Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
Roberta Metsola was re-elected as President of the European Parliament, winning 562 votes in the first round. A centre-right politician from Malta, Metsola will serve another two and a half years. She ran almost unopposed, with Irene Montero receiving only 61 votes. Metsola has served as an MEP since 2013 and first became president in January 2022. She received over 90% of valid votes, a historic high.

Notes:
U-WIN, launching on August 15, will transform maternal and child healthcare in India by digitizing vaccination records, replacing the manual system used by ASHA and other healthcare workers. Replicating the Co-WIN system, U-WIN maintains an electronic registry of routine immunizations. Currently in pilot mode in all states and Union Territories except West Bengal, it records vaccination events for pregnant women and children aged 0-5 under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

Notes:
UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2024 highlights the impact of climate change on education. Mandated by the ‘Education 2030 Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action’, it monitors SDG 4 (Quality Education). Key findings: Over 20 years, schools closed during 75% of extreme weather events, affecting over 5 million people. In India, early-life rainfall shocks impaired vocabulary, math, and non-cognitive skills. Education’s role in combating climate change is underrepresented in international agendas.

Notes:
Recently, the Gujarat government reported six children dying from suspected Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection since July 10. CHPV, part of the Rhabdoviridae family, is transmitted by sandflies and mosquitoes, including Aedes aegypti. The virus, residing in the insects’ salivary glands, can infect humans and domestic animals through bites. It can quickly progress to encephalitis, causing inflammation of the brain’s active tissues and potentially affecting organs like the kidneys and liver.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh topped the ‘Best Performing State’ category in the Prime Minister SVANidhi scheme, aimed at supporting street vendors affected by COVID-19. Assam was second in the ‘Innovation and Best Practices Award’ category. In urban local bodies, Delhi’s Municipal Corporation led in loan performance, followed by Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. Kerala secured first place in the DAY-NULM SPARK category, with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan also recognized. The PM SVANidhi scheme provides affordable loans and promotes digital transactions.

Notes:
OpenAI is developing a new AI model called Project ‘Strawberry’, an advanced reasoning technology believed to be the new name for Project Q*. This initiative aims to create AI capable of planning and logical reasoning, akin to human cognitive abilities. Unlike Large Language Models (LLMs) that struggle with common sense and multi-step logic, Strawberry models will excel in tasks requiring extended planning and action sequences, overcoming key LLM challenges.

Notes:
A study by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) confirmed two black holes at the center of galaxy OJ 287, four billion light-years away. Launched by NASA in 2018, TESS searches for exoplanets around the brightest stars. It has found 410 confirmed exoplanets, ranging from small rocky worlds to giants. TESS orbits Earth in a unique high orbit, continuing its mission beyond its initial end date in 2020.

Notes:
India Child Protection (ICP) released the “Towards Justice: Ending Child Marriage” report. ICP, part of the Child Rights and Multi-Faith Initiative, addresses child abuse, trafficking, digital exploitation, and child marriage. Key findings: Assam’s legal measures reduced child marriages by 81% from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Despite three girls marrying every minute (Census 2011), only three cases are reported daily. In 2023-24, 14,137 child marriages were prevented. With a 92% case backlog, clearing it could take 19 years.

Notes:
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city and a key economic hub in East Africa, faces severe water shortages due to aging infrastructure, rapid urbanization, and inadequate government response. Located along the Indian Ocean, the city’s growing population and outdated water systems exacerbate the crisis, impacting residents’ daily lives and regional economic activities.

Notes:
Paris’ outdated sewage system has severely contaminated the Seine River with E. coli, a harmful bacterium. The Seine, France’s second-longest river at 775 km, flows through Paris for 13 km and empties into the English Channel. E. coli, found in human and animal intestines, can cause severe symptoms like abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and kidney failure. It spreads via contaminated food and water tainted by fecal waste.