1. ‘Operation Rakth Chandan’ was associated with which institution?
[A] Narcotics Control Bureau
[B] Indian Army
[C] Indian Navy
[D] Directorate of Revenue Intelligence
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Directorate of Revenue Intelligence]
Notes:
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recently launched Operation Rakth Chandan recovered 14.63 MT of Red Sanders estimated at Rs 11.70 crores in the international market.
The red sanders were seized from a consignment at ICD Sabarmati which was to be exported to Sharjah, UAE. The suspect container was scanned through a ‘container scanning device’.
2. India signed the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) annual report with which country?
[A] Nepal
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Pakistan
[D] China
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Pakistan]
Notes:
The 118th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) comprising Indus Commissioners of India and Pakistan was recently organised.
During the meeting, the annual report for the year ending on March 31, 2022, was finalised and signed. The next meeting of the PIC would be held in Pakistan. According to the of the Indus Waters Treaty, around 33-million-acre feet water of eastern rivers- Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi is allocated to India for unrestricted use annually, and about 135 MAF of western rivers-Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab to Pakistan.
3. Frontier, the world’s fastest supercomputer, is developed in which country?
[A] USA
[B] Russia
[C] China
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [USA]
Notes:
‘Frontier’ became the world’s fastest supercomputer, according to the Top500 list of world’s most powerful supercomputers with Linmark benchmark score of 1.1 exaflops.
It is a supercomputer built using Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) architecture and equipped with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) processors. It surpassed Fugaku, Japan’s supercomputer jointly developed by RIKEN and Fujitsu Ltd., which topped the supercomputer benchmarking index in 2020.
4. The ‘International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories’ is observed in which month?
[A] April
[B] May
[C] June
[D] July
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [May]
Notes:
The ‘International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories’ is observed from May 25 to May 31.
In the UN Charter, a Non-Self-Governing Territory is defined as a Territory “whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government.” At present, there are 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remaining.
5. In which year, Telangana was carved out of erstwhile unified Andhra Pradesh?
[A] 2012
[B] 2014
[C] 2016
[D] 2017
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [2014]
Notes:
Telangana was carved out of erstwhile unified Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2014 as India’s 29th state. At present, it is the 28th state as Jammu and Kashmir was made a Union Territory in 2019.
The Centre for the first time organised Telangana Formation Day celebrations in Delhi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah was the chief guest. The victory of the Telangana Movement forced the bifurcation of then Andhra Pradesh.
6. Which country has recently voted to join the European Union’s Defence policy?
[A] Switzerland
[B] Denmark
[C] Malta
[D] Vatican City
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Denmark]
Notes:
Denmark is set to join the European Union’s defence policy after it held a referendum for the decision. Denmark is the only EU member that is not part of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
The Denmark government has succeeded in abolishing an exemption secured in a 1993 referendum on the Maastricht Treaty. Sweden and Finland also placed historic bids to join NATO, which will be taken up at the upcoming summit.
7. Which country signed deals worth USD 1 billion to settle the land claim of ‘Siksika tribe’?
[A] USA
[B] Australia
[C] Canada
[D] New Zealand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Canada]
Notes:
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently signed deals worth 1.3 billion Canadian dollars to settle a Blackfoot tribe’s land claim.
The 1.3 billion Canadian dollar (USD 1 billion) settlement is one of the largest agreements of its kind reached in Canada. It aims to correct the mistakes dating back over a century when Canadian government broke promise and wrongfully took half of Siksika Nation’s reserve land to sell to settlers.
8. In which year, the ‘United Nations Conference on the Environment’ (Stockholm Conference) was organised?
[A] 1964
[B] 1972
[C] 1986
[D] 1992
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [1972]
Notes:The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm was the first world conference to make the environment a major issue. It was also called as ‘Stockholm Conference’.
The Stockholm+50 Conference was recently organised in 2022, to commemorate 50 years since the first meeting held. Scientists, researchers and activists gathered in the meeting convened by the United Nations General Assembly in Stockholm, Sweden.
9. Which country hosted the 10-day meeting of parties to the Antarctic Treaty?
[A] China
[B] Germany
[C] Russia
[D] India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Germany]
Notes:
Germany has recently hosted the 10-day meeting of parties to the Antarctic Treaty in Berlin. A majority of parties held the opinion that there is scientific evidence for the emperor penguins species to be put under the special protection.
It is said that China has blocked efforts to step up protection of emperor penguins in Antarctica. The species are threatened by the effects of global warming on their natural habitat in Antarctica.
10. What is the expansion of ‘D2M broadcasting’, which was seen in the news recently?
[A] Digital-to-Mobile
[B] Direct-to-Mobile
[C] Device-to-Mobile
[D] Direct-to-Movie
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Direct-to-Mobile]
Notes:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati are exploring the feasibility of a technology called ‘direct-to-mobile’ (D2M) broadcasting.
It allows broadcasting video and other forms of multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without the need of an active internet connection. The technology is also expected to improve consumption of broadband and utilisation of spectrum.