December 25-26 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

All statements are incorrect

• Punjab farmers are protesting for legal MSP guarantees and the implementation of the Land Acquisition Act 2013, citing its lack of proper enforcement.
• Key Features of Land Acquisition Act 2013:
  • Fair Compensation: Compensation is twice the market value in urban areas & four times in rural areas.
  • Consent: 70% consent is required for PPP projects and 80% for private acquisitions.
  • Social Impact Assessment (SIA): This is mandated to evaluate the acquisition’s social, environmental, and economic impacts.
  • Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R): Includes housing, livelihood assistance, employment, and infrastructure development in resettlement areas.
  • Protection of Fertile Land: Restricts acquisition of multi-cropped irrigated land unless wasteland is developed as compensation.
  • Return of Unutilised Land: Unused acquired land must be returned to its original owners or land banks within five years.
  • Transparency: Public hearings and access to SIA reports are mandatory.
  • Special Provisions for SCs and STs: Includes consultation and additional benefits.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 2 is correct and statement 1 is incorrect

• CPI celebrates its centenary, reflecting on its role in India’s independence struggle, social movements and defence of constitutional values against contemporary challenges.
• Established in 1925, CPI emerged to represent workers, peasants, women and marginalised groups.
• It was first to demand complete independence, influencing leaders like Gandhi, Nehru and Bose.
• It Advocated for a sovereign Constituent Assembly and a people-centric political order, reflected in the Preamble’s “We, the People of India.”

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement is incorrect

• Yoghurt is a dairy product that has been consumed since ancient times. The Greeks were the first to document its use in 100 BC.

Statement 2 is correct

• Greek yoghurt differs from other yoghurts because it undergoes a straining process to remove the whey. Whey is a liquid containing lactose, a natural sugar in milk.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• It provides several nutrients and is particularly rich in protein, vitamin B12, riboflavin (B2), and selenium.
• It’s also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, pantothenic acid, vitamin A, and potassium. Additionally, It contains smaller amounts of nutrients like magnesium, choline, and copper.

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Good Governance Day is celebrated annually on December 25th, coinciding with Atal Bihari Vajpayee birth anniversary, to honour his contributions to governance and development in India.
• Initiated in 2014, Good Governance Day aims to inspire civil servants and stakeholders to uphold the principles of efficiency, inclusivity, and citizen-centric governance.

Answer: (a) Atal Bihari Vajpayee; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Both Statements are correct

• The UN General Assembly established the Internal Justice Council (IJC) as part of the new internal justice system in order to help ensure independence, professionalism and accountability in the administration of justice system of the United Nations.
• The IJC is composed of five members consisting of a staff representative, a management representative and two distinguished external jurists, one nominated by the staff and one by management, and chaired by a distinguished jurist chosen by consensus by the four other members.
• The IJC members are appointed by the Secretary General.
• Functions:
  • It searches for suitable candidates for judge positions when there are vacancies in the UN Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) and the UN Appeals Tribunal (UNAT).
  • It provides its opinions on the justice administration system to the General Assembly, which appoints the UNDT and the UNAT judges based on the recommendations from the IJC.

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

All Statements are correct

• Neoantigens are newly formed antigens that arise from mutations in cancer cells. Unlike normal antigens, neoantigens are unique to cancer cells and not found in healthy cells.
• This makes them ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy because they help the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells without harming normal tissue.
• They are presented on the surface of cancer cells by molecules called human leukocyte antigens (HLA).
• When immune cells, such as T cells, recognise these neoantigens as “non-self,” they initiate an immune response specifically targeting the cancer cells.

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Scientists have discovered the survival strategies of Archaea, ancient organisms that use toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems to defend against harsh conditions.
• Archaea, meaning “ancient things” in Greek, are some of Earth’s oldest life forms.
• TA systems are found in bacteria and archaea, indicating their importance in evolution, though their roles in archaea are not fully understood.

Answer: (a) Microorganisms that thrive in extreme environments and utilize toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems to survive stress; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Information 1 is correct

• Mount Etna produced rare rings of smoke. These rings, known as volcanic vortex rings, were similar to smoke rings blown by cigarette smokers.
• Mount Etna is an active volcano located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.
• It is the largest volcano in Europe and the highest peak in Italy south of the Alps.
• The volcano has five craters at its summit, which are responsible for most of its eruptions.
• Mount Etna has been designated as a World Heritage Site since 2013.

                                         

Information 2 is incorrect

• Authorities have been taking steps to improve the water quality of Lake Victoria.
• Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area, the world’s largest tropical lake, and the world’s second largest freshwater lake by surface area after Lake Superior in North America.
• It is bordered by Kenya (6%), Uganda (43%), and Tanzania (51%).
• It is a source of the White Nile River which flows northward and eventually joins the Blue Nile in Sudan to form the Nile River which drains into the Mediterranean Sea.
• Lake Victoria touches the Equator on its northern side.

  

Information 3 is incorrect

• Sagar Island witnessed 10 million pilgrims for Ganga Sagar Mela, the second-largest agglomerate for Hindus after Kumbh Mela.
• It is situated in the Ganges delta and lies on the continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal, approximately 100 km (54 nautical miles) south of Kolkata.
• It lies at the mouth of the Hooghly River, with an arm of the river separating it from the mainland to the east.

  

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Easy