QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 26 May 2017

Solution: d.

• DeepMind is by Google. It is engaged in artificial intelligence research, “and its application for positive impact”.
• In the news: Google’s DeepMind AlphaGo artificial intelligence has defeated the world’s number one Go player Ke Jie. AlphaGo secured the victory after winning the second game in a three-part match.
• “Go” is considered to be one of the world’s most complex games, and is much more challenging for computers than chess.
• AlphaGo has built up its expertise by studying older matches and playing thousands of games against itself. The company says the eventual plan is to deploy its artificial intelligence “in areas of medicine and science”.

IE 2016;

Solution: d.

The 267^th report was a result of the Supreme Court asking it (Law Commission of India) to examine the issue of hate speech. The issue of Uniform Civil Code has been taken up by it as the Union Government has asked it to. Ditto is the case with the latest (268^th) report on bail law reforms. In the past, the Commission has suo moto taken up subjects/issues for study/examination.

TH: Bail or Jail;

Solution: a.

• This new, three lane, 9.15 kilometre bridge has been built over river Lohit, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, linking Dhola (Assam) to Sadiya (Assam).
• The bridge will fill a huge connectivity gap that has existed in the region. Till now, the only means to cross the Brahmaputra at this location has been by ferry only in day-time and even this is not possible during floods.
• This will however change from tomorrow with the Dhola-Sadiya bridge ensuring 24X7 connectivity between upper Assam and Eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh.

PIB: Dhola-Sadiya bridge;

Solution: c.

The same question was posted here earlier. Both statements are correct.

• The Law Commission, in its 268^th report, seeks to improve on a provision introduced in 2005 (Section 436A of CrPC) to grant relief to thousands of prisoners languishing without trial and to decongest India’s overcrowded prisons.
• It recommends that those detained for an offence that would attract up to seven years’ imprisonment be released on completing one-third of that period, and those charged with offences attracting a longer jail term, after they complete half of that period. For those who had spent the whole period as undertrials, the period undergone may be considered for remission.
• In general terms, the Commission cautions the police against needless arrests and magistrates against mechanical remand orders.
• However, as the report warns, bail law reform is not the panacea for all problems of the criminal justice system. Be it overcrowded prisons or unjust incarceration of the poor, the solution lies in expediting the trial process.

TH: Bail or Jail;

TH: Time to decongest our prisons;

Solution: d.

• Venezuela recently threatened to pull out of the Organisation of American States. The OAS, which monitors democratic and human rights standards among member-states, has been unequivocal in its criticism of Mr. Maduro’s autocratic style.
• Venezuela was suspended by the other South American nations (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay) of the Mercosur trade group, as it had “failed to meet the deadline to adopt certain standards required for membership”.
• About OAS: It is an organisation formed to promote economic, military, and cultural cooperation among its members, which include almost all of the independent states of the Western Hemisphere. The OAS’s main goals are to prevent any outside state’s intervention in the Western Hemisphere and to maintain peace between the various states within the hemisphere. It’s founding of the OAS was based on the general acceptance of the principles of the U.S. Monroe Doctrine (Dec. 2, 1823) by the countries of the Western Hemisphere, especially the principle that an attack upon one American state would be considered as an attack upon all.

Improvisation: TH: Maduro’s excesses;

Solution: a.

PIB 2014: The Central Government on January 3, 2014 has notified a ‘Scheme for Extending Financial Assistance to Sugar Undertakings, 2014 (SEFASU, 2014)’ envisaging interest free loans worth Rs.6600 crores by Banks as additional working capital to sugar mills. The loan amount has to be utilized by the sugar mills for clearance of cane price arrears of previous sugar seasons and timely settlement of cane price of current sugar season to sugarcane farmers.

Improvisation: PIB;