PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS -16/08/24

01.Consider the following statements:

1. The Executive Board is the decision-making body of World Health Organisation.
2. The annual Board meeting is held in January when the members agree upon the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be considered by the Health Assembly.
3. The main functions of the Board are to implement the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, and advise and generally to facilitate its work.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Answer:  (b)Only two

In News: Why latest mpox outbreak is ‘emergency of international concern’

Explanation:

• The World Health Organisation, sounding its highest level of alarm, declared mpox as a Public Health Emergency Of International Concern .
• This is the second time the infection has received the designation in as many years; the outbreak between July 2022 and May 2023 was also declared as PHEIC.
• The decision to sound the alarm was taken after an upsurge of cases reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries.
• At least 99,176 cases and 208 deaths due to mpox have been reported from 116 countries since 2022, according to data from the WHO.
• The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms.
• The annual Board meeting is held in January when the members agree upon the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be considered by the Health Assembly.Hence statement 2 is correct.
• A second shorter meeting takes place in May-June, as a follow-up to the Health Assembly. 
• The main functions of the Board are to implement the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, and advise and generally to facilitate its work
• The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO.Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
•  It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. 
• The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.

Source:

https://www.who.int/about/governance/world-health-assembly

02.Captagon recently seen in news is related to 

1. Missile program of Iran
2. Illicit drug in the Middle East and North Africa
3. Spyware attacks in Europe powergrid
4. Space program of European space agency

Answer: (b) Illicit drug in the Middle East and North Africa North Africa.

In News:What is the drug Captagon, and how is it linked to Germany?

Explanation:

• Following the record discovery of hundreds of kilos of Captagon tablets in Germany in December 2023, the trial against four men began in Aachen on Wednesday. They are alleged to have sold tablets worth more than €58 million (63 million) euros abroad.
• Captagon, commonly known as “poor man’s cocaine,” has emerged as the drug of choice among young adults throughout the Middle East and North Africa.Hence option(b) is correct.
• The 2023 bust in Germany indicates the drug could be more common in European countries than previously thought.
• Captagon was made illegal in 1986 in most countries and discontinued in medical markets. 
• However, an illicit version of Captagon emerged in eastern Europe and the Middle East in the early 2000s.
• Captagon is a synthetic drug which was originally manufactured in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s where it was intended to treat attention deficit disorders.
• Use of captagon is prevalent among young people in the Middle East, most commonly as a party drug.
• Reports also suggest fighters in the Syrian conflict commonly use the drug to boost combat performance and reduce fatigue.

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/drug-captagon-germany-link-explained-9513706/

03.consider the following statements:

1. In 1852, India became the first country in Asia to issue its own postage stamps
2. The Post Office Act, 1837,gave the government the exclusive right to convey letters in the territories of the East India Company.
3. In 1854, uniform postage rates were introduced across India.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Answer:  (c) All three

In News:What were the first postage stamps of Independent India? 

Explanation:

First stamp of Independent India

• The first stamp of Independent India was finally released on November 21, 1947. 
• Three postage stamps were issued to commemorate India’s independence — all of them featured the date August 15, 1947, and the words ‘Jai Hind’ in the Devanagari script.
• The first stamp, issued in November 1947, depicted the Indian flag — flying in 
• Another one depicted the Lion Capital of Ashoka — the head of a column erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in Sarnath in 250 BCE. 
• In 1766, then Governor-General Robert Clive set up a regular postal system, and in 1774, Warren Hastings took the initiative of establishing the first GPO (General Post Office) in Calcutta.
• The Post Office Act,1837, gave the government the exclusive right to convey letters in the territories of the East India Company. Hence statement 1 is correct. 
• In 1854, uniform postage rates were introduced across the country.Hence statement 2 is correct.
• In 1852, India became the first country in Asia to issue its own postage stamps.Hence statement 3 is correct.

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/first-stamps-independent-india-9513918/

04. Consider the following : 

1. Smurf Attack
2. Botnets
3. SYN flood

How many of the above are classified as A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Answer: (c) All three

In News:Trump-Musk interview on X reportedly hit by DDoS attack: What it means

Explanation:

• Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk hosted former US President and Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump on his social media platform X onAugust 12 for a live audio interview
• A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack simply means that a website or any other online service cannot be accessed because it has been the target of attacks from a malicious actor.  According to the US government’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, this targeting is done by directing a large number of users against a particular online server at the same time to “flood” it.
• Bots can also be used to overwhelm the network, resulting in slow loading times or a total pause in internet services.
• Computers connect to the Internet and one another through unique Internet Protocol (IP) addresses assigned to each device.
•  The data they exchange is divided into smaller chunks, called “packets”. 
• The tech company IBM’s website notes, “By using up a resource’s available bandwidth, DDoS attacks prevent these resources from responding to legitimate connection requests and packets.”
• In the case of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, multiple sources work against one target. This makes the culprit harder to locate.
• There are different ways of carrying out DOS attacks. Botnets, which are networks of compromised devices, can be deployed by potential attackers.
• In a “Smurf Attack”, the attacker sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) broadcast packets to several hosts. 
• The ICMP can be normally used to communicate data transmission errors to systems, but in this case, attackers send it maliciously.
• While communicating, attackers use a spoofed source IP address which actually belongs to the target machine.
•  As the target machines respond, they end up flooding their own servers, resulting in a DDoS attack.
• Then there is an “SYN flood”, which occurs when an attacker sends a request to connect to the target server but does not complete the connection. Hence option(c) is correct.
• Normally, the request source asks for a connection, and then the target accepts by sending an acknowledgement. Finally, the request source finalises the connection.
• In this case, the attacker sends a request and receives an acknowledgement, but does not complete the connection. 
• Multiple, targeted incomplete connections again result in a load for the server, making it difficult to complete legitimate connections smoothly.

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/trump-musk-interview-ddos-attack-9511956/

05. Teknaf peninsula recently seen in news situated in

1. Bangladesh
2. Maldives
3. Iran
4. Turkey

Answer:  (a)Bangladesh

In News:What is Bangladesh’s St Martin’s Island, under spotlight after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation?

Explanation:

• Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed,  said that a recent “resignation” statement, allegedly published by a newspaper, attributed to her mother was “completely false and fabricated”. 
• According to the alleged statement, Hasina said she could have continued to remain in power if she had given Bangladesh’s “St Martin’s Island and Bay of Bengal” to America.
• The island is located in the northeastern region of the Bay of Bengal, close to the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar. It is nine kilometres away from the southern tip of Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf peninsula.Hence option(a) is correct.
• The 7.3 km long island is mostly flat and sits at an elevation of 3.6 metres above the mean sea level. It is Bangladesh’s only coral island — there are reefs from 10-15 km to the west-northwest — and is also a breeding ground for sea turtles.
• The island has a permanent population of about 10,000 people. As it is a prominent tourist attraction, an average of 10,000 tourists stay there every day, according to a report published by The Daily Sun.
• The island was once part of the Teknaf peninsula (around 5,000 years ago) but gradually got submerged into the sea. 
• Around 450 years ago, the southern suburbs of present-day St Martin’s Island resurfaced — the northern and rest of the parts of the island rose above sea level in the following 100 years, according to The Daily Sun report.
• The Arab merchants were among the first ones to settle on the island. They began to arrive there in the 18th Century. 
• The merchants initially named the island “Jazira” (meaning “the island” or “the peninsula”) and later changed it to “Narikel Jinjira” or “Coconut Island”.
• In 1900, British India annexed the island during a land survey. By then, some fishermen had settled on the island — they were either Bengali or from the Rakhine community (who were based in present-day Myanmar).
•  During the British occupation, the island came to be known as St Martin’s Island, named after then Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Martin, according to some reports

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/bangladesh-st-martin-island-9511920/

06.With reference to India Semiconductor Mission,consider the following statements:

1. It has been set up to formulate and drive India’s long-term strategies for developing semiconductors and semiconductor design ecosystem.
2. It has been working as nodal agency for the Schemes approved under Semicon India Programme. 
3. Modified Scheme for setting up of Semiconductor Fabs in India is one of the schemes under India Semiconductor Mission.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Answer:  (c) All three

In News:Prime Minister outlines India’s commitment towards becoming a global leader in semiconductor production

Explanation:

• The Prime Minister of India, Sh. Narendra Modi, during his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 78th Independence day outlined a series of futuristic goals aimed at shaping India’s growth and achieving the target of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
• India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) has been set up as an Independent Business Division within Digital India Corporation having administrative and financial autonomy to formulate and drive India’s long-term strategies for developing semiconductors and display manufacturing facilities and semiconductor design ecosystem.
•  Envisioned to be led by global experts in the Semiconductor and Display industry, ISM is serving as the nodal agency for efficient, coherent and smooth implementation of the programme for development of semiconductor and manufacturing ecosystem in India.
• ISM has been working as nodal agency for the Schemes approved under Semicon India Programme. 
• Government has approved the Semicon India programme with a total outlay of INR 76,000 crore for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country. 
• ‘Modified Scheme for setting up of Semiconductor Fabs in India’ for attracting large investments for setting up semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities in the country to strengthen the electronics manufacturing ecosystem and help establish a trusted value chain.Hence option(c) is correct.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2045539

07.With reference to Prerana program,consider the following statements:

Statement -I:

It is an experiential and inspirational learning program for students with the best-in-class technology where heritage meets innovation

Statement -II: 

It is a week-long residential program for selected students of class 6 to 12

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is the correct explanation for Statement – I
2. Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is not the correct explanation for Statement – I
3. Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect
4. Statement – I is incorrect but Statement – II is correct

Answer:  (c)Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect

In News: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan interacts with students, teachers, parents of PM SHRI Schools and alumni of Prerana Programmes

Explanation:

• PM SHRI School (PM Schools for Rising India) is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Government of India. 
• This initiative is intended to develop more than 14500 PM SHRI Schools managed by Central Government/State/UT Government/local bodies including KVS and NVS in which every student feels welcomed and cared for, where a safe and stimulating learning environment exists, where a wide range of learning experiences are offered, and where good physical infrastructure and appropriate resources conducive to learning are available to all students.
• Prerana is a week-long residential program for selected students of class IX to XII.Hence statement 2 is incorrect. 
•  It is an experiential and inspirational learning program for students with the best-in-class technology where heritage meets innovation.Hence statement 1 is correct. 
• A batch of 20 selected students (10 boys and 10 girls) attend the program, every week from various parts of the country.
• Prerana program is running from a Vernacular School, established in 1888, in one of the oldest living cities of India, Vadnagar, Mehsana District, Gujarat. 

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2045738

08.With reference to mugger crocodile, Consider the following statements:

1. The species, also known as marsh crocodiles, is listed as ‘vulnerable’ in IUCN.
2. It provided legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer:  (c)Both 1 and 2

In News:Mugger crocodiles in Vadodara’s polluted Vishwamitri are stressed; those in rural Charotar are not, finds study

Explanation:

• Pollution and conflict with humans lead to increased levels of stress hormones among mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris), a new study has found.
• Mugger crocodiles in the Gujarati city of Vadodara were more likely to display such levels than their counterparts in the rural Charotar region in Kheda and Anand districts, according to the team of researchers.
• These findings have implications for mugger crocodile conservation in India.
• The species, also known as marsh crocodiles, is listed as ‘vulnerable’ according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and are provided legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.Hence statement 1 and statement 2 is correct.
• Among all crocodilian species, muggers rank third in terms of human–crocodile conflict, after the saltwater (Crocodylus porosus) and Nile (Crocodylus niloticus) crocodiles.
• “India saw a fivefold increase in human–mugger conflict (HMC) incidences over the last two decades, from 57 incidents in 2001–2010 to 338 reported incidents in 2011–2020,” the researchers noted.

Source:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/gujarat-mugger-crocodiles-in-vadodaras-polluted-vishwamitri-are-chronically-stressed-those-in-rural-charotar-are-not-finds-study

09.The organism Indrajal  listed as a Schedule I species under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 is a

1. Marine Mammal
2. Aquatic flowering Plant
3. Frog in Rainforest
4. Water Bird

Answer: (b) Aquatic flowering Plant

In News:Gujarat: Four arrested for illegal wildlife trade; sea fans, corals, porcupine quills seized

Explanation:

• Gujarat is a key market for sea fan, which sees high demand among all economic sections of buyers, due to superstitious beliefs.
• Sea fan coral (gorgonians) or Indrajal, listed as a Schedule I species under the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, are rare flowering marine organisms and serve as a habitat for a number of marine species and fish. In India, they are known to be found in waters off the coasts of Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.Hence option(b) is correct.
• Schedule I species, which include Bengal tigers and Indian elephants, are endangered and demand protection of the highest order. Hunting or trade in any parts of these listed animals can result in imprisonment for three to seven years, with a minimum fine of Rs 25,000.
• “There are no medical reasons or problem-solving benefits associated with this. It is primarily sold by astrologers for framing and display in homes to attract good luck.

Source:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/gujarat-four-arrested-for-illegal-wildlife-trade-sea-fans-corals-porcupine-quills-seized

10.With reference to India, consider the following statements:(2021)

1. When a prisoner makes out a sufficient case, parole cannot be denied to such prisoner because it becomes a matter of his/her right.
2. State Governments have their own Prisoners Release on Parole Rules.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4.  Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (b) 2 only

Explanation:

• Although some criminal statutes carry a right to an eventual parole hearing, typical laws do not absolutely guarantee parole itself. Authorities retain the discretion to deny parole to prisoners they deem dangerous. 
• The grant of parole is governed by rules made under Prison Act, 1894 and Prison Act, 1900. 
• Many State governments have also formulated guidelines to facilitate decision-making to determine whether parole needs to be granted in a particular case or not. For example, the Rajasthan Prisoners Release on Parole Rules, 1958. Hence option (b) is the correct answer.