DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th November 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –DEFENSE

Context: Recently, the 18th edition of the Dubai Airshow 2023 was commenced.

Background:-

• The 18th edition of the highly anticipated Dubai Airshow is set to kick off on November 13, at Dubai World Central (DWC), under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

About Dubai Airshow 2023:-

• Date: November 13, 2023.
• Venue: Dubai World Central (DWC), UAE.
• Theme: The Future of the Aerospace Industry.
• Time period: biennial.
• The airshow is set to welcome 1,400+ exhibitors from across the world of aviation, with 180+ aircraft set to be displayed.

Key Highlights:-

• Dubai Airshow is strictly open to trade and media guests only but does offer a public grandstand to view the daily flying display with prior registration.
• A highlight of this year’s Dubai Airshow is the static display, boasting a new benchmark with over 180 commercial aircraft, including Airbus’ A320P2F, A321neo, A330neo, A400M Atlas CMk1, H225 (Helicopter), and C295.
• Embraer’s E195-E2 will make its public debut with a new livery.
• Boeing will showcase a flying demonstration of its highly anticipated 777-9.
• Leading and emerging airlines from around the world will showcase new concepts, with Saudia presenting a Boeing 787-10 featuring a new brand livery and a flyadeal Airbus 320neo.
• The world’s first premium leisure airline, Beyond, will feature its state-of-the-art Airbus A319 on static display, among other industry-leading aircraft.
• Special passport stamps at Dubai Airports
  • Dubai Airports has revealed that travellers arriving at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central Airport between November 6th and November 18th will receive a special stamp on their passports commemorating the Dubai Airshow.
• Gulfstream is Planning To Debut The G700 Private Jet At The Dubai Airshow,

MUST READ: Defence Acquisition Council

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q1. Which one of the following countries has its own Satellite Navigation System? (2023)

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. Israel
4. Japan

Q2. Consider the following statements: (2023)

1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.
2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.

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 –ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context: Recently, a 60% increase in the overall tiger population was seen.

Background:-

• The habitat & biodiversity loss is threatening Southeast Asian big cats.

About Tiger:-

• Scientific Name: Panthera tigris.
• Indian Sub Species: Panthera tigris tigris.
• WEIGHT: 220–660 pounds.
• LENGTH: 6–10 feet.
• HABITATS: Tropical rainforests, evergreen forests, temperate forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, and savannas.
• It is the largest cat species and a member of the genus Panthera.
• Distribution: Its habitat stretches from Siberian temperate forests to subtropical and tropical forests on the Indian subcontinent and Sumatra.
• Traditionally eight subspecies of tigers have been recognised, out of which three are extinct.
  • Bengal Tigers: Indian Subcontinent
  • Caspian tiger: Turkey through central and west Asia (extinct).
  • Amur tiger: Amur Rivers region of Russia China, and North Korea
  • Javan tiger: Java, Indonesia (extinct).
  • South China tiger: South central China.
  • Bali tiger: Bali, Indonesia (extinct).
  • Sumatran tiger: Sumatra, Indonesia.
  • Indo-Chinese tiger: Continental south-east Asia.
• Tigers are mostly solitary, apart from associations between mother and offspring.
• Tigers eat large prey animals like deer and wild pigs, though they make exceptions for some small animals, including porcupines.

Threats:-

• Habitat destruction
• Habitat fragmentation and
• Poaching.

Conservation Status:-

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: Endangered.
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I.
• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

MUST READ: Tiger Estimation

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the following makes a tool with a stick to scrape insects from a hole in a tree or a log of wood? (2023)

1. Fishing cat
2. Orangutan
3. Otter
4. Sloth bear

Q.2) Which of the following is not a bird? (2022)

1. Golden Mahseer
2. Indian Nightjar
3. Spoonbill
4. White Ibis

Syllabus

• Prelims – IMPORTANT INSTITUTION

Context: Globally, 21 million tonnes of plastics leaked into the environment last year as per a recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report.

Background:-

• Report released two days before Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution for an international treaty on plastics.

About the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD):-

• Establishment: 1961.
• HQ: Paris, France.
• Total Members: 38.
• The 38 Member Countries consist of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • India is not a member, but a key economic partner.
• The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization that works to build better policies for better lives.
• It formulates policies to promote prosperity, equality, opportunity and prosperity for all.
• Its goal is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all.

Organisational structure:-

• COUNCIL: Oversight and strategic direction.
• COMMITTEES: Discussion and review.
• SECRETARIAT: Evidence and analysis.

Objectives:-

• The OECD’s main objective is to enhance the world economy and promote international trade.
• It offers the governments of various countries the opportunity to work jointly to find solutions to common problems.
• It includes working with democratic countries that share a commitment to enhance the general population’s economy and well-being.
• The main objective of the OECD is to support governments throughout the world:
  • Increase confidence in the functioning of markets and institutions.
  • To achieve future sustainable economic growth, obtain healthy public finances.
  • To achieve growth through innovation, sustainable strategies and developing economies’ sustainability.
  • Provide resources to enhance people’s productive skills.

Reports and Indices by OECD:-

• Government at a Glance 2017 report.
• International Migration Outlook.
• OECD Better Life Index.

MUST READ: Digital taxation & OECD: On a weak pillar

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2022)

The region often mentioned in the news:     Country

1. Anatolia                                                       Turkey
2. Amhara                                                        Ethiopia
3. Cabo Delgado                                               Spain
4. Catalonia                                                        Italy

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2019)

1. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) has a ‘Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air’.
2. The UNCAC is the ever-first legally binding global anti-corruption instrument.
3. A highlight of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) is the inclusion of a specific chapter aimed at returning assets to their rightful owners from whom they had been taken illicitly.
4. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its member states to assist in the implementation of both UNCAC and UNTOC.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context: New Delhi to host the 33rd Conference on World Animal Health by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

Background:-

• The delegates from 36 member countries including India, senior officers from regional and international organizations and representatives from the private sector and private veterinary organizations will participate in the conference.

About World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH):-

• Establishment: 1924.
• HQ: Paris.
• Members: in 2018 a total of 182 member states.
• Objective: to control epizootic diseases and thus prevent their spread.
• Other objectives consist of transparency, scientific information, international solidarity, sanitary safety, the promotion of Veterinary Services, food safety, and animal welfare.
• The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), is an inter-governmental organization coordinating, supporting, and promoting animal disease control.
• It was formerly the Office International des Epizooties (OIE).
• It is recognized as a reference organization by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• The WOAH does not depend on the UN system, its autonomy is both institutional and financial, and its activities are governed by its own constitutional texts.
• WOAH is recognized as a reference organization by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in 2022 counted a total of 182 member states.
• Its newest member state is Saint Lucia.
• WOAH maintains permanent relations with 45 other international and regional organizations and has Regional and sub-regional Offices on every continent.

Functions:-

• Setting international standards: The organization develops and updates international standards and guidelines for the control and prevention of various animal diseases. (World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022)
• Information exchange: The OIE serves as a global reference point for information on animal diseases, providing a platform for member countries to share information on disease outbreaks and surveillance.
• Capacity building: The OIE supports member countries in building their capacity to manage and control animal diseases. This includes training programs, technical assistance, and the establishment of veterinary services.
• Veterinary education and research: The organization promotes research and education in the field of animal health and veterinary sciences to improve the understanding and management of animal diseases.
• Emergency response: The OIE assists member countries in managing and responding to animal disease outbreaks, including providing guidance on disease control measures and crisis management.
• International cooperation: The OIE collaborates with other international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, to address global health and food safety issues.

MUST READ: National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Recently, there was a proposal to translocate some of the lions from their natural habitat in Gujarat to one of the following sites (2017)

1. Corbett National Park
2. Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
4. Sariska National Park

Q.2) What is/are unique about ‘Kharai Camel’, a breed found in India? (2016)

1. It is capable of swimming up to three kilometres in seawater
2. It survives by grazing on mangroves
3. It lives in the wild and cannot be domesticated

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

Syllabus

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: Recently, Iceland Declared a State of Emergency due to a Volcanic eruption.

Background:-

• A town in Iceland, home to 4,000 people, could be devastated by an imminent volcanic eruption, experts said.

About Volcano:-

IMAGE SOURCE: IASBABA

• A volcano is a vent or a fissure in the crust from which lava (molten rock), ash, gases, and rock fragments erupt from a magma chamber below the surface.

Causes of Volcanism:-

• There is a huge temperature difference between the inner layers and the outer layers of the earth due to the differential amount of radioactivity.
• This temperature difference gives rise to convectional currents in the mantle.
• The convection currents in the mantle create convergent and divergent boundaries (weak zones).
• At the divergent boundary, molten, semi-molten and sometimes gaseous material appears on Earth at the first available opportunity.
• At the convergent boundary, the subduction of denser plates creates magma at high pressure which will escape to the surface in the form of violent eruptions.

Types of Volcanoes:-

• Strato or Composite Volcanoes: These are large, steep-sided volcanoes that can reach heights of over 8000 feet. The lava they produce can flow at incredibly high speeds and temperatures, posing a significant threat to nearby life and property.
• Shield Volcanoes: These volcanoes produce non-explosive eruptions and fast-flowing lava. While they can cause property damage, the risk of death or injury is low.
• Dome Volcanoes: The lava produced by these volcanoes is thick and viscous, which means it doesn’t travel far from the source.

Volcanoes in India:-

• Barren Island: Andaman Islands (India’s only active volcano) (National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA))
• Narcondam: Andaman Islands
• Baratang: Andaman Islands
• Deccan Traps: Maharashtra
• Dhinodhar Hills: Gujarat
• Dhosi Hill: Haryana

MUST READ: Mt. Mauna Loa

SOURCE: SCIENCE ALERT

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2020)

1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C less than that of the surroundings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2018)

1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: Recently, Physicists Simulated a Black Hole in the Lab.

Background:-

• Using a chain of atoms in a single file to simulate the event horizon of a black hole, a team of physicists in 2022 observed the equivalent of what we call Hawking radiation.
• Hawking radiation: particles born from disturbances in the quantum fluctuations caused by the black hole’s break in spacetime.

About Black Hole:-

• A black hole is such an astronomical object with such a powerful gravitational field, that nothing not even light can escape from the gravitational effect.
• It is a region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape.
• No other things, including light, can be returned after a point called Event Horizon around the Black hole.
• It is called “black” because it also absorbs all the light that falls on it and does not reflect anything.

Formation:-

• A stellar-mass black hole forms when a star with more than 20 solar masses exhausts the nuclear fuel in its core and collapses under its own weight.
• The collapse triggers a supernova explosion that blows off the star’s outer layers.
• But if the crushed core contains more than three times the Sun’s mass, no known force can stop its collapse into a black hole.
• The origin of supermassive black holes is poorly understood, but we know they exist from the very earliest days of a galaxy’s lifetime.
• It is exactly like a perfect black body in thermodynamics.
• Two main classes of black holes have been extensively observed.
• Stellar-mass black holes with three to dozens of times the Sun’s mass is spread throughout our Milky Way galaxy while supermassive monsters weighing 100,000 to billions of solar masses are found in the centres of most big galaxies.

MUST READ: International Space Station (ISS)

SOURCE: SCIENCE ALERT

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 it.

Q.2) Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the Earth. What is the significance of this observation? (2019)

1. ‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected.
2. ‘Gravitational waves’ were detected.
3. Possibility of intergalactic space travel through a ‘wormhole’ was confirmed.
4. It enabled the scientists to understand ‘singularity’.

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 :

Shield Volcanoes produce non-explosive eruptions and fast-flowing lava.

Statement-II :

The lava produced by Dome Volcanoes is thick and viscous, which means it doesn’t travel far from the source.

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 the Black Hole, consider the following statements:

1. A black hole is such an astronomical object with such a powerful gravitational field, that nothing not even light can escape from the gravitational effect.
2. It is a region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape.
3. It is exactly like a perfect black body in thermodynamics.

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

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  13th November 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – c