Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
Scientists have raised concerns about potential issues in research papers on the honeybee waggle dance. Honeybees use two types of dances to communicate: the waggle dance and the circle dance. These dances help bees share information about the location of flower patches rich in nectar or pollen. In the waggle dance, bees move in a figure-eight pattern, indicating both distance and direction to the flower patch. In the circle dance, bees move in a circular pattern, indicating only the distance to the hive.

Notes:
The World Bank has issued the world’s first carbon removal bond to support Amazon reforestation. The bond is worth $225 million and has a nine-year term. Investors’ returns are tied to the amount of carbon removed by new trees, not just emission reductions from preventing deforestation. This bond aims to protect the Amazon by financially incentivizing reforestation efforts.

Notes:
The EU and India’s external affairs ministry are organizing a regional conference in New Delhi on August 21-22 to address online radicalization. The event, in collaboration with the Global Counter-Terrorism Council, will involve experts from India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Europe. The conference aims to enhance counter-terrorism partnerships and align with the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Expected outcomes include strategies to tackle the challenges of technology and terrorism and explore collaboration opportunities to combat violent extremism online.

Notes:
Senior IAS officer Govind Mohan became the Union Home Secretary on August 22, 2024, succeeding Ajay Kumar Bhalla. Before this, Govind Mohan was the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Culture. The Home Secretary role is the second most powerful secretarial post in India, after the Cabinet Secretary, currently Rajiv Gauba. Govind Mohan, a 1989 batch IAS officer of the Sikkim cadre, has an electrical engineering degree from BHU and a PG Diploma from IIM Ahmedabad. He played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic and has held several significant positions in the central government.

Notes:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an order on August 21, 2024, forming a 14-member National Task Force for the safety of medical professionals. The task force was established by the Supreme Court on August 20, 2024, after a postgraduate doctor was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, leading to nationwide protests. Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba is appointed as the Chairperson. The task force includes 9 eminent doctors, the Home Secretary, Health Secretary, and leaders from the National Medical Commission and National Board of Examinations. The Health Ministry will cover all expenses for the task force.

Notes:
India celebrates its first National Space Day on 23 August 2024, highlighting the nation’s achievements in space exploration. The Indian space program began with a sounding rocket launch from Thumba, Kerala, in 1963, and has since advanced to landing rovers on the moon and exploring planets like Mars and the Sun. National Space Day was announced to honor the successful landing of the Vikram lander from the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the moon’s south pole on 23 August 2023. The landing site was later named “Shiv Shakti Point” by the Indian government.

Notes:
Diana Pundole, a teacher and mother from Pune won the national championship in the saloon category at the MRF Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 in Chennai. Her victory is an inspiration for aspiring female racers. She balanced numerous challenges, including family life, to achieve this success. Her win highlights her determination and breaks barriers in the male-dominated motorsport industry.

Notes:
A bus carrying Indian tourists recently fell 150 meters into the Marsyangdi River in Nepal, killing at least 14 people and injuring 16 others. The Marsyangdi River is a 150 km long mountain river in Nepal. It is a major tributary of the Gandaki River, which joins the Ganga River in India. The river originates from the northern slopes of the Annapurna massif. It flows through rugged Himalayan landscapes, known for its fast currents and deep gorges. The river is popular for white water rafting and kayaking. It supports hydropower projects and is known for snow trout.

Notes:
The US approved a $52.8 million deal to sell Anti-Submarine Warfare Sonobuoys to India. These Sonobuoys will be used with the Indian Navy’s Romeo helicopters. Sonobuoys are small devices that detect underwater sounds, mainly to track submarines. They are crucial for anti-submarine warfare, helping track submarines in oceans and coastal areas. They assist in precision attacks using air-launched torpedoes. Sonobuoys were first used in World War II to detect German U-boats. They are deployed from aircraft, ships, or submarines, sinking to a set depth to listen for signals.

Notes:
The Union Environment Minister assured that developing a port and airport in the Nicobar Islands will not disturb the Shompen tribe. The Shompen are one of the most isolated and least studied tribes in India, considered a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). They live in dense rainforests of Great Nicobar Island, which is 95% rainforest and a biological hotspot. Their habitat includes Campbell Bay National Park, Galathea National Park, and the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. The 2011 Census estimated their population at 229, but the exact number is still unknown. They are semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers, relying on hunting, fishing, and basic horticulture. Shompen live in small groups near rivers, setting up temporary camps in the forest.