Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
The 4th South Asian Junior Athletics Championships took place in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, from September 11-13, 2024. India dominated middle-distance races and throwing events, while Sri Lanka excelled in sprint events. Sri Lanka won the men’s 4x100m relay, while India secured silver. The Indian women won the 4x100m relay, with Sri Lanka second. Seven South Asian countries participated, with India sending the largest team of 62 athletes. India topped the medal tally with 48 medals (21 gold), followed by Sri Lanka with 35 medals, and Bangladesh secured third place with three bronze. Pakistan and Bhutan did not win any medals.

Notes:
The state tourism department reported that around 33 crore tourists visited the state in the first half of the year.
Ayodhya emerged as the top tourist destination, attracting 10.99 crore visitors, including 2,851 foreigners.
Ayodhya surpassed Varanasi, with 11 crore tourists compared to Varanasi’s 4.61 crore in the first six months of 2024.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Odisha’s Subhadra Yojana on his 74th birthday, alongside railway and highway projects. Subhadra Yojana aims to empower women, offering 50,000 rupees over five years to eligible women aged 21-60. Over one crore women will benefit, with 1,250 crore rupees transferred to 25 lakh women. He also inaugurated railway and highway projects worth 2,800 crore and 1,000 crore rupees, respectively.
Modi launched the Awaas+ 2024 app and new PMAY guidelines.

Notes:
India’s top pistol shooter, Anmol Jain, won gold in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol event at the prestigious TOPGUN CUP, held at Topgun Shooting Academy in Gurugram. In the Men’s 10m Air Rifle, American shooter Jeff Browning took the gold. The two-day competition showcased top shooting talent. Anmol, a former National Champion and ISSF World Cup medalist, praised the event for its high standards and competitive spirit.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways appointed Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic medalist shooter, as its Brand Ambassador. This was announced by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during an event in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on 17 September 2024. The event, called the 4th Harnessing of the Nari Shakti for the Development of the Nation, aimed to honor women achievers. It was jointly organized by the Chennai Port Authority and the Kamarajar Port Authority. The event took place at the International Cruise Terminal of the Chennai Port.

Notes:
A 59-year-old British man nearly died after a minor spider bite led to necrotising fasciitis. Necrotising fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, is a rare and life-threatening bacterial infection. It affects the tissue under the skin, known as fascia, causing tissue death and severe inflammation. There are two types: Type I, caused by multiple bacteria (polymicrobial), and Type II, caused by a single bacteria (monomicrobial). Type II is typically caused by group A streptococcus or Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The infection progresses rapidly and can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Notes:
International Rhino Foundation recently published the report named ‘State of the Rhino 2024’ report. It highlights positive trends for Greater One-Horned Rhinos. Their population has increased by 20% in the last decade, now exceeding 4,000. They are found in the Indo-Nepal Terai, northern West Bengal, and Assam. India has 3,262 Greater One-Horned Rhinos (2021), mostly in Assam. Over 90% of them are in Kaziranga National Park.

Notes:
The Ministry of Rural Development hosted the National Conclave on Gender Mainstreaming in New Delhi. This event was held under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission. It focused on strengthening gender-responsive community institutions and strategies for gender integration.

Notes:
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, born on November 24, 1968, in Galewela, has transformed Sri Lankan politics by leading the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party to victory in a groundbreaking election, securing 42.31% of the vote. His rise from a rural background to the presidency marks a significant shift in the country’s political landscape, particularly following the economic crises and public dissatisfaction with the traditional political elite. Anura’s leadership represents a departure from the party’s militant past towards a more democratic and reformist approach, resonating with the electorate’s desire for change.

Notes:
Nearly 97.7% of atrocities against Scheduled Castes in 2022 were reported from 13 states. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of such cases. The same 13 states reported 98.91% of atrocities against Scheduled Tribes. A total of 51,656 cases were registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in 2022. Uttar Pradesh had 12,287 cases (23.78% of total), Rajasthan had 8,651 cases (16.75%), and Madhya Pradesh had 7,732 cases (14.97%).