Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
IIT Madras researchers discovered that water microdroplets can break common minerals into nanoparticles, published in ‘Science’ journal. Atmospheric water droplets can become charged, aiding mineral disintegration. This process creates nascent surfaces where catalysis occurs, potentially contributing to the origin of life. This groundbreaking research sheds light on the role of water in nanoparticle formation and its significance in catalytic processes, offering insights into fundamental aspects of chemistry and biology.

Notes:
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched ‘Saarthi 2.0’, a mobile app aiding investors in managing finances. The app simplifies complex financial concepts, offers financial calculators for informed decisions, and includes educational modules on KYC, mutual funds, ETFs, and stock trading. It also provides investor support through grievance redressal and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platforms, along with video content on personal finance planning.

Notes:
In its recent review, the RBI maintained the repo rate unchanged for the eighth consecutive time, citing concerns over sticky inflation. Sticky inflation describes prices that don’t adjust promptly to supply and demand shifts, resulting in persistent inflation. Factors like rising wages and consumer prices drive this phenomenon, prompting monetary authorities to consider tightening policy and increasing interest rates to address it.

Notes:
Prime Minister Modi and 71 ministers were sworn in today, comprising 30 Cabinet Ministers, five with independent charge, and 36 Ministers of State. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by the Prime Minister, is the apex body for national security appointments, defence policy, and expenditure decisions. Its members include Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs, Finance, and External Affairs. The CCS addresses defence, security, law and order, and foreign policy matters affecting India’s security.

Notes:
Magnus Carlsen won the Norway Chess 2024 crown for the sixth time, securing victory in an Armageddon tie-breaker against Fabiano Caruana. Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa finished third, three points behind Carlsen, after defeating Hikaru Nakamura in the final round. In the women’s section, India’s R Vaishali placed fourth, and GM Koneru Humpy finished fifth. The tournament, held in Stavanger, featured several thrilling games in the final round.

Notes:
Przewalski horses, the last truly wild horse, are being reintroduced to the Kazakhstan steppe. These small, stocky horses, originally found in Mongolia, diverged from a common ancestor with domestic horses 500,000 years ago. With a population of 2,000, they live in reintroduction sites in Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan, and also in France, Russia, and the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Their diet consists of grass and leaves, and they live in social structures led by a dominant stallion.

Notes:
A recent study indicates that artificial sweetener xylitol could pose health risks, elevating the likelihood of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. Xylitol, a sugar alcohol, is widely used as a sweetener in sugar-free chewing gums, diabetes-friendly foods, and oral-care products. It combines traits of sugar and alcohol molecules and is sourced naturally or artificially from plant materials. This underscores potential health concerns associated with its consumption.

Notes:
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) and the Ministry of AYUSH are gearing up for International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2024, slated for June 21. Reviewing preparations, Secretary Sanjay Jaju (I&B) and Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha (AYUSH) focused on media and outreach plans. Various media units under I&B, including Prasar Bharati and New Media Wing, will promote Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) benefits. Prasar Bharati will broadcast special programs via Doordarshan and All India Radio. AYUSH will share the ‘Yoga Geet’ across platforms. The initiative also includes the Antarashtriya Yoga Diwas Media Samman to honor media contributions in spreading yoga awareness.

Notes:
Mohan Charan Majhi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was sworn in as Odisha’s chief minister on June 12, 2024, by Governor Raghubar Das. He is the first BJP leader and the third tribal to hold this position. Two deputy chief ministers, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, were also sworn in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda, and nine BJP state chief ministers attended the ceremony.

Notes:
India dropped to 129th place on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap index, with Iceland maintaining the top spot. In South Asia, India ranks fifth, trailing Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. Pakistan ranks last globally. Economically, India, along with Bangladesh, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, and Morocco, exhibits low gender parity. The WEF estimates it will take 134 years to achieve full gender parity at the current pace, with a 68.5% gap closure globally.