Daily Current Affairs Quiz: March 02, 2023

 ANSWER: C

ANSWER: B

 ANSWER: D

 ANSWER: A

• Standing committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared the setting up of a new Indian Air Force mountain radar in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) in Eastern Ladakh.
• The NBWL, chaired by Union Environment minister, cleared the way for the transfer of 31.6 hectares of land from the Changthang wildlife sanctuary in Ladakh.
• Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) is located in Ladakhi Changthang plateau in Leh district of Ladakh UT.
• It covers lakes like Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri and Tso Kar.
• Fauna: Snow Leopard, Tibetan Antelope, Tibetan wolf, wild yak, bharal etc.
• Flora: although devoid of trees, rare and endangered plants can be found throughout the region.

 ANSWER: C

• Indian Army is going to conduct PALM 400 drone tests in Pokhran.
• PALM 400 is an armed remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) built by AVision Systems.
• It is a joint venture between Israeli firm UVision Air Ltd and Hyderabad-based Aditya Precitech Private Ltd.
• It is a high precision loitering system launched from a canister which can loiter for up to 120 minutes.
• Speed: 50-140 knots (90-260 km per hour), Height: 3,000-4,000 feet above ground.
• It picks out its target and fires an armor-penetrating projectile from top – where its armor protection is the least.

 ANSWER: D

• The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has instructed some news channels to remove from their online platforms videos of certain programmes aired by them after it found them to be in violation of the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and Specific Guidelines.

About NBDSA

• The NBDSA is an independent body set up by the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA), which serves as a representative of private television news, current affairs and digital broadcasters.
• It describes itself as the collective voice of the news, current affairs and digital broadcasters in India.
• It is funded entirely by its members.
• It aims to protect all its members from carrying out unfair and/or unethical practices or discredit television news broadcasters, digital news media and other related entities.
• NBDSA includes a chairperson who is to be an eminent jurist, and other members such as news editors, and those experienced in field of law, education, literature, public administration etc. nominated by a majority of Board.

 ANSWER: C

• Recently, Acclaimed Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla won the 2023 PEN/Nabokov Award for achievement in international literature.
• He won the PEN America award for lifetime achievement in literature, after decades of composing acclaimed novels like Naukar Ki Kameez (1979) and poetry collections like Sab Kuch Hona Bacha Rahega (1992).
• His first published work was a poetry collection Lagbhag Jai Hind (1971), followed by Vah Aadmi Chala Gaya Naya Garam Coat Pehankar Vichar Ki Tarah (1981).
  • Naukar Ki Kameez was his first novel.
• He has also won the Sahitya Akademi award and the Atta Galatta–Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize.

About PEN/Nabokov Award

• The PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature is awarded biennially by PEN America (formerly PEN American Center) to writers, principally novelists, “whose works evoke to some measure Nabokov’s brilliant versatility and commitment to literature as a search for the deepest truth and the highest pleasure— what Nabokov called the ‘indescribable tingle of the spine’.”
• It is one of the most coveted literary prizes worldwide. The winner is awarded $50,000.
• The award is financed by the Vladimir Nabokov Foundation, founded by Dmitri Nabokov. It has been called one of the most prestigious PEN prizes.

ANSWER: A

• UK government reached a landmark deal with European Union on post-Brexit trade rules that will govern Northern Ireland.
• Windsor Framework will replace the Northern Ireland Protocol.
• Framework has two crucial aspects
  1. the introduction of a Green lane and Red lane system for goods
     • Green lane: British goods meant for Northern Ireland will use the green lane at the ports and will be allowed to pass with minimal paperwork and checks.
     • Physical checks will be conducted if the goods are deemed suspicious, in place of the routine checks now.Also, people in Northern Ireland can order goods online from Britain easily now.
     • Red lane: Goods destined for Ireland or the rest of the EU will have to take the red lane, with the attendant customs and other checks.
  2. ‘Stormont Brake’: It allows Northern Ireland lawmakers and London to veto any EU regulation they believe affects the region adversely.
     • It means the democratically elected Northern Ireland Assembly can oppose new EU goods rules that would have significant and lasting effects on everyday lives in Northern Ireland.
     • For this, they will need the support of 30 members from at least two parties.
     • The British government can then veto the law.

 ANSWER: D

• Report provides progress and performance of Indian states on various aspects of clean electricity transition.
  • Electricity Transition refers to the shift from fossil-based power production and consumption to renewable energy sources (RES) like wind and solar.
• It has analysed 16 states on electricity transition pathway with 17 parameters based on four broad dimensions-
  • Decarbonisation– Evaluate states’ preparedness to shift from fossil-based power to RES.
    • Decarbonisation is reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through use of low carbon power sources, achieving lower output of greenhouse gasses into atmosphere.
  • Performance of power system– Evaluate states’ ability to create greener market pulls effectively
  • Readiness of power ecosystem and policies– Transform power systems while ensuring reliable electricity supply.
  • Political commitments– Evaluate proactiveness in promoting innovative policies.
• These states together account for 90% of India’s annual power requirement.
• Important findings-
  • Bihar, UP and West Bengal need to expand their potential and transition commitments.
  • Karnataka is only state that scored well across all four dimensions followed by Gujarat.

About IEEFA

• Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) examines issues related to energy markets, trends and policies.
• It’s mission is to accelerate the transition to a diverse, sustainable and profitable energy economy.
• It is based in Ohio, USA.

 ANSWER: A

• The Supreme Court has directed to provide the Z+ security cover to Reliance Industries CMD Mukesh Ambani and his family members throughout India and abroad.
• There are mainly six categories of security cover provided by Government
  1. SPG (Special Protection Group) is meant only for the Prime Minister and his immediate family. Other protection categories can be provided to anyone about whom the central or state government has inputs about a threat.
  2. X category security usually entails one gunman protecting the individual.
  3. Y has one gunman for mobile security and one (plus four on rotation) for static security.
  4. Y+ has two policemen (plus four on rotation) for mobile security, and one (plus four on rotation) for residence security.
  5. Z has six gunmen for mobile security, and two (plus eight) for residence security.
  6. Z+ has 10 security personnel for mobile security and two (plus eight) for residence security.

ANSWER: C

• SEBI recently barred 21 entities in the Axis mutual fund front-running case.
• It identified Rs 30.5 crore as wrongful gains accrued due to the alleged front-running activities and directed that this amount be impounded from the entities.
• Front running, also known as tailgating, is the prohibited practice of entering into an equity trade, option, futures contract, derivative, or security-based swap to capitalize on advance, nonpublic knowledge of a large pending transaction that will influence the price of the underlying security.
• Insider trading is when a company insider, an official, employee or a senior executive, takes advantage of unpublished price-sensitive information (UPSI) to trade in the company’s stock and make profits from such transactions.

About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

• SEBI is a statutory body established in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992.
• The basic functions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India is to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote and regulate the securities market.
• SEBI Board consists of a Chairman , full time and part time members.
• SEBI is a quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial body which can draft regulations, conduct inquiries, pass rulings and impose penalties.

ANSWER: A

• In a significant development in DNA vaccination research, India’s first and only DNA vaccine candidate for dengue has shown promising results.
• It has been in development since 2019 in National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru.
  • Earlier, world’s first DNA vaccine—ZyCoV-D was approved in 2021 for emergency use against COVID-19.
  • Globally, DNA vaccines are being developed for diseases like tuberculosis and chikungunya.

About the DNA vaccine

• DNA vaccine uses a copy of a genetic sequence from a part (i.e., outer or spike-protein) of a pathogen (virus or bacteria) to stimulate body’s immune system. More specifically, it known as “plasmid DNA vaccine”.
• On the other hand, RNA vaccine uses a copy of a natural chemical called messenger RNA (mRNA) to produce an immune response in humans. Delivery of mRNA is achieved by lipid nanoparticles.
• DNA vaccine is more stable than RNA vaccine.
• Unlike RNA vaccine, DNA vaccines have potential to integrate into host cell genome.
• Benefits of DNA vaccine
  • Stability and safety: Vaccines are non-infectious; carries no potential toxicity from viral vectors.
  • Efficacy and boosting: Stimulate both humoral and cellular arms of adaptive immune system; pose minimal risk of anti-vector immunity.
  • Rapid and Scalable manufacturing: Lower cold chain requirements.
• Issues: Relatively limited data on safety and efficacy in humans; risk of development of anti-nuclear antibodies; induction of antibiotic resistance.

 ANSWER: A

• The CM said that Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved Rs 1,311.20 crore under the phase-1 of the proposed infrastructure development investment programme.
• the state government had been emphasising on making Himachal the best tourist destination in the country by developing unexplored tourist places.
• In the first phase, the beautification of Palampur would be undertaken. A convention centre would be built at Dharamsala, a thematic-cum-green park at Pragpur, wellness centres at Dharamsala, Shimla, Nadaun and Kullu-Manali and a high-end fountain tourist facility at Dharamsala.
• Besides, wayside amenities will be developed on the Mandi-Kullu highway, Nadaun, Kaleshwar Mahadev and Kangra, while rafting-cum-water park complex will be established at Nadaun.
• Facilities like shikaras, house boats, jetties, water biking at Pong Dam, Nadaun and Bangana, etc, would be developed.

ANSWER: C

• The state Cabinet, under the chairmanship CM , approved the Himachal Pradesh Sadhbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme 2023 to dispose of around 50,000 pending tax cases pertaining to the pre-Goods and Services Tax (GST) era.
• The Himachal Pradesh Sadhbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme 2023 will be notified for three months initially.
• Dealers can deposit their taxes along with the prescribed settlement fee, where interest and penalty have been waived.
• This is the third such legacy scheme rolled out since 2020 to settle pending casesof Value Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST), which were later subsumed in the GST.
• The State Taxes and Excise Department had earlier floated the Himachal Pradesh Swarn Jayanti (Legacy Cases Resolution) Scheme-2021. It was applicable for four months initially and had generated a revenue of Rs 91 crore. There were 1.68 lakh pending cases — 13,705 in Solan, 20,108 in Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh, 11,615 in Sirmaur and 9,869 in Una.