Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
India’s Ministry of Coal launched the country’s inaugural Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) pilot project at the Kasta coal block in Jharkhand’s Jamtara District. Led by Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), the initiative seeks to transform coal into methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and dioxide through in-situ gasification. These gases have broad industrial uses, including synthetic natural gas production, fuel and fertilizer synthesis, and explosives manufacturing, aiming to revolutionize India’s coal industry with sustainable applications.

Notes:
A fire at Pariej lake in Gujarat’s Kheda district caused the tragic death of a juvenile mugger crocodile and numerous turtles, both protected species under India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The incident occurred during desilting and dredging activities, highlighting the need for better wildlife protection measures and inter-departmental coordination in development projects affecting sensitive habitats like Pariej lake, which is a crucial wetland and the largest waterbody in Kheda.

Notes:
ISRO achieved the third successful landing of its Pushpak reusable launch vehicle (RLV LEX-03), testing it under challenging conditions. The vehicle reused components from previous flights and employed advanced sensors for precise landing. Designed to reduce launch costs significantly, it aims to retrieve and land like an airplane after deploying satellites into space. The demonstration validated critical technologies, including advanced error correction algorithms, crucial for its future operational success and cost-effectiveness in space missions.

Notes:
India and the US are discussing co-producing American Javelin missiles in India for its military needs. The Javelin is a man-portable antitank guided missile (ATGM) developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. Designed to defeat heavily armored vehicles and other targets like bunkers and helicopters, it features a 2,500-meter range, “fire-and-forget” infrared guidance, and a high-explosive antitank warhead. It can be shoulder-fired or vehicle-mounted.

Notes:
Child Rights and You (CRY) launched “Poori Padhai Desh Ki Bhalai” to enhance girls’ school attendance nationwide. In India, female literacy rates lag behind males, with significant dropout rates in rural areas before fifth grade. However, rural women’s literacy has risen by 26% in the last decade. Girls’ gross enrolment ratios at elementary, secondary, and higher secondary levels surpass boys’. The initiative aims to bridge educational disparities and empower more girls through increased participation in schools.

Notes:
UNODC released its Annual World Drug Report (2024) on World Drug Day, June 26th, aiming to combat drug abuse and trafficking globally. The report highlights a rise in illicit drug use, with 292 million users worldwide by 2022. Cannabis remains the most abused drug, followed by opioids and others. Regions like the Triple Frontier and Golden Triangle face significant criminal activity. Legalization efforts in Canada, Uruguay, and parts of the US are noted, alongside environmental impacts of drug-related activities.

Notes:
The annual conference on MND ‘Awareness, Care, and Management’ at Nimhans, Bengaluru, highlighted the importance of symptomatic and supportive treatments. Motor Neuron Diseases (MNDs) are progressive neurological disorders affecting motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness, slurred speech, and paralysis, typically after age 50. Causes are mostly unknown, though some cases are genetic. MND affects more males than females.

Notes:
New findings from NASA’s Juno probe reveal the extent of lava lakes on Jupiter’s moon Io. Launched in 2011, Juno is designed to study Jupiter’s origins and changes. It arrived at Jupiter in 2016 and orbits every 11 days. Initially a 5-year mission, it has been extended to 2025. During this extended mission, Juno explores Jupiter’s moons Ganymede, Europa, and Io, as well as its atmosphere and rings.

Notes:
Intensive animal agriculture, or factory farming, raises livestock and poultry in dense facilities to boost dairy output cost-effectively. Concerns include antibiotic resistance in 53% of Indian egg samples, zoonotic diseases originating from animals (60% known, 75% emerging), and significant environmental impact (14.5%-16.5% of global greenhouse gases). Diets rich in animal products also heighten risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Notes:
The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology launched two geoportals: Bhuvan Panchayat 4.0 and NDEM 5.0, both with national geospatial databases created by ISRO. Bhuvan Panchayat 4.0 aims to integrate space-based information for governance and research, focusing on spatial planning at the Gram Panchayat level. NDEM 5.0 provides a comprehensive geospatial database for nationwide situational assessment and decision-making during emergencies.