Daily Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC IAS Prelims - 11 Mar 2023

Welcome to the RAYACADEMY Daily Current Affairs MCQs! Our focus is to provide you with engaging and informative questions that primarily revolve around current affairs, derived from reliable sources such as 'The Hindu', 'Indian Express', and 'PIB'. Our MCQs test your understanding of factual and conceptual knowledge, which is essential for cracking the UPSC IAS and State PCS prelim exams.

Below are some of Today's Current Affairs MCQs. We hope you make the most of this initiative and wish you all the best in your preparation.

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Q1.Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Global Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Initiative (GGGMI)?

1)The GGGMI aims to improve the sustained monitoring of greenhouse gases.

2)The three major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour.

3)The GGGMI will engage with the broader scientific community and other UN agencies involved in GHG monitoring activities.

4)The infrastructure provided by the GGGMI will not have any impact on the understanding of climate change.

Select the correct answer using the codes below:

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 1, 2, and 3 only

C) 2 and 4 only

D) 1, 3, and 4 only

Answer: B

Explanation:

The Global Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Initiative (GGGMI) aims to improve sustained monitoring of greenhouse gases as the current global greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring relies heavily on research funding and capabilities, which makes sustained monitoring challenging. The three major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, with CO2 accounting for around 66% of the warming effect on the climate. The GGGMI will engage with the broader scientific community and other UN agencies involved in GHG monitoring activities. The infrastructure provided by the GGGMI will improve our understanding of the carbon cycle and provide critical and timely input to the UNFCCC processes, thus helping humans understand climate change and provide support to mitigation action taken by the Parties to the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. Therefore, statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct, and statement 4 is incorrect.

Q2.Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Scrub typhus?

1)It is a life-threatening infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi bacteria.

2)Scrub typhus is a major public health threat in South and Southeast Asia.

3)Nearly one million cases of scrub typhus are reported from South and Southeast Asia every year, with a 10% mortality rate.

4)India accounts for at least 25% of the disease burden of scrub typhus.

Select the correct answer using the codes below:

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 1, 2, and 3 only

C) 2, 3, and 4 only

D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer: D

Explanation:

Scrub typhus is a life-threatening infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi bacteria and is a major public health threat in South and Southeast Asia. According to estimates, nearly one million cases of scrub typhus are reported from South and Southeast Asia every year, with a 10% mortality rate. India accounts for at least 25% of the disease burden of scrub typhus. Therefore, all four statements are correct.

Q3.Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding 'safe harbor'?

1)It is a legal immunity that online intermediaries enjoy against content posted by users on their platforms.

2)Safe harbor is a term that originated from the United States' Communications Decency Act.

3)Intermediaries must abide by certain due diligence requirements, such as censoring content when asked by the government or courts, to avail of safe harbor protection.

4)Safe harbor hinders free speech on the Internet since platforms only have to act on speech that is deemed illegal.

Select the correct answer using the codes below:

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 1, 2, and 3 only

C) 2, 3, and 4 only

D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer: B

Explanation:

'Safe harbor' is a legal immunity that online intermediaries, such as social media platforms, enjoy against content posted by users on their platforms. This immunity is available as long as these platforms abide by certain due diligence requirements, such as censoring content when asked by the government or courts, as prescribed under Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000. The term 'safe harbor' originated from the United States' Communications Decency Act. Safe harbor is a crucial tenet for ensuring free speech on the Internet since platforms only have to act on speech that is deemed illegal. Therefore, statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct, and statement 4 is incorrect.

Q4.Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the ‘Women Icons Leading Swachhata’ (WINS) Awards 2023?

1)The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the WINS Awards 2023 on International Women’s Day.

2)The awards aim to recognize and celebrate the contribution of women in urban sanitation and waste management.

3)The selection of entries for the awards will be done through the Swachhatam Portal.

4)The WINS Awards aim to shift the focus from 'Women in Swachhata' to 'Women-led Swachhata'.

Select the correct answer using the codes below:

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1, 2, and 3 only

D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer: D

Explanation:

The Union Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced the ‘Women Icons Leading Swachhata’ (WINS) Awards 2023 on the eve of International Women’s Day. The awards aim to recognize, celebrate and disseminate inspiring and exemplary initiatives in urban sanitation and waste management by women-led organizations and individual women. The awards aim to make a transformational shift from ‘Women in Swachhata’ to ‘Women-led Swachhata’. The Swachhatam Portal will be used for the selection of entries. In 2021, the integrated Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban MIS portal Swachhatam and the state-of-art GIS platform were launched under SBM-U 2.0. Therefore, all four statements are correct.

Q5.Borneo, which has been in the news recently, is situated in which part of the world?

A) Africa

B) South America

C) Asia

D) Australia

Answer: C)

Explanation: Borneo is the third-largest island in the world and is situated in Southeast Asia. It is shared by three countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Indonesia is moving its capital from Jakarta to Borneo.