ANSWER: D

ANSWER: B

ANSWER: C

ANSWER: B

• In a first-of-its-kind, over 50 grass species were identified during workshop and survey on ‘Grasses Identification and Grassland Management’ at the Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR).
• The NSTR comprises two sanctuaries, namely the Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gundla Brahmeswaram Sanctuary.

 ABOUT GUNDLA BRAHMESWARAM SANCTUARY.

• It is situated between Kurnool and Prakasam districts in Andhra Pradesh.
• Area- 1194 km sq
• It is situated on Gundla Brahmeshwaram plateau which runs from south to north of the Nallamala Hills.
• It is located between two important hill passes known as “Mantralamma kanuma” and “Nandi kanuma”.
• Gundlakamma river flows through the sanctuary on its eastern side.
• Renowned as one of the most picturesque forest areas in India, the sanctuary have mixed deciduous forest of Terminalia, Albizzia, Teak, Pterocarpuss, Anogeissius, Andug, Bamboo Dalbergia, Boswellia and Shisham at ease here.
• Fauna includes Wild Dog, Bonnet Monkey, Jungle Cat, Hyena, Tiger, Panther, Sloth Bear, Langur, Pangolin, Chinkara,  Nilgai, Chowsingha, Mouse Deer, Python, Sambar, Crocodile and Monitor Lizard.
  • The main attractions of the Wildlife Sanctuary include Tufted Gray Langur and Mouse deer.

ANSWER: C

• More than 150 onchocerciasis partners, including national onchocerciasis coordinators from health ministries in endemic countries, national onchocerciasis elimination committee chairs, experts, researchers gathered in Mbour, Senegal, for the first meeting of the new Global Onchocerciasis Elimination Network (GONE).

ABOUT ONCHOCERCIASIS

• Onchocerciasis (also known as river blindness) is the second leading infectious cause of blindness after trachoma.
• It is classified as a neglected tropical disease (NTD).
• It can cause intense itching, rashes, skin discoloration, visual impairment and eye disease leading to permanent blindness.
• The parasite worm Onchocerca volvulus, is spread by the bites of infected black flies that breed in rapidly flowing rivers.
• Globally, at least 244 million people in 31 countries suffer from this debilitating and painful disease.
• Africa is home to 99% of the people at risk of onchocerciasis; the remaining 1% live on the border between Brazil and Venezuela.
• Four countries have been verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating transmission of the disease: Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico.

ANSWER: B

• India debuted its first-ever 50-year bond(dated government securities or G-Secs) at a cut-off yield of 7.46%.
• This is part of the government’s reorganisation of its borrowing profile.

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received bids worth Rs 40,200 crore (4x) for these ultra-long bonds, against the notified amount of Rs 10,000 crore.

• Prior to this, India’s longest tenor government bond was the 40-year paper. The cut-off yield on that is close to 7.47%.
• The government plans to raise Rs 6.55 lakh crore in the second half of the current financial year as part of its stated borrowing plan.
• The 50-year bond will be used to raise 4.58% of this target, the government had disclosed earlier.

ANSWER: B

• European Space Agency (ESA) has recently shared pictures of Kawah Ijen Lake.
• It is located in East Java, Indonesia.
• It has pH of less than 0.3
• It is a volcanic crater that is ‘full of acid that also spits blue flames’.
• It is the largest and most acidic crater lake in the world.
• Geologists call it the ‘The largest acid barrel on Earth’, due to its high concentration of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, as well as dissolved minerals which also give the lake its blue-greenish colour.
• It also emits flammable and hot sulfurous gases that ignite upon contact with Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere.
• It is the source of the extremely acidic and metal-polluted river ‘Banyupahit’.

ANSWER: D

• PM recently inaugurated the second edition of the “World Food India 2023” at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital.
• It has been organized by Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• The first edition of the event was held in 2017.
• It aims to showcase India as the “food basket of the world” and celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
• More than 80 countries, 200 speakers and 12 partner ministries, departments and commodity boards took part in the three-day event.

ANSWER: D

• The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is a global day observed on November 6^th every year.
• This day highlights the impact of armed conflicts on our environment.
• This day was inaugurated by the United Nations (UN) on November 5, 2001, through a UN General Assembly resolution.
• The major goals include-
  • Environmental Safety During Conflict
  • Promoting Peace and Sustainability
  • International Collaboration
  • Safeguarding Human Well-being
  • Advocating Legal Frameworks
  • Raising Public Awareness

ANSWER: A

• Collins Dictionary has declared “AI” which stands for Artificial Intelligence as the Word of the Year for 2023.
• The dictionary defines AI as the “modelling of human mental functions by computer programs.”
• It reflects the increasing prominence of Artificial Intelligence in our daily lives.

ANSWER:  B

• The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) will take up the work for restoration of 84 Pauris (stairs) in Una town.
• The 84 Pauris were about 250 years old monument and was linked to the history of Una town.
• The monument also has significance in Sikh history as it is linked with the descendants of Guru Nanak Dev
• Chaurasi (84) Pauris built here is a monument of mutual brotherhood.
• These also signify the 84 ‘yonis’, which a human has to pass to attain nirwana as per Hindu mythology.
• The ‘pauris’ were built with stones brought from various places of religious significance.
• It was built by sages of all religions of the time as every stone laid was brought in with prayers and reverence.