Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

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:
IIT Bombay and the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) have partnered to develop a ship trajectory prediction tool to improve maritime safety. This tool focuses on disabled ships, offering early warnings and facilitating rescue operations. Integrated with IRS’s Emergency Response System, it aims to enhance response times by locating drifting vessels and rerouting nearby ships. Professors Behera and Srineash emphasize its alignment with national safety goals and industry-academia collaboration.

Notes:
A high-level committee led by an Orissa High Court judge has accelerated the process of opening the Ratna Bhandar treasury of Shree Jagannath Temple after 46 years. Located in Puri, Odisha, the Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath and dates back to the 12th century under the Eastern Ganga dynasty. Known for its Kalinga architecture, the temple houses idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, and hosts the famous Ratha Yatra festival annually.

Notes:
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the NHFDC, hosted the “Divya Kala Mela” in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from July 5 to 11, 2024. This event, held at KIIT, celebrates disabled entrepreneurs and artists. Inaugurated by Minister B.L. Verma, the mela showcases unique talents and promotes inclusivity. The event features performances and an employment fair, aiming to empower the differently-abled and foster an inclusive society.

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu visited Odisha for four days, exploring the Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves in Bhubaneswar. These caves, built around the 2nd century BC by King Kharavela of the Meghavahana dynasty, are early examples of rock-cut cave tradition in Odisha. Udayagiri is notable for the Hathigumpha inscription in Brahmi script, detailing Kharavela’s military campaigns. Murmu also engaged with students from Bibhuti Kanungo College of Art & Crafts and Utkal University of Culture.

Notes:
To boost non-farm livelihoods, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development held a webinar on Jute Craft. Key stakeholders discussed the status, challenges, and opportunities of the jute craft industry. Additional Secretary Shri Charanjit Singh highlighted jute’s potential as a “Golden Fiber” for livelihoods and a “Green Fiber” for the environment. The Indian jute industry, predominant in eastern India, plays a significant role in the economy, with jute mills being important in states like Bihar and West Bengal.

Notes:
The Maharashtra government has announced a new policy making higher education free for girls from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). Effective from the 2024-25 academic year, this initiative aims to increase female participation in professional courses and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP). Additionally, tuition and exam fees for orphaned students will be waived, with a budget of Rs. 906 crore allocated.

Notes:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched MeDevIS (Medical Devices Information System), an online platform providing global access to information on 2,301 types of medical devices. This resource aids decision-making for the selection, procurement, and use of medical devices for diagnostics and treatment of various diseases. The platform covers over 10,000 medical technologies, from simple tools like thermometers to complex equipment like defibrillators and radiotherapy devices, enhancing access and navigation for healthcare providers.

Notes:
The Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory (BGRL) in Karad, Maharashtra, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, leads India’s deep-drilling programme. It aims to reach 6 km into the earth’s crust to study reservoir-triggered earthquakes in Maharashtra’s Koyna-Warna region, prone to seismic activity since the 1962 impoundment of the Koyna Dam. BGRL’s pilot borehole in Koyna is at 3 km depth, with plans to deepen it. Using a hybrid drilling approach, BGRL conducts unique in situ experiments, monitors fault lines, and studies crustal composition. This effort advances seismology and technological innovation, vital for understanding geohazards and developing geo-resources.

Notes:
The Israeli military reportedly employed the Hannibal Directive during the October 7 Hamas attack. This controversial doctrine, also known as the Hannibal Procedure or Hannibal Protocol, advocates using maximum force to prevent the capture of soldiers, even at the cost of military and civilian lives. The doctrine, originating from the 1985 Jibril Agreement, aims to avoid politically painful prisoner swaps by eliminating everyone near a captive Israeli soldier, risking the soldier’s life. Named after the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who chose death over capture, the policy’s full text remains unpublished. It has been widely criticized by legal experts for disregarding human life.