Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
On 31 July 2024, President Droupadi Murmu appointed Preeti Sudan, a 1983 batch IAS officer and former Union Health Secretary, as the new Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), succeeding Dr. Manoj Soni. Sudan, the second woman to hold this position, has played key roles in government programs like Ayushman Bharat and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. The UPSC, established in 1950, is an independent constitutional body.

Notes:
India has been elected Vice-Chair of the Supply Chain Council under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Agreement, focused on Supply Chain Resilience. The IPEF, with 14 member countries, also elected chairs and vice-chairs for the Crisis Response Network and Labor Rights Advisory Board. The Supply Chain Council’s Chair is the USA. IPEF, led by the USA, was launched by President Joe Biden on 23 May 2022 in Tokyo.

Notes:
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted permission for the first criticality approach of India’s 500 MWe sodium-cooled Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. This is India’s first indigenous PFBR, commissioned by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a government company under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

Notes:
A recent study found that kidlins, adapter proteins in cell membranes, could offer a new cancer treatment pathway. The Kindlin family, with three distinct members, transfers mechanical cues to biochemical signals, interacting with structural proteins and receptors. Mutations in these proteins, caused by carcinogens like nicotine and UV rays, can disrupt cell signaling and mechanical homeostasis, affecting the body’s balance and function.

Notes:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched ‘Suvidha Software Version 1.0’ at its first ‘Annual Operational Sea Training Conference’ in Visakhapatnam. This software aims to improve training protocols across ICG platforms. Deputy Director General Anupam Rai emphasized excellence and adaptability. Senior officers discussed best practices and strategies for maritime security, highlighting ICG’s dedication to innovation and operational training excellence.

Notes:
Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the ‘State Museum Conclave on the upcoming Yuga Yugeen Bharat Museum’ in New Delhi. The event aims to gather insights from stakeholders to develop a world-class museum. Minister highlighted India’s growing global interest and the need to showcase its heritage. The Yuga Yugeen Bharat Museum, part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, will be the world’s largest museum.

Notes:
KIIT Deemed to be University (KIIT DU) received special recognition from the UN Economic and Social Council, for its commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Out of 476 global applicants, only 19 were honored, enhancing KIIT’s international reputation. KIIT signed an agreement with UN Volunteers, enabling students to join UN development projects. Additionally, KIIT partnered with the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) for student exchange programs. KIIT joins its sister institution, KISS, in holding Special Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC.

Notes:
Indian astronomers have discovered 34 new Giant Radio Sources (GRSs) using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) near Pune. Operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), GMRT has 30 large parabolic dishes that study radio waves. GRSs are massive cosmic objects with supermassive black holes at their centers. These black holes pull in matter, creating jets of hot plasma and producing large radio emission lobes.

Notes:
A four-ringed butterfly, the great four-ring (Ypthima cantliei), was rediscovered in Namdapha National Park after 61 years. Last seen in Assam in 1957, it was photographed during a 2018-19 survey. Identified by its morphology and habitat, this butterfly belongs to the Nymphalidae family, which has 6,000 species. India has 35 Ypthima species, with 23 in the northeast. China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar also host significant Ypthima diversity.

Notes:
The Thadou Students’ Association (TSA) has launched a global platform to address key issues facing the Thadou community, particularly in Manipur. The Thadou are indigenous people in northeastern India, mainly in Manipur, and also found in Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Myanmar. They practice jhum agriculture, live in forest settlements, and predominantly follow Christianity. The Thadou language is part of the Tibeto-Burman family.