1. Which country’s Armed Forces have recently been honored with the coveted ‘Golden Owl’ award for their outstanding performance?
A. China
B. Sri Lanka
C. Singapore
D. India
- Indian Armed Forces have been honored with the coveted ‘Golden Owl’ award for their outstanding performance. In a remarkable display of excellence, three officers from the Indian Armed Forces, undergoing the prestigious Command and Staff Course at Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Sri Lanka, have been honored with the coveted ‘Golden Owl’ award for their outstanding performance. The award, presented by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, recognizes their exceptional achievements in analytical skills, strategic thinking, and their potential for future leadership.
2. Which ministry has recently launched the National Geoscience Data Repository Portal?
A. Ministry of Earth Sciences
B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
C. Ministry of Mines
D. Ministry of Science and Technology
- Ministry of Mines has launched the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) Portal on 19th December 2023 in a ceremony in New Delhi. NGDR is a comprehensive online platform for accessing, sharing, and analyzing geospatial information across the nation.
- The NGDR initiative, spearheaded by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Bhaskarachaya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N) represents a significant leap forward in democratizing critical geoscience data, empowering stakeholders across industries and academia with unprecedented access to invaluable resources.
3. How many corridors are being developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICP)?
A. 11
B. 12
C. 13
D. 14
- The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 2023 Dec.15th signed a $250 million policy-based loan that will continue support to industrial corridor development to make manufacturing more competitive, strengthen national supply chains and links with regional and global value chains, and create more and better jobs. The National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICP) has been conceived to promote world-class manufacturing facilities and develop futuristic industrial cities in India.
- 11 Industrial Corridors are being developed under the programme. It is under the administrative control of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
4. Which state is home to the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project?
A. Karnataka
B. Rajasthan
C. Uttar Pradesh
D. Gujarat
- The fourth unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-4) in Gujarat, with a capacity of 700 MWe, achieved criticality recently, marking the initiation of a controlled fission chain reaction. The Kakrapar facility, houses the largest indigenous nuclear power reactors built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). These pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) utilize natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as coolant and moderator.
5. Recently, scientists identified hydrogen cyanide, a vital molecule for the formation of life on Enceladus, a moon of:
A. Jupiter
B. Saturn
C. Mars
D. Venus
- Scientists using data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft have discovered hydrogen cyanide, a crucial molecule for life formation, in the oceans of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus. It was published in Nature Astronomy. The research, based on Cassini’s data collected between 2004 and 2017, identified hydrogen cyanide, along with methanol, ethane, and oxygen, in the plumes of water vapor erupting from Enceladus’s surface.
6. NOMA has recently been included in the World Health Organization’s list of neglected tropical diseases. Which body parts does this affect?
A. Brain
B. Face and Mouth
C. Intestine
D. Kidney
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently added noma, a severe gangrenous disease affecting the mouth and face, to its list of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Also known as cancrum oris, noma has a staggering mortality rate of approximately 90% and is closely associated with extreme poverty, malnutrition, and inadequate access to sanitation and oral hygiene. Primarily impacting children aged 2-6 in impoverished communities.
- Historically known as the ‘face of poverty,’ noma was prevalent in the Western world but diminished with economic progress. Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) constitute a diverse group of infections prevalent in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. These diseases are caused by various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms (helminths).
7. Which State has emerged as the top-performing state in the inaugural edition of Khelo India Para Games?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Haryana
C. Kerala
D. Uttar Pradesh
- The inaugural edition of the Khelo India Para Games in Delhi was officially concluded by the Union Sports Minister. Haryana emerged as the top-performing state, securing 105 medals, including 40 gold, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The Khelo India Para Games (KIPG) is an initiative aimed at empowering para-athletes in India.
8. India conducts military exercises Al Najah, Eastern Bridge and Naseem Al Bahr with which Arab country?
A. UAE
B. Oman
C. Saudi Arabia
D. Iraq
- Recently, India and Oman have adopted the India Oman Joint Vision Partnership for the Future, setting the stage for bilateral cooperation and charting pathways for future collaboration between the two countries. This Vision Document focuses on building partnerships in broadly 8 to 10 areas. These include maritime cooperation and connectivity, energy security, space, digital payments, health, tourism, hospitality, agriculture and food security.
- The Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) is the highest forum of engagement between India and Oman in the field of defence. Military Exercises: Army exercise: Al Najah; Air Force exercise: Eastern Bridge; Naval Exercise: Naseem Al Bahr.
9. Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi are associated with which Sikh Guru?
A. Guru Teg Bahadur
B. Guru Nanak
C. Guru Arjun Dev
D. Guru Ram Das
- Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur recalling his martyrdom. He was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion and was the youngest son of Guru Hargobind. He was born to Mata Nanki and Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh guru, who raised an army against the Mughals and introduced the concept of warrior saints.
- His writings are housed in the sacred text, ‘Guru Granth Sahib,’ in the form of 116 poetic hymns. He was publicly killed in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for refusing Mughal rulers and defying them. Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi mark the places of execution and cremation of his body.
10. The recently flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express, a new regular train service connects Varanasi to which city in South India?
A. Chennai
B. Salem
C. Madurai
D. Kanyakumari
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express, a new regular train service connecting Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, to Varanasi, the holy city in the north. He flagged off the train’s inaugural run during his visit to Varanasi for the Kashi Tamil Sangamam cultural integration event. The train route passes through all major cities of Tamil Nadu over 32 hours to highlight the ancient bond between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.
11. In which region, you will find tribals practicing traditional Kumeri cultivation, that was in news recently?
A. North East India
B. Western Ghats
C. South India
D. Eastern Ghats
- Terracotta artefacts were found in the Bhuipal village of the Sattari district in Goa that provide insights into the traditional kumeri farming practices followed in the region historically. Kumeri refers to slash-and-burn agriculture that involved offerings made to folk deities. Kumeri cultivation is practiced mostly by the tribal population in the hilly forested areas of western ghats particularly Goa.
12. Which country is world’s biggest producer of rough diamonds as of 2023?
A. India
B. Russia
C. Belgium
D. United States of America
- Russia is the world’s biggest producer of rough diamonds that the G7 nations have announced a ban on imports from starting January 1st. This is part of the bloc’s broader measures to limit Moscow’s revenues that aid its invasion of Ukraine. The G7 also plans to introduce a system to trace the origin of diamonds by September to prevent circumvention of the ban.
13. As of 2023, which country is the top source of steel making coking coal for India?
A. Russia
B. China
C. Australia
D. Germany
- Australia continues to be the leading supplier of coking coal used in steel making to India, accounting for over 13 million tonnes out of 25.6 million tonnes imported from April-August 2023. Efforts are on to ramp up domestic coal washing capacities to reduce import dependence.
