This is the current affairs of 29 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. Name the first woman diplomat in charge of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan?
a. Rajshree Verma
b. Aarti Khanna
c. Geetika Srivastava
d. Monica Maurya
Answer: c. Geetika Srivastava
– In August 2023, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs appointed Geetika Srivastava as the Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan.
– She will hold this position until a High Commissioner is appointed.
No Permanent High Commissioner between India and Pakistan:
– Currently, neither country has a permanent High Commissioner in each other’s capitals.
– The last Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad was Ajay Bisaria, who was recalled by Pakistan in 2019 following India’s decision to abrogate Article 370. Since then, both High Commissions have had CDA (Chargé d’Affaires) positions.
– Geetika Srivastava’s appointment marks the first time a woman has been appointed as the head of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan.
– Women diplomats have been posted to Pakistan before, but not at the top-level positions.
Geetika Srivastava
– Geetika Srivastava is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 2005 batch.
– Before her current assignment, she was serving as the Joint Secretary in the Indo-Pacific Division at the Ministry of External Affairs headquarters.
– She has previously been posted at the Indian Embassy in China from 2007 to 2009.
– She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.
– Geetika Srivastava originally hails from Uttar Pradesh, India.
Pakistan Also Appoints a New CDA:
– Pakistan has appointed Saad Ahmad Warraich as the Charge d’Affaires (CDA) in the Indian High Commission in New Delhi.
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2. Who was elected the President of Zimbabwe for the second time?
a. Emmerson Mnangagwa
b. Nelson Chamisa
c. Jose Mujuru
d. Morgan Tsvangirai
Answer: a. Emmerson Mnangagwa
About Zimbabwe:
– Located in the African continent.
– Capital: Harare.
– Currency: Zimbabwean Dollar, United States Dollar, South African Rand.
– Population: Approximately 16 million.
– Robert Mugabe was the unchallenged ruler of Zimbabwe for nearly four decades.
– Robert Mugabe was removed from power by Emerson Mnangagwa and his allies in 2017.
– Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was re-elected for a second consecutive term.
– The election for the second and final term took place on August 23, 2023.
– The announcement of his victory was made in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, on August 26.
Situation in Zimbabwe:
– Zimbabwe is facing a challenging economic situation.
– High inflation and unemployment rates are prevalent.
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3. Name the first solar mission of ISRO?
a. Aditya L1
b. Aditya S1
c. Surya S1
d. Illumination S2
Answer: a. Aditya L1
– ISRO is set to launch its solar mission on September 2nd at 11:50 AM to study the sun.
– The mission is named Aditya L1.
– Aditya L1 will be India’s first space-based Indian laboratory to study the sun.
– It is designed for remote observation of the sun’s outermost layer, the corona, which surrounds the sun on all sides.
– The spacecraft will be launched into space from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, using a PSLV-XL rocket.
What will Aditya L1 do?
– The Aditya spacecraft, stationed at the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L1, will monitor solar storms.
– This Lagrange point is located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. It will take about 120 days or 4 months to reach this point.
– At this Lagrange point, it will test various aspects of the sun’s outermost layer, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and different layers of the corona, using seven payloads with different wavelength bands.
What is L1?
– The name Lagrange Point is derived from the name of the Italian-French mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange.
– It is commonly referred to as L-1.
– There are five such points between the Earth and the Sun where the gravitational pull of the Earth and the Sun is balanced, and a centrifugal force is created.
– In these points, if an object is placed, it can remain stable between the Earth and the Sun with minimal energy expenditure.
– The first Lagrange Point is located at a distance of 1.5 million kilometers from Earth and is essentially a point where any object can remain at an equal distance from the Sun and Earth.
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4. Actress Seema Dev passed away on 24 August 2023, she was most famous in which language films apart from Hindi?
a. Bengali
b. Marathi
c. Telugu
d. Kannada
Answer: b. Marathi
– She was 83 years old. She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
– Her husband was Ramesh Dev.
– In Hindi films, she is fondly remembered for her leading role in the blockbuster movie ‘Anand,’ alongside actors like Ramesh Dev and Amitabh Bachchan.
– Seema Dev had a film career that spanned over six decades.
– She embarked on a journey in films ranging from black and white to the colorful era.
– She left her mark in over 90 Hindi and Marathi films.
– Her debut film was ‘Miyan Biwi Razi’ in 1960.
– Her final film was ‘Jeevan Sandhya’ in 2021.
Notable Films
– In 1962, she appeared in the Marathi film ‘Jagachya Pathivar.’
– In 1971, she was part of ‘Anand,’ ‘Kora Kagaz’ in 1974, ‘Apradh’ in 1975, ‘Janki’ in 1977, ‘Bezubaan’ in 1980, ‘Koshish’ in 1982, and ‘Sansar’ in 1987.
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5. China has released a new official map showing its territorial claims.
Answer:
– The Chinese government released the “2023 Edition of China’s Standard Map” on August 28.
– It depicts the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region within China’s borders.
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6. When is International Whale Shark Day observed?
a. 31 August
b. 30 August
c. 29 August
d. 28 August
Answer: b. 30 August
– International Whale Shark Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of whale sharks and their conservation.
– This day has been observed annually since 2008.
– The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish on Earth and is a species of filter-feeding carpet shark.
– It can reach a maximum length of approximately 18 meters and weigh up to 21 tons.
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7. When is National Small Scale Industries Day celebrated?
a. 30 August
b. 29 August
c. 28 August
d. 27 August
Answer: a. 30 August
– National Small Industries Day is celebrated every year on 30 August across the country.
– This day is celebrated to celebrate the contribution made by small scale industries in the development of India.
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8. Who was made the National Icon by the Election Commission of India in August 2023?
a. Rani Mukherjee
b. Virat Kohli
c. Sachin Tendulkar
d. Khesari Lal
Answer: c. Sachin Tendulkar
– The Election Commission has signed an MoU with former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
– This is a three-year agreement in which Tendulkar will spread awareness among voters.
– He will particularly send a message to the youth to increase voter participation in the upcoming general elections in 2024.
Two other national icons:
– Apart from Tendulkar, the Election Commission has had two other national icons so far – actor Pankaj Tripathi and Padma Shri awardee and activist Dr. Neeru Kumar.
– Previously, during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, actor Aamir Khan, and boxer Mary Kom were the national icons for the Election Commission.
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9. Who is the new chairman of National Green Tribunal (NGT)?
a. Justice Prakash Srivastava
b. Justice Vivek Kumar
c. Justice VR Chaudhary
d. Justice DY Chandrachud
Answer: a. Justice Prakash Srivastava
– He took the place of Acting Chairman Sheo Kumar Singh.
– Justice Prakash Srivastava has previously served as Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
National Green Tribunal (NGT):
– This is a special judicial body established under the NGT Act, 2010.
– Establishment: October 18, 2010.
– It is a specialized court that handles environmental disputes and provides effective and expeditious resolution of matters related to environmental protection and conservation.
– It draws inspiration from Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which assures Indian citizens of a healthy environment.
– Its decisions can be challenged in the Supreme Court within 90 days.
– Headquarters: New Delhi.
Objectives of NGT:
1. Effective and expeditious resolution of matters related to the protection and conservation of the environment, forests, and other natural resources.
2. Providing relief and compensation to individuals and properties for any environmental damage.
3. Handling various environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues.
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10. Who won the Formula One ‘Dutch Grand Prix 2023’ title?
a. Pierre Gasly
b. Fernando Alonso
c. Sergio Perez
d. Max Verstappen
Answer: d. Max Verstappen
– Max Verstappen is a Formula One driver for Red Bull.
