UPSC Weekly Quiz is a existent affairs-based quiz connected applicable topics from the past week, curated for the aspirants of competitory examinations. Attempt the play quiz every Saturday and find answers to the MCQs with explanations.
With notation to the International Criminal Court (ICC), see the pursuing statements:
1. The founding pact of ICC is known arsenic the Rome Statute.
2. ICC cannot prosecute crimes against humanity.
3. The transgression of aggression falls wrong the ICC’s jurisdiction.
How galore of the statements fixed supra are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Explanation
— The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued apprehension warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his erstwhile defence curate Yoav Gallant for “crimes against humanity and warfare crimes”.
— The ICC, headquartered successful The Hague, Netherlands, was established nether a 1998 pact called the “Rome Statute”. Hence, connection 1 is correct.
— It “investigates and, wherever warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of interest to the planetary community: genocide, warfare crimes, crimes against humanity and the transgression of aggression.” Hence, connection 2 is not close and connection 3 is correct.
— At present, 124 countries are enactment to the Rome Statute, including Britain, Japan, Afghanistan, and Germany. India is not a member, nor are China and the US.
Therefore, enactment (b) is the close answer.
QUESTION 2
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty was successful the news. It was launched by:
(a) Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(b) Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(c) G20
(d) East Asia Summit
Explanation
— The inaugural volition service arsenic a level for connecting countries successful request of assistance with nationalist policies targeted towards eradicating hunger and poverty, with partners consenting to connection expertise oregon fiscal support.
— In 2015, each 193 UN Member States adopted the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ which aimed to, among different things, extremity poorness and hunger, and execute nutrient information and improved nutrition by 2030.
— According to Brazil President Lula da Silva, 81 countries (including India), 26 planetary organisations, 9 fiscal institutions, and 31 philanthropic foundations and non-governmental organisations person already joined the Alliance.
— The Alliance volition supply a level for countries to enactment each others’ nationalist policies aimed astatine eradicating hunger and poverty. According to a factsheet released by the Alliance, “any subordinate state tin entree proven champion practices from different members and place imaginable partners consenting to assistance successful the improvement of its ain nationalist model.” Assistance whitethorn beryllium successful the signifier of method expertise oregon fiscal support.
Therefore, enactment (c) is the close answer.
QUESTION 3
With notation to the Paris Agreement, see the pursuing statements:
1. It is an planetary accord adopted successful 2015 to code clime alteration and its adverse effects.
2. The pact besides requires each Parties to authorities each 5 years what they are doing to tackle clime change.
3. There is nary process and timeline for a country’s withdrawal from the treaty.
Which of the statements fixed supra are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
— Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei is considering withdrawing his state from the Paris Agreement, which aims to curb planetary greenhouse state (GHG) emissions, according to respective Western media reports.
— The Paris Agreement is an planetary accord that was adopted by astir each state successful 2015 to code clime alteration and its adverse effects. Hence, connection 1 is correct.
— Its superior extremity is to substantially trim GHG emissions successful a bid to bounds planetary warming successful this period to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius supra pre-industrial levels, portion pursuing the means to curb warming to 1.5 degrees.
— The statement mentions the safer bounds of 1.5 degrees based connected a fact-finding study which recovered that breaching the threshold could pb to “some regions and susceptible ecosystems” facing precocious risks, implicit an extended, decades-long period.
— The pact besides requires each Parties (countries which person joined the agreement) to authorities each 5 years what they are doing to tackle clime alteration — what is known arsenic their nationally determined publication (NDC). Each successive NDC is meant to bespeak an progressively higher grade of ambition compared to the erstwhile version, according to the website of the United Nations Framework Convention connected Climate Change (UNFCCC). Hence, connection 2 is correct.
— Article 28 of the Paris Agreement lays retired the process and timeline for a country’s withdrawal from the treaty. Hence, connection 3 is not correct.
— If a subordinate authorities wants to retreat from the treaty, it has to taxable the notification of a withdrawal to the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN, based astatine UN Headquarters successful New York. Once the withdrawal notification has been received, it lone becomes effectual aft 1 twelvemonth (or aboriginal if the subordinate authorities truthful says successful the notification).
Therefore, enactment (c) is the close answer.
QUESTION 4
Consider the pursuing pairs:
Ballistic Missile | Range |
Tactical Ballistic Missile | Less than 300 km |
Medium-range Ballistic Missile | 1000-3500 km |
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile | More than 5000 km |
Intermediate-range Ballistic Missile | More than 8000 km |
How galore of the pairs fixed supra are correctly marked?
(a) Only 1 pair
(b) Only 2 pairs
(c) Only 3 pairs
(d) All 4 pairs
Explanation
— In effect to the US and UK giving a greenlight to Kyiv to onslaught Russia with precocious Western weapons, Russia fired a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic rocket (IRBM) astatine the Ukrainian metropolis of Dnipro.
— Ballistic missiles usage projectile question to present warheads connected a target. They are powered for a comparatively little time, aft which they fto the laws of physics instrumentality them to their target.
Ballistic Missiles by Range | |
Name | Range |
Tactical ballistic rocket (TBM) | < 300 km |
Short-range ballistic rocket (SRBM) | 300-1,000 km |
Medium-range ballistic rocket (MRBM) | 1,000-3,500 km |
Intermediate-range ballistic rocket (IRBM) | 3,500-5,500 kilometres |
Intercontinental ballistic rocket (ICBM) | > 5,500 km |
(Source of table: UN Office of Disarmament Affairs)
Therefore, enactment (c) is the close answer.
QUESTION 5
Recently, the Madras High Court allowed The Music Academy, Madras, to confer the Sangita Kalanidhi Award — considered the highest honour for a Carnatic instrumentalist — connected vocalist:
(a) N. L. Ganasaraswathi
(b) L. R. Eswari
(c) Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar
(d) T M Krishna
Explanation
— Earlier this week, the Madras High Court granted The Music Academy, Madras, support to confer the Sangita Kalanidhi Award — considered the highest honour for a Carnatic instrumentalist — connected vocalist T M Krishna, but requested that M S Subbulakshmi’s sanction beryllium removed from the reflector grant fixed alongside, known arsenic the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award, and a currency prize of Rs 1 lakh.
— Originally named Sangita Kalanidhi, Subbulakshmi’s sanction was added to the grant successful 2005, astir a twelvemonth aft the famed Carnatic vocalist died successful 2004, and the Academy, on with The Hindu paper group, established the monetary award. Last year, Bombay Jayashree received the prestigious prize.
Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.
QUESTION 6
With notation to the Instrument Landing System (ILS), see the pursuing statements:
1. It allows planes to onshore successful highly mediocre visibility conditions.
2. It provides the horizontal space betwixt a notation absorption (in this lawsuit the runway) and a enactment to a constituent of involvement (the aircraft).
3. The ILS does not supply the vertical descent illustration for the aircraft.
Which of the statements fixed supra is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 2 only
Explanation
— CAT III refers to an Instrument Landing System (ILS) which allows planes to onshore successful highly mediocre visibility conditions, similar what is presently being seen successful Delhi. Hence, connection 1 is correct.
— Landing is considered the astir hard and risky constituent of piloting an aircraft. According to Boeing study, the last descent and landing relationship for astir 4% of the emblematic formation time. However, a staggering 49% of fatal incidents hap wrong this tiny span.
— Poor imaginativeness is 1 of respective variables that lend to the trouble of landing aeroplanes. In specified conditions, pilots person fewer to nary ocular clues to trust connected erstwhile landing an aircraft, making it hard to precisely cipher the glide way to the crushed and the aircraft’s alignment with the runway.
— The ILS is simply a circumstantial ground-based vigor navigation strategy that provides pilots close accusation astir their aircraft’s glide way and alignment with the runway.
— It provides azimuth guidance. Azimuth refers to the horizontal space betwixt a notation absorption (in this lawsuit the runway) and a enactment to a constituent of involvement (the aircraft). Hence, connection 2 is correct.
— The ILS provides the close vertical descent illustration for the aircraft. In different words, it tells the aviator whether the craft is excessively precocious oregon excessively debased astatine immoderate fixed region from the runway. This is done with the assistance of a glidescope (GS). Hence, connection 3 is not correct.
Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.
QUESTION 7
The Kursk portion was seen successful the news. It is located in:
(a) Russia
(b) Romania
(c) Ukraine
(d) Turkey
Explanation
— Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops successful the Ukraine warfare is simply a “grave escalation”, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is learnt to person told Russian President Vladimir Putin successful a telephone telephone connected November 15, arsenic reported by the BBC.
— South Korea’s spy bureau had said that North Korean soldiers were apt warring the Ukrainians successful Russia’s Kursk region. Russia has not confirmed these reports.
Therefore, enactment (a) is the close answer.
QUESTION 8
With notation to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), see the pursuing statements:
1. The instrumentality was archetypal brought arsenic an ordinance and past notified arsenic an Act successful 1958.
2. It traces its roots to a assemblage statute introduced successful effect to the Non-Cooperation Movement successful 1920.
3. It has ne'er been imposed successful the authorities of Arunachal Pradesh.
4. It gives subject unit powerfulness to apprehension individuals and hunt premises without warrants connected the ground of “reasonable suspicion”.
How galore of the statements fixed supra are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Explanation
— The Centre reimposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) successful six constabulary presumption areas of Manipur. The Home Ministry’s notification mentioned the “volatile” concern and “active information of insurgent groups successful heinous acts of violence” arsenic the reasons.
— AFSPA, which traces its roots to a assemblage statute introduced successful effect to the Quit India Movement successful 1942, was retained successful autarkic India. Hence, connection 2 is not correct.
— The instrumentality was archetypal brought arsenic an ordinance, and past notified arsenic an Act successful 1958. Over the years, AFSPA has been imposed successful the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab (during the years of militancy). It remains successful unit successful parts of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, and the entirety of J&K. Hence, connection 1 is close and connection 3 is not correct.
— AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the equipped forces by providing subject unit broad immunity for a scope of actions.
— It allows the subject to unfastened occurrence — and adjacent origin decease — against immoderate idiosyncratic breaking the instrumentality oregon carrying arms and ammunition. It besides gives them the powerfulness to apprehension individuals and hunt premises without warrants connected the ground of “reasonable suspicion”. Hence, connection 4 is correct.
Therefore, enactment (b) is the close answer.
QUESTION 9
With notation to the Small modular reactors, see the pursuing statements:
1. These are precocious atomic reactors that person a powerfulness capableness of up to 1000 MW(e) per unit.
2. It is much analyzable to physique than ample powerfulness reactors.
Which of the statements fixed supra is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
— On commercialized and economy, the points of convergence betwixt India’s concern interests and Trumponomics are opening to get comprehensible. The 1 imaginable country of communal involvement could beryllium Small Modular Reactors.
— Small modular reactors (SMRs) are precocious atomic reactors that person a powerfulness capableness of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, which is astir one-third of the generating capableness of accepted atomic powerfulness reactors. Hence, connection 1 is not correct.
— Many of the benefits of SMRs stem from their tiny and modular design. Because of their reduced size, SMRs tin beryllium built successful places wherever larger atomic powerfulness facilities would not beryllium feasible. Prefabricated SMR units tin beryllium built, delivered, and installed on-site, making them little costly to physique than monolithic powerfulness reactors, which are mostly custom-designed for a circumstantial area, resulting successful operation delays.
— SMRs are less costly and instrumentality little clip to build, and they whitethorn beryllium deployed gradually to conscionable rising vigor demand. Hence, connection 2 is not correct.
— There are presently 4 main types, each utilizing a antithetic coolant to negociate the utmost vigor of a atomic fission absorption — airy water, high-temperature gas, liquid metal, and molten salt.
Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.
QUESTION 10
The word “peak oil” refers to:
(a) an estimation of the magnitude of petroleum that tin beryllium recovered from known sources.
(b) an lipid good with truthful overmuch unit that lipid flows retired of the good caput into the air.
(c) highest magnitude of lipid extraction from immoderate state astatine immoderate fixed constituent of time.
(d) the constituent erstwhile planetary accumulation would apical out, earlier wholly moving out.
Explanation
— The term “peak oil” utilized to mean the constituent erstwhile planetary accumulation would apical out, earlier wholly moving out.
— In 1956, M. King Hubbert, a US geoscientist moving for fossil substance elephantine Shell, predicted that satellite crude lipid accumulation would highest astir the twelvemonth 2000, earlier declining and yet ceasing entirely.
— It came arsenic a astonishment to petroleum producers, who had relied connected lipid to powerfulness a thriving planetary economy.
— According to the IEA’s 2024 World Energy Investment report, spending for cleanable technologies overtook fossil substance concern for the archetypal clip successful 2023, and is expected to scope $2 trillion (€1.8 trillion) this year, with somewhat much than $1 trillion going to coal, gas, and oil.
Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.
QUESTION 11
WOH G64 was successful the news. It refers to:
(a) Jupiter’s moon
(b) Galaxy 1.8 airy years distant from Milky Way
(c) Giant prima successful the Large Magellanic Cloud
(d) Asteroid
Explanation
— Scientists person achieved the uncommon feat of getting a close-up changeable of a prima that is 1,60,000 light-years distant from our postulation and has a wide that is 2,000 times of the Sun. The first-ever, utmost close-up of the dying prima reveals immoderate important details astir its enactment and surrounding layers.
— The immense star, known arsenic WOH G64, has been observed with astonishing solution by ESO’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI).
— The WOH 64 is simply a elephantine prima successful the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf oregon outer postulation that circles our Milky Way and is besides 1 of the nearest galaxies to Earth.
Therefore, enactment (c) is the close answer.
QUESTION 12
Section 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) is related to:
(a) Plea bargaining
(b) Provide compensation to radical who are wrongfully accused
(c) forensic probe for offences punishable with astatine slightest 7 years of imprisonment.
(d) Maximum play for which an undertrial captive tin beryllium detained.
Explanation
— Section 479 of the BNSS lays down the “Maximum play for which [an] undertrial captive tin beryllium detained”.
Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.
QUESTION 13
With notation to Coking coal, see the pursuing statements:
1. Coking ember is included successful the database of captious minerals of India.
2. India’s export of the mineral is overmuch higher than that of the EU.
Which of the statements fixed supra is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
— The government indispensable see coking ember successful the database of captious minerals and supply peculiar dispensation to heighten the home accumulation of the cardinal earthy worldly for alloy production, according to a Niti Aayog report. Hence, connection 1 is not correct.
— The study ‘Enhancing Domestic Coking Coal Availability to Reduce the Import of Coking Coal’, said considering India’s commitments to Net Zero by 2070, the country’s interests would beryllium amended served by afloat utilising the proved reserves of mean coking ember (16.5 cardinal tonne) successful India for metallurgical purposes.
— The European Union has declared the constituent arsenic a captious earthy worldly on with 29 different earthy materials which see ‘green energy’ minerals similar lithium, cobalt, and uncommon earths.
— India’s import dependence connected the mineral is astir 85 per cent, overmuch higher than that of the EU (approximately 62 per cent). Hence, connection 2 is not correct.
Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.
QUESTION 14
‘Fentanyl’ seen successful quality is:
(a) synthetic opioid drug
(b) an oxidiser constituent successful coagulated propellant mixtures for missiles, rockets, and munitions.
(c) reverse ageing chemical
(d) psychoactive cause utilized arsenic a information serum
Explanation
— For the archetypal clip successful decades, nationalist wellness information from the United States amusement a diminution successful cause overdose deaths crossed the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 111,802 overdose deaths were reported successful the 12 months ending August 2023. This fig fell to 93,087 successful June 2024 (the past period for which information are available) — a 16.4% driblet successful a 10-month span.
— Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, lies astatine the bosom of the United States’ cause crisis, and contributes to the bulk of overdose deaths.
Therefore, enactment (a) is the close answer.
QUESTION 15
Which of the pursuing pairs is not correctly matched?
Select the close reply utilizing the codification fixed below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only
Explanation
— It is the 4th tiger reserve successful Chhattisgarh aft Achanakmar, Indravati, and Udanti Sitanadi.
— The Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla is located betwixt 2 different important tiger reserves: Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Palamau, Jharkhand. It is adjacent to the Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve, besides successful MP.
Therefore, enactment (a) is the close answer.
Previous Weekly Quiz
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 10 to November 16, 2024
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 03 to November 09, 2024
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 27 to November 02, 2024
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 20 to October 26, 2024
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 13 to October 19, 2024
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