Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
Antonio Costa, former Prime Minister of Portugal, was elected President of the European Council, replacing Charles Michel, effective October 1, 2024. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will be the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The European Council elects its President by secret ballot for a 2.5-year term, renewable once. The President leads the Council’s work and represents the EU internationally.

Notes:
Scientists are exploring hydrothermal vents on Svalbard’s Knipovich Ridge, a 500-km-long ridge in the Arctic Ocean. Svalbard, discovered in 1596 by Willem Barentsz, is an Arctic archipelago under Norwegian sovereignty. It lies between the North Pole and Norway, covering 61,022 sq.km with a majority glaciated. Featuring Spitsbergen as its largest island, Svalbard experiences Arctic conditions, including midnight sun and polar night due to its location in the Arctic Circle.

Notes:
The World Trade Organization (WTO) published a report titled “Aid for Trade in Action: Supporting the transition to clean energy,” emphasizing its Aid-for-Trade Initiative. Originating from the 2005 WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, the initiative aims to aid developing economies in joining global trade by addressing supply-side capacity and infrastructure constraints. It mobilizes financial resources to tackle trade-related challenges identified by developing and least developed countries.

Notes:
Researchers discovered 230 million metric tons of minerals essential for electric car batteries on the seabed off Minami-Torishima Island, also known as Marcus Island. This isolated Japanese atoll in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, southeast of Tokyo, has a triangular shape formed by a raised coral reef. The island has a flat terrain with a maximum altitude of 9 meters and an oceanic climate, with an average annual temperature of 25.6°C.

Notes:
A massive avalanche struck Gandhi Sarovar, also known as Chorabari Tal, near Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand. Gandhi Sarovar, originating from the Chorabari Bamak Glacier, is where Lord Shiva is believed to have taught yoga to the Saptrishis. Kedarnath Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas dedicated to Bhagwan Shiva, is part of the Char Dham circuit, which includes Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Badrinath.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Chief Ministers signed an MoU for the Rs 72,000 crore Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal river linking project in Bhopal. This initiative aims to transfer surplus water from Southern Rajasthan’s rivers to water-scarce districts in southeastern Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh. It will irrigate 2.8 lakh hectares and benefit 13 districts in Rajasthan, along with Malwa and Chambal regions in Madhya Pradesh, fostering interstate cooperation and developmental corridors between religious sites.

Notes:
Labor Minister Lakhan Lal Devangan launched the Mukhyamantri Nirman Shramikon Ke Bachon Hetu Nihshulk Coaching Sahaayata Yojana in Chhattisgarh. This scheme provides free coaching to economically weaker children of registered construction workers across 10 districts. It covers exams like PSC, CG Professional Examination Board, SSC, and banking and railway recruitments. Children of deceased workers since June 9, 2020, and beneficiaries of Nirman Shramik Mrtyu Evam Divyaang Sahaayata Yojana are eligible. Coaching is available in hybrid mode for flexibility.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dick Schoof on becoming the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands and expressed eagerness to strengthen India-Netherlands relations. Schoof, 67, a former head of the Dutch Secret Service, was sworn in by King Willem-Alexander. He succeeds Mark Rutte, who will become NATO’s next secretary-general. The new government formation followed seven months of negotiations after far-right leader Geert Wilders’ electoral victory.

Notes:
A stampede at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh has resulted in over 100 deaths. Past incidents include the Kalkaji temple platform collapse and the 2022 Vaishno Devi stampede. Stampedes occur when orderly crowd movement is disrupted, leading to injuries and fatalities. Causes include poor event management, excessive crowd density, and natural disasters like sudden heavy rain, floods, or earthquakes.

Notes:
International Plastic Bag Free Day is observed on July 3 to encourage avoiding single-use plastics and combat plastic pollution. Established by Bag Free World, the day saw its first observance in 2008, initiated by Rezero, a member of Zero Waste Europe. In 2015, the EU passed directives to reduce single-use plastic bags. Bangladesh was the first country to ban these bags in 2022, followed by India and others.