Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
A Muria tribal farmer from Chhattisgarh, settled in the Godavari Valley, uses the traditional ‘deda’ method to preserve seeds. Seeds are wrapped in Siali leaves, layered with wood ash and lemon leaves, and sealed airtight. Each deda supports 5kg of seeds, protecting them from pests and preserving viability for up to five years. This method is effective for pulses like green gram, red gram, black gram, and beans.

Notes:
The UAE introduces the 10-year Blue Residency Visa for environmental champions, aiming to attract global leaders in sustainability. Successful applicants include researchers, activists, and members of environmental organizations. This initiative aligns with the Year of Sustainability and COP28’s goals, showcasing the UAE’s commitment to environmental stewardship. The visa complements existing programs like the Golden and Green Visas, extending long-term residency to investors and skilled professionals. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber lauds the initiative, strengthening the UAE’s global sustainability leadership.

Notes:
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal won the SCBA presidency for the fourth term, securing 1,066 votes. He succeeds Adish C. Aggarwala. Pradeep Rai was the runner-up. Vikrant Yadav was elected secretary. Sibal previously served as president in 2001 and had two stints in the late 1990s. Jairam Ramesh hailed it as a win for liberal, secular, democratic, and progressive forces. Other contenders were Priya Hingorani, Tripurari Ray, and Neeraj Srivastava.

Notes:
Astronomers found SPECULOOS-3b, an Earth-sized planet, orbiting an ultra-cool red dwarf star 55 light-years from Earth. The star emits light 100 times dimmer than the sun, with half the temperature, making SPECULOOS-3b the second planet of its kind found around such a star. High radiation levels suggest it lacks an atmosphere, receiving 16 times more energy than Earth. It takes 17 hours to orbit and is likely tidally locked, with one side in perpetual daylight and the other in darkness.

Notes:
World Metrology Day, celebrated on May 20, marks the 1875 Metre Convention signing, establishing a global measurement system. The 2024 theme, “Sustainability,” emphasizes the role of measurements in fostering a sustainable economy and environment. Key applications include monitoring energy use, managing agricultural resources, identifying pollution sources, and regulating vehicle emissions. Accurate measurements support environmental protection, sustainable transportation, and improved manufacturing processes.

Notes:
In Maharashtra, a leopard fatally attacked a tendu leaf plucker. Tendu leaves, harvested from the Tendu tree native to India, are known as “green gold” in Odisha. They’re nationalized like bamboo and sal seed, used for wrapping bidi tobacco due to unique properties: aroma, hygroscopicity, thinness, slow combustion, and fungus resistance. Madhya Pradesh leads tendu leaf production in India.

Notes:
Gopi Thotakura, an Indian expatriate, became the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian in space on Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission. The mission, New Shepard’s seventh human spaceflight, included six crew members, among them Gopi Thotakura. The crew also featured historical figure Ed Dwight, the first black astronaut candidate selected by President Kennedy. New Shepard has now flown 37 people into space, marking another milestone in space tourism.

Notes:
Australia will ban live sheep exports by sea starting May 1, 2028, but will not restrict other livestock exports or sheep exports by air. This decision follows a 2018 incident where 2,400 sheep died from heat stress, leading to public outcry. Animal rights groups have long advocated for this ban. New Zealand, the UK, and potentially the European Union are also moving towards similar bans.

Notes:
A girl from Malappuram, Kerala, recently died from a Naegleria fowleri infection. This amoeba, found in soil and warm freshwater, causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) if it reaches the brain through the nose. Known as the “brain-eating amoeba,” Naegleria fowleri infections are rare but almost always fatal, destroying brain tissue once infection occurs.

Notes:
Malaysia aims to improve its environmental image through “orangutan diplomacy,” a type of animal diplomacy. Animal diplomacy involves giving or lending culturally significant or indigenous animals as symbols of friendship or goodwill between countries, exemplifying soft power. Notable examples include China’s panda diplomacy and Australia’s koala diplomacy. However, ethical concerns arise as animals are used as objects to fulfill national interests.