Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
On June 25, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet decided that state ministers must pay their own income tax, reversing a 1972 rule where the state government covered these taxes. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the decision, emphasizing the end of the state’s financial responsibility for ministers’ income tax on salaries and perks.

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.

Notes:
Exercise HOPEX is a joint military drill between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Egyptian Air Force aimed at enhancing bilateral and regional cooperation. Indian assets like Rafale fighter jets, C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft, and IL-78 tankers are participating in this exercise, which takes place in Egypt.

Notes:
Flood-affected children in Assam will receive a ‘school in a box’ in 167 relief camps to continue their education. The initiative, aimed at children aged 6 to 18, helps them cope with trauma from losing homes or family members. Each camp will get a UNICEF-designed child-friendly space (CFS) kit with notebooks and learning materials. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority is training officials to maximize the kits’ utility and reduce children’s mental stress.

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 Army swiftly constructed a 150-foot foot suspension bridge in North Sikkim within 48 hours to restore connectivity to border villages affected by heavy rains and landslides. This initiative aimed to aid locals following the tragic loss of six lives earlier this month. Suspension bridges feature roadways suspended from cables anchored securely, providing crucial infrastructure amidst challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions.

Notes:
NASA recently observed gigantic jets over the Himalayan Mountains. These rare and powerful lightning phenomena extend from the top of a cloud to the edge of space, differing from regular cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning. Documented only in the 21st century, the bottoms of gigantic jets resemble blue jets, while the tops look like red sprites. This discovery adds to our understanding of atmospheric phenomena.

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:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently completed six successful trials of the High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) ‘ABHYAS’ in Chandipur, Odisha. Designed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Larsen & Toubro, ABHYAS provides realistic threat scenarios for weapon systems practice. It features autonomous flying, a laptop-based Ground Control System, and data recording capabilities for post-flight analysis.

Notes:
South Korea, the US, and Japan launched their inaugural trilateral multi-domain exercise, Freedom Edge, on South Korea’s Jeju Island. The three-day exercise aims to enhance security cooperation amid North Korea’s strengthened ties with Russia. Activities include ballistic missile defense, air defense, antisubmarine warfare, search and rescue, maritime interdiction, and defensive cyber training. This follows a recent summit where North Korea and Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty, including military support clauses.