Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) marks its 50th anniversary, initiated by WHO in 1974. Renamed UIP in India in 1985, it now offers vaccines for 13 universally recommended diseases and 17 context-specific ones. Global DPT coverage surged from 5% in the ’70s to 84% in 2022. Smallpox eradicated; polio remains in Afghanistan & Pakistan. In India, coverage grows yearly, reaching 76% in 2019-21. Immunization boasts significant returns, predominantly delivered through government facilities.

Notes:
India has initiated Project ISHAN (Indian Single Sky Harmonized Air Traffic Management) in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The project aims to streamline air traffic management (ATM) by consolidating India’s four Flight Information Regions (FIRs) into a single system overseen from Nagpur. India’s airspace is currently divided into four FIRs and a sub-FIR at Guwahati. The FIRs are controlled by India through Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, with a sub-FIR at Guwahati. India also shares its FIRs with 12 neighboring countries.

Notes:
The Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks awarded the Geographical Indication certificate to ‘Kutch Ajrakh’ artisans from Gujarat. Ajrakh, a textile craft deeply rooted in Gujarat’s culture, especially in Kutch, Sindh, and Barmer, involves intricate hand-block printing on cotton cloth. Its name derives from ‘Azrak’, meaning indigo, a key dye used. Traditionally, Ajrakh prints symbolize sky (blue), land and fire (red), and stars (white), reflecting rich symbolism and history.

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:
Former Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele elected as Solomon Islands’ new Prime Minister, securing 31 votes out of 49 in a secret ballot. His victory suggests continued close ties with China. Manele pledges integrity and prioritization of national interests in his inaugural address, defeating opposition leader Matthew Wale, who garnered 18 votes.

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:
The Supreme Court ordered an end to illegal mining in the Aravalli Range in Rajasthan. Stretching 692 kilometers across Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana, the Aravallis are India’s oldest mountain range, vital for ecology and hydrology. They prevent desertification, regulate climate, and support diverse ecosystems and rivers like Sabarmati and Luni. Abundant in biodiversity, the range hosts dry deciduous forests, scrublands, and numerous species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects.

Notes:
The ICC has banned West Indies cricketer Devon Thomas for five years due to breaching anti-corruption codes of SLC, ECB, and CPL. The ban was imposed by the ICC as the designated Anti-Corruption Official. Thomas accepted the charges, leading to the sanction without a tribunal hearing. The ban includes a suspension of the last 18 months. Thomas admitted to violating several provisions of the codes.

Notes:
Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL), India’s top renewable energy firm, secured USD 400 million in funding from five international banks for its 750 MW solar projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat. These projects are scheduled to start operating from November 2024. The Rajasthan project, with 500 MW capacity, has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with SECI, while the Gujarat project, with 250 MW capacity, is a standalone merchant power project in Khavda, the world’s largest RE cluster.

Notes:
The first case of bird flu killing a walrus was found on Hopen Island, part of Svalbard, Norway. Hopen Island is located in the Arctic Ocean, in the Svalbard Archipelago, which is part of Norway. The island is situated in the southern part of the archipelago, between the Barents Sea and the Greenland Sea. Hopen Island is one of the smaller islands in the Svalbard group, covering an area of about 47 square kilometers. The island’s landscape is mainly made up of low-lying tundra, rocky outcrops, and coastal cliffs.