UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on Student Direct Stream program, CBP One entry programme and more (Week 95)

1. Syria

2. Cyprus

3. Jordan

4. Israel

How many of the countries given above share a border with Lebanon?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Irael Defense Forces (IDF) will not complete its full withdrawal from southern Lebanon by the 60-day deadline stipulated under the ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.

— Netanyahu’s office issued a statement explaining that “the IDF’s withdrawal process is conditional on the Lebanese Army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani,” according to a report by The Times of Israel.

— Under the ceasefire agreement that ended the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli forces are supposed to have completed their withdrawal within 60 days, or by a January 26 deadline.

— According to Netanyahu, Lebanon “has not yet fully enforced” its end of the bargain. “The phased withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States,” he said as a result.

— Lebanon is surrounded by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

The CBP One entry programme was in the news recently. It is associated with:

(a) India

(b) China

(c) United States

(d) Israel

Explanation

— Among his first actions as President, Donald Trump restricted access to a mobile app that allows migrants to petition for legal entry into the United States as asylum seekers.

— Former President Joe Biden’s CBP One entry programme allowed thousands of migrants to arrange appointments at entrance sites along the US-Mexico border.

— The CBP One app functioned as a lottery mechanism, awarding appointments to 1,450 people each day at eight border crossing locations. It permitted migrants to schedule interviews with immigration officials in order to get immigration parole before crossing the border into the United States.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the places in news, consider the following pairs:

1. Sanaa – Syria

2. Tel Aviv – Turkey

Which of the pairs given above are correctly marked?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Yemen’s Houthis released 153 captives on Saturday with the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), according to a statement. The identities of the inmates were not revealed, but the ICRC stated that they had received regular visits from the group in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

— According to Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV, Israel has released 70 Palestinian inmates to Egypt as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. According to the network, they have landed on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza.

Place in news	Region/Country
Sanaa	Yemen
Tel Aviv	Israel

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, consider the following statements:

1. It is a student visa application program run by Canada launched in 2018.

2. The program has been closed for China and still in process for India.

3. The program provides admission into post-secondary Designated Learning Institutions (DLI).

4. This program does not require to provide a mandatory Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC).

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 2 and 4 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

Explanation

— Canada announced the closing of its Student Direct Stream (SDS) program for students from 14 countries, including India, China, and Pakistan, beginning November 9. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The SDS program enabled faster processing of student visa applications. It was released in 2018 for admission to post-secondary Designated Learning Institutions (DLI), which are colleges designated by the Canadian territorial or provincial government to accept overseas students. Hence, statement 1 and 3 are correct.

— It had stringent prerequisites, including paying one year’s tuition upfront and submitting a necessary Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) for $20,635 as proof of finances. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— It was a popular program for many Indian students, who must now rely on the standard visa procedure.

How can Indian students apply for Canadian visas?

— Students can apply under the regular, non-SDS application category, which is much more flexible right now. For example, students are not expected to pay the whole one-year tuition cost upfront, but rather to pay for six months and demonstrate that they have enough money to meet their living expenses. This makes the procedure more affordable for students who are unable to meet the higher-cost SDS requirements. While the GIC is still an option, it is not required for the standard route.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

The headquarters of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is based in:

(a) Moscow

(b) Montreal

(c) Delhi

(d) Paris

Explanation

— WADA’s 42-member Foundation Board is the organization’s top decision-making body. It is made up equally of representatives from the Olympic Movement and Public Authorities. Members are appointed by their constituent organisations.

— WADA’s principal function is to create, harmonise, and coordinate anti-doping laws and policies for all sports and countries.

— WADA’s primary activities include ensuring and monitoring the effective implementation of the World Anti-Doping Code and its related International Standards, conducting scientific and social science research, providing education, intelligence and investigations, and developing anti-doping capacity with anti-doping organisations around the world.

— The headquarters of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is based in Montreal.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.wada-ama.org)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 95)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 95)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 95)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 95)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 95)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 94)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 94)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.