Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
Indian team won seven medals at the Junior World Wushu Championship in Brunei. India secured two golds, one silver, and four bronze medals. Aryan won gold in the Boys’ Junior 48 kg category, defeating China’s Gong Huanran. Shaurya won another gold in the Boys’ 48kg (children) category, beating Iran’s Alireza Zamani. Nang Mingbi Borphukan earned a silver in Taolu Jian Shu C Group. Tanish Nagar won bronze in the 56kg category. Abhijeet (60kg), Divyanshi (60kg women), and Yuvraj (42kg) also secured bronze medals. A 24-member Indian team participated.

Notes:
Mount Erebus, Antarctica’s second-largest volcano, is unexpectedly spewing gold dust, surprising scientists. Typically, the volcano releases steam, gases, and rocks, but now tiny crystallized gold particles are also emerging. These particles have been found 621 miles from the volcano, valued at around $6,000 (Rs 5 lakh). NASA scientists suggest molten rock brought the gold particles to the surface, crystallizing in Antarctica’s sub-zero temperatures. While other volcanoes produce gold in gas or liquid form, Mount Erebus uniquely releases solid gold particles carried by the wind.

Notes:
The fiscal deficit for India in the 2024-25 financial year is projected to be 4.9% of the GDP, a reduction from 5.6% in 2023-24. The government aims to contain the fiscal deficit at ₹16,13,312 crore, emphasizing the gap between revenue and expenditure. The fiscal deficit is crucial for understanding the government’s borrowing needs and overall economic health, as it reflects the difference between total expenditure and total revenue.

Notes:
NATO will set up a new land command in Finland near the Russian border in 2025 to oversee land operations in northern Europe during conflicts. This move follows Finland’s recent NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The new command will work alongside Finland’s existing land force command in Mikkeli.

Notes:
The Meghalaya government signed an MoU with The/Nudge Institute to support 50,000 vulnerable households, focusing on single mothers. The partnership aims at social inclusion, financial inclusion, livelihood promotion, and social protection. They will provide livelihood coaching and support through a dedicated community cadre for the poorest households. The initiative will use technology-based tools for efficient implementation and create social protection frameworks. The partnership was announced during the North-East Conclave in Shillong, which highlighted collaborative efforts to address the needs of vulnerable communities, with presentations from other states.

Notes:
The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup will be held in India in 2025, announced by the Kho Kho Federation of India and the International Kho Kho Federation. The event will feature 24 countries from 6 continents, with 16 teams for both men and women. To promote the sport, the KKFI plans to introduce Kho Kho in 200 schools across 10 cities and aims to register at least 50 lakh players. The tournament will include a week of matches with top athletes worldwide, aiming to elevate Kho Kho to an international level. Kho Kho, rooted in India, has a global presence, with 54 countries participating in the sport.

Notes:
Pfizer announced it will withdraw its sickle cell disease therapy, Oxbryta, from global markets due to new clinical data linking it to fatal events. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder caused by flawed hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin carries oxygen in red blood cells (RBCs). In SCD, hemoglobin S distorts RBCs into a sickle shape, making them rigid and unable to move easily through blood vessels. This blockage disrupts blood flow and interferes with oxygen delivery to body tissues, leading to various health complications.

Notes:
Switzerland and Italy have redrawn their national boundary due to melting Alpine glaciers. Many parts of the Swiss-Italian border are determined by glacier ridgelines, which are shifting as glaciers melt. The redrawn section lies beneath the Matterhorn, one of Europe’s highest peaks. Switzerland’s glaciers lost 10% of their ice volume in 2022-2023, a record high. More than half of Switzerland’s electricity comes from hydroelectric facilities, which are also at risk due to accelerated glacier melting.

Notes:
SIPCOT, or the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu, was established in 1971 to foster industrial growth in Tamil Nadu. With 50 industrial parks, it has facilitated over 3,290 industrial units and generated millions of jobs. The initiative aims to enhance the state’s economy, targeting a $1 trillion economy by 2030. SIPCOT focuses on sector-specific parks, innovation centers, and sustainable housing for workers, playing a crucial role in Tamil Nadu’s industrial landscape.

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu attended a Global Summit on ‘Spirituality for Clean and Healthy Society’ in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. The summit was organized by Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya. President Murmu emphasized that spirituality is about recognizing inner power and promoting purity in thoughts and actions.