QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 24 NOVEMBER 2017

Solution: d.

Both statements are incorrect.

• Under the IBC, 2016 the insolvency resolution process applies to companies and individuals.
• The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017 on the other hand seeks to create a framework for resolving bankruptcy in financial firms (such as banks and insurance companies).
• A High-Level Task Force on Public Credit Registry for India was recently set up under the chairmanship of Mr. Y. M. Deosthalee. This is a separate but related development; it is not sanctioned by the IBC, 2016.

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/president-nod-to-ordinance-to-amend-bankruptcy-code/article20700553.ece;

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Solution: c.

The Parliament is empowered to provide for the

• number of seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly which may be filled by candidates belonging to such sections; and
• delimitation of the Assembly constituencies from which candidates belonging to such sections lone may stand for election to Assembly.

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/more-seats-for-sikkim-assembly/article20724838.ece;

‘Special Provisions for Some States’, Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth;

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Solution: a.

Neutrinos are known as “ghost particles”, because they are known to travel through solid objects with ease. But a new study demonstrates that some of these sub-atomic particles are stopped in their tracks when they encounter our planet.

Neutrinos interact so weakly with matter that a single one can pass through a light-year (10 trillion km) of lead without hitting an atom. The results come from the IceCube experiment, located in Antarctica. It’s an important measurement that’s consistent with the Standard Model – the theory that describes the behaviour of fundamental forces and particles, such as neutrinos.

The neutrinos seen by the IceCube detector had very high energies. This was a critical factor since the higher the energy, the more likely the neutrinos are to interact with matter and therefore be absorbed by the Earth.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42083258;

CS(P) 2015, Q80: http://www.insightsonindia.com/2015/08/27/answer-key-upsc-civil-services-preliminary-exam-2015-general-studies-paper-1/;

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Solution: a.

A global neutrino physics community is developing a leading-edge, dual-site experiment for neutrino science and proton decay studies, the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), hosted at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois (USA). The facility required for this experiment, the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF), is an internationally designed, coordinated and funded program.

The DUNE Science Collaboration is currently made up of over 1020 scientists from 174 institutions in 30 countries (several Indian institutions are among them). The collaboration works closely with the LBNF Project to ensure the coordinated development of facilities and detectors that will enable the ambitious physics program.

Improvisation: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42083258;

http://www.dunescience.org/about-the-collaboration/;

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Solution: d.

A mains-oriented question.

“More than 10 days after the Quadrilateral meeting, or ‘Quad’, involving secretary-level officials of India, Japan, Australia and the U.S., the dust is yet to settle on just what was decided among them. To begin with, the four participants issued not one but four separate statements after their meeting in Manila. A cursory look at these statements reveals the basic differences in intent: while all four referred to keeping a “free and open Indo-Pacific”, the Ministry of External Affairs statement did not mention upholding “maritime security” as an objective, while the statements of the U.S., Australia and Japan did. Similarly, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made no mention of enhancing “connectivity” as an aim, which the other three did… The import of these omissions is clear. The Quad is yet to decide what its real aim is: maritime security, connectivity, countering China’s moves in the Indo-Pacific and on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), or a combination of all three. Adding to the confusion were U.S. President Donald Trump’s own moves in Beijing. He lavished praise on Chinese President Xi Jinping and the two signed a slew of agreements…”

Not mentioning ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ along with Japan (#3 in the list above) does not render it wrong.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/quad-confusion/article20723202.ece;

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Solution: d.

LCI Report #268 is on Bail Law Reforms. Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals is dedicated to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the provision of access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels.

http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/;

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/for-fair-and-evidence-based-bail/article20744279.ece;

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