Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
Indian badminton star Ashwini Ponnappa emotionally retired from the Olympic stage after her early exit at the Paris 2024 Games. Partnering with Tanisha Crasto, they lost their final match to Australia’s Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu, ending their campaign with three consecutive losses. Ashwini, a three-time Olympian, is celebrated for her achievements with Jwala Gutta, including gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and bronze at the World Championships in 2011.

Notes:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched ‘Suvidha Software Version 1.0’ at its first ‘Annual Operational Sea Training Conference’ in Visakhapatnam. This software aims to improve training protocols across ICG platforms. Deputy Director General Anupam Rai emphasized excellence and adaptability. Senior officers discussed best practices and strategies for maritime security, highlighting ICG’s dedication to innovation and operational training excellence.

Notes:
Ministry of Defence signed an MoU with Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) to establish three advanced testing facilities in Uttar Pradesh under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS). These include one facility in Lucknow for Mechanical & Material (M&M) and two in Kanpur for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Communications. DTIS was launched in May 2020 by Ministry of Defence with a Rs 400 crore budget. DTIS aims to boost indigenous defence production.

Notes:
The World Bank’s 2024 report highlights the “Middle-Income Trap,” where countries stuck in middle-income status struggle to advance to high-income levels. This trap often occurs around $8,000 GDP per capita. Since 1990, only 34 of 108 middle-income countries have moved to high-income status. Key challenges include aging populations, rising protectionism, and the need for faster energy transitions. India, classified as a lower-middle-income country since 2007, has a GNI per capita of $2,540 and would need 75 years to reach one-quarter of U.S. income per capita at current trends.

Notes:
Athletes from Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under their national flags at the Paris Olympics. Instead, they compete as Athlètes Individuals Neutres (AIN), or Individual Neutral Athletes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) imposed this ban after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which violated the Olympic Truce that prohibits attacks between a week before the Olympics and a week after the Paralympics.

Notes:
The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs launched Version 4.0 of the Price Monitoring System (PMS) Mobile app, developed to enhance price data quality for 38 essential commodities, up from 22. The app, initially launched in 2021, receives daily retail and wholesale prices from 550 centers. This data aids government and analysts in policy decisions regarding CPI inflation, covering items like rice, wheat, oils, milk, and newly added produce like brinjal and banana.

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 “VIRAASAT” exhibition, celebrating the 10th National Handloom Day, is being held from August 3 to August 16, 2024, at Handloom Haat, Janpath, New Delhi. Organized by the National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd (NHDC) under the Ministry of Textiles, this event promotes India’s rich handloom traditions and supports weavers. National Handloom Day, established on August 7, 2015, commemorates the Swadeshi Movement of 1905 and the handloom sector’s socio-economic contributions.

Notes:
India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Confederation of Indian Industries hosts the 1st BIMSTEC Business Summit in New Delhi from August 6-8, 2024. The summit, inaugurated by Dr. S. Jaishankar and attended by key leaders, aims to boost regional trade and investment among BIMSTEC countries. Over 300 stakeholders will discuss trade, connectivity, energy security, inclusive growth, and sustainable development.

Notes:
ISRO’s Earth Observation Satellite-8 (EOS-8) is set to launch on August 15 by the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission aims to design and develop a microsatellite, create compatible payload instruments, and integrate new technologies for future operational satellites. EOS-8 represents a significant step in advancing satellite capabilities and enhancing Earth observation efforts.