UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 06 to October 12, 2024

UPSC Weekly Quiz is a current affairs-based quiz on relevant topics from the past week, curated for the aspirants of competitive examinations. Attempt the weekly quiz every Saturday and find answers to the MCQs with explanations.

With reference to the rice fortification, consider the following statements:

1. It increases the content of essential micronutrients in food to improve the nutritional quality of food.

2. Fortified rice kernels (FRKs) have a shelf life of at least 12 months.

3. The fortified rice does not contain vitamin B-12.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

Explanation

— The Union Cabinet extended the universal supply of fortified rice in all central government schemes providing free food grain under the National Food Security Act, 2021, in its present form, until December 2028.

— The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), country’s top food regulator, defines fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.

— India has very high levels of malnutrition among women and children. According to the Food Ministry, every second woman in the country is anaemic, and every third child is stunted.

— “According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021, anaemia remains a widespread issue in India, affecting children, women, and men across various age groups and income levels. Besides iron deficiency, other vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as Vitamin B12 and folic acid, also persist, impacting the overall health and productivity of the population,” the aforementioned government statement said.

— Fortification of food is considered to be one of the most suitable methods to combat malnutrition. Rice is one of India’s staple foods, which is consumed by about two-thirds of the population.

— It increases the content of essential micronutrients in food to improve the nutritional quality of food. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Various technologies, such as coating, dusting, and ‘extrusion’, are available to add micronutrients to regular rice. The last mentioned technology involves the production of fortified rice kernels (FRKs) from a mixture using an ‘extruder’ machine. It is considered to be the best technology for India.

— The kernels are dried, cooled, and packaged. FRK has a shelf life of at least 12 months. The kernels are blended with regular rice to produce fortified rice. Under the Ministry’s guidelines, 10 g of FRK must be blended with 1 kg of regular rice. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— According to FSSAI norms, 1 kg of fortified rice will contain the following: iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram), and vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram). Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

With reference to the Marburg virus disease (MVD), consider the following statements:

1. It belongs to the filovirus family.

2. Human MVD infections are caused by prolonged exposure to mines.

3. The first outbreak occurred in Angola in 1967.

4. It does not spread through human-to-human transition.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 4

(b) 3 and 4 only

(d) 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

— The deadly Marburg virus could overwhelm Rwanda’s fragile healthcare system. Since the east African country reported the first Marburg case late last month, at least 46 individuals have been infected and 12 Marburg deaths reported.

— Marburg is among the deadliest pathogens known to humans, with Marburg virus disease (MVD) case fatality rates ranging from 24% to 88% in past outbreaks, depending on virus strain and case management.

— The first outbreak occurred in Marburg, Germany, in 1967. Since then, subsequent outbreaks have been mostly reported across Africa. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— Marburg belongs to the filovirus family, like Ebola. Both pathogens are clinically similar, and although rare, can cause outbreaks with high fatality rates. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Initially, human MVD infections were caused by prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by colonies of Rousettus bats, most notably the Egyptian fruit bat. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Marburg also spreads through human-to-human transition both directly (through contact with blood and other bodily fluids of infected people) and indirectly (through surfaces and materials like bedding, clothing, etc. contaminated with these fluids). Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— The interval between infection and onset of symptoms varies from 2 to 21 days. Initial symptoms, according to the WHO, include high fever, severe headache, muscle ache, severe watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cramping, and vomiting.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Which of the following pairs is not correct about the awards given to Ratan Tata?

1. Padma Vibhushan – 2018

2. Padma Bhushan – 2000

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Iconic industrialist and a guiding force for India Inc., Ratan Tata, who passed away late Wednesday night at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, leaves behind a lasting legacy not only as a business leader but also as a visionary angel investor.

— In 2008, he received the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour in India, after receiving the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour in 2000.

— He joined Tata in 1961, where he worked on the shop floor of Tata Steel. He later succeeded J R D Tata as chairman of Tata Sons upon the latter’s retirement in 1991. Under his tenure the Tata Group acquired Tetley, Jaguar Land Rover, and Corus, in an attempt to turn Tata from a largely India-centric group into a global business.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Consider the following wildlife sanctuaries:

1. Gir Wildlife Sanctuary

2. Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary

3. Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary

How many of the sanctuaries given above form a part of Gir Protected Area?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

Explanation

— On October 25, 2015, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) published a draft notification, proposing to notify 3,328 square kilometres around the Gir forest in Gujarat as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). However, a revised draft published on September 18, 2024, reduced the scope of the proposed ESZ to 2,061 sq km. Forest officers said the reduction was needed to accommodate the basic needs of people living around the forest. Many commercial and infrastructure-building activities are prohibited inside ESZs.

— Successive proposals for notifying an ESZ around the Gir Protected Area (PA) have faced protests from politicians and the public.

— Gir is a National Park, meaning it enjoys a very high degree of government protection for safeguarding wildlife, and is the last remaining abode of the Asiatic lions.

— ESZs essentially act as buffer zones around Protected Areas — national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves, etc.

— Gir PA includes the Gir National Park, the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, the Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary, spread across the Junagadh, Amreli and Gir Somnath districts in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region in its south.

— It is Gujarat’s largest compact tract of protected forest but is also surrounded by high-density human settlements.

— The National Environment Policy of 2006 defined Eco-Sensitive Zones “as areas/zones with identified environmental resources having incomparable values which require special attention for their conservation”, because of its landscape, wildlife, biodiversity, historical and natural values.

— Protected Areas help conserve ecosystems adversely affected by anthropogenic and climatic factors. ESZs then act as shock absorbers for wildlife in PAs when they move from areas of higher environmental protection to lower.

— No commercial mining, stone quarrying, large hydroelectric projects, polluting industries, brick kilns, etc. are allowed in ESZ. Commercial establishment of hotels, resorts, small-scale non-polluting industries and the construction of civic amenities are regulated.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Consider the following languages:

1. Pali

2. Prakrit

3. Marathi

4. Punjabi

5. Gujarati

Which of the languages given above have been recently designated as the classical language?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1, 2, 4 and 5

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Explanation

— The Union Cabinet extended the “classical language” tag to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia already enjoy this status.

— The Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) unanimously revised the criteria for classical status. The criteria now include:

(i) High antiquity of early texts, and recorded history over a period of 1500- 2000 years;

(ii) A body of ancient literature/ texts, which is considered a heritage by generations of speakers;

(iii) Epigraphic and inscriptional evidence;

(iv) Knowledge texts, especially prose texts in addition to poetry; and

The classical languages and literature could be distinct from its current form or could be discontinuous with later forms of its offshoots.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

With reference to the United Nations Interim Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), consider the following statements:

1. It is an international body assigned to prevent violations along the border between Lebanon and Israel.

2. The peacekeeping force includes only military personnel and does not have civilian personnel.

3. It was created by the United Nations Security Council in 1978.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(d) 1 only

Explanation

— India said it was “concerned” at the “deteriorating” security situation in parts of West Asia after two members of a United Nations peacekeeping mission operating along Lebanon’s border with Israel were injured.

— It was the most serious incident involving the international force since Israel warned it to relocate from Lebanese positions near where it said Hezbollah fighters had launched rockets into northern Israel.

— The UN has kept the peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, in southern Lebanon since 1978. Its mission is largely observational, though its mandate was expanded in 2006 at the end of the last war between Israel and Hezbollah. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The United Nations Interim Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon is an international body of more than 10,000 civilian and military personnel from 50 countries assigned to prevent violations along the border between Lebanon and Israel. T121-km stretch is often called the Blue Line. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct..

— A UN resolution from 2006 includes language authorising the force to “ensure that its area of operations is not utilised for hostile activities of any kind.”

— UNIFIL is supposed to prevent violations in the border zone and report breaches to the UN Security Council. Although they are armed, the peacekeepers are generally restricted to using force only when their safety or the safety of civilians is in immediate danger.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

With reference to the Nobel Prizes 2024, consider the following statements:

1. The Nobel Prize for Literature 2024 was awarded to South Korean author Han Kang.

2. The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The Nobel Prize for Literature 2024 has been awarded to South Korean author Han Kang “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— According to the press statement, in her oeuvre, Han Kang confronts historical traumas and invisible sets of rules and, in each of her works, exposes the fragility of human life. “She has a unique awareness of the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead, and in her poetic and experimental style has become an innovator in contemporary prose,” the Nobel site mentions.

— She is the first South Korean writer to win the award, according to the Nobel Press Conference.

— In 1993, when she was 23, Kang debuted as a poet in the magazine Literature and Society. Her prose debut came two years later with a short fiction collection, Love of Yeosu, before an international breakthrough with The Vegetarian (2007), a novel about a graphic designer.

— The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo for its “efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons”. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The members of Nihon Hidankyo are survivors of the atom bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States in 1945. Many of those who survived — the so-called “Hibakusha” or “bomb-affected people” — spearheaded the global movement to end nuclear weapons.

— The Nobel Committee emphasised on Hibakusha’s testimonies which have raised “awareness about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons”, and “contributed greatly to the establishment of the nuclear taboo”.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements:

Statement 1: Plant cover across the Antarctic Peninsula has increased more than 10 times over the past few decades.

Statement 2: The Antarctic continent is warming twice as fast as the global average, at a rate of between 0.22 degrees Celsius and 0.32 degrees Celsius per decade.

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

(a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(d) Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct.

Explanation

— Plant cover across the Antarctic Peninsula, a long, mountainous extension of Antarctica that points north towards South America, has increased more than 10 times over the past few decades due to rising temperatures, a new study says. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The analysis, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, was carried out by researchers at the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire in England, and the British Antarctic Survey.

— A 2023 study published in the journal Nature Climate Change discovered that the continent is warming twice as rapidly as the world average, at a pace of 0.22 to 0.32 degrees Celsius per decade. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations agency that advances scientific knowledge about climate change, estimates that the Earth is warming at a pace of 0.14 to 0.18 degrees Celsius every decade.

— The Antarctic Peninsula is warming five times faster than the global average, making the situation worse than elsewhere in Antarctica. The average temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula has increased by nearly 3 degrees Celsius since 1950.

Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Vat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is under restoration and conservation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is located in:

(a) Vietnam

(b) Malaysia

(d)Laos

Explanation

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Laos counterpart Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane and congratulated him on successfully hosting the 21st ASEAN-India and 19th East Asia Summits.

— The two leaders emphasised that the continuing restoration and protection of Vat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with support from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), adds a unique dimension to bilateral ties.

— Following the talks, agreements in defence, broadcasting, customs cooperation, and three Quick Impact Projects under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation were signed in the presence of both leaders.

— The projects include the preservation of the Lao Ramayana, the restoration of Wat Pakea Buddhist temple featuring Ramayana artwork, and assistance for a shadow puppetry theatre in Champasak province.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

With reference to the AstroSat, consider the following statements:

1. It is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray and UV spectral bands simultaneously.

2. It enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— India’s AstroSat and NASA’s space observatories have captured dramatic eruptions from stellar wreckage around a massive black hole.

— A large black hole has ripped apart one star and is currently utilising the stellar wreckage to annihilate another star or smaller black hole that was previously undiscovered — this finding was made using NASA’s space observatories — Chandra, HST, NICER, Swift — and ISRO’s AstroSat, the Indian space agency stated.

— AstroSat is India’s first dedicated astronomy project, with the goal of researching celestial sources in the X-ray, optical, and UV spectral bands simultaneously. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The payloads cover the energy bands of ultraviolet (near and far), restricted optical, and X-ray (0.3 keV to 100 keV).

— The AstroSat mission is unique in that it allows for simultaneous multi-wavelength studies of multiple celestial objects from a single satellite. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

With reference to the Auroras, consider the following statements:

1. These are essentially natural lights that appear as bright, swirling curtains in the night sky.

2. In the Northern Hemisphere, these bright and colourful lights are called Aurora Australis, while those in the South are called Aurora Borealis.

3. They are formed due to an active interaction in space between charged solar winds and the Earth’s magnetosphere.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

Explanation

— The night sky on Thursday was illuminated by the northern lights, or aurora borealis, visible in parts of the world including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and even Hanle village in Ladakh, India.

— Auroras are essentially natural lights that appear as bright, swirling curtains in the night sky and can be seen in a range of colours, including blue, red, yellow, green, and orange. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— These lights primarily appear near the poles of both the northern and southern hemispheres all year round but sometimes they expand to lower latitudes.

— When witnessed near the North, these bright and colourful lights are called Aurora Borealis, while those in the South are called Aurora Australis. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— They are formed due to an active interaction in space between charged solar winds and the Earth’s magnetosphere. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

With reference to the AlphaFold2, consider the following statements:

1. It is an artificial intelligence-based tool.

2. It can predict the structure of a protein with outstanding accuracy.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 has been awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks.”

— This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry too was awarded for research on proteins. This award, however, is slightly different to previous ones. Scientists David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper have been honoured not for presenting any new insights into proteins themselves, but for developing tools that make it vastly easier and quicker to decipher their structures, and make entirely new proteins.

— Hassabis and Jumper, who share one half of the prize, are co-creators of an artificial intelligence-based tool called AlphaFold2 that can predict the structure of a protein with outstanding accuracy. Baker used similar computational tools to create new proteins, which are not available in nature, but can perform many useful functions. Together, the trio managed to accomplish things that scientists have been striving to achieve for several decades. Hence, statement 1 and 2 are correct.

— The AlphaFold2 predicts the structures of proteins using known sequences of amino acids from the database. These predictions were then matched to catalogued protein structures in the other database. With training, the AI tool gained sufficient accuracy in predicting protein structures, given a particular sequence of amino acids.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for:

(a) the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.

(b) the discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution.

(d) enabling the development of mRNA vaccines.

Explanation

— Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.”

— MicroRNAs are molecules that help cells control their protein production. They work by binding with another type of molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA), which contains the instructions that direct cells to synthesise appropriate proteins.

— The discovery was made by scientists while studying a tiny roundworm called Caenorhabditis Elegans, which possessed some cell types also found in more complex animals. They studied two mutant strains of worms, lin-4, and lin-14, that displayed defects in the timing of activation of genetic programs during development. This led to the discovery of microRNA and the understanding of gene regulation.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

‘Deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health’ is known as:

(a) acropetal

(b) fermentation

(d) centrifugation

Explanation

— The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), in April 2022, had decided to implement the rice fortification initiative throughout the country in a phased manner by March 2024. All three planned phases have now been successfully completed, with the target of universal coverage achieved by March 2024, an official statement following the Cabinet announcement said.

What is rice fortification, and why is it needed?

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements with reference to International organisations:

1. The East Asia Summit (EAS) process was initiated in 2010 the ASEAN Member States, China, India, Japan, and Russia.

2. In 1967, Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – came together to sign the ASEAN declaration.

3. While India was part of negotiations to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2020, it ultimately decided not to do so.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— The East Asia Summit (EAS) process was initiated in 2005 with 16 participating countries, namely the ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. The United States and the Russian Federation joined later on. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— India was part of negotiations to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2020, it ultimately decided not to do so. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— In 1967, Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – came together to sign the ASEAN declaration. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

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