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:
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 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:
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:
Sharath Kamal has been named the first Indian ambassador of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Foundation.
The announcement was made during day 11 of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) season five at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Sharath was elected to the ITTF’s Athlete’s Commission in November 2022. He will promote table tennis for development, especially among children from underprivileged backgrounds. He holds the record for the most medals in Commonwealth Games history for table tennis, including 13 medals with three golds at the 2022 Birmingham Games.

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:
Bengaluru’s Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, launched the ‘Nambike Nakshe’ scheme to streamline building approvals. The scheme simplifies the process for properties up to 4,000 square feet within Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) areas. It allows property owners to obtain provisional approval for building plans from certified architects or engineers. This change lets owners start planning their buildings sooner, bypassing initial approval complexities. It benefits landowners in areas developed by the Bangalore Development Authority and Karnataka Housing Board, often with plots around 50×80 feet.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Security recently approved the procurement of 240 aero-engines for Su-30MKI aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Su-30MKI is a multirole combat fighter aircraft developed jointly by Sukhoi Design Bureau and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the IAF. It is based on the Su-30 fighter aircraft and features thrust vectoring control and canards. The Su-30MKI is a fourth-generation fighter jet powered by two AL-31FP aero engines, which are high-temperature turbojet by-pass engines. The aircraft is equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, tested successfully in November 2017. It includes a Tarang Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) developed by DRDO. The Su-30MKI has a maximum unrefueled flight range of 3,000 km, which can extend to 8,000 km with two in-flight refuelings. The aircraft is manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Notes:
Zoologists in Assam have recently added a new spider species, Phrynarachne decipiens, to India’s list of arachnids. Commonly known as the bird dung or bird-dropping crab spider, it mimics bird excrement with its web. Previously found in Malaysia and Indonesia’s Java and Sumatra, it has now been recorded in Assam’s Sonapur and Chirang Reserve Forest. The spider is usually motionless on the upper side of broad leaves, blending in with its white, bird-dropping-like web. It features stout spermathecae, a reproductive organ in females, with nearly touching posterior heads. The genus Phrynarachne has 35 accepted species; three others were previously recorded and re-described from Assam.

Notes:
The impact of El Niño and La Niña on the Indian monsoon is under study. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) is crucial for understanding the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics. ONI is the primary indicator used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a U.S. agency, to monitor ENSO. ONI measures the rolling 3-month average temperature difference in the surface waters of the east-central tropical Pacific near the International Dateline. An ONI value of +0.5 or higher indicates El Niño, while -0.5 or lower indicates La Niña.