Daily Current Affairs Quiz: February 20, 2023

ANSWER: B

ANSWER: B

 ANSWER: A

ANSWER: C

• ECI decision on party name and party symbol for Shiv Sena in Maharashtra has become an issue.
• Article 324 read with Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers ECI to recognise political parties and allot symbols.
  • Under the Order, ECI can decide disputes among rival groups or sections of a recognised political party staking claim to its name and symbol.
• In Sadiq Ali Case (1971), Supreme Court upheld ECI’s authority to decide issues on a dispute or a merger and prescribed 3 tests to arrive at a decision:
  • Test of Aims and Objectives of the Party Constitution.
  • Test of party constitution
  • Test of Majority
• In line with Sec 29A of Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Election Symbols Order, 1968, ECI recognizes a Political Party and allocates symbol to it.
  • Recognised National Parties: These parties are allocated with a symbol, which can be used across the country in all elections. No other parties can use them.
  • Recognised State Parties: These parties are allocated with an exclusive symbol within the state.
  • Independent Candidates: They can choose 3 Symbols in order of their preference (other than national and state party’s symbol).

ANSWER: B

• Aero India 2023 was organised at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru recently. The event was the biggest-ever till date and witnessed the participation of 98 countries, according to the Ministry of Defence.
• This year’s theme is ‘The runway to a billion opportunities’ and the focus is on showcasing India’s growth in aerospace and defense capabilities.
• Events included Defence Ministers’ Conclave, a CEOs Round Table, Manthan start-up event, and Bandhan ceremony (for forging and renewing partnerships between business entities), Air show (open to the public) with aerial displays being the highlight.
• MoUs included the ones between Gopalan Aerospace India Private Limited and Omnipol of Czech Republic for manufacturing and assembling 1st passenger aircraft by a private company in India.

ANSWER: B

• Volatiles are elements or compounds that change from solid or liquid state into vapour at relatively low temperatures.
  • The most common volatiles are carbon dioxide, nitrogen, ammonia, hydrogen, methane, sulphur dioxide and water.
• New research suggests that some of the well-known volatiles may have come from beyond inner solar system such as zinc, a volatile, has come from asteroids originating in the outer Solar System beyond the asteroid belt.
• Without contribution of outer Solar System material, the Earth would have had fewer concentrations of volatiles, making the planet drier and potentially unable to nourish and sustain life.
• Material with a high concentration of zinc and other volatile constituents is also likely to be rich in water, giving clues about the origin of Earth’s water.
• In a recent study, the researchers examined meteorites from the inner Solar System, known as non-carbonaceous meteorites, and from the outer Solar System, known as carbonaceous meteorites.
• While the Earth only incorporated about ten percent of its mass from carbonaceous bodies, this material supplied about half of Earth’s zinc.

 ANSWER: C

• The Indian Air Force has developed a solution for its fighter pilots to deal with bad weather. The innovative solution developed is a new data link communication called VAYULINK.
• It will provide uninterrupted communication even during bad weather. Above all the communication link is jammer-proof.
• It uses IRNSS to send and receive signals.
  • IRNSS is a satellite constellation of ISRO. It is also called NAVIC.
  • However, the unique feature of the communication link is that its satellite usage is rare. It means the system uses the satellite only when the signals are low.
• VAYULINK will aid in preventing Fratricide- meaning, during air force fire operations, it prevents IAF aircraft form shooting down own aircrafts or own ground stations.
  • When VAYULINK is installed in spacecraft, it provides proximity to other aircraft. With encrypted data about IAF flights, VAYULINK identifies it separately. Also, our own ground stations shall be identified easily with VAYULINK.

 ANSWER: B

• AIIMS-Rishikesh tested feasibility of drones supplying medicines to primary health centres or smaller hospitals in cases of emergency.
  • The aerial distance of nearly 40 kilometres between the helipad at AIIMS and the hospital was covered in 30 minutes.
• Vertiplane X3 is the fastest ‘made-in-India hybrid’ e-VTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) drone with a maximum speed of 120 kmph, distance coverage of 100 km and a payload capacity of 3 kg. It is built by TechEagle, a deeptech firm.
• Drone has two propulsion systems and has hybrid capabilities of a helicopter and an aeroplane.
• Applications: Delivery of cargo for healthcare, defence, maritime, hyperlocal, and e-commerce.

ANSWER: A

• Lexi, a ChatGPT-powered AI chatbot, has arrived in India.
• Velocity, a financial technology firm, launched the chatbot to assist e-commerce owners by presenting them with business information in a simplified manner.
• Velocity insights, Velocity’s proprietary analytics platform, has been linked with the chatbot.

 ANSWER: D

• The Spanish government approved a historic law granting paid medical leave to women suffering from severe menstrual pain becoming the first European country to do so.
• These leave facilities are available in a handful of countries including Japan, Indonesia, and Zambia.

 ANSWER: A

• Famous Yakshagana singer and screenwriter Balipa Narayan Bhagwat passed away at the age of 85.
• He had mastered a unique style of singing, due to which fans have given it the name of ‘Balipa Style’.
• Rich in voice, Bhagwat has written more than 30 Yakshagana ‘Prasanga’ (scripts).
• He was well versed in over 100 Yakshagana episodes, which he composed by heart. He had served in the field of Yakshagana for about 60 years.

 ANSWER: D

• The World Day of Social Justice is celebrated by the United Nations and several other international organizations on February 20.
• The main objective of observing world social justice day is to spread awareness of the relationship between poverty eradication and social justice.
• The theme of World Day of Social Justice 2023- ‘Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice’.

 ANSWER: C

• The HP Police will host the 22nd All-India Water Sports Championship from March 2 to 6 at Androli in Una district. The state police will be organising the national tournament for the first time.
• This year the theme is, ‘Experience the Waters of Himachal’.
• The teams in both men and women categories will compete in rowing, canoeing and kayaking competitions.
  • Over 400 participants from 51 state and central paramilitary organisations are likely to compete in the championship.

 ANSWER: C

• The Kullu Zila Parishad will develop various religious and scenic treks here under the Remote Area Development Plan.
• The trekking routes to Kheerganga, Shangal, Serolsar, Shakti, Maror, Shrikhand, Bijli Mahadev, etc. will be redeveloped to promote tourism in these regions with the aim of generating employment opportunities for the masses.
• Kheerganga in the Parbati valley attracts a large number of pilgrims and tourists. The place has hot water springs. White algae present in the water is believed to cure many skin diseases.
  • However, the trek is very risky at some points and not very commuter friendly.
  • The trek goes up to uninhabited Mantalai and further to the Pin Parbati Pass, but this tough adventure is undertaken only by well-equipped professionals.

ANSWER: C

• Bollywood actor Vidyut Jammwal presented the Filmfare award for the “best male debut” that he had received in 2012 to his alma mater, Army Public School, Dagshai, during an alumni meet held recently.
  • Jammwal won the award for his first Hindi film ‘Force’.
• Jammwal passed out from the school in 1996.