Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
Hyderabad has been selected as the location for India’s first Google Safety Engineering Centre (GSEC), the only such facility in the Asia-Pacific and the fifth globally. GSEC will focus on advanced research, AI-driven security solutions, and addressing India’s cybersecurity challenges. Hyderabad’s growing tech ecosystem, supported by global giants like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, along with initiatives like T-Hub, makes it a hub for innovation. The GSEC project is expected to boost employment and enhance the city’s reputation in the cybersecurity sector.

Notes:
Recently, a flu-like illness named Disease X has emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, causing alarm due to its high infection and mortality rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) is actively investigating the outbreak, which has affected over 400 individuals, with 143 reported deaths, primarily among children. Complications arise from severe malnutrition in patients, hindering diagnosis. The WHO is deploying teams to collect samples and study transmission patterns in remote areas like Kwango province.

Notes:
Dommaraju Gukesh, at 18, became the youngest chess world champion, surpassing Garry Kasparov’s record. He achieved this by defeating Ding Liren after a three-week battle in Singapore. Gukesh showed exceptional focus, minimal social media use, and meditative concentration during the tournament. Starting chess at 11, his dedication and obsession with becoming No. 1 set him apart. Despite setbacks in the championship, he responded with resilience and readiness to fight. Chess experts, including Susan Polgar, believe Gukesh has not yet reached his peak potential. He joins an elite lineage of chess champions, the youngest ever to do so.

Notes:
The 22nd Divya Kala Mela was organized at India Gate, New Delhi. The 11-day event, organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, features 100 artisans, entrepreneurs, and artists from 20 states and union territories. It promotes the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement with handicrafts, eco-friendly products, and cultural performances. The event helps Divyangjan achieve economic independence and affirms their place in India’s progress.

Notes:
India has achieved a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.0 as per NFHS-5 (2019–21), meeting targets set by the National Population Policy 2000 and National Health Policy 2017. The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, in the Rajya Sabha. Family Planning Programme offers expanded contraceptive options, including condoms, oral pills, emergency pills, intrauterine devices (IUCDs), sterilization, Antara injectable contraceptives, and Chhaya Centchroman pills. Mission Parivar Vikas targets high-focus states to improve access to family planning services. Awareness campaigns like World Population Day and Vasectomy Fortnight are observed annually.

Notes:
The Malayan Night Heron, a migratory bird from Southeast Asia, was recorded in Madurai near the Alagar Kovil hills for the first time. This medium-sized heron has reddish-brown plumage, a black crown and crest, black underwings, a stout bill, and a short neck. It inhabits forests, streams, and marshes, migrating to India during the winter season. Although typically nocturnal, it can also be active during the day and is generally solitary. It roosts in trees and feeds in open areas. Its IUCN conservation status is Least Concern.

Notes:
The European Space Agency launched Proba-3 from India to study the Sun’s corona using artificial solar eclipses created by precise satellite alignment. An artificial solar eclipse mimics a natural one, using two satellites to block sunlight and create a controlled shadow. The Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) observes the Sun, while the Occulter (OSC) casts a shadow, maintaining millimetres-level alignment for up to six hours per orbit. It allows extended study of the Sun’s corona, far longer than natural eclipses. The mission aids in understanding corona mysteries, predicting geomagnetic storms, and mitigating satellite disruptions.

Notes:
The Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of Forest and Wildlife asked the district administration to report on illegal construction near Sultanpur National Park. Sultanpur National Park is located in Gurgaon, Haryana, 46 km from Delhi. Formerly Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, it covers 1.42 sq. km with marshy lakes and floodplains. The core area is 1.21 sq. km, containing Sultanpur Lake. It is a seasonal freshwater wetland fed by the Yamuna River’s Gurgaon canal and nearby agricultural runoff. It was recognized as a Ramsar site in 2021, it is also an Important Bird Area.

Notes:
The Indian women’s junior hockey team won the 10th Women’s Hockey Junior Asia Cup by defeating China 3-2 in the penalty shootout in Muscat, Oman, on December 15, 2024. India successfully defended their title, having also won the previous edition in 2023. The tournament, held from December 7 to 15, 2024, is for players under 21 and organized by the Asian Hockey Federation. The top five teams—India, China, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia—qualified for the 2025 International Hockey Federation (FIH) Women’s Junior World Cup in Chile. The first Women’s Junior Asia Cup was held in 1992 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and won by South Korea.

Notes:
Mumbai, led by Shreyas Iyer, won the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy by defeating Madhya Pradesh in the final. The final took place at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on December 15, 2024. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is a domestic Twenty20 cricket championship in India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) organizes the tournament annually. It’s named after Syed Mushtaq Ali, an Indian cricketer who was the first to score an overseas Test century for India. The 2024-25 season ran from November 23 to December 15, 2024, with matches held at various venues across India. Thirty-eight teams, including those from the Ranji Trophy, participated in the tournament, divided into five groups.