Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
Researchers at Brazil’s Federal University of Sao Paulo discovered that Neanderthals 50,000 years ago harbored three viruses still impacting modern humans. This finding surpasses the previous record by 20,000 years, held by a 31,000-year-old common-cold virus. Marcelo Briones suggests it’s feasible to synthesize these ancient viruses. The discovery, from DNA analysis of Neanderthal skeletons in Russia’s Altai mountains, confirms ancient viral origins, ruling out contamination.

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A massive landslide in Papua New Guinea buried over 2,000 people in a remote Enga province village, causing major destruction to homes, buildings, and food gardens. Papua New Guinea informed the UN that over 2,000 people were buried in a massive landslide caused by Mount Mungalo’s collapse, devastating a remote Enga province village. The disaster caused significant destruction to buildings and food gardens. The national disaster center stressed the urgent need for collaborative efforts from the army, national, and regional responders to address the crisis.

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A portion of Hampi’s Virupaksha Temple in Karnataka, specifically the ‘saalu mantap’ pavilion, collapsed due to torrential rains. Dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, a form of Shiva, the temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Hampi, the former capital of the Vijayanagara kingdom. It showcases Dravida temple architecture with grand gopuras, Vimana, intricate carvings, and pillared halls.

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Myanmar’s military regime has formed a body to evaluate hydropower projects on the Irrawaddy River, potentially reviving the controversial Myitsone Dam. Amid worsening power shortages since the 2021 coup, the regime aims to address these issues and boost domestic production.

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A study reveals Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, known as the “Doomsday Glacier,” is highly vulnerable to warming oceans. Roughly the size of Britain, it holds enough water to raise sea levels by over half a meter. Melting at a rate contributing 4% to global sea level rise annually, its significance lies in slowing ice flow into the ocean. Thwaites underscores Antarctica’s critical role in climate dynamics and the urgent need for environmental action.

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The Supreme Court has halted a 90-acre project in the ecologically fragile and seismic-prone lower Himalayan ranges of Uttarakhand’s Kumaon hills. This region lies between the Sutlej and Kali Rivers and includes the Siwalik Range and Great Himalayas. It features peaks like Nanda Devi and Kamet, lakes such as Naini and Bhimtal, and hill stations like Nainital. It is home to indigenous tribes including Tharus and Bhutiyas.

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RBI Governor unveiled three major initiatives: Pravaah portal, Retail Direct Mobile App, and a FinTech Repository. Pravaah is a secure web-based portal for seeking authorizations, licenses, and regulatory approvals from the RBI. Key features include online application submission, status tracking, query responses, and timely decisions. It enhances the efficiency of regulatory processes, with 60 application forms available, including a general-purpose form for various requests.

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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and mines and geology department to halt illegal sand mining in the Sharavathi river coastal zone. The Sharavathi River, in western Karnataka, flows west to the Arabian Sea. It spans 128 km and its basin covers 2,985 sq km. The river forms Jog Falls and generates 40% of Karnataka’s hydropower with seven dams and five tunnels.

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India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) warned of a high-severity vulnerability in Google Chrome for desktops. CERT-In, the national agency for computer security incidents under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, aims to secure Indian cyberspace. Operational since January 2004, CERT-In is responsible for responding to and mitigating cybersecurity threats in India.

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Common Service Centre eGovernance Services India Limited to integrate eMigrate services into CSCs. Aimed at assisting blue-collar workers heading to Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries, the project streamlines the emigration process online and connects foreign employers, recruitment agents, and insurance companies. This collaboration enhances accessibility and promotes legal migration.