Daily Current Affairs MCQ- July 2, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has developed an eSankhyiki portal.

• It provides real-time inputs for planners, policy-makers, researchers and the public at large.
• The objective of this portal is to establish a comprehensive data management and sharing system for ease of dissemination of official statistics in the country.
• It has two modules namely:
• Data Catalogue Module: This module catalogues the major data assets of the Ministry at one place for ease of access.
• It allows users to search within datasets, including within tables, and download data of interest to increase its value and re-usability.
• The module has seven data products, namely National Accounts Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Index of Industrial Production, Annual Survey of Industries, Periodic Labour Force Survey, Household Consumption Expenditure Survey and Multiple Indicator Survey.
• The Data Catalogue section already includes over 2291 datasets along with specific metadata and visualization for each dataset for user convenience.
• Macro Indicators Module: This module offers time series data of key macro indicators with features for filtering and visualizing data enabling ease of access for the users.
• The module also allows users to download custom datasets, visualizations and sharing them through APIs, thereby increasing the re-usability of data.
• The first phase of the module includes four major products of MoSPI: National Accounts Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Index of Industrial Production, and Annual Survey of Industries, encompassing the data of last ten years. The portal currently hosts more than 1.7 million records.
• It has officially been launched on the Statistics Day.
• The initiative is in sync with the theme of the Statistics Day- ‘Use of data for Decision making’ as ease of access of data is the prerequisite for evidence based decision making.
• It is a user centric data portal which facilitates use and reuse of information for creating impact through value addition and analysis by the users.

Hence both statements are correct.

A new banking malware called ‘Snowblind’ is targeting Android users to steal banking credentials.

• It is a new Android malware that uses a built-in Android security feature to bypass anti-tamper mechanisms and steal banking credentials.
• This malware exploits a built-in security feature to bypass anti-tamper protection in apps handling sensitive information.
• It works by repacking an app so it is unable to detect the use of accessibility features that can be used to extract sensitive information like login credentials and get remote access to the app.
• It exploits a feature called ‘seccomp’, which stands for ‘secure computing’.
• It is part of the underlying Linux kernel and the Android operating system and is used to check applications for signs of tampering.
• The security firm discovered that Snowblind injects a piece of code that loads before seccomp initialises the anti-tampering measures. This enables the malware to bypass security mechanisms and utilize accessibility services to remotely view the victim’s screen.
• Snowblind can also disable biometric and two-factor authentication, two security features commonly used by banking apps to thwart unauthorised access. Like typical Android malware, Snowblind infects users who install apps from untrusted sources.
• While the security firm was unable to identify how many devices are affected by the new malware, it says that Snowblind is mostly active in Southeast Asia.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Global professionals and amateur astronomers waiting for an once-in-a-lifetime nova explosion which will occur in September, 3,000 light-years from the Earth.

• It is the dramatic instance of a star exploding as it interacts with another, nearby star.
• It’s a one of many, repeated moments during the long, slow, death of two neighboring stars in the same system.
• Astronomers are waiting for the fiery explosion of T Coronae Borealis, also dubbed the “Blaze Star” and known to astronomers as “T CrB”.
• For T CrB, this nova event happens roughly every 80 years — it’s a like Halley’s Comet event every 76 years — so, astronomers call T CrB a “recurrent” nova.
• They believe T CrB’s prior eruptions were observed as long ago as December 1787 and even in October 1217 AD.
• When T CrB erupts, its luminosity will increase dramatically, making it visible to the naked eye for several days.
• Process
• The system contains two stars — a white dwarf and a red giant.
• The white dwarf is an incredibly dense remnant of a once larger star. It’s about the size of planet Earth but with the same mass as our sun.
• Its neighbor, the red giant, is in its final years of existence and is slowly being stripped of hydrogen by the gravitational pull of the denser white dwarf.
• This star “cannibalism” causes a tremendous buildup of pressure and heat, which eventually triggers a huge thermonuclear explosion.
• The explosion doesn’t completely destroy the stars, however, and so this event repeats over time. It can carry on for hundreds of thousands of years.
• Different nova events have different cycles, ranging from a few years to hundreds of thousands of years.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Prime Minister of India congratulated H.E António Costa on being elected as next President of the European Council.

• It is the European Union’s institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union.
• It was created as an informal forum in 1974 for discussion between heads of state or government of the EU member states.
• Treaty of Maastricht: Under this treaty the European Council acquired a formal status and role to provide the impetus and general political guidelines for the EU.
• Members: The members of the European Council are the heads of state or government of the 27 EU member states, the European Council President and the President of the European Commission.
• It usually meets 4 times a year – but the President can convene additional meetings to address urgent issues.
• It generally decides issues by consensus – but by unanimity or qualified majority in some cases. Only the heads of state/government can vote.
• What are the functions?
• It decides on the EU's overall direction and political priorities – but does not pass laws.
• It deals with complex or sensitive issues that cannot be resolved at lower levels of intergovernmental cooperation
• It sets the EU's common foreign & security policy, taking into account EU strategic interests and defence implications
• It nominates and appoints candidates to certain high profile EU level roles, such as the ECB and the Commission
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.

Hence only statements 1 and 2 are correct.

US President Joe Biden's woeful performance in the presidential debate against challenger Donald Trump has re-ignited questions about what would happen should the veteran Democrat step down as party flagbearer at the last minute.

• The president and vice president are not elected directly by citizens in the US.
• Instead, they are chosen by "electors" through a process called the Electoral College. 
• The Electoral College is a process in which electors or representatives from each state cast their vote and determine who will be president.
• Each state is given a number of electors based roughly on the size of its population.
• There are a total of 538 electors selected according to each state’s policy.
• When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for electors.
• The general elections take place every four years on the first Tuesday of November.
• All states except Maine and Nebraska use a “winner-take-all” system.
• In this system, the party of the candidate who receives the most votes is awarded all the state’s electors, even if the margin of victory in the state’s popular vote is small. 
• Following a general election, the slates of electors meet in their state capitals to cast their votes for president and vice president.
• The vote occurs on the Monday following the second Wednesday in December.
• The candidates who receive a majority, or more than half, of the votes become president and vice president.
• If no candidate receives a majority, the president is elected by the House of Representatives, which may choose among the three candidates with the most electoral votes.
• There are times when a candidate wins the presidency (electoral votes) but not the popular votes (voted by people during the general election).
• The newly elected President and Vice President are inaugurated in January.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Prime Minister recently paid tribute to the sacrifices and bravery of the Santhal tribal community.

• Santhals are the third largest scheduled tribe community in India after Gonds and Bhils.
• Their greatest concentration is in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Orissa, in the eastern part of the country. 
• Language:
• Their language is Santhali, a dialect of Kherwari, a Munda (Austroasiatic) language.
• Santhali, written in OI-Chiki script, is recognised as a scheduled language in the Constitution's Eighth Schedule.
• The Santhals were a nomadic stock before they chose to settle on the Chotanagpur plateau.
• By the end of the 18th century, they had concentrated in the Santhal Parganas of Jharkhand (earlier Bihar). From there, they migrated to Odisha and West Bengal.
• Religion: They are nature worshippers and could be seen paying obeisance at Jaher (sacred groves) in their villages.
• Their traditional dress includes dhoti and gamuchha for men and a short-check saree, usually blue and green, for women, who generally put on tattoos.
• Various forms of marriage are accepted in Santhal society, including elopement, widow remarriage, levirate, forced (rare), and the one in which a man is made to marry the woman he has impregnated.
• Divorce is not a taboo in Santhal society. Either of the couple could divorce the other.
• Occupation:
• Most Santhals are agriculturists, depending on their farmlands or forests.
• Seasonal forest collection is one of the important sources of their subsidiary income.
• Dance (enej) and music (sereng) are integral partsof the Santal life.
• Their homes, called Olah, have a particular three-colour patternon the outer walls. The bottom portion is painted with black soil, the middle with white, and the upper with red.
• Santhal Rebellion (1855-56):
• The Santhal uprising, one of the most noted events of revolt against the British Raj, took place in 1855 and 1857.  
• This was India’s first major peasant uprisingfueled by the implementation of the Permanent Land Settlement in 1793.
• It was led by Sido and Kanhu and covered the regions of Bihar.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Due to continued rain in Kerala, the health department has issued caution on amoebic meningoencephalitis.

About Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM):

• It is a rare, usually fatal, infection of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
• It is caused by a type of free-living amoeba (a microscopic, single-celled organism) called Naegleria fowleri.
• Naegleria fowleri occurs in shallow surface waters and incorrectly maintained swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas, particularly in warm climates.
• The amebas can enter the brain through the nose when people swim in contaminated warm, fresh water.
• The amoeba then invades the brainand meninges through the nose.
• Symptoms:
• Symptoms, which include fever, headache, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, typically appear within five days of infection and progress rapidly.
• In the later stages, one can suffer from a stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations, and even coma.
• Treatment:
• There are no standard treatments for the treatment of PAM.
• Combination therapy using medicines to treat parasites offers the most promise.
• PAM differs from granulomatous amebic encephalitis, which is another very rare, usually fatal infection of the central nervous system caused by different free-living amebas, Acanthamoeba species or Balamuthia mandrillaris.

Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has taken up a preliminary study on the design and development of an indigenous conventional submarine under Project-76.

• Under Project 76, the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy is working on designing and developing the country’s first indigenously conventional diesel-electric submarine. 
• The Indian Navy wants to build 12 submarines under Project 76. 
• Envisioned as air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped diesel-electric attack submarines, these submarines, expected to have a submerged displacement of 3,000 tons, represent a leap beyond their foreign-designed predecessors like Project-751 (India) and Project-75 submarines. 
• It aims to succeed the renowned Sindhughosh (Kilo) class, emphasizing the Navy’s commitment to maintaining a robust 3,000-ton class of submarines.
• It is expected to feature some of the most advance features such as, indigenous Weapon Control system and Lithium-ion batteries. 
• It represents a pivotal milestone in India’s pursuit of maritime supremacy, amalgamating top-tier French technology from Project 75and the expertise of German/Spanish collaboration from Project 751 (India). 
• The objective is to initiate the construction of the prototype by 2028.
• This undertaking holds immense significance for India’s submarine-building capabilities, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for submarine design.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, South African scientists injected radioactive material into live rhinoceros horns under the Rhisotope Project to curb poaching.

• It was started in 2021 in South Africa.
• It aims to make the rhinoceros horns easier to detect at border posts and render them useless for human consumption.
• The project involves inserting two tiny radioactive chips into the horns of 20 rhinos.
• The low-dose radioactive material is designed to be detectable by radiation sensors at international borders without harming the animals or the environment.
• The radioactive material is expected to last five years on the horn, making it a more cost-effective solution than dehorning every 18 months. Additionally, the team sprayed 11,000 microdots on each treated horn for further identification.
• The team of scientists will take follow-up blood samples to ensure the rhinoceroses are effectively protected. 
• South Africa, home to the majority of the world's rhinos, has been battling a poaching crisis driven by demand from Asia, where rhino horns are used in traditional medicine.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over the Medium Range-Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket (MR-MOCR) to the Indian Navy at a ceremony held in New Delhi.

• Microwave Obscurant Chaff (MOC) is a niche technology developed by DRDO’s Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur.
• It obscures radar signals and creates a microwave shield around platforms and assets, thus reducing radar detection.
• Special type of fibres, with diameter of few microns and unique microwave obscuration properties, has been assembled in the medium range chaff rocket.
• How it functions?: When the rocket is fired it forms microwave obscurant cloud in space spreading over a sufficient area, with adequate persistence time, thus creating an effective shield against hostile threats having Radio Frequency seekers.
• DRDO has indigenously developed three variants of this critical technology namely Short Range Chaff Rocket (SRCR), Medium Range Chaff Rocket (MRCR) and Long Range Chaff Rocket (LRCR).
• Phases
• The Phase-I trials of MR-MOCR were successfully conducted from Indian Navy ships, demonstrating the MOC cloud blooming and being persistent in space.
• In Phase-II trials, the Radar Cross Section (RCS) reduction of an aerial target to the extent of 90 per cent has been demonstrated and cleared by the Indian Navy. 

Hence both statements are correct.