Best Current Affairs Questions

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India won a silver medal at the Maruhaba Cup in the Asian Surfing Championships 2024 in the Maldives. The Indian team included Kamali P, Ajeesh Ali, Srikanth D, and Sanjay Selvamani. Japan won gold with 58.40 points; India secured silver with 24.13 points. Taipei won bronze with 23.93 points, and China came fourth with 22.10 points. India won the Heat 2 semi-final, scoring 32.16 points. This win follows India’s first-ever surfing quota for the Asian Games. Indian surfer Harish Muthu reached the quarter-finals, making history for India.

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International Whale Shark Day is celebrated annually on August 30. The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and a filter-feeding shark species. They are found in temperate and tropical oceans globally, except the Mediterranean Sea.
Whale sharks have a dark gray top with light spots and stripes, providing camouflage, and a mouth at the front of the head. They are filter feeders, processing over 6,000 liters of water per hour through their gills. Their diet includes plankton, small fish, and mollusks like sardines, anchovies, and squid. The IUCN classifies whale sharks as endangered.

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The Indian men’s hockey team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, won the Men’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy for a record fifth time on 17 September 2024. India defeated China 1-0 in the final held at Moqi Hockey Training Base, China, with Jugraj Singh scoring the winning goal in the 51st minute. India had won the trophy previously in 2011, 2016, 2018, and 2023. India remained unbeaten in the tournament, defeating China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, and Pakistan. China reached their first-ever final, while Pakistan secured 3rd place after defeating South Korea. Craig Fulton is the Indian team’s coach.

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World Maritime Day, organized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), is celebrated annually on the last Thursday of September. In 2024, it falls on September 26. The theme for this year is “Navigating the future: safety first!” This day emphasizes the significance of maritime activities and the industry’s contributions to global development, raising awareness about safety measures and innovations in the maritime sector.

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Borra Caves, located in the Eastern Ghats in Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh, are among the deepest and largest caves in India. They were discovered by William King George of the Geological Survey of India. Formed millions of years ago by the Gosthani River, the caves are made of karstic limestone and extend to a depth of 80 meters. A naturally formed Shivling inside the caves is worshipped by local tribal communities. Stone tools from the Paleolithic age (30,000-50,000 years ago) were found, indicating early human habitation. The caves will get a facelift under Swadesh Darshan 2.0.

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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the 21st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Zone III Conference in Aizawl, Mizoram, on September 27-28, 2024. The theme was “Democratic Sanctity, Transparency, Accountability, and Results from Democracy.” It aims to enhance democratic governance and parliamentary systems, providing a platform for collaboration among over 180 legislatures from 54 member countries. It facilitates discussions on legislative issues and best practices, promoting commitments to democracy. The CPA India Region, formed in 2004, focuses on regional conferences, reflecting the importance of democratic institutions, especially in diverse areas like Northeast India, where socio-economic development is a priority.

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NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite captured images of ‘sea smoke’ rising from Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier, a phenomenon where frigid air meets warm water, creating fog-like plumes. This rare atmospheric event highlights the glacier’s vulnerability and the impact of strong winds on polar ice sheets. Sea smoke forms when cold air cools and condenses over open waters, resulting in ghostly ice crystal plumes that can influence ice mass balance. Pine Island Glacier is known for its rapid retreat and significant role in ice flow dynamics.

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IIT Madras and ISRO are setting up a Centre of Excellence for research in Fluid and Thermal Sciences. ISRO is providing Rs. 1.84 crore as initial funding for the Centre’s setup and essential infrastructure. The Centre will focus on thermal management research for spacecraft and launch vehicles, aiding ISRO’s missions. Key research areas include spacecraft thermal management, hybrid rocket combustion instability, and cryo-tank thermodynamics. This collaboration will strengthen industry-academia ties, with IIT Madras faculty and ISRO scientists working together on advanced research.

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Typhoon Man-yi was among six major storms to hit northern Philippines in a month. It had powerful winds reaching 195 km/h (125 mph) and struck Catanduanes province. The typhoon left at least three villagers missing, destroyed houses, and caused widespread power outages. Entire towns lost power, and many villagers were displaced. Man-yi worsened the crisis already caused by five earlier storms.

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Under the Yuva Sangam initiative, 44 delegates from Bihar traveled to Karnataka, and 50 from Andhra Pradesh visited Uttar Pradesh. Yuva Sangam, launched by the Ministry of Education in 2023, aimed to strengthen youth connections across States and Union Territories. It fostered cultural immersion, knowledge sharing, and interactions to promote unity in diversity. A total of 4,795 youth joined 114 tours across phases.