Question 1

Which country is set to abolish its exit visa system for all foreign workers by the end of 2019 as per the United Nation's International Labour Organization(ILO)?

Accepted Answer

UN's International Labour Organization announced that Qatar is set to abolish its exit visa system for all foreign workers by the end of 2019.The country was committed to labour reform following an Amnesty international report that the 2022 World Cup host was failing to stop widespread labour abuse. Qatar has launched labour reforms since its selection as the 2022 World Cup host, with the event set in motion a huge construction plan employing foreign workers.In 2018, Qatar approved legislation to dismiss the sponsorship system or "kafala", which claimed that foreign workers obtain permission from their employers to leave the country.

Question 2

Raavana l was the first satellite of this country.

Accepted Answer

Sri Lanka's first satellite Raavana l was launched into space from NASA's Flight Facility on Virginia's east shore. The satellite was designed and developed by two Sri Lankan engineers at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan. It will be shuttled to the International Space Station. The "Raavana 1" was launched into space with the assistance of the US rocket "Antares". Raavana 1 weights around 1.05 kg and is 1000 cubic centimetres in size. The minimum lifespan of the satellite is around one and a half years and it is expected to be active for five years. Raavana 1 satellite's camera mission is to capture images of Sri Lanka and its neighbouring countries. The Raavana-l is expected to orbit 400 kilometres away from the earth. The satellite will achieve an active attitude stabilization which ensures that the satellite's attitude is stable under the influence of external talks. The launch of Raavana-l marks Sri Lanka's entry into the global space age.

Question 3

Which among the following nation has appealed to the international community to lift travel warnings?

Accepted Answer

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has appealed to the international community to lift travel warnings issued after the Easter Sunday attacks.India, United States, China, UK and Australia are among the countries which issued travel warnings after Easter attacks.

Question 4

Which country signed Protocol with India for Export of Indian Chilli Meal?

Accepted Answer

India and China signed a protocol for the export of Indian chilli meal to China. This is the fourth protocol signed between the two nations over the past year allowing the export of farm commodities from India. They agreed to resolve market access issues expeditiously in order to achieve the vision of the leaders of both India and China by promoting a more balanced trade. At the end of the meeting, a protocol was signed for export of chilli meal from India to China. The protocols for export, signed since June 2018, include those for basmati and non-basmati rice, fish meal and oil and tobacco leaves.

Question 5

Which of the following is the host country of annual G20 leaders' summit 2020?

Accepted Answer

Saudi Arabia will host the annual G20 leaders' summit on November 21-22, 2020, in its capital Riyadh. This will be the first G20 Summit to be hosted in the Arab world. Japan will host this year's G20 summit in Osaka, which will be held June 28-29, as well as ministerial meetings in eight cities. In 2018, the conference was held in Buenos Aries, Argentina and focused on the global economy, the future of labour markets and gender equality.

Question 6

Which country declared joint border 'reaction force' with Pakistan?

Accepted Answer

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani announced that Iran and Pakistan to create a joint 'reaction force' on the border between the two countries, for combatting terrorism. The announcement came during a two-day visit to Iran by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, the first of his tenure. Iran and Pakistan share a 959 km land border. Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is Pakistan's largest and poorest province, rife with ethnic, sectarian and separatist insurgencies.

Question 7

Which among the following country tests the World's fastest bullet train, recently?

Accepted Answer

Japan is testing the fastest-ever shinkansen bullet train, capable of speeds of as much as 400 kilometers (249 miles) per hour. Called the Alfa-X, the train is scheduled to go into service in 2030. Rail company JR East plans to operate it at 360 kilometers per hour. That would make it 10 kph faster than China's Fuxing Hao, which links Beijing and Shanghai and has the same top speed.

Question 8

Which nation has launched Ramzan campaign to benefit over 2.5 million people in Yemen?

Accepted Answer

The UAE has launched its Ramzan campaign in Yemen, which will include a package of charity and humanitarian initiatives that will benefit over 2.5 million people, including 1.5 million children and 5 lakh women.

Question 9

Two new bird species were found in __________.

Accepted Answer

Zoologists from Trinity College with partners from Halu Oleo University (UHO) and Operation Wallacea, have discovered two new bird species in the Wakatobi Archipelago of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Details of their discovery of the Wakatobi white-eye and the Wangi-wangi white-eye have been published on April 24, 2019 in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

Question 10

Which of the following has announced its withdrawal from the UN Arms Trade Treaty?

Accepted Answer

US is withdrawing from the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, in response to concerns from gun rights activists that it could impinge on Americans right to bear arms. Former US President Barack Obama signed the treaty in 2013 and sent the treaty to the Senate for ratification. The Trump administration has withdrawn from a number of international agreements including the Iran nuclear deal.

Question 11

Which country became the second nation in the world to declare a climate emergency?

Accepted Answer

Ireland became the second nation in the world after Britain to declare a climate emergency. The Irish Parliament accepted an amendment to a parliamentary report declaring the emergency without a vote. The parliamentary report also called upon the parliament to examine how the Irish government can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss. The decision was hailed by environmental campaigners who called it as historic.

Question 12

Which country launches its first satellite from USA?

Accepted Answer

Nepal successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space. The satellite developed by the Nepalese scientists was launched from Virginia in the United States. It is a low orbit satellite which will be in the 400-km distance from the Earth's surface. Two Nepali scientists, Aabhas Maskey and Hariram Shrestha who are currently studying at Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology, developed the satellite under the BIRDS project of their institute.

Question 13

The President of the United States imposes stricter sanctions on this country's metal industry.

Accepted Answer

The President of the United States, Donald Trump on May 8, 2019 imposed harsher sanctions on the iron, copper, steel and aluminium industry of Iran. The move is aimed at stopping Iran from pursuing its nuclear interests and acquiring nuclear weapon and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear deal stating that it had failed to protect American national security interests and enabled Tehran's malign behaviour.

Question 14

Recently, The Union Government extends ban on import of milk products from which country?

Accepted Answer

The Union Government on April 23, 2019 extended the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China till laboratories at ports for testing the presence of toxic chemical melamine are upgraded. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification that the prohibition on import of milk, milk products including chocolates, chocolate products, candies, confectionary and food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient from China is extended until the capacity of all laboratories at ports of entry have been suitably upgraded for testing melamine. The extension of the ban was recommended by Food regulator FSSAI until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical.

Question 15

Which of the following plans to strengthen ties with India's new government?

Accepted Answer

Taiwan plans to strengthen ties with India's new government, including more official visits despite China's continuing efforts to isolate what it considers to be a wayward province. After India's general election results on May 23, the two countries will strengthen trade and cultural ties. The centre in the Indian capital operates as a de facto embassy, helping Indian and Taiwanese companies to expand business ties and easing discreet dialogue between government officials. Taiwan has opened four trade offices in India in the last few years and two-way trade has risen more than six-fold since 2000 to stand at more than $7 billion in 2018.

Question 16

To boost tea trade, cultural and technical exchanges as well as global promotion of tea, the Asian Tea Alliance (ATA) was opened in which country?

Accepted Answer

To boost tea trade,cultural and technical exchanges as well as global promotion of tea,the Asian Tea Alliance (ATA), a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries,was opened in Guizhou,China. The alliance was constituted with Indian Tea Association,Indonesian tea Marketing Association,China tea marketing Association,Sri Lanka Tea Board and tea Association. This Alliance was formed based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Indian tea Association and China tea Marketing Association in December 2018 to promote tea consumption in India, China, U.S., Russia, Europe and West Asia.

Question 17

Which country recently reported the first ever case of the Monkeypox Virus?

Accepted Answer

The first case of Monkeypox Virus was reported in Singapore recently. As per the authorities, the virus was brought in by a Nigerian man who arrived in Singapore in April 2019. The virus is similar to the human smallpox.

Question 18

The XXXVI Feliks Stamm International Boxing Tournament 2019 was held at __________.

Accepted Answer

The XXXVI Feliks Stamm International Boxing Tournament 2019 was held at Centre of Sport and Recreation in Warsaw, Poland from April 28 to May 5, 2019. The event was organised by the Polish Boxing Association. In this tournament, India won a total 6 medals which includes 2 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze medal.

Question 19

Which among the following is the host country of 2nd Belt and Road Forum?

Accepted Answer

The second edition of Belt and Road Forum (BRF) was held in Beijing, China from April 25th to April 27th, 2019. The theme of this event was "Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future". Around 37 heads-of-state and 159 countries participated along with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and International Monetary Chief (IMF) Christine Lagarde. The Belt and Road Forum is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The idea of BRI was first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.

Question 20

India agreed to strengthen Indo-Pacific Cooperation with which of the following country?

Accepted Answer

India and United Kingdom (UK) hold Foreign Office consultations in which both countries have agreed to strengthen their ties in the field of Indo-Pacific cooperation, climate change, disaster resilience, development in third world countries and others. Foreign Secretary, Vijay Gokhale led the Indian delegation and Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under-Secretary Foreign and Commonwealth Office of British government led the UK delegation. Besides the meeting, UK representative Sir Simon McDonald formally handed the instrument of ratification of the UK joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to Vijay Gokhale.

International Questions