Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
A PLA study claims China’s Fire Dragon 480 missile can sink a US Ticonderoga-class cruiser in the Red Sea. The 750-mm tactical ballistic missile, made by Norinco Group, features precision-guidance sensors and a high-speed launch platform. With a warhead over 400 kg and impact velocity over 500 meters per second, it can destroy a 10,000-ton cruiser with two hits. Adopted in 2019, it has a range exceeding 500 km.

Notes:
Despite extensive cleanup efforts, Paris’ Seine River remains too polluted for swimming events in the upcoming Olympic Games. The Seine, France’s second-longest river at 775 kilometers, has a drainage basin of 79,000 square kilometers, mainly in northern France. Originating in Burgundy, it flows through Paris for 13 kilometers before emptying into the English Channel. Major tributaries like the Marne join it near Paris.

Notes:
Russia has approved a draft logistics agreement with India, advancing military cooperation under the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS). This agreement aims to streamline logistics support for joint military operations, providing facilities for troops, warships, and aircraft during peacetime and wartime missions. It enhances India’s maritime influence, supports Arctic research collaboration, and helps balance logistics agreements with Quad countries, countering regional influences from the US and China.

Notes:
The Bharat Centre of Olympic Research and Education (BCORE) was inaugurated on June 23 at Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha highlighted BCORE’s role as a hub for knowledge, innovation, and performance in Indian sports. Officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee, BCORE promotes Olympic values as an academic center.

Notes:
Every June 26th, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking raises awareness about the detrimental impact of drugs on society. In 2024, the theme is “The evidence is clear: invest in prevention.” Established by the UN General Assembly on December 7, 1987, this day highlights global efforts to combat drug use and trafficking, acknowledging the persistent health risks they pose despite widespread awareness among youth about their dangers for recreational use.

Notes:
After 164 years, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India opened its first museum at Chadwick House in Shimla. Inaugurated by CAG GC Murmu, the museum highlights India’s federal audit heritage. Chadwick House, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed during the 1946 Cabinet Mission, also housed the first training school for Indian Audit and Accounts Service probationers in 1950. Exhibits include Chanakya writing the Arthashastra.

Notes:
Recently, the Australian government signed an $18 million MoU with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, as part of the Space MAITRI mission. This initiative strengthens bilateral ties in space exploration, focusing on debris management and sustainability. NSIL will launch Australia’s Space Machines Company’s Optimus spacecraft in 2026 on ISRO’s SSLV, marking a significant collaboration in space technology and fostering responsible space operations between India and Australia.

Notes:
Kapil Dev, renowned Indian cricketer and avid amateur golfer, has been elected as the new president of the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI). He succeeds H Srinivasan, withdrawing his candidacy. Kapil Dev, captain of India’s 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning team, served as vice president and member of PGTI’s governing body. Known as the “Haryana Hurricane,” he played a key role in promoting professional golf in India since PGTI’s inception in 2006, organizing tournaments nationwide.

Notes:
A severe bleaching event has ravaged 97% of coral at Lizard Island, part of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, due to extreme heat stress. Known as Jiigurru or Dyiigurra, Lizard Island is located in Queensland. The island’s traditional owners are the Dingaal people, an Aboriginal Australian clan also known as Dingiil, Walmbarddha, or Walmbaria.

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has launched the AI Preparedness Index (AIPI) Dashboard, ranking 174 countries on their readiness to adopt AI technologies. Categories include Low-Income Countries (LIC), Emerging Market Economies (EM), and Advanced Economies (AE). Singapore, Denmark, and the United States lead the AE category, while India, an EM, ranks 72nd with a score of 0.49. China ranks 31st with a score of 0.63, reflecting its higher readiness compared to neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.