Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
India’s aviation sector has ascended to the world’s third-largest domestic market, advancing from fifth place a decade ago under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. The average yearly growth rate in airline seat capacity is a leading 6.9%. Low-cost carriers (LCCs) now dominate with 78.4% market share, led by IndiGo capturing 62%. LCCs’ rapid expansion, with IndiGo growing 13.9% annually, has significantly boosted accessibility and contributed to economic growth.

Notes:
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) signed an agreement to upgrade the Biocontainment Facility at Chaudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Animal Health (CCSNAIH), Baghpat. The project, costing ₹160 crores, will take 20 months. CCSNAIH, an apex lab since 2010, conducts quality control testing for veterinary vaccines, including HS and RD. The agreement was signed in the presence of Secretary Alka Upadhyaya.

Notes:
In Ladakh, the Indian Army opened the Khalubar War Memorial to tourists as a tribute to Kargil War heroes, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26. Located in Aryan Valley, Ladakh the memorial honors the bravery of soldiers like Captain Manoj Pandey. Local residents also played a crucial role in the war. Pre-Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations included a “Trek to Battle Site” led by Brig OP Yadav (Retd).

Notes:
NITI Aayog’s Great Nicobar Development plan aims to promote the holistic development of Greater Nicobar. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife denotified the entire Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, for infrastructure development. Opposition arises due to ecological impact, wildlife concerns, tribal rights violations, health risks for the Shompen tribe, seismic risks, and local concerns. The project threatens 130 sq km of forest land, critical habitats, and the ancestral lands of the Great Nicobarese.

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:
Since February, the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Mizoram has killed over 3,350 pigs. ASF is a highly contagious viral disease with a 100% mortality rate in pigs. Symptoms include fever, weakness, and diarrhea. The virus spreads through direct and indirect contact and survives long in pork products. Endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, it reached India in 2020. There is no cure or vaccine, necessitating animal culling to prevent spread.

Notes:
Julian Assange is heading to a courtroom in Saipan, capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, to plead guilty to a single charge and return to Australia. Saipan, located in the Western Pacific Ocean, is a US commonwealth with a history of Spanish, German, and Japanese colonization. Tourism, especially from Korea and China, drives its economy. It’s unique for allowing visa-free entry to Chinese citizens.

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Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have gained new insights into planet formation around binary star systems, where two stars orbit a common center of mass. ALMA, with 66 antennas in Chile’s Atacama Desert, studies celestial objects at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, penetrating dust clouds to observe distant galaxies and stars. Operated by an international partnership, ALMA detects faint radio signals with extraordinary sensitivity.

Notes:
Om Birla has been re-elected as Speaker of the Lok Sabha, defeating opposition candidate K Suresh in the first test of strength for the new Modi government. This marks Birla’s second term as Speaker, making him the sixth person to hold the position twice.

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.