Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
The European Union (EU) adopted its first law to combat violence against women. The law requires EU countries to criminalize female genital mutilation, forced marriage, and online harassment. However, the law does not include a common definition of rape. The EU Commission proposed the law in 2022.

Notes:
China’s newest aircraft carrier, Fujian, completed its maiden sea trial after six years of construction. Launched in 2022 as a Type 003 carrier, it boasts a displacement of nearly 80,000 metric tons, surpassing Shandong and Liaoning in size. Unlike its predecessors, Fujian features a Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) system. It’s expected to carry advanced aircraft like Shenyang J-15 fighters and JL-10 trainer jets, despite being conventionally powered.

Notes:
India’s first kamikaze drone, developed by Kadet Defence Systems with DRDO, is a Loitering Aerial Munition (LAM) or Suicidal drone. It loiters over targets for precise identification, capable of changing targets mid-flight or aborting missions. Adaptable to diverse terrains like deserts and high-altitude areas, it has a 12-hour loitering capacity and a flying range of 150-300 km.

Notes:
The Japan-U.S. GPI Project aims to intercept hypersonic missiles. Modified missiles from U.S. Navy ships target hypersonic weapons in their “vulnerable” glide phase. Hypersonic missiles exceed Mach 5 speeds, nearly 4,000 mph. Glide phase sees weapons separate from boosters, using gravity to accelerate and maneuver toward targets.

Notes:
Researchers discovered that offspring of C. elegans worms, after consuming disease-causing bacteria, inherited the knowledge to avoid the same bacteria from birth. C. elegans, a nematode worm, matures from egg to adult in 3-5 days, offering insights into human and biological sciences. It was the first multicellular organism to have its genome sequenced and neural wiring mapped. With hermaphroditic reproduction, it can self-fertilize, aiding genetic studies.

Notes:
The disappearance of silk cotton trees from south Rajasthan poses severe consequences for forests and locals. Also known as semal tree, it’s a tall deciduous species with a buttressed base and prickly trunk. Found in moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, it holds cultural significance for the Garasia tribe. Widely distributed in India, it serves various purposes, offering shelter, food, and even land reclamation, making its decline alarming for ecosystems and communities.

Notes:
China plans to construct the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), joining a select group with fourth-generation synchrotron light sources. Currently, around 70 synchrotrons exist globally, with only a few countries possessing fourth-gen facilities like Sweden, Brazil, and France. HEPS will produce Asia’s brightest synchrotron X-rays using electricity to generate intense light beams. Its advanced technology, including a multi-bend achromat lattice, promises breakthroughs in understanding matter at various levels, akin to India’s Indus-1 synchrotron and its affiliation with the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.

Notes:
The Giant Shrike, Lanius giganteus, was sighted near Bum La pass and Sangetsar Lake in Arunachal Pradesh, marking its first sighting in India. Endemic to the Indian sub-continent, it frequents high elevations with stunted shrubs like rhododendron. During winter, it descends to lower elevations. This large, long-tailed shrike exhibits dark gray upperparts, white underparts, a black mask, and striking white patches in the wings and tail.

Notes:
Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem, 30, announced his retirement at the season’s end due to persistent wrist injuries. Thiem, ranked 117th, claimed 17 career titles, including the 2020 US Open. He reached a career-high ranking of 3 in March 2020. Thiem notably reached the finals of the Australian Open in 2017 and the French Open in 2018 and 2019. He also competed in two ATP finals in London featuring the season’s top eight players.

Notes:
IndiaSkills 2024, the nation’s largest skill competition, kicked off in New Delhi on May 15, 2024, at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka. Organized by NSDC under MSDE, it spans 61 categories, testing skills nationwide until May 18. This biennial event enjoys broad support from state governments, industry, SSCs, SSDMs, corporates, and partner institutes. It provides a crucial platform for youth to exhibit their talents nationally and internationally.