January

Question 1

Which year has been declared as the ‘International Year of Millets
(IYM)’?
A. 2021
B. 2022
C. 2023
D. 2024

Answer 1

2023

Question 2

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office on _____ for a third term as president.
A. January 1, 2023
B. January 2, 2023
C. January 3, 2023
D. January 4, 2023

Answer 2

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office on January 1, 2023, for a third term as president of Brazil,
capping a remarkable comeback for the veteran leftist after he defeated far-right leader Jair
Bolsonaro in October elections. The 77-year-old ex-metalworker, who previously led Brazil
from 2003 to 2010, took the oath of office before Congress, vowing to maintain, defend and obey the constitution as he returned to lead Latin Americas biggest economy after a bitterly divisive election.

Question 3

Which country recently switched to the euro from its kuna currency and became the 20th member of the Eurozone?
A. Slovenia
B. Croatia
C. Serbia
D. Romania

Answer 3

Croatia switched to the euro and entered Europe’s borderless zone as Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic called a historic moment for his country. The Balkan nation bid farewell to its kuna currency and became the 20th member of the Eurozone. It is now the 27th nation in the
passport-free Schengen zone. It is the world’s largest zone which enables more than 400 million people to move freely around its members. The country of 3.9 million people joined the European Union in 2013.

Question 4

When Israel’s Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount where the al-Aqsa Mosque is located, spurring an international wave of criticism?
A. 3 January 2023
B. 5 January 2023
C. 7 January 2023
D. 9 January 2023

Answer 4

On 3 January 2023, Ben Gvir, as national security minister, visited the Temple Mount, which prompted a wave of international criticism from the United States, European Union, and Arab countries including Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, who termed his visit as provocative and called on Israel to respect the status quo of holy sites.

Question 5

In January 2023, which country carried out the first execution of transgender persons?
A. UK
B. China
C. USA
D. Indonesia

Answer 5

A transgender woman convicted of murder was put to death late on 3 January 2023 in the first
such execution in the United States, officials said. Amber McLaughlin, 49, was pronounced dead shortly before 7 pm local time at the Diagnostic and Correctional Center in the town of Bonne Terre, Missouri, according to a statement from the state prison department.

Question 6

Which two countries call for an urgent UN Security Council meeting after Israeli minister Ben Giver’s visit to Al-Aqsa?
A. Turkey and China
B. China and Saudi Arabia
C. China and UAE
D. None of these

Answer 6

The United Arab Emirates and China have called for a UN Security Council meeting after
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque
a compound in a widely denounced move.

Question 7

Cold River is a hacking team of which country?
A. USA
B. France
C. Israel
D. Russia

Answer 7

A Russian hacking team, known as Cold River, targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, five cyber security experts allege. Between August and
September, as President Vladimir Putin indicated Russia would be willing to use nuclear weapons to defend its territory, Cold River targeted the Brookhaven (BNL), Argonne (ANL), and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL), according to internet records that showed the hackers creating fake login pages for each institution and emailing nuclear scientists in a bid to make them reveal their passwords.

Question 8

Who is the current speaker of the United States House of Representatives? (Jan 2023)
A. Kevin McCarthy
B. Hakeem Jeffries
C. Donald Trump
D. Nancy Pelosi

Answer 8

The current House speaker is Republican Kevin McCarthy of California. The 55th person to serve
as a speaker, he was elected on January 7, 2023, at the beginning of the 118th Congress, after 15
rounds of voting.

Question 9

How many new members have been recently added to the U.N. Security Council in 2023, for a two-year tenure?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Seven

Answer 9

Five
Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland were made the new members of the U.N.Security Council for the two-year seats they won unopposed in June. The five countries would replace India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and Norway in the Council. The ambassadors of the five countries installed their national flags alongside those of other members outside the council chambers.

Question 10

Which country ranks top in the Global Firepower Index 2023?
A. USA
B. China
C. Russia
D. India

Answer 10

1. USA
2. Russia
3. China
4. India
5. United KIngdom
6. South Korea
7. Pakistan

Question 11

XBB.1.5 Covid variant has caused a huge rise in new cases in which
country?
A. South Africa
B. Italy
C. USA
D. Indonesia

Answer 11

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that XBB.1.5 has more than doubled
its share of the COVID-19 figures each week.
In the Northeast region of the country, XBB.1.5 is causing 75% of new cases. The XBB.1.5 strain
is a relative of the Omicron XBB variant, which is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2.10.1 and
BA.2.75 subvariants

Question 12

According to a UN report released on January 10, 2023, which regions remained
the worst in terms of child mortality in 2021?
A. South Asia
B. Europe
C. Sub-Saharan Africa
D. Both A and C

Answer 12

South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa remained the two worst regions in terms of child mortality
in 2021, a new UN report has said. The report released on January 10, 2023 estimated that
around five million children died before the age of five while another 2.1 million children and
youth between five and 24 years lost their lives in 2021.

Question 13

In January 2023, which country appointed its first ambassador to Israel?
A. Egypt
B. UAE
C. Qatar
D. Azerbaijan

Answer 13

Azerbaijan appointed its first-ever ambassador to Israel on 11 January 2023, amid
escalating tensions with its large southern neighbor Iran. President Ilham Aliyev signed a
presidential decree appointing Mukhtar Mammadov, a veteran official who has held posts in the foreign and education ministries, as Baku’s first envoy to Israel after 30 years of
bilateral relations.

Question 14

‘Wagner Private Military Company is a paramilitary organization of
which country?
A. USA
B. Germany
C. UK
D. Russia

Answer 14

‘Wagner Private Military Company’), is a Russian paramilitary organization. It is variously described as a private military company (PMC), a network of mercenaries, or a de facto private
army of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Question 15

The WHO warns against the use of country cough syrups blamed for the deaths of at least 20 children in Uzbekistan.
A. China
B. USA
C. India
D. Russia

Answer 15

The World Health Organisation has issued an alert warning against the use of two Indian cough syrups blamed for the deaths of at least 20 children in Uzbekistan. WHO said the products, manufactured by Indias Marion Biotech, were substandard and that the firm had failed to provide guarantees about their safety and quality`. The alert, issued on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, comes after Uzbekistan authorities said last month at least 20 children died after consuming a syrup made by the company under the brand name Doc-1 Max

Question 16

On January 12, 2023, which country pulled out of an upcoming cricket series against Afghanistan in the UAE?
A. England
B. Australia
C. Pakistan
D. India

Answer 16

Australia pulled out of an upcoming cricket series against Afghanistan in the United Arab
Emirates on January 12, 2023, citing Taliban moves to further restrict womens rights. The mens team was due to face their Afghan counterparts in three ODI games in March
following a tour to India. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in Kabul described Australias decision as pathetic`.

Question 17

On January 14, 2023, which country announced the discovery of an
ancient tomb in Luxor dating back around 3,500 years?
A. Syria
B. Turkey
C. Egypt
D. Belarus

Answer 17

Egyptian authorities announced on January 14, 2023 the discovery of an ancient tomb in
Luxor dating back around 3,500 years that archaeologists believe holds the remains of an
18th dynasty royal. The tomb was unearthed by Egyptian and British researchers on the
west bank of the River Nile, where the famous Valley of the Queens and Valley of the
Kings lie.

Question 18

On January 15, 2023, Nepal`s domestic flight crashed in Pokhara, Named?
A. Guna Airlines
B. Buddha Air
C. Yeti Airlines
D. Nepal Airlines

Answer 18

At least 68 people were killed on January 15, 2023, when a domestic flight of Yeti Airlines crashed in Pokhara in Nepal, the worst air crash in three decades in the small Himalayan nation.
Hundreds of rescue workers scoured the hillside where the flight carrying 72 people from the capital Kathmandu went down.

Question 19

Which country has produced the first set of Poseidon nuclear-capable super torpedoes?
A. China
B. Russia
C. USA
D. Israel

Answer 19

Russia has produced the first set of Poseidon nuclear-capable super torpedoes that are
being developed for deployment on the Belgorod nuclear submarine, TASS reported on
Monday, citing an unidentified defense source. Since a grim New Years Eve message describing the West as Russias true enemy in the war on Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin
has sent several signals that Russia will not back down.

Question 20

As per the estimates from the World Population Review, which country is the most populous country in the world, as of 2022?
A. China
B. India
C. Indonesia
D. Pakistan

Answer 20

As per the estimates from the World Population Review, an independent organization focused
on census and demographics. India may have already surpassed China as the world’s most populous nation. India’s population stood at 1.417 billion as of the end of 2022, 5 million more than the 1.412 billion reported by China. China announced the first decline in population numbers since the 1960s.

Question 21

The UN deputy secretary general met Afghanistans acting foreign minister on January 18, 2023, for talks on womens education, Named?
A. Nadine Ibrahim
B. Amina Mohammed
C. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
D. Dora Akunyili

Answer 21

The UN deputy secretary general met Afghanistans acting foreign minister on January 18, 2023 to discuss womens education and jobs after Taliban authorities ordered most female NGO
workers to stop working and barred women from attending universities. Amina Mohammed was in Kabul as part of a series of meetings that had included stops in Pakistan, Turkiye, and Qatar to discuss the situation in Afghanistan with diplomats, the Afghan diaspora, and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

Question 22

World Bank has appreciated which country for its transition from the poorest to one of the fastest growing countries?
A. India
B. Indonesia
C. Bangladesh
D. Nepal

Answer 22

World Bank (WB) Managing Director Axel van Trotsenburg lauded Bangladesh as one of the
world’s greatest development stories. The country has moved from being one of the poorest at its inception to one of the fastest-growing countries in the world. The country’s 6 percent average economic growth per annum since 2000 has lifted millions of people out of poverty. It started with a status of poverty in 1972, became a lower-middle-income country in 2015 and is now on the way to becoming an upper-middle-income country

Question 23

In January 2023, which country expelled the Russian ambassador?
A. Estonia
B. China
C. France
D. Germany

Answer 23

Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. Russia and Estonia have expelled the ambassadors from each other’s countries in a tit-for-tat move.

Question 24

UNESCO is dedicating the 2023 International Day of Education to girls and
women in:
A. Lebanon
B. Palestine
C. Pakistan
D. Afghanistan

Answer 24

UNESCO is dedicating this year’s International Day to girls and women in Afghanistan who have been deprived of their right to education. It is calling for the immediate lifting of the ban
restricting their access to education.

Question 25

Jacinda Ardern to resign as prime minister of New Zealand on:
A. January 21, 2023
B. January 23, 2023
C. January 25, 2023
D. January 27, 2023

Answer 25

Hundreds gathered to pay an emotional farewell to Jacinda Ardern as she left New Zealands parliament to resign as prime minister on January 25, 2023, before Chris Hipkins was swiftly sworn in as her replacement. Ardern said last week she no longer had enough in the tank` after
steering the country through natural disasters, its worst-ever terror attack, and the Covid-19
pandemic.

Question 26

Which country won the 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup?
A. Germany
B. Spain
C. Belgium
D. Netherlands

Answer 26

Germany.
The 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup was the 15th edition of the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup,
the quadrennial world championship for men’s national field hockey teams organized by
the International Hockey Federation. It was held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and at
the 20,000-seat Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, India from 13 to 29
January 2023. Germany won their third title after defeating Belgium in the final after penalties. The Netherlands captured the bronze medal by winning against Australia.