Current News and Affairs

Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics :

1. The official motto for this Olympics is ‘A New World’.
2. Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball are included in this Olympics.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option2″]

The question asks for the correct statements regarding the 32nd Summer Olympics (Tokyo 2020, held in 2021).
Statement 1: The official motto for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was “United by Emotion”. “A New World” was not the official motto. Thus, Statement 1 is not correct.
Statement 2: Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate, and Baseball (along with Softball) were indeed included as new sports in the program for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, either making their debut or returning after previous exclusion. Thus, Statement 2 is correct.
Based on the analysis, only statement 2 is correct. Therefore, the correct option is B.

– The motto of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was “United by Emotion”.
– Several new sports were added to the Olympic program for Tokyo 2020, including Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate, and Baseball/Softball.

The inclusion of these new sports was part of an effort to make the Olympics more appealing to a younger audience and reflect growing sports trends. These sports were proposed by the Tokyo Organising Committee and approved by the International Olympic Committee.

Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000 :

1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award.
2. The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One’ players so far.
3. Roger Federer received this award maximum number of times compared to others.

Which of the above statements are correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option3″]

The question asks for the correct statements regarding the Laureus World Sports Award, instituted in 2000.
Statement 1: American golfer Tiger Woods was indeed the first recipient of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in 2000. Thus, Statement 1 is correct.
Statement 2: While Formula One drivers (like Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton) have won the award, the award has been received by athletes from various sports, and it is not accurate to say it was received “mostly” by Formula One players. Athletes from tennis, football, athletics, and golf have won it frequently, and in some cases, more often than F1 drivers cumulatively. Thus, Statement 2 is not correct.
Statement 3: Roger Federer has won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award a record five times (2005-2008, 2018), which is more than any other individual. Thus, Statement 3 is correct.
Based on the analysis, statements 1 and 3 are correct. Therefore, the correct option is C.

– Tiger Woods was the inaugural winner of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.
– The award winners represent a diverse range of sports, not predominantly Formula One.
– Roger Federer holds the record for the most wins of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.

The Laureus World Sports Awards are presented annually to honour individuals and teams from the world of sports. The first awards ceremony was held in May 2000. Roger Federer’s five wins solidify his standing as the most awarded sportsman in this category.

Consider the following statements:

• Statement 1 : The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as 2020 Tree City of the World.
• Statement 2 : Hyderabad was selected for the recognition for a year following its commitment to grow and maintain the urban forests.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

[amp_mcq option1=”Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1″ option2=”Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct but Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1″ option3=”Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is not correct” option4=”Statement 1 is not correct but Statement 2 is correct” correct=”option4″]

Let’s examine each statement:
Statement 1: Hyderabad was recognized as the 2020 Tree City of the World by the Arbor Day Foundation and the *Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)* of the United Nations, not the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). Therefore, Statement 1 is not correct.
Statement 2: Hyderabad was selected for the recognition based on its commitment to growing and maintaining urban forests, fulfilling five standards required by the program. The recognition is indeed based on the city’s efforts and commitment in this regard. Therefore, Statement 2 is correct.
The question asks which statement is correct in respect of the above statements. Statement 1 is not correct and Statement 2 is correct. This corresponds to option D.

– Hyderabad’s recognition as a Tree City of the World is conferred by the Arbor Day Foundation and FAO.
– The recognition is based on the city meeting specific standards related to urban forestry management and commitment.

The Tree City of the World program recognizes cities for their commitment to growing and maintaining urban trees and forests. The five standards are: Establish Responsibility, Set the Rules, Know What You Have, Allocate the Resources, and Celebrate Achievements. Hyderabad was the only city in India to be recognized as a 2020 Tree City.

Consider the following pairs :

International agreement/set-up	Subject
1. Alma-Ata Declaration	— Healthcare of the people
2. Hague Convention	— Biological and chemical weapons
3. Talanoa Dialogue	— Global climate change
4. Under2 Coalition	— Child rights

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”4 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”2, 3 and 4 only” correct=”option3″]

The Alma-Ata Declaration is correctly matched with ‘Healthcare of the people’, and the Talanoa Dialogue is correctly matched with ‘Global climate change’.

1. **Alma-Ata Declaration (1978):** This was a major international conference held in Alma-Ata (now Almaty, Kazakhstan) which produced the Declaration of Alma-Ata, defining and advocating for primary health care as the key to achieving the goal of “Health For All”. So, pair 1 is correctly matched.
2. **Hague Convention:** This term refers to a series of international treaties concluded at The Hague, Netherlands. These include conventions on international private law, laws of war (1899, 1907), cultural property protection, etc. While conventions related to chemical/biological weapons exist (like the Chemical Weapons Convention implemented by OPCW in The Hague), the term “Hague Convention” is not typically used to *specifically* refer to biological and chemical weapons conventions in general. Pair 2 is incorrectly matched.
3. **Talanoa Dialogue:** This was a process under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), launched at COP23 in 2017. It was a facilitative dialogue for countries to assess their progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and inform the preparation of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It is directly related to global climate change. Pair 3 is correctly matched.
4. **Under2 Coalition:** This is a coalition of subnational governments (states, regions, provinces) committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to below 2 tonnes per capita by 2050. It is focused on climate action at the subnational level, not child rights. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched.

The Hague Conventions are a diverse set of international agreements. The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC, 1993) and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC, 1972) are the key treaties related to these weapons. The Under2 Coalition is an important initiative demonstrating climate leadership by subnational actors. Child rights are primarily addressed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries?

[amp_mcq option1=”Japan” option2=”Russia” option3=”The United Kingdom” option4=”The United States of America” correct=”option2″]

The correct answer is B) Russia.

India and Russia have a long-standing and deep cooperation in the nuclear field. They have signed various agreements and action plans to prioritize and implement cooperation areas, including the construction of nuclear power plants (like the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant). Such ‘Action Plan’ deals are periodically signed to further specific aspects of their nuclear collaboration.

While India has nuclear cooperation agreements with other countries like the United States, France, and Japan, the specific mention of an ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ aligns strongly with the structured and ongoing strategic cooperation between India and Russia in this sector. Russia remains a key partner for India’s civilian nuclear energy program.

Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25th May, 2018?

[amp_mcq option1=”Australia” option2=”Canada” option3=”The European Union” option4=”The United States of America” correct=”option3″]

The correct answer is C) The European Union.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individual citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Area. It was adopted in April 2016 and became enforceable from 25th May 2018.

GDPR aims primarily to give control to individuals over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU. It is one of the most significant data privacy regulations globally and has influenced data protection laws in many other countries outside the EU.

Consider the following pairs :

Regions sometimes mentioned in news	Country
1. Catalonia	Spain
2. Crimea	Hungary
3. Mindanao	Philippines
4. Oromia	Nigeria

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2 and 3″ option2=”3 and 4 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”2 and 4 only” correct=”option3″]

The correctly matched pairs are Catalonia – Spain and Mindanao – Philippines. Therefore, option C (1 and 3 only) is the correct answer.

Catalonia is an autonomous community in Spain known for its independence movement. Mindanao is a major island in the Philippines, associated with the Moro conflict. Crimea is located in the Black Sea region, claimed by Russia (formerly part of Ukraine), and is not in Hungary. Oromia is a region in Ethiopia, not Nigeria.

Catalonia has a distinct cultural and linguistic identity within Spain. The conflict in Mindanao involves various groups seeking autonomy or independence. The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 is a significant geopolitical issue. Oromia is the largest and most populous regional state in Ethiopia.

Consider the following pairs:

Terms sometimes seen in news – Context/ Topic
1. Belle II – Artificial Intelligence
2. Blockchain technology – Digital/ Cryptocurrency
3. CRISPR – Cas9 – Particle Physics

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 3 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option2″]

This question asks to identify the correctly matched pairs of terms and their contexts.

1. Belle II is a particle physics experiment located at the KEK laboratory in Japan. It is designed to study B mesons and search for new physics beyond the Standard Model. It is related to Particle Physics, not Artificial Intelligence. Pair 1 is incorrectly matched.
2. Blockchain technology is the decentralized ledger technology that underlies many cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It is widely discussed in the context of digital currencies, distributed systems, and secure transactions. Pair 2 is correctly matched.
3. CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary gene-editing technology that allows scientists to precisely modify DNA sequences. It is used in genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology for research and therapeutic purposes. It is not related to Particle Physics. Pair 3 is incorrectly matched.

Only the pair “Blockchain technology – Digital/ Cryptocurrency” is correctly matched.

The term “two-state solution” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of

[amp_mcq option1=”China” option2=”Israel” option3=”Iraq” option4=”Yemen” correct=”option2″]

The correct answer is B) Israel.

– The “two-state solution” is a proposed resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
– It envisions two separate states in the historical region of Palestine: one a Jewish state (Israel) and one a Palestinian Arab state, living side by side in peace and security.
– This framework has been the basis of most international diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict for decades.

Other proposed solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict include a one-state solution (a single state encompassing Israelis and Palestinians) or various forms of confederation. However, the two-state solution remains the most widely accepted framework by the international community, despite significant obstacles to its implementation.

Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Angola and Zambia” option2=”Morocco and Tunisia” option3=”Venezuela and Colombia” option4=”Yemen and South Sudan” correct=”option4″]

The correct option is D. Yemen and South Sudan have been severely affected by widespread famine, acute malnutrition, and deaths caused directly by ongoing wars and ethnic conflicts in recent years (relative to the typical timeframe for UPSC questions).

Identifying major humanitarian crises linked directly to conflict requires knowledge of recent global events and reports from international organizations.

As of the late 2010s and early 2020s, the civil war in Yemen and the conflict in South Sudan have caused devastating humanitarian crises, including widespread food insecurity, malnutrition, and famine-like conditions for millions of people. These crises are direct consequences of the conflicts disrupting agriculture, aid delivery, and infrastructure, leading to mass displacement and starvation. The other pairs of countries listed did not face humanitarian crises of this specific nature and scale, directly caused by war/ethnic conflict, during the same period.