Daily Current Affairs Quiz: October 29, 2024

Notes:
China’s stockpile of DF-26 Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs) has grown, with nearly 60 new launchers observed at a major production site. The DF-26 missile, or Dong Feng-26, is an advanced Chinese IRBM designed for both land and maritime strikes. It measures 14 meters in length, 1.4 meters in diameter, and weighs 20,000 kg at launch. Powered by two-stage solid propellant, it can hit targets up to 3,000-4,000 km away. The missile’s modular design allows it to carry two nuclear and multiple conventional warheads. Its anti-ship version, DF-26B, targets naval vessels, including aircraft carriers.

Notes:
India’s Prime Minister gifted a Sohrai painting to Russia’s President at the recent BRICS summit in Kazan. Sohrai is an indigenous mural art form dating back to the Meso-chalcolithic period (9000-5000 BC). It is practiced mainly by tribal women using natural materials like charcoal, clay, and soil. The art depicts natural themes such as forests, rivers, and animals, with vibrant colors and symbolic motifs. It is popular among tribes in Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal. The Hazaribagh region in Jharkhand, where similar ancient cave paintings were found, has a GI tag for Sohrai art.

Notes:
The U.S., Japan, and South Korea signed the DiGi Framework to support digital infrastructure growth in India. Partner agencies include the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and Korea Eximbank. The initiative aims to collaborate with Indian private companies in sectors like 5G, Open RAN, submarine cables, optical fiber networks, data centers, smart cities, e-commerce, AI, and quantum tech. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including Aadhaar, UPI, and data-sharing systems, enabled 80% financial inclusion and supported 87% of poor households during COVID-19. DPI can boost economic growth by 33% and accelerate emission reductions by up to 10 years.

Notes:
Assam’s Bordoibam-Bilmukh Bird Sanctuary faces a severe biodiversity crisis, with bird diversity dropping over 70%. This small 11.25 sq.km wetland spans the Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts and was declared a sanctuary in 1996. Originally part of the River Subansiri system, the river now flows 7 km away. The sanctuary has a moist tropical climate, receiving about 2000 mm of rainfall annually.

Notes:
India ranks 79 out of 142 in the 2024 Rule of Law Index by the World Justice Project. Top-ranked countries are Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany. The index assesses eight indicators: government constraints, corruption absence, open government, fundamental rights, security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice. India performs moderately in government constraints (60) and open government (44), reflecting its focus on governance. Poor scores in fundamental rights (102), security (98), and criminal justice (82) highlight issues with policing, rights protection, and delayed justice systems.