10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: June 26, 2020

Option 1 is incorrectly matched. The largest glacier in the world is the Lambert-Fisher Glacier in Antarctica.

Option 2 is incorrectly matched. North America’s longest glacier is the Bering Glacier in Alaska, USA.

Option 3 is correctly matched. The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalayas, India.

Option 4 is correctly matched. Vatnajökull is one of the largest and most voluminous ice caps of Europe in Iceland.

Both statements are correct.

‘Food grain stocking norms’ refers to the level of stock in the Central Pool that is sufficient to meet the operational requirement of food grains and exigencies at any point of time. Earlier this concept was termed as Buffer Norms and Strategic Reserve.

Operational stocks:  for meeting monthly distributional requirement under Targeted Public Distribution Scheme [TPDS] and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).

Food security stocks/reserves: for meeting shortfall in procurement.

Stocking norms are for a quarter and consist of operational stock for the quarter and strategic reserve to take care of short fall in production or natural calamities.

Both statements are correct.

In economics, a public good refers to a commodity or service that is made available to all members of a society. Generally, these services are administered by governments and paid for collectively through taxation.

Public Goods are non-rival in consumption and are non-excludable:

Non-rival in consumption: One individual’s consumption of a good does not affect another’s opportunity to consume the good.

Non-excludable: Individuals cannot deny each other the opportunity to consume a good.

Public goods include law enforcement, national defense, and the rule of law; it also refers to more basic goods, such as access to clean air and drinking water.

Statement 1 is incorrect.  The calorific value of diesel fuel is roughly 45.5 MJ/kg (megajoules per kilogram), slightly lower than petrol which is 45.8 MJ/kg.

However, diesel fuel is denser than petrol and contains about 15% more energy by volume (roughly 36.9 MJ/litre compared to 33.7 MJ/litre).

Statement 2 is correct. Crude oil contains different types of hydrocarbons mixed together and, depending on the source of the crude oil, different impurities. Different hydrocarbon chain lengths all have progressively higher boiling points the longer the chain, so they can all be separated by a process known as fractional distillation.

World Drug Report is published annually by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). It analyzes market trends, compiling detailed statistics on international drug markets.

UNODC World Drug Report 2020:

Around 269 million people used drugs worldwide in 2018, 30 per cent more than in 2009 and over 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders.

Cannabis was the most used substance worldwide in 2018. Opioids, however, remain the most harmful, as over the past decade, the total number of deaths due to opioid use disorders went up 71 per cent.

Drug use increased far more rapidly among developing countries over the 2000-2018 period than in developed countries.

Statement 1 is correct. Tribunal is not bound by procedure under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 or the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and is guided by principles of natural justice. However, the Tribunal is vested with the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure for discharging its functions.

Statement 2 is correct. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 are out of the jurisdiction that is exercised by the tribunal.

Any person seeking relief and compensation for environmental damage involving subjects in the legislations mentioned in Schedule I of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 may approach the Tribunal. The statutes in Schedule I are:

-The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;

-The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977;

-The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;

-The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;

-The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;

-The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;

-The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The Tribunal has powers to review its own decisions. Further it can be challenged in the Supreme Courts. High Courts writs under article 226 are also a means to challenge the decision of NGT.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The NASA Lunar Gateway will be an outpost orbiting the Moon to provide vital support for a sustainable, long-term human return to the lunar surface, as well as a staging point for deep space exploration. It is also part of Artemis Program of NASA.

Statement 2 is correct. The gateway will have facility to support the crew onboard. The Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) will be the initial crew cabin for astronauts visiting the Gateway for further missions in space. Its primary purpose is to provide basic life support needs for the visiting astronauts.

Statement 1 is correct. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) continually identifies and reviews jurisdictions with strategic anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) deficiencies that present a risk to the international financial system and closely monitors their progress. The FATF’s International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG) oversees the process.

Statement 2 is incorrect. High-risk jurisdictions have significant strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and financing of proliferation. This list is often referred to as the “blacklist”.

Jurisdictions under increased monitoring are actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. This list is often referred to as the ‘grey list’.

Pakistan is in Grey List.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids, it that converts into vapors or gases. VOCs are released from burning fuel such as gasoline, wood, coal, or natural gas. They are also released from many consumer products: Cigarettes, Paints and thinners, Adhesives, Dry cleaning fluids, Glues, Wood preservatives, Cleaners and disinfectants, Moth repellants, Air fresheners, Building materials and furnishings, Pesticides etc.

Statement 2 is correct.  Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) commonly enter(s) the body through inhalation or skin contact. Short-term exposure health effects from VOCs may cause: Irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, Headaches, Dizziness, Visual disorders, Memory problems.

Long-term exposure may cause Nausea, Fatigue, Loss of coordination, Dizziness, Damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system and Cancer.

Statement 3 is correct. Photochemical smog is produced when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and at least one volatile organic compound (VOC) in the atmosphere.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Digital Learning Platform “Skills Build Reignite” has been launched by IBM India in partnership with the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

Statement 2 is correct. It aims to provide job seekers and entrepreneurs, with access to free online coursework and mentoring support designed to help them reinvent their careers and businesses. It provides industry relevant content on topics including Artificial intelligence, Cloud, Data analytics and security to reskill and upskill themselves, at no cost.

Another program launched was the SkillsBuild Innovation camp; a 10-week program which supports 100 hours of structured learning to learners who are interested in gaining hands-on project experience to enhance learning and are intent on building their network and enhance their employability.