11. What is ‘Raccoon Stealer’ which was seen in the news?
[A] Animal
[B] Malware
[C] Crypto-currency
[D] Super computer
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Malware]
Notes:
Raccoon Stealer is an information stealing malware that is usually delivered via email. It was used to target 8 central government entities of India, including the IT Department and central paramilitary forces.
National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), a specialised intelligence agency under the National Security Advisor, wrote to the affected agencies informing them of the attack.
12. Project CAVForth is the first registered service of which country to use full-sized autonomous buses?
[A] USA
[B] UK
[C] India
[D] China
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [UK]
Notes:
Project CAVForth was launched in 2019 to provide fully autonomous full-sized bus service across the Forth Road Bridge.
CAVForth is a joint project of various institutions and it is part funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. It will be the first registered service in the UK to use full-sized autonomous buses. Bus services under this project will be launched in Scotland soon.
13. ‘Hikikomori’ is a phenomenon of living in isolation, prevalently found in which country?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] South Korea
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Japan]
Notes:
In Japan, an estimated 1.5 million working-age people are living in isolation, a phenomenon known as hikikomori.
Due to the phenomenon, they avoid social contact, further raising worries about their mental health and social well-being. According to a survey, the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to about one-fifth of the specific incidents, with the most common reason being “quitting jobs”.
14. ‘Muthuvans’ are tribal cultivators in the hills of which state?
[A] Kerala- Tamil Nadu
[B] Odisha- Jharkhand
[C] Bihar- Jharkhand
[D] Karnataka- Maharashtra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Kerala- Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
Muthuvans are tribal cultivators in the hills of Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore and Kerala’s Adimali and Devikulam forest regions.
According to an expert committee appointed by the Kerala High Court regarding human-animal conflict and the wild tusker Arikompan, the Muthuvan tribal community have coexisted with the wild animals in Chinnakkanal, However, the subsequent unscientific resettlements in the region triggered an increase in human-animal conflict.
15. Genome India Project aims to sequence how many Indian human genomes?
[A] 1000
[B] 10000
[C] 1 lakh
[D] 1 crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [10000]
Notes:
Genome India Project is an initiative of the Central Government that involves sequencing of 10,000 Indian human genomes and creating a database.
The Department of Biotechnology has sequenced close to 7,000 genomes and 3,000 of these are already available for public access.
16. Which country chairs the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] USA
[D] Sri Lanka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [India]
Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in Washington DC to attend the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), along with G20 meetings, Investor/ Bilateral meetings, and other associated meetings.
Finance Minister Sitharaman and RBI Shaktikanta Das will jointly chair the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting.
17. CSIR scientists has recently found rare-earth elements (REEs) in which state/UT?
[A] Chhattisgarh
[B] Assam
[C] Sikkim
[D] Andhra Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
Scientists at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) facility, reported the presence of rare-earth elements (REEs) in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.
These elements are key components in many electronic devices and whose industrial applications span sectors like imaging, aerospace, and defence.
18. When is the ‘World Homoeopathy Day’ observed every year?
[A] April 1
[B] April 5
[C] April 10
[D] April 15
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [April 10]
Notes:
The World Homeopathy Day is celebrated each year on April 10 to pay tribute to homoeopathy and its contribution to the world of medicine.
The day is observed on the birth anniversary of German physician Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homoeopathy. Homeopathy is one of the popular alternative medical systems in India.
19. Which state passed the ‘Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill 2023’?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Goa
[C] Odisha
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Goa]
Notes:
The Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill 2023 was passed recently by the state legislative assembly.
It seeks to impose restrictions of the sale of agricultural lands in Goa to non-agriculturalists. It aims to save the state’s paddy fields from being taken over by buyers for non-agriculture purposes.
20. Indian companies signed MoUs with which country during ‘Invest in Maharashtra Conference’?
[A] USA
[B] Germany
[C] France
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [France]
Notes:
Invest in Maharashtra Conference was organized recently in Mumbai by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce. During this event, Indian and French companies signed MoUs and Letters of Intent to invest in India.
Indian and French companies signed Memorandums of Understanding and Letters Of Intent in Mumbai during the ‘Invest in Maharashtra’ conference, organized by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce – (IFCCI).