Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2024

Notes:
The 6th Meeting of the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism took place in New Delhi on 29 May 2024. Key discussions involved regional terrorist threats, state-sponsored terrorism, and the misuse of technology by terrorists. Both nations emphasized enhancing cooperation through information exchange, capacity building, and multilateral cooperation. The next meeting will be in Tokyo at a mutually convenient date.

Notes:
Morni Hills, Haryana’s lone hill station, recently battled a severe forest fire amid scorching temperatures exceeding 46°C. The blaze spread rapidly through the arid landscape, engulfing shrubs, bushes, and trees. Situated in the Shivalik range at 3,600 feet above sea level, Morni Hills harbor diverse flora and fauna. Haryana features various hills and ranges, including the Shivalik in the north and the Aravalli stretching from southwest Haryana to Delhi, with Morni Hills in Panchkula and Dhosi Hills in Mahendragarh known for its extinct volcano.

Notes:
The Adani group has ventured into the port business in Tanzania, securing a 30-year lease for Container Terminal 2 at Dar es Salaam Port. This deal, signed with Tanzania Ports Authority, expands Adani’s global footprint. Meanwhile, Indian Ports Global Ltd secured a 10-year deal to manage Iran’s Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar Port. Dar es Salaam Port, Tanzania’s main port, handles 83% of the country’s container volume, with Container Terminal 2 boasting a capacity of 1 million TEUs.

Notes:
Recently, Purana Qila was handed over to the Sabhyata Foundation of the Dalmia Group under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme by the Ministry of Tourism. Located in New Delhi, it’s one of the oldest forts built on the banks of the Yamuna River, also known as Qila-e-Kohna. Built under Humayun and Sher Shah Suri, it reflects a blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture. The rectangular fort boasts three gates, notably the Bara Darwaza, combining Islamic and Hindu elements.

Notes:
The Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, launched the Implementation Manual of Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions on World No Tobacco Day 2024 in New Delhi, in collaboration with SEEDS. Aligned with this year’s theme, “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference,” the manual aims to help schools implement ToFEI guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Shri Sanjay Kumar emphasized creating tobacco-free zones in educational institutions to protect children from addiction.

Notes:
A team from the Karnataka State Department of Archaeology Museums and Heritage has discovered rock shelter paintings estimated to be 2,500 years old near Pampa Lake in the Hampi World Heritage Area. Pampa Lake, located in Karnataka’s Koppal district near Hampi, is one of the five sacred lakes in Hindu mythology. Surrounded by hills and temples, it holds cultural and religious significance, featuring prominently in Hindu epics like the Ramayana.

Notes:
Germany’s Bundeswehr lost an Iris-T missile, raising concerns about technology compromise. The Iris-T is a short-range air-to-air missile developed by a six-nation program, led by Germany. Diehl BGT Defence serves as the prime contractor. It’s designed for short and medium-range air defense, capable of neutralizing various aerial threats up to 40 km away. With extreme maneuverability and advanced features like infrared seeker and thrust-vector control, it’s effective in close combat.

Notes:
Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology, Thiruvananthapuram, developed non-infectious Nipah virus-like particles (VLPs). VLPs resemble viruses but lack genetic material, making them non-infectious. They effectively create vaccines for diseases like HPV, hepatitis B, and malaria by triggering an immune response without causing symptoms. VLPs, sized 20-200 nm, enter lymph nodes to activate the immune system, offering immunity against the actual virus.

Notes:
A recent river cleanup campaign, part of the PLEASE (Plastic Free Rivers and Seas of South Asia) program, removed 24,575 kg of waste from the Sunkoshi River and its banks. The Sunkoshi, also called the ‘river of gold,’ is in Nepal, forming part of the Koshi River system. Originating from the Zhangzangbo Glacier in Tibet, it joins the Ganga in Bihar, India, before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. It’s renowned for challenging rapids and popular for rafting in Nepal.

Notes:
The Netherlands became India’s third largest export destination in 2023-24, following the U.S. and UAE, despite a 3% dip in India’s overall merchandise shipments. Key exports to the Netherlands included petroleum products ($14.29 billion), electrical goods, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Consequently, India’s trade surplus with the Netherlands rose to $17.4 billion, up from $13 billion in 2022-23, according to the Commerce Ministry data .