Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
Hamas political head Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran on 31 July 2024. He was attacked after attending the swearing-in of Iran’s new president, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian. Hamas, a militant Palestinian group, aims to destroy Israel and establish an Islamic Palestinian state.

Notes:
India’s Health Minister announced a new action plan to manage Zika virus Disease. Zika is a mosquito-borne RNA virus discovered in Uganda in 1947 and first reported in humans in 1952. It mainly affects tropical and subtropical regions and spreads through bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The plan aims to manage and control the virus’s impact effectively.

Notes:
Heavy rainfall in the Cauvery basin has increased water release from the Krishna Raj Sagar (KRS) dam. Built across the River Cauvery at Kannambadi by the Wodeyar dynasty, it was named Krishnaraja Sagara in 1917 after King Krishnaraja Odeya IV. The dam supplies water to Shivasamudra’s hydro-electric power station, Mysore City’s drinking water, and irrigation purposes.

Notes:
KIIT Deemed to be University (KIIT DU) received special recognition from the UN Economic and Social Council, for its commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Out of 476 global applicants, only 19 were honored, enhancing KIIT’s international reputation. KIIT signed an agreement with UN Volunteers, enabling students to join UN development projects. Additionally, KIIT partnered with the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) for student exchange programs. KIIT joins its sister institution, KISS, in holding Special Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC.

Notes:
The Health Ministry has asked the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to stop surrogate advertising of tobacco and alcohol products by sportspersons. Surrogate advertising uses the brand image of one product to promote another, often due to legal restrictions on advertising the original product. Brands like liquor and tobacco companies use this method to subtly promote their products by advertising similar or different items under the same brand name. This helps maintain brand recognition and legally spread their message, a process known as “brand extension.”

Notes:
India selected Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair for the Axiom-4 mission. They will train in the U.S., and their experience will benefit India’s human space program. Axiom-4 is the fourth private astronaut mission by NASA and Axiom Space, expected to dock with the ISS for fourteen days. SpaceX is the launch provider for this mission.

Notes:
A mahout from Darrang district was tragically killed by a wild elephant at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in Assam’s Morigaon district, Pobitora is home to the highest density of Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, with around 102 rhinos in 38.8 sq. km. The sanctuary, declared in 1987, features alluvial lowlands, marshland, and wet savannah, bordered by the Brahmaputra River to the north and Garanga Beel to the south.

Notes:
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams canceled Arjitha sevas and privileged darshans during the 9-day Tirumala Brahmotsavams at Tirumala Tirupati Sri Venkateshwara Temple. This festival, initiated by Lord Brahma, includes grand events like Garuda Seva and Vahanaseva. The temple, located in the Seshachalam Hills, Andhra Pradesh, is dedicated to Lord Sri Venkateswara and features Dravidian architecture.

Notes:
An investigation into 43 tiger deaths between 2021 and 2023, with 34 in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and 9 in Shahdol Forest Circle, revealed poor investigations and missing body parts in 10 cases. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) reported these findings on July 15. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, located in Madhya Pradesh, is renowned for its high density of Royal Bengal Tigers and was declared a tiger reserve in 1993.

Notes:
The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee highlighted serious wildlife harm in Rajasthan’s Sariska Tiger Reserve due to unchecked tourism and traffic, recommending a ban on private vehicles. Located in the Aravali Hills, Sariska covers 800 sq km and was once a royal hunting ground. It was declared a reserve in 1955 and a national park in 1979, becoming the first to successfully relocate tigers. Sariska features diverse flora and fauna, including tigers, leopards, and dhok trees.