Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
Recently, a Long March 2-C rocket launched the French-Chinese satellite SVOM from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center. SVOM, weighing 930 kilograms, aims to detect and study gamma-ray bursts from an orbit over 600 kilometers above Earth. Equipped with instruments from both nations, it has a designed life of five years but could operate up to 20 years. Gamma-ray bursts, originating from stellar explosions, offer insights into cosmic evolution by studying the light’s journey through space.

Notes:
Tamluk, located in West Bengal, was a significant ancient city known as Tamralipta or Tamralipti. It served as the capital of the Suhma kingdom and later the Pala Empire during the 7th to 9th centuries CE. Excavations have revealed remnants of the ancient town Chandraketugarh. Today, Tamluk is renowned for its production and export of paan (betel leaf), shedding light on its historical trade importance in Indian kingdoms.

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:
Union Minister JP Nadda has been appointed Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, succeeding Piyush Goyal, who is now a Lok Sabha member from North Mumbai, Maharashtra. Nadda was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat by the BJP in February this year.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is testing eSakshya, a mobile app developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It aids police in recording crime scenes and uploading evidence to a cloud-based platform. Each recording can be up to four minutes long, with multiple files per First Information Report (FIR). The app aims to ensure digital evidence integrity, crucial for new criminal laws to prevent potential legal loopholes.

Notes:
The Russian Black Sea Fleet recently launched Kalibr cruise missiles, targeting Ukrainian infrastructure. Kalibr missiles, developed by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, can be launched from various platforms and serve anti-ship, anti-submarine, and land attack roles. They vary in size, ranging from 1,300 kg to 2,300 kg, with ranges spanning 200 km to 2500 km. Featuring advanced guidance systems and high explosive warheads, Kalibr missiles can accelerate to supersonic speeds to evade defenses in the terminal phase.

Notes:
IIT Madras and the University of Leeds have partnered to establish the Joint Virtual Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Development (VCoE-SD). This MoU aims to foster impactful research and innovation towards achieving sustainable development goals. The collaboration will enhance academic exchange through joint projects, courses, and conferences, creating a network of high-quality staff to drive sustainable solutions globally, as highlighted by Prof. Vasilis Sarhosis from the University of Leeds.

Notes:
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is establishing a bioplastic park in Kumbhi village, Gola Gokarnnath tehsil, Lakhimpur Kheri district, to combat plastic pollution. Covering 1000 hectares and costing Rs 2000 crore, the project will be developed by Balrampur Chini Mill, with UPEIDA as the nodal agency. Bioplastics, made from renewable sources, decompose quickly, offering an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

Notes:
A new spider species, Steriphopus wangala, was discovered in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills. Named after the Garo community’s Wangala harvest festival, this spider belongs to the Palp-Footed Spider family and has reddish-brown coloring. The Wangala festival, or 100 Drums Festival, marks the end of the agricultural season, featuring rhythmic drumming and dances to thank deities and celebrate the harvest, signifying winter’s onset.

Notes:
The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology launched two geoportals: Bhuvan Panchayat 4.0 and NDEM 5.0, both with national geospatial databases created by ISRO. Bhuvan Panchayat 4.0 aims to integrate space-based information for governance and research, focusing on spatial planning at the Gram Panchayat level. NDEM 5.0 provides a comprehensive geospatial database for nationwide situational assessment and decision-making during emergencies.