Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) report, China overtakes the US as India’s primary trading partner, reaching $118.4 billion in bilateral trade in FY 24. India’s reliance on China is evident, particularly in critical sectors like telecom, smartphones, and pharmaceuticals. Telecom and smartphone parts constitute 44% of imports, with China supplying 75% of lithium-ion batteries for EVs. This shift highlights China’s increasing economic influence on India and underscores the need for diversified trade strategies.

Notes:
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) partnered with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for two Pilot Projects under the Drone Didi Yojana. Launched to empower women in agriculture, it aims to train 15,000 women in drone operation for tasks like crop monitoring and seeding. The projects will run at Noida and Hyderabad Centers, training 500 rural women in drone flying, data analysis, and maintenance.

Notes:
On May 7, 2024, the UN General Assembly, comprising 193 members, passed a resolution to designate May 25 as World Football Day annually. The Libyan ambassador to the UN, Taher El-Sonni, introduced the resolution, which gained consensus support and was co-sponsored by over 160 member nations. Highlighting football’s global popularity, the ambassador emphasized its ubiquity across towns, cities, and villages worldwide.

Notes:
The 2024 World Wildlife Crime Report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime revealed rhinos and cedars as the most trafficked species from 2015-2021. Established in 1997, the UNODC combats drug abuse, trafficking, and crime worldwide. It strengthens international cooperation, promotes crime prevention, and aids criminal justice reform to combat transnational organized crime and corruption.

Notes:
The second round of the India-US Dialogue on Africa convened in Washington DC on May 14-15, 2024. Shri Puneet R. Kundal and Shri Sevala N. Mude led the Indian delegation, while Ms. Mary Catherine Phee headed the US team. The dialogue fosters collaboration on developmental projects in Africa, aligning with African priorities. This marks the first dialogue since the African Union’s inclusion in the G20 during India’s presidency.

Notes:
The International Day of Light, established by UNESCO, celebrates light’s impact on society and technology. May 16th marks its observance, commemorating Theodore Maiman’s 1960 laser breakthrough. In 2024, themed “Light in Our Lives,” it highlights light’s guiding role. Originating from the 2015 UN International Year of Light, IDL was adopted by UNESCO in 2016. Its inaugural celebration was on May 16, 2018, emphasizing the global significance of light science and its applications.

Notes:
A team of naturalists discovered a new jumping spider species, Ligdus Garvale, in Garvale village, Karnataka’s Kodagu district. Surrounded by agroforestry, the village hosts coffee, pepper, and paddy fields. Ligdus Garvale is only the second recorded Ligdus genus instance in 129 years, with the first being Ligdus Chelifer from Myanmar in 1895. Resembling Pseudoscorpions, it hides under torch ginger leaves, utilizing double-layered webs due to its high canopy jumping nature.

Notes:
Russian President has fortified the nation’s military by introducing the Bulava, a new nuclear-capable missile, into the arsenal. The RSM-56 Bulava, designed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, is a three-stage solid-propellant submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It measures 12.1 meters in length, 2 meters in diameter, with a launch mass of 36.8 tonnes. Capable of carrying up to 10 MIRVs, it boasts a range of 8,300 km and in-flight maneuverability for enhanced accuracy.

Notes:
In 2023, global internal displacement rose to 75.9 million from 71.1 million the year before, as per the Global Report on Internal Displacement 2024 (GRID-2024) by the Geneva-based IDMC. The report cites 7.7 million displaced by disasters, a quarter due to earthquakes, and 68.3 million by conflict. Sudan, Syria, DRC, Colombia, and Yemen house nearly half of IDPs. Sudan alone records 9.1 million IDPs, with new displacements concentrated in Sudan, Palestinian territories, and DRC.

Notes:
Kanwar Lake, once a migratory bird haven, faces survival challenges. Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake, also known as Kabartal jheel, resides in Bihar. Formed by the meandering Gandak river, it covers much of northern Bihar’s Indo-Gangetic plains. Vital along the Central Asian Flyway, it hosts 58 migratory waterbirds and over 50 fish species. Threats loom from water management activities like drainage and damming, imperiling its rich biodiversity.