Daily Current Affairs MCQ - May 24, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

Live-in couples deserve same protection as married ones, says Punjab and Haryana high court.

• Observing that the right to choose a partner of his/her choice is a constitutional right, the Punjab and Haryana high court has made it clear that an individual has the right to formalise the relationship with the partner through marriage or adopt non-formal approach of a live-in relationship.
• The high court also clarified that a couple living in a live-in relationship has the same right of protection that a married couple has.
• On the contention that a live-in relationship is not legal and is frowned upon by society, the high court held that the “life and liberty of every individual is precious and must be protected irrespective of individual views.”
• Such a relationship is not prohibited under the law nor does it amount to commission of any offence. The HC also directed the concerned SP to ensure the couple is protected and no harm comes either to the lives or liberty of the petitioners.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Gujarat Governor has given his assent to the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which has been projected as the “anti-love jihad” Bill.

• The Bill was passed in the state assembly during the budget session held in March 2021.
• The Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2021 proposes punishment of 3-10 years in jail for forcible or fraudulent religious conversions through marriage.
• The bill amends the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003. The amendment aims to reduce the “emerging trend” where women are “lured to marriage” for the purposes of religious conversion.
• The 2003 act dealt with religious conversions through “force or by misrepresentation or by any other fraudulent means”. The amendment bill mentioned promises of a better lifestyle, impersonation, and ‘divine blessing’.
• The states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh also enacted similar “anti-love jihad” laws that banned “fraudulent” conversions through marriage.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Iran said that a three-month monitoring deal between Tehran and IAEA has expired and that its access to images from inside some Iranian nuclear sites would cease. The announcement raised further questions about the future of indirect talks under way between the United States and Iran on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

• It is widely known as the world’s “Atoms for Peace and Development” organization within the United Nations family.
• It is the world's central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field. It works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology.
• Though established as an autonomous organisation, independently of the United Nations through its own international treaty, the IAEA Statute, the IAEA reports to both the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
• Members: The IAEA has 173 member states. Most UN members and the Holy See are Member States of the IAEA.
• The IAEA and its former Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
• The current Director General is Rafael Grossi, an Argentinian diplomat who was appointed in 2019. He is the first Latin American to hold this position.
• Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

As the active volcano in Congo, Mount Nyaragongo, erupted again, the Indian Army contingent under the United Nations peace keeping mission (MONUSCO) assisted in protecting civilians and U.N. officials as well as assets during the evacuation.

• Mount Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano with an elevation of 3,470 m in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Albertine Rift.
• It is located inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 12 km north of the town of Goma and Lake Kivu.
• The main crater is about two kilometres (1 mi) wide and usually contains a lava lake. Nyiragongo's lava lake has at times been the most voluminous known lava lake in recent history.
• Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira are together responsible for 40 per cent of Africa's historical volcanic eruptions.
• Lava lakes are large volumes of molten lava, usually basaltic, contained in a volcanic vent, crater, or broad depression.
• Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

Supreme Court of India's E-Committee released a manual for its top citizen-centric service-free "e-Courts Services Mobile app" in 14 languages.

• The app is available in English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarathi, Kannada, Khasi, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.
• The "e-Courts Services Mobile app" aimed to benefit litigants, citizens, lawyers, law firms, police, government agencies and other institutional litigants has so far crossed 57 lakh downloads.
• The App which acts as a personalized digital case diary with case details available on handset at any hour of the day and free of cost.
• Dr Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, Judge, Supreme Court of India and the Chairperson of e-Committee, fore-worded the manual and stressed the importance of this free mobile app and highlighted the reach of this citizen-centric mobile app.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

• Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has released the India Energy Outlook 2021 Report which explores the opportunities and challenges ahead for India as it seeks to ensure reliable, affordable and sustainable energy for a growing population.
• The India Energy Outlook 2021 is a new special report from the IEA’s World Energy Outlook series.
  • The World Energy Outlook Report is released by the IEA annually.
  • Hence, option C is correct.

• Zebrafish (Scientific Name: Danio rerio Habitat) is a small (2-3 cm long) freshwater fish found in the tropical and subtropical regions.
  • The fish is native to South Asia’s Indo-Gangetic plains, where they are mostly found in the paddy fields and even in stagnant water and streams. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Zebrafish are classified as a species of least concern on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species.
• Zebrafish have been used to study vertebrate development, evolution, genetics, and disease due to its adequate regeneration capacity of almost all its organs, including the brain, heart, eye, spinal cord.
  • Zebrafish have a similar genetic structure (around 70%) to humans.
  • As a vertebrate, the zebrafish has the same major organs and tissues as humans. Their muscle, blood, kidney and eyes share many features with human systems. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

BRICS is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The BRICS members are known for their significant influence on regional affairs; all are members of G20.

The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states. The initial subscribed capital of the bank was equally distributed among the founding members. The Agreement on the NDB specifies that every member will have one vote no one would have any veto powers.

The 6th Edition of Raisina Dialogue was held virtually. The Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. It is held annually since 2016. It is jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation. The theme for the 2021 Edition is “#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control”.

Researchers have reported that Pleistocene-era rock paintings dating back to 45,000-20,000 years ago in cave sites in southern Sulawesi, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, are weathering at an alarming rate.

The artwork made with pigments was decaying due to a process known as haloclasty, which is triggered by the growth of salt crystals due to repeated changes in temperature and humidity, caused by alternating wet and dry weather in the region.