Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 30, 2021

ANSWER: B

WHY IN NEWS?

Geological Survey of India (GSI), under the government’s energy security plans, has imitated seven lithium exploration projects in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir.

About:

• Lithium exploration in the states of Rajasthan and Karnataka has also been undertaken by Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMDER) which comes under the ambit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
• The government of India has announced an Rs 18,100 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme with the primary aim of making lithium-ion cells to promote e-mobility in the country.
• India lacks lithium reserves for the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries and other usages. Most lithium batteries are imported into the country.

Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL)

Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) is a joint venture firm of Hindustan Copper Ltd, National Aluminium Company Ltd and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd. It is scouting for lithium and cobalt mines overseas with the target of acquiring them. JV KABIL has inked non-binding MoUs with YPF, JEMSE and CAMYEN which are owned by Argentina.

What is the reason for securing lithium supplies?

India needs to secure lithium supplies and doing so will boost the Indian energy sectors towards green economy of the country. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has already announced its plans of setting an Advanced Energy Storage Giga Factory. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, Adani Group, Larsen and Toubro Ltd, Tata Chemicals, Greeenko Group, Renew Power etc are interested in building lithium-ion cell manufacturing plants in the country

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

 The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) launched Earth System Science Data Portal (ESSDP)

About:

• Dr Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), gave a lecture during this event.
• A report on ‘WMO, Disasters, Climate and COP-26’ was discussed along with the issues relating to climate change.

ESSDP (Earth System Science Data Portal)

Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of the Ministry of Earth Sciences launched the MoES-ESSDP (Earth System Science Data Portal). It is an integrated digital web portal of the MoES institutes. This web portal will make the data regarding the various themes of earth system science available for public usage. This is available at https://incois.gov.in/essdp and it has been developed by using the latest technological tools. This portal has been aligned with the initiative, Digital India, of the Government of India which aims to transform India into a digitally empowered economy and society. This portal will facilitate in the retrieval and search of science data on earth system such as ocean, atmosphere, geosciences, poles, and seismology for benefit of the society.

ANSWER: D

WHY IN NEWS?

29^th July, 2021, International Tiger Day which is also known as World Tiger Day is observed annually.

About:

• This day is observed to create and spread awareness about the dangers faced by the tiger population of the world.
• It is very important to focus on the conservation of tigers as they play an important role in maintaining and protecting a balanced ecosystem.
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) states that since tigers are the top predators, they play a very important role in maintaining the planet’s ecosystems harmony.
• By preying on the herbivore population, tigers have helped to keep the balance between the forest vegetation and the animals.

History of International Tiger Day

In the year 2010, in Russia, the first World Tiger Day was observed at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit. A total of thirteen countries with tiger range banded together and decided upon a global goal to double wild tiger’s population by the year 2022.

Significance of International Tiger Day

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says that at the beginning of the 20^th century there were around 1,00,000 tigers. In the year 2010, it was observed that the number has drastically reduced to 3,200. Therefore, it is very important to save the tiger population of the world. Hence, the International Tiger Day plays an important role by creating and spreading awareness and works for the conservation of tigers.

Tiger Population in India

According to the All India Tiger Estimation Report of 2018 the tiger population in India is 2967.

ANSWER: B

WHY IN NEWS?

The 12^th edition of the military exercise INDRA NAVY was held in the Baltic Sea. It is a biennial bilateral maritime exercise that is conducted between the Indian Navy and Russian Navy.

About:

• It was initiated in the year 2003.
• This exercise further strengthens the long-term strategic relationship between the navies of the two countries.
• This exercise was undertaken as INS Tabar’s visit to St Petersburg in Russia to participate in the Russian Navy’s 325^th Navy Day celebrations.
• INDRA NAVY has matured over the years with an increase in scope, the complexity of operations and level of participation.
• The primary aim of this year’s exercise was to further strengthen the inter-operability which has been built up by the Navies of both the countries and also to enhance procedures and understandings of various maritime operations.
• This edition of the exercise includes diverse and wide-ranging activities which have been stretched across the broad spectrum of maritime operations.

Representation by the countries

INS Tabar represented the India Navy whilst the Russian Federation Navy was represented by Corvettes RFS Odintsovo and RFS Zelyony Dol of the Baltic Fleet.

Conclusion

The exercise was conducted over two days and various fleet operations such as underway replenishment drills, boarding drills, anti-air firings, helicopter ops, and seamanship evolutions. This exercise will further strengthen inter-operability, mutual confidence and will also enable the sharing of best practices between the Navies of both the countries.

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

Intel has collaborated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Ministry of Education to announce the launch of the ‘AI for All’ initiative. This initiative has been launched with the aim of creating a basic understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) for everyone in the country.

About:

• Emerging technologies such as AI plays a crucial role for economic growth.
• NITI Aayog’s National Strategy for AI focuses on leveraging AI for inclusive growth and also to develop AI solutions for the various societal needs.
• The National Education Policy 2020 of India also emphasizes in preparing the students of the country for an AI driven economy.
• India is striving to build a digital-ready foundation, and to achieve this it is essential to focus on demystifying AI so that it can be used by a broader section of the population and will also help them to understand about how AI can impact their lives in a positive manner.

About AI for All

Intel’s AI for All is a 4-hour, learning program. It can be accessed by all and is as much applicable to a student as to a stay-at-home parent or a professional in any field and even a senior citizen of the country. This program of Intel aims to introduce Artificial Intelligence, its usage and function, to 1 million citizens in the first year of the program. This 4-hour program is divided into two sections:  AI Appreciation (2.5 hours) and AI Awareness (1.5 hours).

AI Awareness

The segment on AI Awareness provides an elementary understanding of AI, misconceptions about AI and the potential of application of AI.

AI Appreciation

The AI Appreciation segment will help the learners understand the domains of AI as well as the impact it has across the various industries.

This program is available in 11 vernacular languages. The content has also been made compatible with various talkback applications so that it can also be accessed by visually impaired people

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

India’s 14 Tiger Reserves have received the Global Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) accreditation.

The 14 tiger reserves are

• Orang, Manas and Kaziranga in Assam
• Kanha, Panna and Satpura in MP
• Pench in Maharashtra
• Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar
• Dudhwa in UP
• Sunderbans in West Bengal
• Parambikulam in Kerala
• Bandipur Tiger Reserve of Karnataka
• Annamalai and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.

Global Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) accreditation

CA|TS is a conservation tool which is accepted globally. This tool sets best standards and practices to manage the tiger population of the world and encourages their assessments for benchmarking of progress. It is being implemented in around 125 sites in seven tiger range countries. India has the highest number of 94 sites, out of which assessment of 20 tiger reserves were completed this year. Currently, the country has 51 tiger reserves which are spread across 18 states.

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the Government is taking various steps to undertake the large scale production of COVID BEEP.

• COVID BEEP is the country’s first cost effective indigenously made wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for the patients who are suffering from COVID-19.
• COVID BEEP has been developed by the ESIC Medical College Hyderabad in association with the Department of Atomic Energy and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL).
• 40 COVID-BEEPs were supplied to the Government hospitals in Hyderabad for feedback and deployment.
• Further, another 100 are being prepared to be dispatched by mid-August, 2021.
• A proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Labour & Employment for the large scale deployment of COVID BEEPS.

COVID BEEP

COVID BEEP which stands for ‘Continuous Oxygenation & Vital Information Detection Biomed ECIL ESIC Pod’ first cost effective indigenously made wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for the patients who are suffering from COVID-19. COVID BEEP has been developed by the ESIC Medical College Hyderabad in association with the Department of Atomic Energy and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL)

COVID BEEP’s latest version has-

NIBP monitoring

Aged people who are affected have the highest COVID-19 death rates and hence, NIBP monitoring is necessary.

ECG monitoring

The drugs which are being used such as prophylaxis or Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin etc have effects on the patient’s heart and hence, it is important for the ECG monitoring.

The Respiratory Rate

COVID BEEP calculates the respiratory rate by the Bio Impedance method.

COVID BEEP will help in reducing of transmission and will help in saving resources like PPE kits, etc.

ANSWER: D

WHY IN NEWS?

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya students have detected Eight Asteroids as part of the Khagolshala Asteroid Search Campaign 2021.

About Khagolshala Asteroid Search Campaign:

• Khagolshala Asteroid Search Campaign (KASC) is an initiative of the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, and SPACE Foundation.
• The campaign is the India chapter of an international student research program that has got students involved in the search for asteroids.
• Under the campaign, high-quality astronomical data sets are distributed to students through the PANSTARRS telescope for analysis and identification of asteroids.
• The students then analyze the data using software, which then leads to potential discoveries.
• These observations feed into the Near-Earth Object(NEO) data being compiled by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL).
• As part of the campaign, Space India has established Khagolshala Astronomy and Space Education Labs (ASELs) across 20 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas till date.

About Asteroids:

• Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. Although asteroids orbit the Sun-like planets, they are much smaller than planets.
• There are lots of asteroids in our solar system. Most of them live in the main asteroid belt—a region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

About PANSTARRS Telescope:

• Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) is a telescope located in Hawaii, US.
• The telescope consists of astronomical cameras, telescopes and a computing facility that is surveying the sky for moving or variable objects on a continual basis. It is also producing accurate astrometry and photometry of already-detected objects.

About SPACE Foundation:

• SPACE Foundation was established in 2001. It aims to popularize science and inculcate scientific temperament among the masses, especially students in India.

ANSWER: D

WHY IN NEWS?

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), humanity has again used up all biological resources that our planet regenerates during the entire year by 29^th July, 2021.

• Humanity currently uses 74% more than what the planet’s ecosystems can regenerate — or 1.7 Earths.
• From Earth Overshoot Day until the end of the year, humanity operates on ecological deficit spending.

About:

• The day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources (fish and forests, for instance) and services in a given year exceeds what the Earth can regenerate in that year.
• The concept of Earth Overshoot Day was first conceived by Andrew Simms of the UK think tank New Economics Foundation, which partnered with Global Footprint Network in 2006 to launch the first global Earth Overshoot Day campaign.
  • Global Footprint Network is an international non-profit organization founded in the year 2003. Its key strategy has been to make available robust Ecological Footprint data.
  • The Ecological Footprint is a metric that comprehensively compares human demand on nature against nature’s capacity to regenerate.
• Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s bio capacity (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and multiplying by 365, the number of days in a year:
  • (Earth’s Bio capacity / Humanity’s Ecological Footprint) x 365 = Earth Overshoot Day