Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
Australia’s Victoria has 71 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease, with one woman dying. This severe form of pneumonia is caused by Legionella bacteria, found in natural bodies of water and water systems like tanks. It spreads through inhaling contaminated water aerosols, not person-to-person. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, malaise, and muscle pain. While treatments are available, there is no vaccine for the disease.

Notes:
The Central government’s Rs 72,000 crore Great Nicobar Island (GNI) project plans to build an airport, an international container terminal, and a township. However, it faces legal challenges from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Calcutta High Court due to inadequate impact assessments on Shompen and Nicobarese tribes and improper permissions. The Shompens are hunter-gatherers, and the project could affect the Nicobarese people’s ancestral lands.

Notes:
India mourned the loss of Yamini Krishnamurthy, a revered classical dancer, who passed away at 83 in New Delhi. Mastering Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi, she elevated Indian classical dance globally. Born on December 20, 1940, in Andhra Pradesh, she began her dance journey at five, training at Kalakshetra School under Bharatanatyam legend Rukmini Devi Arundale.

Notes:
According to new study, the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano in northern Tanzania has been both erupting and sinking for the past 10 years. Known as the “Mountain of God” to the Maasai people, this unique stratovolcano rises to 9,442 feet and contains alkaline lavas. Recent studies reveal its upper slopes have been sinking since 2013 due to a deflating magma reservoir located 3,300 feet below the surface.

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Scientists have identified Ladakh as a potential site for a Martian or Lunar analogue research station. Such stations simulate planetary conditions for testing space technologies and studying human behavior in extreme environments. Ladakh’s dry, cold, and rocky landscape resembles early Mars and the Moon, with features like permafrost, volcanic rocks, and saline lakes. Its conditions, including high radiation and low atmospheric pressure, make it an ideal location for this research.

Notes:
The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee highlighted serious wildlife harm in Rajasthan’s Sariska Tiger Reserve due to unchecked tourism and traffic, recommending a ban on private vehicles. Located in the Aravali Hills, Sariska covers 800 sq km and was once a royal hunting ground. It was declared a reserve in 1955 and a national park in 1979, becoming the first to successfully relocate tigers. Sariska features diverse flora and fauna, including tigers, leopards, and dhok trees.

Notes:
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from competing in women’s freestyle wrestling finals at Paris Olympics due to being overweight by just100 grams exceeding limit set by wrestling rules governing weight categories.She had reached finals after defeating wrestlers including Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Yui Susaki & European champion Oksana Livach.

Notes:
The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM), announced in the 2019 Interim Budget, aims to provide social security to unorganized workers. Implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Employment through LIC and CSCs since February 15, 2019, it targets approximately 42 crore workers. LIC manages the pension fund and payouts. By the end of July 2024, over 50 lakh unorganised sector workers had enrolled in this Central Sector Scheme.

Notes:
Recently, scientists conducted a comprehensive survey of Lake Turkana in Kenya’s remote northern region. Lake Turkana is in northern Kenya, extending into Ethiopia. It lies in the Eastern Rift Valley and is fed by three rivers, with the Omo River contributing 90% of its water. It is Africa’s fourth-largest lake and the world’s largest permanent desert lake, also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The surrounding region supports about 1 million people, relying on pastoralism, fishing, and some farming. The lake’s semi-saline waters, high evaporation rates, and fluctuating levels have hindered sustainable development, with past fishery commercialization attempts failing due to unpredictable conditions.

Notes:
SJVN Limited (Mini Ratna Schedule ‘A’ CPSU under Ministry of Power) has successfully commissioned the 90 MW Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh. This project involves placing solar panels on floating structures in water bodies like lakes and reservoirs. India has a potential capacity of 280-300 GW for floating solar power, according to the World Bank.