1. What is the theme for ‘International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2024’?
A. Women in Peacekeeping
B. Fit for the future, building better together
C. The Road to a Lasting Peace
D. People Peace Progress
- The International Day of the UN Peacekeepers is observed on May 29 to honor the service and sacrifice of over 4,000 fallen peacekeepers and to promote global peace efforts. Established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 2002, it marks the anniversary of the first UN peacekeeping mission in 1948. The first observance was in 2003. The 2024 theme is “Fit for the Future, Building Better Together.”
2. BHEL recently signed an agreement with which research centre for hydrogen production using alkaline electrolyser system?
A. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
B. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research
C. Council of Industrial and Scientific Research
D. Indian Agriculture Research Institute
- State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) has signed a Technology Transfer Agreement with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for a 50-kW alkaline electrolyser system to produce hydrogen. BARC, India’s premier nuclear research facility based in Trombay, Mumbai, operates under the Department of Atomic Energy, overseen by the Prime Minister. It supports extensive research across nuclear science and engineering.
3. Sharavati River flows entirely within which state?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Maharashtra
C. Karnataka
D. Andhra Pradesh
- The National Green Tribunal directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and mines and geology department to halt illegal sand mining in the Sharavathi river coastal zone. The Sharavathi River, in western Karnataka, flows west to the Arabian Sea. It spans 128 km and its basin covers 2,985 sq km. The river forms Jog Falls and generates 40% of Karnataka’s hydropower with seven dams and five tunnels.
4. Genetically modified (GMO) mosquitoes were recently released in which country of Africa to fight malaria?
A. Kenya
B. Djibouti
C. Tanzania
D. Botswana
- Genetically modified mosquitoes were released in Djibouti to combat malaria as part of the two-year-old ‘Djibouti Friendly Mosquito Programme’.
- This method releases engineered male mosquitoes that mate with females, passing on a gene that prevents female offspring from surviving to adulthood, reducing the population of malaria-transmitting Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. Similar methods have been successful in Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and India.
5. Vivekananda Rock Memorial is located in which state?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Kerala
C. Odisha
D. West Bengal
- The Prime Minister meditate for 48 hours at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, marking the end of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The memorial, built in 1970 to honor Swami Vivekananda, is on a small island off Kanyakumari where the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Sea meet. It features the ‘Shripada Mandapam,’ ‘Vivekananda Mandapam,’ and a life-sized bronze statue of Vivekananda.
6. What was the primary goal of the Magellan mission?
A. To explore Mars
B. To map the surface of Venus using radar imaging
C. To explore the Moon’s surface
D. To study the exoplanets
- Scientists analyzing archived data from NASA’s Magellan mission discovered new lava flows on Venus, indicating volcanic activity between 1990 and 1992. Launched on May 4, 1989, aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, Magellan aimed to map Venus’s surface using radar imaging.
- Named after Ferdinand Magellan, it was the first interplanetary mission launched from a space shuttle. In 1994, Magellan intentionally plunged into Venus, gathering atmospheric data before ceasing operations.
7. Which organization recently released the ‘Asia-Pacific Employment and Social Outlook 2024’ report?
A. International Labor Organization (ILO)
B. World Trade Organization (WTO)
C. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
D. World Bank
- The International Labour Organisation (ILO) released the 2024 Asia-Pacific Employment and Social Outlook report. Key highlights include an improved Employment to Population Ratio (EPR) in the region at 58.2% (2023), with Indian women contributing significantly. India faces an aging population, with the old age dependency ratio projected to increase from 0.10 to 0.22 by 2050.
8. Recently, a ‘Himalayan Serow’ was spotted in which National Park of Assam?
A. Manas National Park
B. Namdapha National Park
C. Nameri National Park
D. Orang National Park
- Recently, a Himalayan serow was spotted in Nameri National Park, resembling a blend of goat, donkey, cow, and pig. Serows are herbivores, typically inhabiting altitudes between 2,000 to 4,000 meters in the Himalayas. The Himalayan serow, a subspecies of the mainland serow, is vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List. Nameri Tiger Reserve, situated in Assam’s Sonitpur district, encompasses the park and is contiguous with Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.
9. How much assistance has the Government of India granted to Papua New Guinea for the recent flood and landslide disaster?
A. $1 million
B. $2 million
C. $3 million
D. $4 million
- India provided $1 million in immediate aid to Papua New Guinea after a flood and landslide disaster claimed 2,000 lives. Prior assistance was extended in 2018 after an earthquake and in 2019 and 2023 following volcanic eruptions. Diplomatic relations between India and Papua New Guinea began in 1975. PNG appointed its first defense adviser to India, enhancing defense cooperation. PNG has supported India’s positions in international forums like the UN and Commonwealth.
10. What is microcephaly?
A. A condition where a baby’s eyes is much smaller than normal
B. A condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than normal
C. A condition where a baby’s head is much larger than normal
D. A condition where a baby’s heart is much larger than normal
- Recent research confirms the SASS6 gene’s significance in microcephaly and neuron development. Microcephaly results in a significantly smaller head size in babies, often associated with poor motor skills, speech difficulties, and abnormal facial features. It stems from abnormal cell division during embryonic brain development and can be diagnosed prenatally. Consanguineous marriages increase the risk due to heightened chances of inheriting two mutated copies of the SASS6 gene, vital for cell division and centriole formation.
11. RudraM-II- air-to-surface missile is developed by which organization?
A. DRDO
B. ISRO
C. JAXA
D. ESA
- The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from a Su-30 MK-I aircraft off Odisha’s coast. The test met all objectives, validating its propulsion, control, and guidance systems. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the achievement. The RudraM-II, a solid-propelled missile, enhances the Armed Forces’ capabilities, utilizing advanced DRDO technologies.
12. Recently, which Indian space startup successfully launched Agnibaan’s sub-orbital rocket?
A. Astrogate Labs
B. Bellatrix Aerospace
C. Dhruva Space
D. Agnikul cosmos
- Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched its first sub-orbital test vehicle, Agnibaan SOrTeD, powered by the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine. This milestone, achieved after four previous launch attempts, marks the second private startup launch in India and the first from a private launchpad at Sriharikota.
