Current Affairs
28 March 2023
1. Where is the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron based at?
Answer: Kochi
Indian Navy's First Training Squadron (1TS), which is based in Kochi, is part of the Southern Naval Command, the Indian Navy's Training Command. The ships of the First Training Squadron namely INS Tir and ICGS Sarathi, visited Port Antiromantic, Madagascar from March 20 to 23 this year.
2. Lord Basaveshwara is a 12th century philosopher, associated with which state?
Answer: Karnataka
Lord Basaveshwara is a 12th century Indian statesman, poet, Lingayat social reformer and a philosopher in the Shiva-focussed bhakti movement. Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently unveiled the statues of Lord Basaveshwara and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda at the premises of the Karnataka State Assembly in Bengaluru.
3. Which Union Ministry launched the 'National Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation Through Forestry Interventions'?
Answer: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change-Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the Aravalli Green Wall Project. It involves the greening of 5 km buffer area around the Aravall Hill Range in four states. At the event, he unveiled the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation Through Forestry Interventions.
4. BARC B1201, India's first Bauxite Certified Reference Material (CRM) was developed BARC and which institution?
Answer: NALCO
In a collaboration with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), NALCO has developed a bauxitecertified reference material (CRM) named BARC B1201. This is the first-of-its-kind CRM in India and the fifth in the world. The National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials (NCCCM) of BARC has helped NALCO develop the material.
5. Hopi which was seen in the news, is an ethnic group of people living in which country?
Answer: USA
Hopi are a Native American ethnic group who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in north eastern Arizona, United States. The Water and Heritage Shield was conferred recently by the International Committee On Monuments and Sites International Science Committee to Black Mesa Trust (BMT) a Hopi grassroots organization.
6. Which country announced that it would provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium?
Answer: UK
Depleted uranium is the by-product obtained during the creation of enriched uranium, which is used in nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors. The British government recently announced that it would provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium.
7. Which country hosted the "Indo + Caribbean The creation of a culture" museum?
Answer: UK
Museum of London Docklands was founded in 2003 to highlight the history of the River Thames, the growth of the Port of London and the docks historical ties to the Atlantic slave trade. An exhibition titled "Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture" is set to be unveiled in this museum to explore the underrepresented history of Indian indentured labourers in the British Caribbean.
8. Russia has planned to station its tactical nuclear weapons in which country?
Answer: Belarus
The tactical or non-strategic nuclear weapons are small explosives that are used to achieve specific tactical gains on the battlefield, instead of destroying large cities and causing widespread devastation. Russia is planning to station its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
9. Which country's decision to defer the start of the daylight savings resulted in creation of two time zones in the country?
Answer: Lebanon
Daylight Savings Time is the practice involving the uniform advancement of clocks to extend the daylight hours during conventional waking time during the summer months. The Lebanese government's last-minute decision to defer the start of the daylight savings time by a month resulted in the creation of two time zones in the country.
10. 'Mission Arikompan' is associated with which state/UT?
Answer: Kerala
Mission Arikompan is an operation involving the capture of the wild tusker locally called Arikompan. In an interim order, the Kerala High Court has stayed the state forest department's decision to capture Arikomban.
11. 'Operation Interflex' is an initiative that is providing which country's military recruits with basic military training?
Answer: Ukraine
Operation Interflex is an initiative that is providing Ukraine military recruits with basic military training. It is being implemented by the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.
12. Tamil Nadu brown moray, which was discovered recently, belongs to which species?
Answer: Eel
Tamil Nadu brown moray (Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis) is a newly discovered species of Moray eel. It was found by researchers off the Cuddalore coast in the state of Tamil Nadu. This is the first ever record of this species and has been named after Tamil Nadu as tamilnaduensis. Four specimens ranging from 272-487 mm in total length were collected at a depth of about 25-30 metres.
13. As of 2023, which is the heaviest payload rocket of the Indian Space Research Organisation?
Answer: LVM3
Indian Space Research Organisation's heaviest payload rocket, LVM3 carrying 36 OneWeb satellites onboard took off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. This is the second mission for One Web Group Company under a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) to launch 72 satellites to Low-Earth Orbits.
14. Which state/UT hosted the 'First Urban Climate Film Festival' in India?
Answer: New Delhi
First Urban Climate Film Festival was organized by the National Institute of Urban Affairs in New Delhi. The event showcased 11 films from nine countries to showcase the consequences of climate change in urban life.
15. Which state/UT passed the 'Cow Service Commission Bill'?
Answer: Maharashtra
The Maharashtra Cow Service Commission Bill was tabled at the State Assembly. Under this legislation, a 25-member commission will be set up to promote indigenous cows, bulls, bullocks and calves. According to the proposed bill, anyone found violating the norms set by the commission will be liable for a penalty of ten thousand rupees.
16. Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve is located in which state/UT?
Answer: Rajasthan
Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve is situated in Rajasthan. One tigress will be introduced into this protected land. After Ranthambhore and Sariska, Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve was declared as the 3rd sanctuary of the state.
17. Which country organised the 'Swadhinota o Jatiyo Dibosh', as the Independence and National Day?
Answer: Bangladesh
Bangladesh Swadhinota o Jatiyo Dibosh (Independence and National Day) has been observed on March 26. It commemorates the country's declaration of independence from Pakistan on 25 March 1971. 2021 marked the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
18. Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, who was seen in the news, is associated with which sports?
Answer: Shooting
India's Rudranksh Patil won a bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle event in the 8th ISSF World Cup Shooting Championship at Bhopal. This is Rudraksh's second medal in this World Cup. He won a bronze medal in the mixed event, with his partner Narmada Raju.
19. India signed MoU with which country on semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership?
Answer: USA
India and the US signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership during the Commercial Dialogue 2023. The MoU seeks to establish a collaborative mechanism between the two governments on semiconductor supply chain resiliency and diversification in view of the US's CHIPS and Science Act and India's Semiconductor Mission.
20. The Earth Hour' event is a global annual initiative of which institution?
Answer: World Wide Fund
Millions of people around the world observed the annual Earth Hour to raise awareness about climate change. The "Earth Hour' event encourages individuals to turn off all lights and electrical appliances at their homes and offices for an hour to promote awareness about energy conservation. It is a global annual initiative of the World-Wide Fund for Nature.