Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 15th September 2023

1. Varuna is the bilateral exercise between the navies of which countries?

[A] India and France

[B] India and Sri Lanka

[C] India and Australia

[D] India and USA

Answer: [A] India and France

Phase 2 of the 21st edition of Varuna bilateral exercise between Indian and French Navy was conducted in the Arabian Sea. The exercise witnessed participation of guided missile frigates, tanker, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and integral helicopters from the two sides. The first phase of ‘Varuna-2023’ was conducted off India’s Western Seaboard.

2. Which city is the host of the ‘First Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights’?

[A] Mumbai

[B] New Delhi

[C] Varanasi

[D] Amritsar

Answer: [B] New Delhi

The President of India Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the inaugural ‘Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights’ (GSFR) at the ICAR Convention Centre in New Delhi. This event is organized by the Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Treaty), in collaboration with various Indian agricultural bodies. Notably, India was the first country to include Farmers’ Rights in its Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPVFR) Act in 2001.

3. Which Indian tennis player won the runners trophy in the US Open doubles final?

[A] Rohan Bopanna

[B] Somdev Devvarman

[C] Chirag Shetty

[D] K Srikanth

Answer: [A] Rohan Bopanna

The Indo-Australian tennis pair Rohan Bopanna- Matthew Ebden lost to the defending US Open men’s doubles champions Rajeev Ram-Joe Salisbury, in the finals of US Open. Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury became the first men’s doubles team at the US Open to achieve a three-peat in more than 90 years.

4. India recently organised the meeting of Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) formed with which country?

[A] Brazil

[B] Argentina

[C] Egypt

[D] Saudi Arabia

Answer: [D] Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a landmark summit, marking the first meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC), which was established in 2019. The council consists of two main pillars: the Committee on Political, Security, Social, and Cultural Cooperation, and the Committee on Economy and Investments, each with several levels of engagement. The two nations agreed to expedite the USD 50-billion West Coast refinery project.

5. Which department launched ‘Recognition Scheme for ISPS Promoting Rural FTTH Broadband’?

[A] Department of Telecommunications

[B] Department of Post

[C] Department of Electronics

[D] Department of Expenditure

Answer: [A] Department of Telecommunications

The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) has introduced a scheme to acknowledge Internet Service Providers (ISPS) for their outstanding contributions to expanding Fiber-to- the-Home (FTTH) broadband connectivity in rural India. This initiative aligns with the government’s objective of promoting digital inclusion and fostering socio-economic development in rural areas.

6. Which institution launched ‘Grassroots Initiative to Promote Indian Standards in Rural Areas’?

[A] BIS

[B] NABARD

[C] RBI

[D] FCI

Answer: [A] BIS

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), India’s National Standards Body, has initiated a comprehensive outreach program to raise awareness and encourage compliance with Indian standards at the grassroots level. This initiative aims to sensitize Gram Panchayat Presidents and Secretaries across the country, emphasizing the importance of adhering to Indian Standards while implementing government programs and schemes in villages.

7. India signed a MoU with which country on energy co-operation recently?

[A] UAE

[B] Saudi Arabia

[C] Malaysia

[D] Afghanistan

Answer: [B] Saudi Arabia

India and Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation in New Delhi. The MoU encompasses various areas of collaboration, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, hydrogen, electricity, grid interconnection, petroleum, natural gas, strategic petroleum reserves, and energy security.

8. Which Union Ministry released the ‘PM Daksh Portal’?

[A] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

[B] Ministry of Home Affairs

[C] Ministry of MSME

[D] Ministry of Culture

Answer: [A] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment has unveiled five groundbreaking initiatives including the PM Daksh-DEPwD portal for skill training and employment opportunities, the release of anonymous data through the Unique Disability ID (UDID) portal, collaboration with the Council of Architecture for universal accessibility courses. It includes a compilation of disability rights court judgments, and an online case monitoring portal by the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD).

9. ‘Flying Taj Mahal’ is the nickname of the aircraft of which country’s Prime Minister?

[A] USA

[B] India

[C] UK

[D] Canada

Answer: [D] Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s official aircraft, known as the ‘Flying Taj Mahal,” experiences yet another mechanical issue. This Airbus 310-300, nicknamed after lavish interior upgrades by former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. In 2016, it returned to Ottawa due to flaps malfunction, and in 2018, a damaged sensor extended a refueling stop in Rome. The aircraft also suffered significant damage in 2019 while being towed.

10. ‘Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards’ are presented to which people associated with which profession?

[A] Sports person

[B] Scientist

[C] Social Worker

[D] Politician

Answer: [B] Scientist

The prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards for 2022 were recently announced after a one-year delay. These awards, which recognize outstanding scientists under 45 years of age, were presented to 12 exceptional researchers in various fields of science. The awards were announced during the launch of the ‘One Week One Lab’ program by CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research.

11. USA has announced Prisoner Exchange and Fund Transfer with which country?

[A] UAE

[B] Iran

[C] Israel

[D] Saudi Arabia

Answer: [B] Iran

The Joe Biden administration has taken steps to secure the release of five American citizens detained in Iran by issuing waivers allowing international banks to transfer USD 6 billion in frozen Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar without fear of American sanctions. In exchange, the U.S. has agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United States. This move marks a significant development in diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran.

12. ‘Exercise Eagle Partner’ is a joint military exercise between USA and which country?

[A] Argentina

[B] Armenia

[C] Chile

[D] Germany

Answer: [B] Armenia

‘Exercise Eagle Partner’ is a joint military exercise between USA and Armenia. Around 85 U.S. soldiers will train with 175 Armenian troops during this exercise. These exercises are happening at a time when Armenia is expressing frustration over Russia’s perceived failure to act as a security guarantor, particularly regarding its tensions with historic rival Azerbaijan.

13. Which institution hosted the North Tech Symposium?

[A] IIT-Madras

[B] IIT-Jammu

[C] IIT-Varanasi

[D] IIT-Delhi

Answer: [B] IIT-Jammu

The North Tech Symposium has commenced at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu, featuring new indigenous Defence Technology, made-in-India defence equipment, and weapons. Indian Army displayed its latest Light Specialist Vehicles (LSVS) at the symposium, which can be equipped with anti-tank guided missile launchers, medium machine guns, and grenade launchers.

14. Ian Wilmut, who was seen in the news, was associated with which profession?

[A] Scientist

[B] Sports person

[C] Politician

[D] Social Worker

Answer: [A] Scientist

Sir Ian Wilmut, renowned for leading the scientific team behind the creation of Dolly the sheep, the world’s first cloned mammal from an adult cell, has died at the age of 79. Dolly was the first animal cloned from a cultured mammary cell, combining cells from two different sheep. This achievement sparked public debate on the ethics of cloning and its potential implications for humans. Prof Wilmut’s research continued in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, and he was knighted in 2008 for his contributions to science.

15. When was the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) founded?

[A] 1972

[B] 1982

[C] 1992

[D] 2002

Answer: [B] 1982

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) will hear a groundbreaking case brought by nine small island states seeking to protect the world’s oceans from the devastating impacts of climate change. It was founded in 1982 in Jamaica. These nations have turned to ITLOS to determine whether carbon dioxide emissions absorbed by the oceans can be considered pollution and, if so, what obligations countries have to prevent it. Ocean ecosystems play a vital role in oxygen production and carbon absorption, but increasing emissions can harm marine life by warming and acidifying seawaters.

16. India launched ‘Infrastructure Financing Bridge’ along with which country?

[A] USA

[B] UK

[C] Australia

[D] New Zealand

Answer: [B] UK

India and the UK have announced the launch of an infrastructure financing bridge to facilitate major infrastructure projects, as revealed by India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. The two nations have also agreed to conduct investment negotiations concurrently with goods negotiations as part of their free trade agreement (FTA) discussions.

17. Which country proposed to launch ‘G-20 Satellite Mission for Environment and Climate Observation’?

[A] India

[B] Australia

[C] USA

[D] Japan

Answer: [A] India

India proposed to launch a G-20 Satellite Mission for Environment and Climate Observation, with an aim to help the countries of the Global South. Prime Minister Modi said the G-20 satellite mission would be beneficial for all of humanity just as the data obtained from India’s successful Chandrayaan moon mission.

18. Which state approved a permanent housing scheme for displaced people and extended the ‘disturbed area’ status of the State?

[A] Uttar Pradesh

[B] Manipur

[C] Assam

[D] Gujarat

Answer: [B] Manipur 

The Manipur Cabinet approved a permanent housing scheme for displaced people and extended the ‘disturbed area’ status of the State. The State Cabinet also approves the extension of the ‘disturbed area’ status and condemns the ‘unwanted actions’ of the Central security forces on civilians.

19. Alexander Grischuk, who was seen in the news, is associated with which sports?

[A] Chess

[B] Squash

[C] Tennis

[D] Cricket

Answer: [A] Chess

Russian chess player Alexander Grischuk has recently lifted the Blitz chess title, on the final day of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament. The Russian is already a three-time World champion in this format. He has competed in five Candidates Tournaments.

20. Drought Early Warning System (DEWS), is a real-time drought-monitoring platform, operated by?

[A] NIOT

[B] IIT Gandhinagar

[C] IIT Madras

[D] DRDO

Answer: [B] IIT Gandhinagar

In the first week of September 2023, approximately 30% of India’s land area experienced varying degrees of drought, posing significant challenges for farmers and food security. Among the affected areas, 11.5% suffered from severe, extreme, or exceptional drought conditions, while 18.9% faced abnormal to moderate drought conditions. This information is sourced from the Drought Early Warning System (DEWS), a real-time drought- monitoring platform operated by IIT Gandhinagar’s Water and Climate Lab.