Daily Current Affairs Quiz: October 19, 2023

ANSWER: D

ANSWER: A

ANSWER: C 

ANSWER: D

• Prime Minister recently applauded the success of organ donation drive as over 80,000 People have taken the pledge to donate their organs, under the Ayushman Bhav campaign.

ABOUT AYUSHMAN BHAV

• The ‘Ayushman Bhav’ campaign, initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is a comprehensive nationwide healthcare initiative that aims to provide saturation coverage of healthcare services, reaching every village and town in the country.
• This initiative builds upon the success of the Ayushman Bharat program.
• It unites government sectors, civil society organizations, and communities under a common mission to ensure that every individual receives essential health services without any disparity or exclusion.
• It is a collaborative effort spearheaded by Gram Panchayats in coordination with the Department of Health, other government departments, and local elected bodies in rural and urban areas.
• It has three components-
  • Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0– This initiative aims to provide Ayushman cards to remaining eligible beneficiaries enrolled under the PM-JAY scheme, ensuring that more individuals have access to essential health services.
  • Ayushman Melas at HWCs and CHCs- These Melas at Ayushman Bharat- HWCs and CHCs will facilitate the creation of ABHA IDs (Health IDs) and the issuance of Ayushman Bharat Cards. They will also offer early diagnosis, comprehensive primary health care services, teleconsultation with specialists, and appropriate referrals.
  • Ayushman Sabhas- These gatherings in every village and Panchayat will play a pivotal role in distributing Ayushman cards, generating ABHA IDs, and raising awareness about vital health schemes and disease conditions, such as non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis (Nikshay Mitra), sickle cell disease, as well as blood donation and organ donation drives.

ANSWER: A

• The text in an ancient scroll that was badly burned in a volcanic eruption Mount Vesuvius of nearly 2,000 years ago has been read by artificial intelligence (AI).
• The papyrus scrolls, still rolled up, were turned into charcoal erupted and reached the Roman town of Herculaneum in 79AD – the same one that buried the city of Pompeii and killed around 16,000 people.

ABOUT MOUNT VESUVIUS

• It is located in southern Italy near the coastal city of Naples.
• The 4,203-ft tall Vesuvius is the only active volcano in mainland Europe.
• It has been classified as a complex volcano (or a compound volcano), one that consists of a complex of two or more vents.
• It is part of the Campanian volcanic arc, a line of volcanoes that formed over a subduction zone created by the convergence of the African and Eurasian plates.
• Vesuvius typically has explosive eruptions and pyroclastic flows –– defined as a high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas.
• It is considered among the most dangerous volcanoes in the world due to its proximity to Naples and surrounding towns.

ANSWER: D

• The Iron Beam air defence system that Israel may deploy, can fire powerful beams of light that can destroy fast-moving projectiles.
• It was earlier planned to enter service in 2025. However, following the outbreak of war, the Israeli Ministry of Defence may consider deploying it sooner.
• It was first unveiled in 2014.
• Built by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Iron Beam system is a directed-energy weapon air defence system that fires powerful beams of light.
• The Iron Beam was considered as a cheaper and flexible alternative to work alongside the Iron Dome missile defence system.
• Instead of the interceptors fired by Iron Dome, which can cost $60,000 each, one could send a laser beam that costs just a few dollars
• The Iron Beam is also smaller and lighter than Iron Dome, which makes it easier to move and to hide.
• Challenges
  • It cannot operate effectively in wet conditions. Even in optimum conditions, the laser loses 30 to 40 percent of its potential energy to atmospheric moisture before hitting the target.
  • It requires a direct line of sight between the system and its target.
  • The Iron Beam also has a much slower rate of fire, requiring five seconds or so to transmit sufficient energy to destroy its target.
  • As of now, the functionality of the Iron Beam on the battlefield is down to speculation.

ANSWER: D

• Rafah crossing is the southernmost post of exit from the Gaza Strip (Palestine) and borders with Egypt’s Sinai peninsula.
  • It is the only crossing point for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip right now.
• Two other border crossings from and into the Gaza Strip are-
  • Erez- a crossing for people with Israel in northern Gaza.
  • Kerem Shalom– it is a solely commercial goods junction with Israel in southern Gaza.

ANSWER: A

• Kati Bihu is an Assamese festival.
• It marks the relocation of rice sapling and is known as Kongali Bihu.
• It is one of the three Bihu festivals celebrated in Assam, all connected to agriculture.
• During Kati Bihu, people light earthen lamps and candles to celebrate, with a special focus on lighting a diya near the Tulsi plant.
• Rituals include waking up early, cleaning the house, offering water to the Tulsi plant, and lighting lamps called “Akash Banti” in paddy fields.

ANSWER: C

• Arindam Bagchi has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva.
• Arindam Bagchi is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 1995 batch and has a rich and diverse background in the foreign service.
• He is set to succeed the incumbent Indian envoy to the UN in Geneva, Indra Mani Pandey, who assumed the role in July 2020.