This is the current affairs of 1 & 2 August 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. During the astronomical phenomenon Supermoon, the Moon came close to the Earth on an August night, what was the distance between the two?
a. 3,57,264 km
b. 4,05,000 km
c. 5,57,264 km
d. 5,60,264 km
Answer: a. 3,57,264 km
When does a Supermoon occur?
– During a Supermoon, the distance between Earth and the Moon becomes the shortest.
– Due to this, the Moon appears larger and brighter.
– It seems as if the Moon is coming closer to Earth.
How far was the Moon from Earth on August 1st?
– On the night of August 1st, 2023, during the Supermoon, the Moon appeared about 14% larger than usual.
– The Moon appeared about 30% brighter.
On August 1st, the Moon was at a distance of 357,264 kilometers from Earth.
– Usually, it is about 405,000 kilometers farthest and about 363,104 kilometers closest.
What is a Supermoon?
– A Supermoon is an astronomical event.
– During this event, the Moon appears larger than its usual size.
– Supermoons occur three to four times a year.
– The Moon comes very close to Earth’s orbit during its rotation.
– This point is called Perigee.
– When the Moon is farthest from Earth, it is called Apogee.
– Astrologer Richard Nolle coined the term “Supermoon” in 1979.
Now, the question arises: What is the connection between a Full Moon and a Supermoon?
– The Moon completes one orbit around Earth in approximately 27 days.
– Full Moon occurs every 29.5 days.
– Not every Full Moon is a Supermoon, but every Supermoon occurs during a Full Moon.
– The Moon revolves around Earth in an elliptical path.
– As a result, the distance between Earth and the Moon changes every day.
There will be a Blue Moon on August 30th.
– In the same month, on the night of August 30th, there will be another Supermoon.
– This is referred to as a Blue Moon.
– When two Supermoons occur in a single month, it’s called a Blue Moon.
– In August 2018, two Supermoons were observed together.
– The next occurrence will be in 2027.
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2. India and Brazil thwarted China’s plan to expand and dominate which international organization?
a. SARC
b. United Nations
c. BRICS
d. NATO
Answer: c. BRICS
BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa
Established – September 2006
China has tried to change the composition of BRICS.
– China wants to include Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in BRICS.
– China has significant trade with these two countries, and they share deep economic relationships.
– Egypt has also applied for membership in BRICS.
The balance in BRICS has shifted recently.
– Due to Russia’s involvement in conflicts and economic sanctions from Western countries, Russia’s power is declining. This trend is also visible in BRICS.
– As a result, only two major countries remain in BRICS with significant future power – India and China.
– South Africa is willing to bring in new members to BRICS, but it’s uncertain whether it will resist expansion or align with China.
– However, China’s influence is growing within BRICS.
– India and Brazil have attempted to prevent the inclusion of new members for now.
– In reality, Chinese President Xi Jinping aims to include neighboring countries in BRICS, similar to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
– But both India and Brazil have openly opposed these efforts.
– Both countries have raised objections during the preparations for the BRICS summit to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, this month.
India and Brazil propose a role for an observer instead of a member.
– Officials who closely monitor the situation suggest that India and Brazil want to discuss granting observer status to countries aspiring for membership in BRICS.
– South Africa is supporting discussions on various membership options to resolve this dispute but is not opposing expansion.
Is China trying to counter Western countries?
– According to Bloomberg’s report, about a dozen countries are ready to apply for BRICS membership.
– This has raised concerns in the West that BRICS is becoming a potential rival to the United States and the European Union.
– Brazil wants to avoid expansion due to these concerns.
– Meanwhile, India wants strict rules for entry into the group without expanding with new countries.
– The decisions will require consensus among member countries in the meeting scheduled for August 22-24.
Russian President Putin to attend the summit.
– Russian President Vladimir Putin has already clarified that he will not attend the BRICS summit in South Africa.
– There are concerns that Putin is doing this due to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against him.
– South Africa is a member of the International Criminal Court.
– If Putin goes to South Africa, he will be responsible for arresting him and handing him over to the International Criminal Court.
– However, South Africa has firmly denied arresting Putin.
– South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had said that arresting Putin would mean declaring war.
How powerful is BRICS?
– Its first meeting was held on June 16, 2009, in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
– The current BRICS members represent over 42% of the world’s population and contribute 23% of the global GDP and 18% of global trade.
– Indian officials said that after India’s opposition to China’s expansion, draft rules were prepared for entry into the group.
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3. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report ‘State of the Climate in Asia 2022’, how many people died in India in 2022 due to thunderstorms and lightning?
a. 800
b. 1,000
c. 1,100
d. 1,200
Answer: d. 1,200
During the year 2022, incidents of storms, cyclones, and lightning resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people in India.
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4. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report ‘State of the Climate in Asia 2022’, how many people died in India in 2022 due to floods?
a. 800
b. 1,200
c. 2,000
d. 3,000
Answer: c. 2,000
Main Points of the Report:
– The report states that Asia is the most disaster-prone region in the world.
– During 2022, over 5 million people in Asia were directly affected by more than 81 natural disasters related to weather, climate, and water.
– The number of disaster events in the region decreased compared to 2021 (with more than 100 natural hazards).
– However, the impacts of such events were more pronounced in 2022, with an increase in the number of deaths, affected individuals, and economic losses.
– For instance, in 2022, natural disasters caused the death of 5,879 Asian people, which is 55% higher than in 2021.
– The total economic losses across Asia were around 360 billion dollars, affecting over 500 million people.
– The report highlights that floods were responsible for 90% of deaths caused by disasters during this period in Asia.
Impact in India:
– Heavy rainfall significantly affected northeastern parts of India and Bangladesh.
– Due to these floods, more than 2,000 people lost their lives in India, while nearly 13 million people were affected.
– Particularly between May and September 2022, heavy rains led to landslides and flooding in several places in India.
– The damage due to floods in India amounted to over 42 billion dollars (420 million dollars).
– The largest incident of lightning strikes occurred in Bihar, where over 34 people lost their lives.
Future Challenges:
– Asia, the largest continent extending to the Arctic, is experiencing rapid warming above the global average.
– Global melting of snow, glaciers, and rising sea levels is posing a greater risk of future social and economic disruptions.
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5. Who was honored with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in the year 2023?
a. Sharad Pawar
b. Narendra Modi
c. Draupadi Murmu
d. Rahul Gandhi
Answer: b. Narendra Modi
– In the event held in Pune, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honored on August 1, 2023.
– He is the 41st person to receive this award.
About the Lokmanya Tilak National Award:
– This award was initiated in 1983 by the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust.
– It is given for exceptional leadership and efforts to promote patriotism among citizens.
– The award is annually presented by the Trust on the auspicious date of Lokmanya Tilak’s memorial day, August 1.
– Lokmanya Tilak was a prominent figure in India’s freedom struggle during the early 20th century.
Recipients of this honor in the past include:
– Former Presidents Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma and Pranab Mukherjee
– Former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Indira Gandhi, and Manmohan Singh
– Industrialist N.R. Narayana Murthy and “Metro Man” E. Sreedharan
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6. When is World Lung Cancer Day celebrated?
a. 31 July
b. 1 August
c. 2 August
d. 3 August
Answer: b. 1 August
– Every year, this day is observed to raise awareness about the challenges and risks related to lung cancer.
– Lung cancer is considered one of the most deadly cancers.
– Lung cancer begins when cells in the lungs start growing abnormally.
– According to the National Cancer Institute, lungs and bronchus cancers are responsible for most cancer-related deaths.
– An estimated 103,371 cases of lung cancer were reported in the year 2022.
How to prevent lung cancer?
– Quit smoking.
– Avoid secondhand smoke.
-Maintain a healthy diet.
– Exercise regularly.
– Avoid exposure to any form of harmful chemicals.
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7. When is World Wide Web (www) day celebrated?
a. 31 July
b. 1 August
c. 2 August
d. 3 August
Answer: b. 1 August
– This day is celebrated in honor of people’s ability to freely browse information using the web.
– This day commemorates and expresses gratitude to Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the World Wide Web.
– This date is considered the birth of the modern internet.
– Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web in 1989 at CERN facility in Geneva, Switzerland, as a means to connect communication among his colleagues.
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8. When is World Breastfeeding Week observed?
a. August 1 to 7
b. August 2 to 8
c. August 3 to 7
d. August 4 to 9
Answer: a. August 1 to 7
Theme of 2023:
– Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!
– This is celebrated in the first week of August.
– It aims to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding for babies.
– The first World Breastfeeding Week was observed in the year 1992.
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9. How long has the Supreme Court extended the tenure of ED Director Sanjay Mishra?
a. 15 September
b. 15 October
c. 15 November
d. 15 December
Answer: a. 15 September
– In fact, before this, the Supreme Court had declared the extension of Sanjay Mishra’s tenure as invalid and announced July 31st as the last working day.
– Subsequently, the central government appealed regarding the demand to extend the tenure of Sanjay Kumar Mishra, the Director of the Enforcement Directorate.
– Now, the Supreme Court has granted approval for the extension of S.K. Mishra’s tenure as the Director of the ED.
– Actually, the central government initially extended their tenure by one year in 2020. After that, the extension of service has been granted several times consecutively.
Establishment of the Enforcement Directorate: It was established on May 1, 1956.
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10. What is the new logo of Twitter after changing the bird logo?
a. Z
b. X
c. Y
d. U
Answer: b. X
– Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for 44 billion dollars last year, this is the latest significant change.
– After Elon Musk changed the iconic bird logo, Twitter has officially rebranded as “X”.
