imperial Bank of India 
6. Long Horn 
7. 2008 
8. Hydrebad 
9. Mach Number 
10. Tantalum, about 6000C</div>

RAPID GK SERIES 43

1. The Capital of Lakshadweep Islands is 2. The First Home Minister of India is 3. The abbreviation of UNHCR is 4. This Financial Expert ...

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US announces changes in the F-1, H-1B visas

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Amidst pending comprehensive immigration reform, the United States has proposed several steps including changes in the F-1 and H-1B visas to attract foreign skilled workforce, a move likely to benefit professionals from countries like India. 
 </li>
<li> Prominent among these reforms include providing work authorisation for spouses of certain H-1B visa holders, 17-month extension of optional practical training (OPT) for F-1 international students to include students with a prior degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, allow for additional part-time study for spouses of F-1 students and allow outstanding professors and researchers to present a broader scope of evidence of academic achievement. 
 </li>
<li> In addition, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that on February 22, it would launch its 'Entrepreneurs in Residence' initiative with an Information Summit in Silicon Valley. 
 </li>
<li> This will bring together high-level representatives from the entrepreneurial community, academia and federal government agencies to discuss how to maximize current immigration laws' potential to attract foreign entrepreneurial talent. 
 </li>
<li> These moves are in support of President Barack Obama's, efforts to meet 21st century national security and economic needs, the Department of Homeland Security said, adding that he is deeply committed to fixing our broken immigration system so that it meets national security and economic needs. 
 </li>
<li> As a part of comprehensive immigration reform, Obama supports legislative measures that would attract and retain immigrants who create jobs and boost competitiveness in the US, including creating a "Startup Visa," strengthening the H-1B programme, and "stapling" green cards to the diplomas of certain foreign-born graduates in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. 
 </li>
</ul></div>

US announces changes in the F-1, H-1B visas

Amidst pending comprehensive immigration reform, the United States has proposed several steps including changes in the F-1 and H-1B visas...

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Fodder scam: Lalu, Jagannath called by special CBI court

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Jagannath Mishra have been called by the special CBI court of Ranchi on 14th of this month. 
 </li>
<li>  The Court called them to record their statements in case related to illegal withdrawals of nearly Rs. 38 crores from Chaibasa treasury during 1994 to 95. 
 </li>
<li> Out of 54 cases of 950 crores rupees fodder scam, 41 cases have been heard, and more than 100 convicts have already been sentenced. 
 </li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> 
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">  What is this fodder scam? </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The Fodder Scam  was a corruption scandal that involved the embezzlement ofabout 950 crore (US$190 million) from the government treasury of the eastern Indian state of Bihar. Among those implicated in the theft and arrested were then Chief Minister of Bihar, Laloo Prasad Yadav, as well as former Chief Minister, Jagannath Mishra. The scandal led to the end of Laloo's reign as Chief Minister. 
 </li>
<li> The theft spanned many years, and allegedly involved numerous Bihar state'sadministrative and elected officials across multiple administrations of theIndian National Congress and the Janata Dal parties. The corruption scheme involved the fabrication of   "vast herds of fictitious livestock" for which fodder, medicines and animal husbandry equipment was supposedly procured. Although the scandal broke in 1996, the theft had been in progress, and increased in size, for over two decades.Besides the magnitude and duration of the theft, the scam was and continues to be covered in Indian media due to the extensive nexus between tenured bureaucrats, elected politicians and businesspeople that it revealed, and as an example of the mafia raj that has penetrated several state-run economic sectors in the country. 
 </li>
</ul></div>

Fodder scam: Lalu, Jagannath called by special CBI court

Former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Jagannath Mishra have been called by the special CBI court of Ranchi on 14th of this m...

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Iran launches observation satellite

Iran launches observation satellite

Iran launched an observation satellite into orbit above Earth, its Arabic satellite television channel Al-Alam reported. T...

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Anonymous hackers access Greek ministry website

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Hackers associated with the activist group Anonymous posted a protest against Greece's EU and IMF-inspired austerity policies on the website of the country's Justice Ministry, a ministry spokeswoman said.  
 The site was taken offline until it was secure, she said.</li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Hackers involved with the loosely organised group Anonymous have been linked to attacks around the world aimed at punishing governments for policies they dislike or at showing that corporations' data security efforts are inadequate.  
 </li>
<li> The hackers said they were protesting against the near-bankrupt country's bailout by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund which has been associated with unpopular austerity policies.  
 </li>
<li> "You have joined the IMF against your people's acquiescence... democracy was given birth in your country but you have killed it," said a two-minute video in English which said it was from Anonymous and was posted on the ministry website.  
 </li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Near-bankrupt Greece is currently locked in last-ditch talks with its creditors to stave off a chaotic default that might spill over to other eurozone countries. 
 </li>
</ul></div>

Anonymous hackers access Greek ministry website

Hackers associated with the activist group Anonymous posted a protest against Greece's EU and IMF-inspired austerity policies on the ...

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RBI launches industrial outlook survey for Jan-March 2012

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The Reserve Bank of India on Friday said it has launched its Industrial Outlook Survey for the January-March, 2012, period. 
 </li>
<li> The survey gives an insight into the perception of non-financial public and private limited companies engaged in manufacturing activities about their performance and future prospects, a press release issued here stated. 
 </li>
<li> The assessment of the business sentiment in the present quarter and expectations for the ensuing quarter are based on qualitative responses to 20 major parameters. 
 </li>
<li> These include overall business and financial situations, demand indicators, price and employment expectations and profit margins, among other parameters. 
 </li>
<li> The survey is intended to provide useful forward-looking inputs for policymakers, analysts and businesses, it said. 
 </li>
<li> The RBI has been conducting the Industrial Outlook Survey on a quarterly basis since 1998. The latest will be the 57th round of the survey. 
 </li>
<li> It has entrusted the task of conducting the survey for the current quarter to the Centre for Research Planning and Action (CERPA). 
 </li>
<li> The CERPA would get in touch with several manufacturing companies during this quarter for seeking their valuable feedback so that it can be included in the survey, it added. 
 </li>
<li> However, those manufacturing companies that are not approached by CERPA can also participate in the survey by downloading the survey schedule from the RBI's official website.    </li>
<li> CERPA, which was established in 1972, conducts social science research, providing consultancy services on developmental issues to help planners and policymakers and also conducts charitable services for the disadvantaged and poor sections of the country, it said. 
 </li>
</ul></div>

RBI launches industrial outlook survey for Jan-March 2012

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday said it has launched its Industrial Outlook Survey for the January-March, 2012, period. The survey...

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Govt may freeze power capacity to be supplied with coal in 12th Plan

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The Coal Ministry is likely to fix a cap on the power capacity beyond which it would not supply coal during the 12th Plan (2012-17) due to scarcity of the fossil fuel. 
 </li>
<li> The ministry feels there is a need for freezing the capacity of power projects to be supplied coal by Coal India (CIL) during the upcoming Plan period. The matter is likely to come up for discussion in a meeting of the Standing Linkage Committee to be held in second week of feb. 
 </li>
<li> The development comes in the wake of the Committee of Secretaries constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently deciding that CIL would be penalised it if does not supply fuel at an 80 pecent "trigger" level. 
 </li>
<li> Earlier, the Planning Commission had asked CIL to sign pacts (Fuel Supply Agreements) with power firms to ensure sufficient supply of dry fuel even if the coal miner has to import it. 
 </li>
<li> A Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) is a document that contains provisions for incentives for meeting commitments and penalties in case of failure. 
 </li>
<li> Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had earlier emphasised on the need to ensure adequate availability of coal in the current fiscal as well as during the 12th Plan (2012-17). He had stated that CIL is at present not willing to sign FSAs assuring a high enough percentage of coal will be delivered. 
 </li>
<li> The Planning Commission had earlier said it is likely fix a target for about 1,00,000 MW of capacity addition in the power sector in the 12th Plan (2012-17). 
 </li>
<li> The demand-supply gap for coal, which stood at 84 million tonnes (MT) last fiscal, is likely to touch 142 MT in the current financial year. 
 </li>
<li> CIL, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal production, has scaled down its production target for the current fiscal to 440 MT from 452 MT. 
 </li>
<li>The public sector firm missed its production target last fiscal and produced 431.325 MT of coal against the revised target of 440.20 MT.</li>
</ul></div>

Govt may freeze power capacity to be supplied with coal in 12th Plan

The Coal Ministry is likely to fix a cap on the power capacity beyond which it would not supply coal during the 12th Plan (2012-17) due t...

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Jharkhand's new industrial policy to focus on SMEs

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Giving emphasis on development of small and medium-scale industries as well as skill development, Jharkhand's new industrial policy, would be a growth-oriented policy, said a senior official. 
 </li>
<li> "The policy will lay emphasis on sectors such as food processing, automobile, textiles and Information technology," A P Singh, secretary (industry) of government of Jharkhand, said adding that the policy is ready and in the cabinet for approval. 
 </li>
<li> In the town for a CII programme, the official said these economy-driven industries require less land and generate more employment. 
 </li>
<li> The new policy has provision to grant special incentives with a sole motive to ensure fast industrial growth in the mineral-rich Jharkhand. 
 </li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Hailing the steps initiated by the state government to achieve all round development, Singh said, "We have plans to set up 50 more Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in the state". 
 </li>
<li> Besides, the new policy will encourage private entrepreneurs to develop industrial estates in Jharkhand, 40 percent of which will be to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs). 
 </li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Referring to the industrial scenario in the state, Singh said they have proposals for project worth Rs 75,000 crores including the cement sector. 
 </li>
</ul></div>

Jharkhand's new industrial policy to focus on SMEs

Giving emphasis on development of small and medium-scale industries as well as skill development, Jharkhand's new industrial policy, ...

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UN declares Somali famine over for now

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> An exceptional harvest after good rains and food deliveries by aid agencies have ended famine in Somalia for now but food stocks could run out again in May, the United Nations said on Friday. 
 </li>
<li> The famine, which was declared in July, killed tens of thousands in south and central Somalia, much of which is controlled by Islamist militants. More than 2.3 million Somalis, almost a third of the population, are still in need of aid.  
 </li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> Crisis not over </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Bowden called al Shabaab's expulsion of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from its territories a "critical concern".  
 </li>
<li> The militants this week banned the agency, one of few international aid groups delivering food aid to areas under rebel control, accusing it of distributing out-of-date food.  
 </li>
<li> Al Shabaab denied a hunger crisis persisted, accused relief groups of misleading Somalis and said it would not lift a ban imposed on more than a dozen aid agencies.  
 </li>
<li> The UN said the latest harvest in Somalia was double the average of the past 17 years, and this had lowered food prices, though mortality rates in southern Somalia were still among the highest in the world.  
 </li>
<li> In many parts of the south, acute malnutrition rates remain about 20 percent and access to treatment is severely restricted.  
 </li>
<li> The UN said the current harvest offered respite but would provide just 10 to 20 percent of this year's food needs. It warned food stocks could run out in May, ahead of the main August harvest.  
 </li>
<li> "We have less than 100 days to avoid another famine," said Jose Graziano da Silva, director general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation.  
 </li>
<li> "The crisis is not over. It can only be resolved with a combination of rains and continued, coordinated, long-term actions that build up the resilience of the population and link relief with development." 
 </li>
</ul></div>

UN declares Somali famine over for now

An exceptional harvest after good rains and food deliveries by aid agencies have ended famine in Somalia for now but food stocks could ru...

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