Current Affairs Quiz - May, 2024

Notes:
Kabak Yano, a mountaineer and cricketer, made history as the first Nyishi tribe woman and fifth woman from Arunachal Pradesh to scale Mt. Everest. The Nyishi, the largest ethnic group in Arunachal Pradesh, primarily reside in eight districts and parts of Assam. With a population of around 300,000, they practice slash-and-burn agriculture and excel in various handicrafts. Religiously, they follow Christianity, Hinduism, and the indigenous Donyi Polo.

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Twelve nations signed the Zero Debris Charter at the ESA/EU Space Council, committing to sustainable human activities in Earth orbit. The European Space Agency (ESA) initiated the Charter in November 2023. It aims to eliminate space debris by 2030 through ambitious technical targets and global cooperation. Although non-binding, it sets key goals like a debris generation probability below 1 in 1,000 per object and 99% post-mission disposal success.

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GAIL (India) Ltd. inaugurated its first 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant in Vijaipur, Madhya Pradesh, under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Approved on January 4, 2022, the mission aims to make India a global hub for green hydrogen. It includes incentives for electrolyser manufacturing and green hydrogen production, support for pilot projects, development of Green Hydrogen Hubs, and a policy framework for a green hydrogen ecosystem and standards.

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The IAEA’s International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS) 2024, held in Vienna, highlighted nuclear waste concerns. Currently, 145 states report incidents of lost, stolen, or mishandled nuclear materials to the IAEA. Radioactive substances are widely used in medical, educational, and industrial sectors. The main concern is extremists using these materials in a “dirty bomb,” which, though less deadly than an atomic bomb, could cause mass panic in urban areas.

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State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) has signed a Technology Transfer Agreement with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for a 50-kW alkaline electrolyser system to produce hydrogen. BARC, India’s premier nuclear research facility based in Trombay, Mumbai, operates under the Department of Atomic Energy, overseen by the Prime Minister. It supports extensive research across nuclear science and engineering, crucial for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

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Genetically modified mosquitoes were released in Djibouti to combat malaria as part of the two-year-old ‘Djibouti Friendly Mosquito Programme’. This method releases engineered male mosquitoes that mate with females, passing on a gene that prevents female offspring from surviving to adulthood, reducing the population of malaria-transmitting Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. Similar methods have been successful in Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and India.

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India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) warned of a high-severity vulnerability in Google Chrome for desktops. CERT-In, the national agency for computer security incidents under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, aims to secure Indian cyberspace. Operational since January 2004, CERT-In is responsible for responding to and mitigating cybersecurity threats in India.

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Japanese researchers have developed the world’s first wooden satellite, Lignosat, in collaboration with NASA and JAXA. This tiny cuboid craft, made from resilient magnolia wood, will be launched by a SpaceX rocket. Lignosat aims to reduce space clutter and promote environmentally friendly space activities. Unlike traditional aluminium satellites, Lignosat will burn harmlessly upon re-entry, preventing harmful particle release and allowing electromagnetic waves to pass through easily.

Notes:
Hindi Journalism Day, observed on May 30, celebrates the legacy and societal contributions of Hindi journalism. It honors pioneers like Pandit Jugal Kishor Shukla, who published the first Hindi newspaper, Udant Martand, in 1826 in Kolkata. This weekly newspaper marked a revolutionary step, with its first issue printing 500 copies, addressing the news needs of Hindi-speaking communities.

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The Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly convenes in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 27 to June 1, 2024, under the theme “All for Health, Health for All.” Live webcasts of the proceedings will be accessible, featuring simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.