Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
China demands removal of the Sierra Madre ship, rejected by the Philippines. Commissioned in 1944 for WWII, it served in Vietnam before being transferred to the Philippines in 1976. It was positioned deliberately in 1999 at Second Thomas Shoal, part of the disputed Spratly Islands, to reinforce territorial claims. China’s ships and water cannons threaten supply boats in the area. Removal risks weakening Philippines’ claims and bolstering Chinese presence.

Notes:
According to IQAir, Kathmandu is the most polluted city in the world as of May 2, 2024. IQAir is a Swiss technology company that monitors the pollution levels of 101 cities in real time. The Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal has advised residents to wear masks due to the alarming increase in air pollution in the Kathmandu valley. In 2023, IQAir’s World Air Quality report ranked India as the third most polluted country and New Delhi as the most polluted capital city.

Notes:
Russia’s government released new footage allegedly targeting two Ukrainian High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) following increased US military aid to Ukraine. HIMARS was developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army by Lockheed Martin Corporation, a US-based aerospace and Security Company. The M142 HIMARS is a light, multiple rocket launcher that’s mounted on a standard U.S. Army Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) M1140 truck frame. It’s designed to engage and defeat targets such as artillery, light armor, air defense concentrations, personnel carriers, and trucks.

Notes:
Researchers from Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) discovered a new marine tardigrade species, Batillipes chandrayaani, on Tamil Nadu’s southeast coast, named after Chandrayaan-3. Found in Mandapam’s intertidal beach sediments, it measures 0.15mm in length and 0.04mm in width. Sporting a trapezoid-shaped head and four pairs of legs with sharp-tipped sensory spines, both sexes share similar morphology. It’s the 39th species under the genus Batillipes. Tardigrades, dubbed “water bears,” are resilient micro-animals, with marine species constituting 17% of known tardigrades, found across all oceans.

Notes:
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), Girish Chandra Murmu, signed an MoU with Nepal’s Auditor General, Toyam Raya, in Kathmandu. The MoU aims to enhance cooperation between the auditing institutions of both countries, facilitating the exchange of expertise and professional capacity-building in public sector auditing. During his visit, Murmu met Nepal’s Prime Minister and Finance Minister, along with discussions on mutual cooperation in public sector audit with the Chairman of Nepal’s Public Accounts Committee.

Notes:
India and the Netherlands held the 12th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in The Hague on May 2, 2024. The consultations were led by Shri Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The meeting was a chance to evaluate progress since the last FOC in New Delhi in December 2022. During the meeting, India and the Netherlands agreed to strengthen their bilateral ties by focusing on new technologies like green hydrogen and semiconductors.

Notes:
In FY24, the country’s fossil fuel-based power capacity increased by 2.44% to 243.22 GW from March 2023’s 237.27 GW. Non-fossil fuel capacity increased by 10.79%, reaching 190.57 GW in 2023-24 compared to 172.01 GW in 2022-23. This includes solar, wind, and hydropower. Nuclear power capacity grew to 8.18 GW from 6.78 GW, marking a 20.64% yearly increase.

Notes:
Japan secured their second Men’s AFC U-23 Asian Cup title by defeating Uzbekistan in the final match held in Doha, Qatar. The solitary goal scored by substitute Yamada, secured Japan’s victory and a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Japanese goalkeeper’s crucial penalty saves ensured their win. Iraq claimed the bronze medal after defeating Indonesia in the semifinals.

Notes:
A recent study identified a unique subtype of Fusobacterium nucleatum prevalent in colorectal cancer (CRC) tumors. F. nucleatum, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacillus, is commonly found in the human mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Named Fna C2, this subtype exhibits higher resistance to acid, potentially facilitating direct migration to the intestines. Moreover, Fna C2 can hide within tumor cells, evade the immune system, and utilize gastrointestinal nutrients, distinguishing it as a significant factor in CRC development.

Notes:
The ICAR-NBFGR discovered a new catfish species, Glyptothorax punyabratai, in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tung Stream, a Brahmaputra River tributary. It’s nocturnal and benthic, common traits among catfish. Catfish, over 2000 species strong, mostly inhabit freshwater, some marine. They possess a cylindrical body with flattened ventral sides, long barbels resembling cat whiskers, and leading spines in dorsal and pectoral fins, while being scaleless, distinguishing them from other fish.