Current Affairs Quiz: 4 January 2022

Current Affairs Questions for UPSC: The Current Affairs Quiz section of Jagran Josh aims to help every competitive exam aspirant to revise Current Affairs of the day at ease. The Current Affairs questions and answers cover topics such as new Covid-19 variant IHU, Omicron cases, World Braille Day and new CEO of the Railway Board among others. 

1. New Covid-19 variant IHU has been detected in which country?

a) France

b) Germany 

c) Spain 

d) Denmark 

2. There was a massive fire at which nation's Parliament?

a) South Africa

b) Israel 

c) Japan

d) Russia

3. Which state is the worst hit in terms of the number of Omicron cases?

a) Delhi

b) Maharashtra

c) Karnataka

d) Kerala

4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit which state on January 5th?

a) Goa

b) Uttar Pradesh

c) Punjab

d) Gujarat 

5. Who has become the new CEO of the Railway Board?

a) Vinay Kumar Tripathi

b) Satish Shinde

c) Sunil Kumar

d) Suvendu Kumar

6. When is World Braille Day observed?

a) January 2nd

b) January 3rd

c) January 4th

d) January 5th

7. Who has become the first Indian-origin woman to trek solo to South Pole?

a) Sneha Sharma

b) Sunita Williams

c) Srishti Bandla 

d) Harpreet Chandi

8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of PGI Satellite Centre in which city?

a) Ferozepur

b) Meerut

c) Bhopal

d) Imphal 

Answers

1. (a) France

A new COVID-19 variant, IHU has been identified in France, which is reported to be more infectious than the Omicron variant. Around 12 cases of the new variant have been reported near Marseilles in France. They have been linked to travel to the African country Cameroon. The new variant has been dubbed as B.1.640.2. 

2. (a) South Africa

There was a massive fire at South Africa's Parliament in Cape Town on January 2, 2022. The fire caused the roof of the old national assembly to collapse. The fire also spread to the wing housing the current National Assembly, where parliament sits. No casualties were reported. 

3. (b) Maharashtra

The number of Omicron cases in India currently stand at 1,892, which includes 766 recoveries as of January 4, 2022. Maharashtra is the worst-hit state with 568 Omicron cases, followed by Delhi with 382 and then Kerala that has reported 185 cases. 

4. (c) Punjab

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Ferozepur in Punjab on January 5, 2022. He will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects in the state worth over Rs 42,750 crore. The projects include Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, four laning of Amritsar- Una section, Mukerian- Talwara New Broad Gauge Railway line, PGI Satelite Centre at Ferozepur and two new medical projects at Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.

5. (a) Vinay Kumar Tripathi

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Vinay Kumar Tripathi for the post of Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Railway Board, New Delhi. He is presently working as the General Manager, North Eastern Railway to the post of Chairman of Railway Board.

6. (c) January 4th

World Braille Day is observed annually on January 4 to highlight the significance of Braille as a means of communication for blind people and those who are partially sighted. World Braille Day 2022 also celebrates the birth anniversary of Louis Braille. He was a French educator who invented the Braille System after being blinded at a very young age.

7. (d) Harpreet Chandi

A 32-year-old Indian-origin British Sikh Army officer, Captain Harpreet Chandi has created history by becoming the first woman of colour to complete a solo unsupported trek to the South Pole.

8. (a) Ferozepur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of PGI Satellite Centre at Ferozepur, Punjab. The PGI Satellite Centre will be built at a cost of over Rs 490 crore. The 100-bed facility will provide services in 10 specialties- General Surgery, Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, ENT, Ophthalmology and Psychiatry-Drug De-addiction.