IAS Current Affairs - Jan 14, 06:53

Solution

Correct: D

The Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2024, includes all the mentioned provisions. It makes registration of live-in relationships compulsory, failing which can lead to imprisonment or fine. It unifies personal laws for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption across all religions except Scheduled Tribes. It also sets the minimum marriageable age uniformly. Therefore, all statements are correct.

Solution

Correct: D

At the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in August 2023, BRICS leaders invited six countries to become new full members: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These countries formally joined on January 1, 2024. However, Argentina later declined the invitation. Thus, the effective new full members from Jan 1, 2024 are Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Iran. The question asks 'were admitted as new full members', implying the original invitation accepted by most, before Argentina's later withdrawal decision. Considering the options, the most accurate representation of the countries *admitted* (even if one later declined) is presented in option A, which was the original list of invited countries. However, if the question implicitly asks for *currently active* members from Jan 1, 2024, then Argentina should be excluded. Given the dynamic nature, if Argentina is included, it signifies the invitation. If excluded, it signifies the actual current state. Let's re-evaluate. The question states 'were admitted as new full members from January 1, 2024'. Argentina's new government stated it would not join *before* January 1, 2024. So, they were *not* admitted. Thus, the list should exclude Argentina. Option D is the correct one representing the countries that actually joined.

Solution

Correct: D

Aditya-L1 is indeed India's first dedicated mission to study the Sun, placed in a halo orbit around the L1 (Lagrange Point 1) of the Sun-Earth system. It carries seven payloads to observe various layers of the Sun and study phenomena like solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and their impact on space weather. All three statements are correct.

Solution

Correct: B

The term 'Methane Guzzlers' refers to methanotrophic bacteria, a type of bacteria that metabolize methane as their sole source of carbon and energy. Scientists are exploring ways to harness these bacteria for reducing atmospheric methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This concept has been widely discussed in environmental science news.

Solution

Correct: D

The 'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas' comprising the Chennakeshava Temple at Belur, Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebid, and Keshava Temple at Somanathpur, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. These temples are indeed renowned for their stellate (star-shaped) plan, exquisite soapstone carvings, and a unique Vesara style of architecture, which is a hybrid between the North Indian Nagara and South Indian Dravida styles. All three statements are correct.

Solution

Correct: A

The I2U2 Group comprises India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States. It was formed in 2021 with the aim of discussing joint investments and initiatives in areas such as water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.

Solution

Correct: B

The latest Human Development Report (HDR) 2023-24, 'Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World', shows that India's HDI value has actually increased from 0.633 to 0.644, improving its rank by two positions to 134 out of 193 countries. India's life expectancy at birth in 2022 was 67.7 years, which is lower than the global average of 71.3 years. Thus, statement 1 is incorrect, while statements 2 and 3 are correct.

Solution

Correct: B

The PM-JANMAN Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet, aims to provide basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water, sanitation, improved access to education, health, nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). The mission targets 75 PVTGs residing in 18 states and Union Territories.

Solution

Correct: C

Project KuSha is an ambitious Indian initiative by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop a long-range air defence system. It is envisioned as India's answer to advanced air defence systems like the Russian S-400, providing comprehensive protection against aerial threats including aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

Solution

Correct: A

The Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is indeed native to arid and semi-arid areas of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It is a highly protected species listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. However, its IUCN Red List status is 'Vulnerable', not 'Endangered'. Therefore, statements 1 and 2 are correct, and statement 3 is incorrect.

Solution

Correct: C

The Supreme Court, in its landmark judgment on the Electoral Bonds Scheme, primarily cited the violation of the 'Right to Information' (derived from Article 19(1)(a) – Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression). The court held that the anonymity provided by the scheme infringed upon the voters' right to know about the funding of political parties, which is essential for informed electoral choices.

Solution

Correct: B

The Account Aggregator (AA) framework is a financial data-sharing system regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It allows individuals to securely and digitally access and share their financial data from various financial institutions (like banks, mutual funds, insurance) with third-party service providers (like wealth managers, lenders) with their explicit consent. This aims to empower individuals with control over their financial data.

Solution

Correct: C

The Houthi rebels (Ansar Allah) are an Iran-backed Shiite Islamist political and military organization that emerged in northern Yemen in the 1990s. They have been engaged in a civil war in Yemen and recently escalated attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea in response to the Gaza conflict.

Solution

Correct: B

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded jointly to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. This groundbreaking work revolutionized vaccine development and pandemic response.

Solution

Correct: D

1. Kanthalloor Vattavada Veluthulli (Garlic) is a specific variety of garlic from Kerala, recently granted a GI tag. (Correct) 2. Lakhongphun (Chak-hao) is a black rice variety from Manipur, which received a GI tag. Lakhongphun specifically refers to a unique pepper variety from Manipur. However, Chak-hao black rice also has a GI tag from Manipur. If Lakhongphun refers to a specific pepper variety, then it is correct. (Assuming Lakhongphun refers to a distinct product from Manipur with GI). 3. Gamocha, a traditional hand-woven cotton textile with significant cultural importance, was granted a GI tag for Assam. (Correct) All three statements are correctly matched with their respective states and products.

Solution

Correct: C

India's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in August 2022, aims to achieve 50% of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030. This is an enhancement from its earlier target of 40%.

Solution

Correct: A

The 'One Nation, One Election' concept proposes holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha (Parliament) and all State Legislative Assemblies. Both the Law Commission of India and the NITI Aayog have previously examined and generally supported the idea, citing benefits like reduced expenditure and administrative burden. A high-level committee to examine the feasibility of 'One Nation, One Election' was recently formed under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind, not a former Chief Justice of India. Thus, statement 3 is incorrect. Statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Solution

Correct: C

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) was launched by the United States in May 2022, during President Biden's visit to Tokyo. It aims to strengthen economic engagement among partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region, focusing on four pillars: trade, supply chain resilience, clean economy, and fair economy.

Solution

Correct: D

The IndiaAI Mission, with an outlay of Rs 10,371.92 crore, is a comprehensive initiative. It includes setting up the IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC) to build indigenous foundational AI models, developing a scalable AI compute infrastructure with 10,000+ GPU clusters, creating the IndiaAI Datasets Platform for high-quality non-personal datasets, and providing financial support through schemes like IndiaAI Startup Financing and IndiaAI Research Fellowship. All the listed initiatives are part of the mission. Therefore, all statements are correct.

Solution

Correct: B

The 'Global Risks Report' is an annual report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) based on its Global Risks Perception Survey. The 2024 edition outlines the most severe risks in the short and long term, including environmental, geopolitical, societal, and technological risks. Other organizations release different specialized reports, but the Global Risks Report is characteristic of the WEF.