UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 1 June 2024

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: Alaska’s rivers are turning orange due to toxic metals released from thawing permafrost, a study from the University of California, Davis reveals.
  • As the earth warms, permafrost melts, exposing minerals like iron, zinc, copper, nickel, and lead, which taint the water. This phenomenon, visible even from space, has been observed since 2018 and poses concerns for aquatic life and drinking water.
• About Alaska:
  • It is a state of the USA, located in the extreme northwest of North America, bounded by the Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean, Gulf of Alaska, Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, and Chukchi Sea. It shares a land boundary with Canada and a maritime boundary with Russia.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/alaskas-rivers-are-turning-orange/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The Beaufort Sea is indeed located in the Arctic Ocean.
• The Beaufort Sea is bordered by the coastlines of Canada and the United States (specifically Alaska), not Russia.
• The Mackenzie River, the longest river in Canada, empties into the Beaufort Sea.
• The Beaufort Sea is known for its significant oil and gas reserves.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/alaskas-rivers-are-turning-orange/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Context: India has assumed the chair of the Colombo Process for 2024-26, the first time since the forum’s inception in 2003.
• About Colombo Process
  • The Colombo Process is a Regional Consultative Process focused on managing overseas employment and contractual labour. It comprises 12 Asian member states, including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, with India as a founding member. Priority areas include skills and qualification recognition and fostering ethical recruitment practices. The UN’s International Organization for Migration provides technical and administrative support.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/colombo-process/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched three major initiatives.
  • G-Sec Mobile App: Enables retail investors to transact in government securities (G-Secs) using smartphones.
  • PRAVAAH Portal: A centralized web-based platform for individuals or entities to apply for authorizations, licenses, or regulatory approvals from the RBI, enhancing efficiency in processing applications.
  • Fintech Repository: A data storehouse for Indian FinTech firms to help understand the sector better and design appropriate policies. Additionally, the EmTech Repository for RBI-regulated entities will track the adoption of emerging technologies like AI and blockchain.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/initiatives-launched-by-rbi/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Context: In Koraput district, Odisha, 4,000 tribal farmers are facing a critical delay as they await approval from the forest department to sell kendu leaves worth Rs 34 lakh.
• About Kendu Leaf:
  • Kendu leaf, known as the green gold of Odisha, is a nationalized product like bamboo and sal seed. It is a vital non-wood forest product, also referred to as tendu leaf, used for rolling bidis (local cigarettes). Major producing states include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, with Odisha being the third-largest producer.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/about-kendu-leaf/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: Gamma-ray bursts are indeed the brightest electromagnetic events known.
• S2: GRBs are associated with supernova explosions and the collapse of massive stars.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/daksha-project/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Context: Japanese researchers from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry have developed the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat.
• This tiny cuboid craft, made from magnolia wood, measures 10 centimetres on each side and will be launched on a SpaceX rocket in September. The wooden material is expected to burn up completely upon re-entry, avoiding the creation of harmful metal particles.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/lignosat/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: Recently, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from a Su-30 MK-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force off the Odisha coast.
• About RudraM-II
  • RudraM-II is an indigenously developed solid-propelled air-launched missile designed for air-to-surface operations by the DRDO. Following the successful 2020 test of RudraM, a new-generation anti-radiation missile (NGARM) and the first indigenous ARM of the Indian Air Force, RudraM-II is equipped with an Inertial Navigation System (INS), Global Positioning System (GPS), and a Passive Homing Head (PHH). The PHH can detect, classify, and engage targets across a wide frequency band.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/rudram-ii/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The Nameri Tiger Reserve (NTR) is situated in the northern part of the Sonitpur district of Assam, along the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/nameri-tiger-reserve/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: About Himalayan Serow

• Species: Subspecies of the mainland serow (Capricornis sumatraensis)
• Appearance: Resembles a mix of goat, donkey, cow, and pig
• Habitat: Found at altitudes of 2,000-4,000 meters in the eastern, central, and western Himalayas
• Characteristics: Medium-sized, large head, thick neck, short limbs, long ears, dark coat
• Diet: Herbivorous
• Distribution: Restricted to the Himalayan region in Asia
• Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IUCN), CITES Appendix I, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/05/31/nameri-tiger-reserve/