21. Which country announced India as the theme country at its 2025 International Book Fair?
[A] Sweden
[B] Spain
[C] Germany
[D] Italy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Spain]
Notes:
India will be invited as the theme country at the Madrid International Book Fair in 2025, the Ambassador of Spain to the country Jose Maria Ridao.
Spain is the theme country at the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair, which began recently. As part of the cultural exchange between the two countries, Spain has donated books to five universities in Bengal.
22. Which city launched ‘Digital India Van’ as a part of the meeting of G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG)?
[A] Pune
[B] Lucknow
[C] Ahmedabad
[D] Kochi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Lucknow]
Notes:
Lucknow will host the first meeting of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG). A Digital India Mobile Van has been introduced with respect to the meeting.
The Digital India Mobile Van will tour other cities in the country, enlightening citizens about G20 DEWG and Digital India’s key initiatives including PMJDY, DigiLocker, Aadhaar, UMANG, e-Way Bill, e-Aushadhi, Aarogya Setu, Co-WIN, e-Rupi, and India Stack Global.
23. India established a ‘Trade and Technology Council (TTC)’ along with which bloc?
[A] SAARC
[B] ASEAN
[C] EU
[D] G-20
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [EU]
Notes:
The India-EU Trade and Technology Council was jointly established by the European Union and India.
Under this new council, three working groups have been set up with the focus on strategic technologies, digital governance, and digital connectivity; green and clean energy technologies; and trade, investment, and resilient value chains. The working groups will be responsible for preparing for the TTC meeting, which is set to take place before the next bilateral India-EU summit.
24. Which country is the host of the ‘International Marine Protected Areas Congress’ in 2023?
[A] Canada
[B] Australia
[C] Chile
[D] Argentina
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Canada]
Notes:
Experts at the 5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Canada have recommended the setting up of Marine Protected Areas.
Marine protected areas are regions in the ocean where human activities are regulated by the government. These protected areas are set up to address issues such as pollution, litter, overfishing, and climate change.
25. Aaron Finch, who announces retirement from International Cricket, is from which country?
[A] England
[B] South Africa
[C] Australia
[D] West Indies
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Australia]
Notes:
Australian men’s T20 captain Aaron Finch announced his retirement from international cricket. The 36-year-old led Australia to its maiden T20 World Cup victory in 2021.
Aaron Finch has captained the team in 76 of the 103 T20 internationals he has played since debuting against England in 2011. He retired as Australia’s one-day skipper last September.
26. As per a recent government data, half of India’s migrant population works in countries of which bloc?
[A] ASEAN
[B] OPEC
[C] GCC
[D] SAARC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [GCC]
Notes:
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a union of six Arab states namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Indian Government revealed that around half of India’s migrant population works in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Most of the migrants are semi-skilled or unskilled workers, while 20-23% are white-collar professionals such as doctors, engineers, architects, chartered accountants, and bankers.
27. Which Indian reformer found the ‘Arya Samaj’?
[A] Rabindranath Tagore
[B] Dayanand Saraswati
[C] Ramakrishna Paramahams
[D] Shri Aurobindo
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Dayanand Saraswati]
Notes:
Dayanand Saraswati was an Indian philosopher and social reformer who founded the Arya Samaj, a movement aimed at promoting Hindu reformation and the pursuit of Vedic knowledge.
He believed in the unity of God and rejected the caste system and idol worship. Dayanand Saraswati is known for highlighting the importance of education, particularly for girls and the downtrodden sector. His birth anniversary was recently observed in India.
28. Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove delta is governed by India along with which country?
[A] Nepal
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Myanmar
[D] Laos
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bangladesh]
Notes:
Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It is the world’s largest mangrove delta, governed by the Governments of India and Bangladesh.
Wildlife enthusiasts spot 145 different species during the first Sundarban bird festival. Birds like Eurasian curlew, lesser sand plover and brown hawk owl were among the 5,065 birds that were spotted.
29. Brigadier B D Mishra (retired) has been appointed as the Governor/L-G of which state/UT?
[A] Kerala
[B] West Bengal
[C] Himachal Pradesh
[D] Ladakh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ladakh]
Notes:
President of India Droupadi Murmu appointed governors in 12 states and a Union Territory while accepting the resignation of two Governors namely Maharashtra’s Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Ladakh’s Radha Krishnan Mathur.
Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais is now Governor of Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh governor Brigadier B D Mishra (retired) has been appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
30. Which tech major is set to shift to the ‘microLED display technology’?
[A] Samsung
[B] Apple
[C] Google
[D] Microsoft
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Apple]
Notes:
MicroLEDs are self-illuminating diodes that have brighter and better colour reproduction than Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display technology.
Apple is currently working on this display technology and plans to implement on future watch models starting in 2024 and expand to phones and desktops. This is considered as the next big transition in display technology.