UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | June 30 to July 06, 2024

Statement-I: The Bustard and Lesser Florican are both critically endangered species.

Statement-II: The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) approved Rs 56 crore funding for the conservation program of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and the Lesser Florican for the 2024-2029 period.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I

(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect

(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II in correct

Explanation

— The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) approved Rs 56 crore funding for the next phase of the conservation program of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and the Lesser Florican for the 2024-2029 period. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The proposal for the next phase, prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), an autonomous body under the Union Environment Ministry, includes key targets such as rewilding Bustards bred in ex-situ conservation centres, conducting detailed population studies in Rajasthan and other Bustard range states and developing artificial insemination techniques.

— The Bustard and Lesser Florican are both critically endangered species. Only 140 Bustards and less than 1,000 Lesser Floricans survive. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Great Indian Bustard is a large bird found only in India. It is known to be a key indicator species of the grassland habitat, which means its survival also signals the health of grassland habitats.

— Their populations have declined due to habitat loss to rising farmlands in Rajasthan’s semi-arid regions, egg depredation by other predators such as dogs, monitor lizards, and humans, and, more recently, death due to overhead electrical lines.

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Leang Karampuang cave was in the news due to the discovery of the world’s oldest known figurative cave painting dating back 51,200 years. The cave is located in:

(a) Indonesia

(b) Malaysia

(c) Thailand

(d) India

Explanation

— According to a recent study, researchers have determined that the world’s oldest known figurative cave painting dates back 51,200 years by using a new dating technique.

— The painting is located in the Leang Karampuang cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

— The painting in red pigment shows a pig with its mouth partially open and three part-human, part-animal stick figures, or therianthrope.

— The study, ‘Narrative cave art in Indonesia by 51,200 years ago’, was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday (July 3). It was carried out by a team of 23 researchers from Australia’s Griffith University, Southern Cross University and the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency.

— The researchers in the study wrote: “Our findings show that figurative portrayals of anthropomorphic figures and animals have a deeper origin in the history of modern human (Homo sapiens) image-making than recognised to date, as does their representation in composed scenes.”

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Which of the following statements is /are correct about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?

1. It was formed as the “Shanghai Five” in 1996.

2. Afghanistan and Mongolia hold permanent member status.

3. It is the only international organisation which deals with security issues of Asian countries.

4. India was given full-time membership in 2020.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only

(b) 1 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 3 and 4 only

Explanation

— On Thursday (July 4), the final day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

— On the fringes of the two-day summit, Jaishankar held bilateral discussions with his colleagues from SCO members Tajikistan and Russia, as well as Belarus, the organization’s newest member.

What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?

— Its beginnings may be traced back to the “Shanghai Five,” which were founded in 1996 and included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The collapse of the Soviet Union into 15 independent countries in 1991 raised fears in the region about the rise of radical religious groups and ethnic tensions. To address these challenges, a group was formed to coordinate security efforts.

— On June 15, 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was created as an international institution, with Uzbekistan joining as the sixth member. It had nine members: India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

— Afghanistan and Mongolia hold Observer Status. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— SCO is one of the few international bodies that deal with security matters composed of Asian countries. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— India and Pakistan joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in 2017. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— India’s SCO membership permits it to engage in a forum that broadens its scope of cooperation with Central Asian countries, which have not had particularly close connections with India since their inception in 1991. It is also important to maintain communication with significant entities in the region about similar security challenges.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Boreal forests and tundra ecosystems are naturally found in:

(a) Tropical monsoon region

(b) Temperate region

(c) Arctic region

(d) Equatorial climate region

Explanation

— Smoke from burning wildfires has once again obscured the skies above the Arctic. It is the third time in five years that high-intensity fires have broken out in the region.

— The majority of fires are in Sakha, Russia, where over 160 wildfires had burnt roughly 460,000 hectares of land as of June 24, according to Russia’s state news agency Tass.

— June’s monthly total carbon emissions from wildfires are the third highest in the last two decades, at 6.8 megatonnes of carbon, trailing only June 2020 and 2019, which recorded 16.3 and 13.8 megatonnes of carbon, respectively.

— Wildfires have long been a part of the Arctic’s boreal forest, snow forest, and tundra (treeless regions) ecosystems. However, in recent years, their frequency and magnitude in the regions have grown, owing mostly to global warming.

— The Arctic is warming at around four times the rate of the rest of the planet. While the world average temperature has risen by at least 1.1 degrees Celsius beyond pre-industrial levels, the Arctic has warmed by an average of 3 degrees Celsius since 1980.

Therefore option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Project Nexus, consider the following statements:

1. It seeks to enhance cross-border payments by connecting multiple domestic instant payment systems (IPS) globally.

2. It is conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has joined Project Nexus, a multilateral international initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by interlinking domestic Fast Payments Systems (FPSs).

— Project Nexus is conceptualised by the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— It seeks to enhance cross-border payments by connecting multiple domestic instant payment systems (IPS) globally. It is the first BIS Innovation Hub project in the payments area to move towards live implementation. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and FPSs of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand will be interlinked through Nexus. Going ahead, the platform can be extended to more countries.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 6

The abhaya mudra, bhumisparsha mudra, dharmachakra mudra and dhyana mudra were recently in the news. They are associated with:

(a) Rig Veda

(b) Jainism

(c) Sikhism

(d) Buddhism

Explanation

— Rahul Gandhi used the abhaya mudra, a gesture of raising the open palm that is usually thought to express reassurance and freedom from fear, in his first address as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

— The earliest images of the Buddha in corporeal form originate from around the turn of the first millennium. Depictions first appeared in Gandhara art from the northwestern edge of the Indian subcontinent (present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan), which relied on Hellenistic influences, and later in Gupta art on the Gangetic plains.

— Mudras are most usually connected with visual portrayals of the Buddha (or Buddharupa), with various movements communicating distinct moods and meanings, representing the subtle manifestations of the Buddha’s states of realisation.

— Four mudras can be seen in the earliest portrayals of Buddharupa: the abhaya mudra, or “gesture of fearlessness”; the bhumisparsha mudra, or “Earth-touching gesture”; the dharmachakra mudra, or “gesture of the wheel of dharma”; and the dhyana mudra, or “gesture of meditation”.

— Hundreds of mudras became part of Buddhist iconography as Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) and Vajrayana (Thunderbolt Vehicle) Buddhism evolved and Buddhist artwork spread outside India.

Therefore option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

With reference to the epilepsy, consider the following statements:

1. It is a condition that leads to recurring seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

2. The disease has fixed identifiable causes in approximately all of the cases.

3. Currently, no anti-seizure medicines are available in the market.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— A UK-based teenager, Oran Knowlson, has become the first person in the world to be fitted with a brain implant to help bring his epileptic seizures under control.

— Epilepsy, a condition that leads to recurring seizures, sees a person experience jerking of arms and legs, temporary confusion, staring spells, or stiff muscles. It is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The disease has no identifiable cause in nearly 50% of the cases. However, head trauma, tumours in the brain, some infections like meningitis, or even genetics can lead to epilepsy. It can increase the risk of accidents, drownings, and falling. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— In India, between 3 and 11.9 per 1,000 people suffer from epilepsy, according to a comment in a 2022 Lancet study. Although several anti-seizure medicines are available in the market, 30% of the patients remain resistant to treatment. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

How does the device work?

— The neurostimulator sends continual electrical impulses to the brain, disrupting or blocking aberrant seizure-causing signals.

— The gadget, which was 3.5 cm square and 0.6 cm thick, was surgically placed in Knowlson’s skull and secured with screws.

— The doctor then placed two electrodes deep into his brain, eventually reaching the thalamus, which serves as a relay station for all movement and sensory information. The electrode ends were attached to the neurostimulator.

— The device was turned on after Knowlson had recovered from surgery. It may be charged using a wireless headphone.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

Recently, which of the following countries have conducted the test named “Hwasongpho-11 Da-4.5” with a simulated heavy warhead to verify flight stability and accuracy?

(a) Russia

(b) Japan

(c) South Korea

(d) North Korea

Explanation

— North Korea said it successfully tested a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a “super large warhead,” according to state news agency KCNA.

— Pyongyang stated that the test, known as Hwasongpho-11 Da-4.5, was performed with a simulated heavy warhead to ensure flight stability and accuracy. The paper did not go into detail about the simulated warhead’s characteristics.

— This comes a day after South Korea confirmed Pyongyang’s launch of two ballistic missiles, with the second exploding over land shortly thereafter.

— Ballistic missiles, depending on their design, can carry both conventional high explosives and chemical, biological, or nuclear payloads.

— The UN prohibits North Korea from testing ballistic projectiles and has imposed multiple restrictions for improving its nuclear capability.

— These exercises were resumed after the North launched hundreds of balloons carrying garbage toward South Korea, leading to the suspension of a military pact signed with Pyongyang.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 9

With reference to the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, consider the following statements:

1. It has failed to complete its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point.

2. The vehicle PSLV-C57 was used to place the satellite precisely into its intended orbit.

3. The objectives of Aditya-L1 mission do not include magnetic field measurements in the solar corona.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 2 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

Explanation

— India’s first solar mission, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point. The space agency said its station-keeping manoeuvre ensured its seamless transition into the second halo orbit. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The Aditya-L1 mission, which is an Indian solar observatory at Lagrangian point L1, was launched on September 2, 2023 using PSLV-C57 and was inserted in its targeted halo orbit on January 6, 2024. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— According to ISRO, Aditya-L1 spacecraft in the halo orbit takes 178 days to complete a revolution around the L1 point.

— During its travel in the halo orbit, Aditya-L1 spacecraft will be subjected to various perturbing forces that will cause it to depart from the targeted orbit, the space agency said.

The major science objectives of Aditya-L1 mission are:

(i) Study of Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics.

(ii) Study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionized plasma, initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares

(iii) Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment providing data for the study of particle dynamics from the Sun.

(iv) Physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism.

(v) Diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma: Temperature, velocity and density.

(vi) Development, dynamics and origin of CMEs.

(vii) Identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.

(viii) Magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

(ix) Drivers for space weather (origin, composition and dynamics of solar wind.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: isro.gov.in)

QUESTION 10

Which of the following are the objectives of the National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)?

1. To enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture covering crops, livestock and fisheries.

2. To demonstrate site specific technology packages on farmers’ fields for adapting to current climate risks.

3. To double the farmer’s income by 2025.

4. To enhance the capacity building of scientists and other stakeholders in climate resilient agricultural research and its application.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 2, 3 and 4 only

(b) 1 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

— The Union government is to launch a framework to promote climate-resilient agriculture in 50,000 villages in climatically susceptible regions, The Indian Express has learned.

— The effort is part of a nationwide climate-resilient agriculture programme that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare intends to launch as part of a 100-day timeline.

— The ministry intends to promote climate-resilient crop types in these 50,000 villages, according to the source, adding that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has created over 2,000 such kinds to boost food production. These include abiotic and biotic stress-tolerant cultivars.

— National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is a network project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched in February, 2011.

— The project aims to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate vulnerability through strategic research and technology demonstration.

Objectives

— To enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture covering crops, livestock and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change through development and application of improved production and risk management technologies; Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— To demonstrate site specific technology packages on farmers’ fields for adapting to current climate risks; and Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— To enhance the capacity building of scientists and other stakeholders in climate resilient agricultural research and its application. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.nicra-icar.in)

QUESTION 11

With reference to Aphelion, consider the following statements:

1. That Earth has an aphelion is a result of its orbit being elliptical, rather than circular.

2. At aphelion, Earth’s distance from the Sun is about 152.1 million km.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Earth has an aphelion because its orbit is elliptical, not circular. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— According to Kirby Runyon, a geologist at the Planetary Science Institute, all planets in our solar system orbit the Sun in extended circles rather than perfect ones. This is most likely true for planets orbiting other stars.

— The Earth reaches aphelion every July. At aphelion, Earth’s distance from the Sun is approximately 152.1 million km. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 12

‘Trial’, ‘The Metamorphosis’, ‘The Castle’ and ‘In the Penal Colony’ are the works of which of the following authors?

(a) Franz Kafka

(b) Virginia Woolf

(c) Gabriel Garcia Marquez

(d) Salman Rushdie

Explanation

— Franz Kafka shone a light through the smokescreen of bureaucracy to lay bare a disillusioned political class, clueless authorities, and spiteful officers.

— Born in 1883 in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Kafka started out working in an insurance company, but spent his nights and weekends writing — his stories reflected what he saw glimpsed in the offices and overheard in the corridors.

— The outcome was ‘Kafkaesque’, a nightmarish world of labyrinthine bureaucracy, full of forms, permits, signatures, and contracts, that existed only to protect the procedure, not to serve the people.

— Wednesday marked a century of Kafka’s death. But Kafka lives on, through the modest body of his own work that has survived, and in the works of the writers he inspired in various ways — such as Paul Auster, Ismael Kadare, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, Margaret Atwood.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 13

Consider the following statements with reference to planetary orbits:

1. The lower the eccentricity, the more elliptical the orbit of planets.

2. If our planet’s orbit were a perfect circle, the seasons would have the same lengths.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Gravity is the force that drives an elliptical orbit. Runyon stated that “all the planets tend to jostle each other around,” causing their orbits to deviate from perfect circles. “It’s this chaotic tug of war between small amounts of gravitational influence that the planets have on each other.”

— Jupiter has the most influence because it is the largest planet in our solar system.

— Eccentricity is the degree to which an orbit deviates from a perfect circle. The higher the eccentricity, the more elliptical the orbit. Some bodies in the solar system have a high degree of eccentricity, such as Mars, which has an eccentricity of 0.094. Pluto’s eccentricity is significantly higher, at 0.244. On the other hand, Earth has an eccentricity of 0.017. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— If our planet’s orbit were a perfect circle, the seasons would be the same duration – spring and summer are currently a few days longer than autumn and winter in the Northern Hemisphere. But very nothing else would change. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 14

With reference to Battle of Asal, consider the following statements:

1. It is one of the largest tank battles fought during India-Pakistan Kargil War.

2. Abdul Hamid on whom the book titled ‘Bharat ka Musalman’ is based was associated with this war.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Born on July 1, 1933, Company Quarter Master Havildar (CQMH) Abdul Hamid laid his life down while fighting Pakistan Army’s Patton tanks in the Battle of Asal Uttar — one of the largest tank battles fought during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. Hamid was awarded Param Vir Chakra — India’s highest gallantry award — posthumously. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— On Monday, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat visited the native village of Hamid, Dhamupur, where he released a book on Hamid titled ‘Mere Papa Paramvir’ and another book titled ‘Bharat ka Musalman’. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 15

With reference to the Balance of Payment, consider the following statements.

1. The BoP matters because it captures the relative demand of the rupee vis-à-vis the demand for foreign currencies.

2. It consists of only a capital account and not a current account as only a capital account deals with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Institutional Investments (FII).

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Movements in the current account are closely monitored as they not only impact the exchange rate of the rupee and India’s sovereign ratings, but also because they point to the overall health of the economy.

— However, the country’s current account cannot be understood in isolation. The larger picture is provided by the so-called ‘Balance of Payments’ table.

What is Balance of Payments?

— The Balance of Payments (BoP) is essentially a ledger of a country’s transactions with the rest of the world. As Indians trade and transact with the rest of the world, money flows in and out of the country.

— The BoP shows how much money went out of the country and how much money came in. All the money coming into the country is marked positive and all the money going out is marked negative.

— The BoP matters because it captures the relative demand of the rupee vis-à-vis the demand for foreign currencies (represented in dollar terms). Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Assuming there were only two countries in the world, India and the United States, every time an Indian wished to buy an American good or service or invest in the United States, they would have to first give over a certain number of rupees to purchase the dollars required to complete the transaction.

— Finally, the exchange rate would be set by the relative demand of the two currencies—if Indians demanded more dollars than Americans demanded rupees, the dollar’s ‘price’ (or exchange rate) compared to the rupee would rise.

— The BoP has two main ‘accounts’ — Current Account, and Capital Account. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

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