This is the current affairs of 20 & 21 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. In which city was the Quad summit scheduled for January 2024 postponed?
a. Tokyo
b. New Delhi
c. London
d. Canberra
Answer: b. New Delhi
– Quad Members: India, Australia, Japan, USA
– The Quad summit was proposed to be held in New Delhi in January 2024.
– However, the dates for it had not been publicly announced. Nevertheless, according to diplomatic sources cited by The Hindu newspaper, the summit was supposed to take place on January 27, 2024.
– Now, India has postponed the plan to host the Quad summit in January.
– It is reported that President Joe Biden postponed his trip to India in January, which is why the Quad summit has been postponed.
– There is now hope that the Quad summit will be held in India after a few months.
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2. The President of which country, who was invited by India to be the chief guest, will not attend the ‘Republic Day Celebrations 2024’?
a. China
b. Japan
c. USA (United States of America)
d. Turkey
Answer: c. USA (President Joe Biden)
– The Hindu newspaper has written that government sources have indicated a rejection of the invitation for American President Joe Biden to attend the Republic Day parade (January 26, 2024) as the chief guest.
– It was disclosed by the American Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, in September 2023, that the invitation was extended to Biden during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting at the G20 Summit held in Delhi in September.
– The Prime Minister had invited President Biden for the January 26 parade during this arrangement. Subsequently, the Quad summit was also supposed to be organized but has been postponed.
Previous Chief Guests on Republic Day:
– In 2023, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt.
– Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no chief guests in 2021 and 2022.
– In 2020, former President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro.
– In 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
– In 2018, leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries.
– In 2017, Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi.
– In 2016, former French President François Hollande.
– In 2015, former American President Barack Obama.
– In 2014, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
– In 2013, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan.
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3. Who became the most expensive player in the Indian Premier League (IPL)?
a. Mitchell Starc
b. Harshal Patel
c. Pat Cummins
d. Virat Kohli
Answer: a. Mitchell Starc
– The auction for IPL players took place in Dubai on December 19, 2023.
– This auction saw the participation of 332 players from 13 countries.
– Among them, 10 teams purchased 72 players for a total of 230.45 crore rupees, including 30 foreign players.
Most Expensive Player in IPL History?
– Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in IPL history. Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for 24.75 crore rupees. Gujarat also made bids for him until the very end.
– In reality, due to his focus on the national team, Mitchell Starc had stopped playing in the IPL since 2015.
-In the 2018 auction, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had bought him for 9.4 crore rupees.
– However, due to injuries, he couldn’t play a single match throughout the entire season.
– Starc played a significant role in Australia’s victory in the One Day World Cup in November 2023.
Second Most Expensive Player
– The second most expensive player was also an Australian, the team’s captain, Pat Cummins. He was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for 20 crores and 50 lakhs.
– The third most expensive player was Daryl Mitchell, bought by Chennai Super Kings for 14 crores.
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4. Who became the most expensive Indian player in the Indian Premier League (IPL)?
a. Shardul Thakur
b. Harshal Patel
c. Umesh Yadav
d. Virat Kohli
Answer: b. Harshal Patel
– In the December 2023 IPL auction, Harshal Patel became the most expensive Indian player, bought by Punjab Kings for 11.75 crore rupees.
– Prior to this auction, Harshal was a part of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
– After leaving RCB, during this auction, several teams showed interest in Harshal during the bidding, and Punjab Kings acquired this fast bowler for 11 crores and 75 lakhs.
– In IPL 2021, Harshal Patel had won the Purple Cap by taking 32 wickets.
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5. Which woman played the role of auctioneer for the first time in the IPL auction?
a. Mallika Sarabhai
b. Vishakha Patel
c. Mamata Desai
d. Mallika Sagar
Answer: d. Mallika Sagar
– Mallika Sagar played the role of an auctioneer in the December 2023 IPL auction.
– Mallika Sagar has a 23-year career as an auctioneer.
– She became the first female auctioneer in the world’s richest franchise cricket league, the Indian Premier League (IPL).
– Prior to this, she had served as an auctioneer in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
– In 2021, she was an auctioneer for the Pro Kabaddi League, becoming the first woman to conduct auctions in this league.
– She was born into a business family in Maharashtra.
– She holds a degree in History.
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6. In which sea did the Indian Navy rescue the injured crew members of the hijacked ship ‘MV Rouen’ in December 2023?
a. Arabian Sea
b. Gulf of Aden
c. Red Sea
d. Andaman Sea
Answer: a. Arabian Sea
– The cargo ship ‘MV Ruena’ is from the European country of Malta.
– Pirates had kidnapped this ship on December 14, 2023. During this incident, the crew had sent distress calls.
– In the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy conducts anti-piracy patrols deploying warships and reconnaissance aircraft.
– After receiving the distress call, Indian Navy ships and aircraft reached the kidnapped vessel MV Ruena.
– The sea pirates were heading towards Somalia with this ship.
– During this event, 18 members of the ship’s crew were injured.
– A few days after the abduction, the Indian Navy evacuated these injured individuals from the hijacked ship and brought them to Oman for medical treatment, where they are currently undergoing treatment.
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7. When is International Human Solidarity Day celebrated?
a. 23 December
b. 22 December
c. 21 December
d. 20 December
Answer: d. 20 December
– International Human Solidarity Day is observed worldwide every year on December 20th.
– The United Nations declared this day in 2005 to promote the message of unity around the world.
– The first observance took place in the year 2006 with the aim of spreading the message of solidarity across nations.
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8. Due to which violence case did the Supreme Court of the US state Colorado disqualify Donald Trump for the post of President?
a. US Capitol Violence
b. Vatican City Violence
c. New York Violence
d. Black Lives Matter
Answer: a. US Capitol Violence
Important Note:
– The United States consists of 50 states, each with a State Supreme Court. Additionally, there is a primary Supreme Court for the country.
– The American Congress (U.S. Congress) is located in the Capitol Building.
Meaning of Trump’s Disqualification:
– The State Supreme Court of Colorado in the United States declared former President Donald Trump unfit to run in elections.
– Consequently, Trump’s name won’t appear on the ballot papers for the upcoming elections in Colorado. This means that members of the Republican Party won’t be able to vote for Trump.
– The direct impact of this decision will be seen on the votes that Trump could potentially receive in the 2024 presidential elections.
– According to The New York Times, this decision applies only to the state of Colorado. As an appeal is pending, it has been put on hold until January 4.
Reason Behind the Decision:
– The court holds Trump responsible for the January 6, 2021, US Capitol violence.
– However, Trump claims that President Biden is behind this decision and he will turn to the U.S. Supreme Court to change this ruling.
– As per The New York Times’ report, Trump might challenge Colorado’s Supreme Court’s decision in the American Supreme Court by January 4, 2024.
– Subsequently, the American Supreme Court will decide whether they will hear this case or not.
Note – The presidential election in the United States is scheduled for November 2024. However, the process has already begun.
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9. Which state got the first position in the medal table of Khelo India Para Games 2023?
a. Punjab
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Haryana
d. Bihar
Answer: c. Haryana
– The ‘Khelo India Para Games 2023’ were held in Delhi in December 2023.
– Haryana secured the first position by obtaining a total of 105 medals, including 40 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronze.
– Uttar Pradesh secured the second position with a total of 62 medals, including 25 gold, 23 silver, and 14 bronze.
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10. Where is the world’s largest meditation center ‘Swarveda Mahamandir’ located, which was unveiled by PM Modi?
a. Chennai
b. Mumbai
c. Varanasi
d. Patna
Answer: c. Varanasi
– On December 18, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the ‘Wonderous Varanasi Meditation Center: Swarved Mahamandir.’
– It is a seven-story building designed to accommodate 20,000 practitioners at once.
– The temple promotes the teachings of Swarved, emphasizing the study of Brahma Vidya (knowledge of the Absolute).
– A statue of the founder of Vihangam Yoga, Sadguru Shri Sadafal Dev Ji Maharaj, is situated here.
– The Mahamandir features intricate marble carvings and lotus-shaped domes.
