This is the current affairs of 3rd May 2023. Here are 10 questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Which Indian airlines company has applied in NCLT to declare itself bankrupt?
a. Air India
b. Go First
c. Indi Go
d. Spice Jet
Answer: b. Go First
– The country’s airline company Go First has decided to declare itself bankrupt due to financial constraints.
– Earlier in 2019, Jet Airways had to stop its flight operations due to financial crisis.
– Go First airline has applied for voluntary bankruptcy resolution to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Delhi.
– It is the first Indian airline to go to NCLT on its own.
– The airline has also stopped booking for flights on May 3 and 4.
– The planes have been grounded.
– Go First operates its flight operations in a cash and carry mode. This means that the airline has to pay for fuel according to the number of flights it has to fill each day. It has a shortage of cash.
Why did the state of bankruptcy come?
– The main reason is a problem related to the supply of the engine.
– The manufacturer Pratt and Whitney (PW) was supposed to supply the engine to the aircraft, but it could not be done on time.
– As a result, Go First had to ground more than half of its planes in its fleet.
– The airline’s income was affected due to the inability to fill flights, leading to financial distress.
– These engines are used in Go First’s A20 Neo aircraft.
– As per the agreement between Go First and Pratt and Whitney, if there is any kind of engine trouble in the aircraft, a spare engine will be provided within 48 hours.
– As all engines are under warranty, the repair of faulty engines will have to be done for free. Compensation for damages caused by grounded planes will also have to be provided.
– However, this could not be accomplished.
Engine problems from 2020
– Go First company has been struggling with it since 2020.
– Due to faulty Pratt & Whitney engines, the percentage of grounded planes increased from 7% in December 2019 to 31% in December 2020 and reached 50% in December 2022.
– Pratt & Whitney failed to meet the conditions.
– Go First demanded more than Rs. 8,000 crores in compensation from the engine manufacturer company under the 2016 rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.
– However, the airline says its loss is even more, at Rs. 10,800 crores.
– Now, Go First’s market share has fallen from 8.4% in January to 6.9%.
Go First:
– This is an Indian business group owned by the Wadia Group.
– Founded in 2005
– Chairman: Nusli Wadia
– CEO: Kaushik Khona
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2. When is World Press Freedom Day observed?
a. 1st May
b. 2nd May
c. 3rd May
d. 5th May
Answer: c. 3rd May
2023 theme:
– Shaping a Future of Rights : Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights
– World Press Freedom Day was first celebrated in 1993, following a recommendation by UNESCO’s General Conference.
– The celebration of World Press Freedom Day is significant because it reminds people of the important role of media in a democratic society.
67 journalists killed worldwide in 2022
– According to United Nations Secretary-General – Antonio Guterres, at least 67 media workers were killed in the world in 2022.
– This figure represents an “unbelievable” 50 percent increase compared to previous years.
– Nearly three-quarters of female journalists have experienced online violence, and one in four has been physically threatened.
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3. What is the India’s rank in the ICC T20 International Team Rankings (May 2023)?
a. First
b. Second
c. Third
d. Fourth
Answer: a. First
– ICC T20 International Team Rankings released on 2 May 2023.
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4. Who has been appointed as the new ‘Commander in Chief’ of Andaman and Nicobar Theater Command?
a. Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan
b. Lieutenant General Ajay Singh
c. Vice Admiral Vishal Verma
d. None of these
Answer: a. Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan
– They are the 17th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
– They have taken the place of Lieutenant General Ajay Singh.
Only one Theater Command in the country
– Currently, there is only one tri-services theater command in the country. The Tri-Services Command is a joint force of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
– It was established in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2001.
– Theater commands are most useful during times of war when coordination is required between all three branches of the military.
– These commands are very useful in maintaining coordination between all three branches of the military during war.
– Currently, there are separate 17 commands for all three forces in the country.
– Seven commands for the Army, seven commands for the Air Force, and three commands for the Navy.
– Apart from this, there is a Strategic Forces Command that provides security to atomic weapons and controls them. It was established in 2003.
Air Force:
– Chief: Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari
Army:
– Chief: General Manoj Pande
Navy:
– Chief: Admiral R. Hari Kumar
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5. Sharad Pawar resigned from the post of chief of which political party?
a. INC
b. NCP
c. BJD
d. RJD
Answer: b. NCP (Nationalist Congress Party)
– Sharad Pawar resigned from the position of NCP President on May 2, 2023.
– He said, “Although I am stepping down as the President, I am not retiring from public-political life.”
– On the same day, he also launched his autobiography ‘Lok Bhulbhulaiya Sangati’.
– Sharad Pawar had been the National President of the party since its inception, and he had been leading the party for 24 years.
– He has also served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra four times.
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6. ASEAN India Maritime Exercise ‘AIME-2023’ was held in which country?
a. India
b. Singapore
c. Thailand
d. Vietnam
Answer: b. Singapore
– Indian Navy’s ships INS Satpura and INS Delhi participated in this maritime exercise.
– This exercise took place in two phases from 2nd to 8th May.
– The first phase was held at the Changi Naval Base from 2nd to 4th May and the second phase was held in the South China Sea on 7th and 8th May 2023.
ASEAN
– Association of Southeast Asian Nations
– Member countries – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
– Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
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7. Arun Manilal Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, passed away on 2 May 2023 , why was he famous among these?
a. Film Director
b. Author
c. Socio-Political Activist
d. b and c
Answer: d. b and c
– He was 89 years old and passed away due to a brief illness in Kolhapur, Maharashtra.
– He walked in the footsteps of his grandfather as an activist.
– He was an Indian-American writer and social-political activist.
– His father was Manilal Gandhi.
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8. Who has released the book ‘Saurashtra Tamil Sangamprashasti’?
a. Amit Shah
b. Narendra Modi
c. Nirmala Sitharaman
d. Nitin Gadkari
Answer: b. Narendra Modi
– PM Modi launched this book on April 26, 2023 through video conferencing.
– The event was held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
– This book has been published by Somnath Sanskrit University.
– In fact, the 10-day Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam was organized in April 2023. It was during this time that the PM launched the book.
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9. Ranjit Guh, who died at the age of 100 on 28 April 2023, was which of the following?
a. Farmer
b. Player
c. Historian
d. Doctor
Answer: c. Historian
– He passed away in Austria (a European country).
– One of his books is ‘Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in Colonial India’.
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10. Which country’s table tennis star Kasumi Ishikawa announced her retirement?
a. India
b. China
c. France
d. Japan
Answer: d. Japan
– Ishikawa won medals in the women’s team event in three consecutive Olympics (2012, 2016, and 2020).
– She is considered one of the world’s best female table tennis players.