Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
Karnataka launched ELEVATE 2024 and Karnataka Acceleration Network (KAN) to support start-ups. ELEVATE 2024 is a grant scheme offering up to ₹50 lakh per start-up to help early-stage companies with seed funding. ELEVATE also provides support through incubation, expert mentorship, incentives, and venture capital access. Karnataka Acceleration Network (KAN) offers mentorship, market access, and funding opportunities for growth-stage start-ups across Karnataka. Both initiatives aim to address funding challenges and foster growth for start-ups in the state.

Notes:
The Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak was awarded to 463 personnel from various states, Union Territories, Central Armed Police Forces, and Central Police Organizations in 2024. This medal recognizes excellence in Special Operations, Investigation, Intelligence, and Forensic Science. Instituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs on February 1, 2024, it aims to encourage high professional standards and morale among officers. The award is announced yearly on October 31, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary. It honors members of Police Forces, Security Organizations, Intelligence, and National Security Guard for exceptional performance and courage.

Notes:
Three XI standard students tragically drowned while bathing in the Koel River in Lohardaga district, Jharkhand. The Koel River originates from the Palamau Tiger Reserve and flows through the western part of Palamu District. It consists of two parts: North Koel River and South Koel River. The North Koel River is tapped for irrigation and joins the Son River, while the South Koel flows through Odisha before merging with the Brahmani River. The river is prone to seasonal flooding, especially during the monsoon, and has hydropower potential, with the North Koel Dam built to generate electricity and supply irrigation.

Notes:
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:
India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has joined the Steering Committee of the Asset Recovery Interagency Network-Asia Pacific (ARIN-AP). ARIN-AP is a major network focused on tracking and recovering criminal proceeds across the Asia-Pacific region. It enhances cross-border cooperation in tracing, freezing, and confiscating assets linked to crime. With 28 member jurisdictions and nine observers, ARIN-AP serves as a vital, informal framework for intelligence sharing. The network, part of the broader CARIN Network, helps law enforcement quickly access information on assets, aiding in efficient crime proceeds recovery across more than 100 countries.

Notes:
The Thadou tribe in Manipur rejected colonial and post-independence classifications labeling them as part of the Kuki group, calling it an arbitrary imposition. The Thadou are indigenous people living in the hill country near Imphal Valley, Manipur. They are also known by names such as Chillya, Kukihin, Teizang, and Theruvan. The Thadou language, Chin and Thado, belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family of Sino-Tibetan languages. In their villages, the chief’s house is the largest, with a platform outside for men to gather, discuss important matters, and mediate disputes.

Notes:
Duma Boko of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has been declared Botswana’s sixth president by Chief Justice Terence Rannowane. Botswana’s electoral law requires a party to win at least 31 of 61 National Assembly seats to secure victory. UDC has gained 34 seats, while the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) secured only four seats. Outgoing President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat as preliminary results confirmed the BDP lost its parliamentary majority after almost 60 years in power. The BDP has governed Botswana, a diamond-rich nation, since its independence in 1966.

Notes:
Australian cricketer Matthew Wade retired from international cricket after a 13-year career with 225 appearances for Australia. He played in three T20 World Cups, crucially helping Australia win its first T20 title in 2021 with a memorable semi-final performance against Pakistan. In Tests, Wade scored 1,613 runs with four centuries, including a top score of 117 in the 2019 Ashes. He played 97 ODIs, amassing 1,867 runs, and 92 T20Is with 1,202 runs. Wade will continue in domestic and franchise cricket and join Australia’s coaching staff for the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan.

Notes:
The traditional ‘Hingot war Festival’ takes place annually in Gautampura, Madhya Pradesh. Participants throw “burning arrows” (Hingots) at each other in this event. This tradition is seen as a display of bravery, not just a ritual. This annual event involves two rival groups, Kalangi and Turra, who engage in a fiery battle by throwing ‘Hingot’ rockets at each other. Thousands of spectators attended, with extensive safety measures by the administration and police to protect them.

Notes:
Harmeet Desai of India won both men’s singles and mixed doubles titles at the 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) Feeder Caracas tournament in Venezuela. The event took place from 31 October to 3 November 2024. Ranked 90th globally, Harmeet defeated France’s Joe Seyfried (world no. 149) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 in the men’s singles final. In mixed doubles, Harmeet and Krittwika Roy defeated Cuba’s Jorge Campos and Daniela Fonseca Carrazana 3-2 in a tight match.