Daily Current Affairs MCQ- July 18, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

India’s External affairs minister recently met his Myanmar counterpart and discussed expediting projects, especially the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway.

About India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway:

• It is a significant regional connectivity project that aims to establish a road link between India, Myanmar, and Thailand.
• The highway will span a distance of approximately 1,360 kilometers (845 miles), starting from Moreh in Manipur, India, and passing through Myanmar before reaching Mae Sot in Thailand.
• It was first proposed by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and was approved at a ministerial-level meeting between India, Myanmar and Thailand in April 2002.
• The construction of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway began in 2012 and is being implemented in several phases.
• The India-Myanmar Friendship Road forms the first segment of the IMT Highway. It runs from the border at Tamu/Moreh to Kalemyo and Kalewa.
• Implementing agencies: On the Indian side, the project is being implemented by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with the cooperation of its counterparts in Myanmar and Thailand and budgetary allocation from the Ministry of Finance.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake recently struck the Alaska Peninsula region.

About Alaska Peninsula:

• Location:
• It is a long, narrow strip of land located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Alaska.
• It extends about 800 kilometers (500 miles) in a southwest direction from the mainland of Alaska.
• It separates the Pacific Ocean from Bristol Bay, an arm of the Bering Sea.
• Physiography: The peninsula is largely mountainous, with numerous active and dormant volcanoes, rugged coastlines, deep fjords, and vast expanses of wilderness.
• Volcanism:
• The volcanic Aleutian Range runs along its entire length.
• The  Pavlof Volcano, near the peninsula’s southwestern edge, rises to more than 8,260 feet (2,518 metres) and is the most active volcano in the Aleutian volcanic arc.
• Population:
• It has been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples, primarily the Aleut and Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) communities.
• It is sparsely populated, with small communities scattered along its coastline.
• Biodiversity:
• It is home to diverse wildlife, including brown bears, caribou, moose, wolves, bald eagles, and various marine mammals.
• The famous Katmai National Park and Preserve, known for its brown bear population and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, is located on the northeastern part of the peninsula.

Hence both statements are correct.

Fibromyalgia may be associated with an elevated risk of mortality owing to sensitivity to accidents, infections, and, in particular, suicide, according to a pooled data analysis.

About Fibromyalgia:

• It is a long-term (chronic) health condition that causes pain and tenderness throughout your body.
• It causes musculoskeletal pain and fatigue.
• What causes it?
• The cause of fibromyalgia is not known, but studies show that people with the disorder have a heightened sensitivity to pain, so they feel pain when others do not.
• Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.
• People with fibromyalgia usually experience symptoms that come and go in periods called flare-ups. 
• Symptoms: The two most common symptoms of fibromyalgia are pain and fatigue. Other symptoms include,
• Muscle pain or tenderness.
• Fatigue.
• Face and jaw pain (temporomandibular joint disorders).
• Headaches and migraines.
• Digestive problems, including diarrhea and constipation.
• Bladder control issues.
• Who is affected by fibromyalgia?
• Anyone can develop fibromyalgia. It affects people of any age, including children.
• Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than men. 
• Treatment:
• While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms.
• Treatment typically involves a combination of exercise or other movement therapies, psychological and behavioural therapy, and medications. 

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, a ‘foreign’ cicada that is commonly found in several parts of South India has assumed an Indian identity.

• Cicadas are hemipteran insects known for their loud, complex and species-specific acoustic signals or songs.
• The generic diversity of cicadas in India and Bangladesh ranks the highest in the world, followed by China.
• Most cicadas are canopy dwellers and are found in natural forests with large trees.
• P. cheeveeda could extend across the tropical evergreen forests ranging from Goa to Kanyakumari.
• Types of Cicada
• Scientists divide the over 3,000 cicada species into two groups: annual and periodical.
• Annual cicadas emerge from the ground at different times each summer.
• They’re usually dark with greenish markings.
• These insects avoid predators by camouflaging themselves in the trees and flying from hungry birds and moles.
• Only seven species of cicadas are in the periodical cicadas.
• These bugs all emerge from the ground at the same time (Summer).
• These groups appear after a dormant period of either 13 or 17 years.
• Benefits of Cicada:
• They prune mature trees, aerate the soil, and once they die, their bodies serve as an important source of nitrogen for growing trees.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Prime Minister of India has lauded the foundation stone laying of 2 mega textile parks in Maharashtra and Gujarat under the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme.

• It will offer the opportunity to create an Integrated Textiles Value Chain right from spinning, weaving, processing/dyeing and printing to garment manufacturing etc. at one location and will reduce the logistics cost of the Industry.
• A Special Purpose Vehicle owned by the Centre and State Government will be set up for each park which will oversee the implementation of the project.
• Funding
• The Ministry of Textiles will provide financial support in the form of Development Capital Support up to Rs. 500 crores per park to the Park SPV.
• A Competitive Incentive Support (CIS) of up to Rs 300 crore per park to the units in PM MITRA Park shall also be provided to incentivise speedy implementation.
• State governments will provide a contiguous and encumbrance-free land parcel of at least 1000 acres of land.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Textiles
• Government of India has planned to establish these parks in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Hence both statements are not correct.

The conservation status of India’s only ape was a cause for concern at a global event on Hoolock gibbons held recently in China. 

• It is the only ape found in India.
• It is native to eastern Bangladesh, Northeast India, Myanmar, and Southwest China.
• Gibbons, the smallest and fastest of all apes, live in tropical and subtropical forests in the southeastern part of Asia.
• The Hoolock gibbon, unique to India’s northeast, is one of 20 species of gibbons on Earth.
• It is categorised into Western Hoolock Gibbon and Eastern Hoolock Gibbon.
• Like all apes, they are extremely intelligent, with distinct personalities and strong family bonds.
• Western Hoolock Gibbon
• It has a much wider range, as it is found in all the states of the north-east, restricted between the south of the Brahmaputra river and east of the Dibang river.
• Outside India, it is found in eastern Bangladesh and north-west Myanmar.
• It is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red list.
• Eastern Hoolock gibbon
• It inhabits specific pockets of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India, and southern China and north-east Myanmar.
• It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red list.

Hence only statements 2 is correct.

A Chinese naval flotilla recently set off to join Russian naval and air forces in the Sea of Japan to participate in the "Northern/Interaction-2023" military drills.

About Northern/Interaction-2023:

• Northern/Interaction-2023 military drills is organized by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Northern Theatre Command in the central Sea of Japan.
• The event marks Russia's second time participating in the PLA annual strategic drills, and also a first that Russia has dispatched both naval and air forces to participate in similar events.
• The drills are themed "safeguarding the safety of strategic maritime routes".
• In August 2021, Russia participated in the "Western/Interaction-2021" exercise held at Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which marked the first time that China invited foreign forces to participate in its annual strategic exercises in its territory.
• "Northern/Interaction-2023" drills are organized by the PLA Northern Theater Command, while PLA forces participating in the previous "Western/Interaction-2021" exercise were mainly composed of forces from the Western Theater Command.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

A bilateral joint military exercise “NOMADIC ELEPHANT-23” is scheduled to be conducted between India and Mongolia at Ulaanbaatar from 17 to 31 July 2023.

• It is the 15th edition of bilateral joint military exercise.
• It is an annual training event with Mongolia which is conducted alternatively in Mongolia and India.
• Soldiers of the Mongolian Armed Forces Unit 084 from and Indian Army soldiers from the JAMMU AND KASHMIR LIGHT INFANTRY Regiment will be participating in the exercise. 
• The aim of this exercise is to build positive military relations, exchange best practices, develop inter-operability, bonhomie, camaraderie and friendship between the two armies.
• The primary theme of the exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain under United Nations mandate.
• The scope of this exercise involves Platoon level Field Training Exercise (FTX).
• During the exercise, Indian and Mongolian troops will engage in various training activities designed to enhance their skills and capabilities.
• These activities include endurance training, reflex firing, room intervention, small team tactics and rock craft training. Soldiers from both sides will learn from each other’s operational experience. 

Hence option c is the correct answer.

New criteria for detecting Alzheimer’s disease created by physicians and researchers from around the world were recently presented at the International Alzheimer’s Congress (AAIC) in Amsterdam.

About Alzheimer’s Disease:

• It is a progressive and degenerative neurological disorder that affects the brain, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes.
• It slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.
• It is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all dementia cases.
• The condition primarily affects older adults, typically starting after the age of 65, though early-onset forms can occur in individuals younger than 65.
• Cause: The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood, but it is believed to be influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
• Symptoms:
• Early signs may include mild memory loss, difficulty finding words, misplacing items, and trouble with problem-solving.
• As the disease advances, individuals may experience more severe memory impairment, confusion, mood swings, changes in behavior, disorientation, and difficulty with basic tasks like dressing and eating.
• Treatment:
• There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, and the available treatments mainly focus on managing symptoms and slowing down its progression.
• Medications may be prescribed to enhance cognitive function or manage behavioral and psychological symptoms.

Hence both statements are correct.

Central Government is considering resuming operations at ONGC Videsh Ltd’s exploration block in Iraq, which has been under force majeure since 2003.

About Force Majeure:

• Force majeure is a French term that literally means “greater force.”
• The concept of force majeure refers to an extraordinary event rendering the legal obligations between two or more contractually bound parties impossible to fulfill.
• It is related to the concept of an act of God, an event for which no party can be held accountable. This type of event must be entirely beyond the parties' reasonable control.
• As a precautionary measure against breach of contract, many commercial agreements contain force majeure contract clauses enumerating a list of major events that could result in non-performance of contractual duties.
• Notable events include war, riots, criminal activity, epidemics, pandemics, and other unforeseeable events.
• For force majeure to apply, these hindering circumstances must be beyond a party's reasonable control. 
• The contracting parties must also prove their reasonable efforts to mitigate the circumstances that have rendered the fulfillment of their duties impracticable.
• Such events may result in the parties delaying their obligations for a period of time, revising the contract terms, or agreeing on the contract’s cancellation.
• While force majeure has neither been defined nor specifically dealt with, in Indian statutes, some reference can be found in Section 32 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 (the "Contract Act") envisages that if a contract is contingent on the happening of an event which event becomes impossible, then the contract becomes void.
• Force majeure conflicts with the concept of “pacta sunt servanda,” a principle in international law that agreements must be kept and not wriggled out of.

Hence both statements are correct.