Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
The Ministry of Information Broadcasting launched 25 challenges under the ‘Create in India Challenge—Season 1’ for the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in New Delhi. WAVES is a platform for collaboration, innovation, and discussions in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry. Its goals include boosting India’s creator economy, making India an attractive investment destination, and adapting to new industry trends. This initiative aims to enhance India’s global presence in the M&E industry. It promotes cross-cultural exchanges and aims to develop a skilled workforce.

Notes:
A fire caused by a reactor blast at Escientia Advanced Sciences in the Special Economic Zone at Atchutapuram in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh, led to at least 17 deaths and 20 injuries. The disaster was triggered by a fire in a leaked solvent at the pharmaceutical company. India is highly vulnerable to chemical disasters, with around 1,861 Major Accident Hazard (MAH) units and many other hazardous factories. MAH units pose significant risks of major incidents. Other chemical disasters in India include the 2024 ammonia gas leak in Chennai, the 2020 styrene gas leak in Vizag, and the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy involving methyl isocyanate.

Notes:
Kerala government released the Justice Hema Committee report after nearly five years due to privacy concerns. The committee was established in July 2017 following the abduction and sexual assault of a Malayalam actress. The report aimed to investigate sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. The case highlighted broader issues of discrimination against women in the industry.

Notes:
TRAI has suggested lowering broadband rates for Public Data Offices (PDOs) under the PM-WANI scheme to make internet access cheaper. Launched in 2020, PM-WANI aims to expand broadband access via public Wi-Fi hotspots, especially in rural and remote areas. PDOs face high annual costs up to ₹8 lakh for internet connections, unlike personal broadband rates of ₹300-400 per month. TRAI proposes aligning PDO rates with retail broadband rates to make the scheme more viable for small businesses. TRAI will review these rates in two years based on the scheme’s performance.

Notes:
During his visit to Kyiv, India’s Prime Minister gifted four BHISHM cubes to Ukraine’s President. BHISHM cubes are compact, mobile medical units for emergency care. Each cube is a 15-inch box packed with organized medical supplies for different injury types. They can be transported by air, sea, land, or drone and weigh up to 20 kg for easy handling. The cubes are part of the Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita, and Maitri (BHISHM) to provide swift medical support.

Notes:
India won a silver medal at the Maruhaba Cup in the Asian Surfing Championships 2024 in the Maldives. The Indian team included Kamali P, Ajeesh Ali, Srikanth D, and Sanjay Selvamani. Japan won gold with 58.40 points; India secured silver with 24.13 points. Taipei won bronze with 23.93 points, and China came fourth with 22.10 points. India won the Heat 2 semi-final, scoring 32.16 points. This win follows India’s first-ever surfing quota for the Asian Games. Indian surfer Harish Muthu reached the quarter-finals, making history for India.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved the ‘Vigyan Dhara’ scheme, unifying three Department of Science and Technology schemes. Vigyan Dhara is a central sector scheme aimed at boosting science and technology in India. It combines three key areas: S&T Institutional and Human Capacity Building, Research and Development, and Innovation and Technology Development. Managed by the Department of Science and Technology, it streamlines S&T initiatives to enhance India’s capabilities. The scheme has a budget of Rs.10,579.84 crore for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26. It aims to improve fund utilization and align sub-schemes. The goal is to strengthen India’s S&T and innovation ecosystem.

Notes:
Scientists detected the heaviest antimatter nucleus, anti-hyperhydrogen-4, at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in New York. The discovery came from over 6 billion collision events at the particle accelerator. This finding could help understand why the universe is mostly matter, despite equal creation of matter and antimatter during the Big Bang. Antimatter is like ordinary matter but with opposite electric charges, often called “mirror matter.” Antimatter particles include positrons (positive electron counterparts), antiprotons, and antineutrons. Matter and antimatter annihilate each other on contact, releasing energy. Antimatter is created in particle accelerators and naturally occurs in the universe.

Notes:
A new dinosaur species named Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus has been discovered in Kyrgyzstan, dating back about 165 million years. It is a large theropod found in the Middle Jurassic Balabansai formation in the northern Fergana Depression. This predator, from the Callovian age, was around 7 to 8 meters long. It had a distinctive protruding ‘eyebrow’ on the postorbital bone, suggesting a horn-like structure. Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus belongs to the Metriacanthosauridae family, known for high-arched skulls and slender hindlimbs. It is the first large Jurassic predatory dinosaur found between central Europe and East Asia.

Notes:
Maharashtra became the first state to adopt the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for its employees ahead of assembly elections. The UPS was introduced by the Central Government on August 24, 2024. It replaces the 21-year-old National Pension System (NPS) and is similar to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). This change effectively reverses pension reforms implemented by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.