Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Mona Agarwal became a well-known figure in para shooting, winning a Bronze medal in the R2 Women 10m Air Rifle SH1 event at the 2024 Paralympics. Born on November 8, 1987, in Sikar, Rajasthan, she faced early challenges, contracting polio at nine months, affecting her lower limbs. Despite this, she pursued her education, earning a degree in arts and pursuing a master’s in psychology via distance learning. At 23, Mona chose to live independently, excelling in HR and marketing roles. In 2016, she turned to para-athletics, winning gold in State debut throw events and earning medals in para powerlifting.

Notes:
Oceanographers found a new seamount on the Nazca Ridge, 900 miles off Chile’s coast. Nazca Ridge is a submarine ridge in the southeastern Pacific Ocean near South America. It is around 1,100 kilometers long and varies in width. The ridge starts at the Nazca Plate off Peru and extends southwest towards Easter Island, Chile. It was created by volcanic activity from a hotspot in the Earth’s mantle. The ridge consists of unusually thick basaltic ocean crust.
It is tectonically active, subducting beneath the South American Plate at the Peru-Chile Trench.

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:
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:
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 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) advised citizens to stay indoors due to heavy rains causing the Musi River to rise. The Musi River flows through Telangana and is a tributary of the Krishna River. The river was historically known as the Muchukunda River. Hyderabad is situated on its banks, with the river dividing the old and new parts of the city. The Musi River originates in the Anantagiri Hills near Vicarabad, covering about 240 km before joining the Krishna River. Two dams, Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar, are constructed over the Musi River.

Notes:
The 2024 edition of Indo-French bilateral naval ‘Exercise Varuna’ held in the Mediterranean Sea from September 2-4, 2024, involving advanced tactical exercises. The Indian Navy’s P-8I aircraft landed at Air Base 125 Istres-Le Tube in France for its first-ever European deployment. This was for the 22nd edition of Exercise Varuna with the French Navy. The last time an Indian Navy aircraft flew in France was 63 years ago when the Alize aircraft from INS Vikrant operated at Hyeres Airbase. The India-France naval exercise began in 1993, was named ‘Varuna’ in 2001, and reflects a strong strategic partnership between the two countries.

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

Notes:
Researchers have discovered that an antidepressant drug has potential for cancer management through drug repurposing. Drug repurposing involves using existing drugs for new treatments or conditions not originally intended. This process, also known as drug repositioning or reprofiling, identifies new uses for drugs initially developed for different medical conditions. It is often an unexpected discovery with the goal of finding compounds with established safety profiles that could be effective for other diseases. Pharmaceutical companies use drug repurposing to address rare diseases, cancer, infections, autoimmune diseases, and more. This approach can significantly reduce the time and cost compared to developing new drugs from scratch.