Daily Current Affairs
21 March 2023
1. Which state is the key state partner of the International SME Convention 2023 (ISC)?
Answer: Madhya Pradesh
The 3rd edition of the International SME Convention 2023 (ISC) has been recently organised. It is jointly held by the union ministries of MSME, External Affairs and India SME Forum. Madhya Pradesh Government is the key state partner and the Uttar Pradesh government as the Associate State Partner.
2. What is the name of the form of artificial intelligence that can take actions using past data?
Answer: Generative AI
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a form of artificial intelligence that can that can be used to create content or take action using past data. One of the famous examples of generative AI is the ChatGPT. It creates new content including a text, an image, even computer code based on that training, instead of simply categorizing or identifying data like other AI.
3. International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against the President of which country?
Answer: Russia
The International Criminal Court, headquartered in Hague, recently issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Putin for the alleged war crime of the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from occupied areas in Ukraine to the Russian Federation. The ICC is responsible for the investigation of individuals charged with gravest crimes of concern in the international community.
4. Which year has been proposed to be marked as the year of tourism?
Answer: 2023
The SCO Tourism Ministers' Conference was held recently in Varanasi. During this event, India mooted an action plan to mark this year -2023as the year of tourism. Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental organisation currently comprising eight Member States China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
5. Which state has tabled the Advocates Protection Bill, 2023?
Answer: Rajasthan
The Rajasthan Advocates Protection Bill, 2023 was tabled recently by the state government to provide for the prevention of offenses against advocates like grievous hurt, criminal force, criminal intimidation, and assault. It aims to prevent the rising cases of violence and false implications against advocates in the state.
6. AxEMU (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit) is a newly developed spacesuit for which space agency?
Answer: NASA
AxEMU (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit) is a newly developed spacesuit for NASA's upcoming Artemis missions. It was developed by Axiom Space, a private company based out of Houston. The spacesuit builds on NASA's spacesuit prototype developments with latest technology, enhanced mobility, and added protection from hazards at the Moon.
7. 'Oxford Union Debate' is a prestigious debating society based in which country?
Answer: UK
The Oxford Union Debate is a debating society known for its tradition of free speech in the cityy of Oxford, England. BJP MP Varun Gandhi recently turned down an invitation for this debate, which is set to focus on the Narendra Modi-led government's performance. There are also references made to its tradition of free speech, which is also the theme of its ongoing second centenary celebrations in 2023.
8. XBB1.16, which was seen in the neWs, is related to which disease?
Answer: Covid-19
XBB1.16 is a new COVID-19 variant. INSACOG data has recently found a total of 76 samples of this variant in India. The XBB 1.16 variant was first found in January when two samples tested positive for the variant while in February a total of 59 samples were found.
9. Which bloc recently announced two initiatives the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA)?
Answer: European Union
The European Union recently announced two initiatives - the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) -under the Green Deal Industrial Plan. These initiatives aim to boost domestic green manufacturing. CRMA establishes the policy framework to onshore mineral and metal processing and scale clean energy and battery technology supply chains within the EU.
10. Spiranthes hachijoensis isa newly identified species of orchid found in which country?
Answer: Japan
Spiranthes hachijoensis is a newly identified species of orchid found in Japan. This flower is closely related to the common Spiranthes genus orchid in Japan. Spiranthes have a central stem, around which grow an ascending spiral of bell shaped flowers that can be white, pink, purple or yellow.
11. Trichrysis poseidonia, which was seen in the news, belongs to which species?
Answer: Wasp
Trichrysis poseidonia is a newly discovered species of cuckoo wasp. Its specific name is derived from Poseidon the Greek God of the Sea. Cuckoo wasps or emerald wasps, are a very large cosmopolitan group of parasitoid or kleptoparasitic wasps. They are often sculptured with brilliant metallic colors created by structural coloration.
12. Cyrtopodion Vindhya, which was recently discovered, belongs to which species?
Answer: Gecko
Cyrtopodion Vindhya is a newly discovered species of naked-toed gecko found in Dahod and Panchmahals districts in Gujarat. It is the fifth endemic species of reptile described in the last 15 years form Gujarat. The species is named after the Vindhya hill ranges in the westernmost part of Gujarat from where the researchers collected the first reptile samples.
13. Which city is the host of 'Civil20 India 2023 Inception Conference'?
Answer: Nagpur
The three-day Civil20 India 2023 Inception Conference is set to be organized in Nagpur, Maharashtra. C20 India provides a platform for civil society organizations from across the world to highlight the aspiration of people to world leaders.
14. Which country hosted the 'Global Conference on Digital Health Taking Universal Health Coverage to the Last Citizen'?
Answer: India
Global Conference on Digital Health Taking Universal Health Coverage to the Last Citizen' is jointly organized by the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It will be held in New Delhi. The global conference was attended by Ministers of Health and their digital health delegates from 24 WHO member states, G20 member states representatives and other stake holders.
15. As per a recent research, which state is experiencing nearly 3 times more background radiation than assumed?
Answer: Kerala
Background Radiation is the measure of radiation emitted from natural sources like sand, rocks or mountains. According to a recent study by BARC scientists, parts of Kerala are experiencing nearly 3 times more background radiation than assumed. This figure is about 70 milliGray a year, or a little more than what a worker in a nuclear plant is exposed to.
16. Yuva Vigyani Karyakram (YUVIKA) is a young scientist programme organized by which institution?
Answer: ISRO
Yuva Vigyani Karyakram (YUVIKA) is a young scientist programme organized by the Indian Space Research Organisation (1SRO). It will encourage students to STEM-based research and careers. It aims to impart basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger students in emerging trends in space science and technology amongst the youngsters.
17. Which country is the host of 2023 SAFF Championship?
Answer: India
The 2023 edition of the SAFF Championship will be organized in Bengaluru from June 21 to July 3. India will be hosting the tournament for the fourth time and first since the 2015 edition when it was held in Thiruvananthapuram. India has won the tournament eight times out of the 12 earlier editions.
18. Copilot is the Al-powered digital assistant developed by which company?
Answer: Microsoft
Copilot is the Al-powered digital assistant developed by Microsoft. It will improve the productivity of the user by integrating data from the user's Microsoft Graph and Microsoft 365 apps with large language models (LLMs). The AI assistant combines natural language processing, based on OpenAl's ChatGPT technology.
19. Which state organised the "Yuva Utsav' programme?
Answer: Mizoram
The first of its kind Yuva Utsav on the theme of Panch Pran of Amrit Kaal India @2047" was organised in Siaha district of Mizoram. The festival, which is being organised by the Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK) across the country, was participated by students and youth of the district.
20. India inaugurated the first cross-border energy pipeline with which country?
Answer: Bangladesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first cross-border energy pipeline via video-conference. The first cross border friendship pipeline has been built at an estimated cost of F377 crore, of which the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline built at a cost of approximately 285 crore, has been borne by the government of India under grant assistance.