Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
Former world number one archer Deepika Kumari re-inducted into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) core group for Paris Games. TOPS, initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2014 (revamped in 2018), aims to enhance India’s Olympic and Paralympic performance. Funded by the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) and Khelo India scheme, it identifies elite athletes through the TOPS Elite Athletes’ Identification Committee and provides targeted training via the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC).

Notes:
Kundan Green Energy secures approval for a 42 MW hydropower venture in Okhali, Uttarakhand, as part of an 80 MW agreement with the state government with an investment of Rs 1,000 Crore. It targets completion by 2028, boosting the company’s hydropower capacity to 270 MW from 104 MW. A subsidiary of Kundan Group, it’s committed to India’s renewable energy goal of 500 GW by 2030, employing sustainable practices for a greener future.

Notes:
Recent lava from La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina Island, Galápagos, devastates the habitat of rare land iguanas. Positioned atop the mantle plume generating Galápagos, it erupted for the first time since 2020. The island, 1,125 km off Ecuador’s mainland, boasts a large caldera hosting a permanent lake, attracting diverse wildlife, including tens of thousands of Galápagos land iguanas nesting within it.

Notes:
Uttarakhand government suspends Patanjali Ayurved’s manufacturing licenses for 14 products over misleading ads. The company faces scrutiny for non-compliance with advertising regulations. The move, issued on April 24 by the state’s drug regulator, cites Patanjali’s persistent dissemination of deceptive efficacy claims. This action reflects the government’s commitment to enforce truthful advertising standards and holds implications for Ramdev’s legal battles.

Notes:
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor took charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) Training Command on May 1, 2024. Commissioned in 1986, he’s a veteran with over 3400 flying hours and notable stints as Commanding Officer and Station Commander. His roles include Chief Instructor at Air Force Academy, Defence Attaché in Pakistan, and staff positions in strategy and air defense. Prior to TC, he was Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel at Air HQ.

Notes:
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposes reclassifying marijuana from Schedule-I to Schedule-III, less tightly regulated. President Biden’s suggestion aims to align marijuana regulation with its medical potential, contrasting with Schedule-I categorization alongside heroin and LSD. Despite pending scrutiny by White House Officials and public commentary, the move signals a shift toward acknowledging marijuana’s therapeutic benefits backed by scientific evidence.

Notes:
Geological Survey of India (GSI) explorers discovered ancient fossils, estimated at 35-40 million years old, in Tolegre, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya. Garo Hills, part of Meghalaya State, lies in the Meghalaya subtropical forests eco-region near the Indo-Bangladesh border. The Patkai hill range, extending into Myanmar, encompasses Garo Hills, known for heavy rainfall. It comprises five districts and is inhabited by the Garo tribe, the state’s second-largest ethnic group.

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:
RailTel Corporation of India has partnered with a tech firm to implement KAVACH, an indigenous Automatic Train Protection System, in India and abroad. Developed by RDSO in collaboration with the Indian industry, KAVACH operates at Safety Integrity Level – 4 with a remarkably low error probability. Its features include centralized train movement monitoring, automatic overspeed prevention, and SOS message relaying.

Notes:
India protests China’s construction in Shaksgam Valley, deemed illegal. The valley is part of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. It is a disputed territory claimed by India but controlled by Pakistan and ceded to China in 1963 by Pakistan. Article 6 of the agreement stipulates renegotiation after Kashmir dispute settlement. It borders Xinjiang, POK, and Siachen Glacier. The Karakoram highway, built in the 1970s, resulted from the agreement between China and Pakistan.