DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th October 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Context: Two more flights Under Operation Ajay arrived in India carrying Indian nationals from war-torn Israel recently.

Background:-

• More than 900 Indians brought back home from war-torn Israel.

About Operation Ajay:-

• Beginning: 12 October 2023.
• Objective: the government will bring back its citizens through special chartered flights.
• Operation Ajay is a mission aimed at repatriating Indian citizens who were residing in Israel.
• The Indian government will be sending special chartered flights to repatriate citizens from Israel and Palestine.
• Indian Navy ships may also be sent if the need arises.

Current Situation in Israel:-

• Israel continued its strikes against Hamas militants in Gaza, in response to a brutal assault in Israel by Hamas recently.
• So far, 2,300 lives have been lost on both sides. (ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT)
• The situation continues to be grim.

Diaspora:-

• Around 18,000 Indians are currently in Israel.
• Of these, most of them are caregivers.
• There are also about 1,000 students, several IT professionals and diamond traders.
• At least 17 Indians are stranded in Palestine, which includes aid workers and those who went there for business.

Communication helplines:-

• The Indian embassy in Israel communicates with registered Indian citizens through email, providing instructions and updates for subsequent flights.
• The Ministry of External Affairs has set up a 24-hour control room to monitor the ongoing developments.
• In addition, the Embassy of India in Tel Aviv has set up a 24-hour emergency helpline, which can be accessed.
• Further, the Representative Office of India in Ramallah has also set up a 24-hour emergency helpline.

Significance: –

• Operation Ajay Acts as a model for effective and flexible evacuation procedures, guaranteeing the safety of people during trying circumstances. (Vande Bharat Mission and International Cooperation)

MUST READ: Operation Sadbhavana

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: (2023)

1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government.
2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in the maintenance of internal security.
3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/ coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some states.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q.2) Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries? (2019)

1. Japan
2. Russia
3. The United Kingdom
4. The United States of America

Syllabus

• Prelims –SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: Recently, doctors Shut down Half of a girl’s Brain to halt the rare disease Rasmussen’s encephalitis.

Background:-

• To help a sick girl named Brianna Bodley, doctors at Loma Linda University Health in California turned off one half of her brain.
• This was because she had a condition called Rasmussen’s encephalitis, which causes swelling in the brain.

About Rasmussen’s encephalitis:-

IMAGE SOURCE: About.com Health

• Rasmussen’s encephalitis is an extremely rare, chronic inflammatory neurological disease.
• The patient usually experiences frequent episodes of uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain that cause epileptic seizures (epilepsy) and progressive cerebral destruction. (Rare Diseases)
• With time, further symptoms may include:-
  • progressive weakness of one side of the body (hemiparesis),
  • language problems (if on the left side of the brain) and
  • intellectual disabilities.
• Cause: The exact cause of this disorder is not known.
• The two leading ideas are that brain inflammation might be a reaction of a foreign antigen (infection) or an autoimmune disease limited to one side of the brain resulting in brain damage.
• Age Group:-
• It occurs mostly, but not always, in children between the ages of two and ten years.
• In many patients the course of the disease is most severe during the first 8 to 12 months.
• After the peak inflammatory response is reached, the progression of this disorder appears to slow or stop, and the patient is left with permanent neurological deficits.
• It often results in permanent disabilities such as epilepsy, paralysis, and cognitive problems.
• The severity varies among individuals. (Disease Surveillance System)

Treatment:-

• Antiseizure Medications: These medications are often used to manage seizures, although they might not completely eliminate them.
• Immunotherapy: Early use of immunotherapy may help control seizures or prevent further immune-related brain damage.
• Brain Surgery (Hemispherectomy): It involves the removal or disconnection of half of the patient’s brain from the rest of the brain.

MUST READ: Rare disease ‘GNB1 Encephalopathy

SOURCE: CNN

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under the Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy: (2023)

1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for preschool children, adolescents, and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of childbirth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with a special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies, and fluorosis.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Q.2) In the context of hereditary diseases, consider the following statements: (2021)

1. Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to child can be prevented by mitochondrial replacement therapy either before or after in vitro fertilization of the egg.
2. A child inherits mitochondrial diseases entirely from the mother and not from the father.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: Recent observations taken within weeks of its launch showed the BlueWalker 3 satellite was among the brightest objects in the sky.

Background:-

• According to a new study, is as bright as the brightest stars in the 89 constellations of Canis Minor and Eridanus.

About BlueWalker 3 satellite:-

• Launched: 9:20 p.m. ET
• Launch date: 10 September 2022.
• BlueWalker 3 is a prototype satellite. (NASA and ISRO collaborate on satellite NISAR)
• It is part of a satellite constellation planned by its owner AST SpaceMobile (a U.S.-based company).
• It is designed to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices.
• It has a 64-square-meter (693-square-foot) antenna system.
• It uses its large phased-array antenna to generate power from space and deliver cellular broadband directly to mobile phones.
• This is the largest commercial antenna system ever deployed into low Earth orbit.
• It is the first of what is expected to be more than a hundred similar or even larger satellites.
• It is a predecessor to planned commercial satellites called Blue birds.

Applications:-

• The spacecraft was built to establish connectivity directly with cell phones via 3GPP-standard frequencies.
• It is intended to deliver mobile or broadband services anywhere in the world.

Challenges:-

• Bluewalker 3’s large size and bright reflective surfaces could interfere with astronomical observations.
  • Its light could be mistaken for stars or interfere with the ability to detect dimmer objects.
• It actively transmits at radio frequencies that are close to bands reserved for radio astronomy, which may hamper radio telescope observations.

MUST READ: India’s first private rocket – Vikram-S

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the following statements best reflects the idea behind the “Fractional Orbital Bombardment System” often talked about in media? (2022)

1. A hypersonic missile is launched into space to counter the asteroid approaching the Earth and explode it in space.
2. A spacecraft lands on another planet after making several orbital motions.
3. A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth.
4. A spacecraft moves along a comet with the same surface. speed and places a probe on its

Q.2) With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (2018)

1. PSLVs launch satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.
2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
3. GSLV Mk III is a four-stage launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors, and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 2
4. 3 only

Syllabus

• Prelims –ART AND CULTURE

Context: Recently, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad issued a diktat to make the Aadhaar card mandatory for participants in garba and dandiya festivities during the nine-day Navratri festival in Maharashtra and India.

Background:-

• The nine-day garba and dandiya dance is part of festive rituals in Maharashtra.

About Garba:-

• Garba is native to the Indian state of Gujarat.
• It is performed around an earthen pot (garbo) with a lamp inside, which is called a ‘Garbha Deep.’
• The lantern symbolizes life – the fetus in the womb, in particular.
• The pot itself is a symbol of the body, within which divinity resides.
• Dancers move around in circles, making circular movements with their hands and feet around this earthen pot.
• This gesture symbolizes the circle of life, which moves from life to death to rebirth, leaving only the Mother Divine unmoved, unchanging and invincible.
• The Garba costume consists of a three-piece – the choli or blouse, chaniya or long skirt and an embellished dupatta.
• Embroidery and mirrorwork may be found in the multi-hued attire, making the atmosphere vibrant and lively.
• The men wear a kediyu (a full-sleeved kurta that is tight at the chest and flares like a frock at the waist) with kafni pajamas (a multi-pleated pant that tapers towards the bottom) and a pagdi or turban.

Significance:-

• Garba dancing also takes place during the nine-day Navratri festival. (National Youth Festival)
• In Gujarat the dances customarily mark a girl’s first menstrual cycle and, later, her imminent marriage.

About Dandiya:-

• In Dandiya, both men and women energetically dance with colourful and decorated bamboo sticks, striking them to the beats of instruments like the dholak and tabla.
• The dance is a beautiful way of re-creating the battle that took place between the Devi and the demon.
• The colourful sticks used during Dandiya represent the sword of Goddess Durga, which is why this dance form is also known as ‘The Sword Dance.‘
• The sounds of the instruments playing are reminiscent of the metallic clangs that may be heard on the battlefield.

About Navratri:-

• Navratri is an Indian festival celebrated throughout the country to worship the nine forms of the goddess Durga.
• This festival not only marks the triumph of good over evil (victory of Indian Goddess Durga over the demonic king Mahishasur)
• According to the Yogic culture, the summer solstice marks the beginning of the southern movement of the sun, this time is known as ‘sadhana pada’, during this time many festivals are celebrated which is of divine feminine nature.
• Mainly, Sharada Navratri is celebrated at this time.
• This festival starts right after Mahalaya Amavasya (Pitru Paksha), Mahalaya denotes the Devi Pada.
  • This is the time when the whole northern hemisphere of the Earth generates the divine feminine gentleness.
• This is when Devi is celebrated with glory through the nine days of offerings, rituals, and celebrations.

MUST READ: Lavani

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements: (2017)

1. It is a song and dance performance
2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance
3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Q.2) With reference to the famous Sattriya dance, consider the following statements: (2014)

1. Sattriya is a combination of music, dance and drama
2. It is a centuries-old living tradition of Vaishnavites of Assam
3. It is based on classical Ragas and Talas of devotional songs composed by Tulsidas, Kabir and Mirabai

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context: Ruddy Shelduk, recently arrived for a winter stay.

Background:-

• The first batch of about 50 members of the Ruddy Shelduck, popularly known as ‘Surkhab’ birds, arrived for a six-month winter stay.

About Ruddy Shelduck:-

• Scientific name: Tadorna ferruginea.
• Family: Anatidae.

Distribution:-

• CONTINENTS: Europe, Asia, Africa.
• COUNTRIES: China, South Korea, Mongolia, Spain, Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Romania.
• ISLANDS: Canary Island.
• Habitat: The Ruddy Shelducks inhabit large wetlands, lakes, rivers with mudflats and shingle banks.
• Diet: They feed on roots, shoots, buds, grasses, leaves, seeds and stems.

Legend:-

• Legend has it that two people fell in love but the Gods did not approve of their alliance and transformed them into Ruddy Shelducks and placed them on opposite shores of a river, with a curse that they could never meet.

Features:-

• The ruddy shelduck known in India as the Brahminy duck.
• It is a migratory bird.
• It is a distinctive (Bird flu)
• It is 58 to 70 cm (23 to 28 in) in length with a wingspan of 110 to 135 cm (43 to 53 in).
• It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head.
• The tail and the flight feathers in the wings are black, contrasting with the white wing coverts.
• These shelducks are fairly large birds.
• The males are larger than the females.
• It has a loud honking call.
• The ruddy shelduck is a mainly nocturnal bird.
• It is omnivorous and feeds on grasses, the young shoots of plants, grain and water plants as well as both aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates.
• It visits the Indian subcontinent and breeds in southeastern Europe and central Asia, though there are small resident populations in North Africa.

MUST READ: Aztec hummingbirds

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following ‘fauna: (2023)

1. Lion-tailed Macaque
2. Malabar Civet
3. Sambar Deer

How many of the above are generally nocturnal or most active after sunset?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q.2) Consider the following statements regarding the Indian squirrels: (2023)

1. They build nests by making burrows in the ground.
2. They store their food materials like nuts and seeds in the ground.
3. They are omnivorous.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q1) Consider the following pairs:

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q2) Consider the following statements

Statement-I:

Ruddy Shelduck is a mainly nocturnal bird.

Statement-II:

It is carnivorous.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q3) With reference to Rasmussen’s encephalitis, consider the following statements:

1. Early use of immunotherapy does not help control the seizures at all.
2. Brain Surgery is the ONLY treatment.
3. It often results in permanent disabilities.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  16th October 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – b