Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
During the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay expressed strong support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in a reformed UN Security Council. He emphasized India’s significant economic growth and leadership within the Global South as deserving of this status. Bhutan, which recently graduated from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category, highlighted the need for a more representative and effective Security Council to reflect current global realities.

Notes:
PM Modi visited solar panels installed under the PM Muft Bijli Solar Yojana in Gujarat. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Solar Yojana encourages rooftop solar adoption by offering financial subsidies and easier installation. Households can get up to 300 units of free electricity each month. Gujarat leads in rooftop solar capacity with 4,195 MW, followed by Maharashtra with 2,487 MW, and Rajasthan with 1,269 MW. India’s total installed rooftop solar power capacity is 13,889 MW.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka signed an MoU to deploy trained elephants (Kumki) to control elephant issues in AP. The MoU includes elephant capture, mahout training, and knowledge sharing on tranquillising and capturing. Karnataka has transferred 62 Kumki elephants to states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Kumkis are trained Asian elephants used to manage wild elephants, including rescuing and patrolling. India has 60% of the world’s Asian elephants, with 27,312 elephants and 138 corridors. Elephants have a 22-month gestation period, the longest of any land animal. Asian elephants are classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Notes:
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann was recently diagnosed with leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease affecting humans and animals, transmitted through contact with infected animal urine or contaminated environments. It can enter the body through cuts or mucous membranes. The World Health Organization recognizes it as a significant public health concern, especially in tropical regions. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and in severe cases, liver damage.

Notes:
The Dasra Philanthropy Forum-2024 highlighted the adoption of climate-aligned agricultural practices by tribal communities in southern Rajasthan. Indigenous knowledge and community governance were emphasized, showcasing how these practices prioritize local food production over market-driven economies. The forum featured discussions on strategies for climate-resilient farming systems, which help communities adapt to regional climate changes. Jayesh Joshi from Vaagdhara underscored the importance of tribal initiatives in enhancing sustainability and resilience, while a collection of stories titled “Echoes of Swaraj” was released to showcase transformative practices of these communities.

Notes:
The Ayush Medical Value Travel Summit 2024 was inaugurated in Mumbai with the theme ‘Global Synergy in Ayush: Transforming Health and Wellness through Medical Value Travel.’ The event aims to make India a leading global hub for holistic healthcare based on Ayush systems. Organized by the Ministry of Ayush, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Maharashtra Government, and key partners. The summit focuses on integrating Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (Ayush) with modern healthcare. Officials from Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan participated in the event.

Notes:
The Indian Army, along with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), holds the Chanakya Defence Dialogue-2024 on October 24-25, 2024 in New Delhi. The event will focus on “Drivers in Nation Building: Fuelling Growth through Comprehensive Security.” Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi emphasized a vision for a secure and prosperous India by 2047 at the curtain-raiser event. The dialogue aims to promote discussions, build strategic partnerships, and create actionable insights for national security and development. It will provide a platform for national and international leaders, policymakers, and experts to share their knowledge on security through development.

Notes:
NASA cancelled the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission due to delays and high costs. VIPER was fully assembled and partially tested before cancellation. It was a NASA mission to explore the Moon’s south pole for water ice and other resources. VIPER was part of the U.S.-led Artemis Accords, involving India. India missed an opportunity by approving Chandrayaan-4’s sample-return mission after VIPER’s cancellation.

Notes:
Experts report that 430 of the 450 hectares of Albania’s Little Prespa Lake have become swamps or dried up. It is one of Europe’s oldest and highest tectonic lakes, located at the junction of three geological masses: granite, karstic, and Suva Gora. The area contains rocks from the Paleozoic era to the Neogene era. The lake system includes Great Prespa Lake (shared by Albania, Greece, and Macedonia) and Little Prespa Lake, mostly in Greece. Climate change, rising temperatures, and lack of snowfall and rain have significantly impacted the lake.

Notes:
Scientists found carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. Charon is half the size of Pluto, measuring 1,214 km across, discovered in 1978. It’s named after the ferryman of dead souls in Greek mythology. Charon’s mass is over one-tenth of Pluto’s, and the two form a double dwarf planet system. The distance between Pluto and Charon is 19,640 km. Both bodies are tidally locked, always facing each other in same side. Charon completes one orbit of Pluto in 6.4 Earth days.