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Current Affairs Practice Quiz 8

Posted by Web IQ Quiz

1. ‘Bahu Balli’, the world’s first 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier has been installed in which state?

[A] West Bengal
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Assam
[D] Odisha

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Correct Answer: B [Maharashtra] Notes:
The world’s first 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier, named “Bahu Balli,” has been installed on the Vani-Warora Highway in Vidarbh, Maharashtra.
It has also been accredited by the Indian Road Congress and provides an eco-friendly alternative to steel barriers with higher recycling value. The ‘Bambusa Balcoa’ bamboo is treated with creosote oil and coated with recycled High-Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE).

2. BrahMos Missile has been developed by a partnership between Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and which organisation of India?

[A] ISRO
[B] DRDO
[C] HAL
[D] BHEL

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Correct Answer: B [DRDO] Notes:
The BrahMos missile is a type of supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, airplanes, or land.
It is currently the fastest supersonic missile in the world and was developed by a partnership between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, forming BrahMos Aerospace. Recently, Indian Navy successfully test fired the ship-launched version of the BrahMos missile.

3. Which country has proposed to create ‘International Big Cat Alliance’?

[A] USA
[B] India
[C] Indonesia
[D] Japan

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Correct Answer: B [India] Notes:
India has proposed the creation of a new global alliance called the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to protect seven major big cats, including tigers, lions, and cheetahs.
The IBCA will be open to 97 countries and organizations interested in protecting these animals. India has committed to provide funding of 100 million USD over 5 years to support the IBCA. The IBCA will share information about protecting these animals. Its governance structure includes a General Assembly and a council.

4. The Draft Central Electricity Authority Regulations was issued recently to protect which species?

[A] One-horned Rhinos
[B] Great Indian Bustard
[C] Asian Elephant
[D] Asiatic Lion

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Correct Answer: B [Great Indian Bustard] Notes:
The Great Indian Bustard is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, and is native to Indian subcontinent. The species is critically endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, and other human activities.
The Draft Central Electricity Authority (Construction of Electric Lines in Great Indian Bustard Area) Regulations, 2023 was issued to bring all electric lines of 33 kV and below passing via the Great Indian Bustard Area underground while those above 33 kV will be overhead lines with bird flight diverts.

5. ‘Digital India Bill’ is associated with which Union Ministry?

[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of External Affairs
[C] Ministry of Electronics and IT
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology

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Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Electronics and IT] Notes:
The Digital India Bill is the proposed successor to the Information Technology Act, 2000, which currently regulates entities on the internet in India.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT will hold a public consultation at Bengaluru to present the basic guiding principles and architecture of this proposed legislation. The Digital India Bill aims to ensure that the internet in India is open, free from user harm and criminality, and that there is an institutional mechanism of accountability.

6. Which country has recently surpassed Afghanistan to become the world’s largest producer of opium in 2023 according to UNODC?

[A] Pakistan
[B] Myanmar
[C] Vietnam
[D] China

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Correct Answer: B [Myanmar] Notes:
Myanmar has risen to become the world’s largest producer of opium in 2023, surpassing Taliban-ruled Afghanistan which had launched a major crackdown on poppy cultivation since early 2022. As per data by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Myanmar produced an estimated 1,080 metric tonnes of opium this year used to produce heroin. Meanwhile, Afghanistan saw production levels fall by 95% to just 330 tonnes after the Islamist Taliban rulers banned poppy farming citing it un-Islamic. The expansion of the illegal opiate economy in strife-torn Myanmar is attributed to the growing instability and conflict in the country since the 2021 coup.

7. What is the full form of PABS mentioned in the draft pandemic treaty discussions?

[A] Public Awareness and Behavioral Study System
[B] Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System
[C] Pharmaceutical Advancements and Biomedical Sciences System
[D] Pathogenic Analysis and Bio Synthesis System

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Correct Answer: B [Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System] Notes:
PABS stands for Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System. It is mentioned in Article 10 of the draft pandemic treaty, which asks member countries to establish a multilateral system for access and benefit sharing under PABS. The PABS Standard Material Transfer Agreement shall include a monetary obligation whereby 10% of vaccines and antivirals would be provided to WHO at affordable prices during a pandemic. While developing countries agreed in principle, they sought clarity on its governance and raised doubts if it would disincentivize small vaccine makers that played a key role during COVID-19.

8. Captain Fatima Wasim created history by becoming the first woman medical officer to be deployed at:

[A] International Space Station
[B] Amazon Rainforest Mobile Medical Unit
[C] Siachen Glacier
[D] Antarctic Expeditionary Station

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Correct Answer: C [Siachen Glacier] Notes:
Captain Fatima Wasim created history by becoming the first woman medical officer to be deployed at an operational post in the world’s highest battlefield, the Siachen Glacier. After rigorous training at the Siachen Battle School, she was inducted to a post at Partapur sector at an altitude of 15,200 feet in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Her posting is seen as a major milestone for women empowerment in the armed forces.

9. iCET or International Cooperation and Education on Technology is administered by which ministry?

[A] Ministry of Science and Technology
[B] Ministry of Education
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Commerce

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Correct Answer: C [Ministry of External Affairs] Notes:
The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) is a prominent capacity-building initiative by the Ministry Of External Affairs of the Government of India. Established in 1964, ITEC is one of the longest-standing international capacity-building programs, having trained over 200,000 officials from more than 160 countries in both civilian and defense sectors. Under this programme, recently India and Taiwan have been focussing on collaboration in cutting edge tech areas like 5G, AI, information security, semiconductors etc. ITEC is administered by the Development Partnership Administration-II Division of the Ministry of External Affairs.

10. Recently, a new species of amphipod Demaorchestia alanensis was discovered in which state?

[A] Karnataka
[B] Odisha
[C] Assam
[D] West Bengal

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Correct Answer: B [Odisha] Notes:
Researchers from Berhampur University in Odisha discovered a new species of marine amphipod in Chilika Lake, which was named Demaorchestia alanensis after renowned crustacean taxonomy expert, Professor Alan Myers. Very little is known about amphipods around the Indian coasts and their ecological roles. The new discovery takes the number of known Demaorchestia species globally to six. It will help study the impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems by analyzing these bioindicator organisms.

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