Current Affairs Quiz , 22 Nov 2018

1) Global Annual Talent Ranking, 2018 is published by which among the following organisations?

a) World Economic Forum
b) UNESCO
c) Yale and Cornell Universities
d) None of the above

Answer: d
• India slips two places in Global Annual Talent Ranking.
Global Annual Talent Ranking 2018:
• India has slipped two places to rank 53rd on a global annual talent ranking released by IMD Business school.
• Within Asia, Singapore has topped the charts with a global 13th place on the list that ranks 63 countries in developing and attracting talent.
• China is ranked lower at 39th “because of its difficulties in attracting foreign skilled workers paired with level of public expenditure in education that is below the average of other advanced economies.
• Switzerland has topped global ranking for the fifth in a row, it is followed by Denmark, Norway, Austria and Netherlands in top five.
• Among BRICS nations, Brazil is ranked 58th, South African 50th and Russia 46th.
• The rankings are based on three factors: Investment and Development, Appeal and Readiness.
• These factors include indicators that capture the resources invested in developing local talent, the extent to which a country attracts and retains talent, and the quality of skills available in the talent pool.

2) SHe-Box, which offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace to all women employees, is under the aegis of

a) Ministry of Women and Child Development
b) NITI Aayog
c) National Commission for Women
d) Ministry of Law and Justice

Answer: a
• WCD Ministry links She-Box to central and state ministries.
Major highlights:
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development has linked SHe-Box the online portal to report complaints of Sexual Harassment at the workplace to all ministries, departments and 653 districts across 33 States/Union Territories.
• For prompt disposal of complaints on SHe-Box, each case goes directly to the central/ state authority concerned having jurisdiction to take action in the matter.
• Cases on She-Box can be monitored by the complainants and WCD Ministry, reducing the time taken in case disposal.
SHE Box portal:
• SHe-Box, which was launched by Ministry of Women and Child development.
• It offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace to all women employees in the country including government and private employees.
• Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the Sexual Harassment Act are also eligible to file their complaint through this portal.

3) Atmosphere & Climate Research Modelling Observing Systems and Services (ACROSS) will be implemented by

a) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
b) United Nations Environment Programme
c) Ministry of Earth Science
d) Indian Environmental Society

Answer: c
• Cabinet approves implementation of umbrella scheme “Atmosphere & Climate Research Modelling Observing Systems and Services”.
Major highlights:
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister has approved continuation of the nine sub-schemes of the umbrella scheme “Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS).
• It will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences through its institutes namely India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service(INCOIS).
• Impacts:
o The scheme will provide improved weather, climate and ocean forecast and services, thereby ensuring transfer of commensurate benefits to the various services like Public weather service, disaster management, Agro-meteorological Services, Aviation services etc.
ACROSS scheme:
• ACROSS scheme pertains to the atmospheric science programs of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• It addresses different aspects of weather and climate services, which includes warnings for cyclone, storm surges, heat waves, thunderstorms etc.
• Each of these aspects is incorporated as nine sub-schemes under the umbrella scheme “ACROSS” and is implemented in an integrated manner through India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service(INCOIS).
• The ACROSS scheme consists of nine sub-programmes which are multi-disciplinary and multi institutional in nature.
• As the objective of the ACROSS scheme is to provide a reliable weather and climate forecast for betterment of society, the scheme will aim at improving skill of weather and climate forecast through sustained observations.
• By adopting effective dissemination and communication strategies it will ensure timely reach to the end-user of all services like Agro-meteorological Services, Aviation service, Environmental monitoring services, Hydro-meteorological services, climate services, tourism, pilgrimage, mountaineering etc.

4) Operation Kurma was conducted by which of the following organisations?

a) Wildlife Trust of India
b) CITES
c) WWF for Nature
d) Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

Answer: d
• Wildlife Crime Control Bureau gets Asia Environment Enforcement Awards.
Asia Environment Enforcement Awards:
• The Asia Environment Enforcement Awards publicly recognize and celebrate excellence in enforcement by government officials and institutions/teams combating transboundary environmental crime in Asia.
• The awards are given to outstanding individuals and/or government organizations/teams that demonstrate excellence and leadership in enforcement of national laws to combat transboundary environmental crime.
• Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and Asian Environment Enforcement Awards 2018:
o WCCB has been conferred this award in Innovation category. WCCB has adopted innovative enforcement techniques that have dramatically increased enforcement of transboundary environmental crimes in India.
o Notably it has developed an online Wildlife Crime Database Management System to get real time data in order to help analyze trends in crime and devise effective measures to prevent and detect wildlife crimes across India.
o This online system has been successfully used to analyse trends, helping put in preventive measures as well as for successfully carrying out operations such as Operation SAVE KURMA, THUNDERBIRD, WILDNET, LESKNOW, BIRBIL, THUNDERSTORM, LESKNOW-II.
o The award was decided upon by a selection panel set up by the UN Environment.
o This is the second time in a row the awards are being given by UN Environment to India.
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau:
• Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the government of India under Ministry of Environment and Forest to combat organized wildlife crime in the country.
• It is mandated to collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same to State and other enforcement agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals.
• WCCB would complement the efforts of the state governments, primary enforcers of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and other enforcement agencies of the country.

5) Point Calimere wildlife sanctuary is located in which of the following states in India?

a) Andaman and Nicobar
b) Tamil Nadu
c) Sikkim
d) Punjab

Answer: b
• Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird sanctuary is a protected area in Tamil Nadu, South India along the Palk Strait where it meets the Bay of Bengal at Point Calimere at the South-eastern tip of Nagapattinam District.
• The sanctuary was created in 1967 for conservation of the near threatened blackbuck antelope and endemic mammal species of India.
• It is famous for large congregations of water birds especially flamingos.