1. What is ‘Sierra Madre’, recently seen in the news?
[A] Submarine
[B] Landing ship
[C] Earth observation satellite
[D] Exoplanet
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Landing ship]
Notes:
China demands removal of the Sierra Madre ship, rejected by the Philippines. Commissioned in 1944 for WWII, it served in Vietnam before being transferred to the Philippines in 1976. It was positioned deliberately in 1999 at Second Thomas Shoal, part of the disputed Spratly Islands, to reinforce territorial claims. China’s ships and water cannons threaten supply boats in the area. Removal risks weakening Philippines’ claims and bolstering Chinese presence.
2. TacticAI, recently seen in news, is developed by which company?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Meta
[C] Google
[D] Amazon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Google]
Notes:
Google’s DeepMind collaborated with Liverpool Football Club to develop TacticAI, an AI system focusing on corner kick tactics. This tool offers predictive and generative insights, aiding football managers in strategic decisions. It allows coaches to sample various player setups for corner kicks, selecting the most successful ones. TacticAI integrates both predictive and generative components, enhancing its effectiveness in tactical analysis.
3. Taam Ja’ Blue Hole, recently in the news, is located in which country?
[A] Costa Rica
[B] Cuba
[C] Mexico
[D] Jamaica
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Mexico]
Notes:
Scientists continue to explore Mexico’s Taam Ja’ Blue Hole in Chetumal Bay, hinting at a connection to a complex network of underwater caves. Blue holes, like Taam Ja’, are sinkholes formed by the dissolution of soluble rock, such as limestone. Taam Ja’ is the world’s deepest known underwater sinkhole, plunging at least 1,380 feet below sea level. It surpasses the previous record holder, the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole, by 390 feet.
4. Recently, who has been re-inducted into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) core group ahead of the Paris Games?
[A] Pooja Khanna
[B] Deepika Kumari
[C] Gagandeep Kaur
[D] Muskan Kirar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Deepika Kumari]
Notes:
Former world number one archer Deepika Kumari re-inducted into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) core group for Paris Games. TOPS, initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2014 (revamped in 2018), aims to enhance India’s Olympic and Paralympic performance. Funded by the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) and Khelo India scheme, it identifies elite athletes through the TOPS Elite Athletes’ Identification Committee and provides targeted training via the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC).
5. Recently, who has been appointed as the Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT)?
[A] Meera Swarup
[B] Dheeraj Bhatnagar
[C] Dinesh Kumar
[D] JP Devdhar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Dinesh Kumar]
Notes:
Justice (retired) Dinesh Kumar, former Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, has been appointed as the Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), filling a 4-month vacancy left by Justice Tarun Aggarwal’s retirement in December 2023. SAT, an autonomous body under the SEBI Act, 1992, hears appeals against orders from financial regulators like SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDAI, aiming to streamline appeal processes outside of High Courts.
6. Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan, recently seen in news, is an initiative of which organization?
[A] IUCN
[B] WMO
[C] WHO
[D] WWF
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [IUCN]
Notes:
A new study highlights Red colobus as key to tropical forest conservation. Imperiled across Africa, they’re vital biodiversity indicators and one of two major simian groups globally. Facing extinction due to hunting and habitat loss, over half are Endangered or Critically Endangered. The Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan, led by IUCN, aims to prioritize their conservation, safeguarding Africa’s forests and curbing unsustainable hunting.
7. Recently, which organization has advised all states and UTs to “completely prohibit” all harmful sharp threads or “manjha”?
[A] National Green Tribunal
[B] Animal Welfare Board of India
[C] National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board
[D] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Animal Welfare Board of India ]
Notes:
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has urged states and UTs to fully prohibit harmful sharp threads or “manjha.” The Delhi High Court instructed the Delhi government to establish a policy for compensating victims of accidents caused by Chinese manjha. In 2017, the NGT mandated a complete ban on manjha. AWBI, a statutory advisory body founded under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, operates from Ballabhgarh, Faridabad, Haryana, focusing on animal welfare and providing grants.
8. Recently, where was the event titled “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” organized?
[A] London
[B] Paris
[C] New York
[D] New Delhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [New York]
Notes:
On May 3, 2024, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, with UNFPA, host “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” during CPD57 in New York. Elected women representatives, including Sabhadhipati Supriya Das Datta (Tripura), Sarpanch Kunuku Hema Kumari (Andhra Pradesh), and Sarpanch Neeru Yadav (Rajasthan), led by Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj, will showcase Indian women’s grassroots leadership.
9. Recently, India and the Netherlands organized which round of foreign consultations in The Hague?
[A] 11th
[B] 12th
[C] 13th
[D] 14th
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [12th]
Notes:
India and the Netherlands held the 12th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in The Hague on May 2, 2024. The consultations were led by Shri Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The meeting was a chance to evaluate progress since the last FOC in New Delhi in December 2022. During the meeting, India and the Netherlands agreed to strengthen their bilateral ties by focusing on new technologies like green hydrogen and semiconductors.
10. Who have been named as laureates of the 2024 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize?
[A] Russian journalists
[B] Ukrainian journalists
[C] Palestinian journalists
[D] Chinese journalists
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Palestinian journalists]
Notes:
Palestinian journalists covering Gaza won the 2024 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, recognizing their bravery in perilous conditions. The award ceremony held on 2 May during the World Press Freedom Conference in Santiago, Chile. Amid ongoing Gaza conflict, 26 journalists and media workers lost their lives since October 2023, prompting UNESCO to call for collective action to safeguard journalists worldwide. Additional cases of concern are under review.
