Best Current Affairs Questions

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The “State of the World’s Mangroves 2024” report by the Global Mangrove Alliance highlights that Southeast Asia holds nearly one-third of global mangroves, with Indonesia having 21%. Half of the world’s mangroves are threatened, including those in Lakshadweep and Tamil Nadu. Key drivers of mangrove loss are climate change, industrial shrimp aquaculture in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, and conversion to oil palm plantations and rice cultivation.

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CSIR-NBRI in Lucknow developed a herbal product called ‘NBRI-Gout Out’ using five medicinal plants to treat gout. Gout is a form of arthritis caused by high uric acid levels in the blood, more common in men. Factors increasing uric acid levels include obesity, certain medicines, and foods/drinks high in purines, like alcohol and sugary drinks. Symptoms include intense joint pain, often in the big toe, and inflammation, redness, and swelling in affected joints. Treatment involves drugs like allopurinol and febuxostat to reduce uric acid production in the body.

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Union Minister JP Nadda inaugurated the ‘First Policy Makers’ Forum’ in New Delhi. Policymakers and drug regulators from 15 countries attended the event. The forum was hosted by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, with support from the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare and External Affairs. India is recognized as the ‘pharmacy of the world,’ with its generic drugs treating diseases like malaria, HIV-AIDS, and tuberculosis. The event also saw the launch of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Online portal and Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring System software.

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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.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) successfully dismantled a cybercrime network involving virtual assets and bullion through Operation Chakra III. This operation was carried out in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US. Operation Chakra, initiated by the CBI in 2022, is a global effort supported by INTERPOL to tackle organized cyber-enabled financial crimes. Phase 1 of the operation began in 2022, followed by Phase 2 in 2023, with Phase 3 recently concluding.

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The Union Cabinet approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission on 18 September 2024, aiming to collect lunar samples and bring them to Earth. Only the USA, Russia, and China have done this before. The long-term goal is to land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040. ISRO will lead the mission, continuing its work from Chandrayaan-1, 2, and 3. A budget of Rs 2104.06 crore has been allocated, with the mission expected to take 36 months. The budget covers spacecraft development, two LVM3 rocket launches, deep space network support, and special tests. Success will pave the way for future manned lunar missions.

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The first-ever honey badger (Mellivora capensis), also known as the Ratel, was recorded on camera in Uttarakhand’s Terai East Forest Division on January 7, 2024. This rare sighting was published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa on September 26, 2024. The honey badger, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, was spotted near the Sharda River Canal. Despite being listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, it’s rarely seen in India.

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PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India (PM-YASASVI) is an initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment aimed at providing financial assistance and educational support to students from Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), and Denotified Tribes (DNT). It merged earlier programs like the Dr. Ambedkar Post-Matric and Pre/Post-Matric Scholarships for EBCs and DNTs starting in 2021-22. The scheme provides scholarships from Class 9 to post-secondary studies. The objective is to empower disadvantaged groups by removing financial barriers, ensuring they complete their education.

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China marked geographic baselines around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Scarborough Shoal is a triangular coral atoll, located 220 km west of Luzon, Philippines. It’s the largest atoll in the South China Sea, mostly submerged at high tide. This area is rich in marine life and has valuable fishing resources. Scarborough Shoal is contested, with both China and the Philippines claiming it as their territory. China cites historical claims dating back to the Yuan Dynasty; the Philippines bases its claim on proximity and the UNCLOS, as it lies within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. China has controlled the shoal with a coast guard presence since 2012.

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Rajasthan launched the Sahakar Kisan Kalyan Yojana, an interest subvention scheme for long-term cooperative loans. The scheme aims to boost farm productivity and increase farmers’ income. Farmers can access loans through primary cooperative land development banks and Central cooperative banks in Rajasthan. The scheme rewards timely repayment with interest subsidies: 7% for agricultural loans and 5% for non-agricultural loans. Loans support projects like tube well deepening, drip irrigation, land leveling, greenhouses, solar installations, vermicomposting, silkworm rearing, and beekeeping.