Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
The first Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC 2024) is taking place in Harare, Zimbabwe, from October 29-31. This conference brings African nations into the global discussion on climate change and its health impacts, where Africa faces high burdens of climate-sensitive diseases. More than 400 participants, including government officials, health and climate experts, and researchers, attended the conference. It focuses on sharing innovations, best practices, and solutions to build climate resilience in health.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of India announced that over 60,000 Amrit Sarovars have been built in villages, creating a legacy for future generations. The initiative began on April 24, 2022, aiming to construct 75 Amrit Sarovars for the 75th year of independence. It addresses water crises in rural areas, with each Sarovar having at least 1 acre of pond area and a capacity of about 10,000 cubic meters. The mission promotes water conservation, community participation, and the use of excavated soil for infrastructure. It involves six government ministries but has no separate financial allocation.

Notes:
Nepal’s five-day Tihar festival, also called the festival of lights, began with Yamapanchak Tihar. Tihar is a spiritual and cultural Hindu festival celebrating lights and lasting five days. On the second day, Kukur-Tihar, people honored dogs for their loyalty and companionship. Laxmi Puja, worshipping the goddess of wealth, is traditionally held on Tihar’s third day. Many Nepalis are observing Laxmi Puja this evening, while others will celebrate tomorrow on the New Moon day.

Notes:
Scientists have discovered a lost Mayan city in the dense Mexican jungle using LiDAR technology. LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging and is a remote sensing method that uses pulsed lasers to measure distances to the Earth’s surface. It can create high-resolution 3-D models of ground elevation with vertical accuracy of up to 10 cm. The LiDAR system includes a laser, scanner, and GPS receiver. The laser fires rapidly, hitting surfaces like vegetation and buildings, with the reflected light recorded by the sensor.

Notes:
International Labour Organization (ILO) released the report titled ‘The impact of care responsibilities of women’s labour participation’. According to the report, 53% of women in India are outside the labor force due to care responsibilities, needing more investment in the care economy. Only 1.1% of men are out of work for similar reasons. The report emphasizes the need for early childhood care and education (ECCE) to boost women’s labor force participation and gender equality. In India, 97.8% of women and 91.4% of men are out of the workforce due to personal or family reasons. Globally, 708 million women and 40 million men are outside the labor force due to caregiving, highlighting a significant gender disparity.

Notes:
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has formed a team to investigate the death of ten elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. The Madhya Pradesh government has also set up a five-member committee, led by APCCF (Wildlife), to conduct an inquiry. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is situated between the Vindhyan and Satpura ranges in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district. It was designated as a national park in 1968 and became a tiger reserve in 1993.

Notes:
Duma Boko of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has been declared Botswana’s sixth president by Chief Justice Terence Rannowane. Botswana’s electoral law requires a party to win at least 31 of 61 National Assembly seats to secure victory. UDC has gained 34 seats, while the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) secured only four seats. Outgoing President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat as preliminary results confirmed the BDP lost its parliamentary majority after almost 60 years in power. The BDP has governed Botswana, a diamond-rich nation, since its independence in 1966.

Notes:
Australian cricketer Matthew Wade retired from international cricket after a 13-year career with 225 appearances for Australia. He played in three T20 World Cups, crucially helping Australia win its first T20 title in 2021 with a memorable semi-final performance against Pakistan. In Tests, Wade scored 1,613 runs with four centuries, including a top score of 117 in the 2019 Ashes. He played 97 ODIs, amassing 1,867 runs, and 92 T20Is with 1,202 runs. Wade will continue in domestic and franchise cricket and join Australia’s coaching staff for the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan.

Notes:
World Cities Day is celebrated on October 31 to highlight sustainable urban development. The United Nations General Assembly officially recognized it in 2013, with the first celebration in 2014. This observance addresses challenges posed by rapid urbanization, particularly in developing countries like India. World Cities Day is part of Urban October, which begins with World Habitat Day. More than half of the world’s population now lives in urban areas, making this conversation essential. The day encourages global discussions on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable for everyone. This year’s theme is ‘Youth Leading Climate and Local Action for Cities’.

Notes:
Ten wild elephants died in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, possibly due to “mycotoxins associated with kodo millet.” Kodo millet, also called Kodra or Varagu, is a drought-tolerant, hardy crop rich in vitamins and minerals. It is a staple food for many tribal and economically weaker communities in India. Best suited for tropical and subtropical regions, it grows on poor soils in arid and semi-arid areas. Originating in India, Madhya Pradesh is a major producer, along with Gujarat, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. Kodo millet is also cultivated in Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and West Africa.