Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
Maia Sandu was sworn in as President of Moldova for her second term on December 24, 2024. She first became president in 2020 and is the first woman to hold the position since Moldova gained independence in 1991. Moldova’s constitution allows a president to serve two terms of four years each. Under her leadership, Moldova shifted away from Russia and pursued stronger ties with the European Union. In 2022, Moldova applied for membership in the European Union, aiming for closer integration with the 27-nation bloc.

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Rwanda has declared its first-ever Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak over, with 42 days without new cases, confirmed by WHO. MVD is a severe, often fatal hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, with no approved vaccines or treatments. First identified in 1967 in Marburg, Germany, linked to infected green monkeys. Outbreaks are mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The virus is transmitted from fruit bats to humans, spreading through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces.

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Prime Minister Modi will hand over 5.8 million property cards to owners in 50,000 villages across 12 states, four years after the Svamitva scheme’s launch. Svamitva (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) was launched by Ministry of Panchayati Raj in 2020. It was launched to provide rural property owners with official property records. It grants access to loans, reduces disputes, and improves village planning. The scheme has issued 20.19 million property cards and completed 92% of drone mapping in 317,000 villages. It empowers women, strengthens land rights, and promotes community development.

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DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has cleared the Kaveri engine for inflight testing. The Kaveri engine project started in the late 1980s to power India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. It was developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The clearance represents progress in India’s indigenous aero-engine technology development.

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The alarming levels of arsenic contamination in Bihar’s staple foods—rice, wheat, and potatoes—pose serious health risks, particularly for rural populations. A study by Mahavir Cancer Sansthan found that 14% of rice, 63% of wheat, and 3% of potato samples exceeded permissible arsenic limits set by the FAO. The contamination is linked to groundwater pollution and sediment deposits from the River Ganga, affecting infants and children most severely. Urgent interventions are needed to address this public health crisis and mitigate risks associated with arsenic exposure.

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The Ministry of Ayush launched a film series, “Ayush for All: Holistic Health Care through National Ayush Mission (NAM),” showcasing the transformative impact of NAM. NAM aims to strengthen Ayush healthcare services, integrate them into mainstream public health, and promote preventive care via Ayushman Arogya Mandir. NAM established 3883 Yoga Wellness Centres, 1055 Ayush Grams, and 12,500 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. The film series highlights NAM’s success in reducing healthcare costs and improving access, especially for rural and underserved populations.

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India’s Deep Ocean Mission captured high-resolution images of an active hydrothermal vent 4,500 meters below the Indian Ocean’s surface. Hydrothermal vents are underwater hot springs near tectonic plate boundaries, releasing hot water and minerals into the ocean. The mission is a multi-ministerial and multi-disciplinary initiative to explore deep-sea living and non-living resources. It supports India’s goal of achieving Blue Economy status and developing technologies for ocean resource harnessing. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is the nodal agency implementing this mission.

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Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the SWAR (Speech and Written Analysis Resource) platform on Good Governance Day, December 25. The platform aims to enhance ease of living for citizens through technology. Developed by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Bhashini Team. SWAR addresses language barriers and includes a Speech-to-Text feature integrated into the Gujarat CMO website. This initiative supports better accessibility and communication for Gujarat’s citizens.

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India will host the first-ever World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in February 2025. WAVES will cover the entire Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry, bringing together global leaders and innovators. It aims to unite industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to discuss challenges, promote trade, and shape the sector’s future. The summit will showcase India’s advancements in animation, gaming, entertainment technology, and cinema. WAVES-India aims to position India as a global M&E powerhouse by fostering creativity, innovation and investments. It focuses on building skilled workforce capacity and embracing technological advancements to strengthen India’s creative economy.

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The 18th Chitwan Elephant Festival was held at Chitwan National Park in Kathmandu, Nepal, from December 26-30, 2024. The festival aims to promote tourism and attracts many tourists with events like elephant parades, a beauty contest, football, and a picnic. More than 80 elephants, from private and government-run facilities, participated this year. The elephant football competition, featuring penalty shootouts, was a highlight, with elephants like Champakali, Basnatikali, and Ramkali thrilling audiences. Elephant polo was excluded this year in response to animal rights concerns.