Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 17 2024

Ans (C)

Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on 14 August 2024 for violating ethics.

He was found guilty for appointing Pichit Chuenban, a minister with a past jail sentence, to his office.

Pichit Chuenban was convicted in 2008 for bribing a judge and served six months in jail.

Following the court’s verdict, Srettha Thavisin resigned from his position.

He is the fourth Prime Minister of Thailand in 16 years to be removed by the Constitutional Court.

Ans (A)

India and Australia held two significant bilateral meetings to strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Australia hosted the 6th India-Australia Maritime Security Dialogue in Canberra on 13 August 2024.

The Indian delegation was led by Ms Muanpuii Saiawi, and the Australian delegation was led by Ms Sarah Storey and Mr Bernard Philip.

Discussions focused on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, sustainable marine resource use, Search and Rescue operations, pollution response, blue economy, and Port State control. The next dialogue will be held in New Delhi.

The 14th meeting of the India-Australia Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism took place in New Delhi on 12 August 2024.

The Indian delegation was led by K.D. Dewal, and the Australian delegation was led by Richard Feakes.

They focused on enhancing cooperation against terrorism, condemned terrorism in all forms, and emphasized the need for stronger international cooperation.

The next meeting will be in Canberra.

Ans (C)

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested its Long-Range Glide Bomb, Gaurav, off the coast of Odisha.

The Gaurav bomb was dropped from an Indian Air Force Su-30 MK-I fighter plane.

Long-range Glide Bombs enable the Air Force to strike targets beyond the range of conventional munitions.

These bombs are dropped at a safe distance and guided to their target by an onboard satellite navigation system.

They are difficult to detect on radar due to their small size, lack of propulsion, and absence of a heat signature.

The DRDO is developing two long-range glide bombs, Gaurav and Gautham, at its Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad.

Gaurav is a winged bomb weighing 1000 kg with a glide range of 100 km.

Gautham is a non-winged bomb weighing 550 kg with a glide range of 30 km.

The Gaurav bomb features a hybrid navigation system combining Inertial Navigation System (INS) and Global Positioning System (GPS).

DRDO, established in 1958, is under the Union Ministry of Defence and aims to advance defence technology and enhance self-reliance in weapon systems.

Ans (C)

The Indian government has launched the improved Flood Watch India 2.0 App to enhance flood forecasting and management.

The app provides real-time flood information to users across India via smartphone.

Flood Watch India 2.0 is an upgraded version of the app launched in August 2023, covering more flood monitoring stations and water reservoirs.

It was launched by Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Paatil, in New Delhi on 13 August 2024.

Ms. Debashree Mukherjee and Kushvinder Vohra were also present at the launch.

The app was developed by the Central Water Commission under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.

It utilizes satellite data analysis, mathematical modeling, and real-time monitoring for accurate flood forecasts.

Ans (B)

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced 11 tourism projects with a total investment of Rs 696.47 crore.

The projects aim to increase tourist influx and enhance the overall tourism experience in the state.

A Convention Centre at Dharamshala is being built with an investment of Rs 161.91 crore.

A wellness centre will be established at Nadaun for Rs 91.42 crore.

A rafting complex will be created at Nadaun with a budget of Rs 64 crore.

The state government has declared Kangra district the tourism capital of Himachal Pradesh.

The Pong Dam will be developed into an internationally renowned birding and water sports centre.

Kangra Airport expansion is expected to attract high-end tourists.

The number of tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh reached 1.13 crore by July 2024.

Ans (D)

August 23 has been designated as “National Space Day” by the Government of India to celebrate the Chandrayaan-3 Mission’s success.

Chandrayaan-3 achieved a historic soft landing of the Vikram Lander and deployed the Pragyaan rover on the Moon’s south pole.

India is the fourth country to land on the Moon and the first to reach its south pole.

The celebration, spanning July and August 2024, aims to inspire the younger generation in space science and technology.

On August 13, the Department of Fisheries organized seminars and demonstrations on the “Application of Space Technologies in the Fisheries Sector.”

Ans (D)

The State Government of Maharashtra has notified the geoglyphs and petroglyphs in Ratnagiri as ‘protected monuments’ under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960.

The petroglyphs at Deud, Ratnagiri, date back to the Mesolithic era (roughly 20,000-10,000 years ago).

Geoglyphs and petroglyphs are ancient art forms involving the creation of images or designs on the earth’s surface or rock surfaces.

The petroglyphs depict a rhino, deer, monkey, donkey, and footprints.

The total area around the petroglyphs to be protected is 210 sq metres.

Seven petroglyphs have been discovered in Umbarle village, Dapoli taluka, and the eighth in Borkhat village, Mandangad taluka.

Clusters of geoglyphs are spread along 900 km of the Konkan coast in Maharashtra and Goa.

Ratnagiri is home to more than 1,500 geoglyphs and petroglyphs across 70 sites, seven of which are on UNESCO’s tentative World Heritage list.

Ans (A)

The first-ever Global Pravasi Women’s Kabaddi League (GPKL) will start next month in Haryana.

The GPKL will feature female athletes from over 15 countries and is organized by the Holistic International Pravasi Sports Association (HIPSA) in partnership with World Kabaddi.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between HIPSA and the Government of Haryana for the league.

The league aims to advance the global development of women’s kabaddi and supports efforts to include kabaddi in the Olympics.

Teams from countries including England, Poland, Argentina, Canada, and Italy will participate.

Former Indian Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju supports kabaddi’s inclusion in the Olympics.

India is pursuing its goal of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, with discussions ongoing with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Ans (A)

Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra has assumed charge as India’s Ambassador to the United States.

Kwatra succeeds BJP leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

He has previously served as Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Kwatra was Minister (Commerce) at the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., from May 2010 to July 2013.

Between July 2013 and October 2015, he headed the Policy Planning & Research Division and later the Americas Division at the Ministry of External Affairs.

Kwatra has nearly 32 years of experience in various positions within India’s missions abroad and in India.

He takes charge at a time when US-India relations are at a high point; President Joe Biden views the relationship as highly consequential.

Ans (B)

Paralympic gold medalist and world champion Pramod Bhagat has been suspended for 18 months due to a technical issue.

The suspension is due to three missed doping control tests within 12 months.

Bhagat is appealing the suspension with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The dispute began on January 3, 2023.

His first missed test occurred during a tournament in Peru.