Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
The Women’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in 2024 will be held in Rajgir, Bihar, from November 11-20. This event is a milestone for Bihar, as it will take place at the newly-developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium. Top Asian teams, including India, China, Japan, and Korea, will compete in the tournament. The event highlights Bihar’s commitment to promoting hockey and hosting international sports. The inauguration of the stadium and the support from local leaders showcase Bihar’s readiness for global events.

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:
Poba Reserve Forest in Assam’s Dhemaji district will soon become a wildlife sanctuary. It is a rainforest in northeastern Assam, created in 1924, covering 10,221 hectares. It is located near the Himalayan foothills. The forest is bordered by the Siang, Dibang, and Lohit rivers, Brahmaputra, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, and Jonai villages. Ethnic groups like Mising, Bodo, Sonowal Kachari, and Hajong inhabit the area. Rich in flora and fauna, including slow loris, capped langur, and wild boar. Home to 45 species of birds and reptiles, and diverse fish species. Important migratory route for elephants, connecting other wildlife areas.

Notes:
Himanshi Tokas won a silver medal at the Asian Cadet and Junior Judo Championships. The event took place in Mungyeong, South Korea. Himanshi competed in the women’s 63-kilogram weight category. She is 19 years old and part of the Khelo Bharat program. 12 members from India participated in the competition. The event is concluded at the Mungyeong Gymnasium.

Notes:
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved a new social media policy to regulate content on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. Social media influencers can earn up to ₹8 lakh per month by promoting government schemes. The policy aims to create job opportunities for residents within the state and those living elsewhere. Platforms are divided into four categories based on followers for payouts. Maximum monthly payouts range from ₹2 lakh to ₹8 lakh depending on the platform and content type. A digital agency named ‘V-Form’ will manage government advertisements. The policy includes guidelines for handling objectionable content, targeting anti-national, anti-social, fake news, or inflammatory posts.

Notes:
WWF-India launched the “Vulture Count 2024” project from September 7 to October 6, 2024. This initiative aligns with International Vulture Awareness Day. The project aims to count and assess the vulture population in India. It focuses particularly on critically endangered vulture species. The project also seeks to raise public awareness about the importance of vultures in ecosystems.

Notes:
Russian troops recently used a Grom-E1 hybrid missile to hit Kharkiv, Ukraine. The Grom-E1 is a modernized weapon based on the Soviet-era Kh-38 missile. It was developed by Russia and first introduced in 2018. The Grom-E1 combines features of both a missile and an aerial bomb. It has a maximum range of 120 km, with a high-explosive warhead and a contact detonator. A variant with a thermobaric design can detonate at high altitudes. The effectiveness depends on the altitude and speed of the launching aircraft. It can be launched from Russian aircraft like the MiG-35, Su-34, Su-35, and Su-57.

Notes:
The Supreme Court criticized Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister for appointing a forest officer as the Director of Rajaji National Park. Rajaji National Park is located in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, covering 820 sq km in the Shivalik foothills. Established in 1983 by merging Rajaji, Motichur, and Chila sanctuaries, it was named after freedom fighter C. Rajgopalachari. The park is the northwestern habitat limit for Asian elephants and features diverse forest types. Rajaji was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2015 and is home to Van Gujjars in winter.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Electronics & IT launched the 2nd Cohort of the Startup Accelerators of MeitY for Product Innovation, Development and Growth (SAMRIDH) scheme. SAMRIDH, started in August 2021, is a flagship program of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the National Policy on Software Products – 2019. The program supports 300 software startups with a ₹99 crore budget over 4 years. It helps existing and new accelerators select and scale potential IT-based startups. SAMRIDH provides startups with customer connections, investor connections, and international market access to boost growth. The initiative aims to accelerate innovation, development, and growth in the tech sector.

Notes:
Sea turtles in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), are showing improvement in health after years of suffering from fibropapillomatosis. Fibropapillomatosis is a serious infectious disease affecting sea turtles globally, causing benign tumors on their bodies. These tumors hinder the turtles’ movement, vision, and feeding, often leading to death. The disease is caused by a herpes virus and is linked to polluted coastal areas, high human density, agricultural runoff, and harmful algae.