Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
Due to continued rain in Kerala, the health department cautioned against amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare, usually fatal brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. This amoeba thrives in warm, shallow waters and enters the brain through the nose. Early symptoms include fever, headache, and vomiting, progressing to stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. Symptoms typically appear within five days of infection.

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:
Recently, Borneo elephants were classified as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List. They are the smallest Asian elephant subspecies and the largest mammal on Borneo. Genetically distinct, they evolved separately around 300,000 years ago. Their habitat in floodplain areas faces threats from oil palm plantations, infrastructure projects, human settlements, and poaching. Borneo elephants primarily feed on roots, grasses, leaves, and crops. This classification underscores urgent conservation efforts to protect their dwindling populations.

Notes:
The World Bank approved $1.5 billion to support India’s low-carbon energy development. The funding will boost green hydrogen, electrolysers, and renewable energy. This aligns with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and energy goals: achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2070.

Notes:
Scientists identified Syntrichia caninervis, a desert moss with potential for space exploration. This moss is extremely tolerant to drought, cold, and radiation, recovering from over 98% water loss within seconds, withstanding temperatures as low as -196°C, and enduring gamma radiation with a half-lethal dose of 5,000 Gy. Widely distributed globally, it thrives in deserts and mountainous regions. Its unique leaf awn collects water efficiently, making it ideal for harsh environments.

Notes:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) approved Rs 56 crore for the next phase of conserving the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and Lesser Florican. This program, running since 2016, aims for the long-term recovery of these critically endangered species, with around 140 GIBs and fewer than 1,000 Lesser Floricans surviving. Key efforts include breeding centers, in-situ conservation, artificial insemination techniques, and addressing threats like hunting and power line collisions.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched the NTR Bharosa pension scheme on 1 July 2024, delivering pensions personally to beneficiaries. The scheme, a promise fulfilled by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government, increases monthly pensions for various categories: from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for elderly, widows, and others, and up to Rs 15,000 for severely disabled individuals. The initiative aims to enhance social security, with Rs 4,408 crore distributed to 6.531 million beneficiaries across 28 categories.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dick Schoof on becoming the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands and expressed eagerness to strengthen India-Netherlands relations. Schoof, 67, a former head of the Dutch Secret Service, was sworn in by King Willem-Alexander. He succeeds Mark Rutte, who will become NATO’s next secretary-general. The new government formation followed seven months of negotiations after far-right leader Geert Wilders’ electoral victory.

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.

Notes:
Using AI, researchers discovered potential cancer drivers in ‘junk’ DNA regions, which are noncoding sections of DNA. While DNA codes for proteins, not all sequences serve this function. Some noncoding DNA produces RNA components, but others have unknown functions and are termed junk DNA. In humans, 98% of DNA is noncoding, compared to 2% in bacteria. Evidence suggests junk DNA might have functional roles through exaptation, gaining functions beyond natural selection.