Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
A recent study evaluated the efficacy and safety of filgotinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) 1 inhibitor, for treating moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) causing chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. Its exact cause is unclear but may result from an abnormal immune response. It typically starts in childhood or early adulthood, though it can develop at any age. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, anemia, and weight loss. While there’s no cure, treatments can help manage symptoms.

Notes:
Bird enthusiasts spotted a marbled duck, a rare winter migrant, at Sultanpur National Park after 30 years. The Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) is a small duck with a black bill, gray-brown plumage, and a dark eye patch. It is found in fragmented populations from Central Asia to northwest Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. During winter, it migrates south to regions like North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Prefers shallow, brackish wetlands with well-structured vegetation. Marbled ducks are monogamous. They are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.

Notes:
‘Pravasi Rajasthani Divas’ will be celebrated annually on December 10, announced by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. A separate department will be created for migrant Rajasthanis to address their needs. The department will have a ‘single point contact’ in each district to resolve issues faced by migrant families. The state will also confer the ‘Pravasi Rajasthani Samman’ to notable personalities from Rajasthan living abroad.

Notes:
The “halwa ceremony” is a traditional event that signifies the commencement of the printing process for Union Budget. This ritual involves serving ‘halwa’ to finance ministry officials and signifies the initiation of budget document printing. Following this ceremony, officials are confined to ministry premises to prevent any leaks before the Budget is officially presented in Parliament, typically on February 1 each year.

Notes:
International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has received its first Indian industrial design patent for a solar-powered water hyacinth harvester. The harvester is an affordable, eco-friendly solution priced under ₹2 lakh, designed for rural farming communities. It efficiently clears water hyacinth, a fast-spreading aquatic weed threatening ecosystems, fisheries, and waterways. The harvester can clear a 3-acre pond in 2-3 days, compared to 18-20 days of manual labor by 10-20 workers. It is user-friendly, requiring only semi-skilled or unskilled operators. The project empowers local communities, especially women, creating livelihoods and boosting the rural economy. It is supported by the Odisha Government’s Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment.

Notes:
The Supreme Court will review a plea against the Kerala High Court order allowing the Guruvayur temple administration to stop the “udayasthamana pooja” on Ekadasi due to crowd management concerns. Guruvayur Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, located in Kerala, is dedicated to Lord Krishna and is one of the largest temples in India by daily devotees. It may be over 5000 years old, with its earliest records from the 17th century. The temple is known for its traditional Kerala architecture, ancient murals, and unique rituals like Thulabharam. It also houses the Punnathur Kotta elephant sanctuary with 56 elephants.

Notes:
NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission revealed structures in the newly discovered X-ray binary system Swift J1727. IXPE is a collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency. It was launched on December 9, 2021, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It is NASA’s first mission focused on studying X-ray polarization from celestial objects. The mission helps study high-energy X-rays from objects like black holes, active galactic nuclei, microquasars, and supernova remnants. IXPE’s three telescopes feature polarization-sensitive X-ray detectors, offering new insights into cosmic X-ray sources.

Notes:
The World Malaria Report 2024 is an annual publication by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It evaluates global progress and identifies gaps in the fight against malaria. Malaria cases in India dropped 69%, from 6.4 million in 2017 to 2 million in 2023, and deaths decreased by 68%, from 11,100 to 3,500. Globally, there were 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths in 2023. Africa accounted for 94% of global cases and 95% of deaths, with children under 5 making up 76% of deaths. The WHO South-East Asia Region saw an 82.4% reduction in malaria cases since 2000.

Notes:
The International Day of Neutrality is observed on December 12 to promote neutrality in intergovernmental relations and support global peace and security. Neutrality means a country abstains from participating in wars and maintains impartiality, emphasizing dialogue over conflict. Switzerland is renowned for its neutrality, avoiding destruction in both World Wars. India’s neutrality was evident during the Cold War, maintaining friendly relations with both the US and Russia without aligning with either. The UN General Assembly declared the day in 2017, following a resolution by Turkmenistan, a permanently neutral state. The UN uses preventive diplomacy, mediation, and peacemaking to resolve and prevent conflicts globally.

Notes:
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced ‘Rajmarg Saathi’, advanced Route Patrolling Vehicles (RPVs) aimed at enhancing road safety and incident management on national highways. Equipped with AI video analytics, these vehicles monitor highway conditions and respond to emergencies. The RPVs will replace vehicles after 300,000 km or three years of operation, ensuring optimal service. This initiative reflects NHAI’s commitment to improving traffic flow and safety for road users across the country.