Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 18th April 2023
1. When is ‘Ambedkar Jayanti’ observed in India?
[A] January 14
[B] February 14
[C] March 14
[D] April 14
Answer: [D] April 14
Ambedkar Jayanti is observed on April 14, to mark the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The birth anniversary of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar is being celebrated as the ‘Equality Day’ in Tamil Nadu. Dr. Ambedkar headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India.
2. Which state/UT launched the ‘A-HELP Programme’?
[A] Assam
[B] Uttarakhand
[C] West Bengal
[D] Karnataka
Answer: [B] Uttarakhand
A-HELP (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) programme was launched by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister. A-HELP are community-based women activists involved in helping livestock farmers avail loans, assisting veterinarians in local departmental work and more.
3. Which institution released the ‘Status of Women in Agrifood Systems’ Report?
[A] FAO
[B] UNICEF
[C] NABARD
[D] NITI Aayog
Answer: [A] FAO
The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems report was released recently by the Food and Agricultural Organization. According to the report, eliminating gender discrimination in agriculture could result in increase in the size of global economy and alleviate hunger at a time when over 345 million people are estimated to experience acute food insecurity.
4. Which country has developed the ‘Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile’?
[A] USA
[B] North Korea
[C] Ukraine
[D] Russia
Answer: [B] North Korea
Hwasong-18 ICBM is a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile developed by North Korea. It was test fired recently to confirm the performance of the high-thrust solid-fuel engines, the stage-jettisoning technology and various functional control systems.
5. Which country was recently hit by ‘Cyclone Ilsa’?
[A] USA
[B] Australia
[C] Russia
[D] Germany
Answer: [B] Australia
Cyclone Ilsa is a category 5 storm that recently made landfall into a remote stretch of coast in Western Australia. Its high wind speeds broke previous records that were set around a decade ago in the same place. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa struck the places close to Port Hedland, the world’s largest iron ore export hub.
6. As of 2023, a woman who adopts a child at the age below three months old is entitled for maternity leave of how many weeks?
[A] Eight
[B] Twelve
[C] Sixteen
[D] Twenty
Answer: [B] Twelve
The Section 5(4) of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 allows woman who adopts a child at the age below three months old to be entitled for 12 weeks of maternity leave. The Supreme Court has recently agreed to hear a petition challenging this provision.
7. Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) is a spring harvest festival primarily celebrated in which state?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Punjab
[C] West Bengal
[D] Rajasthan
Answer: [B] Punjab
Baisakhi is a spring harvest festival celebrated primarily in northern parts of India. It marks the start of the month of Vaisakh. Vaisakhi is a spring festival which happens in the month of April every year. It is a day to celebrate 1699-the year when Sikhism was born as a collective faith. Vaisakhi has been a harvest festival in Punjab for a long time, even before it became so important to Sikhs.
8. When was the ‘Jallianwala Bagh Massacre’ occurred in India?
[A] April 3
[B] April 8
[C] April 13
[D] April 23
Answer: [C] April 13
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre occurred on April 13, 1919. A large, peaceful crowd had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab to protest the Rowlatt Act. A British Colonel named Reginald Edward Harry Dyer ordered troops to surround the compound, launched indiscriminate firing on the assembled men, women and children , which resulted in deaths of over 1000 people.
9. Icaronycteris gunnelli, which was seen in the news, belongs to which species?
[A] Spider
[B] Bat
[C] Snake
[D] Turtle
Answer: [B] Bat
‘Icaronycteris gunnelli’ is the oldest known bat species found in the Fossil Lake deposits of the Green River Formation of Wyoming in the United States. The extinct species had lived in North AMerica some 52 million years ago.
10. Shawwal Moon, which was seen in the news, is associated with which religion?
[A] Judaism
[B] Islam
[C] Sikhism
[D] Buddhism
Answer: [B] Islam
The Shawwal Moon is an important celestial event in the Islamic calendar that marks the start of the Eid Al-Fitr. It occurs in the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar. This year, it is likely to be either on April 20 or 21. Each month starts with the sighting of the moon.
11. ‘Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokmak (EAST) fusion energy reactor’ is located in which country?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] USA
[D] UAE
Answer: [B] China
Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) fusion energy reactor is located in Hefei, China. The reactor has set a new record by creating an artificial sun that sustained plasma for 403 seconds. This broke the 2017 record of 101 seconds.
12. Which Indian company manufactures the ‘R21/Matrix-M Vaccine’?
[A] Biocon
[B] Serum Institute of India
[C] Dr Reddy Labs
[D] Bharat Biotech
Answer: [B] Serum Institute of India
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine is a malaria vaccine developed by the Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The vaccine, which leverages Novavax’s adjuvant technology, has been licensed for use in Ghana by the country’s Food and Drugs Authority.
13. ‘The Digidog’, which was seen in the news, is a robot dog introduced in which country?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Russia
[D] USA
Answer: [D] USA
The Digidog is a robot dog that was reintroduced by the NYPD recently after being discontinued nearly two years ago. It was criticized due to its resemblance to the fictitious dystopian killer robot dog that was shown in a Black Mirror episode. The new devices also include a GPS tracker for stolen cars and a cone-shaped security robot.
14. ‘Juice Jacking’, which was seen in the news is related to which field?
[A] Environment
[B] Agriculture
[C] Electronics
[D] Sports
Answer: [C] Electronic
Juice jacking is the term that was coined in 2011 to describe the security vulnerability created due to the tampering of the USB charging station to compromise linked devices. The FBI recently warned people not to use public phone charging station or USB ports due to the presence of this threat.
15. ‘Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT)’ is located in which country?
[A] Russia
[B] Chile
[C] USA
[D] Canada
Answer: [B] Chile
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) is a 6-meter diameter telescope situated in Chile’s Cerro Toco in the Atacama Desert. It was used to create a detailed map of dark matter, which agrees with Einstein’s theory of gravity.
16. ‘Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative’ has been launched under which scheme?
[A] Ayushman Bharat Health Mission
[B] National One Health Mission
[C] Swachh Bharat Mission
[D] PM Awas Mission
Answer: [B] National One Health Mission
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Preparedness Initiative under the National One Health Mission. He also launched the World Bank-funded Animal Health System Support for One Health to enhance India’s preparedness and response to potential animal pandemics, in line with the One Health approach.
17. ‘Arcturus’, which was seen in the news, is associated with which disease?
[A] Diabetes
[B] Hypertension
[C] COVID
[D] Tuberculosis
Answer: [C] COVID
The Arcturus variant, also known as XBB.1.16, is a type of Omicron variant that is spreading in India. It is believed to be responsible for the surge in COVID-19 cases in India. The surge is being monitored by the WHO as it has shown high infectivity and increased pathogenicity.
18. ‘Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) 2023’ was organized by which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of MSME
[B] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[C] Ministry of Science and Technology
[D] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Answer: [C] Ministry of Science and Technology
Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) 2023 was organized by the National Innovation Foundation – an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It included five round tables covering different aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India.
19. ‘GN-z11’, which was seen in the news, is the farthest object of which category?
[A] Exo-planet
[B] Galaxy
[C] Asteroid
[D] Comet
Answer: [B] Galaxy
GN-z11, found in the constellation Ursa Major, is among the farthest and earliest galaxies ever discovered. The latest spectroscopic results from this galaxy revealed the complete absence of dust particles from its surroundings for an interim time period despite the presence of a very high star formation rate.
20. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is situated in which state/UT?
[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Karnataka
[D] Odisha
Answer: [B] Tamil Nadu
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, situated in Tamil Nadu, is one of the oldest in India. It is one of the four sanctuaries in the state that will undergo development at the cost of Rs.20 crore. Other sanctuaries that are to be developed are the Karaivetti sanctuary, the Koonthankulam bird sanctuary and Pulicat.