[Mission 2023] QUED ( Questions from Editorials ) 20 December 2022

Solution: d)

What is the Agni-5 missile?

The nuclear-capable missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine, has been developed by India’s Defence Research and Development organisation (DRDO).

The development of Agni missiles started in early 1980 under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme spearheaded by scientist and former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, who was also a central figure in India’s missile and space programmes.

Medium to Intercontinental versions of Agni missile systems 1 to 5 have varying ranges — starting from 700 km for Agni-1 to 5000 km and above for Agni-5. In June 2021, DRDO successfully tested Agni P, a canisterised missile with a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km.

This means that the missile can be launched from road and rail platforms, making it easier for it to be deployed and launched at a quicker pace. Agni-6 is also said to be under development, with a range starting at 8000 km.

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Solution:  b)

The SFC, which carried out the test, is a key tri-services formation that manages and administers all the strategic assets and falls under the purview of the Nuclear Command Authority of India.

The Nuclear Command Authority is the sole body which can authorize the use of nuclear weapons. It comprises a Political Council and an Executive Council. The Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister. The Executive Council, chaired by the National Security Advisor, provides inputs for decision-making by the Nuclear Command Authority and executes the directives given to it by the Political Council.

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Solution: b)

Alcohol is produced using two basic processes: fermentation and distillation. When heated, yeast reacts with sugar (from grain, fruits, sugarcane, etc.) to ferment and produce a mixture containing alcohol. However, as this process continues and the alcohol levels rise (with more of the sugar getting converted to alcohol), the conditions become toxic for the yeast itself, eventually ending the process of fermentation. Thus, to make anything stronger than beer or wine (above 14-18% ABV or alcohol by volume), distillation is key.

Distillation is the process of physically separating the alcohol from the rest of the mixture using evaporation and condensation. Since different parts of the mixture have different boiling points, theoretically, if one heats the mixture up to a correct temperature, it will be possible to separate only the alcohol from the water and other remnants. This will be far more potent than any fermented beverage. All spirits (such as whiskey, vodka, gin, etc) are made using this technique.

Distillation can be done repeatedly in order to increase the alcohol content of the final product.

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Solution: c)

Recently the White House supported the US Congress pass a legislation whose aim is to eliminate the per-country quota on issuing green cards. If passed, the legislation will allow US employers to focus on recruiting people based on ‘merit’ over ‘birthplace’, and is likely to benefit Indian-Americans. The House of Representatives will soon vote on the (Equal Access to Green Card for Legal Employment) EAGLE Act of 2022.

What is a green card and what are its benefits?

Officially known as a Permanent Resident Card, a green card, issued to immigrants, allows them to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. The card serves as evidence that the holder has been accorded the privilege of residing permanently.

Some of the benefits of having a green card are – it provides a pathway to citizenship, a green card holder can sponsor immediate family members for the same card, it provides easy access to US’ social security system as also education assistance, travel to and from the country becomes much easier, a card holder can choose to live anywhere in the US, there is more freedom in terms of career opportunities as one can apply for a wide variety of jobs, and a card holder can also have some amount of engagement in the political process of the country.

What is H.R. 3648, or the EAGLE Act of 2022?

The goal of the Act is to allow US employers to “focus on hiring immigrants based on merit, not their birthplace, by eliminating the “per country” limitation on employment-based immigrant visas (green cards).”

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Solution: b)

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty:

• The UN-ATT regulates the international trade in conventional arms, from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships, and controls the flow of weapons into conflict zones.
• The treaty calls for the international sale of weapons to be linked to the human rights records of buyers.
• It requires countries to establish regulations for selling conventional weapons.
• The treaty does not regulate the domestic sale or use of weapons in any country. It also recognizes the legitimacy of the arms trade to enable states to provide for their own security.
• India has not signed the treaty.