Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
Recently, five Army personnel, including a JCO and four jawans, died when their T-72 tank got stuck in the Shyok River near Nyoma-Chushul, Eastern Ladakh, due to a sudden water level rise. Despite rescue efforts, strong currents prevented their rescue. The T-72 tanks, initially designed by the Soviet Union and later modernized as T-72 Ajeya, were deployed in Ladakh post-2020 Galwan clash.

Notes:
India has been placed in the “regular follow-up category” by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) after its plenary meeting in Singapore from June 26-28, 2024. The meeting evaluated 17 countries on anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism financing, and anti-proliferation compliance. India, Russia, France, Italy, and the UK were kept in the regular follow-up, while one country was grey-listed. The FATF commended India’s efforts but urged quicker prosecution in such cases.

Notes:
Scientists are exploring hydrothermal vents on Svalbard’s Knipovich Ridge, a 500-km-long ridge in the Arctic Ocean. Svalbard, discovered in 1596 by Willem Barentsz, is an Arctic archipelago under Norwegian sovereignty. It lies between the North Pole and Norway, covering 61,022 sq.km with a majority glaciated. Featuring Spitsbergen as its largest island, Svalbard experiences Arctic conditions, including midnight sun and polar night due to its location in the Arctic Circle.

Notes:
A tourist from Haryana drowned in the Parvati River near Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh, while taking photos. The Parvati River, a major tributary of the Beas River, rises from the Man Talai Glacier at 5200 meters. It flows 150 km through the Parvati Valley, passing Malana and Manikaran, collecting water from glacial streams and monsoons. It merges with the Beas River at Bhuntar. The river also has geothermal springs.

Notes:
The Indian Army commenced the Maitree exercise with the Royal Thai Army at Fort Vachiraprakan, Thailand, from 1 to 15 July 2024. Initiated in 2006, this bilateral exercise enhances defense cooperation. Seventy-six personnel from both armies, including the Ladakh Scouts, participate. The exercise focuses on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in urban and jungle environments, joint planning, tactical drills, and physical fitness.

Notes:
The RBI joined Project Nexus, an initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by linking domestic Fast Payment Systems (FPSs). Conceptualized by the BIS Innovation Hub, Nexus provides a single-connection solution for seamless international transactions. It aims to connect FPSs of India and four ASEAN countries by 2026. Nexus will automatically link new member countries, enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving international payment accessibility.

Notes:
Senior IAS officer Sujata Saunik became Maharashtra’s first female Chief Secretary (CS), the 45th since the state’s formation in 1960. She succeeds Nitin Kareer, who retired. Saunik will serve a one-year tenure until June 2025. Her appointment by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was unanimous. The transition ceremony took place at Mantralaya, the State Secretariat in Mumbai.

Notes:
AI washing is a deceptive practice where companies falsely claim to use AI technology to appear more advanced and capitalize on AI’s popularity. This can involve overstating capabilities, like saying a chatbot uses AI when it just matches keywords. Similar to greenwashing, AI washing misleads consumers and investors, causing them to overpay for non-existent tech benefits. It undermines trust and complicates the identification of genuinely innovative companies.

Notes:
NITI Aayog’s report on R&D in Indian state universities highlights a doubling of Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) to Rs. 127,381 crore in 2020-21 from Rs. 60,197 crore in 2010-11. Government sectors, including central and state governments, and higher education institutions drive GERD. R&D fosters innovation, aligns education with industry needs, and addresses societal challenges. However, challenges include low GDP spending on R&D compared to global peers, emphasis on teaching over research, and limited enrollment in advanced programs like Ph.D.

Notes:
In 2023, the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland, faced unprecedented fires due to severe water loss. The area covered by water was 61% below average, leaving only 2.6% of the Pantanal wet, leading to extreme dryness and wildfires. This crisis threatens its rich biodiversity, including jaguars and capybaras. Located in South America’s Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay, the Pantanal spans 68,000 square miles and is a vital, productive habitat.