Ans: B

Exp:

As the 18th Lok Sabha prepares to meet, the TDP and JD(U), key allies of the BJP in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), are said to be jockeying for the post of Speaker.

About Office of Speaker of Lok Sabha:

• Statement 1 is correct: The institutions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker originated in India in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919 (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms).
• Electing the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is one of the first acts of every newly constituted House.
  • The Speaker should be a member of the House.
  • The Speaker (along with the Deputy Speaker) is elected from among the Lok Sabha members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The Speaker holds Office from the date of his/her election till immediately before the first meeting of the next Lok Sabha (for 5 years).
  • The speaker once elected is eligible for re-election.
• Statement 3 is correct: The speaker does not vote in the first instance but in the case of a tie; when the House is divided equally on any question, the Speaker is entitled to vote which is called casting vote.

Ans: C

Exp: 

To provide seamless and barrier-free tolling experience to National Highway users and enhance efficiency & transparency of toll operations, Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL), a company promoted by NHAI has invited Global Expression of Interest (EOI) from innovative and qualified companies to develop and implement GNSS-based Electronic Toll Collection system in India.

About GNSS-based Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) System:

• • NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) plans to implement the GNSS-based ETC system within the existing FASTag ecosystem.
  • Dedicated GNSS lanes at toll plazas will allow vehicles equipped with GNSS-based ETC to pass through freely.
  • As GNSS-based ETC adoption grows, all lanes will eventually transition to GNSS lanes.

• Features of the System:

• • • Statement 1 is correct: Vehicles must be equipped with GNSS-enabled On Board Units (OBUs) to be part of this toll collection system.
    • Initially, a hybrid model will be used, where both RFID-based ETC and GNSS-based ETC will operate simultaneously.

• Advantages:

• • Barrier-less Tolling: Vehicles can seamlessly pass through toll plazas without stopping, reducing congestion.
  • Statement 2 is correct: Distance-based Tolling: the system calculates tolls based on the distance traveled on tolled highways.
  • Efficient Collection: GNSS technology accurately determines a vehicle’s position and calculates toll charges.
  • No Physical Infrastructure: Unlike traditional toll booths, GNSS-based tolling doesn’t require gantries or plazas.
  • Flexibility: Easily adaptable to changes in toll road networks without costly infrastructure modifications.

Ans: B

Exp:

Two of the remote sensing payloads on board India’s maiden solar mission Aditya-L1 have captured images of the Sun and its dynamic activities during the solar storm, which occurred during the month of May.

About Aditya-L1 mission:

• • Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona.
  • The meaning of Aditya is “Sun God”.
  • It is placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrange point (L1) of the Sun-Earth system which allows it to look at the Sun continuously.
    • L1 is about 1.5 million km from the Earth and the distance of L1 from Earth is approximately 1% of the Earth-Sun distance.
    • Statement 1 is correct: Spacecraft leverage these points to minimise fuel consumption and allow spacecraft to maintain their position efficiently.
    • Statement 2 is incorrect: The mission must deal with the harsh space environment including radiation and micrometeoroid impacts.

• Payloads of ADITYA L1:

• • Statement 3 is correct: Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX): Analyses solar wind and particles, including protons and heavier ions, unravelling their composition.
  • High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS): Specialised in capturing hard X-ray emissions from the Sun, offering a unique perspective on solar activities.
  • Visible Line Emission Coronagraph (VLEC): Concentrates on capturing the intricate details of the Sun’s corona through advanced imaging techniques.

Ans: D

Exp:

After a few hesitant steps following a long flight from Prague, three Przewalski horses galloped off for the first time into the Kazakh steppe — the native habitat of this endangered species.

About Przewalski horse:

• Przewalski’s horse, also called the takhi, is a rare and endangered horse originally native to the steppes of Central Asia. 
• It is named after the Russian geographer and explorer Nikolay Przhevalsky. 
• Przewalski horses are commonly referred to as one of the world’s last breeds of wild horse.
• The horses are capable of resisting harsh winters like the ones in Kazakhstan where temperatures can drop below minus 30 degrees C and food runs scarce.

Ans: A

Exp: 

Recently, the Socialist Kanak National Liberation Front (FLNKS) of the south pacific French territory of New Caledonia called for French President Emmanuel Macron to abandon the plan to modify the electoral reform.

About New Caledonia:

• It is a French overseas territory in the Pacific. It enjoys a large degree of autonomy but depends heavily on France for matters like defense and education.
• It includes the island of New Caledonia where the capital, Noumea, is located,  the Loyalty Islands; the Belep Islands; and the Ile des Pins. 

North to South Arragnement of Island Groups:

• Kiribati: Kiribati, island country in the central Pacific Ocean. The 33 islands of Kiribati, of which only 20 are inhabited, are scattered over a vast area of ocean. Kiribati and Tuvalu were formerly joined as the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. 

• Solomon Islands: Solomon Islands, country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of a double chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls in Melanesia. Once a British protectorate, Solomon Islands achieved independence as a republic in 1978.

• Vanuatu: Formerly the jointly administered Anglo-French condominium of the New Hebrides, Vanuatu achieved independence in 1980. The name Vanuatu means “Our Land Forever” in many of the locally used Melanesian languages. The capital, largest city, and commercial centre is Port-Vila (Vila), on Éfaté.

• New Caledonia.