Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations: April 13, 2023

The section on current affairs is included in the question paper for almost every competitive examination like UPSC, SSC, IAS, Railway-RRB, UPPSC, UGC NET, SBI, MPPSC, and so on. Furthermore, if we have an effective preparation strategy, scoring high in this section is not difficult. Any exam’s current events section may be aced by candidates with the correct resources and daily news analysis.

Our experts at Embibe have chosen the most current occurrences from across the world and have put them in this article. To provide students with the most recent current affairs, we analysed the day’s most recent news, from The Hindu to the BBC.

Current Affairs: International

Iran successfully tests Kamikaze Drone equipped with 50-kg warhead

• Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran has successfully tested a homemade long-range, high-precision kamikaze drone equipped with a 50-kg warhead. 
• The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named “Meraj-532“, has a range of 450 km and is capable of flying at a maximum altitude of 12,000 feet for three straight hours.
• The UAV can be easily assembled and prepared for flight, making it suitable for rapid reaction operations.
• Iran has made significant progress in the area of manufacturing UAVs over the past years, which is currently producing drones capable of carrying out a wide range of missions.

Question: 1

Which country has recently successfully tested a homemade long-range, high-precision kamikaze drone equipped with a 50-kg warhead?

1. Iran
2. Israel
3. UAE
4. Pakistan

Answer: A

Check out the Highlights of the Economic Survey 2022-23 by clicking on the link given below:
Economic Survey 2022-23

Current Affairs: Climate and Environment

Shiveluch volcano erupts in Russia, sending ash 20 km high

• One of Russia’s most active volcanoes has erupted on the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, spewing ash far into the sky.
• The ash reached 20 km (12.5 miles) high.
• About 24 hours after the volcano began erupting, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Kamchatka.
• The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has declared the highest “red” hazard designation for aviation.
• One of Kamchatka’s largest and most active volcanoes, Shiveluch has had an estimated 60 substantial eruptions in the past 10,000 years, the last major one being in 2007. Shiveluch has a height of more than 3,200 metres.

Question: 2

In which of the following countries recently did the Shiveluch volcano erupt, spewing ash 20 km far into the sky?

1. Italy
2. Indonesia
3. Russia
4. Ecuador

Answer: C

Current Affairs: National Interest 

Election Commission grants national party status to AAP

• The Election Commission of India has revised the list of national and state political parties, granting national party status to the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party and downgrading veteran politician Sharad Pawer-led Nationalist Congress Party and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress.
• The national status gives a party several advantages, such as a common party symbol across states, airtime during elections on public broadcasters, and space for a party office in New Delhi.
• AAP, founded in 2012, won the Punjab assembly elections early last year and also won five seats in the Gujarat elections later.
• TMC only retains its state party status in Bengal and Tripura. Its national party status has been withdrawn, and it is no longer a recognised state party in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
• With the removal of NCP, CPI and TMC, there are now only six national parties recognised by the Election Commission of India—BJP, Congress, AAP, National People’s Party, CPM, and BSP.

What is the criterion for becoming a national party?

• According to the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, a political party is recognised as a national party if it fulfils any of the following three conditions: First, it secures at least 6% of votes polled in four or more states in Lok Sabha or assembly elections, and, in addition, have at least four members in the Lok Sabha. Second, it has at least 2% of the total Lok Sabha seats, and its candidates come from not less than three states. Third, it is recognised as a state party in at least four states. AAP meets the third criterion.

Question: 3

Which of the following political parties has recently been given national party status by the Election Commission of India?

1. Apna Dal
2. Telugu Desam Party
3. Bahujan Samaj Party
4. Aam Aadmi Party

Answer: D

Current Affairs: Report and Index 

Tibet ranked the world’s least country in thedom House Index 2023

• Global watchdogdom House has released itsdom in the World Index for 2023, which ranks Tibet as the “world’s least country”.
• Freedom House, a global watchdog of humandoms worldwide, released its report on 9 March titled “Freedom in the World 2023 Report”. 
• In the report,dom House ranked Tibet as the “World’s least-free country”, along with South Sudan and Syria, as per the news report.
• The report has been successively released for the third year afterdom House reported in 2021 and 2022, ranking Tibet at the bottom of a community of nations.

Question: 4

Which of the following countries ranked the world’s least country in thedom House Index 2023, published recently?

1. Syria
2. Afghanistan
3. Tibet
4. Myanmar

Answer: C

Current Affairs: Report and Index 

State Energy Efficiency Index Report 2021-22 Published

• Recently, the Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy released the report of the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22 in New Delhi.
• It is developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in association with Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE).
• Five states—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan and Telangana—are in the Front Runner category (>60 points)
• Four states—Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Punjab—are in the Achiever category (50-60 points).
• Further, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Chandigarh are the top-performing states in their respective state groups.
• Telangana and Andhra Pradesh showed the most improvement since the last index.
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency was set up on 1st March 2002 under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

Question: 5

Which of the following states falls under the Front Runner category (>60 points) according to the recently published State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22 report developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)?

1. Haryana
2. Maharashtra
3. Punjab 
4. Rajasthan 

Answer: D

Current Affairs: Science and Technology

Nasa launches TEMPO to monitor air pollution from space

• Recently, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida launched the Tropospheric Emissions Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument.

What is TEMPO?

• TEMPO is a NASA device that can track air pollution over North America from space. It will allow scientists to monitor air pollutants and their emission sources down to the neighbourhood level.
• The TEMPO instrument is a grating spectrometer sensitive to visible and ultraviolet wavelengths of light.
• TEMPO will have multiple applications, from measuring levels of various pollutants to providing air quality forecasts and helping the development of emission-control strategies.

Question: 6

What is the name of the device launched by NASA to track air pollution over North America from space?

1. CINDI
2. TEMPO
3. ATTREX
4. RAZOR

Answer: B

Current Affairs: Science and Technology

James Webb Telescope Captures a detailed image of Uranus’ Rings

• The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, has captured a clear image of the planet Uranus and its rings.
• Uranus is an ice giant due to the chemical makeup of its interior, with most of its mass being a hot and dense fluid of icy materials like water, methane, and ammonia.
• Uranus rotates on its side, with a roughly 90-degree angle from the plane of its orbit. This leads to extreme seasons and long periods of sunlight and darkness.
• Uranus is among only two planets in our solar system that rotate clockwise along with Venus.
• The planet takes 84 Earth years to orbit the Sun.
• Uranus has 13 rings, with 11 visible in the image. Some of the rings are very bright and close together, appearing as larger rings.
• The planet also has 27 known moons.

Question: 7

Which of the following telescopes recently captured a clear image of the planet Uranus and its rings?

1. James Webb Telescope
2. Gemini South, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
3. Yepun, Paranal Observatory
4. Devasthal Optical Telescope

Answer: A

Current Affairs: National Interest 

MP’s Gond Painting gets GI Tag

• The famous Gond Art of Madhya Pradesh has been granted the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag. 
• GI Tag is a sign or symbol used on products indicating quality and reputation marks. These products include agricultural, food, industrial, etc.
• Gond painting is hand-printed unique style art representing gods, goddesses, nature, trees, the moon, the sun, etc. Originating from the Gond tribes, they believe in decorating their homes and floors with motifs, tattoos, etc. 

Check out the Highlights of Union Budget 2023 by clicking on the link given below:
Union Budget 2023-24

Current Affairs: Defence

Iniochos-2023 international exercise to be held in Greece from 18 April

• An international exercise named Iniochos-2023 will take place in Greece from 18 April, in which the world’s deadliest fighter jets will be included.
• The main objective of this exercise is to live up to the high standards during the war and understand all the dimensions of air attack.
• Apart from India and Greece, fighter aircraft from many countries like America, France, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Spain will also be included in this exercise.
• During this, the Indian Air Force will get an opportunity to practise with the F-16 fighter aircraft (this aircraft is also with Pakistan). He will get a full opportunity to test his ability and skill during the battle. Whereas, there is still no official information from India.
• In this exercise, offensive counter operation, defensive counter operation, strategic air operation, the exercise of air support to ground forces, the exercise of air support to navy, search, combat search and rescue, the exercise of the destruction of vital targets of the enemy, there will also be an exercise to protect important bases.

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