Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
French President praised over 1,000 craftspeople who rebuilt Notre-Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire in 2019. Notre-Dame is a famous Gothic cathedral in located in Paris, France. It is known for its size, age, and architectural features. Its construction began in 1163 and continued throughout the Gothic period, completed by 1250. It was the site of significant events, including Napoleon’s coronation and royal weddings. A fire on April 15, 2019, severely damaged the roof and spire. The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcasing naturalistic sculptures and stained-glass windows.

Notes:
India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $98 million loan to boost access to disease-free planting materials for horticulture farmers under the Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme. The Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme (CPP) is related to horticulture and aims to provide farmers with access to high-quality, virus-free planting material. It includes nine advanced Clean Plant Centers with diagnostic and tissue culture labs and a robust certification system for accountability and traceability. It ensures affordable access, engages women farmers, and develops region-specific plant varieties. It is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture through National Horticulture Board (NHB) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, it aims to strengthen India’s global fruit market position.

Notes:
Siddharth Kaul, a 34-year-old pacer from Punjab, announced his retirement from Indian cricket. He represented India in 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is during 2018-19 and was part of the 2008 U-19 World Cup-winning team with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. Kaul played for IPL teams like Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. He has 297 wickets in First-Class, 199 in List A, and 182 in T20s. Kaul is the highest wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophies.

Notes:
Sikkim has been declared the partner state for the Hornbill Festival 2024. The Hornbill Festival is an annual cultural event in Nagaland, named after the Indian hornbill bird featured in tribal folklore. It is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, 12 km from Kohima, Nagaland. The festival is organized by Nagaland’s Tourism and Art & Culture Departments. Its objective is to promote cultural heritage and foster inter-tribal interaction in Nagaland.

Notes:
A female elephant recently died of suspected anthrax at Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Anthrax is caused by Bacteria ‘Bacillus anthracis’, a spore-forming bacterium found in soil. It primarily affects livestock and wild animals through contaminated soil, plants, or water. Humans can contract anthrax by contact with infected animals or their products, contaminated food or water, or spores entering the skin. Anthrax is not contagious between people and occurs in three forms: cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and inhalational. The bacteria’s spores can survive in soil for years, posing long-term risks to animals and humans.

Notes:
The International Conference on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in Guwahati, led by Union Minister Giriraj Singh, addresses environmental pollution and climate change. The event emphasizes sustainable practices in sectors like textiles and promotes carbon neutrality through innovative solutions. It highlights the importance of collaboration among experts and stakeholders to enhance global efforts in sustainability, particularly utilizing the rich biodiversity of Northeast India to foster local and global climate action.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh officially declared Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary as a Ratapani Tiger Reserve under Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. Ratapani, now the state’s eighth tiger reserve, has an estimated 90 tigers. It spans Raisen and Sehore districts, serving as a critical tiger habitat linked to the Satpura ranges. Encroachments and lack of prey led to tiger-human conflicts, increasing the need for conservation. The delay in declaration, despite NTCA approval in 2008, prompted a PIL by a wildlife activist. Projects like coal plants and railway lines threaten the reserve’s ecosystem, raising concerns for its biodiversity.

Notes:
The 9th International Conference on Waste to Worth, organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), focused on sustainable waste management practices. It brought together global leaders, policymakers, industry experts, academics, and researchers to collaborate and exchange knowledge. Discussions revolved around innovative strategies, technologies, and policies promoting waste reduction, recycling, and circular economy principles. The theme, “Enabling & Building Global Tech-Partnerships for Future Ready & Sustainable Growth Environs along with Circular Economies,” emphasized global collaboration. The conference aimed to drive sustainable growth, create a cleaner environment, and support the transition to circular economies for future generations.

Notes:
India is the most targeted country for mobile malware attacks, with 28% of global attacks occurring there. The Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 report analyzed mobile, IoT, and OT attacks from June 2023 to May 2024. After India, the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and the Netherlands were the next most targeted countries. India was ranked third for mobile malware attacks globally in the 2023 report. In IoT attacks, the U.S. topped the list, followed by Singapore, the U.K., Germany, and Canada. India accounted for 66.5% of mobile malware attacks in the Asia Pacific region.

Notes:
The Business for Land Forum, held during COP16 of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh, focused on sustainable land solutions and resilience-building. The Business 4 Land Initiative (B4L) was launched by UNCCD, a legally binding global agreement. B4L aims to involve private sector actors in sustainable land management strategies. It is supported by the World Economic Forum, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and Sustainable Fibre Alliance. B4L raises awareness about sustainable land management, encourages business commitments to land restoration, and fosters collaboration among businesses, governments, and civil society.