UPSC Essentials: Daily subject-wise quiz — International Relations (Week 3)

QUESTION 1

Consider the following countries:

1. Egypt

2. Niger

3. Chad

4. Ethiopia

5. Somalia

Which of the above share borders with Sudan?

(a) 1, 2, 4, and 5 only

(b) 2, 3, and 4 only

(c) 1, 3, and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements about Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC):

1. It is part of an international network under the UN’s International Maritime Organisation to monitor the sea lanes

2. India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set up Dhaka’s maritime rescue coordination center.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 3

Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi were often heard in the news. Which of the following is correct about them?

(a) Forests of Central Africa.

(b) Tribes of Australia.

(c) Grassland of Argentina.

(d) Islands of Maldives.

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Asian Clearing Union, consider the following statements:

1. It is a payment arrangement whereby the participants settle payments for intra-regional transactions among the participating central banks on a net multilateral basis.

2. It is headquartered in Colombo.

3. It was established as an initiative of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP).

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

QUESTION 5

Consider the following pairs:

                 Place                                                Country

1. Umayyad Mosque                                      Syria

2. Tel Aviv Museum                                       Israel

3. Petra                                                              Jordan

4. Karnak Temple                                          Sri Lanka

Which of the pair(s) given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs

QUESTION 6

The MIST Corridor was in the news recently. Which of the following countries is not a part of the corridor?

(a) India

(b) Thailand

(c) Myanmar

(d) Indonesia

QUESTION 7

Consider the following statements about Eastern Economic Forum:

1. It is aimed to promote the accelerated development of the Far East economy and broaden international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

2. India did not participate in the 7th edition which was held in 2022.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 8

Which of the following organisation(s) is/are involved in sending seeds into space to investigate the effects of cosmic radiation and harsh space conditions on breeding new crop varieties to withstand the effects of climate change and help fight global hunger?

1.  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

2. Food and Agriculture Organisation

3. International Atomic Energy Agency

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWERS TO MCQs

1. (c)

FYI:

— Fierce fighting erupted between the military and the paramilitary force, Rapid Support Forces, in Khartoum, raising fears of a wider conflict in Sudan.

— The clashes between the military and the Rapid Support Forces created heightened tensions between both sides that forced the delay of a deal with political parties to restore the country’s short-lived transition to democracy.

— Sudan was separated in 2011 into Northern Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, with a predominantly Arab population and South Sudan, formerly the southern part of Sudan, now officially the Republic of South Sudan, with a majority population of people with a Black African heritage.

— The country is situated in north-eastern Africa, between Egypt to the north and Eritrea, bordering the Red Sea in the north east. It is also bordered by Libya in the north west, by Chad in west, by the Central African Republic in south west, by South Sudan in south and by Ethiopia in south east, and it shares maritime borders with Saudi Arabia.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Other Source: http://www.nationsonline.org

2. (a)

FYI:

— India and Sri Lanka have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for setting up a state of the art Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Colombo. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The Bengaluru-based Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has proposed enhancing Sri Lanka’s small MRCC by setting up advanced software systems that will increase Sri Lanka’s capacities for communication and coordination in its SRR in the Indian Ocean, where it is the first responder.

— The agreement is significant as it enhances cooperation on maritime security between the two countries in a part of the Indian Ocean region.

— MRCCs are part of an international network under the UN’s International Maritime Organisation to monitor the sea lanes with the objective of swift response to emergencies, such as vessels in distress, rescue and evacuation of people, and prevention of and containing environmental disasters such as oil spills. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Each country is responsible for its own Search and Rescue Region. The work of MRCCs is coordinated by the Navy or Coast Guard in each country. In India, the Coast Guard is the coordinating agency. In Sri Lanka, it is the Navy.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

3. (d)

FYI:

— India and Maldives signed a contract on the mega Greater Male Connectivity project (GMCP), the largest infrastructure project in the country.

— The project, funded by an Indian grant of $100 m and a Line of Credit of $400 m is also the biggest new development project by India in its neighbourhood in recent years.

— The project involves the construction of a 6.74 km long bridge and causeway link connecting the capital Male with the adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— Asian Clearing Union (ACU) is a payment arrangement whereby the participants settle payments for intra-regional transactions among the participating central banks on a net multilateral basis.

— The main objectives of the clearing union are to facilitate payments among member countries for eligible transactions, thereby economising on the use of foreign exchange reserves and transfer costs, as well as promoting trade and banking relations among the participating countries.

— It is headquartered in Tehran, Iran.

— The ACU was established on December 9, 1974, at the initiative of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), for promoting regional cooperation.

— Asian Monetary Unit (AMU) is the common unit of account of ACU and is denominated as ‘ACU dollar’, ‘ACU euro’, and ‘ACU yen’, which is equivalent in value to one US dollar, one euro, and one Japanese yen respectively.

— Central banks and monetary authorities of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are currently members of the ACU.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

5 . (c)

FYI:

Place	Country	Description
Umayyad Mosque	Syria	The Umayyad Mosque is also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus which is located in Syria. It is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world.
Tel Aviv Museum	Israel	Tel Aviv Museum of Art is Israel’s first art museum, founded in 1932. It is a leading and influential institution dedicated to the preservation and display of modern and contemporary art from Israel and abroad.
Petra	Jordan	Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture.
Karnak Temple	Egypt	The complex of Karnak temple is located in Luxor, Egypt. The temple is dedicated to  Amun, Mut, and Khonsu.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Sources: whc.unesco.org, discoveringegypt.com, madainproject.com, http://www.tamuseum.org.il)

6. (d)

FYI:

— The Myanmar/Malaysia India Singapore Transit (MIST) cable system has a total length of 8,100km, connecting Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, India (Mumbai and Chennai). 

—The MIST cable system consists of 12 fibre pairs, with more than 216 Tbsp system capacity. The total initial cost of the MIST cable system is approximately US$ 400 million. 

— MIST will further enhance and contribute to the much-needed expansion of communications networks from Asia, thereby improving network redundancy, ensuring highly reliable communications and expanding onward connectivity options in the Bay of Bengal.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Source: http://www.submarinenetworks.com

7. (a)

FYI:

— The Eastern Economic Forum is a key international platform for establishing and strengthening ties within the Russian and global investment communities, and for comprehensive expert evaluation of the economic potential of the Russian Far East, the investment opportunities it offers, and business conditions within advanced special economic zones.

— The Eastern Economic Forum was established by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in 2015 to support the economic development of Russia’s Far East and to expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

— It is aimed to promote the accelerated development of the Far East economy and broaden international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The largest foreign delegations consisted of representatives from China, Myanmar, Mongolia, India, Armenia, and South Korea. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— India has been emphasising the need to adopt the path of diplomacy and dialogue since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict and it supports all peaceful efforts to end the conflict.

— For the first time, representatives of such countries as Algeria, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, the Donetsk People’s Republic, Zambia, Cameroon, Liberia, and Uganda took part in the Forum.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

8. (b)

FYI:

— The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have sent seeds into space to investigate the effects of cosmic radiation and harsh space conditions on breeding new crop varieties to withstand the effects of climate change and help fight global hunger.

— The IAEA and FAO sent seeds of two plant species — sorghum, a cereal grain, and Arabidopsis, a type of cress — to the International Space Station (ISS) where they are being exposed to microgravity, extreme temperatures, and cosmic radiation.

— Upon their return, these seeds will be germinated, grown and screened for desirable traits.

— These analyses will help to understand whether cosmic radiation and harsh space conditions (microgravity and extreme temperatures) will lead to crops becoming more resilient in the face of increasingly difficult growing conditions on Earth.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Source: http://www.iaea.org

Previous Quizzes:

Polity and Governance (Week 1)

Polity and Governance (Week 2)

History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 1)

History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 2)

UPSC Weekly Quiz (Current Affairs)

UPSC Essentials: Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 2)

Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 1)

International Relations (Week 1)

Tomorrow’s Quiz: Polity and Governance

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