10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: April 1, 2020

The U.S Space Force Space has successfully launched the sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite. Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) is a series of six communications satellites operated by the United States Space Force. Its objective is to provide secure satellite communications from geostationary orbits for strategic missions operating on ground, sea and air platforms. The communications will be delivered to the armed forces of the US and its international partners including the Netherlands, UK and Canada.

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Government of the Republic of Korea Forest Service (KFS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Peace Forest Initiative (PFI). The Initiative will support land and forest rehabilitation in post conflict areas to reduce peace and security challenges stemming from natural resource degradation.

National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) is an umbrella scheme to support ideas and innovations (knowledge-based and technology-driven) into successful startups. Components:

• NIDHI GCC – Grand Challenges and Competitions for scouting innovations
• NIDHI – PRomoting and accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators and Startups (NIDHI-PRAYAS) – Support from Idea to Prototype
• NIDHI-Entrepreneur In Residence (NIDHI-EIR)-Support system to reduce risk
• Startup-NIDHI
• NIDHI-Technology Business Incubator(TBI)-Converting Innovations to start-ups
• NIDHI-Accelerator-Fast tracking a start-up through focused intervention
• NIDHI-Seed Support System (NIDHI-SSS)-Providing early stage investment
• NIDHI Centres of Excellence (NIDHI-CoE)-A World class facility to help startups go global

The Himalayan Ibex (Capra sibirica hemalayanus) is regarded as a subspecies of the Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica). They are found in mountain ranges of central and northeastern Afghanistan, China, north India (Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh), eastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, northeastern Uzbekistan, northern Pakistan, Russia, and Tajikistan. An adult ibex weighs about 90 kgs, and stands around 40 inches tall, with huge curved horns. The horns have notches on the front, and grow each year. Their coat is thick and woolly in winter, and shed in early summer. Colour ranges from pale brown to dark brown, with a darker dorsal stripe. They are usually found in small herds and sometimes around 50 together. They normally feed on grass, moss and small shrubs. In winter, they come down to lower elevations in search of food as the mountains get covered in snow. In summer they move back upward as the snow melts. According to IUCN Red list it is least Concern species.

The SAFAR observational network of Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) and Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) established within city limits represents selected microenvironments of the city including industrial, residential, background/ cleaner, urban complex, agricultural zones etc. as per international guidelines which ensures the true representation of city environment. Air Quality indicators are monitored at about 3 m height from the ground with online sophisticated instruments. These instruments are operated round the clock and data is recorded and stored at every 5 minute interval for quality check and further analysis. Pollutants monitored: PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, CO, NOx (NO, NO2), SO2, BC, Methane (CH4), Non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), VOC’s, Benzene, Mercury Monitored Meteorological Parameters: UV Radiation, Rainfall, Temperature, Humidity, Wind speed, Wind direction, solar radiation. This is the first of such kind of network in India which continuously monitors all these parameters and maintain up to date data base with robust quality control and quality assurance. IITM is grateful to all their partners who have extended their full cooperation and support by providing the infrastructure and other facilities.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Orphan drugs are used to cure rare diseases, i.e. the drugs that are used for diagnosing, preventing and treating life-threatening diseases or disorders that are rare.

Statement 2 is incorrect. India does not have any legislation on the development of Orphan Drugs.

Statement 1 is incorrect. It is a temporary short term loan facility offered by RBI to the government where the term of loan is just 90 days. The WMA scheme was designed to meet temporary mismatches in the receipts and payments of the government.

Statement 2 is incorrect. WMA is not exclusive to the Union government but is also available to state governments.

Statement 3 is correct. Interest rate for WMA is currently charged at the repo rate. If the WMA is extended for more than 90 days, it will be treated as an overdraft which is charged above repo rate.

Statement 1 is correct. Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that range from the common cold to MERS coronavirus, they also cause SARS and COVID-19 disease.

Statement 2 is correct. Coronavirus is an RNA virus, an RNA virus is a virus that has RNA as its genetic material. Coronaviruses are single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses.

Statement 3 is correct. The coronaviruses typically cause respiratory symptoms like common cold, SARS, MERS and COVID-19.

Statement 4 is correct. Corona viruses circulate among animals and some of these coronaviruses have the capability of transmitting between animals and humans.

Statement 1 is incorrect. ICMR is not a statutory body and it functions under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research

Statement 2 is correct. The governing body of the council is presided over by the Union Health Minister.

Statement 1 is correct. Chapter X of the act provides for offences and penalties. It provides punishment for obstruction, punishment for false claim, punishment for misappropriation of money or materials, punishment for false warning, offences by Departments of the Government, failure of officer in duty, penalty for contravention of any order regarding requisitioning, offence by companies.

Statement 2 is correct. The Act empowers the Central Government to issue directions in writing to the Ministries or Departments of the Government of India, or the National Executive Committee or the State Government, State Authority, State Executive Committee, statutory bodies to facilitate or assist in the disaster management and they shall be bound to comply with such direction.

Statement 1 is incorrect. ETFs are in many ways similar to mutual funds; however, they are listed and traded on stock exchanges.

Statement 2 is correct. An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a type of security that involves a collection of securities such as stocks that often tracks an underlying index. Indian government have used ETF as route of divestment, eg. CPSE ETF, BHARAT 22 ETF.

Option 1 is incorrectly matched. Natuna islands are Indonesian islands located in the South China Sea.

Option 2 is correctly matched. Reunion island is French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.

Option 3 is correctly matched.The Kuril Islands are in Russia’s Sakhalin Oblast that stretches approximately 1,300 km northeast from Hokkaido, Japan to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean.

Statement 1 is correct. Eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity form 40.27 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

Statement 2 is correct. ICI is compiled and released by the Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), and Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Local transmission is the phase of an outbreak where the source of infection is known.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Community transmission means that the source of infection for the spread of an illness is unknown or a link in terms of contacts between patients and other people is missing.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) is the chief advisor to the government on matters related to scientific policy and not the Chief Secretary to Minister of Science & Technology.

Statement 2 is correct. PM-STIAC is chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA). The PM-STIAC is an overarching Council that facilitates the PSA’s Office to assess the status in specific science and technology domains, comprehend challenges in hand, formulate specific interventions, develop a futuristic roadmap and advise the Prime Minister accordingly.