Ans: C

Exp:

• Statement 1 is correct: The World Health Organization (WHO) recently added one of the world’s most under-recognized health challenges, Noma, to its official list of neglected tropical diseases (NTD). The name of the disease comes from the Greek word “nomē” meaning “to devour”, as noma eats away facial tissue and bones if not treated early.   
  • Noma is also known as cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis. It is a severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face with a mortality rate of approximately 90 per cent. It is also associated with extreme poverty, malnutrition and poor access to sanitation and oral hygiene. 
• Statement 2 is correct: Noma primarily affects children who are malnourished, infected with infectious diseases, living in extreme poverty with poor oral health, or who have weakened immune systems, according to the WHO. 

Ans: B

Exp:

• Recently, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh (MOS – Ministry of External Affairs) highlighted the growing global interest in rupee trading. The Reserve Bank of India’s initiative to allow transactions in domestic currencies aims to bolster global trade, focusing on Indian exports and leveraging the increasing global interest in the rupee. Trading in domestic currency reduces risks related to dependence on hard currencies. This mechanism is a mutually beneficial mechanism for both trading countries in terms of saving each other’s foreign exchange reserves; also, it aligns with India’s goal to elevate the rupee to a hard currency status. 
• Some recent developments in this direction include:
  • India is in talks with Lesotho to conduct trade using the Indian currency in its attempt to take the rupee global. This development is a key step in India’s broader economic strategy to enhance its presence in southern Africa, including ongoing trade negotiations with the Southern African Customs Union (SACU- a grouping of Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa). 
  • Around 22 countries have so far set up special bank accounts to trade in Indian rupee, including Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Germany, Maldives and the UK.
  • Meanwhile, the trade between India and Lesotho remains modest, although Lesotho is included in India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference scheme. India’s efforts in Lesotho have primarily focused on developing small industries, ensuring food security, and providing vocational training.
• Hence, both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I

Ans: D

Exp:

• The Gelephu “mindfulness” mega-city project or Special Administrative Region (SAR) was announced by Bhutan recently. The project is billed ambitiously as an economic hub on Bhutan’s southern border with Assam.
• The Geluphu project will focus on three aspects: 
  • Renewable energy 
  • Infrastructure development: connectivity ranging from an international airport, a railway line from India, and road connectivity eventually linking Southeast Asia.
  • Skilling for the youth 
• Under the project, all the above objectives are to be achieved while adhering to Bhutan’s environmental goals/norms. The 1,000-sq. km SAR project aims to ensure that Bhutan’s youth see work and skilling opportunities in Bhutan itself.

Ans: C

Exp:

• Statement 1 is correct: DNA is like a set of cookbooks full of different recipes, or genes, to make proteins. People make about 100,000 different proteins that are essential for normal function, such as breaking down nutrients and carrying out other important chemical reactions. When cells need to make one of those proteins, they don’t read the recipe directly from DNA. Instead, they make a copy in the form of a similar molecule – that’s the mRNA. The “m” stands for messenger, as mRNA contains the message, or recipe, that codes for a protein. 
• Statement 2 is correct:  The mRNAs code for proteins, and they can be easily edited to meet the needs of the patient, whether this means providing a whole new mRNA recipe or tweaking an existing one to make a slight variation of the protein. Another benefit of using mRNAs as drugs is cells’ natural ability to destroy them when they aren’t needed. Since mRNAs aren’t permanent, doses can be easily changed to meet the changing needs of the patient.

Ans: A

Exp:

• PM Narendra Modi used a real-time Artificial Intelligence-based translation tool while delivering his speech on Sunday. He was addressing the audience during the inauguration ceremony of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0 at Namo Ghat in Varanasi.
• ‘Bhashini’ is an AI-led language translation system that enables people to speak in their own language while talking to speakers of other Indian languages.
• Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023:
  • It is an initiative by the Government of India.
  • It is part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to uphold the Spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat. The second edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) is being held from December 17-30, 2023. 
  • The event is part of the government’s Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Yuva Sangam programme.