Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 09-03-2023

Q1. Which of the following is the theme of the International Women’s Day 2023?

a. Double burden: Gender boundaries in age of pandemics

b. End violence: Women in conflict zones

c. AI for Women: Role of AI in Gender empowerment

d. DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality

Answer (d)

Explanation:

The UN theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “DigitALL:

Innovation and technology for gender equality”. This theme is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-67), “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.

Q2. Hasdeo Aranya is a biodiversity-rich forest situated in the state of

a. Chattisgarh

b. Madhya pradesh

c. Odisha

d. Telangana

Answer (a)

Explanation:

What is the Hasdeo movement?

Hasdeo Aranya is a biodiversity-rich forest which also happens to be a rich source of coal. For months in 2022, tribals and activists had protested against the operation of three coal mines in the region: the Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB), Parsa, and Kente extension.

In June 2022, the Congress government in Chhattisgarh said it had stopped all mining work in Hasdeo Aranya, after state minister and local Congress MLA, T S Singh Deo, also joined forces with the protesters.

A sprawling forest in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, Hasdeo Aranya is known for its biodiversity. The forest falls under Korba, Sujapur and Sarguja districts, with a sizable tribal population. The Hasdeo river, a tributary of Mahanadi, flows through it.

Q3. Which of the following correctly describes the high seas limits as per United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982?

a. The ocean surface and the water column beyond the territorial waters under are referred to as the high seas

b. The ocean surface and the water column beyond 12 nautical miles from baseline are referred to as the high seas

c. The ocean surface and the water column beyond 500 nautical miles from baseline are referred to as the high seas

d. The ocean surface and the water column beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are referred to as the high seas

Answer (d)

Explanation:

How did the treaty on the high seas come through?

Last week, the UN member states agreed on a historic treaty for protecting marine life in international waters that lie outside the jurisdiction of any country. The ‘breakthrough’ followed talks led by the UN during the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) where negotiations were underway for the past two weeks. The treaty is yet to be formally adopted as members are yet to ratify it.

High Seas:

The ocean surface and the water column beyond the EEZ are referred to as the high seas. It is considered as “the common heritage of all mankind” and is beyond any national jurisdiction. States can conduct activities in these areas as long as they are for peaceful purposes, such as transit, marine science, and undersea exploration.

How important are the high seas?

The high seas account for more than 60% of the world’s ocean area and cover about half of the Earth’s surface, which makes them a hub of marine life. They are home to around 2.7 lakh known species, many of which are yet to be discovered. The high seas are fundamental to human survival and well-being.

However, these oceans absorb heat from the atmosphere, are affected by phenomena like the El Nino, and are also undergoing acidification — all of which endanger marine flora and fauna. Several thousand marine species are at a risk of extinction by 2100 if current warming and acidification trends continue. Anthropogenic pressures on the high seas include seabed mining, noise pollution, chemical spills and fires, disposal of untreated waste (including antibiotics), overfishing, introduction of invasive species, and coastal pollution. Despite the alarming situation, the high seas remain as one of the least-protected areas, with only about 1% of it under protection.

Q4. Which of the following groups is NOT a group of cold- blooded (ectotherms) animals?

a. Amphibians

b. Fish

c. Birds

d. Reptiles

Answer (c)

Explanation:

In general, if an organism uses energy to regulate its body temperature internally, then it is considered endothermic. If an organism instead relies on external environmental factors to regulate its body temperature, then it is considered ectothermic.

The amount of energy animals use in a given amount of time is called their metabolic rate. Metabolic rate is influenced by a variety of factors, including body size and activity levels. Larger animals have higher metabolic rates than smaller animals and active animals have higher metabolic rates than inactive animals.

Metabolic rate also depends on body temperature. This is because temperature affects the rate at which the biochemical reactions involved in energy metabolism proceed. Generally, if an animal’s body temperature increases, its metabolic rate will accelerate exponentially.

Most animals alive today are cold-blooded, or “ectotherms”. Insects, worms, fish, crustaceans, amphibians and reptiles – basically all creatures except mammals and birds – are ectotherms.

Q5. Consider the following statements with regard to the Manipuri Pony

1. It is used in sport Sagol Kangjei which is considered fore-runner of modern polo

2. The Manipur Pony is one of five recognised indigenous equine breeds of India

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Amit Shah inaugurated a giant equestrian statue of a player, but experts and conservationists believe concerted efforts to save the habitat of the Manipur Pony are required much more.

Sagol Kangjei and Modern Polo:

• Modern polo is said to have originated from Sagol Kangjei, a sport indigenous to Manipur, in which players ride horses, specifically the Manipur Ponies, which are referenced in records dating back to the 14th century.

• The Manipur Pony is one of five recognised equine breeds of India, and has a powerful cultural significance for Manipuri society. The Marjing Polo Complex has been developed as a way to conserve the Manipur Pony.

• India has five indigenous horse breeds: Marwari, Kathiawari, Zanskari, Manipuri and Spiti. The Manipuri horse is the quintessential polo horse and is easily manoeuvrable, while the Zanskari and Spiti breeds are strong ponies adept at work in mountainous terrain.

• The Manipuri pony has been indispensable with Manipuri society for its socio-cultural association for centuries. Its antecedents, however, are not clear, as one source stated Tibetan ponies as its ancestors while another source stated its origin to be a cross between Mongolian wild horse & Arabian. However, all agreed that it was derived from ancient stock. In some manuscripts, it is referred to as Mangal-sa or Mongolian animal. In Manipuri mythology, the Manipuri pony was regarded to have descended from “Samadon Ayangba” the winged steed of Lord Margjing, one of the guardian deities of Manipur.