11. Which country has recently agreed to join the ‘Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership’?
[A] Israel
[B] United Kingdom
[C] UAE
[D] Brazil
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United Kingdom]
Notes:
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a Free Trade Agreement.
It was agreed between 11 countries in Pacific Rim. United Kingdom has recently agreed to join this pact.
12. Which country has recently voted to ban rental e-scooters?
[A] USA
[B] India
[C] France
[D] Finland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [France]
Notes:
In a non-binding referendum held in France, 89.03% of the votes cast were opposed to the freestanding scooters, which are booked on a short-term basis through apps.
The rental e-scooters, which were introduced in 2018 to promote green alternative for cars. The city will completely ban these devices by September 1 this year.
13. Which country has become the 31st member of the NATO security alliance?
[A] Norway
[B] Finland
[C] Denmark
[D] The Netherlands
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Finland]
Notes:
Finland has become the 31st member of the NATO security alliance, doubling the length of member states’ borders with Russia.
Finland’s accession is seen as a setback for Russia’s Vladimir Putin. He had repeatedly complained of NATO’s expansion before his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
14. ‘Juice Mission’, which was seen in the news, is associated with which space agency?
[A] NASA
[B] ISRO
[C] ESA
[D] JAXA
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [ESA]
Notes:
Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) Mission is scheduled to be launched on April 13 this year. It will explore Jupiter and its satellites – Callisto, Ganymede and Europa.
The spacecraft will launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana to the biggest planet in the solar system. ‘Juice’ will monitor Jupiter’s complex magnetic, radiation, and plasma environment in depth and its interplay with the moons.
15. Idaho, which was seen in the news, is a state of which country?
[A] USA
[B] Australia
[C] UK
[D] Germany
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [USA]
Notes:
Idaho is a rocky mountain state in the United States. Idaho recently introduced an abortion trafficking law to restrict travel for abortions.
The bill makes it illegal for an adult to help minor get an abortion without parental consent.
16. How many villages are covered under the ‘My Village My Heritage Programme’?
[A] 1 thousand
[B] 10 thousand
[C] 1 lakh
[D] 10 lakh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [1 lakh]
Notes:
My Village My Heritage Programme is implemented under the aegis of the National Mission for Cultural Mapping (NMCM).
NMCM seeks to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists and other resources across India. Over 1 lakh villages have been covered under this programme.
17. Which state bagged the highest number of awards in the ‘National Panchayat Awards 2023’?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Telangana
[C] Odisha
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Telangana]
Notes:
National Panchayat Awards 2023 were conferred recently by Panchayati Raj Ministry to recognize best performing Panchayats in the areas that align with the 17 SHGs.
Telangana won 8 out of 27 various categories of the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) for the years 2021 – 2022. It was followed by Kerala with 4, Jammu and Kashmir with 3, and Maharashtra with 3.
18. Vibrant Villages Programme is implemented by which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of External Affairs
[C] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
[D] Ministry of Rural Development
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Home Affairs]
Notes:
Vibrant Villages Programme has been launched by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah during his visit to Arunachal Pradesh. It is implemented by the Home Ministry.
It is a centrally sponsored scheme that will provide for the comprehensive development of 2,967 villages situated at the northern border in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and UT of Ladakh.
19. ‘Comstock Act’, which was seen in the news, is associated with which country?
[A] Russia
[B] USA
[C] UK
[D] New Zealand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [USA]
Notes:
Comstock Act is a US law that was originally passed in 1873 to ban the mailing of contraceptives, lewd writings and any instrument, substance, drug, medicine, or thing that could be used in an abortion.
It is currently at the centre of the recent court ruling that threatens access to the popular abortion drug in the country.
20. ‘Bihu Naas’ is a dance form prevalently practised in which state?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Bihar
[C] Assam
[D] Karnataka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Assam]
Notes:
The Bihu naas (dance) is the defining feature of Rongali Bihu, or Bohag Bihu, which marks the Assamese New Year.
The state government of Assam is planning to bring together 11,140 artistes from all districts of the state to perform this dance at Guwahati’s Sarusajai Stadium to create a Guinness Record.