Daily Current Affairs MCQ- April 23, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

World Earth Day is celebrated annually across the world on April 22 every year.

• It is also known as International Mother Earth Day, is a globally recognised event dedicated to raising awareness and promoting the sustainability of our planet.
• History
• The concept of Earth Day can be traced back to the late 1960s, which saw a surge in public debate over environmental issues, with Rachel Carson’s influential book Silent Spring (1962) and the Santa Barbara oil spill (1969) raising awareness about environmental destruction.
• The first World Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, in the United States.
• It was organized by a group of environmental activists led by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, who was concerned about the negative impact of industrialization and pollution on the environment.
• Since then, it has become a global movement that encourages individuals and communities to take action towards protecting our planet.
• Theme of 2024: ‘Planet vs. Plastics’
• This theme emphasizes the need for collective action to repair and heal the planet's ecosystems, combat climate change, and preserve biodiversity.

Hence both statements are correct.

A group of students was provided a first-hand experience of the Zero Shadow Day (ZSD) phenomenon at an event organised by the Pondicherry Science Forum (PSF).

• It is a sub-solar point where the sun is directly overhead at a particular latitude.
• When the sun is at the zenith (the highest point in the sky) its rays will be hitting a particular point exactly perpendicular to the surface. 
• This will make the shadow of a person exactly under him, making it look like there are no shadows. 

 When does it occur?

• There are two zero shadow days every year in May and July/August, observed in places that lie between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.
• One falls during the Uttarayan (when the Sun moves northwards), and the other is during Dakshinayan (when the Sun moves southwards).
• It lasts for a small part of a second, but the effect can be seen for a minute to a minute-and-a-half.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has joined the Blockchain for Impact (BFI) Biome Virtual Network Program to accelerate transformative healthcare solutions through biomedical innovation.

• It will nurture cutting-edge biomedical science and innovation and accelerate the impact of transformative scientific advances in moving the needle for key healthcare challenges in India.
• It has a robust pipeline of biomedical innovations in several critical areas such as infectious disease diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance, cell therapy, immuno-oncology, regenerative tissues, digital health tech to name a few.
• This initiative unites incubators and research institutes under a single umbrella. This fosters collaborations among the stakeholders in the translational pipeline, the process of transforming research discoveries into real-world applications.
• Through this program, BFI will allocate over $ 200,000 over the course of three years, leveraging C-CAMP’s expertise to develop essential programs for healthcare-based startups.

What is C-CAMP?

• It is an initiative supported by the Department of Biotechnology and has been a catalyst of cutting-edge research and innovation in the life sciences since 2009.
• It is mandated to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. It has created and fostered an entrepreneur-friendly culture in and around the Academic/Research environment through its involvement in Seed Funding Schemes for Startups.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the UN Secretary General has said that the reform of multilateral development banks (MDBs) will be a key theme at this year’s Summit of the Future.

• It is a high-level event, bringing world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.
• It serves as a moment to mend eroded trust and demonstrate that international cooperation can effectively tackle current challenges as well as those that have emerged in recent years or may yet be over the horizon.
• The high-level event will bring together UN Member States, UN agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), academic institutions, the private sector, and youth under the theme, ‘Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’.
• The aim is to build upon the Sustainable development Goal (SDG) Summit and deliver an action-oriented Pact for the Future to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
• This will be achieved through an action-oriented outcome document called the Pact for the Future.
• The Pact will be negotiated, and endorsed by countries in the lead-up to and during the Summit in September 2024.
• UN Member States have agreed the Summit of the Future is centered around five key targets:
• Reaffirm the UN Charter.
• Reinvigorate multilateralism.
• Boost implementation of existing commitments.
• Agree on solutions to new challenges.
• Restore trust.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

The Indian Navy recently conducted Exercise Poorvi Lehar on the East Coast.

About Exercise Poorvi Lehar (XPOL):

• It is a maritime exercise conducted by the Indian Navy along the East Coast, under the operational direction of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
• The exercise aimed at validation of procedures towards assessment of Indian Navy’s preparedness to meet Maritime Security challenges in the region. 
• The exercise witnessed participation of Ships, Submarines, Aircrafts and Special Forces. 
• XPOL was conducted in multiple phases including combat training in a realistic scenario during the Tactical Phase and successful conduct of various firings during the Weapon Phase towards reaffirming Indian Navy’s capability to deliver ordnance on target.
• With operation of aircraft from diverse locations, a near continuous Maritime Domain Awareness was maintained throughout the Area of operations. 
• In addition to the participation of assets from Eastern Naval Command, the exercise also witnessed participation of assets from IAF, Andaman & Nicobar Command and Coast Guard indicating a very high degree of interoperability amongst the Services. 
• The Exercise offered valuable lessons to participating forces operating under realistic conditions, thereby enhancing their readiness to respond effectively to maritime challenges in the region.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Israel recently used the Rampage, an efficient air-to-surface missile, in an attack on an Iranian military base. 

About Rampage Missile:

• It is a long-range, supersonic, air-to-ground, seeker less, precision strike missile. 
• It was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Israeli Military Industries Systems.
• It has been developed for use in missions aimed at destroying high-quality, well-protected targets, such as communication and command centers, air force bases, maintenance centers, and infrastructure. 
• Features:
• It may travel at supersonic speeds, making it difficult to identify and intercept with air defense systems.
• It has a range of over 190 miles.
• It can carry 150 kg of explosives.
• It has a blast fragmentation or general-purpose warhead.
• It can be fired from an aircraft or as a stand-alone system and uses GPS/INS guidance navigation and anti-jamming capabilities.
• It can also adjust its path mid-flight, to precisely hit the target it was programmed to hit.
• It can operate in any weather conditions, day or night.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

Sweden is the newest nation to sign onto NASA's Artemis Accords for peaceful and responsible exploration. 

About Artemis Accords:

• The Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century. 
• These principles will help to ensure the maintenance of a safe and predictable outer space environment. 
• Co-led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, the Artemis Accords was established in 2020, together with seven other founding member nations (Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom).
• As of April 2024, there were 38 signatories, including India.
• Principles:
• Peaceful uses: cooperative activities are exclusively for peaceful purposes and in accordance with international law.
• Transparency: commit to broad dissemination of information regarding their national policies and exploration plans. Agree to share scientific information with the public on a good-faith basis consistent with Article XI of the Outer Space Treaty (OST).
• Interoperability: agree to develop infrastructure to common standards for space hardware and operating procedures that include fuel storage, landing systems, communication, power, and docking interfaces.
• Emergency Assistance: commit to offering all reasonable efforts to render assistance and comply with the rescue and return agreement as outlined in the Outer Space Treaty.
• Registration of Objects: registration of space objects (on the surface, in orbit or in space) by signatory nations can help to mitigate risk of harmful interference.
• Release of Scientific Data: commit to the open sharing of scientific data arising from space exploration missions. Not mandatory for private-sector operations.
• Preserving Outer Space Heritage: undertake to ensure new activities help preserve and do not undermine space heritage sites of historical significance.
• Space Resources: signatories affirm that extraction of resources does not inherently constitute national appropriation under Article II of the Outer Space Treaty.
• Deconfliction of Space Activities: undertake exploration with due consideration to the United Nations guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities as adopted by the UN Committee for Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in 2019. Activities, where potential harmful interference could occur, should be restricted to pre-identified ‘Safety Zones’. The size, location, and nature of operations in a Safety Zone should be notified to all signatories and the UN Secretary-General.
• Orbital Debris: signatories agree to limit harmful debris in orbit through mission planning that includes selecting flight orbital profiles that minimise conjunction risk, minimising debris release during the operational phase, timely passivation, and end-of-life disposal.

Hence both statements are not correct.

Mount Erebus, an active volcano in Antarctica, has been in the news for spewing gold dust worth $6000 every single day.

About Mount Erebus:

• It is the most southerly active volcano on Earth. It is situated on Ross Island, Antarctica.
• It’s a stratovolcano, characterized by a conical shape and layers of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash.
• Mount Erebus is known for its persistent lava lake.
• The lake has been active since at least 1972 and is one of only a few long-lived lava lakes on Earth.
• It constantly churns and occasionally spews bombs of molten rock in Strombolian eruptions.
• Because the volcano is in a remote location, researchers monitor it using satellites.

What is a Stratovolcano?

• It is a tall, steep and cone-shaped type of volcano. Unlike flat shield volcanoes, they have higher peaks. They are typically found above subduction zones, and they are often part of large volcanically active regions, such as the Ring of Fire that frames much of the Pacific Ocean.
• Strato volcanoes comprise the largest percentage (~60%) of the Earth's individual volcanoes and most are characterized by eruptions of andesite and dacite, lavas that are cooler and more viscous than basalt.
• These more viscous lavas allow gas pressures to build up to high levels. Therefore, these volcanoes often suffer explosive eruptions. 
• They are usually about half-half lava and pyroclastic material and the layering of these products gives them their other common name of composite volcanoes.
• At the peak, stratovolcanoes usually have a small crater. The crater may be filled with water or ice, or it may contain a volcanic dome during a period of relative inactivity.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

All cases of organ transplants will be allocated a unique National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)-ID for both the donor and the recipient, according to a recent directive by the Union Health Ministry.

Why in News?

• The Union Health Ministry has issued the directive to eliminate commercial dealings in organs, especially those involving foreign citizens. 
• NOTTO-ID is mandatory for considering the allocation of organs in the case of a deceased donor transplant; this ID in the case of a living donor transplants hall also be generated at the earliest, maximum within 48 hours after the transplant surgery is done.
• NOTTO-ID must be generated by the hospital from the NOTTO website.
• It has also called for stricter monitoring of such transplants by the local authorities.

About National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO):

• NOTTO is a national level organization set up under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• It functions as the apex centre for all India activities of coordination and networking for:
• procurement and distribution of organs and tissues; and
• registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in the country.
• It has following two divisions:
• National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network:
• It would function as the apex centre for all India activities of coordination and networking for theprocurement and distribution of Organs and Tissues and registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in the country. 
• This has been mandated as per the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011.
• National Biomaterial Centre (National Tissue Bank):
• The Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011 has included the component of tissue donation and registration of tissue Banks.
• The main thrust and objective of establishing the centre is to fill up the gap between ‘Demand’ and ‘Supply’ as well as ‘Quality Assurance’ in the availability of various tissues.
• Activities: Coordinationfortissue procurement and distribution;Donor Tissue Screening;Removal of Tissues and Storage;Preservations of Tissue;Laboratory screening of Tissues;Tissue Tracking;Sterilization, Records maintenance;Data Protection and Confidentiality;Quality Management in tissues;Patient Information on tissues;Development of Guidelines; Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures;Trainings, Assisting as per requirement in registration of other Tissue Banks;

Hence both statements are correct.

The Indian Armed Forces contingent comprising of 81 personnel departed for Australia to take part in the second edition of Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND-23.

• It was instituted in 2022 and the first edition was conducted in Mahajan, Rajasthan.
• It is planned to be an annual training event to be conducted alternatively in India and Australia.
• Aim of the exercise is to foster collaborative partnership and share best practices between the two sides.
• This year the exercise will be conducted at Perth, Australia from 22nd November to 06th December 2023.
• Indian Army contingent comprises 60 personnel from a Battalion of the GORKHA Rifles will take part in this exercise.
• The exercise will also promote inter- operability while undertaking multi-domain operations in Urban and Semi- Urban terrain under Chapter VII of United Nations on peace keeping operations.
• The joint exercise will promote exchange of ideas and jointly rehearse tactics, technique and procedures for conducting tactical operations.
• The exercise will also help in promoting understanding between the two militaries and further strengthen the defence cooperation between the two friendly nations.

Hence option a is the correct answer.