21. What is the maturity period of the Sovereign gold bond (SGB) scheme?
[A] 5 years
[B] 6 years
[C] 8 years
[D] 10 years
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [8 years]
Notes:
Sovereign gold bonds (SGB) are government securities denominated in grams of gold, issued by the RBI on behalf of the Government of India.
The maturity period of the sovereign gold bond is eight years. The premature redemption is permitted after the fifth year from the date of issue of such gold bonds on the interest payout date.
22. An ancient Roman settlement has been recently found by the archaeologists in which country?
[A] Greece
[B] UK
[C] USA
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [UK]
Notes:
The researchers from the United Kingdom found an ancient Roman settlement site while investigating the route of the construction of upcoming high-speed railway called HS2.
In a recent excavation, Scientists could find 40 decapitated skeletons, which were likely to have been executed criminals. Many of these were buried in graves with their severed heads placed between their legs or at their feet. The team earlier found 1,200 coins, pottery, cutlery, gaming dice, bells and lead weights.
23. Which developing country has imposed a ban on Import of Drones?
[A] India
[B] Indonesia
[C] Argentina
[D] Brazil
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [India]
Notes:
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced that the import of drones is banned. The order exempted those used for research and development, defense, and security purposes.
This move also blocks the market for China’s SZ DJI Technology Co., the world’s top dronemaker, and encourages India’s local industry to increase production. Import of some drone components will be allowed.
24. As per a recent study, which national park of India is releasing more carbon than it is absorbing?
[A] Pakke Tiger Reserve
[B] Namdapha National Park
[C] Kaziranga National Park
[D] Kuno National Park
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Kaziranga National Park]
Notes:
As per a recent research, Kaziranga National Park in Assam, is releasing more carbon than it is absorbing.
The National Park is home to the largest-population of the one-horned rhinoceros in the world. Usually, forests absorb more carbon than they release, which makes them carbon sinks. This is mainly due to decreasing rainfall in the region.
25. Which country is the host of One Summit, which was seen in the news recently?
[A] USA
[B] France
[C] Russia
[D] China
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [France]
Notes:
One Ocean Summit is being organised by France in cooperation with the United Nations and the World Bank.
India supported the French initiative of a ‘High Ambition Coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction’. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the conference and said that India is committed to eliminating single-use plastic.
26. What is the approximate number of cyber crimes in India in 2020, as per NCRB Crime in India report?
[A] 20000
[B] 35000
[C] 50000
[D] 75000
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [50000]
Notes:
As per the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data, India reported an 11 per cent jump in cyber crime in 2020.
A total of 50,035 cases were registered under cyber crimes in 2020. This is an 11.8 per cent in registration over 2019 (44,735 cases). In 2020, 60.2 per cent of cyber-crime cases registered was for the motive of fraud. It is followed by sexual exploitation (6.6 per cent) and extortion (4.9 per cent).
27. Which Indian state has the highest number of killings as a part of ‘Witch Hunting’, as per NCRB?
[A] Jharkhand
[B] Odisha
[C] Gujarat
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Jharkhand]
Notes:
The number of killings as a part of ‘Witch Hunting’ is the second-highest in Odisha, after Jharkhand, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The Odisha State Commission for Women (SCW) has recently sought stringent provisions in the Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act 2013. It also demanded that branding of victims be treated as heinous crime and punishable in the State.
28. ’SMILE’ is a Central Sector scheme launched by which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
[B] Ministry of Education
[C] Ministry of MSME
[D] Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment]
Notes:
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the Central Sector scheme “SMILE: Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”.
This umbrella scheme is designed to provide welfare measures to the Transgender community and the people engaged in the act of begging. The Ministry has allocated Rs. 365 Crore for the scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
29. Luc Montagnier, who passed away recently, won Nobel Prize for Medicine for which discovery?
[A] Human Immunodeficiency Virus
[B] Ebola
[C] Chikungunya
[D] Rotavirus
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Human Immunodeficiency Virus]
Notes:
Veteran Nobel-winning virologist Luc Montagnier died in Paris recently. He won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2008 for the discovery of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus that causes AIDS, along with his colleague Francoise Barr-Sinoussi.
He had also shared half of the Nobel with German scientist Harald zur Hausen for his discovery of Human papilloma viruses that cause cervical cancer.
30. Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been re-elected as the President of which country?
[A] France
[B] Germany
[C] Italy
[D] Austria
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Germany]
Notes:
Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been elected to a second term as Germany’s President. A special assembly voted the veteran politician, to the President Post.
Steinmeier was elected by secret ballot by a majority of the assembly for another five years. German presidents are elected by special assemblies comprising lawmakers and hundreds of other prominent citizens.