10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: January 19, 2021

The endothelium is a thin membrane that lines the inside of the heart and blood vessels. Endothelial cells release substances that control vascular relaxation and contraction as well as enzymes that control blood clotting, immune function and platelet (a colorless substance in the blood) adhesion.
The endothelium forms an interface between circulating blood or lymph in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall. Endothelial cells form the barrier between vessels and tissue and control the flow of substances and fluid into and out of a tissue.

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, or ACE2 “receptor” is the protein that provides the entry point for the coronavirus in human body.
Statement 1 is correct. ACE2 is present in many cell types and tissues including the lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract. It is present in epithelial cells, which line certain tissues and create protective barriers.
Statement 2 is correct. ACE2 is a vital element in a biochemical pathway that is critical to regulating processes such as blood pressure, wound healing and inflammation, called the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) pathway.
ACE2 helps modulate the many activities of a protein called angiotensin II (ANG II) that increases blood pressure and inflammation, increasing damage to blood vessel linings and various types of tissue injury. ACE2 converts ANG II to other molecules that counteract the effects of ANG II.

The National Mineral Policy 2019 includes provisions which will give boost to mining sector such as
–introduction of Right of First Refusal for RP/PL holders,
[A reconnaissance permit is granted for preliminary prospecting through regional, aerial, geophysical or geochemical surveys and geological mapping. A prospecting licence is granted for exploring, locating and proving mineral deposits.]
–encouraging the private sector to take up exploration,
–encouragement of merger and acquisition of mining entities and
–transfer of mining leases and creation of dedicated mineral corridors to boost private sector mining areas.
The 2019 Policy proposes to grant status of industry to mining activity to boost financing of mining for private sector and for acquisitions of mineral assets in other countries by private sector.
The Policy also mentions rationalize reserved areas given to PSUs which have not been used and to put these areas to auction, which will give more opportunity to private sector for participation.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The National Education Policy, 2020 is the third in the series of National Education Policies (1968 and 1986 modified in 1992) in India and is the first education policy of the 21st century. NEP 2020 covers wider spectrum of school education from pre-primary to senior secondary.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The highest priority of the education system will be to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school by 2025. To this end, a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy is to be set up by the Ministry of Education on priority.
Accordingly, all State/UT governments will immediately prepare an implementation plan for attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools, identifying stage-wise targets and goals to be achieved by 2025, and closely tracking and monitoring progress of the same.

Statement 1 is correct. The forest dwellers are legally empowered with the ownership and governance of the minor forest produce through PESA (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, gives the “right of ownership, access to collect, use and dispose of minor forest produce which has been traditionally collected within or outside village boundaries”.
Under Forest Rights Act, 2006, “minor forest produce” includes all non-timber forest produce of plant origin including bamboo, brush wood, stumps, cane, tussar, cocoons, honey, wax, lac, tendu or kendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, tubers and the like.
Statement 2 is correct. The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in 1987. It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs
# TRIFED and Indian Farm Forestry Development Co-operative Ltd (IFFDC) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 18, 2021 to work together for tribal livelihood generation.

A bad bank is a bank set up to buy the bad loans and other illiquid holdings of another financial institution. The entity holding significant nonperforming assets will sell these holdings to the bad bank at agreed price.
The bad bank is not involved in lending and taking deposits, but helps commercial banks clean up their balance sheets and resolve bad loans.
The Economic Survey 2016-17 had also argued in favour of setting up a “Public Sector Asset Rehabilitation Agency” to help tackle the problem of bad loans.

Statement 1 is correct. The Open Skies Treaty permits each state-party to conduct short-notice, unarmed, reconnaissance flights over the others’ entire territories to collect data on military forces and activities.
Statement 2 is incorrect. India is not a member to this treaty.
Members: Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom.
# In May 2020, the Trump administration announced its intention of withdrawing from the OST, accusing Russia of “flagrantly and continuously violating the Treaty in various ways for years”, and left it in November 2020. Kyrgyzstan has signed, but not ratified the treaty.

Statement 1 is correct. The WHO 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.
A second shorter meeting takes place in May, 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.
Statement 2 is correct. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare digitally chaired the 148th session of WHO Executive Board, through Video Conference.

Harike Wetland is situated on the confluence of the river Beas and Sutlez at the Ferozepur and Amritsar border the sanctuary encompass an area of approximately 86 sq km. The area was declared as a Wild Life Sanctuary in 1999 and because of its importance as a wetland of international stature, it was declared a Ramsar site by the International Body of Wetlands under in 1990.
The wetland is a significant abode for the migratory birds as every winter, the birds make their way to India through the central Asian flyway which covers a large continental area of Europe-Asia between the Arctic and Indian Oceans.

Chabahar Port is located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman. It serves as Iran’s only oceanic port, and consists of two separate ports named Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti.
During the visit of the Prime Minister to Iran in May 2016, a Trilateral Agreement to establish International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
# India has recently supplied a consignment of two Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHC) to Iran’s Chabahar port, with a total contract value of over USD 25 Million under a contract agreement for supply of 6 MHC.