Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
The UN warns of impending famine in Darfur, Sudan, amidst escalating violence exacerbating the country’s hunger crisis. Since April 2023, civil war has ravaged the region, leaving inhabitants to subsist on “grass and peanut shells,” as per the World Food Programme. Darfur, in western Sudan, suffers from ethnic tensions between Arab and African groups, resulting in extensive violence and human rights violations.

Notes:
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) recently introduced a new high-yielding wheat seed variety, HD 3386, which is resistant to leaf rust and yellow diseases. These diseases are common in the northwest region of India, which includes Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. IARI is a leading institute that has developed many of India’s wheat and rice varieties, which are often called the “Green Revolution”.

Notes:
Venezuela loses all glaciers, with the Humboldt Glacier being the last to vanish. The International Cryosphere Climate Initiative declares it too small to be classified as a glacier. It’s now termed an ice field. While no global standard exists, the US Geological Survey suggests around 10 hectares as a guideline for glacier size.

Notes:
Panama, a Central American country connecting North and South America, is poised for a significant immigration policy shift, potentially impacting from its dense Darien jungle to the U.S. border. Bordered by Costa Rica and Colombia, it boasts the famous Panama Canal, cutting through its midsection. With a diverse population and vast rainforests, Panama’s cultural tapestry includes indigenous, European, Afro-Caribbean, and global immigrant influences.

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:
Srishti Khandagale made history as the first Indian to medal in the Asian Trampoline Gymnastics Championships, earning silver in the Women’s Individual Age group in Hong Kong. Despite this achievement, she won’t compete in the Paris Olympics due to her age group. Dolgopolova of Kazakhstan secured gold, while S Hung of Hong Kong took bronze.

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:
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:
A Muria tribal farmer from Chhattisgarh, settled in the Godavari Valley, uses the traditional ‘deda’ method to preserve seeds. Seeds are wrapped in Siali leaves, layered with wood ash and lemon leaves, and sealed airtight. Each deda supports 5kg of seeds, protecting them from pests and preserving viability for up to five years. This method is effective for pulses like green gram, red gram, black gram, and beans.

Notes:
NASA’s PREFIRE polar mission, launching from New Zealand on May 22, involves twin satellites measuring Earth’s poles six hours apart. The mission aims to reveal the full spectrum of heat loss from polar regions, improving climate models. PREFIRE will address knowledge gaps, enhancing predictions of climate change and sea level rise by providing new data on how Earth’s atmosphere and ice influence heat radiation from the Arctic and Antarctic.