Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
The Indian Army has approved the procurement of the Advanced Land Navigation System (ALNS) Mk-II for its Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs). This Ring Laser Gyro-based system offers Inertial, GPS, and Hybrid navigation modes and is designed to be spoof-proof with high encryption. It is compatible with Indian and global navigation systems and Defence Series Maps, ensuring high accuracy. The system will be procured from Bharat Electronics Limited under the Buy Indian-IDDM category.

Notes:
Archaeologists recently found Vattezhuthu and eight Tamil inscriptions at the Thalikiswarar temple in Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu, dating back 1100 years. Vattezhuthu, a syllabic script used in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Sri Lanka, was used to write Tamil and Malayalam. It emerged around the 4th century AD from the Tamil-Brahmi script and evolved into the modern Malayalam script by the 15th century.

Notes:
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted permission for the first criticality approach of India’s 500 MWe sodium-cooled Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. This is India’s first indigenous PFBR, commissioned by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a government company under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

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:
India resumed importing Tur dal from Mozambique’s Nacala Port after a disruption. Mozambique is a Southeast African country with a long Indian Ocean coastline, separated from Madagascar by the Mozambique Channel. It borders Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatini. Major rivers include the Zambezi and Limpopo, and its highest peak is Mount Binga. Mozambique is rich in resources like gold, emeralds, copper, iron ore, and bauxite.

Notes:
In Gujarat, a Chandipura Virus (CHPV) outbreak has been reported since early July, with 137 suspected cases and 51 confirmed. CHPV, spread by sandflies, causes acute viral encephalitis with symptoms like high fever, headache, vomiting, and severe neurological issues. Viral encephalitis, which can result from various viruses including CHPV, causes brain inflammation and can lead to severe symptoms like seizures and loss of consciousness.

Notes:
The Central government’s Rs 72,000 crore Great Nicobar Island (GNI) project plans to build an airport, an international container terminal, and a township. However, it faces legal challenges from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Calcutta High Court due to inadequate impact assessments on Shompen and Nicobarese tribes and improper permissions. The Shompens are hunter-gatherers, and the project could affect the Nicobarese people’s ancestral lands.

Notes:
India and Russia conducted a maritime partnership exercise (MPX) in St. Petersburg on the 328th Russian Navy Day. The exercise featured India’s INS Tabar and Russia’s Soobrazitelny, showcasing naval maneuvers like communication drills, search and rescue tactics, and replenishment at sea. This MPX reinforced strong bilateral naval ties, highlighting both nations’ commitment to regional peace, stability, and security, and demonstrated professionalism and interoperability between their navies.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force has approved the production of 200 Astra Mk-1 missiles for Su-30 MKI and Tejas aircraft after Deputy Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit’s visit to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). Developed by DRDO and made by BDL, Astra Mk-1 is an air-to-air missile with a range of 80-110 km and a speed of Mach 4.5. DRDO is also working on the Astra Mk-2 with a range of 130-160 km.

Notes:
The Centre’s PARIVESH portal, developed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has crossed 50,000 clearances. PARIVESH, which stands for Pro Active and Responsive Facilitation by Interactive and Virtuous Environmental Single-window Hub, is a single-window portal for obtaining and monitoring Environment, Forest, Wildlife, and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances across the nation.