Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched two initiatives: Virtual NQAS Assessment for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) and Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHL), ensuring compliance with Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS). The Spot Food License Initiative uses the Food safety and compliance system (FoSCoS) platform for instant licensing and registration across India, aiming to streamline processes. These initiatives support “Healthcare for All” by enhancing real-time monitoring of health facilities and simplifying food safety compliance.

Notes:
Protests have arisen against a Chinese company’s exploration license threatening Congo’s Conkouati-Douli National Park, a UNESCO site rich in endangered species. The park is located in the Republic of the Congo, distinct from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and is known for its biodiversity. Brazzaville, the capital, serves as a key inland port on the Congo River, highlighting the country’s geographical and environmental significance amidst conservation concerns.

Notes:
Indian Naval Ship Tabar recently visited Alexandria, Egypt, highlighting India’s commitment to bilateral relations. INS Tabar, a Talwar-class stealth frigate commissioned in 2004 in Russia, embodies the motto “Guts and Glory.” This visit underscores India’s strategic maritime engagement, emphasizing regional cooperation and naval capabilities.

Notes:
NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter captured an epic view of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system. Launched in 2001, Odyssey’s mission includes mapping Mars’ surface and serving as a communication relay. Olympus Mons, a shield volcano, is 24 kilometers high and 550 kilometers wide, dwarfing Earth’s Mauna Loa. Odyssey holds the record for the longest active mission around another planet, scheduled to last until 2025.

Notes:
With the south-west monsoon setting in, Nouka Baich boat races will soon begin in rural West Bengal. These traditional races occur from September to November, with increasing female participation. Linked to the worship of the Hindu deity Manasa, goddess of snakes, these races use various traditional boats, including the 90 ft long Sorengi. The races celebrate agrarian culture and the swollen rivers of the monsoon season.

Notes:
Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand of India won the Leon Masters chess championship for the 10th time by defeating Jaime Santos Latasa of Spain 3-1 in the final on June 30, 2024, in Leon, Spain. Anand, a five-time world champion, has previously won the tournament in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2016. The Leon Masters features four players, including Arjun Erigaisi and Veselin Topalov.

Notes:
A recent study potentially documents the first case of Down syndrome in Neanderthals. Down syndrome occurs when a person has an extra chromosome or a part of a chromosome, specifically an extra copy of chromosome 21, called trisomy 21. This genetic condition impacts mental and physical development, causing various challenges. Although individuals with Down syndrome share similarities, their abilities vary. The condition typically arises randomly during early fetal development and is not inherited.

Notes:
Air India is establishing South Asia’s largest flight training school in Maharashtra’s Amravati district with an investment of over ₹200 crore. Opening in the next financial year’s first quarter, it will address the airline’s need for 500-700 pilots annually, following a large aircraft order. In partnership with Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), the 10-acre facility will train 180 commercial pilots yearly using 31 single-engine Piper aircraft and three twin-engine Diamond aircraft.

Notes:
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recently approved a wireless network architecture developed at IIT Bombay for affordable rural broadband access. This system uses a cellular network, like 5G, comprising network equipment and communication links to transfer data between devices and the Internet. The network is divided into two sub-networks: the access network (AN) and the core network (CN).

Notes:
India successfully test-fired the Rudram-1, its first indigenous anti-radiation missile developed by DRDO for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Key features include a launch platform on Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets, INS-GPS navigation, and a Passive Homing Head. It has a range of 100-250 km and speeds up to Mach 2. Rudram-1 enhances the IAF’s Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) capability, acts as a force multiplier, and marks a significant step towards self-reliance in defense technology.