Daily Current Affairs Quiz: 11 June 2021

  ANSWER: A

Why in News ?

Interpol has conducted Operation Pangea XIV to target the sale of counterfeit and illicit medicines and medical products.

About:

• Operation Pangeais an international effort to target the online sale of counterfeit and illicit health products. It also aims to raise public awareness of the potential dangers of buying medicines online.
• The first time Operation Pangea was conducted was in 2008.
• Led by: The operation is coordinated by INTERPOL. It involved police, customs and health regulatory authorities from 92 countries.
• India: Indian agencies also participated in the operation. The Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) is the nodal body for Interpol in the country.
• Impact:
  • The operation resulted in around 1 lakh web links including websites and online marketplaces being closed down or removed.
  • Moreover, more than half of all medical devices seized during the operation were fake and unauthorized COVID-19 tests.

ANSWER: C

Why in News ?

Costs of Climate Change in India report has been released by London-based global think tank Overseas Development Institute.

About Costs of Climate Change in India Report:

• It looks at the economic costs of climate-related risks in India. It also points to the possibility of increased inequality and poverty due to climate change.

ANSWER: D

Why in News ?

• India wind energy market outlook was released by Global Wind Energy Council. As per the report, India has a pipeline of 10.3 GW in Central and State markets. These pipelines will drive installations until 2023. Report highlights India will install 20 GW of wind energy capacity by 2021-25.

Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)

• GWEC was established in 2005. It provides credible and representative forum for entire wind energy sector at international level.
• Its mission is to ensure that, wind power is established as the leading energy sources in world, providing several environmental and economic benefits. As per GWEC, even though there are temporary supply chain difficulties, international wind markets are growing strongly. European Union is the leading market in wind energy having around 48 GW of installed capacity.
• Headquarters-Brussels, Belgium

ANSWER: B

Why in News ?

International Level Crossing Awareness Day was observed by “South-Central Railway (SCR)” on June 10, 2021. Awareness programmes was conducted for public at level crossing gates.

About:

• On the occasion, railway authorities took up operation to remove manned level crossings in phased manner by constructing Limited Height Subways (LHS), Road Under Bridges (RUBs) and Road Over Bridges (ROBs) in the zone.
• About 81 manned level crossings have been removed by constructing LHS, ROB and RUBs in collaboration with State governments.

  ANSWER: D

According to Knight Frank’s Global House Price Index for Q1 2021, India has moved down by 12 spots in global home price index because property price in India has declined amid covid-19 pandemic.

About:

This year, India has been ranked at 55^th position while during Q1 2020, India was ranked at 43rd position in terms of property prices.

Key Findings of index

• Home prices in India decreased by 1.6 percent on a year-on-year basis.
• In terms of changes in 6-month (Q3 2020-Q1 2021) and 3-month (Q4 2020-Q1 2021), residential prices have increased by 0.6 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.
• US witnessed highest annual price growth rate since 2005. Prices have increased by 13.2 percent year on year (YoY)
• Turkey is the topper in annual rankings with prices of 32 percent.
• Turkey is followed by New Zealand at 22.1 percent and Luxembourg with 16.6 percent growth in prices YoY.
• Spain emerged as weakest-performing territory in Q1 2021. In Spain, home prices fell by 1.8 percent.
• Spain is followed by India with 1.6 per cent decline on prices.

ANSWER: B

Why in News ?

Researchers from University of Ottawa proposed a new optical element that could turn a telescope into thin sheet of paper, or a much smaller & lighter high-performance camera. This idea can turn into reality by dramatically miniaturizing optical devices.

About new optical element

• Researchers have developed a new optical element called ‘Spaceplate’ which “spreads out” light when it is travelling through it. In every telescope there is a large gap between eyepiece and objective lens giving light room to spread. Spaceplate stimulates same spreading which light would experience travelling large distance in small device. Space plate looks like “more space” for light, than it actually occupies. It is a counterpart to lens that shrink down entire imaging systems.

ANSWER: B

Why in News ?

Alphabet’s Google is all set to build world’s longest undersea cable connecting United States, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. This undersea cable will boost internet connection capacity in these regions.

About:

Undersea cable, called Firmina, will run from East Coast of United States to Las Toninas, Argentina along with additional landings in Praia Grande, Brazil, and Punta del Este, Uruguay. Announcement was made following a surge in demand for internet and cloud services amid covid-19 pandemic which has pushed online shopping, online entertainment, online and work from home culture.

Significance of Firmina

Firmina undersea cable will improve access to Google services for users in South America. It will comprise of 12 fibre pairs which will carry traffic quickly & securely between North & South America. It will thus provide the users fast, low-latency access to Google products like Gmail, Search, YouTube and Google Cloud services.