Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 20th July 2023

1. Nomadic Elephant is a military exercise between India and which country?

[A] Bangladesh

[B] Mongolia

[C] Sri Lanka

[D] France

Answer: [B] Mongolia

The “Nomadic Elephant” is a joint military exercise between India and Mongolia. The exercise for 2023 is scheduled to be conducted at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 17 to 31 July 2023. Indian Army is represented by a contingent consisting of 43 personnel. This exercise is alternatively conducted between Indian and Mongolia. The last edition was conducted in 2019 at Special Forces Training School, Bakloh.

2. Where was the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting held?

[A] New Delhi

[B] Gujarat

[C] Tamil Nadu

[D] Maharashtra

Answer: [B] Gujarat

The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting was held on 17-18 July 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The meeting was jointly chaired by Union Minister of Finance Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Shri Shaktikanta Das. During the meeting, India and Indonesia have announced the initiation of the “India-Indonesia Economic and Financial Dialogue” (EFD Dialogue) which aims to enhance collaboration between the two countries and promote a shared understanding of global matters.

3. Where was the Regional Conference on ‘Drugs Smuggling and National Security’ held?

[A] Mumbai

[B] Vishakhapatnam

[C] Bangalore

[D] New Delhi

Answer: [D] New Delhi

The Regional Conference on ‘Drugs Smuggling and National Security’ was held recently at New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah. During the event, in the presence of the Home Minister, over 1,44,000 kilogram drugs worth Rs.2,416 crore was destroyed in various parts of the country by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

4. Bhoomi Samman Awards is associated with implementation of which scheme?

[A] Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme

[B] Swatch Bharat Mission

[C] PM KISAN Yojana

[D] PM Fasal Bima Yojana

Answer: [A] Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme

The President of India Droupadi Murmu presented the “Bhoomi Samman” 2023 to State Secretaries and District Collectors along with their teams who have excelled in achieving saturation of the core components of Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP). The awards were presented in a function at New Delhi, organized by Union Ministry of Rural Development.

5. Which company has launched ChatGPT rival Bard in European Union, Brazil and other nations?

[A] Google

[B] Microsoft

[C] Apple

[D] Nokia

Answer: [A] Google

Tech Major Google has recently launched ChatGPT rival Bard in European Union, Brazil and several more nations. In March 2023, Bard was launched in the US and the UK. Google has also now added new features to Bard, which apply worldwide. These include the ability for the chatbot to speak its answers back to you and for it to respond to prompts that also include images.

6. Which Union Ministry has recently launched the “AI for India 2.0” program?

[A] Union Ministry of Skill Development

[B] Union Ministry of Finance

[C] Union Ministry for Communication

[D] Union Ministry for MSME

Answer: [A] Union Ministry of Skill Development

On the occasion of ‘World Youth Skills Day’, the Union Minister of Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan launched the AI for India 2.0. AI for India 2.0 is a complimentary AI skill training program available in various Indian languages. It is an online program, accredited by NCVET and IIT Madras and is a collaborative effort between Skill India and GUVI.

7. Which state/UT implements ‘Mukhyamantri Sabha Gruha Scheme’?

[A] Odisha

[B] West Bengal

[C] Bihar

[D] Telangana

Answer: [A] Odisha

Odisha announced that it will build 2,000 meeting halls as part of the Mukhyamantri Sabha Gruha Scheme in western Odisha. The state is preparing to face both Assembly and general elections in a year. Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for several projects ₹33.58 crore.

8. India is set to co-develop combat aircraft engine and engine for the Indian multi-role helicopter (IMRH) with which country?

[A] Russia

[B] France

[C] USA

[D] Israel

Answer: [B] France

India and France will extend their defence cooperation in advanced aeronautical technologies by supporting the joint development of a combat aircraft engine and an engine for the Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH). The helicopter is being designed and developed by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

9. Hwasong-18 ICBM was tested by which country recently?

[A] China

[B] Japan

[C] Taiwan

[D] North Korea

Answer: [D] North Korea

North Korea has recently conducted a test of its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called Hwasong-18. The country has for the first time used solid propellants in an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The missile was first unveiled at the 8 February 2023 parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army.

10. What is Julius Robert Oppenheimer associated with?

[A] Nuclear Reactor

[B] Atomic Bomb

[C] Submarine

[D] COVID 19

Answer: [B] Atomic Bomb

Julius Robert Oppenheimer was an American theoretical physicist who served as the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II. He is widely recognized as the key figure behind the development of the atomic bomb and is often referred to as the “father of the atomic bomb.” Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film, Oppenheimer, is set to be release on July 21.

11. From where was ‘Chandrayaan-3’ lunar mission launched?

[A] SDSC – Sriharikota

[B] VSSC- Thiruvananthapuram

[C] Dr.Abdul Kalam Island – Odisha

[D] LPSC – Tirunelveli

Answer: [A] SDSC-Sriharikota

The Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission and second endeavor to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The SDSC serves as India’s sole spaceport for launching spacecraft and satellites. The Chandrayaan 3 consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan similar to Chandrayaan-2, but does not have an orbiter.

12. Which state/UT introduced the ‘School boat’ service?

[A] Assam

[B] Tripura

[C] West Bengal

[D] Karnataka

Answer: [B] Tripura

To assist underprivileged students living on the islands of Dumbur Lake in the Gumati district, the Tripura School Education Department has introduced a complimentary School boat’ service, enabling them to reach school without any charge. The cluster of 48 islands surrounding Dumbur Lake, situated 120 km from the state capital, relies on fishing as the primary livelihood for the island residents.

13. Which country has launched an initiative to reduce Clothing Waste by reimbursing cloth repairs?

[A] USA

[B] France

[C] Norway

[D] Finland

Answer: [B] France

In an inventive initiative, France is addressing clothing waste by promoting a novel program that encourages repairing rather than disposing of clothes that are close to being unusable. As part of the program, individuals who opt to repair their clothing will receive reimbursements ranging from €6 to €25 (equivalent to Rs 553 and Rs 2,306) to cover the costs of mending.

14. Which state has planned to establish ‘Sadak Surakhya Force’?

[A] Punjab

[B] Bihar

[C] Andhra Pradesh

[D] Gujarat

Answer: [A] Punjab

The Punjab government plans to establish a specialized force called the Sadak Surakhya Force, which aims to prevent road accidents and improve traffic flow. This force will consist of approximately 1,300 personnel who will be stationed at national and state highways. Equipped with body cameras, breathalysers, and interceptors to monitor vehicle speeds, they will work towards ensuring road safety.

15. Maputo Protocol, which was seen in the news, is associated with which field?

[A] Human Rights and Women Rights

[B] Climate Change

[C] Labour Rights

[D] Water Resources

Answer:[A] Human Rights and Women Rights

The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, better known as the Maputo Protocol, is an international human rights instrument established by the African Union that went into effect in 2005. A report titled ’20 Years of the Maputo Protocol: Where are we now?’ was released recently. It revealed that there has been some progress on gender equality in Africa due to the Maputo Protocol.

16. How many people living with HIV globally were unable to obtain HIV treatment?

[A] 2.2 million

[B] 4.2 million

[C] 7.2 million

[D] 9.2 million

Answer: [D] 9.2 million

In 2022, approximately 9.2 million individuals who are living with HIV globally were unable to obtain HIV treatment, as stated in the report titled ‘The Path That Ends AIDS’. Furthermore, the report highlighted that even among the 2.1 million people who received treatment, a significant number were not able to achieve viral suppression.

17. As per a recent study, tropical waters turn green in which ocean?

[A] Atlantic Ocean

[B] Indian Ocean

[C] Arctic Ocean

[D] Pacific Ocean

Answer: [B] Indian Ocean

According to a study published in Nature, the tropical waters, specifically the southern Indian Ocean, have experienced a notable shift in color, turning green. This green hue is attributed to the presence of life, particularly phytoplankton, which are microscopic organisms resembling plants.

18. Which continent is recently affected by ‘Cerberus heatwave’?

[A] Asia

[B] Europe

[C] North America

[D] Antartica

Answer: [B] Europe

Europe has been experiencing unusually high temperatures this year both El Nino pattern and Cerberus heatwave. The heat wave is named after a mythical monster by the Italian Meteorological Society. The heatwave is anticipated to persist for few weeks, with temperatures reaching as high as 48°C in Sardinia.

19. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi is to set up offshore campus in which city?

[A] Paris

[B] Abu Shabi

[C] Berlin

[D] Niger

Answer: [B] Abu Dhabi

IIT Delhi has signed an agreement to establish a campus in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with the aim of promoting educational and research collaborations between India and the UAE. The campus will offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various disciplines. IIT Madras earlier announced a similar venture in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

20. What are the areas in Moon, formed by lava which cool to become basalt rock, commonly known as?

[A] Man in the Moon

[B] Great Dipper

[C] Holy Angel

[D] Centre of Dipole

Answer: [A] Man in the Moon

The large areas in Moon, which are formed by lava that covered up old craters and then cooled, to become basalt rock is commonly called as “Man in the Moon”. Based on a recent reassessment of impact craters on the moon’s surface, scientists have suggested a revision of the lunar timeline. As per the revision features like the famous “Man in the Moon” formation could be approximately 200 million years older than the previous estimate.