Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 12th October 2024 - UPSC MCQ

1. Statement 1: This statement is correct. The WTO has indeed adjusted its forecast for global merchandise trade growth due to escalating conflicts in West Asia. These conflicts have adversely affected vital shipping lanes such as the Red Sea corridor and are expected to disrupt global trade and energy prices. This reflects the impact of geopolitical tensions on global trade.

2. Statement 2: This statement is also correct. The South Caucasus region, particularly Azerbaijan, is facing significant climate challenges, which are relevant to discussions at COP 29. The region's strategic importance for energy resources, including oil and gas, underscores its geopolitical significance, especially with the presence of critical pipelines like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

3. Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. Despite being one of the fastest-growing economies globally, India's ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) has not shown consistent improvement over the past decade. India's position remains concerning, especially when compared to its South Asian neighbors, highlighting persistent challenges with hunger and malnutrition. The GHI score for India has shown minimal improvement, indicating that economic growth alone has not effectively addressed the underlying issues of malnutrition.

Thus, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only, as both statements 1 and 2 accurately reflect the current global trade and environmental challenges, while statement 3 does not align with the current data on India's GHI performance.

The UN Charter assigns the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security to the Security Council. This responsibility encompasses various tasks, including preventing the outbreak of conflict, stabilizing situations after a ceasefire, assisting in implementing comprehensive peace agreements, and guiding states through transitions to stable governance.

(Note: This question assesses the understanding of the primary responsibilities assigned by the UN Charter in maintaining international peace and security, which is a fundamental concept in international relations.)

1. Typhoon : Cyclonic storms in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean - Incorrect. Typhoons refer to cyclonic storms in the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

2. Cyclone : Storms in the Northwest Pacific Ocean - Incorrect. Cyclones refer to storms in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

3. Hurricane : North Atlantic, Central and Eastern North Pacific - Correct. Hurricanes are specific to these regions.

4. Hurricane Milton : Rapid intensification due to high sea surface temperatures - Correct. Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified partly due to high sea surface temperatures of 31°C.

Thus, three pairs are correctly matched: pairs 3 and 4.

Statement-I is accurate in describing the subtropical climate along Georgia's Black Sea coast, which is influenced by its proximity to the sea. Statement-II correctly identifies the semi-arid to desert climate near the Caspian Sea, particularly in Azerbaijan. These statements provide distinct but accurate descriptions of the climatic conditions in different parts of the South Caucasus region, without one statement directly explaining the other.

Statement-I correctly highlights the role of high sea surface temperatures exceeding 31°C in the rapid intensification of Hurricane Milton, explaining how the storm escalated swiftly. In contrast, Statement-II accurately outlines the concerns associated with the increased vegetation in Antarctica, including disruptions in the ecological balance, the albedo effect, soil formation, and the implications for ice loss and sea-level rise. The high sea surface temperatures fueled Hurricane Milton's intensity, while the expanding vegetation in Antarctica poses various environmental challenges. Moreover, the increased vegetation can disrupt the delicate Antarctic ecosystem and contribute to further warming through the albedo effect, highlighting the interconnectedness of these phenomena.

Statement-I correctly highlights the criticism faced by UNIFIL for its perceived ineffectiveness in preventing Hezbollah from amassing and firing rockets, as mentioned in the context provided.
However, Statement-II is incorrect because UN peacekeeping operations are generally guided by principles that prioritize the non-use of force except in self-defense or when protecting the mandate. Peacekeepers are not deployed to use force proactively to prevent violations but rather to maintain peace and security through non-violent means such as observation, mediation, and conflict prevention strategies.

Statement 1: The Antarctic Peninsula is warming at a rate five times faster than the global average. This statement is correct. The text indicates that the Antarctic Peninsula has witnessed a significant temperature increase, warming nearly five times faster than the global average since 1950.

Statement 2: Increased vegetation in Antarctica is primarily due to natural climate variations rather than human-induced climate change. This statement is incorrect. The increase in vegetation is attributed to human-induced climate change, as indicated by the study mentioned, which uses satellite data to correlate the rise in plant cover with rising temperatures due to anthropogenic factors.

Statement 3: The rise in plant cover in Antarctica decreases the albedo effect, leading to further warming. This statement is correct. More vegetation reduces the albedo effect (the reflection of solar energy), causing greater absorption of heat, which contributes to further warming—a feedback loop.

Thus, only statements 1 and 3 are correct. Therefore, the correct answer is Option C: 1 and 3 Only.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) revised its forecast for global merchandise trade growth for 2025 due to escalating conflicts in West Asia. These conflicts, particularly affecting vital shipping lanes like the Red Sea corridor, are anticipated to disrupt global trade and energy prices. The instability in West Asia, including military actions and heightened tensions, has raised concerns about the impact on global trade and energy supplies, leading to the adjustment in the WTO's trade growth forecast.

1. UNIFIL - United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon is tasked with preventing violations along the Lebanon-Israel border. This is correctly matched. UNIFIL's primary task is to prevent violations along the 121-km "Blue Line" border separating Lebanon and Israel.

2. EAS - East Asia Summit includes only ASEAN member countries. This is incorrectly matched. The EAS includes 18 countries, not just ASEAN members, but also countries like the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.

3. UN Peacekeeping - Operations require the consent of the parties involved in the conflict. This is correctly matched. Consent of the parties is one of the fundamental principles of UN peacekeeping operations.

4. UNITE AWARE - A platform launched to enhance the accountability of peacekeepers. This is incorrectly matched. The UNITE AWARE platform was launched to enhance the safety and security of peacekeepers, not specifically accountability.

Correctly matched pairs: 1 and 3.

The rapid intensification of Hurricane Milton from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane within just 12 hours was primarily due to minimal wind shear. Wind shear usually hampers hurricane development, but in this case, the absence of significant wind shear allowed Milton to strengthen unchecked, leading to its swift escalation in intensity.