Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Dhulikhel, Nepal, is the first city in the country to be recognized as a “healthy city” by the World Health Organization (WHO). Dhulikhel is located in the Kavrepalanchok district, about 18 miles from Kathmandu. The WHO monitored Dhulikhel for two years before making the announcement in August 2024. The WHO’s decision was based on factors like environmental improvements, progress in primary health care, and access to health for poor citizens. Dhulikhel was also named the second healthiest city in Asia.

Notes:
Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki recently won the Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asia’s Nobel Prize. This award is Asia’s top honor, recognizing transformative leadership and spirit. Winners receive a certificate and a medallion with Ramon Magsaysay’s profile. From 1958 to 2008, the award was given in six categories: Government Service, Public Service, Community Leadership, Journalism and Creative Arts, Peace and International Understanding, and Emergent Leadership. The award ceremony is held annually on August 31 in Manila, Philippines, marking the birth anniversary of President Ramon Magsaysay, after whom the award is named.

Notes:
World Coconut Day is observed every year on September 2nd to highlight the importance of coconuts. It aims to raise awareness about various uses of coconuts and promote sustainable farming practices. The theme for World Coconut Day 2024 is “Coconut for a Circular Economy: Building Partnership for Maximum Value.” The day was first celebrated in 2009, initiated by the International Coconut Community (ICC), a UNESCAP intergovernmental body. The ICC includes 21 coconut-producing countries, with India as a founding member. The ICC’s headquarters is located in Jakarta, Indonesia, and it was known as the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community until 2018.

Notes:
NorthEast United FC won its first Durand Cup title by beating Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4-3 in a penalty shootout. The final was held at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on 31 August 2024. The 133rd Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest football tournament, was played in Kolkata, Kokrajhar, Jamshedpur, and Shillong from 27 July to 31 August 2024. Mohun Bagan, with 17 Durand Cup wins, couldn’t defend its title. Mohun Bagan led with two first-half goals, but NorthEast United equalized with two second-half goals. In the penalty shootout, NEUFC’s goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh made two crucial saves for the win.The Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest football tournament, and the 2024 edition was its 133rd year. NEUFC, based in Guwahati, Assam, is the only club from the Northeast in the Indian Super League.

Notes:
An elephant patrol team recently rescued a tusker stuck in a rail barricade in the Maddur range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Bandipur Tiger Reserve is located in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts of Karnataka, at the tri-junction of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Geographically, it is an “ecological confluence” of the Western and Eastern Ghats.
The reserve was once a hunting ground for the Mysore kingdom rulers. It was established as Venugopala Wildlife Park in 1931 by the Maharaja of Mysore and expanded as Bandipur Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1973. The reserve is bordered by the Kabini River to the north and the Moyar River to the south. Bandipur experiences a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons.

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“Vishanu Yuddh Abhyas” is a mock drill conducted under the National One Health Mission (NOHM) to prepare for pandemic situations. NOHM focuses on the “One Health” approach, integrating disease control across human health, animal husbandry, and wildlife sectors. The exercise aimed to assess the readiness and response of the National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT). A simulated scenario of a zoonotic disease outbreak was created to mimic a real-world situation. The drill involved multiple national and state agencies, including ICMR, AIIMS Jodhpur BSL-3 Lab, and state administrations.

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The third Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting between India and Kenya was held in New Delhi. Discussions covered military cooperation, training, defence industries, and research and development. The Kenyan delegation met Indian defence industry representatives in Delhi and will visit Pune to explore their capabilities. India and Kenya share a longstanding, friendly relationship, strengthened by a 2016 MoU on Defence Cooperation. JDCC serves as a key platform to discuss and enhance defence ties. The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad, and the Kenyan side was led by Major General David Kipkemboi Ketter.

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The government recently celebrated Uttarakhand’s rich folk culture at the Jagar Lok Sanskriti Utsav. A book titled Uttarakhand ka Lok Putra Pritam Bharatwan by Sachidanand Semwal was released, honoring Pritam Bharatwan as the brand ambassador of the state’s folk culture. Jagar Lok Sanskriti Utsav highlights Uttarakhand’s folk traditions. Jagar, a Hindu form of Shamanism practiced in Uttarakhand, involves rituals where gods and deities are awakened for favors or remedies. Pritam Bharatwan is recognized for promoting Uttarakhand’s traditional culture and folk arts.

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The Digital Bus initiative has impacted over three lakh beneficiaries across India since its launch in 2017. It is a joint venture between the National Digital India Mission and the NIIT Foundation, aiming to bring technology to remote areas and foster innovation. The initiative seeks to reduce the digital divide, connect people to government programs, enhance learning interest, promote collaborative learning, and develop interpersonal skills. The solar-powered, 5G-enabled buses serve as mobile classrooms with computers, internet access, and preinstalled e-courses. The courses focus on basic digital skills and offer career programs to help beneficiaries find jobs in nearby cities or towns.

Notes:
The Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar published the first fully mapped genome of the Chandipura Vesiculovirus (CHPV). CHPV causes encephalitis, leading to brain swelling, and was responsible for several cases during the July-August outbreak in Gujarat. Genome mapping identifies the locations of genes and key sequences on a genome. It helps understand a virus’s origin, mutations, and potential changes in transmissibility or severity. There are two types of genome maps: genetic maps, showing relative gene positions, and physical maps, showing absolute positions based on DNA base pairs.