10 PM Current Affairs Quiz #50 December 31, 2019

Explanation: The Drake Passage is located between Cape Horn at the tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula. The passage is named after Sir Francis Drake, who was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. It is also the narrowest stretch in the Southern Ocean and spans approximately 800 km between the southern tip of South America and the northern tip of the West Antarctic Peninsula. It is considered one of the roughest waterways in the world because here, layers of cold seawater from the south and warm seawater from the north collide to form powerful eddies.

Explanation: Russia’s military has deployed a new intercontinental weapon called the Avangard hypersonic missile system. The Avangard hypersonic missile system is a reentry body carried atop an existing ballistic missile which has the capability to manoeuvre. The missiles have a range of over 6,000 km, weigh approximately 2,000 kg and can withstand temperatures of over 2000 degree celsius. Its manoeuvring capability makes it difficult to predict its trajectory and gives it the ability to protect itself from the air and ballistic missile defences by delivering nuclear warheads to targets. The missiles can travel more than 20 times the speed of sound and put Russia ahead of other nations.

Explanation: Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) mechanism is a market based instrument to promote renewable energy and facilitate compliance of renewable purchase obligations (RPO). It is aimed at addressing the mismatch between availability of RE resources in state and the requirement of the obligated entities to meet the renewable purchase obligation (RPO). The Electricity Act, 2003 and the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provide for a roadmap for increasing the share of renewable in the country. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) had notified the Regulation on Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) in 2010.

Explanation: Kerala State Youth Welfare Board has organized Kalaripayattu training for young women in the backdrop of women increasingly becoming vulnerable. Kalaripayattu is a great and ancient physical, cultural and martial art of Kerala. The martial art originated during the 3nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. The word kalari first appears in the Tamil Sangam literature (c. 300 BCE to 300 CE) to describe both a battlefield and combat arena. The Kalaripayattu is also considered as one of the oldest fighting systems in existence. Kalaripayattu techniques include a combination of steps (Chuvatu) and postures (Vadivu). Chuvatu literally means ‘steps’, the basic steps of the martial arts. Vadivu literally means ‘postures’ or stances are the basic characteristics of Kalaripayattu training. Named after animals, they are usually eight in number.

Explanation: The Council of Europe’s (CoE) Cybercrime Convention is also known as the Budapest Convention. It was open for signature in 2001 and came into force in 2004. The convention is the sole legally binding international multilateral treaty on cybercrime. The convention coordinates cybercrime investigations between nation-states and criminalizes certain cybercrime conduct. It serves as a guideline for any country developing comprehensive national legislation against Cybercrime and as a framework for international cooperation between state parties to this treaty. The countries like India and Brazil have not adopted the convention on the grounds that they did not participate in its drafting. The United Nations has approved a new resolution in order to draft an international treaty to combat cyber crime.