This is the current affairs of 13 & 14 August 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. The Ministry of External Affairs has issued an advisory to Indians to leave which country as soon as possible?
a. France
b. Niger
c. South Africa
d. Cuba
Answer: b. Niger
– Amidst a political upheaval in the African country of Niger, the Indian government has issued an advisory.
– The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that Indian citizens in Niger should leave as soon as possible.
– Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, mentioned that considering the current situation, Indian citizens who do not need to remain in Niger are advised to leave the country (Niger) as soon as possible.
– The local military in Niger has closed the airspace. However, with the assistance of the Indian embassy, people can exit through the land border.
– In case of emergencies, Indian citizens can contact the dedicated Indian embassy at (+227 9975 9975)
Coup in Niger
– In Niger, the military has removed the president from power and taken control of the country.
– In July 2023, the military detained President Mohammed Bazoum of Niger and declared that they would take over the country’s control. As no country came forward to assist, the military has completely sealed its Niger border.
Niger:
– Capital: Niamey
– Currency: West African CFA Franc
– Neighboring Countries: Nigeria, Chad, Libya, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin
Recent Coups in Western and Central African Countries in the Last 3 Years:
Country and Coup:
– Chad: April 2021
– Mali: August 2020
– Burkina Faso: January 2022
– Guinea: September 2021
– Sudan: April 2019
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2. Who became the new caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan?
a. Nawaz Sharif
b. Raja Riaz
c. Anwarul Haq
d. Hamid Mir
Answer: c. Anwarul Haq
Anwar ul Haq Caretaker Prime Minister:
– The term of the National Assembly in Pakistan ended on August 12, 2023.
– For the interim period until the electoral process, the interim Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riyaz chose the name of Anwar ul Haq and sent it to the President.
– Subsequently, the President appointed Anwar ul Haq as the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan.
– Interestingly, it is noteworthy that only twice before, from 2013-2018 and 2018-2023, has Pakistan’s National Assembly completed its term. Prior to this, no government in Pakistan had been able to complete its term in office.
Caretaker Prime Minister in Pakistan: Why?
– After the completion of the term of the National Assembly in Pakistan, the process of general elections begins.
– It is not the same in India. In India, elections and results are declared before the completion of the Lok Sabha’s term. This is a better approach and is followed in most democratic countries around the world.
– However, Pakistan follows a different process.
– According to Pakistani law, after the dissolution of the Parliament, the Election Commission comes into action.
– As per their constitution, the Election Commission is required to conduct general elections within 60 to 90 days in the country.
– Until the elections take place, an interim government runs the country.
– The interim government is led by a caretaker Prime Minister.
– Although this time, due to unforeseen circumstances, the elections in Pakistan might be delayed for a longer period. The elections could take place next year.
Responsibilities of an Interim Government:
– Until a new government is elected, important tasks should continue in the country, and impartial elections should be conducted.
– Regarding Anwar ul Haq, it is said that his party and his relations with the Pakistani military are quite good. This might be the reason why he has been rewarded with the position of acting Prime Minister.
– Everyone would agree that in Pakistan, it is the military that controls the government from behind the scenes.
Can Imran Khan contest elections again?
– Imran Khan was arrested on August 5. This was his second arrest in the past 3 months.
– After being ousted from power in April 2022, there are over 180 cases against him in Pakistan’s courts. Many of these cases are related to national security.
– He has been banned from contesting elections for five years.
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3. Name the new prime minister of Cambodia?
a. Hun Manet
b. Hun Sen
c. Khmer Rouge
d. none of these
Answer: a. Hun Manet
– He is the son of Hun Sen, who served as the Prime Minister for the longest period (38 years) in the world.
– Hun Sen had stepped down from the position of Prime Minister for his son, Hun Manet.
– Subsequently, in August 2023, Cambodia’s Emperor Norodom Sihamoni appointed Hun Manet as the Prime Minister.
– Prior to this, he was the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Army.
– His father, Hun Sen, is considered an entrenched ruler.
Cambodia
– Neighboring countries – Vietnam, Laos and Thailand
– Capital: Phnom Penh
– Emperor: Norodom Sihamoni
– Prime Minister: Hun Manet
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4. When is ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ celebrated?
a. 15 August
b. 14 August
c. 13 August
d. 12 August
Answer: b. 14 August
– This day was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the year 2021.
– This day is observed to commemorate the sufferings and hardships faced by people during India’s partition.
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5. UGC released the list of how many fake universities in the country and asked the students not to take admission here?
a. 22
b. 20
c. 18
d. 16
Answer: b. 20
– On Wednesday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) declared 20 universities as fake. Consequently, they are not authorized to grant any degrees. Among these, eight institutions are located in Delhi.
– The objective behind this move by the UGC is to prevent students from getting trapped in the web of unrecognized and fraudulent institutions while seeking education.
List of 20 Fake Universities
Delhi:
– All India Institute of Public and Physical Health Sciences (AIPHS)
– Institute of Physical Health Sciences
– Commercial University Limited
– United Nations University
– Vocational University
– ADR-Centric Juridical University
– Indian Institute of Science and Engineering
– Vishwakarma Open University for Self-Employment and Spiritual University
Uttar Pradesh:
– Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith
– National University of Electro Complex Homeopathy
– Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University
– Indian Education Council
Andhra Pradesh:
– Kristu Jayanti College Deemed University
– Bible Open University of India
West Bengal:
– Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine
– Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research
Karnataka:
– Badaganvi Sarkar World Open University Education Society
Kerala:
– St. John’s University
Maharashtra:
– Raja Arabic University
Puducherry:
– Sri Bodhi Academy of Higher Education
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6. Both the Houses of the Parliament passed the ‘Inter-Services Organization (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023’, what is the provision in it?
a. Commander-in-Chief of Inter-Services Organizations or the Officer-in-Command on the personnel of other services for disciplinary or right to exercise administrative powers
b. CRPF and BSF merger
c. Induction of BSF in Army
d. none of these
Answer: a. Commander-in-Chief of Inter-Services Organizations or the Officer-in-Command on the personnel of other services for disciplinary or right to exercise administrative powers
– The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 4 and by the Rajya Sabha on August 8.
– This will eliminate the obstacles in establishing the Integrated Theatre Command for all three branches of the armed forces in the country.
What does the bill say?
– The bill attempts to empower the Commander-in-Chief and Officer-in-Command of Inter-Services Organizations with disciplinary and administrative powers so that they can make decisions related to personnel serving in or associated with such organizations.
– Currently, all Army, Navy, and IAF personnel are governed by their respective force’s officers.
– In this scenario, if a Theater Command is established, its commander cannot take action against personnel and officers from another force.
– The new law will give the Chief of the Theater Command the authority to take action against employees of all three forces under their command.
Theater Command System:
– The purpose of the Theater Command system is to bring better coordination among all three armed forces.
– Instead of separate commanders for each force, there is a single commander for all three forces in this system.
– This unified command is called a Theater Command.
How many Service Commands in India?
– Currently, there are two Joint Service Commands in India.
– The first is the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC).
– The second is the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
Based on the principles of the Theater Command system, ANC is the only command system in India that operates the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
– Established in 2001, ANC is located in Port Blair and is led by officers from all three services in rotation.
– ANC covers India’s strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Malacca Strait maritime region.
– The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) is responsible for India’s nuclear assets and is not involved in operational activities related to warfare.
Which countries in the world follow the Theater Command System?
– Many countries around the world follow the Theater Command System in one form or another.
– Particularly, the United States was the first country to implement the Theater Command System.
– Russia has four Theater Commands.
– China has five Theater Geographical Commands.
– China’s Western Theater Command covers the area bordering India.
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7. Which state government launched the Chief Minister Solar Mission scheme?
a. Meghalaya
b. Mizoram
c. Assam
d. Tripura
Answer: a. Meghalaya
– Chief Minister Conrad Sangma of Meghalaya has launched the Chief Minister Solar Mission.
– The state government has taken this step in the direction of harnessing renewable energy and reducing the shortage of electricity.
– Under this initiative, individual households will receive a 70% subsidy benefit for solar energy, and schools, hospitals, hotels, and commercial institutions will be eligible for a 50% subsidy.
Meghalaya
– CM: Conrad Sangma
– Governor: Fagu Chauhan
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8. Who became the new chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)?
a. Rakesh Awadhiya
b. Vinay Kumar Saxena
c. Amit Khanna
d. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal
Answer: d. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal
– They are officials of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).
– The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) is a part of the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.
– It formulates policies related to customs duties, central excise, Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST), Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST), and administration and prevention of smuggling.
– CBIC is one of the oldest government departments in India. It has a Chairman along with six members in the CBIC.
– Established: 1964
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9. Who has become the new MD and CEO of SBI Life?
a. Amit Jhingran
b. Rakesh Agarwal
c. Vijay Tiwari
d. None of these
Answer: a. Amit Jhingran
– The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved the appointment of Amit Zingran.
– SBI Life Insurance Company Limited is a leading and prestigious insurance company operating in India.
