Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 17th & 18th December 2023

1. Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), that was recently in news, is related to which international organization?

A. United Nations (UN)

B. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

C. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

D. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conducted a joint anti-terrorism exercise to combat the use of the internet for terrorist, separatist, and extremist purposes. The exercise, hosted by India in New Delhi, aimed to improve the cooperation between SCO member states in identifying and suppressing the misuse of the internet for illicit activities. The exercise was seen as an important step towards strengthening the SCO’s anti-terrorist capabilities.

2. Who has been recently awarded the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry’s Nyholm Prize for Education?

A. Savita Ladage

B. Sanjiva Prasad

C. Rajeswari Sridhar

D. Pushpak Bhattacharyya

• Professor Savita Ladage from Mumbai’s Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, has been awarded the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry’s Nyholm Prize for Education in recognition of her outstanding contributions to chemistry education. In addition to the honor, Professor Ladage will receive £5,000, a medal, and a certificate as part of the prize. The Nyholm Prize is acknowledging individuals working across various levels of education.

3. Vijay Diwas, celebrated on December 16th every year, commemorates the victory of the Indian armed forces over Pakistan during the 1971 war. Who signed the instrument of surrender from Pakistan side on this day?

A. General Tikka Khan

B. General Ayub Khan

C. General Yahya Khan

D. General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi

• Vijay Diwas, celebrated on December 16th every year, commemorates the victory of the Indian armed forces over Pakistan during the 1971 war. It marks the creation of Bangladesh from erstwhile East Pakistan. On this day, India pays homage to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend the nation.
• General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the head of Pakistan’s armed forces, surrendering to the combined forces of the Indian Army and the Mukti Bahini of Bangladesh. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the Chief of the Army Staff during the 1971 war, is regarded as the architect of India’s victory.

4. The EKAMRA project, which was in news, is in which state?

A. West Bengal

B. Madhya Pradesh

C. Odisha

D. Karnataka

• Odisha’s Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, prioritized temple redevelopment across the state to preserve its cultural identity. The flagship project, the Puri heritage corridor, aims to enhance the overall experience for devotees visiting the 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri. Additionally, various places of worship, both small and large, are undergoing renovation with a budget of over Rs 4,000 crore. Odisha government has launched the Ekamra Kshetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action (EKAMRA) project in Bhubaneswar.

5. Recently, Indian Lawyer Uma Sekhar was elected to the governing council of International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT). UNIDROIT is based at which city?

A. Geneva

B. Paris

C. Rome

D. Washington DC

• International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) is based in Rome, Italy. Uma Sekhar is an Indian lawyer who was recently elected to the governing council of UNIDROIT. She won the election to UNIDROIT’s 25-member governing council, consisting of legal experts from various countries, with 45 votes out of 59. She is India’s first woman candidate elected to UNIDROIT’s council. UNIDROIT deals with studying and modernizing commercial and private laws across different countries and groups.

6. What is the name of the antiviral medication of the Zydus Lifesciences recently got USFDA approval for?

A. Darunavir

B. Tenofovir

C. Raltegravir

D. Dolutegravir

• Indian pharmaceutical firm Zydus Lifesciences received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for Darunavir tablets used for treating HIV-1 infections. Darunavir is an antiviral medication that prevents the multiplication of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the body.

7. Austropallene halanychi, that was found in the Ross Sea near Antarctica recently, is a species of _______?

A. Squid

B. Mantis Shrimp

C. Sea spider

D. Octopus

• Austropallene halanychi is the name bestowed to a newly discovered pale-yellow species of sea spider found in the Ross Sea near Antarctica. It has distinct black eyes and large boxing glove-shaped claws used likely for grabbing soft prey. Over 1,000 sea spider species inhabit oceans globally but seldom before has one been spotted with such unique features.

8. What is the full form of GAGAN, the satellite-based augmentation system by DRDO?

A. Geospatial Analysis and Geotagging Access Note

B. Gyroscopic Aviation Guidance and Navigation

C. Graphical Atmosphere Grid and Analysis Nexus

D. GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation

• GAGAN stands for GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) developed this indigenous satellite-based GPS augmentation and integrity monitoring system. It provides enhanced navigational accuracy and signal reliability over India and nearby regions. The Autonomous Flying Wing, an unmanned stealth drone vehicle successfully tested by India’s DRDO recently, leveraged GAGAN receivers for autonomous take-off and landing using on-board sensors.

9. What is the proposed name of India’s warehousing facility in the UAE to promote exports?

A. Bharat Hub

B. Bharat Mart

C. Hindustan Depot

D. India Nook

• India plans to establish a goods showcase and distribution facility named Bharat Mart spanning over 100,000 sq meters in the UAE by 2025. Modeled on China’s enterprises, it will integrate warehousing, retail and hospitality offerings under one roof in the Jebel Ali free trade zone. This aims to boost exports of Indian products to West Asia, Africa and Europe.

10. Which IIT researchers have developed new organic co-crystal systems published in Nature Communications journal recently?

A. IIT Bombay

B. IIT Guwahati

C. IIT Madras

D. IIT Bengaluru

• Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) formulated four novel fluorescent organic co-crystal systems with diverse functional applications. Their findings got published in the esteemed Nature Communications journal. Co-crystals are multi-component structures allowing enhanced material properties. The IIT-G team engineered co-crystals that can emit light efficiently and imagable cells. This demonstrates India’s rising expertise in co-crystal engineering to build innovative solutions.

11. DRDO Aeronautical Test Range that makes news frequently, is located near which city?

A. Secunderabad

B. Chitradurga

C. Bhubaneshwar

D. Jodhpur

• India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test flew an indigenous autonomous stealth drone named Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator from the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.

12. Which is the implementing agency for Indian forest and Wood Certification Scheme, that was introduced recently?

A. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

B. Indian Institute of Forest Management

C. Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education

D. Forest Survey of India

• The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has introduced the Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme. This voluntary national certification initiative aims to encourage sustainable forest management and agroforestry practices in India. The scheme encompasses forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification, and chain of custody certification. The Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council will oversee the scheme, acting as a multistakeholder advisory body. The Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, will serve as the scheme’s operating agency, managing its overall implementation.

13. Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, where Eastern Ghats Nature Interpretation Centre is being opened, is located in which state?

A. Tamil Nadu

B. Andhra Pradesh

C. Kerala

D. Karnataka

• The Eastern Ghats Nature Interpretation Centre is being opened in the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a forest located near Visakhapatnam, near Andhra Pradesh. The sanctuary is a tropical deciduous forest with a canopy of tree cover of mixed composition along with scrubland and meadows. It is bordered by Simhachalam hill range on the West and Gambheeram reservoir on the North-east.