10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: December 28, 2020

Khartoum is the capital of Sudan and Juba is the capital of South Sudan. Darfur is a conflict zone in the Western Sudan.

Both statements are incorrect.
A zero-coupon bond is a debt security that does not pay interest but instead trades at a deep discount, rendering a profit at maturity, when the bond is redeemed for its full face value.
The difference between the purchase price of a zero-coupon bond and the par value, indicates the investor’s return.

Recently National Task Force discussed testing, treatment and surveillance strategies for COVID-19 in view of the new virus strain from UK.
Statement 1 is incorrect. As per the recommendation of the NTF, a genomic surveillance consortium, INSACOG, has been formed under the leadership of National Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
Statement 2 is correct. The consortium is aimed at laboratory and epidemiological surveillance of circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2 in the Country.

Union Home Minister recently inaugurated several projects in Manipur including the Thoubal Multipurpose project. This is a project intended generate electricity and to supply water for irrigation and drinking.
The Thoubal Multipurpose Project, located in the Mapithel valley in the hill districts of Urkhul and Senapati, was approved by the Planning Commission in 1980. Construction started in 1989.
The project is aimed at irrigating an estimated 35,104 hectares of the region surrounding the project.

All of the above are covered under the Universal Vaccination Programme.
Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization’ (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. In 1985, the programme was modified as ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP) to be implemented in phased manner to cover all districts in the country by 1989-90 with the one of largest health programme in the world.
Vaccines provided under UIP: BCG vaccine; Pentavalent Vaccine (covering Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertusis, Haemophilis influenza type b infection and Hepatitis B), Rotavirus Vaccine, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Measles vaccine, Japanese encephalitis, DPT booster (a combined vaccine; it protects children from Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis), Tetanus and adult diphtheria (Td) vaccine.

Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) of 1856 route km starts from Sahnewal near Ludhiana (Punjab) and will pass through the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand to terminate at Dankuni in West Bengal.
It is being constructed by Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), that has been set up as a special purpose vehicle to build and operate Dedicated Freight Corridors.
DFCCIL is also constructing the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (1504 route km) that connects Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai and will traverse through the states of UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Statement 1 is correct. Blood contains red blood cells, for carrying oxygen to tissues and organs, and white or immune cells, for fighting infection. These white cells consist primarily of macrophages, B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Active immunity is stimulation of the immune system to produce antigen-specific humoral (antibody) and cellular immunity.
One way to acquire active immunity is to survive infection with the disease-causing form of the organism.
Another way to produce active immunity is by vaccination. Vaccines interact with the immune system and often produce an immune response similar to that produced by the natural infection, but they do not subject the recipient to the disease and its potential complications. Many vaccines also produce immunologic memory similar to that acquired by having the natural disease.

The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners were first adopted in 1957, and in 2015 were revised and adopted by the UN General Assembly as the Nelson Mandela Rules.
They are supplemented by the UN Bangkok Rules on women prisoners.
The Rules give guidance on all aspects of prison management, from admission and classification to the prohibition of torture and limits on solitary confinement. There is guidance on healthcare, recruitment and training of prison staff, as well as disciplinary sanctions.

The League of Arab States, or Arab League, is a voluntary association of countries whose peoples are mainly Arabic speaking or where Arabic is an official language. It has 22 members including Palestine, which the League regards as an independent state.
Its stated aims are to strengthen ties among member states, coordinate their policies and direct them towards a common good.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific.
Statement 2 is incorrect. India is not a member to APEC.
APEC’s 21 member economies are Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Philippines; The Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States of America; Viet Nam.