Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

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:
The 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) took place in Singapore on August 26, 2024, to strengthen strategic ties. The first ISMR was held in New Delhi in September 2022. ISMR is a high-level platform to discuss bilateral relationships and set future agendas. Four Indian ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar, and six Singaporean ministers attended the meeting. The 2nd ISMR reviewed progress since the first meeting and focused on enhancing cooperation in various sectors. Discussions included digitalisation, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and connectivity.

Notes:
Kerala is experiencing a surge in Leptospirosis cases, affecting nearly all districts. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria called leptospires, which are transmitted from animals to humans. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads from animals to humans, typically through cuts or abrasions on the skin. Human-to-human transmission is very rare. This disease is common in tropical and subtropical regions with high rainfall. To manage the outbreak, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched a Programme for Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis.

Notes:
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered two new spider species, named Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus, in the southern Western Ghats. These spiders were found in Karnataka’s Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary and Kerala’s Ernakulam district. Both belong to the Mimetidae family, known as pirate or cannibal spiders for their behavior of mimicking prey or mates to attack other spiders. Mimetus spinatus has a medium size, pale yellow head, and green mottled abdomen. Mimetus parvulus has a creamy-rose head with grey-black spots and a triangular grey-white abdomen. These discoveries mark the first Mimetus species in India after 118 years.

Notes:
Moscow hosted the 2nd Meeting of the Joint Russian-Indian Commission on Emergency Management on August 28, 2024. The Indian delegation was led by Nityanand Rai, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs. The Russian delegation was led by Kurenkov Aleksandr Vyacheslavovic, Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies, and Disaster Management. Both countries agreed to continue sharing best practices and lessons in disaster management. They will also cooperate in emergency management during 2025-26. The first meeting of this Indo-Russian Joint Commission took place in New Delhi in 2016.

Notes:
Grandmaster Karthik Venkataraman from Andhra Pradesh won the 61st National Chess Championship in Gurgaon. The event was organized by The Haryana Chess Association at RPS International School. Karthik received a trophy and a cash prize of six lakh rupees. Surya Ganguly, who led the tournament, finished second with a prize of five lakh rupees. IM Neelash Saha also scored nine points but placed third due to lower tiebreaks, earning four lakh rupees.

Notes:
Namibian cheetah Pawan was found dead in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. Pawan was the only free-ranging cheetah to have survived in Kuno. After Pawan’s death, Kuno National Park now has 24 cheetahs, including 12 adults and 12 cubs.
Project Cheetah, started in 2022, aims to reintroduce the cheetah, which was extinct in India. The cheetahs were brought from South Africa and Namibia. The project also focuses on conserving prey species and protecting other endangered species in grasslands and open forests.

Notes:
Assam has recently passed the ‘Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024,’ making it mandatory to register Muslim marriages and divorces with the government. This new bill replaces the outdated British-era Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act of 1935, which permitted child marriages and did not address polygamy effectively. The bill aims to prevent child marriages, ensure consent, protect women’s rights, and limit polygamy within the Muslim community. It highlights the importance of formalizing marriages and divorces through official registration.
Existing marriage registrations by Qazis will remain valid, but the focus is on new marriages under this legislation, balancing respect for Islamic practices with legal clarity.

Notes:
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the current Chandipura virus outbreak in India as the largest in 20 years. Chandipura virus, or Chandipura vesiculovirus (CHPV), is an RNA virus from the Rhabdoviridae family, which also includes rabies. It was first discovered in 1965 in Chandipura, Maharashtra. The virus spreads through the bites of infected sandflies, like Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, as well as some mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti. It affects mainly children aged 9 months to 14 years, causing symptoms like fever, vomiting, loose motions, and headaches. The infection can lead to encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain. There is currently no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for Chandipura virus.

Notes:
Avani Lekhara won a gold medal in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at Paris Paralympics 2024 on August 30.
She successfully defended her title, having previously won gold in the same event at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago. At 22 years old, Avani aims to become the first female para-athlete from India to win three Paralympic medals.