Daily Quiz 15 July 2024

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose mortality rate can reach 100%. It is responsible for serious production and economic losses due to its high mortality rate and the control measures implemented by affected countries. It is caused by a DNA virus of the Asfarviridae
• Statement 2 is incorrect: ASF does not affect human health.
  Although signs of ASF and classical swine fever (CSF) may be similar, the ASF virus is unrelated to the CSF virus. This virus is harmless to humans, pork and pork products from infected pigs are safe for human consumption.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: African Swine Fever is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa but has spread to other regions, including Asia and Europe. Controlling the spread of African Swine Fever primarily involves culling the infected animals. No cure or vaccine exists, so prevention is crucial. ASF has never been found in the United States.

Answer: D

Explanation: NASA and Axiom Space have signed an order for the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than August 2024.

• Statement 1 is incorrect:The Axiom-4 mission is poised to transport Indian astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), highlighting India’s increasing involvement in global space exploration efforts. The mission, designed to last 14 days at the ISS, will see the crew undergo rigorous training to prepare for their journey. This training will be conducted in partnership with NASA, various international agencies, and SpaceX, ensuring that the astronauts are well-prepared for the challenges of space travel.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: SpaceX, a key player in the mission, has been chosen as the official launch provider. The astronauts will be transported to and from the ISS aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Their training will cover essential aspects such as familiarization with the spacecraft’s systems, procedures, and emergency protocols, ensuring their readiness for the mission.

Answer: C

Explanation: 

• Option (c) is correct: The Balance of Payments (BoP) is essentially a ledger of a country’s transactions with the rest of the world. As Indians trade and transact with the rest of the world, money flows in and out of the country. The Balance of Payments (BoP) is a record of all economic transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world during a specific period, typically a year. There are three components of the balance of payment viz current account, capital account, and financial account.
• Current Account: The current account records transactions related to exchanging goods, services, income, and current transfers. It includes:

Trade of Goods and Services, Invisibles(This category encompasses services such as banking, insurance, and tourism, as well as transfers like remittances and income from foreign investments.) and Recent Performance (In the last quarter, India experienced a current account surplus, primarily due to a surplus in invisible, despite a trade deficit).

• Capital Account: The capital account captures capital transfers and the acquisition or disposal of non-financial assets. It includes: Investments(Handles transactions related to investments like Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Institutional Investments (FII)), Recent Data and Adjustments and Reserves.
• Financial Account: The financial account tracks transactions related to financial assets and liabilities. It includes: Direct Investment, Portfolio Investment, Other Investment(Transactions involving loans, currency and deposits, trade credits, and other forms of debt) and Reserve Assets.
• Nominal accounts are temporary accounts, recording and keeping track of your profits, revenues, expenses, losses and other key debit and credit items of the financials. Nominal Account is not a component of Balance of Payments.

Answer: A

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation Bill, 2023 was introduced in LokSabha on August 4, 2023.  It aims to increase private sector contributions to research in India and to ensure that a larger portion of government funds go to state universities and colleges. NRF will be the apex body in the country to provide strategic direction for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the fields of: (i) natural sciences including mathematics, (ii) engineering and technology, (iii) environmental and earth sciences, (iv) health and agriculture, and (v) scientific and technological interfaces of humanities and social sciences.

Statement 2 is incorrect: It repeals the Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008 and dissolves the Science and Engineering Research Board set up under it.  The Bill provides for establishing the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF). Key functions of NRF include: (i) preparing short-term, medium-term, and long-term roadmaps and formulating programs for research and development (R&D), (ii) facilitating and financing the growth of R&D and related infrastructure in universities, colleges, and research institutions, (iii) providing grants for research proposals, (iv) supporting translation of research into capital intensive technology, (v) encouraging international collaboration, (vi) encouraging investments in the Foundation by private and public sector entities, and (vii) undertaking annual survey of scientific research, outcomes, and spending.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Expunction powers in the Indian Parliament are vital for upholding the standards of parliamentary discourse. They allow the presiding officers of both houses to intervene and maintain the integrity of parliamentary proceedings, ensuring that debates remain respectful, relevant, and accurate.
• Statement 2 is correct: The LokSabha Secretariat maintains a list of ‘unparliamentary’ expressions to guide the expunction process. The scope of expunction has historically included remarks prejudicial to the national interest, derogatory to dignitaries, likely to affect religious susceptibilities, discredit the Army, or lower the dignity of the House or its members.
• Statement 3 is incorrect:Rule 380 of the LokSabha’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business grants the Speaker the authority to remove any words or phrases from debate that are deemed defamatory, indecent, unparliamentary, or undignified. Parliamentary etiquette requires immediate withdrawal of any word or expression labelledunparliamentary by the Chair, without debate. It is not prescribed by the Constitution and doesnot require a simple majority vote.