1. Recently, which Indian athlete won the silver medal at the ‘Asian Cadet Judo Championships’?
[A] Himanshi Tokas
[B] Tulika Maan
[C] Jaya Chaudhary
[D] Sushila Devi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Himanshi Tokas]
Notes:
Himanshi Tokas won a silver medal at the Asian Cadet and Junior Judo Championships. The event took place in Mungyeong, South Korea. Himanshi competed in the women’s 63-kilogram weight category. She is 19 years old and part of the Khelo Bharat program. 12 members from India participated in the competition. The event is concluded at the Mungyeong Gymnasium.
2. Recently, where was the “National Conference of District Judiciary” held?
[A] Bengaluru
[B] Hyderabad
[C] Chennai
[D] New Delhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [New Delhi]
Notes:
The Supreme Court of India organized a two-day National Conference of the District Judiciary on August 31 and September 1, 2024 in New Delhi. The conference was inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam, where a coin and postage stamp were released to commemorate 75 years of the Apex Court. The event featured six sessions attended by over 800 participants from the district judiciary across all States and Union Territories. Sessions focused on improving infrastructure, accessibility, and inclusivity in the judiciary, addressing judicial security, case management strategies, and enhancing judicial training programs. The conference also discussed how higher courts can better support district judiciary needs.
3. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, recently seen in the news, is located in which state?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Odisha
[C] Gujarat
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
Poachers killed two chitals in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and stole a rifle from a forest guard. It is located in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bahraich districts. It lies near the India-Nepal border, in the foothills of the Himalayas and the Terai plains. The Gomti River originates from Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, with other rivers like Sharda also flowing through it. The reserve has a North Indian moist deciduous type of vegetation. It experiences a hot and dry climate with dry teak forests. Chitals, common in Indian forests, inhabit subtropical grasslands and forests across South Asia.
4. Recently, which state government has been launched ‘Project Bhediya’ to capture wolves?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Odisha
[C] Bihar
[D] Haryana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
A recent man-eating wolf attack in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, has put about 35 villages on high alert. Forest officials have launched ‘Project Bhediya’ to capture the wolves involved. India has two wolf species: the Indian Wolf in peninsular regions and the Himalayan Wolf in the upper trans-Himalayan ranges. Wolves are highly social, living in packs of 6-8, running at high speeds, and maintaining a male dominance hierarchy. They communicate through vocalizations and scent-marking. Grey Wolf is listed as Least Concern by IUCN, while the Himalayan Wolf is Vulnerable; both are protected under Schedule I of WPA, 1974.
5. Durand cup, recently seen in the news, is associated with which sports?
[A] Basketball
[B] Football
[C] Hockey
[D] Cricket
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Football]
Notes:
NorthEast United FC won its first Durand Cup title by beating Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4-3 in a penalty shootout. The final was held at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on 31 August 2024. The 133rd Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest football tournament, was played in Kolkata, Kokrajhar, Jamshedpur, and Shillong from 27 July to 31 August 2024. Mohun Bagan, with 17 Durand Cup wins, couldn’t defend its title. Mohun Bagan led with two first-half goals, but NorthEast United equalized with two second-half goals. In the penalty shootout, NEUFC’s goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh made two crucial saves for the win.The Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest football tournament, and the 2024 edition was its 133rd year. NEUFC, based in Guwahati, Assam, is the only club from the Northeast in the Indian Super League.
6. Recently, where was the “World Deaf Shooting Championship 2024” held?
[A] Beijing, China
[B] New Delhi, India
[C] Paris, France
[D] Hanover, Germany
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Hanover, Germany]
Notes:
Indian shooter Dhanush Srikanth won three gold medals at the 2024 World Deaf Shooting Championship. World Deaf Shooting Championship 2024 being held at Hanover in Germany. The championship, organized by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, is being held from August 29 to September 8, 2024.
7. What is the primary objective of the ‘Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)’, recently seen in news?
[A] To promote economic trade among member states
[B] To promote regional security by addressing transnational threats
[C] To establish a common currency for member states
[D] To develop a regional space program
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [To promote regional security by addressing transnational threats]
Notes:
Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) member states signed a Charter and MoU to establish the CSC Secretariat in Colombo. CSC is a regional security group that includes India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius. Its main goal is to enhance regional security by addressing shared transnational threats. CSC started as the Trilateral for Maritime Security Cooperation in 2011, involving India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. Tensions between India and the Maldives paused its activities after 2014. Revived and renamed in 2020, Mauritius and Bangladesh joined as members, with Seychelles as an observer. CSC meetings include National Security Advisors and their deputies.
8. Which organization recently released “India Development Update: India’s Trade Opportunities in a Changing Global Context” report?
[A] World Bank
[B] International Monetary Fund
[C] United Nations Development Programme
[D] International Labour Organization
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [World Bank]
Notes:
The World Bank stated that India’s medium-term outlook remains positive despite challenging global conditions. India’s growth is expected to reach 7% in the financial year 2024-25 and stay strong in 2025-26 and 2026-27. The World Bank released a report ‘India Development Update: India’s Trade Opportunities in a Changing Global Context’ on 3 September 2024. With strong revenue growth and fiscal consolidation, the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to decrease from 83.9% in 2023-24 to 82% by 2026-27. The current account deficit is expected to remain around 1 to 1.6% of GDP until 2026-27. The World Bank emphasized the importance of trade for growth but noted that increased protectionism and barriers could limit trade opportunities.
9. What is ‘Drug Repurposing’, recently mentioned in news?
[A] Modifying the chemical structure of drugs
[B] Using an existing drug for a new treatment or medical condition
[C] Increasing the dosage of drugs in treatment
[D] Combining different drugs for a new treatment
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Using an existing drug for a new treatment or medical condition]
Notes:
Researchers have discovered that an antidepressant drug has potential for cancer management through drug repurposing. Drug repurposing involves using existing drugs for new treatments or conditions not originally intended. This process, also known as drug repositioning or reprofiling, identifies new uses for drugs initially developed for different medical conditions. It is often an unexpected discovery with the goal of finding compounds with established safety profiles that could be effective for other diseases. Pharmaceutical companies use drug repurposing to address rare diseases, cancer, infections, autoimmune diseases, and more. This approach can significantly reduce the time and cost compared to developing new drugs from scratch.
10. Oceanic Nino Index (ONI), which was seen in the news, is primary indicator of which organization?
[A] United Nations Environment Programme
[B] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[C] World Meteorological Organization
[D] World Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ]
Notes:
The impact of El Niño and La Niña on the Indian monsoon is under study. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) is crucial for understanding the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics. ONI is the primary indicator used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a U.S. agency, to monitor ENSO. ONI measures the rolling 3-month average temperature difference in the surface waters of the east-central tropical Pacific near the International Dateline. An ONI value of +0.5 or higher indicates El Niño, while -0.5 or lower indicates La Niña.