Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

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:
Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Chief Ministers signed an MoU for the Rs 72,000 crore Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal river linking project in Bhopal. This initiative aims to transfer surplus water from Southern Rajasthan’s rivers to water-scarce districts in southeastern Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh. It will irrigate 2.8 lakh hectares and benefit 13 districts in Rajasthan, along with Malwa and Chambal regions in Madhya Pradesh, fostering interstate cooperation and developmental corridors between religious sites.

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:
US-based Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) and Blue Origin have partnered with India for their human spaceflight program. They will offer six seats on a future New Shepard mission to citizens from countries with limited space presence. New Shepard, a reusable suborbital rocket, will take the selected astronauts on an 11-minute journey past the Kármán line, the internationally recognized space boundary at 100 km.

Notes:
The Odisha government plans to plant nearly 19 lakh palm trees in 2024-25 to mitigate lightning risks. Each forest block boundary will receive four palm trees, costing Rs 7 crore. Palm trees like Coconut and Palmyrah are part of tropical ecosystems, with Palmyrah designated as Tamil Nadu’s State Tree. They act as natural conductors during lightning strikes, potentially saving lives. Male palm trees bear flowers, while females produce fruits.

Notes:
International Plastic Bag Free Day is observed on July 3 to encourage avoiding single-use plastics and combat plastic pollution. Established by Bag Free World, the day saw its first observance in 2008, initiated by Rezero, a member of Zero Waste Europe. In 2015, the EU passed directives to reduce single-use plastic bags. Bangladesh was the first country to ban these bags in 2022, followed by India and others.

Notes:
The 133rd Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest club-based football tournament, starts on 27 July 2024 and ends on 31 August 2024. Matches will be held in Kolkata, Kokrajhar, Jamshedpur, and Shillong, with Jamshedpur hosting for the first time. The tournament features 24 teams from the Indian Super League, I-League, and Armed Forces. The opening match, semi-finals, and final will be in Kolkata. Mohun Bagan Super Giant is the reigning champion.

Notes:
The Karnataka state government formed a nine-member committee to investigate Kaveri River contamination. The Kaveri River, also known as the Cauvery, is sacred to Hindus and originates from Brahmagiri Hill in the Western Ghats at 1,341m elevation. It flows 800 km through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The river basin covers 81,155 sq. km across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry. Major tributaries include the Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavati, Lakshmantirtha, Kabbani, Suvarnavati, Bhavani, Noyil, and Amaravati. Key dams are Krishna Raja Sagara, Mettur, and Banasura Sagar.

Notes:
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy issued guidelines for funding under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet on January 4, 2023. The mission aims to make India a global hub for producing, utilizing, and exporting green hydrogen. Key components include financial incentives for domestic electrolyser manufacturing and green hydrogen production, pilot projects, development of Green Hydrogen Hubs, the Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership (SHIP) for R&D, and a coordinated skill development program.

Notes:
A lone female gharial has been spotted for over three years in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. Gharials, or Gavialis gangeticus, are freshwater crocodiles once widespread across South Asia but now found mainly in fragmented populations in Nepal and northern India. They are critically endangered, with a global population reduced to a few hundred. Males can reach 20 feet, while females grow up to 15 feet.