ALL EXAM QUIZ 18.01.2025

Explanation:

• A new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region announced by NATO.
• A new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region is being launched by NATO following a string of incidents in the area that have raised concerns about possible Russian activities.
• At a meeting in Helsinki with the leaders of NATO countries located on the Baltic Sea, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that the effort would be dubbed Baltic Sentry.
• Announcing the new operation, Rutte highlighted that more than 95% of internet traffic is secured via undersea cables.
• He added that 1.3 million kilometers (808,000 miles) of these cables facilitate an estimated $10 trillion in financial transactions daily.

Explanation:

• Pixxel became the first private company in India to have its own constellation of satellites.
• Pixxel and Digantara announced the launch of their satellites through the SpaceX rocket.
• These satellites will monitor the earth and objects orbiting around it.
• Pixxel has created its own constellation of satellites by using cutting-edge hyper-spectral frequency. It will allow observation of the earth in more than 150 bands.
• It will be very useful in different sectors such as agriculture and defence.
• Digantara Aerospace announced the launch of the world's first commercial satellite - Space Camera for Object Tracking (SCOT).
• This will be used for surveillance of objects as small as 5 cm orbiting the Earth for safer space operations.

Explanation:

• National Startup Day is celebrated every year on January 16.
• It is observed to commemorate the role of startups in driving entrepreneurship, innovation, technology, self-reliance and collaboration.
• In 2022, 16 January was declared to be celebrated as National Startup Day.
• India with 1.6 lakh government-recognized startups has the third largest Startup ecosystem in the world.
• Startups have created more than 1.6 million jobs across the country.
• Under the Startup India initiative, startups have to register with the Commerce Ministry’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to get the benefits.
• Startups in India get many benefits including self-certification allowed for labour laws and environmental laws, rebate in patent filing, tax exemption under section 80IAC, exemption from Angel tax, etc.
• India has currently more than 110 Unicorns. As of January 13, 2025, more than 4,000 startups have received funds under Startup India’s Fund of Funds programme.

Explanation:

• Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences has inaugurated the first astronomical observatory in Eastern India, located in the Garpanchkot Hills of Purulia district, West Bengal.
• This is the sixth astronomical observatory center in the nation. It has been named after Satyendra Nath Bose.
• Work on the project began in 2012. Two telescopes were installed.
• This place has a seeing value of 1.3 arc seconds, which is comparable to that of the other five centres in the country.
• From November to April, when the sky will be clear, will be the best time for observation.
• The initially two places considered were Susunia Hills in Bankura and Garpanchkot Hills in Purulia.
• The centre has been set up 600 metres above sea level.
• The other centres are located in Ladakh, Nainital, Mount Abu, Girbani Hills (Pune), and Kavalur (Tamil Nadu).
• The observatory features a telescope with a diameter of 14 inches, and there are plans to install a telescope with a diameter of 1 meter in the near future.
• Additionally, the S.N. Bose Centre has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Sidhu Kanu Birsa University regarding the observatory’s operation and resource sharing.

Explanation:

• Singapore awards the Honorary Citizen Award to Tarun Das, the former head of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam honored Tarun Das with the Honorary Citizen Award for his role in strengthening India-Singapore relations.
• During a ceremony in New Delhi, President Tharman, who is on a state visit to India, presented the award to Das.
• A non-Singaporean can receive the highest recognition from the Singapore government through the Honorary Citizenship Award.
• It is awarded to individuals who have made significant impact in fields such as business, science and technology, education, health, arts and culture, and community service.
• Mr Das is the second Indian to be honoured with this honour, before him the only Indian to receive this honour was late Ratan Tata.

Explanation:

• India’s merchandise exports reduced by 1 percent to $38.01 billion in December.
• The imports rose by 4.9 per cent to $59.95 billion, which led to a trade deficit of $21.94 billion in December.
• According to United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), shifts in United States (US) trade policy toward more protectionist, inward-looking industrial policies in many countries, trade wars, and geopolitical tensions will negatively influence international trade in 2025.
• Moderating global inflation, stable economic growth forecasts and improving business activity will create positive momentum in global trade for early 2025.
• Petroleum imports rose 2.2% to $15.3 billion in December 2024.
• Between April and December 2024, exports of petro products were 20.84%.
• Global trade is expected to grow by 3.3 percent in 2024.
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) has revised its projection of world merchandise trade growth to 3 per cent in 2025.

Explanation:

• Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Registration Portal for Kashi Tamil Sangamam Phase 3.
• The 3rd edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) will commence on 15th February 2025 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• This 10-day event will conclude on 24th February 2025.
• Kashi Tamil Sangamam is a brainchild of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.
• It is an initiative to celebrate the bond between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.
• Kashi Tamil Sangamam will be a celebration of one of India’s most revered sages—Maharishi Agasthyar.
• An exhibition on Health, Philosophy, Science, Linguistics, Literature, Polity, Culture, Art, etc. will be organized at Kashi during KTS 3.0.
• 1000 delegates from Tamil Nadu under five categories/groups will participate in this event.
• Kashi Tamil Sangamam is to rediscover, reaffirm, and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.

Explanation:

• Exercise Devil Strike will be conducted by Indian Armed Forces from January 16-19.
• The elite airborne soldiers from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force will participate in the Exercise Devil Strike from January 16 to 19.
• The exercise will occur at the training areas and firing ranges. It will validate critical drills and enhancing operational readiness.
• The exercise will focus on assessment and refinement of the logistic sustenance strategies.
• The exercise will test advanced airborne operations and logistic strategies in hostile terrain.
• The Exercise will enhance the readiness of both services and prepare them for future challenges.

Explanation:

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in partnership with Data Security Council of India (DSCI) has launched the second edition of the Cyber Security Grand Challenge (CSGC 2.0).
• The initiative aims to enhance India's cybersecurity capabilities, bringing together key sectors for a more secure digital future.

Explanation:

• Justice K. Vinod Chandran took oath as a judge of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna administered the oath of office to him.
• The Centre approved the appointment of Justice Chandran to the top court based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced this on the social media platform X.