Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) epigraphists recently found a Telugu inscription above a Lord Hanuman statue at the 13th-century Simhachalam temple. Simhachalam Temple, also called Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, is in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Dedicated to Vishnu’s Narasimha avatar, it was initially built in the 11th century by Odisha’s Gajapati rulers. The temple was renovated by Vengi Chalukyas and later by Narasimha I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in the 13th century. Its architecture blends Kalinga and Dravidian styles, with a stone chariot, intricate carvings, and sculptures of Vishnu’s avatars and royal figures.

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AIIMS in New Delhi has launched the GRASSROOT Gravity Stent-Retriever System for Reperfusion of Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke Trial) to improve stroke treatment in India. The trial evaluates the safety and effectiveness of a next-generation stent-retriever designed for stroke clots. India struggles with stroke care, with only 4,500 out of 375,000 eligible patients receiving critical mechanical thrombectomy annually. The trial aims to provide a cost-effective stent-retriever to quickly and safely restore blood flow, developed with both international and Indian expertise.

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Fiji awarded Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar the “Honourary Officer of the Order of Fiji,” its highest civilian honor, for his global peace and community work. Fiji’s President, Ratu Wiliame M. Katonivere, presented the award, and Sri Sri expressed gratitude on social media. As founder of The Art of Living, Sri Sri has received top civilian awards from five other nations, highlighting his humanitarian influence in over 180 countries. In Fiji, he met with leaders, including the Deputy Prime Minister and UN Coordinator, to discuss youth empowerment and mental health.

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Bangladesh won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship 2024, defending their title by beating Nepal 2-1. The final match took place at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu. Nepal became the first runner-up in the tournament. Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli announced a cash prize for the Nepali women’s football team as an incentive for their achievement.

Notes:
The government plans to conduct the Census in 2025, widely welcomed for its policy-shaping role since 1872. Census 2025 will include key initiatives like potential caste enumeration, pending government approval. It will also assist in electoral delimitation and help create the National Population Register (NPR). The Census captures essential demographic, economic, and socio-political trends in India. The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for conducting the census in India. The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India is responsible for planning, implementing, and conceiving the census.  The Directorate of Census Operations in each state and union territory (UT) is responsible for conducting the census in their respective jurisdictions.

Notes:
A Columbia University study found that long-term exposure to arsenic in water may increase cardiovascular disease risk. Arsenic is a natural element found in air, water, and soil, and can also be released by industries like mining. It exists in organic and highly toxic inorganic forms; contaminated water and food are common exposure sources. High arsenic levels cause poisoning, with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, while long-term exposure can lead to skin changes. Arsenic is used in rat poisons, insecticides, semiconductors, glass-making, and wood preservation, though its use is heavily controlled due to toxicity.

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Indian botanists have discovered a new leafless orchid species, Gastrodia lohitensis, in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district. This orchid thrives in bamboo thickets around Tezu, relying on nutrients from fungi in decomposing leaf litter instead of sunlight. The discovery was led by Krishna Chowlu from the Botanical Survey of India during a May 2024 expedition. Gastrodia lohitensis stands 50-110 cm tall and has unique features, including linear calli and ridges on its flower lip. It is classified as “Endangered” due to threats from local land use, emphasizing the need for habitat protection in this biodiverse area.

Notes:
Astronomers discovered a rare triple black hole system named V404 Cygni, altering our understanding of black hole formation. It is located about 8,000 light years away from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus. The first star orbits the black hole closely every 6.5 days, while the second is much farther, at 100 times Pluto’s distance from the Sun. This system suggests a “direct collapse” formation, where the black hole forms quietly without a supernova explosion. Thousands of simulations confirmed that this formation spared the distant star from being ejected.

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Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the “One District One Product” (ODOP) Wall at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The ODOP initiative showcases unique products from different Indian districts on international platforms, promoting “Made in India” items. It aims to turn districts into hubs of local products, increasing market reach and visibility globally. The program focuses on sustainable livelihoods for Indian artisans and entrepreneurs by partnering with global retail chains.

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The Himachal Chief Minister recently launched water sports activities at Gobind Sagar Lake. Gobind Sagar Lake is a manmade reservoir in the Una and Bilaspur districts of Himachal Pradesh. Named after Guru Gobind Singh, it is fed by the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River. The Bhakra Dam is one of the highest gravity dams in the world, standing 225.5 m tall. The lake is 90 km long, covers about 170 sq. km, and has a maximum depth of 163.07 m, making it one of the deepest artificial lakes. It supplies irrigation water to Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, benefiting regional agriculture.