Weekly Current Affairs: Quizzes, 01 to 06 May, 2023

EXPLANATION:

• Triple-dip La Niña refers to a phenomenon where La Niña events occur in three consecutive winters in the Northern Hemisphere (and summers in the Southern Hemisphere) without a break in between. Hence, statement 1 is correct.  
• The World Meteorological Organization has reported that the current La Nina event is expected to persist until the end of the year, making it the first "triple-dip" La Nina of the century. Hence, statement 2 is correct.  
• La Niña is known to have a cooling effect on the Earth's surface temperature, particularly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific Ocean. Hence, statement 3 is correct.  
  • This is due to the strengthening of trade winds that blow cool surface waters towards the west, which leads to an upwelling of cold water from the depths of the ocean. 
  • This cooling effect can last for several months to a few years, but it is usually temporary and does not reverse the long-term trend of global warming.

EXPLANATION:

COP 28 refers to the 28th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is a global forum for countries to discuss and coordinate action on climate change. The conference is expected to take place in 2023, in UAE

• The Global Stocktake is a key component of the Paris Agreement on climate change. It is a process for assessing collective progress towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
• The Global Stocktake is conducted every five years, and it involves a comprehensive review of the latest scientific findings, progress toward achieving emissions reduction targets, and the adequacy of national and collective efforts. Hence, statement 1 is not correct. 
• The first Global Stocktake is scheduled to take place in 2023, after the completion of the initial round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) submitted by countries. Hence, statement 2 is correct. 
• The Global Stocktake takes a collective rather than an individual approach. This means that individual countries are not singled out and the outcomes of the stocktaking process should not allow conclusions to be drawn about the state of implementation in individual states. Hence, statement 3 is not correct. 
• The Talanoa Dialogue was established as a means for countries to strengthen and implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2020. The Dialogue was mandated by the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and it aimed to take stock of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has released the report the State of the Global Climate 2022. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

• Sea levels and ocean heat are at unprecedented levels, with the trend projected to continue for centuries. Around 90% of the energy trapped in the Earth's system by greenhouse gases goes into the ocean, heating them and raising the sea level. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • Ocean heat content reached a record high in 2021 (no data for 2022 yet). The sea level reached a new record high in 2022.
• Between 2021 and 2022 around 6% of the  ice was lost, the largest single-year loss on record. Since 2001, in Switzerland over a third of glacier ice has been lost.
• The Carbon Dioxide concentration is 415.7 ± 0.2 ppm which is 149% of preindustrial times. The Methane concentration is 1908 ± 2 ppb which is 262% of preindustrial times. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Raisina Dialogue: The Raisina Dialogue is an annual multilateral conference on geopolitics and international relations hosted in New Delhi, India by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). 
• 2+2 Dialogue: The 2+2 Dialogue is a bilateral meeting between the defense and foreign ministers of two countries to discuss foreign and strategic issues.
• Shangri-La Dialogue: The Shangri-La Dialogue is an annual intergovernmental security forum held in Singapore since 2002. The forum brings together defense ministers, military chiefs, and experts from around the world to discuss security and defense issues in the Asia-Pacific region. 
• Talanoa Dialogue: The Talanoa Dialogue is a process under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that was established to facilitate a participatory and transparent conversation among countries and other stakeholders on how to enhance their collective efforts to combat climate change. Hence, the correct option is (b).

EXPLANATION:

The Prime Minister has urged women to enroll in Mahila Samman Saving Certificate (MSSC). 

• The Mahila Samman Savings Certificate is a one-time savings scheme for women announced by the government in Budget 2023. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Its main objective is to encourage women's involvement in investment and enhance their financial inclusion. By promoting women's financial independence and literacy, this program can also help to strengthen their overall socioeconomic status. 
• It is a government-guaranteed scheme where women can earn a fixed interest of 7.5%. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The scheme offers interest rates greater than the PPF. The PPF rate is 7.1% which is less than the 7.5% guaranteed under the MSSC scheme. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

The Millets Experience Centre (MEC) is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and NAFED to promote awareness and adoption of millets among the general public. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

• It is a dedicated center that showcases the various types of millet available in the country, their nutritional value, and how they can be incorporated into the daily diet. 
• It aims to educate people about the benefits of consuming millet and to encourage their consumption for better health outcomes and a more sustainable food system. The first MEC was launched at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi, and is the first of its kind in India. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Millets are highly adaptable to different agro-climatic conditions and can be grown in arid and semi-arid regions where other crops like wheat and rice cannot be cultivated. They can also withstand extreme weather conditions like drought and floods, ensuring food and livelihood security for farmers. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Millets have a lower carbon footprint of 3,218 kg than wheat and rice, with 3,968 and 3,401 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per hectare, respectively, helping to lessen the consequences of climate change.
• Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Kalanamak Rice: It is a type of aromatic rice that is primarily grown in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India. It has recently been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2013 for the Uttar Pradesh region. 
• Purandhar Figs: Purandar fig is bell-shaped, larger in size than other varieties, and has a distinctive violet skin colour that differentiates itself from other varieties. Purandar Fig was awarded the Geographical Indication Tag (GI) in 2016 for the state of Maharashtra.
• Nihonshu: The Japanese Embassy has submitted a request for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Nihonshu, a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting rice. This application is subject to India's Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which permits the registration of GI tags by citizens of convention countries that grant equivalent privileges to Indian citizens. Thus, the required answer is option (d).

EXPLANATION:

Recently the Prime Minister delivered the 100th session of the Man ki Baat.

• "Man ki Baat" is a radio program hosted by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• The program is broadcasted on the last Sunday of every month and is a platform for the Prime Minister to address the nation and share his thoughts on various issues of national and international importance. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• The program is broadcasted on the All India Radio network, as well as various other platforms such as Doordarshan, YouTube, and mobile applications. 
• The program has been running since 2014 and has become a popular platform for the Prime Minister to directly connect with the citizens of India. According to the government website, the programme was not conducted in three months of 2019. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
• Listeners are also invited to share their ideas and suggestions with the Prime Minister through various channels such as phone calls, SMS, and social media. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Darknet is a portion of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. It is often used for illegal activities due to the anonymity it provides, including the buying and selling of drugs, weapons, and stolen information.
  • The darknet is accessible through various networks, such as Tor (The Onion Router) or I2P (Invisible Internet Project), which allow users to browse anonymously by encrypting and redirecting their internet traffic through multiple servers.
• Deep web refers to the portion of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and is inaccessible through regular web browsers.  
  • This includes content that is not intended to be publicly available, such as private databases, medical records, academic journals, and other sensitive information.
  • Deep web also includes password-protected websites and networks, such as online banking and email services, as well as intranets and other closed networks. Hence, both statements are correct. The correct answer is option (c).

EXPLANATION:

5G is the fifth generation of mobile communication technology and offers several characteristics that distinguish it from previous generations. The characteristics of 5G over 4G are network transparency, low latency, high-level bandwidth, consistency in delivery, and complete interoperability. Here are some of the key characteristics of 5G:

• High-speed data transfer: 5G is designed to deliver faster data transfer speeds than its predecessors. It can provide data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps data rate which is 10 to 100x improvement over 4G and 4.5G networks.
• Low latency: 5G is designed to reduce latency, which is the time it takes for data to travel between devices. It has a low latency of 1 millisecond.
• High Bandwidth: 5G has higher bandwidth and can thus connect more different devices, improving the quality of Internet services in crowded areas. It has 1000x bandwidth per unit area compared to 4G networks.
• Connected devices: At a minimum, 5G can support 1 million devices for every square kilometer. It can support up to 100x the number of connected devices per unit area compared to a 4G network Thus, the correct answer is option (d).

EXPLANATION:

According to a recent report released by the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), India leads ‘Laundromat’ countries in buying Russian crude and selling oil products to Europe.

• Laundromat countries are a group of countries that purchase Russian oil and ‘launder’ the products to countries that have sanctioned Russia.
• The ‘laundromat countries’ are China, India, Turkey, the UAE, and Singapore. 
• The report suggests that Russia is selling oil at discounted prices to attract buyers and that certain countries involved in the money laundering scheme are importing Russian crude oil and refining it into larger volumes of refined products. These refined products are then exported to countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia, resulting in a 26% increase in refined oil products exported to these countries in the year following the invasion, compared to the previous 12 months. Thus, the correct answer is option (d).

EXPLANATION:

Indian Naval Ships Satpura and Delhi arrived in Singapore on 01 May 2023 to participate in the Inaugural ASEAN India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023) scheduled from 02 to 08 May 2023.

• The AIME-2023 marks India's first participation in joint naval exercises with the ASEAN as a group, although India has previously conducted exercises with individual ASEAN nations.
• The exercise will feature two of the Indian Navy's major warships, the INS Delhi, a domestically constructed destroyer, and the INS Satpura, a modern stealth frigate from the Shivalik class, showcasing India's naval capabilities and commitment to regional security cooperation.
• By joining AIME-2023, India becomes the fourth dialogue partner of the ASEAN, after Russia, China, and the US, to hold the ASEAN+1 maritime exercise. The inaugural exercise will take place off the coast of Singapore and will involve both harbour and at-sea events. Thus, the correct answer is option (a).