Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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In the 2024 World Happiness Report released by the United Nations on March 20th, Finland claimed the title of the happiest country for the seventh year in a row. The report highlights Finland’s consistent high levels of happiness, affirming its status as a global leader in well-being. According to the 2024 World Happiness Report, India ranks 126th out of 146 countries, this is the same as last year. India’s neighbors, however, rank higher than India, with China ranked 60th, Nepal ranked 93rd, Pakistan ranked 108th, Myanmar ranked 118th, Sri Lanka ranked 128th, and Bangladesh ranked 129th.

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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations’ (UN) climate agency, releases the State of the Global Climate report. The 2023 report confirms that 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global average near-surface temperature 1.45 °Celsius (with a margin of uncertainty of ± 0.12 °C) above the pre-industrial baseline. The report also confirms that 2023 was the warmest 10-year period on record. The WMO also said there is a “high probability” that 2024 will be another record-hot year.

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The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) released the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 report in March 2024. The report states that the world’s generation of electronic waste is growing five times faster than the amount that is documented to be recycled. The report also states that 62 million tonnes of electronic waste is generated annually globally, which has increased by 82 percent since 2010. The report is a reference tool for policymakers and industry that shows the world’s position on the global e-waste challenge. The report also warns of a pending global e-waste disaster.

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Mumbai, India’s financial capital, surpasses Beijing as Asia’s billionaire hotspot, with 92 billionaires according to the Hurun Research Institute. This marks a significant moment for India’s economic status in Asia. Globally, New York leads with 119 billionaires, followed by London with 97. Despite China leading in the country ranking with 814 billionaires, there’s been a notable decline. The United States follows with 800 billionaires, and India secures third place with 271 billionaires.

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The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts an 83% chance of the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) shifting to a neutral range by April-June 2024. ONI, a key measure of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), tracks sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific. El Niño and La Niña, opposing phases of ENSO, impact global weather, ecosystems, and economies. El Niño brings warmer waters, while La Niña ushers in cooler conditions, occurring irregularly every two to seven years.

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The 2024 WHO Global Hepatitis Report highlights India’s high prevalence, with 2.9 crore cases of hepatitis B and 0.55 crore cases of hepatitis C. Released during the World Hepatitis Summit, WHO aims to eliminate hepatitis by 2030. The report underscores the importance of awareness, vaccination, and healthcare. In 2022, India saw 50,000 new hepatitis B cases, 1.4 lakh hepatitis C cases, and 1.23 lakh deaths. Diagnosis and treatment rates remain low, emphasizing the need for urgent action.

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The IMF’s Fiscal Monitor warns against relying solely on industrial policy initiatives to spur economic growth in the US, Europe, and beyond. Released biannually by the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department, it offers insights into public finance trends, fiscal outlooks, and policy implications for the global economy. Projections, aligned with the World Economic Outlook and Global Financial Stability Report, are crafted by IMF desk economists following WEO guidelines.

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IIT Bombay climbed to 45th in Engineering and Technology in the 2024 QS World University Rankings, scoring 79.1/100. The QS ranks universities in 55 disciplines; results released by the UK-based agency highlight IIT Bombay’s strengths in various fields including Minerals and Mining (25th), Data Science and AI (30th), Civil and Structural Engineering (42nd), and others. Notably, it improved by two places from 2023 in Engineering and Technology.

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An international team led by the University of Oxford and UNSW Canberra introduces the inaugural ‘World Cybercrime Index’. Drawing from data collected through a survey of 92 experts, it ranks roughly 100 countries based on cybercrime prevalence. Key findings reveal concentrated threats, with Russia leading, followed by Ukraine, China, USA, Nigeria, and Romania. The score of India was recorded at 6.13 and was ranked 10th in the list of 15 countries. Cybercrime costs are projected to skyrocket, reaching $13.82 trillion by 2028.

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The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released the 2024 State of the World’s Population report in April 2024. India leads with a population of 144.17 crore, expected to double in 77 years. 68% aged 15-64, with a Total Fertility Rate of 2.0. Life expectancy at birth is 71 and 74 years for men and women respectively. Child marriage rates were 23%, and women with disabilities face up to 10 times more gender-based violence. Marginalized communities are largely ignored despite 30 years of SRH progress.