Daily Quiz

Solution (b)
Explanation:
• While Sweden is a member of the European Union (EU), it did not enact the law independently. The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) was passed by the entire EU as a bloc, not just Sweden.
• The European Union (EU) enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) in June 2024. This law is focused on restoring Europe’s ecosystems, aiming to restore 20% of its land and sea areas by 2030, with a longer-term goal of restoring all ecosystems in need by 2050. It represents a significant step in global environmental governance. (Option (b) is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-case-for-a-nature-restoration-law-in-india/article68780219.ece

Solution (d)

Explanation:

• The shadow fleet refers to tanker ships that transport oil from countries like Russia, which face international sanctions.
• These ships operate in a murky legal environment, often using tactics such as disabling transponders to avoid detection.
• They transport sanctioned crude oil to countries like India and China, sometimes labeled as engaging in “laundering” the crude oil from sanctioned nations. (Option (d) is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/why-has-india-been-accused-of-hosting-a-shadow-fleet-explained/article68780590.ece

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• The K. Radhakrishnan-led high-powered committee was established by the Supreme Court to recommend ways to reform the NEET exam process and address concerns regarding its implementation, fairness, and efficiency.
• This committee has been tasked with presenting its recommendations on how to improve the system from top to bottom, following increasing concerns about the structure and execution of the NEET. (Option (a) is correct)
• Digital banking reforms are overseen by committees like the Nandan Nilekani Committee on digital payments, not by K. Radhakrishnan.
• Committees like the K. Kasturirangan Committee have been involved in drafting and guiding the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP).

The K. Radhakrishnan committee was appointed to ensure that the NEET process is streamlined and issues regarding its accessibility and efficiency are resolved. This has come in response to various legal challenges and complaints regarding the medical entrance process.

• The committee has been granted an extension by the Supreme Court to file its final recommendations.
• The committee’s findings could lead to a significant overhaul of the NEET process, impacting millions of medical aspirants across India.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-grants-2-weeks-more-to-expert-panel-to-file-report-on-neet-ug-reforms/article68778319.ece#:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20on%20Monday,Test%20(NEET)%20exam%20process.

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, which orbits the Earth at a low-Earth orbit, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is positioned at Lagrange Point 2 (L2), which is about 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth. This location allows it to have a stable view of the universe without being influenced by Earth’s shadow or atmosphere, improving its ability to observe deep space. (Statement 1 is incorrect)
• The JWST is the largest space telescope ever built. It has a 6.5-meter diameter primary mirror, significantly larger than the Hubble’s 2.4-meter mirror. This allows the JWST to capture more light, making it more powerful for observing distant galaxies and faint objects in the universe. (Statement 2 is correct)
• While NASA led the development of the JWST, it is a collaborative project involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). These agencies contributed to its design, components, and operations, making it an international mission, not solely a NASA initiative. (Statement 3 is incorrect)

Source: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/about-overview/ & https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/black-holes-early-universe-webb-data-threat-cosmology-standard-model/article68778449.ece

Solution (c)

Explanation:

• The Z-Morh tunnel is indeed part of a broader infrastructure project that includes the Zojila tunnel. While the Z-Morh tunnel provides year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg, the Zojila tunnel will extend the connectivity further to the Ladakh region, which remains cut off during the winter due to heavy snowfall. (Statement 1 is correct)
• The Z-Morh tunnel is located on the Srinagar-Leh Highway (NH-1) and does not connect Manali and Leh. Instead, it helps maintain connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg, with further plans to connect the region to Ladakh through the Zojila tunnel. The Manali-Leh highway is a different route that passes through the Rohtang Pass and other mountain passes, and is not connected to the Z-Morh tunnel. (Statement 2 is incorrect)
• The Z-Morh tunnel derives its name from the Z-shaped curves near the location of the tunnel. These sharp bends in the road are characteristic of the terrain around Sonamarg and contribute to the name. (Statement 3 is correct)

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-the-z-morh-project-kashmir-attack-9630983/