Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2024

Notes:
Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh is at risk of being delisted from the Ramsar Convention’s list of Wetlands of International Importance due to potential ecological damage. Concerns have been raised about proposed road construction impacting the wetland’s catchment area. The Ramsar Convention Secretariat has requested clarification from India, marking the first step in the delisting process. India’s Environment Ministry, the nodal authority for wetlands, will assess whether the construction will alter the wetland’s ecological character.

Notes:
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) recently released the World Population Prospects Report, projecting the global population to peak at 10.3 billion by the mid-2080s, up from 8.2 billion in 2024. Key findings include a current fertility rate of 2.25 births per woman and a life expectancy of 73.3 years. India’s population is expected to peak in the early 2060s, remaining the largest globally throughout the century.

Notes:
The Himalayan mountains are ecologically sensitive and culturally rich, yet often politically overlooked. In Ladakh, irresponsible tourism and rash development threaten unique wildlife adapted to extreme conditions. The Hanle valley, near the Indo-China border and part of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, is home to threatened species like the Pallas’s cat, Tibetan sand fox, snow leopard, and black-necked crane. Conservation efforts are vital to protect this fragile ecosystem.

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Experts from the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Allahabad, in collaboration with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, developed a tool for blind and visually impaired individuals to create and access chart images. This AI-based software generates alternative text (Alt-text) for images, enhancing accessibility. The research, titled “Alt4 Blind: A User Interface to Simplify Charts Alt-Text Creation,” was presented at an international conference in Linz, Austria.

Notes:
A geospatial analysis using satellite images and ground surveys revealed “huge architectural wealth” buried in the Mahabodhi temple complex in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. The Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002, marks the Buddha’s Enlightenment spot. Built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C., the current structure dates to the 5th-6th centuries and is a key example of early brick architecture and sculptural reliefs.

Notes:
The IIT Madras Centre of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA) announced plans to leverage technology to enhance India’s chess capabilities. This initiative aims to boost fan engagement, provide anti-cheating solutions, and enhance chess training programs. It includes launching new courses on NPTEL and future sports education programs. The focus is on improving fan engagement, offering federations anti-cheating solutions, and expanding grassroots chess training programs.

Notes:
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has won his fourth term with 99% of the votes, according to the National Electoral Commission, with 79% of votes counted. Kagame, in power since 2000, previously won the 2017 election with a similar margin. Approximately 9.5 million Rwandans voted, with 65% of the population under 35. Opponents Frank Habineza and Philippe Mpayimana received 0.53% and 0.32%, respectively.

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The Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) inaugurated its first Asian “Pre-clinical Network Facility” in Faridabad, Haryana, on July 16, 2024, by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. This Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC)-Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) lab is Asia’s first and the world’s ninth CEPI-accredited lab.

Notes:
The Union Finance Minister recently participated in a traditional ‘halwa’ ceremony, marking the final stage of preparation for the Union Budget 2024-25, set to be unveiled on July 23. This ritual involves serving ‘halwa’ to finance ministry officials and signifies the initiation of budget document printing. Officials enter a ‘lock-in’ period for confidentiality, staying in the Finance Ministry’s North Block basement. This practice stems from a 1950 budget leak, leading to strict secrecy measures.

Notes:
Recently, the Gujarat government reported six children dying from suspected Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection since July 10. CHPV, part of the Rhabdoviridae family, is transmitted by sandflies and mosquitoes, including Aedes aegypti. The virus, residing in the insects’ salivary glands, can infect humans and domestic animals through bites. It can quickly progress to encephalitis, causing inflammation of the brain’s active tissues and potentially affecting organs like the kidneys and liver.