Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations: February 23, 2023

This article covers the Current Affairs MCQs on National Affairs, International Affairs, Economy, Banking Affairs, Polity, Geography, Environment, Sports, etc., for competitive examinations viz. UPSC, SSC, Bank PO, Bank Clerk, IBPS, Railways, Government Jobs, UPPSC, MPSC, and other state exams. Follow Embibe to enhance your preparation for the Current Affairs section and ace the examination.

Motivational Quote

“The truth is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it”

— Gen Norman Schwarzkopf 

Current Affairs: Defence

“OPERATION DOST” saves dozens of lives in quake hit Turkey

• The Indian disaster relief team, comprising 99 personnel of the Indian Army Field Hospital and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), returned home on 20 February 2023 after putting in a stupendous effort to provide medical relief to disaster victims in Hatya Province of Turkey hit by an earthquake. 
• The effort has been applauded both at the National and International levels. The Indian Army Field Hospital has treated 3604 casualties, providing emergency medical care and performing four major surgeries, 63 minor surgeries, and 343 minor procedures, including 87 POP applications for fixing fractures.

• In addition, the Indian Army Field Hospital provided Dental treatment to 242 patients, carrying out 283 precautionary X-rays on trauma victims. As many as 14 patients were admitted, and 97 patients were detained and treated.
• 1159 lab investigations were carried out on the cases reported for treatment. The Indian Army has provided replenishment to the Field Hospital in the form of Medical and Surgical bricks as well as Orthopaedic equipment.
• The team has also set up a reception desk for receiving donations and distributing them to the needy.

Question:1
What was the name of the disaster relief mission sent by the Indian Govt to Turkey?

A. Operation Dost

B. Operation Mitra

C. Operation Sathi

D. Operation Sakha

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: National

Cross Dependency Initiative: 9 Indian states most vulnerable to climate risks

• The Cross Dependency Initiative (XDI) is a business consultant specialising in climate risk analytics for companies, banks and regions. It released a report on “Gross Domestic Climate Risk”. According to the report, China, the US, and India will be the top 50 provinces facing the highest climate risk to their physical infrastructure by 2050.
• It says nine Indian states are most vulnerable to climate risks. They are Punjab, UP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, TN, Gujarat, Kerala, and Assam. Mumbai has the highest risk of all. Twenty-six provinces in China, nine in India, and five in the US are the most vulnerable of all.

Key findings of the report:

• The most vulnerable states of China are in the eastern and southern parts of the country
• Delta regions of the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers are also highly vulnerable
• Other than the US, China, and India, other highly vulnerable countries are Pakistan, Brazil, and Indonesia

How was the report prepared?

• Based on the information supplied by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Cross Dependency Initiative produced a high-emission scenario.
• It fixed the rise in global temperature from pre-industrial levels to three degrees Celsius.

Question: 2

According to the Cross Dependency Initiative business consultant, which Indian city is most vulnerable to climate risks?

A. Mumbai

B. Delhi

C. Bengaluru

D. Chennai

Answer: A

Current Affairs: Sports and Games

ISSF Shooting World Cup: India’s Rudrankksh Patil wins the gold medal 

• Rudrankksh won gold in the 10-metre air rifle event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup. He defeated German Maximilian Ulbrich by a margin of 16-8. 
• Varun Tomar and Rhythm Sangwan also took home gold in the 10m Air Pistol.

About ISSF World Cup 2023:

• It is a uniform system to qualify for the Olympics. The first world cup of 2023 was held in Jakarta.
• The second, the current world cup of 2023, is being held in Cairo. The third will be held in Bhopal, India. Fourth at Lima, fifth at Baku, and sixth at Rio de Janeiro.
• The current ISSF Shooting World Cup being held in Cairo is for rifles and pistols.

Question:3

Whom did Rudrankksh defeat in the 10-metre air rifle event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup?

A. Maximilian Ulbrich

B. OKADA Naoya

C. MADSEN Marcus

D. None of the above

Answer: A

Current Affairs: National

Ladakh sets Guinness record on Pangong Tso Lake

• The Pangong Tso Marathon was recently introduced by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.
• The marathon was the first of its kind in India. It was held on the frozen Pangong Tso Lake.
• The marathon was organised at an altitude of 4,350 metres. 
• It makes the Guinness record for World’s Highest Frozen Lake Marathon. It is the first frozen lake marathon in India.

About the Marathon

• The marathon included a 21 km long run. It began in Luking village.
• The marathon was organised by the Council of Ladakh along with the Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh.

About Pangong Tso Lake

• The lake has saline water and is completely frozen during winter. Researchers believe the lake was a part of the Indus River system in early times.
• Today, however, the lake lies separated from the Indus River. Pangong Tso is the highest saltwater lake in the world.

Question:4

Which of the following UT/States set the Guinness world record for the world’s highest frozen lake marathon?

A. Jammu and Kashmir

B. Ladakh

C. Himachal Pradesh

D. Sikkim

Answer: B

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

Current Affairs: National

First Semiconductor plant in India

• The Vedanta group and the Foxconn of Taiwan have come together to build the first semiconductor manufacturing unit in Dholera, Gujarat. 
• The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gujarat Government. According to the MoU, they will invest ₹1,54,000 crore in this project.

Where?

• The semiconductor plant will be built in the Dholera Special Investment Region in Ahmedabad. It is a greenfield industrial city. 
• The Dholera Special Investment Region Development Authority handles the land and the projects. 

Significance of semiconductor plants:

• Currently, India is importing most of the semiconductor materials from China. With this semiconductor plant, India will become self-reliant and can manufacture high-quality electronic products rather than depending on inexpensive, low-quality Chinese goods!

Question:5

In which state the first semiconductor plant in India is being set up?

A. Haryana

B. Rajasthan

C. Gujarat

D. Karnataka

Answer: C

Factbook: 22-February-2023

India and Singapore link digital payments UPI and PayNow

• India’s mobile payment system is called UPI. In Singapore, PayNow is another mobile payment option. 
• The nations intend to connect these two mobile payment options. Shaktikanta Das, governor of the RBI, and Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, virtually inaugurated the linking recently. 
• The Linkage of UPI and PayNow was a part of the G20 priorities. One of the key focuses of the 2023 G20 summit is on cheaper, inclusive finance and transparent cross-border payments.
• UPI-PayNow is India’s first cross-border, real-time system linkage and Singapore’s second. It is also the world’s first such linkage feature cloud-based infrastructure and participation by non-bank financial institutions.

Khajuraho to host first G20 Culture Working Group Meet

• The first G20 Working Group (CWG) meeting on Culture began on 22 February at the UNESCO World Heritage site Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. The Meeting is scheduled to be organised till 25 February.

• Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and DoNER Shri G.K Reddy, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar and Minister of State for Culture Smt Meenakshi Lekhi inaugurated an exhibition titled “Re(ad)dress: Return of Treasures” at the Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre (MCCC).

• The meeting has more than 125 foreign delegates present. 

United States returns looted artefacts to Yemen

• The United States recently returned 77 artefacts to Yemen. These artefacts came from Dubai and were transported illegally into the US.
• The returning items included carved stone heads, bronze bowls, and 11 pages from a Quran manuscript.
• They are all from the first century BCE and are part of Yemen’s Minean tribal culture.

Also check:

Subscribe to the Embibe App to remain updated on the latest news analysis for government exams.