11. Who is the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Ranji Trophy match?
[A] Jaydev Unadkat
[B] Ravichandran Ashwin
[C] Jasprit Bumrah
[D] Mohammed Shami
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Jaydev Unadkat]
Notes:
Saurashtra cricket captain Jaydev Unadkat became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Ranji Trophy match.
The bowler achieved the feat in Saurashtra’s Elite Group B match against Delhi at Rajkot, after picking up six wickets for 29 runs in his nine overs. Unadkat was recently part of India’s squad that toured Bangladesh.
12. Which country developed the Aadhaar-like platform for 9 countries called ‘Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP)’?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Israel
[D] USA
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [India]
Notes:
International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB) has developed a platform to provide Aadhaar-like digital identities for nine countries.
The Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP) is a digital identity platform. Citizens of Philippines, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Ethiopia, Republic of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Togolese Republic will enrol on the platform.
13. India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a Strategic Dialogue with his counterpart from which country?
[A] USA
[B] France
[C] Australia
[D] Sri Lanka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [France]
Notes:
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his French counterpart Emmanuel Bonne held discussions on defence and security cooperation.
In addition to being the diplomatic advisor to the French president, Emmanuel Bonne is also France’s G7-G20 sherpa.
14. Which start-up built the ‘AzaadiSAT’ satellite, which is made by 750 school girls?
[A] Dhruv Aerospace
[B] Pixxel
[C] Space Kidz India
[D] Astra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Space Kidz India]
Notes:
Space Kidz India, a Chennai-based space tech start-up is set to launch their satellite made by 750 girls from government schools aboard an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launch vehicle.
A targeted launch date of January 16 has been set for the satellite named AzaadiSAT. Space Kidz India selected 10 girl students from 75 government schools across the country for this mission. The project is also supported by Niti Aayog.
15. ‘Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium’ is located in which state?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Odisha
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Odisha]
Notes:
Odisha Government recently inaugurated the ‘Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium’ in Rourkela. The state government claims that it is the world’s largest facility in terms of seating capacity and certified by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
The Rourkela facility will host the Men’s World Cup Hockey, organised by the FIH, along with Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar from January 13 to 29, 2023.
16. Kilauea Volcano, which was seen in the news, is located in which country?
[A] Indonesia
[B] Philippines
[C] Hawaii (USA)
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Hawaii (USA)]
Notes:
Kilauea Volcano, located in the Hawaii state of the USA is considered as one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.
The summit of Kilauea is located inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The Kilauea volcano has started erupting after a brief pause. Its neighbour named the Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world, erupted for the first time in 38 years last month.
17. M Pranesh, who was seen in the news, is associated with which sports?
[A] Badminton
[B] Chess
[C] Swimming
[D] Boxing
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Chess]
Notes:
M Pranesh from Tamil Nadu recently became India’s 79th chess Grandmaster, after winning the title in Rilton Cup at Stockholm, the first tournament of the FIDE Circuit.
The 16-year-old Indian seeded 22nd won eight games and finished a full point ahead of IM Kaan Kucuksari (Sweden) and GM Nikita Meshkovs (Latvia). The tournament saw participation from a total of 136 players from 29 nations.
18. ‘Lecanemab’, which was granted approval by the US FDA, is used to treat which disease?
[A] COVID-19
[B] Alzheimer
[C] Cancer
[D] Diabetes
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Alzheimer]
Notes:
The US Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for the Alzheimer’s disease drug Lecanemab.
The drug has shown “potential” as an Alzheimer’s disease treatment by appearing to slow progression. Though it is not a cure, the drug works by binding to amyloid beta, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
19. Which Indian state launched the caste-based census?
[A] Bihar
[B] Assam
[C] West Bengal
[D] Jharkhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bihar]
Notes:
The first phase of the caste-based census kicked off in Bihar, in which the number of all households in the state will be counted.
The Bihar cabinet on June 2, 2022 decided to conduct the caste-based census in the state. The decadal census conducted by the Union Government counts religious groups and Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
20. Which state won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission?
[A] Kolkata
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Odisha
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Odisha]
Notes:
Odisha has won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission initiative of the state. Jaga mission is the world’s largest land titling and slum upgrading program which aims at empowering the lives of slum dwellers.
Odisha is undertaking Jaga Mission to upgrade all of the state’s 2,919 slums. In the last five years of the initiative, 1,75,000 families have been granted land tenure security.