SIPVS Knowledge is Power
1) The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) for 2018 was held on 19 and 20 April 2018 at which place? – London
Explanation: The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 (also known as CHOGM 2018, was the 25th meeting of the heads of government of the Commonwealth nations. It was held in London (UK) on 19 and 20 April 2018. The meeting had been planned to have been held by Vanuatu at the end of 2017, but was moved to the United Kingdom after the impact of Cyclone Pam on the infrastructure of Vanuatu.
– The theme of the summit was “Towards a Common Future”. This was the first CHOGM held following the United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the European Union, a decision which has resulted in calls for Britain to strengthen its economic ties with and play a greater role in the Commonwealth.
– CHOGM 2018 was headed by Theresa May, Prime Minister of the UK. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented India in the meeting marking the first time since CHOGM 2011 that a Prime Minister of India has attended the summit.
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2) What is the name given to Indian Air Force’s biggest exercise in over three decades to showcase its air dominance over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) that concluded on 22 April 2018? – “Gagan Shakti”
Explanation: “Gagan Shakti” is the name of the biggest air exercise in over three decades undertaken by India to showcase its air dominance over the entire extended area of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It was undertaken by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from 8 to 22 April 2018 in three stages.
– To conduct this exercise, the IAF mobilized almost the entire assets of the IAF, including its fighter squadrons, and was used to assess war waging might of the force. More than 1,100 combat, transport and rotary wing (helicopter) aircrafts, apart from 300 officers and 1500 airmen were involved in it.
– “Gagan Shakti” was conducted in all terrain operations – desert, high altitude, maritime scenarios and special operations- in real time with specific focus on key areas like aerial combat, air to surface combat, paratrooper assault and medical evacuation.
– The first stage was conducted in the western border with Pakistan, the second in the eastern corridor near China and the third in the southern peninsula and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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3) What is the name of the ordinance promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind on 22 April 2018 that paves way for providing stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years? – Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018
Explanation: The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 that was promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind on 22 April 2018 stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 and 12 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years
– New fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term. There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.
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4) A group of 50 alumni from the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country quit their jobs to form a political party to fight for the rights of SCs, STs and OBCs. What the name of this political party is, as was announced on 22 April 2018? – “Bahujan Azad Party”
Explanation: “Bahujan Azad Party” is the name of the party formed by a bunch of 50 people, all from different IITs, who quit their full-time jobs to work for the party. This party will fight for the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
– The group is waiting for an approval from the Election Commission. The party members, however, do not wish to jump the gun and aim for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
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5) Cinema returned to which Muslim country after nearly 35 years with the screening of the first film on 20 April 2018 in a newly opened cinema hall? – Saudi Arabia
Explanation: Saudi Arabia hosted its first public film screening in over 35 years on 20 April 2018, as US movie giant AMC unveiled the kingdom’s debut theatre in Riyadh. The first film screened in this hall was Hollywood blockbuster action film “Black Panther”.
– The conservative desert kingdom lifted a decades-long ban on cinemas last year as part of a far-reaching modernisation drive. Religious hardliners, who have long vilified movie theatres as vulgar and sinful, were instrumental in shutting down cinemas in the 1980s.
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Source: http://nirdeshak.com
