General Knowledge

China was the first country to introduce paper currency during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century, with widespread use during the Song Dynasty. This innovation predates the use of paper money in other countries.

The dove is widely recognized as a symbol of peace, often depicted carrying an olive branch. While it can also represent love or charity in some contexts, peace is the most universally accepted meaning.

Christopher Columbus was born in the Republic of Genoa, which is part of modern-day Italy, making Italy his country of origin. Although he sailed under the Spanish flag, his nationality was Italian.

Shama Khalid was the first woman Chief Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (often referred to as Occupied Kashmir in some contexts). Mehbooba Mufti was the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (Indian-administered). Since the question specifies 'Occupied Kashmir', the correct answer is Shama Khalid.

The Associated Press (AP) is a well-known news agency based in the United States of America (USA). It is an American multinational nonprofit news agency headquartered in New York City.

World Animal Day is observed annually on October 4th. It was originally planned for October 4th to align with the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, and this date has been universally accepted since 1931. Therefore, the correct answer is October 4, which corresponds to option C.

The world's biggest uncut diamond, the Lesedi La Rona, was sold privately to Graff Diamonds in 2017 for approximately $53 million. This figure is confirmed by multiple reputable sources including BBC, CNBC, and others. The previously mentioned $43 million figure is incorrect for this diamond's sale price. Therefore, the correct selling price among the options given is $53 million (option B).

Upper Volta was the former name of Burkina Faso before it was renamed in 1984. Therefore, the correct answer is Burkina Faso.

Satya Nadella has been the CEO of Microsoft since February 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer. The other options are either historical figures related to computing or unrelated public figures.

The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark located in Paris, which is the capital city of France. Therefore, the correct answer is France.

BRICS is an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Germany is not a member of BRICS, making option D the correct answer.

India has the highest number of smokers in Asia according to the 2017 research on smoking consumption, making it top of the list. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have lower smoking populations comparatively.

Oxford University college removed Aung San Suu Kyi's portrait due to criticism related to her response to the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. The controversy centered on her perceived inaction and denial of abuses against the Rohingya people.

The 72nd session of the UN General Assembly officially opened on September 12, 2017, and ran until September 24, 2017. This matches option A exactly, making it the correct choice.

The capital of Canada is Ottawa, which is the political and administrative center of the country. The other options are capitals or cities of other countries.

MNNA stands for Major Non-NATO Ally, a designation given by the United States to close allies that have strategic working relationships with the U.S. military but are not members of NATO.

Kazakhstan is the largest Muslim-majority country by area, covering a vast territory in Central Asia. While Indonesia has the largest Muslim population, it is not the largest by land area.

MI5 is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, making Britain the correct answer.

The official currency of Japan is the Yen, represented by the symbol ¥. It is the third most traded currency in the world after the US Dollar and the Euro.

Bakht Khan was a prominent leader and hero during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the First War of Indian Independence. He led the rebel forces in Delhi and played a key role in the uprising against British rule.

China was the first country to introduce competitive examinations for the selection of public servants. This system, known as the imperial examination or 'keju', began during the Sui Dynasty (581–618 CE) and was further developed during the Tang Dynasty. It was a merit-based system designed to select government officials based on their knowledge and abilities rather than birth or connections. This system lasted for over a thousand years and influenced civil service examination systems worldwide. New Zealand, USA, and Pakistan adopted competitive examinations much later.

The total length of the Indus River is approximately 2,900 kilometers, making option A the correct answer. The other options either underestimate or greatly overestimate the river's length.

The International Day of Non-Violence is observed annually on 2nd October, which is the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a global symbol of non-violence.

The parliament of Mongolia was not dissolved by its Prime Minister on 28 September 2017. In Mongolia, only the President has the authority to dissolve the State Great Khural (parliament). The most recent dissolution before that date was by the President in late December 2016, which led to snap elections in June 2016. The Prime Minister at the time, Jargaltulga Erdenebat, remained in office until October 2017 when he resigned following a parliamentary no-confidence vote. Therefore, the claim that the Prime Minister dissolved the parliament on 28-9-2017 is incorrect. However, among the options given, Mongolia is the closest and most relevant answer, as no other listed country had such an event on that date. The option 'Vanswala' is fictional. Japan and Pakistan did not dissolve their parliaments on that date either.

Venice is famously known as the "Queen of the Adriatic Sea" due to its historical importance, unique architecture, and location along the Adriatic coast. None of the other cities listed are located on the Adriatic Sea.