Q1. The Union minister Nitin Gadkari  has said that India is likely to see 1 crore Electric Vehicle (EV) sales a year and the segment is expected to generate about 5 crore jobs by

1. 2025
2. 2027
3. 2030
4. 2033
5. None of These

Q2. Name the Australia batter  who has been reprimanded by the International Cricket Council for wearing a black armband in support of Palestinians in Gaza during the first cricket test against Pakistan ?

1. Usman Khawaja
2. Hashim Amla
3. Moen Ali
4. Ejaz Patel
5. None of These

Q3. The United States said on Dec 22 that  it will impose sanctions on foreign banks that support Russia's war in Ukraine, in a new bid to exert economic pressure on Moscow as it diversifies from the West to

1. Iran
2. Turkey
3. China
4. India
5. None of These

Q4. Name the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who has said that the India's maiden solar mission Aditya-L1 will reach its destination, the Lagrangian point (L1) which is located 1. 5 million km from the Earth, on January 6

1. Nambi Narayanan
2. A. S. Kiran Kumar
3. S Somanath
4. Sivan Kailasavadivoo
5. None of These

Q5. Name the British Indian spy on  whose name a  housing block  in London has been named ?

1. Noor Inayat Khan
2. Saraswathi Rajamani
3. Violette Szabo
4. Odette Sansom Hallowes
5. None of These

Answers

1----------------------------------3    2030

2----------------------------------1 Usman Khawaja

3-----------------------------------3  China

4------------------------------------3  S Somanath

5-----------------------------------1   Noor Inayat Khan

Half of the bills passed by the 17th Lok Sabha were discussed for less than two hours each, and only 16 per cent were referred to parliamentary standing committees, as highlighted by PRS Legislative Research.

In total, 172 bills were deliberated and approved, but a significant portion received limited debate time: 86 in the Lok Sabha and 103 in the Rajya Sabha, each discussed for under two hours. Only a minority of these bills saw substantial debate participation, with just 16 bills in the Lok Sabha and 11 in the Rajya Sabha involving more than 30 members.

The findings, emerging after the winter session’s end, also reveal a diminishing trend in referring bills to House panels. This trend marks a sharp decline from 71% in the 15th Lok Sabha and 25% in the 16th to a mere 16% in the current assembly.

Another notable aspect of the 17th Lok Sabha is its failure so far to elect a deputy speaker, a role mandated by the Constitution to be filled as soon as possible post-elections. The winter session, spanning December 14-21, was marked by unprecedented suspensions — 100 MPs from the Lok Sabha and 46 from the Rajya Sabha.

Commercial cooking gas (LPG) prices were on DEC 22 cut by Rs 39.50 per 19-kg cylinder in line with softening international benchmarks.

However, the price of domestic LPG -- used in household kitchens for cooking purposes -- remained unchanged at Rs 903 per 14.2-kg cylinder.

Commercial LPG -- used in various establishments such as hotels and restaurants -- will now cost Rs 1,757 per 19-kg cylinder in the national capital as against Rs 1,796.50, oil firms said in a price notification.

State-owned oil firms last hiked the price of commercial LPG by Rs 21 on December 1.

Commercial LPG will now cost Rs 1,710 per 19-kg cylinder in Mumbai, Rs 1,868.50 in Kolkata, and Rs 1,929 in Chennai.

Rates differ from state to state based on incidence of local taxation.

Saudi contract price (CP), the benchmark used for pricing of LPG, has softened in the last few weeks' oversupply concerns.

State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) revise cooking gas and ATF prices on the 1st of every month, based on the average international price in the previous month.

A Nicaragua-bound plane that took off from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrying 303 Indian passengers has been grounded in France over suspected "human trafficking".

According to a 'Le Monde' newspaper report, the national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation.

The newspaper report says the prefecture said the plane had been due to refuel and was carrying 303 Indian nationals who had probably been working in the UAE.

After landing in France, the passengers were first kept on the aircraft, but then let out and given individual beds in the terminal building.

The entire airport was cordoned off by police.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 which would make him the sixth French leader to grace the prestigious occasion.

It may be recalled that PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade on July 14th this year. PM Macron visited Delhi in September for the G20 Summit. The two leaders met again on the sidelines of COP 28.

Meanwhile, this will be the sixth time a French leader will be the chief guest at the Republic Day. In 1976 French President Jacques Chirac was the first French Prime Minister the guest, in 1980 French President Valery Giscard, in 1998 President Jacques Chirac, in 2008 President Nicolas Sarkozy and in 2016 President Francois Hollande.

There was no Republic Day Chief guest in 2021 and 2022 given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the chief guest at this year's Republic Day celebrations.

In 2020, then-Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.

In 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was the chief guest at the Republic Day parade, while in 2018, leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries attended the celebrations.

In 2017, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the chief guest at the celebrations, while then-French President Francois Hollande graced the occasion in 2016.

In 2014, then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the chief guest at the celebrations, while Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck attended the parade in 2013.

The heads of state and government who have attended the Republic Day celebrations include Nicolas Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, John Major, Mohammed Khatami and Jacques Chirac.

The then British Prime Minister John Major attended the celebrations in 1993, Nelson Mandela participated as then South African President in 1995 while South Korean President President Lee Myung Bak witnessed the parade in 2010.

Trade relations between India and France have witnessed steady growth, with bilateral trade reaching an impressive USD 13.4 billion in 2022-23, marking a significant 7.72% increase from the previous year.

France has emerged as the 11th largest investor in India, with an FDI inflow of USD 10.5 billion from April 2000 to March 2023.

The Centre has granted Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) a one-time exemption from the 25% minimum public shareholding (MPS) rule. This means that the Government of India will continue to hold more than 75% stake in the insurance behemoth for the next eight-nine years.

The current MPS rule specifies that a listed entity with a market capitalisation (m-cap) of more than Rs 1 lakh crore should have a minimum 25% public shareholding within five years of listing. For firms which have lower m-cap, they are required to have a minimum 25% public shareholding within a year of listing.  LIC, which had launched the biggest IPO in India’s capital market history, entered the bourses on May 17, 2022. This meant it had to meet the 25% criteria by May 2027. However, with the extension, it would now have to meet the MPS rule by May 2032.

A special court  in Mumbai  granted bail to Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor in a money-laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities at the bank.

He, however, would not walk out of jail at present as he has not been granted bail in a related case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Kapoor, 65, former MD and CEO of the private bank, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in March 2020.

A day after Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik hung her boots as a mark of protest against the election of Brij Bhushan's close aide Sanjay Singh as the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) chief, Bajrang Punia wrote a letter to PM Modi returning his Padma Shri award.