Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
At the 43rd World Medical and Health Games in Saint-Tropez, France, from June 16-23, 2024, four officers from the Armed Forces Medical Service won a record 32 medals. Lieutenant Colonel Sanjeev Malik, Major Anish George, Captain Stephen Sebastian, and Captain Dania James collectively secured 19 gold, 9 silver, and 4 bronze medals. The Medgames is the world’s largest sporting event for medical and health professionals, first held in 1978.

Notes:
At the Archery World Cup 2024 Stage 3 in Antalya, Türkiye, 22-year-old Dhiraj Bommadevara won two bronze medals in the recurve events. India secured four medals overall: one gold, one silver, and two bronze. The Indian women’s compound team, consisting of Aditi Swami, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, and Parneet Kaur, achieved a hat-trick of gold medals, marking their third consecutive win this season.

Notes:
Kozhikode in Kerala has been declared India’s first UNESCO City of Literature, joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). Established in 2004, UCCN promotes urban development through creativity, encompassing nearly 300 cities globally in fields such as literature, crafts, and music. Other Indian cities in UCCN include Srinagar and Jaipur (crafts and folk arts), Mumbai (film), Chennai, Gwalior, and Varanasi (music), and Hyderabad (gastronomy).

Notes:
Sreeja Akula of Hyderabad made history as the first Indian table tennis player to clinch a WTT Contender singles title and also secured the doubles title at WTT Contender Lagos 2024. The event, held in Lagos, Nigeria, from June 19 to 23, offered a prize of USD 80,000. Sreeja defeated China’s Yijie Ding 4-1 in the singles final, showcasing her prowess ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics where she has already qualified.

Notes:
Experts report a steady decline in the flamingo population at Lake Natron due to extreme weather and encroachment. Located on the Tanzania-Kenya border, this salt lake is part of the Great Rift Valley and a Ramsar site. Its unique warm, alkaline waters, fed by the Ewaso Ng’iro River, create ideal conditions for flamingos. However, agriculture, pollution, and climate change threaten this ecosystem, known for its striking red color.

Notes:
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) signed an MoA to enhance human resource development in High Performance Computing (HPC) and related areas. Key initiatives include Master Trainer Programs, Quality Improvement Programs, HPC courses on the SWAYAM platform, industry-aligned course development, and offering C-DAC’s HPC learning platforms to AICTE-nominated institutes. This collaboration aims to foster innovation and meet industry and academic needs.

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:
Paraguay has become the 100th full member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) by officially handing over its Instrument of Ratification in New Delhi. The ISA, co-founded by India and France during the 2015 COP21, promotes global solar energy deployment. The alliance now has 119 signatories, with 100 ratified members. The ISA aims to implement the Paris Climate Agreement through extensive solar energy adoption.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has proposed to acquire 10 TAPAS drones, officially known as Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance Beyond Horizon-201, or Tapas BH-201. Developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, these medium-altitude, long-endurance drones, previously called Rustom-II, fulfill the tri-services’ Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Tracking & Reconnaissance (ISTAR) needs. Capable of operating day and night at 30,000 feet with a 24-hour endurance, they feature a 250 km range, carry up to 350 kg payloads, and include advanced surveillance and radar technologies.

Notes:
Finland is the first country to offer preemptive bird flu vaccinations to specific workers exposed to animals. Vaccines will target workers at fur and poultry farms, lab technicians, veterinarians, and those in bird sanctuaries and animal by-product plants, aged 18 and over. Finland secured vaccines for 10,000 people through an EU procurement of 40 million doses from CSL Seqirus. Vaccinations start next week, following past bird flu outbreaks in fur farms.