Daily Current Affairs for UPSC

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2022

Q) Consider the following statements regarding Financial Action Task Force

It is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1989 on the initiative of the OECD to develop policies to combat money laundering.
It is headquartered at Paris, France.
The FATF currently has 39 members including two regional organizations – the European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.

Which of these statements are correct?

2 and 3 only
1 only
1 and 3 only
2 only

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 21 October 2022

Explanation:

What is the Financial Action Task Force?

It is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering. (Statement 1 is not correct)
In 2001, its mandate was expanded to include terrorism financing.
Objectives:
- To set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
- It assesses the strength of a country’s anti-money laundering and anti-terror financing frameworks, however it does not go by individual cases.
Headquarters: Paris, France. (Statement 2 is correct)
Decision making: The FATF Plenary is the decision making body of the FATF. It meets three times per year.
Members:
- The FATF currently has 39 members including two regional organizations – the European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council. (Statement 3 is correct)
- India is a member of the FATF.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering

It was founded in 1997 in Sydney, Australia.
APG has two Co-Chairs, both of which are rotating every two year.

Which of these statements are correct?

Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
1 only
2 only

Explanation:

What is the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG)?

About:
- It is a FATF style regional inter-governmental body, committed to implement international standards against money laundering (AML), the financing of terrorism (CTF) and financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
- It was founded in 1997 in Bangkok, Thailand.
- Jurisdictions that join the APG, either as members or as observers, commit to the Recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia (Statement 1 is not correct)
Members:
- APG currently consists of 41 member jurisdictions in the Asia-Pacific region and a number of observer jurisdictions and international/regional observer organizations.
- India is a member of the APG.
Chairmanship:
- APG has two Co-Chairs: one permanent and one two-year term rotating Co-Chair. (Statement 2 is not correct)
- The permanent Co-Chair is Australia, and the current rotating Co-Chair is Canada (2022-2024).

Q) Consider the following statements regarding the Central Bureau of Investigation

The CBI was set up in 1963 by a resolution of the Ministry of Home Affairs based on the recommendations of the Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption.
The CBI is a statutory body. It derives its powers from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
The CBI comes under the administrative control of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

Which of these statements are correct?

1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
All of the above

Explanation:

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

Establishment: The CBI was set up in 1963 by a resolution of the Ministry of Home Affairs based on the recommendations of the Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption (1962–1964). (Statement 1 is correct)
Type: The CBI is not a statutory body. It derives its powers from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. (Statement 2 is not correct)
Parent organization: The CBI comes under the administrative control of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. (Statement 3 is correct)
Functions:
- The CBI is the main investigating agency of the Central Government.
- It also provides assistance to the Central Vigilance Commission and Lokpal.
- It is also the nodal police agency in India which coordinates investigations on behalf of INTERPOL Member countries.

Q) Recently launched ‘Mission LiFE’ relates to which of the following?

Health Infrastructure
Improvement of Environment
Animal Protection
Awareness and Outreach

Explanation:

What is Mission LiFE?

LiFE mission is sustainable lifestyle initiative that places small individual actions at the centre of the measures to tackle climate change challenge.
- It is a global initiative by India to help the world lead a sustainable way of life and achieve the sustainable development goals set by the UN.
- Mission LiFE will encompass every lifestyle related to the conservation of nature, so that it can be made a part of our lifestyle today.
Basic principle: The mission functions on the basic principles of ‘Lifestyle of the planet, for the planet and by the planet’.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding International Solar Alliance

It is a collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition.
The ISA was jointly conceptualized by India and France on the sidelines of the 25^th Conference of Parties (COP25).

Which of these statements are correct?

Both 1 and 2
2 only
1 only
Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

International Solar Alliance:

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member states. (Statement 1 is correct)
The ISA was jointly conceptualized by India and France on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the UNFCCC held in Paris in 2015. (Statement 2 is not correct)

Q) Consider the following statements regarding Great Indian Bustard

GIB is one of the largest flying birds in the world. It is also the state bird of Rajasthan.
About 95% of its population is present in Rajasthan. Other states include Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
They are classified as endangered species under IUCN Red list.

Which of these statements are correct?

1 and 3 only
2 only
1 and 2 only
3 only

Explanation:

About Great Indian Bustards:

GIB is one of the largest flying birds in the world. It is also the state bird of Rajasthan. (Statement 1 is correct)
Habitat of GIB:
- GIBs were found all over Indian subcontinent. Now the habitat has shrunken to 10 percent of the original one.
- GIBs are terrestrial birds and are majorly found in grasslands and dryland ecosystem.
- About 95% of its population is present in Rajasthan. Other states include Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. (Statement 2 is correct)
Threats:
- The biggest threat is the high voltage electricity lines. Their vision is weak and they cannot escape the lines in time during flight, leading to their death.
- The change in land cultivation pattern like switching over to cotton and oil seeds from pulses have led to fall in GIB numbers.
Conservation status:
- They are classified as critically endangered species under IUCN Red list. (Statement 3 is not correct)
- They are protected under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 of India.
- It is present in the Appendix I of CITES.

Q) Recently in news, the term ‘bridge vectors’ relates to which of the following?

Infrastructure building
Mathematical analysis
Viral Spread
Launch Vehicles

Explanation:

Context: Climate change could increase the risk of “viral spillover” in some regions of the world, causing new pandemics.

What is viral spillover?

It is a process through which viruses may infect a new species from a reservoir host species (in which it usually resides).

The study:

Researchers collected sediment and soil samples from Lake Hazen in Canada – the world’s largest High Arctic lake by volume, and the region’s largest freshwater ecosystem.
Based on DNA and RNA sequencing, they found that the chances of a virus moving to a new host increases with runoff from glacier melt.
As melting of glaciers increases due to temperature rise, there is a greater possibility for previously ice-trapped viruses and bacteria to find new hosts.

Role of Reservoir Species Range:

As long as viruses and their ‘bridge vectors’ are not simultaneously located in the same environment, the likelihood of dramatic events probably remains low.
However, climate change could shift the range of certain reservoir species northwards, and the High Arctic zone could become fertile ground for emerging pandemics.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding the Agni Prime Missile

It is a nuclear capable and a surface-to-surface cruise missile.
It is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant missile.

Which of these statements are correct?

Both 1 and 2 only
1 only
Neither 2 nor 1
2 only

Explanation:

The Agni Prime new generation ballistic missile was successfully test fired off the coast of Odisha.

About

It is a new generation advanced variant of the Agni class of ballistic missiles.
It is a nuclear capable and a surface-to-surface ballistic missile. (Statement 1 is not correct)
It is the smallest and lightest among the entire Agni series.

Features

It is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant missile (Canisterisation lessens the time required for launch & improves storage and mobility). (Statement 2 is correct)
Dual redundant navigation and guidance system.
It has a range of up to 2000 km.
Significance
- It will strengthen India’s credible deterrence capabilities, improved manoeuvring and accuracy, unlike earlier Agni missiles.