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General Knowledge(GK) (or) General Awareness

Welcome to the General Knowledge Section of Free Time Learning. As we are aware General Knowledge (GK) is a very important area in all the competitive exams held in the country. Nowadays, a good knowledge of general awareness is very important in clearing any competitive and government recruitment examinations.

These General Knowledge Question are very important and usefull to UPSC, IAS/PCS, UPPSC, IBPS, SBI, RBI, SSC, CGL, Railway, APPSC, TSPSC, KPSC, TNPSC, TPSC, UPPSC, MPSC, RPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, UKPSC, MPSC, and other competitive exams.

A)
Novak Djokovic
B)
Andy Murray
C)
Daniil Medvedev
D)
Carlos Alcaraz

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Daniil Medvedev


Daniil Medvedev won the Qatar Open on debut when he defeated Andy Murray 6-4, 6-4 in a final matchup of former No. 1s on Saturday (25th Feb 2023).

* Medvedev converted fast starts in each set. He reached 4-1 in the first and 3-1 in the second.

* Murray fought back but Medvedev stifled him and earned his 17th singles title.

* “Sometimes we were playing bad, then suddenly both of us were playing amazing,” Medvedev said. “I’m happy to win.”

* Medvedev also won in Rotterdam last weekend and his winning streak is at nine matches..

Source : Indian Express

Published On : February 27, 2023
A)
Randy Katz
B)
Hari Balakrishnan
C)
Keith Winstein
D)
Hamsa Balakrishnan

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Hari Balakrishnan


Hari Balakrishnan has been awarded the 2023 Marconi Prize. He is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

He has been cited “for fundamental contributions to wired and wireless networking, mobile sensing, and distributed systems”.

About Marconi Prize

* The Marconi Prize is an annual award that recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of communications and information technology.

* It is named after Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor and pioneer in the development of wireless communication.

* The Marconi Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of telecommunications and is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Telecommunications.”

* The prize is administered by the Marconi Society, a non-profit organisation that promotes awareness and understanding of important scientific and technical issues in the field of communications.

* The Marconi Prize consists of a cash award of $100,000 and a commemorative medal.

* The Marconi Society also awards other prizes and scholarships, including the Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholar Award, which recognizes young researchers who have demonstrated exceptional technical and leadership abilities in the field of communications and information technology.

* Previous winners of the award include Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke.

Published On : February 27, 2023
A)
Japan
B)
United Kingdom
C)
France
D)
United States

Correct Answer : Option (B) - United Kingdom


An Indian Air Force contingent comprising 145 Air Warriors on Sunday (26th Feb 2023) departed Air Force Station Jamnagar to participate in Exercise Cobra Warrior at the Waddington Air Force Base in United Kingdom.

The exercise is scheduled from 6th of March to 24th of March this year (2023).

Ministry of Defence in a statement said that the Exercise Cobra Warrior is a multilateral Air exercise in which Air Forces from Finland, Sweden, South Africa, United States of America and Singapore would also be participating alongside Royal Air Force and Indian Air Force.

This year IAF is participating in the exercise with five Mirage 2000 fighters, two C-17 Globemaster and an IL-78 mid air refueller aircraft.

The exercise is aimed at providing operational exposure and share best practices amongst the participating Air Forces, thereby enhancing combat capability and forging bonds of friendship..

Source : AIR

Published On : February 26, 2023
A)
UAE
B)
France
C)
Morocco
D)
Australia

Correct Answer : Option (A) - UAE


India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas aircraft landed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday (25th February 2023) for its first ever combat exercise in a foreign country.

Exercise Desert Flag will also see participation from the air forces of the US, France, Kuwait, Australia, the UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain and South Korea.

An India Air Force (IAF) continent with 110 individuals arrived at the Al Dahfra air base on Saturday (25th Feb 2023) afternoon.

According to officials the IAF will be participating with Five Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

While Tejas LCAs have been part of numerous air shows, it has never participated in such a multilateral exercise. An official IAF statement added that this was the first time LCA Tejas would be "an international flying exercise outside India".

"The aim of the exercise is to participate in diverse fighter engagements and learn from the best practices of various air forces," officials said.

Meanwhile, a growing list of nations have evinced interest in  procuring the indigenously-developed LCA from India. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is currently fielding inquiries from Argentina, Egypt and several other nations.

HAL chairman "CB Ananthakrishnan" recently said that Egypt required 20 aircraft while Argentina had sought 15 fighter jets. HAL is also in talks with the Philippines to sell its light-combat helicopters.

The US, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Botswana and the Philippines are also among the countries showing interest in Tejas aircraft.

Manufactured by HAL, Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments. In February 2021 the defence ministry had sealed a ₹48,000-crore deal with the company for the procurement of 83 Tejas light combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force..

Source : Mint

Published On : February 26, 2023
A)
Israel
B)
China
C)
South Korea
D)
North Korea

Correct Answer : Option (B) - China


China sent the Zhongxing-26 communications satellite into orbit 23rd Feb 2023, marking the resumption orbital launches following a pause for Chinese New Year.

* A Long March 3B rocket lifted off at 6:49 a.m. Eastern (1149 UTC) from Xichang, southwest China, successfully sending Zhongxing-26 (ChinaSat-26) into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).

* The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) confirmed launch success within the hour.

* Zhongxing-26 is based on the DFH-4E satellite bus and uses chemical and electric propulsion. It is China’s first satellite providing more than 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) and was developed by CASC’s China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).

* CAST states the satellite is equipped with 94 Ka-band user beams. This is 3.5 times more than the 26-beam, 20 Gbps, Dongfanghong-3B-based Zhongxing-16 launched in 2017.

* That satellite has been supplying connectivity to aviation passengers such as Sichuan Airlines’ Airbus A320 flights using Viasat in-flight connectivity equipment.

* Operator China Satcom describes the satellite as an important piece of national space infrastructure and helping to meet national requirements for connectivity.

* Zhongxing-26 will mainly provide broadband access for fixed terminals and aviation in shipbourne users in China and surrounding areas from 125 degrees East in the geostationary belt.

* The overall cost was 2.3 billion yuan ($333 million) according to a feasibility study.

* The Long March 7A, touted as a greener, new-generation launcher using kerosene-liquid oxygen and launching from the coast at Wenchang, is yet to ramp up its launch rate to replace the aging Long March 3B. It most recently launched a pair of classified satellites Jan. 9..

Source : Space News

Published On : February 26, 2023
A)
India
B)
New Zealand
C)
Australia
D)
South Africa

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Australia


Australia won the Women's T20 World Cup for the sixth time when they beat South Africa by 19 runs in the final at Newlands on Sunday (26th Feb 2023).

Australia's previous victories came in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2020.

Opening batter Beth Mooney anchored the Australian innings, scoring an unbeaten 74 in a total of 156 for six.

South Africa were never up with the required run rate and were restricted to 137 for six despite opener Laura Wolvaardt hitting 61 off 48 balls.

Wolvaardt and semi-final heroine Tazmin Brits struggled to find gaps in the field and scored only 17 runs before Brits was caught at mid-on off Darcie Brown off the last ball of the fifth over.

Marizanne Kapp hit two boundaries but was out for 11 and South Africa captain Sune Luus was run out for two. At that stage the home side needed another 103 runs off 56 balls.

The left-handed Mooney played a measured innings, scoring her 74 runs off 53 balls while a succession of partners batted aggressively.

Ash Gardner and Grace Harris both batted ahead of captain Meg Lanning and appeared to be under instructions to go for their shots.

South Africa's bowlers performed steadily and were backed up by enthusiastic fielding. Stalwarts Shabnim Ismail and Kapp both took two wickets each.

But Australia showed their quality in defending their total with athleticism and commitment that put the South African batters under constant pressure.

Brief scores :

Australia 156-6 in 20 overs (B. Mooney 74 not out; S. Ismail 2-26, M. Kapp 2-35) v South Africa 137-6 in 20 overs (L. Wolvaardt 61).

Result : Australia won by 19 runs

Toss : Australia.

Source : Mint

Published On : February 26, 2023
A)
Russia
B)
USA
C)
France
D)
India

Correct Answer : Option (A) - Russia


A Russian Soyuz spacecraft blasted off on Friday (24th Feb 2023) on a mission to bring back to Earth a crew stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) by a leak in the cooling system of their original return capsule.

* The unmanned Soyuz MS-23 lifted off from Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan and had been placed in orbit. It was due to dock with the ISS on Saturday (25th Feb 2023) at 0101 GMT.

* Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin and U.S. astronaut Francisco Rubio had been due to end their mission in March. They were left stuck in space after the cooling system of their Soyuz MS-22 capsule started leaking two months ago.

* Russian space agency Roscosmos said this week the trio would now return to Earth aboard Soyuz MS-23 in September.

* The damaged MS-22 spacecraft is now scheduled to land without a crew in March.

* Both NASA and Roscosmos believe last year's leak on the MS-22 spacecraft was caused by a micrometeoroid - a tiny particle of space rock - hitting the capsule at high velocity.

* A similar impact is also believed to have caused a separate leak this month on the cooling system of the Progress MS-21 cargo ship, taken out of orbit last week.

* Tass said 430 kilogrammes (about 950 pounds) of cargo was sent aboard the replacement craft, including medical equipment, scientfic instruments, water, food and cleaning supplies. Tass quoted a Russian space official as saying the amount of food sent was three times the amount normally dispatched for such missions.

* The revelations have forced NASA and Roscosmos to change their plans and cancel scheduled space walks....

Source : NDTV

Published On : February 26, 2023
A)
Jeff Bezos
B)
Bill Gates
C)
Warren Buffett
D)
Paul Allen

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Bill Gates


Bill Gates has acquired a minority stake in Heineken Holding NV, the controlling shareholder of the world’s second-largest brewer, for about $902 million.

* The Microsoft founder and philanthropist last week picked up 3.8% of Heineken Holding, according to a filing by the Dutch regulator AFM.

* He bought 6.65 million shares in Heineken Holding, in his individual capacity, and another 4.18 million shares through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.

* The shares are valued at €848.2 million ($902 million), according to Bloomberg calculations at closing share price value of February 17, 2023.

* Gates acquired the stake on the same day that Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB launched a €3.7 billion stock and equity-linked sale for part of its holdings in Heineken.

* Femsa, as the Mexican Coca-Cola bottler and convenience store operator is known, had last week announced plans to offload its stake in Heineken after a strategic review.

* Femsa said its accelerated bookbuild offering of €1.9 billion in shares in Heineken NV priced at €91 apiece, and €1.3 billion in shares in Heineken Holding sold at €75 each. Heineken Holding controls 50% of Heineken NV, maker of the namesake beer as well as Amstel, Moretti, and Sol among others.

* The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust foundation has also invested in Dutch online grocer Picnic BV and holds a 1.34% stake in Dutch fertilizer producer OCI NV.

* The foundation has long been a powerhouse in the nonprofit world, employing almost 1,800 people and spending nearly $80 billion since 2000.

Source : Business Standard

Published On : February 25, 2023
A)
INS Shankush
B)
INS Kalvari
C)
INS Sindhukesar
D)
INS Shishumar

Correct Answer : Option (C) - INS Sindhukesar


In line with the expanding military cooperation with South East Asian nations, an Indian Navy Kilo class conventional submarine, INS Sindhukesari, docked in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the first time from February 22 to 24, 2023.

The 3,000-tonne conventional diesel-electric submarine made its way to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta to dock after traversing through the nearby Sunda Strait.

The submarine, which was on operational deployment, travelled through the Sunda Strait and undertook the maiden docking in Indonesia for Operational Turnaround (OTR), Naval ships regularly make port calls to countries in the region.

The OTR in Jakarta, over 2,000 nautical miles away from its home base in Visakhapatnam, significantly expands the area operational reach of the submarine arm near crucial shipping lanes and the strategic Malacca Strait. In the past, Indonesia gave access to its Sabang port to Indian Naval ships for operational turnaround.

India has steadily expanded its defence and security cooperation with countries in the region, many of which are engaged in disputes with China in the South China Sea.

In recent years, India has signed logistics support agreements with several countries to enhance reach and sustenance of military assets while deployed far from home.

INS Sindhukesari had undergone a major Rs 1,197-crore ‘medium refit-cum-life extension’ at Severodvinsk in Russia that ended in 2018, as part of the ongoing plan to upgrade four old Sindhughosh-class (Russian-origin Kilo-class) and two Shishumar-class (German HDW) submarines to stem depletion in the underwater fleet.

The submarine’s deployment to Indonesia comes soon after India conducted operational training to handle the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for 21 military personnel from Philippines at Nagpur earlier this month.

India will supply three missile batteries of the shore-based anti-ship systems of the BrahMos, a deadly conventional (non-nuclear) weapon that flies almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8 with a strike range of 290-km, under the $375 million contract inked in January..

Source : The Hindu

Published On : February 25, 2023
A)
Wipro
B)
Infosys
C)
Cognizant
D)
HCLTech

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Infosys


Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, 23rd February 2023 announced that it will expand its collaboration with Microsoft, to help accelerate enterprise cloud transformation journeys worldwide.

* According to the Infosys Cloud Radar, enterprises can add up to $414 billion in net new profits, annually, through effective cloud adoption.

* The report also calculated that adopting cloud improved speed to market and the ability to discover new revenue streams and resulted in increased profit growth by up to 11.2 percent YoY.

* The extended strategic collaboration between Infosys and Microsoft will greatly benefit enterprises by bringing them the best of Infosys Cobalt cloud offerings and Microsoft’s cloud computing technologies, led by Azure, across the business value-chain.

* The deepening of the collaboration will entail the onboarding of Infosys Cobalt solutions to Microsoft’s industry clouds, to empower enterprises to build agile cloud-powered platforms and innovate at scale.

* The joint capabilities across application modernization, enterprise solutions, data analytics and AI, digital workplace solutions, low-code, no-code power platforms and cybersecurity innovations will create a robust foundation for cloud-powered transformation.

* These will bring enterprises the benefits that come from best of breed Microsoft platforms, along with Infosys Cobalt suite of cloud-powered solutions, implemented to minimize time-to-market and maximize value.

* For example, Infosys Helix, running on Azure, is delivering for the healthcare industry value from an AI-first, people-centric platform suite to analyze, customize and democratize data for payers, providers, members, and governments.

* Another powerful example is Infosys Equinox – a human-centric digital commerce and marketing platform that enables contextualized omnichannel buying experiences.

* Microsoft is using Infosys’ expertise to deliver the Support experience for its products, and this collaboration will further enhance the dedicated support and focus from the Microsoft CRM Center of Excellence set up by Infosys..

Source : Infosys

Published On : February 25, 2023