Manthan Weekly General Awareness - 29th April - 5th May 2024 PDF

 1 () p‖3zzzZ MANTHAN A General Awareness Weekly 29th April to 5th May, 2024 1 a A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 1 PREFACE Dear Students, The ‗Current Affairs‘ secti...

 1 () p‖3zzzZ MANTHAN A General Awareness Weekly 29th April to 5th May, 2024 1 a A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 1 PREFACE Dear Students, The ‗Current Affairs‘ section is an integral part of any examination. This edition of Manthan has been developed by our team to help you cover all the important events of the Week. This comprehensive bulletin will help you prepare the section in a vivid manner. We hope that our sincere efforts will serve you in a better way to fulfill aspirations. Happy Reading Team CL Page : 2 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024  POLITY AND GOVERNANCE National SCO Defence Ministers‘ Meeting in Kazakhstan endorses ‗One Earth, One Family, One Future‘  Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers‘ meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. During the meeting, a protocol was signed by the Defence Ministers of all SCO Member States. A Joint Communique was issued after the meeting, in which the SCO Defence Ministers agreed, amongst other initiatives, to developing the idea of ‗One Earth, One Family, One Future‘, which is rooted in the ancient Indian philosophy of ‗Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam‘.  At the meeting, the Defence Secretary reiterated India‘s steadfast commitment towards maintaining peace, stability and security in the SCO region. He emphasised the need to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism in all its forms for prosperity and development of the SCO Member States. Shri Giridhar Aramane mentioned about India‘s long-standing proposal of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations. He also highlighted the concept of ‗Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)‘, proposed by India for the Indo-Pacific. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), also known as the Shanghai Pact, is a transcontinental political, economic, security, and military alliance. It is a permanent intergovernmental international organization. The creation of SCO was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China). The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed during the St. Petersburg SCO Heads of State meeting in June 2002, and entered into force on 19 September 2003. In terms of geographic scope and population, it is the world‘s largest regional organization, covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia, 40% of the world population, and more than 30% of global GDP. The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, a mutual security agreement formed in 1996 between China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. Its membership has since expanded to eight states, with India and Pakistan joining on 9 June 2017. Iran started accession as a full member in September 2021 at the Dushanbe Summit in Tajikistan. Iran has been accepted as the ninth full member of the organisation. Several countries are engaged as observers or partners. The SCO is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making body, which meets once a year. Military exercises are also regularly conducted among members to promote cooperation and coordination against terrorism and other external threats, and to maintain regional peace and stability. Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi takes charge as 26th Navy chief  Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi assumed command of the Indian Navy as the 26 th Chief of the Naval Staff. He succeeds Admiral R. Hari Kumar who retires upon superannuation after over 40 years of service.  Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi is an alumnus of Sainik School Rewa, Madhya Pradesh and the National Defence Academy. He was commissioned in the Indian Navy in 1985.  He rose through the ranks to become the Commander of the Western Naval Command before becoming the vice-admiral (vice-chief) of the Indian Navy in June 2019. He was also made the commandant of the prestigious Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, Kerala. He was the director general of naval operations from July 2020 to May 2021. A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 3  The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi is the current Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). General Anil Chauhan is a four-star general of the Indian Army, who is the current and 2nd Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces. India to grant full renovation cost of Kankesanthurai Port in northern Sri Lanka  ―The Sri Lankan Cabinet has decided to implement the renovation of the Kankesanthurai Port in the Northern Province with India agreeing to grant the entire cost of the project‖. The decision highlights India‘s commitment to enhancing regional cooperation and supporting Sri Lanka‘s infrastructure development.  The Kankesanthurai Port or the KKS Port, covering an area of approximately 16 acres, is located 104 km (56 nautical miles) from Karaikal Port in Puducherry, India. A direct passenger ship service connects Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to the KKS Port, covering a distance of 111 km (60 nautical miles) in about 3.5 hours. The port has the potential to boost socio-economic development and cultural relations between India and Sri Lanka, particularly in the northern region of the island nation. Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal. Sri Lanka is separated from the India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the official, administrative capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka. Ranil Wickremesinghe is the current President of Sri Lanka, in office since January 2015. Sri Lankan rupee is the currency of Sri Lanka. Dinesh Gunawardena is the current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Riyawan garlic from Madhya Pradesh receives GI tag  Riyawan garlic from Madhya Pradesh receives GI tag. In Madhya Pradesh, Riyawan garlic, renowned for its distinctive bold flavors and higher oil content, has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This recognition marks the second GI tag for the region‘s agricultural produce. A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003. GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement as: ―Indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or a locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.‖ The GI tag ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name. Darjeeling tea became the first GI tagged product in India, in 2004–2005. The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years. It can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each. Hindu marriage not valid ‗unless performed with ceremonies in proper form‘: SC  A Hindu marriage is a ‗samskara‘ or sacrament and cannot be recognised under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 ―unless performed with ceremonies in the proper form‖, the Supreme Court has ruled. Underlining that a Hindu marriage ―is a sacrament which has to be accorded its status as an institution of great value in Indian society‖, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih in an order urged ―young men and women to think deeply about the institution of marriage even before they enter upon it and as to how sacred the said institution is, in Indian society‖.  The top court reminded that ―a (Hindu) marriage is not an event for ‗song and dance‘ and ‗wining and dining‘ or an occasion to demand and exchange dowry and gifts by undue pressure leading to possible initiation of criminal proceedings thereafter‖. The bench further said, ―A marriage is not a commercial transaction. It is a solemn foundational event celebrated so as to establish a relationship between a man and a Page : 4 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024  woman who acquire the status of a husband and wife for an evolving family in future which is a basic unit of Indian society.  A Hindu marriage facilitates procreation, consolidates the unit of family and solidifies the spirit of fraternity within various communities. After all, a marriage is sacred for it provides a lifelong, dignity- affirming, equal, consensual and healthy union of two individuals.  It is considered to be an event that confers salvation upon the individual especially when the rites and ceremonies are conducted.‖ Delving into the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, the bench said that ―unless and until the marriage is performed with appropriate ceremonies and in due form, it cannot be said to be ‗solemnised‘ as per Section 7(1) of the Act‖.  It pointed out that ―further, sub-section (2) of Section 7 states that where such rites and ceremonies include the saptapadi, i.e., the taking of seven steps by the bridegroom and the bride jointly before the sacred fire, the marriage becomes complete and binding when the seventh step is taken. Therefore, requisite ceremonies for the solemnisation of the Hindu marriage must be in accordance with the applicable customs or usage and where saptapadi has been adopted, the marriage becomes complete and binding when the seventh step is taken‖.  The court was dealing with a plea by a woman seeking the transfer of a divorce petition from a court in Muzaffarpur, Bihar to a court in Ranchi, Jharkhand. During the pendency of the petition, she and her former partner, both trained commercial pilots, decided to resolve the dispute by filing a joint application under Article 142 of the Constitution of India. The Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1955 which was passed on 18 May. Three other important acts were also enacted as part of the Hindu Code Bills during this time: the Hindu Succession Act (1956), the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act (1956), the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act (1956). The main purpose of the act was to amend and codify the law relating to marriage among Hindus and others. Besides amending and codifying Sastrik Law, it also included separation and divorce, which also exist in Sastrik Law. India‘s first Astro Tourism Campaign: Uttarakhand Tourism announces ‗Nakshatra Sabha‘  The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board has joined hands with Starscapes, a leading astro-tourism company, to introduce Nakshatra Sabha, a new initiative to provide a comprehensive Astro Tourism experience to people. The campaign will offer a range of activities, including stargazing, special solar observations, astrophotography contests, camping under the stars, and more.  The initiative aims to bring together astronomy enthusiasts, adventurers, and travellers to marvel at the wonders of the cosmos. In addition to offering local residents professional training and skill development opportunities, the campaign seeks to boost local economies and advocate for preserving night skies. By fostering a community of ambassadors dedicated to dark sky conservation efforts throughout Uttarakhand, Nakshatra Sabha will work towards implementing a region-wide dark sky preservation policy over the coming year. Uttarakhand is often referred to as the Devbhumi, due to many Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. On 9 November 2000, Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of India, being created from the Himalayan and adjoining northwestern districts of Uttar Pradesh. Pushkar Singh Dhami is the current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh is serving as the current Governor of Uttarakhand. The winter capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city of the state, which is a rail head. Gairsain, a town in Chamoli district is the summer capital of Uttarakhand. The High Court of the state is located in Nainital. India‘s first Vande Metro rolls out  The first Vande Bharat Metro, a short-distance variant of the Vande Bharat Express trains, was rolled out from the Rail Coach Factory in Punjab‘s Kapurthala. Trial runs for the new-age metro are expected to commence in July. Vande Metro is a short-distance variant of the Vande Bharat Express trains, which is aimed at making travel quicker on a daily basis. The metro will be able to travel at a speed of 130 kilometers per hour. The network will connect 124 cities within a distance of approximately 100-250 kilometers, allowing commuters to travel both within and outside the city. A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 5  The Vande Bharat Express, previously known as Train 18, is a semi-high-speed, electric multiple unit train operated by Indian Railways. It was designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. The first train was manufactured in 18 months at the cost of Rs. 97 crore. The service was named ‗Vande Bharat Express‘ on 27 January 2019. The train was launched on 15 February 2019. The first Vande Bharat Express train, between New Delhi and Varanasi, was flagged off on February 15, 2019. Sudhanshu Mani is the architect and designer of the India‘s first modern semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express. Reserve one-third of posts for women: Supreme Court to SC Bar Association  The Supreme Court asked the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to reserve one-third of its posts for women. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan directed that one post in the bar body administration shall be reserved for women, starting with the treasurer‘s post this year. Further, at least three of the nine junior executive members and two of the six senior executive committee members of the Association shall be women. India set to host the prestigious 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection in 2024  The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), will host the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 46) and the 26 th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP 26) in Kochi, Kerala from May 20-30.  This is in line with India‘s poise to facilitate constructive global dialogue on environmental stewardship, scientific collaboration, and cooperation in Antarctica. The ATCM and meetings of the CEP are pivotal in the international community‘s ongoing efforts to safeguard Antarctica‘s fragile ecosystem and promote scientific research in the region.  Convened annually under the Antarctic Treaty System, these meetings serve as forums for Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties and other stakeholders to address Antarctica‘s pressing environmental, scientific, and governance issues. The Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959 and entered into force in 1961, established Antarctica as a region dedicated to peaceful purposes, scientific cooperation, and environmental protection. Over the years, the Treaty has garnered widespread support, with 56 countries currently party to it. The CEP was established under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol) in 1991. The CEP advises the ATCM on environmental protection and conservation in Antarctica.  India has been a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty since 1983. It participates in the decision-making process along with other 28 Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty to date. India‘s first Antarctic research station, Dakshin Gangotri, was established in 1983.  At present, India operates two year-round research stations: Maitri (1989) and Bharati (2012). The permanent research stations facilitate Indian Scientific Expeditions to Antarctica, which have been ongoing annually since 1981.  In 2022, India enacted the Antarctic Act, reaffirming its commitment to the Antarctic Treaty. As a signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, India remains dedicated to environmental protection, scientific cooperation, and peaceful operations in Antarctica.  The Antarctic Treaty Secretariat (ATS) serves as the administrative hub for the Antarctic Treaty System. Established in 2004, the ATS coordinates the ATCM and CEP meetings, reposits and disseminates information, and facilitates diplomatic communication, exchanges, and negotiations related to Antarctic governance and management. It also monitors compliance with Antarctic Treaty provisions and agreements and provides assistance and guidance to Antarctic Treaty Parties on treaty implementation and enforcement matters. Antarctica is Earth‘s southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of 14,200,000 km2. Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet; with an average thickness of 1.9 km. Antarctica is governed by about 30 countries, all of which are parties of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty System. Page : 6 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024  According to the terms of the treaty, military activity, mining, nuclear explosions, and nuclear waste disposal are all prohibited in Antarctica. With INS Beas, Navy begins converting steam-powered warships to diesel  The Indian Navy has begun the process of converting the propulsion systems of its warships from steam to diesel in a major upgrade aimed at significantly enhancing their life, maintenance support and capability. The conversion of the propulsion system of INS Beas — a Brahmaputra-class frigate — began.  The work is being carried out in collaboration with the government-owned Cochin Shipyard Ltd. The move from the older generation steam to diesel propulsion is being carried out along with several other equipment and system upgrades. The complete midlife upgrade programme is expected to take around two years.  There are plans to convert the remaining ships of the Brahmaputra class — INS Brahmaputra and INS Betwa — from steam to diesel propulsion. Besides these ships, the INS Vikramaditya and the INS Jalashwa are the only other platforms of the Navy that are powered by steam. Chandigarh University becomes India‘s First to Start Harvard Collaborative Business Management Program  Chandigarh University has become the first Indian university to start a Harvard University collaborative business management program by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States based prestigious university to provide aspiring business students international exposure and perspective. Chandigarh University‘s students to be graded with Harvard University students, get placements at top global firms. Patna becomes second most polluted city in India  Patna was the second most polluted city in India recording an air quality index (AQI) of 316, which is classified as ‗very poor‘. Other cities in the state that recorded ‗poor‘ AQI are Siwan (282), Muzaffarpur (233), Hajipur (232) and Bettiah (221). Greater Noida in UP was the most polluted city in the country with an AQI of 346. AQI is an assessment of air quality that takes into account pollutants, including PM 2.5 -- particulate matter less than 2.5 microns, and PM 10. Great Nicobar‘s Shompen tribe votes for first time in general election  The members of the Shompen tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTGs) from the Great Nicobar Islands exercised their votes for the first time in Lok Sabha polls in the Union territory. ―India has an 8.6% tribal population which includes 75 groups of tribals which are PVTGs. The location of new polling booths in previously inaccessible areas has led to the large-scale inclusion of PVTGs,‖. According to the ECI, in last 11 state legislative elections, there were around 900,000 eligible voters from 14 PVTG communities namely Kamar, Bhunjia, Baiga, Pahadi Korwa, Abujhmadia, Birhor, Sahariya, Bhariya, Chenchu, Kolam, Thoti, Kondareddy, Jenu Kuruba and Koraga. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India consisting of 572 islands, of which 37 are inhabited, at the junction of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. It comprises two island groups, the Andaman Islands (partly) and the Nicobar Islands, separated by the 150 km (100 mile) wide Ten Degree Channel (on the 10°N parallel), with the Andaman islands to the north of this latitude, and the Nicobar islands to the south (or by 179 km; 111 miles). The island chains are thought to be a submerged extension of the Arakan Mountains. In December 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a two-day visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, renamed three of the islands as a tribute to Subhas Chandra Bose. Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island; Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep Island; and Havelock Island as Swaraj Island. ------------- A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 7  International India set to sign trade deal with Oman to expand its Middle East ties  India and Oman will sign a trade deal in the coming months, as New Delhi seeks to expand its ties in the Middle East, where rising tensions are putting major shipping routes at risk. ―It will help India with a strategic partner and access to key trade routes in a volatile region‖.  India and Oman have annual trade of less than $13 billion, but the relationship is important for New Delhi as the Gulf nation is a gateway to the narrow Strait of Hormuz between Oman and Iran, a major transit point for global oil shipments. Israel‘s war against Hamas in Gaza has spread to hostilities with Iran, and Yemen‘s Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea area, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Oman is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Muscat is the nation's capital and largest city. The Omani rial is the currency of Oman. Haitham bin Tariq Al Said is the current Sultan of Oman. Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said is Crown Prince of Oman as the son of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq. The world‘s first Sikh court opens in London  Beneath portraits of England‘s 17th-century judiciary, 46 Sikh magistrates and judges took an oath to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and integrity as prescribed by the teachings of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the Sikh faith. Notably, most of them were women.  This was the launch event for the world‘s first Sikh court in London. The court was founded by Sikh lawyers who believe secular judges lacked the religious and cultural expertise required to resolve Sikh disputes. They believe the court will serve as an alternative dispute resolution forum for UK-based Sikhs involved in family or civil disputes. ―The Sikh Court is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) based on a ‗Med- Arb‘ framework, a forum created by Sikh and non-Sikh lawyers and judges from around the world to resolve disputes within the Sikh community‖. Blinken promotes Gulf Arab defence in sign to Israel and Iran  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for tighter defence integration among Gulf Arabs in response to Iran, part of efforts to encourage moderation by Israel by dangling the prospect of better ties with the region. Mr. Blinken was starting his seventh visit to West Asia since the Hamas attacks on Israel, which has responded with a relentless military campaign in the Gaza Strip that has brought growing public pressure for a ceasefire. Qatar Airways to unveil ‗world‘s first AI digital human cabin crew‘ at ATM  Qatar Airways is to unveil what it is calling the ‗world‘s first AI digital human cabin crew‘. Sama 2.0 will be showcased at this year‘s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Dubai. The airline is offering visitors the chance to meet and engage with Sama 2.0 – the second generation of the world‘s first AI-powered digital crew. World‘s first molten salt energy storage facility launched in Denmark  Danish company Hyme Energy has launched the world‘s first energy storage project using molten hydroxide salt, called the Molten Salt Storage (MOSS) facility, located in the city of Esbjerg, Denmark. Page : 8 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Zimbabwe‘s ZiG is world‘s newest currency  Out with the Zimbabwe dollar, in with the ZiG. Zimbabwe started circulating a new currency to replace one that has been battered by depreciation and often outright rejection by the people. The ZiG was introduced electronically in early April, but people are now able to use banknotes and coins.  It‘s the southern African country‘s latest attempt to halt a long-running currency crisis underlining its persistent economic troubles. The government had previously floated various ideas to replace the Zimbabwe dollar, including introducing gold coins to stem inflation and even trying out a digital currency.  Since it was launched electronically on April 5, the ZiG — short for Zimbabwe Gold and backed by the country‘s gold reserves — appears to be heading down the same path of mistrust, with some government departments refusing to accept it. Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers. The capital and largest city is Harare. The Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar or RTG (Zimdollar or zollar, now abbreviated as ZWL or ZWL$) was the only official currency in Zimbabwe from June 2019 to March 2020, after which foreign currencies were allowed for trade in the country again. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is current President of Zimbabwe. UK‘s new ‗world first‘ laws crack down on smart gadget cyber attacks  All internet connected smart devices will be required to meet minimum security standards under what the UK government has dubbed as ―world first‖ laws, effective to protect consumers and businesses from hacking and cyber-attacks.  Under the new regime, manufacturers will be banned from having weak, easily guessable default passwords like ―admin‖ or ―12345‖ and if there is a common password, the user will be prompted to change it on start-up. ―Consumers will have greater peace of mind that their smart devices are protected from cyber criminals, as we introduce world first laws that will make sure their personal privacy, data and finances are safe,‖. Scotland‘s leader resigns as he struggles to win support for weakened government  Scotland‘s first minister, Humza Yousaf, resigned rather than face a no-confidence vote just days after he torpedoed a coalition with the Green Party by ditching a target for fighting climate change. Yousaf, who‘s Scottish National Party, has been weakened by a campaign finance scandal and divisions over transgender rights, stepped down after failing to strike a deal with a breakaway nationalist party whose single seat could have given him a majority in Scotland‘s devolved regional parliament. With no prospect of victory, Yousaf quit rather than face defeat later this week when Scottish lawmakers were scheduled to vote on motions of no confidence in Yousaf and his government. Saudi Arabia launches world‘s first AI Arabic language center  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has launched the world‘s first artificial intelligence (AI) center for automatic processing of the Arabic language, under the name ―Arabic Intelligence Center‖ in Riyadh. It is operated by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language.  The center aims to improve Arabic content in the fields of data and artificial intelligence, support scientific research, and applications to achieve the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence and Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader. Kathmandu Tops List For ‗Unhealthy Air‘ Worldwide: Urgent Mask-Wearing Advisory Issued  In Nepal, the Ministry of Health and Population has urged people to wear masks given the increase in air pollution in Kathmandu valley. The air quality in Kathmandu was at the top of the list of cities with ‗unhealthy air‘ in the world.  According to IQAir, an organization that measures the real-time pollution of 101 cities in the world, Kathmandu was found to be the most polluted city in the world. In terms of pollution, Kathmandu, New Delhi, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Hanoi in Vietnam, Bangkok in Thailand and Dhaka in Bangladesh are ranked first, second, third, fourth and fifth respectively. A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 9   According to the ‗World Air Quality Index-Ranking‘, which measures the level of air pollution around the world, Kathmandu‘s air is at the top of the world‘s unhealthy air list. Air pollution affects the heart and blood vessels, lungs, brain, eyes, nose, ears, and throat and also increases the risk of asthma, cancer and other diseases. Mostly children under five years old, pregnant women, chronically ill people and the elderly account for a high number of annual deaths due to air pollution in Nepal. Air pollution has reduced the average life expectancy of Nepalese by 4.1 per cent. Solomon Islands picks China-friendly Manele as new Prime Minister  Solomon Islands lawmakers selected a new prime minister, choosing foreign minister Jeremiah Manele, who has pledged to continue the Pacific Island nation‘s foreign policy that drew it closer to China. Governor General Sir David Vunagi announced outside parliament house that Manele had won 31 votes, to Opposition leader Matthew Wales‘ 18 votes. Police boosted security in the capital Honiara as newly elected lawmakers arrived at parliament. The Solomon Islands also known simply as the Solomons, is a country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, to the northeast of Australia. It is directly adjacent to Papua New Guinea to the west, Australia to the southwest, New Caledonia and Vanuatu to the southeast, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, and Tuvalu to the east, and Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia to the north. Honiara is the capital and largest city of Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands dollar (ISO 4217 code: SBD) is the currency of Solomon Islands since 1977. World has got its first AID diplomat who will represent Ukraine  As artificial intelligence (AI) technology takes the industries by storm, the world has got its first AID diplomat who will represent Ukraine. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced Victoria Shi – an AI- generated spokesperson, marking the first use of an AI avatar for official government statements in history. Victoria Shi is based on a real person - Ukrainian singer and influencer Rosalie Nombre, who agreed to participate in the project. Asia‘s first spot bitcoin and ether ETFs gain in Hong Kong debut  Six spot bitcoin and ether exchange traded funds (ETFs) gained in their Hong Kong debut with the three bitcoin ETFs climbing more than 3% in early trade. Cryptocurrency is banned in mainland China, but Hong Kong has been promoting itself as a global digital asset hub, part of a drive to maintain its allure as a financial center. Nepal‘s NPR100 currency note to have new map that includes disputed Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani  Nepal announced the printing of a new NPR100 currency note with a map that shows the controversial territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, already termed as ―artificial enlargement‖ and ―untenable‖ by India. In an initial reaction, India has said Nepal‘s unilateral actions will not change the ground reality. ―The meeting of the council of ministers chaired by Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal ‗Prachanda‘ took a decision to print the new map of Nepal, which includes the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani in the NPR100 denomination bank notes‖. Denmark to liberalise its abortion law to allow the procedure until 18 th week  Denmark‘s government said it is relaxing its restrictions on abortion for the first time in 50 years to make it legal for women to terminate pregnancies up to the 18th week from the previous 12th week. The law will also be changed to allow girls between 15 and 17 years old to have an abortion without parental consent. Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the most populous and politically central constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean. The krone is the official currency of Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, introduced on 1 January 1875. Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark. --------------- Page : 10 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024  ECONOMY AND FINANCE IREDA granted ‗Navratna‘ status  Public sector Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) said the government had granted it the ‗navratna‘ status. This takes the total number of navratna PSEs to 17. These companies have the autonomy to invest up to Rs.1,000 crore.  IREDA is a Non-Banking Financial Institution engaged in promoting, developing and extending financial assistance for setting up projects relating to new and renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency/conservation. Navratna status is a recognition given by the Indian government to select public sector enterprises (PSEs) that have financial and operational autonomy. The grant of Navratna status to RVNL provides it with more operational freedom, financial autonomy, and enhanced delegation of powers. This status enables PSEs to invest up to Rs. 1000 crore without any approval from the central government, giving them more flexibility in decision making, personnel management, and joint ventures. The CPSEs which are Miniratna I, Schedule ‗A‘ and have obtained ‗excellent‘ or ‗very good‘ MOU rating in three of the last five years and having composite score of 60 or above in following six selected performance indicators are eligible to be considered for grant of Navratna status. India‘s first Upgradable ATM launched  Hitachi Payment Services has launched the country‘s first Upgradable ATM. An upgradable ATM unit can be transformed to cash recycling machine (CRM) as and when a bank needs it, eliminating the need for a separate CRM. This can be done at a bank branch.  The Upgradable ATM can be transformed into high-performance Cash Recycling Machine (CRM) at any point of time. Manufactured under the ‗Make in India‘ initiative, these new Upgradable ATMs provide more flexibility and efficiency to banks. PayU gets RBI‘s in-principle nod to operate as payment aggregator  Fintech firm PayU has received an in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank to operate as a payment aggregator. In January 2023, RBI had returned applications of Prosus Group firm PayU and asked it to resubmit them within 120 days.  With in-principle approval in place, PayU can now onboard new merchants to provide them digital payment services. ―This license is pivotal in our mission to establish a globally renowned digital payment infrastructure rooted in India. Aligned with the government‘s Digital India initiative and the RBI‘s forward- thinking regulations, we are dedicated to driving digitisation and financial inclusion, particularly for small merchants‖. Up 2.3 times in 15 years, India‘s Chinese import bill to rise further  India‘s imports from China crossed $101 billion in 2023-24 from about $70 billion in 2018-19, and the country‘s share of India‘s industrial goods imports has risen from 21% to 30% over 15 years, according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) which reckoned that Chinese imports will rise sharply in coming years. A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 11   Goods imports from China have risen 2.3 times faster than India‘s total imports over 15 years, the GTRI study noted, adding that China is the top supplier in eight major industrial sectors, including machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and textiles, belying the general perception that Chinese imports are high only in the electronics sector. HUDCO granted the Navratna status  Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO) rose on BSE a day after the Department of Public Enterprises (OPE) granted the Navratna status to the company. Department of Public Enterprises (OPE) has granted the Navratna Status to Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO).‖ NHPC Limited to collaborate with Norwegian company for implementation of Floating Solar Energy Technology in India  NHPC Limited, the largest organization for hydropower development in India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with M/s Ocean Sun, a Norwegian company operating as a technology provider to the floating solar industry. As per the MoU, NHPC and Ocean Sun will explore key areas of cooperation for demonstration of Ocean Sun‘s floating solar energy technology based on photovoltaic panels. The panels would be mounted on hydro-elastic membranes, at relevant sites to be identified by NHPC.  The agreement is in continuation of efforts towards sustainable development and addition of renewable energy capacity by NHPC, which is engaged not only in hydro power development but also in various renewable energy projects such as solar, wind and green hydrogen projects. SEBI board approves amendment to MF rules  The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is making it mandatory for Asset Management Companies (AMCs) to have an institutional mechanism for deterrence of potential market abuse, including front-running. Considering the recent front-running instances observed by the market regulator, the SEBI Board approved amendments to SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996 to enhance the existing regulatory framework by requiring Asset Management Companies (AMCs) to put in place a structured institutional mechanism for identification and deterrence of potential market abuse including front-running and fraudulent transactions in securities. Worldline ePayments India gets RBI nod to operate as payment aggregator  Worldline ePayments India, a player in digital payments received authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as an Online Payment Aggregator (PA) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act of 2007. The platform worked with merchants from various segments such as e-commerce, BFSI, retail, utilities, education, travel and hospitality for digital payments. Adani Ports & SEZ attains India‘s first AAA ratings in private infrastructure space  Adani Ports & SEZ (APSEZ), one of the largest profit contributors for Adani Group, has been upgraded to AAA rating by Care Ratings. This is the highest possible rating given to an issuer by credit-rating agencies in India, signifying strong credit worthiness and the capacity to repay investors.  This achievement also holds major significance for India‘s private infrastructure sector, marking APSEZ as the first and only private infrastructure developer of its magnitude to get this recognition. Notably, Adani Energy Solution‘s two transmission assets--WTGL (West Transmission Gujarat Limited) and Alipurdwar have also been rated AAA ratings by India Ratings. However, at the company level, APSEZ is the first. The ratings upgrade was largely driven by APSEZ‘s robust business model, strong growth in operations with healthy profitability, coupled with high liquidity and low leverage. RBI updates guidance note for banks, NBFCs  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated its ―guidance note‖ on operational risk management for the financial sector, and also extended it to the non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), including housing finance companies. The 2005 ‗Guidance Note on Management of Operational Risk‘ covered only commercial banks. Page : 12 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024   The RBI said all regulated entities (REs) in India should implement a robust information and communication technology (ICT) risk management programme in alignment with their operational risk management framework. All regulated entities in India should implement a robust information and communication technology (ICT) risk management programme in alignment with their operational risk management framework. NPCI inks pact with Bank of Namibia for developing UPI-like instant payment system  NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), entered into an agreement with the Bank of Namibia (BoN) for developing an instant payment system like Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for the African nation.  This partnership marks NPCI‘s first-ever collaboration with a central bank to deploy the UPI stack in an international market. The collaboration is aimed at developing real-time person-to-person (P2P) and person-to- merchant (P2M) transactions in Namibia. ―Through this collaboration, BoN will gain access to best-in-class technology and insights from NIPL, enabling the creation of a similar platform in Namibia for the digital welfare of its citizens‖.  In January 2024, NPCI announced the launch of the UPI-PayNow linkage that enables Indians to receive remittances directly into their bank accounts from Singapore and vice-versa. In February this year, it announced a partnership with e-commerce and proximity payments company Lyra, to enable UPI acceptance in France. The same month, UPI services were rolled out in Sri Lanka and Mauritius. Atanu Chakraborty re-appointed as HDFC Bank chairman for 3 years  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Atanu Chakraborty as the Part Time Chairman of HDFC Bank for a period of three years. Also the Board of Directors of the bank has approved the re-appointment of Atanu Chakraborty as Part Time Chairman and Independent Director of the bank for a period of three years. India press freedom score falls, says Reporters sans Frontieres  India‘s score in the World Press Freedom Index fell over the last year, from 36.62 to 31.28, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF for Reporters sans Frontières), which puts together an annual index of freedom enjoyed by journalists in 180 jurisdictions. India‘s rank improved from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024, but this was because other countries had slipped in their rankings.  The government has in the past dismissed international rankings of freedoms in India as propaganda. Norway and Denmark topped the RSF table while Eritrea was at the bottom, with Syria just ahead of it. The government has in the past dismissed international rankings of freedoms in India as misinformed and propaganda driven. India, Ghana agree for early operationalisation of UPI on Ghana interbank payment systems  India and Ghana are working to link their payment systems - Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GHIPSS) respectively to permit users to make instant, low-cost fund transfers on a reciprocal basis.  The two countries have also delved into discussions regarding the possibilities of a Memorandum of Understanding on Digital transformation Solutions; Local Currency Settlement System and the opportunities offered by African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).  NPCI International has recently announced its partnership with Bank of Namibia to support them in developing a UPI-like real-time payment system in the African nation. The bilateral trade between India and the West African nation Ghana has increased to USD 2.87 billion in 2022-23 from USD 2.6 billion in 2021-22. The trade gap is in the favour of Ghana mainly due to imports of gold by India which accounts for nearly 80 per cent of total imports from Ghana. ------------- A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 13  SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Inventions/Discoveries ISRO to test Gaganyaan parachutes by dropping module from chopper  The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is likely to undertake an important test under the Gaganyaan mission to check the parachute system of the crew module in the next few days. The Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT) will see a Chinook helicopter dropping the crew module from a height of around 4-5 km. ―The test is likely to be conducted in the next two or three days.  The first IADT will test the parachute system under nominal conditions, meaning it will mimic the process of splashdown of the crew module when both parachutes open in a timely manner‖. This will be the first in a series of IADT to test the parachute system under off-nominal conditions such as one parachute not opening, both parachutes not opening, or delayed deployment of the parachutes. Gaganyaan is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. It is ISRO‘s first human space flight programme. The spacecraft is being designed to carry three people, and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with rendezvous and docking capabilities. In its maiden crewed mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)‘s largely autonomous 5.3-metric ton capsule will orbit the Earth at 400 km altitude for up to seven days with a two- or three-person crew on board. The first crewed mission was originally planned to be launched on ISRO‘s LVM3 in December 2021, But this has since been delayed to no earlier than 2025. China launches 3-member crew to its space station as it seeks to put astronauts on the moon by 2030  China launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station as part of its ambitious program that aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030. The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket. The spacecraft‘s three-member crew will relieve the Shenzhou-17 team, which has been staffing China‘s Tiangong space station since last October. Centre notifies eco zone of Rajasthan wildlife sanctuary  The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued a draft notification declaring extent and boundaries of Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary eco-sensitive zone in Rajasthan. Eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) is a buffer area around the core protected forest areas to minimise human-wildlife conflict, promote in- situ conservation of wildlife and reduce impact on fragile ecosystems.  The Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) was notified as a wildlife sanctuary in 1983, but since then declaration of eco-sensitive zone was not finalised. In the past eight years, several efforts made to demarcate ESZ areas. In its draft notification, the ESZ encompassed an area of 348.60 sq km with an extent of 1.0 km (minimum) to 17.0 km (maximum) around the boundary of the core area of the wildlife sanctuary, which is 98.6 sq km. The sanctuary is home to some endangered wild animals, such as leopard, Indian wolf, blackbuck, chinkara, large Bengal monitor lizard, pythons, peafowl and vulture. Page : 14 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 ISRO releases ISSAR 2023 report on vulnerability of space assets to collisions  ISRO has released a report assessing the vulnerability of its assets in outer space to environmental hazards such as natural objects like asteroids as well as artificial space objects, to ensure safe and sustainable space operations, Releasing the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) 2023, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said, ―Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is a must in outer space.‖  According to the report, about 1,37,565 close approach alerts were received from USSPACECOM. Also, a total of 3,033 alerts for close approaches within the distance of one kilometre were deduced by the ISRO satellites. The report also identified 2,700 close approaches with other operational satellites within 5 kilometres. On certain occasions, coordination was carried out with other international agencies like SpaceX and EUMETSAT. ISRO is the space agency of India headquartered in the city of Bangalore. ISRO was formed in 1969. ISRO built India‘s first satellite, Aryabhata, which was launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1975. S Somanath is current the chairperson of the ISRO. Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Sriharikota Range (SHAR) is a rocket launch centre operated by ISRO. It is located in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath from Kerala is an Indian aerospace engineer serving as the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Under his chairmanship, ISRO carried out the third Indian lunar exploration mission named Chandrayaan-3. Somanath served as the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. Russia activates world‘s first satellite for Arctic observation  The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, announced the commissioning of the first satellite system in the world for the observation of the Arctic Circle. Arktika-M was created on the basis of the unified Navigator platform of the Russian Lavochkin corporation. The first Arktika satellite was launched into orbit in February 2021 and the second in December last year. World‘s deepest blue hole discovered, with hidden tunnels and caves  Scientists may have stumbled upon the deepest blue hole on Earth- a mysterious underwater cavern with depths that seem to have no end. The immense size of the Taam Ja‘ Blue Hole, located in Mexico‘s Chetumal Bay. New measurements taken during a December diving expedition revealed the hole plunges a staggering 1,380 feet (420 meters) below the surface, which is nearly as deep as the iconic Trump Tower in Chicago. This incredible depth suggests the blue hole could be a haven for undiscovered marine life, waiting to be explored.  The newly discovered blue hole is a staggering 1,380 feet deep, it outshines the previous record holder, the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole (also known as the Dragon Hole) in the South China Sea, by a whopping 480 feet. These underwater chasms are a geological marvel. Formed by glacial runoff over millennia, blue holes (or ―Karst formations‖ in scientific speak) are essentially vertical caves submerged in the ocean. They can be incredibly vast, stretching hundreds of feet down and across, creating mesmerizing sapphire sinkholes. India‘s fossil fuel capacity grows 2.44% in FY24; non fossil-fuel rises 11%  India‘s fossil fuel-based power generation capacity increased 2.44% to 243.22 GW in FY24 from 237.27 GW in March 2023. There was a 10.79% rise in non-fossil fuel based capacity (renewable energy sources) addition at 190.57 gigawatt (GW) in 2023-24 over 172.01 GW in 2022-23, the government data showed. Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo system successfully flight-tested by DRDO  Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system was successfully flight-tested from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. SMART is a next-generation missile-based light-weight torpedo delivery system, designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to enhance the anti-submarine warfare capability of the Indian Navy far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedo.  This canister-based missile system consists of several advanced sub-systems, namely two-stage solid propulsion system, electromechanical actuator system, precision inertial navigation system etc. The system A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 15  carries advanced light-weight torpedo as payload along with parachute-based release system. The missile was launched from the ground mobile launcher. Several state-of-the-art mechanisms such as symmetric separation, ejection and velocity control have been validated in this test. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Republic of India, charged with the military‘s research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation. Dr. Samir V Kamat is the current Chairman of DRDO. Scientists find evidence of hidden water ice on Moon: ‗About 5-8 times larger‘  In a new study, scientists bring hope for finding more water ice in the polar craters of the Moon. Additionally, the study reveals that there‘s twice as much water ice in the northern polar region compared to the southern polar region. The study, conducted by scientists from the Space Applications Centre (SAC)/ISRO, along with researchers from IIT Kanpur, University of Southern California, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, indicates that there could be 5 to 8 times more subsurface ice in the first couple of meters compared to what‘s on the surface, in both the northern and southern poles.  The research team used seven instruments, including radar, laser, optical, neutron spectrometer, ultraviolet spectrometer, and thermal radiometer, aboard National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA‘s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to investigate the origin and distribution of water ice on the Moon. China launches Chang‘e-6, world‘s first mission to bring rocks from Moon‘s far side  China has launched its Chang‘e-6 mission, aiming to become the first country to collect rock and soil samples from the far side of the Moon. The mission, part of China‘s ambitious lunar exploration program, lifted off on a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center.  Chang‘e-6 is targeting a landing in the southern portion of the Apollo crater, located within the South Pole- Aitken (SPA) basin on the lunar far side. This ancient, massive impact basin is thought to hold valuable clues about the Moon‘s composition and early history. The spacecraft, weighing 3,200 kg, will carry scientific instruments from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan. Its primary objective is to collect around 2 kg of material from 2 m below the lunar surface and return it to Earth for analysis. India‘s first indigenous bomber UAV unveiled in Bengaluru  Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace Technologies, an Indian defence and aerospace company, marked a milestone in Bengaluru by unveiling the FWD-200B, pegged to be the country‘s first indigenous bomber unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The FWD-200B is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle designed and manufactured entirely in India.  Founder Suhas Tejaskanda highlighted the significant cost reduction compared to foreign counterparts, with the FWD-200B priced at just ₹25 crores, a fraction of the cost of similar U.S. models. This affordability underscores India‘s commitment to self-sufficiency in defense technology.  The FWD-200B boasts a payload capacity of 100 kgs and is classified as a MALE Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, offering medium-altitude, long-endurance capabilities. Integrated with optical surveillance payloads and precision air strike weapons, it ensures versatility in various combat scenarios. --------------- Page : 16 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024  SPORTS Sports Personalities in News Badminton: BWF Junior World Championships returns to India  Guwahati has been announced as the host city of the BWF World Junior Championships in 2025. The Junior Worlds usually features a team event first, followed by individual events across the five categories that both will be held at the Badminton Association of India‘s (BAI) National Centre of Excellence in the northeastern region of India. The World Juniors were last held in India in Pune in 2008. India‘s only gold medal in the junior major came that year when Saina Nehwal defeated Sayaka Sato to become world champion. India legend Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men‘s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador  The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced India legend Yuvraj Singh as an ICC Men‘s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador, which will be played in the West Indies and USA from June 1 to 29. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South Africa. It was renamed as the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1987. The ICC has its headquarters in Dubai, UAE. The ICC has 105 member nations currently: 12 Full Members that play Test matches, and 94 Associate Members. Shashank Manohar resigned as Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 30 June 2020, after more than four years in the role. New Zealand administrator Greg Barclay was elected Chairman on 24 November 2020. Geoffrey John Allardice is an Australian former cricketer and current administrator, who serves as the CEO of the International Cricket Council. Velavan Senthilkumar Wins Batch Open PSA Challenger Title in Paris  India‘s Velavan Senthilkumar won his eighth Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour title by winning the Batch Open, a PSA Challenger event. Grandmaster Title to Indian Chess Prodigy Vaishali Ramesh Babu  Indian Chess Prodigy, Vaishali Ramesh Babu, has officially been awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. This remarkable achievement makes Vaishali the third Indian female Grandmaster, joining Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli. Vaishali‘s promotion to Grandmaster title carries a unique distinction, as she and her brother, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, became the world‘s first Grandmaster brother-sister duo. Mumbai City FC lifts ISL Cup, beats Mohun Bagan Super Giants by 3-1  Bipin Singh came to haunt Mohun Bagan once again as a gritty Mumbai City FC rode on the midfielder‘s strike to secure a stunning 3-1 comeback win and grab the ISL title for a second time in front of a partisan Salt Lake Stadium crowd. -------------- A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 17  MISCELLANEOUS Indian Army and Punit Balan Group unite to establish India‘s first Constitution Park  The Indian Army and the Punit Balan Group joined hands to inaugurate the nation‘s first Constitution Park in Pune. The ceremony, led by Lt. Gen. Ajai Kumar Singh, emphasized the importance of citizens honoring their duties outlined in the Constitution to drive India towards development by 2047. Indian Army, IAF to jointly deploy Predator drones in Gorakhpur, Sarsawa air bases  The Indian Army and the Air Force are planning to jointly deploy MQ-9B Predator drones at air bases in Sarsawa and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, for upgrading their surveillance capabilities all along the Line of Actual Control with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. India to host delegation from Kenya, discuss cheetah sourcing  India is likely to host a delegation of Kenyan officials to explore the possibility of sourcing cheetahs from the east African country for the next phase of Project Cheetah. The Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh was chosen as the second site for reintroduction of cheetahs last year.  The authorities will host the Kenyan delegation to primarily discuss their willingness to translocate cheetahs to India, the terms of such a translocation, including the number of cheetahs they are willing to part with. As part of Project Cheetah, India plans to introduce eight to 14 cheetahs annually for five years, subject to availability. Adani eyes South China Sea, plans port development in Philippines‘ Bataan  Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India‘s largest private port operator, is eyeing the Philippines‘ Bataan for its port development plan. The company plans to develop a 25-meter-deep port that can accommodate Panamax vessels. Adani Group, meanwhile, is also planning investments in ports, airports, power, and defence sectors. President Marcos advised starting regionally, with the ports initially serving local or domestic shipping needs before expanding to the international market. --------------- Page : 18 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024  PERSONS IN NEWS India‘s Gita Sabharwal appointed to top UN post in Indonesia  UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Gita Sabharwal of India as the United Nations resident coordinator in Indonesia. Sabharwal, brings close to 30 years of experience in development supporting climate transition, sustainable peace, governance and social policy, while leveraging digital technology and data to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  Sabharwal has been appointed as the UN resident coordinator in Indonesia with the host government‘s approval, it said. Previously, Sabharwal served as the UN resident coordinator in Thailand and as peacebuilding and development adviser for the United Nations in Sri Lanka. Before joining the UN, Sabharwal was The Asia Foundation‘s deputy country representative for the Maldives and Sri Lanka and held positions as the poverty and policy adviser for the United Kingdom‘s Department for International Development in India and Vietnam. Sadiq Khan wins record third term as Mayor of London  Sadiq Khan registered a decisive victory to secure a record third term as Mayor of London, as the local election results from England and Wales continued to reflect a strong swing in favour of the Opposition Labour Party. The Pakistani-origin Labour candidate secured a massive 10,88,225 votes with a 43.8 per cent vote share, well ahead of the Conservative candidate Susan Hall‘s 8,12,397 votes – an impressive majority of over 2,75,000. Pakistan‘s foreign minister Ishaq Dar appointed as deputy prime minister  Pakistan‘s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed as the country‘s deputy prime minister. Dar,a chartered accountant and a veteran politician, belongs to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif‘s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. The PML-N and the PPP agreed on a power-sharing deal to form the coalition government even though the former prime minister Imran Khan-backed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf- backed independents won majority seats at the 266-member National Assembly. ‗Just a Mercenary?‘, former RBI head Duvvuri Subbarao‘s memoir, looks back on a long civil service career  ―The autobiography will have details of personal life, stories, and gossip. A memoir would be stoic and about professional life,‖ he said. When I got Duvvuri Subbarao‘s book about his career, I slotted it as a ―memoir‖. But it is neither. He calls it notes from his life and career. The genre ―notes‖ differs from the other two in interesting ways. Both autobiography and memoir would have multiple characters, anecdotes and a context that lends to a narrative with the protagonist at the centre. And we would have interesting encounters.  However, ―notes‖ are unique. It is excessively centered around the protagonist, and others flash like the images seen from the window of a moving train. They add light and colour, but the focus is on the journey of the passenger. This should not be construed as a narcissistic trip. Far from it. It is a dispassionate assessment of the journey, from a distance, having an outside view of him. The Winner‘s Mindset  One of the finest all-rounders, Shane Watson, author of this book, tells us in vivid detail, how by mentally becoming stronger his career was transformed. The lessons that Watson learnt and his own experiences as one of the world‘s best cricketers make The Winner‘s Mindset different from the usual self-help books.  Watson‘s brutal honesty -- while talking about the demons he faced, his insecurities, his failures, and the wrong things he did as an athlete from a psychological point of view -- helps, too. The book, not surprisingly, would appeal more to cricketers or people who follow this most fascinating of games closely. But Watson is addressing a wider audience. He gives tips about getting the best out of oneself by applying various mental techniques. --------------- A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 19  AWARDS Chhattisgarh activist Alok Shukla to receive Goldman Prize for Hasdeo Arand movement  The 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize, also known as the Green Nobel will be awarded to Alok Shukla, convener of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA), for his work to protect Hasdeo Arand, one of the largest contiguous stretches of very dense forest in central India spanning 170,000 hectares, with 23 coal blocks. ―Alok Shukla led a successful community campaign that saved 445,000 acres of biodiversity-rich forests from 21 planned coal mines in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh.  The Goldman Environmental Prize was established in 1989 by late San Francisco civic leaders and philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. Prize winners are selected by an international jury from confidential nominations submitted by a worldwide network of environmental organizations and individuals. The Goldman Environmental Foundation announced seven recipients of the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize. Biden to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 politicians, activists, athletes and more  President Joe Biden has bestowed the highest civilian honour in the US on activists, astronauts and Olympians at the White House. President Joe Biden wanted to recognise Clarence B. Jones with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation‘s highest civilian honour.  Among the 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom was Jim Thorpe, the first Native American to win a gold medal. He died in 1953. Mr Biden also recognised the most decorated female swimmer in history, Katie Ledecky. Many of the recipients were Mr Biden's fellow Democrats. They include two who ran for president: former Vice-President Al Gore and former Secretary of State John Kerry, who just stepped down as US special climate envoy. Another, Nancy Pelosi, was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House Representatives.  Other ground-breakers honoured included Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space, and Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian to win a Best Actress Oscar. Teresa Romero, the first Latina to become president of a national union, the United Farm Workers, was recognised. Bhavi Mehta wins 2024 Oxford Book Cover Prize for designing Pradeep Sebastian‘s ‗The Book Beautiful‘  Oxford Bookstores announced Bhavi Mehta as the winner of the 2024 Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize. She won the prize for designing The Book Beautiful written by Pradeep Sebastian and published by Hachette India. She received a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.  The jury comprised author and Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor; author and columnist Shobhaa De; author and academic Kunal Basu; Director of Apeejay Surrendra Group Priti Paul; Director of Institut français in India and Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Action, French Embassy in India, Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens; and Director Information Services South Asia Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Anja Riedeberger. The jury was chaired by museum curator, author and art historian Alka Pande. UNESCO awards press prize to Palestinian journalists in Gaza  At least 97 members of the press have been killed since the war broke out in October, 92 of who were Palestinians. UNESCO awarded its world press freedom prize to all Palestinian journalists covering the war in Gaza, where Israel has been battling Hamas for more than six months. Assam‘s Purnima Devi Barman Receives ‗Green Oscar‘ Whitley Gold Award 2024  A wildlife biologist from Assam has been honoured with a leading UK wildlife charity award for her conservation efforts of the endangered Greater Adjutant Stork and its wetland habitat. Dr Purnima Devi Barman won the GBP 1,00,000 Whitley Gold Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), which supports grassroots conservation leaders from around the world, at a Royal Geographical Society awards ceremony in London. Ms Barman received the trophy from charity patron Princess Anne – the Princess Royal, the sister of King Charles III, in recognition of her conservation of the stork known locally as ―Hargila‖ in Assamese. --------------- Page : 20 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024  IMPORTANT DAYS World Veterinary Day  The 2024 World Veterinary Day is celebrated on 27th of April and has the theme ‗Veterinarians are essential health workers. Veterinarian‘s competencies must be regarded as an essential and integral part of health at large. International Jazz Day 30 April  The 2024 edition of International Jazz Day was celebrated on 30 April in more than 190 countries. The Global Host for this year‘s celebration is the city of Tangier, Morocco. This marks the first time a city on the African continent hosts International Jazz Day. International Labour Day 2024  International Labour Day, also known as ‗May Day‘, is celebrated at the international level to promote and encourage healthy dialogue among social partners. The total number of workers in India across both organized and unorganized sectors is more than 50 crores.  In India, the first Labour Day was celebrated on May 1, 1923, in Madras. The day also coincides with Maharashtra Day. Maharashtra Day is celebrated on May 1st every year in the state of Maharashtra to commemorate the state‘s formation on May 1, 1960. It is also known as Maharashtra Diwas.  International Labour Day was first started in the late 19th-century labour movement in the United States. In 1886, the specific date of May 1 was chosen to commemorate a nationwide strike for an eight-hour workday. This event culminated in the Haymarket Affairs in Chicago, which was a regrettable incident where a labour protest escalated into violence. This resulted in the loss of life of seven police officers and at least four civilians. On May 1, workers gathered in Haymarket Square to peacefully demonstrate for an eight-hour workday. However, the protest turned violent when a bomb was detonated and it led to casualties among both police officers and protesters. World Press Freedom Day 3 May  World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO‘s General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. "A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis" is the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2024. World Portuguese Language Day  The date of 5 May was officially established in 2009 by the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) - an intergovernmental organization that has been in official partnership with UNESCO since 2000, and which brings together peoples with the Portuguese language as one of the foundations of their specific identity - to celebrate the Portuguese language and Lusophone cultures. International Day of Mine Awareness  International Firefighters‘ Day (IFFD) is observed on 4 May every year. This day is dedicated to the firefighters who put their lives on the line every day to protect their communities and the environment. The theme for International Day for Mine Awareness 2024 is Protecting Lives, Building Peace. World Athletics Day  World Athletics Day is organized by the IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation) on May 7 every year. It was first celebrated in the year 1996.  This year the theme for World Athletics Day is – ‗World Mile Challenge‘. This year‘s focus is on running, jogging, or walking a mile to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Roger Bannister‘s (the first man to run a sub-four-minute mile) on May 6, 1954. -------------- A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 21  QUESTIONS 1. Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers‘ meeting in ______________. (a) Beijing, China (b) Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (c) Astana, Kazakhstan (d) Baku, Azerbaijan 2. Name the Public sector Company that had been recently granted the ―Navratna‖ status. (a) Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (b) Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (c) Container Corporation of India Limited (d) Rail Vikas Nigam Limited 3. Which of the following companies has launched the country‘s first Upgradable ATM? (a) Hitachi Payment Services (b) Unique Payment Services (c) One Payment Services (d) Girder Payment Services 4. Recently, Fintech firm _________ has received an in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank to operate as a payment aggregator. (a) PayPal (b) PayU (c) Paytm (d) Pay Fortune 5. China launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station as part of its ambitious program that aims to put astronauts on the moon by _________. (a) 2027 (b) 2030 (c) 2033 (d) 2036 6. Who among the following was recently appointed as the Pakistan‘s deputy Prime Minister? (a) Bilawal Ali Zardari (b) Amir Muqam (c) Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh (d) Ishaq Dar 7. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced India legend _________ as an ICC Men‘s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador, which will be played in the West Indies and USA from June 1 to 29. (a) Virendra Sehwag (b) Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c) Yuvraj Singh (d) Rahul Dravid 8. The world‘s first Sikh court opens in _________. (a) Paris (b) Amsterdam (c) London (d) Brussels 9. The 2024 edition of International Jazz Day will be celebrated on _________ in more than 190 countries. (a) 23 April (b) 26 April (c) 30 April (d) 3 May 10. India and _________ will sign a trade deal, as India seeks to expand its ties in the Middle East, where rising tensions are putting major shipping routes at risk. (a) Jordan (b) Oman (c) Belgium (d) Syria 11. Who among the following Indian environmental activists has been awarded the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize for their efforts in protecting Hasdeo Arand in central India? (a) Deepak Munda (b) Alok Shukla (c) Aniket Pradhan (d) Sushil Kumar Dey 12. Name the Scotland‘s first minister, who recently resigned rather than face a no-confidence vote just days after he torpedoed a coalition with the Green Party by ditching a target for fighting climate change. (a) Humza Yousaf (b) Abdullah Lateef (c) Mohammad Naim (d) Kamran Jamil 13. Where is the Molten Salt Storage (MOSS), world‘s first energy storage project using molten hydroxide salt facility located? (a) Copenhagen (b) London (c) Esbjerg (d) Brussels Page : 22 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 14. According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) report, what is the percentage increase in India‘s imports from China between 2018-19 and 2023-24? (a) 30% (b) 44% (c) 36% (d) 21% 15. We often find Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary in news. This Wildlife Sanctuary is located in _________. (a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Rajasthan (c) Chhattisgarh (d) Haryana 16. Recently, the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) 2023 was released by _________. (a) DRDO (b) Ministry of Science and Technology (c) ISA (d) ISRO 17. What is the name of the AI digital human cabin crew unveiled by Qatar Airways? (a) Ava 2.0 (b) Sama 2.0 (c) Luna 2.0 (d) Alexa 2.0 18. Name the Indian who recently won his eighth Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour title by winning the Batch Open, a PSA Challenger event. (a) Thirukumar Senthil (b) Mukesh Jhagiani (c) Velavan Senthilkumar (d) Amit Raghav 19. Name the company which has been recently granted the Navratna status by Department of Public Enterprises (OPE). (a) NABARD (b) HUDCO (c) FCI (d) FICCI 20. The 2024 World Veterinary Day is / was celebrated on _________. (a) 27th April (b) 30th April (c) 3rd May (d) 5th May 21. Recently, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi assumed command of the Indian Navy as the _________ Chief of the Naval Staff. (a) 21st (b) 24th (c) 26th (d) 29th 22. Which of the following countries has recently decided to implement the renovation of the ―Kankesanthurai Port‖ with India agreeing to grant the entire cost of the project? (a) Sri Lanka (b) Seychelles (c) Myanmar (d) Mauritius 23. Name the country which has recently adopted a new currency ―ZiG‖. (a) Mexico (b) Zimbabwe (c) Zanzibar (d) Cuba 24. The _________ is making it mandatory for Asset Management Companies (AMCs) to have an institutional mechanism for deterrence of potential market abuse, including front-running. (a) Ministry of Finance (b) CRISIL (c) Reserve Bank of India (d) SEBI 25. _________ is the largest organization for hydropower development in India which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with M/s Ocean Sun, a Norwegian company operating as a technology provider to the floating solar industry. (a) Tehri Dam Project (b) NTPC Limited (c) Tata Power (d) NHPC Limited 26. Recently, _________, a player in digital payments received authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as an Online Payment Aggregator (PA) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act of 2007. (a) Payline ePayments India (b) Payon ePayments India (c) Worldline ePayments India (d) Digital India ePayments A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 23 27. Recently, The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, announced the commissioning of the first satellite system in the world for the observation of the _________. (a) Mariana Trench (b) Greenland (c) Arctic Circle (d) Antarctic Circle 28. The _________ is likely to undertake an important test under the Gaganyaan mission to check the parachute system of the crew module. (a) DRDO (b) ISRO (c) Ministry of Science & Technology (d) PMO 29. Which of the following has been announced as the host city of the BWF World Junior Championships in 2025? (a) Shillong (b) Lucknow (c) Guwahati (d) New Delhi 30. International Labour Day, also known as May Day or Workers Day, is annually observed on _________ in more than 80 countries, including India, Cuba, China, and many others. (a) April 26 (b) April 28 (c) May 1 (d) May 3 31. Which of the following Indian states has been granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Riyawan garlic? (a) Maharashtra (b) Madhya Pradesh (c) Karnataka (d) Rajasthan 32. Which tribal group from the Great Nicobar Islands recently exercised their voting rights for the first time in Lok Sabha polls in the Union territory? (a) Jarawa (b) Onge (c) Shompen (d) Sentinalese 33. Recently, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have launched the world‘s first artificial intelligence (AI) center for automatic processing of the Arabic language, under the name ―Arabic Intelligence Center‖ in _________. (a) Tabuk (b) Riyadh (c) Buraydah (d) Dammam 34. Recently, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed _________ of India as the United Nations resident coordinator in Indonesia. (a) Gita Sabharwal (b) Anandita Patel (c) Jessica Shah (d) Meenal Jain 35. Recently, Asia‘s first spot bitcoin and ether ETFs made debut in _________. (a) Beijing (b) Hong Kong (c) Manila (d) Singapore 36. Which of the following entities does the updated guidance note on operational risk management by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) now extend to? (a) Commercial banks only (b) Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) only (c) Both commercial banks and housing finance companies (d) Both commercial banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) 37. Name the system that was successfully flight-tested from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. (a) UNIVERSAL (b) UNIQUE (c) SMART (d) POWER 38. Who among the following recently became the third Indian female Grandmaster? (a) Vaishali Ramesh Babu (b) Shikha Sampat (c) Koneru Humpy (d) Harika Dronavalli 39. Who was awarded the 2024 Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize for designing the cover? (a) Pradeep Sebastian (b) Bhavi Mehta (c) Shashi Tharoor (d) Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens 40. The United Nations General Assembly declared _________ to be World Press Freedom Day or just World Press Day. (a) April 28 (b) April 30 (c) May 1 (d) May 3 Page : 24 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 41. In 2019, the 40th session of UNESCO‘s General Conference decided to proclaim _________ of each year as ―World Portuguese Language Day‖. (a) 1 May (b) 3 May (c) 5 May (d) 9 May 42. According to IQAir, an organization that measures the real-time pollution of 101 cities in the world, _________ was found to be the most polluted city in the world. (a) New Delhi (b) Kuala Lumpur (c) Beijing (d) Kathmandu 43. What directive did the Supreme Court give to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) regarding gender representation? (a) Reserve half of its posts for women. (b) Reserve one-third of its posts for women. (c) Reserve one-fourth of its posts for women. (d) Do not reserve any posts specifically for women. 44. Which of the following cities is the manufacturing hub of the first Vande Bharat Metro? (a) Bhopal (b) Varanasi (c) Kapurthala (d) Pune 45. The _________ Tourism Development Board has joined hands with Starscapes, a leading astro-tourism company, to introduce Nakshatra Sabha, a new initiative to provide a comprehensive Astro Tourism experience to people. (a) Chhattisgarh (b) Jharkhand (c) Uttarakhand (d) Uttar Pradesh 46. As artificial intelligence (AI) technology takes the industries by storm, the world has got its first AID diplomat who will represent _________. (a) Ukraine (b) The Netherlands (c) Belgium (d) Russia 47. Recently, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), entered into an agreement with the _________ for developing an instant payment system like Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for the African nation. (a) Bank of Uganda (BoU) (b) Bank of Zimbabwe (BoZ) (c) Bank of Namibia (BoN) (d) Bank of Nigeria (BoN) 48. A Hindu marriage is a ‗samskara‘ or sacrament and cannot be recognised under the _________ ―unless performed with ceremonies in the proper form‖, the Supreme Court has ruled. (a) Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (b) Hindu Marriage Act, 1962 (c) Hindu Marriage Act, 1968 (d) Hindu Marriage Act, 1974 49. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), will host the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 46) and the 26 th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP 26) in _________. (a) Kochi, Kerala (b) Bengaluru, Karnataka (c) Vellore, Tamil Nadu (d) Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 50. Recently, UNESCO awarded its world press freedom prize to all _________ journalists covering the war in Gaza. (a) Ukrainian (b) American (c) Palestinian (d) British 51. What is India‘s rank in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF)? (a) 137th (b) 149th (c) 159th (d) 166th 52. Which of the following countries has recently launched its Chang‘e-6 mission, aiming to become the first country to collect rock and soil samples from the far side of the Moon? (a) South Korea (b) Japan (c) China (d) USA 53. Recently, Jeremiah Manele was selected as a new Prime Minister by lawmaker‘s of _________. (a) Solomon Islands (b) Cuba (c) Tuvalu (d) Suriname A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 25 54. Name the second site chosen last year for the reintroduction of cheetahs as part of Project Cheetah? (a) Gir National Park, Gujarat (b) Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan (c) Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh (d) Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand 55. Recently, Constitution Park, a collaborative effort between the Indian Army and the Punit Balan Group, saw its grand opening in _________. (a) Lucknow (b) Nagpur (c) Bhopal (d) Pune 56. Which of the following European countries is relaxing its restrictions on abortion for the first time in 50 years to make it legal for women to terminate pregnancies up to the 18 th week from the previous 12th week? (a) Denmark (b) Iceland (c) Sweden (d) Norway 57. Whose re-appointment has been recently approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as the Part Time Chairman of HDFC Bank for period of three years? (a) Atanu Chakraborty (b) Vipul Manchanda (c) Deepak Bajaj (d) Aniket Bhargawa 58. Which of the following ships of the Brahmaputra class is currently undergoing the conversion process from steam to diesel propulsion? (a) INS Brahmaputra (b) INS Betwa (c) INS Beas (d) INS Vikramaditya 59. When is International Firefighters‘ Day observed annually? (a) 1st May (b) 4th May (c) 10th May (d) 15th May 60. ―Just a Mercenary?: Notes from My Life and Career,‖ is a memoir of former RBI Governor _________. (a) Y V Reddy (b) Urjit R Patel (c) Raghuram Rajan (d) Duvvuri Subbarao 61. Name the Indian who recently received ‗Green Oscar‘ Whitley Gold Award 2024. (a) Purnima Devi Barman (b) Ashapurna Devi Raheja (c) Anandita Basu (d) Meenakshi Jha Mukherjee 62. Which of the following cities topped the list as the most polluted city in India based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) provided? (a) Greater Noida (b) Muzaffarpur (c) Lucknow (d) Bhopal 63. Recently, Sadiq Khan registered a decisive victory to secure a record third term as Mayor of _________. (a) London (b) Paris (c) Amsterdam (d) Canberra 64. Which of the following Indian universities has become the first Indian university to start a Harvard University collaborative business management program by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)? (a) Chandigarh University (b) Patna University (c) Banaras Hindu University (d) Delhi University 65. Which of the following countries recently announced the printing of a new NPR100 currency note with a map that shows the controversial territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, already termed as ―artificial enlargement‖ and ―untenable‖ by India? (a) Bangladesh (b) Nepal (c) Bangladesh (d) Pakistan 66. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India‘s largest private port operator, is eyeing the _________ Bataan for its port development plan. (a) Malaysia (b) Indonesia (c) Iran (d) Philippines Page : 26 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 67. The Indian Army and the Air Force are planning to jointly deploy MQ-9B Predator drones at air base _________ in Uttar Pradesh. (a) Meerut (b) Gorakhpur (c) Hapur (d) Ayodhya 68. India and ________, are working to link their payment systems to permit users to make instant, low-cost fund transfers on a reciprocal basis. (a) Ghana (b) Uganda (c) Chad (d) Morocco 69. World Athletics Day is organized by the IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation) on _________ every year. (a) May 3 (b) May 5 (c) May 7 (d) May 10 70. Which of the following recently lifted Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24? (a) Mumbai City FC (b) Mohun Bagan (c) East Bengal (d) North East United ANSWER KEY AND EXPLANATION A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 27 1. c Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers‘ meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. 2. b Public sector Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) said the government had granted it the ‗navratna‘ status. 3. a Hitachi Payment Services has launched the country‘s first Upgradable ATM. 4. b Fintech firm PayU has received an in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank to operate as a payment aggregator. 5. b China launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station as part of its ambitious program that aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030. 6. d Pakistan‘s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed as the country‘s deputy prime minister. 7. c The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced India legend Yuvraj Singh as an ICC Men‘s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador, which will be played in the West Indies and USA from June 1 to 29. 8. c The world‘s first Sikh court opens in London. 9. c The 2024 edition of International Jazz Day was celebrated on 30 April in more than 190 countries. 10. b India and Oman will sign a trade deal in the coming months, as New Delhi seeks to expand its ties in the M