Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Cyclone Asna formed from a deep depression over Gujarat’s Kutch region and is set to become a tropical cyclone over the Arabian Sea. Unlike typical cyclones that form over warm ocean waters, Asna developed over land in Gujarat. Historically, cyclones have originated over mainland India only three times in August (1976, 1964, and 1944) and strengthened as they moved into the Arabian Sea. Possible causes include unusual monsoon winds, moisture from the Arabian Sea, soil moisture, and warming of the Indian Ocean.

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:
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:
The Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) recently held a national workshop on the Indian Ocean Biodiversity Information System (IndOBIS) in Kochi. IndOBIS is the Indian regional node of the global Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). Hosted by CMLRE, IndOBIS collects data on marine species in the Indian Ocean and contributes to OBIS. OBIS is a large global repository with millions of marine species records from various contributors worldwide. It provides detailed information on species distribution, habitats, and environmental data across the world’s oceans.
OBIS offers tools for searching, visualizing, and downloading biodiversity data.

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.

Notes:
A rare meteorite fragment was found in the Eastern Cape province. The fragment is known as the Nqweba Meteorite and is a small, black, shiny object with a light grey inside. When the meteorite entered Earth’s atmosphere, it experienced strong friction, creating a fireball. This friction caused the meteorite to break apart while still in flight. A meteorite is a solid piece of space debris that manages to pass through Earth’s atmosphere and reach the ground safely.

Notes:
The rescue of Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a Bedouin hostage from Gaza, has highlighted the Bedouin community in Israel. The Bedouins are part of Israel’s Arab minority, making up about 20% of the population. Though they hold Israeli citizenship, Bedouins face unique socio-economic challenges. Traditionally nomadic, modern pressures and state policies have affected their way of life, leading to marginalization. The Bedouin community primarily resides in the Negev Desert, which has harsh living conditions and is a center of land and resource conflicts.

Notes:
The Agni-4 missile, developed by DRDO, was successfully tested on 6 September 2024 from Odisha’s Integrated Test Range. This was the ninth test of the nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). The test was conducted by India’s Strategic Forces Command, which oversees all nuclear weapons. Agni-4 can carry nuclear weapons and will be controlled by the Strategic Forces Command. Development of Agni-4 began in 2007 to strengthen India’s nuclear deterrence against China and Pakistan. The first test in 2010 failed, but the first successful user trial occurred in 2014.

Notes:
India’s first conservation and breeding centre for the Asian King Vultures was inaugurated in Gorakhpur’s Campierganj Range by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre aims to boost the population of this critically endangered species, listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list since 2007. The ₹2.80 crore facility includes various aviaries, a veterinary section, and administrative buildings. Six vultures have been introduced to the centre, with a plan to release 40 pairs over the next 8 to 10 years.

Notes:
Two new ginger species, Globba tyrnaensis and Globba janakiae, were discovered in Meghalaya’s Double Decker Living Root Bridge area. These plants, called “dancing girls” for their flower movement, belong to the Globba genus of ornamental plants in the ginger family. Globba tyrnaensis was found in Tyrna village at 731 meters elevation and also near Thangkharang Park. It has orange flowers, large anthers, and produces bulbils for propagation. Globba janakiae, with fewer than 10 individuals, has unique heart-shaped labellum and is critically endangered. It honors botanist EK Janaki Ammal.