Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
The Isai Kudil scheme was launched in Puducherry to boost music and dance education in government schools. Bharathiar University supports this initiative. A musical hut is being set up at Chinnatha Government Girls Higher Secondary School.
Music classes will be held twice a week for two hours. The scheme offers tailored syllabi for different class levels. This effort shows Puducherry’s commitment to enhancing students’ education through arts and culture.

Notes:
Recently, five people fell unconscious and were hospitalized in Visakhapatnam while shifting acetanilide bags between containers. Acetanilide is a synthetic organic compound with the formula C8H9NO, also known as N-phenylacetamide or acetanil. It is a white, odorless solid related to acetic acid and was first used as a fever-reducing drug in 1886.
Acetanilide was used for pain relief, including headaches and cramps, but has been largely replaced by acetaminophen (paracetamol) due to toxic side effects that affect hemoglobin function. It is still used as an intermediate in producing dyes, rubber, and other chemicals.

Notes:
The International Buddhist Confederation and Nava Nalanda Mahavihara hosted a two-day conference in Nalanda, Bihar, on Guru Padmasambhava’s life and legacy. Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, lived in the 8th century in India and is a highly respected figure in Buddhism. He is recognized as a founding father of Tibetan Buddhism and arrived in Tibet in 749 A.D. He spread Buddha’s teachings across the Himalayan regions including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Tibet. A Tantrist and Yogācāra sect member, he taught at Nalanda and is associated with a blend of Yogic, Tantric practices, and cultural elements such as art, music, and folklore.

Notes:
Poachers killed two chitals in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and stole a rifle from a forest guard. It is located in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bahraich districts. It lies near the India-Nepal border, in the foothills of the Himalayas and the Terai plains. The Gomti River originates from Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, with other rivers like Sharda also flowing through it. The reserve has a North Indian moist deciduous type of vegetation. It experiences a hot and dry climate with dry teak forests. Chitals, common in Indian forests, inhabit subtropical grasslands and forests across South Asia.

Notes:
Nishad Kumar won a silver medal in the men’s T47 high jump at the Paris Paralympics on September 2. He achieved a season-best jump of 2.04 meters to secure second place. This was his second silver medal, having previously won silver at the Tokyo Paralympics. Townsend-Roberts from the United States won the gold medal with a jump of 2.08 meters. Georgii Margiev from Russia secured the bronze medal.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry recommended an anti-dumping duty on aluminium foil imported from China. Anti-dumping duty is a tariff imposed on foreign imports priced below fair market value. Dumping occurs when a product is exported at a price lower than in its domestic market. The duty matches the price difference between the import price and market value in the exporting or other similar markets. It aims to protect local businesses from unfair competition by foreign imports. The World Trade Organization (WTO) allows anti-dumping measures to ensure fair competition. Legal action requires evidence of genuine harm to domestic industries.

Notes:
Researchers explored mitochondrial dynamics to treat Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by brain cell death. Environmental toxins and toxic proteins, like those in Manganese-induced Parkinsonism, cause mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction. The study found that inhibiting Dynamin-related protein (Drp1) activity could restore mitochondrial function, offering a potential treatment. Drp1 is a protein that aids in mitochondrial division for better mobility and quality control. However, excessive Drp1 activity leads to too much division, resulting in fragmented and impaired mitochondria.

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:
Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024 in New Delhi on 2 September 2024. The Expo is held from 2 to 4 September 2024. Awards were given to companies for their contributions to the bioenergy industry and enhancing bioenergy production and supply in India. The Indian Federation of Green Energy, in partnership with MMACTIV Sci-Tech Communications Ltd, organized the Expo. The Expo provides a platform for discussions on the future of bioenergy technologies. It aims to support India’s green energy initiatives by involving government, industry leaders, and experts.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with a budget of Rs. 2817 Crore. The central share for this mission is Rs. 1940 Crore. The mission supports digital agriculture initiatives through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and other IT projects. Three main components under DPI are AgriStack, Krishi Decision Support System (DSS), and Soil Profile Maps. These components aim to provide solutions for farmers to access various services. AgriStack will include a Farmers’ Registry, Geo-referenced Village Maps, and a Crop Sown Registry managed by state governments