Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and Aditya Mehta Foundation (AMF) are setting up the world’s first high-altitude para sports centre in Leh. The centre aims to train Indian para-athletes for the 2028 Paralympics. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by LAHDC, Leh, and AMF, marking a milestone in Indian sports. Advocate Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councillor of LAHDC, expressed pride in Leh’s role in this project. AMF will initially support 15 Children with Special Needs (CwSN) from Leh-Ladakh, training them at the AMF’s Parasports Academy in Hyderabad.

Notes:
n response to rising criminal activities, including shootings, Delhi Police launched Operation Kawach, a targeted crackdown on gangs, drug traffickers, and organized crime. Operation Kawach, launched by Delhi Police in May 2023, targets rising drug trafficking and abuse in Delhi. It is a broad initiative aimed at enhancing safety and combating drug-related issues in the capital. Additionally, Operation Kawach is also an Indian Armed Forces initiative focused on strengthening security along India’s northeastern front, especially at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Notes:
China’s Chang’e-6 mission made history by retrieving the first surface samples from the moon’s far side, revealing volcanic rock fragments dating back 4.2 billion years. This discovery provides crucial insights into the moon’s geological history and long periods of volcanic activity, suggesting that the far side was once more dynamic than it is today. The mission highlights the differences in composition between samples from the near and far sides of the moon, enhancing our understanding of lunar volcanism and its cessation due to dwindling internal heat sources over billions of years.

Notes:
The rare Scarlet Tanager was recently seen in the UK for the first time in 40 years. It is native to North America. Its scientific name is Piranga olivacea. It breeds in deciduous forests and migrates to tropical forests in Central and South America for winter. The bird is medium-sized, about seven inches long, with a large head, short tail, and thick bill for catching insects and fruit. Males are bright red with black wings and tails in summer; females and young are olive-yellow. Its song resembles a “robin with a cold,” and its call is a distinctive “chip-burr.”

Notes:
On 15 November 2024, the world observes the first International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime (TOC). This day was established by General Assembly resolution 78/267. It emphasizes the need for global solidarity to combat rising organized crime, which threatens peace, security, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Criminal networks exploit global vulnerabilities, including human trafficking, environmental destruction, and cybercrime. Organized crime operates across borders, requiring international cooperation to address these challenges effectively.

Notes:
West Bengal has launched the Taruner Swapna Scheme. The Taruner Swapna scheme is a government initiative that provides eligible higher secondary students from government schools with Rs 10,000 to buy a tablet or mobile phone. Students from at least 15 districts of West Bengal, including Kolkata, have been affected by the scheme. There have been allegations of irregularities in the scheme, including some students receiving the grant twice, while others did not receive it at all.

Notes:
K Sanjay Murthy has been appointed as the new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. He succeeds Girish Chandra Murmu, who was the first Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The appointment was made under Article 148(1) of the Constitution by the President of India. Murthy is currently the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education. In his current role, he oversees higher education policies and government initiatives. He collaborates with educational institutions to promote educational development across the country.

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Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh visited Vientiane, Lao PDR, from November 20-22, 2024, for the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus). ADMM-Plus involves ASEAN nations and eight dialogue partners, including India, US, China, and Russia, to strengthen security cooperation. India became ASEAN’s dialogue partner in 1992, and ADMM-Plus began in 2010. Lao PDR chairs and hosts the 11th ADMM-Plus.

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The 2023 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development was awarded to Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu Awwad. Ali Abu Awwad is a Palestinian peace activist promoting peaceful conflict resolution in the Middle East. Daniel Barenboim, an Argentine-born classical pianist, uses music to foster harmony in West Asia. The prize, established in 1986 by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, includes ₹25 lakh and a citation. It honors individuals or institutions for exemplary contributions to humanity and the planet. In 2022, it was awarded to the Indian Medical Association and the Trained Nurses Association of India for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notes:
World Fisheries Day is celebrated annually on November 21 to promote sustainable fisheries and recognize the role of small-scale fishers in food security and livelihoods. It originated in 1997 during the World Forum on Fish Harvesters and Fish Workers (WFF) in New Delhi, which led to the creation of the World Fisheries Forum. The FAO and WFF proposed the day, which was adopted by the FAO General Assembly in 2003. Fisheries provide over 20% of animal protein for 3 billion people globally but face threats like overfishing, climate change, and pollution. The day promotes responsible fisheries management and conservation.