Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 19th December 2023

1. International Day of Neutrality is observed annually on which date?

A. December 10

B. December 12

C. November 21

D. January 24

• The International Day of Neutrality, observed annually on December 12, is a day designated by the United Nations to promote neutrality among nations worldwide. The day was officially proclaimed in 2017 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution.

2. Who is the recipient of Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival – 2024?

A. Gulzar

B. Prasoon Joshi

C. Javed Akhtar

D. Paresh Rawal

• Javed Akhtar, a renowned lyricist-screenwriter, will be honored with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival. Acknowledged for his substantial contributions to the Indian film industry, Akhtar is known for his work in iconic Hindi films like “Zanjeer,” “Deewaar,” “Sholay,” “Don,” “Kaala Patthar,” and “Mr India.” The award will be presented to him at the festival’s ninth edition, during the opening day ceremony at the Rukmini Auditorium in MGM University, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, on January 3, 2024.

3. In context with India-Vietnam relations, what is VINBAX?

A. Bilateral Military Exercise

B. Cultural Exchange Programme

C. Economic Cooperation Agreement

D. Scientific Research Collaboration

• Exercise VINBAX-2023 is a joint military exercise between India and Vietnam. The exercise aims to strengthen collaboration, promote interoperability, and share best practices between the two countries. It also aims to reinforce military capabilities and collaboration for peacekeeping and defense initiatives. The fourth edition of the exercise is being held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from Dec.11–21, 2023. A contingent of 45 Indian Armed Forces personnel is participating in the exercise.

4. Annual festival ‘Shar Amartala Torgya’ is celebrated every year in which state?

A. West Bengal

B. Madhya Pradesh

C. Arunachal Pradesh

D. Karnataka

• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu attended the annual Shar Amartala Torgya Festival at the Thegtse Sangye Choi Long monastery at Balemu, a small hamlet at the trijunction of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bhutan in West Kameng district.

5. Which country recently hosted Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence?

A. Japan

B. India

C. France

D. China

• Recently, India has been handed over the presidency Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) for 2022-23 by the outgoing Council Chair, France in its 3rd Annual Summit in Japan. This development comes on the heels of assuming the Presidency of the G20, a league of the world’s largest economies. Tokyo is the first Asian city to host this summit. The meeting discussed these four themes: Responsible AI, Data governance, Future of work, Innovation and commercialisation.

6. Which scheme has been launched recently to empower women in rural areas with agricultural drones?

A. Drone Shakti Scheme

B. Drone Didi Scheme

C. Drone Mahila Krushak Scheme

D. Drone for Empowering Rural Women Scheme

• NAMO Drone Didi, was launched by the Prime Minister recently during interaction with beneficiaries of central government’s schemes. NAMO Drone Didi Initiative aims to supply drones to 15,000 women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to rent to farmers for agriculture purposes.

7. Which bank has recently launched the Nari Shakti Savings Account?

A. ICICI

B. HDFC

C. Bank of India

D. Indian Bank

• Bank of India (BoI) has launched savings account for women with independent income. The ‘Nari Shakti Savings Account’ offers personal accident insurance cover, concessional rate of interest on retail loans, discounted health insurance and wellness products and attractive rebates on locker facilities.

8. Which actor has been awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Merito della Repubblica Italiana), the highest Italian civilian award in December 2023?

A. Anupam Kher

B. Kabir Bedi

C. Naseeruddin Shah

D. Paresh Rawal

• Kabir Bedi, a renowned actor, was awarded the “Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” (Merito della Repubblica Italiana), Italy’s highest civilian honor, in a private ceremony in Mumbai in December 2023. President Mattarella of Italy praised Bedi for his significant role in enhancing India-Italy relations over the past three decades, acknowledging his popularity across generations in Italy.

9. Which country has recently launched world’s first 4th Generation nuclear reactor?

A. USA

B. China

C. Russia

D. France

• Recently, the Shidao Bay nuclear power plant in eastern Shandong province commenced commercial operations, heralding the era of next-generation gas cooled nuclear reactors. This development is crucial for China’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and securing a sustainable energy future.

10. Where was the first Indian Art, Architecture & Design Biennale 2023 held at?

A. Hyderabad

B. Chennai

C. New Delhi

D. Mumbai

• The first Indian Art, Architecture & Design Biennale (IAADB) 2023 was held from December 9–15, 2023 at the Red Fort in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The IAADB is a cultural introduction to Delhi, and acknowledges the “invisible edges between reality and fiction, memory and design, and past and present”. The event also marked the launch of the student Biennale, Samunnati, and the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design”.

11. Koya tribe is an indigenous tribe of which state?

A. Tamil Nadu

B. Meghalaya

C. Andaman & Nicobar

D. Andhra Pradesh

• The indigenous Koya tribe in Andhra Pradesh, residing in the Papikonda hill range, has embraced eco-friendly practices to conserve the Indian Bison (Bos gaurus). Koyas have replaced traditional Indian Bison horns with palm leaves to craft their traditional flute, Permakor.
• Permakore is a traditional flute, originally made from Indian Bison horns, and is now created using palm leaves as an eco-friendly alternative. The flute serves as a communication tool during hunting, celebrations, and festivals.

12. Which country recently inaugurated world’s deepest and largest underground laboratory known as DURF?

A. USA

B. China

C. India

D. Japan

• China has marked a significant achievement in physics by inaugurating the world’s deepest and largest underground laboratory, known as the Deep Underground and Ultra-low Radiation Background Facility for Frontier Physics Experiments (DURF).
• Situated at a remarkable depth of 2,400 meters, DURF is a collaborative effort between Tsinghua University and Yalong River Hydropower Development Company, Ltd. The facility offers exclusive testing conditions unavailable elsewhere, aiming to contribute substantially to the global exploration of dark matter—a mysterious substance that exhibits limited interaction with light or the electromagnetic field.

13. What is AIRAWAT that is recently making news?

A. Submarine

B. AI supercomputer

C. 5G-enabled Drone

D. Recently discovered Exoplanet

• AIRAWAT, stationed at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Pune, India, stands as the country’s swiftest and most extensive AI supercomputer, boasting a formidable speed of 13,170 teraflops. The 61st edition of the Top 500 Global Supercomputing List positioned AIRAWAT at the 75th rank worldwide.