Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
The Ele-fence project, India’s first AI-based smart fence, is being deployed in Wayanad, Kerala, to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, primarily involving elephants. Implemented by White Elephant Technologies and the Kerala Forest Department, it aims to prevent crop loss and casualties caused by elephants encroaching on human habitats. Human-wildlife conflicts escalate as human populations grow and encroach into animal habitats, affecting biodiversity and local economies. The Ele-fence seeks to protect both wildlife and human livelihoods in affected areas.

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:
Telugu Desam Party’s Narsipatnam MLA, C. Ayyanna Patrudu, was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the 16th Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on June 22, 2024. His election was unopposed as no other MLA filed a nomination for the Speaker’s post.

Notes:
Srinagar, the largest city in Jammu and Kashmir, has been designated as a “World Craft City” by the World Crafts Council. This recognition, shared by the Office of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, highlights the city’s skilled and dedicated artisans. The award honors and aims to protect Srinagar’s unique traditional crafts, showcasing their global admiration and cultural richness.

Notes:
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced an increase in the annual income limit for the creamy layer of Other Backward Classes (OBC) from ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh. The reservation quota for OBCs in Group-A and Group-B positions will rise from 15% to 27%, aligning with Central government policy. This aims to enhance the welfare of the OBC community and benefit the youth in government jobs.

Notes:
The United States has designated Kenya as a major non-NATO ally (MNNA), offering benefits in defense trade and security cooperation. President Biden pledged this status during Kenyan President William Ruto’s recent US visit. The MNNA designation, a symbol of close US relations, provides military and economic privileges without security commitments. This status enhances Kenya’s defense and security partnership with the US.

Notes:
Researchers from IISc’s Department of Bioengineering have developed a 3D hydrogel culture system that mimics the mammalian lung environment. This innovation allows precise tracking and study of tuberculosis bacteria infection in lung cells. The system serves as a robust platform for testing the effectiveness of TB therapeutics.

Notes:
A mainland serow, a mammal between a goat and an antelope, was sighted at 96 meters above sea level in Raimona National Park, Assam, near human habitation. Documented by a team of scientists, this finding was published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The serow, usually found at 200-3,000 meters in the India-Bhutan border region, highlights biodiversity conservation efforts in the park, previously affected by poaching and logging.

Notes:
Denmark will introduce the world’s first emissions tax on livestock in 2030, targeting greenhouse gases from cows, pigs, and sheep. Farmers will initially pay $43 per metric ton of CO2 equivalent, increasing to $108 by 2035. However, a 60% tax deduction will reduce the effective rates to $17 per metric ton in 2030 and $43 in 2035.

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.