Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
The Philippine Army confirmed the imminent withdrawal of the “deadly” Typhon Weapons System, used by the US in joint military exercises. Also known as the Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System, Typhon includes Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) for ballistic defense and ship targeting up to 370 km. It also deploys Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and comprises four launchers, a command post, and support vehicles on trailers. Using Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) technology, it integrates various missiles and sources external targeting data.

Notes:
The Government of India recently mandated that stainless steel and aluminum utensils must adhere to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications. This move aims to improve kitchen safety, quality, and efficiency. Issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on March 14, 2024, the Quality Control Order requires the ISI mark on these utensils, with non-compliance subject to penalties.

Notes:
Dhruv Sitwala defeated Pankaj Advani 5-2 to win the 2024 Asian Billiards Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This victory marks Sitwala’s third Asian billiards title, having previously won in 2015 and 2016. Advani, aiming for his third title and a hat-trick of championships, fell short in the final.

Notes:
Indian squash players secured two titles at the 2024 Asian Squash Doubles Championship in Johor, Malaysia. Abhay Singh and Joshna Chinappa won the mixed doubles, defeating Hong Kong’s Tong Tsz Wing and Ming Hong Tang. In the men’s doubles, Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar triumphed over Malaysia’s Ong Sai Hung and Syafiq Kamal. The championship featured 33 teams from seven countries and was held from July 4-7, 2024.

Notes:
UNESCO designated 11 new biosphere reserves across Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Gambia, Italy, Mongolia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, and Spain, including two transboundary reserves. Audrey Azoulay emphasized their role in biodiversity conservation amidst global challenges. Biosphere reserves aid scientific research, inform environmental policies, and support local sustainable development. With these additions, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves now totals 759 sites in 136 countries, covering 7.44 million square kilometers, showcasing diverse ecosystems and involving 275 million people worldwide.

Notes:
The prototype of India’s indigenous light tank, Zorawar, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), was unveiled on July 6. Powered by a Cummins engine, it is designed for extreme weather and high altitudes along the northern border. Extensive trials will follow, aiming for Army user trials by August 2025. DRDO is also developing a new domestic engine for the tank.

Notes:
The U.S. military is developing the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with Northrop Grumman and Air Force Global Strike Command. This new ICBM will replace the 400 LGM-30 Minuteman III missiles, in service since the 1970s. The Sentinel features digital engineering, modular architecture, and a W87-1 thermonuclear warhead. With a range exceeding 5,500km, it can hit any target globally within 30 minutes.

Notes:
The IUCN report “Planet on the Move: Reimagining Conservation” emphasizes the need for a new conservation approach amidst migration, environmental change, and conflict. It highlights the nexus between these factors, urging integrated policies for human and wildlife migration. Recommendations include addressing migration and development needs while preserving biodiversity, creating legal mechanisms to protect environmental migrants, and enhancing synergies between laws for intersecting migrations.

Notes:
The Karnataka government is launching the ‘Naavu Manujaru’ programme in all primary and high schools this academic year. The programme involves weekly two-hour sessions focusing on social harmony, festivals, folk games, and sports. It also includes discussions on social reformers, local landmarks, and constitutional values. District-level nodal officers will oversee implementation. The initiative aims to transform schools into centers of social harmony, tolerance and scientific temper.

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh government is investigating alleged tiger poaching and management irregularities in the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve. The reserve, the state’s seventh and India’s 54th, spans 2,339 square kilometers across Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts, and includes parts of the Nauradehi and Veerangana Durgavati Sanctuaries. Following wildlife activist Ajay Dubey’s complaint, the forest department mandated a report within seven days. The reserve features diverse landscapes and the Singorgarh Fort.