This is the current affairs of 17 & 18 December 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. On the death of the Emir of which Islamic country (Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah), India declared national mourning on 17 December 2023 and lowered the tricolor at half mast?
a. Pakistan
b. Kuwait
c. Bahrain
d. Qatar
Answer: b. Kuwait
– The President of Kuwait is referred to as the Amir.
– The current Amir, Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, passed away on December 16, 2023.
– He was 86 years old and had been unwell for a long time.
– Kuwait has declared a mourning period of 40 days.
National Mourning in India:
– The Indian government declared national mourning on December 17, 2023, in his honor.
– During this period, the national flag was flown at half-mast on all government buildings where it is regularly hoisted.
– No official entertainment was conducted during this time.
PM Sends Special Envoy to Kuwait
– To express condolences, the Indian Prime Minister sent the Minister of Petroleum, Hardeep Singh Puri, as a special envoy to Kuwait.
– He presented a personal letter of condolence from President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi to the new Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.
India-Kuwait Relations
– India and Kuwait share friendly bilateral diplomatic relations.
– The two countries have historical trade ties, cultural similarities, and a significant Indian population in Kuwait.
– India is one of Kuwait’s major trading partners.
India imports about 10-12% of its oil requirements from Kuwait.
– India exports items like cereals, organic chemicals, electrical machinery and equipment, vehicles, organic chemicals, aircraft and parts, plastics, iron, and steel to Kuwait.
About Kuwait
– Capital: Kuwait City
– Currency: Kuwaiti Dinar
– Population: Approximately 4.2 million
– Neighboring countries: Iraq, Saudi Arabia (shares maritime border with Iran)
– Sea: Persian Gulf
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2. Name the new Emir of Kuwait?
a. Meshaal Al Ahmad Al Sabah
b. Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad
c. Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah
d. Munira Badah Al-Mutairi
Answer: a. Meshaal Al Ahmad Al Sabah
– ‘Meshal Al Ahmad Al Sabah’ has been appointed as the new Amir of Kuwait.
– Prior to this, he held the position of Crown Prince of Kuwait.
– When Sheikh Nawaf fell ill, he entrusted most of his responsibilities to Sheikh Meshal himself.
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3. Name the Sultan of Oman, who paid a state visit to India in December 2023?
a. Haitham Bin Tariq
b. Theyazin bin Haitham
c. Qaboos bin Said
d. Fahad Bin Saeed
Answer: a. Haitham Bin Tariq
– In the year 2020, Haitham bin Tariq became the Sultan of Oman. His first official state visit to India took place on December 16, 2023.
– This marked the first official state visit by an Omani ruler in the last 26 years.
– Prior to this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Oman in February 2018.
Significance of Oman for India:
– Oman holds great strategic importance for India.
– It shares coastlines with both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, making it a crucial partner for India in the Gulf region, along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the Gulf of Aden is at a distance from Oman.
How are the relations between India and Oman?
– The ruling family of Oman has always had deep ties with India.
– Sultan Qaboos maintained friendly relations with India.
– The Sultan invited Indian companies and professionals to initiate projects in Oman, beyond just the supply of goods.
– At the people-to-people level, there are strong ties between India and Oman. There is a sizable Indian community of about seven lakh people, contributing to strengthening the relationships.
– Oman was one of the countries invited by India as a guest nation for the G20 Summit at the beginning of this year.
Military Relations between India and Oman:
– Since 2012-13, an Indian naval ship has been stationed in the Gulf of Oman for anti-piracy operations. Oman has granted permission for the flight of Indian military aircraft.
– In recent years, both countries have collaborated in ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.
– Oman’s Duqm port provides basing facilities, operational turnaround, and other logistical support for Indian naval ships.
Business and Trade Relations:
– Bilateral trade reached up to $12.388 billion in the fiscal year 2022-23.
– There are more than 6,000 India-Oman joint ventures in Oman, with an estimated investment of over $7.5 billion.
– For the year 2022, India became the second-largest market for Oman’s crude oil exports after China.
– In October 2022, India and Oman launched the Rupee Debit Card in Oman, marking a significant step in boosting India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
India-Oman Gas Pipeline Project:
– Oman plays a crucial role in the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Connectivity Corridor (IMEEC) to connect India with Europe through West Asia (Middle East).
– A private consortium based in India, South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), has proposed a 1,400 km deep-sea pipeline from Oman to India for the transfer of gas.
– IMEEC is also considering a similar maritime connectivity, and both projects could potentially merge in the future with Oman.
About Oman:
– Capital: Muscat
– Sultan: Haitham bin Tariq
– Currency: Omani Rial
– Population: Approximately 4.5 million
– Neighboring countries: UAE and Yemen
– Seas: Gulf of Aden (Gulf of Oman) and Arabian Sea
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4. How many MoUs were signed between the two countries during the visit of Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq of Oman to India?
a. 4
b. 5
c. 6
d. 7
Answer: b. 5
– Sultan Kaboos bin Said’s visit to India took place on December 16, 2023.
– Both countries are in talks for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, though it will take some time to conclude.
– During Sultan’s visit to India, five agreements were signed between India and Oman.
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the two countries:
1. MoU in the field of culture.
2. MoU in the field of information technology.
3. MoU on cooperation in exchanging confidential information related to money laundering, related offenses, and financing of terrorism.
4. MoU on beneficial employment of personnel coming with official delegations.
5. MoU between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Dhofar University, Oman, for cooperation in the field of Indian studies and Hindi language.
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5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s largest office complex (Surat Diamond Bourse) located in which city?
a. Agra
b. Surat
c. Mumbai
d. Jaipur
Answer: b. Surat (Khajod Village)
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on December 17, 2023.
– It is located near the city of Surat in the village of Khajod, Gujarat.
– It will serve as a global center for the trade of both rough and polished diamonds, along with other jewelry.
Note: Surat manufactures and designs approximately 92% of the world’s natural diamonds.
Jobs from Surat Diamond Bourse:
– According to The Indian Express, PM Modi stated that the diamond industry in Surat is providing employment to nearly 8 lakh people.
– The coming of the new diamond market will create jobs for an additional 1.5 lakh people.
– The Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) building was recorded in the Guinness World Records in August 2023.
– Previously, the record was held by the Pentagon, the largest office space, with an area of 6.5 million square feet.
– The SDB surpasses this with a total area of 6.7 million square feet.
How big is the SDB?
– It is the world’s largest office complex/building, covering an area of more than 6.7 million square feet.
– The building houses approximately 4,500 diamond trading offices.
– It sprawls across 35.54 acres and consists of nine towers with 15 floors each.
This is part of which project?
– Construction of the building began in February 2015 and was completed in April 2022.
– It was built at a cost of 3500 crore rupees.
– It is part of the Surat Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) City.
– The DREAM City project was inaugurated in the year 2015 by the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel.
Apart from offices, what facilities are there?
– The campus includes facilities such as a safe deposit vault, conference hall, multipurpose hall, restaurant, bank, customs clearance houses, convention center, exhibition centers, training centers, entertainment areas, and clubs.
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6. Who inaugurated the new terminal building at Surat Airport?
a. Prime Minister
b. President
c. Home Minister
d. Chief Minister
Answer: a. Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new terminal building on December 17, 2023.
– Two days before the inauguration, on December 15, 2023, the international airport was conferred status. This demand had been pending for the last three years.
First international flight from the new terminal
– On December 17, 2023, an Air India Express flight took off from Surat to Dubai.
– The first international flight from Surat Airport departed at 11:40 AM, landing in Dubai at 13:30.
– Subsequently, at 14:30 in the afternoon, the return flight from Dubai took off, and at 19:00, it landed back in Surat.
Cost and Design of the Project
– The terminal building has been designed with the local culture and heritage of Surat, Gujarat.
– The project cost for the airport is 353.25 crores.
Capacity to Handle 1800 Passengers
– The terminal building is equipped to handle 1200 domestic passengers and 600 international passengers during peak hours.
– There is provision to increase this capacity to accommodate up to 3000 passengers.
– Additionally, the annual handling capacity is increasing to accommodate up to 5.5 million passengers.
Gujarat
– Chief Minister: Bhupendra Bhai Patel
– Governor: Acharya Devvrat
– Capital: Gandhinagar
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7. Which neighboring country of India became the world’s largest opium producing country in December 2023?
a. Nepal
b. Myanmar
c. Pakistan
d. Afghanistan
Answer: b. Myanmar
– On December 12, 2023, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that Afghanistan significantly reduced its production since the Taliban imposed a ban in April of the previous year.
– According to BBC News, Afghanistan is estimated to have a 36% increase in opium production in the year 2023, reaching 1080 tons. The current production in Afghanistan is 330 tons.
What is Opium?
– Opium is a dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum.
– About 12% of opium is morphine, an analgesic alkaloid.
– It is chemically processed to produce heroin and other synthetic opioids for medicinal use and illicit drug trade.
– Scientific Name: Lachryma papaveris.
Myanmar
– Capital: Naypyidaw
– Acting President: Myint Swe
– Commander-in-Chief and Prime Minister: Min Aung Hlaing
– Neighbor Countries: India, Bangladesh, China, Laos, and Thailand
– Seas: Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea
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8. On which issue were MPs of 14 opposition parties suspended from Parliament, demanding answers from the government?
a. Presidential Security Breach
b. Prime Minister Security Breach
c. Parliament Security Breach
d. Women Safety Lapse
Answer: c. Parliament Security Breach
– All these Members of Parliament were demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the ‘Parliament Security Breach.’
– On the ninth day of the winter session (December 14, 2023), 14 MPs were suspended.
– This includes 13 MPs from the Lok Sabha and one from the Rajya Sabha.
– Both houses of Parliament have been adjourned until Friday (December 15).
Number of MPs from each party:
– Congress: 9
– CPI(M): 2
– DMK: 1
– CPI: 1
– TMC: 1 (from the Rajya Sabha)
Nine Congress MPs:
1. T.N. Prathapan
2. Hibi Eden
3. Jothimani
4. Ramya Haridas
5. Dean Kuriakose
6. Manickam Tagore
7. M.K. Javed
8. V.K. Sreekandan
9. Benny Behanan
Two CPI(M) MPs:
10. P.R. Natarajan
11. S. Venkatesan
One DMK MP:
12. Kanimozhi
One CPI MP:
13. Subbarayan
One TMC MP:
14. Derek O’Brien (from the Rajya Sabha)
Two Proposals to Suspend 14 Opposition Members
– Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi presented two separate proposals in the Lok Sabha to suspend 14 opposition members.
Government’s Allegation on India Block Parties
– The government has accused India Block parties of “politicizing serious national security issues.”
– Meanwhile, the Congress has termed the suspension as the “murder of democracy.”
What Happened
– On December 13, 2023, during the Lok Sabha session, two individuals jumped from the visitor gallery into the House. However, several others were involved in the incident.
– One person rushed towards the Speaker, and the members surrounded and caught him.
– Another person threw a smoke can concealed in a shoe into the House.
– This resulted in the spread of yellow smoke in the Lok Sabha chamber.
– Chaos ensued in the House.
– It was a significant breach of parliamentary security.
Note:
– Lok Sabha Speaker: Om Birla
– Rajya Sabha Chairman: Jagdeep Dhankhar
– Rajya Sabha is the Upper House of Parliament.
– Lok Sabha is the Lower House of Parliament.
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9. When is the Liberation Day of Goa celebrated?
a. 13 December
b. 12 December
c. 18 December
d. 19 December
Answer: d. 19 December
– Goa Liberation Day is celebrated every year on December 19th.
– On this day in the year 1961, Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule.
– On December 18, 1961, as part of Operation Vijay, India launched a military campaign to liberate Goa, in which all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces (Indian Navy, Air Force, and Army) participated.
– After this operation, Goa was freed from Portuguese rule on December 19, 1961.
Goa:
– Capital: Panaji
– Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai
– Chief Minister: Pramod Sawant
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10. When is the National Minorities Rights Day celebrated?
a. 13 December
b. 12 December
c. 18 December
d. 19 December
Answer: c. 18 December
– To protect and promote the rights of the citizens of the country’s minority communities, the Indian government observes Minority Rights Day on December 18.
– The National Commission for Minorities organizes this day.
– This day was first observed in the year 2013.
National Commission for Minorities:
– Establishment: 1992
– Chairman: Ikram Singh Lalpura
