Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 16th & 17th April 2023

Correct Answer:  C. South Korea

Explanation:  South Korea’s antitrust regulator has fined Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google 42.1 billion won ($31.88 million) for blocking the release of mobile video games on a competitor’s platform. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said on Tuesday that Google bolstered its market dominance, and hurt local app market One Store’s revenue and value as a platform, by requiring video game makers to exclusively release their titles on Google Play in exchange for providing in-app exposure between June 2016 and April 2018.

Correct Answer:  C. PT Usha

Explanation:  Retired Indian track and field athlete, PT Usha has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by the Central University of Kerala at Sabarmati Hall, Periya Campus. She was conferred by Vice Chancellor Prof. H. Venkateshwarlu. She has won 33 medals including 19 gold in the Asian Games and Asian Championship. She was the first Indian athlete to win medals in four consecutive Asian Games and also won six medals including five gold in the Jakarta Asian Athletic Meet in 1985.

Correct Answer:  D. West Bengal

Explanation:  Vishu is a cultural festival celebrating the Hindu New Year in Kerala. Vishu falls on the first day of the month of Medam in the Malayalam Calendar. Rongali Bihu also called Xaat Bihu is a traditional ethnic festival celebrated in the Northeastern Indian state of Assam, and marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year.

• Naba Barsha is the celebration of the new year in West Bengal as per the Bengali Calendar. It is also popularly known as the PoilaBaisakh which literally translates to first Baisakhi.
• Vaisakhi, also pronounced Baisakhi, marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh. It is seen as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in Northern India.
• Puthandu, also known as Tamil New Year, is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar, traditionally celebrated as a festival by Tamils as the first day of the Tamil month Chittirai.
• President Droupadi Murmu has extended greetings to countrymen and Indians living abroad on Vaisakhi, Vishu, Rongali Bihu, Naba Barsha, Vaisakhadi and Puthandu Pirappu. In a message, the President said that these farmers’ festivals, celebrated in different parts of our country, present a glimpse of India’s rich cultural heritage and diversity.

Correct Answer:  C. Rs 9,600 crore

Explanation:  A consortium led by state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has bagged an order worth more than Rs 9,600 crore to supply 80 sleeper class Vande Bharat trains to Indian Railways over a period of six years. There is a demand for running sleeper class Vande Bharat or Train18 trainsets as these can ply on long routes like Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah. The consortium, comprising BHEL and Titagarh Wagons Ltd, is called Technology Partner.

Correct Answer:  C. $584.76 billion

Explanation:  India’s foreign exchange reserves jumped to $584.76 billion for the week ended April 7, the highest in nine months, the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) statistical supplement showed recently.  That is an increase of $6.3 billion from the previous week. The central bank intervenes in the spot and forwards markets to prevent runaway moves in the rupee. Changes in forex reserves also stem from valuation gains or losses. For the reported week, the rupee ended 0.3% higher against the US dollar. The Indian unit traded in a wide range of 81.8300 to 82.4550 to the dollar.

It can be noted that in October 2021, the country’s forex reserves reached an all-time high of $645 billion. The reserves have been declining as the central bank deployed the kitty to defend the rupee amid pressures caused by global developments. The foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, increased by $4.74 billion to $514.431 billion for the week ended April 7.

Correct Answer:  A. 172.83 percent

Explanation:  Direct Tax collections have witnessed quantum jump in the last nine years. In these years, the gross tax collections have increased by 172.83 per cent. According to the provisional data released by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, more than 19,68,000 crore rupees gross direct tax were collected in the last fiscal which was 7,21,000 crore rupees in the financial year 2013-14. CBDT informed that net direct tax collection has witnessed 160 per cent growth since 2013-14. More than 16,61,000 crore rupees were collected as Direct Tax in the last financial year which was over 6,38,000 crore rupees in the financial year 2013-14. CBDT informed that the Direct tax to Gross Domestic Product ratio has increased from 5.62 per cent in the financial year 2013-14 to 5.97 per cent in the financial year 2021-22. The direct tax buoyancy at 2.52 in the financial year 2021-22 is the highest direct tax buoyancy recorded over the last 15 years.

Correct Answer:  C. 16th April

Explanation:  World Voice Day (WVD) is an international event celebrated annually on April 16th to recognize and appreciate the significance of the human voice in our everyday lives. Effective communication is reliant on a healthy and well-functioning voice. The purpose of WVD is to promote global awareness of the importance of preventing voice-related problems, training the artistic voice, rehabilitating damaged or abnormal voices, and researching the function and application of the voice.

The objective of World Voice Day is to promote the proper care and training of the human voice, particularly among those who use their voice for professional or recreational purposes. The event aims to increase awareness of voice-related issues and encourage individuals to seek assistance and training when needed. Additionally, World Voice Day supports research efforts related to the voice, which is studied and applied in various fields such as biology, art, phonetics, psychology, physics, music, speech-language pathology, and medicine.

Correct Answer:  C. State Bank of India

Explanation:  State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest lender by assets, has announced the re-introduction of its retail term deposit scheme, Amrit Kalash. The scheme offers a special tenor of 400 days and provides an interest rate of 7.6% for senior citizens and 7.1% for others. This deposit scheme had previously been launched by SBI on February 15, 2023, and was valid till March 31, 2023. The reintroduction of this scheme provides customers with another opportunity to avail themselves of the attractive interest rates offered by SBI.

• The bank has reintroduced a scheme starting from April 12, 2023, which will remain valid until June 30, 2023. This scheme is applicable to domestic retail term deposits, including NRI Rupee Term Deposits, that are below Rs 2 crore.
• As per the information available on the SBI website, the scheme offers a specific tenor of“400 days” (Amrit Kalash) with an interest rate of 7.10% effective from April 12, 2023. Senior citizens are eligible for a higher interest rate of 7.60%.
• SBI has introduced a special fixed deposit scheme that has a tenor of 400 days, starting from April 12, 2023, and valid until June 30, 2023. Under this scheme, general investorscan avail an interest rate of 7.10%, while senior citizens are eligible for a higher interest rate of 7.60%.

Correct Answer:  C. Olkiluoto 3

Explanation:  Finland’s largest nuclear reactor has entered its service phase. Finland’s next-generation Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor, the largest in Europe, has gone into regular production. Olkiluoto 3 has a capacity of generating 1,600 megawatts and reached full power in late September 2022 for the first time since construction began in 2005. More than 50% of Finnish electricity was being produced from nuclear power, according to transmission system operator Fingrid.

Olkiluoto 3 is Europe’s largest nuclear reactor and has a capacity of 1,600 megawatts. The reactor is located in western Finland and has been under construction for over a decade. Olkiluoto 3 is designed to be safer than older nuclear reactors. It uses a new design called the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) that is meant to reduce the risk of accidents. Like other nuclear reactors, Olkiluoto 3 uses nuclear fission to generate heat, which is then used to create steam and generate electricity. The construction of Olkiluoto 3 has been a source of controversy in Finland. The project has been delayed and over budget, and there have been concerns about the safety of nuclear power. Nuclear power is an important part of Finland’s energy mix. The country has four nuclear reactors, which provide about 30% of the country’s electricity. Olkiluoto 3 is expected to increase Finland’s reliance on nuclear power and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

Correct Answer:  D. Francesco Bagnaia

Explanation:  World champion Francesco Bagnaia wins the Americas MotoGP. World champion Francesco Bagnaia breezed to a comfortable win in the Grand Prix of the Americas MotoGP sprint on 15 April 2023. MotoGP introduced the Formula One-style sprint format this year, with the first two editions fast and furious affairs. Missing in Austin were seven-time winner on the circuit Marc Marquez and last year’s Grand Prix of the Americas winner Enea Bastianini.

Correct Answer:  A. MRF

Explanation: According to a recent report by Brand Finance, a U.K.-based brand valuation consultancy, MRF Ltd. has been ranked as the second-strongest tyre brand in the world. The report evaluated various parameters, and MRF scored high on most of them, including being the second fastest-growing tyre brand globally. With a score of 83.2 out of 100, MRF received a AAA- brand rating. The report also mentioned MRF as the most valuable Indian tyre brand and the only Indian tyre manufacturer in the top 10. Furthermore, MRF performed well in the Sustainability Perception Value category.

The 2023 report by Brand Finance assesses the value of brands in the automobile, auto component, tyre, and mobility industries. The report evaluates the net economic benefit that a brand owner would receive by licensing it in the open market as brand value. The report evaluates a brand’s strength by considering various factors, including marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. This scorecard is then used to determine the proportion of a business’s revenue that is contributed by the brand.

Correct Answer:  C. 17th April

Explanation:  World Hemophilia Day is celebrated every year on April 17th to honor the birth anniversary of Frank Schnabel, who established the World Federation of Hemophilia. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness and provide information about hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. Hemophilia is a rare medical condition where the blood fails to clot correctly due to the lack of specific clotting factors. This leads to prolonged bleeding, which can be hazardous and life-threatening in some situations.

The theme for World Hemophilia Day in 2023 is “Access for All: Partnership, Policy, Progress – Engaging Governments to Integrate Inherited Bleeding Disorders into National Policy”. This theme highlights the importance of partnership and collaboration between various stakeholders, including governments, in ensuring access to appropriate care and treatment for individuals with hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. The theme also emphasizes the need to integrate these conditions into national policies to improve diagnosis, treatment, and management of these disorders.

Correct Answer:  A. Nepal

Explanation:  Nepal has become a founding member of the International Big Cats Alliance launched by India.  The alliance was launched under India’s initiative, and during the launch event, Nepal’s Energy Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet presented a letter indicating Nepal’s membership as a founding member to India’s Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav. Handed over The International Big Cats Alliance aims to conserve seven big cat species including tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars and pumas. Nepal’s tiger population has seen a significant increase, increasing from 121 in 2010 to 335 in 2022. Nepal successfully achieved its target of doubling the tiger population by 2022, as done during thefirst Tiger Summit in 2010 in St. Petersburg.

• The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on April 9, 2023, for the conservation of seven big cat species including tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.
• The alliance aims to reach 97 range countries covering the natural habitats of these big cats and strengthen global cooperation and efforts for their conservation.
• Ministers from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kenya, Nepal, Ethiopia and Malaysia expressed their support for India’s efforts in alliance and conservation.

Correct Answer:  A. Nandini Gupta

Explanation: Nandini Gupta of Rajasthan won the title of Femina Miss India World 2023. The first runner-up of the competition was Shreya Poonja from Delhi and the second runner-up was Thounaojam Strela Luwang from Manipur. The 59th edition of India’s most prestigious pageant marked the Grand Finale of Femina Miss India World 2023 in a historic ceremony at the Indoor Stadium, Khuman Lampak, Imphal, Manipur. Bollywood actors Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday gave a stellar performance at the Femina Miss India 2023 event. Nandini Gupta will represent India at the 71st Miss World pageant, which is going to be held in the United Arab Emirates.

It is a national beauty pageant held annually in India since 1952 and is organized by Femina, a women’s magazine published by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. The winner represents India in the Miss World pageant.