Ans: b

Exp:

Two individuals were rescued after a pod of orcas, commonly referred to as killer whales, sank their 15-meter-long sailing yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar, located 22.5 kilometers off the Moroccan coast.

A part of the dolphin family, orcas or killer whales can measure up to 8 metres in length and weigh up to 6 tonnes as adults are highly intelligent and curious mammals.

Statement 1 is correct: The killer whale, also known as orca, is the ocean’s top predator which means they’re at the very top of the food chain and they have no predators. It is the largest member of the Delphinidae family, or dolphins.

Statement 2 is correct: Members of this family include all dolphin species, as well as other larger species, such as long-finned pilot whales and short-finned pilot whales, whose common names also contain “whale” instead of “dolphin.”

Statement 3 is incorrect: Found in every ocean in the world, they are the most widely distributed of all cetaceans (whales and dolphins). 

Conservation status: Killer whales are considered Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species.

Ans: b

Exp:

Operation Smiling Buddha, or Pokhran-I, was conducted at Rajasthan’s Pokhran test site on May 18, 1974, establishing India as a nuclear power. A nuclear device was detonated, with a yield of 12-13 kiloton of TNT. 

• Operation Smiling Buddha was described as a “peaceful nuclear explosion” with “minimal military implications,” likely to ease the concerns of the international community.

Statement 1 is correct: Under the prime ministership of Indira Gandhi, India became the sixth country in the world to conduct a nuclear test, and the first nation outside of the United Nations Security Council’s permanent members to do so.

Statement 2 is incorrect: May 18 is celebrated as the anniversary of India’s ascension as a nuclear leader, while the anniversary of the Pokhran-II tests is celebrated as National Technology Day. 

Statement 3 is correct: The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a multi-nation export control body,  was formed in response to India’s first nuclear test.

After the 1974 tests, India conducted five tests – Pokhran-II – three on May 11 and two on May 13, 1998.

Ans: a

Exp:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directed Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) to focus on governance and adhere to ethical conduct while doing business.

• Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) in India were introduced as a result of the ongoing efforts to  address the issue of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in the banking sector. 
• NPAs are loans that are not being repaid as scheduled, leading to financial stress for banks and affecting their ability to lend. 
• To tackle this problem, the concept of ARCs was introduced to help banks offload their distressed assets and focus on their core lending activities.
• SARFAESI Act, 2002: The establishment of ARCs in India can be traced back to the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002. 
• The SARFAESI Act provided a legal framework for banks and financial institutions to take control of collateral in the event of default and to sell or transfer assets to ARCs.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016: It was enacted in 2016 to provide a robust framework for debt resolution through corporate insolvency resolution processes (CIRP) and liquidation. 

• It seeks to maximize asset value and distribute fair proceeds among creditors.
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code provides for a time-bound resolution of firms, addressing the issue of firm exit in India. 

RBI Guidelines (2003): In 2003, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued guidelines that outlined the regulatory framework for the functioning of ARCs. These guidelines set the rules for the formation, capital requirements, and operations of ARCs in India.

ARC Regulations (2017): In 2017, the RBI issued comprehensive regulations for ARCs, known as the “Asset Reconstruction Companies (Reserve Bank) Guidelines, 2017.” 

• These regulations set detailed guidelines for capital adequacy, governance, risk management, and other aspects of ARC operations.

Ans: d

Exp:

Auroras lights were imaged  by the astronomers of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru (IIA) through an all-sky camera positioned around the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) in Hanle, Ladakh.

• A geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere that occurs when there is an exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth. These storms result from variations in the solar wind that produce major changes in the currents, plasmas, and fields in Earth’s magnetosphere. 

Statement 1 is correct: The colorful auroras, witnessed in the upper atmosphere in some countries, are triggered by geomagnetic storms.

Statement 2 is correct:  According to NOAA, these storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations. 

Statement 3 is correct:  They can interfere with and threaten the smooth operations of satellites operating in the Low Earth Orbit or LEO (200-1,600km) which are used for multiple purposes, such as navigation, military, intelligence, communications, etc.

Statement 4 is correct:  They can induce geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) to overload electrical systems, leading to voltage regulation problems, transformer damage, and large-scale power outages. 

Answer: (d)

Explanation:  The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully tested the deployment of the Battle Field Health Information System for Medical Services (BHISHMA) portable hospital at Agra.

• This portable hospital is designed to be deployed anywhere to address an emergency. 
• The portable hospital, which weighs 720 kg, was air-dropped from a transport aircraft of the IAF from a height of 1,500 feet, using two specially designed parachutes developed by the Agra-based Air Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE).
• The structure, designed in the form of a cube, is waterproof, lightweight, and capable of treating up to 200 patients simultaneously. It can be deployed via various means, including aircraft and drones.
•  The aid cube is equipped with several innovative tools that enhance disaster response and offer medical support during emergencies.
•  It integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to facilitate effective coordination, real-time monitoring, and efficient management of medical services in the field.