Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
A 32-year-old woman was killed by a tiger in the buffer zone of Maharashtra’s Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). TATR, the largest and oldest tiger reserve in Maharashtra, covers 625.4 sq. km and includes Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary. It features Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous vegetation and notable wildlife like tigers, leopards, and sloth bears. The reserve has corridor linkages with other tiger reserves and houses diverse flora and fauna.

Notes:
The Global Food Policy Report 2024 by IFPRI reveals that 38% of Indians consume unhealthy foods, while only 28% eat all five recommended food groups. Malnutrition in India rose from 15.4% in 2011 to 16.6% in 2021. Adult overweight prevalence increased from 12.9% in 2006 to 16.4% in 2016. Processed food consumption is growing, with packaged foods’ share in household budgets nearly doubling to 12%.

Notes:
A study in the Journal of Applied Ecology found that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) do not align with the core habitats of diadromous fish, which migrate between saltwater and freshwater. Examples include the allis shad and European eel. Diadromous fish are categorized as anadromous, catadromous, amphidromous, or potamodromous based on their migration patterns. These species face threats from human activities such as pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change.

Notes:
The National Stock Exchange of India Indices introduces India’s inaugural Electric Vehicle (EV) index, named Nifty EV & New Age Automotive Index. It monitors companies within the EV ecosystem and those developing new-age automotive technologies. Launched with a base date of April 2, 2018, and a value of 1000, it includes stocks from the Nifty 500. The index undergoes semi-annual reconstitution and quarterly rebalancing.

Notes:
In a significant move, Allamaye Halina has been appointed as Chad’s new Prime Minister, replacing Succes Masra, who resigned recently. Halina’s appointment strengthens the new administration’s authority. However, opposition voices express concerns about a perceived Deby dynasty, alleging control over key institutions by the clan and its allies. The transition triggers debate and allegations amidst Chad’s political landscape.

Notes:
Recently, Purana Qila was handed over to the Sabhyata Foundation of the Dalmia Group under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme by the Ministry of Tourism. Located in New Delhi, it’s one of the oldest forts built on the banks of the Yamuna River, also known as Qila-e-Kohna. Built under Humayun and Sher Shah Suri, it reflects a blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture. The rectangular fort boasts three gates, notably the Bara Darwaza, combining Islamic and Hindu elements.

Notes:
The Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, launched the Implementation Manual of Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions on World No Tobacco Day 2024 in New Delhi, in collaboration with SEEDS. Aligned with this year’s theme, “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference,” the manual aims to help schools implement ToFEI guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Shri Sanjay Kumar emphasized creating tobacco-free zones in educational institutions to protect children from addiction.

Notes:
Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology, Thiruvananthapuram, developed non-infectious Nipah virus-like particles (VLPs). VLPs resemble viruses but lack genetic material, making them non-infectious. They effectively create vaccines for diseases like HPV, hepatitis B, and malaria by triggering an immune response without causing symptoms. VLPs, sized 20-200 nm, enter lymph nodes to activate the immune system, offering immunity against the actual virus.

Notes:
In FY24, RBI relocated 100 metric tonnes of gold from the U.K. to Indian vaults in Mumbai and Nagpur. India’s gold reserves surged to 822 metric tonnes, with nearly 50% now stored domestically. RBI’s banknotes are secured by assets like gold, Government Securities, and Foreign Currency Assets, as per the RBI Act, 1934. The recent geopolitical tensions emphasized risks of storing gold abroad, exemplified by Western nations’ freezing of Russian assets.

Notes:
Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra recently documented the first photograph of a spot-bellied eagle-owl, Ketupa nipalensis. This large bird of prey inhabits diverse environments like forests and savannas across India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. Recognizable by its rich brown coloration and striking white-spotted pattern, it’s a nocturnal apex predator feeding on various prey. Classified as Least Concern by IUCN, it comes protection under India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.