Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
The event is organized jointly by the Payments Council of India, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC). The GFF is considered one of the world’s largest gatherings of fintech startups, investors, experts, bankers, and regulators from around the globe.

Notes:
Kerala Tourism won the PATA Gold Award 2024 for its ‘Holiday Heist’ online contest in the Digital Marketing Campaign category. The campaign, launched in July 2023, used a bidding game on the WhatsApp ChatBot ‘Maya’ to attract tourists. Over 80,000 bids were made by travellers across India to visit Kerala’s prime destinations at low prices. The campaign generated more than 45 million impressions and over 13 million video views. Some participants won tour packages worth ₹30,000 for just ₹5. Kerala Tourism received the award in Bangkok on August 28, 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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the AgriSURE Fund and Krishi Nivesh Portal in New Delhi. He conferred the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Excellence Awards to top-performing banks and states. The awards recognized and appreciated outstanding efforts in agricultural infrastructure. Ministers of State and representatives from various states and banks attended the event. The Ministry believed the award ceremony would inspire other banks to improve their performance. The AIF was launched in 2022 to develop post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.

Notes:
Yogesh Kathuniya won the silver medal in the men’s discus F56 final at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. The event took place at Stade de France. Kathuniya, 27 years old, achieved his season-best throw of 42.22 meters. Brazil’s Claudiney Batista dos Santos won gold with a Paralympic Record of 46.86 meters. Greece’s Konstantinos Tzounis secured the bronze medal with a throw of 41.32 meters. Slovakia’s Dusan Laczko finished fourth with a throw of 41.20 meters. Serbia’s Nebojsa Duric qualified but did not participate in the final.

Notes:
The Konyak Union has requested the Nagaland government to fix the boundary line error between Mon district in Nagaland and Charaideo district in Assam on Google Maps. The Konyaks live in Mon district, Nagaland, and parts of Arunachal Pradesh (Tirap and Changlang districts). The term ‘Konyak’ translates to “men with black hair,” and they are divided into two groups: “Thendu” (Tattooed Face) and “Thentho” (White Face). The Konyaks are of Mongoloid origin, with 95% following Christianity. They speak the Konyak language from the Sino-Tibetan family and celebrate festivals like Aolingmonyu, Aonyimo, and Laoun-ongmo. They excel in making firearms, handicrafts, and their society is patriarchal.