10 December 2022

Q1. Parvovirus, recently seen in news is a contagious virus mainly affecting

1. Dogs
2. Bats
3. Pigs
4. Chickens and ducks

A – EXPLANATION

• What is Parvovirus? It is a highly contagious viral disease that can also be life-threatening in puppies and dogs.
•   Parvovirus affects the intestinal tract of canines with puppies being more susceptible. Bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, drastic weight loss, dehydration and lethargy are some of the symptoms. The virus has reported a 90 per cent mortality rate.
•   The highly contagious virus spreads through direct contact with an infected dog or by indirect contact with a contaminated object, including the hands and clothing of people who handle infected dogs.

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding Proton therapy.

1. It is a non-invasive treatment of cancer.
2. Once Proton therapy is conducted, the patient has very minimal chance of getting cancer from residual cancer cells again.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

C – EXPLANATION

• Proton therapy is a very precise radiation therapy, used to kill cancer cells, in which a beam of high-energy protons is passed in the body. Conventionally, radiation therapy involves beaming high energy photons. Further, like X-ray radiation, proton therapy is a type of external-beam radiation therapy and thus is delivered painlessly through the skin.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).

1. It is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to calculate an objects variable distances from the earth surface.
2. It can be used to generate three-dimensional information about the shape of the Earth and its surface characteristics.
3. The use of LIDAR is restricted to natural environments.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1, 2
2. 1, 3
3. 2, 3
4. 1, 2, 3

A – EXPLANATION

•  LIDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges (variable distances) to the Earth.
• These light pulses – combined with other data recorded by the airborne system – generate precise, three dimensional information about the shape of the Earth and its surface characteristics. A LIDAR instrument principally consists of a laser, a scanner, and a specialised GPS receiver. Airplanes and helicopters are the most commonly used platforms for acquiring LIDAR data over broad areas.
• Two types of LIDAR are topographic and bathymetric. Topographic LIDAR typically uses a near-infrared laser to map the land, while bathymetric LIDAR uses water penetrating green light to also measure seafloor and riverbed elevations.
• LIDAR systems allow scientists and mapping professionals to examine both natural and manmade environments with accuracy, precision, and flexibility.
• Some scientists are using LIDAR to produce more accurate shoreline maps, make digital elevation models for use in geographic information systems, to assist in emergency response operations, and in many other applications.

Q4. Consider the following statements.

1. Budapest Convention is an international treaty that seeks to address Internet and cybercrime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations.
2. India is a signatory to Budapest Convention.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

A – EXPLANATION

• Budapest Convention on Cybercrime: It is an international treaty that seeks to address Internet and computer crime (cybercrime) by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. India is not a signatory to this convention.

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding United Nations Brasilia Declaration.

1. United Nations Brasilia Declaration on road safety called for reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2020, and India has already achieved this.
2. India is a signatory to the United Nations Brasilia Declaration.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

B – EXPLANATION

• India is a signatory to the United Nations Brasilia Declaration on road safety, which called for reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2020. India has seen 26.48% reduction in road accidents and 22% drop in deaths in 2020 against 2019.

Q6.  Consider the following statements regarding G20 ‘Troika’.

1. Troika refers to the top grouping within the G20, that has highest per capita income.
2. Recently India joined the G20 ‘Troika’.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

B – EXPLANATION

• India on December 1, 2021, joined the G20 ‘Troika’. With this move, India has started the procedure for taking over the G20 presidency next year.
• Troika refers to the top grouping within the G20 that consists of the current, previous and the incoming presidencies — Indonesia, Italy and India. “India will assume the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022 from Indonesia, and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in India.

Q7. Consider the following statements regarding the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of a State.

1. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) consists of the seabed and subsoil that extends to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles if the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance.
2. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the extended continental shelf of a coastal State is considered as an extension of its Exclusive Economic Zone.
3. The sovereign rights that a coastal state may exercise in the Exclusive Economic Zone, especially rights to the resources of the water column also apply to the entire stretch of extended continental shelf.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 1, 2
3. 1, 3
4. 1, 2, 3

A – EXPLANATION

• Under international law, as stated in Article 76 of the Law of the Sea Convention, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) consists of the seabed and subsoil that extends to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles if the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance.
• The continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) are distinct maritime zones. The extended continental shelf is not an extension of the EEZ. Some of the sovereign rights that a coastal state may exercise in the EEZ, especially rights to the resources of the water.

Q8. India has held 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with which of the following countries.

1. Russia
2. Australia
3. United States
4. China

Select the correct answer code:

1. 1, 3
2. 2, 3
3. 1, 2, 3
4. 1, 2, 3, 4

C – EXPLANATION

• The Russian President Vladimir Putin’s short visit to New Delhi and the inaugural 2+2 meeting between India and Russia — which is India’s fourth such engagement with another country. (The other countries include US, Australia and Japan).

Q9. Consider the following statements.

1. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has established the international legal order of the seas and oceans.
2. India supports freedom of navigation and overflight based on the principles of UNCLOS.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

C – EXPLANATION

•   India supported freedom of navigation and overflight, and unimpeded commerce based on the principles of international law, reflected notably in the UNCLOS 1982. As a State party to the UNCLOS, India promoted utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which established the international legal order of the seas and oceans.

Q10. India recently launched the Connectivity Partnership, which aims at deepening the cooperation on transport, energy, digital and people-to-people contacts with

1. United States of America
2. Russia
3. Japan
4. European Union (EU)

D – EXPLANATION

•  In May this year at the Leader’s Meeting in Porto, the European Union (EU) and India adopted the Connectivity Partnership, expanding our cooperation across the digital, energy, transport, and people-to-people sectors.