Q1. Which among the following is the  India’s third largest trading partner after the US and China ?

1.  UAE
2.  Saudi Arabia
3. Singapore
4. Indonesia
5. None of These

Q2. Name the country which has  announced the suspension of its participation in the New START arms treaty ?

1. Ukraine
2. Syria
3. Turkey
4. Russia
5. None of These

Q3. Which among the following has become the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination after its local council passed a resolution  moved by  Indian-American politician and economist Kshama Sawant, to add caste to its non-discrimination policy ?

1. Chicago
2. Seattle
3. New York
4. San Francisco
5. None of These

Q4.  Which of the following state has attracted maximum FDI inflow . between April-December FY2023 ?

1. Gujarat
2. Delhi
3. Karnataka
4. Maharashtra
5. None of These

Q5. Name the country which was the top investor in India  with $13 billion During April-December FY23 ?

1. Singapore
2. Japan
3. Netherlands
4. Mauritius
5. None of These

Answers

1--------------1   UAE

2-------------4 Russia

3-------------2   Seattle

4------------- 4 Maharashtra

5---------------1 Singapore 

Dulquer Salmaan is elated after bagging the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role. He won the award for his performance as a serial killer with a traumatic past in Chup. After receiving the award, Dulquer took to social media to share a note of gratitude. In the note, he called it a 'special one' as it's his maiden win for a Hindi film and his first ever for a negative role.

Jews and Sikhs were the two most targeted religious groups in the hate-motivated crime in the US in 2021, according to the annual compilation of nationwide incidents by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A total of 1,005 hate crimes related to religion were reported in 2021, the FBI said.

The largest categories of religion-based crime included anti-Jewish incidents at 31.9 per cent followed by anti-Sikh incidents at 21.3 per cent.

Anti-Muslims accounted for 9.5 per cent of religion-based hate crimes.

Anti-Catholic incidents accounted for 6.1 per cent and anti-Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Other) for 6.5 per cent.

Overall, law enforcement agencies reported 7,262 total incidents and 9,024 victims, demonstrating that hate crimes remain a concern for communities across the country.

Anti-Black or African American hate crimes continue to be the largest bias incident category, with 63.2 per cent of all single-bias incidents in 2021.

Additionally, anti-Asian incidents represented 4.3 per cent of incidents reported in 2021.

The other largest categories of hate crimes include anti-Hispanic or Latino incidents, with 6.1 per cent of incidents, and anti-White incidents, with 13.4 per cent of incidents.

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Tajikistan on Feb 23 , the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck around 5:37 am local time (0037 GMT) at a depth of about 20.5 kilometres (12.7 miles).

The USGS estimated that "little or no population" would be exposed to landslides from the quake.

Its epicentre appeared to be in Gorno-Badakhshan, a semi-autonomous eastern region that borders Afghanistan and China, about 67 kilometres from the small mountain town of Murghob.

Tajikistan -- like much of the rest of Central Asia -- is highly prone to natural disasters and has a long history of floods, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches and heavy snowfalls.

Foreign candidates, Non-Resident Indians (NRI), and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) students can also apply for the Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET-UG) 2023, the University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Prof M Jagadesh Kumar said on Feb 24.

He said in the online application form, candidates need to select nationality in the dropdown either Indian, OCI, NRI or foreign categories.

However, all foreign, NRI, OCI candidates are advised to visit the website of the University, Institution, Organization. The National Testing Agency has initiated the process of inviting online application forms for CUET-UG 2023 as per the February 9, public notice.

The University and other institutions may have different policies regarding admission for foreign candidates, NRI and OCI candidates. The second edition of the exam is being conducted for admission to undergraduate programmes in Central Universities under the Union Education Ministry, and participating universities, institutions, organisations, and autonomous colleges under the ministry and UGC.

For overseas Indians

25 per cent supernumerary seats – additionally for foreign nationals in UG and PG programmes

Two additional foreign students under each faculty member in PhD programmes

From 13 to 24: Last year, CUET UG was held in 13 foreign centres. This time, the National Testing Agency has increased the number of foreign centres to 24

547 cities this year - National-level entrance exam will be held in 547 cities in India

Overseas centres include, Australia, USA, UAE, Russia, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, Vietnam, Nigeria, Hong Kong and Brazil

As part of its diplomatic and military outreach programmes in the ASEAN nations, India has docked its submarine – INS Sindhukesari for the first time in Indonesia from February 22 to 24. Indonesia is among those countries which has been engaged in a naval dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea.

As per the Indian Navy, the submarine concluded a 3-day visit to Indonesia. It is pertinent to mention here that Indian warships often visit Indonesia and other ASEAN countries. This is the first time that the submarine was deployed for long-range.

Under Xi Jinping’s regime, the Chinese have been trying to expand their territory by making intrusions into their neighbouring countries. On the land boundary, it has been attempting to ingress into Indian as well as Bhutanese territories.

The 3,000-tonne conventional diesel-electric submarine reached Jakarta after crossing the nearby Sunda Strait. In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jakarta, wherein he and Indonesian President Joko Widodo had agreed to strengthen cooperation in all areas by establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to take Indonesia and India’s bilateral relationship into a new era.

In a major development, the Indian Navy had provided training to 21 personnel from the Philippines to handle BrahMos missile systems at Nagpur. India had contracted to deliver three batteries of the BrahMos missile system to the Philippines at a cost of USD 375 million.

India on  Feb 24 abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that underscored the need to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the UN Charter.

The draft resolution got 141 votes in its favour, seven against it, while 32, including India, abstained.

India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj

The Enforcement Directorate on Feb 24  said it has attached assets worth more than Rs 305 crore of Joy Alukkas Verghese, the owner of prominent Kerala-based jewellery group Joyalukkas, in a FEMA case linked to alleged transfer of "huge cash" to Dubai by the company through hawala channels.

The federal probe agency had carried out searches at multiple premises of the Thrissur-headquartered group on February 22.