31. What is the theme of the ‘World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought’ 2022?
[A] Reduced Harmful activities
[B] Rising up from drought together
[C] Healthy Soil; Healthy Earth
[D] Degradation to Restoration
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rising up from drought together]
Notes:
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is marked every year on 17 June across the world. The day focuses on turning degraded land into healthy or fertile soil to combat desertification.
The theme for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is – Rising up from drought together. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is a Convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought.
32. ‘Gaia Mission’, which was found in the news recently, is associated with which space agency?
[A] NASA
[B] CNA
[C] ESA
[D] SpaceX
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [ESA]
Notes:
European Space Agency’s Gaia mission has released a set of new data, which has revealed the phenomena of ‘starquakes’.
Starquakes are massive movements on the surface of stars similar to earthquake. The star-mapping Gaia probe has covered almost 1.8 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The data has also revealed the largest chemical map of the entire Milky Way, showing the DNA of millions of stars.
33. ‘CERT-In’ functions under the aegis of which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
[B] Ministry of Science and Technology
[C] Ministry of Finance
[D] Ministry of Power
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology]
Notes:
‘CERT-In’, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team is an office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It is the nodal agency to deal with cyber security threats.
‘CERT-In’ recently issued threat alerts for multiple software including Adobe and Microsoft products on their website, shared multiple vulnerabilities affecting products from Citrix, Adobe, Microsoft, and Zimbra webmail.
34. Who has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Press Council of India?
[A] Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai
[B] Justice Ajay Kumar Sikri
[C] Justice Sadasivan
[D] Justice Y Chandrachud
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai]
Notes:
Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai has been nominated as Chairperson of the Press Council of India.
She replaced the retired Justice CK Prasad who vacated office in November 2021. Justice Desai has also served as the chairman of the Delimitation Commission on Jammu and Kashmir, Public prosecutor for the state of Maharashtra and as a Judge on the Bombay High Court.
35. Which Indian bagged the Lance Pannell Pacific International Snooker title in Melbourne?
[A] Pankaj Advani
[B] Sourav Kothari
[C] R Praggnananda
[D] Geet Sethi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sourav Kothari]
Notes:
Former world billiards champion Sourav Kothari of India won the Lance Pannell Pacific International Snooker title in Melbourne and Pacific International Billiards Championship.
The 37 year old became only the second cueist ever to achieve a double title in the Pacific International after Matthew Bolton of Australia.
36. The ‘Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)’ functions under the aegis of which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Labour and Employment
[B] Ministry of Finance
[C] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[D] Ministry of MSME
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Labour and Employment]
Notes:
The ‘Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)’ functions under the aegis of Ministry of Labour and Employment.
ESIC has announced that its Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme will be implemented throughout the country by the end of 2022. The health insurance scheme is fully implemented in 443 districts and partially implemented in 153 districts. As many as 148 districts are not covered under the ESI Scheme at present.
37. Which is the main venue of the eighth International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations in India?
[A] Gandhi Nagar
[B] Mysuru
[C] Hyderabad
[D] Patna
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mysuru]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the eighth International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations in Karnataka’s Mysuru. The theme of this year’s Yoga Day celebrations is ‘Yoga for Humanity’.
Over 25 crore people across the world took part in various events and doing yoga in unison. A programme in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs has also been organised for a mass Yoga Protocol around the world on the day following the movement of the sun.
38. What is the rank of India in the World Gold Council (WGC) report of largest gold recyclers?
[A] First
[B] Third
[C] Fourth
[D] Sixth
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Fourth]
Notes:
According to a World Gold Council (WGC) report titled ‘Gold refining and recycling’, India has emerged as the fourth largest recycler in the world.
India has recycled 75 tonnes in 2021 while China topped the chart as it recycled 168 tonnes followed by Italy in the second position with 80 tonnes and the US at the third rank with 78 tonnes in 2021. India’s gold refining capacity increased by 1,500 tonnes (500 per cent) in 2021 from 300 tonnes in 2013.
39. UNSC 1267 committee, that was recently in news, was set up in which year?
[A] 1999
[B] 2001
[C] 2020
[D] 2022
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [1999]
Notes:
The UNSC 1267 committee was set up in the year 1999. It was strengthened in 2001 following the 9/11 attack. Its members include both the permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC. It is also known as Da’esh and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
40. Bashi Channel, which was making news recently, is part of which strait in the Pacific Ocean?
[A] Taiwan Strait
[B] Luzon Strait
[C] Karimata Strait
[D] Malacca Strait
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Luzon Strait]
Notes:
The Bashi Channel, which connects the South China Sea with the western Pacific Ocean, is a waterway between the Philippines’ northern island of Luzon and the Taiwanese island of Orchid. It is part of the Luzon Strait, which connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea.