This is the current affairs of 16 & 17 November 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. What kind of threat has WHO declared loneliness?
a. Epidemic/Pandemic
b. Global Disaster
c. Pressing global health threat
d. None of these
Answer: c. Pressing global health threat
– The World Health Organization declared loneliness as a pressing global health threat in November 2023.
– The organization stated that the impact of loneliness equals smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
The status of loneliness in the world:
– Loneliness is increasing worldwide, including in India.
– People of all age groups and from all regions are affected by loneliness and social isolation.
– The breakdown of the joint family structure, leaving the elderly isolated, loss of loved ones, children leaving home, retirement, and coping with various health conditions, major life changes – some of which often come together – can lead to loneliness.
– However, it is also affecting 27.2% of India’s youth population (aged 15 to 29).
– This issue is more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries compared to high-income nations.
The negative impact of loneliness:
– Social isolation and loneliness still have a serious and underrecognized impact on our health and lifespan.
– People with less social connections are at a higher risk of premature death. Social isolation and loneliness are linked to anxiety, depression, suicide, dementia, and can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
– Social isolation and loneliness don’t just harm individuals; they also have a negative impact on entire communities and societies.
Solving loneliness:
– Solutions range from comprehensive national policies to individual psychological interventions.
WHO
– Director-General: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
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2. WHO launched a commission to promote social connectedness (reduce the problem of loneliness), who was made its co-chairman?
a. Cleopha Melu and Heben Girma
b. Vivek Murti and Chido Mpemba
c. Hina Jilani and Khalid Ait
d. Vivek Murti and Ayuko Kato
Answer: b. Vivek Murti and Chido Mpemba
– This commission’s term will be from 2024 to 2027.
– Its objective is to work on solutions for loneliness as a serious health risk in all countries.
– The co-chairs are Dr. Vivek Murti and Chido Mpemba.
– Dr. Vivek Murti is the Surgeon General of the United States, and Chido Mpemba is a youth envoy for the African Union Commission.
– This commission includes 11 principal policy-makers, thought leaders, and advocates, along with the co-chairs.
– Dr. Vivek Murti stated that the health risk of loneliness is as bad as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. It is more detrimental than risks associated with obesity and physical inactivity. Loneliness is a public health threat.
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3. Who became the first woman to skydiver from 21,500 feet near Mount Everest?
a. Prem Lata Sharma
b. Shivani Chauhan
c. Sheetal Mahajan
d. Aarti Mishra
Answer: c. Sheetal Mahajan
– Mahajan achieved this feat on November 13, 2023.
– She descended onto the summit of Mount Everest at a height of 17,444 feet after skydiving from an altitude of 21,500 feet.
Sheetal Mahajan:
– She is a renowned Indian skydiver with several skydiving records to her name.
– She was born on September 19, 1982, in Pune, Maharashtra.
– She was awarded the Padma Shri in the year 2001.
Mount Everest:
– Everest is the tallest mountain peak in the world.
– It is a part of the Himalayas.
– It was previously known as Peak XV.
– Its height above sea level is 8,848.86 meters (29,032 feet).
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4. Which country’s former PM David Cameron was appointed its Foreign Minister (Secretary)?
a. Australia
b. United Kingdom
c. Canada
d. France
Answer: b. United Kingdom
– David Cameron served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016.
– Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has appointed David Cameron as the Foreign Secretary (Foreign Minister).
– This change took place when the Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar was on a visit to Britain.
– Later, both of them had a meeting.
– Discussions are ongoing between India and the United Kingdom regarding a Free Trade Agreement.
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5. Indian origin Home Minister was dismissed by the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, name her?
a. Suela Breverman
b. Rajendra Verma
c. Roderick Peter
d. Rakesh Tuntunwala
Answer: a. Suela Breverman
– Foreign Minister James Cleverly has been appointed as the Home Secretary in place of Suella Braverman.
– Suella Braverman, of Indian origin, recently made several controversial statements.
– Braverman holds immigrants responsible amid religious violence. She stated that a free trade agreement between the UK and India would increase the number of immigrants.
– Furthermore, recently, regarding a Palestine solidarity rally in Britain, Braverman had called PM Rishi Sunak a weak leader, after which she was dismissed from her position.
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6. In which district of Uttarakhand, a landslide occurred in a tunnel, due to which 40 laborers were trapped?
a. Almora
b. Bageshwar
c. Chamoli
d. Uttarkashi
Answer: d. Uttarkashi
– The incident of a tunnel collapse occurred on November 12, 2023.
– This incident happened in the under-construction Silkyara Tunnel on the Yamunotri Highway. It is part of a national highway project.
– Due to the incident, 40 laborers were trapped inside the tunnel.
– Subsequently, a rescue operation was initiated.
– Oxygen was supplied inside the tunnel through pipes.
– Machines are being used to remove debris and extract the trapped laborers.
– Most of the laborers are from Jharkhand and Odisha.
Uttarakhand:
– Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
– Governor: Lieutenant General (Retired) – Gurmeet Singh
– Capital: Dehradun and Gairsain
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7. In which state has the Home Ministry declared Meitei extremist organizations as illegal organizations?
a. Meghalaya
b. Manipur
c. Sikkim
d. Nagaland
Answer: b. Manipur
– On November 13, 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared approximately 9 organizations as unlawful for a period of five years.
– These organizations were discussing separating Manipur from India.
– They were declared as unlawful organizations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Unlawful organizations in Manipur:
– People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
– Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF)
– United National Liberation Front (UNLF)
– Manipur People’s Army (MPA)
– People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK)
– Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) [Red Army]
– Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) [Red Army]
– Coordination Committee (CorCom)
– Alliance for Socialist Unity, Kangleipak (ASUK)
What’s the entire issue:
– There are two groups in Manipur.
– One is the Meitei community (which is a majority).
– The other is the Kuki and Naga Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in the state.
– The Meitei community desires to be recognized as Scheduled Tribe.
– While the Kuki community, included in the Scheduled Tribe, opposes it.
– The entire controversy revolves around this issue.
– This dispute started in May 2023.
Manipur:
– Chief Minister: N. Biren Singh
– Governor: La Ganesan
– Capital: Imphal
– Neighboring States: Nagaland, Assam, and Mizoram
– International Border: Myanmar
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8. When is National Epilepsy Day observed?
a. 15 November
b. 16 November
c. 17 November
d. 18 November
Answer: c. 17 November
– The Epilepsy Foundation of India established National Epilepsy Day as a national campaign to reduce epilepsy in India.
– The observance of National Epilepsy Day began in 2015.
– According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 50 million epilepsy patients worldwide.
– Approximately 10 million people in India are affected by epilepsy.
– International Epilepsy Day (IED) is observed every year on the second Monday of February.
– In the year 2023, International Epilepsy Day was observed on February 13.
What is epilepsy?
– In this condition, there is abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
– It results in seizures.
– There is reduced responsiveness and abnormal behavior.
– Anyone can be affected by epilepsy, but it’s more common in men compared to women and affects both children and adults.
Major symptoms of epilepsy:
– Changes in taste, smell, vision, hearing, or touch
– Dizziness
– Tremors in limbs
– Staring
– Repetitive actions
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9. Prithviraj Singh Oberoi, honorary chairman of which industrial group, passed away on 14 November 2023?
a. Taj Hotel Group
b. Oberoi Group
c. Mahindra Group
d. None of these
Answer: b. Oberoi Group
– He was 94 years old.
– He revolutionized the hotel business and established various luxury hotels.
– He was honored with the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
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10. Where will the 9th ‘India International Science Festival’ be held in January 2024?
a. Delhi
b. Faridabad
c. Agra
d. Lucknow
Answer: b. Faridabad
– The 9th ‘India International Science Festival’ will be organized from January 17th to 20th, 2024, in Faridabad, Haryana.
– This event is India’s mega science fair. It will be hosted at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) and the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) campuses in Faridabad.
The theme of the 9th ‘India International Science Festival’:
– ‘Science and Technology Public Outreach in Amrit Kaal’
– The objective of this festival is to provide a platform for individuals benefiting various levels such as students, teachers, scientists, researchers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and science communicators, to inspire an extensive range of people.
Note: The IISF has been organized by the Indian government in various geographical regions of India since 2015.
