2024 Latest Current Affairs, Daily Current Affairs in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020

1 .

Which state/UT will host countryâ€™s first Himalayan Film Festival?

A)

Sikkim

B)

Ladakh

C)

Karnataka

D)

Tamil Nadu

Correct Answer : Ladakh

The union territory of Ladakh is hosting the first edition of The Himalayan Film Festival 2021 (THFF) from September 24 to 28 in Leh capital city.

The five-day festival also aims to create an interactive and exposure platform to promote aspiring local filmmakers and to showcase Ladakh as an attractive film destination, Secretary Information Padma Angmo said.

The festival is being organised by Leh in collaboration with the Directorate of Film Festivals under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Published On : August 17, 2021

2 .

Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will be presiding over two high-level UNSC meetings in which city?

A)

Rome

B)

London

C)

Moscow

D)

New York

Correct Answer : New York

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has reached New York where he will be presiding over two high-level signature events of the United Nations. The first event will be an Open Debate tomorrow on ‘Protecting the Protectors: Technology and Peacekeeping’. The second event on Thursday will be a high-level briefing on ‘Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts’. His visit to New York comes during India’s Presidency of the United Nations Security Council.

The Open Debate on Peacekeeping will focus on the theme of ‘Protecting the Protectors’, including through the use of modern technological tools to enhance the safety and security of Peacekeepers and to aid Peacekeeping Missions. India, in collaboration with the UN, would be rolling out the UNITE AWARE Platform, which is a situational awareness software programme that allows a Peacekeeping Operations Centre to visualise and analyze the ground situation in a conflict zone on a real-time basis.

An MoU between India and the UN in support of the ‘Partnership for Technology in Peacekeeping’ initiative is expected to be signed during the visit.

On 19th of this month, the External Affairs Minister would preside over a briefing session on the six-monthly report of the UN Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL under the agenda item “Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts”

During this visit, Dr Jaishankar will also have bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers of other Member States on the sidelines of these UNSC high-level events. He said in a tweet that he will discuss the developments in Afghanistan during his engagements at the UN.

Published On : August 17, 2021

3 .

Which nation announced a snap national lockdown after one locally transmitted COVID case was detected in the nation in six months?

A)

Indonesia

B)

Singapore

C)

South Korea

D)

New Zealand

Correct Answer : New Zealand

New Zealand moved into a snap three-day lockdown Tuesday(17-08-2021) after identifying a single case of locally transmitted Covid-19 suspected to be the Delta variant, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

Ardern said New Zealand, which had not recorded any infections in the community for six months, could not take any chances with the "game changer" Delta strain.

"We have seen what can happen elsewhere if we fail to get on top of it. We only get one chance," Ardern said in a televised national address.

The New Zealand leader cited Australia's struggles to contain the highly transmissible Delta variant for her "short, sharp" reaction to the case, which was found in a 58-year-old Auckland man.

"We are better to start high and be cautious, then move out as soon as we are comfortable doing so, than to start low and be in that phase (lockdown) for much, much longer," she said.

"You only need to look at Australia to see the alternative. In New Zealand, 'go hard, go early' has served us well."

The initial plan is for New Zealand to remain in lockdown for three days from Tuesday night, with Auckland and the nearby Coromandel area facing the restrictions for a week.

Published On : August 17, 2021

4 .

What is the amount sanctioned for the â€˜Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti Schemeâ€™?

A)

Rs 100 lakh crore

B)

Rs 110 lakh crore

C)

Rs 120 lakh crore

D)

Rs 150 lakh crore

Correct Answer : Rs 100 lakh crore

* Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a Rs 100 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti scheme (PMGS), while addressing the nation on the 75th Independence Day from Red Fort on August 15, 2021.

* The Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti scheme aims to adopt holistic and integrated approach in infrastructure growth and create employment opportunities for the youth of the country. The scheme will also

* Government will soon announce the Master Plan for the scheme, to help boost productivity of industries, and boost economic growth of the country, besides creating job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of youths.

Published On : August 17, 2021

5 .

Recently, who has inaugurated an exhibition named Katha Kranthiveeron Ki?

A)

Amit Shah

B)

Narendra Modi

C)

G. Kishan Reddy

D)

Dharmendra Pradhan

Correct Answer : G. Kishan Reddy

* Union Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated an Exhibition Katha Kranthiveeron Ki, an exhibition of revolutionaries in New Delhi.

* The exhibition Katha Kranthiveeron Ki has been put up at Rabindra Bhawan as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ being celebrated to commemorate 75 years of Independence.

* The Exhibition “Katha Krantiveeron Ki” has on display more than 100 artworks recognising unsung heroes like Alluri Sitarama Raju and Artwork created during Shaheedi Diwas, Champaran Satyagraha and Jallianwala Bagh camp.

Published On : August 17, 2021

6 .

Which state/UT has announced smart health cards under its Swasthya Kalyan Yojana?

A)

Kerala

B)

Karnataka

C)

Odisha

D)

West Bengal

Correct Answer : Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced that his government will provide smart health cards to 3.5 crore people in the state under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

Beneficiaries of national and state food security schemes, and Annapurna and Antyodaya initiatives will get the cards under which women can avail treatment up to Rs 10 lakh per year and other family members will get the benefit up to Rs 5 lakh each.

Addressing the state programme to celebrate the 75th Independence Day, organised with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, he said that the initiative will usher in a new era in the state''s health sector.

Published On : August 17, 2021

7 .

Which State has announced the creation of four new districts?

A)

Jharkhand

B)

Chhattisgarh

C)

Telangana

D)

West Bengal

Correct Answer : Chhattisgarh

* Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has announced four new districts and 18 new tehsils in the state.

* The four new districts are Mohla-Manpur, Sakti, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh and Manendragarh.

* ‘Mukhyamantri Affordable Medicine Scheme’ has been renamed as ‘Shri Dhanwantri Yojana’.

* Currently, there are 28 districts in the state of Chhattisgarh and after the announcement of four new districts the number will increase to 32.

Published On : August 17, 2021

8 .

Muhyiddin Yassin resigned as the Prime Minister of which nation after failing to get majority support?

A)

Canada

B)

Germany

C)

Indonesia

D)

Malaysia

Correct Answer : Malaysia

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has resigned on Monday, August 16. He has reportedly become the country's shortest ruling leader as he resigned less than 18 months into his tenure. The resignation of the cabinet has been confirmed by Khairy Jamaluddin, Science Minister in an Instagram story.

Published On : August 16, 2021

9 .

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit which nation on August 14, 2021?

A)

Haiti

B)

Australia

C)

Indonesia

D)

New Zealand

Correct Answer : Haiti

A powerful earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday(14-08-2021) morning, killing at least 304 people and leaving hundreds of others hurt, authorities said. The 7.2 magnitude quake was strong enough to be felt in neighboring countries.

Haitian officials said more than 1,800 people were injured in the disaster, some of whom were being treated in hospitals in the three most affected communities.

The epicenter of the quake was 7.5 miles northeast of Saint-Louis du Sud, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That's about 78 miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince....

Published On : August 16, 2021

10 .

When was Parsi New Year 2021 observed in India?

A)

August 13, 2021

B)

August 14, 2021

C)

August 15, 2021

D)

August 16, 2021

Correct Answer : August 16, 2021

Parsi New Year 2021 or Navroz 2021 was celebrated in India on August 16, 2021. The Parsi New Year is a regional festival which is observed on the first day of Farvardin which is the first month of the Zoroastrian Calendar. And, in the coming years 2022-2023 it will be celebrated on the same day, 16th August.

History of Parsi New Year :

Parsis follow the religion of Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest known monotheistic religions. It was founded by the Prophet Zarathustra in ancient Iran approximately 3,500 years ago.

It was one of the ancient world's most important religions for over 1000 years and was the official religion of Persia (now Iran) from 650 BCE until the rise of Islam in the 7th century.

When the Islamic armies invaded Persia, many Zoroastrians migrated, to places such as Gujarat in India and Pakistan. Nowadays there are an estimated 2.6 million Zoroastrians worldwide, with the Parsis ('Parsi' being Gujarati for Persian) in India being the largest single group.

In Iran and other parts of the Middle East, Zoroastrians celebrated the Persian New Year using the Fasli/Bastnai calendar, which fixed the first day of the year on the Spring Equinox, usually March 21st. To this day, this remains a popular festival, known as Nowruz, celebrated by many peoples and cultures in the region, despite not being Zoroastrians.

The Parsis however, observe the new year using the Shahenshahi calendar which does not account for leap years, meaning this holiday has now moved by 200 days from its original day of the vernal equinox.

Published On : August 16, 2021